I've faced the same dilemma and ended up stuck in Android bc of one single app: Whatsapp. A phone is (still) mostly a communications tool and 99,99% of my contacts use Whatsapp as the primary tool to chat/call/share. So, unless I want to be an e-hermit I need a phone that runs Whatsapp.
(For a little while, there was an unofficial Whatsapp API which I used to bridge chats to my Firefox OS ZTE)
I read comments like yours and wonder what the other side looks like. I have never, ever installed WhatsApp on my phone. My life hasn't disintegrated, or even degraded - but that's exactly why I wonder.
I guess it depends on your cultural background. We latinos tend to be a lot more connected with family and friends. It is also the economic incentive. In a poor country, a Whatsapp over wifi call is basically free. Furthermore, a key selling point for most carriers down here is: unlimited Whatsapp and Facebook.
(For a little while, there was an unofficial Whatsapp API which I used to bridge chats to my Firefox OS ZTE)