I swore I'd never do it
But I recently got a smart phone. Besides the usual battery life, removable storage (which was very important), ability to make a phone call, etc... I wanted something that I had control over. I didn't want some company forcing me to buy from the "company store", but wanted the freedom to choose where I'd get any apps that I wanted to install.
For example, I want to buy a book and read it on my device. I have the Nook app and I have the Kindle app. If I had an iPhone, I'd have to purchase that book from the apple store and pay whatever apple told me to pay. If I have an android, then I can buy from whatever retailer I choose to buy from, which would be whichever had the book at a cheaper price, or, if the prices were close, from whichever had the app that I liked the most. Music purchases are similar. I want the music stored on my device, and I want to buy it from whoever has it at the best price, and I want to own that music in a non-proprietary format that I can play across multiple, non-related devices.
I've decided that I can adequately mitigate any risks I might incure from the issues that the Google play store has with apps loading malware, and I also like the option to buy apps from Amazon's android market (free app of the day!) so I've gone with Android.
However, if my parents ever get a smart phone, I would steer them towards an iphone. They wouldn't be loading that many apps, and not being that comfortable with technology, need something that will require less thinking and support (which will have to come from me, and I still have PTSD from supporting Windows ME for them).
