Thinking iOS 7 to Android 4.4 (Help) (Switch)

[nlr]

Hello,

I've been with Apple since the very first iphone and now I am extremely bored with my iPhone 5 and iOS. Fortunately I have some spare money and I was wondering is Android a good option yet? I heard Its laggy and the apps quality isn't on par comparing to iOS? If it's a good option I was thinking of getting a HTC One m8, Samsung Galaxy S5 or the sony xperia z2? Please give me your opinion.

Please share your experience from going to iOS to Android 4.4

Thanks

 

[tbayrgs]

If you're not certain, why dive into the Android pool's deep end with an expensive flagship?

If you want to test out Android, I'd suggest skipping the monster devices and get a Moto G for £100-200 without a contract. You will get the full Android experience--and stock Android, even better--in a highly regarded device that most consider to far outperform it's price point. Best part is that if you ultimately decide you don't like it, you haven't broken the bank.

 

[Robster3]

If you're not certain, why dive into the Android pool's deep end with an expensive flagship?

If you want to test out Android, I'd suggest skipping the monster devices and get a Moto G for $100-200 without a contract. You will get the full Android experience--and stock Android, even better--in a highly regarded device that most consider to far outperform it's price point. Best part is that if you ultimately decide you don't like it, you haven't broken the bank.

I sold my 5s and that is what i did, i am sticking with the Moto g for now as i like the dual sim, but may get the new HTC one if i like it. I like Android so far.

 

[Stooby Mcdoobie]

If you're not certain, why dive into the Android pool's deep end with an expensive flagship?

If you want to test out Android, I'd suggest skipping the monster devices and get a Moto G for $100-200 without a contract. You will get the full Android experience--and stock Android, even better--in a highly regarded device that most consider to far outperform it's price point. Best part is that if you ultimately decide you don't like it, you haven't broken the bank.

I second this advice. It's an awesome phone, especially considering what you get for the price. Had I not already owned a Nexus 5 when it came out, the Moto G would have probably been at the top of my list.

 

[nlr]

If you're not certain, why dive into the Android pool's deep end with an expensive flagship?

If you want to test out Android, I'd suggest skipping the monster devices and get a Moto G for £100-200 without a contract. You will get the full Android experience--and stock Android, even better--in a highly regarded device that most consider to far outperform it's price point. Best part is that if you ultimately decide you don't like it, you haven't broken the bank.

Well I would still have 30 days to try the device and if I didn't like it I could return it for a full refund. I've never had a android phone but I heard its laggy, crashes and the app quality isn't good comparing to iOS have you experience this?

 

[CyanLite]

Well I would still have 30 days to try the device and if I didn't like it I could return it for a full refund. I've never had a android phone but I heard its laggy, crashes and the app quality isn't good comparing to iOS have you experience this?

It's not laggy or unstable at all anymore. In fact, iOS has been found to be twice as unstable as Android. Although I would say that app quality is much better on iOS as long as automation apps like Tasker are not considered.

My recommendation: Get an HTC One M8 because of its build quality and UI. Don't stick to the iPhone if you're bored and want to change it up. Although if design and UI uniformity is important to you, then I suggest you stick to iOS.

 

[Robster3]

Well I would still have 30 days to try the device and if I didn't like it I could return it for a full refund. I've never had a android phone but I heard its laggy, crashes and the app quality isn't good comparing to iOS have you experience this?

I believed that too. I have all the apps i had on my 5S, no crashes and no lagging as yet. I am actually blown away i can go from a $1139 iPhone 5S to a $200 Moto g and like it. It wasn't a money thing as i bought a note 3 first but was too big. Still have the $800 cash from my 5S in my draw. The new HTc is calling me though

 

[Oohara]

I've never had a android phone but I heard its laggy, crashes and the app quality isn't good comparing to iOS have you experience this?

Have a quick read through this subforum and read about people's experiences with the current Android experience, and you will find that this generally isn't true.

Note that there are highly subjective opinions both ways though, and especially the question of app quality is a quite subjective matter and depends on what each user uses their phone for. You need to find this out for yourself.

On the crashing issue, actually a very recent report shows that apps crash more often on iOS.

In the end, if you have already made up your mind about Android being inferior, it will be true for you.

Lastly, another phone that could be a good entry point without breaking your wallet is the Nexus 5. This will also give you the "cleanest" Android experience, with no skin added to the OS.

 

[pedromcm.pm]

Hello,

I've been with Apple since the very first iphone and now I am extremely bored with my iPhone 5 and iOS. Fortunately I have some spare money and I was wondering is Android a good option yet? I heard Its laggy and the apps quality isn't on par comparing to iOS? If it's a good option I was thinking of getting a HTC One m8, Samsung Galaxy S5 or the sony xperia z2? Please give me your opinion.

Please share your experience from going to iOS to Android 4.4

Thanks

Questions:

Do you have a job and/or use your phone as an working/studying accessory or as a toy?
Android isn't laggy by any means, it just isn't as fast and fluid. I just find (based on experience, friends, etc.) that Android isn't worth it on the high end (on any metric), when the iPhone is available, unless you really want a bigger screen.
Why not try it for yourself (use a friend's phone)? Is a bigger screen worth more over saturation, pentile displays, less battery life on mobile networks, less speed, etc.?

 

[Savor]

Moto G is a great beginner's phone for Android newbies. If you are willing to pay higher, Moto X and Nexus 5 are also good choices. I have a tough time separating each of them. Moto G has the lowest price, Moto X has Active Display and most customizable with Moto Maker, and Nexus has the best SoC & KitKat out of the box.

 

[nlr]

Questions:

Do you have a job and/or use your phone as an working/studying accessory or as a toy?
Android isn't laggy by any means, it just isn't as fast and fluid. I just find (based on experience, friends, etc.) that Android isn't worth it on the high end (on any metric), when the iPhone is available, unless you really want a bigger screen.
Why not try it for yourself (use a friend's phone)? Is a bigger screen worth more over saturation, pentile displays, less battery life on mobile networks, less speed, etc.?

Yes I have a job but apart from taking calls/messages I mainly use my phone as a media consumption/toy device. I also want to mention I am heavily invested in the Apple Eco-system for instance I like that my notes sync across my iPad, MacBook Air but I'm sure they're better cross platform alternatives? Unfortunately everyone I know has a iPhone.

 

[kupkakez]

Yes I have a job but apart from taking calls/messages I mainly use my phone as a media consumption/toy device. I also want to mention I am heavily invested in the Apple Eco-system for instance I like that my notes sync across my iPad, MacBook Air but I'm sure they're better cross platform alternatives? Unfortunately everyone I know has a iPhone.

For notes I would suggest using Evernote. I recently switched over from iOS to Android and I have had 0 problems. From the getgo I've always tried to keep the services I use neutral so that they are compatible with both iOS and Android.

I use mostly Google services such as GMail, Drive, Hangouts etc which can all be used on either an Android or iOS.

Also, everyone I know has an iPhone but it hasn't been an issue in the least. I highly recommend the Moto G. I'm currently using a Moto G until the Galaxy S5 is here. Great phone for $200.

 

[nlr]

I forgot to mention that battery life is important to me so I don't think Nexus 5, Moto G would be sufficient for my use? Isn't there a way to make the above flagship android phones into pure android?

 

[Menneisyys2]

I personally am staying with my JB'n iPhone 5 and wait for the Note 4 and the LG G3 to see whether they deliver something REALLY cool. The current crop of Android devices, IMHO, aren't worth the money now that the next-gen ones are soon to be announced / released and the Galaxy S5 also lacks some essential features like optical image stabilization.

Of course, w/o jailbreak on my iPhone5, the situation would be entirely different - then, I wouldn't use it as a phone at all. (I find call recording capabilities essential, which isn't supported by stock iOS.)

 

[d4NjvRzf]

Hello,

I've been with Apple since the very first iphone and now I am extremely bored with my iPhone 5 and iOS. Fortunately I have some spare money and I was wondering is Android a good option yet? I heard Its laggy and the apps quality isn't on par comparing to iOS? If it's a good option I was thinking of getting a HTC One m8, Samsung Galaxy S5 or the sony xperia z2? Please give me your opinion.

Please share your experience from going to iOS to Android 4.4

Thanks

If you want to experience Android properly, you'll want to invest in a decent device. Moto G is a great choice. It has very good hardware for its price but more importantly it comes with a clean, lean build of Android, unfettered by the bling that you would find on a Samsung. Ignore the suggestions of skimping on your first android phone; the low-end, underpowered android devices are largely responsible for the image of Android as a horribly laggy OS. Part of the reason why iOS has its premium image is that Apple only allows it to be exhibited by high-end hardware, which typically pack among the most powerful CPUs and GPUs available at the time of their launch.

 

[d4NjvRzf]

I forgot to mention that battery life is important to me so I don't think Nexus 5, Moto G would be sufficient for my use? Isn't there a way to make the above flagship android phones into pure android?

According to Anandtech, which has one of the most scientific testing methodologies of any review outlet, the Moto G places near the top of the charts for battery life. (http://www.anandtech.com/show/7586/motorola-moto-g-review/3)

 

[AppleRobert]

Go to any Verizon store and play around with the M8. While every one you are considering would be returnable, that is one you can try immediately on Kit Kat without buying it.

Forget about lag on the M8, it does not exist. My Note 3 is fine but not on 4.4 yet. My Moto G is fine as well.

Trust me, you will not get bored with Android.

 

[blackhand1001]

Moto X is a great way to jump into android.

 

[MRU]

To be honest any of them would be good. This in no particular order.

1 - HTC M8

pros. lovely build quality / screen and performance. Sense 6 is very light weight in comparison to other manufacturer skins. Boom Sound is amazing. Duo Camera is ok for social media.

Negs . Camera not great for capturing detail and therefore printing images out will be lack lustre experience.

2 - S5

pros. Packed with features, great camera and an abundance of software and hardware features that are not available on other handsets.

negs. whilst touchwiz has been given a face lift - it still is the least coherent and consistent of GUI / OS. Flat icons one second / older legacy images and apps in stock messaging / calendar / contacts and then throw in some round icons to settings.. It's all a bit TOO much still.

KNOX - you will not be able to root or put a different optimised rom on the phone without losing your hardware warranty and potentially breaking hardware features such as finger print scanner as they are tied to the knox trigger.

plastic USB cover is not ideal, its the one part of the phone your going to be putting in and out every day as you charge and the risk of it breaking off and leaving you with a banjaxed / defaced cover.



3 - Z2

Great 20mp camera, much improved screen over other opera's, lot of decent Sony software features

negs. Sony's android skin is not to everyones tastes, and their stock messaging and calendar are not the greatest. Xperia's traditionally haven't held their re-sale value as much as the other androids listed here.





Basically they all have very good points and negs too. None is the 'perfect' device.

If we could add some of the software features from the S5, mix it with the build quality and lighter skin of the HTC M8 and stick in the great camera from the Xperia Z2 then we might have a winner - but otherwise they are all good - but all have some trade offs.




Personally for me

The HTC M8 4mp camera means I will never get it
The S5 Knox means I will never get it
The Z2 Sony Android Skin and depreciation at resale means I will never get it...

 

[gotluck]

I would wait for other flagships or google play edition S5.

Or choose less expensive Moto X, G, Nexus 5

 

[mattopotamus]

If you're not certain, why dive into the Android pool's deep end with an expensive flagship?

If you want to test out Android, I'd suggest skipping the monster devices and get a Moto G for £100-200 without a contract. You will get the full Android experience--and stock Android, even better--in a highly regarded device that most consider to far outperform it's price point. Best part is that if you ultimately decide you don't like it, you haven't broken the bank.

I would actually suggest getting a flashship so he can accurately compare. The moto G is a fantastic device, but depending on what the OP does he may experience some hiccups that will steer him away.

 

[ozaz]

I concur with tbarygs advice. Start off with a Moto G.
It's what I'm currently doing (switched from iPhone a couple of months ago).

I'm extremely happy with it. Good screen, no lag, no crashes, battery life is at least as good as, if not better than, my old iPhone. In fact, if it weren't for the low end camera, I wouldn't bother looking around for another phone to upgrade to.

Android now vs Android the last time I tried (~2009) is chalk and cheese. It deserved a reputation as an unreliable, buggy OS back then. But it doesn't any more.

You will probably have a couple of minor irritations with Android if you switch (I know I do), but you probably also have some irritations with iOS.

 

[tbayrgs]

I would actually suggest getting a flashship so he can accurately compare. The moto G is a fantastic device, but depending on what the OP does he may experience some hiccups that will steer him away.

I respectfully disagree. He's admittedly only ever used an iPhone. Jumping to any of the flagships he identified would be hugely different from the iPhone. All three devices are physically huge when compared to the iPhone and each runs their own software skin over the top of Android. IMO, the HTC One offers a completely different user experience and actually represents only a portion of what he'd experience using TouchWiz or Sony's UI. All 3 offer very polarizing UI and have as many detractors as proponents.

By contrast, the Moto G is incrementally larger than an iPhone with a good display, comfortable form factor, and most importantly, nearly stock Android. I'd personally suggest getting used to the base functionality Android offers before throwing tons of OEM customized features. How many times have we heard comments of frustrated users unable to deal with the change in how Android does things---pile TouchWiz or Sense on top of that and it could be recipe for disaster, especially to a formerly devoted iOS user. The beauty of stock Android is you are able to customize it to your liking on what's essentially a blank canvas, vs. customizing an OEM skinned phone to hide the elements you don't like.

I understand where you're coming from--why skimp on hardware and risk ruining his initial Android experience because the hardware is the limitation rather than the software? I just think each of those are extremely different, all with their own unique differences/flaws and pile on a whole new set of aspects that a new Android user has to work through. And by all accounts, the Moto G is a pretty damn good performer at a fraction of the price. If he ends up liking the experience, he can sell it, and 'move up to the big leagues', so to speak.

Just my $0.02.

 

[nlr]

Wouldn't a Moto G be a step backwards coming from a iPhone 5? Money isn't a issue I've got a spare $700 to spend for this device so if that's the only reason it's been getting recommended I honestly don't mind spending more.

 

[mattopotamus]

I respectfully disagree. He's admittedly only ever used an iPhone. Jumping to any of the flagships he identified would be hugely different from the iPhone. All three devices are physically huge when compared to the iPhone and each runs their own software skin over the top of Android. IMO, the HTC One offers a completely different user experience and actually represents only a portion of what he'd experience using TouchWiz or Sony's UI. All 3 offer very polarizing UI and have as many detractors as proponents.

By contrast, the Moto G is incrementally larger than an iPhone with a good display, comfortable form factor, and most importantly, nearly stock Android. I'd personally suggest getting used to the base functionality Android offers before throwing tons of OEM customized features. How many times have we heard comments of frustrated users unable to deal with the change in how Android does things---pile TouchWiz or Sense on top of that and it could be recipe for disaster, especially to a formerly devoted iOS user. The beauty of stock Android is you are able to customize it to your liking on what's essentially a blank canvas, vs. customizing an OEM skinned phone to hide the elements you don't like.

I understand where you're coming from--why skimp on hardware and risk ruining his initial Android experience because the hardware is the limitation rather than the software? I just think each of those are extremely different, all with their own unique differences/flaws and pile on a whole new set of aspects that a new Android user has to work through. And by all accounts, the Moto G is a pretty damn good performer at a fraction of the price. If he ends up liking the experience, he can sell it, and 'move up to the big leagues', so to speak.

Just my $0.02.

Very well stated. After reading that, I agree with you