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RickTaylor

macrumors 6502a
Nov 9, 2013
816
332
I just can't do without the following (in order of importance).

-have the phone auto switch to vibrate mode according to appointment entries in calendar. And auto switch back to normal mode after that. Also during meeting only allow calls from important callers. Other callers sms is reverted. It sends shiver down my spine that if I use iphone I have to remember everytime to flip the mute switch before and after every appointment.

Actually, there is a jailbreak to do this one. Yes, it's silly the phone requires a jailbreak to get such functionality, and it's better to have the flexibility to do what you want without being dependent on members of the jailbreak community. But for me, this was enough.
 

Thunder82

macrumors 6502
Jul 16, 2008
442
3
Chicago, IL
Having been an iPhone user for the last year and a half (6+ currently) I GREATLY miss the backgrounding abilities of my old Android devices. The fact that I can't download my spotify songs without staring at the app, upload pictures taken to dropbox without opening the app, download a torrent (at all) or play movies without using my mac to convert/transfer, all constantly irritate me about the way iPhones work.
 

Stuntman06

macrumors 6502a
Sep 19, 2011
961
5
Metro Vancouver, B.C, Canada
Back in 2010 when I decided to get a smartphone, I chose a Nokia because it had a landscape slide out keyboard. It was a crappy phone and I then moved to an HTC Android phone that also had a landscape slide out keyboard. I've gotten accostomed to Android since then.

In 2012, I had to get a new phone. At that time, there were no good phones with landscape slide out keyboards. I decided to get a Samsung Galaxy S3. The main reason was that I was very happy with Android and saw no reason to switch away from Android.

In the past several months, I've had a lot of opportunity to use iOS devices. I've been using an iPad Mini which my wife just doesn't use. My impression is that iOS does some things better than Android. Android does some things better than iOS. Either way, I would have some trade-off to make if I chose one platform over the other. I would not choose to switch my Android phone to an iPhone. However, I would choose to keep using iOS on a tablet.
 

Bazilemac

macrumors regular
Sep 10, 2014
172
0
Having been an iPhone user for the last year and a half (6+ currently) I GREATLY miss the backgrounding abilities of my old Android devices. The fact that I can't download my spotify songs without staring at the app, upload pictures taken to dropbox without opening the app, download a torrent (at all) or play movies without using my mac to convert/transfer, all constantly irritate me about the way iPhones work.


This is what is frustrating for me now too! Im coming from a s4 to a 6 plus and im in shock that dropbox doesnt automatically upload. It also annoys me that i cant download torrents and i have to have only a mp4 or mov file to be able to have it on my phone (because apple thinks those are the only quality files) very annoying. I miss my s4 and will probably switch back to android next year
 

gotluck

macrumors 603
Dec 8, 2011
5,717
1,260
East Central Florida
1. waiting for a jailbreak sucks, as does the inability to downgrade or restore a previous iOS version

2. no continuity for nonmac systems (no continuity at work, where I want it most)

3. weak attachment support in mail app
 

mib1800

Suspended
Original poster
Sep 16, 2012
2,859
1,250
Many really good examples, but it don't get this one:
So you load the video onto a USB drive, then either 1) load it again into the phone or 2) have the drive sticking out of the phone while viewing? Just because there is apples way (which is really about selling content) doesn't mean there aren't better options on both platforms.

Sometimes I copy into phone (when files are in PC or portable drive), sometimes if those files are already in thumbdrive, I use the adapter (and btw the adapter is pretty small and in no way near as intrusive as you implied). Either way it is MUCH faster (and easier) than using Itunes/cloud.

Apps like nPlayer can download videos in just about any format and from just about any server (WebDAV/SMB/FTP/googledrive), then play them unconverted at full quality.

The way you described is also possible with android. The main point is having MORE options. Not just about Apple way or Android way. Android is just a superset of Apple ways. Period.
 

spriter

macrumors 65816
May 13, 2004
1,460
586
.... why should I have to give up either to own the other ?

This.

It's not a zero sum game for me either. Different strengths and weaknesses so I take out whichever phone is better at what I want to do.

Besides, I like keeping up with tech and the using Android and iOS daily is better for that instead of handling a new device/OS for a few minutes in a store every now and then.
 

respectabilia

macrumors regular
Oct 24, 2010
236
5
Android independent choices vs iOS design delegation
---

The philosophies behind Apple and Android users is a bit like hiring a designer for a website.

1. You can either tell him to give you all the tools so you can make finer design choices and changes yourself and manage and sustain them in the long run. Because you want finer control, because you have some expertise and savvy, and maybe because you also enjoy it. You just need the designer to set you up with the foundation and tools. This is what you're advocating which is totally fine. For this thinking Android is perfect.

2. The other way is to hire a good designer who's design style and track record you like and tell him you just want a clean, consistent and well designed website in his style you and others can use and enjoy. It's up to them how and what in terms of finer details as you don't want that hassle or choice. Maybe because you don't have the expertise yourself or just don't like fiddling with the micro choices. You would rather pay him to do it all for you and you trust his design choices based on his record. In the end, you're happy to go with what he generally recommends. You're paying him exactly for this. For this thinking, Apple is perfect.

If person 2 no longer likes this web designer's style and choice, he needs to hire web designer 1. In our context, it means he needs to switch platforms away from Apple to something like Android.

Point is, some will see choice in number 1 above as a positive while others will be happy to pay for the lack of choice and instead delegate design to someone else as in number 2. That's just the way it is and misunderstanding this is the reason for a lot of confusion between users of different platforms.

----------

It's not that Apple users don't find the features you mentioned up there cool. It's that Apple users won't adopt them, bother with them or use them unless it's done right. And usually, that means when it's designed for them by Apple in the ways we trust and admire from Apple, which is what we pay Apple for, so we don't have to worry or fiddle.

Eg quick reply, do not disturb, notification centre, etc.
 

respectabilia

macrumors regular
Oct 24, 2010
236
5
Then there's also the important factor of pleasurable design. This is the biggest difference between Apple and Android users sometimes that gets overlooked. It's best described by someone who enjoys driving a Mercedes as opposed to driving a Ford. Not because of the feature set but because it's a more pleasurable experience; the sum of all the design details.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1413370877.189076.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1413370938.014256.jpg

Eg the android screen below is probably super functional but it's not a pleasure to use compared to the simplified cleaner yet still relatively functional iOS counterpart. Yes, Android gives you the choice to tailor this design to something cleaner, but refer the above web designer analogy above, some would pay *not* to work hard at cleaning up their phone designs and instead delegate it to the man they paid.

So two ways of thinking. Neither are wrong. Depends on which you prefer.
 

mrex

macrumors 68040
Jul 16, 2014
3,458
1,527
europe
you know that you can choose between widgets and make your screen looks whatever you like or using notification area only as ios does... multitasking shots is only an example i suppose and no one will use it like that...
 

Oohara

macrumors 68040
Jun 28, 2012
3,050
2,423
Then there's also the important factor of pleasurable design. This is the biggest difference between Apple and Android users sometimes that gets overlooked. It's best described by someone who enjoys driving a Mercedes as opposed to driving a Ford. Not because of the feature set but because it's a more pleasurable experience; the sum of all the design details.

View attachment 504696
View attachment 504697

Eg the android screen below is probably super functional but it's not a pleasure to use compared to the simplified cleaner yet still relatively functional iOS counterpart. Yes, Android gives you the choice to tailor this design to something cleaner, but refer the above web designer analogy above, some would pay *not* to work hard at cleaning up their phone designs and instead delegate it to the man they paid.

So two ways of thinking. Neither are wrong. Depends on which you prefer.

While I agree with you to an extent, your analogy makes it sound like everyone prefers a cleaner design and the difference between iOS and Android is that iOS sets that up for you while in Android you need to do the job yourself.

Don't forget that pleasure = subjective. There are also many who DO find greater pleasure in using a home screen like those in the pics you attached; those who do not need to tailor anything into "something cleaner" - neither in regards to functionality nor aesthetic values. Just like there are many who would always prefer to drive a Ford over a Mercedes.
 

Savor

Suspended
Jun 18, 2010
3,742
918
- Ability to be read as a mass storage (my HDTV can read the contents of my Wife's Lenovo)

- Gesture swipes from apps like All In One, Swipe Home Button, and Nova Prime

- Custom launchers for more varied homescreens

- Ability to hide ugly app icons

- App Backup & Restore (I didn't realize recently that I can "launch" hidden apps from it)

- MoboPlayer has a mini-window. Along with any other video player, I can play TWO videos simultaneously (although this doesn't work on MIUI). MoboPlayer can also play many more formats.

- Ability to sideload apps

- Ability to add/delete/move media files with a file explorer

- No heavy reliance with iTunes to change information on songs

- Bluetooth data transfer

- FM radio (saves battery and data) unlike online radio apps

- Android is generally more "universal" used and I can use a single micro-USB plug for different brands of Androids. Wait when Android One is in full throttle, Google's lead extends to over 90% marketshare esp in USA where Apple is the most successful in. Many Android Ones will have DUAL SIM capability which is quite foreign to Western markets. So iPhone users will buy $100 Android One devices as a spare.
 
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respectabilia

macrumors regular
Oct 24, 2010
236
5
While I agree with you to an extent, your analogy makes it sound like everyone prefers a cleaner design and the difference between iOS and Android is that iOS sets that up for you while in Android you need to do the job yourself.



Don't forget that pleasure = subjective. There are also many who DO find greater pleasure in using a home screen like those in the pics you attached; those who do not need to tailor anything into "something cleaner" - neither in regards to functionality nor aesthetic values. Just like there are many who would always prefer to drive a Ford over a Mercedes.


I totally agree actually. It is all subjective and users of each platform should just accept that what they find the key pleasurable factors differs for someone else.
 

Savor

Suspended
Jun 18, 2010
3,742
918
Also while custom skins/ROMs' get looked down upon by Android purists, sometimes the OEM adds some interesting features. Not all the best ideas is coming from Google. Android has always been a patchwork of art. An OPEN HANDSET ALLIANCE. A collection of brainstorming ideas from a number of companies trying to one up each other.

I remember when Steve Jobs enjoyed confrontation and wanted fanboys (like Mac vs Lisa teams) to quarrel. It's when the best ideas get born when everyone's competitive nature is in full swing. Backs are against the wall. Apple's iOS was also born out of a battle of two teams and deliberation. Android OEMs generally have that right now.

Some of the Android custom skin/ROMs' battery saving modes can be very useful. It's just Samsung's TouchWiz being the most used skin gives other skins a bad reputation of ugliness and lag. You can tell HTC, LG, and Asus really worked hard on their skins while Cyanogen Mod and MIUI have been around for awhile and each have their own following.
 

Mildredop

macrumors 68020
Oct 14, 2013
2,478
1,510
I had loads of problems with my iPhone which ultimately ended up with me losing a few thousand pounds worth of work.

I moved to Android and haven't had any problems. Reading about all the ongoing problems with iPhones (ios8 issues, bending, 'you're holding it wrong' etc) I'm simply steering clear and sticking to what works for me.
 

nviz22

Cancelled
Jun 24, 2013
5,277
3,071
1. iTunes w/ Music and Ringtones.
2. Battery sizes in the regular 6. I am tired of iPhans asking for slimmer is better type of devices. At some point, the battery life needs to improve.
3. Predictive Dialer. This is really important because I can spell out John with Touchtone #s and see John's # rather than clicking contacts and then spelling his name out.
4. Notification LEDs. These are important to me since I can tell what I am missing rather than having to look at the screen to see the specific notifications.
5. Widgets. You guys have something that's kinda there but not really there. Apple included them in the notification bar, but not many apps are really supported yet, so it's not really relevant as it should be.
6. RAM. I am tired of Apple fans saying 1 GB is good enough since our OS is so optimized. Forget optimization, it's all about having potential to do more. 2 GB of RAM and multi window seem like two things linked together for Apple rumors lately. Getting that on a phone will help productivity. It will help with energy efficiency as well.
7. Quadcore processors. Dual might be okay for now, but I would like to see Apple make their devices last longer than Moto and Samsung phones. That means make energy efficient devices with 2 GB of RAM + a quad core processor to spread the computer calculations throughout the CPU and GPU.
8. Get rid of the ugly 6/6+ design on the back with the white lines. They don't feel as premium as the 5S.
9. Make updates more stable and less buggy. Each new OS update, Apple has bugs.
10. Make NFC more than Apple Pay. NFC has potential for more than some proprietary service.
11. Up the Pixel quantity from 8 to 13 while making the cameras consistently amazing.
12. OIS even in your entry level model.
13. Up the memory from 16 GB. It's not 2010.
14. Make it waterproof. Kill of Lifeproof by doing so please.
15. Add more security options than Touch ID and PINs to unlock devices.
16. Try to add software features like Active Notifications, Smart Alert, etc.
17. Update the damn UI. Make it more lively. Flat lifeless icons upon rows and rows?
18. Add an SD card slot.
19. Add LTE Band 12 for T-Mobile.
20. Make a 2.0 GHz powered A9 chip.
 
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shady25

macrumors member
Sep 16, 2014
86
0
Why can't you let go of Android and move to iPhone.

I switched from android to iOS last year.

From the s4 to the iPhone 5. It was an easy adjustment for me

I now have the iPhone 6 and it's easily the best device I have ever owned. No interest whatsoever to switch to anything android any time soon.
 

antony73

macrumors newbie
Oct 15, 2014
3
1
I've been using Android for 2 years now, and Windows much, much longer. Last month I bought an iPod just for 1) easy iTunes use and syncing and 2) to see what all the apple fuss was about... I'm hooked. I've never used such a simple, comfortable, easy and functional system ever.

So here it is; I'm switching to Apple. A little sad, loyalties and all, but Apple is simply better. Hands down.

And as for the "flower walled garden," restrictions with Apple, it's a small price. Apple does things so well, that I hardly notice at all.

----------

Just to add to the above; I bought an iPod touch with ios8. Love it!
 

mib1800

Suspended
Original poster
Sep 16, 2012
2,859
1,250
I've been using Android for 2 years now, and Windows much, much longer. Last month I bought an iPod just for 1) easy iTunes use and syncing and 2) to see what all the apple fuss was about... I'm hooked. I've never used such a simple, comfortable, easy and functional system ever.

So here it is; I'm switching to Apple. A little sad, loyalties and all, but Apple is simply better. Hands down.

And as for the "flower walled garden," restrictions with Apple, it's a small price. Apple does things so well, that I hardly notice at all.

Saying vaguely that apple does things better doesn't hold much water.

Well then, android does things 100x better than apple.
 

pdqgp

macrumors 68020
Mar 23, 2010
2,131
5,460
It's not that Apple users don't find the features you mentioned up there cool.It's that Apple users won't adopt them, bother with them or use them unless it's done right. And usually, that means when it's designed for them by Apple in the ways we trust and admire from Apple, which is what we pay Apple for, so we don't have to worry or fiddle.

Eg quick reply, do not disturb, notification centre, etc.

^^ understandable but to me it's crazy that Apple, for years, left and is still leaving its users without functions and customizations that are so valuable. It's not like they need years to design these things as you describe. I trust and admire the Android OS for allow me to have them and to use them as I wish...until they too may very well bake them into the stock OS.

In terms of DND, quick replies, notifications, all of those are in Android, have been and just as clean as iOS and have quite a few options to use them that make for a great experience which may be slightly different for different users but that choice to differentiate is up to them.
 

pdqgp

macrumors 68020
Mar 23, 2010
2,131
5,460
I've been using Android for 2 years now, and Windows much, much longer. Last month I bought an iPod just for 1) easy iTunes use and syncing

If you're using an Android phone all you had to do was download iTunes on your desktop and install iSyncr. Seamless syncing of songs, playlists, etc. only you're not tied to iTunes to make changes or transfer files, etc..
 
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