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Another sophomore in college here. Get your kid an iPhone. Growing up without iMessage, FaceTime, GamePigeon, when every other kid has it, sucks, plain and simple.

You’re disconnected and more than the bullying, your kid will never truly fit in. It is sad that’s the way it is, but it’s the world we live in.

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I really don't buy that at all sorry. My son's only ever had an Android device and it's never been an issue (he seems to mostly use Discord for group chat). Giving in to bullying like that and literally helping make the Apple-monopolisation situation worse seems the worst possible response. Plenty of kids come from families that surely can't even afford to buy all their kids any sort of phone at all let alone the latest iPhone. Kids getting teased/bullied at school is par for the course and part of growing up - if it's not having the latest iPhone it'll be something else anyway. Unless it's obviously getting dangerously physical the most important job you have as a parent is to ensure your kids are equipped with the mental and emotional wherewithal to deal with it.

There's more to life than fitting in. Letting kids from spmenother family dictate what you spend your money on is lame.

As others have said, the issue is the kid's feelings and self confidence not actually technology. That applies to sideloading not being the point, but it also applies to switching to iphone not being the point.

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