Switching from iPhone to Galaxy?

[Shanghaichica]

How does one transfer from one Android to another? Is it a royal pain? With apple there are many ways and when I bought my 13 last year it did the transfer in the car (without WIFI) by sitting my 12 & 13 next to each other. Is Android that easy?

I couldn’t comment because it’s been so long since I did a transfer from one android phone to another. I know the back up methods have improved a lot of android. Samsung at one time had back up service that was virtually the same as an iCloud back up. Samsung had their own cloud space like iCloud but they shut that down and use one drive. So you can do a cloud backup of your Samsung phone. I think you can also do wired syncs between one Samsung phone and another. Google also offer a backup solution. Long story short. I think the back up solution on android is probably comparable to an iCloud/iTunes back up these days.

 

[Shanghaichica]

I honestly think phones are so comparable these days in terms of hardware and software features. I think motivation to switch is quite low if you are already invested in one ecosystem or the other. I think for those who are not invested or who are device agnostic switching is far easier.

 

[petvas]

I couldn’t comment because it’s been so long since I did a transfer from one android phone to another. I know the back up methods have improved a lot of android. Samsung at one time had back up service that was virtually the same as an iCloud back up. Samsung had their own cloud space like iCloud but they shut that down and use one drive. So you can do a cloud backup of your Samsung phone. I think you can also do wired syncs between one Samsung phone and another. Google also offer a backup solution. Long story short. I think the back up solution on android is probably comparable to an iCloud/iTunes back up these days.

No, it's not. It's not bad, especially if you are using cloud services for most things. iCloud Backup & restore is much easier, but that's normal, since Apple controls all aspects of software and hardware.

 

[keithop]

Another thing that I don't really like is the way the Always On display works, but this is just very subjective. I prefer to automatically be able to see the content of my notifications. Instead, I get symbols which I have to tap in order to read my notifications.
And then we have the way the S23 deals with notifications. I configured it to always show me a pop up when a notification comes. This doesn't happen always and I still don't get why. Maybe it's a bug.

these two are huge for me and even with all the customisations, I can't get them to work the way I want.

As you say, it's really handy on ios to have the phone sitting there with AOD and the notifications to appear there in enough detail so I know whether I need to action something immediately or not. Having a tiny app symbol is SO much worse and i'm amazed that there doesn't seem to be any option to change it.

likewise, when using the phone, I would like every notification to pop up for a few seconds at the top of the screen... No matter what I do, some apps do, some don't despite making sure notifications and pop ups are enabled for all the apps.

Heck, the notifications weren't even in chronological order until I installed an app to fix.

There are SO many things I love about the S23u and Android but despite everyone telling me how much better the android notification system works, I'm not buying it at the moment.

 

[ian87w]

I couldn’t comment because it’s been so long since I did a transfer from one android phone to another. I know the back up methods have improved a lot of android. Samsung at one time had back up service that was virtually the same as an iCloud back up. Samsung had their own cloud space like iCloud but they shut that down and use one drive. So you can do a cloud backup of your Samsung phone. I think you can also do wired syncs between one Samsung phone and another. Google also offer a backup solution. Long story short. I think the back up solution on android is probably comparable to an iCloud/iTunes back up these days.

Wish that was the case.

The beauty of iPhone backup is complete one to one backup. When you get a new iPhone, you can simply do a restore and bam, it’s as if you never left your old phone. Very simple, although it has its own issues. Straightforward and copied everything from old phone to new.

Android backup, Google or Samsung, is still peace meal (that the tools support) and basic. They basically only restore the basic phone data like contacts. App data are not transferred, only a list of apps you had installed. On the new phone, you still have to rerun all apps as if they’re newly installed. Chats like WeChat/Line are not transferred at all, and you have to migrate them manually. In short, it’s still a hassle.

 

[jwolf6589]

Wish that was the case.

The beauty of iPhone backup is complete one to one backup. When you get a new iPhone, you can simply do a restore and bam, it’s as if you never left your old phone. Very simple, although it has its own issues. Straightforward and copied everything from old phone to new.

Android backup, Google or Samsung, is still peace meal (that the tools support) and basic. They basically only restore the basic phone data like contacts. App data are not transferred, only a list of apps you had installed. On the new phone, you still have to rerun all apps as if they’re newly installed. Chats like WeChat/Line are not transferred at all, and you have to migrate them manually. In short, it’s still a hassle.

What of photos, videos, voice memos and the like?

 

[Ludatyk]

There are SO many things I love about the S23u and Android but despite everyone telling me how much better the android notification system works, I'm not buying it at the moment.

What I like about the Android notification system is how status icons show at the top... I'm not a big notification hoarder, so I don't care to see too many icons. But I do like how Android does this.

Tbh, I think Pixel has a better Notification Center UI and I like its entire animation in terms of the swipe down.

 

[keithop]

What I like about the Android notification system is how status icons show at the top... I'm not a big notification hoarder, so I don't care to see too many icons. But I do like how Android does this.

see that's what I DONT like about it but perhaps I'm just used to ios and not giving android a fair shot.

To me, having a ton of tiny icons at the very top of the screen doesn't tell me anything other than I have TONS of things to catch up on but tbh, I don't get much more from that than just having a dot saying "youve got notifications".

With the iphone, when the notifications come in, I can see them even on the always on display which is helpful.

HOWEVER, it's also true that once off the iphone lock screen, there's no indication that you have notifications outstanding so I can see why people like those top icons.

Tbh, I think Pixel has a better Notification Center UI and I like its entire animation in terms of the swipe down.

Can't remember the pixel one, I'll have to have a play.

 

[Jackbequickly]

Don’t sell you iPhone as it will save you some money if you return. Everyone has to make their own choices and you should follow your wants and needs.

 

[petvas]

So, I got my S23 Ultra yesterday and would like to post my impressions. Please note that it will not replace my iPhone 14 Pro Max. It's meant to be my second phone.

I believe that the iPhone is the better device. Why do I say that? Let's have a more close look at the S23 Ultra. The build quality is great, so there is nothing to worry about here. I got the black S23 and it looks nice. The camera bump is not a problem for me.
The display is large, larger than the iPhone's, but the overall quality while still great, is definitely not on par with the iPhone. The default vivid setting should be banned from all phones. The natural setting makes colors appear nice and natural. My biggest issue with the display is the adaptive brightness, which acts extremely conservative. I hope that it learns with time and stops setting the brightness so low, in most situations. The iPhone on the other side doesn't have such issues. Everything works great by default, at least as far as the auto brightness concerns.
The S23 Ultra Display is second best among smartphones. A great display, but not the best.
The speakers are loud and clear, but here we have again the same situation. The iPhone's speakers are clearer, have better bass and just sound better. Please be advised not to activate Dolby Atmos on your S23 Ultra. It will make listening to music a very bad experience. Just leave it off and you will enjoy good sound coming out of the speakers.
The battery is too early to judge, but it seems to be very good, but not on par with the iPhone. Currently my S23 has 78% battery left, while my iPhone has 82%. Interesting enough, I was out today for two hours and took my iPhone with me. The S23 stayed home. I also took the S23 out of the charger an hour later..

The S23 also offers object detection (animals, persons, etc) in pictures, just like the iPhone does..Well, in my tests it works bad. I uploaded two small videos, to showcase that, with a picture I took with the S23.

Another thing that I don't really like is the way the Always On display works, but this is just very subjective. I prefer to automatically be able to see the content of my notifications. Instead, I get symbols which I have to tap in order to read my notifications.
And then we have the way the S23 deals with notifications. I configured it to always show me a pop up when a notification comes. This doesn't happen always and I still don't get why. Maybe it's a bug.
On a positive note, I really like the way Android is organized, especially the Home Screen and the app drawer. Also nice the secure folder and the ability to have two instances of WhatsApp and Facebook. I also like the news aggregation on the left of the screen.
The S-Pen is also a nice feature, but nothing I will be using on a daily basis.
The Samsung keyboard is ok, but I installed GBoard and it's much better, better than the iPhone's keyboard.
In terms of performance there is nothing to say, which is positive. I also miss FaceID, but the on board fingerprint sensor is not bad.

As far as apps concern, I don't understand why Twitter and Instagram are worse on Android.
Overall, I really like the S23 Ultra, but if I had to choose, I would just get the iPhone again and again.

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Now I am one week in with the S23 Ultra and here are my thoughts. To be honest I somehow prefer to use the S23 instead of my iPhone 14 Pro Max. Maybe because it's new and I am in the honeymoon phase. Maybe.
I like the way the phone feels in the hand. I also like the bigger display (by a small margin, but it does make a difference). The quality of the iPhone's display is still better, but the difference is very small.
Battery life has been exceptional so far. I also love the notifications on Android, much better than iOS. I still do not like the Always On implementation on my S23 Ultra, compared to the iPhone.
Using Android with gestures is much more intuitive than iOS, I have to admit..
Using the software keyboard (Gboard) is also better than the iOS default keyboard. Split screen multitasking is cool and I have used it quite a few times.

Now, the things that could be better: Twitter, Instagram and Outlook are all better on iOS. I don't know why, but there are subtle differences. On Instagram I can watch HDR videos on iOS, but not Android. In Twitter, there is no option to change the icons (if you are a Blue subscriber, which I am) on the app bar. Outlook is more stable on iOS.

The fingerprint scanner is 90% of the time great, but FaceID is still better.
The speakers are good, but on the iPhone they are better.

As far as the camera concerns, I think that both phones are mostly on par, but the video quality, which is better on the iPhone.

I am tempted to make my S23 Ultra to my main device, but there are some things that make the decision more difficult:

• Not possible to see my AirTags from the S23 Ultra (which I understand but still...)
• Not possible to automatically forward SMSs to all my Macs and iPad devices. (using the Messages app)
• I still love the Things App as a ToDo manager, and there is nothing like it on Android
• I use Craft, a great app, and it's still not available on Android (but it's coming)

I found a great way to at least import all my pictures and files to the Android world. I just downloaded Google Photos no my iPhone and started sync. On my Mac I installed the Google Drive Backup tool and enabled sync of my documents to Google drive. I also enabled sync between Google Photos and my media library on my Mac.

I also bought the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. I wanted to compare them to my AirPods Pro 2 and while they are good, the AirPods Pro 2 are better, especially the navigation gestures. Sound quality was similar, maybe a bit better on the AirPods.
Next week I will be getting the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro too. I want to compare it to the Apple Watch Series 8.

At the end, I will not just compare the S23 Ultra to the iPhone 14 Pro Max, but the whole integration story.

Overall, the S23 is a great device, not perfect, and if someone isn't heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem, definitely worth considering..

 

[jr866gooner]

If I switched away from Apple I think I’d also consider how if something goes wrong with my iPhone I can walk into my local Apple Store less than 10 minutes away and get the device checked out.

Other manufacturers seem to not have such a store with that benefit and often needing to send the device away.

 

[ian87w]

If I switched away from Apple I think I’d also consider how if something goes wrong with my iPhone I can walk into my local Apple Store less than 10 minutes away and get the device checked out.

Other manufacturers seem to not have such a store with that benefit and often needing to send the device away.

In my country, that’s the other way around. Samsung service centers are more available and accessible in many areas. Meanwhile, Apple has no official presence, and the official distributors are not interested in providing support. They only have few service centers, with majority of their stores are only for sales purposes only.

 

[SteveJUAE]

If I switched away from Apple I think I’d also consider how if something goes wrong with my iPhone I can walk into my local Apple Store less than 10 minutes away and get the device checked out.

Other manufacturers seem to not have such a store with that benefit and often needing to send the device away.

Why does it have to be an AS if you bought say in BestBuys or At&T store that should be your 1st point of call for many

Even in the US an AS can be many miles away and there is no guarantee you will be serviced etc without an appointment

For the 1st time in years I have a nearby AS well 210km and a 3 hour drive that is

With Samsung they drive to me and pick up the phone

 

[aggie99]

• Not possible to automatically forward SMSs to all my Macs and iPad devices. (using the Messages app)

On your mac, and possibly your iPad, you should be able to go to messages.google.com, if you are using google messages as your default messaging app on your phone. From there it will display a QR Code and you go into the settings in google messages, scan the code, and all the messages are there in your browser.

Great write up by the way. Nice to see you have given it a chance and are enjoying the device. I agree the social media apps are where the biggest gap still exists between android and iOS. Although it is improving its still not quite there. Snapchat is probably doing the best in this area where instagram, twitter, and facebook are lagging behind.

 

[shenfrey]

I went back. I tried it I loved it but unfortunately my Apple Watch, HomePod, MacBook, iPad, AirPod Pros, Apple TV, they were all speaking to me, taunting me. I tried to fight it, but their pull was too strong.

 

[Ludatyk]

On your mac, and possibly your iPad, you should be able to go to messages.google.com, if you are using google messages as your default messaging app on your phone. From there it will display a QR Code and you go into the settings in google messages, scan the code, and all the messages are there in your browser.

I believe they are aware of this… I brought this up as well. But if I’m not mistaken, it was mention using the Messages app that’s already on the iPad and Mac is a better experience.

 

[petvas]

I believe they are aware of this… I brought this up as well. But if I’m not mistaken, it was mention using the Messages app that’s already on the iPad and Mac is a better experience.

Exactly. It would be too nice to be true. For the moment I use both an iPhone and an S23 Ultra. I get SMS on my iPhone and don't bother with setting up my S23 to receive SMS and forward them somehow to all Macs.

 

[aggie99]

I believe they are aware of this… I brought this up as well. But if I’m not mistaken, it was mention using the Messages app that’s already on the iPad and Mac is a better experience.

yea for sure a better experience that way but don't think that would ever be a possibility.

I use the browser on my pc while at work and get notifications and everything. I just keep a window open with messages logged in and keep it up on my secondary monitor. Works great for me but I get that it's not as convenient as having the messages sync with the messages app.

 

[ranjithkumar]

Hello, guys. I have an iPhone 14 Pro Max. It’s great but I tried the new Galaxy S23 Ultra and it made a very good impression to me. The S-Pen seems useful in some situations and I love the fact that Android supports a true multitasking. Apps don’t get killed when they’re not on screen. Every process (ie. uploading a file) stays active. I also like the fact that the product and accessories are cheaper (at least here in Europe). Or a true file system and USB-C full compatibility with every device. On the other hand, I fear I will miss MagSafe, AirDrop and other exclusive features of iPhone. I’m also afraid portrait mode, which I use a lot, works better on iPhone because of LiDAR and better camera processing. But I’m not sure. Did somebody do the same switch or have direct experience or both devices as daily drivers? Before transferring everything to Android or decide to stay on iOS, I think it’s useful to get some opinions. Thanks a lot!

Of course, the fundamental distinction between them is their distinct habitats. If you don't care about it, you can use the periscope camera, which is far superior to the 3x zoom lens on the iPhone. If you want photographs that are better than the Samsung ones, you may also check out a Gcam port. Always producing quality footage, MKBHD always does good videos, also about the S23 ultra.

 

[Technerd108]

If I switched away from Apple I think I’d also consider how if something goes wrong with my iPhone I can walk into my local Apple Store less than 10 minutes away and get the device checked out.

Other manufacturers seem to not have such a store with that benefit and often needing to send the device away.

This is a good point to an extent. Apple stores can only do so much. So if it is more than a very basic repair they will have to send it in. If you are past the return period then there is little the store can do. If you are in the return period and can just exchange your device and they have it in stock then the Apple store can be a huge benefit.

Samsung offers a plus warranty service and it costs about the same as Apple Care. With it you can get,

Next Business Day Replacements
Don’t worry, we’ll replace your device as soon as the next business day and help set it up.

They also offer a theft replacement warranty if you so choose. It is a same day service. I don't know how they do it but that is their claim.

Also repairs are unlimited and a new screen costs $29 which is less than Apple.

 

[Shanghaichica]

This is a good point to an extent. Apple stores can only do so much. So if it is more than a very basic repair they will have to send it in. If you are past the return period then there is little the store can do. If you are in the return period and can just exchange your device and they have it in stock then the Apple store can be a huge benefit.

Samsung offers a plus warranty service and it costs about the same as Apple Care. With it you can get,

Next Business Day Replacements
Don’t worry, we’ll replace your device as soon as the next business day and help set it up.

They also offer a theft replacement warranty if you so choose. It is a same day service. I don't know how they do it but that is their claim.

Also repairs are unlimited and a new screen costs $29 which is less than Apple.

They sounds pretty good.

 

[DeepIn2U]

I came across this thread looking for a solution to a problem I'm facing, ability for Galaxy S device to sniff out new SMS 2FA codes and insert them into app/fields that generated the prompt for them. Haven't found a solution in this thread but ... comments peaked my interest on topic ..

You can keep iMessage and facetime. All apple needs to do is adopt RCS, which is the modern messaging standard that even the carriers are behind. This wouldn't replace iMessage but it would replace the antiquated sms/mms standard and allow for a good messaging and media sharing experience across all platforms. Keep your blue bubbles and cute little iMessage games but apple is purposely screwing up the cross platform messaging experience to try to force people to move to or stay with iphone. We get you are a huge apple fan, but apple is the one responsible for the broken messaging experience between apple and Android users. Google has done everything they can to make things work cross platform for the good of all users, not just Android but Apple is dragging its feet.

Answer me this. There are plenty of places in the states where there is a good cellular connection but a poor or non existent data connection. In such places phone calls and SMS work but no data. This RCS that you speak of does it require data?

First thing to think about, do you have other Apple devices? Apple Watch, Macs, iPads, etc? If the answer is yes, save your money and stick with the iPhone. It's not worth the hassle having one oddball device in your current ecosystem. Also consider if you have bought any apps or movies on the iTunes store. You will have to rebuy them on Android if you have to use them, and that's assuming they are available (some apps are platform exclusives).

If you don't have any other Apple devices and only use free multi-platform services and apps, then I can share several things about Android (particularly Samsung). Perspective, I have the Galaxy S21.

True multi-tasking: overhyped. Yes, some apps will remain in the background for uploading/downloading, better than iOS. Agree with this. But overall, Android will also put apps to sleep. Some apps that are coded poorly will still get refreshed everytime I get back to it. There's no consistency. You can force the system to keep particular apps in RAM if you want to, but generally that's not a good idea.

True file system: also overhyped. Current iOS have the Files app, and I can't see anything more a typical user would need. The Files app on iOS already allows manual file management and folder creations for the users. You can also access folders created by apps. On the Android land, it's actually more confusing as you often don't know where apps store their files. Many File Managers are smart enough to self categorize files into pictures, videos, etc, but in the end, I don't see myself wanting to do manual file management that much on my phone. It's a hassle. So I never understand why people are so particulat about this. The only instances when this is needed is if you are a tinkerer, constant sideloading and doing custom ROMs.

Airdrop: Android has its equivalent, which is called Nearby Share. It's only between Android devices though, but it's literally the same as Airdrop.

Portrait mode: I don't have an iPhone with Lidar, but seeing the plethora of Youtube comparisons, seems like that doesn't really significantly offer an advantage. Just look in youtube and see for yourself if you like the photos from the S23. My vote is both phones are great, it's a wash.

If you still want to switch, pay in particular attention to messaging apps. If you use iMessage, say bye bye to that. If you use Whatsapp, pay attention to transfer your chat history when you first setting up the Samsung (can't do it later). If you use iCloud, prepare a bit of manual work beforehand. Better start migrating your contacts to GMail. Your Photos library might need to be migrated as well (back up first).

Yes, RCS require data in order to function properly. But the same process applies to iMessage, it requires data as well... I'm not sure what you are trying to imply?

I have no horse in the race, because I'll never abandon using the iPad which keeps me in the Apple ecosystem. Do I want RCS on iPhone? Absolutely! Do I want iMessage on Android? Yup! But do I envision those two things happening... nope! Because I don't see why Apple cares to put resources behind helping Android users... only way that happens if Google gives them money to do so (annually).

And according to the Fortnite trial, Apple execs been on record claiming adding iMessage on Android will potentially cause young iPhone users to jump ship.

iMessage vs RCS ... yeah I've been caught up in this before years ago and its gotten much more prevailent since, dare I loathe to say it, Drake's song about blue bubbles. You used to call me on the cellphone ... I guess that was song (late night) was precursor to this convo/debate.

My take lately is simply this ... to going Eddie Griffin "Who give a damn (f) about the messenger, did you get the message?!"

In other words doesn't matter the carrier or the medium nor the platform ... evidently 1 person sends the message and the others receive it. Doesn't matter if you received it twice, if an emoji is written out in full sentences ... you STILL got the message, and you STILL understand the intent. Basically its a debate for the youth to play and complain within as its their way of representing and their cliq. That's how I've dropped out of it.

Regarding iOS Files app vs Android's Files app ... For years since macOS 10.11 Apple has been changing the UI to further resemble iOS/iPadOS more and more, most recently in a rapid pace. MacOS currently is still a computer but I think Apple has found the majority of their users still work mostly within Apps 90% of the time, while mostly only those in sciences or as creatives do use the entire system just as much as they do within the Applications they create content within (Photographers, Desktop Publishers, Musicians, Artists, Songwriters, Podcasters, etc still contend with files being imported/exported and need to test on other platforms etc so Finder is still heavily used or a browser).

I'd guess the average iOS/iPadOS user barely touches Terminal nearly as much as a Linux user does nor as much as a Windows user does with DOS/PowerShell ? just a guess.

Cheers.