Who has switched from Android to iPhone6?

waynegalway

Apologies if this type of thing has been asked before: I went through the threads all the way back to end of last October and couldn't see anything like this, so hopefully I won't get eaten alive for duplicating!

Anyhow, I've been using Android for 3 years (and iOS for about 3 years before that). I'm due an upgrade next month, and I'm considering an iPhone 6.

For anyone here that has jumped from Android to iOS recently, what has it been like?

What are the pros and cons of switching, as you see it?

What do you miss from Android, and is there any reason you regret the change and wish you didn't do it?

I realise that posting on this forum may lead to mostly pro-Apple replies, and as a previous user of iPhones, I can understand that you'd want to defend your choice, but I'm hoping to get genuine honest opinions here.

I had a Galaxy S3 for about 18months, and currently I have a HTC One M7 (again, coming close to 18months with that). Anyone here go from HTC to iPhone 6?

I really like the HTC, but the main reason why I'm drawn back to Apple is that the iPhone 6 seems to have just about the best camera on any smartphone, and although the natural upgrade for me would be to the HTC One M8, which has pretty much the same camera as my current phone....it's alright, but I'd like better. The new HTC M9 when it comes out is likely to have a great camera, but that's a few months away and will probably be as dear or dearer than an iPhone 6.

The second reason I'm thinking of switching is the support you get from Apple. Both my S3 and my One had to go for repairs, and they were gone for almost 6 weeks at a time. I remember having a mic issue on my iPhone 4 and Apple turned around a repair in under a week.

How have you been with only 16gb storage (I can't afford the 64gb version)? How have Google apps played with the native iOS apps like mail and calendar?

So apart from the advantage of the camera and the service, how has the switch from Android been for you? Do you miss the back button? Does the screen resolution (way less than the ppi density of the HTC One) annoy you? In some ways the iPhone6 is not really an "upgrade" at all when you look at some specs like resolution, ram, battery. So have those things been an issue for you.


Thanks for any thoughts you can share.

godtabh

I swithed from the Nexus 4 16gb to the iPhone 6 64gb. iPhone is so much better and nice to have a full integrated Apple offering (MBP, iPad)

jacksie66

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Mr Bloat

I can't help you with the iPhone decision but I can advise that there may be little to gain from going from the HTC M7 to the M8. I did this a few months ago and found that there was very little change. I wasn't disappointed with the phone, the M8 is a fabulous device but there isn't much between it and the M7. I changed the M8 for a Note 4 and I love the Note 4.

godtabh

jacksie66 wrote: »

IPhone 6 had a good camera but not the best by far. The Xperia z3 (which I own) the galaxy s5 and the lg g3 are better. Also the note 3 and 4. Although the Nokia 1020 is the absolute best camera phone ever released. I have a z3 and love it. Destroys the iPhone 6 in battery life. Has a bigger screen, is fully waterproof, has stereo speakers and the storage is expandable. Its got 16gb built in but can be upgraded up to 128gb. I've had iPhones, HTC ones, samsungs etc but the z3 is perfect in my eyes.

how long do you get out of the Z3?

waynegalway

Mr Bloat wrote: »

I can't help you with the iPhone decision but I can advise that there may be little to gain from going from the HTC M7 to the M8. I did this a few months ago and found that there was very little change. I wasn't disappointed with the phone, the M8 is a fabulous device but there isn't much between it and the M7. I changed the M8 for a Note 4 and I love the Note 4.

I'm with you in the M7/M8 thing, that's why I'm shopping around. My wife has an M8 and the screen is really crisp, but apart from a small jump in screen size it's not much different to M7. It's the screen sharpness of the One that I think I'd miss if I moved to iPhone.

Had the Galaxy S3 before and said I'd never get a Samsung again! Just didn't like the gimmicky and bloated software. At the time it was a serious upgrade from the iPhone 4 that I traded in for it, and the larger screen was the major selling point for me. The note 4 seems to have addressed some of Samsung bloat and gimmick, but I find the 4.7-5 inch screen is the perfect size for me.

Creamy Goodness

jacksie66 wrote: »

IPhone 6 had a good camera but not the best by far. The Xperia z3 (which I own) the galaxy s5 and the lg g3 are better. Also the note 3 and 4. Although the Nokia 1020 is the absolute best camera phone ever released. I have a z3 and love it. Destroys the iPhone 6 in battery life. Has a bigger screen, is fully waterproof, has stereo speakers and the storage is expandable. Its got 16gb built in but can be upgraded up to 128gb. I've had iPhones, HTC ones, samsungs etc but the z3 is perfect in my eyes.

Would have to disagree with the S5 and notes having better cameras than the iPhone 6. The software features totally get in its way and their screens seem washed out to me. Also with the 1020 have you used one? Sure it's the best camera but its dog slow and its nearly pushing 2 years at this stage and runs windows where their app ecosystem practically doesn't exist (quality apps wise)

Can't fault the other points though.

Mr. TTime

Hey OP

I just made the change from Android to the 6 Plus and posted the following to the 1st impressions thread here earlier this week. Similar position to you in that I had an iPhone first before moving to Android and now back again. Hope this helps:

"Have the 6 Plus a week now and must say I am truly impressed!

Last iPhone I had was a 3GS (had an iPad too and still have Apple TV) so was familiar with the Apple ecosystem before I moved to Android (HTC One x, HTC One (M7) and the Oneplus One).

Reason I changed was for the camera - expecting our first child next month and wanted something which would document the first couple of years in style. Have to say I am not dissapointed. Coming from large phones anyway the size of the 6 Plus is something I am comfortable with but the finish, both exterior and interior has surprised me. I would highly recommend getting a cover for it though - it's like holding ice in your hand at times!

All in all very happy with my move - biggest problem is not brining over old SMS's and stuff like that. Battery life is comparable to the Oneplus One but not as good. Neither does it charge as fast. But for me the camera was the thing and the 6 Plus tramples all over the Oneplus there (But it should given the price difference!!)."

Bootros Bootros

jacksie66 wrote: »

IPhone 6 had a good camera but not the best by far. The Xperia z3 (which I own) the galaxy s5 and the lg g3 are better. Also the note 3 and 4. Although the Nokia 1020 is the absolute best camera phone ever released. I have a z3 and love it. Destroys the iPhone 6 in battery life. Has a bigger screen, is fully waterproof, has stereo speakers and the storage is expandable. Its got 16gb built in but can be upgraded up to 128gb. I've had iPhones, HTC ones, samsungs etc but the z3 is perfect in my eyes.

Not really what the op was looking for though given he wants to hear from iPhone users.

waynegalway

Bootros Bootros wrote: »

Not really what the op was looking for though given he wants to hear from iPhone users.

I've looked at the Z3, and TBH from what I can see on the review sites, the video camera in low light beats the iPhone6, but for stills in all lighting conditions and video in good lighting, the iPhone does really look better. Maybe in manual mode the 21mp of the Z3 would be good, but in auto mode, that is 8mp. I just want to pick up and shoot a picture, so auto is the way to go.

The Z3 will be great value by the time I get to upgrade, as the Z4 won't be far off by then, but it's just a bit too big for me. As I said, the 4.7-5inch range is just right for me.

Although the post wasn't from an iPhone user, I appreciate their time in replying with their opinion, it all helps!

jacksie66

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jacksie66

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jacksie66

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burke027

jacksie66 wrote: »

I get about 2 days under heavy usage. If im using it lightly I could get more.

2 days under heavy usage I doubt that very much I don't know of any smart phone that gives more the a full day and night .........

jacksie66

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waynegalway

burke027 wrote: »

2 days under heavy usage I doubt that very much I don't know of any smart phone that gives more the a full day and night .........

I could squeeze 2 days out of my M7, with Wi-Fi, data and Bluetooth all on during normal hours. I turn those off at night though. Could go from 7am one morning to bed time the following day. Depends what I'm doing. Battery while on idle barely drops at all, maybe 1 or 2% over night. Average screen time per full charge is about 3.5 to 4 hours. Doubt I'd get that stand by time from the iPhone, but I think the screen time per full charge would be similar.

I have an LG G Watch connected to it too, and if I turned that off along with Bluetooth, I'd sail through 2 days easily.

waynegalway

jacksie66 wrote: »

If the z3 is too big OP check out the Z3 compact.

Might have a closer look at this again. Bizarrely, even though it's only marginally smaller screen than M7, my first impression was that I thought it was too small. Might look again. With auto mode in the camera, though, isn't it just 8mp, with not quite as good software as iOS? I'm not counting out sticking with Android, just trying to see what people that have made the switch feel about it.

jacksie66

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Oafley Jones

Moved from an M7 to a 6 plus. Reason I moved was the camera. Wouldn't have if they kept the 4 inch screen. It is a great camera. Good battery life. iOS is buggy as hell though. Site like The Verge (admittedly very heavy), Guardian crash the browsers constantly - blaming the lack of RAM here. If I could put Android on it I would. I do like the integration with Yosemite though.

OldMrBrennan83

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waynegalway

Patww79 wrote: »

The iOS software really is too rigid snd simplistic, perfect for a kids starter phone or for older generations trying out a smartphone, but once you've used Android you'll miss the freedom and options too much if you change.

That's why I left iOS originally, for the freedom. And the larger screen.

The freedom is a double edged sword, though. While it's great in ways, it almost leaves it too complex. When android gives you so much control, it means you're in charge. For me, that has meant endlessly searching for all the right apps, settings and tweaks to get a perfect phone. Trying to find the sweet spot between UX, UI and managing the battery has been fun at times and a pain in the hole most of the time.

Aeternum

Bit out of date but I moved from a Note 2 to a 5S when the 5S came out late 2013 and have never looked back. Find my iPhone more reliable than any android I ever had. This was my first iPhone but have bought iPad and MBP since. Will be sticking with Apple when upgrade comes around

waynegalway

Aeternum wrote: »

Bit out of date but I moved from a Note 2 to a 5S when the 5S came out late 2013 and have never looked back. Find my iPhone more reliable than any android I ever had. This was my first iPhone but have bought iPad and MBP since. Will be sticking with Apple when upgrade comes around

I guess that's it, it comes down to reliable and inflexible versus highly customizable and frustrating at times.

Logically, I know that's the central decision here, but I was hoping the opinions might add info that would sway me in a definite direction.

Creamy Goodness

don't know why people are mentioning iOS as being inflexible, sure that was the case back in the days but iOS 8 has made it completely flexible.

murpho999

Freedom and flexibility that android users go on about but never provide examples.

I have tried to like Android phones but I just don't like how it looks at all, iOS just looks sharper and neater. Do others find that?

OldMrBrennan83

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murpho999

Patww79 wrote: »

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Not that new know, and I'm totally used to them. Never found them childish to be honest.

waynegalway

murpho999 wrote: »

Freedom and flexibility that android users go on about but never provide examples.

I have tried to like Android phones but I just don't like how it looks at all, iOS just looks sharper and neater. Do others find that?

Here are some examples of freedom and flexibility in android.

1. You can "open with" any app you like and set that as default. For example, someone sends an email with a link, you click on it and it asks you which browser you want to open it with and if you want to use that browser to open all future links.

2. You can download zip files of mp3 music and unzip them on the phone and play them in whatever music app you choose.

3. You can side load apps from 3rd parties.

4. There's a back button, and usually a one click option to close all running recent apps instead of dragging them away one by one.

5. You can choose exactly how reach screen looks, including resizing widgets and using 3rd party icon packs.

6. You can share links, pictures, music files etc with pretty much any app in any format.

7. On a techy side, you can choose the max speed of the CPU if you want save battery.


These are just some examples that come to mind, but I didn't intend this thread to become an OS battle ground. I'm keen to hear about recent converts to apple and whether they miss anything or feel it was the best move ever.

Creamy Goodness

waynegalway wrote: »

1. You can "open with" any app you like and set that as default. For example, someone sends an email with a link, you click on it and it asks you which browser you want to open it with and if you want to use that browser to open all future links.

you can do this in iOS with the exception of setting as default, granted it's new in iOS 8, it's up to developers to implement it, just like in android. It will take iOS developers time to implement. The good thing about iOS is usually the stock apps are good enough that you don't need a second inferior browser.

waynegalway wrote: »

2. You can download zip files of mp3 music and unzip them on the phone and play them in whatever music app you choose.

Can't remember the last time I downloaded a zip file of mp3's, iTunes Radio and Spotify/Google music sort me out fine.

waynegalway wrote: »

3. You can side load apps from 3rd parties.

What's side loading? and why would I want to get apps from an untrusted party that hasn't been vetted by the Google Play store/App Store?

waynegalway wrote: »

4. There's a back button, and usually a one click option to close all running recent apps instead of dragging them away one by one.

This is a pain in the but as a developer, so many devices and each have a different way to implement these. Some hardware, some software. Silly to have a difference.

waynegalway wrote: »

5. You can choose exactly how reach screen looks, including resizing widgets and using 3rd party icon packs.

iOS' Today view is pretty much the same thing, Android does have the nice feature of resizing widgets. Anytime I've seen anyone customise their Android phone with 3rd party icons they've look like a 3 year old mushed mála into the carpet.

waynegalway wrote: »

6. You can share links, pictures, music files etc with pretty much any app in any format.

This is the same as #1 point, iOS got this functionality in iOS 8 with the share sheet. It will take time for developers to catch up.

waynegalway wrote: »

7. On a techy side, you can choose the max speed of the CPU if you want save battery.

Great thing about iOS is I don't have to give a hoot about this, iPhone's don't need quad core processors to keep up with an OS that's written in an awful language (Java).

waynegalway

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

you can do this in iOS with the exception of setting as default, granted it's new in iOS 8, it's up to developers to implement it, just like in android. It will take iOS developers time to implement. The good thing about iOS is usually the stock apps are good enough that you don't need a second inferior browser.


Can't remember the last time I downloaded a zip file of mp3's, iTunes Radio and Spotify/Google music sort me out fine.


What's side loading? and why would I want to get apps from an untrusted party that hasn't been vetted by the Google Play store/App Store?


This is a pain in the but as a developer, so many devices and each have a different way to implement these. Some hardware, some software. Silly to have a difference.


iOS' Today view is pretty much the same thing, Android does have the nice feature of resizing widgets. Anytime I've seen anyone customise their Android phone with 3rd party icons they've look like a 3 year old mushed mála into the carpet.


This is the same as #1 point, iOS got this functionality in iOS 8 with the share sheet. It will take time for developers to catch up.


Great thing about iOS is I don't have to give a hoot about this, iPhone's don't need quad core processors to keep up with an OS that's written in an awful language (Java).

Fair points.

Side loading and using trusted sites like the Amazon app store means you quite often get faster app updates than the main stores, and usually amazon have a decent "free app of the day" that costs a fair bit by app standards on the other stores. I'm not on about dodgy sites with ripped off apps, hey, of that's what a user wants, then that's the flexibility I mean.

"Inferior browser" is subjective. I have a windows PC at work, and chrome runs way better in that than safari. So, for me chrome on android is better than safari would be on an iPhone for me, due to things like synced bookmarks and history.

3rd party icons can look way better than mush. For example, the one that use the iPhone app icons.

At the time I bought my iPhone 3gs and the 4, android wasn't in the running. Then they gained some traction and I jumped ship for a Galaxy S3. Since then, android has really developed well, form and function. The same can be said of iOS, especially in the areas of function where it borrowed from android. IOS 8 is closer to android than any previous versions, and that's a good thing IMO.

Thanks for your points, though, I've learned sonething about iOS 8 from them.

Gran Hermano

burke027 wrote: »

2 days under heavy usage I doubt that very much I don't know of any smart phone that gives more the a full day and night .........

OnePlus one battery lasts a couple of days.