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If Android is so much more customisable that iOS;why does it always look the same?
- Thread starter MartinAppleGuy
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its not just wallpaper and using widgets. customization is a choice, not a requirement. one has many options with an ANdroid phone. it can *made* to look like a windows phone, like an iphone, or maybe even a blackberry BUT it will still offer flexibility and functions of ANdroid. all one needs to do is use the appropriate launcher or theme from play app store. anyone can do it without rooting/voiding warranty. its just a matter of installing an app, 2 minute thing.
however, that's not what makes Android more functional. there are many things that are just impossible to do on ios. there have been many threads and posts about it. look around.
I customize the way my device acts more so than how it looks. Im quite pleased with stock android aesthetics with GEL.
I think I actually had someone questioning his choice of iPhone when I showed him my Moto X. I only showed him a few things (adding and resizing Gmail widget, app drawer vs. all apps on the home screens, voice control) but he seemed to be questioning his iOS decision when I was done.
I think one of the huge things Google has done that Apple hasn't is move many of the core Android/Google apps to the Play Store so you don't have to wait for an OS update (if the manufacturer and carrier develop/approve it) to add features or fix bugs, it can be done quickly instead. They also developed the Google Play Services component, which adds things people want (features game developers can use for multiplayer capability and score sharing/challenging with friends are two that come to mind) to older versions of the OS for those that won't see an OS update. Yes, I understand that iOS has had Game Center for that but it's one thing the Play Services framework added, there are more.
I think one of the huge things Google has done that Apple hasn't is move many of the core Android/Google apps to the Play Store so you don't have to wait for an OS update (if the manufacturer and carrier develop/approve it) to add features or fix bugs, it can be done quickly instead. They also developed the Google Play Services component, which adds things people want (features game developers can use for multiplayer capability and score sharing/challenging with friends are two that come to mind) to older versions of the OS for those that won't see an OS update. Yes, I understand that iOS has had Game Center for that but it's one thing the Play Services framework added, there are more.
This. Customization includes background control, shortcuts, choosing default apps, etc.
As for looks, here are tens of thousands of custom Android homescreens... many of them exquisite.. that people have made:
http://mycolorscreen.com/
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I think Apple is missing a huge market by not at least allowing iOS themes to be available via their App Store.
I haven't found a way on iOS to have the device setup how I want it. I can set it up how Apple wants me to set it up, but now how I want to. That doesn't sit well with me. My screen doesn't look all that complicated, but nothing on there can be done on an iPhone.
BeWeather Pro with custom icon set (which cuts off on the side I just noticed)
Temperature in notification bar with option of text color
Custom widget of my creation. If I click it, I can set it to open whatever app I choose.
Second custom widget of my creation showing next 5 upcoming events. If I click it, I can set it to open whatever app I choose (calendar currently)
Quick toggles that I can set to open/close/access what I choose. I can enable any of those things right from the screen, no need to pull anything down, just click and activate/deactivate.
I set the number of icons in the dock using a launcher of my choice. That same launcher allows me to change the icons and rename them if I want. I can load my own, or download a full set from the Play store. The launcher allows me to resize and overlap the widgets as well.
My phone doesn't look like the normal every day Galaxy with the dandelion wallpaper and the stock icons. The best part? I can create whatever I want, on multiple screens.
BeWeather Pro with custom icon set (which cuts off on the side I just noticed)
Temperature in notification bar with option of text color
Custom widget of my creation. If I click it, I can set it to open whatever app I choose.
Second custom widget of my creation showing next 5 upcoming events. If I click it, I can set it to open whatever app I choose (calendar currently)
Quick toggles that I can set to open/close/access what I choose. I can enable any of those things right from the screen, no need to pull anything down, just click and activate/deactivate.
I set the number of icons in the dock using a launcher of my choice. That same launcher allows me to change the icons and rename them if I want. I can load my own, or download a full set from the Play store. The launcher allows me to resize and overlap the widgets as well.
My phone doesn't look like the normal every day Galaxy with the dandelion wallpaper and the stock icons. The best part? I can create whatever I want, on multiple screens.
Apple are complete morons in some ways IMO. Take their awful white on off white scheme in iOS7. It's a complete lack of common sense that they wouldn't include an option for a dark theme. Having a glaringly white theme is such a negative in so many situations, this is a functional limitation IMO imposed by the theme itself.
We're not even talking about customization and having the cool ability to have multiple themes, but about having a basic theme which just "works" which is Apples claim to fame.
Post your Phone Home Screen **BE APPROPRIATE**
Please go check that link out. 11000+ pages of unique home screens just in one thread.
There is absolutely no way you can say a "majority never actually customise" their devices if you haven't seen 500+ million of the 1+ billion activated devices out there.
Please go check that link out. 11000+ pages of unique home screens just in one thread.
There is absolutely no way you can say a "majority never actually customise" their devices if you haven't seen 500+ million of the 1+ billion activated devices out there.
That's what customisation is, the ability to change something when one wants. No?
The real question is, why do you care about what other people do with their phone or say?
It appears that you came to the conclusion that your device is better, but wanted to start a flame war, and for what? To make you feel better about yourself?
sure, but without the functionality of a live widget preemptively providing information back and setting off notifications for you. Again, android allows you to use your phone as a proactive tool where iOS even with great apps like Google Now require you do the work aka use the tool the way Apple/iOS dictate.
Put an iPhone in airplane mode and see if your GPS works. To get to this point is a PIA. If you're in an area that has limited to no cell service and still wish to use your GPS without having your phone drain faster because it's pinging for cell towers you're out of luck. Perhaps not a huge deal if you're in a car and have a charger, but if you're hiking and using one of the many great GPS apps available make sure you carry an extra battery; Oops, you can't do that, so be sure to carry an external battery/charger.
To get GPS only, you have to go to Settings > General > Network lets you turn off WiFi, 3G, BlueTooth, and Data, which leaves GPS,and Phone..but will it still ping for a tower, I'm not sure as it's a PIA to get there. Very unintuitive.
Of course you could go jailbreak and have SBSettings allows one to turn off everything: Data, Wifi, Bluetooth, 3G, Edge, Phone, SSH, etc. but leave GPS enabled.
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Last I check, iOS didn't have an app drawer. It doesn't have something like BlinkFeed or Flipboard widget. It doesn't have a weather widget or any widget at all when in stock. It doesnt have that cool "sphere", "cyclinder", "flip", or "snake" transition animation like skinned-Lenovo phones have. It doesnt have that Screen Off and Lock app where there is a cool animation if you want and the screen goes off via notification bar. It doesnt have interactive live wallpapers. Or video wallpapers via stock. Doesnt have the ability to change the theme with the SMS app. Cant watch a video using MoboPlayer mini player while doing something else. Cant change the icons or font sizes in the homescreen to something you prefer and not some ugly one that Apple chooses for you. Cant hide apps. Nothing cool like DashClock or the slide to unlock animations from the LG Optimus G or Sony Xperia Z. You cant limit your text messages in a thread. Most of the cool things you can do on stock Android, you have to jailbreak it on iOS.
Really? So on your IOS device install a weather widget that shows the weeks weather on your home-screen. Or….install an alternative launcher like Nova and change the whole look and feel of your device….re arrange all of your icons to exactly where you want them…….oh wait…….you can't. Sometimes people get used to not having choices……it makes things easier for them.
I don't think that you understand what widgets are.
I know that many people get emotionally wrapped up in their mobile devices. It becomes an extension of themselves and when someone attacks their phone (in your case, those claiming that the iPhone is crap) you take it as a personal attack. Don't worry. You don't need to be defined by the device you own. You're a good person and you have value. I'm sorry that you are subjected to heartless people who don't care about your feelings.
Wow, you guys are pretty brutal and some of you probably didn't spend enough time reading.
I believe the OP's questions were genuine. I have many friends with Android phones and they don't root them or put custom ROMs on them. This is what most people would probably think of as customizing. Someone who owns an iPhone probably doesn't understand all the levels of customization because they aren't used to it.
They may look at a screen full of icons and widgets and assume that just because their gone screen is the same as every other iPhone that Android is similar. Just because their iPhone acts the same as every other iPhone, Android is similar.
I think the points have been made. It's really just him being ignorant about Android. Nothing wrong with that. We all come to forums like this to share ideas and learn, right?
I believe the OP's questions were genuine. I have many friends with Android phones and they don't root them or put custom ROMs on them. This is what most people would probably think of as customizing. Someone who owns an iPhone probably doesn't understand all the levels of customization because they aren't used to it.
They may look at a screen full of icons and widgets and assume that just because their gone screen is the same as every other iPhone that Android is similar. Just because their iPhone acts the same as every other iPhone, Android is similar.
I think the points have been made. It's really just him being ignorant about Android. Nothing wrong with that. We all come to forums like this to share ideas and learn, right?
Unless you have iOS 7. Then you are waiting for a jailbreak, that may, or may not come. It's a waiting game between the JB team and the Apple devs.
But you're just doing the same as them by belittling their devices. Enjoy what you have.
Source? Let me guess, "the 3 guys I know who have Android phones".
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1432306/
They don't all look the same to me. Strange!
Without seeing their phones, I can't say whether or not they customise it. There are levels of customisation that extend beyond home screen icons. For instance, you can use a third party keyboard. You can use different default apps like browsers or mapping apps. There are many levels of customisation that may not be visible simply by looking at the home screens of the phone.
