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Other Leaving iPhone after 20 years

robvalentine said:
iMessage and the blue bubbles crap is a US centric thing.
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You not being a fan of something doesn’t make it crap. I’d take iMessage and Signal over WhatsApp and its Meta AI mess any day.
In the end, WhatsApp is still owned by Zuckerberg, and the amount of data collection from the app is staggering regardless of E2EE. So much so that I even have contact access disabled due to an incident in the past.


TumbleDryer said:
I've been using NordVPN for years to block ads so that will be one of the apps I download first.
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It’s not the IP address that you need to be worried about these days, but the trackers across the apps. NordVPN blocks some trackers but not as much as a full-fledged one like NextDNS. The biggest benefit you get from using a VPN is obscuring your location, but tracking is much more than pins on a map.

Use a VPN when on public, unsecured networks, but block trackers everywhere and always if you’re concerned with privacy.
 
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Artemiz said:
You not being a fan of something doesn’t make it crap. I’d take iMessage and Signal over WhatsApp and its Meta AI mess any day.
In the end, WhatsApp is still owned by Zuckerberg, and the amount of data collection from the app is staggering regardless of E2EE. So much so that I even have contact access disabled due to an incident in the past.



It’s not the IP address that you need to be worried about these days, but the trackers across the apps. NordVPN blocks some trackers but not as much as a full-fledged one like NextDNS. The biggest benefit you get from using a VPN is obscuring your location, but tracking is much more than pins on a map.

Use a VPN when on public, unsecured networks, but block trackers everywhere and always if you’re concerned with privacy.
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I only use WhatsApp because the majority of the country uses it by default. Id prefer iMessage myself but only one person I know does.

I use the ThreatProtectionPro option within NordVPN. I regularly get emails from Google saying it’s blocking parts of my account because it can’t determine if I’m over 18 or not. They have also changed my account location to Albania because that’s where I choose to set the VPN. I’ve done that for so long the think that’s where I’m based despite me setting it to UK initially. I get practically no spam, no ads and hardly any trackers when browsing so it’s working well. Maybe it won’t be as effective on Android but I’m pretty happy with the level of protection it offers.
 
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TumbleDryer said:
It's not an assumption over 75% of UK adults use WhatsApp, however I did kind of insinuate everyone with that statement. So I stand corrected. 👍
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I have a friend in Birmingham who I use iMessage with. Started iMessaging him with a 3GS in 2012. I don't use WhatsApp and SMS/RCS will result in being charged (both him and me). So that's the only way we stay in touch (besides email).
 
TumbleDryer said:
*I've put this in iPhone forum as not sure where best to place it. Feel free to move it.

After 20 years of iPhone today I finally stepped out of the garden. I’m not happy with Apples current direction, particularly the quality of software and degradation of usability.

I’ve been using Apple devices exclusively for over 30 years and at times championed them over the competition because they were the best in hardware, software and usability. It’s what made Apple Apple but it is no longer the case for me. I’m tired of having to work harder to achieve the same results. Daft UI decisions that makes usability more difficult just so Apple can save money and put out a unified OS across all devices instead of tailored devices that suit the hardware for a best in class experience, couple that with a massive increase in bugs being put out over the years and it’s time I try out something new.

So I’ve bought a Nothing™ Phone 4a that just got launched today. It runs a stripped back version of Android with its own minimal OS that focuses on minimal distraction (the complete opposite of iOS26 and LiquidGlass). I personally think the phone and the OS look great. A bonus of preordering I've just unexpectedly been given a free set of Nothing Headphones worth £79 so that's pretty cool too. I’m looking forward to receiving everything next week even though I have literally no experience with Android devices.

I don’t take enough photos to be bothered about camera tech, I don’t need massive battery or high screen refresh. I just want a phone that allows me to communicate so I’ve gone for the 4a as its the very latest phone from them and its incredibly priced for the specs, even though that’s not why I went for it. I went for the 4a because Nothings focus aligns with mine - getting stuff done with minimal distraction. So I’m jumping to the dark side after 20 years of iPhone.

Im sure there will be many people rolling their eyes asking why does this warrant a thread but for me personally its a very big shift and while I’m looking forward to getting away from iOS26 I am also a little nervous about Android and it foibles.

Any tips on how to protect myself would be appreciated and even your own experiences of switching or thoughts about switching. Why did you switch and how have you found it? Are you an Android user or better yet a Nothing OS user, what do you or don't you like about it?
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A wall of text, don’t need to announce your departure
 
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TumbleDryer said:
I only use WhatsApp because the majority of the country uses it by default. Id prefer iMessage myself but only one person I know does.

I use the ThreatProtectionPro option within NordVPN. I regularly get emails from Google saying it’s blocking parts of my account because it can’t determine if I’m over 18 or not. They have also changed my account location to Albania because that’s where I choose to set the VPN. I’ve done that for so long the think that’s where I’m based despite me setting it to UK initially. I get practically no spam, no ads and hardly any trackers when browsing so it’s working well. Maybe it won’t be as effective on Android but I’m pretty happy with the level of protection it offers.
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Used to be a 24/7 VPN person myself until a few years ago. Now I just stick to blocking an extensive list of trackers using NextDNS and browse on Safari with iCloud Private Relay enabled. Less battery intensive as well since blocking is at DNS level and handled by a server instead of the device.

You can always check how effectively your trackers are blocked by the EFF website

coveryourtracks.eff.org

Cover Your Tracks

See how trackers view your browser
coveryourtracks.eff.org coveryourtracks.eff.org
 
TumbleDryer said:
I've been using NordVPN for years to block ads so that will be one of the apps I download first. Biggest question for me is which browser to use? I don't use extensions and do like the bookmarks syncing of iCloud but I can easily live without that. I just want an unobtrusive browsing experience without bells and whistles.
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Samsung Internet is the best I've found. Available for all Android phones.
 
I have switched back and forth to a Pixel 5 from my iPhones. Mostly I'm an iPhone user because the rest of the family uses them and I'm a dedicated Mac user at home.

When moving to Android be sure to sign out of iCloud before you do. And sign out of iMessage separately.

Once I set up Android using a Gmail account as my primary email things went smoothly for the most part. I had a problem receiving text messages in group conversations that began on my iPhone even though the conversations transferred over from my iPhone. I, and everyone in the group chat, had to delete to old convos and start new ones.

You can use your Google Drive for most iCloud things like syncing contacts, documents, and photos. Android and iOS have gotten a lot more similar. The Pixel line seems to give the most "vanilla" Android experience so that's what I chose.
 
Artemiz said:
You not being a fan of something doesn’t make it crap. I’d take iMessage and Signal over WhatsApp and its Meta AI mess any day.
In the end, WhatsApp is still owned by Zuckerberg, and the amount of data collection from the app is staggering regardless of E2EE. So much so that I even have contact access disabled due to an incident in the past.



It’s not the IP address that you need to be worried about these days, but the trackers across the apps. NordVPN blocks some trackers but not as much as a full-fledged one like NextDNS. The biggest benefit you get from using a VPN is obscuring your location, but tracking is much more than pins on a map.

Use a VPN when on public, unsecured networks, but block trackers everywhere and always if you’re concerned with privacy.
Click to expand...
I meant crap in the distain for green bubbles that some Americans seem to have, I did not mean to imply imessage is crap, sorry. I will slate it's lack of interoperability though.
 
eyoungren said:
I've been messaging someone from a previous job for the last couple weeks. All RCS. Both his carrier and my carrier have RCS. So, even though he has an Android and I have an iPhone, I am getting Read Receipts and Delivered messages. I even get the animation when he's typing in a message.

It isn't iMessage of course, but if the color of the bubbles were blue instead of green, I'd have to look in the Message body where it says RCS to know it isn't an iMessage.

My point is that RCS is spreading.

I am mentioning this, just because it's what I've personally experienced. Quit honestly, nothing I do message-wise is so earth-shatteringly private that an SMS wouldn't do the trick. That's just me though, just me.
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As I said before in my other threads a while back, I only had an Android once. It was in late 2022-mid 2023, it was a Samsung A53. I don't think that back then RCS was a thing for Android, as I remember it being RCS only.
 
ClaraStahlbaum said:
As I said before in my other threads a while back, I only had an Android once. It was in late 2022-mid 2023, it was a Samsung A53. I don't think that back then RCS was a thing for Android, as I remember it being RCS only.
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Yeah, it's only just recently (for me) that RCS has really started to show up in regards to messaging. Back in the time frame you mention, it wasn't a thing for me.

However, Apple only started including RCS into iMessage with iOS18. So, 2024. Which, by your time frame, would have meant it wasn't available at all.
 
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eyoungren said:
Yeah, it's only just recently (for me) that RCS has really started to show up in regards to messaging. Back in the time frame you mention, it wasn't a thing for me.

However, Apple only started including RCS into iMessage with iOS18. So, 2024. Which, by your time frame, would have meant it wasn't available at all.
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Makes sense, and that's pretty much what I thought. Despite all the conversations I've had with other people here, I don't entirely understand how switching from IOS to Android would work in terms of keeping my message history, contacts, and group chats.

I know one thing, and that is I am likely not going to try Samsung again. I know that when I tried it back then, certain features weren't available, but it has left a bad taste in my mouth and I don't like the layout of their phones with a "home' button on the screen.
 
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TumbleDryer said:
It's not an assumption over 75% of UK adults use WhatsApp, however I did kind of insinuate everyone with that statement. So I stand corrected. 👍
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It was the "No one in the UK uses iMessage" comment that was the main basis of my reply, many do, maybe not you and yours but many do.
 
ClaraStahlbaum said:
Makes sense, and that's pretty much what I thought. Despite all the conversations I've had with other people here, I don't entirely understand how switching from IOS to Android would work in terms of keeping my message history, contacts, and group chats.

I know one thing, and that is I am likely not going to try Samsung again. I know that when I tried it back then, certain features weren't available, but it has left a bad taste in my mouth and I don't like the layout of their phones with a "home' button on the screen.
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I can totally understand that. Google, unfortunately, took a different tack with Android by allowing it to be licensed by other manufacturers. So, Samsung has it's own version of Android. It's for this reason, when I tried Android in 2020, I stuck with Google and got a Pixel.

Even at that time, just like with Apple, you could set both your iPhone and Android device side by side and Google's transfer app would transfer everything via a wireless connection between the two devices. That's how I got all my stuff transferred to my Pixel. And when I got my 11 Pro Max, that's how I got my stuff transferred back. I didn't lose anything and it was fairly seamless both times. It's 2026 now, so I have to believe it's improved.

I'm not advocating for you (or anyone else) to move to Android. I'm just explaining that some of the hitches may now be less problematic.
 
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eyoungren said:
I can totally understand that. Google, unfortunately, took a different tack with Android by allowing it to be licensed by other manufacturers. So, Samsung has it's own version of Android. It's for this reason, when I tried Android in 2020, I stuck with Google and got a Pixel.

Even at that time, just like with Apple, you could set both your iPhone and Android device side by side and Google's transfer app would transfer everything via a wireless connection between the two devices. That's how I got all my stuff transferred to my Pixel. And when I got my 11 Pro Max, that's how I got my stuff transferred back. I didn't lose anything and it was fairly seamless both times. It's 2026 now, so I have to believe it's improved.

I'm not advocating for you (or anyone else) to move to Android. I'm just explaining that some of the hitches may now be less problematic.
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It seems that Samsung had "Samsung Messages", but it has since been phased out in exchange for Google Messages? I don't know if that is true or not, or if that was a thing during the timeframe I used a Samsung phone. I remember back then it was a pure impulse purchase and I truly knew nothing about Android when I got that phone.
 
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ClaraStahlbaum said:
It seems that Samsung had "Samsung Messages", but it has since been phased out in exchange for Google Messages? I don't know if that is true or not, or if that was a thing during the timeframe I used a Samsung phone. I remember back then it was a pure impulse purchase and I truly knew nothing about Android when I got that phone.
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Samsung messages is still around, but isn't updated anymore, so you are best using Google Messages.
 
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