iPhone 6 or Android phone?

[k995]

Hi,

perhaps you can help me choose.

My iPhone 4S is dying (battery), and my 3 year contract is nearly up anyway.

I own a Macbook Pro. I'm considering switching to Samsung or another brand of Android phone. In Canada, the iPhone 6, 64GB, costs $375 with a 2 year contract.

The Samsung S5 costs only $200 + extra to upgrade the SD memory card. The Samsung is water resistant and apparently has good battery life. This means a lot because I'm a snowboarder, and sometimes I ride in the backcountry. A working phone could save my life.

I don't use Mac mail or the Mac calendar. I've used Gmail for years now, and sometimes use the Google Calendar.

I'm wondering what cross-functionality I'll lose if I go to Android. I do use the Notes and Reminders apps a little bit. They recently started popping up on my laptop. I guess that's cool. Maybe I'll start using that more.

The only other iCloud app that I hesitate to give up is the new iCloud Photos app, now in Beta. It forms a nice triangle with my iPhone photos and laptop photos.

With Samsung, I'd have to use Google+ for my mobile photos backup. But that wouldn't tie into my computer's iPhoto.

Any thought?

----------

And I'm not at my computer a whole lot. But it is also nice replying to text messages there in messages, rather than on my phone. So I guess I'd lose that as well.

Or is there an Android app i could install on Macbook that would do the same?

I dont know how it is there, but here its cheaper to buy without contract.

I have a pre paid for 20€ that last me 2 months (2-3GB of data barely any calls)

Iphone 6 64GB is 800 6+ 900 . I bought a oneplus one for 300 . And After 2 iphones and I like android better .

 

[jrswizzle]

Just check out the post below for perfect advice on what you should do without a hint of bias. Don't listen to all the iPhone owners like me with our locked down, boring devices. We are in denial apparently.

Perfectly put without any bias or influence lol. I love this place sometimes

Yup - won't find ANY bias in the Alternatives section.....where free flowing ideas about a range of different technologie...

HEY! Did he say something about Apple? Let's GET HIM!!!!!!

*storms off in a mob after the Apple user*

 

[nilk]

I don't buy into the whole 'Apple supporting devices' thing. They slow your device down and the new iOS features are nothing special.
Apps are usually supported for a number of years and Android Apps are designed to run on older versions of the o/s due to the fragmentation which exists. I'd sooner have an older version of Android and a phone performing like it did the day I bought it, than an older iPhone running the latest version of iOS which slows it to a crawl.
None of the photo synching or iMessage stuff bothers me. I can happily live without it but I do understand that some can't.

Major OS updates slowing down older devices is not exclusive to iOS. My 2012 Nexus 7 is in a world of hurt with 5.0/Lollipop to the point of being practically unusable, much worse than my iPhone 4S running iOS 8 which is fast enough and usable most of the time but occasionally gets severely bogged down. That said, at least you have the option of downgrading on an Android device (and installing alternative distributions of Android, too, if you can unlock your bootloader).

 

[mrex]

Hi,

perhaps you can help me choose.

My iPhone 4S is dying (battery), and my 3 year contract is nearly up anyway.

I own a Macbook Pro. I'm considering switching to Samsung or another brand of Android phone. In Canada, the iPhone 6, 64GB, costs $375 with a 2 year contract.

The Samsung S5 costs only $200 + extra to upgrade the SD memory card. The Samsung is water resistant and apparently has good battery life. This means a lot because I'm a snowboarder, and sometimes I ride in the backcountry. A working phone could save my life.

I don't use Mac mail or the Mac calendar. I've used Gmail for years now, and sometimes use the Google Calendar.

I'm wondering what cross-functionality I'll lose if I go to Android. I do use the Notes and Reminders apps a little bit. They recently started popping up on my laptop. I guess that's cool. Maybe I'll start using that more.

The only other iCloud app that I hesitate to give up is the new iCloud Photos app, now in Beta. It forms a nice triangle with my iPhone photos and laptop photos.

With Samsung, I'd have to use Google+ for my mobile photos backup. But that wouldn't tie into my computer's iPhoto.

Any thought?

----------

And I'm not at my computer a whole lot. But it is also nice replying to text messages there in messages, rather than on my phone. So I guess I'd lose that as well.

Or is there an Android app i could install on Macbook that would do the same?

Because you live in Canada and are out in cold weather, you should check the warranty etc... i dont know will apple accept a warranty request if the phone doesnt work after beeing outside in minus degrees (C). it is said in a manual that it should be kept above 0 C, so... Our consumer ombudsman has already asked this from apple because our winter time is cold. the answer was vague and apple is still walking on the gray area here - they should tell about the warranty etc before a consumer buys iphone. do they tell? i have never heard that happening... and if i make an order from their website, they dont tell that i should know before buying that iphones should be kept bove 0 C. you know they use this liquid indicator inside their phones and if it gets wet (moisture on winter times!) you dont have any warranty left.

kikn.com/iphone-vs-android-sioux-falls-cold-weather-test/
staymobile.com/protect-phone-cold-weather/
support.apple.com/en-us/ht3302

 

[Dreday24]

imo get an iphone 6 if you want a smaller phone, and if yo want a big phone get a note 4.

 

[mi7chy]

Looks to me you already made up your mind with Galaxy S5.

What phone carrier are you with? Some like Sprint have Google Voice integration allowing you to make/take calls, SMS and also listen to voicemail on your computer and has been doing so for years.

I'm on Verizon without integration but use my Google Voice # as my primary number with the benefits of being able to quickly move the # on any number of my phones and tablets and get free calling and SMS over WIFI or 4G within North America. The flexibility is nice and better than Apple's implementation.

 

[SolarShane]

DO NOT get the Galaxy S5. The speakers, also including "loud" speaker, are horrible. "Loud" speaker wasn't "loud".

 

[heycal]

While you're entitled to your opinions this type of post makes me wonder why you're even on the iPhone forum at all.

God forbid that anyone express an opinion in this forum that doesn't blindly conform to the "iPhone is king!" ethos, huh?

 

[I7guy]

Frankly, unless you *need* the Apple ecosystem and are tied to iMessage etc, or have hundreds of dollars' worth of Apple apps, I would go Android. The iPhone 6 is a huge disappointment. 1GB of RAM and a lousy, bug-ridden operating system have certainly tipped me towards Android. I'm debating between the Note 4 and the Nexus 6. Unless Android grabs me and keeps me, I'll see what the iPhone 6S/7 looks like but I'm definitely jumping ship until then.

The i6 is a disappointment to you. I'm sure Apple is happy with the 10 million it sold launch day. I also like the i6 as my 5s isn't a year old I'm probably going for the 6s.

"Bug ridden" operating system is the type of hyperbole come to be expected of your posts.

 

[Tig Bitties]

iPhone 6 stock vs Android phone, go with Android all day especially Nexus or GPE versions only, not Scamscum. The HTC One M8 GPE is one of the best Android phones on the market.

But I did just see an iPhone 6 Plus that was Jailbreaked, and that phone blew me away, really good looking phone, and with the tweaks done from JB, it was quite a beast.

 

[heycal]

iPhone 6 stock vs Android phone, go with Android all day especially Nexus or GPE versions only, not Scamscum. .

What's with the Samsung hate? I see it from time to time. Are they really not good phones? Why not?

 

[Tig Bitties]

What's with the Samsung hate? I see it from time to time. Are they really not good phones? Why not?

I just don't like Touchwiz, and their physical home button you need to press down on, as opposed to the very easily pressed software buttons.

I much prefer stock Android phones, like Nexus, GPE, or OnePlus One.

 

[mi7chy]

More of a preference but I hate capacitive home button since I always hit it by accident.

 

[heycal]

I just don't like Touchwiz, and their physical home button you need to press down on, as opposed to the very easily pressed software buttons.

Yeah, those damn physical home buttons stink….

I'm not even sure what "touch wiz" is, but I've seen many complaints about it. Can one turn it off/not use it?

More of a preference but I hate capacitive home button since I always hit it by accident.

I think it was Confucious who said "It is better to accidentally hit back button on smartphone sometimes than have no back button at all".

 

[mrex]

I'm not even sure what "touch wiz" is, but I've seen many complaints about it. Can one turn it off/not use it?

touchwiz is the ui on android os with some samsung apps depending on the device. it cannot be turn off, but you can replace toucwiz home -launcher by another launcher installing it feom Play store. it doesnt affect setting menus etc though...

 

[wpautz]

Wow,

I thank you all for taking the time to answer my question.

I guess this really is a first world problem. Overall it seems that they are in the same ballpark, especially if you think back just a few years.

Fact is I still haven't decided. I'm still annoyed at the high cost of these phones. And here in Canada we have some of the world's highest monthly rates.

I spoke to my carrier (Telus) for a long time. 3 year terms are no longer allowed in Canada. So the minimum one must pay per month is now $70 (for a premium smartphone). I got a plan lined up at $75/month with only 2 gigs of data. I'm not too happy about that.

The agent helped me compare the regular 2 year contract, versus buying the phone up front and then going on rebated 2 year contract plan. It ends up being about the same price after 2 years.

The iPhone 6, 64gb, here costs $860 to purchase. It's crazy to think we're carrying such expensive devices in our pockets. So many people have their screens cracked or worse.

My friend swears by the Nexus 5. And yes, its low price is attractive. I could probably buy one cheap on Black Friday. And turns out there's a huge market for used phones. So if I don't like it after a short while, not such a big deal. Seems pretty easy to change.
It's cheap enough that I could buy it up front, and who knows, maybe Telus will work harder to please me if I go on a month-to-month plan from there.

I'm truly amazed how many of you guys have owned numerous iPhones AND Android phones.

Guess we just have to list our priorities. I might go iPhone just so that my wife and I could finally have the same charger, for a while.

Photos are pretty big concern for me. But I'm still not sure if having my computer's iPhoto linked to iCloud's new Photo app is something I'd miss.

As it is now, I never liked iTunes. I don't have time to try and figure it out. I expect stuff from Apple to be more intuitive. So I rarely plug my phone into my computer. It has 32gb. So every 4 months or so, I empty it's photos onto my computer right from iPhoto.

I want a pretty good camera.

Going from a 4S, I'm sure I'll be happy with any one of those 3. The S5, the Nexus 5 or iPhone 6.

Part of me just wants to try Android for the heck of learning something new. To be bilingual in phone operating systems talk.

I'll let you know which one I end up with.

 

[Lloydbm41]

I want a pretty good camera.

Going from a 4S, I'm sure I'll be happy with any one of those 3. The S5, the Nexus 5 or iPhone 6.

Part of me just wants to try Android for the heck of learning something new. To be bilingual in phone operating systems talk.

I'll let you know which one I end up with.

Given the choice and costs, and the fact that you just want to 'try' Android, the Nexus 5 is your best bet. Plus it has Lollipop, which is something the S5 won't get for months!

 

[iososx]

I own a Macbook Pro. I'm considering switching to Samsung or another brand of Android phone.

I'm a snowboarder, and sometimes I ride in the backcountry. A working phone could save my life.

I don't use Mac mail or the Mac calendar. I've used Gmail for years now, and sometimes use the Google Calendar.

I'm wondering what cross-functionality I'll lose if I go to Android.

I do use the Notes and Reminders apps a little bit. They recently started popping up on my laptop. I guess that's cool.

The only other iCloud app that I hesitate to give up is the new iCloud Photos app, now in Beta. It forms a nice triangle with my iPhone photos and laptop photos.

With Samsung, I'd have to use Google+ for my mobile photos backup. But that wouldn't tie into my computer's iPhoto.

I'm not at my computer a whole lot. But it is also nice replying to text messages there in messages, rather than on my phone. So I guess I'd lose that as well.

Or is there an Android app i could install on Macbook that would do the same?

I have your answers from a formerly all Mac/iPhone user to a mix of both, all easily in sync.

I use an iPhone 6+, a Nexus 5 and a Note 3 all syncing easily with my Mac Book Pro.

My Primary phone is currently my wonderful Nexus 5. I say Primary because I love variety and always carry two phones, but only use and give out my Primary number for family, friends and others. That keeps it simple.

You don't lose anything, you gain a lot.

My Google contacts, calendar & gmail sync up with all my devices. You get Google Now with your calendar alerts and any other reminders you wish to easily create all show up on your phone, computer, iPad or Android tablet immediately.

All my photos, notes, reports, or anything else go into Dropbox and into their Cloud. Dropbox is free and has native Apps for all devices, computers, and Web Access too.

Living in California I'm an avid mountaineer, rock climber, surfer, snow boarder and long distance cyclist. I stay connected easily.

Google is just great, all free you'll be up and running very quickly.

Cheers

 

[heycal]

Hey, OP: I just got a Galaxy s4 today, so I can be a bit of a guinea pig for you while you ponder your own decision. I plan to try it out for a bit and if it gives me any headaches, I'll exchange it for the iphone 6.

I do have some newbie Q's for any Galaxy pros out there. (I experimented with the LG G2 before this, and while I loved much about it, it was just too glitchy. Before that I was using an iphone 4 for awhile.)

So after a few hours with the phone, here are my questions so far:

1. Can one control power saving settings? On the G2, one could choose when it got activated, choose which things to put on low power,and the details of each. But I see no such settings on the s4. It just says "power saving" without detailing what exact power saving measures will be taken when you press it.

2. I don't really want sync on (or even mobile data maybe?) as a general battery saving rule, correct? But if I turn either off, I can't refresh my email. (I have it set on manual). Thoughts?

3. When I hit the little update symbol on the weather widget on the home page to get the current temperature, it suggests I turn on high accuracy mode in locations first. I I just want the current temperature without seeing this prompt every time or having to change my settings. I've never seen a request like this before on any previous phone. Can I get rid of it somehow?

4. Can I change the style of the icons? Message and email look too similar, so I might want to change them. (G2 made this very easy to swap different icons).

5. If I read a message in notifcations, can I make it so that pressing 'clear' will reset the mesage counter? It seems like I'll read it, clear it, but the indicator in the messaging app will still show there's 1 message waiting. I have to then go into the messaging app to get rid of it.

6. I have pop-up text message enabled, and text preview. Can I tap or swipe on the message itself when it appears on the lock screen and be taken directly into the messaging app to reply? That's instinctively what I want to do -- press the thing I want to respond to -- but it seems like I might have to unlock the screen first to get into messaging. I'd love to skip this step like I could on other phones.

7. in blocking mode, is there a setting that allows a repeat caller from an unknown number to bypass the block and ring if they call twice in three minutes? LG and iphone have this, and It's a feature I value in case someone is trying to reach me from an unfamilar phone.

So those are my questions so far, and I'm sure I'll have others. Thanks for any input on these.

 

[MRU]

iPhone 6 or Android phone?

It's important to remember that the grass is not always greener on the other side. Indeed once on the other side you come to realise it's all the same grass albeit a different shade of green perhaps....

There is never any harm trying something different, but with 'great expectations' one will usually find lay 'bitter disappointments' in the same arms reach.

Temper your desire and enjoy what you have or will be having for what IT is and not what you thought IT was.

 

[mib1800]

Hey, OP: I just got a Galaxy s4 today, so I can be a bit of a guinea pig for you while you ponder your own decision. I plan to try it out for a bit and if it gives me any headaches, I'll exchange it for the iphone 6.

I do have some newbie Q's for any Galaxy pros out there, which are these:
So I got a s4 today with Verizon and I'm going to try it out and see if I like. I experimented with the LG G2 before this, and while I loved much about it, it was just too glitchy. Before that I was using an iphone 4 for awhile.

So after a few hours with the phone, here are my questions so far:

1. Can one control power saving settings? On the G2, one could choose when it got activated, choose which things to put on low power,and the details of each. But I see no such settings on the s4. It just says "power saving" without detailing what exact power saving measures will be taken when you press it.

2. I don't really want sync on (or even mobile data maybe?) as a general battery saving rule, correct? But if I turn either off, I can't refresh my email. (I have it set on manual). Thoughts?

3. When I hit the little update symbol on the weather widget on the home page to get the current temperature, it suggests I turn on high accuracy mode in locations first. I I just want the current temperature without seeing this prompt every time or having to change my settings. I've never seen a request like this before on any previous phone. Can I get rid of it somehow?

4. Can I change the style of the icons? Message and email look too similar, so I might want to change them. (G2 made this very easy to swap different icons).

5. If I read a message in notifcations, can I make it so that pressing 'clear' will reset the mesage counter? It seems like I'll read it, clear it, but the indicator in the messaging app will still show there's 1 message waiting. I have to then go into the messaging app to get rid of it.

6. I have pop-up text message enabled, and text preview. Can I tap or swipe on the message itself when it appears on the lock screen and be taken directly into the messaging app to reply? That's instinctively what I want to do -- press the thing I want to respond to -- but it seems like I might have to unlock the screen first to get into messaging. I'd love to skip this step like I could on other phones.

7. in blocking mode, is there a setting that allows a repeat caller from an unknown number to bypass the block and ring if they call twice in three minutes? LG and iphone have this, and It's a feature I value in case someone is trying to reach me from an unfamilar phone.

So those are my questions so far, and I'm sure I'll have others. Thanks for any input on these.

1. Tab on power saving should give you a list of options to set.

2. install something like battery guru or easy battery saver. This will on off the mobile data regularly so sync can happen.

3. There are thousands of weather widgets out. Get one that suit your need.

4. Use something like nova or go or next launcher. Allows you to theme anyhow you want.

5. Nope.

6. If you didn't lock with pin on lock screen just swipe down and tap the notification.

7. Nope. Get Tasker app and customize anyhow you want with these event driven actions.

 

[geoff5093]

Or it might be best to put the device down, leave the virtual world for a bit and meet real people for this type of fun the old fashioned way. This is a reason I like the stricter rules of the App Store because it keeps this sort of thing out.

So, don't use it maybe? Just because some people are prude doesn't mean everyone is.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

So, don't use it maybe? Just because some people are prude doesn't mean everyone is.

That is good advice Geoff and it's surely obvious I would follow it anyway. I am not a prude by any sense of the imagination, but I am also not 13. I am happily married with children myself, however I do not think virtual sex games are a major reason to choose Android over iOS lol. If it floats your boat though mate, all the power to you, I just agree with keeping this sort of tripe off the App Stores.

 

[heycal]

1. Tab on power saving should give you a list of options to set.

I do see a few in settings, but not many and skimpy on details like how much less bright your screen might be. Maybe that's all they'll tell you?

2. install something like battery guru or easy battery saver. This will on off the mobile data regularly so sync can happen.

Will look into this.



3. There are thousands of weather widgets out. Get one that suit your need.

will investigate.

4. Use something like nova or go or next launcher. Allows you to theme anyhow you want.

Will investigate if I feel strongly about it at some point.

5. Nope.

Surprised, but hardly the end of the world if I can't.

6. If you didn't lock with pin on lock screen just swipe down and tap the notification.

I just can't quite the motion down. I've down it a couple of times almost by accident, but can't quite master it.

7. Nope. Get Tasker app and customize anyhow you want with these event driven actions.

Thanks for your feedback. My responses to your responses are in bold.

New problem: Suddenly my screen isn't turning off after one minute of inactivity like I've instructed it to. Double checked the settting, and it's still at one minute where I left it. But the screen is not turning off after one minute, or even many minutes. I've had to turn it off myself.

Theories?

 

[mib1800]

Thanks for your feedback. My responses to your responses are in bold.

New problem: Suddenly my screen isn't turning off after one minute of inactivity like I've instructed it to. Double checked the settting, and it's still at one minute where I left it. But the screen is not turning off after one minute, or even many minutes. I've had to turn it off myself.

Theories?

Is smart stay on? If on and you keep looking at seen it won't turn off