Experience in switching from Iphone to Google Pixel

[ClaraStahlbaum]

Just making another thread that is more focused specifically for people who have switched from an iPhone to a Google Pixel at some point.

Even though I have switched from a 16e to a 17e I don't rule out the idea of looking into a Google Pixel at some point in the future. This is not a thread about me specifically being interested in switching in the future, I am just curious as to general perspectives and opinions from those who have actually done so. I'd be interested in what they have to say about it. I am sure there are people around here who switched from iPhone to Google Pixel and never went back to an iPhone.

I am also very curious about people's real world experiences with the Google Pixel, and what they think of that experience compared to an iPhone.

 

[eyoungren]

I switched from my iPhone 6s+ to a Google Pixel 3a XL in May 2020. I specifically chose the Pixel so it would be pure Android and I wouldn't have to deal with any bloatware. I wanted my Android experience to not be influenced by anything that wasn't strictly from Google.

At the time, Apple had a transfer app in the Play store. I used that to transfer everything. I can only imagine that the app has gotten better. I did not lose anything. On the other hand, I don't tend to store all my eggs in one basket and most of my services were Google anyway.

This was a test for me to see how good Android was. Although it had gotten much better the last time I'd taken a look at it, my issues came down to consistency and an overabundance of choice. People may see the last bit as a positive, but for me, having more than one choice to arrive at a destination within the OS made it difficult for me to navigate. More than one way to get something done means not remembering how to do it for me.

As far as consistency, this was with Android/Google and icons in general. Google will introduce a set of gestures with one version of Android and then in the next version they completely change those gestures to something else. It makes it difficult to remember which gesture does what. Then icons. Due to the abundance of older apps allowed to remain in the app store, the appearance of icons on your screen can vary widely. I like to set things up on my phone and I appreciate that icons generally tend to follow a consistent look in iOS.

iOS just appears to me to be more polished, even though Android is getting better. So, I went back to iPhone in February 2021 with my iPhone 11 Pro Max. Transfer from the Pixel was just fine as well. Again, having Google services allows for easy transfer between Android and iOS.

I still have my Pixel and the neat thing about it is that even though its stuck on Android 12, all the apps on the phone are current. There are still things I can do with it that I cannot do on iOS. Being able to control my Android phone from my Mac via screensharing is one thing you can't do the same way with an iPhone.

I think Android is still good. It's just not for me.

 

[fzJNotIBOxgnbqejSeVCvJScL]

I like Pixel phones but I will never buy them. Two reasons:

1) The Tensor chip, it's an inferior product compared to the competition. Tensor is also Samsung Exynos' cousin.

2) Google stubbornly refuses to allow users to hide/minimize the Google search bar on the home screen. For the so-called 'Pixel experience'. No we do not want to install a launcher or skin.

In many of the camera comparisons between the flagship iPhone, Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel, Google Pixel often comes in last. The Pixel camera does some things very well, most other things are a toss-up between Apple and Samsung for the first place.

 

[robvalentine]

I like Pixel phones but I will never buy them. Two reasons:

1) The Tensor chip, it's an inferior product compared to the competition. Tensor is also Samsung Exynos' cousin.

2) Google stubbornly refuses to allow users to hide/minimize the Google search bar on the home screen. For the so-called 'Pixel experience'. No we do not want to install a launcher or skin.

In many of the camera comparisons between the flagship iPhone, Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel, Google Pixel often comes in last. The Pixel camera does some things very well, most other things are a toss-up between Apple and Samsung for the first place.

Just to answer your first point, the Tensor G5 and onwards are made by TSMC not Samsung. They use ARM architecture like snapdragon, and Apple. they aren't as fast as Snapdragon processors sure, but they are fast enough for day to day mobile phone use.

I use the search bar daily, so I'd be keeping it there anyway.

Photos are subjectove, but I mostly take pics of my dogs, and if I was to rank my pixel 10 pro xl, S26U and iPhone 17 pro max, it would be pixel, with a slight edge to the iphone for 2nd place. Video is miles better on iPhone and Samsungs tbf.

Having said all that I use my Samsung, and really should sell the others.

 

[HouseLannister]

No we do not want to install a launcher or skin.

Yes, we do. A lot of Niagra folks on this subforum.

 

[Bkdodger]

Pixel 10 Pro XL here with no issues. The chip allows the phone to run smoothly at all tasks I throw at it. I don't play any games on my phone so I can't speak on that part though. And 100%. We do like using a third-party launcher with Niagara. A great option IMO. I have not switched from an iPhone to a Pixel since I run both daily side by side but there is nothing that my Pixel can't do compared to my iPhone 15 Pro Max

 

[jamezr]

Pixel 10 Pro XL here with no issues. The chip allows the phone to run smoothly at all tasks I throw at it. I don't play any games on my phone so I can't speak on that part though. And 100%. We do like using a third-party launcher with Niagara. A great option IMO. I have not switched from an iPhone to a Pixel since I run both daily side by side but there is nothing that my Pixel can't do compared to my iPhone 15 Pro Max

That is my experience as well. I have the 17PM and Pixel 10XL......I don't see a performance difference between them when using them. There is nothing my 17PM can do that my P10 XL can't do and use them daily.

Then the beautiful thing about the Pixel and Android in general is....if you don't like the search bar.......use a different launcher and customize it just the way you want it to look.

 

[Bkdodger]

That is my experience as well. I have the 17PM and Pixel 10XL......I don't see a performance difference between them when using them. There is nothing my 17PM can do that my P10 XL can't do and use them daily.

Then the beautiful thing about the Pixel and Android in general is....if you don't like the search bar.......use a different launcher and customize it just the way you want it to look.

Exactly 100% my friend. The performance is not an issue whatsoever. And why not run a third party launcher? There are no hiccups with one. My Niagara launcher runs smoothly. No delays, quick access to everything, and plenty of customization. If you do want to keep the Pixel launcher, then I agree they should allow for more customization, but it's not like you have no options at all.

 

[eyoungren]

I like Pixel phones but I will never buy them. Two reasons:

2) Google stubbornly refuses to allow users to hide/minimize the Google search bar on the home screen. For the so-called 'Pixel experience'. No we do not want to install a launcher or skin.

I use the Nova launcher for my Pixel 3a XL. Android 12. Perhaps that is why none of my homescreens force me to keep the Google search bar?

Once I found out there were launchers better than Google's, then yes. I wanted to install a launcher.

 

[scott craft]

The tensor chip is obviously not as powerful as a snapdragon but contrary to what the Internet says in day to day usage you won't notice it. My Pixel is very fast and responsive. And the camera is very good, no complaints there either.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Being able to control my Android phone from my Mac via screensharing is one thing you can't do the same way with an iPhone.

It’s called iPhone mirroring, and it was basically the headline feature of macOS Sequoia just a couple years ago.

 

[eyoungren]

It’s called iPhone mirroring, and it was basically the headline feature of macOS Sequoia just a couple years ago.

I'm on Sonoma. On a 2009 Mac Pro. I have no plans at this time to upgrade to Sequoia. And Tahoe is out. That'll kill my Mac.

But if iPhone Mirroring is the same as opening up the Screensharing app, connecting to my iDevice and then controlling it just like I would another Mac, then that's a point for upgrading.

 

[flybub]

I went pixel 7 pro to iPhone 16 Pro and will be going to pixel 11 when it drops. As with most things Apple, apps are more polished than Android, but that’s where it ends. Android apps may be a little more rough around the edges, but the functionality of them make the iPhone look like a toy. I use my phone to make a living and the iPhone is not up to the challenge on many levels.

 

[Harthag]

All valid opinions here, OP. You should buy a Pixel yourself and try it and return if it doesn't suit you. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks and your experience will be unique.

I dual wield Pixel 10 Pro XL and iPhone 17 PM. The biggest difference for me is that the Pixel has a *far* superior keyboard and typing experience. I can't believe Apple still has not addressed this. It isn't even close. Also my wife and in-laws are Chinese. Gboard is so much better on the Pixel. I can type English and it translates to Chinese as I'm typing. On iOS I need to type what I want to type, correct my typos because Gboard is terrible on iPhone, and then it translates after that. Typing is such a pain for me on the iPhone.

If you rely on Live Activities on iOS you'll miss them on Pixel. Some of them work like rideshare (I think) and Google sports scores. Apparently later this year it'll be better implemented on Pixel and Android in general, but I've been waiting for a long time and nothing is even close to the level that iOS is on.

I've owned many Samsung phones and got accustomed to the Edge panel for my most-used apps. I use an app called Panels on the Pixel which is actually better than Samsung's utility, imo, and sorely miss this when using my iPhone.

Of course, call screening and spam blocking is much better on the Pixel as you probably know, it is very nice to have.

If you rely on CarPlay I think it is better than Android Auto. It baffles me that on Google's own software and interface they still don't show real-time speed on the Google Maps interface on your dash.

Those are just the things that jump out at me using both phones on a daily basis. I say give the Pixel a try if you can get one from somewhere with a good return policy. I got lucky and snagged mine open-box from Best Buy for $715.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

I'm on Sonoma. On a 2009 Mac Pro. I have no plans at this time to upgrade to Sequoia. And Tahoe is out. That'll kill my Mac.

But if iPhone Mirroring is the same as opening up the Screensharing app, connecting to my iDevice and then controlling it just like I would another Mac, then that's a point for upgrading.

That’s exactly what it is.
You can even display your iPhone widgets, notifications, and apps on the Mac, and when you open them, they will just open an iPhone mirroring.

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

pixels are great. m3e makes the interface joyful, legible, and exciting. if you're in the US you get very nice ML perks.

 

[aespana]

Really good phones.

I have a Pixel 9a and I'm impressed with the camera and the battery life (1-2 days, it depends of the use of android auto). The performance for me is more than enough so all good. Android 17 looks fine, sadly the original launcher is very deficient in relation to personalization but you can install a third party one.

I just don't care about AI things so that doesn't matter for me but in overall, I can recommend a pixel phone to anyone who wants to change to Android. I over prefer them over the others brands, specially because the update support and the clean android

 

[sharleyP]

This may be long, but I will never buy another Pixel device unless it’s objectively the best device in the world in every single possible category.

My story starts in January 2021. My iPhone 8 started misbehaving and I needed a switch. I had enough money to buy either iPhone SE, Pixel 4a or Samsung A71.

iPhone SE looked exactly like iPhone 8. It was already outdated by then. And the battery was subpar at that point.

A71 had the same specs as pixel (same chip and amount of RAM) but the screen was bigger. Too big for my taste. My father in law bought this Samsung though, which will be relevant later.

So I went with Pixel 4a. First few months were great. I really loved pictures it took, battery life. Switching from lighting to USB-C was great! Overall performance was also nice. And coming from iPhone 8 Pixel’s display was fantastic. At that point I couldn’t believe I sticked with „overpriced” iPhones for almost a decade. Android 11 seemed clearer with notifications, more customizable and as fast as iOS.

After few moths I started noticing the bugs though.

Google Assistant was better that Siri. And it speaks my native language. But every time I triggered it while wearing Bluetooth headphones my notifications and calls got muted and full restart was necessary. and it was easy to trigger it by accident. This bug was not resolved with Android updates. So I had to turn off Google Assistant, because I wanted to, you know, use my phone as a phone.

Speaking of notifications. Many apps delivered them with a delay of up to 15 minutes. Changing background refresh settings helped some of them, but not all.

Then the release date of Android 12 arrived. Customization was gone, infamous „Internet” switch introduced in quick settings and more bugs emerged.

Gestures started misbehaving. Sometimes it took 10-15 seconds for swiping up to Home Screen to actually work. It was faster to go to app switcher and then dismiss it to land on a Home Screen.

The camera app started freezing on launch for 5-10 seconds. I missed some nice shots because of that.

And I didn’t like how inconsistent Android was with updates. On Googles own phone I had to install new version of OS, then separately check for security updates, and then for play store updates.

So after 2 years I was displeased with this phone, to say mildly. In comparison my FIL’s Samsung A71 (remember - same specs!) worked flawlessly and still works, because he still uses that phone today.

So after 2 years I decide to get rid of that device. This time I had the budget and decided I’m going flagship. It was the year Apple switched to USB-C, so iPhones were back on the menu. I ended up with 2 options - Samsung S23 or iPhone 15 Pro. Most of my family uses Samsungs and I knew they were way more stable than my Pixel. But didn’t feel like trying a new flavor of Android with its quirks.

So I went back to iPhone. I also convinced my wife to iPhone this year (2026) after 12 years of Android.

It was a good time to jump the ship, because Google saved the best for last. It turned out Pixel 4a had a flawed battery and they had to kill it with software update.

Will I ever buy another Android phone? Probably.

Will it be Pixel?
No. Unless Pixels are so good iJustine switches her name to PixelJustine.

Edit: updated info about my FILs phone.

 

[robvalentine]

This may be long, but I will never buy another Pixel device unless it’s objectively the best device in the world in every single possible category.

My story starts in January 2021. My iPhone 8 started misbehaving and I needed a switch. I had enough money to buy either iPhone SE, Pixel 4a or Samsung A71.

iPhone SE looked exactly like iPhone 8. It was already outdated by then. And the battery was subpar at that point.

A71 had the same specs as pixel (same chip and amount of RAM) but the screen was bigger. Too big for my taste. My father in law bought this Samsung though, which will be relevant later.

So I went with Pixel 4a. First few months were great. I really loved pictures it took, battery life. Switching from lighting to USB-C was great! Overall performance was also nice. And coming from iPhone 8 Pixel’s display was fantastic. At that point I couldn’t believe I sticked with „overpriced” iPhones for almost a decade. Android 11 seemed clearer with notifications, more customizable and as fast as iOS.

After few moths I started noticing the bugs though.

Google Assistant was better that Siri. And it speaks my native language. But every time I triggered it while wearing Bluetooth headphones my notifications and calls got muted and full restart was necessary. and it was easy to trigger it by accident. This bug was not resolved with Android updates. So I had to turn off Google Assistant, because I wanted to, you know, use my phone as a phone.

Speaking of notifications. Many apps delivered them with a delay of up to 15 minutes. Changing background refresh settings helped some of them, but not all.

Then the release date of Android 12 arrived. Customization was gone, infamous „Internet” switch introduced in quick settings and more bugs emerged.

Gestures started misbehaving. Sometimes it took 10-15 seconds for swiping up to Home Screen to actually work. It was faster to go to app switcher and then dismiss it to land on a Home Screen.

The camera app started freezing on launch for 5-10 seconds. I missed some nice shots because of that.

And I didn’t like how inconsistent Android was with updates. On Googles own phone I had to install new version of OS, then separately check for security updates, and then for play store updates.

So after 2 years I was displeased with this phone, to say mildly. In comparison my FIL’s Samsung A71 (remember - same specs!) worked flawlessly and still works, because he still uses that phone today.

So after 2 years I decide to get rid of that device. This time I had the budget and decided I’m going flagship. It was the year Apple switched to USB-C, so iPhones were back on the menu. I ended up with 2 options - Samsung S23 or iPhone 15 Pro. Most of my family uses Samsungs and I knew they were way more stable than my Pixel. But didn’t feel like trying a new flavor of Android with its quirks.

So I went back to iPhone. I also convinced my wife to iPhone this year (2026) after 12 years of Android.

It was a good time to jump the ship, because Google saved the best for last. It turned out Pixel 4a had a flawed battery and they had to kill it with software update.

Will I ever buy another Android phone? Probably.

Will it be Pixel?
No. Unless Pixels are so good iJustine switches her name to PixelJustine.

Edit: updated info about my FILs phone.

Sorry you had a duff one, but I don't think your experiences match others.

Also I view iJustine as entertainment as she's a massive apple stan/shrill. Have a watch of techspurt on YT he's very much the opposite of iJustine lol.

 

[Ctrlos]

Just making another thread that is more focused specifically for people who have switched from an iPhone to a Google Pixel at some point.

Even though I have switched from a 16e to a 17e I don't rule out the idea of looking into a Google Pixel at some point in the future. This is not a thread about me specifically being interested in switching in the future, I am just curious as to general perspectives and opinions from those who have actually done so. I'd be interested in what they have to say about it. I am sure there are people around here who switched from iPhone to Google Pixel and never went back to an iPhone.

I am also very curious about people's real world experiences with the Google Pixel, and what they think of that experience compared to an iPhone.

From someone who has actively tested the 16e against the 9a I can tell you Android is brilliant... until its not.

90% of the time its fine. Things are fast, features are great and most of the apps are there. You'll emulate some GameCube games or something and have a laugh at the lifted restrictions. You'll appreciate the better cloud access in a browser.

But its that last 10% that makes all the difference. You'll notice that your banking app doesn't stretch to fill the whole screen. You'll read about a cool app or game release that is as always iOS only. You'll miss the plethora of lockscreen shortcuts. You'll miss how well integrated the lockscreen app is. There will that one app you just can't find a replacement for that isn't an ad-ridden hellscape. You'll miss a decent web browser. You'll question why most of the small developer apps look like they were assembled in an 8th grade IT class.

All of these little niggles snowball quite quickly.

 

[robvalentine]

From someone who has actively tested the 16e against the 9a I can tell you Android is brilliant... until its not.

90% of the time its fine. Things are fast, features are great and most of the apps are there. You'll emulate some GameCube games or something and have a laugh at the lifted restrictions. You'll appreciate the better cloud access in a browser.

But its that last 10% that makes all the difference. You'll notice that your banking app doesn't stretch to fill the whole screen. You'll read about a cool app or game release that is as always iOS only. You'll miss the plethora of lockscreen shortcuts. You'll miss how well integrated the lockscreen app is. There will that one app you just can't find a replacement for that isn't an ad-ridden hellscape. You'll miss a decent web browser. You'll question why most of the small developer apps look like they were assembled in an 8th grade IT class.

All of these little niggles snowball quite quickly.

I switch banks a lot (I know) but in the UK at least, Natwest, Barclay's, Monzo, Starling, Amex all work fine. I use an adblock to deal with the ads, and there's only 1 app that's missing from Android that I miss, pickup music. Which has a website, so I just use that instead.

The only Lockscreen apps that I personally use are time/date, and player controls, all present on Android. Obviously your mileage may vary.

Oh and Firefox is so much better than Safari, in fact websites that don't work on safari are fine on firefox (I can't remember which ones, but I've had to navigate them for my girlfriend as she has iOS).

 

[Ctrlos]

I switch banks a lot (I know) but in the UK at least, Natwest, Barclay's, Monzo, Starling, Amex all work fine. I use an adblock to deal with the ads, and there's only 1 app that's missing from Android that I miss, pickup music. Which has a website, so I just use that instead.

The only Lockscreen apps that I personally use are time/date, and player controls, all present on Android. Obviously your mileage may vary.

Oh and Firefox is so much better than Safari, in fact websites that don't work on safari are fine on firefox (I can't remember which ones, but I've had to navigate them for my girlfriend as she has iOS).

I mean, its not as if its terrible. Lloyds is a good example of a banking app with that annoying black bar at the bottom though!

Its simple things I miss though. The camera swipe gesture has bee on the iPhone since the 4. Wouldn't take a Google engineer a week to implement a clone.

 

[flybub]

This may be long, but I will never buy another Pixel device unless it’s objectively the best device in the world in every single possible category.

My story starts in January 2021. My iPhone 8 started misbehaving and I needed a switch. I had enough money to buy either iPhone SE, Pixel 4a or Samsung A71.

iPhone SE looked exactly like iPhone 8. It was already outdated by then. And the battery was subpar at that point.

A71 had the same specs as pixel (same chip and amount of RAM) but the screen was bigger. Too big for my taste. My father in law bought this Samsung though, which will be relevant later.

So I went with Pixel 4a. First few months were great. I really loved pictures it took, battery life. Switching from lighting to USB-C was great! Overall performance was also nice. And coming from iPhone 8 Pixel’s display was fantastic. At that point I couldn’t believe I sticked with „overpriced” iPhones for almost a decade. Android 11 seemed clearer with notifications, more customizable and as fast as iOS.

After few moths I started noticing the bugs though.

Google Assistant was better that Siri. And it speaks my native language. But every time I triggered it while wearing Bluetooth headphones my notifications and calls got muted and full restart was necessary. and it was easy to trigger it by accident. This bug was not resolved with Android updates. So I had to turn off Google Assistant, because I wanted to, you know, use my phone as a phone.

Speaking of notifications. Many apps delivered them with a delay of up to 15 minutes. Changing background refresh settings helped some of them, but not all.

Then the release date of Android 12 arrived. Customization was gone, infamous „Internet” switch introduced in quick settings and more bugs emerged.

Gestures started misbehaving. Sometimes it took 10-15 seconds for swiping up to Home Screen to actually work. It was faster to go to app switcher and then dismiss it to land on a Home Screen.

The camera app started freezing on launch for 5-10 seconds. I missed some nice shots because of that.

And I didn’t like how inconsistent Android was with updates. On Googles own phone I had to install new version of OS, then separately check for security updates, and then for play store updates.

So after 2 years I was displeased with this phone, to say mildly. In comparison my FIL’s Samsung A71 (remember - same specs!) worked flawlessly and still works, because he still uses that phone today.

So after 2 years I decide to get rid of that device. This time I had the budget and decided I’m going flagship. It was the year Apple switched to USB-C, so iPhones were back on the menu. I ended up with 2 options - Samsung S23 or iPhone 15 Pro. Most of my family uses Samsungs and I knew they were way more stable than my Pixel. But didn’t feel like trying a new flavor of Android with its quirks.

So I went back to iPhone. I also convinced my wife to iPhone this year (2026) after 12 years of Android.

It was a good time to jump the ship, because Google saved the best for last. It turned out Pixel 4a had a flawed battery and they had to kill it with software update.

Will I ever buy another Android phone? Probably.

Will it be Pixel?
No. Unless Pixels are so good iJustine switches her name to PixelJustine.

Edit: updated info about my FILs phone.

This was a good read until you got to iJustine, WTH? This chick gets paid to praise Apple on YT. Don’t base your phone decisions on a YouTube influencer.

 

[ClaraStahlbaum]

This may be long, but I will never buy another Pixel device unless it’s objectively the best device in the world in every single possible category.

My story starts in January 2021. My iPhone 8 started misbehaving and I needed a switch. I had enough money to buy either iPhone SE, Pixel 4a or Samsung A71.

iPhone SE looked exactly like iPhone 8. It was already outdated by then. And the battery was subpar at that point.

A71 had the same specs as pixel (same chip and amount of RAM) but the screen was bigger. Too big for my taste. My father in law bought this Samsung though, which will be relevant later.

So I went with Pixel 4a. First few months were great. I really loved pictures it took, battery life. Switching from lighting to USB-C was great! Overall performance was also nice. And coming from iPhone 8 Pixel’s display was fantastic. At that point I couldn’t believe I sticked with „overpriced” iPhones for almost a decade. Android 11 seemed clearer with notifications, more customizable and as fast as iOS.

After few moths I started noticing the bugs though.

Google Assistant was better that Siri. And it speaks my native language. But every time I triggered it while wearing Bluetooth headphones my notifications and calls got muted and full restart was necessary. and it was easy to trigger it by accident. This bug was not resolved with Android updates. So I had to turn off Google Assistant, because I wanted to, you know, use my phone as a phone.

Speaking of notifications. Many apps delivered them with a delay of up to 15 minutes. Changing background refresh settings helped some of them, but not all.

Then the release date of Android 12 arrived. Customization was gone, infamous „Internet” switch introduced in quick settings and more bugs emerged.

Gestures started misbehaving. Sometimes it took 10-15 seconds for swiping up to Home Screen to actually work. It was faster to go to app switcher and then dismiss it to land on a Home Screen.

The camera app started freezing on launch for 5-10 seconds. I missed some nice shots because of that.

And I didn’t like how inconsistent Android was with updates. On Googles own phone I had to install new version of OS, then separately check for security updates, and then for play store updates.

So after 2 years I was displeased with this phone, to say mildly. In comparison my FIL’s Samsung A71 (remember - same specs!) worked flawlessly and still works, because he still uses that phone today.

So after 2 years I decide to get rid of that device. This time I had the budget and decided I’m going flagship. It was the year Apple switched to USB-C, so iPhones were back on the menu. I ended up with 2 options - Samsung S23 or iPhone 15 Pro. Most of my family uses Samsungs and I knew they were way more stable than my Pixel. But didn’t feel like trying a new flavor of Android with its quirks.

So I went back to iPhone. I also convinced my wife to iPhone this year (2026) after 12 years of Android.

It was a good time to jump the ship, because Google saved the best for last. It turned out Pixel 4a had a flawed battery and they had to kill it with software update.

Will I ever buy another Android phone? Probably.

Will it be Pixel?
No. Unless Pixels are so good iJustine switches her name to PixelJustine.

Edit: updated info about my FILs phone.

This reminds me of my experience with the Samsung A53 in 2022. I got it in 2022, and I made a few critical mistakes that made the experience over all very poor. I didn't know enough to deregister my imessage, and the A53, while it looked very nice, was an obviously inferior product to any Iphone I ever used. Samsung messages is getting deleted soon, and that is the messaging App I used. Hopefully Google Messages fixes the problems that people were having with Samsung messages back then, since RCS messaging is now a thing.

I believe I used Android 12 and Android 13? But I don't remember enough to tell you more than that.

 

[Harthag]

This may be long, but I will never buy another Pixel device unless it’s objectively the best device in the world in every single possible category.

My story starts in January 2021. My iPhone 8 started misbehaving and I needed a switch. I had enough money to buy either iPhone SE, Pixel 4a or Samsung A71.

iPhone SE looked exactly like iPhone 8. It was already outdated by then. And the battery was subpar at that point.

A71 had the same specs as pixel (same chip and amount of RAM) but the screen was bigger. Too big for my taste. My father in law bought this Samsung though, which will be relevant later.

So I went with Pixel 4a. First few months were great. I really loved pictures it took, battery life. Switching from lighting to USB-C was great! Overall performance was also nice. And coming from iPhone 8 Pixel’s display was fantastic. At that point I couldn’t believe I sticked with „overpriced” iPhones for almost a decade. Android 11 seemed clearer with notifications, more customizable and as fast as iOS.

After few moths I started noticing the bugs though.

Google Assistant was better that Siri. And it speaks my native language. But every time I triggered it while wearing Bluetooth headphones my notifications and calls got muted and full restart was necessary. and it was easy to trigger it by accident. This bug was not resolved with Android updates. So I had to turn off Google Assistant, because I wanted to, you know, use my phone as a phone.

Speaking of notifications. Many apps delivered them with a delay of up to 15 minutes. Changing background refresh settings helped some of them, but not all.

Then the release date of Android 12 arrived. Customization was gone, infamous „Internet” switch introduced in quick settings and more bugs emerged.

Gestures started misbehaving. Sometimes it took 10-15 seconds for swiping up to Home Screen to actually work. It was faster to go to app switcher and then dismiss it to land on a Home Screen.

The camera app started freezing on launch for 5-10 seconds. I missed some nice shots because of that.

And I didn’t like how inconsistent Android was with updates. On Googles own phone I had to install new version of OS, then separately check for security updates, and then for play store updates.

So after 2 years I was displeased with this phone, to say mildly. In comparison my FIL’s Samsung A71 (remember - same specs!) worked flawlessly and still works, because he still uses that phone today.

So after 2 years I decide to get rid of that device. This time I had the budget and decided I’m going flagship. It was the year Apple switched to USB-C, so iPhones were back on the menu. I ended up with 2 options - Samsung S23 or iPhone 15 Pro. Most of my family uses Samsungs and I knew they were way more stable than my Pixel. But didn’t feel like trying a new flavor of Android with its quirks.

So I went back to iPhone. I also convinced my wife to iPhone this year (2026) after 12 years of Android.

It was a good time to jump the ship, because Google saved the best for last. It turned out Pixel 4a had a flawed battery and they had to kill it with software update.

Will I ever buy another Android phone? Probably.

Will it be Pixel?
No. Unless Pixels are so good iJustine switches her name to PixelJustine.

Edit: updated info about my FILs phone.

Yeah, you definitely had a dud of a phone in that Pixel 4A. I haven't experienced any of your other issues though. The biggest issues I've had with Pixels was that old boot loop issue (it may have been all the way back to Nexus phone, lol, I can't remember) and Bluetooth issues where sounds would play out of my phone speaker while I was connected to earbuds, which was a complete deal breaker.

A lot has changed over the past 5 years, I think sometime last year the Bluetooth issues were resolved. You can't compare the Pixel 4A to the 10 Pro XL. I've had every Pixel since the 2 I believe, in some shape or form. Maybe skipped the 5 or 6, can't remember.

From someone who has actively tested the 16e against the 9a I can tell you Android is brilliant... until its not.

90% of the time its fine. Things are fast, features are great and most of the apps are there. You'll emulate some GameCube games or something and have a laugh at the lifted restrictions. You'll appreciate the better cloud access in a browser.

But its that last 10% that makes all the difference. You'll notice that your banking app doesn't stretch to fill the whole screen. You'll read about a cool app or game release that is as always iOS only. You'll miss the plethora of lockscreen shortcuts. You'll miss how well integrated the lockscreen app is. There will that one app you just can't find a replacement for that isn't an ad-ridden hellscape. You'll miss a decent web browser. You'll question why most of the small developer apps look like they were assembled in an 8th grade IT class.

All of these little niggles snowball quite quickly.

This depends on location as you probably know. All of my banking apps- Amex, Chase, BofA, Citi, Capital One, run in full screen and have no issues with either facial recognition or fingerprint for log in.

Lockscreen integration, yeah amazingly iOS is better. There's an app for that though, see my next reply to another person. As for ads, simply use a DNS in network settings and all ads will be disabled systemwide. Firefox on Android is incredible and on the same level for me as Safari on iOS. It's the only browser that allows extensions such as Bitwarden and Ublock Origin. Most importantly it supports Dark Reader (as does Safari) which forces every website into proper dark mode if your phone is set to dark mode. Better than Samsung's browser which I feel is a close 2nd place behind Firefox.

I switch banks a lot (I know) but in the UK at least, Natwest, Barclay's, Monzo, Starling, Amex all work fine. I use an adblock to deal with the ads, and there's only 1 app that's missing from Android that I miss, pickup music. Which has a website, so I just use that instead.

The only Lockscreen apps that I personally use are time/date, and player controls, all present on Android. Obviously your mileage may vary.

Oh and Firefox is so much better than Safari, in fact websites that don't work on safari are fine on firefox (I can't remember which ones, but I've had to navigate them for my girlfriend as she has iOS).

I found an app called Always On Widgets that I used when I had Oppo and OnePlus phones with pitiful lock screen and AOD customization. You can put any app as a widget on your lock screen and / or AOD. You can change size, transparency, everything. Highly recommend trying it, see what you think. I got the paid version, it is really incredible, imo.

This reminds me of my experience with the Samsung A53 in 2022. I got it in 2022, and I made a few critical mistakes that made the experience over all very poor. I didn't know enough to deregister my imessage, and the A53, while it looked very nice, was an obviously inferior product to any Iphone I ever used. Samsung messages is getting deleted soon, and that is the messaging App I used. Hopefully Google Messages fixes the problems that people were having with Samsung messages back then, since RCS messaging is now a thing.

I believe I used Android 12 and Android 13? But I don't remember enough to tell you more than that.

If you have a Mac that is on 24/7 you can use OpenBubbles. It's a one-time QR code scan that links your Mac to Android phone. I don't believe your Mac has to stay on 24/7 either, mine is since it's at my office. You'll get iMessage on your Android phone and Android Auto interface. FaceTime video calls also work. The downside is if you don't also have an iPhone powered on and in airplane mode, you'll need to use your Apple ID for iMessage. If you do keep an iPhone, you can use your phone number for iMessage.

As I said above, a lot has changed over the last 4-5 years. Android 16 and now 17 are very well polished.