Does anyone regret switching from iPhone to Android?

[Bnice]

anwyay, i'm still trying to find someone to convince me to make the switch.

First you must convince yourself, then free your mind and the rest will follow.

 

[Shinji01]

A split second I regretted changing because my phone was not compatible with Nike+ basketball app.

 

[prometheuss]

if the new iphone does not blow me away, i think i may switch. There are a couple cool new things in ios6, and a larger iphone screen would be nice (rumored at 4in).

i do like ios, it's very fluid and nice. i've tweaked it a little bit to my liking, nothing too drastic. i have noticed decreased battery life after jailbreaking, but it will still last me pretty much a day and a half if im using it normally (ie- no power sucking games, killing apps when not using them). i have also noticed that my girlfriends phone is not as fluid, HTC Incredible S. None of the android phones i have tried are fluid except the samsung galaxy s3.

Ive noticed the samsung galaxy s3, when you open the multitask it says 0 are running; have they changed the way the multitask work? On my girlfriends phone, HTC incredible S, when you hold i think the back button, it displays the last 8 apps, which are still running in the background, and people have used task killers but it was proven to also be counter productive.

now, the iphone stops apps in the background in their current state, unless it's radio. which is cool cause it wont really use up too many resources. i'm just wondering how you guys find battery life and multitasking? also, many of you are on 4g, i'm not, so im sure my battery would be evern worse if the iphone 4 was 4g (4, not 4s).

 

[aysiu]

While a lot of people don't really understand that most "running" apps aren't running at all, it is also true that true multitasking can wear the battery down, and I happen to think multitasking is overrated. I would rather most apps freeze than constantly run in the background, especially since a lot of apps are poorly written and so can remain actively doing stuff when they should really just be cached to make a relaunch faster.

That said, the best battery life I got on an Android phone was from a MyTouch 4G (HTC Glacier) running CyanogenMod 7.

The worst battery life I've got on an Android is my current phone--the Galaxy Nexus. I still love my phone, but if I don't charge it at work or swap out the battery, it's pretty much dead by the late afternoon / early evening. Part of it is using LTE/CDMA (as opposed to just CDMA), and part of it is the huge screen. Mobile data and screen-on time are the hugest battery killers.

A 4-inch screen is the ideal size I've found. 3.5" is too small to really see anything. You're constantly zooming in and out or scrolling. 4.3" and above kills the battery and also is not good for one-handed use (if you've ever had to stand on a bus or commuter train, you know that trying to reach the upper-right corner with your left thumb is not easy on a large screen).

 

[MacFett]

I went from an iphone 3G to an Optimus V and at first I really did regret it. Then I rooted it and installed a custom ROM and really started to love my Optimus V. I now have a Android Tablet and then upgraded my mobile device to the Optimus Elite (the replacement for the Optimus V).

The hardest change from iOS to Android were some of my games; Pocket Frogs, Plants Vs Zombies, Civ Revolution, & Army of Darkness. I now have the first two on Android and Civ Revolution updated itself and is no longer compatible with my iphone.

I am very glad I made the change.

 

[yeroc1982]

I'm glad I made the switch. I'd never go back to iPhone. First, the iPhone never changes looks, its been the same phone since they came out,which gets boring. Next its you have to jail break it to do slight customizations, Siri sucks, I could keep going but this is just a few things.

 

[prometheuss]

A 4-inch screen is the ideal size I've found. 3.5" is too small to really see anything. You're constantly zooming in and out or scrolling. 4.3" and above kills the battery and also is not good for one-handed use (if you've ever had to stand on a bus or commuter train, you know that trying to reach the upper-right corner with your left thumb is not easy on a large screen).

i was really thinking of getting the samsung galaxy s3; i guess the 4.7 inch screen would be overkill? I really like it cause my 3.5" iphone screen is a pain to read or browse online cause i have to zoom in a lot. the display is very crisp and i love it, i like the phone in general; but i dont really use many of the apps :s. ive realized they all kill my battery pretty fast, so i dont really use them unless i have to; or before bed when im playing around.

im still so torn haha. i like my iphone, and its true the customizability only comes in once its jailbroken, and then your battery life decreases. If i had my iphone stock, i honestly think i would cry.

 

[ch4rkle]

Well sometimes the screen size is not what drains out your battery. What drains it most of the time are apps that are always in need of data. What also drains out ur battery is overclocking ur device but its worth it if it runs faster and more smooth. What I like doing on my my zte warp is changing my screens brightness and that saves some battery juice.

 

[tbayrgs]

I'm an admitted Apple fan (note no boy as I'm not blindly loyal) and our household is just about exclusively Apple, but not because everything has to be Apple but rather, everything works so well together because Apple designs it that way. Syncing all of our info across devices is a breeze, all purchased apps can be used across all devices, all of my media is playable across any of our devices, iMessage let's us send a message for nothing to anyone else and AirPlay is so useful. I've been told all of this can be done on Android as well but it always seems to require a third party app to do it--I don't want to have to spend time search for the best method--just want it to work.

I can definitely appreciate freedom and flexibility--heck, I've been preached to about it for years now so I'm waiting on delivery of my Galaxy Nexus this week (need to finally give Android a thorough run through) however I don't expect it to fully replace my 4s because no matter what anyone tells me, it won't be able to do everything I can do with my 4s (sync calendars via iCloud with my wife's iPhone/iPad, sync my Safari bookmarks across all my devices, I could go on). It may certainly do some things better but won't do everything as well and that's where I have a problem.

I'm amused by comment saying 'iOS is boring'--really you expect your smartphone to entertain you? Personally, I want my phone to just work well--ever hear "if it ain't broke don't fix it?" OS X has changed very little in 10+ years. I'm busy and don't have much free time--kids, work, wife, house, etc. It's nice knowing that the next version of iOS is not going to require that I relearn a ton of functionality. I get a new iDevice and it's essentially plug and play. Not saying it's best for everyone, just why it's been best for me.

Please don't take this as an anti-Android rant as I'd be foolish to try to debate the two OS's when I've barely used one. I hope I really enjoy ICS and JB and the GNex but honestly, expect it to be a lot more work to get it to work in my tech ecosystem.

 

[Stuntman]

Ive noticed the samsung galaxy s3, when you open the multitask it says 0 are running; have they changed the way the multitask work? On my girlfriends phone, HTC incredible S, when you hold i think the back button, it displays the last 8 apps, which are still running in the background, and people have used task killers but it was proven to also be counter productive.

Holding the home button will show you the most recently used apps. It does not necessarily mean that they are running. Depending on what the application does, it may or may not be running. For example, a timer app will likely be running if you had activated the timer. The browser will likely not be running.

Task killers after the Gingerbread version of Android can be counter productive because they confuse the Android OS. Android does a pretty good job at managing apps and if another app starts killing apps left right and centre, Android just tries to restart them or thinks they are recently used and will load them into memory ready to go.

I'm an admitted Apple fan (note no boy as I'm not blindly loyal) and our household is just about exclusively Apple, but not because everything has to be Apple but rather, everything works so well together because Apple designs it that way. Syncing all of our info across devices is a breeze, all purchased apps can be used across all devices, all of my media is playable across any of our devices, iMessage let's us send a message for nothing to anyone else and AirPlay is so useful. I've been told all of this can be done on Android as well but it always seems to require a third party app to do it--I don't want to have to spend time search for the best method--just want it to work.

Apple products work very well with other Apple products. I find that they are a bigger pain than I would expect when making Apple products work with non-Apple products. The apparently simple task of moving your contact list and ring tone from a non-Apple phone to an Apple phone is unnecessarily difficult compared to doing the same from two other, different manufacturers and OS's.

I'm amused by comment saying 'iOS is boring'--really you expect your smartphone to entertain you? Personally, I want my phone to just work well--ever hear "if it ain't broke don't fix it?" OS X has changed very little in 10+ years. I'm busy and don't have much free time--kids, work, wife, house, etc. It's nice knowing that the next version of iOS is not going to require that I relearn a ton of functionality. I get a new iDevice and it's essentially plug and play. Not saying it's best for everyone, just why it's been best for me.

I find that my smartphone does entertain me. I enjoy using it and my tablet more so than my PC. If I have to or want to do something, I find that using a PC feels a little more like a chore and using my tablet or phone is more of a pleasure to do the same thing.

Please don't take this as an anti-Android rant as I'd be foolish to try to debate the two OS's when I've barely used one. I hope I really enjoy ICS and JB and the GNex but honestly, expect it to be a lot more work to get it to work in my tech ecosystem.

Your opinions are welcomed here whether or not you like Android or any other OS/platform.

If you are switching from iOS to Android, there are differences between the two platforms. I find these differences do frustrate me as I am familiar with Android and have been started using iOS occasionally this past year and a bit. No matter what you are switching to, you will have to make and adjustment and unlearn some things you are very familiar with. Whether you are into technology a little or a lot, a transition from any platform to any other is going to have some discomfort not matter what the platforms are.

 

[aysiu]

everything works so well together because Apple designs it that way. Syncing all of our info across devices is a breeze, all purchased apps can be used across all devices, all of my media is playable across any of our devices, iMessage let's us send a message for nothing to anyone else and AirPlay is so useful.

A definite plus for Apple is actually not how the software integrates with itself but how it integrates across hardware.

I've been told all of this can be done on Android as well but it always seems to require a third party app to do it--I don't want to have to spend time search for the best method--just want it to work.

Google integrating with itself is actually pretty good and doesn't require a lot of third-party apps. Google integrating with Apple is a different story.

For example, let's say you're all Google.

You upload your songs to Google Music, and then it's all accessible on your Google phone, and you can text through Google Voice on your computer, which will also show up in the history of your Google Voice texts on Android. You use the Chrome browser on your desktop, and then you sign in on Android, and all your bookmarks, history, and passwords are synced back to Chrome on your phone.

But in my situation, I'm a little of both. I have a Macbook Pro, and I use Firefox as my main browser, but I use Gmail for my email, and I also have work email through Exchange. All my music is in iTunes. It's not the ideal situation as far as integration goes, but I've found a way it works for me. I use iSyncr to sync my iTunes music, playlists, and play counts from my Mac to my Android phone. I use the Gmail app for personal email and the Email app for Exchange. On my Mac I use Firefox for web browsing, and on my phone I use Dolphin HD. None of my browser info syncs up between the two.

no matter what anyone tells me, it won't be able to do everything I can do with my 4s (sync calendars via iCloud with my wife's iPhone/iPad, sync my Safari bookmarks across all my devices, I could go on). It may certainly do some things better but won't do everything as well and that's where I have a problem.

Well, it's all about what kind of ecosystem you use. Yes, if you use iCloud and Safari, the iPhone is the way to go for easy full integration. If, however, you use Google Calendar, Gmail, Google Voice, and Chrome, an Android phone is the way to for easy full integration.

I'm amused by comment saying 'iOS is boring'--really you expect your smartphone to entertain you? Personally, I want my phone to just work well--ever hear "if it ain't broke don't fix it?"

Well, I don't really see the two as necessarily opposite. As a matter of fact, yes, I do want my smartphone to entertain me. If I didn't want my phone to entertain me, I would have stuck with a dumb phone that just makes phone calls. And, no, I don't see how my smartphone entertaining me also means it has to be broken or not work. Fortunately, my phone both entertains me and works just fine.

OS X has changed very little in 10+ years. I'm busy and don't have much free time--kids, work, wife, house, etc. It's nice knowing that the next version of iOS is not going to require that I relearn a ton of functionality. I get a new iDevice and it's essentially plug and play. Not saying it's best for everyone, just why it's been best for me.

I've been using Android from Cupcake, Donut, Eclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, and Ice Cream Sandwich... even dabbled in some Jelly Bean roms, too. There have been a lot of improvements over the years! But I haven't had to re-learn anything. The interface looks cooler. A lot of things have been streamlined, a lot of features added in. But it's still Android, and the basic navigation and app management is pretty much the same as in Cupcake.

Please don't take this as an anti-Android rant as I'd be foolish to try to debate the two OS's when I've barely used one. I hope I really enjoy ICS and JB and the GNex but honestly, expect it to be a lot more work to get it to work in my tech ecosystem.

I don't see it as anti-Android at all. I just think you seem to be making a lot of assumptions about what Android is that it doesn't necessarily have to be. That said, I've seen some miserable Android experiences, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who isn't going to buy a Nexus phone or isn't going to root and then install a custom rom.

 

[IPahwa]

Thanks guys for this thread and encouraging posts from folks who switched from iOS to Android system. After 4 years of being iPhone user, I am switching to Samsung Galaxy S3 tomorrow. I was little worried about the switch and the learning curve with the new system, but reading the posts here, I feel better that most of the users who switched from the iOS are happy with Android OS.
Being said that, can someone please suggest a website/link to learn the basics of the Android system?
Thanks!

 

[sntaylor]

Thanks guys for this thread and encouraging posts from folks who switched from iOS to Android system. After 4 years of being iPhone user, I am switching to Samsung Galaxy S3 tomorrow. I was little worried about the switch and the learning curve with the new system, but reading the posts here, I feel better that most of the users who switched from the iOS are happy with Android OS.
Being said that, can someone please suggest a website/link to learn the basics of the Android system?
Thanks!

Don't think you needs Web a site to learn the basics, just play about with it, there will probably be a tips and tricks page within the s3 section of the site where it will tell you wee things like changing the screen brightness by touching the notification bar , hold, and slide across to change brightness!

 

[Stuntman]

Thanks guys for this thread and encouraging posts from folks who switched from iOS to Android system. After 4 years of being iPhone user, I am switching to Samsung Galaxy S3 tomorrow. I was little worried about the switch and the learning curve with the new system, but reading the posts here, I feel better that most of the users who switched from the iOS are happy with Android OS.
Being said that, can someone please suggest a website/link to learn the basics of the Android system?
Thanks!

Your phone should come with an instruction manual that will get you started with your phone. The UI is fairly similar. There are a few subtle differences. For instance, long tapping on an object will usually bring up a menu of choices. When you want to delete something, the delete command is going to be in that menu. You can also move the cursor to the middle of a word just by tapping there instead of having to bring up a magnifier. Those are the main subtle differences that I find between iOS and Android.

Have fun just trying out various settings and widgets and apps. If you have any questions, you can ask them here on these forums.

 

[Ole Man Dan]

When we decided to ditch our dumb phones I read about Apple VS Android.
I didn't know enough to understand the differences.
I have a nephew who is firmly committed to the I-phone 4s...
His sister is just as committed to Droids.
She loaned me her Droid to play with, He loaned me his I-phone.

Side by side I explored both, then bought the Android System.
I bought it because it's more of a computer than the Apple product.
My observation was that the Droid was more logical and easier for me to understand. (I love to tinker with computers, and you can't do much tinkering with the I-Phone... at least I couldn't...)

It was very easy for me to grasp the concepts and understand how to operate the Android Phones.
Heck... Even my computer challenged wife caught on and likes her Android Phone.
One whole afternoon playing with both system without their owners around allowed me to make up my mind about what I liked, and didn't like.
If we are gonna call em smart phones, they need to be smart and flexible.

 

[lamewing]

Hallo! 1st post. I (so far) have been impressed the civil discussions I have read on this forum.

I have used the iPhone for over three years and love using it as a daily driver. It always works and I have specific apps that are iOS only. Yet, that greener grass looks nice. I have already tried the Samsung Focus and really liked the Win 7 phone experience...but the lack of apps really limited it's capabilities. Back to the iPhone 4.


I also wanted to try out the "real" Android. My only experience was on a base model on Virgin Mobile. HORRIBLE!!!! The Galaxy nexus looks like the best option, but the SIII has LTE on AT&T. So does the Touch Wiz skin significantly change the user experience from vanilla Android?


Thanks.
(Too bad Nokia killed off MeeGo)

 

[sntaylor]

Itdepends on what you like, if you don't like touch wiz, you can always get another launcher, many people use nova and apex as they are closer to the vanilla feel. This its the beauty of Android, if you don't like it, you can change it!

Personally I like the effects that go launcher uses, while my fianc

 

[SammyGS2]

This is a great topic for me. I am actually a current iPhone user. This is probably weird considering this is an android forum and all.

Background, I have had my fair share of androids. My household is all android except for me. I have rooted a gs2 and htc inspire. Tried AOKP and AOSP roms on both. I am not the computer illiterate iOS sheep. I just prefer it. Honestly one of the hardest parts for me liking iOS is the ridiculous stereotypes surrounding the platform. I have attempted to be happy using android on three different occasions but have come back to iOS within 3-4 weeks. So yes. I regretted leaving iOS and I always went back. I am a fan of technology that works best for me and I just wasn't happy with android.

That being said I am very interested in the nexus 7. It would allow me access to the latest and greatest android has to offer while allowing me to keep my iPhone on my side.

 

[SeanPR]

Glad to be done with CrApple.

 

[danaj]

Hallo! 1st post. I (so far) have been impressed the civil discussions I have read on this forum.

I have used the iPhone for over three years and love using it as a daily driver. It always works and I have specific apps that are iOS only. Yet, that greener grass looks nice. I have already tried the Samsung Focus and really liked the Win 7 phone experience...but the lack of apps really limited it's capabilities. Back to the iPhone 4.


I also wanted to try out the "real" Android. My only experience was on a base model on Virgin Mobile. HORRIBLE!!!! The Galaxy nexus looks like the best option, but the SIII has LTE on AT&T. So does the Touch Wiz skin significantly change the user experience from vanilla Android?


Thanks.
(Too bad Nokia killed off MeeGo)

Welcome to the forums. I found this place a few years ago, and it has basically become my internet home. I love to use different launchers on all my Androids, because it seems like having a new phone when ever I want. It is really a matter of playing around with different skins to see what you like, and remember you can usually change the skin by using different launchers. I also really like Go Launcher, like another poster had said. Right now my top picks for phones would be the SGSIII, or the Galaxy Nexus. Since I just won a Galaxy Nexus though my mind was made up for me, and I can't wait for it to get here!

 

[OnoreDecayed0]

I tried to convince my Korean ESL student to love the product of her motherland by buying an SGSII (since she runs around with an iPhone4 after class), but she think's the E4GT is too big for her hands, so she decides to waddle around with her iPhone; it just takes a little more convincing phrases and she'd eventually be convinced to either buy an Xperia S or an SGSII:E4GT.

 

[MikeP0001]

My Galaxy S2 is so much better than an iPhone! I run Apex Launcher and Folder Organizer. I created a Favourites folder and stuck it open on my default home page. I enabled vertical scrolling on that folder, and this gives me instant access to all my most used Apps.

iOS's folders are primitive compared with Android's. I can stick not only Apps but bookmarks in them. I can create folders of favourite contacts and even stick contacts on the dock, which I can also scroll left and right. Why would I ever want to go back to iOS?

Nested folders would be nice!

 

[Shinji01]

I agree about the file accessibility.

 

[IPahwa]

After Using Galaxy S3 for over 2 weeks, I am embarrassed to say that I do miss my iphone 4S. I know, I would probably be "killed" for saying that. For one, I do find Android interface UI not as user friendly as iOS. Secondly, some of the apps designed for Android lacks functionality as compare to the SAME apps designed for the iOS. Although Android OS provides plenty of customization but its too fragmented. I could do much better and easier customization on Jail Broken iPhone 4S with Cydia installed. Last but not the least, I have a feeling of massive memory usage/leakage r/t installed apps+ OS. May be the coding of the OS or the APPs (or a combination of both) is not strictly monitored for the memory leakage.
The built quality of S3 is so so as compare to iPhone. It feels more platicky despite $650 price tag for unlocked international version. But this is device related and has nothing to do with the OS or Apps.

But for now, I am going to continue to use Galaxy S3, re-evaluate in October when the new iPhone is introduced. The only thing I dislike about Apple is them being control freak and inability to easily JB iPhone. I know I am taking a big risk of posting pro-Apple post, but this is just my honest opinion based upon ONLY two weeks of usage. As I explore more of Android system, I may change my mind, so please go easy on this newbie Android fan

 

[danaj]

After Using Galaxy S3 for over 2 weeks, I am embarrassed to say that I do miss my iphone 4S. I know, I would probably be "killed" for saying that. For one, I do find Android interface UI not as user friendly as iOS. Secondly, some of the apps designed for Android lacks functionality as compare to the SAME apps designed for the iOS. Although Android OS provides plenty of customization but its too fragmented. I could do much better and easier customization on Jail Broken iPhone 4S with Cydia installed. Last but not the least, I have a feeling of massive memory usage/leakage r/t installed apps+ OS. May be the coding of the OS or the APPs (or a combination of both) is not strictly monitored for the memory leakage.
The built quality of S3 is so so as compare to iPhone. It feels more platicky despite $650 price tag for unlocked international version. But this is device related and has nothing to do with the OS or Apps.

But for now, I am going to continue to use Galaxy S3, re-evaluate in October when the new iPhone is introduced. The only thing I dislike about Apple is them being control freak and inability to easily JB iPhone. I know I am taking a big risk of posting pro-Apple post, but this is just my honest opinion based upon ONLY two weeks of usage. As I explore more of Android system, I may change my mind, so please go easy on this newbie Android fan

No one will "kill" you or even bash you for your opinion here. If you like IOS better, then you should use the system that best serves your needs. We certainly hope you stick with Android, but understand that not everyone prefers it. Welcome to the forums.