Why I didn’t leave Android, but also can’t ditch my new iPhone 12 Mini

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So anyone who knows me, knows that I never owned an iPhone, until now at least. My smartphone journey (post Palm Pilot days) went from Blackberry, to the Nexus One, and top shelf Android phones right up to my love of OnePlus, starting with the OnePlus 7 Pro.

There are many reasons Android is my phone of choice. Starting with the fact that I’m a musician, and the simplicity of my phone being a external hard drive. I like Google, and enjoy the seamless integration across other devices like my tablet, and a huge plus for casting TV shows etc. with Chromecast, it just works for me. And oh yeah, these Galaxy Airbuds Live are killer.

I’m productive on Android, my Google Keep notes show up where I want them to. I collaborate with my team in Google Docs. My MAIN telephone number is a Google Voice number. I use the Gmail suite effortlessly with not only Gmail addresses, but all of my dotcom properties. Am I a Google fanboy? Probably.

When my team suggested getting new phones for team communication and collaboration for a huge project undertaking, I agreed to an iPhone (had to be the Mini for me, no way I’m walking around with 2 phablets). I also agreed because the reviews on the iPhone 12 lent to some geek curiosity overall. I’m around iPhone users all day. I blow them away with my OnePlus…..literally. Insert Ethel Merman and Ray Middleton  “Anything You Can Do” song here. My Android wins on speed, storage, and everything else but that double tap to like a message (which I shamelessly enjoy immensely on my 12 Mini, don’t judge me!).

I remember the first time I saw someone actually carrying two phones. It’s a common practice in the music business, 99% of the time two iPhones.  Mainly for the purpose of having 2 telephone numbers (something I get easily with Google Voice) and I get it. For geeks like myself, having two smartphones mean something entirely different. Well let me just speak about yours truly.

I’d describe having an Android phone and an iPhone simultaneously as having two computers with different operating systems. According to personal bent, there are obviously things one would prefer over the other. I’ve given you a taste of my Android loves, now let me tell you why I’ve added the iPhone 12 Mini to my arsenal and why I’m not removing it.

1) 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀

iPhone messaging is by far my favorite messaging system so far. As tons of people are flocking to platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram, third party messaging still sucks. It’s not built into the OS, and depending on an outside source to do what my messages SHOULD do is bad business. Apple got this right. I save tons of time recording video and sending MP3s to my team. In these days, speed is everything. iMessage really shines here. Android doesn’t.

2) 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀

Both the output speaker for playing music and the like and the speakerphone just clearly reign supreme here. Either listening to clubhouse in the shower, or talking hands-free wherever I am, I am super duper impressed. All handsets should perform this well.

3) 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗹𝘂𝗯𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲

The brand new, Covid 19 led, billion dollar valuation platform is only available for the iPhone at the moment. Although I have heard plans of expansion to Android OS, being an early adopter on this plaform is worth all the marbles. I’ve already accomplished major deals for major projects due to Clubhouse. I’m definitely guessing waiting for the Android version would NOT have achieved such results. Clubhouse has changed/advanced my business perspective.

4) 𝗔𝗶𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗱𝘀

There has yet to be (if ever!) wireless headsets with the functionality and sound of Apple Airpods. As a musician I can even do mixes on these things. They are amazing, I even use them for phone calls on my Google Voice telephone number. Yes ladies and gentlemen, I can answer calls to my Android on my iPhone using my Airpods.

I could labor on, but this is a blog post, not a book or syllabus. So the next time you see me and I have two phones, you now know why.

𝗗-𝗢