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yanksfan114

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 30, 2011
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I'm debating trying out the new S8. It's a gorgeous device and has a lot of greate features I am dying to try. The only MAJOR inconvenience is iMessage right now. Anyone have reasons for trying an android device but then ultimately switching back?
 
I tried out the note 7 when it came out and it was an awesome phone! I might have even still been using it if that whole mess didn't happen, but I went to an S7 edge which is also a great phone but like you I really missed iMessage and also iCloud sharing. My whole family has iPhones so it just works out better to have one as well. I'm happy with my iPhone 7 now though, I think the biggest thing I miss about the Samsung phones is the notification LED and toolbar
 
A lot of people say they miss iMessage but I'm not real sure why. Can't you just send a text? I've only ever had iPhones so I don't really know any different.
 
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A lot of people say they miss iMessage but I'm not real sure why. Can't you just send a text? I've only ever had iPhones so I don't really know any different.

iMessage has a few things I like. It doesn't compress pictures/videos as much as (if at all) as regular texting/other apps. I like the blue bubble. Yes I'm crazy. I also like seeing that my recipient is typing. I know this is available on other apps but it's an added bonus along with the other things I mentioned. The first thing I mentioned is the biggest plus to iMessage.
 
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A lot of people say they miss iMessage but I'm not real sure why. Can't you just send a text? I've only ever had iPhones so I don't really know any different.

Well outside the US unlimited text plans can be quite pricey. But now with whatsapp that's not really an issue anymore.

I don't understand the iMessage arguement anymore either.
 
Well outside the US unlimited text plans can be quite pricey. But now with whatsapp that's not really an issue anymore.

I don't understand the iMessage arguement anymore either.
Group chats are a big thing and now even more so with the new additions they added in iOS 10. Sending Apple Music links, rich links to websites, seeing location, liking / disliking texts, etc. Just a ton of very small things that makes me love it.
 
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I'm debating trying out the new S8. It's a gorgeous device and has a lot of greate features I am dying to try. The only MAJOR inconvenience is iMessage right now. Anyone have reasons for trying an android device but then ultimately switching back?

I actually just switched from an S7 Edge to an iPhone 7 Plus last week. I had it for almost 10 months. I have had mostly iPhones since they have come out but I have owned about 4 or 5 different Android phones in the past. I tend to switch OS’es every few years but I never can seem to stick with Android for longer than a year.

Android is a great OS and I really really enjoy it. But what leads me back to iOS each time is the battery, the slowing down of my devices as well as missing iMessage and the Apple ecosystem. The S7 edge in particular was a wonderful phone! It was gorgeous and I loved it until I hit my 6th month mark. I was getting 6-7 hours of screen on time and then slowly it started plummeting all the way down to 3 hours of use and under. I ended up having to disable quite a few things and really had to baby it to get my screen on time back up to closer to 4 hours. In the end it didn’t matter much cause my battery just kept getting worse, anyway.

Of course everyone is different! My experience may not be yours and you could possibly love it and have no issues.
 
I had the S7 for around a year and the S5 for a year. Before that the iPhone 6+. I came back to the iPhone 7 but now I have the SE. I'm never in contract as I swap before time.

In my option as a lover of both android for many years and iOS for many years, android has complicated settings (android N) and a clock widget in my use and I don't customise really. iOS is nice and clean just get on with what you want to do without fighting the OS. Quality apps etc etc.

The S8 even as a person that's ok with android bar the screen is a letdown. Same camera, not really required speed bump etc. I think Samsung would have pushed the boat out if the Note 7 went well. Now I think the Note 8 will be the killer.
 
I had 3 Samsung note phones (3, 4 and 7) in 2 years. 6 years of apple before that and now back to apple. After the note 7 recall I came back. As much as I liked the spen and its features, Samsung has a crappy strategy regarding the products (no note 5 in Europe) and upgrades (I bought a high end tablet and it never received upgrades, it got discontinued and forgotten with android 4 kit kat). And that constant battery drain of some google services...God those are annoying.
Yes, those displays are amazing but this ecosystem is more useful for me. It sounds like a cliche, I know, but if you're into this ecosystem you'll miss it after the honeymoon phase.
How on earth can Samsung launch a flagship with an incomplete voice assistant? And apparently European owners have to wait until q4 for bixby. At that level and for that price tag it shouldn't happen.
If you want to try it, it's ok. I always prefer regret something I did rather that something I didn't. Whatever makes you happy :)
But you'll come back and appreciate even more that 5 years testing Apple does before implementing something in its products :) I know I do, now :)
 
It's not the same camera though. And what does not really required speed bump mean? The 835 is much better than last years chip.

http://www.phonearena.com/news/Gala...ony-IMX333-and-Samsung-camera-sensors_id92623

I stand corrected on the camera.

8 cores vs 2 and not as fast? I would never hate on android as I will return one day but it requires a lot of power to remain quick. Also the above point about battery is true. Android requires 3000mah (S7) but the iPhone 7 copes with 1960mah.
 
I stand corrected on the camera.

8 cores vs 2 and not as fast? I would never hate on android as I will return one day but it requires a lot of power to remain quick. Also the above point about battery is true. Android requires 3000mah (S7) but the iPhone 7 copes with 1960mah.

Yeah the power and battery things are true. Android is not as optimized as iOS and it's because Apple really puts their foot down on what is allowed, what can and can't run and when etc... Whereas Android lets processes go wild. The recently released beta of Android O is dealing with this though. It severely limits what can run in the background, which a is a huge step for android and will hopefully close the gap a bit with iOS in terms of speed/ram management/battery life.
 
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Just one reason: a global phone. Widely recognized and optimized. Less hassle.

Also I have accumulated so much iOS specific data that I cannot use any android without hassle and many duplicate app purchases.

Well outside the US unlimited text plans can be quite pricey. But now with whatsapp that's not really an issue anymore.

I don't understand the iMessage arguement anymore either.
Quite the contrary, in Australia you can get unlimited donestic call, SMS and MMS in as little as $22/mo. Quite cheap.
 
A lot of people say they miss iMessage but I'm not real sure why. Can't you just send a text? I've only ever had iPhones so I don't really know any different.
I like iMessage because sometimes the emojis don't translate to Android. I know this sounds simple, but my 11 yr old daughter and I have a great time texting one another through iMessage :D

I love Facetime because I have family in other states; and the lack of bloatware on an iPhone is an added bonus.
 
On the Apple OS I wish it would automatically alphabetize apps like Android does.
 
Alphabetize where? It does that in settings, for example.

On the Iphone ipad screen. Apps are not automatically put in order a-z. I have most of mine in folders on my ipad so its not an issue. On the phones, though, if you have a few pages of apps you have to hunt for the one you want. I know you can move them around manually and that is what I end up doing. Or put the apps I use frequently on a separate page
 
On the Iphone ipad screen. Apps are not automatically put in order a-z. I have most of mine in folders on my ipad so its not an issue. On the phones, though, if you have a few pages of apps you have to hunt for the one you want. I know you can move them around manually and that is what I end up doing. Or put the apps I use frequently on a separate page

I just use the finger pulldown anywhere on the home screen (outside of the very top) and start to type to search. Takes a second maybe 2 to find an app.
 
On the Iphone ipad screen. Apps are not automatically put in order a-z. I have most of mine in folders on my ipad so its not an issue. On the phones, though, if you have a few pages of apps you have to hunt for the one you want. I know you can move them around manually and that is what I end up doing. Or put the apps I use frequently on a separate page
I see. Generally people put them in the order they want as far as their usage goes basically. There's also Spotlight search accessible from any screen essentially that can be used to quickly find an app. That said, I believe there's the option to reset home screen layout, which sets up the first home screen as it came by default, and then from second home screen and on it places 3rd party apps in alphabetical order (without any folders).
 
Well outside the US unlimited text plans can be quite pricey. But now with whatsapp that's not really an issue anymore.

I don't understand the iMessage arguement anymore either.
Last I used whatsapp, you can only use it on one device.

Meanwhile, one of the features I like most about iOS is iMessage and SMS forwarding to all my iOS devices (2x iPhone 7, 1x iPad Pro 9.7, 1x iPad Air 2). More often than not, my iPhone is just in my purse while I answer calls and messages on the iPad.

FB Messenger is the only multi-device messenger I know of but I have no desire to FB friend all my contacts.
 
I see. Generally people put them in the order they want as far as their usage goes basically. There's also Spotlight search accessible from any screen essentially that can be used to quickly find an app. That said, I believe there's the option to reset home screen layout, which sets up the first home screen as it came by default, and then from second home screen and on it places 3rd party apps in alphabetical order (without any folders).

Thanks for tips!!
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I just use the finger pulldown anywhere on the home screen (outside of the very top) and start to type to search. Takes a second maybe 2 to find an app.

Very true. Thanks!!
 
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