6 reasons why I’m team iPhone over Android

1 iCloud and Continuity

The Apple ecosystem convenience

iCloud and Continuity are perfect examples of how Apple’s ecosystem is incomparable to anything else on the market. Some call it a walled garden; I consider it a convenience. With iCloud, all my notes, reminders, calendars, and so much more are near-seamlessly synced among my other Apple devices. iCloud Drive is my particular favorite feature as it lets me start an article on my iPhone when an idea hits, flesh it out on my iPad Pro, where I can focus, and finish it on my Mac, where publishing is easier.

Similarly, Continuity makes copying and pasting magical, enabling me to copy something on my iPhone and paste it on my Mac or any other combination of my devices. AirDrop is another valuable feature that speeds up the sharing of files between my devices. Yes, there are some solutions on the market that attempt to mimic these features with Windows and Android, but they aren’t nearly as seamless as iCloud and Continuity. I’m particularly excited about iPhone screen mirroring coming in iOS 18 and macOS 15 as a privacy-friendly way to wirelessly access my iPhone.

2 Apple Stores

There are over 500 of them globally

I’ve become less enchanted with the Apple Store experience lately. So much so that I hope to write a piece about it. Still, as a former Apple Store employee, I find it difficult not to walk into one and feel the energy in the air. I’ll be the first to admit you have Apple Store PTSD when you instinctually begin to face products upon walking in. Nevertheless, Apple’s 500+ Apple Stores, along with its thousands of reseller and repair partners, create an unmatched network for easy purchases and repairs.

A few months ago, I went on vacation to Montreal. Knowing that we were going to an area with an Apple Store, I decided to get my iPhone’s cracked rear glass repaired while we had lunch. So, like a good Apple Store goer, I booked an appointment in advance. There’s something to be said about booking an appointment via an app and getting a repair done in under two hours — all while the repair is tracked, and I can leverage my AppleCare+.

Similarly, the shopping experience at an Apple Store, while not what it once was, still makes for an excellent place to get expert advice and pick up online orders. Yes, getting a staff member and figuring out where to pay is confusing, but Apple employees are some of the most knowledgeable salespeople you’ll meet in a consumer electronics store.

3 AppleCare+

It’s all about express replacement

To some, AppleCare+ is a scam. To others, it’s a required part of the Apple buying experience. I don’t buy AppleCare+ on everything. I’ll take my chances with my Apple TVs and HomePods. Still, my expensive primary devices, like my iPad Pro, iPhone, MacBook, Apple Watch, and soon Apple Vision Pro, all get it basically by default. The decision on whether to get AppleCare+ or any extended warranty really is your risk tolerance. However, one feature that drives me to AppleCare+ in addition to the subsidized repair costs, is express replacement.

Express replacement is where Apple sends you a replacement device before you return your defective one. To do this, a person has to call Apple Support, request one, and put a hold on a credit card for the cost of not returning the replacement device. Otherwise, there’s no additional fee for this service. What makes express replacement express is how replacement devices show up within a couple of business days, hopefully minimizing your downtime. My nearest Apple Store is an hour away and doesn’t always have a replacement cellular iPad or correct iPhone part in stock. Express replacements make for a convenient way to get replacements for defective and damaged devices.

4 Videography

iPhones are the best

It’s hard for me to put into words because I’m not a professional videographer, but iPhones are just great at videography. While there are endless arguments about which device takes a better photo, I believe there’s little competition regarding video capture.