Why iPhone is worse than the competition

UPDATE: Read my final say on which device is better!

Week two.

The shine and sheen have worn off. And I’ve settled into the iPhone routine.

The good:

1. Battery life! – I have not yet had it die on me. Run it all day, did stuff, never dropped below 40% even with my normal use. Not stellar, but not terrible. Has 4g(!).
2. Network integration – Instant texts, iMessage. Minimal dropped connection issues even with spotty WiFi coverage. All very cool.
3. Light even with otter box (now also indestructible).
4. Vibrate switch – Haven’t touched it except to force silent mode and to feel the cool vibrate while toggling it, but a nice touch.
5. Found a reasonable SSH client with most key combos and good key management.
6. Google has managed to create a small universe within the iPhone world. It works.

The bad:

1. Google supports iPhone, but incentivizes Android. No “full resolution” photo uploads with plus, interface ever so slightly worse. You won’t notice unless you move from Android 4.1-4.2 to iOS 6.
2. Interface is terrible. Android 2.2 (early 2010) all over again, but with even less functionality. No quick settings accessible (wifi, data, gps, tilt lock).
3. The notification center is a stark annoying block with no way to dismiss everything, no way to dismiss individual emails, no easy way to tell what order your notifications came in. Notifications on the lock screen are in reverse order of when messages were recieved (newest at top).
4. Single purpose lockscreen. No easy access to Google Now (which is AMAZING, I must add…think it will parse your emails and list all packages you have in the mail to you, plot your commute home every day…)
5. The only way to rearrange icons is by re-ordering them. You can’t have one float. Difficult for me to properly organize at setup.
6. “Apple or die” account integration. Importing my Google contacts requires pulling teeth and setting up DAV accounts.
7. Hasn’t significantly changed since iOS 1 when I had my first OG iPod touch in 2009.

On one hand, I can’t believe Android phones haven’t caught up to iPhone, but that’s in the uncontrolled hardware market. On the other hand, I find it ridiculous that Apple has done so little to improve iOS in the past 5 years. While good business practice, their “holding back features” really makes their phone a bit lackluster.