Taking the Android challenge.

[likemyorbs]

So I've finally caved and ordered a LG Nexus 4 from Google. My sister and I are constantly arguing over Android VS iOS, and she's obviously the android fangirl. I've become a little bored with iOS lately and figured this would be a perfect time to give android a shot with no commitments and see which one I really like better. I'm a bit nervous to lose my beloved iOS features, and most importantly native access to my iCloud email account without the web browser. Do you guys think I will end up going back to iOS or will I stay with Android?

 

[KaraH]

So I've finally caved and ordered a LG Nexus 4 from Google. My sister and I are constantly arguing over Android VS iOS, and she's obviously the android fangirl. I've become a little bored with iOS lately and figured this would be a perfect time to give android a shot with no commitments and see which one I really like better. I'm a bit nervous to lose my beloved iOS features, and most importantly native access to my iCloud email account without the web browser. Do you guys think I will end up going back to iOS or will I stay with Android?

Android for the win!

Both my spouse and I have android phones. The jury is still out on whether an eventual pad would be an iPad or an android pad though.

IOS devices are nice but it has the usual apple markup. Which means work out what you need (not 'like') then see which one can do it (or do it the best).

 

[likemyorbs]

Cost is not really the factor here as I usually buy my phones sibsidized, this is my first unsubsizided phone.

 

[daneoni]

Been using the Nexus 4 and Jellybean for two weeks. Typing this post from both. Both are very good devices but most certainly not perfect. You'll find most of the apps you want now and things generally work smoothly. However in my opinion iOS still has the edge (albeit slight) in general fit and finish as well as integration. Things just work a tad 'smoother' and seamless on iOS.

That said Jellybean is responsive, fast, and virtually lag-free. Android has definitely come a long way. Also Android gives you a lot of flexibility some of which iOS would benefit from by adding.

In terms of hardware the iPhone has a better camera, screen and WiFi chip compared to the N4 and iPhone in general has a better camera of any android (or other platforms) phone fullstop. My Nexus has been having issues staying connected to my router. Hence I have to toggle on/off quite often.

Text editing (copy/paste) on Android is hands down inferior to iOS its the one thing that makes me want to rip my hair out

Outside of these issues I find Android to be relatively on par (or even better at times) with iOS.

That said I've RMA'd my Nexus and will be returning to iOS because of the issues listed above. IOS still the best for my uses.

The usual Apple markup? Is this why a new HTC DNA costs the same as an iPhone 5? And a Motorola Razr Max HD costs the same as an iPhone 5?

HTC is the same price as an iPhone too but the Galaxy S4 cost more than an iPhone unsubsidised.

 

[sk1wbw]

Android for the win!

Both my spouse and I have android phones. The jury is still out on whether an eventual pad would be an iPad or an android pad though.

IOS devices are nice but it has the usual apple markup. Which means work out what you need (not 'like') then see which one can do it (or do it the best).

The usual Apple markup? Is this why a new HTC DNA costs the same as an iPhone 5? And a Motorola Razr Max HD costs the same as an iPhone 5?

 

[JHUFrank]

What really sold me about Android, was that I was able to drop 2 devices and combine them into one. Well, at least in theory. I hate having to carry around a tablet, but the Galaxy Note 2 combined the needs of phone and tablet. Apple doesnt have anything close to that yet. However, exchange support in Android is pretty dismal compared to iOS, and yes, I use Touchdown.

 

[KaraH]

The usual Apple markup? Is this why a new HTC DNA costs the same as an iPhone 5? And a Motorola Razr Max HD costs the same as an iPhone 5?

I was looking at a 16 GB android pad this weekend that was 329 and that one is considered high priced by reviewers. A 16 GB iPad 2 is 399. A 16 GB retina iPad is 499 and they skyrocket faster than ram costs if you want more memory than that.

Last I checked my math 499 > 399 > 329.

 

[likemyorbs]

You know, if iOS wasn't so boring and they actually changed things with software releases and improved them, aesthetically as well as functionally, this little experiment wouldnt even be necessary.

 

[Peace]

You might want to read this :

https://forums.macrumors.com/forums/157/

 

[likemyorbs]

You might want to read this :

https://forums.macrumors.com/forums/157/

Surprisingly nothing on there about the Nexus 4, the only TRUE Google phone.

 

[mobilehaathi]

I had a wonderful experience with an Andriod phone before my current iPhone.

My only major complaint was battery life.

 

[torana355]

In terms of hardware the iPhone has a better camera, screen and WiFi chip compared to the N4 and iPhone in general has a better camera of any android (or other platforms) phone fullstop. My Nexus has been having issues staying connected to my router. Hence I have to toggle on/off quite often.

Text editing (copy/paste) on Android is hands down inferior to iOS its the one thing that makes me want to rip my hair out

Yes the iPhone has a better camera but the screen and wifi chip on the Nexus 4 are just as good. I have zero issues with Wifi and i actually get better range then my iPhone. The screen on the N4 is brilliant once calibrated. Text editing just takes some getting used to, once you are used to it it is just as effective.

 

[ucfgrad93]

Do you guys think I will end up going back to iOS or will I stay with Android?

Get whatever works best for you.

By the way, shouldn't this be in the Alternatives to iOS and iOS Devices forum?

 

[likemyorbs]

Yes the iPhone has a better camera but the screen and wifi chip on the Nexus 4 are just as good. I have zero issues with Wifi and i actually get better range then my iPhone. The screen on the N4 is brilliant once calibrated. Text editing just takes some getting used to, once you are used to it it is just as effective.

Do you use both your nexus and iPhone? How often do you switch between the two?

 

[torana355]

Do you use both your nexus and iPhone? How often do you switch between the two?

I usually use the Nexus but i have used the iphone a few times to compare. The only place ive seen where people say bad things about the N4 is on this forum, all the people ive talked to that actually have one think it is a great phone, especially for the price.

 

[MacNut]

I had a wonderful experience with an Andriod phone before my current iPhone.

My only major complaint was battery life.

Battery life on what phone? My iPhone is horrible.

 

[Plutonius]

Is you sister joining you in this challenge and getting a iPhone 5 (you are switching from IOS to Android so it's only fair that your sister switches from Android to IOS) .

 

[mobilehaathi]

Battery life on what phone? My iPhone is horrible.

I had an HTC that would last half the day with moderate use, way worse than my 5.

 

[daneoni]

Yes the iPhone has a better camera but the screen and wifi chip on the Nexus 4 are just as good. I have zero issues with Wifi and i actually get better range then my iPhone. The screen on the N4 is brilliant once calibrated. Text editing just takes some getting used to, once you are used to it it is just as effective.

My wifi keeps disconnecting and this is apparently a well known bug that Google has yet to fix. Accurate screen calibration can only be obtained by running custom. The stock calibration is inferior to the iPhone and people are still hoping Google will address the problem. I'm also not a big fan of the throttle but I don't even mind that too much. The wifi thing is the big no no for me.

I'm not bashing the N4 I liked it a lot but mine had issues I simply couldn't overlook especially when compared to my other devices is all. For the most part it's a very good phone for the money but the issues are there.

 

[Simplicated]

I did the exact same thing a few months back. I decided to give Nexus 4 and Android a try, but I ended up giving up just 13 days later. It's just not for me, who's accustomed to Apple's aesthetics and UI designs.

Many apps that come with Android are strewn with icons that are not so descriptive, and there's no labels telling you what they are. It took me two minutes to figure out where the alarm clock function is.

And then Android reeks of inconsistency. A lot of the apps I downloaded still use the Android 2.X user interface, despite Holo, the design theme for Android 4.0, having existed for over a year. Some built-in apps (yes, built-in) have their buttons on the top and some have them on the bottom. The Back button, an always-present onscreen button, frequently takes you to places you may not have been to.

There's no fine grained privacy control. When you download an app, you agree to give out all the information the app wants. You can't, for example, disallow an app from obtaining your location. You can't disallow an app from gaining access to your contacts. You have to root the phone for this to happen. Android proudly presents itself as an OS that gives you fine control over things, but apparently this aspect falls short when compared to iOS.

Switching keyboards also seems to be a rigmarole. As someone who also speaks other languages, I frequently switch between keyboards. Funny enough, a lot of the keyboards have their own way of switching, some will require you to tap and hold the space bar, some have a dedicated button. While you can pull down the notifications and select a keyboard from the list, the sheer size of the screen, and the time required to perform this, just makes it impractical.

That is not to say I dislike everything about Android. I like how I can select a file that's saved in another app and share it. I like being able to choose my launcher, which allows me to put more than 5 items in the dock. Google Now is unparalleled.

When I gave up trying the Nexus 4 and went back to my iPhone, I never looked back. I never missed it. On the contrary, when I was using the Nexus 4 I missed my iPhone every day.

--

Well I don't know why I posted such a long response, probably the longest yet since my membership on MacRumors. I'm just sharing my experience and hopefully these are valid concerns that Google will fix in Key Lime Pie.

 

[torana355]

My wifi keeps disconnecting and this is apparently a well known bug that Google has yet to fix. Accurate screen calibration can only be obtained by running custom. The stock calibration is inferior to the iPhone and people are still hoping Google will address the problem. I'm also not a big fan of the throttle but I don't even mind that too much. The wifi thing is the big no no for me.

I'm not bashing the N4 I liked it a lot but mine had issues I simply couldn't overlook especially when compared to my other devices is all. For the most part it's a very good phone for the money but the issues are there.

All fair points but i have not has any issue with wifi, even when stock, perhaps you had a bad unit? For me running custom Roms and Kernels is why i love android so much but i can see why it would not be for everyone. The stock screen calibration is really bad, the funny thing is the LG Optimus which is the same phone hardware wise has brilliant calibration out of the box.

 

[daneoni]

All fair points but i have not has any issue with wifi, even when stock, perhaps you had a bad unit? For me running custom Roms and Kernels is why i love android so much but i can see why it would not be for everyone. The stock screen calibration is really bad, the funny thing is the LG Optimus which is the same phone hardware wise has brilliant calibration out of the box.

Agreed.

 

[eric/]

Android for the win!

Both my spouse and I have android phones. The jury is still out on whether an eventual pad would be an iPad or an android pad though.

IOS devices are nice but it has the usual apple markup. Which means work out what you need (not 'like') then see which one can do it (or do it the best).

When you say mark up you're not referring to price, correct?

 

[likemyorbs]

I did the exact same thing a few months back. I decided to give Nexus 4 and Android a try, but I ended up giving up just 13 days later. It's just not for me, who's accustomed to Apple's aesthetics and UI designs.

Many apps that come with Android are strewn with icons that are not so descriptive, and there's no labels telling you what they are. It took me two minutes to figure out where the alarm clock function is.

And then Android reeks of inconsistency. A lot of the apps I downloaded still use the Android 2.X user interface, despite Holo, the design theme for Android 4.0, having existed for over a year. Some built-in apps (yes, built-in) have their buttons on the top and some have them on the bottom. The Back button, an always-present onscreen button, frequently takes you to places you may not have been to.

There's no fine grained privacy control. When you download an app, you agree to give out all the information the app wants. You can't, for example, disallow an app from obtaining your location. You can't disallow an app from gaining access to your contacts. You have to root the phone for this to happen. Android proudly presents itself as an OS that gives you fine control over things, but apparently this aspect falls short when compared to iOS.

Switching keyboards also seems to be a rigmarole. As someone who also speaks other languages, I frequently switch between keyboards. Funny enough, a lot of the keyboards have their own way of switching, some will require you to tap and hold the space bar, some have a dedicated button. While you can pull down the notifications and select a keyboard from the list, the sheer size of the screen, and the time required to perform this, just makes it impractical.

That is not to say I dislike everything about Android. I like how I can select a file that's saved in another app and share it. I like being able to choose my launcher, which allows me to put more than 5 items in the dock. Google Now is unparalleled.

When I gave up trying the Nexus 4 and went back to my iPhone, I never looked back. I never missed it. On the contrary, when I was using the Nexus 4 I missed my iPhone every day.

--

Well I don't know why I posted such a long response, probably the longest yet since my membership on MacRumors. I'm just sharing my experience and hopefully these are valid concerns that Google will fix in Key Lime Pie.

Thanks for the long response, was very informative. I'm starting to be not so excited about android but I'm really trying hard to keep an open mind. However, all the down sides you listed are pretty much what i was expecting and i was hoping to be proven wrong.

----------

Is you sister joining you in this challenge and getting a iPhone 5 (you are switching from IOS to Android so it's only fair that your sister switches from Android to IOS) .

You would think, but since she works at Verizon she thinks she doesn't need to because she works with them daily.

 

[torana355]

So I've finally caved and ordered a LG Nexus 4 from Google. My sister and I are constantly arguing over Android VS iOS, and she's obviously the android fangirl. I've become a little bored with iOS lately and figured this would be a perfect time to give android a shot with no commitments and see which one I really like better. I'm a bit nervous to lose my beloved iOS features, and most importantly native access to my iCloud email account without the web browser. Do you guys think I will end up going back to iOS or will I stay with Android?

To put it simply, if you are not the kind of person that enjoys tinkering then stick with an iPhone. Android has the capability to blow the iPhone away when you get into the technical stuff like custom roms and kernels, for example my Nexus 4 running Rasbeanjelly rom and Trinity kernel is simply brilliant in all aspects from battery life to screen calibration, tbh the ip5 cant hold a candle to how ive got my N4 setup. However the stock Nexus 4 does have a few downsides that some previous ios users may dislike. You get out what you put in with Android.