Switching to Android from iPhone 4s

[wodehousefan1]

Hi everyone,

This is my first post here. My contract with Verizon is up in the middle of February and my wife and I are planning on getting new phones and possibly switching carries (possibly to T-Mobile). Based on what's currently available I think if we stay on Verizon we'll get two Moto Xs, but if we switch to T-Mobile we'll go with the Nexus 5. Anyone have any other suggestions for phones? I try to stay up on tech news, but if any new phones are expected in February or early March I'd be interested in hearing about them. I don't want to wait too long because my iPhone is out of warranty and starting to slowly die (for instance the on/off button no longer works).

Any advice or feedback would be appreciated.

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Sounds exciting--you've come to the right place for advice. The right phone for you really depends on what you value most in your mobile device--e.g., media consumption, productivity/business use, games, battery life, etc. You can't go wrong with the Nexus 5 or the Moto X. For T-Mobile, the LG G2 would be a good choice--it has almost the same hardware as the Nexus 5, but with a bigger battery, and LG's modification to the user interface generally gets high marks.

 

[Aquila]

Another consideration to the Moto X would be the Droid Maxx. It's very similarly spec'd but a slightly larger screen and a much larger battery. I personally have the Moto X and I absolutely love it, I think even on T-Mobile I'd be inclined to keep it over the Nexus 5, but the Nexus is a very close 2nd place to me and for certain things it easily comes in 1st.

 

[B. Diddy]

By the way, if you're considering using an existing phone that you have on T-Mobile's network, make sure you read this recent AC article:

When it comes to carrier networks, compatible doesn't mean good | Android Central

 

[wodehousefan1]

Thanks for all of the helpful comments. I've looked at the LG G2, but there is a healthy price difference between it and the Nexus 5. Do you think the better battery is worth the increased price? As far as phone usage goes, we use our phones a lot at home and while we're out. The phone is my wife's primary device (even above the laptop or tablet). So we use the phones for lots of web surfing, social media, and taking pictures. Not a lot of video watching, but some (though not usually movies). There's also a size consideration, because my wife doesn't want something too big and frankly I'm not sold on some quite as big as Note either. Hence, we've been looking at the Moto X and Nexus 5. Still, other suggestions like the Droid Maxx and LG G2 are appreciated.

 

[mrsmumbles]

Of the Moto X and Nexus 5, the Nexus has the better camera, but I've looked at some of the photos posted in the Moto X forum and they look fine. If you don't take many low light photos you might like the Moto. The thing that strikes me most about it is the form factor. I think it may handle easier for smaller hands, and this is coming from someone who is crazy about my Nexus 5! I guess if you can go to a T-Mobile to see if you both can touch the phones there you'll get a better idea which ones you want.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk 2

 

[wodehousefan1]

T-Mobile just got the new Sony Z1S. Any thoughts on how that compares with the other phones mentioned?

 

[Golfdriver97]

T-Mobile just got the new Sony Z1S. Any thoughts on how that compares with the other phones mentioned?

I have never used a Sony. Would like to. I have heard it is really good.
I would recommend the Moto X for the one who is the heavier user, and a Nexus for the lighter user.

I have both, and often have a hard time deciding what to use. The X often wins due to battery life.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[B. Diddy]

On paper it looks quite nice. The processor and screen are top notch, and it also has microSD card support. I'm not sure I like the form factor of the Z1 (and hence, the Z1S, since they're supposed to be pretty similar)--it's a little too blocky, too many sharp edges. What I've always been a little hesitant about with Sony is (a) how well and for how long they support their devices, and (b) Sony always wants to introduce some kind of proprietary software or hardware that they kind of hope becomes an industry standard, but never quite does, and so then it gets abandoned. I recall having a Sony Xperia Play for a little while, which was supposed to have all of this PSP support, but I think it ended up only having access to one or two games. And then the phone sort of disappeared.

 

[wodehousefan1]

Thanks for all of the great responses. I'll have to take a look at the Sony Z1s at the T-Mobile store. Still, their ongoing level of support does worry me. I'm still leaning toward the Nexus 5 or Moto X and that will probably depend on which carrier we go with. One more question, what sort of warranty support do the Nexus and Moto have? Do LG or Motorola offer an extended warranty like Apple does? If not, what do you think about carrier insurance? AppleCare is way better than carrier insurance, but we have a young daughter so some sort of insurance would be good, if it's worth it. T-Mobile has their insurance ($8 a month) and their JUMP program, which includes the insurance is only $2 more a month. Any thoughts on their program?

 

[B. Diddy]

I don't have a whole lot of experience with T-Mobile's insurance plan. When I had Verizon, I did buy the Asurion insurance, which I thought was a decent deal. At the time, it was $6/month, and I actually did use it once when I lost a phone. I had to pay a $50 deductible, but better than shelling out $500-600 retail for a new phone.

I bought my Nexus 5 from Google, so I ended up buying a 2 yr protection plan from SquareTrade for $125. They're probably the best-known name in 3rd party insurance.

 

[Golfdriver97]

I would agree Apple care I better, but something is better than nothing.

From a Sprint Moto X using AC Forums app

 

[wodehousefan1]

Thanks for all of the information everyone. It's given me a lot to consider.