For context, I'm a long-time iPhone user, who switched to a Pixel 8a about 18 months ago.

> Apple has had better mobile hardware for years.

I can't say I noticed a difference in quality when switching. Maybe some people can, but for me it was just a different, but still well-made phone.

> Apple has higher consumer trust.

I can't speak for consumers in general, but this is certainly no longer the case for me.

I also used MacOS for 20 years, and switched to Linux about a year ago because I didn't like the direction Apple was headed. It may be my choice of reading material (HN), but I receive almost daily confirmation that this was a sound decision.

> Apple has better app selection (for most people).

Not selection, necessarily, but certainly quality.

As a side note, my iPad (my sole remaining Apple device) quietly updated to iOS 26 a few days ago. Despite having spent months reading about how bad it is, I was still genuinely shocked.

Again, I can't speak for "consumers", but for me Apple now has a far worse user experience.

I’ve been an iPhone owner for a while, but recently was required to get an Android phone to be a secondary work device. I got a Pixel 10 Pro—- brand-new, Google’s flagship device—- and within about a week there was a rattling noise from the camera module any time the phone moved.

The consensus online appears to be “oh, yeah, that’s the OIS module, you have to expect it, they all do that”. Well, iPhones also have OIS and they don’t do this.

Android might be “good enough” in hardware now but it’s definitely still behind.