If you want to buy the latest phone with technology that is two years old, get an iPhone.

Apple launched their iPhone 11 model line up stating that it was the same price or cheaper than their previous iPhone 10 model series. True, but they did not include the headphones in the set. You had to buy them separately. Then, they launched their IPhone 12 series last year. They said they were going environment friendly – so they reduced the size of the box. Whoah! But they did not include the “brick” or charger plug. Though it may be implied that you use you an old one that so happens to be lying around your house (how do they know that?) Or one from your old phone, but you may want to sell that old phone. They give you a subtle reminder to use original products.

In public, with a new and expensive phone, you won’t want to be caught with an overly worn and used charger; of course you want to look cool, chic and sophisticated – you will buy a new charging plug. Make sure when you place your iPhone down, it is placed with the cameras facing up (the back of the phone).

Most iPhone users aren’t very smart, Really. It’s because they will go out and buy it, thinking they’ve got the bargain of their lives. They will wait in line, queuing up for ridiculously long hours, just to buy these phones; forgetting that they are supposed to have the bargaining edge because they are paying for it.

Now, anticipating the launch of their iPhone 13 series this year (2021); they could most likely aim towards reducing the price or keeping it the same as the 12 series and be environmentally conscious as well! Zee fruit company would achieve this by reducing the size of the thickness of the box by 25% – 50% or more. You will now be paying the same price or a reduced price compared with last year’s model; get a scaled down size, thickness of the box – no headphones, no charging brick and no iPhone. You will have to pay an additional $500 for the phone. You can’t buy the phone without the box.

A few years ago, I saw an advertisement in a local Malaysian newspaper for an expensive product. “The product is free. It comes in a box. The box costs $4,000. You can’t get the product without buying the box.” Creative advertising. I can’t recall what the product was but it was one that many would have loved to own.

In weight, most of the iPhones are heavier than others makes in its category. Youtuber Mrwhoistheboss, says in one of his videos that these phones are so solidly built that he does not use a protective case for his current iPhone. He said he has dropped it several times and the phone has survived, unscathed. They are undoubtedly well built. You can test it out yourself. Throw it out of the window from the top floor of the Burg or into Lake Jaya. Make sure when it lands at the bottom, it lands with the cameras facing up (the back of the phone). No, no, no, don’T! Leave the throwing to the strange Youtubers. It could be a painful experience.

By now, you may have noticed that it is not “Iphone” but “iPhone” in my text. I have always typed it this way, giving it the respect it deserves.

The everyday guy on the street does not have a good enough reason as to why he (or she) chooses the iPhone over the other brands. Aside from those many people who buy an iPhone just to say “I’ve got one, too” because its expensive, notice how they have a special way of holding it in their hand while walking about, with the back facing outwards showing the camera module? (at least when Apple first launched their 11 series onwards.) Now you know the reason why the camera module has to be seen.

Almost every other phone manufacturer followed suit with the bumped (those Englishers would say “protruding”) out camera housing after mocking this influencer design when Apple first introduced it. The Samsung S21 Ultra camera design is premium – currently the best of the best in this area. Oppo’s Find X3 Pro show’s it’s “six-pack” – raw muscular look; shouts “strength” – another fab design..

Aside from the above reason; those that buy the iPhone say that its for security. On the contrary(quite), we keep reading and hearing about the kinks in iOS roll outs that have security breaches. And as for the everyday “Joe”, what security does he really have to worry about?

Iphone…oops iPhone or/and Apple products have a huge following in the west because they want to be in the Apple ecosystem and they start putting more plants and trees in their living room, bedroom, kitchen, car – get it “ecosystem”, no really, yes that’s the reason. No, from what I hear, it is because they have an excellent service network set up.

They also believe that it is difficult to port all their info from an iPhone to an android phone. Then again, brands like Samsung, have developed an app like “Switch” (used by Samsung) to seamlessly port your iPhone files, pictures, etc.; over to Samsung. It is pretty simple.

There are the few that buy an iPhone because they want to buy a western-made phone. But the iPhone is made in China. It has incredible-build quality. On this side of the planet, we don’t really know of a non-Asian made phone. Maybe, Nokia (still trying to rise from the rubble. Never know, they can make a comeback).

My friend, Jackie is so happy with her latest buah epal, the 12 Pro max 256gb. Jackie, an attractive lady with the moolah, is surrounded with these trappings. She said to me when she got the phone, “this phone is very expensive. I managed to get a 20% discount through a friend”. There you go. Apple has positioned itself in such a way that you only buy (at a premium price) what they offer you. They generally don’t listen to you. They sell you the idea that “this is the best for you”. They offer no excuses, no apologies and are doing superbly well at it. And it does not matter if you know how to use it. Or not (popular “see-saw” phrase).

Their stuff works really well. Facial recognition works 99.9% of the time blazingly fast. Even in the dark. Compare this to Samsung Note 10+ finger print sensor, it improves your prayer life significantly. You have to pray that this “most-of-the-time-slow-system” works. It is so buggy, I’m locked out after the 5th attempt. Then, I have to key in my password to get in.

My experience with the iPhone is that overall, it loses out to android apps, hands down. Sending a video file through Whatsapp for instance; is clipped. You have to go the roundabout way of uploading some stuff to Instagram – another gripe. I like to personalize my phone with themes, wallpapers, icons, etc. Android has an abundance of choice. I love it, love it love it! The iPhone – zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Daniel Chandranayagam (danyoga.fit on WordPress) loves the iPhone. He does not offer any explanation or reasons as to why. That’s cool in itself. Besides his yoga classes; he has a column in one of the major newspapers. His iphone – his trusted companion.

Should you get an iPhone? Make an informed choice. Test it out, test the competition. Apple’s ecosystem? Samsung has theirs. So, has Xiaomi – one of the easiest to use and very efficient, too. Then, whatever you choose, you should be happy for at least the next three years. If it is the iPhone, you could keep it for a long time without iOS update worry, as their OS update support goes on for at least 5 years. That is, if you want to skip getting the latest and the greatest at each year’s rollout.