As much as the Google Pixel and its implications for Google's future in hardware exites me, I honestly can't see myself moving away from Apple. At least, not for a very long time. There are still several reasons I am tied to Apple. These may or may not apply to you, too.
Let's get into the specific reasons why I'll be sticking with Apple.
1. Apple has a more developed ecosystem of hardware. For the time being, Apple has an ecosystem of hardware that, in my opinion, far outshines what Google can offer. We have the Google Pixel right now, but there isn't a Google-made smartwatch, tablet, or laptop yet. Sure, there are other Android / Chrome products available, but they are spread across multiple companies and not nearly as tightly integrated as Apple's hardware ecosystem. I do foresee Google developing more products in house, so I do expect this to be resolved in the future. (But a LONG way into the future.)
2. Google has a problem on their hands by separating features across multiple pieces of software. This one kind of baffles me because I genuinely don't understand the need for separated software. For example, Google recently launched Allo: a messaging service that integrates the new Google Assistant. Why wasn't this integrated into Hangouts...? And the same with Duo. There are cool features in all three of these applications, but I have no idea why Google just didn't bundle them into one. To that end, Apple has done a better job at integrating things like this into applications like iMessage. Again, this is something Google can fix in the future, but it'll probably be a while yet.
3. Apple has buried me by locking my purchased content to their ecosystem. This one annoys me the most because I don't foresee this problem ever going away. For literally the last decade, I have purchased movies, music, apps, and more via iTunes, and I risk losing all that in moving to Android. I don't know what else to say about this, but this is EASILY the biggest reason I probably will never move to Google's ecosystem.
4. All my friends and family have iPhones. If there is one thing Apple has done really well, it has been creating a community around their platforms. iMessage alone is a big indicator of this. It's super obvious on group chats when an Android user is on there. If you are an Android user, you are effectively an outsider, and nobody wants to be an outsider. Sure, Android has gained traction, and my hope is that Google's own hardware will push that Android community to be equal to Apple's. It's going to take a lot of work to get there, though.
5. Google already put their best stuff on iOS. This is arguably the best and worst business decision Google could have made. Their notable mantra "Don't Be Evil" seemingly compels them to do what they think is right, and apparently they thought putting their software on iOS is right. I'm very grateful for this, but now... I don't really have a reason to switch over. Conversely, Apple hasn't put things like iMessage on Android, so I only stand to lose more than I gain in switching to Android. The only thing I think will help the issue is if Google starts locking things like Google Maps or Hangouts to Android, and I just don't think that's something they'll ever do.
So there you have it. It will be really interesting to see how the Google Pixel will usher in new hardware in the future. Will it be enough to topple Apple? Only time will tell. On the flip side, time also allows Apple to continue to innovate and solidify their own platform ecosystem. Can Google catch up? Maybe. Time will tell!
Let's get into the specific reasons why I'll be sticking with Apple.
1. Apple has a more developed ecosystem of hardware. For the time being, Apple has an ecosystem of hardware that, in my opinion, far outshines what Google can offer. We have the Google Pixel right now, but there isn't a Google-made smartwatch, tablet, or laptop yet. Sure, there are other Android / Chrome products available, but they are spread across multiple companies and not nearly as tightly integrated as Apple's hardware ecosystem. I do foresee Google developing more products in house, so I do expect this to be resolved in the future. (But a LONG way into the future.)
2. Google has a problem on their hands by separating features across multiple pieces of software. This one kind of baffles me because I genuinely don't understand the need for separated software. For example, Google recently launched Allo: a messaging service that integrates the new Google Assistant. Why wasn't this integrated into Hangouts...? And the same with Duo. There are cool features in all three of these applications, but I have no idea why Google just didn't bundle them into one. To that end, Apple has done a better job at integrating things like this into applications like iMessage. Again, this is something Google can fix in the future, but it'll probably be a while yet.
3. Apple has buried me by locking my purchased content to their ecosystem. This one annoys me the most because I don't foresee this problem ever going away. For literally the last decade, I have purchased movies, music, apps, and more via iTunes, and I risk losing all that in moving to Android. I don't know what else to say about this, but this is EASILY the biggest reason I probably will never move to Google's ecosystem.
4. All my friends and family have iPhones. If there is one thing Apple has done really well, it has been creating a community around their platforms. iMessage alone is a big indicator of this. It's super obvious on group chats when an Android user is on there. If you are an Android user, you are effectively an outsider, and nobody wants to be an outsider. Sure, Android has gained traction, and my hope is that Google's own hardware will push that Android community to be equal to Apple's. It's going to take a lot of work to get there, though.
5. Google already put their best stuff on iOS. This is arguably the best and worst business decision Google could have made. Their notable mantra "Don't Be Evil" seemingly compels them to do what they think is right, and apparently they thought putting their software on iOS is right. I'm very grateful for this, but now... I don't really have a reason to switch over. Conversely, Apple hasn't put things like iMessage on Android, so I only stand to lose more than I gain in switching to Android. The only thing I think will help the issue is if Google starts locking things like Google Maps or Hangouts to Android, and I just don't think that's something they'll ever do.
So there you have it. It will be really interesting to see how the Google Pixel will usher in new hardware in the future. Will it be enough to topple Apple? Only time will tell. On the flip side, time also allows Apple to continue to innovate and solidify their own platform ecosystem. Can Google catch up? Maybe. Time will tell!
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