Man, you are so right! 
Man, you are so right!
let me clarify that yes when i signed the contract i bought the phone at a subsidized price but what i meant by full retail is that i don't wait for upgrade dates, if i saw a phone that i really liked i have no problem buying at at the full price. But i have learnt that it dosent always work out because that money goes to waste if i needed a replacement. So thats why i want a phone that would last me from now until my contract is up, then i will buy another device.
its true that it boils down to personal prefrence, and yes i have lived with android but never with ios..Like you said no smartphone is perfect but based on the luck i have had with android and the droid x, i may try something different but at the end of the day nothing is perfect you just have to get something you like and stick with it.
many people feel the iphone is rock solid
many people feel some droids are too
you have to answer some questions to yourself
do you like itunes? its required with the iphone iirc
do you mind purchasing apps again you already have?
is there anything about the iphone you dont like? and can you live with that?
is there anything about an andoid you must have thats not onthe iphone?
is there anything about the iphone thats a must thats not on android?
droids and iphones have thier pluses and minuses, and appeal to diff people.
the only person that can aswer the question really is you.
As already mentioned, since you stated that you liked the iPhone experience you have had with your aunts (?) then you have already answered your own question. You are an Android user but for now you are an unhappy one. Since paying full retail is not a issue for you it would seem that if one posters theory of you coming back to Android shouldn't really be an issue for you. If you go back to Android in the future it shouldn't have anything to do with your current decision to switch. For now, it seems that the iPhone meets the needs you are looking for. Asking any one on a forum only leads to others opinions...but only YOU know what has worked for you in the real world...go with what feels right to you today. Technology is constantly changing. Who knows...by the time you get ready to upgrade again their may be a platform out there that is better than both iOS and Android.
droidsw wrote:
kaebfly's suggestion has merit, but consider this. Now is not the best time to but yet another phone.
Iphone 5, Droid Bionic (or whatever semblance of it) and scores of other phones with 4G, dual core, etc., are just around the bend.
You mentioned using your Aunt's iphone for a "bit". Is that hours? Days? Weeks?
You could always buy an iphone and give it 14 days of tryout. But, if you weren't happy with it I would have no other suggestions, since you've been disappointed with the TB and Droid X and they are two of the best android's at the moment.
If you like it. Keep it until the iphone 5 comes out and get that phone, or by then you may decide (and I think you will) to return to android.
Since there is no real info or proof that the iPhone 5 will be available soon (maybe later this year but the next question becomes does VZ get it at that time). No one knows but the insiders at Apple...so telling people to hold out for that particular phone may lead to disappointment. Besides, the OP already stated that they have no problem paying full retail for a newer phone if they really want it. Even though they would like to have a phone last until their contract ends it's possible that if something else comes out that they really want they might buy it. Luckily, the iPhone 4 has a very high resale value so if the rumored 5 releases for VZ before then they could easily sell their 4 and get a decent amount of money on it. You can't say the same about a lot of other used phones.
I have had both types. I will never go back to an iPhone. I know you will do what you want in the end. I'm sure that people won't be able to change your opinion on the iPhone either. However, I do want to give my two cents just to say that I did. Since I have had both, I think I am a more reliable source than people who have only read about them. Also... I have played with almost every single Android phone that is out. Only a few have gotten past me! That being said, Let's roll!
When I first got the iPhone, I thought it was an amazing little machine. (Not to mention, I finally felt that feeling of Accepted by the rest of the world. Since having an iPhone means you are "cool" and having an Android means you are a "wanna be")
I played with that phone for hours on the first day. I took those hours learning the tricks and shortcuts that were possible. And after I had them all down, I felt complete. Then it was time to start getting apps. (Yay!) I looked up the most popular ones first. Then after seeing the price on some of them, I looked at the ones that weren't so popular. I started selecting which ones to get. Here it came! The big moment of downloading my first app on my new iPhone. WOW!!! Ten minutes later.... I had Google Earth. (I was not on WIFI) Okay.. ten minutes isn't terrible, is it? YES! The next one, some stupid game that I ended up having to go through iTunes on my PC to get it on my phone. I didn't want iTunes on my computer. Had to happen though.Then I wanted to make a ringtone that was specifically for my wife. Guess what... after spending the time to download the app that would allow me to make Custom Ringtones, (You guessed it..) I had to go through iTunes. After a few more shocking discoveries about needing iTunes for EVERYTHING but making a call, I broke out of the "My phone and I care cool" stage. I realized that compared to my G1 (The FIRST Android phone) this phone wasn't for me.
I went back to the Android phone for a couple weeks before my wife wanted my G1. I took the iPhone back, but I didn't want to.
I grew more and more unhappy with it until I had it Jailbroken. Now it was a decent phone. Except... I could now download apps that would harm my phone. I didn''t like that, so I hardly used the Cydia market place to get things.
Now, my story is over because I got sick of the iPhone. I hated being under Steve Job's rules. I want Flash on my phone! I want to download an app in under a minute without being on WIFI since I am not always around a WIFI connection.( I work in substations, not an office where I can link up to a connection all day). I want to use the phone I paid for to do things, not have to sync up to "Big Brother" iTunes for every little thing. By the way, Making a ringtone with an Android phone on requires music on your phone, and ONE APP called Ringdroid. (Or the countless others like it!) I want to have shortcuts to calling people I call regularly. Direct Dials are a blessing! And I DO NOT... I repeat DO NOT want to have to HACK into (Jailbreak) my phone to make it do what I want it to do.
When you buy an iPhone.... you are paying a good deal of money for it. You shouldn't though. You want to know why? I'm gonna tell you regardless! When you buy it, you can only do what they let you do. Apple made a phone and said "Here you go! Please use OUR PHONE all you want." When Google took that incredible concept that Apple created, but opened it up for other folks to use, here is what they said...." Here you go! Please use YOUR PHONE all you want."
Android has more freedom. iPhones only let you do what Apple says you can do. Yes... the Android market has some issues. It isn't any different than Apple's Store! Android doesn't have as many apps... here is why. iPhone app makers make an app for one PHONE. Android makers have to try to make them work for hundreds of different models. Way harder than making an app that works on one kind of phone.
In my opinion... and that is all it is, Android wins HANDS DOWN. Apple created this Monster and I am thankful for that. However, I am even more thankful that Google perfected it. Slowly, the iPhone will lose its luster to so many more. Due to prices... and other Rules they tack on.
You probably wanted something short and sweet. I'm sorry I got off on a big old rant. I wanted to say that to everyone... not just you. Thanks for reading... if you made it this far.
Thank you everyone for all your advice/opinions, I will make my decision very soon and some of you will like it and some of you may not but thank you.I will report back with updates.
Thanks for the detailed response ArchAngel_32, although everyone else gave me great insight, yours was exactly what I was looking for and why I started this topic. I have read every word, and did a lot of comparisons as to what I NEED and what I USE. Everyone else uses different things and everyone has their own preferences. But in the end only I know what works for me..
Be back soon with updates..
cheers!
JaySean
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