Second guessing the iPhone...Android? (Yes another one of those)

[tonysoprano]

I get the gist, but I don’t see the point of complaining about expensive iPhones by buying an also expensive Samsung. You’re still spending well over $1000 every year for a phone. If cost really is the concern, then simply not upgrade yearly. A $1000 iPhone is only $333 per year if you keep it for 3 years. Most recent phone hardware can perform well in 3 to 5 years as the smartphone and software imo have peaked. The increase in performance no longer make a huge difference in daily tasks.

Here’s what I would do. Instead of switching to Android entirely, keep your iPhone and simply get an Android mid range. $400-$500 Android phones today are great and will do 90-95% of their flagship counterparts. Go check the Galaxy A54. It has returned to premium glass back, and the 256GB model is still less than $500 (at least in my country). You can test the waters, get familiar, make sure the platform delivers the same experience for your current workflow without spending a lot of money.

That’s my take if the phone price is truly the issue. Complaining how iPhone costs more than $1000 by buying another $1000 Android makes zero sense to me. It’s as if you just want a new toy 😉🤭 Nothing’s wrong with that, but simply be honest of your own personal goal, and that way, you can have better judgement and mindset.

Yeah that "price hike" was exchange rate and inflation.

My recommendation would be to purchase a phone and stick with it. You're wasting money by purchasing, selling, purchasing, selling. Keep the phone for several years. Your longest stretch was the 5s to 7. I'm still using my 11PM and just now seriously considering getting the 15PM when it drops. Which will make my run 4s-6s-8+-11PM-15PM.

The OP has clearly stated the IP14P/PM is 1740 to 1900 Euro's opposed to he can get a S23 equivalent for 1100 Euros with his employees discount, this level of saving makes perfect sense to me

Why should he choose to compromise to a lower spec as you suggest where he seems comfortable with the 1100 euro price tag for top tier phone, hence the rest of his post

Thanks guys, I clarified on todays reply that price specifically is not the issue at all.

 

[Technerd108]

Hello everyone,

My apologies for the delay but these were some very busy working hours lately lol.

I want to thank you all for the feedback I have received thus far and for your time for sharing your thoughts on what I later on realized was a very extensive post (or wall of text )

Some remarks I would like to share that perhaps were not that clear from my initial post:

Price is not a issue specifically. Like I stated, my phone is my only device and it is perhaps the one thing I use the most on my day to day, everyday.

The issue surrounding price is mostly related to fairness, and like I mentioned here in Europe prices are a bit far from fair… 1500 euros for a 14PM with a ridiculous 128GB is a bit insane.

In terms of options I can say I have shown interest in only the S23 Ultra and the Pixel 7 Pro. However the Pixel is slightly capped here with 5G functionality being locked outside the “oficial” countries where Google operates.

Today I spent roughly 2 hours playing around with a colleagues brand new S23 Ultra, he just upgraded from the Galaxy S10.

I have somewhat mixed feelings about it:

On one side, the screen is amazing. The S-pen even if used occasionally is amazing. Split screen is absolutely amazing and provides such a range of usability that the iPhone does not. Speakers are amazing. It feels insanely fast and smooth overall when switching through apps, opening, closing etc.

On another side, i was not that convinced with the camera tbh. There is shutter lag. It is rather noticeable and I was trying it on 12MP not the (justifiable) slower 200MP mode. And shutter lag on a 1500€ phone that claims to have the best camera in the market kinda puts me off…. Sure you can take amazing landscape and architecture photographs… but I want to take photos of my dogs. Of my family and friends. And those are subjects that move around (specially dogs).
Then the size of the phone… I felt that it was more uncomfortable that the 14 PM. Because it has very sharp corners all around. I can honestly say this will eventually rip through older jeans like a drill lol. Even holding the phone with one hand, does not feel very ergonomic.
Lastly… I still, even after all these years, have considerable reservations towards android. Why does the phone have 2 messages apps. Two calendar apps. Two browsers. Two contacts apps. Bunch of Samsung bloatware. There is adds even in the Samsung browser homepage? Notifications for adds from Samsung?
Settings are so so so extensive. So many things. I see the positive of being able to change everything but seems to me settings are far from straightforward. Every setting has a toggle but if you click on it you go to another list of additional settings. Like a maze lol.

This was my impressions from 2 hours of experimenting until my colleague asked me for his phone back!

So overall I am sitting in a very awkward position. Looking at my iPhone 13 base model right now and I feel like it is not the most modern technology one can have (S23 ultra I would say) but it is incredibly stable, easygoing and sufficient. I don’t see how I could justify the 14P or 14PM, being that they would rip my wallet if 1300 to 1700€.

Well considering your feeling on the bloat (justifiable) and amount of settings I have a couple of responses.

Bloat has been an issue with Samsung phones for a very long time. It has gotten better but it is an annoyance for sure BUT a lot of the duplicate apps you can uninstall or disable. Messages can be disabled, Samsung Internet uninstalled, etc. But it requires you doing a little more work than on iOS.

This is why I have said that Android is more for a user that likes to tinker and iOS is for people who don't care about settings and customization and just use the same phone with the same layout and settings for years.

So if you just want to set it and forget it then a Pixel phone is much closer to iOS in that regard. Or you can learn and adapt with the Samsung and might like all those settings once you get used to it. Or just keep the iPhone.

I think reading your comments, honestly the Pixel 7 Pro would be perfect for you. In September or November there will be a Pixel 8 and it is possible that they may officially support your area. But for the cost the Pixel 7 Pro is one of the best Android phones available. The s23u is faster, has better screen and battery life, better speakers, better camera hardware and better cell reception BUT the Pixel is not bad in any of these areas and just a little less but still very good and better than my iPhone 13 Pro Max. No bloat.

If Pixel isn't an option and the design and settings and multitude of apps put you off then I think staying with your iPhone 13 might be your best bet. Essentially the iPhone 14 is the same thing as your 13 with a notch, 60hz display and sane chipset. You really don't need to upgrade at all. If I were you I may see if I could find a refurbished iphone 13 Pro Max as it is still an amazing phone.

All that being said going from on platform to another after using one platform for many years in a row is going to take a learning curve no matter what. You are either willing to learn and adapt or not. If you want everything to be the same or easy then you may as well stay with what you know. Not trying to be rude here but part of what I like about using multiple platforms is learning how they work, their quirks, and work arounds. I love having the ability to change things. For example on iphone there is no EQ for audio and you can't change the color temperature. On Samsung phone you can adjust both to your personal preference.

In terms of the cameras I don't know? I have a Pixel 7 Pro and a Samsung Galaxy s23u and the cameras both have about the same shutter lag and my iPhone was the same. I don't see this huge delay people keep talking about. I just use the camera as a point and shoot my dog, son, etc and I get good shots on both phones.

Look at the end of the day you have to be happy with whatever you have. You are you and only you know if you are willing to change. If you are willing to change your platform it is going to take an adjustment and learning curve. Maybe it just isn't worth it. Maybe you just have to keep your current iphone for a few more years. Apple is rumored to actually increase the price of the 15 beyond the currency adjustment in Europe. So they are only going to get more expensive. Maybe just start saving up now and by the 16 you can afford the 2k euros and not worry about what offers you the most value. Sometimes value isn't just about price. Keep your phone longer so that the extra cost of the iPhone is worth it for you.

Or get an ultra. Try it out for a period of time and actually see how it works for you. Testing out a friend's phone is nice just to see it but the only real test is to use it. Also the regular s23 or plus might be a better fit if the ultra is too sharp. Personally I always use a case and I am not bothered by the shape of the ultra I actually prefer it to all the damn rounded corners. Lol

 

[ian87w]

Thanks guys, I clarified on todays reply that price specifically is not the issue at all.

Alright.
I noticed also that you like the 14 Pro size. The S23 ultra is much larger and heavier. Here’s a size comparison.



The regular S23 is more of the comparable size to the 14 Pro.

 

[257Loner]

OP, I’m going to have to second Technerd108 about bloatware. If you don’t like bloatware, get the Pixel phone.

Also, if your phone is your only computer, how do you compose such lengthy posts?

 

[GuruZac]

Yeah that "price hike" was exchange rate and inflation.

My recommendation would be to purchase a phone and stick with it. You're wasting money by purchasing, selling, purchasing, selling. Keep the phone for several years. Your longest stretch was the 5s to 7. I'm still using my 11PM and just now seriously considering getting the 15PM when it drops. Which will make my run 4s-6s-8+-11PM-15PM.

YeAh I agree. I am replacing my 13 Pro with a 15 Pro Max this year, but only because I want the larger display. If I had a 13 Pro Max, I don’t think I’d upgrade. Smartphones have peaked in excitement and features are widely available and only incrementally improve. The reasons to upgrade are out of pure want to have the latest, not because they offer a serious improvement in usage.

 

[SteveJUAE]

Hello everyone,

My apologies for the delay but these were some very busy working hours lately lol.

I want to thank you all for the feedback I have received thus far and for your time for sharing your thoughts on what I later on realized was a very extensive post (or wall of text )

Some remarks I would like to share that perhaps were not that clear from my initial post:

Price is not a issue specifically. Like I stated, my phone is my only device and it is perhaps the one thing I use the most on my day to day, everyday.

The issue surrounding price is mostly related to fairness, and like I mentioned here in Europe prices are a bit far from fair… 1500 euros for a 14PM with a ridiculous 128GB is a bit insane.

In terms of options I can say I have shown interest in only the S23 Ultra and the Pixel 7 Pro. However the Pixel is slightly capped here with 5G functionality being locked outside the “oficial” countries where Google operates.

Today I spent roughly 2 hours playing around with a colleagues brand new S23 Ultra, he just upgraded from the Galaxy S10.

I have somewhat mixed feelings about it:

On one side, the screen is amazing. The S-pen even if used occasionally is amazing. Split screen is absolutely amazing and provides such a range of usability that the iPhone does not. Speakers are amazing. It feels insanely fast and smooth overall when switching through apps, opening, closing etc.

On another side, i was not that convinced with the camera tbh. There is shutter lag. It is rather noticeable and I was trying it on 12MP not the (justifiable) slower 200MP mode. And shutter lag on a 1500€ phone that claims to have the best camera in the market kinda puts me off…. Sure you can take amazing landscape and architecture photographs… but I want to take photos of my dogs. Of my family and friends. And those are subjects that move around (specially dogs).
Then the size of the phone… I felt that it was more uncomfortable that the 14 PM. Because it has very sharp corners all around. I can honestly say this will eventually rip through older jeans like a drill lol. Even holding the phone with one hand, does not feel very ergonomic.
Lastly… I still, even after all these years, have considerable reservations towards android. Why does the phone have 2 messages apps. Two calendar apps. Two browsers. Two contacts apps. Bunch of Samsung bloatware. There is adds even in the Samsung browser homepage? Notifications for adds from Samsung?
Settings are so so so extensive. So many things. I see the positive of being able to change everything but seems to me settings are far from straightforward. Every setting has a toggle but if you click on it you go to another list of additional settings. Like a maze lol.

This was my impressions from 2 hours of experimenting until my colleague asked me for his phone back!

So overall I am sitting in a very awkward position. Looking at my iPhone 13 base model right now and I feel like it is not the most modern technology one can have (S23 ultra I would say) but it is incredibly stable, easygoing and sufficient. I don’t see how I could justify the 14P or 14PM, being that they would rip my wallet if 1300 to 1700€.

I see you note shutter lag as an issue but in truth there is not

It has simply been explained that Samsung cameras fire when your finger is released not touched, so the so called lag is you however Samsung has now provided a toggle in settings so if you prefer to fire on touch see "quick tap shutter"



If there was shutter lag then your S23 would not take burst mode shots 3x faster than an iPhone 14P. All iPhone's are capped at 10fps you will find your S23 will take around 30fps in low light conditions


The iPhone 14p artificially increases the ISO in low light conditions to keep shutter speed high, however its algorithms and processing in the mode tends to get colour balance wrong (very cool colours) and possible some loss of contrast and over sharpening for focus. You cant avoid this without going to manual mode

Samsung have realised this and now gives you options via 3 choices to suit your standard mode



The nearest you are likely to get to so called shutter lag is the speed of saving very large image files from the main sensor, even Samsung's superior faster memory can't save continuous taps of images of this size

You note bloat but this is very subjective and on my IP14P I have a folder with +30 apps of what I consider Apple bloat

As for ad's you only have to see today in the App Store and other pushed content from Tim I have seen on occasion

As for menu structure I prefer Samsung's over Apple which just seems endless scrolling

But my biggest gripe is the milking of your wallet by subscription services. I can't even back up my iPhone without paying for increased storage and its just downhill from there LOL

 

[Abazigal]

Now... what I do use: Airdrop. My girlfriend takes photos of our dogs and she Airdrops them to me, and vice versa. My sister the same thing. Sending photos through Whatsapp sucks because even if you have higher quality enabled on settings they always compress it to a point where it sucks. I would really need a good alternative to Airdrop.

I believe telegram is capable of sending images at full res (or at least with minimal compression). It would be a good alternative to WhatsApp if you get other people to swap.

 

[Yebubbleman]

Hello fellow Rumors,

Hope you are all doing well and safe!

Firstly let me say that I have been a avid reader of this forum for years now, but never really felt the need to go through the hassle of creating an account and participating mostly because I really had nothing to add to the discussions. Until now I guess.

I have been using the iPhone ever since the iPhone 4 was released. I may have had a few interactions with Android in-between, mostly when I lost my iPhone and/or when it went for repair or stuff like that, and always with pretty cheap phones so it is a very soft sample of the platform. My parents both use Android phones so I know my way around for the most part (can do the basics at least).

I went from the iPhone 4 to 4S - 5S - 7 - XR - 11 - 12 - 13 Pro Max - 14 Pro - 13 base which is what I am currently using for the past months.

I bet you are wondering what happened on the last part of this chain of iPhones, and I will tell you: I lost my iPhone 12 at the time which I dearly loved and decided to go all in and got the 13 Pro Max. I only had it for 3 months until I eventually sold it. I had two major complaints about it: The size and the camera. The camera had some weird focusing problems, where it would always focus around the subject. This was not normal at all but honestly could be just my unit. The size: I don't have anything against big phones, at all. What really bothered me was the lack of usability of that big screen. Just seemed like they didn't care at all. It was an iPhone on steroids but with poor sense of opportunity.

So after that the 14 lineup was just released and I decided to go back to the regular sized iPhone and got the 14 Pro. Size was wonderful. I felt that the phone was just overall poorly balanced with those huge cameras on the back. Until now Apple has done barely nothing to make the dynamic island useful, I think you can all agree. I really thought we would quickly see a lot of different integrations and uses but it was mostly a music controller and a timer & calls big rectangle on the screen.

But even putting this aside... this little beast of a phone cost me nothing more nothing less than a whooping 1350 euros (Yes, I am in Europe - it is indeed shocking). And only after a few days I felt a considerable amount of buying remorse and after week and a half I returned it back to Apple.

The 14 Pro was great, but in general I just felt like the price hike from my iPhone 12 could not be justified in any palpable way. Yes the camera was better, the 120hz felt smooth and quick, but apart from that... what more? So I picked up a barely used 13 base model which I have been using for the past couple of months.

To no surprise it feels the same as my 12. Battery is a bit better. The 60hz took some getting used to again, but it is manageable. I would argue the camera is... almost the same? Now that I think about it... this iPhone 13, similar to my 12... feels roughly similar to my 11. Maybe to my XR apart from the screen being a lot better.

After all of this I just started feeling a bit stupid. Yeah, they work alright (even though iOS 16 has been a bit of a messy update) but how stale has the iPhone become overall? It is 2023 and we are yet to see stuff people have been asking for ages: multitasking? No. Free arrangement of the app icons on the home screen? No. USB-C? No. Faster charging? No. Gosh we got that "innovative" lock screen customization and now to change my home screen wallpaper I almost have to solve world hunger.

Of course it got me thinking about Android in general, and how I have recently been seeing how advanced and stable it has become in the past couple of years. I took close attention to the Pixel 7 Pro launch and while it did call for me slightly I just feel like Google phones are trimmed in certain ways that don't really translate to flagship quality. Being the materials, the bugs, the fact my country is not part of their store so I cannot buy from them, etc. I think we don't even get 5G on it...

Eventually last month the S23 lineup was released and this time around I was very very curious about it, specifically the S23 Ultra.

Design wise I do think it is a beautiful phone, lot different from the iPhone but not in a bad way. I had already really enjoyed the design of the S21 Ultra and the S22 Ultra, but being in Europe with the whole Exynos shenanigans I would never ever even consider to buy a phone that is a capped version of the one sold in other countries. What is this? Leftovers?

But this time around Samsung brought the big guns and the reviews are indeed unanimous: It is one (if not the best) of the best phones available right now. The competition being the iPhone 14 Pro/Pro Max.

So putting them the two side by side... why does the 14 Pro feels like a old iPhone with a bit of steroids?

I have been considering making the switch to the S23 Ultra, has you may or may not already have figured out. Apart from a few things that genuinely worry me, I do not suffer from the same issues that our fellow US friends do:

- Nobody, and I mean nobody used iMessage here. Heck, my sister has it turned off. My girlfriend sent me a Animojy 1 year go and that was it. We are all deeply entangled with Whatsapp. And if one day this country starts to shift platforms it would probably be to something like Telegram (always something cross platform and universal). So iMessage for me a a non-subject.

- In my case, the word ecosystem does not exist, at all:

I do not own a personal computer (Mac/Windows) because I work all day + extra hours in front of a PC and when I get home the last thing I want is to look at another. I haven't owned a personal computer I think in the last 5/6 years.

I also do not own any iPads/tablet, I much rather sit in the couch in front of a fairly modern 55 inch OLED TV and watch a good movie or some episodes of the Last of Us

I have never been a fan of watches, in general. So when Apple released the Apple Watch it didn't even cross my mind to get one and until this day I remain decided. I like my wrists free as a bird. I see a lot of people entangled with iPhone mostly because of the Apple Watch so this is (like the iMessage deal) a non-subject for me as well.

Don't own Airpods, Airtags, Apple TV's, nothing... the iPhone is my only Apple device. And actually my only device - period.

Now... what I do use: Airdrop. My girlfriend takes photos of our dogs and she Airdrops them to me, and vice versa. My sister the same thing. Sending photos through Whatsapp sucks because even if you have higher quality enabled on settings they always compress it to a point where it sucks. I would really need a good alternative to Airdrop.

Notes... We use a lot of shared notes. I honestly don't love the iPhone notes app, but my gf does like it. I guess I could convince her to use a third party, but it would have to be cross platform, free, and rather good.

Find My... I have already fixed this with Life360 like a year ago. Has a lot more functionality and circles are great too.

Facetime... this I use. Not on a daily basis but occasionally. While I have tried Whatsapp video calling - it is not bad bad but it is not particularly great either.

And I guess these are my ties that I need to untie in order to to the move. Everything else I use is cross-platform and I have never been much inclined to use Apple stuff like iCloud... I have used Google Photos for years paying for the premium storage. Gmail instead of the iOS Mail app; I do use Safari but switching browsers is ok for me...

I do need to resolve the issue with all my passwords being stored in iCloud Keychain. Is there a replacement for Android?

I have been fairly impressed with the camera feedback for the S23 Ultra, I do have two major worries:
- Video quality... how far is it from the iPhone in video?
- Shutter lag... is it still a thing? I do take daily photos of my dogs and they have 5000mAh batteries!

I don't really use social networks to record photos or videos, I may eventually share some stuff on Instagram or tiktok but I don't see the point in recording inside the apps. And I have been consistently reducing social networks on my life.

Lastly, the idea behind this long post is for you guys to "convince" me to do the jump. I need someone to blame if it goes south

Can you please give me your feedback and your user experience if you switched from the iPhone to the S23 Ultra? What do you miss and don't miss? What are the positives that you have been feeling? What are the negatives?

Also, I should note that my employer has a partnership with Samsung so I have 15% discount on everything, as per my investigation I can grab a unlocked S23 Ultra 512GB of storage for 1100 euros.

For comparison, if I wanted to grab a 512GB iPhone 14 Pro it would rip my wallet in 1740 euros, or for the 14 Pro Max an insane 1900 euros lmao. Almost 2k for a phone.

I'm not a huge fan of Samsung's variant of Android. I've always wanted to give it a shot, given that it is the most popular third party Android flavor there is. Samsung's phone hardware has, with very few exceptions, been top notch. But the software completely kills it for me. They package Google Play and most, if not all of the primary Google Android apps (because they'd be stupid not to). But also their own alternative versions of those apps...? Like, why do we need their e-mail client when Gmail is included and has a way better UI? I know the Samsung browser has its own cult following, but why give us that AND Chrome? And does anyone seriously get non-bundled Android apps from the Galaxy Store? Seems redundant. Is it way better than the TouchWiz days? You betcha. But it's still...kludgy. And for one of the top phone manufacturers in the world, kludgy shouldn't be a word I'm using to describe their software.

If you haven't guessed by now, I am a member of #TeamPixel at least when it comes to which models of Android I prefer. I also disagree with the notion that the Pixel 7 Pro doesn't feel like it is constructed like a Pro grade phone (though the random shattering of the camera glass is not the best look). Unlike you, I'm, for better or worse, chained to the leg of the Apple ecosystem and with the iPhone at its core; just like Apple wants. The Android phones I have...the Pixel phones that I have are all the A-series. I keep up with Android because I used to be primarily an Android user and I've dropped a bunch of money into that ecosystem that I'd rather not just lose.

I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't extremely tempted to switch back to Android. I have an Apple Card, but carrying around a non-activated iPhone SE to use it with Apple Pay wouldn't be the worst compromise. But then there's iMessage and the ability to send and receive texts from my Mac and iPad. Hard to break from that.

All of that context being said, consider why you're switching. If it's because you're bored, you're going to get bored on a new Samsung or a new Pixel or a new OnePlus, or a new Moto too. That's just phones. They're hyper-practical, super exciting for the first few months, and then they become boring for the next 1-5 years thereafter. If it's because you are sick of Apple's stubbornness and the limitations of iOS, then I say embrace and explore that.

For the things you might miss, like FaceTime or iCloud Keychain, my advice would be to do one of the following 3 things:

a) Just let them all go; you can always repopulate that data in other services later

b) Keep your iPhone 13 around for when you want to use those things. You won't have cellular service, but Wi-Fi can help you when you need it.

c) Get an iPad mini and use those features on that. They're super useful, don't take up much space and still give you 98% of what's great about iOS (in the form of iPadOS) without locking you to Apple's ecosystem.

Can you live without iPhone, iOS, and all of Apple's services? Yes. You are in a much better position to do so than I ever will be and I'm insanely jealous of you for it. Would I go with Samsung? No. Will you enjoy Android otherwise? I think so. It's a good platform and it's come a long way. Do I think it matters that iPhones still don't have USB-C, proper multi-tasking, or as extensive software customization? Not really. The phone is still a phone and it still does what phones are supposed to do. But if that matters to you, then that's worth consideration! Make the jump if that's what you want to do!

Just remember to de-couple your phone number from iMessage in the process of switching!!!

 

[ian87w]

I'm not a huge fan of Samsung's variant of Android. I've always wanted to give it a shot, given that it is the most popular third party Android flavor there is. Samsung's phone hardware has, with very few exceptions, been top notch. But the software completely kills it for me. They package Google Play and most, if not all of the primary Google Android apps (because they'd be stupid not to). But also their own alternative versions of those apps...? Like, why do we need their e-mail client when Gmail is included and has a way better UI? I know the Samsung browser has its own cult following, but why give us that AND Chrome? And does anyone seriously get non-bundled Android apps from the Galaxy Store? Seems redundant. Is it way better than the TouchWiz days? You betcha. But it's still...kludgy. And for one of the top phone manufacturers in the world, kludgy shouldn't be a word I'm using to describe their software.

Those Google apps are required by Google if OEMs want access to GMS/Play Store. So I would blame Google, not Samsung. Besides, most Samsung apps are now optional. The Samsung browser is not even installed by default in newer Samsung devices (it’s an optional download during first setup). the Samsung software phobia are unwarranted these days. Most bloatware come from Google. But the old narrative remains. Besides, the Google apps are not that great to begin with. I myself now use mostly the Samsung version of apps like email and calendar as Gmail and Google Calendar apps are becoming less and less intuitive for me.

 

[Yebubbleman]

Those Google apps are required by Google if OEMs want access to GMS/Play Store. So I would blame Google, not Samsung.

I blame Samsung because Samsung is (or I guess was) the only Android OEM trying to replace the Google apps, while not replacing them.

Besides, most Samsung apps are now optional.

That's good to hear. It always bothered me that I had them whether I wanted them or not.

The Samsung browser is not even installed by default in newer Samsung devices (it’s an optional download during first setup). the Samsung software phobia are unwarranted these days.

It's admittedly been a bit. It was definitely not good software. Their keyboard always drove me nuts. Or at least to immediately replace it with Gboard.

I'm glad to hear that my aversions may be outdated. Their hardware is truly best in class and it always seemed hampered by the software.

Most bloatware come from Google. But the old narrative remains. Besides, the Google apps are not that great to begin with.

Might be personal preference. I like them okay.

I myself now use mostly the Samsung version of apps like email and calendar as Gmail and Google Calendar apps are becoming less and less intuitive for me.

It sounds like the quality of those apps has drastically improved. I'll definitely try to check them out and re-evaluate. I definitely wasn't a fan of them in the Galaxy S5/Galaxy Tab S2-S4 era.

 

[ozaz]

AirDrop: Probably the hardest one to find a cross-platform alternative for. But perhaps try something like Snapdrop or ShareDrop, which both work through any browser. I haven't tried either extensively myself.

Notes: Perhaps Google Keep or Simplenote. Someone mentioned OneNote earlier. I use and like OneNote, but only really for work-related or complex notes that I mainly take on my PC or on my tablet with pen/stylus. For simpler needs I wouldn't suggest OneNote. Samsung notes would be another good option if you didn't need to share notes with an iOS user. Also, if your Girlfriend really doesn't want to stop using Apple Notes, you can access your Apple Notes through iCloud.com. Not sure if you can setup sharing from here though so your girlfriend me need to do that bit.

Find My: Google and Samsung have their own equivalents.

Facetime: Whatsapp. But if that's not good enough consider using Google Meet, Zoom, MS Teams, or Skype.

Keychain: 1Password or Bitwarden.

Lastly… I still, even after all these years, have considerable reservations towards android. Why does the phone have 2 messages apps. Two calendar apps. Two browsers. Two contacts apps. Bunch of Samsung bloatware. There is adds even in the Samsung browser homepage? Notifications for adds from Samsung?

If this is a major issue for you, you can sidestep by choosing Google Pixel over Samsung. Alternatively, if you get a Samsung device I'm pretty sure you can uninstall or disable most apps so that you don't have 2 apps for a particular function.

Regarding "bloatware". As someone else mentioned earlier this is very subjective. Samsung devices do have a bunch of software features which are genuine selling ponts for their devices when compared to other Android device manufacturers (e.g. Dex, Secure Folder, S-Pen + Notes). Admittedly they also have some weak to mediocre offerings, but if they had just stuck with stock Android and Google apps, the gems wouldn't exist. Ultimately, I think they made the right choice trying to have their own identity even if the result is a bit of extra complexity. I think it also benefits the health/variety of the Android device market as a whole.

 

[Harthag]

It's not an ideal solution for many people, but if you rely on iMessage, AirMessage is great. If you have a Mac it's simple to set up. If you have a PC you can create a virtual Mac to use it.

I've been sending iMessages with full quality photos and videos for the 3 weeks I've had my S23+. It's a game changer. No one except for my wife knows I'm using an Android phone haha.

 

[ApplesAreSweet&Sour]

the smartphone market at this point is too mature for there to be anything really worth comparing or considering.

And I fear that the jump from Face ID notch to notch less and punch hole free iPhones is going to be the biggest advancement we’re going to see over the next 3-5 years.

And even that isn’t going to be a jump but small iterations from one year to the next (or even slower).

And then maybe Apple can finally beef up the RAM on iPhones beyond 6GBs.

No, it’s not necessary. But it does still make for less reloading and a smoother experience when switching between apps with huge files.

 

[aggie99]

It's not an ideal solution for many people, but if you rely on iMessage, AirMessage is great. If you have a Mac it's simple to set up. If you have a PC you can create a virtual Mac to use it.

I've been sending iMessages with full quality photos and videos for the 3 weeks I've had my S23+. It's a game changer. No one except for my wife knows I'm using an Android phone haha.

I've been using this since the Fold 4 came out. Once I got everyone to add my apple id email to my contact info and send iMessages to that it's been pretty awesome. I get iMessages on my Pixel 7 Pro, S23U, Fold4, and tabS8 ultra. Obviously you miss out on some of the extras that iMessage offers but all I care about is full resolution media and delivery reports/read receipts

 

[tonysoprano]

Hello guys,

Have decided to stick to my (more than capable) iPhone 13 for another period. Will wait and see what the iPhone 15 Pro brings to the table.

But perhaps I will just hold on to this iPhone 13 until it breaks or stops working properly.

Thank you all for your feedback.

 

[SteveJUAE]

Hello guys,

Have decided to stick to my (more than capable) iPhone 13 for another period. Will wait and see what the iPhone 15 Pro brings to the table.

But perhaps I will just hold on to this iPhone 13 until it breaks or stops working properly.

Thank you all for your feedback.

Enjoy

 

[Technerd108]

Hello guys,

Have decided to stick to my (more than capable) iPhone 13 for another period. Will wait and see what the iPhone 15 Pro brings to the table.

But perhaps I will just hold on to this iPhone 13 until it breaks or stops working properly.

Thank you all for your feedback.

Probably for the best. The iPhone 13 is a great phone and will be for several years.

I think sticking with Apple is probably the best choice for you.

You got to be willing to get your hands dirty and test things out by trying it for yourself. Trying to figure something out in your head and based on other people's opinions is really hard.

I mean if you had an iPhone 11 or earlier then it might be a little more time sensitive but just because of the lack of 5g but with a 13 it can last a lot longer.

 

[MacProFCP]

Hello fellow Rumors,

Hope you are all doing well and safe!

Firstly let me say that I have been a avid reader of this forum for years now, but never really felt the need to go through the hassle of creating an account and participating mostly because I really had nothing to add to the discussions. Until now I guess.

I have been using the iPhone ever since the iPhone 4 was released. I may have had a few interactions with Android in-between, mostly when I lost my iPhone and/or when it went for repair or stuff like that, and always with pretty cheap phones so it is a very soft sample of the platform. My parents both use Android phones so I know my way around for the most part (can do the basics at least).

I went from the iPhone 4 to 4S - 5S - 7 - XR - 11 - 12 - 13 Pro Max - 14 Pro - 13 base which is what I am currently using for the past months.

I bet you are wondering what happened on the last part of this chain of iPhones, and I will tell you: I lost my iPhone 12 at the time which I dearly loved and decided to go all in and got the 13 Pro Max. I only had it for 3 months until I eventually sold it. I had two major complaints about it: The size and the camera. The camera had some weird focusing problems, where it would always focus around the subject. This was not normal at all but honestly could be just my unit. The size: I don't have anything against big phones, at all. What really bothered me was the lack of usability of that big screen. Just seemed like they didn't care at all. It was an iPhone on steroids but with poor sense of opportunity.

So after that the 14 lineup was just released and I decided to go back to the regular sized iPhone and got the 14 Pro. Size was wonderful. I felt that the phone was just overall poorly balanced with those huge cameras on the back. Until now Apple has done barely nothing to make the dynamic island useful, I think you can all agree. I really thought we would quickly see a lot of different integrations and uses but it was mostly a music controller and a timer & calls big rectangle on the screen.

But even putting this aside... this little beast of a phone cost me nothing more nothing less than a whooping 1350 euros (Yes, I am in Europe - it is indeed shocking). And only after a few days I felt a considerable amount of buying remorse and after week and a half I returned it back to Apple.

The 14 Pro was great, but in general I just felt like the price hike from my iPhone 12 could not be justified in any palpable way. Yes the camera was better, the 120hz felt smooth and quick, but apart from that... what more? So I picked up a barely used 13 base model which I have been using for the past couple of months.

To no surprise it feels the same as my 12. Battery is a bit better. The 60hz took some getting used to again, but it is manageable. I would argue the camera is... almost the same? Now that I think about it... this iPhone 13, similar to my 12... feels roughly similar to my 11. Maybe to my XR apart from the screen being a lot better.

After all of this I just started feeling a bit stupid. Yeah, they work alright (even though iOS 16 has been a bit of a messy update) but how stale has the iPhone become overall? It is 2023 and we are yet to see stuff people have been asking for ages: multitasking? No. Free arrangement of the app icons on the home screen? No. USB-C? No. Faster charging? No. Gosh we got that "innovative" lock screen customization and now to change my home screen wallpaper I almost have to solve world hunger.

Of course it got me thinking about Android in general, and how I have recently been seeing how advanced and stable it has become in the past couple of years. I took close attention to the Pixel 7 Pro launch and while it did call for me slightly I just feel like Google phones are trimmed in certain ways that don't really translate to flagship quality. Being the materials, the bugs, the fact my country is not part of their store so I cannot buy from them, etc. I think we don't even get 5G on it...

Eventually last month the S23 lineup was released and this time around I was very very curious about it, specifically the S23 Ultra.

Design wise I do think it is a beautiful phone, lot different from the iPhone but not in a bad way. I had already really enjoyed the design of the S21 Ultra and the S22 Ultra, but being in Europe with the whole Exynos shenanigans I would never ever even consider to buy a phone that is a capped version of the one sold in other countries. What is this? Leftovers?

But this time around Samsung brought the big guns and the reviews are indeed unanimous: It is one (if not the best) of the best phones available right now. The competition being the iPhone 14 Pro/Pro Max.

So putting them the two side by side... why does the 14 Pro feels like a old iPhone with a bit of steroids?

I have been considering making the switch to the S23 Ultra, has you may or may not already have figured out. Apart from a few things that genuinely worry me, I do not suffer from the same issues that our fellow US friends do:

- Nobody, and I mean nobody used iMessage here. Heck, my sister has it turned off. My girlfriend sent me a Animojy 1 year go and that was it. We are all deeply entangled with Whatsapp. And if one day this country starts to shift platforms it would probably be to something like Telegram (always something cross platform and universal). So iMessage for me a a non-subject.

- In my case, the word ecosystem does not exist, at all:

I do not own a personal computer (Mac/Windows) because I work all day + extra hours in front of a PC and when I get home the last thing I want is to look at another. I haven't owned a personal computer I think in the last 5/6 years.

I also do not own any iPads/tablet, I much rather sit in the couch in front of a fairly modern 55 inch OLED TV and watch a good movie or some episodes of the Last of Us

I have never been a fan of watches, in general. So when Apple released the Apple Watch it didn't even cross my mind to get one and until this day I remain decided. I like my wrists free as a bird. I see a lot of people entangled with iPhone mostly because of the Apple Watch so this is (like the iMessage deal) a non-subject for me as well.

Don't own Airpods, Airtags, Apple TV's, nothing... the iPhone is my only Apple device. And actually my only device - period.

Now... what I do use: Airdrop. My girlfriend takes photos of our dogs and she Airdrops them to me, and vice versa. My sister the same thing. Sending photos through Whatsapp sucks because even if you have higher quality enabled on settings they always compress it to a point where it sucks. I would really need a good alternative to Airdrop.

Notes... We use a lot of shared notes. I honestly don't love the iPhone notes app, but my gf does like it. I guess I could convince her to use a third party, but it would have to be cross platform, free, and rather good.

Find My... I have already fixed this with Life360 like a year ago. Has a lot more functionality and circles are great too.

Facetime... this I use. Not on a daily basis but occasionally. While I have tried Whatsapp video calling - it is not bad bad but it is not particularly great either.

And I guess these are my ties that I need to untie in order to to the move. Everything else I use is cross-platform and I have never been much inclined to use Apple stuff like iCloud... I have used Google Photos for years paying for the premium storage. Gmail instead of the iOS Mail app; I do use Safari but switching browsers is ok for me...

I do need to resolve the issue with all my passwords being stored in iCloud Keychain. Is there a replacement for Android?

I have been fairly impressed with the camera feedback for the S23 Ultra, I do have two major worries:
- Video quality... how far is it from the iPhone in video?
- Shutter lag... is it still a thing? I do take daily photos of my dogs and they have 5000mAh batteries!

I don't really use social networks to record photos or videos, I may eventually share some stuff on Instagram or tiktok but I don't see the point in recording inside the apps. And I have been consistently reducing social networks on my life.

Lastly, the idea behind this long post is for you guys to "convince" me to do the jump. I need someone to blame if it goes south

Can you please give me your feedback and your user experience if you switched from the iPhone to the S23 Ultra? What do you miss and don't miss? What are the positives that you have been feeling? What are the negatives?

Also, I should note that my employer has a partnership with Samsung so I have 15% discount on everything, as per my investigation I can grab a unlocked S23 Ultra 512GB of storage for 1100 euros.

For comparison, if I wanted to grab a 512GB iPhone 14 Pro it would rip my wallet in 1740 euros, or for the 14 Pro Max an insane 1900 euros lmao. Almost 2k for a phone.

Wow, that was fairly long for an OP.

You don’t seem to need an iPhone. For me, the biggest reason is the ecosystem and iMessage. You were fairly clear that neither is relevant to you.

My only concern with Android is that I don’t trust Google as a company and certainly not with privacy. If you’re OK with Google knowing everything you have in your phone and tracking you physically throughout your travels, by all means make the switch.

I take Apple to take on some issues but one thing I feel they get right is Apple’s view on privacy and making it insanely difficult to track users without their acquiescence.

 

[Shanghaichica]

I am here to admire the wall of text. 🖼️

I enjoyed the wall of text. I started reading at 7 am this morning, still feeling a bit tired lol But I did enjoy it when at 8am I had finished (kept falling back to sleep because I was still tired lol)

 

[Shanghaichica]

I get the gist, but I don’t see the point of complaining about expensive iPhones by buying an also expensive Samsung. You’re still spending well over $1000 every year for a phone. If cost really is the concern, then simply not upgrade yearly. A $1000 iPhone is only $333 per year if you keep it for 3 years. Most recent phone hardware can perform well in 3 to 5 years as the smartphone and software imo have peaked. The increase in performance no longer make a huge difference in daily tasks.

Here’s what I would do. Instead of switching to Android entirely, keep your iPhone and simply get an Android mid range. $400-$500 Android phones today are great and will do 90-95% of their flagship counterparts. Go check the Galaxy A54. It has returned to premium glass back, and the 256GB model is still less than $500 (at least in my country). You can test the waters, get familiar, make sure the platform delivers the same experience for your current workflow without spending a lot of money.

That’s my take if the phone price is truly the issue. Complaining how iPhone costs more than $1000 by buying another $1000 Android makes zero sense to me. It’s as if you just want a new toy 😉🤭 Nothing’s wrong with that, but simply be honest of your own personal goal, and that way, you can have better judgement and mindset.

A lot of it is about principle. There is an amount of money that we are willing to spend on a phone. Apple are approaching that line, if not breached it. Especially in Europe. Looking at the OP’s example when I currency convert. The iPhone 14 pro max at 512GB would cost £705 more than the S23 ultra in 512GB. That’s huge and something to complain about.

 

[Shanghaichica]

I don't agree that buying an expensive Android makes zero sense for the reasons I stated.

I don't think the OP can't afford an expensive iPhone but he just thinks that they are getting way to expensive for what they offer. Specially when you can get a S23 Ultra with similar specs for like €750 less than the iPhone. I agree with his assessment.

However the OP hasn't responded in a while so who knows??

Completely agree. They are both high end phones which are roughly the same give or take a few things here and there. There is no way in any sane and rational world that one should cost £700 more than the other.

 

[Shanghaichica]

OP, I’m going to have to second Technerd108 about bloatware. If you don’t like bloatware, get the Pixel phone.

Also, if your phone is your only computer, how do you compose such lengthy posts?

The iphone is very easy to type on. You can type long posts on it. We are spoiled with multiple devices and we create barriers and first world problems where there are none, oh the screen is too small to watch this video so I’m going to use my iPad. Oh I’m not replying to this email on my iPhone because it’s too small so I’m going to use my Mac etc. When you only have one device things are much more simple and straight forward.

 

[ian87w]

A lot of it is about principle. There is an amount of money that we are willing to spend on a phone. Apple are approaching that line, if not breached it. Especially in Europe. Looking at the OP’s example when I currency convert. The iPhone 14 pro max at 512GB would cost £705 more than the S23 ultra in 512GB. That’s huge and something to complain about.

Oh I’m aware of that, being in a country where the regular 14 is already at almost $1000 🤭😅 It’s just that all flagships are expensive already, so if price were really the issue, spending $1000 on any phone regardless of the brand makes no sense. But then the OP clarified that price was not the real issue. 😊

 

[tonysoprano]

Please do remember that the iPhone 14 (regular model) is by no means a “flagship “… and in my country is already above 1000€.

That’s what drives me a bit maniac with apple. How they get away with releasing a “new” iPhone which is exactly the same as the 13, and bump the prince to 1k € without any palpable difference between the previous model. Heck even the 13 Pro to the 14 Pro has very little effort put into it if we look closely: dynamic island which is a Frankenstein of notches to be honest (I rather prefer the regular notch), worst battery life than the 13 Pro, roughly the same cameras but a mutation in terms of size of camera bump, same iOS but largely more inconsistent and buggy.

 

[Technerd108]

Please do remember that the iPhone 14 (regular model) is by no means a “flagship “… and in my country is already above 1000€.

That’s what drives me a bit maniac with apple. How they get away with releasing a “new” iPhone which is exactly the same as the 13, and bump the prince to 1k € without any palpable difference between the previous model. Heck even the 13 Pro to the 14 Pro has very little effort put into it if we look closely: dynamic island which is a Frankenstein of notches to be honest (I rather prefer the regular notch), worst battery life than the 13 Pro, roughly the same cameras but a mutation in terms of size of camera bump, same iOS but largely more inconsistent and buggy.

iPhone 14 is the worst iPhone release in a long time to be honest.

Well generally speaking any iPhone (besides SE) is a flagship (based on cost) it is just that Tim Apple split the line up into a regular and pro model to extract as much cash from it's users and simultaneously push consumers into the most expensive models.

iPhones used to have all the same specs it was just size. The larger size model cost the most but they all pretty much had the same hardware which is why they were so good.

Now they segment the line too much.

BUT I suspect the 15 should be a decent release. At least the a17 should be a decent bit faster of course only in the Pro's. We will see about the GPU though.

The iPhone needs a lot improvements for me to consider getting one again. Android keeps improving while Apple keeps slipping.

To be honest this is why Apple locks there customers down so they won't abandon ship.