Apple for me all the way. Starting with the iPhone 4S and iPad mini (for kindle app reading), to iPhone X and iPad Pro w/12" screen. Yes, a protective case is needed, as I've dropped each several times with no damage whatsoever. All are still working and I used the iPhone 4S for 6 years until the battery hardly held a charge, I now use it as an iPod like system through my trucks sound system. A disclaimer, I bought the phone mainly for emergency situations such as vehicle breakdowns etc, so I didn't really use it a lot for talk/texting & such. I had a lot of Apps on it that I hardly ever used (GPS apps, etc.) For those that like to fix things, check out iFixit (not related to Apple Corp. in any way), they have parts for several different manufactured phones, laptops etc. I bough a new Apple iPhone 4S battery for 1/2 the price that Apple sells it for. The battery came with a small tool kit/tray (you can buy the battery separately), and the website has "how to" videos to show each repair procedure. I get their e-Mail newsletter they send out occasionally, and they describe how these companies (including Apple), are making it more and more difficult for self repair (i.e. special adhesives that require greater care to remove and things of that nature). Luckily with the 4S, the repair was pretty straight forward, and after completed, it's like a new fully functioning iPhone like when I first got it.