From iPhone to Samsung Galaxy S4

[dave25A]

Hi Everyone,

Over the last 18 months I have begun getting tried of Apple and there small updates in regards to phones (3Gs then the 4, 4S and now the 5) rumours have it that the iPhone 5S will be nothing but a small update and nothing major. Over the last month or so I have been thinking about switching to the Galaxy S4, however a couple of things consern me, 1- is the S4 as reliable as my iPhone as been? 2- How easy is it to switch over (I have a lot of content on iTunes). 3- Hows the battery life? And 4- Do you find the plastic of the S4 more durable?
I would appreciate any advice as I'm unsure if I should switch or not! I have not used Andriod before.

Thanks

 

[Farish]

Hi Everyone,

Over the last 18 months I have begun getting tried of Apple and there small updates in regards to phones (3Gs then the 4, 4S and now the 5) rumours have it that the iPhone 5S will be nothing but a small update and nothing major. Over the last month or so I have been thinking about switching to the Galaxy S4, however a couple of things consern me, 1- is the S4 as reliable as my iPhone as been? 2- How easy is it to switch over (I have a lot of content on iTunes). 3- Hows the battery life? And 4- Do you find the plastic of the S4 more durable?
I would appreciate any advice as I'm unsure if I should switch or not! I have not used Andriod before.

Thanks

1. So far my S4 has been as reliable as my iPhone.
2. Music no issues, Movies has DRM which needs to be removed.
3. Battery life for me has been better than my iPhone but everybody's experience varies.
4. Not sure about the plastic being more durable, but the nice thing about it is it is replaceable and so is the battery.

 

[bembol]

1. I've had 12 androids 4 of them were Galaxies and no problems whatsoever. I'm currently using the S4 & hTc One.

2. It's easy and time consuming since the customization seems endless especially if you get into Launchers. iTunes Purchases are protected (Movies & TV Shows), so this will be a problem.

3. I can easily get 12 hours on Medium usage.

4. I don't know, the last time I dropped was my hTc EVO 3D and I was lucky because NOT A SINGLE scratch, dent on it. Plastic do crack, my boy's S3 has it by the power button, nothing major just an eye sore.

 

[Dural]

Hi Everyone,

Over the last 18 months I have begun getting tried of Apple and there small updates in regards to phones (3Gs then the 4, 4S and now the 5) rumours have it that the iPhone 5S will be nothing but a small update and nothing major. Over the last month or so I have been thinking about switching to the Galaxy S4, however a couple of things consern me, 1- is the S4 as reliable as my iPhone as been? 2- How easy is it to switch over (I have a lot of content on iTunes). 3- Hows the battery life? And 4- Do you find the plastic of the S4 more durable?
I would appreciate any advice as I'm unsure if I should switch or not! I have not used Andriod before.

Thanks

1) Yes. Time will tell on longevity but absolutely no reason to believe otherwise.
2) Depends. Many 3rd party apps exist to facilitate music transfer, including Google Music itself which I prefer. Note that if you bought songs off iTunes that are DRM protected, Apple won't let you transfer that content to ANY other platform. Blame Apple directly for that complication.
3) Excellent. 15 to 20 hrs with 3 to 5 hrs screen time. YMWV.
4) Polycarbonate is as durable as aluminum and is more impact resistant. Just ask a materials engineer. Materials selection comes down to preference. I always run with a case so the issue is moot. If feel is important, buy an aluminum back plate or case. However, these could interfere with NFC and signal (still haven't seen confirmation).

It seems most making the shift need a few weeks to settle in. Once they're comfortable, they usually wonder why they waited to switch.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[dave25A]

I havent had a Samsung phone before, i have seen the TV Ads over the last couple of years. The S4 seems to be packed with features and the main reason i'm thinking of switching over is because IOS seems to be stuck in the past and i want something i can customise to my own tastes, i have heard that Android and the Galaxy range is hugely customisable and can do far more than what an iPhone and IOS can do.

At the moment i use my phone for Facebook, Twitter, text messaging, reading and responding to emails and listening to music. I do these tasks near enough every day, i do play the occasional game but nothing major as i have a game console for serious gaming.
The content i'm more worried about brining over is my music, i have a big music collection and i love music (listen to it on my iPhone everyday). TV Shows and films i have on my iPad and don't watch on my phone anyway.

 

[planoman]

Depends on what you mean by reliable? I have owned all 4 Galaxy S and 3 Galaxy Note models and since the Note, they have been remarkably bug free and very reliable. I also have an iPhone 5 and my daughter has had all iphone models and I see no difference in reliability.

It is not easy to switch over to android unless you are patient. Also depending how locked into iOS you are. You can easily transfer your itunes to google play music (up to 20,000) songs. I never used Google play music until getting my Nexus 4 with limited storage so I transferred my songs (I buy them from Amazon then put them on itunes so I can also move them to my SD card DRM free) from iTunes and it was very simple. I have had several friends try to make the switch from iOS and many have gone back, that is just factual info. I do not want to try and paint this in an unrealistic manner. The first thing to remember is this is a different OS. If you catch yourself saying "but on my iPhone I could do this like this" it will be hard for you. If you are willing to give it a good three weeks to learn and customize, you have a better chance. Android is more complex and takes more time to learn and touch wiz is very complex with menus everywhere. As I have said, I have had 8 galaxy phones (two SGSII's including the skyrocket which was ATT first LTE device + International Note before it came to the USA) and the sheer number of options on the S4 was almost overwhelming to me. Commit to learn it, read the manual, watch how to videos. Patience is the key!

As I said I also have an iphone 5 and my S4 has better battery life although they are close. That is my usage and yours may vary.

I case all of my devices so the build materials has not mattered one bit in my usage.

Maybe some recent iOS converts can chime in. Good luck with your decision.

 

[mayconvert]

dave, I just switched myself after having the 3, 3GS, 4, 4S, and 5. I also have an iMac and use iTunes for all my music. Needless to say. I am all about apple.
Same thing for me. Tired of the tiny 4" screen, and minor spec bumps with a few little features sprinkled on top.

1. The phone seems to be solid. I would suggest getting insurance since you don't have an Apple store you can just walk in for a quick fix. I did.
2. I downloaded KIES on my mac, and I have my entire iTunes library on my S4 with no problems. (kies is like a generic itunes sync program, works Great)
3. I had to charge my iphone every day, same for S4. I have had Zero issues making it thru the day. Battery is just as good as iphone. and I have my S4 brightness at 100% all the time.
4. I haven't ever dropped a phone so I can't say. The phone feels great in the hand. It's PERFECT size. Not too big, Much bigger than iphone screen.

Switching is something you have to want to try. You have to look at it as exploring something new. it is NOT an iPhone. Things are different.
I still use my iTunes via Kies. I still use Calendar on my iMac but I now use Gmail calendar as my default so it syncs to my phone like it did with iphone.
There is no iMessage, no reminders, Notes, iCloud, iPhoto, etc. but there are alternatives for all of this. My picts are backed up to G+ I use Catch for Notes because I can passcode it and there is an "always Private" area and a syncable area.
Chrome and the default web browser are not on Safari's level. Both will seem a bit slow in comparison. (they aren't slow, but safari IS slightly faster)
The default keyboard on the S4 does NOT have auto correct. But it has swype with a Great word predictor. I do not miss auto correct at all. I use swype on the default keyboard and I LOVE it.
There is a keyboard called swype that is like $4 that you can download that people like better. But I'm good with the default.
I have ALL of the Eye and Hand Waiving features OFF on my S4. I think they are pretty stupid, but some people love them... /shrug

I posted this after having android for a few days.
http://forums.androidcentral.com/ge...users-ever-ask-yourself-why-did-i-switch.html

I am very very happy with the S4. It's an amazing phone. and if you can handle NOT having an iPhone and having something Different. The S4 is the perfect phone.
Not sure if you use Mac or PC. But I think the switch there is similar. The both run programs, but both operate differently.
I love my Mac. My brother can't stand a Mac. To each his own....

 

[dave25A]

dave, I just switched myself after having the 3, 3GS, 4, 4S, and 5. I also have an iMac and use iTunes for all my music. Needless to say. I am all about apple.
Same thing for me. Tired of the tiny 4" screen, and minor spec bumps with a few little features sprinkled on top.

1. The phone seems to be solid. I would suggest getting insurance since you don't have an Apple store you can just walk in for a quick fix. I did.
2. I downloaded KIES on my mac, and I have my entire iTunes library on my S4 with no problems. (kies is like a generic itunes sync program, works Great)
3. I had to charge my iphone every day, same for S4. I have had Zero issues making it thru the day. Battery is just as good as iphone. and I have my S4 brightness at 100% all the time.
4. I haven't ever dropped a phone so I can't say. The phone feels great in the hand. It's PERFECT size. Not too big, Much bigger than iphone screen.

Switching is something you have to want to try. You have to look at it as exploring something new. it is NOT an iPhone. Things are different.
I still use my iTunes via Kies. I still use Calendar on my iMac but I now use Gmail calendar as my default so it syncs to my phone like it did with iphone.
There is no iMessage, no reminders, Notes, iCloud, iPhoto, etc. but there are alternatives for all of this. My picts are backed up to G+ I use Catch for Notes because I can passcode it and there is an "always Private" area and a syncable area.
Chrome and the default web browser are not on Safari's level. Both will seem a bit slow in comparison. (they aren't slow, but safari IS slightly faster)
The default keyboard on the S4 does NOT have auto correct. But it has swype with a Great word predictor. I do not miss auto correct at all. I use swype on the default keyboard and I LOVE it.
There is a keyboard called swype that is like $4 that you can download that people like better. But I'm good with the default.
I have ALL of the Eye and Hand Waiving features OFF on my S4. I think they are pretty stupid, but some people love them... /shrug

I posted this after having android for a few days.
http://forums.androidcentral.com/ge...users-ever-ask-yourself-why-did-i-switch.html

I am very very happy with the S4. It's an amazing phone. and if you can handle NOT having an iPhone and having something Different. The S4 is the perfect phone.
Not sure if you use Mac or PC. But I think the switch there is similar. The both run programs, but both operate differently.
I love my Mac. My brother can't stand a Mac. To each his own....

I'm a Mac user, I also have an iPad, because I'm a university student (I live in the UK) I commute and travel so I like a phone to have good battery mainly for my music and checking emails on the go. I'm certainly willing to try other phones, I feel that Apple are not innovating and with only the 5S rumoured to be coming with minor spec bump I feel its time to change. Why pay ?529 for a phone with minor spec bumps (I currently use a iPhone 4S) when for the same money I could get the Galaxy S4. Also the bigger screen size would be an advantage for me, plus I want to be able to customise things, such as the home screen and basically Indepth customisation that you can't do on the iPhone.

 

[dave25A]

dave, I just switched myself after having the 3, 3GS, 4, 4S, and 5. I also have an iMac and use iTunes for all my music. Needless to say. I am all about apple.
Same thing for me. Tired of the tiny 4" screen, and minor spec bumps with a few little features sprinkled on top.

Yes i think the screen size is a little small compared to other phones on the market, but the main thing is i have got bored of the same old design followed by the S model, for the price (?529 here in the UK) the competition seem to be doing more innovative things with mobile devices.

Switching is something you have to want to try. You have to look at it as exploring something new. it is NOT an iPhone. Things are different.

I do want to try other devices and the S4 does appeal to me. I want to try something with more customisation, i want to be able to customise my lock screen, have themes on my phone, which is stuff you simply cant do on the iPhone.

I still use my iTunes via Kies. I still use Calendar on my iMac but I now use Gmail calendar as my default so it syncs to my phone like it did with iphone.
There is no iMessage, no reminders, Notes, iCloud, iPhoto, etc. but there are alternatives for all of this. My picts are backed up to G+ I use Catch for Notes because I can passcode it and there is an "always Private" area and a syncable area.
Chrome and the default web browser are not on Safari's level. Both will seem a bit slow in comparison. (they aren't slow, but safari IS slightly faster)
The default keyboard on the S4 does NOT have auto correct. But it has swype with a Great word predictor. I do not miss auto correct at all. I use swype on the default keyboard and I LOVE it.
There is a keyboard called swype that is like $4 that you can download that people like better. But I'm good with the default.
I have ALL of the Eye and Hand Waiving features OFF on my S4. I think they are pretty stupid, but some people love them... /shrug

I posted this after having android for a few days.
http://forums.androidcentral.com/ge...users-ever-ask-yourself-why-did-i-switch.html

Thanks i will check that out

I am very very happy with the S4. It's an amazing phone. and if you can handle NOT having an iPhone and having something Different. The S4 is the perfect phone.
Not sure if you use Mac or PC. But I think the switch there is similar. The both run programs, but both operate differently.
I love my Mac. My brother can't stand a Mac. To each his own....

 

[tohio]

If you have a a case on your iPhone than I assume you will want one for your new phone. That makes the plastic vs metal sort of moot. But if you don't want a case I feel (personal opinion only) plastic is a better choice. Google searches reveal many metal body phone owners are unhappy with denting and scratching. Another thing that is not mentioned very often is ease of repair. Every smartphone is a potential victim of breakage, from screen glass to buttons. The galaxy S4 is one of the easiest to repair (= less costly) compared to other current smartphones. Check out Gadget Teardowns - iFixit to compare the S4 and the iPhone or any other phone you may be contemplating. My S4 has been trouble free and I (personal opinion only) think it is the best phone a available right now.

 

[mayconvert]

If you have an iPad, you wont be without an iOS device. I think if you give android a run with an open mind, I honestly think you will like the S4.
I can say, even with it's little imperfections, I love it.

 

[dave25A]

If you have an iPad, you wont be without an iOS device. I think if you give android a run with an open mind, I honestly think you will like the S4.
I can say, even with it's little imperfections, I love it.

Thank you for the advice The reason i have been put off in the past by Android is because of people talking about "Slow and buggy" and also "security issues" How customisable is the Samsung Galaxy S4? i have been looking around the internet and found Google Play Store with live wallpapers which look good.

 

[thornesone]

Just be ready for your friends to say, OMG REALLY? ;-)

Posted via Android Central App

 

[tohio]

Thank you for the advice The reason i have been put off in the past by Android is because of people talking about "Slow and buggy" and also "security issues" How customisable is the Samsung Galaxy S4? i have been looking around the internet and found Google Play Store with live wallpapers which look good.

If security is an issue read this Samsung Galaxy S4 earns Pentagon security nod | Mobile - CNET News As far as customizing the phone, wallpapers are just scratching the surface. You can change sounds, notifications, led light notifications, etc, etc. After you are comfortable with the phone you can even change the ROMs on the phone. I really would describe the ability to customize the S4 as only limited by your imagination and preferences.

 

[mayconvert]

always get your apps from Google play store and you will be safe. Read reviews. it's very customizable. You can even install launchers like Nova Prime (or any of the other 1000 launchers)
I am now up to 2 widgets. I use the weather/time widget and a full screen calendar widget. I stayed with TouchWiz stock launcher. I actually like TouchWiz.
As far as buggy and slow. I disagree. iOS may have a "bit" more polish. but that doesn't mean android is bad.

Think of android as a Windows PC. Windows doesn't have that polish that OS-X has because Windows has to accomodate a million different specs. Different graphics cards, different processors.
Apples OS-X should run "smoother". It only needs to work with very specific hardware set by apple.

The S4 has a program called "lookout" that checks for anything not good for the phone. I have run windows for a 1000 years now and have never gotten a virus because I pay attention to what I am doing and I don't click on links saying 'YOU JUST WON AN IPAD!! CLICK HERE!!' in my email.

One thing I loved about the S4 is that it works with me.com emails in the native email client. and I actually have 9 email accts going the my S4 and they all work perfectly.
One thing I hate about android, no visual voicemail like iPhone. But, I use AT&T apps simply called Visual Voicemail and it works Perfect. (the icon looks like a blue "talk" cloud with a white phone symbol and orange tape reel inside the little blue cloud.)

Also, you can export you entire contacts list and import them into gmail and contacts sync perfectly too.

 

[procol]

Hi Everyone,

Over the last 18 months I have begun getting tried of Apple and there small updates in regards to phones (3Gs then the 4, 4S and now the 5) rumours have it that the iPhone 5S will be nothing but a small update and nothing major. Over the last month or so I have been thinking about switching to the Galaxy S4, however a couple of things consern me, 1- is the S4 as reliable as my iPhone as been? 2- How easy is it to switch over (I have a lot of content on iTunes). 3- Hows the battery life? And 4- Do you find the plastic of the S4 more durable?
I would appreciate any advice as I'm unsure if I should switch or not! I have not used Andriod before.

Thanks

After using iPhone 4 for 2 years and a half, I switched to GS4 recently. I have bought lots of apps and music files from App Store and iTunes respectively.

1. Yes. Actually, it can vary according to what you meant with the word 'reliable' but if it's close to the degree most people take as common sense, it's very reliable, both in hardware sense and software sense. Both Android and Touchwiz are no more in their infancy in my opinion. In hardware aspects, GS4 stays on the top notch level overall.

2. As far as I know, iTunes removed DRM from music files years ago. I think if what you bought mostly is music files like you mentioned in the other post, you don't need to worry at all. I transferred all the music files I purchased from iTunes to GS4 with Kies installed on my MBP. Precisely speaking, I copied all the music files of my iTunes library to my 64GB microSD card. (In addition to music files, I have set so that photos and videos I take are saved to the external memory, I mean microSD card.)

3. Because my GS4 is Exynos variant, I can't say anything about the battery life of Snapdragon variant. Anyway, you better remember always that Super AMOLED display of GS4 uses more power when the screen has much of white colors. That's why GS4 battery got the only lower score when compared to HTC One from battery test of web browsing. Read this for more: Samsung Galaxy S4 battery life tests are done, here's how it did - GSMArena Blog Whenever possible, I use night mode to avoid the white-all-over-the-screen situation when the app provides that option like Kindle, Appy Week do. The battery didn't go for long at first, but after it was tamed with a few of full-discharge-full-charge repetition it got better. Also, after two firmware updates on my Korean variant, it got better more.

4. Plastic, precisely polycarbonate of GS4 is durable? Because the word 'durable' is relative and subjective, I can't say much. At least, it's really light. Though iPhone 4 used to give me the solid feel in my hand, it was definitely heavy. GS4 which is far bigger than iPhone 4 is shockingly lighter. Since I use Spigen Neohybrid case with my GS4, I don't care much about the physical damage. With wearing out, it may turn out differently but, at least for now, I don't expect the plastic of GS4 would crack suddenly.

 

[mayconvert]

my screen and the VVM app.

 

[tohio]

always get your apps from Google play store and you will be safe. Read reviews. it's very customizable. You can even install launchers like Nova Prime (or any of the other 1000 launchers)
I am now up to 2 widgets. I use the weather/time widget and a full screen calendar widget. I stayed with TouchWiz stock launcher. I actually like TouchWiz.
As far as buggy and slow. I disagree. iOS may have a "bit" more polish. but that doesn't mean android is bad.

Think of android as a Windows PC. Windows doesn't have that polish that OS-X has because Windows has to accomodate a million different specs. Different graphics cards, different processors.
Apples OS-X should run "smoother". It only needs to work with very specific hardware set by apple.

The S4 has a program called "lookout" that checks for anything not good for the phone. I have run windows for a 1000 years now and have never gotten a virus because I pay attention to what I am doing and I don't click on links saying 'YOU JUST WON AN IPAD!! CLICK HERE!!' in my email.

One thing I loved about the S4 is that it works with me.com emails in the native email client. and I actually have 9 email accts going the my S4 and they all work perfectly.
One thing I hate about android, no visual voicemail like iPhone. But, I use AT&T apps simply called Visual Voicemail and it works Perfect. (the icon looks like a blue "talk" cloud with a white phone symbol and orange tape reel inside the little blue cloud.)

Also, you can export you entire contacts list and import them into gmail and contacts sync perfectly too.

Thanks for the info on Visual Voicemail. Just downloaded and will give it a try.

 

[dave25A]

always get your apps from Google play store and you will be safe.

So it's kind of like the App Store? As long as you download from there you can't get viruses.

Read reviews. it's very customizable. You can even install launchers like Nova Prime (or any of the other 1000 launchers)
I am now up to 2 widgets. I use the weather/time widget and a full screen calendar widget. I stayed with TouchWiz stock launcher. I actually like TouchWiz.
I plan on keeping the OS TouchWiz, I just want to be able to customise it, so live wallpapers, maybe some themes and so on.

The S4 has a program called "lookout" that checks for anything not good for the phone.

Ok that's cool I will keep that in mind

Also, you can export you entire contacts list and import them into gmail and contacts sync perfectly too.

That should save me having to type them all out again

There has been rumour that the Samsunf Galaxy S4 will be available in other colours, I like the look of the Blue one, I think as soon as they are made available I'm going to make the switch.

 

[dave25A]

After using iPhone 4 for 2 years and a half, I switched to GS4 recently. I have bought lots of apps and music files from App Store and iTunes.

1. Yes. Actually, it can vary according to what you meant with the word 'reliable' but if it's close to the degree most people take as common sense. It is very reliable, both in hardware sense and software sense. Both Android and Touchwiz are no more in their infancy in my opinion. In hardware aspects, GS4 stays on the top notch level overall.

2. As far as I know, iTunes removed DRM from music files years ago. I think if what you bought mostly is music files like you mentioned in the other post, you don't need to worry at all. I transferred all the music files I purchased from iTunes to GS4 with Kies installed on my MBP. Precisely speaking, I copied all the music files of my iTunes library to my 64GB microSD card. (In addition to music files, I have set so that photos and videos I take are saved to the external memory, I mean microSD card.(

1. Yea me to except I have the 4S, and yea I have a lot of music that I've brought from iTunes
2. What I meant by reliable was, apps not crashing, the phone freezing up and needing a restart, horrible lag, tho are the type of things I meant
3. That's good, means I will be able to copy music over easily then, if I use a SD card will I be able to listen to my music from the card rather than downloading the music onto the phone? Reason I ask is because I've heard that the 16GB S4 doesn't have a lot of user memory