Traded iPhone 4S for Galaxy S3....Big mistake

matttye said:

iOS has had a software back button since the beginning, it's just not identical in implementation to the Android one (Android one goes back through apps and not just the one app). That's the only difference as far as I know (off the top of my head - haven't given it a great deal of thought).

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A "Home" button is not a back button. If you are in an app on iOS and want to go back to the previous page, option, setting, or whatever and you hit the "home" button, do you go back to the previous screen or back to your homescreen? See the difference? The back button on Android is just that... a 'back' button. Doesn't matter what phone or version of the OS you are running. It is always the same.

And once you have it, you wonder why Apple hadn't thought of the simple, yet extremely useful idea?

unobtainium said:

Not at all. Apple has long held the position that different devices are ideal for different uses. A computer is ideal for getting real work done, hence OS X. A cellphone is ideally, first and foremost, a portable phone. Hence the emphasis on battery life, simplicity and efficiency, slim and lightweight design, and ease of use.

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So, in other words, iPhones are just feature phones, except with crappy battery life? If your requirements are so simple, why not stick with the original Motorola Razr V3? Or a phone with an e-ink display? Small, slim, portable, great battery life and very simple.

And simplicity and efficiency? More like convoluted. The sheer number of steps required to do basic things is staggering. Slim and lightweight, I agree. In fact, the chassis is pliable.

siiip5 said:

A "Home" button is not a back button. If you are in an app on iOS and want to go back to the previous page, option, setting, or whatever and you hit the "home" button, do you go back to the previous screen or back to your homescreen? See the difference? The back button on Android is just that... a 'back' button. Doesn't matter what phone or version of the OS you are running. It is always the same.

And once you have it, you wonder why Apple hadn't thought of the simple, yet extremely useful idea?

Click to expand...

I said software back button, as in each application lets you go back to the previous part you were on by tapping the button at the top left hand corner. I'm NOT talking about the home button.

For example, you go into settings, then go into general, and once you're in general there's a button at the top left hand corner that lets you go back to settings.

You go into messages, you tap on a message thread to go into conversation view, then there's a button on the top left hand corner that lets you go back to messages.

siiip5 said:

A "Home" button is not a back button. If you are in an app on iOS and want to go back to the previous page, option, setting, or whatever and you hit the "home" button, do you go back to the previous screen or back to your homescreen? See the difference? The back button on Android is just that... a 'back' button. Doesn't matter what phone or version of the OS you are running. It is always the same.

And once you have it, you wonder why Apple hadn't thought of the simple, yet extremely useful idea?

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I'm not keen on this gentleman's method of getting his point across, but he kinda has a point here. The back button (as simple as it sounds) is such a handy feature. I find myself missing it when on the iPad or wife's iPhone 5.

Tinmania said:

That is great. But what is not great is having to be lucky. Wouldn't it be better if you got to choose what browser you want to use, or which map app?

I don't mean choose to run by launching the app. I can hide Safari away into some out of the way springboard folder and happily use Chrome. But the moment I tap on a link somewhere, such as in an email, text, or even an app Safari rears its ugly head again.

Heck, if Apple released an Android version of Safari (choke lol) I would be able to make that the default browser.



Mike

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Then use a jail broken iphone or android? The default iOS is clearly insufficient for your minority needs and another OS that prioritises customisation over reliability and ease of use.

Yes apple should allow default apps to be replaced by third party ones. But what puzzles me is why they don't simplify to it. They could do it in a day with a quick 6.0.2 update but clearly those idiots at Cupertino must believe that will not make the graph line ascend so well.

I think overall apple makes some of the most solid products but at the end of the day they are a company. They need to put lobster on the table somehow.

Why can't android set stricter standards for hardware? Or just plain run a hell of a lot more graphically fluent? And have a well structured update system?
Until these and many other issues are addressed, I will remain to use iOS, because as it stands the extra features do not outway the hassle of general use.
I am also a very tech aware individual and would like to believe I'm not just an Apple biased clueless sheep. Like I've built and fixed loads of windows PC's an when my workplace has an IT problem they call me before the IT guys and unless its a server side issue, I always fix it. I am not trying to show off pathetically just somehow trying to affirm that I'm not some snobby hipster. I consider myself a tech geek as much as the next android user but I just don't always feel the need to have total control over everything because in turn I get an super simple quick reliable device ecosystem that gets more work done than spending time getting it to work, if not always the exact way I want it.

End rant

(Now that's fairly open minded by forum standards right?)

*Im Irish by the way so not just as bad as North Korea

siiip5 said:

So, in other words, iPhones are just feature phones, except with crappy battery life? If your requirements are so simple, why not stick with the original Motorola Razr V3? Or a phone with an e-ink display? Small, slim, portable, great battery life and very simple.

And simplicity and efficiency? More like convoluted. The sheer number of steps required to do basic things is staggering. Slim and lightweight, I agree. In fact, the chassis is pliable.

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What basic things are these?

And when did he or she say that they are only for calling? ANY phone that is built has the function of calling. If not, you have an mp4 player. Smartphones may do other things like Internet or listening to music, but they also call people. Even android phones.
iPhones do what people nowadays call standard for a phone- browsing the Internet, playing games or listening to music. They do this the best out of any phone, hands down. What they don't do well is cater for the 'I can do anything on my phone' type.

matttye said:

I said software back button, as in each application lets you go back to the previous part you were on by tapping the button at the top left hand corner. I'm NOT talking about the home button.

For example, you go into settings, then go into general, and once you're in general there's a button at the top left hand corner that lets you go back to settings.

You go into messages, you tap on a message thread to go into conversation view, then there's a button on the top left hand corner that lets you go back to messages.

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And no uniformity to the placement of the "virtual" back button. Not every screen has a "back" button. Nor does every app include a "back" button. Every Google certified Android device has one and every single one does the same thing and it is always at the bottom of the screen. And this is hardwired into the OS. Not some afterthought in an app, those that have one anyway. In short, not the same thing. Not even in the ballpark.

siiip5 said:

And no uniformity to the placement of the "virtual" back button. Not every screen has a "back" button. Nor does every app include a "back" button. Every Google certified Android device has one and every single one does the same thing and it is always at the bottom of the screen. And this is hardwired into the OS. Not some afterthought in an app, those that have one anyway. In short, not the same thing. Not even in the ballpark.

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I'm finding it difficult to find an app that doesn't support it, or one that doesn't have it in the top left hand corner.

It may not be a physical button and therefore not guaranteed to be in the same place, but it seems like 99% of apps support it and put it in the same place.

It's a clear standard for iOS apps that the overwhelming majority of developers respect.

Sometimes it says "Cancel" rather than "Back" or something else entirely, but there is usually ALWAYS a button in the top left that you can use to go back a step.

siiip5 said:

So, in other words, iPhones are just feature phones, except with crappy battery life? If your requirements are so simple, why not stick with the original Motorola Razr V3? Or a phone with an e-ink display? Small, slim, portable, great battery life and very simple.

And simplicity and efficiency? More like convoluted. The sheer number of steps required to do basic things is staggering. Slim and lightweight, I agree. In fact, the chassis is pliable.

Click to expand...

Except they have the richest app ecosystem of any mobile platform, you can do almost anything with them (and the few little "features" that Android fans make a huge deal out of are meaningless for most people), and the iphone 5 has better battery life than the SG3. They accomplish all of this without sacrificing efficiency and ease of use. That's the whole design challenge.

"The chassis is pliable" - no clue, dude, I have an iPhone 5 and don't even know what you're talking about. If it's some kind of manufacturing defect, every phone has their little issues that crop up in small percentages. Great thing about Apple is that, if there is a defect, I can walk into any one of the four Apple stores near my house and walk out with a new phone. In fact I've done it several times since 2007.

tevion5 said:

Then use a jail broken iphone or android? The default iOS is clearly insufficient for your minority needs and another OS that prioritises customisation over reliability and ease of use.

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OK point me to the jailbreak for my iPhone 4S and iPad 3. I'm waiting....

Yes apple should allow default apps to be replaced by third party ones. But what puzzles me is why they don't simplify to it. They could do it in a day with a quick 6.0.2 update but clearly those idiots at Cupertino must believe that will not make the graph line ascend so well.

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Well they had better start rethinking that attitude because 2013 is not looking too good for them at the moment.

"Demand For Samsung Smartphones Jumps To 23% For Early 2013, iPhone Interest Down 21 Points From Last Quarter"

http://techcrunch.com/2013/01/15/de...ne-interest-down-21-points-from-last-quarter/

http://www.forbes.com/sites/investor/2013/01/15/six-reasons-why-i-still-wouldnt-own-apple-stock/

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/15/t...ales-spurs-talk-of-cheaper-iphones.html?_r=2&

Why can't android set stricter standards for hardware? Or just plain run a hell of a lot more graphically fluent? And have a well structured update system?

Click to expand...

My friend you are living in 2011 when it is 2013. Android hardware is now pretty danged amazing. More so than what the iPhone offers.

The OS runs just as smooth on my Nexus as it does on my iPhone and iPad.

Updates have been better and faster than iOS. I dread seeing 22 updates on my iPad since that means I am downloading and installing 22 full apps, including elements that don't apply to my device--even if there was very little change to the app itself. And if an update breaks an app I am hosed.

On my Nexus most updates just fly by; they are that fast. And if an update breaks an app? No problem, I can un-apply it.

Until the disappoint that was the iPhone 5 I was a happy iOS user (from the first day the iPhone came out in 2007). It's only been two months now with my Nexus and I already know I can't go back to an iPhone. Not without some change to iOS and its hardware (well, the hardware part is great: I just want more screen-estate).

Tablet-wise, I definitely prefer my iPad. At least for now.




Michael

unobtainium said:

Except they have the richest app ecosystem of any mobile platform, you can do almost anything with them (and the few little "features" that Android fans make a huge deal out of are meaningless for most people), and the iphone 5 has better battery life than the SG3. They accomplish all of this without sacrificing efficiency and ease of use. That's the whole design challenge.

"The chassis is pliable" - no clue, dude, I have an iPhone 5 and don't even know what you're talking about. If it's some kind of manufacturing defect, every phone has their little issues that crop up in small percentages. Great thing about Apple is that, if there is a defect, I can walk into any one of the four Apple stores near my house and walk out with a new phone. In fact I've done it several times since 2007.

Click to expand...

I have put several challenges out to iPhone owners (any model) to compete against an S3 on battery life. The challenge is simple. Charge your phone to 100‰. Turn phone on and set to full brightness. Start navigation/gps, turn on any music app and let it play in the background or mute it. During the next 4 hours (assuming your phone makes it that far) play games, text, email and surf the web for approx 2 hours. Phone must remain on at all times. Don't worry about videos or high graphic games. Trying to make this easy for iphone users.

Now, if you can honestly get 4 hours of actual "screen-on" time, then you are matching the S3. (I am negating the iPhones much smaller screen, with the fact it also has a brighter display.)

Andtoif users can prove this with screen shots. Unfortunately, iPhones are unable to do this.

siiip5 said:

I have put several challenges out to iPhone owners (any model) to compete against an S3 on battery life. The challenge is simple. Charge your phone to 100‰. Turn phone on and set to full brightness. Start navigation/gps, turn on any music app and let it play in the background or mute it. During the next 4 hours (assuming your phone makes it that far) play games, text, email and surf the web for approx 2 hours. Phone must remain on at all times. Don't worry about videos or high graphic games. Trying to make this easy for iphone users.

Now, if you can honestly get 4 hours of actual "screen-on" time, then you are matching the S3. (I am negating the iPhones much smaller screen, with the fact it also has a brighter display.)

Andtoif users can prove this with screen shots. Unfortunately, iPhones are unable to do this.

Click to expand...

Are you implying that iPhones can't take screenshots? Or that they can't last at full brightness playing a game or movie for 4 hours? You're wrong on both counts.

Edited: Wouldn't it be easier to just Google the results? http://www.anandtech.com/show/6330/the-iphone-5-review/13

iPhone 5 seems to beat the S3 in all battery life measurements except actual "talk time," which is irrelevant to me because I never use my voice plan. With web browsing etc. it lasts considerably longer.

unobtainium said:

Are you implying that iPhones can't take screenshots? Or that they can't last at full brightness playing a game or movie for 4 hours? You're wrong on both counts.

Click to expand...

No, he means that Usage (Settings>General>Usage) is very basic compared to Android. You can't tell what the usage was.




Michael

unobtainium said:

Not at all. Apple has long held the position that different devices are ideal for different uses. A computer is ideal for getting real work done, hence OS X. A cellphone is ideally, first and foremost, a portable phone. Hence the emphasis on battery life, simplicity and efficiency, slim and lightweight design, and ease of use.

Click to expand...

OS X isn't even all that open either. Try and modify OS X to look like Windows 7, in the same way that you can modify Windows to look like OS X- you can't, Apple has the appearance of OS X pretty well locked down. Even simply using a colour scheme other than blue or graphite, or having a different coloured menu bar, requires tweaks that usually get disabled in point updates. Sure you can set program defaults and install programs from the Internet/other sources, but other than that, OS X isn't anywhere near as tweakable or open to personalisation as Windows is.

I don't know why the locked down nature of the iPhone shocks/irritates some people, Apple have been moving in that direction for a long time- the iPod was locked to iTunes (I know it could be used with a handful of other programs, but 99% of people just used iTunes) and offered no customisation of the OS' appearance (natively, that is), Macs have never been as customisable as Windows machines- that the iPhone isn't either, and is even more locked down than a Mac, shouldn't come as a surprise considering their most recent product lines. It's following in the footsteps of the iPod, a product line whose OS offered no customisation and no choice- remember, Steve didn't even want the iPhone to be open to 3rd party developers initially. Of course, that changed, and the iPhone may gain even more user options and become more customisable in the future, but it will never be any more customisable than a Mac, whose customisation options pale in comparison to Windows.

unobtainium said:

Are you implying that iPhones can't take screenshots? Or that they can't last at full brightness playing a game or movie for 4 hours? You're wrong on both counts.

Edited: Wouldn't it be easier to just Google the results? http://www.anandtech.com/show/6330/the-iphone-5-review/13

iPhone 5 seems to beat the S3 in all battery life measurements except actual "talk time," which is irrelevant to me because I never use my voice plan. With web browsing etc. it lasts considerably longer.

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I know you don't understand what I was referring to because the iPhone doesn't have the ability to show the user what is going on in the background.
And please read what I wrote more carefully. Take the challenge. Find out how poor the iphones battery really is. Lab results and real world usage are never the same. I could use my S3 very little and it will last more than 2 days. I can leave the brightness all the way down and have the screen on time last over 6.5 hours. My challenge is equivalent to real world heavy use. Or maybe I am asking to much of iphone users? Maybe you simply can't use the phone any more than as a feature phone?

siiip5 said:

I know you don't understand what I was referring to because the iPhone doesn't have the ability to show the user what is going on in the background.
And please read what I wrote more carefully. Take the challenge. Find out how poor the iphones battery really is. Lab results and real world usage are never the same. I could use my S3 very little and it will last more than 2 days. I can leave the brightness all the way down and have the screen on time last over 6.5 hours. My challenge is equivalent to real world heavy use. Or maybe I am asking to much of iphone users? Maybe you simply can't use the phone any more than as a feature phone?

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Lol how typical. My response was a reasonable reference to a well-regarded tech website and their thorough tests (did you read the methodology??) Your response is an over the top diatribe about the stupidity of iphone users and then some more anecdotal evidence thrown in for good measure.

PlatinuM195 said:

I swapped an iPhone for the original Galaxy S and regretted it after about a week.

When the Galaxy S2 came out, I was tempted again by the huge screen. Ended up buying the S2. Kept it for a couple of weeks but sold it again, luckily I kept my iPhone so I didn't have to buy another one.

Now I still haven't learnt my lesson and I have to admit the Galaxy S3 is tempting me again. The design looks decent, screen looks awesome and the specs are pretty insane. Very very tempted.

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No! Please, resist this temptation of yours, BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE! If you buy an SGS3, we'll have to kick you out of the iFraternity.

unobtainium said:

Except they have the richest app ecosystem of any mobile platform, you can do almost anything with them (and the few little "features" that Android fans make a huge deal out of are meaningless for most people), and the iphone 5 has better battery life than the SG3. They accomplish all of this without sacrificing efficiency and ease of use. That's the whole design challenge.

Click to expand...

Richest app ecosystem? Hmmm, if you are referring to total number of apps, hate to disappoint you. Android has more. If you are referring to niche apps, specific to a platform, both iOS and Android have their fair share. If you are referring to overall prettiness of a majority of apps, I give it to iOS. If you are referring to apps with actual functionality and can work across various types of platforms, that isn't going to be a win for iOS.
And again, you claim ease of use? Your understanding of the phrase strays far from its actual meaning. How many taps and menus do you have to go through just to turn on a wifi hotspot, find out what OS version you have, etc? Intuitive? Not really. Convoluted? Most certainly.

unobtainium said:

"The chassis is pliable" - no clue, dude, I have an iPhone 5 and don't even know what you're talking about. If it's some kind of manufacturing defect, every phone has their little issues that crop up in small percentages. Great thing about Apple is that, if there is a defect, I can walk into any one of the four Apple stores near my house and walk out with a new phone. In fact I've done it several times since 2007.

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Tell this to the millions of people that have zero Apple stores within 1000 miles. Or hell, not even on their continent! As for the chassis of the iphone, if you don't have any scratches, nicks, color rubbing off on the side or the frame isn't bent, then you have your iphone in a cheap, plastic case. Tell me I'm wrong. I've had my S3 naked for 7 months now. Still looks brand spanking new.

----------

unobtainium said:

Lol how typical. My response was a reasonable reference to a well-regarded tech website and their thorough tests (did you read the methodology??) Your response is an over the top diatribe about the stupidity of iphone users and then some more anecdotal evidence thrown in for good measure.

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Great. Take the challenge then. iPhone users like you talk a big game, but are afraid to find out the truth. I'm simply trying to show you the way. Unfortunately, it looks like you are using Apple's maps and getting lost.

By the way, doubt you even read the article from Anandtech, did you? You simply skimmed the bright shiny pictures, and said to yourself, well this is it. No need to read anything.
Anandtech and I said the exact same thing. Real world is not indicative of lab testing. I quote from your link:
"Battery Life Conclusions
If we take a step back and look at the collection of results from our battery life tests, the iPhone 5 can last anywhere between 3.15 and 10.27 hours on a single charge. Do a lot of continuous data transfers and you'll see closer to 5 hours, but if you've got reasonably periodic idle time you can expect something in the 8 - 10 hour range. In short, if you use your device a lot, don't be too surprised to see it lose about 10 - 15% of its battery life for every hour of use.

Now the question is how does the iPhone 5 compare to other devices? Compared to previous iPhones, the 5 has the ability to use a lot more power. If you're doing the exact same, finite length CPU/network intensive task on the iPhone 5 and any previous iPhone, chances are that the iPhone 5 will be able to complete the task and get to sleep quicker - thus giving you a better overall energy usage profile. Where things get complicated is if you use the faster CPU, GPU and network connectivity to increase your usage of the device. In that case you could see no improvement or even a regression in battery life.

Compared to other modern platforms the iPhone 5 should be competitive in day to day power usage, even compared to devices with somewhat larger batteries (~7Wh). The trick to all of this of course is whatever performance advantage that the iPhone 5 has coupled with lower idle power. Being able to complete tasks quicker and/or drop to aggressively low idle power states are really the only secret to the iPhone's battery life.."

siiip5 said:

Richest app ecosystem? Hmmm, if you are referring to total number of apps, hate to disappoint you. Android has more.

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According to who? According to Google, there are 700,000 Android apps, matching iOS for the first time. This is the most recent information I could find. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57542502-94/google-ties-apple-with-700000-android-apps/

And again, you claim ease of use? Your understanding of the phrase strays far from its actual meaning. How many taps and menus do you have to go through just to turn on a wifi hotspot, find out what OS version you have, etc?

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How many taps? In the first case, 3 quick taps (Settings>Personal Hotspot>toggle on). In the second case, also 3 taps (Settings>General>About). Seems very intuitive to me. Btw, I can't remember the last time I needed to be bothered about which version I was running...let me guess, on Android you frequently have to check for various reasons?

Tell this to the millions of people that have zero Apple stores within 1000 miles. Or hell, not even on their continent!

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I'm merely pointing out that for millions of people like myself, Apple's customer service is a dream.

As for the chassis of the iphone, if you don't have any scratches, nicks, color rubbing off on the side or the frame isn't bent, then you have your iphone in a cheap, plastic case. Tell me I'm wrong. I've had my S3 naked for 7 months now. Still looks brand spanking new.

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I have my iPhone 5 naked the majority of the time, although not if I'm going hiking or something - just seems sensible. There are no scratches that I can see yet. I'm sure there will be, but I'm not bothered by it. I'm sure that if I looked closely enough there's the odd scuff mark now, but I don't notice and really don't care, it still feels and looks great.

iPhone users like you talk a big game, but are afraid to find out the truth.

Click to expand...

I'm the one who tried to direct you to an actual objective test done by a prominent tech site. Why would trust my own tests over Anand's?

Anandtech and I said the exact same thing. Real world is not indicative of lab testing. I quote from your link:

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Here, let me quote a different section of Anand's review: " The data below may not look like a lot, but it's the result of running over 300 hours of battery life tests to not only understand how these devices do under load but also to find out the best test to use as the cornerstone of our new suite."

And yet you would prefer to test one individual's iPhone against another individual's SG3 in uncontrolled tests? Isn't it obvious that you just don't like Anand's results because they reveal that the iPhone 5's battery beats the SG3's in many respects? It's okay. You can admit it.
Anand says it himself in the quote you excerpted: "Compared to other modern platforms the iPhone 5 should be competitive in day to day power usage, even compared to devices with somewhat larger batteries (~7Wh)."

This has gotten entertaining

unobtainium said:

And yet you would prefer to test one individual's iPhone against another individual's SG3 in uncontrolled tests? Isn't it obvious that you just don't like Anand's results because they reveal that the iPhone 5's battery beats the SG3's in many respects? It's okay. You can admit it.
Anand says it himself in the quote you excerpted: "Compared to other modern platforms the iPhone 5 should be competitive in day to day power usage, even compared to devices with somewhat larger batteries (~7Wh)."

Click to expand...

But everyone browses the web for 2 hours on their phone with GPS and music apps both deliberately left running in the background, that's just standard!

siiip5 said:

LOL. Your responses are typical. See above. I do love how you believe you can add any attachment you want to an email, much less multiple attachments. Try this, add an mp3 file, an excel spreadsheet, and a powerpoint brief to one email. Then take a screenshot and have Macrumors host your jpg image. Good luck

Then when I mention having access to all your files, you say, "What for"? Seriously? Why do you need access to any files on any computer? May be because you want to delete, update, add to, send a file, or *gasp* a folder filled with files. I realize these are foreign concepts to you, but you should try it out. It's amazing and innovative.

And your answer to transferring a 1gb file to someone is to use Dropbox? From your iPhone that is lucky to see 1mb upload speeds in England, on your 3G network?
Lost cause...

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You do realise these are phones right?

You're too difficult to reason with so I'll leave you to it.

I went from a 4 to a GS3 best choice I ever made regarding phones. If you learn and get smart about the phone and how it works you can mod it to make it a lot better than it already is. I flashed a new rom and it made me love the phone that much more.

This thread is like music to my ear

Tinmania said:

The OS runs just as smooth on my Nexus as it does on my iPhone and iPad.

Updates have been better and faster than iOS. I dread seeing 22 updates on my iPad since that means I am downloading and installing 22 full apps, including elements that don't apply to my device--even if there was very little change to the app itself. And if an update breaks an app I am hosed.

On my Nexus most updates just fly by; they are that fast.

Michael

Click to expand...

I have yet to see as fluent Android phones first hand.

And when I was referring to updates I was not talking about the App Store which could indeed be much better, but the OS itself. The second apple release a new software version, something like 90% of users update to it that day. For android this can not even begin to compare as a result of being so open.

But I too was underwhelmed by the iPhone 5 and hope to see apple release something really big in the near future. If a post-Jobs apple can prove they can make something like he iPod, iPhone or iPad then I will be reassured this is still the same awesome company. Until then my approval rating will remain a little below what it used to be. Unfortunately we must wait.
If I was forced to only use one company for all my tech products however, that would still be Apple at the moment.