The Vergecast Welp, I bought an iPhone again
138 snips
Mar 24, 2026 
Allison Johnson, The Verge’s senior phone reviewer, joins for a lively phone-switching showdown. They dig into why moving between phones is still such a mess. Foldables and flip phones get put on trial. Android and iOS face off over apps, notifications, spam calls, and assistant smarts. Then the conversation turns to AI tools that can actually operate your phone for you.
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Why Switching Phones Still Feels Broken
- David Pierce found that switching phones remains brutally painful, especially moving an eSIM from iPhone to Android.
- Verizon made him call support, message his mom for account authentication, and spend days relogging into apps, books, Signal, and parking tools.
Flip Phones Need Better Software Than Hardware
- David Pierce concluded flip phones mostly have a software problem, while foldables still have a hardware problem.
- The Razr Ultra hardware felt promising, but outer-screen texting, app permissions, and cramped layouts felt unfinished; the Pixel Fold felt awkward and bulky.
Gemini Already Feels More Useful Than Siri
- Gemini changed how David Pierce used a phone because it actually controls apps and answers questions instead of failing like Siri.
- Allison Johnson said task automation can already place Starbucks orders and schedule Ubers, though it remains slow, wonky, and clearly beta.