Leaving the Apple Ecosystem?

[blairh]

That's my issue. If you are already moderately invested in the Apple ecosystem,a dn you won't be using a secondary tweaked device, why switch?



I've been using Verizon for a long time, and I remember the UI issues with Verizon phones prior to me getting the iPhone. Verizon had a tendency to make good UIs not so great. At one time all the phones had the same UI. I'm not saying this is true now. I'm just talking about Verizon past tendencies.

Here's a better question. Why switch in the first place? What about iOS 8 or the iPhone 6 don't you like? You seem to want answers to both how and why to switch, yet you provide no reason to do so in the first place. Is there something about Android you like? Is there an Android phone you like? If you don't have answers to these questions, I'm not sure what the point of this thread is to begin with.

Verizon has no say over the UI of their Android phones beyond the bloatware they place on their phones.

 

[RMD68]

Here's a better question. Why switch in the first place? What about iOS 8 or the iPhone 6 don't you like? You seem to want answers to both how and why to switch, yet you provide no reason to do so in the first place. Is there something about Android you like? Is there an Android phone you like? If you don't have answers to these questions, I'm not sure what the point of this thread is to begin with.

Verizon has no say over the UI of their Android phones beyond the bloatware they place on their phones.

The point(s):

I. Complete Android n00b
a. Don't want secondary device
b. Don't want to sign contract for test phone (iPhone 6 or Android)

II. Confused by majority opinion during Android research
a. Majority opinions on Android over iOS
i. customization
ii. out of the apple walled garden
iii. widgets
iv. iTunes sucks!
b. My confusion after reading
i. how is customization effective and not a pain in the ass?
*You are saying that you don't even need to customize anything
ii. What is so bad about the Apple walled garden?
iii. Are widgets really that useful?
iv. iTunes sucking is inconclusive

III. My current position

I have never owned an Android device. I am up for contract, and I am bored with iOS while not seeing the former degree of innovation in Apple. At the same time, Apple still makes very good devices. I have several Apple devices that I've been using since there was little competition for Apple during the Steve Job's era. As a result of the current trend in digital companies, changing ecosystems is becoming a more difficult choice. Although I am not a fanboy, I have a moderate investment in the Apple ecosystem.

Moreover, I remember my experiences with non-Apple products, and Apple still makes very polished devices, so it seems risky to switch. I, however, am not fixed on not switching. I like to research my products, so what better place for researching switching from iOS to Android on a well moderated and established Apple forum in the iOS alternative thread?

Furthermore, I enjoy these devices, but I haven't seen conclusive opinions in regard to why I should switch from a well-polished, less labor intensive operation system and general ecosystem. Although it may not be your opinion, the majority opinion on the pro-Android side consists of:
1. people being annoyed that they can't easily transfer illegal files
2. like the ability to select different phone models,
3. homebrew and third party customization
4. enjoy "not being an iSheep.

In conclusion, although there may be true benefits to Android over iOS, the noise on Al Gore's inter webs is not providing any conclusive information, so I decided to make this thread.

 

[ggibson913]

I read the article, and the title was right! It was certainly a TL;DR version. He said there were a lot of pros and cons, but he wouldn't list them because we already knew them...

Argh!

I read a linked article from June about how both Google and Apple are trying to do what other brands were never able to do, make it hard for you to leave.

That's my issue. If you are already moderately invested in the Apple ecosystem,a dn you won't be using a secondary tweaked device, why switch?

/headscratch

----------



I've been using Verizon for a long time, and I remember the UI issues with Verizon phones prior to me getting the iPhone. Verizon had a tendency to make good UIs not so great. At one time all the phones had the same UI. I'm not saying this is true now. I'm just talking about Verizon past tendencies.

I am going to be honest here after reading the threads this far I think that you ought really to stick with iOS. It is a good system and you do seem to love the features and it works for you. If you are happy with iOS, then why switch? For me the temptation came for mostly a bigger screen and I got tired of waiting Apple to give me what I knew was already available on Android. You have to ask yourself what you are unhappy about in iOS? If the answer is nothing, then just stick with it. We all vacillate alot when we switch, there are some growing pains in Android as you have to get used to some different system behaviors but they are just that, different, not inferior. In the end almost any flagship smartphone will be an excellent device for you.

 

[RMD68]

I am going to be honest here after reading the threads this far I think that you ought really to stick with iOS. It is a good system and you do seem to love the features and it works for you. If you are happy with iOS, then why switch? For me the temptation came for mostly a bigger screen and I got tired of waiting Apple to give me what I knew was already available on Android. You have to ask yourself what you are unhappy about in iOS? If the answer is nothing, then just stick with it. We all vacillate alot when we switch, there are some growing pains in Android as you have to get used to some different system behaviors but they are just that, different, not inferior. In the end almost any flagship smartphone will be an excellent device for you.

When the iPhone and the subsequent iOS arrived, they were clearly head and shoulders above the competition. This is no longer the case, and although Apple has fine-tuned their products, they haven't been groundbreaking.

A huge portion of the mobile device market says that Android devices are an awesome alternative to iOS, and they never looked backed when then left the walled garden. The thought that such new device existed intrigued me, and I'm up for a new contract, so what better time to do some research?

The problem is I haven't seen anything conclusive. It doesn't mean that there aren't huge differences, but these huge differences aren't apparent when you look at an Android device at Best Buy, and I don't want to waste my contract, so I turned to the webs for convincing.

iOS is no longer amazing, but "the alternatives," as the overwhelming majority state them, sound weak.

I'm still going to wait.

 

[ggibson913]

You can use Verizon edge. It only hooks you for a year and gets you new device eligible quickly. In this manner you get to try a new Android device and you can renew when the 6s or whatever they will call it is released.

 

[viskon]

Not sure if this helps any, but you can get a taste of what customizing is all about here.

http://mycolorscreen.com/popular/?time=all

 

[ozaz]

OP right now you are your own worst enemy. You seem to have this one single vision of how to use an Android phone and you are sticking by that mindset as you think this all out.

You do not need to disable bloatware, install a launcher, and root your phone to properly enjoy an Android device. So just get that out of your head. I don't know a single person personally who roots their Android device.

Disabling bloatware is pretty fast and painless. You don't have to use a 3rd party launcher. And if you choose to, it's not going to slow down your phone or be a hinderance in any way. Neither of these things should stop you from trying Android.

Seconded.

Isn't there a lot of fragmentation in the Android market? I don't see how one phone would be good for choosing another.

Fragmentation was in danger of becoming a problem a few years ago, but Google essentially solved it by uncoupling all the core services from the OS.

So unlike on iOS, things like the messaging/email/calendar apps are not tied to the OS updates. They get updated continuously regardless of whether you are on 4.2,4.3,4.4, or whatever. I no longer think of fragmentation as an issue.

As others have intimated on this thread, you just need to jump in and try Android to satisfy your curiosity. You won't get all your answers on a tech forum or by reading comparison articles.

Get an off-contract & unlocked Nexus 5, Moto X, Moto G (depending on how much you want to spend) and use it as your only phone for 2-3 months prior to moving on to a new contract. Only then will you have a good idea of whether Android is for you. This is what I did (with the Moto G) and at the end of the 3 months I decided to continue with Android and then switched to a flagship device.

Nexus 5 is runs stock Android, and the Moto G & X phones stock Android with a couple of very unobtrusive additional features. Don't be deceived by the very low cost of Moto G. It's a very smooth and well made device. IMO the only significant downside is the poor camera.

 

[Stuntman06]

Do you know any good Android forums?

I recommend http://androidforums.com/ . The moderators do a good job of keeping things on topic and the discussions civil.

 

[Stuntman06]

The point(s):

II. Confused by majority opinion during Android research
a. Majority opinions on Android over iOS
i. customization
ii. out of the apple walled garden
iii. widgets
iv. iTunes sucks!
b. My confusion after reading
i. how is customization effective and not a pain in the ass?
*You are saying that you don't even need to customize anything
ii. What is so bad about the Apple walled garden?
iii. Are widgets really that useful?
iv. iTunes sucking is inconclusive

Customisation in Android allows me to configure my device in a way that suits me. The degree just depends on each individual. It could be as simple as organising the screen objects to custom ROMs and a whole bunch of stuff in between. I'll describe some. These may or may not interest you.

One thing that Android can do that you cannot in iOS is the ability to set default apps. If you like a particular browser that is not the default browser, you can configure it to be the browser that launches every time you tap on a URL somewhere. In iOS, it's always Safari. I can install Chrome, but when I'm in say the Mail app and tap on a link, it always launches Safari. If I want to use Chrome, I have to copy the URL, launch Chrome and paste it. Other default apps include which Mail app, messaging app, mapping app, etc.

Widgets are also another way to customise Android. With the right widgets, I find that it makes it more convenient and/or faster for me to do various things. Weather widgets is the most common. There are a lot out there and all display different information. There are also widgets that control system settings. I use a Volume control widget that allows me to do pretty much the same as turning on or off Do Not Disturb with a single tap instead of having to into my settings. My Soundhound widget allows me to identify a song playing by simply tapping once on my home screen. The right widgets act like short cuts to various functions. Sort of like a book mark for a browser, but with more functionality.

Android currently has better third party keyboards than iOS. I found the ones in iOS are very limited compared to the Android versions. This is likely to change as time goes on. For now, iOS third party keyboards feel years behind those on Android.

Screen object organisation I find is something that is basic and at least I find better on Android than the iPhone. I find the iPhone organises screen objects in a linear fashion. You can't have gaps. You can't have some apps on the top row, some on the bottom and nothing in between.

Custom launchers have various features that allow you to better organise your screen objects. I currently use Nova Prime. I use it to get rid of the dock at the bottom of the home screen and add more rows of objects to pack more things in each screen. There are a lot of features and you can check the app description for them all.

There are more ways you can customise your phone. It's just up to you to decide what you want to do. I didn't do all of this on day one. Over time, I decided if there was a way for me to make this or that thing more efficient. Then I just look through the Play store or ask in forums how to do something and then I try it out. For instance, one day I wanted to make my phone automatically switch to different third party keyboards depending on whether the phone was in landscape or portrait. I did some research and found a way to do it.

III. My current position

I have never owned an Android device. I am up for contract, and I am bored with iOS while not seeing the former degree of innovation in Apple. At the same time, Apple still makes very good devices. I have several Apple devices that I've been using since there was little competition for Apple during the Steve Job's era. As a result of the current trend in digital companies, changing ecosystems is becoming a more difficult choice. Although I am not a fanboy, I have a moderate investment in the Apple ecosystem.

Moreover, I remember my experiences with non-Apple products, and Apple still makes very polished devices, so it seems risky to switch. I, however, am not fixed on not switching. I like to research my products, so what better place for researching switching from iOS to Android on a well moderated and established Apple forum in the iOS alternative thread?

Furthermore, I enjoy these devices, but I haven't seen conclusive opinions in regard to why I should switch from a well-polished, less labor intensive operation system and general ecosystem. Although it may not be your opinion, the majority opinion on the pro-Android side consists of:
1. people being annoyed that they can't easily transfer illegal files
2. like the ability to select different phone models,
3. homebrew and third party customization
4. enjoy "not being an iSheep.

In conclusion, although there may be true benefits to Android over iOS, the noise on Al Gore's inter webs is not providing any conclusive information, so I decided to make this thread.

Switching is going to take some adjustments. You seem to be hesitant about switching. I personally would probably not switch unless there was something I was really unhappy about with my current platform or there was something I really wanted on another platform that isn't available on my current platform. If you are happy with the iPhone and there isn't anything on Android that you really want or need that you cannot do on the iPhone, I don't see a lot of point to switching. You don't seem to be one who wanted to try out Android. You want a phone for the long term. If sticking with the iPhone is something you feel comfortable in the long term, I recommend you just do that.

 

[RMD68]

Customisation in Android allows me to configure my device in a way that suits me. The degree just depends on each individual. It could be as simple as organising the screen objects to custom ROMs and a whole bunch of stuff in between. I'll describe some. These may or may not interest you.

One thing that Android can do that you cannot in iOS is the ability to set default apps. If you like a particular browser that is not the default browser, you can configure it to be the browser that launches every time you tap on a URL somewhere. In iOS, it's always Safari. I can install Chrome, but when I'm in say the Mail app and tap on a link, it always launches Safari. If I want to use Chrome, I have to copy the URL, launch Chrome and paste it. Other default apps include which Mail app, messaging app, mapping app, etc.

Widgets are also another way to customise Android. With the right widgets, I find that it makes it more convenient and/or faster for me to do various things. Weather widgets is the most common. There are a lot out there and all display different information. There are also widgets that control system settings. I use a Volume control widget that allows me to do pretty much the same as turning on or off Do Not Disturb with a single tap instead of having to into my settings. My Soundhound widget allows me to identify a song playing by simply tapping once on my home screen. The right widgets act like short cuts to various functions. Sort of like a book mark for a browser, but with more functionality.

Android currently has better third party keyboards than iOS. I found the ones in iOS are very limited compared to the Android versions. This is likely to change as time goes on. For now, iOS third party keyboards feel years behind those on Android.

Screen object organisation I find is something that is basic and at least I find better on Android than the iPhone. I find the iPhone organises screen objects in a linear fashion. You can't have gaps. You can't have some apps on the top row, some on the bottom and nothing in between.

Custom launchers have various features that allow you to better organise your screen objects. I currently use Nova Prime. I use it to get rid of the dock at the bottom of the home screen and add more rows of objects to pack more things in each screen. There are a lot of features and you can check the app description for them all.

There are more ways you can customise your phone. It's just up to you to decide what you want to do. I didn't do all of this on day one. Over time, I decided if there was a way for me to make this or that thing more efficient. Then I just look through the Play store or ask in forums how to do something and then I try it out. For instance, one day I wanted to make my phone automatically switch to different third party keyboards depending on whether the phone was in landscape or portrait. I did some research and found a way to do it.



Switching is going to take some adjustments. You seem to be hesitant about switching. I personally would probably not switch unless there was something I was really unhappy about with my current platform or there was something I really wanted on another platform that isn't available on my current platform. If you are happy with the iPhone and there isn't anything on Android that you really want or need that you cannot do on the iPhone, I don't see a lot of point to switching. You don't seem to be one who wanted to try out Android. You want a phone for the long term. If sticking with the iPhone is something you feel comfortable in the long term, I recommend you just do that.

For 30 days this summer, I only booted into Windows 8.1. I wanted to see what I could do outside of Apple's walled garden. After the 30 days, I've never been happier with OSX.

I already had a Windows partition on boot camp, so it didn't cost me an extra dime, and getting an Android on contract will.

I understand Android is a different OS than Windows, but I've heard similar arguments about leaving the walled garden for Windows from OSX as I've heard for leaving iOS for Android, and there are actually major programs that require Windows unlike Android where a majority of the apps are the same on the App Store and the Google play store.

I suppose I'm having the same gut feeling.

Anyway, if one wanted to try an Android device, is a Nexusthe best bet?

 

[Oohara]

OP, if you have to make a thread like this then I think that's a sign that you probably won't enjoy Android.

I was on the fence too but I found all the info I needed by googling and testing phones in stores. Eventually I realized that I could never know what it was like until I had given it a serious try myself, so I risked a carrier upgrade and bought an android phone. I got a Note 2 and loved it - only finding out how good it could actually be after a few weeks of testing and setting up the phone to my preferences.

But if your interest is lukewarm enough that you've not already done this yourself, then I suspect that the set-it-up-yourself nature of Android isn't your piece of pie, and you'll probably be much happier with your iOS setup with an iPhone on top to take advantage of it all.

Both OS's are great, but Android does require a bit more dedication and effort than iOS to become truly enjoyable. If really think it could be for you, then perhaps check with your carrier if they have a good return policy and try out an Android phone for a week or two? It's the only way you'll really find out.

Good luck in any case, I hope you find the setup that works best for you!

 

[RMD68]

I'm going to stick with Verizon, so how great is the difference between the Google Nexus and the Moto X (2nd gen.)

Edit: good lord! The Moto X is $500 without a contract.

 

[Liberty.]

If I were ever to switch I would switch to Microsoft. Not currently, but maybe Windows Phone is better in 2-3 years than it is currently. Android is something I will avoid. I hate my Nexus 7.

 

[RMD68]

If I were ever to switch I would switch to Microsoft. Not currently, but maybe Windows Phone is better in 2-3 years than it is currently. Android is something I will avoid. I hate my Nexus 7.

Why do you hate your Nexus 7?

 

[Liberty.]

Why do you hate your Nexus 7?

Android is just messy. No privacy controls without rooting it and it has a noticable lag. And applications can do whatever they want. Autostart, register as a service, ... I only bought it for MX Player anyway, but I stopped using it some month ago completely. I couldn't even find a single good Reddit-app on the Play-store. iOS isn't perfect and there are things you can't do, especially regarding Chromecast, but that's a burden I can live with.

 

[RMD68]

Android is just messy. No privacy controls without rooting it and it has a noticable lag. And applications can do whatever they want. Autostart, register as a service, ... I only bought it for MX Player anyway, but I stopped using it some month ago completely. I couldn't even find a single good Reddit-app on the Play-store. iOS isn't perfect and there are things you can't do, especially regarding Chromecast, but that's a burden I can live with.

I'm not arguing with you. Rather, I'm asking a question that is the crux of this thread.

Without rooting and a bunch of other third party programs, is Android less effective than iOS?

And

What can't you do on iOS that you can on Android?

 

[gotluck]

Without rooting and a bunch of other third party programs, is Android less effective than iOS?

I would say yes, at least with respect to the third party apps. If you are only going to use first party apps, stick to apple. You will likely have to dig to find what works best for you on android.

Rooting is unnecessary IMO, but is a major reason for my own personal switch to android. (waiting for an ios jailbreak sucks)


Liberty. : What's wrong with reddit sync?

 

[pdqgp]

What can't you do on iOS that you can on Android?

May or may not be important to you but what I do on my Note 3

I have replaced the stock dialer
I love selecting different launchers. Nova is my current daily one, but I also Use Themer now and then. Simply flip back and forth to completely change the look and layout of my phone depending on my mood. Silly perhaps, but there are days where I'm at work and want all my works apps and information a certain way, but on weekeneds or the evening I can flip and have mostly my personal, music, workout, social media apps more on top of mind, etc. Jeckle and Hyde so to speak.
I use PowerAmp Pro for my music player
I use Llama for location based services to automate all kinds of things. I really like this as when I work from home, I want my phone set up one way, when I work remote at my office I want it another. Things that change for me are numerous and they are all fully automated. From Blue Tooth, to brightness, volumes, call forwarding, etc.
I also enjoy having more than just one way for notifications. I use a completely different app for notifications that I like better than the stock one. I also use a third part SMS tool. Options, options, options, that's why I like Android.
Not to mention I love having a fully google integrated phone from Google now to Google +

At the end of it, if you like iOS and are fine with having many if not most of the things you do on your phone dictated by them to you and can live with that then by all means stay Apple. Me, I prefer to try new apps and services that match what I am looking for. It's not about colors and shapes, but the function of even core applications.

On top of many of things I've already listed....
Dialers
Email
SMS
Calenders
Notification bars, pop ups, reminders, etc.
Notes or To Do Lists, etc...

Again, there are multiple very good and solid choices. So many that like I said, I can customize my phone based on what I'm doing that day or even how I feel. My Phone, My Way When I want it. Many of the changes can be made to automate too. It's so nice to setup a configuration tool that can Taylor things based on where I am.

 

[pdqgp]

In regard to syncing and being up-to-date:

-All my music is on iTunes

-I don't even need to connect to my computer or a third party program to completely sync my apps and media to my phone or tablet

mine too. I also upload my iTunes library to Google so I have music both in the cloud and on my PC and on my Phone. Love it. Call me old school, but I like having my music locally on my PC and phone. iSyncr covers it seamlessly.

-My SMS, emails, pictures, apps, etc. automatically update on all my devices

The the only thing different is my SMS is on my phone. Otherwise, my emails, pics, contact, etc. are all available on my phone and elsewhere.

-Which is easier? Having one update, a uniform iOS update, or making sure Google updates Android, your phone manufacturer updates their software, and thirds party apps being up to date to get the most out of your device?

Not sure I follow. The OS on your phone/manufacturer driven occures maybe 1-2 times per year. IMO an iDevice will alllow for updates farther out as many of the phone co's are only going to support OS updates for say 2yrs. However, I honestly never keep a phone more than 2-3yrs thus I'm okay with that. My Note 3 is 1yr old and updated to Kit Kat just fine. L is coming and IMO will likely happen in March. Just a guess. After that, I could keep my phone past fall 2015 but I likely will want a Note 5.

App wise, Android is 100% spot-on as good. They are always being updated and improved automatically.

 

[TechGod]

Android is just messy. No privacy controls without rooting it and it has a noticable lag. And applications can do whatever they want. Autostart, register as a service, ... I only bought it for MX Player anyway, but I stopped using it some month ago completely. I couldn't even find a single good Reddit-app on the Play-store. iOS isn't perfect and there are things you can't do, especially regarding Chromecast, but that's a burden I can live with.

What utter ********!

 

[blairh]

I couldn't even find a single good Reddit-app on the Play-store.

Reddit News is terrific. At least on mobile it is.

----------

I'm going to stick with Verizon, so how great is the difference between the Google Nexus and the Moto X (2nd gen.)

Edit: good lord! The Moto X is $500 without a contract.

Every flagship Nexus 5 aside is $500 or more. You might want to consider Swappa. Also I bought my 2013 Moto X for $350 new online. You might find it at a similar price. If you get the 2nd gen X you won't because it's new.

If you are going with Verizon, why purchase off-contract?

 

[Stuntman06]

For 30 days this summer, I only booted into Windows 8.1. I wanted to see what I could do outside of Apple's walled garden. After the 30 days, I've never been happier with OSX.

I already had a Windows partition on boot camp, so it didn't cost me an extra dime, and getting an Android on contract will.

I understand Android is a different OS than Windows, but I've heard similar arguments about leaving the walled garden for Windows from OSX as I've heard for leaving iOS for Android, and there are actually major programs that require Windows unlike Android where a majority of the apps are the same on the App Store and the Google play store.

I suppose I'm having the same gut feeling.

Anyway, if one wanted to try an Android device, is a Nexusthe best bet?

From reading your posts, I don't see a compelling reason for you to switch. If you do want to give Android a try, the Nexus device is likely going to be a good candidate. There are other devices that have better hardware. The HTC One has nice front facing speakers for instance. It all depends on what you like and what is important to you.

Different manufacturers do put their own skins or more accurately, their own modified version of Android with their own additional services and features. Some people don't like anything but the pure Android experience. I have used an HTC in the past and am using a Samsung Galaxy S3 now. Both of these phones have their own skins on top. I do like some of the features that these manufacturers put into their phones.

The other thing about the customisation is that I don't think this is really a compelling reason to switch for most people. Customisation is something I discovered as I use my phone more and more. There would be something I want to do or do better and I end up usually finding a way to do it. Some of these things I find that I cannot do on iOS.

Android is just messy. No privacy controls without rooting it and it has a noticable lag.

One thing iOS can do that Android doesn't (without root) is to partially restrict an apps access on your phone. I have noticed that iOS tells me that an app wants to do something and I can deny permission. On Android, the app tells you what access it needs and you can accept all of it or not install the app. I do find that people read the access requested by the app and are sometimes confused why the app needs certain access. Often it is legitimate. An app that uses your LED flash as a flash light will need access to the camera. It has prompted developers to better explain why it needs certain access. I haven't done an item by item comparison regarding access between Android and iOS. I just notice iOS asks me if I want to give this app that permission from time to time. Android doesn't.

My only comparison of smoothness between an iOS device and Android device is with the iPad Mini and Galaxy S3. These devices are 2 years old, but it is the closest in terms of release date that I have access to. For any type of web browsing, the iPad Mini is hands down smoother and a better experience. For native apps that don't load web pages, the experience feels similar. I think for people used to iOS devices, they will notice more of a difference and may be bothered by the difference more than I who started with Android devices. This is quite an old comparison, so the situation may have changed with more current devices.

And applications can do whatever they want. Autostart, register as a service, ... I only bought it for MX Player anyway, but I stopped using it some month ago completely. I couldn't even find a single good Reddit-app on the Play-store. iOS isn't perfect and there are things you can't do, especially regarding Chromecast, but that's a burden I can live with.

Android does provide more information to the user regarding the processes that are running. How it manages processes is more visible. Android does try to make the best use of memory by loading apps and processes into unused memory. It does its best to predict what you may want to use next. If it predicts correctly, then launching an app will be faster if it is already loaded into memory.

I do see a lot of people confused by this information and the optimisation that occurs in the background. The reason is that people don't expect apps that they haven't used yet to be loaded into memory after a fresh reboot. You can also see background processes as well on Android that can confuse people.

iOS does not give the user as much detailed information. When you look at the app list, you will only see apps that you actually launched. The smaller amount of information is going to confuse people less because it only shows what the user actually used and not other stuff that the system or apps need in order to work. iOS may do some optimisation as well, but it hides any such information from the user.