Surprise.
Bet you didn’t see this one coming.
This week’s post has been pretty late. I’m a bit troubled by yesterday’s thread on Apple. So, a foreword: It’s OK to prefer something over another, it’s not OK to say people who like different phones than you are somehow more childish or less intelligent than you. Again, we are going for casual, yet intensely helpful here, so please don’t call people names over petty reasons, we have rules here.
Previously on Lemmy:
Past Discussions:
In this post, it’s not about saying how bad iPhones are, but I’d just like to hear the perspective on iPhones from Android users. I, for one, had an old iPhone 4 for a long time (call it nostalgia, or laziness, or just being cheap), and it was my general frustration with the device that ultimately led to my preference for Androids, (It was quite a while back though).
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It was absolutely painful to transfer files from the phone to my computer (Ugh, iTunes).
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I got it pre-jailbroken and didn’t realize you can’t just update the system casually, so it was really fun trying to find ways to downgrade the system until I realized that I can’t and have to pray for the next jailbreak to get half my things working again.
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The 40-pin cable wears out so fast, and always in the same spot on the strain relief. I swear I’ve gone through 3 of these cables in one year just from normal use.
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All the browsers are somehow flavors of Safari. To do anything, I will have the choice of ad-filled websites, or ad-filled apps.
It always just seemed like I’m fighting against the system. Never did I have that “it just works” moment, until I’ve got my first Android, and realize I have the freedom to do whatever I want with it, and I can install what I want, and if there’s a problem, I can look things up and fix it myself.
(Having a back button is also a game changer.)
Of course, there is a lot that Android manufacturers can learn from Apple as well, one of the most obvious one is the time for software support: I think my old iPhone has gone through like 3 version updates over the years, whereas currently I’m lucky to get 2 out of any Android manufacturer.
But it seems that Android manufacturers are more content on copying things that works for iOS, but doesn’t work for Android, like removing the headphone jack. Or big notches. (It makes no sense to do that because of Android’s notification system uses the full length of the bar.) It’s gotten to the point that I don’t think people who makes Android phones actually uses Android but are content to copy superficial features from Apple without understanding why Apple do them.
Like a bunch of lemmings. (Heh)
Again, these are my personal preferences, I have nothing against people who prefers iPhones, nor do I think they are lesser for it, but it’s just not for me.
I’d use a one as a work phone/for iMessages though.
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If Google started taking privacy and E2EE as seriously as Apple, I wouldn’t even be thinking of switching over to iPhone, but now I’m thinking whether to stay with Android or switch. (also no ads would be great on Google TV/Chromecast)
Sideloading:
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I’d be restricted to the apps on the app store that have to restrict themselves to the app store policies.
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I wouldn’t have an alternative way to download an app if it gets banned from the app store for any reason. I remember hearing about Fortnite getting banned from both app store and play store but android users can still play it.
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I couldn’t use modified apps like revanced.
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I think you’d be restricted to region locks in app store which you can circumvent on play store by running a vpn, force stopping play store and then clearing data on it.
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Being restricted to app store only means some extraordinary apps wouldn’t be developed like the cool apps on android that aren’t on play store.
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Sometimes developers make different versions of the same apps. One is a bit restricted and is for play store. It’s restricted because it has to follow play store policies. The other version ends up having more features. I don’t see this happening on iOS. I heard about EU asking them to make a way to sideload, but I also heard that that might be restricted to EU only which means it wouldn’t pick up as much as it could.
Aesthetics:
Nothing much to say except I don’t like the iOS ui. I even fine it ugly. I much prefer the material you thing android is doing.
Lack of your own choice:
- Apple decides for its users. They removed headphone jacks and then the sim card thing in US for no reason. Since they only have flagships, that’s all the users are restricted to.
Android flagships sadly seem to follow their example soon enough
- All the browsers on iOS are just reskinned safari.
General bias:
I don’t like apple handles their things and many of their users. That affects my decision so I think I should put it here as a reason. I don’t think I have to mention what apple does but for their users, I live in Asia and a lot of people see iphones as a status thing which I find annoying. Feels like a matter of shoving cash in your face to flex. There’s also the bubble thing I hear in US which I find ridiculous.
Other points:
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No back button
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No revanced.
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Ecosystem locked.
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Only expensive phones.
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Overpriced. It maybe used to be worth it, but these days all phones look and work the same anyway.
I used to be an iPhone person, bought a new one every two years from the iPhone 4 in 2010 until my iPhone SE broke in 2018. That was when iPhones jumped to being like $1000, so I thought fuck it and bought a $150 Android.
I was ready for a really rough transition but it turns out these days all apps are cross platform React Native with data stored in the cloud. Once you’re logged in literally everything is exactly the same.
I think that Apple makes a quality product, but I can’t stand the company and their mindset towards consumers. I don’t like that they tell me what my user experience will be and demand that I enjoy it. Their products remind me of America Online (AOL), where they put the internet into a can and fenced off the user experience. It’s great for the most basic of users, but frustrating if you want to have control and do things your way.
I’m forced to use iphones for work, so I’m not unfamiliar with ios, but I prefer my S23 much more.
Apple products are for the technologically feeble.
I would miss the ability to multitask by split screening apps or doing floating app with my S23U. I would miss my spen which I use to take quick notes, and then can slot back into the phone which even the iPad Pros can’t do. I would miss having a non Safari browser like Firefox and its addons. I would miss the easy access to foss apps like NewPipe, and apps not allowed on the Apple store like tachiyomi, emulators, and torrent clients. I would miss that syncthing type apps don’t properly work for syncing across different platforms. I would miss the launcher, since I’m not a fan of Apple launcher and app library aesthetics. I would miss the Android folder system’s easy access to everything in there compared to the iPhone. I would miss one hand operation+ method of navigating over Apple gestures.
I would like the long term updates of the iPhone though. Using the iPad though made me never want to get an iPhone.
Back in the day when mobile data was multiple euros per megabyte, I had an ipod 4G as my first ‘smartphone’. The UI was unbelievably smooth for the time but I found the OS very limited, so I jailbroke it and tinkered a lot with it. After the release of the iphone 6, apple shipped an update to my ipod that made it super slow. Most games that would run perfectly before became unplayable over night.
That day I made a decision to not buy or recommend any apple devices. Android was great back then, so I never looked back.
A couple of months ago, my dad got an iphone for work and after playing around with it for 20 minutes, I wondered how anyone uses this. The UI is very slow and glitchy compared to my oneplus 8 (which is a 3 year old phone at this point) even when I switch my phone to 60hz to make it fair.
It always just seemed like I’m fighting against the system. Never did I have that “it just works” moment, until I’ve got my first Android, and realize I have the freedom to do whatever I want with it, and I can install what I want, and if there’s a problem, I can look things up and fix it myself.
I very much agree with that statement and find myself in the exact same position with windows, so I’ve switched to linux. It’s genuinely incredible how much better it is after gaining a few dozen hours of experience with it.
I use Arch btw.🥰
If apple allowed you to open up the software and increased ease of hardware repair they’d be my choice. The products are high quality but you have no choice in anything. I enjoy being able to install custom roms on my android. That being said Samsung is getting just as bad as apple. Can’t even put a custom roms on my zfold cause unlocking the bootloader disables the cameras. Google is also pushing more and more to make android less open and more like apple and Samsung is really trying to do the same thing. I’d like to see another OS enter the market. Linux for Android is looking promising but I’m afraid there will never be a market ready model. Pine phones are close and libre is nearly there but phosh is disgusting and not a viable replacement.
ITT: people who haven’t used anything later than an iPhone 6 /s
Seriously though, I am curious if anyone has spent more than a month with a 13 Pro or later; it sounds like most of the gripes are about shittier/older iPhones/iOS versions.
Lots of good points here (like the universal back button/gesture 🤤) and it’ll be interesting to see how things change after the 15 gets USB-C and maybe some sideloading at some point over the next couple of years 🤞
Can’t wait for USB-C on iPhone so everyone can share cables.
I feel like I’m the only one on Lemmy who isn’t confused by USB specs though.
I mean, I think it’s pretty easy to get confused by all of the different protocols there are that can’t all run on the same looking cable/connector.
Just by picking up an errant wire, it’s pretty hard to tell if it has power delivery, can do Thunderbolt 3 or 4, a low wattage, but high throughput USB 3.2 cable (which in itself could do 5, 10, or 20Gbps), or just basic USB 2.0 especially if both ends are USB-C.
Oh, it’s actually not that hard. Now Lemmy explain:
The 3.x are spec revision numbers, it’s the fhe Gen number that indicates the data speed, so USB 3.0/3.1/3.2 Gen 1 are all 5Gbps.
All USB-C cable can do 100W PD regardless of data transfer, EPR labeled ones can do 240W but it’s very recent and not very popular.
You can just look at the number of pins inside the plug to see if the cable only supports USB 2.0, as the 3.0 data pins will be missing and there will only be 14 or 16 pins total instead of the full 24.
IPhones are irrepairable, good looking, feature packed, reliable, android mocking, mostly great phones with intentional design flaws, from whose platform you can’t easily switch away, created by an unethical company trying to squeeze every penny out of you
Apple is winning the communications game and I’m afraid I’ll wind up switching once they go usb c. I’m sick and tired of the iMessage walled garden when messaging nearly everyone I know, and also tried of the hit or miss debacle of rcs. I will miss the customization freedom (currently using Niagara launcher and it’s super unique ux), but Android phones have deleted all of the other benefits that separated them from iPhones, like expandable storage, ir blasters, headphone jacks, etc. I hate to jump on the bandwagon, but I’m sick of waiting for this all to be worked out. Before anyone says to use signal or Whatsapp, etc, it just isn’t a standard here in the US. Folks will never switch off iMessage.
Yeah I understand your pain too, in the US almost everybody has iPhones. Thankfully you can get iMessage on Android by having an old iPhone and connecting it to an open source app on Android.
As for the lost features, it is extremely unfortunate too. I can’t fathom why execs would even attempt copy them because no one does apple better than apple (undying loyalty and brand). All they are doing is alienating those who want an alternative to apple by making a shitty knock off iPhone.
Sony is a god send though keeping the android spirit alive. New phones have a headphone jack, expandable storage, fingerprint sensor, light indicator, dedicated focus and shutter button, assistant button, 4k 120hz display and probably more. They are expensive but you can get the last gen top model for like 700$ (or last last gen for 500$ which is almost identical). A good deal since it’s only 1 years old and MSRP was like 1200$
Seriously Sony does not get anywhere near the attention they deserves despite everyone bitching about their lost headphone jack and microsd storage.
I wish I had the money for an xperia phone. really really want one. that or an ROG phone.
Personally, after being on Android since the first Motorola droid and switching to iPhone a few years ago with the 12, I wouldn’t move back to Android at all.
I had Motorola for a while, then the LG g series for a bit, then galaxies until the s8, and then a pixel 4xl.
Google pissed me off with their warranty and support. My pixel had the internal battery cable fuck off and they wouldn’t repair it even though they acknowledged it was design fault. Because I was one week out of warranty.
I hated Samsungs bloatware, Lg was gone, Motorola was pretty nonexistent, and I didn’t want a Chinese owned brands like one+, oppo, or Huawei.
So Apple was pretty much it. I got a regular iPhone 12, and everything I wanted to do was easier than Android. Apple had a built in app for it without me having to fuck around with side loading or installing third party apps.
Android is undoubted better for customization and if you love having extremely fine grained control over your phone. Plus the benefit of being able to side load completely different loads of Android. You have MUCH more control over your environment than an iPhone.
Personally, I don’t give a shit about that. I do that shit at work 60 hours a week. For my personal devices I just want the shit to work. I also want Google in my life as little as possible.
Design: best Advertisment: best User experience: best Reliability: best Privacy from propietary crap in app store: best Privacy from Apple: non existing User freedom: worst
Design: mid Advertisement: best User experiece: mid Reliability: the same as everyone else Privacy from propietary crap in app store: best Privacy from Apple: non existing User freedom: worst
