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Why is everyone planning to switch their iPhone 4 or 4S to Samsung?
- Thread starter raptorstv
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Maybe they are bored with Apple. That's my reason I didn't buy the iphone 5 and am planning on a Samsung to replace my iphone 4s. iOS is just too stale, I see Apple as unwilling to innovate anymore. I will never rule out going back to Apple, but for now they just aren't for me anymore.
Maybe your friends saw the SG III commercials and realized it was them who were standing in line asking..maybe we'll get that next year?
I agree with spinedoc, Apple post Jobs is no longer worried about innovating. They are more concerned with playing prevent defense. I was concerned this would play out when Steve died and it's coming true. Even pro Apple tech writers are noticing this pattern.
Simple, they want to try something new. If they find that those phones are not for them, they can always go back to the iPhone.
After owning two iPhones and experiencing the disappointment of Apple's closed system I wanted to try something different. I moved to Android and at this point I'll never go back. Even jailbroken the iPhone is extremely limited compared to the Android OS. To me IOS is like a bicycle with training wheels and Android is the bicycle with the training wheels removed.
But it's a matter of preference, not everybody wants the freedom and lack of limitations Android offers. They need the training wheels. I know two people right now who have the iPhone 4 and neither of them are doing anything more than talking and texting. When I tried to show them how they could get their email and set up their calendars both said the same thing - those things were too complicated for them. I use my phone to the max, but I've been around people long enough to know that even a bicycle with training wheels is too much for some folks. They just need a tricycle.
Bottom line, different strokes for different folks. Use what you like and like what you use. And be grateful you have choices.
But it's a matter of preference, not everybody wants the freedom and lack of limitations Android offers. They need the training wheels. I know two people right now who have the iPhone 4 and neither of them are doing anything more than talking and texting. When I tried to show them how they could get their email and set up their calendars both said the same thing - those things were too complicated for them. I use my phone to the max, but I've been around people long enough to know that even a bicycle with training wheels is too much for some folks. They just need a tricycle.
Bottom line, different strokes for different folks. Use what you like and like what you use. And be grateful you have choices.
Forstall was kicked out for a reason. Across the board, iPhone surveys show declining percents - user satisfaction, would recommend, etc.
I have Macs, an iPad 1, an iPad 3 (I'll re-home the '1' at some stage) and an old iPod Touch. I went with an Android phone (a HTC Hero) a few years ago mainly because I wanted to try a different system... I wasn't overly impressed with it but it did the job, but I was sure that I'd relent and go with the iPhone 5 when it came out. However, I didn't, and went for the Note 2 instead. Reasons:
1. The Maps debacle. I over-hastily upgraded my iPad to iOS 5 and was gobsmacked by the awfulness of Maps. I think the 'supporters' of Apple Maps are people who (a) live somewhere in the US with good map data and satellite imagery and/or (b) are more interested in the turn-by-turn feature than regular mapping. That was a big turn-off: my old Android suddenly had a superior Maps app to my new iPad. it set me wondering what feature Apple was going to cripple next.
2. Lack of gadget value. The iPhone 5 doesn't seem to have any killer new features - it's just a bit better all round than the 4s, I'm sure its a great phone but nothing jumps out as 'must-have'. Lets face it - if you're buying a smartphone you're probably a bit of the gadget freak, if you're not then you'd probably do better to grab a 4s at a reduced price.
3. The new connector. I appreciate that the old connector was past it's sell-by date, and I don't have many expensive iPad-enabled devices, but I still have a dock and multiple cables that I'd need top replace (and the cables don't come cheap). I wouldn't say this is a deal-breaker - but it somewhat nullifies the 'what about all my iPod kit' deterrent about defecting to Android (e.g. I've just been on a trip to the US and at least two of the hotels had iPod docks in the room).
Having said that, I'll repeat the big caveat: syncing media files (without committing them to the cloud). Possible, but not fun (covered ad nauseum elsewhere in this forum, but no, Penelope, you can't mount your phone as a disc drive on the Mac). Samsung's sync software works-ish, but if you want something that syncs music, media and photos like an iPhone, get an iPhone.
Some people have different preferences...
I wanted a phone that I can change batteries, sim cards, and offers expandable storage.
Software wise, I wanted to be able to customize my preferences. Android promotes these specifications more than Apple does. The real kicker though is the software.
Software features I like in Android more than iOS:
- File managing.
Being able to move and share to Apps, other than Facebook/Twitter, is awesome and convenient. Moving and sharing files is easier and simple. I like how I can use my phone as a 'USB drive' if I ever needed to. Drag and drop importing/exporting files on the CPU or Mac is better than relying on iTunes for some things.
- Notification center is actually useful enough to be used.
I can add toggles and expand things like texts, emails and screenshots from there. I use the NC daily and sometimes its all I need to use. The notification light has complimented it even more. Being able to tweak colors to differentiate between a text, missed call, email, app updates, low battery, charging, full charged and no signal has saved me the hassle of opening the phone when I don't need to.
- Task manager.
Being able to 'preview' my open apps and tasks is awesome. Sliding them away is even better. If I want them all out, one button can do it. With iOS, I got really tired of the tap, tap, tap, tap, tap trick just to close all my open apps. If they make Apple's task manager more like OS X 'Launcher' or expose, it'll be a lot better.
- Information.
I can see the exact details of my battery, storage, apps, and history. I monitor my data usage, which apps use the most battery life/data. It's changed the way I manage my resources on the phone. With iOS, I have an idea of how much I've used, but I don't know which apps use what amount of data. This is big deal for prepaid users, or in my case, when I travel.
- Flash Capability via xScope pro.
I love this browser and highly recommend it to any Android user. If you know what you're doing, it'll be the only browser you'll want to use. The one thing its missing is 'reader' mode, but I have Firefox for that. I know flash isn't important for most people, but again, its nice to have it.
- Google Now
I do like Siri's presentation and graphics more, but her speed of getting information and that 'voice' is behind the current competition. Google Now's voice talk back makes Apple's Siri sound ancient. They have to improve that. The one thing I do wish Android can add is ratings whenever I search for businesses, or POI's.
A lot of what I mentioned above is what Apple has to improve to catch up. If they don't, the long-term outlook won't be good for the iPhone. And that product is the backbone of Apple, right now. Android isn't perfect either, yet right now its what satisfies my needs/preferences when it comes to a mobile smartphone.
I wanted a phone that I can change batteries, sim cards, and offers expandable storage.
Software wise, I wanted to be able to customize my preferences. Android promotes these specifications more than Apple does. The real kicker though is the software.
Software features I like in Android more than iOS:
- File managing.
Being able to move and share to Apps, other than Facebook/Twitter, is awesome and convenient. Moving and sharing files is easier and simple. I like how I can use my phone as a 'USB drive' if I ever needed to. Drag and drop importing/exporting files on the CPU or Mac is better than relying on iTunes for some things.
- Notification center is actually useful enough to be used.
I can add toggles and expand things like texts, emails and screenshots from there. I use the NC daily and sometimes its all I need to use. The notification light has complimented it even more. Being able to tweak colors to differentiate between a text, missed call, email, app updates, low battery, charging, full charged and no signal has saved me the hassle of opening the phone when I don't need to.
- Task manager.
Being able to 'preview' my open apps and tasks is awesome. Sliding them away is even better. If I want them all out, one button can do it. With iOS, I got really tired of the tap, tap, tap, tap, tap trick just to close all my open apps. If they make Apple's task manager more like OS X 'Launcher' or expose, it'll be a lot better.
- Information.
I can see the exact details of my battery, storage, apps, and history. I monitor my data usage, which apps use the most battery life/data. It's changed the way I manage my resources on the phone. With iOS, I have an idea of how much I've used, but I don't know which apps use what amount of data. This is big deal for prepaid users, or in my case, when I travel.
- Flash Capability via xScope pro.
I love this browser and highly recommend it to any Android user. If you know what you're doing, it'll be the only browser you'll want to use. The one thing its missing is 'reader' mode, but I have Firefox for that. I know flash isn't important for most people, but again, its nice to have it.
- Google Now
I do like Siri's presentation and graphics more, but her speed of getting information and that 'voice' is behind the current competition. Google Now's voice talk back makes Apple's Siri sound ancient. They have to improve that. The one thing I do wish Android can add is ratings whenever I search for businesses, or POI's.
A lot of what I mentioned above is what Apple has to improve to catch up. If they don't, the long-term outlook won't be good for the iPhone. And that product is the backbone of Apple, right now. Android isn't perfect either, yet right now its what satisfies my needs/preferences when it comes to a mobile smartphone.
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Let me help with another list of reasons why Android may be better than iOS:
Better Voice Search Results Like Siri, Google Now assists you with everyday tasks. You can ask it a questions and it speaks the answer while it displays related graphics. But this app now goes beyond Siri because it learns about you through your searches, and automatically alerts you without you needing to ask for things. For example, Google Now knows when you need to leave for work and from which gate your flight is departing. It also automatically displays things like sports scores, traffic and weather. It will even alert you if theres a traffic jam and automatically recommends places around you like restaurants. But its biggest advantage, is the relevance and accuracy of the data it provides. Most experts say its better than Siri in this area.
Superior Maps & Navigation Services Although iOS 6 now has 3D maps and turn-by-turn navigation, everyone including Apple agrees Android is ahead when it comes to maps. Google Maps is included on every Android device and has public transit maps (bus, subway and train, walking maps, street view maps, terrain indication, offline maps and cycling maps. iOS 6 Maps is missing all of the preceding. Many of Googles 3D maps were taken with 3D cameras. Most of Apples 3D maps are synthesized by computer, which is why they often look bad. Google Maps are more accurate and contain more detail than iOS 6 Maps. Google also does a better job locating addresses and has a better 3D interface for driving directions. Google Maps also has better traffic reporting. Of course third-party iOS apps do address some of these deficiencies, but no single app can compete with Google today. Google continues to move aggressively in this area by adding new high-res aerial and satellite imagery along with new 45 degree views and indoor maps. iOS 6 Maps are so bad that Apples CEO actually apologized for them and is now recommending users use Bing or Google Maps.
A Digital Wallet Which Can Buy Things Today Apples Passport shows promise, but its the only digital wallet I know of, which wont let you purchase anything. Android supports near field communication (NFC) and Google Wallet which lets you buy things at over 300,000+ PayPass cash registers. After setting up Google Wallet on an NFC equipped phone like a Samsung Galaxy Nexus, you simply touch your phone to the payment terminal and the rest is done for you. Google Wallet is currently accepted at more than twenty retail chains including 7 Eleven, Best Buy, CVS Pharmacy, Duane Reade, Einstein Bros Bagels, Footlocker, Home Depot, Jack in the Box, McDonalds, Peets Coffee, Pinkberry, Rite Aid, Sports Authority, Whole Foods and more. You can learn more about Google Wallet here.
Better Data Sharing Between Apps Its easiest to explain system intents by contrasting the sharing options between an iOS app and an Android app. When I share on my iOS Notes app Im given four different sharing choices: Mail, Message, Print and Copy. When I share on my Android Notes app, Im offered the ability to share via Bluetooth, Google Drive, Dropbox, Email, Facebook, Gmail, Google+, Read It Later, SkyDrive, Text Message, Twitter, Wi-Fi Direct, WordPress Blog and 17 other apps. The actual list of varies depending on which apps you have installed. Google realizes they cannot be best at everything, and allows their customers to choose which apps they want to interact with. All Android apps support this feature.
Touch-to-Share Anything Android Beam allows any two NFC-equipped devices to send data by simply by tapping them together. This allows Android users to share web pages, maps, You Tube videos, contacts and links to apps. Starting with Android 4.1, Android Beam makes it possible to share photos and video by using Bluetooth for the data transfer. Samsungs S Beam combines NFC with Wi-Fi Direct. This makes it possible to transfer almost anything including documents, music playlists, photos and larger videos between two Samsung devices. Here is a video of S Beam in action.
More Advanced Multitasking Apple places restrictions on third-party apps which run in the background. In most cases, they are suspended and not allowed to communicate with other apps when running in the background. Android has no restrictions like this and supports true-multitasking. This makes it possible to do things which cannot be done on the iOS platform.
Samsungs Pop up Play feature, allows videos to hover, so you can text and watch a video at the same time. Its also possible to have two apps visible at one time on devices like the Samsung Galaxy Tab. This is a good example of whats possible with true multitasking.
Smart Widgets Widgets can be placed anywhere and provide you with weather updates, stock quotes, recent e-mails, or your calendar. Widgets are always visible and updated in real-time without needing to launch an app. Widgets also provide easy access to system and application settings. Want to disable Wi-Fi or GPS services? Use a widget. With Android 4.1, widgets are now smart and automatically resize themselves based on the amount of room available on the screen. You can get widget-like iOS apps, but they can only run on your lock screen, and some require a jail-broken phone, or third-party software to run.
Open Source The underlying architecture of the Android is open-source. This makes it much more customizable than iOS. Not only is the Android OS customizable, handset manufacturers like Samsung open source their software for individual phones like the Galaxy S III. This makes it relatively easy for developers to improve on what both Google and Samsung have done to date. A wide range of different custom ROMs can be easily loaded onto rooted phones. These ROMs often have significant benefits over the stock Android OS when it comes to performance, features and battery life. iOS 6 is a closed operating system. Although in theory it can be jail-broken, its much harder to do. At the time of this writing, the iPhone 5 had not yet been jail broken. Expert say jailbreaks are going to be harder in the future.
More Advanced Notifications Although notifications have improved in iOS 6, Android still has advantages in this area. You can tell at a glance what types of notifications have occurred, and clear all with a single click. Android 4.1 also has rich push notifications, which can be expanded and collapsed with a pinch. These notifications offer even more contextual information and are now actionable. That means if youre notified about a meeting, you can dismiss it right from the notification bar, or email others about the meeting. You can also call or text someone right from the pull-down notification menu.
Ability to Set Default Software One of the most powerful Android features is the ability to change the default software the OS uses for different tasks. For example, if you want to the Dolphin browser to open any URL (instead of the stock Android browser), just pick the app you want to use. Want to use a different app for turn-by-turn directions or media playback? Pick one, and it will use that app every time. This is an incredibly powerful feature. You can even replace the stock keyboard with a 3rd party keyboard like SwiftKey3. Apple doesnt allow this.
Easier File Transfers Its a major hassle to get anything but photos on or off of an iOS device. With Android devices theres no need to use iTunes or iCloud to copy media. Just connect a USB cable, and your mobile device will appear on your desktop like a hard disk. You can then drag and drop any type of file or folder to copy (or move) it. This is a really big deal.
Easier Access to App Settings Android users can either use an in-app Menu button, or onscreen widgets to manage apps settings. iPhone users must use the Settings app every time they want to change app settings, or turn off Bluetooth.
More Open App Store Although this is a platform benefit, its important. Google Play has far less restrictions than the App store. There is a long list of apps Apple wont allow, including apps which compete with iTunes, free Wi-Fi tethering apps, VoIP apps which use technologies like Google Talk, and great utilizes like Farprocs Wi-Fi Analyzer. Another Android advantage is the quantity and quality of alternative app stores including: AppBrain, GetJar, Handango, Handmark, and the Amazon App Store, which offers one paid app a day for free. The only apps which can be installed outside the Apple app store are Cydia apps, which are only available for jailbroken devices.
Smart App Updates Smart app updates is a better way to deliver app updates to devices. Google Play now delivers only the parts of an updated app which have changed to devices, rather than the entire app. This makes the app updates much faster to download, and conserve both battery and data usage.
A More Advanced Keyboard Androids in-line spell checker and suggestion modes work better than Apples today. The Android 4.1 keyboard now guesses what the next word will be before youve started typing it. You dont even need an Internet connection to see the suggestions. The Android keyboard also lets you add dictionaries, gives you control over auto-correct and has advanced settings.
A Persistent Back Button Androids Back button is available at all times. Some iOS apps expose a Back or similar command, but its not always visible and available on all screens. This is one of the features I miss the most when jumping back and forth between Android and iOS.
Apps Crash Less I use iOS 6 and Android 4.1 many hours a day. Apps occasionally crash on both, but I experience more crashes on iOS 6 especially while using the Safari app with multiple tabs open. Other studies have confirmed that iOS apps crash more than Android apps.
Better Graphics Scaling on Tablets Android automatically stretches apps so they look good on screens of all sizes. Many iOS apps still have to be blown up to occupy the entire iPad screen. When you do this, the graphics look distorted and funny. Really? I thought this was an issue with Android tablets?
Data & Resource Monitoring Android makes it easy to see exactly how much data and system resources every app is using (memory, data, battery, etc). It even warns you when youre getting close to your data cap. This is a really useful feature.
Extensive Customization Options There are so many ways you can customize Android devices it would be impossible to list them all here. Almost anything can be changed in the Android ecosystem.
Moving Wallpapers Live wallpapers run on all devices running Android 4.0 and later. They allow you to run cool animations or videos on every home screen, without rooting your phone, or needing to use a third-party app.
Haptic Feedback The Android OS and most Android devices support haptic feedback. This gives you a little tactile vibration when you type, long press, or touch any of the navigation buttons. This makes it clear your touch was acknowledged, so you dont have to tap twice. Haptic feedback also makes games much more enjoyable to play.
More Screen Unlock Options Android now has five different ways to unlock your screen: A slider (which lets you access the home screen or camera), pattern unlock, PIN unlock, password unlock and Face unlock.
Third-party Alternate Keyboards There are some outstanding third-party keyboard apps that run on all Android phones and have many advantages over the stock iOS 6 keyboard. Some of the best keyboards include Swype, which lets you create words by tracing between the letters on the keyboard. Swype can even sync your personal dictionary across all of your Android devices. SwiftKey 3 goes even further by predicting the next word in your sentence based on past behavior. To save time you can personalize it using your Gmail, Facebook, Twitter or blog posts. This can save you a massive number of keystrokes, as you can see from the screenshot on the right. SwiftKey and other 3rd-party keyboards also have extensive customization options unlike iOS. There are other good keyboards as well. Heres a good review of some of the best ones.
Full Stylus Support Although you can use a capacitive stylus on an iOS device, the OS has very limited support for it. You wont get the same level of expression you get on a Samsung Galaxy Note II, which has 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity. iOS also wont let you toggle between a brush, pencil or eraser by simply holding the stylus above the screen and clicking a button. The stylus on Note II even lets you preview emails, photos or videos by hovering slightly above the screen. Here are some more things you can do with a stylus.
Unlimited E-mail Attachments iOS 6 only allows you to attach images or video to messages. Android allows you to attach Word docs, PowerPoint presentations or any other document to an e-mail. This is especially important for those trying to use their tablet as a laptop replacement.
Flash Support Flash may be a dying format which is no longer supported by Adobe on Android 4.1, but its easy to install and nice to be able to visit Flash-based websites or play any of millions of Flash videos which are still around.
4.2 should add:
-Photo Steer Panaroma
-Separate log-in accounts for tablets
-Gesture swiping in default keyboard
-Quick Settings pulldown menu
-Widgets in lock screen
Better Voice Search Results Like Siri, Google Now assists you with everyday tasks. You can ask it a questions and it speaks the answer while it displays related graphics. But this app now goes beyond Siri because it learns about you through your searches, and automatically alerts you without you needing to ask for things. For example, Google Now knows when you need to leave for work and from which gate your flight is departing. It also automatically displays things like sports scores, traffic and weather. It will even alert you if theres a traffic jam and automatically recommends places around you like restaurants. But its biggest advantage, is the relevance and accuracy of the data it provides. Most experts say its better than Siri in this area.
Superior Maps & Navigation Services Although iOS 6 now has 3D maps and turn-by-turn navigation, everyone including Apple agrees Android is ahead when it comes to maps. Google Maps is included on every Android device and has public transit maps (bus, subway and train, walking maps, street view maps, terrain indication, offline maps and cycling maps. iOS 6 Maps is missing all of the preceding. Many of Googles 3D maps were taken with 3D cameras. Most of Apples 3D maps are synthesized by computer, which is why they often look bad. Google Maps are more accurate and contain more detail than iOS 6 Maps. Google also does a better job locating addresses and has a better 3D interface for driving directions. Google Maps also has better traffic reporting. Of course third-party iOS apps do address some of these deficiencies, but no single app can compete with Google today. Google continues to move aggressively in this area by adding new high-res aerial and satellite imagery along with new 45 degree views and indoor maps. iOS 6 Maps are so bad that Apples CEO actually apologized for them and is now recommending users use Bing or Google Maps.
A Digital Wallet Which Can Buy Things Today Apples Passport shows promise, but its the only digital wallet I know of, which wont let you purchase anything. Android supports near field communication (NFC) and Google Wallet which lets you buy things at over 300,000+ PayPass cash registers. After setting up Google Wallet on an NFC equipped phone like a Samsung Galaxy Nexus, you simply touch your phone to the payment terminal and the rest is done for you. Google Wallet is currently accepted at more than twenty retail chains including 7 Eleven, Best Buy, CVS Pharmacy, Duane Reade, Einstein Bros Bagels, Footlocker, Home Depot, Jack in the Box, McDonalds, Peets Coffee, Pinkberry, Rite Aid, Sports Authority, Whole Foods and more. You can learn more about Google Wallet here.
Better Data Sharing Between Apps Its easiest to explain system intents by contrasting the sharing options between an iOS app and an Android app. When I share on my iOS Notes app Im given four different sharing choices: Mail, Message, Print and Copy. When I share on my Android Notes app, Im offered the ability to share via Bluetooth, Google Drive, Dropbox, Email, Facebook, Gmail, Google+, Read It Later, SkyDrive, Text Message, Twitter, Wi-Fi Direct, WordPress Blog and 17 other apps. The actual list of varies depending on which apps you have installed. Google realizes they cannot be best at everything, and allows their customers to choose which apps they want to interact with. All Android apps support this feature.
Touch-to-Share Anything Android Beam allows any two NFC-equipped devices to send data by simply by tapping them together. This allows Android users to share web pages, maps, You Tube videos, contacts and links to apps. Starting with Android 4.1, Android Beam makes it possible to share photos and video by using Bluetooth for the data transfer. Samsungs S Beam combines NFC with Wi-Fi Direct. This makes it possible to transfer almost anything including documents, music playlists, photos and larger videos between two Samsung devices. Here is a video of S Beam in action.
More Advanced Multitasking Apple places restrictions on third-party apps which run in the background. In most cases, they are suspended and not allowed to communicate with other apps when running in the background. Android has no restrictions like this and supports true-multitasking. This makes it possible to do things which cannot be done on the iOS platform.
Samsungs Pop up Play feature, allows videos to hover, so you can text and watch a video at the same time. Its also possible to have two apps visible at one time on devices like the Samsung Galaxy Tab. This is a good example of whats possible with true multitasking.
Smart Widgets Widgets can be placed anywhere and provide you with weather updates, stock quotes, recent e-mails, or your calendar. Widgets are always visible and updated in real-time without needing to launch an app. Widgets also provide easy access to system and application settings. Want to disable Wi-Fi or GPS services? Use a widget. With Android 4.1, widgets are now smart and automatically resize themselves based on the amount of room available on the screen. You can get widget-like iOS apps, but they can only run on your lock screen, and some require a jail-broken phone, or third-party software to run.
Open Source The underlying architecture of the Android is open-source. This makes it much more customizable than iOS. Not only is the Android OS customizable, handset manufacturers like Samsung open source their software for individual phones like the Galaxy S III. This makes it relatively easy for developers to improve on what both Google and Samsung have done to date. A wide range of different custom ROMs can be easily loaded onto rooted phones. These ROMs often have significant benefits over the stock Android OS when it comes to performance, features and battery life. iOS 6 is a closed operating system. Although in theory it can be jail-broken, its much harder to do. At the time of this writing, the iPhone 5 had not yet been jail broken. Expert say jailbreaks are going to be harder in the future.
More Advanced Notifications Although notifications have improved in iOS 6, Android still has advantages in this area. You can tell at a glance what types of notifications have occurred, and clear all with a single click. Android 4.1 also has rich push notifications, which can be expanded and collapsed with a pinch. These notifications offer even more contextual information and are now actionable. That means if youre notified about a meeting, you can dismiss it right from the notification bar, or email others about the meeting. You can also call or text someone right from the pull-down notification menu.
Ability to Set Default Software One of the most powerful Android features is the ability to change the default software the OS uses for different tasks. For example, if you want to the Dolphin browser to open any URL (instead of the stock Android browser), just pick the app you want to use. Want to use a different app for turn-by-turn directions or media playback? Pick one, and it will use that app every time. This is an incredibly powerful feature. You can even replace the stock keyboard with a 3rd party keyboard like SwiftKey3. Apple doesnt allow this.
Easier File Transfers Its a major hassle to get anything but photos on or off of an iOS device. With Android devices theres no need to use iTunes or iCloud to copy media. Just connect a USB cable, and your mobile device will appear on your desktop like a hard disk. You can then drag and drop any type of file or folder to copy (or move) it. This is a really big deal.
Easier Access to App Settings Android users can either use an in-app Menu button, or onscreen widgets to manage apps settings. iPhone users must use the Settings app every time they want to change app settings, or turn off Bluetooth.
More Open App Store Although this is a platform benefit, its important. Google Play has far less restrictions than the App store. There is a long list of apps Apple wont allow, including apps which compete with iTunes, free Wi-Fi tethering apps, VoIP apps which use technologies like Google Talk, and great utilizes like Farprocs Wi-Fi Analyzer. Another Android advantage is the quantity and quality of alternative app stores including: AppBrain, GetJar, Handango, Handmark, and the Amazon App Store, which offers one paid app a day for free. The only apps which can be installed outside the Apple app store are Cydia apps, which are only available for jailbroken devices.
Smart App Updates Smart app updates is a better way to deliver app updates to devices. Google Play now delivers only the parts of an updated app which have changed to devices, rather than the entire app. This makes the app updates much faster to download, and conserve both battery and data usage.
A More Advanced Keyboard Androids in-line spell checker and suggestion modes work better than Apples today. The Android 4.1 keyboard now guesses what the next word will be before youve started typing it. You dont even need an Internet connection to see the suggestions. The Android keyboard also lets you add dictionaries, gives you control over auto-correct and has advanced settings.
A Persistent Back Button Androids Back button is available at all times. Some iOS apps expose a Back or similar command, but its not always visible and available on all screens. This is one of the features I miss the most when jumping back and forth between Android and iOS.
Apps Crash Less I use iOS 6 and Android 4.1 many hours a day. Apps occasionally crash on both, but I experience more crashes on iOS 6 especially while using the Safari app with multiple tabs open. Other studies have confirmed that iOS apps crash more than Android apps.
Better Graphics Scaling on Tablets Android automatically stretches apps so they look good on screens of all sizes. Many iOS apps still have to be blown up to occupy the entire iPad screen. When you do this, the graphics look distorted and funny. Really? I thought this was an issue with Android tablets?
Data & Resource Monitoring Android makes it easy to see exactly how much data and system resources every app is using (memory, data, battery, etc). It even warns you when youre getting close to your data cap. This is a really useful feature.
Extensive Customization Options There are so many ways you can customize Android devices it would be impossible to list them all here. Almost anything can be changed in the Android ecosystem.
Moving Wallpapers Live wallpapers run on all devices running Android 4.0 and later. They allow you to run cool animations or videos on every home screen, without rooting your phone, or needing to use a third-party app.
Haptic Feedback The Android OS and most Android devices support haptic feedback. This gives you a little tactile vibration when you type, long press, or touch any of the navigation buttons. This makes it clear your touch was acknowledged, so you dont have to tap twice. Haptic feedback also makes games much more enjoyable to play.
More Screen Unlock Options Android now has five different ways to unlock your screen: A slider (which lets you access the home screen or camera), pattern unlock, PIN unlock, password unlock and Face unlock.
Third-party Alternate Keyboards There are some outstanding third-party keyboard apps that run on all Android phones and have many advantages over the stock iOS 6 keyboard. Some of the best keyboards include Swype, which lets you create words by tracing between the letters on the keyboard. Swype can even sync your personal dictionary across all of your Android devices. SwiftKey 3 goes even further by predicting the next word in your sentence based on past behavior. To save time you can personalize it using your Gmail, Facebook, Twitter or blog posts. This can save you a massive number of keystrokes, as you can see from the screenshot on the right. SwiftKey and other 3rd-party keyboards also have extensive customization options unlike iOS. There are other good keyboards as well. Heres a good review of some of the best ones.
Full Stylus Support Although you can use a capacitive stylus on an iOS device, the OS has very limited support for it. You wont get the same level of expression you get on a Samsung Galaxy Note II, which has 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity. iOS also wont let you toggle between a brush, pencil or eraser by simply holding the stylus above the screen and clicking a button. The stylus on Note II even lets you preview emails, photos or videos by hovering slightly above the screen. Here are some more things you can do with a stylus.
Unlimited E-mail Attachments iOS 6 only allows you to attach images or video to messages. Android allows you to attach Word docs, PowerPoint presentations or any other document to an e-mail. This is especially important for those trying to use their tablet as a laptop replacement.
Flash Support Flash may be a dying format which is no longer supported by Adobe on Android 4.1, but its easy to install and nice to be able to visit Flash-based websites or play any of millions of Flash videos which are still around.
4.2 should add:
-Photo Steer Panaroma
-Separate log-in accounts for tablets
-Gesture swiping in default keyboard
-Quick Settings pulldown menu
-Widgets in lock screen
3 of my good friends just recently switched from iPhones to S3's. Two of which had 4's and the other had a 4S.
The two that had 4's I'm not surprised. However my friend that had a 4S blows my mind. He has macs, mbp, 2 iPads and had every version of the iPhone. I won't be surprised if he switches back. However he was going on how he loved the S3.
All of which were long term iPhone users. It went from 100% of my friends having iPhones to me slowly becoming the minority. The people that I know won't switch could really care less about a smartphone.
The two that had 4's I'm not surprised. However my friend that had a 4S blows my mind. He has macs, mbp, 2 iPads and had every version of the iPhone. I won't be surprised if he switches back. However he was going on how he loved the S3.
All of which were long term iPhone users. It went from 100% of my friends having iPhones to me slowly becoming the minority. The people that I know won't switch could really care less about a smartphone.
I'm so sick of iOS and not being able to do much. Maybe it's just me or something but I feel suffocated and constricted from the OS.
My reasons:
-Phone app sucks
-Can't multitask at all
-Small screen (I have the 4, 5 still small and bad proportions)
-camera
-slide to unlock
-limited memory
-Notifications are extremely inconsistent
I know I have the 4 so I'm sure the 5 deals with some of these issues but it's still the same general OS. Nothing new. I'll be switching to the Note2, waiting for verizon to release it.
PS does anyone else have a bunch of older folks asking how to use their new iphone? I seem to attract these people left and right. This phone was made for them.
My reasons:
-Phone app sucks
-Can't multitask at all
-Small screen (I have the 4, 5 still small and bad proportions)
-camera
-slide to unlock
-limited memory
-Notifications are extremely inconsistent
I know I have the 4 so I'm sure the 5 deals with some of these issues but it's still the same general OS. Nothing new. I'll be switching to the Note2, waiting for verizon to release it.
PS does anyone else have a bunch of older folks asking how to use their new iphone? I seem to attract these people left and right. This phone was made for them.
Apple started to lose me with Lion, iOS 6 and then nailed it with the quick upgrade of the iPad. Sure, they can upgrade whenever they want, I just felt slighted by it. The last few OS and iOS releases portrayed a trend which was reinforced in my mind that Apple is getting aggressive in its strategy to "force" users to upgrade expensive hardware at an ever accelrating pace by leaving out features and functionality that clearly could have been enabled on the older devices.
And then came the bugs, the half baked functions, the change of features and functions that were changed for no reason but to change them and even with that, they were executed poorly. (and please I do not need to type out examples, these forums are littered with them)
iOS and OSX no longer feels fresh or exciting, the product releases are small iterations generally speaking and new hardware is built for planned replacement cycles, no more user upgrades to extend life. To me, Apple is no longer about the user, it no longer "just works" there are so many issues, sometimes minor, sometimes major and the excuse now is "oh, you should upgrade to the newest XXXXXX product, it will work much better" line. What's worse is these OS' are not longer rock solid and stable as they once were; putting reliability in the OS in question in my mind....and I haven't even touched the disaster that is iCloud and iTunes Match.
So I tried Android 4.1 with the Nexus 7 and was blown away by its polish, its ability to make it fit MY lifestyle, MY way and not forced to do it Googles way. Is it perfect, nope, but it feels fresh, it feels modern and 4.2 from all reports is even better. Then the devices, maybe they do not use premium materials like Apple, but they give the users a ton of technology in an acceptable package for a reasonable price, often with the ability for the user to expand its abilities, such as using sd cards for expanded memory.
I feel Apple has lost its way in many regards, it has lost its way with being revolutionary, it contradicts itself in product and market and while offering still a great ecosystem hasn't shown me the future.
So for that, while I still own 13 Apple devices, and may always own Apple devices, two new Android devices will be in my house this month; change is good, I like to embrace it.
And then came the bugs, the half baked functions, the change of features and functions that were changed for no reason but to change them and even with that, they were executed poorly. (and please I do not need to type out examples, these forums are littered with them)
iOS and OSX no longer feels fresh or exciting, the product releases are small iterations generally speaking and new hardware is built for planned replacement cycles, no more user upgrades to extend life. To me, Apple is no longer about the user, it no longer "just works" there are so many issues, sometimes minor, sometimes major and the excuse now is "oh, you should upgrade to the newest XXXXXX product, it will work much better" line. What's worse is these OS' are not longer rock solid and stable as they once were; putting reliability in the OS in question in my mind....and I haven't even touched the disaster that is iCloud and iTunes Match.
So I tried Android 4.1 with the Nexus 7 and was blown away by its polish, its ability to make it fit MY lifestyle, MY way and not forced to do it Googles way. Is it perfect, nope, but it feels fresh, it feels modern and 4.2 from all reports is even better. Then the devices, maybe they do not use premium materials like Apple, but they give the users a ton of technology in an acceptable package for a reasonable price, often with the ability for the user to expand its abilities, such as using sd cards for expanded memory.
I feel Apple has lost its way in many regards, it has lost its way with being revolutionary, it contradicts itself in product and market and while offering still a great ecosystem hasn't shown me the future.
So for that, while I still own 13 Apple devices, and may always own Apple devices, two new Android devices will be in my house this month; change is good, I like to embrace it.
It's not really about cool and uncool. I switched from a 4S to a GS3 because I got really bored with iOS. I only had an iPhone 4 and 4S but I just couldn't stand iOS anymore. I slightly miss the ease of of syncing everything with iTunes and I'm probably one of the very few people who actually like iTunes.
I use to be like your friends. I only thought iPhones rulled the world and maybe they did until this year.
I really have seen many people dump iPhones and buy Android phones.
I myself have done the same and have been happy. Not going back.
I may go back to an iPhone someday but that will depend on what they bring to the market.
The iPhone 5 has been a boring and needs something new.
I switched b/c I got a good trade offer for 4s to GS3 plus I wanted LTE. I got more value out of the GS3 and then ended up trading it plus cash for a Razr M. I want a iP5 though lol.
You care more about which one is cool than which one you want? I really couldn't care less what phones my friends used. Most of my friends have the 4S, which they bought after the 4 for some reason.
What I AM glad about is that pretty much everyone in my grade uses a Mac. Finally, people have to cater to Mac users. Show people a .EXE, and they get very angry (except for those who use WINE, who get mildly annoyed).
Those that go from iOS to android coke back once they see all the flaws and how crappy the Samsung hardware are
People always say that. I did the first time I got an Android phone but this time I can't imagine myself going back! I actually did have to use my 4S for 4 or maybe 5 days and it was hell.
Yes... SO this.
In the official iPad Mini video, Ive explicitly says "...you can still pick it up and easily use it with one hand..." Easily! Earlier in the video, they make the distinction that you can hold it with one hand, but at the 2:10 mark, they're clearly talking about using it with one hand.
(Here's the vid: http://www.apple.com/ipad-mini/overview/#video-ipad-mini-features)
Going by that reasoning, any device can be used one handed, yet according to their iPhone 5 campaign, one of the main talking points is that anything larger than a 4" smartphone is unusable with one hand.
So either the iPad Mini can be used one handed (like it says in the video) and therefore so can other smaller smartphones, or nothing above the iPhone 5 screen size (like it says in the iPhone campaigns) can be used one handed in which case the iPad Mini video is a lie.
Disingenuous?
Why is everyone creating threads complaining about Apple products on an Apple forums website? Why doesn't this stop.
How about all the complaining threads gets merged into a single complaining thread about the world ending.
Is this legit or just trying to insight heated argument?
How about all the complaining threads gets merged into a single complaining thread about the world ending.
Is this legit or just trying to insight heated argument?
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