Why I'm going back to iOS

[cynics]

Sounds like you did zero preparation for getting out of the walled garden.

Before my Nexus 4 arrived I at least made sure I did these three things:

1. Transitioned my contacts and calendar from iCloud to Google.
2. Switched to using Chrome entirely on my macs and PC.
3. Made sure Google Music was completely synced.

As soon as I turned on the N4 and signed into google my music was there--as well as my contacts, email, and calendar. It couldn't get any smoother than that and the setup was far shorter and simpler than on an iPhone.

As for iTunes? I always looked at it as a necessary evil and not something I would use if I didn't have to.

Good thing you do not care about the cloud stuff because despite starting the post pc way of thinking iOS is anything but. In iCloud there is no permanent storage for photos and zero for camera videos. While you can use other cloud services it is not integrated well in the OS: as mentioned you can't even upload a photo from the camera roll to even Dropbox. Sure I can go into the dropbox app and then find the photo, and then finally upload. Why should I have to do that? My N4 lets me do it from anywhere to anywhere.

That said, I realize iOS is just right for some people. And it was for me for over 4 years (then I stayed with it another year after starting to become disappointed).




Michael

To also comment on Dropbox. I turned on syncing with new photos. In Android I believe it just does it assuming you selected cell data, if not it does it when you connect to wifi. In iOS I need to open the app before it "automatically" syncs.

I have iCloud on but you only get 5 gb which is currently barely enough for the pictures on my iPhone itself let alone anything else.

I'm really starting to appreciate the way google does stuff. The iCloud is a mystery to me, I just use it make sure my photos are safe in case something happens to my 4S. I've restored all my pictures from my iCloud once and it worked pretty well and very seamlessly so I have no complaint there.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

If I restore my iPhone or get a new one, I stick my iCloud details in on start up and the whole phone is restored as it was previously.

Messages
Contacts
Photos
Documents
Mail
Reminders
Safari Bookmarks etc
Notes
Calendar

and most importantly, Apps.

I'd say that's pretty simple.

----------



iCloud backs up you camera roll including videos.

You can also share you photo's with someone else with the Shared Photo Stream feature.

The biggest thing you lose switching phones on Android is messages get loss but they are sms and those would get lost on iOS as well.
Apps will pop right over providing you turn on that setting. Now it may take a few hours for your phone to re download and install everything but it does it all in its own. I apparently had 90 apps on my phone after I did a factory wipe and flash stock OS on my nexus. It did everything on its own. Now I knew what I was doing ran that risk and not the fault of the Os. I just failed to make a back up before hand.

 

[onthecouchagain]

How to back up to a Google phone? Use Google services. Sign in. Done.

I suppose iOS has an "intuitive" back up system. The one time I needed to use it, it failed on me. Well, technically, it failed on the Apple Genius. I was switching iPhones, backed up the first one successfully to iCloud, couldn't restore it to the new phone. I let it go cause it wasn't a big deal.

Maybe I'm being hyperbolic to say iOS doesn't know the meaning of intuitive. What I should say is, at this point and time, it's easier to get things done on Android. A lot of things. And a lot of everyday things. I don't want to bother getting too much into it, but using Gmail is more intuitive than Mail. Using the keyboard with its full control over dictionary, the suggestion bar, methods of typing, etc. is more intuitive than iOS keyboard. Turning on private browsing (2 steps versus 6). Accessing settings in each app (thanks to the dedicated menu button). Accessing settings in general (I can turn on WiFi with one click if I wanted to versus 3-4 clicks with iOS). Using and discarding notifications (I still cannot believe you can't remove individual notifications from the Notif. Center in iOS). Allowing default apps. Sharing via any app you've installed (instead of just FB, Twitter). Loading apps/pics/videos I want (breaking away from iTunes was one of the best feelings). Direct dialing or texting contacts...

There are many more examples.

I've said this before, iOS is so simple that it's actually become less usable. The competition has found easier, faster ways to accomplish the same tasks. Things just make a lot more sense.

 

[MonkeySee....]

The biggest thing you lose switching phones on Android is messages get loss but they are sms and those would get lost on iOS as well.
Apps will pop right over providing you turn on that setting. Now it may take a few hours for your phone to re download and install everything but it does it all in its own. I apparently had 90 apps on my phone after I did a factory wipe and flash stock OS on my nexus. It did everything on its own. Now I knew what I was doing ran that risk and not the fault of the Os. I just failed to make a back up before hand.

I've never lost my messages on iOS? Or do you mean moving from android to iOS and vice versa?

 

[Tinmania]

If I restore my iPhone or get a new one, I stick my iCloud details in on start up and the whole phone is restored as it was previously.

Seems easier on my Nexus 4, and I have used both. Sorry.

iCloud backs up you camera roll including videos.

I hope you are joking lol. Unless you take hardly any photos, and NO videos, the 5GB storage--shared between all your iOS devices and it includes backups and cloud storage--is incapable of backing up the camera roll if you actually use the camera.

But you actually missed my point: I was not talking about backing up pics and video but rather storing them long-term. We are supposed to be post pc after-all.

You can also share you photo's with someone else with the Shared Photo Stream feature.

Yes like photo sharing sites have been able to do since like 2004. Groovy.




Michael

 

[onthecouchagain]

Though this is anecdotal, I think it does reflect something that's happening on a larger scale: I've never seen so many people migrate from the iPhone than ever before, and more importantly, I've never seen so many people stay.

And I think some of it has to do with people becoming disenfranchised with Apple.

-The court cases
-Steve Jobs being gone
-the perceived minimal iPhone 5 changes
-the failure of Apple Maps (and the fallout of their attempts to purge Google in general)
-iOS still not showing anything dramatically new
-the firing of Forestall (which is as much of an admittance as you're going to get from Apple that iOS is in need of change)
-the abandonment of sorts of the iPad 3rd Gen
-the overpriced Macbook Retinas (particularly with the 13")
-the overpriced iPad Mini with old hardware...

Then conversely... you have the rise and recognition of Samsung's efforts with the S3 and the Note II on a global scale. And though there are mis-steps here and there, Samsung is innovating both software and hardware wise. You have the growing branding of the Nexus (for stock Android and for affordability). There are other reasons.

Also, this could just be me, but something about Apple's keynotes this year all felt disingenuous and insecure, like they were trying really hard to impress. Tim Cook's "This stuff is just jaw-dropping!" felt so horribly forced. I think people are starting to see cracks too in their marketing with the blatant false claims of "world's thinnest phones" (we live in a fact checking world now), and their own conflicting marketing that anything greater than the 4" iPhone cannot be used one handed, but the iPad Mini can (that's what they say in their own videos).

I don't know if anyone remembers Calidude, but he wasn't so far off with his predictions. The iPhone is still successful as heck, but perception is definitely changing.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

I've never lost my messages on iOS? Or do you mean moving from android to iOS and vice versa?

it was between wiping my phone or jumping between phones. mind your I never made it a back up. SMS are not saved in the clouded at all. Now google talk is another story and I am using that a lot more these days.

in the past 2 months I have completely wiped my nexus now 2 times. Once was to unlock the boot loader which requires the device being wiped and the other was a few days ago when a rom I was trying to install when FUB and I was forced to reflash the factory image.

But in terms of everything else it was all back up.

 

[Vetvito]

Several ways to backup stuff on Android, including SMS.

Side note iMessages and FaceTime is becoming ole unreliable.

 

[DeathChill]

Yeah, your messages are saved to iCloud so you restore and they're all there.

 

[MonkeySee....]

Seems easier on my Nexus 4, and I have used both. Sorry.


I hope you are joking lol. Unless you take hardly any photos, and NO videos, the 5GB storage--shared between all your iOS devices and it includes backups and cloud storage--is incapable of backing up the camera roll if you actually use the camera.

But you actually missed my point: I was not talking about backing up pics and video but rather storing them long-term. We are supposed to be post pc after-all.



Yes like photo sharing sites have been able to do since like 2004. Groovy.




Michael

Easier on you nexus 4? On icloud you just sign in and it restores? How is that hard?

I have addition storage on icloud because I required it so yes my whole camera roll is being backed up.

Shared photo stream is built in to the OS, no need for photo sharing sites??

You are very defensive by the way. You must hate iOS.

----------

Yeah, your messages are saved to iCloud so you restore and they're all there.

Yeah they are. I'm not sure what they are talking about??

 

[Switchback666]

Well one thing great about icloud is that you just need to leave wifi on and plug your device while you sleep it will charge plus backup.

Google should work something simple like that atleast for the nexus line.

 

[spinedoc77]

I agree with this. These tests are very unscientific and I'm sure vary greatly, even among the same device.

----------

Skip to 2:05 in this video, it shows the Android latency problem:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E406xXr4Mok

The iPhone is damn near 1:1.

I wonder if the N4 has the same issue that the N7 had with lag that was fixed by filling then erasing the hard drive just once. I had a lot of lag on 4.1.2 and almost returned my N7 because of it, but after using an app to fill then erase the hard drive it's extremely smooth. It's very smooth on 4.2 as well.

 

[siiip5]

Though this is anecdotal, I think it does reflect something that's happening on a larger scale: I've never seen so many people migrate from the iPhone than ever before, and more importantly, I've never seen so many people stay.

And I think some of it has to do with people becoming disenfranchised with Apple.

-The court cases
-Steve Jobs being gone
-the perceived minimal iPhone 5 changes
-the failure of Apple Maps (and the fallout of their attempts to purge Google in general)
-iOS still not showing anything dramatically new
-the firing of Forestall (which is as much of an admittance as you're going to get from Apple that iOS is in need of change)
-the abandonment of sorts of the iPad 3rd Gen
-the overpriced Macbook Retinas (particularly with the 13")
-the overpriced iPad Mini with old hardware...

Then conversely... you have the rise and recognition of Samsung's efforts with the S3 and the Note II on a global scale. And though there are mis-steps here and there, Samsung is innovating both software and hardware wise. You have the growing branding of the Nexus (for stock Android and for affordability). There are other reasons.

Also, this could just be me, but something about Apple's keynotes this year all felt disingenuous and insecure, like they were trying really hard to impress. Tim Cook's "This stuff is just jaw-dropping!" felt so horribly forced. I think people are starting to see cracks too in their marketing with the blatant false claims of "world's thinnest phones" (we live in a fact checking world now), and their own conflicting marketing that anything greater than the 4" iPhone cannot be used one handed, but the iPad Mini can (that's what they say in their own videos).

I don't know if anyone remembers Calidude, but he wasn't so far off with his predictions. The iPhone is still successful as heck, but perception is definitely changing.

2012 will go down in the history books as the year Apple faltered and the year Google finally created an OS that was high enough quality to compete with iOS (started with ICS). With Steve gone, I have seen way to many missteps by Apple.

 

[TheMTtakeover]

2012 will go down in the history books as the year Apple faltered and the year Google finally created an OS that was high enough quality to compete with iOS (started with ICS). With Steve gone, I have seen way to many missteps by Apple.

Should have looked before Steve left and you would have seen missteps then, all companies have them.

 

[siiip5]

I wonder if the N4 has the same issue that the N7 had with lag that was fixed by filling then erasing the hard drive just once. I had a lot of lag on 4.1.2 and almost returned my N7 because of it, but after using an app to fill then erase the hard drive it's extremely smooth. It's very smooth on 4.2 as well.

That was a specific bug to many original 16gb Nex7 owners and only 16gb owners running on 4.1.1 to 4.1.2. If you bought your Nex7 with 4.1.2, you weren't effected. If you did an erase and clean install to 4.1.2 you issue was fixed. The 8gb version was uneffected. Basically, the bug in 4.1.1 put the Nex7 into a state of lag (don't know if it was cpu or ram related) if you dropped below 3gb of available space.

This bug no longer exists when purchasing a new Nexus 7.

----------

Should have looked before Steve left and you would have seen missteps then, all companies have them.

Not this many, nor this significant. iOS6 maps and pixelization issues, construction problems with the iP5, new touch screen issues, abandonment of the ipad3 after just a few months, firings of key personnel, apologies from the CEO, a severe and single largest price drop in the stock, bringing out a 7" tablet after Steve had forbid such a move.

I thought Cook would be a good CEO, but he is looking more and more like a Sculley.

 

[michaeljohn]

2012 will go down in the history books as the year Apple faltered and the year Google finally created an OS that was high enough quality to compete with iOS (started with ICS). With Steve gone, I have seen way to many missteps by Apple.

How has Apple faltered this year? They have sold a record number of iPads, the iPad mini and the iPhone 5 are selling so well they can't even keep them in stock at Apple or any retailer/carrier store and their stock has been on the rise again the past few weeks as they rake in the cash. Google owes every bit of its success to Samsung and their Galaxy line. If it were not for them, Android would be in major trouble.

 

[dalbir4444]

How has Apple faltered this year? They have sold a record number of iPads, the iPad mini and the iPhone 5 are selling so well they can't even keep them in stock at Apple or any retailer/carrier store and their stock has been on the rise again the past few weeks as they rake in the cash. Google owes every bit of its success to Samsung and their Galaxy line. If it were not for them, Android would be in major trouble.

Yeah, Apple's been doing really well. As for your second statement, it goes both ways. Samsung Mobile wouldn't be where they are without Android.

 

[siiip5]

How has Apple faltered this year? They have sold a record number of iPads, the iPad mini and the iPhone 5 are selling so well they can't even keep them in stock at Apple or any retailer/carrier store and their stock has been on the rise again the past few weeks as they rake in the cash. Google owes every bit of its success to Samsung and their Galaxy line. If it were not for them, Android would be in major trouble.

How has Apple faltered? I already gave a partial list. As for sales, the iPad has been the single bright spot this year, but that was before the Nexus 7 hit, and now the Nexus 10. Before these two tablets the only somewhat good Android tablet was the Asus Transformer series. The Nexus 7 and 10 with built in account switching and much higher screen resolution than their ipad equivalents, plus better pricing is going to tempt many buyers away from Apple. In fact I would say buyers are already seeing the light. The Nex7 has gone from 500k sales a month to 1 million per month within the first quarter it was on the market. And sales are increasing.

Iphones sales last year tanked big time. Iphone 5 sold well its first weekend, but then people realized it looked too much like the 4 and 4S, so people wouldn't be able to tell they had the cool new icrap. This upset them. Why buy the 5, if people couldn't tell you had the 5? Not to mention most iphones came with scratches and dents.

You have to wonder why Apple hasn’t released specific figures for the iphone5, the iPad Mini and iPad 4? All we know is Apple supposedly sold 5 million iphones via pre-order and in person opening weekend, but that was far short of Samsungs S3 opening day of 9 million pre orders and in person sales. Samsung sold 18 million S3's last quarter. Apple sold 26 million iphone 3gs, 4, 4S and 5's COMBINED! As for the ipad mini, it looks to be a dud, likely only selling a fee hundred thousand. I will be surprised if Apple continues in the 7 inch market. The Apple shine is fading quickly since Steve's untimely and unfortunate death. Maybe he was a real PIA in person, but he gave me confidence in the brand. I now have zero confidence in Apple's mobile market and shaken confidence in Apple's computer department. I will still only buy Mac's, but it worries me that I will not get what I have in the past.

 

[dalbir4444]

How has Apple faltered? I already gave a partial list. As for sales, the iPad has been the single bright spot this year, but that was before the Nexus 7 hit, and now the Nexus 10. Before these two tablets the only somewhat good Android tablet was the Asus Transformer series. The Nexus 7 and 10 with built in account switching and much higher screen resolution than their ipad equivalents, plus better pricing is going to tempt many buyers away from Apple. In fact I would say buyers are already seeing the light. The Nex7 has gone from 500k sales a month to 1 million per month within the first quarter it was on the market. And sales are increasing.

Iphones sales last year tanked big time. Iphone 5 sold well its first weekend, but then people realized it looked too much like the 4 and 4S, so people wouldn't be able to tell they had the cool new icrap. This upset them. Why buy the 5, if people couldn't tell you had the 5? Not to mention most iphones came with scratches and dents.

You have to wonder why Apple hasn’t released specific figures for the iphone5, the iPad Mini and iPad 4? All we know is Apple supposedly sold 5 million iphones via pre-order and in person opening weekend, but that was far short of Samsungs S3 opening day of 9 million pre orders and in person sales. Samsung sold 18 million S3's last quarter. Apple sold 26 million iphone 3gs, 4, 4S and 5's COMBINED! As for the ipad mini, it looks to be a dud, likely only selling a fee hundred thousand. I will be surprised if Apple continues in the 7 inch market.

Come on man. The iPhone 5 and iPad mini sold, and are continuing to sell, very well. They are facing strong competition but as of now are continuing to do well.

 

[Tinmania]

Easier on you nexus 4? On icloud you just sign in and it restores? How is that hard?

Huh?? You bought and tried and S3 and complained how hard it was to get things on it and that is what I replied to.

What good is an iOS or google backup when switching platforms?

My point was that it was easier to setup my N4 from scratch than it is an iPhone.

Backing up can be done on either platform. On iOS I didn't even use it, to be frank. I always setup my iPhones as new when I bought a new one because I didn't want any unwanted settings coming back.

I have addition storage on icloud because I required it so yes my whole camera roll is being backed up.

So you were forced to pay just for backup storage? And you like that? OK.

I still don't think you are getting it: those iOS backups are not accessible for grabbing files on demand from something else. Nor do they archive any other place. What good is post pc if you can't even save your videos someplace safe and permanent--without using a pc or mac? iOS backups have nothing to do with this aspect.

Shared photo stream is built in to the OS, no need for photo sharing sites??

iCloud.com is a site if you shared with someone outside the walled garden.

Besides that android can copy all photos to Google+ automatically. They don't get deleted.

Far more sharing options than iOS, frankly.

You are very defensive by the way. You must hate iOS.

Yea that is why I have been using it for nearly 5 1/2 years.

I still have an iPhone, iPad and ATVs, not to mention several macs.

That doesn't mean I could put up with the restrictions iOS imposed on me any longer. I'm not a child and do not need to re-correct a word 30 times just to make the OS understand that is how I want to spell it. Auto-correct has not improved one iota in iOS since it debuted in 2007 as iPhone OS. That is just one of many things I grew tired of in iOS.




Michael

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Come on man. The iPhone 5 and iPad mini sold, and are continuing to sell, very well. They are facing strong competition but as of now are continuing to do well.

What is not clear is how much of that is due to inertia versus innovation. You can only go so far on inertia. Ask RIM.



Michael

 

[tjl3]

Iphones sales last year tanked big time. Iphone 5 sold well its first weekend, but then people realized it looked too much like the 4 and 4S, so people wouldn't be able to tell they had the cool new icrap. This upset them. Why buy the 5, if people couldn't tell you had the 5? Not to mention most iphones came with scratches and dents.

You have to wonder why Apple hasn’t released specific figures for the iphone5, the iPad Mini and iPad 4? All we know is Apple supposedly sold 5 million iphones via pre-order and in person opening weekend, but that was far short of Samsungs S3 opening day of 9 million pre orders and in person sales. Samsung sold 18 million S3's last quarter. Apple sold 26 million iphone 3gs, 4, 4S and 5's COMBINED! As for the ipad mini, it looks to be a dud, likely only selling a fee hundred thousand. I will be surprised if Apple continues in the 7 inch market. The Apple shine is fading quickly since Steve's untimely and unfortunate death. Maybe he was a real PIA in person, but he gave me confidence in the brand. I now have zero confidence in Apple's mobile market and shaken confidence in Apple's computer department. I will still only buy Mac's, but it worries me that I will not get what I have in the past.

what are you smoking? Your claims are completely false and the numbers show it. The S3 might have outsold the 4S last quarter, but its total sales are completely dwarfed by 4S sales. Projected iPhone 5 sales alone also completely trump any other phone's rest of the year projections.

 

[AdrainSingapore]

I'm just using an iphone 5 and a MacBook air

 

[dalbir4444]

What is not clear is how much of that is due to inertia versus innovation. You can only go so far on inertia. Ask RIM.
Michael

My personal opinion is that it is initial inertia, but if that's truly the case and if they continue to operate that way, then they will suffer for it. Let's see what the future holds for them.

 

[Tinmania]

My personal opinion is that it is initial inertia, but if that's truly the case and if they continue to operate that way, then they will suffer for it. Let's see what the future holds for them.

I agree. They just might pull off another home run or two.



Michael

 

[Switchback666]

I have to say some people really think apple will continue to sell tons of of idevices till the end of days lol these company is run by profit, apple was nothing 6-7 years ago and hes baby (iOS) is getting serious competition, ios6 and the iphone 5 design have proven they dont know what to do next ! Honestly i expect ios7 to be the same as ios6 just that it will run pretty ****** on my 4s and random new feature will not work for some "special" reason, if whe go by apple previous release cycle whe know next year the same iphone 5 with a small spec bump (probably in camera) and a better job/fix to the anodizing its coming, what makes people think people will jump on that ? Sure i did for the 4s but only for the 64gb option android is a far more superior OS with better options and it only continues to get better and better and manufactures are doing the same.