Virtual Pants

A common theme over at Daring Fireball is that iPhone users are different than Android users. There is some truth to this. Over and over, the iPhone shows up with a huge lead in in-flight Wi-Fi, app downloads, and overall mobile internet usage despite Android leading in market share.

But the difference isn’t the person using the device, but instead the behavior of that person due to the tool they are using. For example, give an Android user an iPhone and they will likely behave in a manner similar to other iPhone users.

iPhone users feel comfortable doing more with the technology in their hand because it just works better. The iPhone and iPad make people feel confident when they download apps and connect to in-flight Wi-Fi. Android users, on the other hand, are similar to Windows users of yore - apprehensive about software because it might break their computer or weary of whether their PC will work properly with a service.

I’ve gone back and forth between the iPhone and Android devices many times. When I’m traveling, I never hesitate to download apps or connect to hotel or in-flight Wi-Fi on the iPhone. With Android devices, I always think twice because I’m not sure of the result. Will this app kill my battery? Is it worth the hassle of signing up for this Wi-Fi? Will it even work?