Switching from iOS... questions

[Android Central Question]

Hello community! I've used Apple iPhones since the 4s days and I'm kind of getting bored. Plus I am realising how Android has progressed during the last year reaching a point where the experience seems really polished and the pace of innovations google is reaching is well ahead Apple. I am thinking of switching from iPhone to Android (Pixel 3 XL or OnePlus 6) and I have few questions.

1. Apps. How's app experience (social media, weather, maps, etc) on these 2 devices? Fluid or not? I've been told by my colleague that apps stutter a lot but he has an old galaxy S8... maybe app performance is different between devices?
2. System smoothness. Old android phones used to slow down a bit after some weeks of usage. Is this still true?
3. Google Assistant. I commute by car and while I drive I used SIRI a lot (or at least I tried...). Is it possible to send emails from multiple accounts? E.g. If I want to send an email to my colleagues, using my work email, is it possible? At work we use G Suite.
4. I am planning to change my apple watch with a wear os watch. Does google assistant on wear os need an app to be installed on the watch itself? e.g. If I want to send a whatsapp message to my wife, can I do it from my watch without whatsapp installed on it? This again is an area where Apple Watch is lacking.
5. Can I get traffic alert through notifications related to my usual commuting routes?
6. I travel a lot and on iPhone I use tripit! to keep track of flights, hotel booking, car rentals. Does Google Trips do the same? Can I get flight notifications from Google trips?
7. I use chrome (the browser, not chrome OS) a lot... how does chrome behave when receiving a notification? E.g. from Gmail or Google Calendar... do I get multiple notifications on chrome, watch/android phone? or do I get notifications only on the active device? I want to avoid my phone pinging me all day multiple times or having to dismiss notifications that I have already read.

Thanks

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central!

1. Apps. How's app experience (social media, weather, maps, etc) on these 2 devices?

I have a Pixel 2 XL, and the app experience is flawless. No stuttering.

2. System smoothness. Old android phones used to slow down a bit after some weeks of usage. Is this still true?

Not an issue with modern Android devices. There were various reasons for the slowdown with older devices, some of them correctable (like wiping the cache partition) and others not (like the lack of FSTRIM, which is no longer an issue). But with the typical Android flagship device with an abundance of RAM and super-powerful CPUs, slowdowns won't happen.

3. Google Assistant. I commute by car and while I drive I used SIRI a lot (or at least I tried...). Is it possible to send emails from multiple accounts? E.g. If I want to send an email to my colleagues, using my work email, is it possible? At work we use G Suite.

Interesting question -- sorry, but I don't have direct experience with that.

4. I am planning to change my apple watch with a wear os watch. Does google assistant on wear os need an app to be installed on the watch itself? e.g. If I want to send a whatsapp message to my wife, can I do it from my watch without whatsapp installed on it? This again is an area where Apple Watch is lacking.

I'm not sure if there's a standalone Wear OS app yet for WhatsApp, but it looks like you don't need one anyway: https://www.stuff.tv/sg/features/how-masterandroid-wear-20/19-get-whatsapp-ready. Also, there are 3rd party apps that can consolidate messages, like this one: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.appfour.wearmessages&hl=en_US

5. Can I get traffic alert through notifications related to my usual commuting routes?

Yes, that shows up in your Google feed.

6. I travel a lot and on iPhone I use tripit! to keep track of flights, hotel booking, car rentals. Does Google Trips do the same? Can I get flight notifications from Google trips?

Yes, Google Trips keeps track of your reservations, essentially by combing your email. Flight notifications are generally from the Google app, not Google Trips -- this includes information on delays as well.

7. I use chrome (the browser, not chrome OS) a lot... how does chrome behave when receiving a notification? E.g. from Gmail or Google Calendar... do I get multiple notifications on chrome, watch/android phone? or do I get notifications only on the active device? I want to avoid my phone pinging me all day multiple times or having to dismiss notifications that I have already read.

Another good question that I'm not sure about. (I tend not to use the Chrome notifications.) I'd guess that you'll get notifications on all devices.

Hope you enjoy your experience!

 

[SpookDroid]

Chiming in here...

4) No 'app' installation per se like you see on an Apple Watch, but once the app is installed in your phone, it automatically installs the 'app' on your Android OS watch. And yes, Whatsapp is natively included and you can send messages there through your wrist (and see ongoing conversations). It's a little iffy when it comes to images, though, but for general purposes it's just like texting.

7) Depends on how you set it up. Just like any other browser, to get notifications IN CHROME you need to log into the site and it'll ask you if you want to allow notifications. If you set it up for it, then you'll get them. BUT since you can also log into your GMail account in the app and your calendar would be synced, you'd get notifications in the apps as well (unless disabled in each app). I suggest you keep the notifications in the apps and forget about the Chrome ones since you have better control that way, but up to you.