this post was submitted on 14 Jul 2025
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Rant

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A couple years ago, I decided to switch phone carriers. While looking at the plans, they offered various models of new phone for new members including an iPhone SE. Up until then, I've only owned the flagship Android phones that came "free" with other phone carries upgrade plans, so the fact that I could own an iPhone for around the same price was very enticing to me.

Yes, I've heard about Apple charging people a premium for basic things that they removed (adopter to use the headphone jack, charging brick etc) or Apple introducing "revolutionary" features that Android had had for years, but I wanted to try it out for myself and see if I like it. Form my own opinions, ya know?

But now, it's safe to say that Apple's exclusivity has been getting on my nerves lately.

I hate not being able to download APKs, I hate the fact that I have a lightning charging cable, with Android, I could use any cable I had lying around because it was either USB-C and micro USB. I hate that I have such little customization! IOS recently came out with "widgets" but they still follow the distinct Apple layout. I could download something off the Playstore and it could change the entire layout of the phone! This leads me to next gripe with iOS; the App Store is so limited. On iOS only approved apps are allowed on the App Store. I know that this is a good thing because it means that every app is less likely to contain malware, but having anyone being able to create and upload app was kinda cool. Don't like YouTube's or Spotify's current layout or ads? There's a Vanced version of the apps for that. Do you enjoying using browser extensions? Well, Firefox allows you to add them and use them on the mobile app. The list goes on.

Apple gives decent support for their hardware, so I'll be stuck with this phone for a bit. But I know for sure that my next phone will be Android and I'll keep it that way.

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[–] selokichtli@lemmy.ml 9 points 3 days ago (1 children)

You scratched the itch, and that's it. I think even I have been tempted too, but Jesus, Android is already so full of Google. Yes, I'm a Lineage OS (no GAPPS) user.

[–] NeedyPlatter@lemmy.ca 10 points 3 days ago (1 children)

That's another reason why I decided to get an iPhone, Apple seemed like the lesser evil compared to Google. When the time comes, I plan on getting a second hand Pixel to install Graphene OS.

[–] selokichtli@lemmy.ml 5 points 2 days ago

A degoogled Android is still the only acceptable path, whether it is Grapheme OS or other projects like Lineage OS or /e/OS; of course, some people will harshly dismiss some of these. I don't know if Sailfish OS is still around, postmarketOS and the different GUIs of Linux phones (Gnome/Plasma Mobile, Phosh, etc.) are great projects, but not quite stable or user-ready, in my opinion.

[–] BlameTheAntifa@lemmy.world 6 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

I still mourn the loss of WebOS. Maybe someday mobile linux, like Ubuntu Touch, will become genuinely viable and broadly available. For now, I also consider Apple the “lesser” evil.

[–] bjoern_tantau@swg-empire.de 2 points 2 days ago

Be glad if you never knew the awesomeness of the Nokia N900. The absolute best mobile Linux experience ever available. Killed by Microsoft and stupid Nokia not open sourcing their work.

[–] net00@lemmy.today 5 points 3 days ago

If you're deep into UI customization then iOS has never been and will never be the way. For me I've never cared that much about looks outside having dark mode, a clean interface and a wallpaper.

Some of the other things are possible though, like downloading app files from the store (they're IPA in Apple terms). Sideloading apps is also a thing, people have been using yt Vanced on iOS for years.

There's all kinds on browser extensions in the store, but only for Safari. There's almost no point in using any other browser in iOS since they all practically are Safari under the hood.

[–] chonkyninja@lemmy.world 4 points 3 days ago (1 children)

You have a very old ass iPhone.

[–] NeedyPlatter@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

It's the SE second gen so it came out in 2020. It's not super old by phone standards imo.

[–] SreudianFlip@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 days ago

It's a fine phone, nowhere near flagship though.

Screen is only 750px wide.

Make sure you update to latest iOS. 5 years old is okay but expect to lose security updates as soon as next year.

[–] Today@lemmy.world 1 points 3 days ago

I use an android phone and an iPad. iPad is all fun - movies, online shopping, duolingo, things when I'm not in a hurry and I don't care how it looks or how long I have to look for something.

[–] SreudianFlip@sh.itjust.works 0 points 2 days ago

While I agree with the sentiment (fuck Apple) and understand your basic concerns, many of these gripes are just discomfort based on lack of knowledge, or old ios, or particular to your situation.

  • cables: most people have this issue in different ways with different devices anyway
  • the tradeoff is security (not privacy) vs convenience; but in the end 'no random APK' is a huge convenience as someone who has to worry about security all the time
  • you can mess with home screen layout now in ios, and just make sure you go to the right screen before installing a new app to conserve layout (or change settings)
  • App store sucks as bad as Lotus Notes ever did, but even worse, how sleazy is it that all of the in-app costs are obfuscated deep in the app description--it's so so so unethical from a retail design perspective
  • unless you're embedded in apple tech with multiple devices that need to sync core apps, there's generally no requirement to sign into an apple account device-wide, which means an updated iphone is probably as private as a basic graphene install without much effort, and probably more secure
  • if I didn't have to use apple products, I would probably just run GrapheneOS, but with the full knowledge that it will take more effort and money to maintain where an iphone would just be easier to get a similar level of security
[–] lIlIlIlIlIlIl@lemmy.world -2 points 3 days ago