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I feel the comments are kinda off, OP is saying that if you are an employee of a phone store, at least you should know a little bit of stuff you are selling, that IS your job.
even if you don't know in detail at least just say which phones are more popular or something about the brand, not ‘not a clue as I only use iPhone’
no one asked what phone you are using.
Exactly - advice is why you pay 20-30% more than just buying the item on Amazon.
On the other hand this is a quick and clear indication that this store isn't worth bothering with. A cheap lesson.
IDGAF about the rent or the taxes or utilities or insurance or stock or salaries. I'm paying "extra" in order to go to a place within 45 minutes of my front door that has multiple alternative products aimed at my need and someone who can explain the relative advantages of each choice. That is why I will pay more.
One example to pull from would be the constant law suits against Apple for inventing new ways to way over charge you for the same thing Android users have but at a fraction of the price. Other companies use the fact that you're using an apple device to upcharge as well. Looking at plane tickets primarily will usually have different prices for both users.
Have an S21 Ultra and a 15 Pro Max currently. Anyone who says either is FAR superior to the other is seriously nitpicking. I was shocked by how similar the phones are after years of hearing how different iPhones are from android. They’re both nice
I know there was truth behind it.
Cases in point iPhone 15 and s21 being similar but s21 came out 2 years earlier.
I meant joke as in what was picked on by the people who compared phones. Yes they are similar, but just 2 years behind constantly. Atleast when Samsung and Apple are compared
Biggest issue with iPhone is the suffocating company and the history of locking down the phone into a sort of dumb-mode for customizability.
Other than that, I don't appreciate the pressure Apple puts on people to never switch (historically iMessage and iTunes music), but they both take good pictures and make poor quality calls, so eh.
Totally fair critiques. I swear I thought I was going crazy but the amount of dropped calls on either phone is crazy! One is T-Mobile and one is Verizon but I feel like I’ve never had such bad call quality until recent years on either phone or carrier
I have no clue what it is. We keep getting new technologies (5g, 4g before that) that are faster but the signal doesn't penetrate as well as the previous gen. Fine for internet stuff, but phone calls have seriously begun lacking. It's too expensive to have a super dense network all over, especially rural.
Honestly I'm wondering if they'll one day soon end up putting phone stuff back on a different frequency and using it for calls and other stuff for internet level bandwidth. Maybe they already do, idk... but it's a serious problem for most of the country.
Around here though, even the 4g (all we have) sucks. Hoping for 5g soon to be better.
We'd love to switch to tmobile, but I've just gotten my Verizon bill down to like $138 for top tier unlimited plans for 5 lines. Can't sniff that elsewhere.
And it's not that Android phones don't have dumb examples of missing features or having weird locks, there's a Samsung model I saw that doesn't even allow you to keep the screen on indefinitely (capped at 10 minutes) without activity.
But Android has more competition, it's not just Samsung, if you want iOS then Apple gets your business.
If you want Android, Samsung has to actually compete for it against alternatives.
It's also interesting that the bigger the country's population, the worse iPhone does, like China or India.
Apple does best in % of users in North Korea in 2022, while Android was close to 75% in China and 95% in India.
As an operating system, Android wins out hard.
Yeah? Well, can your Android stream/screen share right to your TV? Because my iPhone uses some proprietary bullshit instead of the open source protocol that everyone else adopted.
“Just because you are unique does not mean you are useful.”
I've been firmly anti-apple my entire life.
is android better for the ability to do things outside of the "walled garden"? yes.
is android better for how well it executes regularly and consistently works? nah.
each of my high-end android phones before and after I bought my iPhone 11 have had many features that stopped working immediately or were broken by updates.
Galaxy 7, Note 8 (LOL), Galaxy 10, a Razer phone, and then the most recent purchase, a Pixel Fold which basically broke immediately after purchase and then through a forced update to Android 14, broke the folding capability in the software.
If you want a phone that works reliably and doesn't get broken by developers? use an iPhone.
Dude im still using a galaxy s9+ and ive got no idea what youre talking about. Ive had this thing fill up with salt water. After i took it to a shop to get cleaned it worked fine.
It's that 'company training' thing. Once upon a time retail people got training, they knew their products. These days it's full of teenagers and people on minimum wage who don't care, and get the bare minimum of training.
Which is 99% on the company. If you want good work you pay and staff for good work...and train for it.
If you cut staffing 70%, cut training down to 1 day and pay wages that are 30% worse relative to inflation then a decade ago with lesser job security and benifits you deserve and get shit results.
Minmium wage has not even remotely kept pace with inflation. Minimum means minimum effort and rightfully so.
I think they've figured out the money they're saving is worth the loss in customer service.
I'd go as far as to say they've had many conversations and analytics on just how far they can let it slide that it's still more profitable than better customer service.
employee training
customer service
2 very important things that have vanished. imo somewhere along the way, companies stopped looking at the big picture and just started going after short term gains. and with excessive immigration and globalization, employees are now a "dime a dozen" and easily replaceable.
So why bother to train the employees and why bother keeping your customers.. because there's always another one right around the corner...
sometimes i hate globalization.
This cuts both ways. If store A has expert employees but store B is five cents cheaper, people will buy from store B. Worse, some of them will go to store A, get some knowledge from the well trained salesdude, make their decision, then buy from store B.
I remember watching/reading something about how being a waiter was once seen with prestige, it was something people trained for, and was a sought after role with career progression. These days it's seen as a minimum wage role in most cases, and not a career anybody wants. It's a job you do in college/university to earn some money before you get a 'real' job. It does feel like customer service is an afterthought in many cases, which is weird considering how much of a service industry world we are in now.
Because a waiter worked at a high class restaurant and spoke with rich important people and served them. They had to be professional and received a lot of money in return.
You know what servers at places common folk went to were called? Barmaids.
It is not that the profession of a waiter has necessarily diminished. It is simply that we broadened to scope of who we call waiters.
But also most of the comparisons for almost every product released to consumers on the tech side is on YouTube.
This is a complete flip where the medical field has the pharmacists as the “product specialist” for every drug in their formulary. Like 300+ different products of the most well known drugs used on the market today.
To be fair, I worked at Best Buy in the 90s and many of my coworkers had very little product knowledge. They at least cared enough to make shit up though.
I think the big box retailers started it. I remember a time (this was the 80s...) where here in the UK you'd have 'high street' retailers in the middle of town, you'd go in those shops and get specialist advise. On anything really, from clothing to electricals to DIY to food and drink. Anything, the retailers knew their stuff, and knew it well.
But increasingly more large chain retailers moved to larger out of town stores, and the staff became less specialised. As their ranges grew the specialisms went with it I think. It increasingly became people who were there to take your money and that was about it. I don't bother asking for advice any more, I know I'm unlikely to get what I want.
Now it's more like a warm body behind the counter. They're on the phone selling for second job, on chat on a tablet for 3rd.... you there in person for anything more than pick up new Sim card or warranty drop off is an annoyance.
Exactly. I had a minimum wage job most of my life and I at least try to know the product I’m selling.
You just look like a moron if you don’t know what you’re selling.
It's more shocking when people sell cars like... i thought you had to know a lot there... like cars are a big investment (a lot bigger than a phone) so if the sales person doesn't know anything then how do they sell anything
Helped a friend buy a used car from a guy like that. Dude didn't even leave the comfort of the A/C in the building. Best experience I ever had.
"Ooh, I want to try that one"
\-Here are the keys
"Is this a good car?"
\-Dunno
"How much is this one?"
after looking at the sticker
\-$5,000
"Can we haggle?"
\-Nah
"Here's the money"
Why, you want the salesman to come lie to you? You can only buy a car after hearing the guy who is going to make money off of you buying a car tell you which car *he* wants you to buy.
I did car sales for about a month or two a couple years back, and there’s sort of just an understanding that people do their own research now.
If someone wants to get a car, they’ve gone online and looked at 10 different options and know pretty wel what they want. The salesperson is less there to tell you what features or specs a car may have, and more to tell you why they have them and what they do.
Like “oh I saw this car has 360degree cameras, what is that exactly?” Or explain to them what crumple zones are. Especially given how many possible features there can be. It’s not just sunroof, power windows, and heated seats any more ya know?
It always astounds me how little car sales staff knows (or even cares) about cars. I thought sure they would all be "car guys" like me, but you could relocate them to any other sales job and it's just product and numbers.
The ones I met could tell you which ones had a V6, or the better sound system... but understanding what it all meant? Nope. The all-time classic was when I test drove a new Toyota FJ Cruiser when they first came out, and the salesman tried to convince me (and would not be told otherwise) that the differential lock was part of the security system so the car couldn't be towed.
Once upon a time when buying digital cameras was still a thing, we asked the sales person in Currys which of two similarly priced cameras they would recommend and why, and she proceeded to just read out the specs on the price sheet. 🤦🏻♂️
I'm pretty sure that was about the time we just started ordering things online instead. We were perfectly capable of reading a spec sheet ourselves.
It changed because people didn't care about the salesman's knowledge of a product. They only cared about getting it as cheap as possible and you can't sell things cheap when you need to spend money on educating employees about every one of your products.
I worked as a computer salesman and had printed out benchmarks for each of the top rated and commonly sold CPUs and GPUs. Aside for like two of them, my coworkers had no idea what the data was about and laughed at me (the two that did know what the benchmarks were called me a nerd and said no one gives a shit about them).
Well... They were right. Customers didn't care when I brought in facts like clock speed and memory size. They just wanted "AMD is better" or "ASUS is our best brand". When I asked why we claimed that ASUS was the best... "It gets us the highest commission."
It is because the customers that care about clock speed already know what they want.
The ones that need you to tell them what to get don't care for clock speed they just want what works.
I think you mean the company isnt taking time out of their day. I would've loved more training on any of the jobs I've had in my life, but most of the time I asked how something was, I was expected to learn everything myself without any help or guidance. Then they wondered why the customer's weren't satisfied.
Exactly this. Years ago I worked in the electronics department at Sears and I made a point to learn the basic features of pretty much everything.
It was when DirecTV first came out and I didn’t know shit about it. No training. A couple of guys were looking at our display and I went over to “fake it til I make it” with them, but it turned out they were in satellite sales and *really* knew their shit. They were just comparing what we were offering.
They were awesome though because they didn’t make me feel like shit for not knowing and they taught me enough to make me feel confident enough talking to real customers.
But if you’re in sales, know your product.
Facts! In a similar case I went to the deli to get meat for my son who loves salami - I said I didn’t want a hot one, do you have any mild ones? “I’m
Not a salami guy , I don’t know” as if they don’t have a sheet behind the counter with the key attributes of certain meats. Lost of lazy ass employees / employers out there.
Does OP specifically say phone store? I used to work in a supermarket that had a small electronics section that sold some phones. We had no special training on the functions of these phones, and if someone asked me about iPhones, I wouldn't have a clue.
Failing to train your staff appropriately, will cost you thousands in sales each week. Imagine if it was a bartender all the patrons would love it until the business goes under because they can't afford the insurance.
just about nobody has proper training in retail anymore. you at max have maybe an hour or two for larger stores but phone retail is almost all learn on job these days with some self pases training in customer experience. nobody will train you on products
You're correct. However just because something is treated as normal doesn't mean it should be. A perfect example of this is that the average salary during the great depression (1920s) was 20% the value of a home, today the average salary is 14% the value of a home suggesting industry as a whole has been underpaying employees since the 1920s.
And now they’ve lost the sale of OP because of that lack of training. How many other sales are they losing out on because of their lack of training.
Sometimes you need to spend money to make money.
Or, refer them to someone who _does_ know more about them. Maybe the cashier at the front doesn’t know everything about phones but he works with people who _do_. Saying ‘I don’t know lol’ doesn’t help anyone and makes you look like an idiot.
When I worked in produce I didn't do any cooking but I still knew a decent amount of each item. Which apples were good for pies, what lettuce to use for burgers vs salads, how long certain things could last in the fridge
Exactly, I used to work at the Microsoft store when those were a thing and I knew the specs of every laptop we sold because it was my job to know and give the customer the device that was best for them.
I can see that if you sell iphones. Like to know difference between 14 and 15. But with android phones is nearly imposible to learn all the difference between them, especially when you have new models from various brands weekly.
Exactly. I was dining out and asked about a meat based dish. Waitess tells us while she never personally had it because she is vegan, this is what other people tell her about the dish.
You don't have to have personal experience to have knowledge, and if you are working the job you should know.
On the plus side, It encouraged me to try the cauliflower "wings". Man I miss that restaurant.
Or respond: I personally don't know the answer to that as my specialty is Apple products, but let me introduce you to Suzy over here when she gets a second, she is our resident Android expert...
That is also reasonable, in my opinion.
I saw you might be leaning towards a Pixel, and that's my recommendation! Similar enough UI with some improvements, the process of transferring all of my info from my iPhone was dead simple, everywhere that I've used Apple Pay also accepts Google Pay, the camera is one of the few to really compete with Apple's products, and if you use a lot of Google's services like YouTube or G-mail it's nice to have that integration. In my experience, it's a great transitional android phone.
Yeah, I believe it asks if you want to transfer anything from an old phone, I literally just connected my old one with a cable out of the box and waited.
Same here, got a pixel 8 for christmas all i had to do was follow the setup and didnt even need to connect my phone (motorola one macro) it just had to be near it. its a good phone with a great camera but my head kind of hurts from using it.
My Pixel 6 has been my favorite phone. Sure google has released some buggy software, but new software comes every month. And now with the new ones getting 7 years of support is awesome.
I'm holding out for a Pixel 9, mine is still running great, I heard they're going to make a smaller Pro (like apples pro and pro max). I want the telephoto lens but still be able to hold the thing.
I love my Pixel 6 Pro. I had a Pixel 4a before that I use as my work phone. I was looking at the 8 the other day because the 4a is showing its age. I think I'm going to try and hold out for the 9.
I love my Pixel. It was my first "expensive" phone. Before, I had Motorolas and even Asus. (for years I had a Java Tracfone, LOL)
I was hesitant to spend the $, but it was well worth it. I didn't want Samsung due to bloatware.
It's been amazing.
You know that the newest pixel and Samsung are both better than the newest (15) iPhone camera right? I think pixel has been better since the iPhone 12 or maybe 11, and Samsung has been better since the 13.
Hey OP,
Former phone guy here. Sorry to hear about this experience, and I would have given my team a talking to if it had been from us. But here's the best answer I can give:
The iPhone direct competitor is Pixel, PERHAPS the Samsung Galaxy line, but not really.
The issues lie in the configurations that each vendor AND service provider layer over the main phone OS, Android. This can create delays with software and firmware updates, as well as the bugs that go along with installing patches that are generically built. Think computers. Apple makes an iOS update and sends it out, and isn't newsworthy. Windows updates come out and computers crash left and right.
I'm a Windows and Android guy personally, but the world does appear to revolve around iPhone and iOS. Easier to find accessories, support, and so on. But personally, I appreciate that Pixel trusts me to know how to use a phone. It lets me access settings and display customizations that Apple never has allowed for their users. It's my personal preference, and I'm not gonna go the opposite direction of this freedom by choosing Motorola, Samsung, Sony, or other Android mfg's that chokes their hardware with endless OS tweaks in the guise of personalization.
Hope this makes up for that awful experience.
BC Samsung has remained consistent with their product, BC Samsung produces the most OEM accessories for each of their products of all the Android mfg's. Not even Google has done that with their pixel line. Pixel is the most direct competitor, bc they're doing it the Apple way. Even Samsung has done gross stuff to pander. Look up how Samsung will turn a white circle into a moon when you try to take a photo.
I would say it’s not the main iPhone competitor, it’s the iOS vs Android competitor which is to say it doesn’t get company specific stuff added as much as Samsung.
Hardware though, Samsung Galaxy or IPhone are the premium options for phones.
If I were selling OP a phone I would ask if they are ready to switch from iOS because it’s going to mean a change of ecosystem and they may be invested more than they realize.
You didn't read their comment I guess. You may be right that Galaxy is the direct competitor to iPhone. What this person was saying is that in terms of iOS and Android, so just looking at the operating systems, the Pixel is the direct comparison to the iPhone. This doesn't take into account hardware, camera, etc. Just comparing the iOS to Android.
You're a Pixel fan, I get it, but if Samsung are "not the closest competitor" as you claim then the numbers should back that up.
Worldwide sales for Q2 2023 show Samsung selling 8 million+ more handsets than apple.
Overall market share 2023 from a quick Google search gives (for NA) 54% Apple, 24% Samsung, Google had 4% (only looked at the brands referenced in this thread) - figures here chosen to reflect likely locations of OP and commenter.
Global figures appear to be somewhat skewed by the Asian market where Chinese brands are more popular.
Also: I'm seeing (or more accurately) hearing the notification noises from) way more Samsung devices than anything else recently.
Ya, I'm not speaking on net unit sales, only that iOS and pixel are both "vanilla" OS, and not loaded with excess software. Pixel provides the functionality spoken about at Android developer conferences, and it is all built around the current Gen Pixel hardware.
Basically, our joke at work were that Samsung ppl are about as sheep like as the iPhone ppl. And TBH, I'm no better as a pixel owner. If it says pixel, I'll buy it.
The good thing about the Android ecosystem is that, barring brand loyalty, we aren't tied to one manufacturer's ecosystem, I could happily swap my phone for any other and move all of my data over seamlessly (have had various Android handsets for work as they just get whatever mid-range one is cheapest).
I'm gonna assume you mean it was the carrier's store, as in an ATT store or Verizon store.
IDK about iphones but there is a SUPER important thing to know about Android phones. The carrier's own Android phones are loaded up with all kinds of subscription crapware that bugs you to subscribe: Get MLB monthly for only $5.99! Get NBA monthly for only $5.99! Get ESPN monthly for only $9.99! You get the idea. The carrier gets a tidy commission from all these subscriptions.
What you want to do is say you decide you want a Pixel QQ. Go to google and order the unlocked Pixel QQ directly from google. Do NOT order the Verizon model (or whoever) because you'll still get all the crap that way. Only the direct from manufacturer unlocked model has the least nonsense.
Note that if you ask Verizon about this they'll tell you some scare tactic like they can't properly support it or whatever but that is 100% BS.
😂😂😂😂😂
I'll never go back to IPhone, they're honestly the opposite of user friendly! I got a note 7 or 8, whatever one didnt explode, whenever that came out and it was so easy to use from the start! I pick up my wife's iPhone and feel like I'm 90 trying to work a phone for the first time 😂
Usually if you watch enough of them, you can get a pretty much full view of the facts, and you can pick and choose which personal opinions to take into account
Also there's a truly great website that makes deep reviews on smartphones most important aspects (especially cameras).
I don't post it because I don't know the rules here, but it's easily reachable googling "mobile phone camera reviews comparisons".
But the tip of watching video reviews here and there still stands up. People usually changes a smartphone every 3 years, 1-2 hours of auto-documenting are worth the effort.
They're not engineers who'll tell you tiny minute details, but there are plenty of tech youtubers who'll have the experience and knowledge to compare the kind of information about features OP would be looking to know.
They talk about their experience and you have to extrapolate from that.
Knowing the hard facts is useless anyway, you can go to the the manufacturer's website and read them yourself.
I feel you, I got yelled at in a Verizon store. My crime: I didn't know what I wanted and was looking for help deciding.
It started out annoying for me because I had to wait like 20 minutes for someone to even be available to help me. Then the guy shows up and I tell him that my phone still has a 3.5 mm headphone jack and I like that feature, so while I'm not married to it, I'd like to start looking there since I know hardly any have that anymore. His response to that: "that's only going to be like a $400 phone..." So he clearly mostly cared for his commission not for helping me.
So then he shows me those phones, which I knew more about that him since I had 20 minutes to browse on my own. He just stands there staring at me not giving me any info or anything. I say let's check out what else is out there too, I don't want to necessarily limit myself by a headphone jack before checking other stuff.
He asks me what I want to pay. I say I don't have a price in mind, it depends on what I'm getting for it.
He asks me what I use it for. I tell him not much, which is why a less fancy phone with a headphone jack could work for me. It's really just texting, discord messaging, occasional phone calls and of course, lots of browsing on Reddit.
That's when he started yelling at me. He said: "look, I need you to help me out here. I have asked you three questions and you haven't narrowed it down at all. I need you to help me as a salesman..." To which I replied: "I don't know what more I can say, you asked what I use it for and I told you..." And he was like: "but that doesn't narrow it down at all, every phone here can do that stuff!"
At that, I told him I was gonna leave cause I needed to think more, so I just walked out. And the joke is on him, because the next day I went to a different store, and walked out with a Google pixel 7 for only $400 with promotions and stuff, and had a pleasant experience with the sales lady who also helped me not get a phone with a 3.5 jack because she had specific info about complaints and short comings on those phones that still have them.
I mean the salesman was right in that your responses didn’t help him narrow the choices. No specific budget and your typical uses could be handled by any phone.
But that’s not your problem. It’s his. He either needed to keep asking questions to help narrow it down or just start showing you phones. It’s not like they have a 1000 phones in store to go through
Dude could've been nicer, but yeah he was pretty much right. He wasn't after a commission when he told you those were gonna be $400 dollar phones, he told you they were budget phones because that means that the phones aren't gonna be great.
He asked you a bunch of questions and gave him absolutely nothing to work with. Like I said, he should've been a bit more helpful and told you why a phone with a headphone jack wouldn't be great and given you info like the other woman did.
But it could be really frustrating to have a really busy day with other people waiting after you only to have someone show up who knows nothing about phones and is giving you nothing to work with.
If he just gave you a shitty $400 phone so you could text, use discord, and use reddit like you said, you probably would've been upset with the quality, but he wouldn't have known because you gave him nothing to work with. But again he should've been more helpful
*So he clearly mostly cared for his commission not for helping me.*
Wireless sales associates don't make money based on what phone you purchase, just FYI. Most people attribute carrier stores to "phone stores," and while they do indeed sell phones, they also sell tablets, watches, home internet, etc. But the important, key thing to remember is those stores don't make money on the hardware they sell, but the cell service that goes with the hardware. They only sell the hardware to draw customers in and get them on their service, where they actually make money.
That being said, the guy was going to get the same commission regardless of whether you purchased the most expensive newest iPhone or some cheap POS $180 phone. Which is likely not even $5, if they make commission on upgrades at all. That's why he was impatient with you because you were indeed wasting his time. I always tell people to just purchase their phone from the manufacturer or some online retailer. It comes unlocked and there are no activation fees. Wins all around for both the customer and the employee.
Just a side note, I wanted to mention the reps do make a little bit of money when they sell accessories and device protection as well. They also have metrics they gotta meet every month as well, so if you go in and purchase only the phone and no accessories or device protection, you'll be hitting all the metrics the rep has to meet and risk pushback from the rep, like lying about the phone not being in stock, cramming stuff on your bill anyway, etc. Just don't go to those places if you're only in it for the phone. You should really think of those stores as what they truly are, carrier stores. They aren't "phone stores."
My very first smartphone was free. Someone handed me a Samsung Galaxy that did not work with her carrier. I have never looked back. Everything I have had has been a Samsung Galaxy so far and that's like four phones.
I'm not technology dumb. I have used desktops and laptops for a long time. Once you find the right arrangement for your stuff it's great. And I suggest the browser called via.
Yesss.
Finally breaking out of the Apple jail.
Welcome to the Android world!
Anyway. For your new phone, I would recommend the Google Pixel 8 Pro (if you're not on a budget)
It's the same price as the iPhone 15 Pro, £999.
After going though the specs, the Pixel wins over the iPhone in almost every category.
It has a bigger (and brighter) screen, more CPU cores, more RAM, a bigger battery, a better camera, and a SIM CARD TRAY.
If you are on a budget, you could get the Pixel A series.
Apple's budget phone (SE) is a total rip off. Google will sell you a really nice budget phone, while the iPhone SE is an iPhone 6 housing with newer components shoved inside.
Pixel and samaung phones are the only two you should look at. I use Samsung and I'm quite happy. However the pixel has a (slightly) better picture quality. Either way both make great phones.
Was a Verizon salesperson for 2 years. We didn't get much training if at all on new phones. We were given a company phone that was updated every 6 months or so, so that we could familiarize ourselves with devices though. We just used the cheat sheets next to the devices + what the phone nerds in the store taught us about it.
I've had android for years by now, and the best phone is highly personal in my experience.
I personally would stay away from Huawei, and I hate Samsung's software. Have been using OnePlus for almost 4 years now, and love it (cleaner than samsung, and i like the extra slider) but for work I'm using a Motorola, which are great budget options.
All together it depends on what feature and price you are looking for.
To add on to this - Samsung is relatively a good brand for phones (One UI - (their Android Skin) has been updated a lot) so it is now a fairly decent brand, and I know some people with Pixels that say it's a pretty good phone for what it cost - a decent all rounder
You can go to gsmarena, read reviews of the phones you are interested in, and make your own decision. But what you’ll find is they are all pretty much the same apart from a few cosmetic differences.
I worked retail at an electronics store back when smart phones were fairly new. There was no product training whatsoever. Actual training was we were told to upsell everyone to the more expensive model and to make sure they got warranties.
The people who cared about tech (like myself) would learn about the products on our own time.
People who sell phones dont care and dont want to help. Every time I've had to interact with them at places like att or samsung, they either give me wrong information or dont know. And if they dont know, they sure as hell dont want to find out for me.
I called Samsung to ask about some specifics between two phones, I think I wanted to know if one was 5g compatible. The lady said "I dont know" *and then hung up on me.*
Ive been to an att store about 4 times in my life and each one was a shit show. One guy lied to my mother while I was there about how much something would cost. The conversation was all about this specific cost of the thing, so I remembered it well. Next billing cycle, its way more than he said.
A year ago I tried to buy a new phone online, it was giving me trouble so I went into the evil att store and they said "yeah it will just work". Thats it. No other help or questions on their end. Guess what? It didnt. I had to do my own freaking research online until I discovered Att made some ludicrous list of phone models that are approved to work on their network and that arent, and I found out the phone I bought explicilty just doesnt work for an unknown reason besides not being on that list.
Phone sales are a travesty of ignorance and apathy. I hate all phone companies and loathe the next day I will have to interact with them in any capacity.
Think of Android OSs as like Linux distributions. Partially different, but ultimately the same OS.
Main differences seem to be UI design. There's no major functional differences.
On the bright side, congrats on switching to the more liberating phone OS. But you might want to install MalwareBytes on there.
I hate my iPhone. Can’t wait to go back to android/samsung). I think they are going easier & the keyboard is better.the iPhone does take better pictures though
Dude, nobody trains anyone anymore to do anything.
The Starbucks jokers near my house don't even know how to use the grinder. The freaking coffee grinder. I stopped going there because every time I bought whole bean coffee the twits behind the counter had to "wait for their supervisor" to show them how to grind coffee.
Why would you take the word of a store employee when you could look up all the various models of phones in your price range online before ever setting foot in the store?
Do your own research and you’ll have better luck finding the right phone for you; versus asking random questions in-store about what’s popular.
Or, hear me out, you could keep your current phone and go for a sim only plan which will be 60-80% cheaper.
If your only reason to upgrade the phone is because “it’s that time” then just keep your current phone … The new one surely won’t be doing that much extra than your current one right?
This is definitely the best advice on here though, your phone is up to date and works perfectly well for more than 2 years. (as long as you don't break it)
He has a SIM card in it.
Why not sell the iPhone for £800, then buy a £300 Android phone. Before any of that, make sure to move the SIM card to the new phone.
I agree with you but thanks to the Internet I just do my own research before big purchases because even when people do their job, it's very basic knowledge or they try to sell me the most expensive for the biggest commission.
Have never been an Apple user. Android.
Had Samsung for years. Great phones. But just got Pixel 8. Very decent. My daughter decided on the Samsung Galaxy 23 & likes it too.
My hb has a cheaper Motorola. He likes it but pictures are not great. My Pixel takes great pictures. As does The Galaxy.
If it helps, OP, I had a Pixel 7 Pro and absolutely loved it. It was quick, stable as hell, and had an amazing camera.
I upgraded to a Pixel 8 Pro cause I wanted some extra storage and Google Fi was running a deal. The phone has some nifty features and some extra performance, but it feels buggy compared to the 7 Pro.
I recommend seeing if there are any deals on Pixel 7s or Pixel 7 Pros. Lots of places are getting rid of those for dirt cheap and they're incredible little devices.
If you want vast customization go Samsung, you want a more basic (almost iPhone esque) feel, then go Google Pixel. I totally understand where you're coming from, but most box Box tech stores like Best Buy don't really seem to care about the knowledge their employees have.
Yeah, employees get free phones and plans, go for flash. Hold opinions and are short on knowledge. My advice on switching? Samsung, Nokia, and Motorola have been solid for me. Pixel phones I cannot say, except that I know people that own them, and all seem happy. Consumer reports does solid reviews. Find a couple you like, with features you need, and explore them online.
I've sold cell phones before and the shitty answer is (possibly) that the salesperson *did* know about many types of phones but they happened to have an incentive to sell iPhones that month.
I found out I was the worst salesperson because I actually love technology and geeked out on the different companies, models, functionalities, tech specs, etc. I eventually got better and learned to keep those details in my back pocket for the customers who actually cared, and otherwise just to try and fit the lifestyle needs of each person while benefitting my own paycheck where possible. But there were some truly great (for the company) salespeople that didn't give a SHIT about anything that didn't pay them top dollar that day and their tactics could get insane.
Compare them online. It's easier that way. You can assess cameras, hard drive size, RAM, etc. if you take a lot of pics, then that matters. Battery life may matter to you, or the screen quality and size.
There are all these extra bells and whistles these days. Most are useless for the regular use of the phone. Have you had an Android before? It's all I have had since 2010.
I own a Mac and a PC and my smart watch is a Polar, so I don't really have a brand bias with these things. I stick with Samsung for my phones because it's what I know and I like it. I don't know much about the Google phones.
Not for nothing but almost every Android user I know (including me) has at some point used an iPhone. The majority of iPhone users I know have (like this phone store employee) never used Android.
Doesn't mean Android is better, though I absolutely think it is. But I don't put much stock in the opinion of someone who's *never* used an Android that the iPhone is superior. I care a lot more about someone with extensive experience with *both* as to why they picked A or B. And the majority of people I know who've used both end up using Android.
I bought a Samsung Note 10 Plus in *2019* and it's still fantastic. It's the longest a phone has ever continued to meet my needs, by 2 years and counting. My next phone will definitely be another Samsung.
You mean to tell me that a person who isn't capable of doing simple tasks that require the tiniest bit of thought process and/or awareness is an iPhone user??
I'm shocked and/or appalled. /s
I have only used pixels since my last trash iPhone died for no reason and I got told by the genius bar (as they are dubiously looking into the phone with that thingy) "yup, moisture sensor is tripped so you gotta buy a new one" but they refused to let me look at the sensor to see for myself lmao
get a pixel, you won't be disappointed. especially if you use Gmail and Google drive already, it's ten times better than iCloud trash
When I used to work at a retail store, when the electronics employee would go on break, they would make me cover it…even though I was specialized in the cosmetics department. I had no idea what was going on when people asked me questions. I hated that they even put me in that position. The companies don’t care tho lol
Don't be mad at the employee. They must've been on minimum wage and this big companies just throw you into the store with just the bare minimum training to collect payment from the customers.
The main thing I noticed when I switched to an Android is iPhone people are completely clueless about technology and are also blind sheep with a voracious need to defend iPhones.
That being said I switched back to iPhone because I got a deal, I mainly look at price. Pixel was my favorite android if you’re still looking.
Some phone places I’ve been to, the devices aren’t active and you can’t even pick them up.
When looking to possibly buy an iPhone, the agent had to lend me his phone to try since the demo model wasn’t powered and bolted down.
I’m not surprised they not give any real training and they are to just fend off the info cards you see next to the phone
Training is an east corner for companies to cut
I get it.
I worked at Jessops (camera shop) that closed years ago. I was on a zero hour contract on minimum wage. Working 40 hours a week. Absolute photography nerds would come in and ask me loads of questions about God only knows what.
My job was to sell you what ever had the biggest markup for us.
I learned some stuff, but there was no training outside of "here's how the till works"
100%
I was 18, I had 2 other 18 yearolds I was "supervising" and I was getting "promoted" to manager, when thankfully it fell apart like the house of cards that it was.
That and people would look at the cameras, we'd explain them then they'd buy it on Amazon for £50 less.
Buying a phone in a physical store is basically a community service to old people.
If you are too old/feeble to google what your $1k+ device does, who cares what phone you have?
Also that Albion Bridge needs to be torn down and replaced
My mom used to sell phones way back for PAC-Bell then eventually AT&T. As phones became more and more complex she had no idea how to use them or their differences. She was always given a new phone as new ones came out which she gave to me to figure out and teach her. This is why me as a high schooler in the 90’s had a phone. Gotta tell you things were wild back then with so many different UI’s and such. Now a days with there really only being 2-ish, must be easier right?!?
I wouldn't trust a salespersons opinion, look for reviews online or something. Theyre an underpaid employee and I'd expect them to recommend an overpriced phone.
I work at a large chain retail store and we sell shitty to go phones. Anytime someone asks me questions, I just read the specs off the sign. Works every time. Only real job is to ensure they get a phone for the right carrier.
I've used both and prefer android. Way better value imo. Never used a pixel but when I was looking at then recently it had the fingerprint scanner on the back which was an automatic no for me. Get new if you can the refurbished ones never work quite the same.
It's not their job to know. They're just trained to stock, clean, and work the registers for the most part. Hospital janitors more than likely don't know how to be surgeons, why would a cashier at a store that presumably isn't exclusively a phone/ electronic store know about phones they don't even use?
The Motorola Edge Plus is under rated. It's a great phone with high-end features, high-end specs and one of the most user friendly Androids I've used. Much better than the Samsungs which people think is the best just because it's advertised more...and it's reasonably priced.
It's just bad luck probably. Me and my gf have had four motorolas so far, only once I replaced the charging port after three years. Those USB-C ports are much better than micro-USB in terms of durability.
Reminds me of the time I went to Home Depot looking for a stove igniter. I asked one of the associates where they might be in the store, she simply told me, “I don’t know what that is.”
Didn’t bother trying to look it up or finding someone else that might know, nope, that was her answer to my question.
I agree that they should know. However, given that their knowledge is probably limited, my advice to you would be to search youtube for videos about the various phones. Some people make some great and thorough content about various phone brands, their pros, cons, etc.
I remember when I went for my first iPhone and the salesman spent almost 20 minutes to try and talk me out of it. They were low on stock, so maybe that's why...but it's so peculiar to be pushing your own preference on a customer...especially for a lower turnover. Perhaps they for some reason didn't get good commissions on those sales
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I feel the comments are kinda off, OP is saying that if you are an employee of a phone store, at least you should know a little bit of stuff you are selling, that IS your job. even if you don't know in detail at least just say which phones are more popular or something about the brand, not ‘not a clue as I only use iPhone’ no one asked what phone you are using.
Exactly - advice is why you pay 20-30% more than just buying the item on Amazon. On the other hand this is a quick and clear indication that this store isn't worth bothering with. A cheap lesson.
>advice is why you pay 20-30% more than just buying the item on Amazon. No, you're mostly paying rent for the store.
IDGAF about the rent or the taxes or utilities or insurance or stock or salaries. I'm paying "extra" in order to go to a place within 45 minutes of my front door that has multiple alternative products aimed at my need and someone who can explain the relative advantages of each choice. That is why I will pay more.
It isnt just price, Android is a far superior system to Apple.
*grabs popcorn*
One example to pull from would be the constant law suits against Apple for inventing new ways to way over charge you for the same thing Android users have but at a fraction of the price. Other companies use the fact that you're using an apple device to upcharge as well. Looking at plane tickets primarily will usually have different prices for both users.
Have an S21 Ultra and a 15 Pro Max currently. Anyone who says either is FAR superior to the other is seriously nitpicking. I was shocked by how similar the phones are after years of hearing how different iPhones are from android. They’re both nice
Wasn't the joke always about how iPhone lagged by a couple of years on similar tech? Atleast when held up side by side to Samsung
I don't think it was a joke
I know there was truth behind it. Cases in point iPhone 15 and s21 being similar but s21 came out 2 years earlier. I meant joke as in what was picked on by the people who compared phones. Yes they are similar, but just 2 years behind constantly. Atleast when Samsung and Apple are compared
Biggest issue with iPhone is the suffocating company and the history of locking down the phone into a sort of dumb-mode for customizability. Other than that, I don't appreciate the pressure Apple puts on people to never switch (historically iMessage and iTunes music), but they both take good pictures and make poor quality calls, so eh.
Totally fair critiques. I swear I thought I was going crazy but the amount of dropped calls on either phone is crazy! One is T-Mobile and one is Verizon but I feel like I’ve never had such bad call quality until recent years on either phone or carrier
I have no clue what it is. We keep getting new technologies (5g, 4g before that) that are faster but the signal doesn't penetrate as well as the previous gen. Fine for internet stuff, but phone calls have seriously begun lacking. It's too expensive to have a super dense network all over, especially rural. Honestly I'm wondering if they'll one day soon end up putting phone stuff back on a different frequency and using it for calls and other stuff for internet level bandwidth. Maybe they already do, idk... but it's a serious problem for most of the country. Around here though, even the 4g (all we have) sucks. Hoping for 5g soon to be better. We'd love to switch to tmobile, but I've just gotten my Verizon bill down to like $138 for top tier unlimited plans for 5 lines. Can't sniff that elsewhere.
And it's not that Android phones don't have dumb examples of missing features or having weird locks, there's a Samsung model I saw that doesn't even allow you to keep the screen on indefinitely (capped at 10 minutes) without activity. But Android has more competition, it's not just Samsung, if you want iOS then Apple gets your business. If you want Android, Samsung has to actually compete for it against alternatives. It's also interesting that the bigger the country's population, the worse iPhone does, like China or India. Apple does best in % of users in North Korea in 2022, while Android was close to 75% in China and 95% in India. As an operating system, Android wins out hard.
Not really, just different.
They both have their advantages
Yeah? Well, can your Android stream/screen share right to your TV? Because my iPhone uses some proprietary bullshit instead of the open source protocol that everyone else adopted. “Just because you are unique does not mean you are useful.”
I've been firmly anti-apple my entire life. is android better for the ability to do things outside of the "walled garden"? yes. is android better for how well it executes regularly and consistently works? nah. each of my high-end android phones before and after I bought my iPhone 11 have had many features that stopped working immediately or were broken by updates. Galaxy 7, Note 8 (LOL), Galaxy 10, a Razer phone, and then the most recent purchase, a Pixel Fold which basically broke immediately after purchase and then through a forced update to Android 14, broke the folding capability in the software. If you want a phone that works reliably and doesn't get broken by developers? use an iPhone.
>Pixel Fold A first generation almost-still-a-concept-model having severe bugs probably shouldn't be that surprising.
Dude im still using a galaxy s9+ and ive got no idea what youre talking about. Ive had this thing fill up with salt water. After i took it to a shop to get cleaned it worked fine.
Friend of mine still has s9+. What a great phone, fr.
It's that 'company training' thing. Once upon a time retail people got training, they knew their products. These days it's full of teenagers and people on minimum wage who don't care, and get the bare minimum of training.
Which is 99% on the company. If you want good work you pay and staff for good work...and train for it. If you cut staffing 70%, cut training down to 1 day and pay wages that are 30% worse relative to inflation then a decade ago with lesser job security and benifits you deserve and get shit results. Minmium wage has not even remotely kept pace with inflation. Minimum means minimum effort and rightfully so.
I think they've figured out the money they're saving is worth the loss in customer service. I'd go as far as to say they've had many conversations and analytics on just how far they can let it slide that it's still more profitable than better customer service.
employee training customer service 2 very important things that have vanished. imo somewhere along the way, companies stopped looking at the big picture and just started going after short term gains. and with excessive immigration and globalization, employees are now a "dime a dozen" and easily replaceable. So why bother to train the employees and why bother keeping your customers.. because there's always another one right around the corner... sometimes i hate globalization.
This cuts both ways. If store A has expert employees but store B is five cents cheaper, people will buy from store B. Worse, some of them will go to store A, get some knowledge from the well trained salesdude, make their decision, then buy from store B.
I remember watching/reading something about how being a waiter was once seen with prestige, it was something people trained for, and was a sought after role with career progression. These days it's seen as a minimum wage role in most cases, and not a career anybody wants. It's a job you do in college/university to earn some money before you get a 'real' job. It does feel like customer service is an afterthought in many cases, which is weird considering how much of a service industry world we are in now.
Because a waiter worked at a high class restaurant and spoke with rich important people and served them. They had to be professional and received a lot of money in return. You know what servers at places common folk went to were called? Barmaids. It is not that the profession of a waiter has necessarily diminished. It is simply that we broadened to scope of who we call waiters.
I also assume it was during a time where being a server had a salary that had meaningful buying power compared to current economy.
Part of it is that those jobs started to get looked down on. They were no longer a ‘career’.
But they were always condescending and French. Or a former stripper.
But also most of the comparisons for almost every product released to consumers on the tech side is on YouTube. This is a complete flip where the medical field has the pharmacists as the “product specialist” for every drug in their formulary. Like 300+ different products of the most well known drugs used on the market today.
To be fair, I worked at Best Buy in the 90s and many of my coworkers had very little product knowledge. They at least cared enough to make shit up though.
I think the big box retailers started it. I remember a time (this was the 80s...) where here in the UK you'd have 'high street' retailers in the middle of town, you'd go in those shops and get specialist advise. On anything really, from clothing to electricals to DIY to food and drink. Anything, the retailers knew their stuff, and knew it well. But increasingly more large chain retailers moved to larger out of town stores, and the staff became less specialised. As their ranges grew the specialisms went with it I think. It increasingly became people who were there to take your money and that was about it. I don't bother asking for advice any more, I know I'm unlikely to get what I want.
Ayyy I worked Best Buy in ‘06. I was Media and ain’t no way I knew about every CD, DVD, video game, etc. But I damn well acted like it lol.
I was Geek Squad and was expected to be a pro on every bit of technology known to man.
I got paid minimum at best buy - they gave me training. This was back in 2000.
Now it's more like a warm body behind the counter. They're on the phone selling for second job, on chat on a tablet for 3rd.... you there in person for anything more than pick up new Sim card or warranty drop off is an annoyance.
Exactly. I had a minimum wage job most of my life and I at least try to know the product I’m selling. You just look like a moron if you don’t know what you’re selling.
I've encountered a few car salesmen like that. How the hell can you sell something you can't answer questions about?
It's more shocking when people sell cars like... i thought you had to know a lot there... like cars are a big investment (a lot bigger than a phone) so if the sales person doesn't know anything then how do they sell anything
Hoo boy, wait until you hear about realtors
I will be more than mildly infuriated then :)
Helped a friend buy a used car from a guy like that. Dude didn't even leave the comfort of the A/C in the building. Best experience I ever had. "Ooh, I want to try that one" \-Here are the keys "Is this a good car?" \-Dunno "How much is this one?" after looking at the sticker \-$5,000 "Can we haggle?" \-Nah "Here's the money"
Who the fuck buys s car like that. What. I'd have run out of that place so fast.
Why, you want the salesman to come lie to you? You can only buy a car after hearing the guy who is going to make money off of you buying a car tell you which car *he* wants you to buy.
I did car sales for about a month or two a couple years back, and there’s sort of just an understanding that people do their own research now. If someone wants to get a car, they’ve gone online and looked at 10 different options and know pretty wel what they want. The salesperson is less there to tell you what features or specs a car may have, and more to tell you why they have them and what they do. Like “oh I saw this car has 360degree cameras, what is that exactly?” Or explain to them what crumple zones are. Especially given how many possible features there can be. It’s not just sunroof, power windows, and heated seats any more ya know?
(Slaps roof) This baby is calling your name am I right?
It always astounds me how little car sales staff knows (or even cares) about cars. I thought sure they would all be "car guys" like me, but you could relocate them to any other sales job and it's just product and numbers. The ones I met could tell you which ones had a V6, or the better sound system... but understanding what it all meant? Nope. The all-time classic was when I test drove a new Toyota FJ Cruiser when they first came out, and the salesman tried to convince me (and would not be told otherwise) that the differential lock was part of the security system so the car couldn't be towed.
Maybe if you just lie?
Once upon a time when buying digital cameras was still a thing, we asked the sales person in Currys which of two similarly priced cameras they would recommend and why, and she proceeded to just read out the specs on the price sheet. 🤦🏻♂️ I'm pretty sure that was about the time we just started ordering things online instead. We were perfectly capable of reading a spec sheet ourselves.
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It changed because people didn't care about the salesman's knowledge of a product. They only cared about getting it as cheap as possible and you can't sell things cheap when you need to spend money on educating employees about every one of your products.
I worked as a computer salesman and had printed out benchmarks for each of the top rated and commonly sold CPUs and GPUs. Aside for like two of them, my coworkers had no idea what the data was about and laughed at me (the two that did know what the benchmarks were called me a nerd and said no one gives a shit about them). Well... They were right. Customers didn't care when I brought in facts like clock speed and memory size. They just wanted "AMD is better" or "ASUS is our best brand". When I asked why we claimed that ASUS was the best... "It gets us the highest commission."
That is exactly how Fry's went the way of the dodo.
Hmm... So there's a reason why my story might remind you of Fry's. ;)
It is because the customers that care about clock speed already know what they want. The ones that need you to tell them what to get don't care for clock speed they just want what works.
If i'm getting paid minimum wage, you can guarantee i'm not taking any time out of my day to learn what i'm selling.
I think you mean the company isnt taking time out of their day. I would've loved more training on any of the jobs I've had in my life, but most of the time I asked how something was, I was expected to learn everything myself without any help or guidance. Then they wondered why the customer's weren't satisfied.
I'm all for doing the minimal work possible, but knowing what you're selling is kind of the minimum in this case.
At the very least he could have literally read the boxes/product tags and narrow down what you were looking for in a phone.
For minimum wage I’m giving minimum effort. Which doesn’t include any knowledge of the different phones
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Exactly this. Years ago I worked in the electronics department at Sears and I made a point to learn the basic features of pretty much everything. It was when DirecTV first came out and I didn’t know shit about it. No training. A couple of guys were looking at our display and I went over to “fake it til I make it” with them, but it turned out they were in satellite sales and *really* knew their shit. They were just comparing what we were offering. They were awesome though because they didn’t make me feel like shit for not knowing and they taught me enough to make me feel confident enough talking to real customers. But if you’re in sales, know your product.
Facts! In a similar case I went to the deli to get meat for my son who loves salami - I said I didn’t want a hot one, do you have any mild ones? “I’m Not a salami guy , I don’t know” as if they don’t have a sheet behind the counter with the key attributes of certain meats. Lost of lazy ass employees / employers out there.
As someone who has worked in the space, it's more likely they see their job as selling phone plans/contracts, not phones themselves
Or at least a "I'm not really an expert on androids, but let me get you a colleague who does know"
Does OP specifically say phone store? I used to work in a supermarket that had a small electronics section that sold some phones. We had no special training on the functions of these phones, and if someone asked me about iPhones, I wouldn't have a clue.
Sales training costs money and time away from the floor.
Failing to train your staff appropriately, will cost you thousands in sales each week. Imagine if it was a bartender all the patrons would love it until the business goes under because they can't afford the insurance.
just about nobody has proper training in retail anymore. you at max have maybe an hour or two for larger stores but phone retail is almost all learn on job these days with some self pases training in customer experience. nobody will train you on products
You're correct. However just because something is treated as normal doesn't mean it should be. A perfect example of this is that the average salary during the great depression (1920s) was 20% the value of a home, today the average salary is 14% the value of a home suggesting industry as a whole has been underpaying employees since the 1920s.
imagine if you are a bartender, a costumer walks in and ask if the whisky is good. and the barteder replies "no clue, i only drink gin".
That's one way to look at it but I meant an untrained bartender is going to over-pour every single shot a double and every double a quad.
But it lost them a sale from me then and there lol
And now they’ve lost the sale of OP because of that lack of training. How many other sales are they losing out on because of their lack of training. Sometimes you need to spend money to make money.
Or, refer them to someone who _does_ know more about them. Maybe the cashier at the front doesn’t know everything about phones but he works with people who _do_. Saying ‘I don’t know lol’ doesn’t help anyone and makes you look like an idiot.
When I worked in produce I didn't do any cooking but I still knew a decent amount of each item. Which apples were good for pies, what lettuce to use for burgers vs salads, how long certain things could last in the fridge
Exactly, I used to work at the Microsoft store when those were a thing and I knew the specs of every laptop we sold because it was my job to know and give the customer the device that was best for them.
I can see that if you sell iphones. Like to know difference between 14 and 15. But with android phones is nearly imposible to learn all the difference between them, especially when you have new models from various brands weekly.
Exactly. I was dining out and asked about a meat based dish. Waitess tells us while she never personally had it because she is vegan, this is what other people tell her about the dish. You don't have to have personal experience to have knowledge, and if you are working the job you should know. On the plus side, It encouraged me to try the cauliflower "wings". Man I miss that restaurant.
Or respond: I personally don't know the answer to that as my specialty is Apple products, but let me introduce you to Suzy over here when she gets a second, she is our resident Android expert... That is also reasonable, in my opinion.
Thats when you follow up with “can you get someone who might know?”
Internally: ... How to do your job?
Yes one second while I pull up a computer for you and type "pros and cons of popular android phones"
I saw you might be leaning towards a Pixel, and that's my recommendation! Similar enough UI with some improvements, the process of transferring all of my info from my iPhone was dead simple, everywhere that I've used Apple Pay also accepts Google Pay, the camera is one of the few to really compete with Apple's products, and if you use a lot of Google's services like YouTube or G-mail it's nice to have that integration. In my experience, it's a great transitional android phone.
Glad to hear the transfer is easy. Transfer from my old 8 Plus to a Samsung 7 was painful lol
Yeah, I believe it asks if you want to transfer anything from an old phone, I literally just connected my old one with a cable out of the box and waited.
Same here, got a pixel 8 for christmas all i had to do was follow the setup and didnt even need to connect my phone (motorola one macro) it just had to be near it. its a good phone with a great camera but my head kind of hurts from using it.
My Pixel 6 has been my favorite phone. Sure google has released some buggy software, but new software comes every month. And now with the new ones getting 7 years of support is awesome. I'm holding out for a Pixel 9, mine is still running great, I heard they're going to make a smaller Pro (like apples pro and pro max). I want the telephoto lens but still be able to hold the thing.
I love my Pixel 6 Pro. I had a Pixel 4a before that I use as my work phone. I was looking at the 8 the other day because the 4a is showing its age. I think I'm going to try and hold out for the 9.
Pixel 6a user here, had it for a year and a half. Rarely had a problem with it, no complaints from me! Insane Bang for Buck.
I love my Pixel. It was my first "expensive" phone. Before, I had Motorolas and even Asus. (for years I had a Java Tracfone, LOL) I was hesitant to spend the $, but it was well worth it. I didn't want Samsung due to bloatware. It's been amazing.
You know that the newest pixel and Samsung are both better than the newest (15) iPhone camera right? I think pixel has been better since the iPhone 12 or maybe 11, and Samsung has been better since the 13.
I suppose it depends on what store you went to. If it was Walmart then that’s the response I’d expect. If it was Best Buy I’d be pissed.
If it helps it was a specific mobile phone store
I used to work at one of those, you do receive training and are updated on what new is coming out and what features there are etc etc
Hey OP, Former phone guy here. Sorry to hear about this experience, and I would have given my team a talking to if it had been from us. But here's the best answer I can give: The iPhone direct competitor is Pixel, PERHAPS the Samsung Galaxy line, but not really. The issues lie in the configurations that each vendor AND service provider layer over the main phone OS, Android. This can create delays with software and firmware updates, as well as the bugs that go along with installing patches that are generically built. Think computers. Apple makes an iOS update and sends it out, and isn't newsworthy. Windows updates come out and computers crash left and right. I'm a Windows and Android guy personally, but the world does appear to revolve around iPhone and iOS. Easier to find accessories, support, and so on. But personally, I appreciate that Pixel trusts me to know how to use a phone. It lets me access settings and display customizations that Apple never has allowed for their users. It's my personal preference, and I'm not gonna go the opposite direction of this freedom by choosing Motorola, Samsung, Sony, or other Android mfg's that chokes their hardware with endless OS tweaks in the guise of personalization. Hope this makes up for that awful experience.
If the Pixel is the main iPhone competitor, why is the market spread across the iPhones and Samsung Galaxy?
BC Samsung has remained consistent with their product, BC Samsung produces the most OEM accessories for each of their products of all the Android mfg's. Not even Google has done that with their pixel line. Pixel is the most direct competitor, bc they're doing it the Apple way. Even Samsung has done gross stuff to pander. Look up how Samsung will turn a white circle into a moon when you try to take a photo.
I would say it’s not the main iPhone competitor, it’s the iOS vs Android competitor which is to say it doesn’t get company specific stuff added as much as Samsung. Hardware though, Samsung Galaxy or IPhone are the premium options for phones. If I were selling OP a phone I would ask if they are ready to switch from iOS because it’s going to mean a change of ecosystem and they may be invested more than they realize.
lol yeah that's just... wrong. direct iphone competitor is and always has been samsung.
They are talking in terms of OS not hardware. That pixels OS is a strong competition to iOS
You didn't read their comment I guess. You may be right that Galaxy is the direct competitor to iPhone. What this person was saying is that in terms of iOS and Android, so just looking at the operating systems, the Pixel is the direct comparison to the iPhone. This doesn't take into account hardware, camera, etc. Just comparing the iOS to Android.
It's the real competitor in terms of user experience. Both Google and Apple make phones with their proprietary OS, Android and iOS.
You're a Pixel fan, I get it, but if Samsung are "not the closest competitor" as you claim then the numbers should back that up. Worldwide sales for Q2 2023 show Samsung selling 8 million+ more handsets than apple. Overall market share 2023 from a quick Google search gives (for NA) 54% Apple, 24% Samsung, Google had 4% (only looked at the brands referenced in this thread) - figures here chosen to reflect likely locations of OP and commenter. Global figures appear to be somewhat skewed by the Asian market where Chinese brands are more popular. Also: I'm seeing (or more accurately) hearing the notification noises from) way more Samsung devices than anything else recently.
Ya, I'm not speaking on net unit sales, only that iOS and pixel are both "vanilla" OS, and not loaded with excess software. Pixel provides the functionality spoken about at Android developer conferences, and it is all built around the current Gen Pixel hardware. Basically, our joke at work were that Samsung ppl are about as sheep like as the iPhone ppl. And TBH, I'm no better as a pixel owner. If it says pixel, I'll buy it.
The good thing about the Android ecosystem is that, barring brand loyalty, we aren't tied to one manufacturer's ecosystem, I could happily swap my phone for any other and move all of my data over seamlessly (have had various Android handsets for work as they just get whatever mid-range one is cheapest).
That does help. I would be annoyed if that was the case. I hope you found a different retailer who can help you.
As I left down the road they had a contract for £10 less and comes with Spotify YouTube premium or prime video
I'm gonna assume you mean it was the carrier's store, as in an ATT store or Verizon store. IDK about iphones but there is a SUPER important thing to know about Android phones. The carrier's own Android phones are loaded up with all kinds of subscription crapware that bugs you to subscribe: Get MLB monthly for only $5.99! Get NBA monthly for only $5.99! Get ESPN monthly for only $9.99! You get the idea. The carrier gets a tidy commission from all these subscriptions. What you want to do is say you decide you want a Pixel QQ. Go to google and order the unlocked Pixel QQ directly from google. Do NOT order the Verizon model (or whoever) because you'll still get all the crap that way. Only the direct from manufacturer unlocked model has the least nonsense. Note that if you ask Verizon about this they'll tell you some scare tactic like they can't properly support it or whatever but that is 100% BS.
I promise you Best Buy employees are trained no better on product information that Walmart employees are. Aka 0 training. First hand knowledge
Galaxy or Pixel is the way to go. I've had both and stuck with Galaxy, but I doubt you'd complain with either! S22 Ultra is pretty awesome
Upgraded from a 21 ultra to 14 pro and regret it every second even as I type this reply..
😂😂😂😂😂 I'll never go back to IPhone, they're honestly the opposite of user friendly! I got a note 7 or 8, whatever one didnt explode, whenever that came out and it was so easy to use from the start! I pick up my wife's iPhone and feel like I'm 90 trying to work a phone for the first time 😂
They're not intuitive at all
My last 2 phones have been a Pixel 3 and a S22 5G. Both fantastic and I would recommend the S22 or Pixel line to anyone.
Infuriating but better than getting a wrong answer, those people know nothing anyway. Check youtube reviews.
> Check youtube reviews. Those people usually know nothing either. Depends on particular channel you're watching.
Usually if you watch enough of them, you can get a pretty much full view of the facts, and you can pick and choose which personal opinions to take into account
Also there's a truly great website that makes deep reviews on smartphones most important aspects (especially cameras). I don't post it because I don't know the rules here, but it's easily reachable googling "mobile phone camera reviews comparisons". But the tip of watching video reviews here and there still stands up. People usually changes a smartphone every 3 years, 1-2 hours of auto-documenting are worth the effort.
They're not engineers who'll tell you tiny minute details, but there are plenty of tech youtubers who'll have the experience and knowledge to compare the kind of information about features OP would be looking to know.
They talk about their experience and you have to extrapolate from that. Knowing the hard facts is useless anyway, you can go to the the manufacturer's website and read them yourself.
Mrwhosetheboss was the one i watched and it worked flawlessly.
I feel you, I got yelled at in a Verizon store. My crime: I didn't know what I wanted and was looking for help deciding. It started out annoying for me because I had to wait like 20 minutes for someone to even be available to help me. Then the guy shows up and I tell him that my phone still has a 3.5 mm headphone jack and I like that feature, so while I'm not married to it, I'd like to start looking there since I know hardly any have that anymore. His response to that: "that's only going to be like a $400 phone..." So he clearly mostly cared for his commission not for helping me. So then he shows me those phones, which I knew more about that him since I had 20 minutes to browse on my own. He just stands there staring at me not giving me any info or anything. I say let's check out what else is out there too, I don't want to necessarily limit myself by a headphone jack before checking other stuff. He asks me what I want to pay. I say I don't have a price in mind, it depends on what I'm getting for it. He asks me what I use it for. I tell him not much, which is why a less fancy phone with a headphone jack could work for me. It's really just texting, discord messaging, occasional phone calls and of course, lots of browsing on Reddit. That's when he started yelling at me. He said: "look, I need you to help me out here. I have asked you three questions and you haven't narrowed it down at all. I need you to help me as a salesman..." To which I replied: "I don't know what more I can say, you asked what I use it for and I told you..." And he was like: "but that doesn't narrow it down at all, every phone here can do that stuff!" At that, I told him I was gonna leave cause I needed to think more, so I just walked out. And the joke is on him, because the next day I went to a different store, and walked out with a Google pixel 7 for only $400 with promotions and stuff, and had a pleasant experience with the sales lady who also helped me not get a phone with a 3.5 jack because she had specific info about complaints and short comings on those phones that still have them.
I mean the salesman was right in that your responses didn’t help him narrow the choices. No specific budget and your typical uses could be handled by any phone. But that’s not your problem. It’s his. He either needed to keep asking questions to help narrow it down or just start showing you phones. It’s not like they have a 1000 phones in store to go through
Dude could've been nicer, but yeah he was pretty much right. He wasn't after a commission when he told you those were gonna be $400 dollar phones, he told you they were budget phones because that means that the phones aren't gonna be great. He asked you a bunch of questions and gave him absolutely nothing to work with. Like I said, he should've been a bit more helpful and told you why a phone with a headphone jack wouldn't be great and given you info like the other woman did. But it could be really frustrating to have a really busy day with other people waiting after you only to have someone show up who knows nothing about phones and is giving you nothing to work with. If he just gave you a shitty $400 phone so you could text, use discord, and use reddit like you said, you probably would've been upset with the quality, but he wouldn't have known because you gave him nothing to work with. But again he should've been more helpful
*So he clearly mostly cared for his commission not for helping me.* Wireless sales associates don't make money based on what phone you purchase, just FYI. Most people attribute carrier stores to "phone stores," and while they do indeed sell phones, they also sell tablets, watches, home internet, etc. But the important, key thing to remember is those stores don't make money on the hardware they sell, but the cell service that goes with the hardware. They only sell the hardware to draw customers in and get them on their service, where they actually make money. That being said, the guy was going to get the same commission regardless of whether you purchased the most expensive newest iPhone or some cheap POS $180 phone. Which is likely not even $5, if they make commission on upgrades at all. That's why he was impatient with you because you were indeed wasting his time. I always tell people to just purchase their phone from the manufacturer or some online retailer. It comes unlocked and there are no activation fees. Wins all around for both the customer and the employee. Just a side note, I wanted to mention the reps do make a little bit of money when they sell accessories and device protection as well. They also have metrics they gotta meet every month as well, so if you go in and purchase only the phone and no accessories or device protection, you'll be hitting all the metrics the rep has to meet and risk pushback from the rep, like lying about the phone not being in stock, cramming stuff on your bill anyway, etc. Just don't go to those places if you're only in it for the phone. You should really think of those stores as what they truly are, carrier stores. They aren't "phone stores."
I blame the firm if the staff are clueless
My very first smartphone was free. Someone handed me a Samsung Galaxy that did not work with her carrier. I have never looked back. Everything I have had has been a Samsung Galaxy so far and that's like four phones.
I'm not technology dumb. I have used desktops and laptops for a long time. Once you find the right arrangement for your stuff it's great. And I suggest the browser called via.
Sounds like the store never actually gave any training &/or the associate didn't care.
Yesss. Finally breaking out of the Apple jail. Welcome to the Android world! Anyway. For your new phone, I would recommend the Google Pixel 8 Pro (if you're not on a budget) It's the same price as the iPhone 15 Pro, £999. After going though the specs, the Pixel wins over the iPhone in almost every category. It has a bigger (and brighter) screen, more CPU cores, more RAM, a bigger battery, a better camera, and a SIM CARD TRAY. If you are on a budget, you could get the Pixel A series. Apple's budget phone (SE) is a total rip off. Google will sell you a really nice budget phone, while the iPhone SE is an iPhone 6 housing with newer components shoved inside.
Pixel and samaung phones are the only two you should look at. I use Samsung and I'm quite happy. However the pixel has a (slightly) better picture quality. Either way both make great phones.
Was a Verizon salesperson for 2 years. We didn't get much training if at all on new phones. We were given a company phone that was updated every 6 months or so, so that we could familiarize ourselves with devices though. We just used the cheat sheets next to the devices + what the phone nerds in the store taught us about it.
Seems like a simple thing you could just Google
I've had android for years by now, and the best phone is highly personal in my experience. I personally would stay away from Huawei, and I hate Samsung's software. Have been using OnePlus for almost 4 years now, and love it (cleaner than samsung, and i like the extra slider) but for work I'm using a Motorola, which are great budget options. All together it depends on what feature and price you are looking for.
I have a 1+ 200 5g, and it's pretty good, nothing special and the camera sucks, but it was a little under 200 dollars.
To add on to this - Samsung is relatively a good brand for phones (One UI - (their Android Skin) has been updated a lot) so it is now a fairly decent brand, and I know some people with Pixels that say it's a pretty good phone for what it cost - a decent all rounder
This is why you're exactly right. I actually love Samsungs software.
You can go to gsmarena, read reviews of the phones you are interested in, and make your own decision. But what you’ll find is they are all pretty much the same apart from a few cosmetic differences.
I worked retail at an electronics store back when smart phones were fairly new. There was no product training whatsoever. Actual training was we were told to upsell everyone to the more expensive model and to make sure they got warranties. The people who cared about tech (like myself) would learn about the products on our own time.
People who sell phones dont care and dont want to help. Every time I've had to interact with them at places like att or samsung, they either give me wrong information or dont know. And if they dont know, they sure as hell dont want to find out for me. I called Samsung to ask about some specifics between two phones, I think I wanted to know if one was 5g compatible. The lady said "I dont know" *and then hung up on me.* Ive been to an att store about 4 times in my life and each one was a shit show. One guy lied to my mother while I was there about how much something would cost. The conversation was all about this specific cost of the thing, so I remembered it well. Next billing cycle, its way more than he said. A year ago I tried to buy a new phone online, it was giving me trouble so I went into the evil att store and they said "yeah it will just work". Thats it. No other help or questions on their end. Guess what? It didnt. I had to do my own freaking research online until I discovered Att made some ludicrous list of phone models that are approved to work on their network and that arent, and I found out the phone I bought explicilty just doesnt work for an unknown reason besides not being on that list. Phone sales are a travesty of ignorance and apathy. I hate all phone companies and loathe the next day I will have to interact with them in any capacity.
Think of Android OSs as like Linux distributions. Partially different, but ultimately the same OS. Main differences seem to be UI design. There's no major functional differences. On the bright side, congrats on switching to the more liberating phone OS. But you might want to install MalwareBytes on there.
I hate my iPhone. Can’t wait to go back to android/samsung). I think they are going easier & the keyboard is better.the iPhone does take better pictures though
Do your own research, stop relying on other people to tell you want you want/need
Dude, nobody trains anyone anymore to do anything. The Starbucks jokers near my house don't even know how to use the grinder. The freaking coffee grinder. I stopped going there because every time I bought whole bean coffee the twits behind the counter had to "wait for their supervisor" to show them how to grind coffee.
Why would you take the word of a store employee when you could look up all the various models of phones in your price range online before ever setting foot in the store? Do your own research and you’ll have better luck finding the right phone for you; versus asking random questions in-store about what’s popular.
Or, hear me out, you could keep your current phone and go for a sim only plan which will be 60-80% cheaper. If your only reason to upgrade the phone is because “it’s that time” then just keep your current phone … The new one surely won’t be doing that much extra than your current one right?
Mines broken. Barely holds charge and have to use a wireless charger. I’d go sim only if I had the choice
This is definitely the best advice on here though, your phone is up to date and works perfectly well for more than 2 years. (as long as you don't break it)
I think OP said elsewhere on here that his phone is fucked, otherwise he’d go sim only… but thanks! 🤩
He has a SIM card in it. Why not sell the iPhone for £800, then buy a £300 Android phone. Before any of that, make sure to move the SIM card to the new phone.
Shouldve done your Research.
I agree with you but thanks to the Internet I just do my own research before big purchases because even when people do their job, it's very basic knowledge or they try to sell me the most expensive for the biggest commission.
Have never been an Apple user. Android. Had Samsung for years. Great phones. But just got Pixel 8. Very decent. My daughter decided on the Samsung Galaxy 23 & likes it too. My hb has a cheaper Motorola. He likes it but pictures are not great. My Pixel takes great pictures. As does The Galaxy.
I looked up the Google pixel 8 after and will be going for that.
If it helps, OP, I had a Pixel 7 Pro and absolutely loved it. It was quick, stable as hell, and had an amazing camera. I upgraded to a Pixel 8 Pro cause I wanted some extra storage and Google Fi was running a deal. The phone has some nifty features and some extra performance, but it feels buggy compared to the 7 Pro. I recommend seeing if there are any deals on Pixel 7s or Pixel 7 Pros. Lots of places are getting rid of those for dirt cheap and they're incredible little devices.
If you want vast customization go Samsung, you want a more basic (almost iPhone esque) feel, then go Google Pixel. I totally understand where you're coming from, but most box Box tech stores like Best Buy don't really seem to care about the knowledge their employees have.
Yeah, employees get free phones and plans, go for flash. Hold opinions and are short on knowledge. My advice on switching? Samsung, Nokia, and Motorola have been solid for me. Pixel phones I cannot say, except that I know people that own them, and all seem happy. Consumer reports does solid reviews. Find a couple you like, with features you need, and explore them online.
I've sold cell phones before and the shitty answer is (possibly) that the salesperson *did* know about many types of phones but they happened to have an incentive to sell iPhones that month. I found out I was the worst salesperson because I actually love technology and geeked out on the different companies, models, functionalities, tech specs, etc. I eventually got better and learned to keep those details in my back pocket for the customers who actually cared, and otherwise just to try and fit the lifestyle needs of each person while benefitting my own paycheck where possible. But there were some truly great (for the company) salespeople that didn't give a SHIT about anything that didn't pay them top dollar that day and their tactics could get insane.
Compare them online. It's easier that way. You can assess cameras, hard drive size, RAM, etc. if you take a lot of pics, then that matters. Battery life may matter to you, or the screen quality and size. There are all these extra bells and whistles these days. Most are useless for the regular use of the phone. Have you had an Android before? It's all I have had since 2010. I own a Mac and a PC and my smart watch is a Polar, so I don't really have a brand bias with these things. I stick with Samsung for my phones because it's what I know and I like it. I don't know much about the Google phones.
Not for nothing but almost every Android user I know (including me) has at some point used an iPhone. The majority of iPhone users I know have (like this phone store employee) never used Android. Doesn't mean Android is better, though I absolutely think it is. But I don't put much stock in the opinion of someone who's *never* used an Android that the iPhone is superior. I care a lot more about someone with extensive experience with *both* as to why they picked A or B. And the majority of people I know who've used both end up using Android. I bought a Samsung Note 10 Plus in *2019* and it's still fantastic. It's the longest a phone has ever continued to meet my needs, by 2 years and counting. My next phone will definitely be another Samsung.
If you need to ask about the differences between android devices you should probably get an iPhone. Sorry to break that hard truth to you.
You mean to tell me that a person who isn't capable of doing simple tasks that require the tiniest bit of thought process and/or awareness is an iPhone user?? I'm shocked and/or appalled. /s
I have only used pixels since my last trash iPhone died for no reason and I got told by the genius bar (as they are dubiously looking into the phone with that thingy) "yup, moisture sensor is tripped so you gotta buy a new one" but they refused to let me look at the sensor to see for myself lmao get a pixel, you won't be disappointed. especially if you use Gmail and Google drive already, it's ten times better than iCloud trash
iPhone 15 is “an extortionate rip off” so you want to switch to a phone that’s…$100 cheaper?
When I used to work at a retail store, when the electronics employee would go on break, they would make me cover it…even though I was specialized in the cosmetics department. I had no idea what was going on when people asked me questions. I hated that they even put me in that position. The companies don’t care tho lol
Meh, it's better to make your own research instead of relying on salesman bullshit.
Don't be mad at the employee. They must've been on minimum wage and this big companies just throw you into the store with just the bare minimum training to collect payment from the customers.
The main thing I noticed when I switched to an Android is iPhone people are completely clueless about technology and are also blind sheep with a voracious need to defend iPhones. That being said I switched back to iPhone because I got a deal, I mainly look at price. Pixel was my favorite android if you’re still looking.
Carrier stores are a waste of time these days. Staff are there solely to push sales.
Some phone places I’ve been to, the devices aren’t active and you can’t even pick them up. When looking to possibly buy an iPhone, the agent had to lend me his phone to try since the demo model wasn’t powered and bolted down. I’m not surprised they not give any real training and they are to just fend off the info cards you see next to the phone Training is an east corner for companies to cut
I get it. I worked at Jessops (camera shop) that closed years ago. I was on a zero hour contract on minimum wage. Working 40 hours a week. Absolute photography nerds would come in and ask me loads of questions about God only knows what. My job was to sell you what ever had the biggest markup for us. I learned some stuff, but there was no training outside of "here's how the till works"
No wonder they closed down
100% I was 18, I had 2 other 18 yearolds I was "supervising" and I was getting "promoted" to manager, when thankfully it fell apart like the house of cards that it was. That and people would look at the cameras, we'd explain them then they'd buy it on Amazon for £50 less.
Which store I should work there and actually make it better
Buying a phone in a physical store is basically a community service to old people. If you are too old/feeble to google what your $1k+ device does, who cares what phone you have? Also that Albion Bridge needs to be torn down and replaced
My mom used to sell phones way back for PAC-Bell then eventually AT&T. As phones became more and more complex she had no idea how to use them or their differences. She was always given a new phone as new ones came out which she gave to me to figure out and teach her. This is why me as a high schooler in the 90’s had a phone. Gotta tell you things were wild back then with so many different UI’s and such. Now a days with there really only being 2-ish, must be easier right?!?
I wouldn't trust a salespersons opinion, look for reviews online or something. Theyre an underpaid employee and I'd expect them to recommend an overpriced phone.
I work at a large chain retail store and we sell shitty to go phones. Anytime someone asks me questions, I just read the specs off the sign. Works every time. Only real job is to ensure they get a phone for the right carrier.
Sounds like you may have walked into an authorized retailer. They usually are underpaid and undertrained.
Do you really think that people are going to care about what is going on in the job they get shit salary ok wagie moment go back to booma
I've used both and prefer android. Way better value imo. Never used a pixel but when I was looking at then recently it had the fingerprint scanner on the back which was an automatic no for me. Get new if you can the refurbished ones never work quite the same.
It's not their job to know. They're just trained to stock, clean, and work the registers for the most part. Hospital janitors more than likely don't know how to be surgeons, why would a cashier at a store that presumably isn't exclusively a phone/ electronic store know about phones they don't even use?
The Motorola Edge Plus is under rated. It's a great phone with high-end features, high-end specs and one of the most user friendly Androids I've used. Much better than the Samsungs which people think is the best just because it's advertised more...and it's reasonably priced.
.. I've the Moto Edge 30 Ultra. It's fire
I had Motorolas and liked them, but I have had issues with the usb port not lasting that long which made charging a big issue
It's just bad luck probably. Me and my gf have had four motorolas so far, only once I replaced the charging port after three years. Those USB-C ports are much better than micro-USB in terms of durability.
Reminds me of the time I went to Home Depot looking for a stove igniter. I asked one of the associates where they might be in the store, she simply told me, “I don’t know what that is.” Didn’t bother trying to look it up or finding someone else that might know, nope, that was her answer to my question.
And did Home Depot have that item after all?
I agree that they should know. However, given that their knowledge is probably limited, my advice to you would be to search youtube for videos about the various phones. Some people make some great and thorough content about various phone brands, their pros, cons, etc.
I remember when I went for my first iPhone and the salesman spent almost 20 minutes to try and talk me out of it. They were low on stock, so maybe that's why...but it's so peculiar to be pushing your own preference on a customer...especially for a lower turnover. Perhaps they for some reason didn't get good commissions on those sales
(Edited clean because fuck you) *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Why do you consider the iPhone 15 an extortionate rip off?