The iPhone will finally kill Android in 2025

Like a soft-hearted boxer trying to give the public value for money, Apple has done its best for years to keep Google in the smartphone ring. If he really tried hard, we always thought the Cupertino Crusher could put the Mountain View Mangler on the canvas in no time. But the company could never bring itself to apply the coup de grace.

The reason, of course, has nothing to do with charity: Apple simply doesn’t want to release an iPhone that’s better or more expensive to make than necessary. It has many advantages over different Android hardware vendors: it has more money to spend on R&D, it can control and optimize hardware and software together, it has better customer trust and ‘better brand recognition, and its business model is not based on advertising and software. data entry. But even if an “insanely awesome” iPhone could kill Android as a realistic alternative, it would cut into profit margins and leave Apple with nowhere to go next year. A better long-term strategy is to launch phones just enough better than the previous generation at moving certain units… and Google is invited to stay in the meantime.

However, we cannot continue this type of thing indefinitely. In fact, it looks like 2025 will be the year the iPhone finally establishes a clear and undeniable lead over its rival. I’m not saying Android is going the way of BlackBerry and Windows Phone, but I suspect that by next year the writing will be on the wall and the graphics will all be going in a direction that will make Tim Cook happy.

IDG

IDG

IDG

On the budget side, big changes are coming to the iPhone SE, a product that’s been through a rough few years but, as I wrote in April, looks set to make a comeback in the next iteration. The 3rd generation model failed to offer any worthwhile improvements over the popular 2nd generation SE, but reports suggest that Apple has learned its lesson: it will finally ditch that outdated chassis and give the next SE a 6.1-inch OLED screen. , Face ID, an A16 processor and great cameras. (Incredibly, it looks like it will be based on this year’s iPhone 16 design.) The price will surely be higher, but not by a huge amount, and $499 for this spec list will be hard to resist.

If Apple finally takes this part of the market seriously, it will represent a major blow to Android prospects and phones like the Pixel 9a and Samsung Galaxy S24 FE. But more bad news is coming on the premium side in the form of the iPhone 17. If customers are apparently crazy about cautious iterative updates like the iPhone 15 and 16, what will they think of the redesigned iPhone Air?

Plausible rumors point to a shake-up in 2025, with Apple dropping the 17 Plus and replacing it with a 17 Air (or Slim, or another brand). This handset will be significantly thinner and lighter than other models and may involve some compromises to accommodate this. In other words, it’s a similar risk to the iPhone X, but as my colleague Jason argues, it’s the kind of risk Apple needs to take. By replacing the seemingly worst-selling model in the lineup with something bold, new and stylish, the company will create buzz and attract customers who are tired of the same old iPhone look, while also attracting some switches along the way.

Foundry

Foundry

Foundry

Aside from the aesthetic and practical implications of a thinner design, the 17 series iPhones are also expected to bring two brilliant and currently Pro-exclusive screen features – ProMotion and Always-on Display – and offer them across the range . This will significantly increase the appeal of Apple’s base models and will likely entice even more Android users to make the jump. Apple loves upsells, which is why it reserves features like this for years for the most expensive phones. But they eventually revert to standard models, and that’s where their real impact on sales is felt.

In other words, this all looks promising for the iPhone in 2025 and doesn’t bode well for the Android ecosystem. Apple fans are even seeing improvements in areas where the company has historically been weak. It was late to jump on the AI ​​train, but Apple Intelligence is rolling out this year and should find its feet in 2025. iOS is described as too restrictive when it comes to user customization, but iOS 18 is far more flexible than any other. from Apple’s previous software updates: we can even tint the icons and place them wherever we want! Even Apple’s recent defeats, policy-driven changes like allowing third-party app stores and (most reluctantly) taking over user repairs, add to the overall appeal of its product ecosystem. A less rigid walled garden may be less profitable for Apple, but it’s exactly the sort of thing that will attract curious Android users.

Is there anything left that Android does better than the iPhone? Honestly, not much. I guess you’ll have to include foldables in this category, although I wonder how many people actually care about them. And as soon as foldable smartphones become an attractive market, one would imagine that Apple would launch with a foldable iPhone that is better than anything offered by the competition.

So no, I don’t think there’s any coming back from that. Android has had a decent run and has done well to stay up for this long. But let’s be honest: It’s time to throw in the towel before this fight gets ugly. RIP.