Always Thought That iOS Was Simpler Than Android

[sean000]

I’m the OP and should have titled the thread ‘Didn’t Know Android was So Productive’. Never used Android but from research and watching videos it looks like Android is more productive than iOS. Not saying iOS is inferior but Android as a production device that is like a pocket computer.

This implies that iOS can not be as productive of a platform. I think it depends on what you do with your device. If it's primarily an entertainment platform for music, games, and movies then I see the appeal of Android devices with expandable storage and more open file management options. If you use it primarily as a platform for apps, both types of devices run the same apps (mostly). If you use it almost exclusively for checking email and browsing the Web, you might not notice if someone switched your iOS device for Android or vice versa. When it comes to a seamless experience between devices, Apple excels... especially for Mac users. That said Android can work with all of the same Cloud services (except for Apple services) so you can have quite an integrated experience on either mobile platform depending on what apps and services you use.

I would say iOS is incredibly productive for the Office 365 environment I work in. I've been using Office 365 apps from their beginnings, and also comparing my experiences with coworkers who use Android. In some cases iOS users have gotten the latest features ahead of Android users, but generally there is feature and app parity. I know there are some third party apps that can do more on Android than they can on iOS because Apple must a much more closed platform. On the other hand I have seen Android users get locked out of the latest apps because they can't update to the latest version of Android (which is a good argument for going Pixel if you're going to go Android). I take my iPad to meetings and whenever I need to work away from my desk, and there is very little I can't do on it quite easily. I have access to laptops, but I actually prefer using the iPad when I'm not at my desk.

The way I think of "productivity" when it comes to mobile devices is that I should be able to get information that changes frequently at a glance on my wrist or in a widget. I should also be able to easily accomplish basic tasks. The Apple Watch excels at this type of productivity: Calendar and task reminders, weather, time, date, text messages, caller ID, music controls, timers, directions, using Hey Siri (send texts, make phone calls, schedule tasks, set timers, etc.). Even without an Apple Watch the iPhone Widgets are very customizable and allow me to get a lot of information and perform basic functions (including Siri) quickly and easily. The next level of productivity is access to full information via the cloud apps I use. Those include Google services like Gmail, Google Calendar, and Play Music. They also include Office 365 apps... mostly Office Lens, OneDrive, OneNote, and Groups; communication platforms for work like Slack and Skype for Business. And of course my main personal task management list (TickTick) and personal note taking app (Google Keep). All of these productivity apps works great on iOS as I'm sure they do on Android. I use three iOS devices together: The Apple Watch is information and actions in a glance, the iPhone is for short to medium interactions and as a communication hub thanks to its cellular connectivity and hotspot, and the iPad for longer interactions... including content creation and editing.

I guess we all define productivity in different ways, but I fail to see how Android could be more productive for the things I do on mobile devices than iOS is. If I found it difficult to switch between apps or to perform any of my required functions, I would be looking much more closely at the competition.

Sean

 

[mib1800]

This implies that iOS can not be as productive of a platform. I think it depends on what you do with your device. If it's primarily an entertainment platform for music, games, and movies then I see the appeal of Android devices with expandable storage and more open file management options. If you use it primarily as a platform for apps, both types of devices run the same apps (mostly). If you use it almost exclusively for checking email and browsing the Web, you might not notice if someone switched your iOS device for Android or vice versa. When it comes to a seamless experience between devices, Apple excels... especially for Mac users. That said Android can work with all of the same Cloud services (except for Apple services) so you can have quite an integrated experience on either mobile platform depending on what apps and services you use.

I would say iOS is incredibly productive for the Office 365 environment I work in. I've been using Office 365 apps from their beginnings, and also comparing my experiences with coworkers who use Android. In some cases iOS users have gotten the latest features ahead of Android users, but generally there is feature and app parity. I know there are some third party apps that can do more on Android than they can on iOS because Apple must a much more closed platform. On the other hand I have seen Android users get locked out of the latest apps because they can't update to the latest version of Android (which is a good argument for going Pixel if you're going to go Android). I take my iPad to meetings and whenever I need to work away from my desk, and there is very little I can't do on it quite easily. I have access to laptops, but I actually prefer using the iPad when I'm not at my desk.

The way I think of "productivity" when it comes to mobile devices is that I should be able to get information that changes frequently at a glance on my wrist or in a widget. I should also be able to easily accomplish basic tasks. The Apple Watch excels at this type of productivity: Calendar and task reminders, weather, time, date, text messages, caller ID, music controls, timers, directions, using Hey Siri (send texts, make phone calls, schedule tasks, set timers, etc.). Even without an Apple Watch the iPhone Widgets are very customizable and allow me to get a lot of information and perform basic functions (including Siri) quickly and easily. The next level of productivity is access to full information via the cloud apps I use. Those include Google services like Gmail, Google Calendar, and Play Music. They also include Office 365 apps... mostly Office Lens, OneDrive, OneNote, and Groups; communication platforms for work like Slack and Skype for Business. And of course my main personal task management list (TickTick) and personal note taking app (Google Keep). All of these productivity apps works great on iOS as I'm sure they do on Android. I use three iOS devices together: The Apple Watch is information and actions in a glance, the iPhone is for short to medium interactions and as a communication hub thanks to its cellular connectivity and hotspot, and the iPad for longer interactions... including content creation and editing.

I guess we all define productivity in different ways, but I fail to see how Android could be more productive for the things I do on mobile devices than iOS is. If I found it difficult to switch between apps or to perform any of my required functions, I would be looking much more closely at the competition.

Sean

I think it is the perspective that differs.

For Apple users, combined gadgets/services is the way to go - you need tablet, watch, mac, iphone, itunes and icloud to complement each other to give you your usability. Missing any of these items then the level of usability plummets.

Then there are those who use their phone as a single all-in-one device like myself. I don't care for a watch or tablet (used them before) since I carry my phone everywhere. My phone needs to work well with every adhoc environment out there instead of just my personal/home setup. And in this aspect as a standalone device, Android is far superior to iOS wrt interfacing with external environments/systems.

 

[sean000]

I think it is the perspective that differs.

For Apple users, combined gadgets/services is the way to go - you need tablet, watch, mac, iphone, itunes and icloud to complement each other to give you your usability. Missing any of these items then the level of usability plummets.

Then there are those who use their phone as a single all-in-one device like myself. I don't care for a watch or tablet (used them before) since I carry my phone everywhere. My phone needs to work well with every adhoc environment out there instead of just my personal/home setup. And in this aspect as a standalone device, Android is far superior to iOS wrt interfacing with external environments/systems.

So if only I had a smartphone running Android, I wouldn’t need a tablet or a smartwatch? I don’t think so.

You miss the point of why some of us use smartwatches and tablets. I don’t own a watch or a tablet because they do things my iPhone can’t do. I can get by with just an iPhone, and I did for a long time. But why restrict yourself to a 5 inch device all the time? It’s great when you’re on the go, except that I find it annoying to pull out a 5 inch device just to check something as basic as the location of my next meeting. When I’m at home or at a work meeting, I’d rather have a larger display. The multiple device thing is about comfort and convenience. The extra devices are not necessities. Also, the watch, iPhone and iPad are the only Apple devices I own and use. And yes, they do work brilliantly together. It’s like a single device with multiple interfaces.

As far as interfacing with external environments or systems: Most of the services I use on iOS are non-Apple: Office 365, Gmail, Google Drive and Docs. I used to connect directly to a network share from iOS before we moved to office 365. There is very little I can’t do from iOS, and for those few things I can easily remote into my desktop computer.

I could trade my iOS devices for Android equivalents tomorrow and barely miss a beat since 90% of my stuff is in a non-Apple service. I just haven’t seen any convincing arguments for why I’d be better off switching. It’s not that I can’t see plenty to like about Android. It’s that I am genuinely very happy with my iOS devices.

Sean

 

[edfoo]

Please go to AndroidRumors.com instead of here.

Who are you to tell me where to go?
I am an iPhone 8 Plus user here.
[doublepost=1511764561][/doublepost]

You posted on a public forum, so anyone reading your comment is your audience. It’s arrogant and insulting to call people who prefer iOS and Apple “fanbois!” Perhaps they, like I, find Apple products to be of superior design and quality, and iOS to be more stable, less buggy, and easier to use.

Did I say anyone who prefer iOS and Apple are fanbois? Of course, they are those who prefer iOS but are reasonable and open-minded to discussion to the pros and cons of iOS, they are not fanbois. Then there are those who are just fanatic about iOS who totally refuse to accept or try other alternatives, refusing to acknowledge any cons of iOS, I can call those people fanbois as much as I like.

 

[Cervelo-Van]

This video was very interesting. Not an Android user and never was but looks like Android is actually more functional and productive.

Think how I feel. I have been using Apple products since the Apple IIe, and my own beloved sister and niece moved to Samsung. How does one deal with the disappointment and a sense of disconnect?

 

[macher]

Think how I feel. I have been using Apple products since the Apple IIe, and my own beloved sister and niece moved to Samsung. How does one deal with the disappointment and a sense of disconnect?

When you have younger kids and want to keep in touch with them iMessage is king.

 

[fs454]

This video was very interesting. Not an Android user and never was but looks like Android is actually more functional and productive.

I watched up until the very first step, where he shows how to get to the last used app. This is incorrectly giving the iPhone a disadvantage, and then calling the Android devices an easier experience. All you have to do is swipe left to right under the dock to get to the app, and he goes on and on about how the Android process is smoother than going all the way to multitask, holding, and then tapping the app.


Not a good example, the guy doesn't know the correct gesture for the very first thing he's showing.

 

[kasakka]

I watched up until the very first step, where he shows how to get to the last used app. This is incorrectly giving the iPhone a disadvantage, and then calling the Android devices an easier experience. All you have to do is swipe left to right under the dock to get to the app, and he goes on and on about how the Android process is smoother than going all the way to multitask, holding, and then tapping the app.

Not a good example, the guy doesn't know the correct gesture for the very first thing he's showing.

That's a fair call but what that means is that the various gestures used by iPhone X are non-obvious until you learn them while on Android it's fairly easy to stumble upon double tapping the apps button. Same thing for fully closing an app, just swipe it out of the list. Android puts more controls in direct view while iOS relies on people learning gestures.

 

[decafjava]

Who are you to tell me where to go?
I am an iPhone 8 Plus user here.
[doublepost=1511764561][/doublepost]
Did I say anyone who prefer iOS and Apple are fanbois? Of course, they are those who prefer iOS but are reasonable and open-minded to discussion to the pros and cons of iOS, they are not fanbois. Then there are those who are just fanatic about iOS who totally refuse to accept or try other alternatives, refusing to acknowledge any cons of iOS, I can call those people fanbois as much as I like.

I thought that term was banned here? If not it should be - for everyone.
[doublepost=1511771817][/doublepost]

I use iMazing on Windows. The point I was making seemed to go right over your head. You need iTunes (or a third-party app) to transfer things to and from the iPhone. This is still required to do things the iPhone cannot do on its own like Android can ... like downloading things from right within the phone itself. So we're still at the same problem.

You kept mentioning iTunes - you didn't say anything about third party apps, not all of which are paid btw. I'm done here anyway the hostility, name calling on this thread and the type of trolling exclusive to this forum is a huge waste of time.

 

[Gryzor]

Both are good. Both cater to different tastes. iOS is kinda' closed in and doesn't allow too much tweakage, whereas Android is more for power users and those who like to tweak and change the functionality of their phone. Granted, you can just use Android vanilla too, but I've had the pleasure of experiencing both, and I much prefer iOS because that's what I'm used to and it does everything I need. Most people I know are also on iOS devices, and even those with Android phones tend to have iPad's as their tablet of choice.

Choice...what a wonderful world we live in eh? Would be kinda' boring if we all liked exactly the same things for exactly the same reasons.

 

[mib1800]

So if only I had a smartphone running Android, I wouldn’t need a tablet or a smartwatch? I don’t think so.

You miss the point of why some of us use smartwatches and tablets. I don’t own a watch or a tablet because they do things my iPhone can’t do. I can get by with just an iPhone, and I did for a long time. But why restrict yourself to a 5 inch device all the time? It’s great when you’re on the go, except that I find it annoying to pull out a 5 inch device just to check something as basic as the location of my next meeting. When I’m at home or at a work meeting, I’d rather have a larger display. The multiple device thing is about comfort and convenience. The extra devices are not necessities. Also, the watch, iPhone and iPad are the only Apple devices I own and use. And yes, they do work brilliantly together. It’s like a single device with multiple interfaces.

As far as interfacing with external environments or systems: Most of the services I use on iOS are non-Apple: Office 365, Gmail, Google Drive and Docs. I used to connect directly to a network share from iOS before we moved to office 365. There is very little I can’t do from iOS, and for those few things I can easily remote into my desktop computer.

I could trade my iOS devices for Android equivalents tomorrow and barely miss a beat since 90% of my stuff is in a non-Apple service. I just haven’t seen any convincing arguments for why I’d be better off switching. It’s not that I can’t see plenty to like about Android. It’s that I am genuinely very happy with my iOS devices.

Sean

I think the topic of this thread is about ease of use. Like the discussion on loading music/video to phone without itunes. Of course, there are always workarounds available for iphone. But none is as simple as Android direct plugging in of harddisk/thumbdrive to the iphone and copy (or play) without the use of intermediary hardware/software. Same with mirroring screen to (miracast) wifi-enabled TV without needing an apple TV box. And flexibility of non-proprieatary BT/wifi-direct file transfer. Like the video said file handling is much more advanced on Android just like your computer unlike the convoluted and messy file handling in iOS. There are also other iphone general UI usability issues as well.

You said all else being equal, you have no reason to move. But it is not equal. Iphone can cost twice or more than the next flagship Android device. To some people that is a great (price) incentive to move.

 

[macher]

I think the topic of this thread is about ease of use. Like the discussion on loading music/video to phone without itunes. Of course, there are always workarounds available for iphone. But none is as simple as Android direct plugging in of harddisk/thumbdrive to the iphone and copy (or play) without the use of intermediary hardware/software. Same with mirroring screen to (miracast) wifi-enabled TV without needing an apple TV box. And flexibility of non-proprieatary BT/wifi-direct file transfer. Like the video said file handling is much more advanced on Android just like your computer unlike the convoluted and messy file handling in iOS. There are also other iphone general UI usability issues as well.

You said all else being equal, you have no reason to move. But it is not equal. Iphone can cost twice or more than the next flagship Android device. To some people that is a great (price) incentive to move.

Yea ease of use but it seems like Android is more productive than iOS closer to a pocket computer. For tasks like Calendar iOS sucks. Google Calendar is much better. But then again you can use Google Calendar on iOS. For me I don’t use Apple apps too much. I prefer the Google platform much more because it’s more feature rich. The only thing Apple I use on my iPhone is Safari because I HATE Chrome navigation.

 

[Mildredop]

"I find... that the notifications in Apple are more verbose. There are a lot more of them. More than there needs to be."

I have always noticed on my partner's iPhone that there seem to be tonnes of notifications going days and days back, but I always assumed she just hadn't cleared them.

Is there no way of controlling the volume of notifications? Surely it just depends on how many apps you're allowing to show you notifications - same as on Android?

 

[mrklaw]

I’m the OP and should have titled the thread ‘Didn’t Know Android was So Productive’. Never used Android but from research and watching videos it looks like Android is more productive than iOS. Not saying iOS is inferior but Android as a production device that is like a pocket computer.

They're different. Android is perhaps more like what people consider a computer to be, but maybe ios is a different way of approaching productivity?

Personally I rarely find the need to put files on using a file browser etc. I have dropbox and onedrive accessible through extensions. I can download pdfs from emails, open them in goodreader, review/annotate and save out to dropbox or print them etc.

There are lots of ways to manage your workflow, especially if you have your files in cloud systems for backup.

 

[CharlesShaw]

They're different. Android is perhaps more like what people consider a computer to be, but maybe ios is a different way of approaching productivity?

This thread has me remembering the discussions, years ago, between TiVo users and ReplayTV users.

 

[YaBe]

Swipe up, Swipe down, Swipe left, Swipe up, Swipe right, Swipe down and then left, press, press and hold, press hold and force, turn off wifi and bluetooth but they are still on.. ....using iOS has became a mess.

Sure you have more function, but you have to remember how to get there, it took me a while back then to figure out how to make the iMessage effect, probably the most un-Apple thing ever.....

Not a good example, the guy doesn't know the correct gesture for the very first thing he's showing.

Exactly, you have to remember how to use an iOS device..... so much for being intuitive.

DISCLAIMER
I currently use an Android phone, but work 100% on an iPad as main computer, so I like iOS, still all this swiping and remembering what does what...(multitasking especially...is a mess)

 

[macher]

Swipe up, Swipe down, Swipe left, Swipe up, Swipe right, Swipe down and then left, press, press and hold, press hold and force, turn off wifi and bluetooth but they are still on.. ....using iOS has became a mess.

Sure you have more function, but you have to remember how to get there, it took me a while back then to figure out how to make the iMessage effect, probably the most un-Apple thing ever.....


Exactly, you have to remember how to use an iOS device..... so much for being intuitive.

DISCLAIMER
I currently use an Android phone, but work 100% on an iPad as main computer, so I like iOS, still all this swiping and remembering what does what...(multitasking especially...is a mess)

While I got you here we are in the market for a new Mac or MacBook but was wondering if an iPad Pro can be used in place of? What we would need it for is web browsing, ordering stuff online, checking bank accounts, printing documents, editing and making documents(school).

 

[Knowlege Bomb]

Swipe up, Swipe down, Swipe left, Swipe up, Swipe right, Swipe down and then left, press, press and hold, press hold and force, turn off wifi and bluetooth but they are still on.. ....using iOS has became a mess.

Sure you have more function, but you have to remember how to get there, it took me a while back then to figure out how to make the iMessage effect, probably the most un-Apple thing ever.....


Exactly, you have to remember how to use an iOS device..... so much for being intuitive.

DISCLAIMER
I currently use an Android phone, but work 100% on an iPad as main computer, so I like iOS, still all this swiping and remembering what does what...(multitasking especially...is a mess)

This is bogus. You have to remember swipe gestures the same way you remember how to get home with a home button or how you remember to double tap your whatever button on android to access the app switcher. I've had an X for 11 days and I don't have to think about any of the actions I perform because it becomes natural, just like using any other phone.

 

[YaBe]

This is bogus. You have to remember swipe gestures the same way you remember how to get home with a home button or how you remember to double tap your whatever button on android to access the app switcher. I've had an X for 11 days and I don't have to think about any of the actions I perform because it becomes natural, just like using any other phone.

Glad you feel that way, but to me it is not bogus, but then again it might be because I do not spend all of my time with the phone in my hand.

 

[Knowlege Bomb]

Glad you feel that way, but to me it is not bogus, but then again it might be because I do not spend all of my time with the phone in my hand.

Are you implying that I do? Have you actually used an iPhone X outside of picking it up at the store and swiping around for a few minutes?

 

[YaBe]

Are you implying that I do? Have you actually used an iPhone X outside of picking it up at the store and swiping around for a few minutes?

I am not talking about you specifccally nor about the X, it is MY wn experience with iOS.

Take it for what it is, don't read into it!

 

[Knowlege Bomb]

I am not talking about you specifccally nor about the X, it is MY wn experience with iOS.

Take it for what it is, don't read into it!

Fair enough. I only read into these types of things because I see a lot of criticism coming from people who have little to no experience with the actual device. If you judge the product based on the initial reviews then yeah, you're going to have a negative opinion but you have to remember that the people who did those reviews had very limited time with the phone before the pressure to be first got a hold of them.

You say you're talking about your personal experience with iOS and that's fine but if we're discussing the iPhone X, then that experience is irrelevant as the techniques to navigate differ greatly between the X and every other iOS device.

 

[DNichter]

Doesn't make much difference to me either way. I use iOS for the best performance, security, privacy, ecosystem, and support.

 

[Septembersrain]

"I find... that the notifications in Apple are more verbose. There are a lot more of them. More than there needs to be."

I have always noticed on my partner's iPhone that there seem to be tonnes of notifications going days and days back, but I always assumed she just hadn't cleared them.

Is there no way of controlling the volume of notifications? Surely it just depends on how many apps you're allowing to show you notifications - same as on Android?

Yes. My iPhone 7 Plus showed pretty much no notifications for anything and it was always quiet.

Honestly when it came to Facebook, my V30+ can't seem to remove badge icons. With the iPhone, I could do this. So my solution was to complain to Facebook then promptly stop using it. It's a battery killer on both devices anyways.

For the most part, notifications are pretty easy to silence/hide/change volume on both Android and iOS. I assume most just don't want them hidden or silenced.

 

[Septembersrain]

Swipe up, Swipe down, Swipe left, Swipe up, Swipe right, Swipe down and then left, press, press and hold, press hold and force, turn off wifi and bluetooth but they are still on.. ....using iOS has became a mess.

Sure you have more function, but you have to remember how to get there, it took me a while back then to figure out how to make the iMessage effect, probably the most un-Apple thing ever.....


Exactly, you have to remember how to use an iOS device..... so much for being intuitive.

DISCLAIMER
I currently use an Android phone, but work 100% on an iPad as main computer, so I like iOS, still all this swiping and remembering what does what...(multitasking especially...is a mess)

This actually cracked me up. I remember using the iPhone X demo phone in the T-Mobile store. I was exactly like that. Flinging stuff everywhere. I felt really silly for some reason.

I guess I'm used to turning off animations and I think I rarely use 3D touch. So full gestures would take a bit of effort from me. Perhaps someday, just not right now.