I Switched To Android And I Have No Regrets

[tbayrgs]

I’m genuinely not trying to start another fight but just wanted to share this recent article on the Verge from Dieter Bohn, as much if it perfectly explains why so many of us (in the US) prefer using iMessage and have a hard time switching fully to Android. And it further exemplifies Google’s failure to take advantage of their position of strength with an Android equivalent.

Why I turned on iMessage

 

[Oohara]

It definitely is pretty mind boggling that Google haven't come up with an alternative. I can only assume they have something to gain by not doing it. But what the hell is it?

 

[Cnasty]

I’m genuinely not trying to start another fight but just wanted to share this recent article on the Verge from Dieter Bohn, as much if it perfectly explains why so many of us (in the US) prefer using iMessage and have a hard time switching fully to Android. And it further exemplifies Google’s failure to take advantage of their position of strength with an Android equivalent.

Why I turned on iMessage

Switching recently from iOS to OP7 and Pixel 3XL as of late, this was a big concern for me. After about a month now it seems I made that to be a bigger fear in my head then what it actually is.

I do not participate a lot on group chats, my wife and I text just fine between each other like the days of old, and I havent come across on instance where I miss iMessage in about 4 weeks.

I thought I would miss FaceTime with family but i just use my laptop or my wife's iPhone.

I am probably not the target audience but I am shocked how minuscule of an issue this actually is for my real world use.

 

[tbayrgs]

Switching recently from iOS to OP7 and Pixel 3XL as of late, this was a big concern for me. After about a month now it seems I made that to be a bigger fear in my head then what it actually is.

I do not participate a lot on group chats, my wife and I text just fine between each other like the days of old, and I havent come across on instance where I miss iMessage in about 4 weeks.

I thought I would miss FaceTime with family but i just use my laptop or my wife's iPhone.

I am probably not the target audience but I am shocked how minuscule of an issue this actually is for my real world use.

Yup, it’s going to vary from person to person. If I go down my list of recent messages, not counting the few automated bots (2 factor verification, UPS/FedEx, dentist) I have to go 20 deep before I hit a message from an Android phone. All of my family, friends and nearly all regular contacts use iPhones so iMessage is hugely impactful. The much better content sharing, more seamless group messaging, and other secondary features (location sharing in the app of family, etc) make a huge difference vs. using standard SMS/MMS.

FaceTime is still used regularly (including highly underrated FaceTime audio calls) and AirDrop (used daily) is invaluable. I realize these last two aren’t iMessage per se but other Apple ecosystem tools that just make the experience that much better for us. YMMV, of course.

 

[Cnasty]

It definitely will vary person to person because even when I did have iOS I never used ANY of those features you mentioned.

At times a gif or minimum group message but even that I can do on Android to my iOS friends.

I share all videos and pics vis google photos now and its perfectly fine.

Maybe I need new friends lol

 

[tbayrgs]

It definitely will vary person to person because even when I did have iOS I never used ANY of those features you mentioned.

At times a gif or minimum group message but even that I can do on Android to my iOS friends.

I share all videos and pics vis google photos now and its perfectly fine.

Maybe I need new friends lol

I was actually going to say the same thing about myself...need more Google using friends.

 

[Wide opeN]

Google Duo is pretty nice.

Google has definitely dropped the ball with messaging.

 

[mjschabow]

Google Duo is pretty nice.

Google has definitely dropped the ball with messaging.

I actually enjoy Duo more than Facetime.

 

[Tsepz]

One thing I have realised about moving to iOS as my daily driver is how close iOS and Android are in stability and overall performance. There are times where I use my iPhone and I think to myself "wow, this function is actually faster or more convenient to do on Android" and then there are days where I am like "if Android gets this function as good as iPhone has, it would be curtains for Apple".

I honestly ask myself why people get so defensive about either of these OSs, they are so damn good, in their own respects. I am finding it hard to stick to one, reason being that I am a 1 Phone guy, I hate balancing between things, even between cars, I often joke with my friends that if I were to win the Powerball, I would probably just buy a Lamborghini Urus, it's both a SUV and a Sports car, therefore it would be my one and only car and daily driver, no need to switch between multiple vehicles

I am having a bit of a crisis here really, even in the build of the P30 Pro vs iPhone XS Max, one is tall and narrow and fits in the hand perfectly with a tiny notch, the other is Wider and shorter and has a seriously solid build that feels like a tank in hand, I like them both. Ugggh.

Anyway, I'll be loading the Android Q Beta soon as it arrives for the P30 Pro and use it more like a test device.

 

[mazdamiata210]

I’m genuinely not trying to start another fight but just wanted to share this recent article on the Verge from Dieter Bohn, as much if it perfectly explains why so many of us (in the US) prefer using iMessage and have a hard time switching fully to Android. And it further exemplifies Google’s failure to take advantage of their position of strength with an Android equivalent.

Why I turned on iMessage

Airmessage

 

[AustinIllini]

Airmessage

Problem is that Application is a total hack and a major security risk to your Android device and your mac.

And the other point to Dieter's article is the fact that he can't convince his friends and family to switch to signal.

It shouldn't take a complete hack which gives a third party app full disk access to two of your devices and you shouldn't have to convince other people to install a third party app.

Google should have a messaging app on Android which is encrypted by default. Full Stop.

That's the standard today. Apple did it and Google has a much larger install base

 

[ILowry82]

I just switched over to a OP 7 Pro. I thought I would miss iMessage but I don't. Text and group chats come through just fine. Pictures come in at full quality. Gifs work great. The only thing that doesn't work so well is if someone sends me a video but that is few and far between. Android Messages is a great app.

 

[daveathall]

I cant see what all the fuss is about. It isn't as though the two phones are incompatible when it comes to messaging. I get on just fine with those on iOS, or when I had an iPhone, those on Android.

 

[AustinIllini]

I cant see what all the fuss is about. It isn't as though the two phones are incompatible when it comes to messaging. I get on just fine with those on iOS, or when I had an iPhone, those on Android.

Let's start with the obvious: Most caries use MMS, which severely compresses media sent via text. iMessage gets around this by sending a texts to other iPhones as data and (unlike a lot of Apple things these days) "it just works".

Because Apple runs iMessage, there are a ton of other benefits. You're not limited by a number of carrier and technology constraints. Carriers can't read iMessages and (if you don't enable messages in the cloud) Apple doesn't have access to them, either.

Third, and I can't stress this enough: iMessages can be answered on all your Apple devices. The client on iPad, macOS is seamless. By contrast, the messages for web application from Google is unreliable and glitchy.

Google does not get messaging. It's really unbelievable they have tried countless times and they can't get it right. That's the most Google-thing though now. They have the best core services but any fringe service like Alo, Inbox, Trips gets a half-assed intro which is quickly squandered. It's infuriating.

 

[mjschabow]

Let's start with the obvious: Most caries use MMS, which severely compresses media sent via text. iMessage gets around this by sending a texts to other iPhones as data and (unlike a lot of Apple things these days) "it just works".

Because Apple runs iMessage, there are a ton of other benefits. You're not limited by a number of carrier and technology constraints. Carriers can't read iMessages and (if you don't enable messages in the cloud) Apple doesn't have access to them, either.

Third, and I can't stress this enough: iMessages can be answered on all your Apple devices. The client on iPad, macOS is seamless. By contrast, the messages for web application from Google is unreliable and glitchy.

Google does not get messaging. It's really unbelievable they have tried countless times and they can't get it right. That's the most Google-thing though now. They have the best core services but any fringe service like Alo, Inbox, Trips gets a half-assed intro which is quickly squandered. It's infuriating.

This. And considering that messaging is a huge day to day activity, this is why it’s such a big deal. I’ve been back on iOS for a little over a week now, and it’s such a benefit having iMessage back.

 

[daveathall]

So, anyone with an Android phone cannot receive a message from someone using an iPhone? Is that what you are saying?

Personally, I haven't had a problem.

 

[AustinIllini]

So, anyone with an Android phone cannot receive a message from someone using an iPhone? Is that what you are saying?

Personally, I haven't had a problem.

No, that's not it. Android can receive messages from iPhone but the experience is so much better when an iPhone and another iPhone communicate.

 

[daveathall]

You miss my point. But that's okay. I take your point, I hope mine is as well received.

 

[Shanghaichica]

No, that's not it. Android can receive messages from iPhone but the experience is so much better when an iPhone and another iPhone communicate.

Unfortunately for me most of my contacts use android so the iPhone to iPhone advantages of iMessage are lost to me. The only thing I like about iMessage is that I can respond to and send messages from my iPads or MacBook.

 

[mjschabow]

So, anyone with an Android phone cannot receive a message from someone using an iPhone? Is that what you are saying?

Personally, I haven't had a problem.

I don’t really think this needs to go down this route. He brought up a very valid concern. Personally, all of my friends and coworkers with the exception of 2 (and are my least talkative friends) have iPhones...and send lots of multimedia to each other. The experience is so much better being on Apple. I’m not saying it’s Android’s fault, it’s more the reality if where we’re at.

 

[AustinIllini]

You miss my point. But that's okay. I take your point, I hope mine is as well received.

You didn't make any other points

 

[mackie8]

In my location we use whatsapp as main messaging app.... So i can switch to ios or android anytime i want....
I love them both they have their own pros n cons.....

 

[tbayrgs]

Unfortunately for me most of my contacts use android so the iPhone to iPhone advantages of iMessage are lost to me. The only thing I like about iMessage is that I can respond to and send messages from my iPads or MacBook.

This is another big benefit that’s often overlooked—being able to message anyone (iPhone or not) from any of my Apple gear is invaluable.

 

[AustinIllini]

This is another big benefit that’s often overlooked—being able to message anyone (iPhone or not) from any of my Apple gear is invaluable.

Yeah, Google is trying to do that with messages.android.com but my wife stopped using that with her Pixel 3 because her Mac kept becoming unpaired and it was just a really unreliable experience.

 

[Tig Bitties]

I've been on Android mostly for 10+ years, with a few unfortunate iPhone's too.

Anyways just have the iPhone users install Duo to do Facetime type chat between iOS and Android, works perfect. And What'sApp is a great full featured text app to use between iPhone and Android users.

Most my family is on iPhones and had them install those 2 apps, takes all of 30 seconds, and all set .