[cjohn4043]

Okay, I know I am asking the iMore fanbase, but I am wondering what y'all think. My contract is ending soon and I am thinking about switching to the 5S. I've owned several Android phones/tablets over the years and I am pretty much use Google's cloud services for anything. I wouldn't mind switching over to iCloud though, but I do think I would still have some things in Google's cloud. I like how iOS 7 looks, plus iPhone's great design is hard to match (right next to the HTC One). I do love Android, but iPhone's look appealing to me because it really seems like everything just works. Moto X though is stock Android, more customizable (hardware and software), and keeps the smaller form factor. So...what do y'all think?

[jmr1015]

Do you have or use any other Apple products? Mac computer? iPad? iPod? iTunes? If so, I would go with the iPhone.

If you have a PC, use Google services, and like Android, then the Moto X would probably be a better fit.

[taz323]

It's a matter of preference, for me it's the iPhones. Not to put Moto x down, but the iPhones just work.

[iEd]

Welcome to iMore cjohn4043

All I can suggest is the iPhone 5s because that's what I have and what works for me.
I use a lot of Google Services. Contacts, Maps,Google Drive,Google Voice and Apples Services of course. iOS is what I prefer. I had Android a few years ago and it just didn't work for me.


#Naked Tuesday

[cjohn4043]

Thanks guys! I have a MacBook Pro I use every day. I do keep my music stored on Google Play Music however.

[Speedygi]

I would honestly discourage against using an Android phone unless you absolutely don't mind learning the ins and outs of the system. It's much more open and easy to screw things up if you don't know the more advanced things like Roms, or the File system, or the bootloader. There is a chance you might encounter these things even if you aren't actively looking into them. So, I would say, if you are the kind of person who does not like fiddling with your phone just to see what more you could get out of tweaking the heck out of it, get the iPhone 5s. It is a far more closed system and some people who aren't into the nerdy things like rooting would do just fine with it.

[stalemate1]

Okay, I know I am asking the iMore fanbase, but I am wondering what y'all think. My contract is ending soon and I am thinking about switching to the 5S. I've owned several Android phones/tablets over the years and I am pretty much use Google's cloud services for anything. I wouldn't mind switching over to iCloud though, but I do think I would still have some things in Google's cloud. I like how iOS 7 looks, plus iPhone's great design is hard to match (right next to the HTC One). I do love Android, but iPhone's look appealing to me because it really seems like everything just works. Moto X though is stock Android, more customizable (hardware and software), and keeps the smaller form factor. So...what do y'all think?

It's depends on what you want in a phone. Gaming or customisation, go Android, reliability and practicality, go iPhone.


In all honestly you couldn't go wrong with either but unfortunately you have to choose one or the other. (unless you can afford both ofcorse)

[mulasien]

Okay, I know I am asking the iMore fanbase, but I am wondering what y'all think. My contract is ending soon and I am thinking about switching to the 5S. I've owned several Android phones/tablets over the years and I am pretty much use Google's cloud services for anything. I wouldn't mind switching over to iCloud though, but I do think I would still have some things in Google's cloud. I like how iOS 7 looks, plus iPhone's great design is hard to match (right next to the HTC One). I do love Android, but iPhone's look appealing to me because it really seems like everything just works. Moto X though is stock Android, more customizable (hardware and software), and keeps the smaller form factor. So...what do y'all think?

Kudos for at least recognizing you're on a biased board .

I think you've pretty much already covered the main bullet points with each. I'll just throw in my two cents.

I've been on both sides of the fence. Had an iPhone 3G, then a Galaxy S2+ASUS TF300 tablet, then back to an iPhone 5+iPad 4.

To be completely honest, the whole 'more customization' aspect of phone ownership gets old after a while. "I can put a theme on my phone to make the app icons look different". Whoop dee do. Not to mention that yes, you can create more toggle button widgets on your home screen to turn GPS/mobile data/etc on and off to save battery, but that's because you HAVE to mess around with toggles to get decent battery life vs. having a phone where that crap isn't needed. That being said, there is something nice about selecting default apps to handle certain duties, however I find the stock iOS apps to work better than 95% of the Android choices out there.

You can be a heavy Google services user and get along with an iPhone just fine. All of Google's apps and services are on iOS and their apps communicate well with each other, even in iOS's silo'd approach to app permissions. I currently have a toe in both Google services and iCloud and am getting along just fine.

I have nothing bad to say about the Moto X. I find the technology in the phone to be pretty intriguing, especially the ability for full hands free voice commands and the active notification display. If I was still an Android fan, that would probably be the phone of choice for me.

If you care about cameras, the 5S is much better than the Moto X. It isn't even close in this regards.

Since you have a Mac, the iPhone will sync seamlessly with it.

While both perform well, the 5S will definitely be more future proof with the A7 processor. Not to mention that Apple's customer service is leagues better than any other phone maker if you have a problem with it.

The app selection is still better on iOS. Can you believe there is still no Chipotle ordering app on Android? What the heck? Also, most new apps tend to arrive on iOS first, and Android later. There are a few exceptions, but they are exceptions to the rule...not the rule.

I think it just comes down to what OS you like most. Having been on both sides, I've found that iOS just works overall better than Android. You don't have the granular level of control and customization you have with Android, but then again you don't really need it because it works so well out of the box. Not to mention that Android will never be as smooth as iOS. It's getting 'closer', but it will always lag behind.

[sting7k]

You can get an iPhone 5s and still use all of Google's services.

[pr1nce]

It's a matter of personal preference. But I would say the 5S because of it's simplicity, dependability and build quality. It just works.

[sunrat39]

You can get an iPhone 5s and still use all of Google's services.

This is true. I was debating on going to the Moto X from my iPhone 5 but a lot of google services are on iOS just like android. The only thing is that the Google Now features on iOS isn't as in depth as Android (show reminders, new albums, etc...).

[sunrat39]

Actually I take it back. You can do some of the other things that I thought you couldn't do with google now. Pretty sweet.

[bogeyx5]

I currently own AND use both an iPhone 5 and the 2013 DROID MAXX.

Depending on your personal preferences, you can probably choose either and be very happy. I have not used the Moto X specifically but My MAXX has pretty much everything the X has. I use the MAXX 80% of the time because I like the way I can personalize the experience and keep it looking like a new phone anytime I want since I've owned Android phones for the last several years. Touchless control, 5" screen, and a battery that I charge every few days is awesome but can easily say the camera sucks. I have a Mac Book Pro that I sync with iTunes with ease. I do use Google cloud services.

Every once in a while I pull out the iPhone to accept phone calls and emails, pay for Starbucks, order Chipotle (Android has had the app for a while now), and play a few games. I have to admit that the apps for iDevices tend to look better polished than their Android counterparts. But many paid apps I have seen on iDevices are free from Android. The iPhone is just too boring to ME and lacks some features that I have enjoyed for so long on Android (widgets, notifications, keyboard, themes, launchers, etc) . But this just my opinion.

The biggest gripe I had with my last phone (Galaxy S3) was the battery life and cell reception. Motorola's radios are just as good as the iPhones and I cannot compare the battery of the X to the 5S just because I don't know.

If I were to suggest a phone for someone, I just recommend the iPhone because of the apps, 3rd party accessories, and the vast number of people that use it and can help each other. And then you also have great support. An option is to try the Moto X for a few days and return it within the grace period.

I know this topic get covered a lot so I'll stop now.


Sent from my Nexus 7 2013

[Speedygi]

I currently own AND use both an iPhone 5 and the 2013 DROID MAXX.

Depending on your personal preferences, you can probably choose either and be very happy. I have not used the Moto X specifically but My MAXX has pretty much everything the X has. I use the MAXX 80% of the time because I like the way I can personalize the experience and keep it looking like a new phone anytime I want since I've owned Android phones for the last several years. Touchless control, 5" screen, and a battery that I charge every few days is awesome but can easily say the camera sucks. I have a Mac Book Pro that I sync with iTunes with ease. I do use Google cloud services.

Every once in a while I pull out the iPhone to accept phone calls and emails, pay for Starbucks, order Chipotle (Android has had the app for a while now), and play a few games. I have to admit that the apps for iDevices tend to look better polished than their Android counterparts. But many paid apps I have seen on iDevices are free from Android. The iPhone is just too boring to ME and lacks some features that I have enjoyed for so long on Android (widgets, notifications, keyboard, themes, launchers, etc) . But this just my opinion.

The biggest gripe I had with my last phone (Galaxy S3) was the battery life and cell reception. Motorola's radios are just as good as the iPhones and I cannot compare the battery of the X to the 5S just because I don't know.

If I were to suggest a phone for someone, I just recommend the iPhone because of the apps, 3rd party accessories, and the vast number of people that use it and can help each other. And then you also have great support. An option is to try the Moto X for a few days and return it within the grace period.

I know this topic get covered a lot so I'll stop now.


Sent from my Nexus 7 2013

Good thoughts, however I would rank the iPhone lower in terms of radio reception, just because.

[TiredOfPhoneWar]

Why you want an iphone5s?

[sting7k]

Actually I take it back. You can do some of the other things that I thought you couldn't do with google now. Pretty sweet.

It is pretty sweet.

[Speedygi]

One thought about the Moto X: I'm actually thinking the whole customizable feature where you can make a Moto X that fits your color scheme or had the certain word you want at the back is just perfect. I really wish Apple would allow such a thing with the 5c or even their flagships down the road...

[impaler]

I've thought about the Moto X - it really seems awesome. I also know every time I've gone Android, I've gone back to Apple. Moto X only offers 32GB of space; and I want as large space as possible - thus why I have a 64GB iPhone 5s, and why my next iPad will have 128GB of space. Gets me closer to carrying my entire music collection around. Also no guarantees of future updates; and I know I'll get at least iOS 8 with the 5s, given their history.

[Speedygi]

I've thought about the Moto X - it really seems awesome. I also know every time I've gone Android, I've gone back to Apple. Moto X only offers 32GB of space; and I want as large space as possible - thus why I have a 64GB iPhone 5s, and why my next iPad will have 128GB of space. Gets me closer to carrying my entire music collection around. Also no guarantees of future updates; and I know I'll get at least iOS 8 with the 5s, given their history.

But with cloud streaming services like iTunes Match or Google Music, you don't need to carry that entire music collection around anymore.

[UJ95x]

Okay, I know I am asking the iMore fanbase, but I am wondering what y'all think. My contract is ending soon and I am thinking about switching to the 5S. I've owned several Android phones/tablets over the years and I am pretty much use Google's cloud services for anything. I wouldn't mind switching over to iCloud though, but I do think I would still have some things in Google's cloud. I like how iOS 7 looks, plus iPhone's great design is hard to match (right next to the HTC One). I do love Android, but iPhone's look appealing to me because it really seems like everything just works. Moto X though is stock Android, more customizable (hardware and software), and keeps the smaller form factor. So...what do y'all think?

Hopefully I'm not too late to chime in on this
First off, did you post this thread in the AC forums? Obviously if you post here you're going to get a biased response from most people.
Ok, now to answer your question
I think the Moto X is better than the 5S in basically every way except for the camera, in which the 5S far outclasses the X
Battery: Moto X, by far
Display: Tie (Personal preference)
Camera: 5S, by a longshot but the X still takes more than acceptable pics in most situations
Form factor: Moto X simply because of the curved back and far larger screen in only a slightly bigger frame
I don't know why people here hate on Android so much claiming that it needs to be tweaked a lot for it to work or that it isn't as smooth as iOS. The Moto X is the smoothest phone I have ever used and is just as smooth as the iPhone, without sacrificing battery power to achieve it (64-bit) perfect out of the box and the customization is a plus, if you want to
About the apps, all of the major ones that you'll ever need are on both platforms. Some are iOS exclusive but most people don't need them
Just my 2 cents, hehe

[UJ95x]

It's a matter of personal preference. But I would say the 5S because of it's simplicity, dependability and build quality. It just works.

The Moto X also, just works. I see it as the iPhone of the Android world versus the spec-heavy flagships other OEMs offer

[UJ95x]

I would honestly discourage against using an Android phone unless you absolutely don't mind learning the ins and outs of the system. It's much more open and easy to screw things up if you don't know the more advanced things like Roms, or the File system, or the bootloader. There is a chance you might encounter these things even if you aren't actively looking into them. So, I would say, if you are the kind of person who does not like fiddling with your phone just to see what more you could get out of tweaking the heck out of it, get the iPhone 5s. It is a far more closed system and some people who aren't into the nerdy things like rooting would do just fine with it.

You don't need to know any of this to enjoy Android. Most of the time when people root and flash ROMs it's because they want stock Android, the Moto X has that so there's no need for any of that.
You won't screw anything up if you stay away from ROMs and even then it's pretty hard to brick the phone. The Moto X is perfect the way it is out of the box imo

[impaler]

But with cloud streaming services like iTunes Match or Google Music, you don't need to carry that entire music collection around anymore.

I disagree. For people with limited data plans, this may not be an option. What do I do on a plane? How about when I'm out of cell coverage? I want my music with me regardless of the data connection. In these cases, your suggestion would not be feasible. People have varying requirements; for me, it's to carry around as much as possible.

[NexusNick123]

I had an iPhone and now a Nexus..I can say yes iPhone just seem to work better but I like Android its just a bit more techy for me and that I like.. I love Apple and still have an iPhone 5s but an Android is my go to device.. It all matter of what you want but I would look up some Youtube videos on each phone and some more like the other Android device and go try them out at the stores but at the end of the day it matters what you want...

[tgp]

I didn't see anywhere that you specifically said which phone you're currently using, but I'm assuming by the context that you have an Android. Given the 2 choices you mentioned, I think your experience will be quite similar either way, except for the obvious difference of the ecosystem. Even so, some of Google's best apps are the iOS versions so you wouldn't have a lot of compromise to stay with Google's services. You can't go wrong either way. Either phone will give you a top notch mobile experience.

I would honestly discourage against using an Android phone unless you absolutely don't mind learning the ins and outs of the system. It's much more open and easy to screw things up if you don't know the more advanced things like Roms, or the File system, or the bootloader. There is a chance you might encounter these things even if you aren't actively looking into them. So, I would say, if you are the kind of person who does not like fiddling with your phone just to see what more you could get out of tweaking the heck out of it, get the iPhone 5s. It is a far more closed system and some people who aren't into the nerdy things like rooting would do just fine with it.

This advice is pretty much obsolete. Take a Moto X or a Nexus device out of the box, and the entire experience is similar to iPhone's as far as what you need to do to get it up and running. The modern (high end) Android is just as fast, just as smooth, just as stable, and just as reliable as a modern iPhone. Some of them are even just as expensive!