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Apple bringing the heat with iOS 6; ditches Google Maps, introduced 200 new features [Poll: Will you defect?]

166

Be sure to visit iSource.com for extended coverage on all things Apple.

Apple’s just gotten through with their keynote for 2012’s Worldwide Developer Conference, an event that usually define’s Apples direction for the next year or so and beyond. A ton of interesting things came from the event, including a tidbit that we all knew was coming: Apple will be dropping Google Maps for their own mapping solution.

Apple’s maps app doesn’t have much more than Google Maps at first glance. They both share many features, including the 3D maps feature that Google just announced June 6th.

They now have their own turn-by-turn solution, and this experience is enhanced with Siri. You can ask Siri to reroute you for better traffic or to find you a gas station and it’ll do it in real time. The maps app looked very clean, and I’m sure it’ll be as smooth as any Apple app has.

And beyond that, they improved Siri with the ability to command it to open apps, to pull down sports schedules, scores, and live updates, find someplace to eat on Yelp, book a table at that place using OpenTable, and a lot more.

The browser has gotten some cool enhancements, including a reading list feature that many have been dying to get. You can share tabs between your iOS devices and desktop Safari, not unlike what Google introduced with Chrome Beta for Android.

Passbook gives iOS users the ability to store all sorts of things, including Starbucks cards, boarding passes, and more to help with the clutter of paper. Those are just the major announcements, and buried deep into these apps and most of the OS are 200 new features.

The ability to have a VIP list or put your phone on do-not-disturb mode is very nice. And Apple has also partnered with car manufacturers to include a Siri integration button in new models of their vehicles — this is like On*, but you’re using your phone instead of having to pay for a separate service.

But I must ask: does any of this seem new to you Android users? Be it through a built-in Android feature or an app, I feel as if Android was already capable of many of these things, Siri aside.

iOS 6 seems like it’ll be a godsend for those who’ve only used Apple phones, but I, as a consumer who has to seriously consider the iPhone, am just glad more than anything that many of the things I enjoy about Android can finally be achieved in iOS (and without many additional apps to add those things, to boot).

Relatively speaking, iOS 6 is a huge upgrade for the Apple community, but we’re curious: did any of the announcements today make you want to consider defecting? Personally, I’d be lying if I said I knew 100% that my next phone would be Android. Blasphemous, right?

But having owned an iPad 2 and an iPod Touch, I can speak to the quality of the hardware and the reliability of the software, and now that these features will make their debut in the new iPhone later this year I’ll have a big decision to make come Fall. How about you? Let us know in the comments section and poll below! [Images via Engadget]

[polldaddy poll=6305206]

Quentyn Kennemer
The "Google Phone" sounded too awesome to pass up, so I bought a G1. The rest is history. And yes, I know my name isn't Wilson.

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166 Comments

  1. I am now leaving for iOS. It is just perfect. They don’t allow third party app stores, which I NEVER used on my android, and they just lock it down flat, and don’t let me jailbreak it, which just makes me love iPhones. I have to be honest, how easy it was to root my GSII always put me off. Why should I want to root my phone, if I can get a more locked down experience? Plus, Apple keeps all their homescreen apps in nice orderly boxes, and no widgets for this phone! All in all, I think that their small screen, coupled with the ability to not change launchers OR keyboards will make me get the next iPhone. Oh, and did I mention the distinct lack of ability to theme? And the slowdown while playing minecraft PE on servers just takes the cake on the awesomeness of iPhone.

    1. Haha! Post of the day. :P

    2. you had me for a sec

    3. You got me for a sec, lol

    4. I know I’m going to get voted down for this, but whatever. Jailbroken iPhones do have a third party store, Cydia. They also do have the ability to be themed when jailbroken. That said, my next phone will probably be the Galaxy SIII, unless something else really wows me. My iPod Touch is enough iOS.

      1. As I said above, as long as it works. It’s so incredibly easy to turn your phone into a sluggish mess with cydia. One bad app is all it takes. Or two good, but conflicting ones.

      2. But Cydia needs a jailbreak, and Apple does it’s best to stop jailbreakers, while Samsung has a program to flash stuff(for example, kernels/ROMs/[most importantly]CWM)

      3. But that’s the thing, you need to jailbreak (root) an iOS device in order to gain any real customizability beyond what apps you have, a process that voids your warranty (I believe). With Android, you get TONS of customizability right out of the box. Thousands of widgets, home replacements, lock screens (via apps like Widget Locker or Go Locker), icon packs, etc. With root, you get even more customizability. For some, it can be overwhelming. But that’s when you just leave your phone pretty much as-is and don’t change anything. But at least we have the capability without having to resort to hackery.

        1. haha!!… u said customizability…… ain’t even a real word….

          1. Ain’t ain’t a word so you ain’t gonna use it.

          2. As long as it’s in Merriam -Webster I will. Otherwise I could argue that ignorance is in the eye of the beholder…. just saying, nice that you would take up for a kid that completely pulled a word out his ass…. puppy love is so adorable

          3. And grammar Naziing is so l33t. Good job loser.

          4. No alphabet soup for you!

          5. And grammar Naziing is so l33t. Good job loser. And “U” definitely isn’t in Merriam Webster, so your argument is a failure as well.

          6. “U” isn’t in Merriam Webster. Lame Grammar Nazi is lame.

          7. New words are added to the dictionary all the time.
            customizability may not be a word now but it could be years to come.

      4. My friend had Jailbroke his iPhone just to get the ability to make his apps do a little spin when going to different screens. Standard in any Android device. I see no real reason to Jail Break an iOS device at all, except for 3rd party apps.

        And I agree to you when you say your iTouch is decent enough. Sorry, but the media side of Android is just HORRIBLE. Google Music isn’t all that reliable. (Keeping it standard, not including all the other music apps)

        1. Ever Try some of the 3rd party media apps? Oh, and the Apple media experience is as lame as it can get. iTunes is a travesty.

    5. Haha awesome, oh wait apple’s iOS is more fluid and has a more fluid ui + especially with a jailbeak. Yes, that just happened. I hate to say it I own a galaxy nexus and an iPhone 4s. Yes the android is more customizable, but their UI isn’t as fluid and yes ‘pretty’ as IOS. The thing I hate about IOS, you have to jailbreak to get the customization as android. Take a look at intelliscreen x, google a video of it. Nothing that looks good as that on android. Nothing! Some apps come close like widget locker, or executive assistant pro, but look horrible. Android notifications can’t even be rearranged compared to IOS. As far as widgets, you can with a jailbreak (dashboard x). But in my opinion, widgets are a poor substitution for a well designed and fluid UI. Microsoft knows that and is trying to overcome exactly that, take a look at windows 8. Pretty good job, but they got a far ways to go.

      Hate to say it but, when it comes to mobile OSs all of them lack somewhere, and at the end of the day, its what people prefer to use because of what they personally do with it and what’s easy for them.

      I think it’s 6 fell short on a couple of things that I would have like to seen incorporated – lockscreen and third party app notifications integrated in with live updating, sorted like a widget but more integrated into the actual UI. Adding something similar to intelliscreen x would have been nice, no keyboard API to allow tweeks such as swipe selection or swype, no unified phone, texting,messaging, social networking all in one location. Because, honestly I hate opening up 5 million different comm apps.

      So here is crossing my fingers that Android jellybean does.

      1. I am a developer, and tend to own lots of devices on multiple platforms. I have never had a device that was as slow as a jailbroken iOS device. Both iPad and iPod Touch. There were lots of times that the slowdown was so bad, that opening apps like the stock music app timed out and crashed. Jailbroken iOS devices are not a good experience. I love iOS, but stock really is the way to go imho, where android rooting and romming is much more pleasant and fun. Like you said, it comes down to what you prefer, but I hate to see jailbroken iOS devices as the standard of comparison. They aren’t.

        Both of my devices, my brothers iPod, my sisters iPhone, my cousins iPhone, and several friends (some who are also developers) iPhones have all had terrible jailbreak experiences compared to stock in speed. Even compared to old android, they were much much much slower. It’s not going to happen to everyone, but it seems to be a fair phenomena. The only fix I’ve seen, wipe and rejailbreak. Repeat.

      2. Hey dude, DBAD. I was making fun of iOS, not insulting your mum. Love and tolerate.

        1. upvote for love and tolerance!

      3. “widgets are a poor substitution for a well designed and fluid UI”

        Gonna have to say, HUH?
        I think widgets are the backbone of a well designed UI (for mobile).
        The fact that on my homescreen I have all the important info I need for day to day tasks without having to access each application is the main reason I grabbed an android device.

        The fact that I can customize what info is displayed, can set different pages and with a quick swipe of my thumb see all I need to see is a huge bonus over a stagnant home screen/drawer of apps.

        There are some nice features iOS is adding in the next update, but as for the UI it is flat and uninspired, but to each is own.

    6. but still, the iOS keyboard is way better than any android solution and multitasking is sadly more functional. Also, a jailbroken iphone is a truly powerful device, and highly customizable/skinnable one… I’d never buy one, at least until it gets a proper file system and a way bigger screen.

      1. Actually, I prefer the Samsung Keypad. Also, Android definitely has better multitasking, especially on Ice Cream Sandwich.

        1. To be honest iOS isn’t even multi tasking..and when people buy the iphone because its easier to use…they’re wrong..yeah the UI is simplistic..but for usability android takes the cake. IPhones stop their process when you switch to something else..Android keeps it in process..especially more fluidly in ics.

          1. Apple re-invented the word Multi task….. IT does not mean the same thing when some one says multitask on iphone. Some core apple functions can operate in the background thats about it.

          2. That’s not exactly what I hear about HTC Sense. Looks like they came up with their own definition of multi-tasking.

      2. How is iPhone multi tasking more functional that android?

        1. Its not….its not even the same thing , Multi tasking on the iphone would be downloading an app while you web browse. It does not run multiple applications at the same time. It can do a few things like open an audio stream in the background.

      3. 1. iOS doesn’t multitask.
        2. The kwyboard might be OK if it wasn’t on a tiny 3.5″ screen.
        3. Swype and Swiftkey both blow the iOS keyboard out of the water. I’m sure others do as well.
        4. You don’t have to jailbreak an Android device to get a customizable one. In fact, with ICS, you don’t have to even root your device for about 99.9% of people. It works beautifully for almost every need out of the box, or with a few free apps.

    7. I thought you were serious at first… LOL

  2. Three areas where Android remains more _productive_: local file access (very important for easily working with documents, not just for the geekiest among us), application data sharing (e.g., send information directly into Evernote), and widgets. iOS is increasingly consumer-focused, as if doing real work on these things isn’t just an afterthought, it’s anathema to Apple.

  3. I laughed at apple’s pie chart with the OS. easy to say you are “better than the competition” when you are not open source and the sole hardware manufacturer.

  4. Phandroid just keeps going more and more downhill

    1. I think any writer writing for this forum or any other Android forum, that ends their article with “I’ll have a big decision to make come fall” should be fired! THIS IS STILL AN ANDROID FORUM CORRECT?? I’VE READ TOO MUCH ABOUT APPLE ON HERE LATELY!!! APPLE BLOWS!!!!!!!!
      just my opinion tho. (and possibly millions of other)

      1. I’m sorry for seriously considering the competition. I was simply stating that iOS 6 has caught my attention, and I was just wondering if anyone else felt the same. Yes this is an Android site, but we feel it’s necessary to observe the competition with a complete sense of objectivity.

        1. Observe away… on your sister site which is all about iPhones. You insult your readers by assuming they don’t know how to use the internet and can’t manage to visit another site to read Apple/iPhone news if they so choose.

      2. Although I use IOS over Android, I come here to read Android news (i work in the MDM business so its my job).
        I find it a laugh that Apple news gets more attention than Android. I won’t defend either OS, but this artilcle is just flame bait.
        Unleash a load of comments saying how Apple are crap and Android is great

        1. …Nice one.
          Fuck Apple, still.

    2. I agree! Between this article and the other one I read this morning it’s almost as though Apple gave someone at phandroid a big chunk of cash to sell out. So much for their street cred. If they feel they are in a quandary over this release then they have certainly been paid off. There’s nothing substantial in this release.

    3. Thanks to Quentyn. His articles are of much lower quality compared to the other Phandroid writers. I doubt he has written one article without a grammar mistake or ever added any extra information or details .It sure isn’t because he’s the first to report a story; it may be hours later before he reports major news if at all. Its always the bare minimum and I’m sick of it! The other writers are wonderful, yet Quentyn still seems to do the majority of the writing.

    4. I actually don’t mind the apple news if it’s a big event. I wouldn’t go looking for this info on a apple and it’s cool to see all the “new” magical features they are getting that Android users have had for awhile. But they should leave the apple news for big events only. But there is nothing on their feature list that would make me jump ship.

  5. I can’t afford to “defect” Apple keeps forgetting one thing, most families have a “low impact user,” In my case I have 3, the 2 kids and the GF. They are on core 2 duo’s and their machines do everything they want, they are showing their age a bit and I’ve planned to upgrade them but where is the option for someone who only needs a modest machine? 999 for a 11 inch notebook w i5 / 4gb ram is just a no, period. Yes it has the build quality but seriously, is it worth a 150% premium over the Lenovo machines I just specced out, at 14 inches and a useable amount of storage?

    1. I got a year old HP with an i7, 15-inch screen, beats audio, dedicated GPU, and 8gb of RAM for only $600 dollars. It’s just so much better in terms of bang for buck.

      1. crazy thing is i think i got the same one from amazon around $680 with 750gb hard drive

    2. Additional note, I know this is more about mobile and I went off on laptops but I don’t see having macs w/ android phones and tablets working well together.

      1. I have 3 macs in the house and we’re a family of android users. It works wonderfully. I don’t understand the problem

  6. Think ill stick with Android, there wasn’t a single ‘new feature’ that I would actually use. While the maps app looks ok on the surface, its missing many essential things I use on a regular basis. I don’t want facebook anywhere near my phone, I don’t like voice apps and passbook looks like it will be forgotten quickly. If I ever feel the need to use these features I will just download an app that lets me do them. Can’t wait to see what Google has in store for the next Android.

  7. Meh. I am sure Google maps is more up to date and accurate than Apple maps. That is the only thing that pisses me off. I use Google maps very frequently. Either way, unless the next iPhone has a larger screen I will not consider it. 4g too, but I’m pretty sure that will happen.

  8. I tried a 4s back in January and I do have to give apple credit everything ran smooth as glass, nothing was buggy, but they are so far behind android in so many areas that I couldn’t deal with it. Not having widgets was the major deal breaker for me aside from having to jailbreak the thing to have any custom options other than wallpapers. The other thing I didnt like is with all the things a smartphone can do why have such a tiny screen? I realize not everyone loves the bigger screen phones, but I am a big guy I have big hands and the 4s just didnt feel good in hand like say a rezound or galaxy nexus does. I can see why people like them but I will always be an android guy that started loving it with the Moto Droid.

  9. I’m a die hard Android fan but I have to admit I look on with jealousy at all of the neat integration possibilities that iPhone users enjoy and the “Siri button” is just the latest example of this. I would really like to see Google start putting much more emphasis on this.

    1. I think this is something Google is definitely working on..

  10. Android still needs More standard
    Features & not to rely on 3rd party apps

    1. Really? I’d rather have third parties developing apps than Google. Not that Google doesn’t do somethings very well, but I’d think you get more choice and better quality allowing 3rd parties to develop features…

      1. I agree Kaz, but one thing that bothered me was the recent fiasco with HTC devices being held for that option that gives you a choice to open with certain programs. Something our PC’s do and many devices do. Thats something that should have been a native feature. Now Apple uses this patent to keep Android devices from coming to US. Alot of features should have been added to android from the get go. The Do not disturb feature is something that should have been standard on Android a long time ago and not as a 3rd party app. Now Apple will patent half this shit and further stifle android devices…I wouldnt doubt that nearly 200 OS level fixes and features were for nothing but convenience. I truely believe This is purely to keep death gripping future Android Manufacturers. I forsaw this from the moment the said “200 new features”. The customs issue with HTC was only the beginning. And if the patent office keeps approving all these patent claims for things already out and about then Android will have to battle hard. Im hoping Google weighs in a lil harder and starts patenting something on android, to keep apple from stifling our preorders and purchases of phones

      2. While I don’t entirely disagree, standardization has it’s benefits. The “siri button” is a good example. You won’t see a Vlingo, S Voice, Iris, (n)Utter, or Google Voice Search button any time soon. Too many options, so there’s not one unifying service to integrate. Enhance Google Voice Search with features so people will actually use it, and we’ll talk

  11. And now Google will improve Android incrementally over the next twelve months, and Apple will play catchup again in a year’s time.

    1. I doubt it…with the 200 features added, i dont believe this is going to go the route of catch up. Apple is trying to cripple android thru the manufacturers by patenting more features that mostly should be standard on android, instead of by 3rd party. The customs issue with HTC was only the beginning. Someone in cupertino is holding Steve Jobs’ dying wish personally…if they cant do it hardware wise they are gonna try software wise

      1. Android is an army, and every OEM will come up with more features that fill in where perhaps stock Android is lacking. Have you seen the stuff Android has that Apple doesn’t? My God, I’m sure quite a few of them 200 new features that iOS 6 has Android had and Apple is just catching up. Apple has not bridged the gap between Android and them, Android still has robust features that are for ONLY on and for the Android OS. To Apple, my words are, the bully on the playground will never rule the roost. Apple will never have my respect after I have seen their business practices. I truly will never respect Apple.

    2. Apple moved closer to current in some way, and took leaps ahead in mostly irrelevant ones. Still, as I watched the live blogs for something spectacular, it felt like I was watching a little kid fascinated to discover that when he pulled down the silver handle, the big white bowl made a whooshing sound and the water vanished like magic!

    3. you mean when ICS starts rolling out beyond its 10% android user base???

    4. Yeah, and millions of brand new phones won’t get those incremental updates.

  12. And go from Google Music to iTunes, not in this lifetime. Android has better options, can’t give up the freedoms once you’ve experienced them.

    1. I have google music on my ipad. It’s a Godsend lol.

      1. hahaha I love android users…. but I love iusers that cheat even more lol

  13. For me, it wouldn’t really be ditching Android for Apple. I have the new iPad and a Galaxy Nexus. I will get the new iPhone but I’m thankful for SIM cards. I like both platforms. And as someone has mentioned, Apple needs better app data sharing for more productivity. They still didn’t address documents and files.

  14. Didn’t see anything that I haven’t been doing on Android already.

  15. “The new apple has features I have already been using with Android. Nothing new, yet I might defect anyway…”

    Okay, I am paraphrasing here. But, defect already. Stop writing for Phandroid, CYA!

    1. Just because I’d have an iOS phone doesn’t mean I have to stop writing about Android. I still do have various Android phones whose functions would all remain untouched aside from any sort of cellular use.

      1. Fans are very sensitive, they don’t come to “their” Android website to read news about iOS… kind of like the way Instagram users were recently disgusted by Android newcomers.

      2. With all due respect Quentyn, you’ve opened Pandora’s Box, and I’m not sure why you thought it necessary to do. I’m all for being honest about the competition and crediting them for things done well, but this post (in the form it is written) does not belong on here. You’ve posted on the original Android news site extolling the wonderful new features of iOS6 and openly remarking that you might switch your dominant device to the competition. Being realistic, the Android fan base can be….fanatical at times. And yet you decided to tempt fate. Dumb move. If you wanna switch, do it and don’t look back. Just don’t do it like this though. And don’t wave it in the faces of Android fans.

  16. Want a good laugh?

    http://www.apple.com/ios/ios6/
    If those are the best things they could come up with to bullet-point on their corporate site, that’s pretty sad. There’s nothing revolutionary around the FB integration or the additional phone call options. I’ll give them Passbook, though its usefulness is questionable if it’s not going to allow transactions from the phone- NFC or otherwise.
    No, I won’t be defecting, but I didn’t need to see iOS6 specs to make that decision. The hardware options just aren’t various enough.

    1. A bunch of features that make Android users yawn.

  17. Here’s the query: Will major media outlets see what we see?

    1. No. I have a feeling the media outlets are nothing more than paid advertising.

  18. Will Siri function properly though? Everytime someone has tried to demonstrate its capabilities to me, it falls short. It doesn’t understand, it can’t connect, it finds the wrong thing, things are listed incorrectly. At least Google is just Google.

    1. unfortunately, I am not sure it matters. people will see “iPhone integration” and see it as a plus. Not all people, but some. I think having car integration will help sell more iPhones than cars, but I guess the car companies are desperate enough to try anything that may help…

      1. I see “iPhone integration” and I go running the other way, generally.

    2. Funny you said that, my wife has an IPhone 4s and I have a GNEX. My Assistant app put Siri to shame. It was even funnier because I used the British accent option so she sounds formal not robotic.

  19. no

  20. I might switch back to Apple based on the following:

    1. OS updates are actually supported and happen in a timely manor.
    2. There is a single series of well design high quality devices.

    To keep me it’s simple. All Google has to do is make a well built and designed Nexus “Jelly Bean” phone with a smaller 4.0″ screen and cutting edge hardware for all carriers, including Verizon.

    1. I’m 6’3 280 lbs with big hands. I have a gnex it’s perfect and I can never go back to a 4″ screen. Maybe they should make a nexus with a 4″ and a 4.65″ screen to please everyone. I hope that’s what Google is doing with multi OEM nexus rumor going around.

  21. Does Phandroid have an Apple fetish or something? Everytime Apple has made a big announcement they put up polls with “Will you now defect to Apple?”

    WTF Phandroid? What’s next? Giving prizes for saying Yes? Why don’t you just redirect us to your Apple-related sister site, since I assume you have one of those, too.

    1. At the bottom of every page on this site…
      http://isource.com/

  22. “Relatively speaking, iOS 6 is a huge upgrade for the Apple community”

    Really? It looks like a trivial update to me. I think the only noteworthy announcement in the keynote was the new MacBook Pro.

  23. I just cant wait to see how many iOS developers and users this pisses off. I don’t care how good Apple thinks their product is (or actually is) there’s nothing more true than the fact that people “HATE” change, especially to things they love. Look at Facebook vs G+. People who wont quit FB admit that G+ is so much better but they are just used to what they have. Besides the fact that Google Maps is better (and getting even better that soon) how many users would want to change? Like, if Google were to switch to that Apple crap for some strange reason, and for the sake of argument lets pretend Google made it, I would be pissed. I love G. Maps and that just isn’t the same.

  24. Can I take a picture and share it however I want directly from the camera app without having to open another app, look for the picture and then import it? That, widgets, and a larger screen are the biggest issues for me. Fix that, then we can get into the whole walled garden thing. They’re still too far off for me to even remotely consider switching.

  25. I see both , The iphone is nearly perfect every single time I pick it up. We have to trouble shoot android MUCH MUCH more often then the iphones.

    I own both and still read phandroid daily. I still use a xoom because its more computer like then the ipad. my android cant hold a candle to my 4s

  26. Give me the one with the extra GB’s!

    Fuck it, my sister said they are on sale at Walgreens!

  27. I think the majority of potential Android defectors are still on a 2.x version. NO ONE that has tasted ICS would dare move over. Oh and those maps will look fantastic on the 3.5″ screen.

  28. im watching live euro cup soccer for free courtesy of adthe while stuck in traffic on my htc, thanks to flash. even siri cant do that. android FTW.

    1. Yea I am too , on the iphone…… Dawg….there is an app for that….

  29. 200 new features MY ASS.
    They are’nt gonna be more than, let’s say..10? plus, most of them are gonna be like the “iOS 5 new Notification system” feature, which was a stoled perfectly helpful idea from Android, turned into a crappy, useless, piece of sh!t, whch I’m still trying to figure out why the heck would I use it to check actually nothing. B!TCH PLEASE! -_-‘..

  30. Quentyn,

    There is no denying that Apple puts out a great product. This site shouldn’t be about comparing the 2 superpowers in mobile phones. This site is about Android and how Android is evolving, and how it is improving and using it’s features, and software and hardware. Apple is a different platform designed for a different type of user. The more you try to draw parallels between Android and Apple the more of a disservice you are doing for Android as a whole.

    Defect already, and write for an Apple blog. This is ridiculous.

    Sorry, maybe it is just a slow news day….

  31. Most of the “updates” mentioned for iOS, my Galaxy S1 did last year. Plus, these features aren’t factors that go into my decision when buying a phone. And that leads me to another point; smartphones are really smart devices that also make phone calls. I have a smartphone for the internet, email, apps, and games. Since these are my reasons for buying a smartphone, Android destroys iPhone in my opinion. Browsing the web and playing games on a tiny screen is not for me. More choices in hardware and design, and different price points also make it better for families. I have a Note and my wife has an S2. Choices..Android has them…Apple..white or black.

  32. one point that was solid by apple is that the latest version of android is only running on 7% of android phones. ive been waiting for almost a year now to get it on my HTC. WTF???????

    1. Blame HTC. I have the latest version running on my Samsung Galaxy SII

      1. Regardless of who you blame, Apple did make a good point. Their closed off system allows them to push updates out whenever they want instead of waiting for some hardware manufacturer to take 9 months to get their ducks in a row and then haggle with AT&T for months trying to get an OK to get it pushed out 3 months later. I have ICS running on my Captivate, but not everyone has the technical ability to manually update their phone…the system is broken, and I really do wish Google would step in and force everyone to release updates in “x” amount of time.

        More to the point, though…a 3GS running “IOS 5” with half the features turned off shouldn’t really count…should it?

        1. Buy phones direct from Google….whenever that will happen..soon hopefully

          1. GOOGLE IS JUST AS BAD UPDATING THEIR PHONES.

        2. And my wife is dreading this on her iPad. Every time (And I mean EVERY time) Apple pushes a major update, it’s a phenomenal pain in the ass for her (and by extension me) to deal with. She has apps that just don’t save her settings (One time it was her bookmarks and notes in one of her reader apps, and since she’s a graduate student, that wasn’t a fun day, let me tell you). She really got worked up last night when I told her to expect this to come at her soon…

          1. Wow…..lol…. even if my s/o could not figure out how to upgrade her dumbed down I device with out data loss…..i would not post it on the android fourm that she could not figure it out. There are a few million apple users giggling right now

    2. I just rooted my HTC EVO 3D and installed ICS on it.

  33. Anybody who thinks about defecting because of WWDC will feel pretty stupid in 3 weeks time when Google I/O hits :)

    1. Ding!

  34. “reliability of the software”
    Look over some statistics about iOS and you won’t claim that.
    And I am not sure if my next phone/tablet will be an Android. But I am sure that it will never ever be an Apple product.

    And i wonder what they will use their insanely large cash reserve for. Probably bribes or some unfair business methods.
    Apple is a little like the emperor’s new clothes.

  35. VIP calling mode is great. I’ve been using it for several months now on my Droid Razr Maxx.

  36. Yes, I will defect from Phandroid

  37. There is a negative correlation between users’ choice of operating system and users’ mindset around here:
    The more open-source the OS, the less open-minded the user.

  38. Don’t care

  39. every single new iOS6 feature is either an existing android feature, or a gimmick i would never use. the only exception is siri, which i’ve always thought was cool, but most iphone owners i know say its not that great. i fully expect Project Majel to be unveiled with jellybean, which will blow siri out of the water. until then, voice search is plenty powerful.

    1. apple are a marketing company, they will sell this maps app like its new. and i bet its not even created by them. Google built Maps. Whereas, i bet apple just secretly got like Microsoft or someone else to make it

  40. None of this is worth a squat without a GREAT GPS or good connectivity – Every iPhone I’ve tried has been terrible as both a phone and a data device….and I’m a Mac guy!

  41. If some of these features are already in android cant Apple be sued? Or is apple going to patent all these added features and then file lawsuits against manufacturers that use them?

  42. For over 2 years I was as loyal to Android as anyone, hating on Apple for ripping off things like the notification bar and laughing at iPhone users because Google refused to give them a better version of Maps, then I “upgraded” my OG Droid and got an HTC Thunderbolt.

    Over the last year and a half it has become painfully obvious that as an Android owner, once I made my purchase I no longer mattered to the company that built the phone. After the latest “update” my Navigation stops working about 1/3 of the time, and I’m still months away from getting the latest version of Android, which will probably be old by the time I get it.

    And yes, I could root, but I shouldn’t have to.

    Does it bother me that every iPhone looks the same? Not any more than it bothers me that every HTC phone looks the same, just a new name for a new piece of crap.

    Am I going to switch? I don’t know. I don’t blame Google for my disappointments, but as someone who also owns an iPad, I have to admit, it works consistently and it gets support.

  43. I have just one question….why is iOS news posted here? I wanted to read about it, I really do. Wanted to know what iOS is up to, but THA F is it doing on Phandroid? This news has NOTHING more to do with android than all the Macbook news…..seriously. Phandroid, clean up your act. Don’t incite flamewars to attract viewers. You’re turning into Engadget at this rate!

    1. yep, i stopped going to engadget years ago, because they are so biased. phandroid has a link to isource, were they should post this. Plus this type of article is attracting all the apple trolls out there

      1. Exactly, flame wars are for kids. Any self respecting person can decide for themselves which platform to pick. Flame wars serve no purpose other than to attract views and negative attention for websites. If phandroid turns into the kind of kiddy playground where flamewars are encouraged, I will need to change my android news website. Android central, Android police….one of them ought to be more mature.

  44. how does this relate to android?

  45. “But having owned an iPad 2 and an iPod Touch, I can speak to the quality of the hardware and the reliability of the software, and now that these features will make their debut in the new iPhone later this year I’ll have a big decision to make come Fall.”

    You are currently a phandroid editor – why?

    1. ^ This.

    2. Dont mind Quentyn, he’s just trying to provoke a conversation / argument. I have been reading his articles for close to two years, just ignore the rabble rouser.

  46. It sounds like this writer is one of those people who jump on what’s new and “hot” at the moment. If Google tops this in the next update he’ll be back praising Android. Smh. I agree with all the comments stating this sites “supposed “to be all Android! Enough apple news already. I’m seriously debating deleting this app and looking for an alternative so I can wash the apple news out my ears! You sir are a disappointment in my opinion. You should turn in ur keyboard!

    1. ummmm, this news was on almost every android blog site….nuff said!

  47. haha apple still keeps copying android…..i dont understand why google doent sue them. apple sues google any chance they get what a shame

    1. Im thinking Google wont need to, Apple will fall, and fall hard.

  48. Not sure how many were trolls, but many on Engadget expressed disappointment and their desire to switch to Android. Shrug

  49. ios 6 has nothing new over my Galaxy Note with ICS.

    Apple sux!

    Google should sue them for copying Google Maps and throw in the notification bar while they’re at it…

  50. I can’t wait to give the new iphone a try this fall.

  51. Google needs to go thermonuclear and dispatch Apple into the bionosphere.

  52. No. The reason for this is that I’ve switched back and forth between all three major competitors over the last couple of years and I must admit, with apple and Blackberry I simply feel bored. Aside from all of the customization options offered with the Android platform devices, the experience itself feels fluid and wonderful. Apple may be the perfect device for someone who desires zero level of change or manipulation when it comes to their device and would rather use a more popular product that mirrors the same OS as their computer or tablet and yes, even their mp3 player. Personally, I have become far too attached to Android, I discover something new and exciting about the device almost daily, rooted or not. As for Blackberry…well lets say my Bold got me about 28 days of use, and then i ran screaming back to a GNex. Also lay off the Author, this has nothing to do with “flame wars” as modern consumers of technology – that unfortunately “upgrades” on a bi-monthly period – it is important to have exposure and input on other options. If anything this is the first Apple related article I’ve read on an Android forum/blog that i feel deserves to be published, it allows current Android users to view the competitions newest selling features and offer their
    opinions on why they may or may not stay loyal to Android. Thanks.

  53. Android for life…..or at least until the iPhone sports a screen 4.3″ or larger and is Flash capable;-)

  54. Hell no I will never get a crapple product. With any luck crapple will violate a patent of Google and android and can sue the shit of the bad apple

  55. iOS has no WIDGETS
    no MTP storage
    no ability to install apps from other sources
    no ability to customise the launcher without hacking the phone
    no ability to change batteries
    no ability to add SD storage cards
    no ability to “sync” with any computer, anywhere,
    no ability to drag and drop any media to and from the device at any time
    no ability to play flash on websites
    no ability to play dozens of video formats which CANNOT play on iOS…
    so NO!!! Apple Corporation can jump in the lake.

  56. iOS has
    NO WIDGETS!!!!
    NO MTP storage!!!
    NO ability to install apps from other sources
    NO ability to customise the launcher without hacking the phone
    NO ability to change batteries
    NO ability to add SD storage cards
    NO ability to “sync” with any computer, anywhere,
    NO ability to drag and drop any media to and from the device at any time
    NO ability to play flash on websites
    NO ability to play dozens of video formats which CANNOT play on iOS…
    so there is a long way to go before iOS can compare with Android… and it seems Apple Corporation’s arrogance is keeping them from making fast progress, they are being left behind IMO.

  57. So whose going to buy a new 30k + car to have the siri button? Lol

  58. It’s tightly integrated with desktop Safari, which I don’t use, and with iTunes, which I don’t use. It adds integration with their own proprietary mapping and directions service, which I don’t use, and improves integration with Yelp and OpenTable, neither of which I use. It will also be highly compatible with various brand-new models of expensive luxury cars, which I couldn’t afford even if I did drive.

    For features like this, I’m supposed to give up tight integration with Google Maps, which I live and die off of, plus Chrome, which I use all day, plus various Google web services that I use on a daily basis like Gmail and Google Calendar, plus swapable batteries, plus interoperability with my Asus Transformer tablet/laptop hybrid.

    I just not seeing the argument for it, here.

    1. Exactly!! This is the stuff that makes Android better. You can do all this, but what if you don’t want to use Yelp. Whatever tha heck that is. -_-

  59. Ok dear writer editor blogger “phandroid” you opened up this can of poo and dumped it on yourself. Click on that link to isource and see how often an android related article is posted there compared to how often you guys decide to post them here. Each OS has its own dedicated webspace in your network of tech news. But for some reason you still choose to force these articles into your daily rundown of android news. I for one just dont get it im not going to bash anything or anyone. I just want to know why when you know what it brings? Is your iOS sister site not getting enough hits or what? This is not news that anyone came to the site for. Please stop. If we the readers of Phandroid news want iOS news we would simply click the link at the top or bottom of the of the website that you provide or simply google it because im sure there are millions of tech news sites covering the same story in 150 different languages. We know where to get iOS news (the internet.) BTW androidcentral is beating you guys in quality both in appearance and news imho.

    1. Josh, I totally disagree. I am never going to waste my time to search out ios news because, chances are, my next phone will be an android. That being said, I do want to know what the competition is doing, how does my preferred os react and what features will ios have that my phone may not. I am not going to go to macuniverse macguyver or mactheknife to read about it. However, I will read it here.

  60. Remember people. Google is building up JellyBean now. Apple played their hand so now its Googles turn. Apple will be playing catch up again next year. My only gripe is that Google needs to do something about getting everyone to be updated around the same time and faster updates. Apple has Android beat in that respect hands down.

  61. If Apple is content to play catch up and simply leverage their market position with car manufacturers, marketing, and press bias, all while hording their mountain of cash, I am less interested than ever. When consumers act irrationally (buying the now inferior Apple products at higher rates than their value earns) for a long enough time, a bubble is created. When that bubble bursts — as it did for RIM — consumers will either jump the sinking ship of the Apple brand or the company will refocus on building value (spend money on innovation).

  62. ireally don’t care so much…as stated Android already has most if not all these things …plus if the phone is the same size…irealllllly don’t care. And no SD card…might give it a.second glance once it comes out, and then go back to paying with my Andriod…

  63. Had me wondering for a while… Oh I’m not talking about switching from android to ios, I’m talking about why phandroid repeatedly makes these types of articles despite having a sister site for this.

    The answer is click bait. Its disappointing but I guess you guys at least spread them out pretty well. Careful though, you’re walking a dangerous line and could just as easily fall off people’s read list.

  64. I am leaving for iOS for one reason in September…I honestly could care less about the new hardware. I just want to have a pretty good guarantee for proper OS updates!

    1. You mean a guarantee of a partial update lacking the features that the new phone gets but no one else…..oh, unless you have the newest Ipad that is.

      1. I do in fact have the newest. First Apple product I have ever bought. I’m constantly fighting reboots to keep ICS on my phone now. I love ICS but constantly having to update the software and beta after beta is getting old for the last almost 3 years.

        1. huh…..too bad. I was having reboot issues until I downloaded the leaked update and all is well. Granted it should not have taken so long to get this pushed out to average users.

    2. I had IOS and as time goes on, the constant updates are going to make your device buggy as hell, force closes and all. Unless, you shell out the money for the newest phone. But if you’re ok with that, that’s cool. Personally, I only buy Nexus phones until the other manufacturers get more timely in their updates. Timely updates are a problem, but that’s the trade off with open source.

      1. That would work for me. I’ve been begging my carrier (Ntelos) to get a nexus device but they don’t catty it. The best phones they carry are galaxy s (og) or the iphone. If they carries the nexus I’d be all over it like candy

  65. Theres also another huge problem with the iphone, and this is the fact that after awhile the space gets used up causing the phone slow and give out the low space warning. Seen and heard about this more than once. Now they may have fixed this by now? But nothing beats the SD card.

    1. My droid incredible did that all the time even with a 32 gig card and most of it empty….just sayin’

  66. This update seems so minor after getting used to the enormous Android updates we’ve been getting…An entire rewrite of the OS got the bump from 3.0 to 4.0. A slight update to a few apps, ruining the map experience (getting rid of Google Maps is a huge mistake), and making one new app does not entail a switch to a new OS nor does it justify bumping it up a full point (5.x-6.0). I don’t know why the author is condoning this update so much, it really wasn’t a big deal.

    Personally, I think Kellex did a much better job describing the event over at Droid-Life (http://www.droid-life.com/2012/06/11/a-quick-look-at-ios-6-and-its-new-android-features/).

  67. What I love is how every time Apple releases any sort of update for anything…. it is always this sort of tagline;

    Apple bursts the bubble on Deaf Leopard! Includes 3,000 million updates.
    They always claim how much new stuff there is…. but it always looks the same… also take a look at all of the articles talking about it, the have about 10-15 new features in their lists and all of them the same. Nobody really considers an extra frame in the screen transition from the Email app to the home screen to be a new feature. Well nobody but apple.

  68. Oh God. I looked at http://www.apple.com/ios/ios6/
    Everyone go take a look at what you see there. Do you see ANYTHING other than Siri that has not already been on Android for a LONG time? Really Apple? These are the robust features of your iOS?

  69. Its pretty much android without the bells and whistles….pass

  70. The map trick doesn’t make any sense. Of course, Apple’s got themselves a nice pile of cash underneath their butts, but ditching the most populated, established, informative and functional map service just to prove the point? Silly. It will take Apple years to catch up with the information that’s on Google maps, and may actually never happen. Map services is not only about getting from point A to point B, or finding a bunch of points of interest that are not of interest at all. It about making money on businesses, and businesses are with Google, and for sure will be. Who in their right mind would pay for advertisements on maps that are only used by a fraction of Earth population with iDevices, when the whole PC community is running on Google maps?

    1. True. Apple is shooting itself in the foot with this vendetta against Google. Move on, be as innovative as you claim to be. You’re still pushing the same devices with software upgrades meanwhile Google is moving on to Google glasses and augmented reality. I think the map thing will be good for the Apple ecosystem but it will not cripple Google in any meaningful way. And if Google does decide to be douchebags and release free turn by turn for Apple after this, I doubt anyone will give Apple maps any real thought. Google is open source and free or dirt cheap. Apple is closed and expensive. Seriously, who has the better business model?

  71. Still needs a bigger screen, more buttons and widgets. Oh and a file system. I could do this all day.

  72. I guess the only thing we can say is: It is done before (by Android). Sure the iOS6 has some cool features, but the homescreen is so boring. your choice is clean apps or folders. it is to boring and with widgets the days are more organazied and tasks are easier to complete.

  73. The only thing that was impressive at WWDC was the Retina laptop, all the iOS stuff was yaawwwwnnnn. Same old boring UI, even for the iPad, sharing has to be hard coded across the OS if you want to conveniently share to [insert social network/app here], Siri was boring, I mean, football scores and movie info really? There are tons of apps that already give detailed info about that and IMDB just blows away anything Siri has to offer. It looked like they were trying very hard to be enthusiastic about this WWDC.

    I’m not an Apple user but I follow WWDC to see what good stuff they come out with, this was absolutely boring.

  74. Passport maybe. But even with that Google Wallet can do the same things. Google needs to push it more aggressively and more broadly. Being able to pick up snacks at 7-11 is cool, but I would prefer to be able to go the movies or walmart with nothing but my phone.

  75. Navigation was the single biggest advantage Android had over iOS… now that that is gone the only thing stopping me is Swype, the fastest and best way to text, unless they are incorporating this technology in iOS6 and it hasn’t been shown yet, iOS is still a very hard pill to swallow

  76. What iam wondering about and icant wait to see is, what the new iphone looks like. Will it be the same as the glass phone now but with i6? And.if so will it have huge sells?

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