I never thought this day would come. Seriously. If you had told me a year ago that I’d be tapping this article out on a Samsung Galaxy S25, sipping my coffee while my old iPhone 16e gathers dust in a drawer, I’d have laughed and called you a traitor. After 18 years in Apple’s warm, minimalist embrace, I’ve crossed over.
And you know what? I’m not looking in the rear-view mirror.
Let me rewind a bit. I got my first iPhone back in 2007 — the original iPhone. That sleek little brick of touchscreen magic blew my mind and hooked me instantly. From there, it was a steady progression through every model — from the 3G to the 5S, from the glorious iPhone X to my most recent companion, the 16e.
I bought into the whole ecosystem: MacBook, iPad, AirPods, Apple Watch, HomePods, the whole enchilada. I was the consummate Apple guy. You know the type.
But then something started to shift. Tiny cracks in the veneer. A little lag here and a little deja vu there. Truth be told, the latest iPhones weren’t feeling that exciting anymore. Each keynote felt more like a software update announcement with a $1,200 price tag. Don’t get me wrong — the 16e is a beautiful device. Polished, reliable, familiar. Maybe too familiar.
Then, along came the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
