The unbiased Android fanboy!

[Wildo6882]

Sign me up for having the same problem. I started my Android/iOS journey with the Moto Droid X back in 2011. I've pretty much used almost every major Android flagship (too many to list) as well as an iPhone 4, 4S, 5, 5S, 6+, 6S+ in between there.

Right now I'm using the 6S+ and have been since December. I have not stopped wanting the latest Android phone. I actually have an HTC 10 right now that I haven't activated yet. As much as I love iOS, it's limitations compared to Android are apparent. But I also see where iOS shines. Stability. Fluidity. Updates. Communication between devices. But I almost think I'm too techy for it. I like to tinker (not Roms, just new apps and customization). You just can't do it with iOS. And you can also do it much cheaper on Android than you can with Apple and iOS. You can get a solid Android phone and Chromebook for the price of a loaded 6S+.

It's a tough call with so many great options out there right now.

 

[zone23]

I've had this struggle for years now when I say to the wife I want to get a android phone she just says okay but you won't like it. Shes right.

 

[BrettApple]

Well this thread makes me feel a little better, haha.

I'd love to find a way to remove some of those devices other than just hiding them from the list. I started into the smartphone craziness in April 2010 with the HTC Droid Incredible (still have it, and it still works running CM7). I used that phone as a daily for over two years (27 months) till I got my Galaxy SIII. Used it for a year and a half and was tired of the reception issues and build quality of the thing and grabbed a used iPhone 4s. Then it got crazy for a year till I settled down a bit.

Since I got my iPhone 6s I've been pretty happy, along with the 6 Plus before it. Only phones I used longer were my Incredible and SIII. For now I'm happy but the HTC 10 is calling my name since HTC is my go to Android maker since they started my smartphone journey in the first place.

Spoiler: Long list of phones

4/29/2010
HTC Incredible

7/9/2012
Samsung Galaxy SIII

10/2013
Apple iPhone 4s

4/2014
iPhone 5
iPhone 5c

8/2014
BlackBerry Z10

9 to 12/2014
HTC One M8 bad volume rocker
HTC One M8 LTE died
HTC One M8 2nd replacement

12/2014
Moto X 2nd gen

2/2015
iPhone 6 Plus

11/2015
LG Nexus 5X

11/2015
iPhone 6s

Other things that weren't full time daily drivers
2X BB Z10
2X iPhone 4s
iPhone 4
2X iPhone 5
BB Q10
Nexus 7
iPad 1
iPad mini 1
iPod Touch 2G
iPod Touch 3G (first iOS device 2009)
iPod Touch 4G
Probably more

 

[Kiezpirat80]

I'll be second in line right behind you my friend.

Only other phone I am considering jumping to after the S7E between the new iPhone is the Note 6.

That's also my plan. The only two phones that can perhaps replace my s7 edge this year.

 

[Savor]

The beauty of Android shined again yesterday for me when I was thinking of rooting and installing my LG G3 Beat because how laggy it gets especially when opening the messaging app. Now texting is probably one of the top tasks I do daily with my phone and I know the LG custom skin is the main culprit because the bigger G3 had the same issue when I compared my cousin's cousin three weeks ago.

But instead of rooting, my problem with the laggy texting app was solved by downloading Textra and making it my default. I actually love everything about my LG Beat G3. Decent camera between iPhone 4s to 5 level, excellent battery life esp on standby, loud speaker, clear reception, and so on. Only thing I hated was texting on it and wished the selfie cam was better. With Textra along with my SwiftKey, everything is back to being quick and smooth. Nomore slight hesitation when opening the app to text. Textra doesn't remedy the entire UI, but the LG default texting app showed me most of the lag and it got solved by a 6.2 MB app. Textra even can have the same emoticons from iOS.

It is why I can never really love iOS again. Whatever issues you might have with Android, there is always some software workaround if you Google search it which makes those alternative options superior to the default ones iOS generally uses. Another example is MX Player on Android. I had some audio issues with the LG's video playback. With the software decoder option checked, it remedied the audio issues completely while still giving me a variety of options and customization to my liking. An alternative app can always end up offering you a better experience than default ones. Textra and MX Player are just a couple examples that are superior for me than using stock iOS and Android apps. But at least Android gives me those options.

 

[Tig Bitties]

My brief history of smartphone use, I think I can truly explain an Android fan's story of going back to an iPhone after a long break;

I owned the original iPhone, and iPhone 3G, then jumped ship to try out Android, with the Nexus-One, I have owned 13 different Android phones in a row between the iPhone 3G, and then getting the iPhone 6 Plus. I didn't go back to like the iPhone 4S or iPhone 5, nope I was with Android for like 4 years straight.

And, after picking up the iPhone 6 Plus, first impressions were how beautiful and amazing the design and build quality was, Apple really makes a great looking and well built phone. But was I in for a shock with the software, wow. I was blown away immediately with how outdated iOS felt, and was extremely frustrating,. I wanted to drag some apps down to the bottom of the screen, and not have them all in a row at the top, well, the app icon kept popping back up to the top, I could not even place an app icon anywhere on the home screen. Are you freaking kidding me ? And the rest was downhill form there.

I can make a laundry list of things the iPhone doesn't have or do, that it desperately needs in my opinion. No back button No icon packs to change the look of the phone No themes Can't use the phone as a hard drive to drag and drop files onto it No wireless charging Little to no third party support for such things as keyboards at the time I owned the 6 Plus back in 2014, or separate text apps I may want to use instead. Hard to make non Apple apps default. No home screen widgets And the list goes on and on. Jailbreak releases fewer and further between.

For the first time in years, I don't give one crap about the iPhone 7. Yawn, zzz... Because I know it will be the same old tired design, and same old boring iOS. Apple is afraid to make any changes, they are too scared to the rock the boat today, worried it may hurt sales, so they just stick with the same old thing.

I don't think I would ever want an iPhone ever again, unless some major software changes were made. But I do love the hardware and high quality build, Apple has that nailed down. But iOS is just not my cup of tea.

The lack of software back button, like Windows Phone have and Nexus devices is a huge turn off. And then just zero customizationwhatsoever, nothing as simple as icon packs or themes, which I would think Applewould do great at, shocks me they don't have in iOS yet.

 

[v0lume4]

I started into the smartphone craziness in April 2010 with the HTC Droid Incredible (still have it, and it still works running CM7).

The Droid Incredible was my first smartphone too!

 

[Roadstar]

Seems like I'm in the right forum as I'm also bouncing between the platforms and the battle for my primary SIM is a constantly ongoing thing. Currently I have an iPhone 6s from work plus a Nexus 5X, and while my main SIM lives in the 6s right now, I'm having seconds thoughts every now and then. If the 5X were snappier, it could be a whole different thing as the 6s runs circles around the 5X. However, when it comes to wearables, my Apple Watch spanks my LG G Watch so hard it's not even funny anymore.

Going with the 5X would get me mobile payments (Apple Pay is still not available in Finland and at this point I'm starting to lose any faith for it to ever make it here) and it would allow me to use voice control in my car as OK Google works with Google Play Music and Pocket Casts. Siri is currently available even in Finnish, but that doesn't help as Siri plugs into Apple Music and Apple Podcasts only, while my content lives in Google Play Music and Overcast. Then there's also the company policy issue that I can only get my work email and calendar on an iPhone, but on a technical level Android would handle also that.

One more thing in iPhone's favor is the better selection of rugged cases. As I like my fair share of outdoors activities, I'm using a Lifeproof case with the 6s and it has saved my bacon a few times already. Nothing like that is available for the 5X. Now if only Google came up with a waterproof Nexus, it could a whole different ballgame. Yes, the S7 is quite awesome and waterproof, but I'm still somewhat unsure whether I could live with the update delay as even the staged rollout delay with Nexus patches is occasionally enough to drive me up the wall.

Now we're in the interesting time that could once again tip the scales in either direction as I/O is on and WWDC will be here soon enough. I'm eagerly waiting to compare the latest OS revisions to see what new capabilities they bring.

 

[Flow39]

I have issues as well. I hop back and forth between iOS and Android every few months and I can't stay put. Right now I'm using my Nexus 6, but before this I was using my iPhone. I have used Android more in the last 6 months than I have used iOS, but I seem to switch every 2 or 3 months.

I really like both platforms and have a hard time leaving either one. iOS and Android are both great and I would not have a problem using either one for the rest of my life, but I can't settle with just using one. I like Android more at the moment because of the sheer amount of options I have for both hardware and software. I'd also like to mention that I can pick up a 128 GB Nexus 6p for the same price as a 16 GB 6s. I can make my phone look different from everyone else's phone and I can have it do things I could never have my iPhone do. For example, swipe gestures on folders to perform specific actions or swiping/tapping gestures on the home screen to open apps. I also love being able to rearrange my apps and put them exactly where I want to on the home screen rather than have them all sorted into the upper left corner. Being able to set default apps is another big one. The list goes on.

I'm honestly less excited for the iPhone 7 this year than the next Nexus. If the 7 stays relatively the same as the iPhone 6/6s, I will be very disappointed given what other manufacturers are doing with the designs. The loss of the headphone jack is also concerning, since removing it would mean I have to use an adapter or purchase lightning connector headphones, thus locking me into the  ecosystem even further. If iOS 10 and the iPhone 7 prove innovative enough, I would have no hesitation in switching back, but Android N is shaping up to be huge! I already love Material Design and all the other cool things that go along with Android, and N pushes it even further. Apple NEEDS to come out swinging on both the hardware and software front this year to get me to switch back.

 

[Aneres11]

I've never really had the issue before of which I prefer, as it has always been iOS for me. Had iPhone for years and then tried Android with an Xperia Z3 compact and hated it.

I also tried a couple of cheaper Samsung's and liked them but always ended up back with iPhone.

I'm now on a BlackBerry Priv and have been since January-ish really.
I love it. I've grown to really really like Android and I have had no inkling to go back to iPhone other than for it's music playback capabilities. It's head and shoulders better as a music device than any Android phone I've used.

Saying that, think it's the BlackBerry Priv hardware that is keeping me with this phone rather than Android exclusively. I think I've learned to get along with Android because I want this phone and continue to love it as much as when I first got it.
Im not even using Marshmallow yet because Vodafone UK haven't released it for my device. This is part of the problem I have with Android, the updates are pathetic.

I do find ios to be an incredibly slick experience overall and Android lacks that polish for me. But everything still works on Android so I can't really complain. Customisation is important to me though, and iOS flat out fails in that department.

I do see the occasional lag and some apps restart sometimes but it's few and far between and doesn't put me off in anyway.

I am in for the long haul with Android as I'm contemplating Android Wear. My partners birthday is Friday, and I've bought him an Apple Watch. He has no idea and will surely love it, but what worries me is seeing him using it and wanting back in to Apple so I can enjoy the same set up again!

But I'm BlackBerry loyal and the Priv (despite its flaws) is one of my all time favorite devices. So it'll take a lot for me to give up this combination of physical keyboard and huge gorgeous full touch screen. I think if I was using a 'normals' device running Android, I'd have switched back ages ago.