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Mobile OSs I Tried Android Again… Why Does It Feel Like a Group Project That Never Ends?
- Thread starter steelslicerx
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MacInTO
macrumors 68000
I just switched back to Android as my main phone. My backup/second will be my iphone and I couldn't be happier. It was a four and a half year experiment with iOS.
I like the transit passes in Apple wallet but didn't like how Apple pay worked so I never paid for goods with it. Paying with Google wallet is much easier for me - I only have to present an unlocked phone and tap - no buttons to press and I can unlock with face, fingerprint or pattern. The dual e/SIM functionality started off well until I switched to iOS 26. After that, whenever I crossed a border, iOS would turn off one of my SIMs. I couldn't figure out what was happening for a while. I found out from apple support that was expected behaviour which was not present in iOS 18. I used almost all Google apps on the iPhone because I still have Android device. Regardless, I couldn't use Apple cloud because it won't back up photos from Android devices. Google happily backs up any device regardless of OS.
My number one reason for switching is the calendar app that I use, aCalendar, it is the most intuitive app I've used. They don't make an iOS version but I tried to find a similar one and it seemed like all calendar apps on iOS work exactly the same - I know because I probably downloaded 50 calendar apps on iOS. Three taps to get anywhere whereas aCalendar is one swipe.
My new phone, a Xiaomi 17, can accept two physical SIMs or two eSIMs or one of each. The switch very smooth - Android copied my data, including 20k songs and downloaded the equivalent apps from the play store that were on my iPhone. The battery capacity is almost double that of iPhone 17 - I've already gotten three days of use from one charge.
I like the transit passes in Apple wallet but didn't like how Apple pay worked so I never paid for goods with it. Paying with Google wallet is much easier for me - I only have to present an unlocked phone and tap - no buttons to press and I can unlock with face, fingerprint or pattern. The dual e/SIM functionality started off well until I switched to iOS 26. After that, whenever I crossed a border, iOS would turn off one of my SIMs. I couldn't figure out what was happening for a while. I found out from apple support that was expected behaviour which was not present in iOS 18. I used almost all Google apps on the iPhone because I still have Android device. Regardless, I couldn't use Apple cloud because it won't back up photos from Android devices. Google happily backs up any device regardless of OS.
My number one reason for switching is the calendar app that I use, aCalendar, it is the most intuitive app I've used. They don't make an iOS version but I tried to find a similar one and it seemed like all calendar apps on iOS work exactly the same - I know because I probably downloaded 50 calendar apps on iOS. Three taps to get anywhere whereas aCalendar is one swipe.
My new phone, a Xiaomi 17, can accept two physical SIMs or two eSIMs or one of each. The switch very smooth - Android copied my data, including 20k songs and downloaded the equivalent apps from the play store that were on my iPhone. The battery capacity is almost double that of iPhone 17 - I've already gotten three days of use from one charge.
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You guys are getting two-shotted by ragebaitAI. Best to not even respond.
Ditto. I find iOS cumbersome to use every time I need to help my wife do something on her iPhone. Oddly, it's also the iPhones in the family that have issues printing to both home printers but no issues from my TriFold or past Fold 4, 5, and 6.
I love MacOS but much prefer Samsung OneUI over my previous iPhones and iOS.
Steve Adams
macrumors 68000
Luftkopf
macrumors 65816
It's each to their own, right? I've been using iOS since v1.1, and for the most part, I like how it works. I get super frustrated every time I have to use my wife's Pixel as Android makes no sense to me. But it wouldn't would it! I've barely ever used it, I don't know it. I'm sure if, for some unknowable reason, I ended up having some random 'droid, I could get up to speed in an afternoon with the internet.
I find the whole Holy War [Mobile Edition] so exhausting. iPhones and iOS are fantastic. Some things could be better, but, internet whiners aside, it's great. I can't speak for the constellation of 'droids, but there seem to be many options that have very strong fans, so I can only assume that many of those devices are actually also quite great, and I'm sure that there's a variant of Android to please every 'droid fan!
I find the whole Holy War [Mobile Edition] so exhausting. iPhones and iOS are fantastic. Some things could be better, but, internet whiners aside, it's great. I can't speak for the constellation of 'droids, but there seem to be many options that have very strong fans, so I can only assume that many of those devices are actually also quite great, and I'm sure that there's a variant of Android to please every 'droid fan!
I completely agree. Once you've got over the hardware honeymoon period you'll find friction somewhere that ruins the illusion.
I mean no disrespect here though but did you rinse this post through AI at all? I mean, its fine if you did (its just for a forum post!) but I see the 'This isn't XXX. Its YYYY.' syntax everywhere on obvious AI-written posts always followed by short two to three word sentences and it can't just be a writing style that has virally spread around.
That tends to be limited to singular words journalists like to copy from each other like 'Colorway', 'Ostensibly', 'Half-Decade' and other overused terms.
I think alot of it is muscle memory, once I got used to android I found that it was easier to use, and it worked for you, not just working as Apple intended. I know that's cliche, but that's my experience. The keyboard and difficulty swiping away spam notifications (compared to Android) is what drove me to my S26U from my 17 pro max.
I think Apple win on Hardware, and software updates (maybe tied with pixels), but the ecosystem benefits can be mostly worked around with third party software, or indeed Android updates (airdrop).
I do love my mac, but I wish iOS played nicer with my Garmin, and google home kit.
cjsuk
macrumors 68020
Android feels cheap and nasty. I don't know anyone who's real motivation to buy it isn't really hiding that they're just being cheap or contrarian. Everyone I've known who bought an Android flagship, mostly Samsung, has an iPhone now because it was an awful experience.
I do actually have an Android handset available, a Pixel 7A, which I bought because it's cheap and I occasionally travel to places which are risky so an iPhone makes you a target. Those are the places where everyone uses Android because they generally can't afford an iPhone.
I do actually have an Android handset available, a Pixel 7A, which I bought because it's cheap and I occasionally travel to places which are risky so an iPhone makes you a target. Those are the places where everyone uses Android because they generally can't afford an iPhone.
If the first post wasn't so unhinged, this would have been one of the funniest wrong takes I've ever seen. I see more people going to Android from iPhone.
iOS looks like they couldn't afford any dyes so it's all see through.
cjsuk
macrumors 68020
I think it depends what part of the world you are in and the economic situation there to be fair.
I mean here in the UK I barely see anyone with Android any more, unless I leave the M25 and enter the badlands.
This is how an AI agent does it.
It probably meant to post on moltbook, but ended up here by mistake.
arkitect
macrumors G3
There is more to the UK than the London-Circle-Jerk you know.
cjsuk
macrumors 68020
There is but it has by far the largest chunk of technology spending, quoted at 53% of all, in the entire country which is the significance.
I live in kent, and the number of people I know here with Android is higher than those with iPhones. I didn't move out of London due to house prices either, although I got a three bed new(ish) build for the price of a studio apartment in London, but I digress.
Even if I go into London, I see lots of Androids on the tube, and indeed colleagues, so I'm not sure you ever leave an apple store. iOS only has a small lead overall in the UK.
pigeonguy
macrumors member
You pick a low-end Android device and compare the price to Apple's latest & greatest devices.
lol
capamac
macrumors 6502a
Worldwide, Android is winning and it's not close. https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/mobile/worldwide
WarmWinterHat
Suspended
My wife is a die-hard Pixel user (and is she is definitely not cheap or contrarian), and when I use her phone, it kinda feels fresh and nice. I keep eyeballing the Pixel, and might end up purchasing one for myself if Apple doesn't clean up the Liquid Glass nonsense, or at last give me options to disable it in a more complete way.
As for people with android to iphone, i've seen both ways. Coworker of mine moved from iPhone (and apple watch) to Samsung a few months ago because he is tired of Apple "blowing smoke up his ass", his words.. He's not a techy person, either.
I really, don't enjoy using my iPhone anymore. That's probably why my screen time is >hour a day now. The Mac is still alright. I don't care anything about iMessage or the ecosystem...i actually try and avoid ecosystems where I can.
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Luftkopf
macrumors 65816
I don’t have enough experience with Android to comment on details. Given that every time I have had to use an Android it has been massively irritating, I still love my iPhone 14, and I like iOS 26, I can’t imagine what would have to happen to make me contemplate switching.
I have never had difficulty swiping away notifications, do I don’t know what was going on there.
The benefit of the ecosystem is that I don’t have to mess around with third party stuff if I don’t want to!
martin2345uk
macrumors 68000
One small thing I really hate on my Android is how thin and feint the signal/wifi strength bars are at the top. I can hardly make them out! I like Apple's chunkier implementation.
ClaraStahlbaum
macrumors 6502a
I have been hesitant about going back to Android for a while now. IOS/Iphone has a way of making things feel very "premium".
I know you're referring to the look of said bars, but I often tease my wife about her iPhone 15 Pro because my Samsung phones seem to always get better reception. Yay for the premium EMF!
MacInTO
macrumors 68000
I don't find I "need" any additional devices. I don't own a laptop (other than my work laptop) or ipad. I get along just fine with my phone and do everything on it. I can pull work reports, dashboards, etc., as well as my everyday stuff. Am I a power user in terms of apps, no. But do I do more with it thanFB/IG etc., absolutely.