Some days I feel like ditching Apple

[KAB2010]

I've never seen an ad using Chrome on my Nexus 5.

As for iMessage, your friends and family don't need to get an additional app, they can just send you a text, I don't know anyone who has a plan that doesn't offer unlimited texting.

I even moved out of the states for work and use TextNow to text friends and family and none of them have complained.

yes, they can just send a text, but its not as seamless. You can see if someone is typing so you dont reply to them too fast and mess up the conversation flow. You can send full resolution photos and videos (biggest plus to me). Its even faster at sending and receiving messages 90% of the time. It makes regular texting feel archaic. Its something a person really has to use for a while and experience, then go without, to appreciate it.

Can people just download Kik, Whatsapp, etc? Sure, but they aren't going to because that then makes things a hassle of using more than one messaging app just because one person you know prefers it. I have many different ones I'll happily use, but the general (non-tech nerd) public isn't as aware.

 

[Tinmania]

yes, they can just send a text, but its not as seamless. You can see if someone is typing so you dont reply to them too fast and mess up the conversation flow. You can send full resolution photos and videos (biggest plus to me). Its even faster at sending and receiving messages 90% of the time. It makes regular texting feel archaic. Its something a person really has to use for a while and experience, then go without, to appreciate it.

Or in my case, use for a while, go without for a few years, then come back to it.

Can people just download Kik, Whatsapp, etc? Sure, but they aren't going to because that then makes things a hassle of using more than one messaging app just because one person you know prefers it. I have many different ones I'll happily use, but the general (non-tech nerd) public isn't as aware.

When I first switched to Android I tried to get most of my contacts to use Whatsapp. Many did but then gradually I noticed they were sending plain text again. I actually think Facebook Messenger would have been a good alternative. It does well with photos and (usually) videos, and has the super-sized stickers and emoticon thing going on. But Facebook is either not cool anymore for the very young or Facebook Messenger is being boycotted by some of the older set (I have friends and family who refuse to use it because it was "forced on them.... ugh).

One other thing that can come in useful, even if you (hopefully) rarely see it happen, is iMessage's ability to fallback to SMS. I have had many occasions where I sent a quick FB message and put my phone away, only to find out later it failed to send. This happens to me at places that have a wifi login but I am not looking at me phone to see it. Even with a bad cell signal it is sometimes good enough to text, but not strong enough for a decent data connection.



Mike

 

[KAB2010]

But Facebook is either not cool anymore for the very young or Facebook Messenger is being boycotted by some of the older set (I have friends and family who refuse to use it because it was "forced on them.... ugh).

One other thing that can come in useful, even if you (hopefully) rarely see it happen, is iMessage's ability to fallback to SMS. I have had many occasions where I sent a quick FB message and put my phone away, only to find out later it failed to send. This happens to me at places that have a wifi login but I am not looking at me phone to see it. Even with a bad cell signal it is sometimes good enough to text, but not strong enough for a decent data connection.

yeah people are sheep.. Perhaps if they'd read something educational for once then they'd know separating messenger is good from an update perspective. completely agreed on last paragraph too. android should at least create their own "iMessage" that is basically a copycat (not the fail that is google hangouts)

 

[dinggus]

yes, they can just send a text, but its not as seamless. You can see if someone is typing so you dont reply to them too fast and mess up the conversation flow. You can send full resolution photos and videos (biggest plus to me). Its even faster at sending and receiving messages 90% of the time. It makes regular texting feel archaic. Its something a person really has to use for a while and experience, then go without, to appreciate it.

Can people just download Kik, Whatsapp, etc? Sure, but they aren't going to because that then makes things a hassle of using more than one messaging app just because one person you know prefers it. I have many different ones I'll happily use, but the general (non-tech nerd) public isn't as aware.

yeah people are sheep.. Perhaps if they'd read something educational for once then they'd know separating messenger is good from an update perspective. completely agreed on last paragraph too. android should at least create their own "iMessage" that is basically a copycat (not the fail that is google hangouts)

Google Hangouts does the same thing iMessage does. I've never had an issue with it, and being able to just open up my gmail to text is nice when I can't have my cellphone at work. I'm just trying to say is if someone is liking an Android phone, don't let the experience be ruined because it doesn't have iMessage, I let that happen twice to me when trying to switch and third time went with a Nexus device, very happy.

But I don't know who you're calling a sheep. Me or people in general?

 

[KAB2010]

But I don't know who you're calling a sheep. Me or people in general?

the sheep part was in reference to a previous post about facebook messenger and how all of the uninformed general population refuse to download it after facebook made it a separate app for good reasons that they wont educate themselves on

 

[navaira]

yes, they can just send a text, but its not as seamless. You can see if someone is typing so you dont reply to them too fast and mess up the conversation flow. You can send full resolution photos and videos (biggest plus to me). Its even faster at sending and receiving messages 90% of the time. It makes regular texting feel archaic. Its something a person really has to use for a while and experience, then go without, to appreciate it.

All of the above applies to WhatsApp. You can also call over wifi for free using WhatsApp.

Maybe it's my age and age of my friends (35+), but I don't know a single person that would decide using iMessage is more important than being in touch with me.

 

[Tinmania]

All of the above applies to WhatsApp. You can also call over wifi for free using WhatsApp.

No. All of it does not apply to WhatsApp. Without rooting and jumping through hoops WhatsApp has a video limitation of 16 megabytes. That is small by today's standards. You don't have to even think about video size limitations with iMessage.

As far as calling over wifi... well Facebook messenger does that and just about everything else whatsapp does. It doesn't use a subscription model either. More people use it to boot.

Maybe it's my age and age of my friends (35+), but I don't know a single person that would decide using iMessage is more important than being in touch with me.

What the heck does this have to do with anything? lol



Mike

 

[Tsepz]

I have been an Apple girl for many years now and own many Apple products (see sig) but lately I feel like I want to ditch Apple for good. I have had nothing but problems since I upgraded my rMBP to El Captain. I have a SP 3 and all programs run like a dream. I also enjoy using my S6 better than my iPhone I just miss the "sync ability" and ease in getting music onto it like the iPhone since I mainly use iTunes.

I don't blame you. There are days when I feel that a low end Chinese Android could get more done than my iPad.....funny part? It can.

Had my eyes set on a iPad Pro, discovered that it is running the same ol' iOS as my iPad, so no file management system, no app to app sharing etc...

In terms of productivity, I've got to a point where I've realised even the top of the range iPhone6S Plus 128GB would be useless to me, as it would mostly be a stepbackward from my Galaxy Note 4 in so many aspects such as Email (i.e. doing attachments), multitasking, lack of app to app sharing etc... I was seriously looking into the 6S Plus, then I used my Dad's 64GB 6S Plus and in no time realised, this is still the same ol' limited OS, that is mostly great for gaming and less intense tasks (text, social media and pics), it does all that very well.

iPhones still seem to use poor quality antennas to, the 6S Plus bounced between 3G and 4G in an area where the Note 4 held on to 4G effortlessly.

 

[Tinmania]

I don't blame you. There are days when I feel that a low end Chinese Android could get more done than my iPad.....funny part? It can.

Had my eyes set on a iPad Pro, discovered that it is running the same ol' iOS as my iPad, so no file management system, no app to app sharing etc...

In terms of productivity, I've got to a point where I've realised even the top of the range iPhone6S Plus 128GB would be useless to me, as it would mostly be a stepbackward from my Galaxy Note 4 in so many aspects such as Email (i.e. doing attachments), multitasking, lack of app to app sharing etc... I was seriously looking into the 6S Plus, then I used my Dad's 64GB 6S Plus and in no time realised, this is still the same ol' limited OS, that is mostly great for gaming and less intense tasks (text, social media and pics), it does all that very well.

iPhones still seem to use poor quality antennas to, the 6S Plus bounced between 3G and 4G in an area where the Note 4 held on to 4G effortlessly.

My 6S Plus gets and holds a signal in places my Note 4 didn't get anything at all. In fact my AT&T Note 4 wasn't even better than my Note 2 before it.

I also have no problem using my iPhone for the same things I used my Note 4: and yes I use it for business as well as personal.

What I don't have to deal with, that I did with my AT&T Note 4, are slow-to-receive updates, random slowdowns, sudden unexpected battery drain, and the redundancy of Touchwiz (S Voice as well as Google Now, etc.--S Voice would still raise her drunken and slurred speech head even though I had it turned off).



Mike

 

[Tsepz]

My 6S Plus gets and holds a signal in places my Note 4 didn't get anything at all. In fact my AT&T Note 4 wasn't even better than my Note 2 before it.

I also have no problem using my iPhone for the same things I used my Note 4: and yes I use it for business as well as personal.

What I don't have to deal with, that I did with my AT&T Note 4, are slow-to-receive updates, random slowdowns, sudden unexpected battery drain, and the redundancy of Touchwiz (S Voice as well as Google Now, etc.--S Voice would still raise her drunken and slurred speech head even though I had it turned off).



Mike

Nothing more painful than a branded phone. Debranded my Note 4 (Vodafone branded) the same week I got it, loaded the Unlocked/Unbranded German Firmware on it and been happy since.

 

[Tinmania]

Nothing more painful than a branded phone. Debranded my Note 4 (Vodafone branded) the same week I got it, loaded the Unlocked/Unbranded German Firmware on it and been happy since.

Indeed. I will never get a branded phone again. I'm sure I would have been happier if my Note 4 wasn't also saddled with AT&T crap. It also had a locked bootloader so there never was a true root available or a way to load a different/better firmware.



Mike

 

[Toltepeceno]

My 6S Plus gets and holds a signal in places my Note 4 didn't get anything at all. In fact my AT&T Note 4 wasn't even better than my Note 2 before it.

I also have no problem using my iPhone for the same things I used my Note 4: and yes I use it for business as well as personal.

What I don't have to deal with, that I did with my AT&T Note 4, are slow-to-receive updates, random slowdowns, sudden unexpected battery drain, and the redundancy of Touchwiz (S Voice as well as Google Now, etc.--S Voice would still raise her drunken and slurred speech head even though I had it turned off).



Mike

My experience has been exactly the opposite. We had sgs2`s and had excellent reception, both cell service and wifi. We got iphones and reception was far worse especially in the cement houses here. Fast forward a year and a half and we got the kids moto g 2015's and we saw again how bad ours were. They had 4 bars where we had 1 and 0 in the house. I got a moto x pure and its a world of difference, mine has reception like the kids. The schools here all have free wifi and with this phone I can connect outside of just about all. I could not with my iphone and the wife still cannot. She is sick of her iphone.

 

[Tinmania]

It could be the bands, since my iPhone definitely is getting better signal here with AT&T.

That said I'm thinking about switching to Tmobile since I go down to Mexico a lot and with TM I can call, text, and use data the same as up here. My fiance can also call and text her family from here without extra charge. BUT, I fear I will suffer signal-wise. TM, like AT&T supports wifi calling but that doesn't help if you are driving.


Mike

 

[Toltepeceno]

It could be the bands, since my iPhone definitely is getting better signal here with AT&T.

That said I'm thinking about switching to Tmobile since I go down to Mexico a lot and with TM I can call, text, and use data the same as up here. My fiance can also call and text her family from here without extra charge. BUT, I fear I will suffer signal-wise. TM, like AT&T supports wifi calling but that doesn't help if you are driving.


Mike

For us locals virgin mobile gsm is the way to go. Nobody I know has data, just wifi, and virgin mobile charges by the second so if you make a call for a few seconds it hardly costs anything and if someone calls you it's free. 50 pesos (less than 3 bucks us) lasts me a couple of months. Telcel will kill you. Both telcel and virgin mobile (virgin uses moviestar towers) are better on the androids.

I would have thought att would have the same thing since they bought iusacell and they have "AT&T Unidos Norteamérica" where you can use minutes, data and msgs all over mexico, the us and canada. I'm not sure how it would be here signal wise as iusacell is pretty small but we may use it if and when we visit the us again.

http://www.iusacell.com.mx/planes/att-nap.php

Ah, looks like att us only does it for some plans.

https://www.att.com/shop/wireless/international/mexico-roaming-bonus.html

 

[Radon87000]

In my experience iPhones are pretty damn bad when it comes to network signal.My iPhone 6 has 3 bars when my Nexus 5 shows full coverage on the same provider.Maybe it's something to do with the all metal design

 

[Zaft]

What sucks about sms is that it ruins group messages. I get a separate message from each person, or double.
90% of my famly/friends are on IOS, but there is always that one person on android that ruins it

 

[Tinmania]

I would have thought att would have the same thing since they bought iusacell and they have "AT&T Unidos Norteamérica" where you can use minutes, data and msgs all over mexico, the us and canada. I'm not sure how it would be here signal wise as iusacell is pretty small but we may use it if and when we visit the us again.

http://www.iusacell.com.mx/planes/att-nap.php

Ah, looks like att us only does it for some plans.

https://www.att.com/shop/wireless/international/mexico-roaming-bonus.html

Yea when I heard about AT&T buying Iusacell i naively assumed, great, no more roaming into Mexico. But noooooo.... Didn't happen. Ugh.



Mike

 

[Phoenixx]

I also am not only considering jumping ship, but am seriously checking alternatives, and have set a deadline date for how much longer I am prepared to wait for Apple to get its act together (September 2018, enough time for two complete product refreshes, though we could leave much sooner). Jumping ship isn't something I take lightly. We spent A LOT of money setting up on Apple products, and I have been a fan of them since about 2004, but their recent direction disgusts me. Here is a typical week using Apple products these days:


Monday: One year old Macbook Pro has one of its feet fall off due to the glue deteriorating. Notification centre yet again needs to be resorted.

Tuesday: iMac completely freezes during dealing with live clients. iOS "automatic app updates" yet again need to be manually activated due to the backlog of more than 20 apps that are out of date.

Wednesday: A problem free day (yay).

Thursday: Apple watch needs to be shut down and rebooted TWICE due to calendars not loading properly. iPhone shuts itself down with more than 20% battery life left.

Friday: Nearly missed appointment because alerts did not sound on the iPhone or Apple watch.

Saturday: Message sent to my daughter on her iPhone refuses to switch to SMS and sits as undelivered for hours. I'm forced to message my ex wife (who doesn't have an iPhone) with the same information instead. The message only is delivered when my daughter gets home and back into wi-fi.

Sunday: A problem free day (yay).


Seriously, it's like this nearly every week. There is at least one problem most days; this is WORSE than the kind of reliability that Windows 7 has! We also have multiple Windows 10 machines at home and three tablets, and we now have LESS problems with them than the Apple ones. This is ridiculous. Apple seriously needs to get its act together. I like the Apple ecosystem, but I'm not paying more for their products for this kind of nonsense.

 

[I7guy]

Good luck if there is a belief that one off problem don't happen randomly around technology.

 

[Fanaticalism]

Good luck if there is a belief that one off problem don't happen randomly around technology.

He just stated that he isn't experiencing the daily issues on his Microsoft products so it isn't conjecture on his part.

 

[I7guy]

He just stated that he isn't experiencing the daily issues on his Microsoft products so it isn't conjecture on his part.

He's lucky. I have random issues with my Microsoft products.

 

[Phoenixx]

He's lucky. I have random issues with my Microsoft products.

I'm certainly not saying that I don't have occasional random problems with Microsoft products, I do. But, there is a MASSIVE difference between occasional one off problems, and ongoing bugs in products that are not being addressed. I don't expect technology to work perfectly, that would be unrealistic, but I don't expect these kinds of regular problems, especially with Apple products. As far as I'm concerned, what I am paying for with the higher price is a premium product that "just works." This was the whole reason I started using Apple products in the first place.

 

[I7guy]

I'm certainly not saying that I don't have occasional random problems with Microsoft products, I do. But, there is a MASSIVE difference between occasional one off problems, and ongoing bugs in products that are not being addressed. I don't expect technology to work perfectly, that would be unrealistic, but I don't expect these kinds of regular problems, especially with Apple products. As far as I'm concerned, what I am paying for with the higher price is a premium product that "just works." This was the whole reason I started using Apple products in the first place.

I can't speak for macs as I don't own one physically, but phone and iPad problems are far and few in between as are my windows products.

 

[Tig Bitties]

For the first time ever, I don't give two ***** about the iPhone 7. I just don't care anymore. Apple sadly lost it when Jobs died.

The iPhone is the same thing year after year. Same boring screen full if app icons like someone left the app drawer open permanently. ZERO customization, and no allowing you to personalize the phone to your liking.

Apple is too afraid to make big OS changes, they're scared to rock the boat. And the phone design itself is just the same thing rehashed slightly.

 

[apolloa]

I'm certainly not saying that I don't have occasional random problems with Microsoft products, I do. But, there is a MASSIVE difference between occasional one off problems, and ongoing bugs in products that are not being addressed. I don't expect technology to work perfectly, that would be unrealistic, but I don't expect these kinds of regular problems, especially with Apple products. As far as I'm concerned, what I am paying for with the higher price is a premium product that "just works." This was the whole reason I started using Apple products in the first place.

On my 6S in iMessage I get the big sometimes where if the phone is horizontal the keyboard stops working. It's fine in the verticals position.
It's a known bug that's pretty old now yet Apple have still not fixed it! I wiped and restored my iPhone the other day to see if it would fix the issues, alas not.

The quality of Apples software is at an all time low now I think. Which is stupid when you consider it only runs on Apples products.