Why I’m Quitting Apple – Specifically iPhones

by Dennis Clayton | Jan 7, 2018 | Apple, Asinine, Bad Things, Cell Phones, Cloud Computing, Gadgets, General, GMail, Google, GSuite, iCloud, iPad, iPad, iPhone, Nexus, Technical, Technology

To start, I’ve always been an Apple fan – more than that really, an Apple evangelist, when it comes to technology, unified hardware/software platform, design aesthetics, mobile app security and so on.

Back in 2007, I bought the original iPhone 1 even though there was not even 3G service in my region (rural KY). Finally it came. Over the years I bought the iPhone 3G, 4, 4s, 5s and now am still using an iPhone 6s because my contract ends in February. I also had the original iPad 1, original iPad Mini and now have a iPad Mini 2 that serves my purposes.

But come time to buy another phone, it will NOT be an iPhone… Here’s one of the numerous reasons why, starting at the latest and are two major ones that have made it hard to explain to people why I like(d) Apple.

The Fire

The other day a clients, and good friend of mine, house burnt down. It was a complete loss, his phone, laptop and everything else he owned was completely destroyed, he basically had the few clothes on his back and his vehicle.

Being a small business owner, he went to his cellular carrier and bought a new iPhone 8 as soon as he could. He lives in a very rural area and didn’t even really need WiFi at home, so when I saw him at the local tap room, he would almost religiously backup his iPhone to the iCloud ever since the Android he had prior was stolen and he wasn’t able to retrieve all his data remotely.

I had actually recommended him get an iPhone as a replacement to it because I’ve restored to new devices for years and never had any troubles.

So it’s now after his life was turned upside down and everything is lost and one little additional thing happens to him. He forgets his iCloud password… No big deal, just got to the iForgot page. I meet up with him, start through the process, he remembered the iCloud account User ID so we enter that, his phone number, partially obscured (***-***-**95) is displayed and we enter the full number, it’s the “Trusted Number” on his Apple ID. A text message is received from Apple and is entered correctly, but since the new iPhone be bought is not the original “Trusted Device” on his account, it will not allow him to reset the password.

So it suggests “Account Recovery”… Account Recovery asks him no additional information such as his security questions or CC information verification and immediately states it is going to take 12 days to recover…

12 days? Really? So your house burns down, just suck it up and take a 12 day vacation from business and wait for Apple to get around to helping you.

So I read around Apple forums where it says additional information may be required and he was ready to give, but it couldn’t be done online… So I called Apple Support with him, we explained the situation and the rep stated, unequivocally, that there was nothing that could be done and that “12 days wasn’t so bad, some people have to wait up to a month”… We reiterated the complete loss he experienced in the fire and the rep said there was nothing he could do.

I don’t blame the rep, I blame Apple.

• I understand the need for security, but when my friend can’t even immediately provide the additional information needed (online or via a rep), that is unacceptable.
• His new iPhone should have automatically became the new “Trusted Device” on his Apple ID since both the ID and the phone are connected to his phone number through the carrier that is a direct partner of the Apple Corporation. This is the most obvious, simple and secure way in my opinion.
• Granted, my friend probably didn’t update his iCloud since the last round of security precautions were put in place, but Apple should have either a) Forced him to via on phone messages, where he would’ve contacted me or b) allowed him to recover with the lesser security on his account since he established it.

It seems that in the process of studying all use cases, implementing them and making the iCloud accounts the most “secure”, Apple forgot that sometimes the information needed to do so was never entered into someones iCloud account, hence them should have “forcing” the user to update the information.

To finish up this particular issue, 12 days is way too long, not having ANY way to expedite the process is unacceptable, especially when Apple users place virtually their entire lives, which Apple encourages, onto their device. In my friends case, the iPhone was his only Apple device and if my suggestions are taken, will be his last.

Older iDevices

Another friend of mine received an older iPad that still had her iCloud account connected to it. She also forgot her password and since it was an older account, it didn’t have all the information Apple *currently* requires to reset the password, therefore that account could not be removed, older apps connected to that account could not be updated, etc. So she decided to wipe it, being an older iOS version, it allowed her to wipe it, but when it came back to the setup process an “iCloud Activation Lock” was put in place and, basically, could not be removed.

The entire iPad become worthless and bricked and since it was bought used, she could not provide the original proof of purchase Apple required. I did my best to “hack” my way in, find a way to install another OS or something to make the device usable again, but Apple locks even their hardware down so much, none of that was possible.

Not having infinite time or money to pursue it, I gave up helping that person. I apologized for Apple being how they are to both of the people mentioned and will no longer recommend Apple devices to any of my clients, friends or family ever again if asked.

Conclusion

Apple isn’t perfect, Android isn’t perfect, nothing is really, but I personally feel much better having my devices intimately connected with my GMail account (GSuite), that I use every day, than with an iCloud account that I don’t and is completely based on Apple’s methods. At least Google offers secure and smaller waiting period to recover accounts. Even though I have friends horror stories of account recovery with Google, I know myself or my clients I manage will never have that issue.

So what am I getting next? Most likely a Google Nexus 5X or 6P that is directly integrated with the GSuite account, the same GSuite account connected even to the Google Chromebook I’m typing this message on at this very moment.

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