Anyone come back from Android?

MrMister111 said:

I have an S3 and been Android for about a year now. Daughter has just got an iPhone 4,and am getting the tugs at the iPhone again, it would be the 5 for me.

I'm mid contract so will buy off 3 in store as a PAYG and then unlock it later for £15.

Just not sure what to do... We have a lot of people Apple stuff in the house. I love the hardware, still not sure on the iOS quirks though

Think I'd miss the pull down on my S3,cor shortcuts, WiFi etc. I know you can customise a lot in Android but I have to say I haven't really. I like automateit app for doing stuff at certain times, instances, places etc, can't do this on iOS.


I also love swype keyboard, nothing like this on iOS.

Also I'm still not sure on the reduced screen size from my S3. I use my phone a lot, a lot of surfing when out etc, so worried on the smaller screen.

Anyone come from an S3 or any big screen phone to iPhone 5 can help and comment.

Cheers

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I have been in your shoes.....sooo many times. I have had almost every iPhone. I have had the 3G, 3Gs, the 4, 4S, IP5. I love them all but there was always something missing. I have also had very numerous android phones Droid Bionic, Droid X2, Galaxy S3, Galaxy Note 2. But I always come back to the iPhone. I love the way it integrates into everything Apple that I already have...look at my signature. But I also love some things about Android that you can't find on IOS....like widgets! I also prefer the size of the screen that the S3 has. But I love the fit and finish of the iphone and IOS. I text allot and find that I make so many less mistakes in IOS than android. Thta is just my experiences though...everyone is different. Find what works for you and just stick with it....

The only thing I miss on the iPhone is the swype keyboard. Everything else is better on the iPhone 5. I switched back to Android (S2) after 2 weeks on iPhone 5, because the T-mobile network here in the US advertised as 3G turned out to be wholly Edge network and dropped calls. But in the UK, if the network is good, go for the iPhone. The software and hardware integration is just light years ahead of an S3. Now with Google maps and Youtube etc on the iPhone there is not much that you will miss after the move.

MrMister111 said:

I have an S3 and been Android for about a year now. Daughter has just got an iPhone 4,and am getting the tugs at the iPhone again, it would be the 5 for me.

I'm mid contract so will buy off 3 in store as a PAYG and then unlock it later for £15.

Just not sure what to do... We have a lot of people Apple stuff in the house. I love the hardware, still not sure on the iOS quirks though

Think I'd miss the pull down on my S3,cor shortcuts, WiFi etc. I know you can customise a lot in Android but I have to say I haven't really. I like automateit app for doing stuff at certain times, instances, places etc, can't do this on iOS.

I also love swype keyboard, nothing like this on iOS.

Also I'm still not sure on the reduced screen size from my S3. I use my phone a lot, a lot of surfing when out etc, so worried on the smaller screen.

Anyone come from an S3 or any big screen phone to iPhone 5 can help and comment.

Cheers

Click to expand...

Former Android user here as well. iOS is rock solid and performs like a beast. I'm in an all-Mac, multi-iOS device household, so photostream sharing, iMessage and FaceTime get used all the time. Percentage of quality apps is also much higher. Got sick of the tons of piss poor apps on Android and frequent app instability. Just wanted a phone that works and works well all the time. Granted, I miss certain things like the ability to transfer files easily by plugging into USB. But there are iOS workarounds so I'm not too fussed.

I really gave Android and the Nexus 4 a try
Here is my story

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1504387/

I'm happy to be back to iOS, the iPhone, and the ecosystem of Apple.

I hope iOS 7 brings a little more freedom...at least let me move these icons where I want on the darn screen for starters! Not asking for a lot here.

Had the first iPhone and a 3G, then jumped to Android. Came back with the 5. Couldn't be more pleased.

Android is very good at the "tiny computer which also makes calls" thing, and that's what you'll lose. For me that wasn't a huge issue as my biggest requirement was a phone that didn't let me down at the wrong moment, and (for me) Android had a habit of doing so.

I've owned just about every non-Verizon Android flagship available in the last 2 years, including the Galaxy S3 and Nexus 4. Bought an iPhone 5 about two weeks ago because I was really upset about how Google lied to so many people about the shipping fiasco with the Nexus 4.

Still own the Nexus 4, and will probably keep it, but right now I'm leaning towards using the iPhone as my daily driver.

Generally, I still think Android as an operating system is vastly more sophisticated than is iOS. Options galore. Widgets. Sound profile applications. More control over hardware (i.e., I actually get to choose whether my wifi turns off when I turn my screen off), etc. I won't go into it here because that's not the purpose of this thread. I will just say that if you have used and liked Android, you will definitely be aware of missing features and options on iOS. The best way I can describe it is that iOS is very "binary" -- something is either on, or it is off. In Android, there's a lot of middle ground between "on" and "off" from which you can choose.

That being said, the reason I'm probably going to keep the iPhone 5 as my daily driver is because there is some elegance to the simplicity of iOS. iOS is not without it's problems, but it does "just work," for the most part. Also, the hardware is unquestionably superior to even the best that Android has to offer. The camera is excellent. And I love the form factor.

I really think you'll just need to buy one and see. If you get it from an Apple store you have a 30 day return policy + no restocking fee. So no harm in trying.

P.S. If I could get vanilla Android 4.2 on iPhone 5 hardware (heck, or even iPhone 4S hardware) I would be in absolute heaven. I think that would be the perfect phone.

phositadc said:

I've owned just about every non-Verizon Android flagship available in the last 2 years, including the Galaxy S3 and Nexus 4. Bought an iPhone 5 about two weeks ago because I was really upset about how Google lied to so many people about the shipping fiasco with the Nexus 4.

Still own the Nexus 4, and will probably keep it, but right now I'm leaning towards using the iPhone as my daily driver.

Generally, I still think Android as an operating system is vastly more sophisticated than is iOS. Options galore. Widgets. Sound profile applications. More control over hardware (i.e., I actually get to choose whether my wifi turns off when I turn my screen off), etc. I won't go into it here because that's not the purpose of this thread. I will just say that if you have used and liked Android, you will definitely be aware of missing features and options on iOS. The best way I can describe it is that iOS is very "binary" -- something is either on, or it is off. In Android, there's a lot of middle ground between "on" and "off" from which you can choose.

That being said, the reason I'm probably going to keep the iPhone 5 as my daily driver is because there is some elegance to the simplicity of iOS. iOS is not without it's problems, but it does "just work," for the most part. Also, the hardware is unquestionably superior to even the best that Android has to offer. The camera is excellent. And I love the form factor.

I really think you'll just need to buy one and see. If you get it from an Apple store you have a 30 day return policy + no restocking fee. So no harm in trying.

P.S. If I could get vanilla Android 4.2 on iPhone 5 hardware (heck, or even iPhone 4S hardware) I would be in absolute heaven. I think that would be the perfect phone.

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You just need a jailbreak. Have you tried using a jailbroken iPhone? All those functions you are missing on Android is available with jailbreaks.

I just hope in the future Apple will put a bigger capacity battery instead of staying on 1400~ish mAh....

iAlphard said:

I just hope in the future Apple will put a bigger capacity battery instead of staying on 1400~ish mAh....

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What's that got to do with the iOS/Android topic?

charlieegan3 said:

What's that got to do with the iOS/Android topic?

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More battery capacity means iOS can have more customization in hardware and software than it has now, like quad core and more RAM or true multitasking and widgets on software side which can be added or removed per user taste.

Android has more customization on their OS, but it's not efficient yet. It seems those quad cores and 2000 mAh battery so wasteful.

Jelly Bean gives iOS a run for it's money. My wife has a GS3. If I were to get an Android it would be pure vanilla Android device which would be it in the same category as the iPhone in regards of pure vanilla, pure vanilla iOS/pure vanilla Android.

The biggest problem I've had with all the Android phones I've seen is awful battery life. Also, with all of the different versions of the OS out there, the software base is fragmented so badly it negatively affects the apps.

I have an HP TouchPad that I also put ICS on, and it runs down battery two or three times faster than when HP's WebOS is running on the tablet.

I did.

Went from iPhone 4S to Galaxy Nexus to Galaxy S3 to iPhone 5.

Missed iCloud - mostly for document syncing between the phone and my iPad. I use Numbers and Pages to keep track of work schedules that get sent out to everyone by email (as Excel and Word files).

Also found that while the OS/Launcher itself was smooth, some apps (looking at you Comcast and ABC News) had very chunky scrolling, slow graphics, etc. Fit & finish seemed missing.

GMail app didn't have pinch to zoom (does now) and the IMAP client was pretty bare bones. 3rd party email apps look like crap, honestly. Their interfaces are all horrid.

Missed the iPod/dock integration in my car. Using the headphone jack isn't quite the same.

Had a few random reboots & boot loops which left me unknowingly unable to receive calls/texts. And as all too common, this was fixed by using a community ROM and not the stock ROM.

Battery life was bad - horrible on the GNex (LTE); better but not great on the S3.

Ultimately, while it was fun to play with home screen widgets, I got more done on the iPhone.

MrMister111 said:

Thanks for comments, I am reading with interest. I think the biggest reason I left iPhone was screen size, I miss the hardware, as I don't think there is any competition.

Although Android is really configurable, tbh I haven't done that much on it. I think once everyone gets their new phone (toy), they are wowed at what it can do over their last one, eg Android widgets, customisable apps etc, then settle down. eg I still use the inbuilt SMS app on my S3, although do use Dolphin browser, which is also on iOS.

So my biggest use is browsing on the go, for this bigger is better I believe,is it? Screen wise I mean. This is my worry.

Is the camera better on iP5? I've heard some reports, about it not being as good, little disappointing this time?

I've never jailbroke no, don't plan to really prefer to stay with standard.

@map1978 did you like Nexus 4, can't believe the SIM free price here in UK, £279 for a 32Gb. I wouldn't buy it as not much different to my S3 think really.

If I want it before Xmas now, I'd have to buy it in store at my local 3 store (my current network) on PAYG, then pay £15 about 30days later when I want it unlocked.

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Thats exactly how I felt. At first, I was excited about being able to customize my home screens with widgets and all, but after a while, they became cumbersome. I even installed different launchers (GoLauncher, and Avox or something like that). It took a lot of work to get things working how I wanted them, but I was never really satisfied. One thing or another was always off. And the default browser sucked. I also went with dolphin browser, but I wished for Safari so I could sync my bookmarks. I did like the live wallpapers though. I wish iOS had those.

ritmomundo said:

Thats exactly how I felt. At first, I was excited about being able to customize my home screens with widgets and all, but after a while, they became cumbersome. I even installed different launchers (GoLauncher, and Avox or something like that). It took a lot of work to get things working how I wanted them, but I was never really satisfied. One thing or another was always off. And the default browser sucked. I also went with dolphin browser, but I wished for Safari so I could sync my bookmarks. I did like the live wallpapers though. I wish iOS had those.

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Same exact feeling I've had with Android on my Nexus 7. I was all giddy when I first got it, changing out widgets and customizing the screens. Then I realized I didn't like this or wanted that somewhere else, and couldn't get it just right. I was getting obsessive about changing it so much, I wasn't really just using the device. In some ways, this is why I appreciate iOS, you get your apps and they go where you put them, then you use them.

I've since stopped obsessing over the Nexus 7 screens and have gone minimialistic and just focus on using the device.

MrMister111 said:

@map1978 did you like Nexus 4

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Yes I actually did like the hardware of the N4. It is very solid in the hand and that screen was stunning to use.

However, at the end of the day, it wasn't that impressive in terms of my usage. I hated the fact that I had to micro manage the phones battery life ALL day long. Now I understood going in that Android devices needed tweaking, but honestly, I shouldn't have to buy a phone out of the box and "tweak" it to perform properly. Battery life on the N4 was horrific and it didn't even have LTE.

I loved Jelly Bean and the vanilla OS. Lots of great features and enjoyed the experience.

At the end of the day, poor battery life, subpar music player, and a meh camera brought me back to the iP5. Having LTE again is a nice bonus. Also, the iCloud ecosystem is better "for me" than using Google Drive and Google+

Still using the Nexus 7 daily though

I've gone back and forth and currently have an iPhone 5 and love how everything works in my house. Android is nice but the apple ecosystem is best for me and my family.

MrMister111 said:

Also reading on web, on the hardware side, I'm a little worried on the scuffs and scratches spent on them new, and then on owning them. I'd be getting the white and heard they are better? I don't like cases in general (they make these devices x.xx mm thick and people but massive cases on?), but I'll probably put a bestskinsever on for general day to day and in a pouch for when in pocket.

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I've bought multiple iP5s and haven't had this problem. I'm sure they are out there, but that's the beauty of Apple. You can buy it in there store, open it, and check for defects. Try to do that with the Nexus 4. Ha! You can't. Imagine getting a N4 after waiting weeks and it has a defect...then you gotta wait a few more weeks because they don't even have inventory for replacement devices. Yikes!

I got the white and love this case I just reviewed....sounds like you might like this type as well...

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1510264/

I'm back and glad to be back. I still have a Nexus 7 that I love.

b0bab0i said:

You just need a jailbreak. Have you tried using a jailbroken iPhone? All those functions you are missing on Android is available with jailbreaks.

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U might want to retract what u said. There is no jb for the current iOS.

My iPhone journey started with the original Edge network only phone and ended with the 4 (my phone took a swim). I decided to jump the AT&T ship and landed in Verizon with a Droid Charge with a primary focus on access to their 4G LTE network. The Charge ran Android 2.2 Froyo coupled with Samsung craptastic Sense UI. Coming from an iPhone to this phone was a complete disappointment. I hated the OS, the hardware was substandard at the time. After repeated replacements (ridiculous hardware issues), Verizon graciously offered me a Galaxy Nexus. This was the first phone which allowed me to enjoy the true splendor that is Android (4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich). The battery life sucked and it had subpar camera, however the ability to customize my entire experience was enough to ignore it's shortcomings.

It didn't take long to experience the following issues:
1. My friends and family are all in iOS. iMessage: Not supported in Android.
2. I wanted the Nike Fuel Band. Not supported in Android.
3. There are many other accessories and apps that are 'coming soon' to Android

I am happy with my Verizon iPhone 5. Excellent battery life (compared to the Galaxy Nexus) and the rich app ecosystem are huge pluses for me (in addition to my list above).

What I do miss:
1. Widgets! The notification drawer is helpful, but it would be nice to add widgets to your home screen
2. Default Apps. I really miss the ability to select my default browser, email client, calendar app....etc. Plus non-Google apps can reference each other. Granted the default iOS apps are good, this gives me the same feeling as being forced to use Internet Explorer in Windows.
3. I hate to say it, but a 4.6" screen is hard to downsize from. Yes, I can 'one hand' most of my actions.

Overall, I think I will stick with iOS for the long term.

Me.

iPhone 4 was my first iPhone...then I jumped to Android...Had Galaxy S2, Galaxy Nexus, Galaxy S3, Galaxy Note 2 and then back to the iPhone (5).