Not every user owns an iPhone
Many commenters argue that designing mobile sites and apps primarily on high-end iPhones hides serious performance problems for the large share of users on slower or cheaper Android devices. They debate the business case—iOS users often spend more and are easier to support—versus ethical and practical concerns about excluding lower-income users and those without modern smartphones, especially as critical services increasingly require mobile access. Several voices stress that poor optimization, heavy frameworks, and excessive third-party code are bigger culprits than hardware alone, and call for testing on low-end devices and bad networks to ensure acceptable experiences for everyone.
Android vs iOS Users and Value
- Multiple commenters argue “the users who matter” economically are more likely to be on iOS, especially in paid‑app markets and in the US.
- Others push back: in many countries (e.g., UK, Germany, globally) Android has higher share, and Android users can be valuable, bug-reporting customers.
- There’s recurring class bias criticism: equating non‑iPhone users with “bottom feeders” or unworthy customers is seen as toxic and exclusionary.
Performance, Hardware, and Web Tech
- Thread highlights data that flagship Android web performance is similar to a 4‑year‑old iPhone, attributed largely to weaker SoCs and smaller caches.
- Some say real‑world UX clusters by device performance tiers, not OS alone; mid/high‑end Android may be “good enough”.
- Others insist the measured gaps are large enough that iOS users consistently get a better experience for the same site.
- Several note: if a basic ecommerce interaction takes 3–5 seconds, that’s primarily a site bloat/ads/JS problem, not just Android vs iOS.
Development, Testing, and Fragmentation
- Supporting Android is described as harder: device fragmentation, OS variations, and framework bugs (e.g., Jetpack Compose) drive up support costs.
- Some see “works on my iPhone” vs “broken on Android” as often exposing app bugs (threading, assumptions), not just platform flaws.
- A few advocate testing on low‑end or mid‑range Android devices as the baseline, likening it to mixing audio on bad speakers to ensure broad usability.
Business Models and User Behavior
- Several app developers report Android ports rarely pay off: more piracy, more 1‑star reviews about pricing, higher support load.
- Others counter that misleading monetization (paid app plus upsells) understandably angers users.
Access, Equity, and “Everybody Has a Phone”
- Concern that tying essential services (banking, tickets, supermarkets) to smartphones—and often specific platforms—excludes poorer or atypical users.
- Some defend optimizing for high‑value segments; others argue that ignoring “marginal” users degrades societal access and fairness.
- Examples include SMS‑only users, dumbphone users, and people without any device, with suggestions like postal or subsidized-phone programs.