I'm due for a Verizon Wireless mobile phone upgrade; which device should I purchase and why?

I'm going to answer this question in two ways:

The short version:

iPhone 5s.

1. Better user interface/product development and design
2. More apps to choose from
3. Apple Store
4. Blurtit app coming soon to iOS

The long version:

My last two phones have been iPhones (3GS and 5) and I kind of consider myself an Apple convert.

I grew up on the PC side of the PC vs Apple debate, at first I didn't like the restrictions that Apple put in place (pushing you into using their file formats or products like iTunes).

But since my first iPhone, I've been won over.

Why?

Because what I'm interested in is great user experience and a reliable device, and I think iPhones are currently the best option if that's what you're after.

I don't need an operating system that supports Linux or allows me to download emulators etc... So there's no real reason for me to switch over to Android for "technical reasons".

I remember discussing the whole Android vs iOS thing with a wise developer once, and he told me something like: "the limitations that Apple enforce are put in place because Apple knows best".

Rather than giving developers and users free range to build clunky apps or customize everything under the sun, Apple favors working out what works best, and offering you that.

Apple has been working on these principles since the '70s.

iOS7 is based on a tradition and development style that has benefited from decades of fine tuning and the manic perfection-seeking of Steve Jobs.

Android, on the other hand, was a venture purchased by Google when they realized they needed to enter the mobile market quickly, and is more of an inconsistent mesh of different people's work.

And the results reflect that.

Take the iPhone interface for example. My 20 month old daughter can navigate my phone without a hitch. She opens and closes apps, swipes through image galleries, attempts to talk to siri, and even takes selfies!

My partner has a Samsung Galaxy Note 3, and while my daughter also enjoys that too, I have noticed her struggling to do pretty basic things on the Android interface.

That's not to say Android and co are terrible. They're pretty amazing in their own right.

I'm totally jealous when my partner uses her Samsung Note to draw intricate sketches or scrolls down pages by using eye tracking motion technology...

But if you value overall quality, cool design, and a natural-feeling user interface, then it's iPhone iPhone iPhone.

And I think Apple's competitors know that very well. That's why I think rivals are coming out with new technical features to make their products stand out.

Larger screen-sizes, curved screens, non-touch gestures, mountable wifi camera lenses...

If any of those ideas sound good to you, then maybe you should investigate other options.

App store and Apple stores

The iOS 'App Store' is also another advantage of going iPhone.

There are far more apps to choose from.

Developers tend to build for iOS first, and then think about rolling out to Android later. This is because Apple has made building apps for iOS a lot easier with their guidelines and framework.

In fact, we're currently building a Blurtit app for iOS (so there's reason enough to choose iPhone!)