After 1 week, I might go back to iPhone. Here's why...

[badbrad17]

I've been an iPhone user for years, but I despise Apple and especially iTunes. I'm a software engineer, and the promise of an open phone OS with endless possibilities lured me to Android. I got the S4 a week ago, and the transition has been anything but painless. I'm really considering switching back to the iPhone5, and here's why:

Thanks,
Matt

I never take anyone serious with only 3 posts. Sorry, just saying. But a Nexus device is about as close as you can get to an iPhone experience. If you are a software engineer then act like one. Dig in and do the work to make this phone your own. Stop complaining and explore what is available to you. It's not an iPhone. It's white canvas. Make it your masterpiece.

 

[tony bag o donuts]

So if you and I have over 3000 posts and it's in a thread that has nothing to do with phones, but our count is high we know more then someone who may have been using a device for years but never signed up for a site?

 

[Trees]

There's an app for that https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...mV0LnN1Y2tnYS5pTGF1bmNoZXIyIl0&token=Q_TqBQgy.

On a more serious note, some great viewpoints and advice here. Ultimately you've got to stick with what "feels right".

 

[packerbacker]

As for your #1, if the phone is too big for you, then that's your personal preference. I personally find the iPhone to be too small to get anything done on the screen.

I didn't find my iPhone screen too small until I lovingly played with an S4 and a One at a Sprint kiosk at the mall. Then I went back to my iPhone and I was like "wow, damn, this is small".

 

[badbrad17]

So if you and I have over 3000 posts and it's in a thread that has nothing to do with phones, but our count is high we know more then someone who may have been using a device for years but never signed up for a site?

Sorry I never trust anyone with donuts in their user name. Sheesh. Chill out and get a sense of humour.

Sent from my Nexus 4

 

[mattkruse]

I never take anyone serious with only 3 posts. Sorry, just saying.

And I find it hard to take someone seriously who has time to make over 3,000 posts on an Android message board. Maybe you have way more free time than me. And maybe that's why you like Android!
[And didn't everyone only have a few posts at some point? I've never used Android before. Why would I have posted here before?]

If you are a software engineer then act like one. Dig in and do the work to make this phone your own. Stop complaining and explore what is available to you. It's not an iPhone. It's white canvas. Make it your masterpiece.

I'm a busy software engineer, with at least one project with hundreds of thousands of users, plus a family. I don't have time for everything. I'm torn between the potential of Android, versus the ability to the "delegate" my phone to Apple. They don't offer a perfect solution, but it's really pretty good, and it takes zero effort from me.

Having a white canvas isn't always better. Studies have repeatedly shown that having more options doesn't necessarily make people happier. In fact, the opposite is often true. When faced with fewer options, people spend less time looking for something better, and less time wondering if they chose correctly. In short, fewer options provides greater happiness. Sometimes.

Of course, that's not always the case. But you can't just blindly say that a white canvas is better. If I want to decorate my house, I want a finished painting, not a white canvas. I want someone who has taken the time to create something that they find to be beautiful. If I connect with it, I take it as-is, even if it's not exactly how I would have done it. I certainly wouldn't want to invest time buying painting supplies, learning how to paint, trying out different techniques, and hopefully at some point create a piece of art that is perfect for me. Even if I loved painting!

And that's kind of where I'm still at. I love the idea of a white canvas, because I know what I want. But I'm just not finding it out there, which is disappointing. And at this point, it just kind of seems more productive to buy something that I already know works, and takes zero effort, so I can focus my time on actually USING my phone, rather than trying to get it to work how I think it should. I have a lot of things I want to do with my time. Tinkering with a phone to make it usable is not one of them.

 

[JRLasVegas]

Sorry buddy you just don't know how to use the device. Also, to mute your phone just hold down the volume button, it's not instant but only about 1 second longer.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2

 

[mattkruse]

Sorry buddy you just don't know how to use the device.

This is true, to some degree. I'm learning. It's not nearly as intuitive as an iPhone. I'm finding it a bit hard to learn how to use the device.

Also, to mute your phone just hold down the volume button, it's not instant but only about 1 second longer.

That works when unlocked. It doesn't work when the phone is locked, or when the lock screen is displayed. By default, there is no way to put the phone into vibrate mode without unlocking it or holding down the power button and then touching the screen.

 

[badbrad17]

And I find it hard to take someone seriously who has time to make over 3,000 posts on an Android message board. Maybe you have way more free time than me. And maybe that's why you like Android!
[And didn't everyone only have a few posts at some point? I've never used Android before. Why would I have posted here before?]



I'm a busy software engineer, with at least one project with hundreds of thousands of users, plus a family. I don't have time for everything. I'm torn between the potential of Android, versus the ability to the "delegate" my phone to Apple. They don't offer a perfect solution, but it's really pretty good, and it takes zero effort from me.

Having a white canvas isn't always better. Studies have repeatedly shown that having more options doesn't necessarily make people happier. In fact, the opposite is often true. When faced with fewer options, people spend less time looking for something better, and less time wondering if they chose correctly. In short, fewer options provides greater happiness. Sometimes.

Of course, that's not always the case. But you can't just blindly say that a white canvas is better. If I want to decorate my house, I want a finished painting, not a white canvas. I want someone who has taken the time to create something that they find to be beautiful. If I connect with it, I take it as-is, even if it's not exactly how I would have done it. I certainly wouldn't want to invest time buying painting supplies, learning how to paint, trying out different techniques, and hopefully at some point create a piece of art that is perfect for me. Even if I loved painting!

And that's kind of where I'm still at. I love the idea of a white canvas, because I know what I want. But I'm just not finding it out there, which is disappointing. And at this point, it just kind of seems more productive to buy something that I already know works, and takes zero effort, so I can focus my time on actually USING my phone, rather than trying to get it to work how I think it should. I have a lot of things I want to do with my time. Tinkering with a phone to make it usable is not one of them.

First of all Matt. My first comment was just a joke, so don't take it personally. The reason I have 3,000 posts is because I spend a ton of time helping people on this forum. I added my last comments to try to push you to understand that Android offers a lot more than iPhone. I know this because I have an iPhone in my household. But you and I may be different. I actually own a design/software company and understand the pace of life and work. I have a family and am incredibly busy. The reality is that you will find time to do the things you enjoy. What you enjoy may not be playing with a phone.
So if that is the case you may be happier going back to an iPhone and just getting the status quo experience. Tinkering and learning a new device may not be what you want to invest your free time on and that's 100% okay. I on the other hand am an artist and draw and paint and love using technology to be unique and creative. I don't program myself but I love to develop the processes and interfaces. I have staff that do the actual programming. But Android is my hobby. I love the white canvas. I spend time after work designing home screens and reading about technology because I enjoy it. What I don't like is cutting my lawn or changing the oil in my car. I would rather play golf or go for a walk. So we are all unique in our desires.

Where I had trouble with your post is that you made a statement that you were an educated technical person yet were unwilling to do the work to understand the new product you purchased. This can be true for anything. A TV or a toaster or a new car. They all have unique features that must be learned to be appreciated. I find that the people who are unwilling to take the time to learn are also the ones who complain and also the ones that need more help. It's like the people who complain about new music. They loved the Beatles and music of the 70's and complain about anything new without taking the time to find out what all the other people like about it.

So you can decide if it's worth it. Explore new possibilities or just take what you know and stay in the middle of the pack.

Whatever you decide I wish you well.

Sent from my Nexus 4

 

[anon5664829]

I must say, I do miss the lock screen notifications and the screen turning on when I get a notification but for ME Android is slightly better, I have alot of free time to do stuff and messing with phones are MY interests the iPhone is an incredible phone I did and still carry an iPhone 5 and appreciate some small little details in iOS that Android doesn't have.

 

[nj1266]

It seems that OP's problems could have been solved simply if he had jailbroken his iPhone 5 rather than sell it and get an S4. That will give him exactly what he wants. He will keep the essence of iOS and have the freedom of Android.

I am on my second jailbroken iPhone and I cannot imagine going back to a stock iOS. It is really restrictive.


Sent from my iPhone 7

 

[truthteller10]

I think you simply picked the wrong device. Samsung has overdone things in my opinion that really takes away from a smooth experience. Try the HTC ONE, its fast and less gimmicks that are half backed into the software. For you messaging woes simply go with GO SMS pro and your popup issues are gone. Don't give up on Android and try the ONE out..Its simply the best Android experience out there.

I've been an iPhone user for years, but I despise Apple and especially iTunes. I'm a software engineer, and the promise of an open phone OS with endless possibilities lured me to Android. I got the S4 a week ago, and the transition has been anything but painless. I'm really considering switching back to the iPhone5, and here's why:

1. The S4 is just too big. It doesn't fit in my pocket nicely, and it's not comfortable to hold with one hand. It's awkward, and I often feel like I might drop it.

2. Notifications suck. I love the way iPhone did it - when I get new text messages, the screen lit up and I could see the message right there. If I received multiple messages, I could see them all. If I got Facebook comments, they were there too. All stacked up and scannable without unlocking or going to different apps. This is VERY important to me, because I receive a lot of updates about a lot of things, and I don't want to constantly fiddle with my phone to see them. I have it on my desk and I want to quickly glance to see what came in, then move on. I've tried a few lock screen notification apps, but none seem to work perfectly.

3. Hardware mute. I really miss this on the S4. I like having a hardware toggle switch to mute my phone if it's going off in a meeting or something. I like being able to mute it in my pocket without having to touch the screen at all. IMO, this should be a REQUIRED feature on all phone hardware.

4. Endless tinkering. I've already spent many hours trying apps, reading about Android, messing with widgets, etc. My hope was that I could get it setup exactly how I want, then never have to tinker again, but that doesn't seem like how it will go. I'm still trying to make the user interface something that I think is usable! It just seems so clunky to me, compared to the smooth and efficient interface of the iPhone.

5. App count badges (minor). I loved the little red indicator on each app, telling me how many games I have to play in WWF or how many notifications I have in another app. I miss this easy indicator in Android.

Listen... I love the potential of Android. I get it. It seems like I should be in love with it, but when it comes down to it, I just want a phone that is really usable out of the box. I don't want to have to find 10 different apps to replace the default functionality. I don't want to spend hours messing with the layout of widgets, home screens, and lock screens.

When I REALLY want is either:
- An Android UI that is well designed and consistent across the whole system, removing all the little productivity annoyances
or
- An iPhone that is not so locked down and controlled by Apple.

I have not (yet) rooted my S4, but that sounds like just one more thing to consume my time in the quest for a usable phone.
I've also never jailbroken my iPhones in the past, but I'm wondering if a jailbroken iPhone5 really is nirvana.

Any thoughts? What am I missing that might make me want to stay with the S4+Android?

Thanks,

Matt

 

[mcpricex]

Some really good advice so far but to add my thoughts -

I have seen far more people move from ios to Android than vice versa, often for the very reasons you describe, and it is never an easy transition. Not because the one is more intuitive than the other but simply because we are all creatures of habit and we get used to doing things in a certain way, in fact if we do them often enough they even become almost automatic. With the amount of interaction we have with our phones these days this is certainly true of this situation, it is not that Android is less intutive than ios, its just that you are used to doing things in a certain way and suddenly it has changed. Understand that I am not saying you are stuck in your ways, not at all, you made the concious decision to change after all, but now you are faced with the daunting task of learning how to do all the things that you did with your iphone all over again. It is like making the decision to go back to college or university, then finding out that you have to start from kindergarden again.

Perhaps one of the most attractive properties of Android is also its most daunting, and that is just how incredibly open it is, there are so many things to change, to tweak and to tinker with, as you have found. So, my advice to you is to start from a blank canvas. Ditch all the little apps and the fancy wallpaper and concentrate on your basic functionality, get the phone working how you want it to, that may involve jumping to a stock Android rom but that is a whole other can of worms. Unfortunately it is not possible to have this kind of freedom and expect the device to be perfect out of the box, perfect is subjective and that is the divide between ios and droid, Apple say this is perfect, switch it on and off you go, Android says well, this is kind of on the right track, we'll leave it up to you to decide what is perfect.

The important thing for you is to take your time to settle in to your own personal Android experience, its like a good pair of walking boots, you buy them because you think they are going to solve all the problems with your bad feet, then they rub you to the point where just looking at them makes you cry, then without you realising it they have worn in so perfectly that you don't even know you are wearing them. Be patient and enjoy your Android.

 

[Aquila]

The HTC One might be a better choice than the S4 for a first time user. It's also coming to Verizon, has a more simple interface and has a smaller screen. It might be a good idea to hang out with the iPhone for the month or two or whatever it is until the One is released, then give that a shot. The most important thing anyone can say is, "Android is going to suck at being an iPhone". Paradigm wins again.

 

[tony bag o donuts]

Sorry I never trust anyone with donuts in their user name. Sheesh. Chill out and get a sense of humour.

Sent from my Nexus 4

I'm fine and if your comment was supposed to be candid I would think you would add or something to the OP. I am a laid back guy and do have a sense of humour.

Added:

It's all good. Not every device is right for everyone. That's what I love about android. Choice.

 

[tony bag o donuts]

Reasons why I love the iphone and why I hate it.
1) When released 3rd party manufacturers have accessories already designed.
2) Physical vibrate button- miss it from my treo 650 days. The ringer/ volume on the device is just insane!
3) Camera- I just love the clarity of the photos.
4) Updates are pushed to every device going back at least two models.

1) Hate that it doesn't conform with the micro usb standard.
2) Expensive device, expensive accessories, more insurance than any other smartphone
3) Screen doesn't turn off unless you turn it off (not so bad at times)
4) Stole ideas from Palm and Android and then the world things its revolutionary
5) Everyone I know has one lol.
6) I hate the fact that it only will sync with one computer. I was at a conference and had my ipad that I won in a raffle. I ran out of space but couldn't delete things without it being hooked up to itunes on my computer 4 hrs away.


Android is great and the more Apple and Android manufacturers square off the better it is for us.

 

[tony bag o donuts]

The HTC One might be a better choice than the S4 for a first time user. It's also coming to Verizon, has a more simple interface and has a smaller screen. It might be a good idea to hang out with the iPhone for the month or two or whatever it is until the One is released, then give that a shot. The most important thing anyone can say is, "Android is going to suck at being an iPhone". Paradigm wins again.

Agree 100%.
For me, the droid incredible made android a much better experience with sense as opposed to an original droid for instance.
If I would rate the manufacturer's skins, I would say Sense is tops followed by touchwiz and whatever motorola is calling blur these days lol.

 

[Aquila]

Android is great and the more Apple and Android manufacturers square off the better it is for us.

Agree 100%. I'm really hoping Apple brings something competitive to the table to push competition again. It seems like it's been a couple years since they were relevant and I don't want them just to catch up to Ice Cream Sandwich, I want them to give Google a reason to examine Key Lime Pie to make sure it's exceeding the bar.

 

[Cigar-Junkie]

Don't know if I missed it but I am surprised that nobody mentioned the S4 mini that should be here soon. Also I think that its possible that some of the features you want could be blocked in one way or another due to the multitude of patient lawsuits.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Aquila]

Don't know if I missed it but I am surprised that nobody mentioned the S4 mini that should be here soon. Also I think that its possible that some of the features you want could be blocked in one way or another due to the multitude of patient lawsuits.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

I wouldn't have thought of it as a valid option because of the downgrade in specs (slower processor, less RAM, only 8GB storage), but you're right, some people could see that as a solution to this thread.