iPhone XS Back with the iPhone/Apple Watch after trying Android for 2 months

[omelet1978]

I guess these “back with Apple“ threads pop up periodically but in this case I thought I’d post since I’m a fan of technology and was really tempted by the Galaxy S10 and Samsung Active 2 Watch. However, after 2 months I’ve switched back to the iPhone XS and Apple Watch Series 5. Here are some of my major reasons:

1. iMessages cleans the floor with Android Messages which is laggy and needs a lot more development.

2. Several apps I use are missing features that are on the iPhone version of the apps. For example, Outlook email has a “Mark as Read” option for notifications on both it’s iPhone and Apple Watch apps but the Android versions do not, and this is something I use all the time. The main reason I use Outlook is the focused inbox which I’ve had trouble finding other email apps that do that as well or at all.

3. The Galaxy Active 2 Watch has better battery life than the Apple Watch but like Android Messages it needs more time to develop. Both in software as well as hard ware since I think they need to slim it down a bit. There are also little things with it like swapping out watch straps which is a lot harder than the Apple Watch.

4. Firefox, Chrome, and Samsung Internet on Android just don’t seem as developed as Safari on the iPhone. I can’t put my finger on why though.

Overall, I think if Android Messages and the Galaxy Active 2 develop a bit more it would make the other things a bit more livable. I was excited to try the S10 because of the customization and things like YouTube Picture in Picture. As of now though I‘m back in the walled Apple Garden. Just wondering if anyone had any inputs on the things I pointed out.

Thanks

 

[The Game 161]

I guess these “back with Apple“ threads pop up periodically but in this case I thought I’d post since I’m a fan of technology and was really tempted by the Galaxy S10 and Samsung Active 2 Watch. However, after 2 months I’ve switched back to the iPhone XS and Apple Watch Series 5. Here are some of my major reasons:

1. iMessages cleans the floor with Android Messages which is laggy and needs a lot more development.

2. Several apps I use are missing features that are on the iPhone version of the apps. For example, Outlook email has a “Mark as Read” option for notifications on both it’s iPhone and Apple Watch apps which is something I use all the time. The main reason I use Outlook is the focused inbox which I’ve had trouble finding other email apps that do that as well or at all.

3. The Galaxy Active 2 Watch has better battery life than the Apple Watch but like Android Messages it needs more time to develop. Both in software as well as hard ware since I think they need to slim it down a bit. There are also little things with it like swapping out watch straps which is a lot harder than the Apple Watch.

4. Firefox, Chrome, and Samsung Internet on Android just don’t seem as developed as Safari on the iPhone. I can’t put my finger on why though.

Overall, I think if Android Messages and the Galaxy Active 2 develop a bit more it would make the other things a bit more livable. I was excited to try the S10 because of the customization and things like YouTube Picture in Picture. As of now though I‘m back in the walled Apple Garden. Just wondering if anyone had any inputs on the things I pointed out.

Thanks

I went through the same pain so yeah this is quite normal

For me notifications arrived 10-15 mins late on my S10 which was the deal breaker. The software just doesn’t compare to iOS and the Apple Watch just wipes the floor with every other smart watch on the market.

I missed the Apple Watch so bad...and selling all the android stuff was hard as the resale value is so awful.

 

[Advocatus]

I’ve done the opposite trip. An Android use for ages, never had an iPhone until 11. My first shock was the Apple walled garden and realising how it limits developers access to functions I have always used Android, such as the file system, WiFi interface, etc. I miss the ability to record calls (Android is making it harder, though), use apps to create fake gps locations, etc. But in other hand I love how iPhone supports dual sim and how with two sims that support WiFi calling, both can be active at the same time or even one of them use the LTE connection from the other when WiFi is out of range. This kind of state of the art technology can’t be found in any Android. Then, too, iMessage supports dual sim, something Android messages is missing, not to mention how crappy and limited it is, as most carriers do not support it yet. So, yes, I do miss some Android stuff, but for the time being I’ll stick with Apple, who, by the way provides OS updates for older devices for a lot longer than say Samsung.

 

[jr866gooner]

I must say. Up until recently I've been all android.

I love my samsung device. I really do, the os is really good and has improved so much in recent years but I'm at the point now where I'm ready to return to ios later in the year. Yes I was pleased to be back with my roots with Android but there is just something about apple I really like.

My first iphone was the iPhone 4 that I bought from a friend to try out ios and a few months later my upgrade was ready and I jumped onto the 5C. I couldn't afford the 5S at the time but I loved it! When to A galaxy S6 and again loved it. But come upgrade time I fell in love with the red iphone 7. This brings me to my acquisition of my current device and after 18 months and learning that although Samsung have improved with the updates they are still not ensuring that those buying these £1,000 devices get updates after two years of use and deem the device obsolete. I'm not even sure after two years they even get security updates alone. This is why I'm considering ios again. Who knows, I might go back to android after 2 years but being in IT means it can't hurt to keep up to speed with the latest things with the OS's.

 

[GreenPea]

I did the same. I used to try android every so often when I was a little bored. But I always come back to Apple/Iphone.
I had the Pixel 3/4, Samsung Galaxy S10/S20, etc. They are great phones and have some "catchy" features, but Apple does the basics better for me. I find the operating system better for everyday use and the phones feel like a better quality product, save the specs. The Android phones have great specs and numbers, but they don't always translate into better for everyday usage.
Android Phones = suped-up Corvette, lots of bells & whistles.
Iphones = Porsche 911
Just my opinion.

 

[JSRinUK]

I initially had Android phones due entirely to cost. Apple was well outside of my budget. Well outside.

My first Android phone was the first time I got burned. On a 2 year contract with a Samsung phone and, after the first update, it never got updated again. The Android OS moved on in leaps and bounds whilst I was stuck on an increasingly outdated system with worries about security.

My first “proper” foray into Apple was the original iPad (I had been gifted old iPod Touches before, but they didn’t really count because I hadn’t had to pay for them). Got the iPad from the refurbished bit of the Apple online store. A considered purchase (£289 IIRC), but it was a quality item. Within 9 months, I had the “burned” sensation again because Apple moved on and pretty much abandoned it.

That delayed my move to Apple back then. When my phone contract was up, I went for cheap sub-£80 Android phones on the philosophy that “if they don’t update it, I can chuck it” - something I didn’t want to do with an expensive Apple device.

My move to Apple years later coincided with slightly better fortunes and a need to update my sports watch (Garmin). I was waiting for the latest Garmin to be released and, when it was, it was a bit pricey for what it offered. I waited for a price drop that didn’t come, and I started looking at the Apple Watch. I couldn’t get it without an iPhone and, for a while, that was a big stumbling block. Even if I could afford an Apple Watch, the combined cost of an Apple Watch *and* an iPhone was just too much.

Luck was on my side when our catalogue (Littlewoods) offered a sensible (for them!) price on the iPhone SE - £399 - and they would do it on weekly instalments.

That was more like it. I went for the iPhone on the weekly, with the intention of getting the Apple Watch as well. There was talk of the Apple Watch series 4 being released imminently, so I waited a little longer and saved up the difference between what I would have spent on the Garmin and what I guessed I’d need to spend on the Apple Watch.

The rest is history. I moved to the Apple eco-system, and I’m here to stay. I've just upgraded to the new iPhone SE, with the expectation it'll last me a good 3 or more years so that I can plan for my next "big Apple purchase" when I expect to be upgrading my Apple Watch in a year or two's time. I even have myself a Mac mini next to my Windows laptop these days (thanks to a colleague). Go me ? ..!

 

[omelet1978]

I am starting to think that with software companies like Samsung, Google, and Microsoft will accidentally create an incredibly useful feature (such as “Mark as Read” on notifications) and then will forget about it. Apple’s software is not perfect but it does seem to nail the basics. I guess with me it’s a combination of Samsung, Google, and Microsoft not developing their software more. Specifically for Samsung the Active 2 software, for Google it’s Android Messages, and for Microsoft not updating their Android Outlook email app with features on their iOS app.

The real bummer on this is that the Galaxy S10 design is really good with the punch hole design and the in screen fingerprint scanner. The software is pretty good too and I really like the widgets for a full screen calendar and music. It’s just everything else that is not developed enough...