iPhone vs. Android: why you prefer what you use…

[robvalentine]

I use android because the interoperability between apps on the same device seems better, swiping down for the control centre, the ability to mix and match brands and they still work nicely together (pixel 8 Pro, Garmin venu 2 plus, and Sony XM4 ear buds), and the fact you can buy spares off ifixit and they aren't software crippled if not repaired by apple.

Also the fact that you can put your apps at the bottom of the screen for reachability.

I also had several phones last year, P7P, the S23 base, switched to s23plus then back to p7p then s23, then iPhone 15 pro, sent that back after 2 weeks as Ios felt backward compared to android lol. Now on P8P but would be ont he S23+ again if the camera was any good

 

[knirirr]

I've never really liked the iPhone for a variety of reasons but I'm still using one at the moment because:

- Other family members want to use them and I'll run into complaints/issues if I switch (e.g. shared lists/reminders/location, missing SMS messages) etc. etc.
- Apple's health app is more useful to me at this time that Google's would be.
- The Apple Watch (at least on WatchOS 9) is very good. The Pixel watch looks as if it could at last be an acceptable substitute, if it weren't for the first point.

Apple's "ecosystem" isn't really of any interest to me. I'd rather use Linux than a Mac and Plex rather than Apple Music. I have an iPad but it is only used for iReal and PDF music scores.

Eventually I'll have to switch from iPhone as devices without facial recognition will eventually become unsupported, but with luck I might find a way to work around those cross-platform issues by then.

 

[Smellmet]

For me it's a combination of things - customisation, the ability to add storage and the choice of phones at a price point of my choosing.

 

[Warped9]

Many Android phones are available at lower price points than Apple. To get a cheaper iPhone you have to go used or second-hand. Even a new iPhone SE isn’t cheap in comparison.

But a lot of those cheaper phones are meh. But, hey, most people are on a budget of some kind and those cheaper phones cater to that market.

 

[Heat_Fan89]

For me, it's what the phone can provide me. I happen to own both multiple Pixel's and an iPhone. I like Apple's stuff for the hardware and smoothness of their products along with the fit and finish as well.

That only goes so far because while Apple focuses on the hardware, Google however is focusing on the software stuff. So each company is targeting a certain segment of customers. So my daily phone is a Pixel because of Google's call screener, and other features their phone app provides like helping me navigate through a phone maze, letting me know on the screen the wait time or telling the caller to call me back if i'm going to be on hold for an extended period of time.

Then there's Google Maps and Gmail as well. Their camera software magic is still unrivaled with lesser hardware than it's competitors. The much derided punch hole on the display appears to be headed to the iPhone in the next year or two as MR has indicated. Yet Google has managed to pull off Face ID with a single punch hole where Apple uses a more complex camera array for their Face ID.

I just prefer Google's phones for all the software stuff it can do with Google spam algorithms eliminating Caller Bots with it's call screener which now sounds very human like in response to the caller.

 

[BanjoDudeAhoy]

I missed out on new Android versions because the manufacturers of the devices I was using opted not to release them for my devices, or certain features I wanted didn’t make it to my device.

(Maybe I could have bought a Samsung phone to get better support, but I can’t stand their version of Android. It just never felt nice to use to me somehow.)

After this happened multiple times, I decided to switch to iPhone, and I haven’t regretted it.

As for tablets, none of my experiences (be they Android or Windows) were as smooth and enjoyable as iPad.
MS Surface comes somewhat close, but I found those weirdly stuck between laptop and tablet and not really being either.

 

[vladi]

I don't think it really matters, I'm using both iPhone mini and latest Xperia 1. Both have pros and cons but overall it's like Windows vs OSX, meaningless cause you get the job done no matter what.

If you want to know my kink here it is: build quality. I use my phones caseless cause I want that feel in my hand pun intended. I think Apple and Sony have the best choice of high quality materials, tight build, properly balanced and lightweight but yet expensive feeling, properly picked colors which is super important as Samsung was never able to nail their colors. And of course both Apple and Sony have the best industrial design that reflect into their mobile phones. My two cents, don't roast me.

 

[seggy]

My usage pattern hugely favours iOS for four main reasons (quite aside from the fact that very few of my peers and none of my family members use anything else, but I wouldn't typically care about that):

- iMessage

- Facetime

- H1

- above + iPad.

I much prefer conferencing or phoning from other generally more productive devices I have scattered around as opposed to phones, similarly with the ability to pick up any wireless earphones within reach and have it connect automatically. This really became a thing particularly during the pandemic and now I never touch the phones once I'm home.

I put up with the infantile, inflexible (not to mention the smoke-and-mirrors supposed security advantages) Apple phone OS because anything which tries to be like any of the above four things on other OS's are either limited, unreliable or plain don't work.

And of course, the tablet battle was for Google (especially) and Microsoft (who like so many things, started the viable use of it for people who know what they're doing) to lose, and they lost it by literal default - which had other knock-on ecosystem effects for these companies.

It really irks me to be honest. As a phone OS, I'd much rather be using Android every day. But I can't, because above. I just wish Google would fix tablets and someone comes up with an open alternative to all of the rest...

...but that's much easier said than done. So I'll be an iOS-first hostage for a while.

 

[Technerd108]

Many Android phones are available at lower price points than Apple. To get a cheaper iPhone you have to go used or second-hand. Even a new iPhone SE isn’t cheap in comparison.

But a lot of those cheaper phones are meh. But, hey, most people are on a budget of some kind and those cheaper phones cater to that market.

It is not just the low end that is cheaper in Android and I am not talking MSRP. Now we can all trade in our devices and there are incentives on all phones for different carriers BUT I have done all the math and tried all the carriers discounts and no matter what it would end up costing me at least $1000 to get the new iPhone like the model I had. On contrast if I trade in my iPhone for a Pixel Pro model I end up with $100 credit with Google. If I take Samsung I had the s22 plus last year. I got the s23 ultra on a Google Fi half price pre order promotion. Use Google Fi for 4 months and get the s23U for $599 and get the middle model as a pre order bonus. I sold my s22 plus and used that to pay for the half price of the s23u.

What I am saying is that once you are in the Android Ecosystem and you buy one flagship then with deals you can keep getting a flagship Android phone every year or two with little or no money out of your pocket and with an iPhone you just can't do the same thing.

 

[Warped9]

^^ Not the only way to save money. I have never gone for a new model iPhone. There were ”back-to-school” promos with my carrier, Koodo, on iPhone 14 models about a month before the 15 came out. I ended up saving $250 off the full retail cost of the 14 and also sold my iPhone 8+ for another $150. So thats $400 I saved.

And candidly you couldn’t give me an Android. I simply can’t stand Android.

 

[tbayrgs]

Whatever. Apps are going to be arranged in rows no matter what. And you can move them in any position and from one page to another such as putting the apps you use most all on the first home screen page with the others on in back.

Sounds like you’re describing something very, very people would care about.

Disagree. I’m a long time user of both platforms and while iOS/iPhone is my preference and primary daily driver, free form arrangement of home screens is my #1 feature desire from Android, right ahead of selection of any default app (not just browser or mail app).

Pro Max phones are huge—why must everything be snapped to the top of the screen first? Biggest annoyance of iOS.

 

[mjschabow]

Disagree. I’m a long time user of both platforms and while iOS/iPhone is my preference and primary daily driver, free form arrangement of home screens is my #1 feature desire from Android, right ahead of selection of any default app (not just browser or mail app).

Pro Max phones are huge—why must everything be snapped to the top of the screen first? Biggest annoyance of iOS.

I don't even have apps on my home screen anymore, lol. I just do 6 widgets and use spotlight and sometimes app library to pull up apps now.

 

[Bkdodger]

I don't even have apps on my home screen anymore, lol. I just do 6 widgets and use spotlight and sometimes app library to pull up apps now.

Agreed

I have a few I use on screens and the rest spotlight

Widgets help big time

 

[RSB96]

I have always had an iPhone.

My first cell phone was a Motorola Razr, and then I always had Nokia (N70, N95 and N86) inherited from my father. My first "smartphone" as such was the HTC Hero, which was cool with the little ball it had, but it was terrible. My father at that time already had the iPhone 3GS which I inherited when he bought the iPhone 4.

After the iPhone 3GS I had the white iPhone 4, iPhone 5, 6, X, 12 Pro Max (which was stolen) and 13 Pro Max.

My father has always had a second cell phone and they were always Android, so I always had some Android terminal nearby to see its evolution. Some of them were the Sony Xperia Z, Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge and the last one was the Galaxy S8. After this model, my father joined both phones in the iPhone when they were Dual SIM.

I went many years without seeing Android up close, until last year when I bought a Pixel 7 Pro, because I was very curious to see the camera and the performance of Android so long. And I really liked it. Now I have the Pixel 8 Pro and I love it. I really like the OEM aesthetics of Google, the customization of the icons and the interface with the wallpaper colors, it becomes nice to look at.

Android and iOS as of today are very similar. They are both doing very well and both have things that they excel at and things that they slack on a bit.

iOS has a much more robust ecosystem, in the end that's the main reason I stick with Apple. Everything works great between their devices, copy and paste between devices, AirDrop, passing FaceTime calls between devices, etc. All of those things are very convenient for my day to day life.

Android has more customization, and the fact that you can access other platforms, especially in games, is pretty cool, although in Europe we'll soon have that on iOS, more or less.

Android is pretty far ahead in AI, just look at what the Google Pixel can do and what Samsung presented yesterday, it's awesome.

I'm also very curious about foldable phones and I'm interested in the upcoming Galaxy Fold 6.

I have tried to leave Apple behind and move to Android and Windows, but it is very hard for me to start from 0. I have been with iPhone and Mac for so many years that I have to start from 0 and lose certain features. However, I don't consider Android to be worse or better than iOS, just different. I like both.

 

[Klyster]

Zack's take was interesting...

 

[Warped9]

^^ Meh.

 

[Heat_Fan89]

Zack's take was interesting...

My #1 deal breaker for me is NO call screener on the iPhone. I just cannot function without it. His problem with the cursor is non issue because if you long press the spacebar on the iPhone, it will move the cursor precisely where you want it to be. I find Apple's way a bit more accurate than on Android.

 

[Warped9]

You can own these things for years and not realize things you can do with them.

 

[Klyster]

My #1 deal breaker for me is NO call screener on the iPhone. I just cannot function without it. His problem with the cursor is non issue because if you long press the spacebar on the iPhone, it will move the cursor precisely where you want it to be. I find Apple's way a bit more accurate than on Android.

Yeah, he did say that a lot of it was down to him being unfamiliar with ios in general.

I have the same spacebar cursor on my S23U with Samsung keyboard, but I find my finger to be a lot quicker, for me.

 

[Klyster]

^^ Meh.

^^ Huh?

I'm guessing you didn't find it interesting?

 

[Nekronos]

I prefer iOS because there is no Android the size of the 13 mini.

there absolutely is lmao

 

[Nekronos]

I use the iPhone because of the ecosystem. The iPhone itself is a nice phone but there are also interesting android phones with better hardware and features that the iPhone simply doesn’t have. However it’s the way all Apple devices work together that keeps me using the iPhone. Also the other devices outside of the iPhone (Mac, iPad, Apple TV, AirPods) are the best in their respective classes for me. So whilst there are many phones that can complete or even better the iPhone when looking at it on an individual level, I would not give up other devices just to get a slightly better phone.

Also on a side note. The stock keyboard on the iPhone is just so useable to me. My work laptop (windows) died this week. I work from home and I had to email line manager/IT to get a replacement. I have a Samsung work phone. Trying to compose an email using that keyboard was like sticking pins in my eyes. The keyboard is horrible, makes so many errors and it just took so long. I know you can get third party keyboards but I like stock apps to be adequate. I ended up sending the email from my personal phone as it took so long and it was so painful. However, there were some emails I had to respond to from the work phone whilst I was waiting for my new laptop to arrive. It was awful. I’ve used the stock Google keyboard on the pixel and that is miles better. It’s totally useable. Samsung need to fix it because it’s been like that for years. When I used android I had to use swiftly.

Interesting comments about the keyboard, in general my experience has been better on my galaxy S4 and S9+ while my iphone 13 has been a bit lacking in comparison -> this is likely in part due to a slightly smaller screen but I find the keyboard interface in the galaxy to be better overall, then there's the editing mechanism which again goes to android (it's much easier to edit text - less steps and smoother) and as others have mentioned predictive typing is superior on android.

 

[AlixSPQR]

there absolutely is lmao

OK, can you link to one?

 

[Nekronos]

Sure, but with iPhone a lot that is already right there out of the box. With Android you have to fuss with it to get it that way.

So your reply actually affirmed my point.

Bit of a misnomer here - Android and iOS are comparable out of the box in terms of home screen and sure, iOS has a setting app on the first page and android may not - this is likely due to the fact that settings is easily accessible from a single swipe on android though you can add a settings app to the home screen if you like. iOS requires you to access settings via that app icon and if you have multiple home screen pages like I do, accessing settings is easier on android.

There's really not much "fussing" on android, I'd argue there's less due to the flexibility of the system design (i.e. app icon placement on home screen)

 

[Nekronos]

OK, can you link to one?

for newer flagships something like the galaxy flip is your best option, but slightly larger is the s22/s23, pixel 6a/7a, otherwise if you're okay with older there's lots out there. You can obviously go for an iphone SE too.