Android to iOS: The itch to switch

[Javier P]

I guess I just want to clarify that for Android users, customization isn't only about making the screen pretty. It's about making it useful. For one, obviously there are widgets right there if you want. But a huge thing for me are Nova gestures. On my screen for example, I can get,
Phone
Text,
Text only my wife
Waze
Podcasts
YouTube
Settings
Shopping list

Simply based on how I touch my screen.
And that doesn't include the apps o can get to simply by swiping up on my text app which is actually a folder nor does it include the options you get when long pressing apps which are both features Apple readily has.

My point is not: therefore Apple is better. My point is simply that customization for many is more than just making it look nice (without having to do ingenious hack solutions).

Anyway. Not a big deal. It's not for everyone. But I really enjoy barely touching my phone without even thinking or looking at it and getting what I want.

Exactly. I prefer using the word personalisation instead of customisation. It's all subjective and there's not such a thing as a "best phone" (or at least I don't care), the most important thing is which phone or platform better suit your taste and needs.

Just an example, I would never use an iPhone as my daily driver even if it was a gift, the lack of real dual SIM capability is a deal breaker. The same applies for the Pixels but not for Android as a whole, and this is for me the big difference between both platforms, choice. Choices in price, specs, features, universality, personalisation tools and availablity. This is the main reason why I consider Android a better platform than iOS. Choice.

The same thoughts apply to iMessage. For many people this is the best texting app ever and one of the main reasons to use an iPhone. I think differently. For me, there are many things to consider when you rank an app that you use to communicate with other people. High up on that list, if not the first one, should be how universal this app is and how many features you miss depending on the device you have.

About customisation ... erm ... I mean ... personalisation. I couldn't cope with a phone that looks practically the same than the next one, due to aesthetical and practical reasons (that iGrid!). You mentioned gestures, swipe up actions, hand made widgets ... man, I couldn't use a phone without such tools

 

[Morty2264]

Exactly. I prefer using the word personalisation instead of customisation. It's all subjective and there's not such a thing as a "best phone" (or at least I don't care), the most important thing is which phone or platform better suit your taste and needs.

Just an example, I would never use an iPhone as my daily driver even if it was a gift, the lack of real dual SIM capability is a deal breaker. The same applies for the Pixels but not for Android as a whole, and this is for me the big difference between both platforms, choice. Choices in price, specs, features, universality, personalisation tools and availablity. This is the main reason why I consider Android a better platform than iOS. Choice.

The same thoughts apply to iMessage. For many people this is the best texting app ever and one of the main reasons to use an iPhone. I think differently. For me, there are many things to consider when you rank an app that you use to communicate with other people. High up on that list, if not the first one, should be how universal this app is and how many features you miss depending on the device you have.

About customisation ... erm ... I mean ... personalisation. I couldn't cope with a phone that looks practically the same than the next one, due to aesthetical and practical reasons (that iGrid!). You mentioned gestures, swipe up actions, hand made widgets ... man, I couldn't use a phone without such tools

Wow, I couldn't agree with you more, on all fronts!

 

[anon(50597)]

I just want to add this is a very good, fair and enjoyable conversation without the emotions of “what’s best” you find in a lot of threads on all different forums!

 

[cknobman]

Honestly if you are lazy and just want to turn on the phone and not have to do anything with it then iOS is where you need to be.

You can easily be more productive on any Android phone you just have to take the time to learn how to do it, then apply what you have learned.

Millions of people out there have no desire to learn (or not capable of learning) how to do the customization. This is why iOS exists and is successful.

For me iOS impedes my workflow because there are so many "walls" in the way of letting me do what I want.

 

[jaybotinc]

Honestly if you are lazy and just want to turn on the phone and not have to do anything with it then iOS is where you need to be.

You can easily be more productive on any Android phone you just have to take the time to learn how to do it, then apply what you have learned.

Millions of people out there have no desire to learn (or not capable of learning) how to do the customization. This is why iOS exists and is successful.

For me iOS impedes my workflow because there are so many "walls" in the way of letting me do what I want.

I would not say "lazy"

That's as unfair as saying Android users like it bc they make their phone look pretty.

 

[queenren]

Honestly if you are lazy and just want to turn on the phone and not have to do anything with it then iOS is where you need to be.

Is “lazy” really the word you want to use? LOL

Some people just want a phone that works without having to figure out why I’m not getting the notifications I need when I need them (oh... gotta check those battery optimization settings...or the data settings.. or app settings) or trying to figure out why the keyboard glitches when you type to fast (latency).

And honestly, for me (I am a wife and mother to 2 very active boys), I don’t have time to try to figure a bunch of stuff out. I have a life to live and a household to run. LOL. So for my use case, the iPhone is perfect. It just works.

 

[anon(50597)]

Oh well, that changed quickly.
I don’t think it’s necessary to call people lazy because they don’t choose to customize their phone.

 

[delta7]

think about it all the time, I just like the flat screen and more quality apps, the apple watch seems perfect and the s3 I have is kinda terrible to use. IOS is just better and easier but Android has the ability to download to the phone from any site, use Torrents and I got the note 10 with the pen.

It really depends I could get a job and literally sign forms from my phone and apple cant do that, the itch is real but I keep android only due to the "what if" factor.

 

[jaybotinc]

Is “lazy” really the word you want to use? LOL

Some people just want a phone that works without having to figure out why I’m not getting the notifications I need when I need them (oh... gotta check those battery optimization settings...or the data settings.. or app settings) or trying to figure out why the keyboard glitches when you type to fast (latency).

And honestly, for me (I am a wife and mother to 2 very active boys), I don’t have time to try to figure a bunch of stuff out. I have a life to live and a household to run. LOL. So for my use case, the iPhone is perfect. It just works.

Though in fairness, it's not really like that. It's rather the opposite with Android or at least Pixel: "Why the heck am I getting notifications for every d*mn app on this phone!?" Lol

 

[Javier P]

I don't agree with the lazy thing, neither with saying that Android doesn't work if you don't geek around. I think both are unfounded generalisations. Most people I know, in real life, own an Android device and most of them are low or midrange models. And surprise, surprise, they work, and pretty good if you ask me.

Most people don't use custom launchers, hand made widgets or tweak deep settings. They just select a personal wallpaper, move their icons around for aesthetical and practical reason, change a few ringtones and are ready to go. And being Android they can decide what kind of price and features are more appropriated for their needs. They are not lazy, they just want a tool that works without tweaking stuff and you don't need an iPhone to achieve that. Only if you want, wherever the personal reasons are.

This is an Android forum, so we all have some level or nerdiness. We represent just a small chunk of the smartphone market, the biggest chunk is in the cheaper models.

 

[jaybotinc]

think about it all the time, I just like the flat screen and more quality apps, the apple watch seems perfect and the s3 I have is kinda terrible to use. IOS is just better and easier but Android has the ability to download to the phone from any site, use Torrents and I got the note 10 with the pen.

It really depends I could get a job and literally sign forms from my phone and apple cant do that, the itch is real but I keep android only due to the "what if" factor.

Wait...s3... Like... Samsung?

 

[jaybotinc]

I don't agree with the lazy thing, neither with saying that Android doesn't work if you don't geek around. I think both are unfounded generalisations. Most people I know, in real life, own an Android device and most of them are low or midrange models. And surprise, surprise, they work, and pretty good if you ask me.

Most people don't use custom launchers, hand made widgets or tweak deep settings. They just select a personal wallpaper, move their icons around for aesthetical and practical reason, change a few ringtones and are ready to go. And being Android they can decide what kind of price and features are more appropriated for their needs. They are not lazy, they just want a tool that works without tweaking stuff and you don't need an iPhone to achieve that. Only if you want, wherever the personal reasons are.

This is an Android forum, so we all have some level or nerdiness. We represent just a small chunk of the smartphone market, the biggest chunk is in the cheaper models.

I agree w all of this. I would just say there is something about iPhones that are a little more... Plug and play. I can't put my finger on it bc you're right that you really don't have to look under the hood at all w a good brand Android to make it useable from hour 1. But.. I don't know. Maybe bc iPhone has been doing this well for so much longer and they are all the same whereas w Android there is a bit more learning curve because (thankfully) not all Androids are the same. Just bc you get pixels doesn't mean you'll understand one pluses the first day.

I will say that for wife, iPhone is the way to go. She doesn't care about personalization at all. It doesn't drive her crazy that she has to click three buttons to do what I can program my launcher to accomplish with literally a double tap anywhere on the screen. She just doesn't care at all. There is no reason for me to try and convince her even for one second to Android. She's happy with it and will not be happier w an Android. It would just be for some weird complex I have to try and convince her to Android.

 

[jaybotinc]

I don't agree with the lazy thing, neither with saying that Android doesn't work if you don't geek around. I think both are unfounded generalisations. Most people I know, in real life, own an Android device and most of them are low or midrange models. And surprise, surprise, they work, and pretty good if you ask me.

Most people don't use custom launchers, hand made widgets or tweak deep settings. They just select a personal wallpaper, move their icons around for aesthetical and practical reason, change a few ringtones and are ready to go. And being Android they can decide what kind of price and features are more appropriated for their needs. They are not lazy, they just want a tool that works without tweaking stuff and you don't need an iPhone to achieve that. Only if you want, wherever the personal reasons are.

This is an Android forum, so we all have some level or nerdiness. We represent just a small chunk of the smartphone market, the biggest chunk is in the cheaper models.

Oh, and it is so true, the cast majority of Android users do nothing with personalization, period. Most humans don't care. But these humans don't come to forums to discuss this so it seems like Android users are like the smartphone equivalent to Linux users. It's a bad sample. Lol

 

[Javier P]

Oh, and it is so true, the cast majority of Android users do nothing with personalization, period. Most humans don't care. But these humans don't come to forums to discuss this so it seems like Android users are like the smartphone equivalent to Linux users. It's a bad sample. Lol

Hahaha, yeah we are definitely a bad sample. We fine tune the discussions, because this is what we like and what we are supposed to do Most people base their buying decisions on much simpler questions.

 

[jaybotinc]

Hahaha, yeah we are definitely a bad sample. We fine tune the discussions, because this is what we like and what we are supposed to do Most people base their buying decisions on much simpler questions.

Lol. Yeah. Like, is it shiny? Can I watch videos on it? Can I afford the monthly price? This looks like the one I got last time except shinier. And I think I will get---oooo! Look at that shinier one over there!

And that buying process might sound so uncivilized to us sophisticateds here, but in the end those people are generally a lot happier with their phone then we are. Lol

 

[Javier P]

Anyway, sorry @Law2138 if we are getting a bit off topic. Have you already made a decision about switching platforms?

 

[jaybotinc]

Anyway, sorry @Law2138 if we are getting a bit off topic. Have you already made a decision about switching platforms?

Oh yeah. Sorry. I am a serial derailer.

 

[anon(10092459)]

Maybe bc iPhone has been doing this well for so much longer and they are all the same whereas w Android there is a bit more learning curve because (thankfully) not all Androids are the same.

I think there's something to that. With iOS, Apple is pushing a single concept. With Android, everybody is driving their own agenda, which is both good and bad. Samsung is trying to highlight their brand, just like OnePlus or LG or whoever. They all present their interpretations of how the UI/UX should be. Apple is fairly singular, with some small detail differences between iPhones. But for all intents and purposes, they're offering is singular.

I think their approach works really well with an average 'I know little about tech' consumer. They have the absolute best out of the box experience, IMO. Now Android can be quite simple or it can be quite taxing. That's really up to the user. You can find yourself in maze of settings and choices if you are unfamiliar.

Look at the number of settings menus we have these days. Home screen menu settings, general device menu settings, Google account menu settings, Google Assistant menu settings. Then let's start down the launcher choices road, then the messages app choices, then themes, widgets, etc. Samsung services or Google services? Maybe you'd prefer Oxygen OS..?

All this can be great for those of us that want to get that deep into things, but that's got to be somewhat overwhelming for the consumer who just wants to turn on their device and go.

 

[jaybotinc]

I think there's something to that. With iOS, Apple is pushing a single concept. With Android, everybody is driving their own agenda, which is both good and bad. Samsung is trying to highlight their brand, just like OnePlus or LG or whoever. They all present their interpretations of how the UI/UX should be. Apple is fairly singular, with some small detail differences between iPhones. But for all intents and purposes, they're offering is singular.

I think their approach works really well with an average 'I know little about tech' consumer. They have the absolute best out of the box experience, IMO. Now Android can be quite simple or it can be quite taxing. That's really up to the user. You can find yourself in maze of settings and choices if you are unfamiliar.

Look at the number of settings menus we have these days. Home screen menu settings, general device menu settings, Google account menu settings, Google Assistant menu settings. Then let's start down the launcher choices road, then the messages app choices, then themes, widgets, etc. Samsung services or Google services? Maybe you'd prefer Oxygen OS..?

All this can be great for those of us that want to get that deep into things, but that's got to be somewhat overwhelming for the consumer who just wants to turn on their device and go.

Yeah I think so.


That said, try listening to a few episodes of the Automators podcast . You will not leave that show thinking there isn't some serious heavy duty stuff you can do over there. It can get really deep into programming and none of it is hacking or using the phone in a way it wasn't designed to. There is a lot of veeeeery sophisticated stuff one can do there that 99% of iPhone users have idea about. It's amazing.

 

[Law2138]

Anyway, sorry @Law2138 if we are getting a bit off topic. Have you already made a decision about switching platforms?

Hey, I appreciate all the comments and side conversation. I haven't made the decision yet and not in a hurry as the Pixel 3 has plenty of life left.

I just installed my Nest hello (which isn't relevant) but I do love Google/Nest Smartphone products. It's just that the apple hardware is solid and I haven't customized my phone in a long time.