So the impossible happened, I bought an iPhone. Impressions...

[dsignori]

As a LONG TIME Android user (since the OG Droid), I actually bought my first iPhone a few days ago, the iPhone 11 Pro Max. I made the move mostly based on:
(1) The apparently improved camera and
(2) The great battery life promised.

I have bounced mostly among Pixels and Galaxy Notes over the last 5 years or so. It's quite strange as I consider myself an Android evangelist. I've used: The OG Droid, Galaxy S, HTC Droid DNA, Galaxy S4, S5, Note 5, Note 7, Pixel XL, Pixel 2 XL, and Note 9.

So far, color me very impressed with the iPhone 11 Pro Max. A few early impressions:
- The battery life so far is flat out really, really great. I won’t go into SOT and all that, but it is WAY better for battery life so far than any Android phone I’ve used. I can't tell you how important this is to me. Obviously value propositions are specific to users, but this is really an important factor for me.
- The camera seems very good. I’ll need more testing, but so far I’m impressed with the smoothness of the camera UI, and the results. I still think the P4 will end up being the better photo camera, but I felt (and still feel) that now the 2 are close enough in photo quality that this is not a deciding factor.
- The speed and fluidity of iOS is really as good as advertised. iOS 13.1 overall with this hardware feels on another level – polish wise – than Pixels or Galaxy Notes. It pains me to say this I must say.
- iMessage is fine. I still don’t see the big deal (and I can’t even pin contacts or change colors/font, etc). Still, it is very functional and cross-device compatible. I like Textra better.
- Gestures and face unlock work perfectly. No issues at all with either yet. Authenticating apps, etc with FaceID is very convenient and smooth. App switching into multi-view is OK, but, like all gesture-based options, it is slower than any Android button for recents. Switching quickly(without the overview screen) to recent apps on iOS is pretty awesome, to my surprise.
- Dark mode is excellent on iOS 13.
- It is not perfect certainly. Trying to get calls-only from my BT headset is impossible (in iOS you HAVE to route both Media and calls, so music always plays there unless I turn off the BT headset). Trying to get a ringtone (locally saved on my PC) I want to work with an app on iOS has been beyond ridiculous to get to work. There are many other small things I am used to on Android that I just can’t do or set how I want on iOS. Of course, Apple forcing default apps still blows. Critically for me however, these things are much less important in real use to me than I envisioned before I took the plunge, at least so far.
- The late Pixel launch date DEFINITELY affected at least this one customer, since I would probably have the P4 now if it launched in July or August..

It is early times, but so far I do not have any buyer's regret. I'm sure that will come around 10/15 . If anyone has any questions, I'll try to answer if I have time.

 

[Lepa79]

Never had an iPhone. Good for you for trying something different. I think I will stick with my Note 10+ for now. Apple is just too closed of an eco system. Not being able to move my icons on the screen the way I want them he a Killer for me lol.

 

[dsignori]

Never had an iPhone. Good for you for trying something different. I think I will stick with my Note 10+ for now. Apple is just too closed of an eco system. Not being able to move my icons on the screen the way I want them he a Killer for me lol.

Yes. I know how you feel. I was nervous about a ton of stuff too. So far though, none of it is turning out to be as big a deal as I expected. It's early though

 

[Mr MnmlEngr]

The late Pixel launch date DEFINITELY affected at least this one customer, since I would probably have the P4 now if it launched in July or August..

In Google's defense, Pixels have never launched in that time frame, so I'm not sure why you expected it to be out by now.

Pixel 1: 4 October 2016
Pixel 2: 19 October 2017
Pixel 3: 18 October 2018

But regardless, I'm glad you feel good about your purchase! I'll admit the build of the new iPhone looks quite good, so I don't blame you for wanting to try it.

 

[dsignori]

In Google's defense, Pixels have never launched in that time frame, so I'm not sure why you expected it to be out by now.

Pixel 1: 4 October 2016
Pixel 2: 19 October 2017
Pixel 3: 18 October 2018

I never expected anything other than October. Seeing the iPhone in person over the weekend though convinced me.

 

[mustang7757]

As a LONG TIME Android user (since the OG Droid), I actually bought my first iPhone a few days ago, the iPhone 11 Pro Max. I made the move mostly based on:
(1) The apparently improved camera and
(2) The great battery life promised.

I have bounced mostly among Pixels and Galaxy Notes over the last 5 years or so. It's quite strange as I consider myself an Android evangelist. I've used: The OG Droid, Galaxy S, HTC Droid DNA, Galaxy S4, S5, Note 5, Note 7, Pixel XL, Pixel 2 XL, and Note 9.

So far, color me very impressed with the iPhone 11 Pro Max. A few early impressions:
- The battery life so far is flat out really, really great. I won’t go into SOT and all that, but it is WAY better for battery life so far than any Android phone I’ve used. I can't tell you how important this is to me. Obviously value propositions are specific to users, but this is really an important factor for me.
- The camera seems very good. I’ll need more testing, but so far I’m impressed with the smoothness of the camera UI, and the results. I still think the P4 will end up being the better photo camera, but I felt (and still feel) that now the 2 are close enough in photo quality that this is not a deciding factor.
- The speed and fluidity of iOS is really as good as advertised. iOS 13.1 overall with this hardware feels on another level – polish wise – than Pixels or Galaxy Notes. It pains me to say this I must say.
- iMessage is fine. I still don’t see the big deal (and I can’t even pin contacts or change colors/font, etc). Still, it is very functional and cross-device compatible. I like Textra better.
- Gestures and face unlock work perfectly. No issues at all with either yet. Authenticating apps, etc with FaceID is very convenient and smooth. App switching into multi-view is OK, but, like all gesture-based options, it is slower than any Android button for recents. Switching quickly(without the overview screen) to recent apps on iOS is pretty awesome, to my surprise.
- Dark mode is excellent on iOS 13.
- It is not perfect certainly. Trying to get calls-only from my BT headset is impossible (in iOS you HAVE to route both Media and calls, so music always plays there unless I turn off the BT headset). Trying to get a ringtone (locally saved on my PC) I want to work with an app on iOS has been beyond ridiculous to get to work. There are many other small things I am used to on Android that I just can’t do or set how I want on iOS. Of course, Apple forcing default apps still blows. Critically for me however, these things are much less important in real use to me than I envisioned before I took the plunge, at least so far.
- The late Pixel launch date DEFINITELY affected at least this one customer, since I would probably have the P4 now if it launched in July or August..

It is early times, but so far I do not have any buyer's regret. I'm sure that will come around 10/15 . If anyone has any questions, I'll try to answer if I have time.

Congrats!

 

[ezdoit]

I never expected anything other than October. Seeing the iPhone in person over the weekend though convinced me.

Finding a phone that makes you happy is the name of the game. Trying something new is commendable.

 

[Golurk]

Nice to hear that you’re enjoying your new device

For me the closed Apple ecosystem, lack of software customisation, price and (in this case) ugly appearance kinda make it a dealbreaker, despite the excellent hardware which is just as good as the competition.

 

[Sophos]

Congrats! I'm actually a little jealous. My device history is pretty similar to yours with a few more in there. I have a girlfriend and a BUNCH of family members that would just love to see me on an iPhone. I've tried a couple of times (most recently with the 7+) but I always felt like I was having to bend my usage patterns to match the phone's capabilities rather than the phone matching mine. I'm sure I'll try again at some point.

 

[dsignori]

Finding a phone that makes you happy is the name of the game. Trying something new is commendable.

Thanks. It's a scary thing honestly, as I am so entrenched in Android. But so far, so good.

 

[dsignori]

Nice to hear that you’re enjoying your new device

For me the closed Apple ecosystem, lack of software customisation, price and (in this case) ugly appearance kinda make it a dealbreaker, despite the excellent hardware which is just as good as the competition.

I know what you mean. I had (and maybe still have a little) the exact same concerns. In the end, the improved camera and ultimately the great battery life overrode all my concerns. So far it's paying off.

 

[onthecouchagain]

The iPhone 11 Pro is the best overall smartphone right now. With the exception of price, Apple is finally doing a lot of things right. Even iOS has become less unbearable.

Sadly, I don't see Google or the Pixel 4 models challenging the iPhone very much, if at all. I still prefer Android 10, but currently, the iPhone 11 Pro deserves it's crown back. As I've said before, Google either cannot or will not compete at full potential.

I'm not even confident Google can take back the camera crown this year. They will seem behind in hardware features, like the lack of an ultra-wide lens; while Apple is widely seen as having closed the gap considerably between Google's photo processing algorithms and their own.

And I'm not seeing anything about video recording improvements -- that seriously matters nowadays. Even if Google maintains "best still photography," that alone is no longer enough to be called best smartphone camera anymore.

I also suspect the iPhone 11 models will straight up embarrass the Pixel 4 models in battery life.

 

[Joshua Luther2]

I completely agree that the iPhone will end up being the phone of the year. I still very much prefer Android even if I have to sacrifice the things that iPhones do better. I tried the iPhone 6+ for about a year and got bored with it very quickly. The inability to move icons and change default apps is a big deal breaker for me. I'm willing to sacrifice camera and video recording quality. I'm not a professional photographer or videographer so I don't need the best thing out there. I'm on an S9 and plan on seeing what Samsung, Google and OnePlus have to offer me in April next year.

 

[anon(10092459)]

As a LONG TIME Android user (since the OG Droid), I actually bought my first iPhone a few days ago, the iPhone 11 Pro Max. I made the move mostly based on:
(1) The apparently improved camera and
(2) The great battery life promised.

I have bounced mostly among Pixels and Galaxy Notes over the last 5 years or so. It's quite strange as I consider myself an Android evangelist. I've used: The OG Droid, Galaxy S, HTC Droid DNA, Galaxy S4, S5, Note 5, Note 7, Pixel XL, Pixel 2 XL, and Note 9.

So far, color me very impressed with the iPhone 11 Pro Max. A few early impressions:
- The battery life so far is flat out really, really great. I won’t go into SOT and all that, but it is WAY better for battery life so far than any Android phone I’ve used. I can't tell you how important this is to me. Obviously value propositions are specific to users, but this is really an important factor for me.
- The camera seems very good. I’ll need more testing, but so far I’m impressed with the smoothness of the camera UI, and the results. I still think the P4 will end up being the better photo camera, but I felt (and still feel) that now the 2 are close enough in photo quality that this is not a deciding factor.
- The speed and fluidity of iOS is really as good as advertised. iOS 13.1 overall with this hardware feels on another level – polish wise – than Pixels or Galaxy Notes. It pains me to say this I must say.
- iMessage is fine. I still don’t see the big deal (and I can’t even pin contacts or change colors/font, etc). Still, it is very functional and cross-device compatible. I like Textra better.
- Gestures and face unlock work perfectly. No issues at all with either yet. Authenticating apps, etc with FaceID is very convenient and smooth. App switching into multi-view is OK, but, like all gesture-based options, it is slower than any Android button for recents. Switching quickly(without the overview screen) to recent apps on iOS is pretty awesome, to my surprise.
- Dark mode is excellent on iOS 13.
- It is not perfect certainly. Trying to get calls-only from my BT headset is impossible (in iOS you HAVE to route both Media and calls, so music always plays there unless I turn off the BT headset). Trying to get a ringtone (locally saved on my PC) I want to work with an app on iOS has been beyond ridiculous to get to work. There are many other small things I am used to on Android that I just can’t do or set how I want on iOS. Of course, Apple forcing default apps still blows. Critically for me however, these things are much less important in real use to me than I envisioned before I took the plunge, at least so far.
- The late Pixel launch date DEFINITELY affected at least this one customer, since I would probably have the P4 now if it launched in July or August..

It is early times, but so far I do not have any buyer's regret. I'm sure that will come around 10/15 . If anyone has any questions, I'll try to answer if I have time.

Why did you post this in an Android forum though? A review of an iPhone? Like is this a "vs" review?

 

[Mike Dee]

The iPhone 11 Pro is the best overall smartphone right now. With the exception of price, Apple is finally doing a lot of things right. Even iOS has become less unbearable.

Sadly, I don't see Google or the Pixel 4 models challenging the iPhone very much, if at all. I still prefer Android 10, but currently, the iPhone 11 Pro deserves it's crown back. As I've said before, Google either cannot or will not compete at full potential.

I'm not even confident Google can take back the camera crown this year. They will seem behind in hardware features, like the lack of an ultra-wide lens; while Apple is widely seen as having closed the gap considerably between Google's photo processing algorithms and their own.

And I'm not seeing anything about video recording improvements -- that seriously matters nowadays. Even if Google maintains "best still photography," that alone is no longer enough to be called best smartphone camera anymore.

I also suspect the iPhone 11 models will straight up embarrass the Pixel 4 models in battery life.

I'm not saying it's not the best overall phone, but at least tell us why you make that proclamation. Of course you have the right to feel that way but I'm thinking it's mainly your opinion which is also fine.

 

[dsignori]

Why did you post this in an Android forum though? A review of an iPhone? Like is this a "vs" review?

It’s the opposite. It’s a “this stuff doesn’t have to be about ‘vs’ at all”. Just a post about someone who has always advocated for Android and my experience “on the other side” so far.

It’s not a review really but more of listing what my eternal concerns about iOS were and how they compared to reality and the fact that I probably overestimated the importance of a few things for my use case.

 

[Mike Dee]

Why did you post this in an Android forum though? A review of an iPhone? Like is this a "vs" review?

I think it's fair for Disignori to post their thoughts, especially after being a long time Android fan. Personally I don't care for the iphone and I have one for work which I dislike using. I can't say it's a bad phone or not worthy of my attention. It does some things better than Android. I think if IOS adopted some features that are currently unique to Android we might all be converts, but for the moment it's not my cup of tea.

 

[dsignori]

The iPhone 11 Pro is the best overall smartphone right now....

Sadly, I don't see Google or the Pixel 4 models challenging the iPhone very much, if at all. I still prefer Android 10, but currently, the iPhone 11 Pro deserves it's crown back. As I've said before, Google either cannot or will not compete at full potential....

I don’t know. I don’t think it’s about that really. Can we at least wait until the P4 is out before proclaiming things? Different folks value different things. It’s always good to remember that.

 

[Mike Dee]

It’s the opposite. It’s a “this stuff doesn’t have to be about ‘vs’ at all”. Just a post about someone who has always advocated for Android and my experience “on the other side” so far.

It’s not a review really but more of listing what my eternal concerns about iOS were and how they compared to reality and the fact that I probably overestimated the importance of a few things for my use case.

Were all entitled to test the water and change our minds from time to time. Too often someone will hold you to something that was said in the past. I've learned to give up certain things that I swore I would never do. Sometimes it wasn't by choice but I've learned to adapt. My instinct tells me that when the honeymoon is over you might be back here. Time will tell. At least now you can facetime with members of the family if that works for you.

 

[dsignori]

Were all entitled to test the water and change our minds from time to time. Too often someone will hold you to something that was said in the past. I've learned to give up certain things that I swore I would never do. Sometimes it wasn't by choice but I've learned to adapt. My instinct tells me that when the honeymoon is over you might be back here. Time will tell. At least now you can facetime with members of the family if that works for you.

You may very well be right