Even though the whole world seems focused on Apple each September when the new iPhone is unveiled, I think iPhones are over-anticipated, overpriced, and overrated. iPhone users focus too much on familiarity instead of practicality. 

To start off, Apple almost never changes anything. This year’s iPhone, the iPhone 11, is almost exactly the same as the iPhone XR. The iPhone 11 Pro Max and the iPhone XS Max are nearly identical. Go back a year: the iPhone 8 was a clone of the iPhone 7, aside from the glass back. The iPhone X was somewhat changed, but still kept the same boring interface. 

And another thing: iPhones aren’t cheap. Even if consumers buy a lite version or an older model, they’ll probably still pay upwards of $500 when they could get a higher performing Android for much less. Sure, iPhone fanatics may argue that some Androids cost just as much as iPhones, but that’s just the thing: Androids are so much more diverse. Samsung alone has more than 5 different lines of phones they release each year. With all of the options Android has to choose from, it’s easy to find a phone that fits consumer needs and budgets. 

I saved the best for last…the back button. The iPhone’s lack of a navigation bar and the back button is absolutely unacceptable for smartphones today. I understand that they prefer having the swipe controls or whatever it’s called, but they should at least have a setting where you can switch to navigation bar controls. Samsung gives users the ability to switch from the navigation bar to swipe controls. The lack of a back button is the one major reason I will never get an iPhone. Sure, Safari has a back button. But when users are in the middle of another app (Fantasy Football, Texting, etc), the option to go back isn’t there. For someone who constantly needs to go back (life needs a back button), smartphones without a back button are completely impractical. 

Apple factory apps such as iMessage and GarageBand are definitely nice to have and are a positive factor in favor of Apple, but other than built-in apps, Apple doesn’t have much going for them. The proprietary nature of iPhones limits creativity and flexibility within the user interface. 

Larger devices such as computers don’t need this flexibility, and ease of use is actually a positive factor. I own an iPad and will hopefully get a Mac one day. I’m not against Apple. I just don’t like iPhones.