Thank you so much for sharing.

Just for the record, I have owned just about every iOS device ever made, along with 5 or 6 Android devices of different vintages and types (and rooted, unlocked, played with CMx, and whatever else. Currently own a Nexus 7), a Windows Phone, an HP Touchpad, and several different Windows Mobile, Pocket PC, Windows CE, and Palm devices before that. I also use a Windows 7 computer due to my job, instead of a Mac. In fact, I hardly even played with OS X. It feels like a foreign landscape any time I have been forced to use one. So, I come from a very eclectic tech background. I know what’s out there, first hand. I can also vouch for the fact that most of the other writers on this site are also very well versed in competing platforms.

Now, with all that said, I know that I have personally been attacked by several Android fanboys who assume that I know nothing about technology because I prefer to own a device that isn’t bleeding edge, when in actuality, I’m a programmer who has been using mobile devices longer than many of them have been alive. I was loading custom ROMs on Windows Mobile 5 devices when many of them were in Elementary School. (Get Off My Lawn!! 🙂 ) So, that tends to hit a nerve with me. Those of us who ARE technically inclined, and choose to use iOS for our own, very informed and thought out reasons, are often subject to a lot of “tech elitism” from Android fanboys. On several occasions, I have attempted to join in conversations at Phandroid and other sites, to actually discuss the differences between platforms and preferences. I’ve either given up or just didn’t even bother in the first place. It was nothing but the kinds of things I’m griping about here. People who consider iOS users as second-class tech citizens. Of course, it’s just the same if you go to a lot of iOS oriented sites, such as AppleInsider or iMore. That’s one of the things I LOVE about this site. We don’t tend to do the flamewar and linkbait thing. You can actually find some thought-provoking and reasoned discussion in our comments, and a lot of that is because we don’t tend to fly the fanboy flag quite so high. There is a diverse group of writers, and we aren’t forced to toe any kind of Apple line. You’ll see both glowing praises and strong critiques of Apple here.

Now, iOS users in general may not be on the offensive like they once were, but many iOS fanboys used to be. Since iOS hit first and had the much larger user base and a higher level of polish in its early days, a lot of OG iOS folks poked a lot of fun at Android and Android users. So, it all definitely goes both ways.

Things have definitely changed since then, though. There is a lot of cool, or general elitism that is still very much a part of the Apple culture. I guess it’s always been there. Apple fosters it and caters to it, in fact. They sell mass produced “luxury devices” that are geared toward people who want a somewhat affordable piece of status. That isn’t why I like Apple hardware and iOS, but I know that’s really who Apple is primarily aiming at. I think a lot of the users who are attracted to that kind of marketing still put off the kind of elitism that some of you are describing. It’s still there, but since Apple and the iPhone have become the “establishment” of sorts (see every damn Samsung ad made in the last two years), it isn’t as prevalent now as it once was. But it’s still out there. Trust me, I get a little of it myself occasionally because I don’t use a Mac.

However, like I said before, if you have a tech job, write for a tech blog, or are just interested in tech, and you use iOS as your primary platform, you will get attacked for it today. It may not be from those of you in this thread, but it happens ALL THE TIME. Android has become the darling of the tech world, and especially the not so objective as they think tech press, and it really gets old hearing about everything from that viewpoint ALL THE DAMN TIME.

I mean, I get it to an extent. I understand the attraction. I used to use Windows Mobile instead of Palm when I was a little younger, and had time on my hands, and a dropped call because the phone suddenly rebooted or a rogue process drained the battery in less than an hour wasn’t a big deal. But that isn’t for me anymore, and I know a LOT of iOS users who are programmers and IT guys who feel the same way. You know, it’s one thing to make some silly jokes at the expense of the mass consumers who really don’t know anything about technology, but it really rubs me the wrong way when someone tells me I don’t know what I’m talking about. Because I DO know what I’m talking about, thank you very much.

So yeah. It all goes both ways. I may take an occasional jab at the Android masses in general here on the site, but I definitely try to keep it all civil and in fun. Definitely not personal. Now with Google, not quite so much. In my personal opinion, Google gets a lot of passes for a lot of things in the tech press and with their fans, because of their very smart approach and PR. I just don’t buy into all that “don’t be evil” business. I’m also wary of buying products from and giving all my info to what is primarily, a really big ad firm. I’m just not a fan in general, and I make that very clear in my writing. But, I acknowledge that I’m not objective, and I am a critic of some of what they do. I tend to point out the negative. However, that is VERY different from attacking individuals for their preferences, especially when it’s unprovoked. That’s what sucks about outright fanboyism. I don’t like being personally attacked, and I’m sure none of you do, either. It’s one thing to trade a few jokes, have a few laughs, and walk away with respect for the person in front of you, or on the other side of the screen, but unfortunately, that has become the exception in today’s world.

It is refreshing to see the thoughtful and non-inflammatory discussion in this thread, though. And I think Joe did an excellent job in this article of discussing the issues from the iOS perspective, rather than just lobbing volleys back the other direction.

That’s funny. The actual article quoting IPhone user’s comments was fairly tame. BUT the comments about the article were getting vulgar and coming from android users. Same as always.

🙂

(/me puts on flame retardant suit and giggles maniacally)

People will continue to battle their brains out from within their tiny boxes, never realizing there is a greater world outside the box.

However, one thing I would like to add is that fans of Apple –and iPhone users more specifically — have been known to engage in some of the same name-calling as the Android users that inspired this article. An example that comes to mind is the unfavorable response by iPhone owners to the release of Instagram for Android. Due to the outrage of iPhone users at the rapid influx of pictures posted to Instagram from Android phones, the perceived inferior quality of these pictures compared to those captured on iPhones, and the collective sentiment among iPhone users that something valuable to them — the exclusivity of Instagram to the IOS platform — had been taken away, many estranged iPhone owners took to Twitter to post disparaging remarks directed at owners of Android devices:

(http://phandroid.com/2012/04/03/iphone-users-are-disgusted-by-new-android-users-signing-up-for-instagram-humor/)

As can plainly be seen in the link above, we should be careful to say that all of the hate-mongering and character-bashing takes place on one side of the smartphone divide or the other. Clearly people have the tendency to take their OS allegiance too seriously, and that is true regardless of whether they own Android or IOS devices.

Maybe the most important distinction to be made here is not between people who prefer iPhones or Androids, but rather between those of us who maintain a delusional sense of superiority as a result of their smartphone preferences, and those of us who recognize that IOS, Android, Windows Phone, BBOS and the like are all sound mobile computing solutions for the consumer, and it is up to the end user to decide which of these platforms is best suited for their needs.

Ok, here’s where an interesting topic turned into a one-sided garbage post. The hate, bias, and contempt of non-Apple from the Apple camp is not only rampant, but preceded any Android hate.

Think back to the Mac vs PC advertisements. Not only were they inaccurate and stereotyping, they were in poor taste and severely insulting to those who use Windows computers. Mac users adopted the mentality in those ads, and it simply continued with iPhone users.

Even before Android was released, many iPhone users considered their phones, and by extension themselves, better than those around them. I saw this personally and in aggregate online. When Android first came out, the contempt increased, especially before Android was as polished as it is now. Even Steve Jobs and Tim Cook have never missed an opportunity to publicly insult other products, and by extension, their users.

The insults coming from the Android side stem from two motivations. First, it is retaliation for all the crap thrown on them from the Apple side. And second, there is a general dislike of Apple as a *company*. It’s business practices, litigative habits, advertising campaigns (including smear campaigns), and general pompousness and air of superiority are sickening.

You fail to see both sides of the issue, and so your plea for Android users to play nice carries little weight.

I mean, start with looking at yourself, the way you behave and react to others, especially the ones not using the device YOU like. I think you’ll see.. we (almost) all do the same.

Everyone wants his/her device to be the best. You take some arguments, and use them to tell why your phone is the best. So, other side is responding… and than hell breaks lose.

Just like you said:
“But I believe that we need to show more respect for others and their choices. Is that too much to ask? Can’t we all just… Get along?”

I totally agree on that!

but to be honest when someone asks me which phone they have to get. I’ll tell them Android Device, HTC. When they want an iPhone I tell them that it sure is a good choice too. but… you know 😉

I never had an iPhone, so how do I know where I’m talking about. Well, my gf and housemate and best friend all using iPhone’s and Mac.

Ow and when everyone around you is using Apple, you sure sometimes need to defend yourself (My choice, Android). It just happens.

It’s just all overrated like the patent-wars.

P.S.

You said you see it as being more analogous to Red Sox vs. Yankees.
Well, same for me but than iPhone users are the Red Sox’.

When I read that I thought: ‘well I guess I was all wrong.. and I think you are wrong too.’ Both Android and iPhone fanboys do the same. But we need to blame the other why they are more annoying than we are. same story>> What is better iPhone of Android<>Who is more annoying Applefanboy or Androidfanboy. We all want to defend ourselves. Human Nature?

I believe that we need to show more respect for others and their choices. And Start with looking at your own.

I sure can be annoying and I sure do like Android,HTC above iPhone.
I think, though, I can be pretty f** happy with an iPhone too.

Sorry for English mistakes and shit, I’m from Holland.

Ow, and I love Apple ♥

http://www.buzzfeed.com/katienotopoulos/iphone-users-disgusted-by-android-instagram