The iPhone from an Android Perspective

[Heat_Fan89]

And there's good reason for that! iPhones have a lot to offer, like better top-of-the-line photography systems.

Also another "MYTH". Pixel phones are just as good if not better taking pictures than the latest and greatest iPhone's and they do it, all with inferior cameras and make up for it with Google's Software and AI. Just take a look comparing pictures taken on this forum with the Pixel 7 Pro's and the 14 Pro's. They are equally matched and most admit that Google edges the latest iPhone Pro's ever so slightly and those typically comparing the two own both Pixel and iPhone.

Does the iPhone offer "Magic Eraser" or "Unblur"? Google sure does !

 

[aggie99]

Back on my Pixel 7 Pro after several weeks on the 14 Pro Max. Already bored of the 14PM to be honest. Dynamic Island is basically useless right now. I'm sure it will become more useful over time but right now I actually prefer the notch of the 13 PM. Other than that it's pretty much the same old iPhone. The only must have things about the iPhone for me are iMessage and FaceTime which I can also do on my iPad if needed. Battery life actually seems quite a bit worse than my 13 PM which seemed to last forever. P7P has actually been fantastic with regards to battery. Add that to the Google Call Screener, camera, excellent Google Assistant integration, now playing, and one thing I use a ton, Translate. We have a lot of Spanish speaking employees and they way it auto translates texts is great. Just a lot of things that add up to the best personal experience to me. So right now I'm rolling with the P7P on my work line and Z Fold4 on my personal. That screen during football season just comes in handy. If Google pulls it off with the Pixel Fold I might become a one phone guy 😂

 

[Heat_Fan89]

I think this time I am going to go thru with an iPhone 14 PM purchase. I ordered a space black pro max and picked up a nice leather case with 2 tempered glass screen protectors for $10. I also ordered a Mint Mobile 3 month plan which gets me 3 additional months for free. I will have to download the eSim for that.

 

[jamezr]

I imported a Canadian iPhone 14 PM and it should be here today. The Canadian models have sim cards so I won't have to do the eSIM nightmare any longer when I switch phones! The phone should be here later today. I will let you guys know how it goes! It will be nice to get back to just popping a sim in and go between my iPhone and Android phones!


Transferring data and getting updates

 

[jamezr]

I was able to get all my data transferred and the imported iphone activated using my sim card! Everything works and cellular setup was seamless as expected. I no longer have to deal with eSIMS!

 

[Technerd108]

I was able to get all my data transferred and the imported iphone activated using my sim card! Everything works and cellular setup was seamless as expected. I no longer have to deal with eSIMS!

I would be interested to know if you have the same network support since these are region specific. Like can use Verizon or is there a difference in cell reception?

Can you get Apple care on a phone that is meant for a different country?

Where do you even buy these from? Is the pricing the same?

Seems like there could be potential issues doing this and it sucks that people would even have to do this to get a non esim phone.

 

[Technerd108]

Back on my Pixel 7 Pro after several weeks on the 14 Pro Max. Already bored of the 14PM to be honest. Dynamic Island is basically useless right now. I'm sure it will become more useful over time but right now I actually prefer the notch of the 13 PM. Other than that it's pretty much the same old iPhone. The only must have things about the iPhone for me are iMessage and FaceTime which I can also do on my iPad if needed. Battery life actually seems quite a bit worse than my 13 PM which seemed to last forever. P7P has actually been fantastic with regards to battery. Add that to the Google Call Screener, camera, excellent Google Assistant integration, now playing, and one thing I use a ton, Translate. We have a lot of Spanish speaking employees and they way it auto translates texts is great. Just a lot of things that add up to the best personal experience to me. So right now I'm rolling with the P7P on my work line and Z Fold4 on my personal. That screen during football season just comes in handy. If Google pulls it off with the Pixel Fold I might become a one phone guy 😂

I have a 13 pro max and I feel like it was the best iPhone made in a long time. I don't really like the direction Apple went with the 14. E sim only and the punch hole cut out is a mess. Dynamic island is a way to cover the fact that now you have a large ugly cut out that basically makes the screen less useful than a notch. I have seen people watching video in full screen and it looks like it actually takes up more space than a notch and the few pixels between the cutout and the edge of the screen are basically useless.

If they just would have focused on reducing the notch further I think it would have been a better choice than the cutout in my opinion.

I just got the Pixel 7 Pro and am trading in my 13 for it. I really like the 13 but it is locked and the carrier doesn't seem like they are going to unlock it. With the trade in the phone is free and I get a small credit in my Google account. Hard to beat that deal. I will miss my iphone and will probably buy another one when the 15 is released depending on the specs and if esim support is better by then.

I like using two phones and easily switching between the two. It is also a back up if anything happens to the other. I also like Android and iOS so it is nice to have the best of both worlds.

I have a Samsung S22 plus I got really cheap on a trade in and it is unlocked. Depending on pre order deals I may get the s23 ultra when it is released as the 8 gen 2 looks to be pretty nice upgrade and the almost flush camera system looks pretty cool.

Despite being pretty locked into the Apple ecosystem and family with iPhones I will be giving Apple a break this year. When the iOS 16 update also killed my Pro Max battery life and it has been 2 updates I believe since initial release it doesn't seem like it is going to work like it did before which was the last straw for me. Used to be a 3 day phone. Best battery life I ever had on a phone. Now it can be a day and half phone or two of I don't push it. Big difference.

The Pixel 7 Pro is really nice. Battery life on the Pixel is better than any other Android phone I have ever used. I like the direction Google has taken with Android. The speech to text is magic. Call features are great too. I mean it is primarily a phone and a phablet secondary so it is nice to have call screening, clear calling, and for texting speech to text that really works.

No phone is perfect and the 7 Pro isn't either but it has a lot of useful features, great screen and battery life. Always on display and a lot of other stuff for several hundred dollars less than Apple. It would have cost me close to $500 to trade in my 13 for a 14 Pro Max. While the Pixel 7 Pro is free. Right now with economic situation being what it is, it is nice to save hundreds of dollars and still have a new phone.

 

[Vegastouch]

I would be interested to know if you have the same network support since these are region specific. Like can use Verizon or is there a difference in cell reception?

Can you get Apple care on a phone that is meant for a different country?

Where do you even buy these from? Is the pricing the same?

Seems like there could be potential issues doing this and it sucks that people would even have to do this to get a non esim phone.

Good question as I have considered buying a Xiaomi phone before and the only thing I've found is,.....I have T Mobile and the phones don't have all the same mobile bands that T Mobile use in USA so I wasn't sure it would work the same or as well.
So I was hesitant but would consider it again if someone has done this and it was a non issue.

 

[Technerd108]

Good question as I have considered buying a Xiaomi phone before and the only thing I've found is,.....I have T Mobile and the phones don't have all the same mobile bands that T Mobile use in USA so I wasn't sure it would work the same or as well.
So I was hesitant but would consider it again if someone has done this and it was a non issue.

I have used Xiaomi phones and they really aren't made for the US market.

You have to check the bands and the newest ones are usually lacking as well as 5g bands so unless you can verify for sure that the Xiaomi has all the bands you need I would not buy one.

It is unfortunate because they make really nice phones at generally good prices.

Another thing to consider with any of the Chinese market phones is security. The Chinese government has a history of snooping on it's own people and I wouldn't be very confident that they wouldn't do it on their international phones either. Then there is customer support which is basically non existent in the US if you have a hardware issue.

If I were you as tempting as Xiaomi phones may be I would stay far away from them.

Just my 2 cents from my limited and personal experience with them.

 

[S7N]

As I sit here laying in bed watching TV with my 14PM having the lights off it makes me appreciate having proper faceID to unlock the phone with in light or complete darkness it works every single time.

I loved the fluidity of The Pixel 7 software and the 90hz actually felt much smoother than ProMotion does at 120hz and the camera is amazing but the face unlock is gimmicky and doesn’t even work in partial light. The fingerprint sensor is 50/50 as well. I sent it back to Google today for a refund.

I still have my trusty Pixel 2XL with a proper fingerprint sensor on the back of the phone and it works flawlessly every time I need to use it and of course I have the unlimited photo and video that came with it and surprisingly it still takes some great photos.

 

[Vegastouch]

As I sit here laying in bed watching TV with my 14PM having the lights off it makes me appreciate having proper faceID to unlock the phone with in light or complete darkness it works every single time.

I loved the fluidity of The Pixel 7 software and the 90hz actually felt much smoother than ProMotion does at 120hz and the camera is amazing but the face unlock is gimmicky and doesn’t even work in partial light. The fingerprint sensor is 50/50 as well. I sent it back to Google today for a refund.

I still have my trusty Pixel 2XL with a proper fingerprint sensor on the back of the phone and it works flawlessly every time I need to use it and of course I have the unlimited photo and video that came with it and surprisingly it still takes some great photos.

Yep the sensor on the back of my 4a was awesome. I'd rather have it there than the screen sensor which for me is more like 5/95. Face unlock for me is around 80/20 in partial light.

 

[jamezr]

I would be interested to know if you have the same network support since these are region specific. Like can use Verizon or is there a difference in cell reception?

Can you get Apple care on a phone that is meant for a different country?

Where do you even buy these from? Is the pricing the same?

Seems like there could be potential issues doing this and it sucks that people would even have to do this to get a non esim phone.

I got mine from eBay from a seller that has 100% positive feedback and sells a lot of iPhones to the US
So far cell reception has been the same as before and I have not noticed a difference to be honest.
Pricing was about $300 more than normal. But well worth it for me.

doing the whole esim process was a nightmare for me....

 

[Technerd108]

I got mine from eBay from a seller that has 100% positive feedback and sells a lot of iPhones to the US
So far cell reception has been the same as before and I have not noticed a difference to be honest.
Pricing was about $300 more than normal. But well worth it for me.

doing the whole esim process was a nightmare for me....

I see. Have you tried to get Apple Care?

$300 on top of retail price is pretty steep.

I can see why you would do it but that would be too expensive for my poor budget. Lol

Thanks for the information.

 

[jamezr]

I see. Have you tried to get Apple Care?

$300 on top of retail price is pretty steep.

I can see why you would do it but that would be too expensive for my poor budget. Lol

Thanks for the information.

I haven't tried Apple Care. But I don't usually get that for any of my iPhones.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

I see. Have you tried to get Apple Care?

$300 on top of retail price is pretty steep.

I can see why you would do it but that would be too expensive for my poor budget. Lol

Thanks for the information.

You’d have an even bigger budget yourself if you didn’t bother with AppleCare.

 

[aggie99]

I have a 13 pro max and I feel like it was the best iPhone made in a long time. I don't really like the direction Apple went with the 14. E sim only and the punch hole cut out is a mess. Dynamic island is a way to cover the fact that now you have a large ugly cut out that basically makes the screen less useful than a notch. I have seen people watching video in full screen and it looks like it actually takes up more space than a notch and the few pixels between the cutout and the edge of the screen are basically useless.

If they just would have focused on reducing the notch further I think it would have been a better choice than the cutout in my opinion.

I just got the Pixel 7 Pro and am trading in my 13 for it. I really like the 13 but it is locked and the carrier doesn't seem like they are going to unlock it. With the trade in the phone is free and I get a small credit in my Google account. Hard to beat that deal. I will miss my iphone and will probably buy another one when the 15 is released depending on the specs and if esim support is better by then.

I like using two phones and easily switching between the two. It is also a back up if anything happens to the other. I also like Android and iOS so it is nice to have the best of both worlds.

I have a Samsung S22 plus I got really cheap on a trade in and it is unlocked. Depending on pre order deals I may get the s23 ultra when it is released as the 8 gen 2 looks to be pretty nice upgrade and the almost flush camera system looks pretty cool.

Despite being pretty locked into the Apple ecosystem and family with iPhones I will be giving Apple a break this year. When the iOS 16 update also killed my Pro Max battery life and it has been 2 updates I believe since initial release it doesn't seem like it is going to work like it did before which was the last straw for me. Used to be a 3 day phone. Best battery life I ever had on a phone. Now it can be a day and half phone or two of I don't push it. Big difference.

The Pixel 7 Pro is really nice. Battery life on the Pixel is better than any other Android phone I have ever used. I like the direction Google has taken with Android. The speech to text is magic. Call features are great too. I mean it is primarily a phone and a phablet secondary so it is nice to have call screening, clear calling, and for texting speech to text that really works.

No phone is perfect and the 7 Pro isn't either but it has a lot of useful features, great screen and battery life. Always on display and a lot of other stuff for several hundred dollars less than Apple. It would have cost me close to $500 to trade in my 13 for a 14 Pro Max. While the Pixel 7 Pro is free. Right now with economic situation being what it is, it is nice to save hundreds of dollars and still have a new phone.

Agree with everything you've said here. iOS 16 is crap. My iPhone 13 would barely drain during the day or overnight when not in use. Now, even when not in use, the battery drops nearly 20% during the day or overnight when not on the charger. I really hope they get this fixed. Never expected a Pixel to get better battery life than an iPhone, but that's where we are at right now with the 7 Pro vs. the 14 PM, or even my 13 PM now that it's updated to iOS 16. IMO the Pixel 7 Pro is not only one of the best values out there it is likely the best device even if cost is not a factor.

 

[Technerd108]

You’d have an even bigger budget yourself if you didn’t bother with AppleCare.

That is a very nice comment. Thank you.

I generally don't factor in the cost of AppleCare into my purchase since I can buy it monthly.

You may feel accidental insurance is a waste of money but I have dropped my phone or had other problems that if I use it once it pays for itself.

I don't have the money to just buy a new iPhone if I lose it, it gets stolen, I drop it or it fails after warranty. Maybe you just roll the dice and hope for the best?

 

[Heat_Fan89]

That is a very nice comment. Thank you.

I generally don't factor in the cost of AppleCare into my purchase since I can buy it monthly.

You may feel accidental insurance is a waste of money but I have dropped my phone or had other problems that if I use it once it pays for itself.

I don't have the money to just buy a new iPhone if I lose it, it gets stolen, I drop it or it fails after warranty. Maybe you just roll the dice and hope for the best?

I have never purchased an extended warranty and it would take a lot of device failures to equal what I have saved over the decades. There are others out there who feel it is mandatory on every purchase. But here is something to consider. There are many credit cards available that provide an extra year of coverage free of charge. I always use my American Express for stuff like that just because they offer no hassle coverage to their users. I'm sure there are many other credit cards that provide that same level of service to its members.

 

[Heat_Fan89]

Agree with everything you've said here. iOS 16 is crap. My iPhone 13 would barely drain during the day or overnight when not in use. Now, even when not in use, the battery drops nearly 20% during the day or overnight when not on the charger. I really hope they get this fixed. Never expected a Pixel to get better battery life than an iPhone, but that's where we are at right now with the 7 Pro vs. the 14 PM, or even my 13 PM now that it's updated to iOS 16. IMO the Pixel 7 Pro is not only one of the best values out there it is likely the best device even if cost is not a factor.

I have been following the iOS 16 battery drain issue in the iPhone forums. I'm surprised this has not been addressed by Apple. I don't own an iPhone as of yet, maybe next year but the Pixel 7 Pro is a ridiculous phone for the price of ($399) made even better that I got $300 for trading in my Pixel 4a which I paid $349 and an additional $200 store credit. The Hazel and gold color combo just makes the phone standout. It really is a premium phone even if the specs fall behind that of Apple's finest and quite honestly, I don't care because as long as the phone has a smooth feel to it, i'm happy.

 

[Technerd108]

I have never purchased an extended warranty and it would take a lot of device failures to equal what I have saved over the decades. There are others out there who feel it is mandatory on every purchase. But here is something to consider. There are many credit cards available that provide an extra year of coverage free of charge. I always use my American Express for stuff like that just because they offer no hassle coverage to their users. I'm sure there are many other credit cards that provide that same level of service to its members.

I have heard this type of argument so many times.

Sure you are saving money if you don't have problems. Maybe you buy with a credit card that protects you.

Not everyone does what you do or has your luck.

Maybe I am clumsy. Maybe I am unlucky. And there are devices I certainly don't insure.

I look at it on a case by case basis and it heavily depends on what the device is. A phone is pretty important and taken everywhere I go. It is super expensive and easily dropped or stolen. So I purchase insurance because I don't use a credit card that covers me and can't afford to pay for a new device without selling or trading in and saving up for it.

So around $100 a year to protect me from having to shell out $1100 seems like a good deal.

Life is messy and all it takes is one accident, lost or stolen device to really mess up your life.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

That is a very nice comment. Thank you.

I generally don't factor in the cost of AppleCare into my purchase since I can buy it monthly.

You may feel accidental insurance is a waste of money but I have dropped my phone or had other problems that if I use it once it pays for itself.

I don't have the money to just buy a new iPhone if I lose it, it gets stolen, I drop it or it fails after warranty. Maybe you just roll the dice and hope for the best?

No, I have home contents insurance and insurance through my bank that covers mobile phones. Most people who own their own homes have accidental damage and loss insurance on such items. Apples very expensive insurance policy that is nearly as expensive as it costs me to insurance my house up to £500k, is nothing but an additional fee on what are already very expensive gadgets. No thanks.

I also have a good case on my phone and have never smashed one in 20 years.

 

[Technerd108]

No, I have home contents insurance and insurance through my bank that covers mobile phones. Most people who own their own homes have accidental damage and loss insurance on such items. Apples very expensive insurance policy that is nearly as expensive as it costs me to insurance my house up to £500k, is nothing but an additional fee on what are already very expensive gadgets. No thanks.

I also have a good case on my phone and have never smashed one in 20 years.

First off I asked the person who bought an iPhone from Canada to use in the USA if they bought Apple Care.

I never asked the merits of AppleCare. I am well aware of what it is and the cost.

I never asked for your opinion and you are giving examples that really only pertain to you.

Not everyone is in your unique position.

Maybe try not to give advice to those who didn't ask for it and don't need it and don't fit into your unique position.

Personally I would not buy a phone for use inside my country from another country from an ebay seller. I would want Apple Care if I paid a $300 premium on top of retail price. Specifically in this type of situation.

But that is me. I never asked for anyone else or tried to say the poster should not have done what they did. A sim card is really important and I get it. If I could buy an iPhone 14 here in the USA with a sim card I would. One of the reasons I am not buying an iPhone 14 is exactly for this reason.

But thanks for explaining to me why I don't need Apple Care and why I would have more to spend if I didn't use it. Very helpful comments that I could never figure out on my own.

 

[Awesomesince86]

If you’re clumsy and can stomach the cost of phone insurance, then why not. But insurance of any kind is almost always a win for the insurance company and not the individual. There’s a reason those companies are profitable. Because the premiums and deductibles easily outweigh the cost of incidents.

 

[tbayrgs]

If you’re clumsy and can stomach the cost of phone insurance, then why not. But insurance of any kind is almost always a win for the insurance company and not the individual. There’s a reason those companies are profitable. Because the premiums and deductibles easily outweigh the cost of incidents.

Yup—exactly this. I probably wouldn’t get it on many of my devices if they weren’t being handed down to a family member (re: my teenage kids 😉) but their incident rates are far greater than the average adult so it saves me money.

Same goes for iPads—my iPad Pros cost between $1100 and $1700 for the last couple models I purchased yet cost of AppleCare and it’s associated accidentally damage deductible ($49 for entire device replacement) is a huge difference vs. what I’d pay out of pocket without it. Do I need it for every model? No but I’ve used it a few times and those expenses were far less than I’d have paid out of pocket.

YMMV.

 

[Vegastouch]

That is a very nice comment. Thank you.

I generally don't factor in the cost of AppleCare into my purchase since I can buy it monthly.

You may feel accidental insurance is a waste of money but I have dropped my phone or had other problems that if I use it once it pays for itself.

I don't have the money to just buy a new iPhone if I lose it, it gets stolen, I drop it or it fails after warranty. Maybe you just roll the dice and hope for the best?

That's what I do. I've never lost a phone or had one stolen but I've dropped it many times. It has only cracked my tempered glass screens, not the phone screen.
I have only had 1 phone that I had to replace the actual screen and i didn't have a tempered glass protector on that one.

First things they get is a case and glass protector.

I feel if they will fail, it will happen early or in that period I can exchange it from Google.
And I'm not real picky. My fingerprint sensor sux but it isnt a big enough deal to get an exchange.