Considering the switch from Android - rant and questions

[Sher the love]

This whole post might come off a bit harsh, but I've been very irritated finding a replacement phone for the past month and it's easier and takes less time to just rant instead of trying to articulate everything, so bear with me please.

I've been an Android user since early 2011 and I'm considering the switch to iPhone. My reasoning? I feel like Android has just become a giant tease and I have a continuous feeling like I'm getting screwed over with updates.

Example:

Let's say I buy a Galaxy S7 when it first comes out. I get marshmallow and whatever new features Samsung has plus some of the stuff that Google announced for Android as a whole. Then, 6 months later, the Note 7 is announced. Oh wow, always on display finally supports third party apps! Can't wait to get that on my S7 that I paid $700 for. However, the S7 still hasn't been updated with that functionality.

Additionally, depending on when Google's announcement is for the next version of Android, you hear about new features Google is rolling out to Android as a whole. But, as a Galaxy S7 user, I'll never see the features until a) I spend another $700 on the Galaxy S8 or b) I wait half a year for Samsung to update my S7.

Even with Google's new Pixel, Verizon users are reporting different build numbers than those who bought it from the Google Play Store. Not to mention, Google can't even get their act together with supporting one messaging app and one video chat app. Hangouts, Allo, stock messanger, Duo...

This is why I feel like everything with Android is a big tease and I feel like I'm always getting screwed over. Thus, I'm considering the move to iPhone. I did get a chance to use an iPhone 7 for a few days (first time using an iPhone since 2011), but there are things that concern me. It isn't customization, it's functionality.

1) I tried downloading a PDF to the phone. I couldn't. I don't understand why. Do I need a special app? Am I doing something wrong? The only thing I could figure out was to email it to myself and then save it to OneDrive after receiving the email. But, that isn't going to work for very large PDFs. While PDFs was one example, I'm not even sure if I can save any kind of file type to the phone. Is it the same with any office document?

2) Picture management was a nightmare. I can only sync one folder using iTunes and I can't even delete the pictures off my phone without making the changes to the folder on my PC and then resyncing? I eneded having to pay for an app to transfer pictures over wifi.

3) Settings for apps was also confusing. Some setting are found within the app, some in the phones settings app, and then some in notification settings (Android isn't much better with notifications, but at least all the settings for the app are found in the actual app).

4) It seemed like sometimes notifications showed up in the notification shade and sometimes they were just badges. I always felt like I was missing notifications all the time.

5) Some settings or options seem to be hidden within using 3d touch a certain way. For example, peeking and popping on certain things to get a menu to mark something as read.

I did enjoy a lot of my experience besides these issues. Everything was extremely fast and fluid, apps seemed to be a higher quality, touch ID was built into more apps that on Android apps, and the OS as a whole was more aesthetically pleasing.

Maybe it's mostly a learning curve and I need to get used to not having a file manager, but I feel like if all I had was an iPhone and an Android phone, I'd be able to do more things on the Android, especially without having to look up tutorials or find apps just to do basic functions (like transfer pictures). Or, maybe Android just suits me better.

If anyone has a similar experience switching from Android, please let me know your views and experiences. Thanks.

 

[Mustafaozcan33]

1) you can download pdf, you can download adobe for pdfs. You can download pdfs but how : tap the download pdf button which you want to downlaod and just wait, after a few secs you see another page. There must be "open in adobe" button on Page's top right corner.
2) I am not syncing my phone so i don't know that question's answer.
3) Of course first you will have a little bit trouble but after few days everything become normal, not confusing.
4) you can set a setting for it in Settings-Notifications-badges shades bla bla
5) Yes i am thinking like you. I try to peek and pop everything so i can solve the functions
I think you should buy a iphone cuz android is a trash, you can throw your android to thrash box. (I actually think everyone should get rid of iphone, even you are 100 years old).

 

[shutter]

1) you need an app to read the PDF in, like iBooks or docs to go, you would then save them in that app. Say you had it open in safari, you would choose open in "docs2go" and then save it in the App or whatever other app you wanted.

2) sounds about right, I don't syncs pictures from my pc so not much help there, if i want a pic from my pic i email it to myself and save it.

3) this is because of the sandbox. And differences between developers.

4) available notifications are a product of the app, where those notifications appear can be adjusted in settings>notifications

5) my first time with 3D Touch, but I see them as shortcuts to some features, not settings. I have yet to find something in the fly out menu in 3D Touch that I couldn't do in the App or was hidden in the App.

There will most certainly be a learning curve if you haven't used it since 2011. Mostly it is you wanting it to work like android, if this were your first experience with a smartphone it would seem simple to you.

 

[Sher the love]

Thanks for the replies. In regard to the PDF download, I had both iBooks and Adobe PDF installed. I don't remember seeing an option to open in those. I was mainly using Chrome, but tried Safari as well. Maybe I just completely missed the option. For the notifications, I did set up the badges and change where the notifications showed. Still, it seemed like it wasn't consistent.

Maybe I just need to give it some more time.... Thanks again.

 

[KillerQ]

Here's my take. I've been an Android FanBoy since 2008 when the first device was released. I've have 4 or 5 DIFFERENT Android devices each year since that time. Each year, everything improved.... come 2015/2016, the Nexus 6P was, by far, the best Android phone I have ever laid my techy paws on - and it was priced under $400 brand new. It was the best of all worlds.

Now, the Pixel comes out with many staples (stereo, or even. DECENT speaker to be the most obvious omission) are missing and they jack the price up; way up.

It hit me that Google was charging a current-generation iPhone price for a first-generation guinea pig device.

For the first time in my life, I purchased an Apple Product. The iPhone 7 Plus 256GB to be precise. It already feels better and out performs anything I've used from Android.

I'm almost embarrassed to admit it since i always bashed Apple, but this device is simply stunning. I can do everything in half the time that it took me to do with Android.

I don't miss the ROMmig and Modding, because everything just works.

 

[shutter]

Thanks for the replies. In regard to the PDF download, I had both iBooks and Adobe PDF installed. I don't remember seeing an option to open in those. I was mainly using Chrome, but tried Safari as well. Maybe I just completely missed the option. For the notifications, I did set up the badges and change where the notifications showed. Still, it seemed like it wasn't consistent.

Maybe I just need to give it some more time.... Thanks again.

It will be in the upper right corner and you may have scroll all the way up to get it to pop up, this could surly be done better. There is also a share button in the bottom menu, which will typically give you the option to open in another app.

 

[Sher the love]

Here's my take. I've been an Android FanBoy since 2008 when the first device was released. I've have 4 or 5 DIFFERENT Android devices each year since that time. Each year, everything improved.... come 2015/2016, the Nexus 6P was, by far, the best Android phone I have ever laid my techy paws on - and it was priced under $400 brand new. It was the best of all worlds.

Now, the Pixel comes out with many staples (stereo, or even. DECENT speaker to be the most obvious omission) are missing and they jack the price up; way up.

It hit me that Google was charging a current-generation iPhone price for a first-generation guinea pig device.

For the first time in my life, I purchased an Apple Product. The iPhone 7 Plus 256GB to be precise. It already feels better and out performs anything I've used from Android.

I'm almost embarrassed to admit it since i always bashed Apple, but this device is simply stunning. I can do everything in half the time that it took me to do with Android.

I don't miss the ROMmig and Modding, because everything just works.

Thanks for the reply. I saw your thread but didn't want to post my own stuff in their. How was the learning curve? What things really bothered you when initially switching? Thanks.

 

[shutter]

Here are a couple of screen shots

If I touch the "more" link on the left I get these options

 

[Sher the love]

Here are a couple of screen shots

//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161026/a1e21e767e6e7e5600a48db9b67c6db2.png

If I touch the "more" link on the left I get these options

//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161026/e8f7183253cf524905ae81fade801510.png

//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161026/f00251575f4ababb6924ef92785a7098.png

Wow. I don't know how I missed that. Thanks.

 

[KillerQ]

Thanks for the reply. I saw your thread but didn't want to post my own stuff in their. How was the learning curve? What things really bothered you when initially switching? Thanks.

Funny enough, the learning curve has been minimal if not non-existent. Apple seems to have tapped into our intuitions - if you don't know how to do something, the chances are that the first, natural way that you try it will accomplish it on the new iPhone! Kinda creepy, actually.

 

[Hendri Hendri]

1. For pdf , usually, after opened on browser or email, "share button" and choose import to ebook , or save to google drive (or whatever cloud drive I used). There's no explorer like android to view our file

2. Yes, it's nightmare , few options available though, you can upload your picture to the icloud / photos, and your iphone photos will show up (connection needed). Or I'm sure you're familiar with google photo right ? You can always upload to google photo and your iphone can view and download from google photo ; or the simple way is to send to yourself by email .... or if you prefer using usb cable, i think there's one software for PC named AnyTrans, with this software on your PC, you can drag and drop your pictures/videos, songs, etc to and from PC/IPhone. I supposed it's not free software. Or search for itools software, should be free

3. Setting app, I have the opposite opinion from yours. I find iOs app setting is more powerful, you can change your notification setting in 1 menu (setting > notification) ; privacy / app permission in 1 menu (for cam, contact, location, etc) ; or we can change these setting from the app setting itself (setting > 3rd party app name - scroll down below setting menu).

I recalled, before marshmallow, I can't even prevent some app to use my contact or location

4. Notification, I don't know, I too find some strange bugs for the dropdown notification list

5. This 3D feature is a fun thingy to try it one by one (at least for me)

The most basic different iOs vs android is, you don't have explorer to view or manage your phone's file. For me (my own opinion), it seems like iOs tend to push their user to use cloud service rather than local storage.

 

[Sher the love]

4. Notification, I don't know, I too find some strange bugs for the dropdown notification list
.

Is one of them tapping on a notification and not opening to the app? I just watched a video that mentioned this and remembered it happen to me quite frequently.

 

[iamdld]

Here's my take. I've been an Android FanBoy since 2008 when the first device was released. I've have 4 or 5 DIFFERENT Android devices each year since that time. Each year, everything improved.... come 2015/2016, the Nexus 6P was, by far, the best Android phone I have ever laid my techy paws on - and it was priced under $400 brand new. It was the best of all worlds.

Now, the Pixel comes out with many staples (stereo, or even. DECENT speaker to be the most obvious omission) are missing and they jack the price up; way up.

It hit me that Google was charging a current-generation iPhone price for a first-generation guinea pig device.

For the first time in my life, I purchased an Apple Product. The iPhone 7 Plus 256GB to be precise. It already feels better and out performs anything I've used from Android.

I'm almost embarrassed to admit it since i always bashed Apple, but this device is simply stunning. I can do everything in half the time that it took me to do with Android.

I don't miss the ROMmig and Modding, because everything just works.

Well said. I totally agree. It's nice not having some rogue app draining battery a couple of times a week and knowing you will always be able to get the latest iOS update on the first day.

Off topic, but the backup/restore process is light years ahead of android. I had to setup 3 different phones during the note 7 fiasco. Samsung backup made it better but it is way behind the iphone process.

 

[Nogitsune Micah]

Honestly i used android for years and its an overrated and unrefined operating system to me. I am a windows phone fanboy and love that Os (I have a hp elite x3 as my work phone) but the iPhone is my main personal line and it is a product I greatly enjoy.

My only criticisms are

1. Notifications could be better. I dislike the clutter and the lack of proper notification stacking.

But I don't really rely on notifications anymore. I am focused more on the app badges.

2. I find apple to be a bit too restrictive in adult content.

3. I find my battery life to be poor

4. I dislike the fact you can't easily bulk attach images in emails or.messaging

But aside from those complaints ios is.miles better than android and i honestly can't see why android is as popular as it is. Outside low cost that is.

 

[KillerQ]

Well said. I totally agree. It's nice not having some rogue app draining battery a couple of times a week and knowing you will always be able to get the latest iOS update on the first day.

Off topic, but the backup/restore process is light years ahead of android. I had to setup 3 different phones during the note 7 fiasco. Samsung backup made it better but it is way behind the iphone process.

Thanks...

Yes, even with the iCloud restore and backup it's reminiscent of full Nandroid image backup on Android. But that required root and still took Many steps.

I'm loving this Apple stuff!

 

[bennu901]

I was in the same situation avid android user for years , I had to turn in my note 7 got a 7plus I couldn't be happier... when it comes to updates in regards to Samsung your phone is doa

 

[RHChan84]

I have had high end Android Devices. Started with the Droid X, then Motorola Razr, then LGG3, then Nexus 6P and they all were pretty good then software updates happen and it goes down the drain. It's like with Android, you always need the latest and greatest.

I have done it all, Root, ROMs, and unlocking bootloaders.

I just got the iPhone 7 plus and I am loving this thing.

 

[Sher the love]

I picked up the last 128GB black plus model tonight from Sam's Club. Aaaand dead pixel

 

[jorge Hewitson]

In my opinion I believe that a personal question, is something like windows or osx, the two operating systems are able to do homework, but two different ways, such as taking different paths to reach the same place, personally, I think apple to restrict the platform or redeemed by it somehow. has hit the nail, the quality of the appstore applications is certainly superior. As for updates seems a disaster that you have the necessary hardware to run the latest version of the software, but have to wait for months for it is not right. Google should the companies that use their software to force them to upgrade on the same date, the day that the update should be available available for different brands.

 

[Friendzone]

I own a Nexus 6P and an iPad Air 2. Both are the best experiences I've ever had with a phone and a tablet. Back to the phone I'm going to say that I would probably be equally happy with either my current phone or a Pixel XL or iPhone 7 plus. As far as that Verizon stuff goes, yeah that's a crummy way to do things. My Nexus was bought from a carrier too but my carrier did nothing to change the Nexus whatsoever, they left it alone so it's pure Nexus with direct updates. I think many of your stated frustrations with android are due to Samsung+carrier.

My google services on iOS leave me with no complaints. I still get gmail and google calendar in the stock iOS apps, I use google photos, and my Chrome bookmarks on other devices are set up to sync on Safari on my iPad. I think a lot of your frustrations with iOS will go away once you familiarize yourself more with it.