Besides the ecosystem, what are the major drawbacks of switching to Android? I particularly enjoy iMessage on my mac and phone and iTunes match. But besides those things, what would one give up switching to Android? What else do you guys consider 'major' advantages? And let's skip the 'it just works' rhetoric. I'm looking for hard and pressed facts.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Cons of switching to the Android family?
- Thread starter sundog925
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
T5BRICK
macrumors G3
How about the "TouchWiz is a resource hog and it ruins Android" argument? My son has a 2 year old Moto X and it runs flawlessly.
Security.
That's the biggest thing to be given up when you move to Android.
Apps laced with some form of malware or another in the Play Store. That's another.
The ability to download malware-infested APKs online. Another one.
More junk apps in the Play Store than quality ones.
mlemonds
macrumors 65816
frankly, if it weren't for the ecosystem i would probably be an android user.
but there are some other issues i had.
new apps usually come to iOS first and i haven't found an android phone with a camera that i prefer using to the iPhone. The GS5 has a good camera, but indoor shots take longer to focus and come out blurry for me.
but there are some other issues i had.
new apps usually come to iOS first and i haven't found an android phone with a camera that i prefer using to the iPhone. The GS5 has a good camera, but indoor shots take longer to focus and come out blurry for me.
Most of the Samsung flagship phones are amazing and have very little if any lag. Some people say they have some but I have not experienced any on my Note 4 and Note Edge.
As far as apps, they have gotten much better over the past few years. I use most of the same apps that I have on my iPhone. Some of the Android apps are even better because there is more freedom on the Android side of things.
As long as you stick to what's in the play store and only install reputable apps or at least apps that others recommend, there is really no danger of getting malware. It's probably just as hard to get as the chances in using iPhones.
Some of the apps on my Android phones get updates much quicker than what I am getting on my iPhone/iPad. One app I use took 13 months to get updated for the iPad when the it got continuous updates on my Android devices.
Android ecosystem has come a long way in the two years I've been using Android devices. Two years ago, I once posted a comparison if the same identical apps in how they looked on Android and the iPhone/iPad. There were huge differences but now the developers are clearly paying the same attention to Android. I would not have said that two years ago.
Having said all of this, I have an iPhone 6+ being delivered in the morning. I enjoy using both iPhones and Android devices though my Note 4 and Note Edge are my daily phones that I take with me.
----------
You haven't seen the camera on the Note 4 and Note Edge. People are saying on this forum and the Android forums that it now tops the iPhone 6/6+ camera. I think it's pretty darned amazing.
----------
You can sync all your iTunes music for free to Google Play.
As far as apps, they have gotten much better over the past few years. I use most of the same apps that I have on my iPhone. Some of the Android apps are even better because there is more freedom on the Android side of things.
As long as you stick to what's in the play store and only install reputable apps or at least apps that others recommend, there is really no danger of getting malware. It's probably just as hard to get as the chances in using iPhones.
Some of the apps on my Android phones get updates much quicker than what I am getting on my iPhone/iPad. One app I use took 13 months to get updated for the iPad when the it got continuous updates on my Android devices.
Android ecosystem has come a long way in the two years I've been using Android devices. Two years ago, I once posted a comparison if the same identical apps in how they looked on Android and the iPhone/iPad. There were huge differences but now the developers are clearly paying the same attention to Android. I would not have said that two years ago.
Having said all of this, I have an iPhone 6+ being delivered in the morning. I enjoy using both iPhones and Android devices though my Note 4 and Note Edge are my daily phones that I take with me.
----------
You haven't seen the camera on the Note 4 and Note Edge. People are saying on this forum and the Android forums that it now tops the iPhone 6/6+ camera. I think it's pretty darned amazing.
----------
You can sync all your iTunes music for free to Google Play.
Lloydbm41
Suspended
1. Security: Last time I checked, the Google Dev repository hadn't been hacked like iOS has. Link: http://venturebeat.com/2013/07/21/apples-developer-website-hacked/
2. Apps laced with some form of malware: Sure, if you download from the Russian or Chinese Play Store, that is a possibility.
3. The ability to download malware infested apps online: Same can be said for jailbroken iPhones. You do know that you have to physically go in and turn on the ability to download apps from unknown sites on Android phones, right?
4. Junk apps: 95% of all apps on both the Play Store and App Store are zombie or junk apps. Don't try and say Google has more than Apple, cause that is pure b.s.
mrex
macrumors 68040
lol
been using android for years without malware and installing junk. i usually check what im going to download than just download them.
ability downloading apks outside play store doesnt mean you have to download them. i do download, from amazon appstore. and downloaded some files from net. and it doesnt happen accidentally because you need to change your security settings before you can install anything outside play store. mostly i use play store and paid apps because i dont like ads etc.
sorry beeing dull, but it just works! enought customizable os without jb/root access. and if you need a pen, you can buy a device wirh a pen and it works.
what you need to remember, if you get a cheap one you get a cheap one. dont try to compare 200 dollars phone to 1000 dollars iphone and cry how much better the 1000 dollars iphone is.
one big difference is os updates. with android you get what you buy. some phones are updated and get the newest os, but some not. but you dont need to have the latest os. google apps are updated via play store and most apps work with old os's anyway.
Last edited:
If you use the camera a lot, the iPhone focused and takes pictures noticeably quicker than any Android phone I've used.
TouchID implementation is great, although limited. Samsung's swipe sensor is abysmal in comparison, but you can lock specific apps, or use your fingerprint to auto fill passwords.
Getting malware off the Play Store isn't really an issue, although I do agree that Google's app approval system is definitely looser than Apple's. Also, installing APKs outside of the Play Store is restricted by default. You have to manually enable the capability, so this isn't really an issue either.
There used to be a huge issue with certain apps keeping the CPU awake, and therefore draining your battery during standby, but I haven't experienced this in my past few Android devices (currently on a Sony Z3 Compact), so this is becoming less and less common.
I too like to enjoy the best of both worlds and switch when I feel like it. Personally, I am on Android 75% of the time because it plays nicer with my home automation system, and is more customizable without needing to root/jailbreak.
TouchID implementation is great, although limited. Samsung's swipe sensor is abysmal in comparison, but you can lock specific apps, or use your fingerprint to auto fill passwords.
Getting malware off the Play Store isn't really an issue, although I do agree that Google's app approval system is definitely looser than Apple's. Also, installing APKs outside of the Play Store is restricted by default. You have to manually enable the capability, so this isn't really an issue either.
There used to be a huge issue with certain apps keeping the CPU awake, and therefore draining your battery during standby, but I haven't experienced this in my past few Android devices (currently on a Sony Z3 Compact), so this is becoming less and less common.
I too like to enjoy the best of both worlds and switch when I feel like it. Personally, I am on Android 75% of the time because it plays nicer with my home automation system, and is more customizable without needing to root/jailbreak.
Shanghaichica
macrumors G5
I think the malware issue on android is more scaremongering than fact. I've used android devices for almost three years and none of them have ever ever been infected. 99% of my apps are downloaded from the play store. The other 1 % are from Amazon and on occasion I may install an apk from android police (usually updated apps before they are pushed out to my device via the play store). However I have an antiviral scanner instslled on the phone so anything that gets installed gets scanned, even apps from the playstore. I use AVG and it will often flag apps, of for example they contain pop up adds. If it gets flagged I simply don't install it.
I think android has come a long way since I first started using it. It is very stable now and devices are generally very fluid.
As for cameras I hear great things about the note 4. My 6 plus has a great all round camera. My previous GS5 wasn't that great indoors/low lighting however outside it took stunning pictures, even better than the 6 plus imo. The stock software for post photography processing on the S5 (studio) is also superior to that found natively on the iPhone 6 plus. Also the camera options are more advanced on the S5. If the note 4 has addressed the issues with low light/indoor photography then it will definitely give the 6 plus a run for it's money and may even best it as outdoor photos should be far superior to the 6 plus. Sure the iPhone camera is easier to use off the bat but if you take some time and apply a modicum of patience, you can get great pictures out of a GS5 for example.
I think the only thing that Apple has over android is its ecosytem (at least in the UK) and the the integration you get if you own several iOS devices. However Google is fast catching up in these areas too.
I think android has come a long way since I first started using it. It is very stable now and devices are generally very fluid.
As for cameras I hear great things about the note 4. My 6 plus has a great all round camera. My previous GS5 wasn't that great indoors/low lighting however outside it took stunning pictures, even better than the 6 plus imo. The stock software for post photography processing on the S5 (studio) is also superior to that found natively on the iPhone 6 plus. Also the camera options are more advanced on the S5. If the note 4 has addressed the issues with low light/indoor photography then it will definitely give the 6 plus a run for it's money and may even best it as outdoor photos should be far superior to the 6 plus. Sure the iPhone camera is easier to use off the bat but if you take some time and apply a modicum of patience, you can get great pictures out of a GS5 for example.
I think the only thing that Apple has over android is its ecosytem (at least in the UK) and the the integration you get if you own several iOS devices. However Google is fast catching up in these areas too.
Last edited:
Ulenspiegel
macrumors 68040
Slow OS upgrades.
Lot of bloatware.
General performance and reliability (try to send 20+ sms to contacts with the stock app).
Otherwise - amongst others - you will get back your freedom of customization from an "open system".
Lot of bloatware.
General performance and reliability (try to send 20+ sms to contacts with the stock app).
Otherwise - amongst others - you will get back your freedom of customization from an "open system".
- Slow OS Updates
- User interface (Vanilla Android, CM, TouchWiz, Sense etc make no difference)
- Did I mention Google?
The bad opinions of Android come from people who used Samsung devices - Touchwiz, it must be said, is horrible.
Stock Android, HTC Sense or the UI used by Sony on the Xperia Z2/Z3, is very fast indeed. There is basically no lag at all (less than I recall on the iPhone 5S I used for a while).
The app selection in my view, is about the same nowadays.
The hardware selection is better - you'll find an Android phone that fits your selection. Not to say that the iPhone won't but Android will, I am 99% confident.
The thing about updates is true I suppose. I feel that it's getting better, with HTC pushing updates within three months of Google, Motorola doing it basically straight away. I guess it comes down to choice again as you can get a Nexus if you want instant updates.
Furthermore, Android is far more customisable. Something doesn't work the way you like it? Fix it - it's just that simple. Also rooting isn't too difficult and doesn't tend to get blocked unlike jailbreaking (although to be fair, rooting is often officially supported).
I prefer Android these days, over iOS because I feel that it works better and I find the app selection, at least for what I use, better. This is coming from an iPhone 3G to 5S user so I feel that I am at least slightly objective.
I hope that helps 🙂
Stock Android, HTC Sense or the UI used by Sony on the Xperia Z2/Z3, is very fast indeed. There is basically no lag at all (less than I recall on the iPhone 5S I used for a while).
The app selection in my view, is about the same nowadays.
The hardware selection is better - you'll find an Android phone that fits your selection. Not to say that the iPhone won't but Android will, I am 99% confident.
The thing about updates is true I suppose. I feel that it's getting better, with HTC pushing updates within three months of Google, Motorola doing it basically straight away. I guess it comes down to choice again as you can get a Nexus if you want instant updates.
Furthermore, Android is far more customisable. Something doesn't work the way you like it? Fix it - it's just that simple. Also rooting isn't too difficult and doesn't tend to get blocked unlike jailbreaking (although to be fair, rooting is often officially supported).
I prefer Android these days, over iOS because I feel that it works better and I find the app selection, at least for what I use, better. This is coming from an iPhone 3G to 5S user so I feel that I am at least slightly objective.
I hope that helps 🙂
Shanghaichica
macrumors G5
HTC et al were equally as bad pre ice cream sandwich days. I think some people may have used Android devices in the early days and have bad memories from then.
Samsung don't deserve the blame for any of android's perceived short comings.
Whilst I agree with your first statement, Samsung do deserve the blame Android gets today.
Ulenspiegel
macrumors 68040
Agrees 100%.
(And looks at his Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 that still has Honeycomb for years w/o any official upgrade and freezes all the time).
Coming from somebody who used the Samsung Galaxy S2, Note, S3, Note 2, S4, Note 3, and S5 and finally the Note 4, I can tell you how awful Samsung's software is. It hiccups, stutters, and lags all the time. No matter how powerful the specs, their phones all feel sluggish. Using the HTC one m8 was a completely different story. Android really is a good alternative. Just don't use Samsung. Rumor has it the S6 will have a stripped down version of Touch Wiz. Will it still lag though?
Shanghaichica
macrumors G5
As someone who has used the original note, note 3 , S3, S4 and S5 I don't think they are that bad. They have improved a lot over the years. However when I had the nexus 7 2013 for a few months last year I realised that stock android was a lot faster and more fluid. To be honest there wasn't much difference between stock and iOS. Unfortunately I find vanilla android boring and I think it's only when I ran it side by side with touch wiz on the S5 that I noticed the difference. In isolation touch wiz was ok.
However I'm firmly in the iOS camp again. 🙂
Funny because every samsung phone I have owned has bad lag including my new note 4 at times.
Coming from Android since 2009 (original Moto Droid), I'll tell you this.
Android is great for many reasons. It's customizable, you have many choices of phone types across all carriers, fairly reliable, and relatively easy to use or get adjusted to. Having a back, home and recents button is nice, and you can either have it displayed on screen or as a hardware key.
Now... you see the argument about how Android is slow, etc etc. This is true on some devices. Apple optimizes their iOS for more-or-less the same platform, the iPhone. Makes it easier to deploy updates. The individual Android OEM's, like Samsung or Motorola or LG, regulate their own updates to their individual devices. This takes time and effort, and the updates aren't always smooth. I had the 2013 Motorola Moto X on VZW, and when the update to 4.4.2 came out, my battery life suffered and Bluetooth failed constantly. However the folks with the same phone on AT&T or Sprint or TMobile may not have had this issue with their 4.4.2 update.
Then you have Samsung, and TOUCHWIZ. It's gotten better over the years and my fiance's Note 4 isn't too bad, but good lord does it slow the phone down. The OEM's skin on top of Android sometimes kills the phone completely. LG's skin isn't bad, but the best right now as far as big name OEM's is Motorola, their phones are about as close to pure "vanilla" Android as can be. The Droid Turbo and 2014 Moto X are nice phones.
Also take into consideration... screens. My 6+ is the first phone with an LCD screen in a long time, I'm used to the vivid AMOLED screens. If you're not concerned about "accurate" colors and want a nice screen with colors that pop, AMOLEDs are nice. LCD's seem to be a tad more accurate and last longer. AMOLEDs suffer from "burn-in". My Galaxy S3 and Moto X had this after a year of moderate use, and the only cure is to buy a new screen or new phone. But... LCD's are more prone to uneven backlight issues.
Both operating systems are great, just depends on what you want out of your phone. I came to the iPhone to try something new since they're now bigger.
Android is great for many reasons. It's customizable, you have many choices of phone types across all carriers, fairly reliable, and relatively easy to use or get adjusted to. Having a back, home and recents button is nice, and you can either have it displayed on screen or as a hardware key.
Now... you see the argument about how Android is slow, etc etc. This is true on some devices. Apple optimizes their iOS for more-or-less the same platform, the iPhone. Makes it easier to deploy updates. The individual Android OEM's, like Samsung or Motorola or LG, regulate their own updates to their individual devices. This takes time and effort, and the updates aren't always smooth. I had the 2013 Motorola Moto X on VZW, and when the update to 4.4.2 came out, my battery life suffered and Bluetooth failed constantly. However the folks with the same phone on AT&T or Sprint or TMobile may not have had this issue with their 4.4.2 update.
Then you have Samsung, and TOUCHWIZ. It's gotten better over the years and my fiance's Note 4 isn't too bad, but good lord does it slow the phone down. The OEM's skin on top of Android sometimes kills the phone completely. LG's skin isn't bad, but the best right now as far as big name OEM's is Motorola, their phones are about as close to pure "vanilla" Android as can be. The Droid Turbo and 2014 Moto X are nice phones.
Also take into consideration... screens. My 6+ is the first phone with an LCD screen in a long time, I'm used to the vivid AMOLED screens. If you're not concerned about "accurate" colors and want a nice screen with colors that pop, AMOLEDs are nice. LCD's seem to be a tad more accurate and last longer. AMOLEDs suffer from "burn-in". My Galaxy S3 and Moto X had this after a year of moderate use, and the only cure is to buy a new screen or new phone. But... LCD's are more prone to uneven backlight issues.
Both operating systems are great, just depends on what you want out of your phone. I came to the iPhone to try something new since they're now bigger.
Android's biggest differentiator is also its biggest problem: open source.
Google cannot say to Samsung: "Your software sucks, change it!", because Android is open-source. Developers can change it however they want. This of course has many advantages: don't like something, change it, don't like Touchwiz? Download CyanogenMod. And so on...
iOS is closed-source which for (some) developers and users is a pain but it does mean that Apple have a lot more control and with that better optimisation.
But I don't find HTC Sense (at least its newest version) to be bad at all, probably because it's so close to stock - the M8 never lags at all. The Xperia Z3 also never lags because again, its software is virtually stock. Before Motorola switched to stock Android (being bought by Google probably had a lot to do with that; I know Lenovo own them now), their UI was horrible, slow and laggy. Today, the Moto E runs more smoothly than the Galaxy S5 in certain tasks.
Notice a pattern emerging here?
Google cannot say to Samsung: "Your software sucks, change it!", because Android is open-source. Developers can change it however they want. This of course has many advantages: don't like something, change it, don't like Touchwiz? Download CyanogenMod. And so on...
iOS is closed-source which for (some) developers and users is a pain but it does mean that Apple have a lot more control and with that better optimisation.
But I don't find HTC Sense (at least its newest version) to be bad at all, probably because it's so close to stock - the M8 never lags at all. The Xperia Z3 also never lags because again, its software is virtually stock. Before Motorola switched to stock Android (being bought by Google probably had a lot to do with that; I know Lenovo own them now), their UI was horrible, slow and laggy. Today, the Moto E runs more smoothly than the Galaxy S5 in certain tasks.
Notice a pattern emerging here?
I'm currently testing out a Note 4. Love the device and customizability, but hate hate hate most of my favorite apps on Android. Those same apps on Apple look very polished and are much more user friendly than on Android. This is really bothering me. On my 5s right now and am tempted to wait for the 6s+.
-The slow updates if you don't own a Nexus device
-Bad battery life on the nexus devices and the moto X which are in my opinion some of the really best of android has to offer
- Ios gets apps first, for example android does not have the new facebook app which is infinitely better than the official facebook app(Paper)
-The games catalogue its very poor compared to IOS
-The launcher reloads itself (it drives me crazy) , is it really that hard for google to force the launcher to be always loaded on the device's memory?🙄
-There's still some wonkiness, jank or lag, supposedly the next iteration of lollipop will fix it, but I'm not holding my breath
- The cameras are pretty bad and I think it has to do with the way android itself processes the images, it cannot be that the only devices whose cameras come close to the iphone 6 are the galaxy S 5 and the Note 4
-Nothing remotely close to touch id
That would be it, I love the way lollipop looks, material design and the apps that follow its guidelines are really pretty, notifications are light years ahead of ios, the homescreen customization is a lot better than on ios, the ios homescreen is basically an app drawer :/, the way you can share anything you want without having to wait for lazy developers to implement their share extension, the choice of devices, the wood moto x 2014 is amazing, the HTC One M8 is amazing, the thin bezels, 4k video recording...
I tried to be as impartial as possible, but you asked about the bad stuff so that's what I'm focusing on 😉
Would you care to elaborate which apps, I keep reading that comment, but I don't feel that way myself
-Bad battery life on the nexus devices and the moto X which are in my opinion some of the really best of android has to offer
- Ios gets apps first, for example android does not have the new facebook app which is infinitely better than the official facebook app(Paper)
-The games catalogue its very poor compared to IOS
-The launcher reloads itself (it drives me crazy) , is it really that hard for google to force the launcher to be always loaded on the device's memory?🙄
-There's still some wonkiness, jank or lag, supposedly the next iteration of lollipop will fix it, but I'm not holding my breath
- The cameras are pretty bad and I think it has to do with the way android itself processes the images, it cannot be that the only devices whose cameras come close to the iphone 6 are the galaxy S 5 and the Note 4
-Nothing remotely close to touch id
That would be it, I love the way lollipop looks, material design and the apps that follow its guidelines are really pretty, notifications are light years ahead of ios, the homescreen customization is a lot better than on ios, the ios homescreen is basically an app drawer :/, the way you can share anything you want without having to wait for lazy developers to implement their share extension, the choice of devices, the wood moto x 2014 is amazing, the HTC One M8 is amazing, the thin bezels, 4k video recording...
I tried to be as impartial as possible, but you asked about the bad stuff so that's what I'm focusing on 😉
Would you care to elaborate which apps, I keep reading that comment, but I don't feel that way myself
Last edited: