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Easiest way to go from iPhone to Android? (cloud syncing contacts, iCal)

miamialley

miamialley

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jul 28, 2008
3,609
1,085
California, USA
I've had the iPhone since the original. However, if the next iPhone is still 3.5" I'm going to make sure my next phone is Android (Galaxy S2?). The only thing keeping me from going to Android is that I like the Apple ecosystem. That said, what's the best way to link an Android phone with the Apple ecosystem (contacts, iCal)? I'm not sure that it can be done in a way that is as fluid. I kind of feel stuck with Apple, having a MBP, iPhone, and iPad. Once you go Mac, they make it hard to go back. (or away, but that doesn't have a ring to it)
 
I tried what you are wanting to do, same phone and everything, and as much fun as Android is, I'm going back to an iPhone, regardless of what screen size the next one is. The integration is really the biggest selling point like you said, it's hard to go back when you are already pretty "Apple-fied". And nothing beats the iPod app for music on Android.

But just in case you do switch, do what I did. Sync all your contacts with Gmail that way when you log in on an Android phone, they all sync. iCal is the same idea, sync it with Google Calendar, and again it'll sync over to the phone. Basically transfer everything to the Google version and Android will pretty much take care of the rest.
 
If I remember correctly, you can export your iCal to a file and import into your Google account online. You can also do the same with your contacts. You can also sync your iTunes library using one of several apps available in Android Market, the most popular being Doubletwist.

Also just so you know, it's much easier to co-exist with Apple and other platforms if you just use Gmail for your mail, calendar and contact needs. The reason I say that is you can set up Google accounts natively in iCal, Address Book, and Mail in OSX. So once you move your stuff over to Google, it's easier to move between iOS, Android, Mac OSX and Windows if you just keep everything in Google.

As for apps, keep the iPhone as an iPod Touch that way you don't loose the ability to use apps you paid for. Also having an iPad helps with that. I've found that pretty much any major app that is in iOS is also in the Android Market, although generally the iOS version is a little more polished.

I love Apple and my iPhone 4 but I really am platform agnostic. I go with what is best for me at the time. At present it's the iPhone 4 but if they come out with a lame incremental update iPhone 4S with the same 3.5" or even a 3.7" screen, then I'm out, and will be getting the next best Android (Prime or HTC Vigor) on Verizon.
 
The easiest way would be to move everything from the Apple ecosystem, to the Google ecosystem. Have your address book contacts sync to gmail, and your iCal events to Google calendar. Then when you set up your Android phone, just link it with your Google account, and that info will sync over to your Android phone.
 
LOL do not use any of the rubbish software that comes with the phone, go straight for the Google option and keep it simple.

Unlike Apple devices you would not believe the world of pain you can land yourself in with some of these included software solutions. Shocking.
 
just use gmail same function as of mobileme! Everything will be sync into places and your picture contacts will be on gmail as well. That's wat I did after I sold my iPhone 4 went with Android meanwhile I wait for the iPhone 5.
 
Thanks everyone. So basically, using google to sync iCal and contacts will serve the same function as MobileMe allowing everything to sync automatically over the air? And you're saying I can download a music app that will play my iTunes music? (Doubletwist) Sounds painless enough.

Is there any "Apple" functionality that I won't be able to duplicate?
 
As everyone else has noted, use Google for contacts, calendar and mail.

It makes life so much easier. Virtually every device out there supports them and their push.

My mobile development lab has lots of different phones, and it's humorous to hear the almost simultaneous iOS, Android, and WinPhone7 chimes when a GMail comes in. (Just cal / contacts on Blackberry.) Add a calendar event or contact on your home computer, and every other device is instantly updated.

As for your other question, lifehacker.com just had an article on "Getting an iTunes experience with Android".
 
This is such a sad thought. Unfortunately, i might be following suit, if the iPhone upgrade doesn't meet my expectations as well.
 
miamialley said:
Is there any "Apple" functionality that I won't be able to duplicate?
Click to expand...

Not that I know of. I used to have an HD2 running Android and I never found anything it couldn't do equally as well as my iPhone. Some functions are approached in a slightly different way, but they are still all there.
 
kdarling said:
As everyone else has noted, use Google for contacts, calendar and mail.

It makes life so much easier. Virtually every device out there supports them and their push.

My mobile development lab has lots of different phones, and it's humorous to hear the almost simultaneous iOS, Android, and WinPhone7 chimes when a GMail comes in. (Just cal / contacts on Blackberry.) Add a calendar event or contact on your home computer, and every other device is instantly updated.

As for your other question, lifehacker.com just had an article on "Getting an iTunes experience with Android".
Click to expand...

+1 to this as well. I use Gmail/contacts/calendars.. Very easy to grab any phone (iPhone, WP7, Android, webOS, etc), add my account and get everything there no hassle.
 
I have to admit here that I am very tempted to do the same and really look at Android. Not because I feel that Apple owes me anything in the next iteration of the iphone though. I just get bored with devices and operating systems, particularly when it comes to phones. I don't think I have ever stayed with one type of phone for more than 2 years. I have been with the iPhone since the 3G, so that has lasted me 3 years already. I think the only reason I have stayed with it for so long is because I am pretty heavy into the jailbreak scene, which has helped keep the phone's OS fresh for me. But now I don't know. It is getting a bit stale. Another month will tell me what I need to know I guess. Here's hoping Apple. :D:apple:
 
Agent-P said:
The easiest way would be to move everything from the Apple ecosystem, to the Google ecosystem. Have your address book contacts sync to gmail, and your iCal events to Google calendar. Then when you set up your Android phone, just link it with your Google account, and that info will sync over to your Android phone.
Click to expand...

Then, reverse this process when you move back to the iPhone.
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 2.3.4; en-gb; Nexus S Build/GRJ22) AppleWebKit/533.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile Safari/533.1)

I've synced same contact/calendar and email info across plenty of platforms using Google Sync. WP7, Android, Mac OSX & and iOS play very well together.
 
miamialley said:
Thanks everyone. So basically, using google to sync iCal and contacts will serve the same function as MobileMe allowing everything to sync automatically over the air? And you're saying I can download a music app that will play my iTunes music? (Doubletwist) Sounds painless enough.

Is there any "Apple" functionality that I won't be able to duplicate?
Click to expand...

boss.king said:
Not that I know of. I used to have an HD2 running Android and I never found anything it couldn't do equally as well as my iPhone. Some functions are approached in a slightly different way, but they are still all there.
Click to expand...

I too used an HD2 with android. Really the only thing I found myself missing was the iOS music player (I'm gonna set aside my complaints about android as an OS). Nothing beats the iOS music player IMO.
 
Moving from iPhone to Android? I suppose if you're also inclined to go from a Maybach to a Mazda. And this from the guy who will skewer Apple if it simply amuses me. I am a PC and have little tolerance for Apple BS, but having used both, I am far more impressed with the quality of the hardware and software of the iPhone. (They won me over by a hard won battle the iPhone 4 was my first)
 
Thanks for all the feedback. It's nice to feel like I at least can make a choice to leave the iPhone and not lose out in some big way. 3.5" is just a toy compared to new Android phones. If Apple doesn't get that at this point, then oh well.
 
Last edited:
Agent-P said:
I too used an HD2 with android. Really the only thing I found myself missing was the iOS music player (I'm gonna set aside my complaints about android as an OS). Nothing beats the iOS music player IMO.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's the one thing I noticed too. While there were still average music players out there, the iPod interface is a lot better than any I found. This may have changed by now though.
 
miamialley said:
Thanks for all the feedback. It's nice to feel like I at least can make a choice to leave the iPhone and not lose out is some big way. 3.5" is just a toy compared to new Android phones. If Apple doesn't get that at this point, then oh well.
Click to expand...

what makes it a toy? and .5" really a determining factor over ecosystem/UI/apps ?
 
newyorksole said:
what makes it a toy? and .5" really a determining factor over ecosystem/UI/apps ?
Click to expand...

The half inch and the four year old UI/OS make the iPhone look silly next to other phones which are so customizable with larger screens and faster processors. Even iOS 5 is fairly ho hum.
 
Just use the excellent Exchange features that Gmail provides.

And please everybody, stop calling it syncing... When I visit a website, I don't "sync" my browser with the server of that website, I just visit the website. Using Exchange for contacts, mail and calendar is the same idea.
 
miamialley said:
Thanks everyone. So basically, using google to sync iCal and contacts will serve the same function as MobileMe allowing everything to sync automatically over the air? And you're saying I can download a music app that will play my iTunes music? (Doubletwist) Sounds painless enough.

Is there any "Apple" functionality that I won't be able to duplicate?
Click to expand...

One of the things that keeps me with Apple is the iTunes integration. I have all my media in iTunes and I have a lot of smart playlists setup to filter out what to sync and not to sync. While it frustrates me at times as well, there really are no other options on the Android side - even google music beta doesn't currently have near the feature set of media management of iTunes.

There are some extra programs you can add that will sync iTunes with your android device, but relying on a third party app just seems like adding another place for things to fail and I would still be using iTunes in the end anyway so what have I really gained?

I would love for somebody to put out a real competitor to iTunes for media and podcast management but so far nobody has.
 
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