Mobile Phone Thread S2

[Neon Ignition]

I'd expect more varied designs, outside of the naff bending screen flip phones, purely out of a desire to stand out in a saturated market. Still begs belief so many people shell out so much every year for a latest model that in both appearance and functionality offers nothing over the prior model, paying out just to have the digit on the logo increment by 1. It would be nice to see that bubble burst and many more people adopt longer shelf-lives for their phones, hopefully it would bring down the scale of profiteering in prices.

[Nu-Eclipse]

I'd expect more varied designs, outside of the naff bending screen flip phones, purely out of a desire to stand out in a saturated market.

Standing out is all well and good to a point, but if the ergonomics of the phone don't work for the users then the design is ultimately rendered redundant.

Still begs belief so many people shell out so much every year for a latest model that in both appearance and functionality offers nothing over the prior model, paying out just to have the digit on the logo increment by 1. It would be nice to see that bubble burst and many more people adopt longer shelf-lives for their phones, hopefully it would bring down the scale of profiteering in prices.

To each their own. Like I just said, I've personally not brought a new phone in four years and counting. Though obviously people aren't being gunpoint-forced to buy these products annually. The prices are crazy across the board but in some fairness, when all is said and done, we're pretty much walking around with de facto pocket computers that can outperform some desktops and laptops so it isn't entirely unjustified.

[Neon Ignition]

Here's a genuine query - what exactly are people queuing for with Apple stores?
There's regularly lines outside before they open and then people go in and kind of mill about with the staff. The only reason I can think their stores would be required to such an extent is either people really want accessories or they're going there in their droves to get faults with their handsets fixed. You get other stores that sell Apple phones or other branded phones but never the weird line ups outside unless theirs a product launch sometimes.

[Nu-Eclipse]

Is iPhone queuing outside physical stores even still a thing in this day and age?? I haven't been an iPhone user since the 6s (2015) and I ordered that online and had it delivered to my home.

[Neon Ignition]

Weirdly yep, I'm not even that sure why Apple needs a store at this point, they're mostly empty space. I'd understand it more if it were related to other Apple products but nope, everyone inside is always standing around with staff and their phones

[fuse]

With the new devices you'll usually be able to pick them up from store before you can have them delivered to home. I could've picked one up a new phone this coming Friday for example, whereas I went for home delivery where currently there is only a vague timeframe of delivery between the 2nd to the 9th of October. When you choose collection you have to specify a 15 minute timeslot, and from experience the folks who are specifically coming for collection get stuck in a queue, whereas those who are up for a more general, leisurely browse just go into the store as per normal.

For what it's worth even though I couldn't commit to a 15 minute slot for an earlier phone, I am still planning to pop into one within the coming week to try on one of the new Watches and to ask about an issue I've been having with my AirPods.

[fishbowlhead]

Weirdly yep, I'm not even that sure why Apple needs a store at this point, they're mostly empty space. I'd understand it more if it were related to other Apple products but nope, everyone inside is always standing around with staff and their phones

It’s precisely because they have physical stores people go in, you get to handle the product, test, ask questions as much as you like without being bombarded by smarmy salespersons pushing crap on you. Also get a lot of people in them for repairs as well.

Generally find them a good store all round.

[Nu-Eclipse]

Weirdly yep, I'm not even that sure why Apple needs a store at this point, they're mostly empty space. I'd understand it more if it were related to other Apple products but nope, everyone inside is always standing around with staff and their phones

Nope. Apple Stores are definitely still needed. The ability to be anywhere on the planet and still find somebody able to provide on-the-spot customer support if you have issues with your device is invaluable. And obviously it's not just iPhones...you understand that Apple sell many other products, right?

Having to deal with Google and Samsung support exclusively over the phone is a pure garbage experience in comparison. I may not use an iPhone anymore but Apple offer a light years superior customer support experience than their competitors do. Moving to phone and/or online-only wouldn't be an improvement.

[Neon Ignition]

It's probably just me being lucky then. I've never needed manufacturer customer support for a mobile so the idea of issues being so prevailent that a network of stores with queues before they open seems counter intuitive, like it projects I should be less inclined to use their products

[Nu-Eclipse]

It's probably just me being lucky then. I've never needed manufacturer customer support for a mobile so the idea of issues being so prevailent that a network of stores with queues before they open seems counter intuitive, like it projects I should be less inclined to use their products

Or...actually being able to see somebody in person about issues that might arise with a product is actually a good thing?

if you've never gone into an Apple Store or used their customer service before, then just say that??

Your attempt to portray upfront in-person customer service as a bad thing is really weird.

[Neon Ignition]

I've been in a couple of times with others, this is a few years back mind and it was just related to issues that always arose because OS updates had gone wrong or led to issues. They were always just shipped off to be sorted because there's little that can be done in store about those things ultimately. Obviously Apple has more than enough money to run their stores, I'm assuming the stores then take care of physical issues with devices up front that you can't normally get sorted quickly with other manufacturers.

[CMcK]

Apple stores make a lot of money. At one point they generated more money per square foot than anyone else.

[Nu-Eclipse]

ICYMI. Keynote starts @ 12:44.

[Lebowski]

Phones have got boring, everyone seems to be struggling with the yearly upgrade model. both Apple and google seem to be struck in a camera and speed bump when for the majority of people you are getting the same day to day experience with a three year old model as you are with this years shinny new handset.

I used to feel the urge to upgrade yearly or at least once every couple of years minimum, but with the current trajectory we're on you could quite happily not upgrade for years. My son is still using an iphone xs and (despite the issue with the battery not being as good as it once was) for what he uses it for its pretty much the same experience as a newer iphone. When i did upgrade last it was a pretty underwhelming experience with only real world benefit being not having to charge my phone as much.

[wakka]

Yeah, they're just incredibly mature at this point. There isn't anywhere much else to go. And they're so vitally important to day to day existence now that few people want anything experimental - it's more important that all of the expected 'boring' features work well than it does anything revolutionary.

I can do one better than your son - I've been using an iPhone 7 since August. I was using a XR but lost it on holiday, so I dug this old work phone of my partner's out of a drawer.

The battery life sucks and it gets hot and slow when browsing heavy pages in Safari, but honestly it does everything you need otherwise.

I would like to get a new phone but I'm dragging my heels over which model to get.