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iPhone vs Android

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BlueCrab:

I hear you loud and clear (insert proper humorous emoji here)…

I use an iPhone because I have family members (my wife and daughter) with Apple equipment and it was just easier to get embedded in the Apple ecosystem than it was to try and support (I’m the family IT guy) multiple operating environments.

However, I have been in IT for a very long time and have used, supported, purchased and trained others on many different operating systems and pieces of hardware. It all boils down to what you_are_comfortable with. That’s as true for cell phones as it is for hearing aids.

Those who have been giving you a hard time need to get their heads right, for they are not. The whole purpose of a forum like this is to help each other, not denigrate each other’s choices.

Old Gnome

Edited

It’s tribalism, pure and simple. We don’t want to look wrong, so we passionately defend our arguably questionable choices…

When I chose my first smartphone in a cell carrier store, I compared an Apple phone to an Android phone, and picked the one I could operate intutively after two minutes of trial and error, and have committed thousands of dollars to staying with that decision for the same reason as you: I’m committed to my app purchases. Smartphone systems now make it easier to switch cell phone carriers than app sellers… I made a huge choice for superficial reasons. If someone had taken a bit of time to show me that I could do what I needed to do with the other smartphone approach, I might have chosen differently.

But when it comes to choosing a web browser, a computer OS, and a smart TV, I’ve made inconsistent choices for equally superficial reasons. But I’m not switching as long as I don’t have to. Switching is expensive and a learning-curve nuisance.

Bottom line: Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff. And Illegitimi Non Carborundum. Don’t take seriously not-so-smart people who try to make you feel stupid. You’re doing fine.

Thank goodness we have choices. Competition sparks innovation.

In reply to @BlueCrab

@Volusiano said:

I think the gist of the issue here more relevant for discussion relating to the hearing aids per se is not about Android vs iOS, but about whether it’s worth it to give up the Android system for the MFI in the iOS or not.

@BlueCrab said:

And that worth can only be decided by the user. There is so much that goes into the decision beyond just the hearing aids. When people make that decision whether or not it is worth it to them, we should all respect that decision.

Totally agreed. Nobody should question anybody else’s decision.

I would not make irrevocable technology decisions. Each decision is new and should be made by evaluating the current facts, and ignoring older, irrelevant facts. I may have bought a GM over a Ford but now, I might buy a Toyota over GM (which I did) but next time, may the best brand or platform win.

If you stay with a platform because that was your original decision, and you make that same decision over and over for no other reason, you reinforce mediocrity.

My own 2-cents’ worth here, beginning with the caveat that I am probably an anomaly in terms of my cell phone usage. I volunteer to be President of the Android Users Idiots Club if there is such an organization. I’m just not an Apple fan. I don’t appreciate how “closed” their platform has become, nor do I want to pay a premium for their products if I can avoid that. That said, I do use a Macbook Pro laptop.

Being retired and a bit of a hi-fi snob, I’d simply NEVER listen to music on my phone. I sometimes listen to music from our home server through the laptop using Sennheiser headphones, but that experience pales by comparison to a pair of Vivids5.

I don’t do any games either on the laptop or phone, and have a total of 19 apps on my Samsung - just the basics: phone contacts (which I’m even leery about storing there), calculator, browser, clock, camera, that’s about it.

All that said, what IF Apple were to come out with THE most amazing hearing aid compatible streaming capability, plus Roger Pen-like mic function, plus just a superb sound quality for my aids? Well … that would definitely tip the scales for me to try out an iPhone.

So far, I’m SUPER contented with the Samsung’s compatibility with my Phonak & Oticon aids, and have both sets paired with my phone. I’ve got no complaints and no reason to leave the Android universe for now.

@1Bluejay said:

Being retired and a bit of a hi-fi snob, I’d simply NEVER listen to music on my phone.

Hey, my LG V20 is probably the highest fidelity music source in the house. I always thought that Apple kind of deliberately (paranoid much?) priced their gear beyond what I could comfortably afford. And then I couldn’t simply copy my own music files onto their devices and play them. I’m told that’s changed. Anyway, residual bad feelings towards the company and no real reason to change from Android. I don’t mind the Connect Clip so much. I prefer that to holding a phone to my mouth anyway.

With my aids I still need to use the mic on the phone.

I really wish Apple would have more intelligent audio routing options in the OS. The OS tends to give priority to the hearing aids. If the phone is Bluetooth connected to my car, I want the car to have priority, not some mashup. Perhaps if there is a competing Android capability competition will drive better features.

Edited

The OP missed one important point when comparing Apples and Androids: Apple keeps a much tighter rein on its Apps store than Android does on its store and you are thus far liklier to get some rougue app on an android than on an Apple. Google something like: Which is safer/more secure? iPhones or Androids and see what you come up with. Also Apple pushes out security updates more frequently and directly to you. Android updates come to you through your phone provider whenever they get around to it.

Hmm. I don’t think I missed anything. Wouldn’t that fall under the stability aspect?

Edited

In reply to @carlhammel1

@carlhammel1 said:

Apple pushes out security updates more frequently and directly to you. Android updates come to you through your phone provider whenever they get around to it.

True for many android phones, but not all. Google makes phones that get security updates every month, directly to the owner, guaranteed for 2-3 years until the phone is EOL. I have Google Pixel 2 XL and an iPhone Xs max, switching to the iPhone when I got . I still use the Pixel 2 XL daily since it does things for me that the iPhone cannot do. The iPhone is my primary phone for calls / texts / music / HA control. In the four months since I got the iPhone, I have gotten two iPhone updates and four Google android updates.

In reply to @prodigyplace

I have the Oticon OPN1s and IPhone 7 Plus when I am in the Jeep and my iPhone is connected to the Jeep then it always go to the car system and not my hearing aids. Now I can override it with the iPhone but I don’t do that except when my wife is driving then we make sure her phone is connected to the Jeep’s system. Check your call routing In your iPhone settings under MFI hearing devices then audio routing make sure that call audio is set to automatic. That is what works for me.

The phone rings in the car but I believe the call uses the mic on the phone and streams to my aids.
I try to avoid using my phone in the car for obvious reasons. Too distracting while driving.

I will take the call on my car System and use the totally hands free. The mic in the car and the car speakers. That way I never take my hands off the stirring wheel. My iPhone always routes the calls to my hearing aids except when I am in the car.

I wish my iPhone 6 / KS 6 combo were that smart. Perhaps the iPhone 7 makes the difference.

I remember a big improvement in moving from an iPhone 5 to a 6.

When driving you could set your phone on do not disturb while driving

Edited

Well that’s very interesting. Thanks for mentioning that here. How long has this been a thing? Apparently I don’t read Oticon threads :slight_smile:
So it’ll stream stereo and use the onboard mics for phone calls? Or do you have to hold the phone up near you to speak? Is it true stereo? Can it connect to other btle devices?

Edit: Thanks MDB and jim_lewis. Yeah I looked around a little on Oticon’s site. I don’t know about trolling but it does seem to be mis-informed.

@lgthunder6: Are you saying that you can stream in stereo and make/receive calls using an Android phone? And NOT using an intermediate device. One would think Oticon would make a deal out of that.

There’s very little info there and the link for more info doesn’t work. My assumption is that it’s talking about streaming with an auxillary device (Connectclip?)

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