I'm due an upgrade soon & find myself curiously drawn to an iPhone, despite having been an Android user for years.
Has anyone made the change & preferred it (or regretted it)?
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I'm due an upgrade soon & find myself curiously drawn to an iPhone, despite having been an Android user for years.
Has anyone made the change & preferred it (or regretted it)?
All your pictures, videos and files will be in the iCloud. It's quite difficult to get them out of the Apple ecosystem into the windows/google universe (unless there's an easy way to do it I don't know of). It's very much easier if you use Macs rather than Windows PCs.
The browser, Safari, will seem strange and primitive.
After many years, I still find iTunes to be a very unintuitive and poorly designed piece of software.
I have long had iPhones but don't use the iCloud (just the phone memory), or Safari (I use the Mozilla app), or iTunes (I use Spotify)! So I don't myself feel any great iPhone / Windows pc tension. Though I have to say that if and when Apple make a touchscreen laptop I'll probably defect entirely.
Had iPhones then androids then back to iPhones.
Still use google maps, gmail app, bbc weather, google photos…
Much of a muchness tbh but very much depends which version of android you’re used to. I only had oneplus or google pixels due to the pure OS, wouldn’t ever touch a Samsung.
iTunes doesn’t really exist anymore as far as I can tell (Apple music seems to be the default player and is way better than iTunes). Apple Music is streets ahead of iTunes but to be fair that bar was set exceptionally low.Quote:
Originally Posted by hogthrob
OP, I’m in the Apple ecosystem, my wife in android (having gone from Apple, not particularly tech savvy either) and I’m amazed at the amount of time she spends faffing to put things right that an update has messed up. Apple just works if you’re not interested in the mechanics but I appreciate that android is considered to be the better OS technically. Horses for courses.
With Android you have the option to buy a handset for not a lot of money.....
That's the main difference
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I've switched between Apple and Android a few times. To be honest they're not that different these days, a week after you switch you'll be well used to it IMO.
Android definitely has better value for money and the hardware advanced tend to land there first, Pixel in particular is king for photos. With Android you can make more choices about how you want it to look and feel for you.
Apple has incredible integration with things like AirPods and Apple Watch, and the video capabilities are best in class IMO. Stuff just seems to work very reliably on Apple, I guess due to the relatively tight control they have compared to Android.
A lot of this is down to user choice to be fair. e.g. I don't use iCloud other than the free storage to backup my account. Photos/videos etc I sync to my Windows PC with no issues (import through the 'Photos' app), and I sync my entire photo album collection back to the iPhone via iTunes (one click). For browser I set Chrome as the default.Quote:
Originally Posted by hogthrob
Thanks for all the replies. I've been using Samsung since the S2, now on the S22. I'm happy with it but can't help thinking about swapping to Apple - not for any clear reason, just for a change.
I don't use any other Apple kit, I have an iPod but it's been disobedient since I bought it, it won't show or play anything I imported to iTunes from CD, only stuff I downloaded from iTunes. The old iPod Classic was fine.
Borrowed an iPad to try something that wasn’t available on Android. Found it a significant improvement so bought one. Wasn’t long before I bought my 1st iPhone, the integration was way better than Android/Samsung. I’m now fully into the Apple ecosystem, Mac Studio/Studio Monitor, iPad, iPhone, Watch. It all works seamlessly together. Yes, it’s more expensive, but I have no regrets whatsoever. Lynn gave up on Android and moved to Apple way before me and now automatically sharing things like diaries and other app data is so much better.
The only issue we have is with one particular email account, (@sky.com), which occasionally on our iPads says there’s no mail when there is - raised with Apple and awaiting their response; but closing and reopening the mail app downloads them just fine.
If it's mainly about a change, maybe try a Pixel for a slightly different experience?Quote:
Originally Posted by Speedy2254
I flip between the two when I get bored.
Mostly use google services on the iPhone currently. Don’t really ever use the apple versions like photos, safari, maps etc
As others have said there’s not a huge difference nowadays. Home screen layout is the main one, and third party accessories.
Android I prefer for some things but my entire family/friend group being iPhone has it’s advantages too
I do wish you could swipe back from the right hand side rather than the left on iPhone but that’s my main gripe
had both for over 10 years
iphones are easy to use so i cant see a problem, even very young children learn to use them quickly
Exceptionally good phonesQuote:
Originally Posted by gunner
I use Google Photos on my iPhone to back-up all photos and videos. An Android user will have all their content on Google Photos, so when they add their Google account to the iPhone and Download Google Photos, all their past images will appear, and any new ones taken with the iPhone will sync with Google photos and be available on any device logged into that account.Quote:
Originally Posted by hogthrob
I also use Chrome as the default browser and have Gmail accounts for my emails.
Despite using a lot of Google Products, I still prefer the Apple Hardware and OS and Apple CarPlay works brilliantly.
I moved to apple - I use windows 10 & 11 - iTunes to backup full weekly and copytrans to handle individual backups of music, ringtones, messages, notes and photies.
Cloud to sync diaries, contacts.
Carplay just works on both cars.
Itunes is too fiddly for anything other than full backups.
Wife has an iphone with a keytag for her keys.
It's a doddle to get photographs of an iPhone. Connect it to your PC go to the photos folder (there'll be several) and drag and drop.Quote:
Originally Posted by hogthrob
I haven't used safari on my iPhone since the MS (Chr)Edge app was introduced. Far superior.
iTunes is dead for everything except Audiobooks. There are now separate apps: Apple Devices, Apple Music and Apple TV.
I've used iPhones since I first bought an iPhone 4 and used to have Android work phones. I far prefer the iPhone and so did most others to the point that there was a move away from Android to iPhone some years ago.
I’ve used both but been with iPhone for years now and if someone hands me an android I find it less intuitive than apple. Same for iPad. So easy to use.
If you are happy with Android, then why pay the Apple tax for something you don’t need?Quote:
Originally Posted by Speedy2254
For a few years my work phone was Apple, my private phone Android, in 2016 I had the option at work and went full Android, the issues I had with Apple was it's over simplification, It's cost, it's lack of user customisation / personalisation, it's vanilla whereas Android is a tutti frutti. Just my opinion and as I say I've not used Apple for 8 years but Apple is perfect if you're happy with what they give you, but if you want your device to literally ''be yours'' Android continues to hit my buttons. (Currently Huawei P30 Pro).
The best thing I can say about Apple is that it just works....all the time. I've been an Android user in the past and always felt the OS to be clunky with lots of manual intervention needed. Once you get used to Apple there's no going back as it's just so useable and reliable.
Yes they can.
I find exactly the oppsite. Iphones get far more updates than androids and seem to want payment for more apps which are free on android.Quote:
Originally Posted by TaketheCannoli
I have android and my wife has iphone. A few years ago I tried an iphone to line up with wife but gave up after about three months. Also I never understood as to why Apple products are so expensive. Why buy an iphone when you can get a similar spec android at half the price?
Used to use Samsung but now on Pixel which is great.
Got one of each which I use for different things. For the basics which is 99% of my use; email, WhatsApp, web browsing and apps, both are great and I’d happily live with either, if I only had one.
I had an older iPhone se and liked it mostly for its size. I went to android and much preferred everything about the user experience. I tried a new iPhone SE and only kept it a few months before going back to android and the extremely good pixel 7a. I use a Mac at home and an iPad, but still prefer android for my phone.
My experience exactly. I’ve also found the handset cost difference can be overcome to a degree as the resale value of iPhones is generally higher than Android. I tend to swap every 3 years although I’m thinking about keeping my current 13pro an extra year as nothing much seems to change any moreQuote:
Originally Posted by TaketheCannoli
Use both for work iPhone as my personal device. I also have an iPad or 2 and a Mac which I never use (also have a pc I never use too).
I pay a couple of quid a month for expanded iCloud and have no issues. Everything is backed up, secure and when I upgrade every 4 years or so it just moves everything over.
If you do want to get photos off the phone it now shows up as a DCIM? Device when you plug it into a of and you can drag and drop- or you could last time I tried. Not used iTunes in ages but yes that was awful.
I’ll stick to iPhones / pads personally. They do all I want and feel more secure than stock android. Yes I realise this may be the cool aid talking but it’s how I feel about it. lol.
Apple for hardware. Google for services. Ideal combination in my experience.
It's incredibly easy to get content on and off the iPhone, and if you're already in the Google ecosystem and already have established Google Photos libraries, adding the iPhone will be seamless. If your contacts, calendar, email, etc are already Google too, that'll be seamless as well.
So really the only thing you're choosing is the device and operating system itself. You'll inevitably find you'l miss some of the little customisations and unique ways Android works (you'll have to do things the Apple way), but you'll also find everything works, and the quality and consistency of third party Apps is better on an iPhone. Otherwise, both will offer a screen full of icons and when you push a button, your App opens and you do what you need. They are more similar than they are different these days.
Don't switch. I switched over from Apple to Android and can't see my going back. Apple have great hardware, but horrible money-grabbing-shaft-the-consumer company. The hardware isn't even better than some android devices now anyway. Some things which made me switch to Android were:
-Apple releasing updates which severely slowed my phones so you had to upgrade, under the guise of 'battery update'...
-The need to use iTunes to Sync. iTunes is awful. If you want to put one song on your phone..update phone, update itunes, backup phone, sync phone. 2 hours later for 1 frikkin song IF all goes smoothly
-They intentionally make things difficult to repair, and block 3rd parties from obtaining electrical components needed. Then their 'genius' bar just prescribe a new phone for 1k
-connectors, chargers, adapters, converters. Oh they have a special chip in them so you have to use genuine Apple ones. That'll be £60.
-much more expensive
iTunes to sync an iPhone ? That hasn’t been a thing for maybe a decade.
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Sorry Alzone but sounds like most of that is user error to be honest. Although the repair thing is a genuine gripe.
Swapped from Samsung (drove me nuts) to iPhone ‘cos I use an iPad too. Seamless integration + more user friendly especially for a non techie.
The only problem you'll have is Apple's lock in.
You will lose your whatsapp history. You can't switch it between the two OSs.
Apple are good, but I find their innovation completely lacking compared to google/samsung and the truth is there's no usability benefit these days. Apple looks increasingly dated.
I use both, I keep a work and personal phone and always choose one of each. iPhone haven't done anything interesting since the 8, just permanent Android catchup.
Apparently iPhone alarms don't work, probably not an issue for a WIS.
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The alarm was really good on android where you can set an alarm and switch off the phone overnight. You can’t do that on iPhone. Would save the battery draining unnecessarily.
I use one for work and the other for everything else so switch between.
Both are easy to use, but it irritates me that I cant set alarms for certain dates in advance on an iPhone, which I can do on android.
Turning off phones overnight was thing years ago, but now they manage power perfectly well and are designed to stay on.Quote:
Originally Posted by prexelor
Interesting thread. I have been thinking the same - whether to go back to Apple when the iPhone 15 Pro Max came out.
I think this thread has made up my mind not to bother and to stick with Samsung Android. This S23+ with the latest One UI 6.1 update is awesome.
The generative AI features maybe a gimmick, but proved useful recently. A drama at mum's house recently, so we were texting family back and forth - quite large text messages, that had to be quick and understandably detailed.
The AI feature rewrote my text messages from shorthand with words missing into well written messages - then send. Really helpful at the time.