Other Leaving iPhone after 20 years

[Tsepz]

Op, Good luck. Hope it pans out in the long term. Apple is for me but competition is healthy. Oh, and Apple is still cool. Ask the teenage demographic.

One of the interesting things that people the USA point at for Apple popularity, especially among teenagers, is the whole iMessage blue bubble thing, but the recent success of the iPhone in countries where iMessage is not the top messaging platform seems to disprove that myth.

Here in South Africa the 17, 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max are almost always out of stock with providers having to replenish stock regularly, and we are a country that is huge on WhatsApp, in fact even with many of my friends, colleagues etc…many of whom use iPhone, we communicate on WhatsApp as that is quiet simply the top messaging platform down here.

 

[eyoungren]

No you’re just tied to Google services. Pick your poison.

The poison can be spread around mutually. I also use Google's services, but I use them on my iPhone. Because Apple's services are not cross platform.

But I'd also argue, just as @super chimp does, that I'm not tied to Google either. I make that argument because at any time, I could transfer stuff to my Yahoo accounts and use Yahoo's services. Yahoo's services are also cross platform. I'm sure if I looked hard enough I could also find other services that also work on both Android, iOS, Mac and PC.

I use neither Google nor Apple for Photos. I've been with Dropbox since 2009 and that's the service that handles my images. It's cross platform too.

Apple's services however, largely have the distinction of being tied to iOS/iDevices/Mac.

 

[eyoungren]

One of the interesting things that people the USA point at for Apple popularity, especially among teenagers, is the whole iMessage blue bubble thing, but the recent success of the iPhone in countries where iMessage is not the top messaging platform seems to disprove that myth.

I asked my son once (back when he was in high school, roughly 2017-2021, if that was anything affecting him and his schoolmates. He looked at me like I was a stupid idiot for even asking the question, because it was not. He had friends and classmates who had both iPhone and Androids and no one was treated any differently.

But my son went to charter schools/public schools and graduated from a STEM school.

 

[Tsepz]

I asked my son once (back when he was in high school, roughly 2017-2021, if that was anything affecting him and his schoolmates. He looked at me like I was a stupid idiot for even asking the question, because it was not. He had friends and classmates who had both iPhone and Androids and no one was treated any differently.

But my son went to charter schools/public schools and graduated from a STEM school.

Yep, I think the whole Blue Bubble/Green Bubble thing has truly been blown out of proportion, teens tend to like the more “unknown” stuff, like I know my little sister who turned 18 last year often used Snapchat with her friends, they all have iPhones but they never used iMessage or even WhatsApp that much, their lives were on Snapchat because they wanted to “fly under the radar” AKA use platforms Mom & Dad as well as us her older brothers didn’t use, lol.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Yep, I think the whole Blue Bubble/Green Bubble thing has truly been blown out of proportion, teens tend to like the more “unknown” stuff, like I know my little sister who turned 18 last year often used Snapchat with her friends, they all have iPhones but they never used iMessage or even WhatsApp that much, their lives were on Snapchat because they wanted to “fly under the radar” AKA use platforms Mom & Dad as well as us her older brothers didn’t use, lol.

I wish I could get all my old stick friends onto an App and off Messages.

We have a mix of iOS & Android and Messages just totally sucks in terms of granularity of control on notifications, badges, consistency and flexibility (when mixing with non-iOS folks I mean).

 

[I7guy]

The poison can be spread around mutually. I also use Google's services, but I use them on my iPhone. Because Apple's services are not cross platform.

But I'd also argue, just as @super chimp does, that I'm not tied to Google either. I make that argument because at any time, I could transfer stuff to my Yahoo accounts and use Yahoo's services. Yahoo's services are also cross platform. I'm sure if I looked hard enough I could also find other services that also work on both Android, iOS, Mac and PC.

I use neither Google nor Apple for Photos. I've been with Dropbox since 2009 and that's the service that handles my images. It's cross platform too.

Apple's services however, largely have the distinction of being tied to iOS/iDevices/Mac.

If one has to look “hard” to find cross platform services that’s a damning indictment right there. There are two major providers for all services. Sure Dropbox handles photos but not emails, messages etc.

If I’m willing to live without the deep integration of the Apple services, moving between iOS and android is easy.

 

[eyoungren]

If one has to look “hard” to find cross platform services that’s a damning indictment right there. There are two major providers for all services. Sure Dropbox handles photos but not emails, messages etc.

If I’m willing to live without the deep integration of the Apple services, moving between iOS and android is easy.

Major providers yes. But that does not mean there are no minor providers. I've just never needed to look because I've had Yahoo since 1999 and Google since around 2010 or so. Apple services didn't come along for me until 2012 and by that time there were incompatible with my PowerBook G4.

I'm about 15-17 years behind the current model of Mac and my current iPhone is over 5 years old. So having services that work is important, because solely being Apple means having to get/use hardware I can't afford.

As far as deep integration - there is nothing I do that requires that. And no deep-integration service that Apple provides that I care about.

So, yes, you're right. It IS easy to move between iOS and Android for me. I refuse to be bound by either one.

 

[I7guy]

Major providers yes. But that does not mean there are no minor providers. I've just never needed to look because I've had Yahoo since 1999 and Google since around 2010 or so. Apple services didn't come along for me until 2012 and by that time there were incompatible with my PowerBook G4.

I'm about 15-17 years behind the current model of Mac and my current iPhone is over 5 years old. So having services that work is important, because solely being Apple means having to get/use hardware I can't afford.

As far as deep integration - there is nothing I do that requires that. And no deep-integration service that Apple provides that I care about.

So, yes, you're right. It IS easy to move between iOS and Android for me. I refuse to be bound by either one.

I got where you are coming from. The Apple ecosystem to me is frictionless and that’s what I like. I don’t have half a foot out the door like a married man who is always looking over their shoulder for a better mate.

Most of my entire extended family has Apple devices due to choice. So it’s easy to be in the Apple ecosystem.

But sure, if the grass is greener than we all should be joyed that competition exists.

 

[eyoungren]

I got where you are coming from. The Apple ecosystem to me is frictionless and that’s what I like. I don’t have half a foot out the door like a married man who is always looking over their shoulder for a better mate.

Most of my entire extended family has Apple devices due to choice. So it’s easy to be in the Apple ecosystem.

But sure, if the grass is greener than we all should be joyed that competition exists.

Respectfully, it's not a matter of greener or foot out the door, or anything like that. Originally, I fully intended to be in the Apple ecosystem. But the year I chose to do that, Apple shut down syncing with iTunes on my hardware. There was nowhere else for me to go to use my iPhone the way I was expecting, other than third party services.

Additionally, Apple had some restrictions with the iPhone that I didn't care for. Third party services and jailbreaking allowed me to get what I needed/wanted in the way I expected.

I'm not jailbreaking anymore, but using third party services showed me that I don't need to be bound by any particular service if I choose not to. So, I continue to use third party services. That to me, is frictionless.

Outside of my wife and kids, I don't really communicate with any of my family. Half of them are 30+ years older than I am and the other half are 20+ years younger than I am and involved with their own families/lives. I have nothing in common now with them and nothing in common when I was younger because of the differences in age. I am close to none of them. So if there must be communication, whatever I'm using, is what they are going to get. I'm not conforming to them and I do not expect them to conform to me. They have no bearing at all on what I use since I don't know them.

 

[NUFC2025]

One of the things that really winds me up with pixel UI is the wallpaper scrolling on the home screen.
That has bugged me since I switched over as well as no folders in the app drawer.

I can use a different launcher to solve it but it would be nice lf there was a toggle in the display settings.

 

[MarkX]

One of the things that really winds me up with pixel UI is the wallpaper scrolling on the home screen.
That has bugged me since I switched over as well as no folders in the app drawer.

I can use a different launcher to solve it but it would be nice lf there was a toggle in the display settings.

I was just about to say that doesn't happen on my Pixel but then realised I only have one home screen!

I never knew it scrolled!

 

[NUFC2025]

I was just about to say that doesn't happen on my Pixel but then realised I only have one home screen!

I never knew it scrolled!

Add an app to the second page and you will see what I mean.

 

[kamikazeeMC]

wallpaper scrolling

Just checked to see if it still worked the same. If you make the image the same resolution as the display it doesn't scroll when switching home screens.

IIRC the Xperia Z3 Compact didn't like this method either, to my annoyance.

 

[Ctrlos]

There were too many niggles with Android to make me stay. Google changed the design rules but too many apps still just have a square icon in a white circle in the app drawer. I even got in touch with some devs and they said that it should display 'full-circle' but it never did. This lack of consistency is infuriating. Apps not running full-screen due to resolution incompatibility is another.

 

[TumbleDryer]

There were too many niggles with Android to make me stay. Google changed the design rules but too many apps still just have a square icon in a white circle in the app drawer. I even got in touch with some devs and they said that it should display 'full-circle' but it never did. This lack of consistency is infuriating. Apps not running full-screen due to resolution incompatibility is another.

The UI is a big selling point for Nothing™ so I've not found any problems with it so far. I'm really liking it in-fact.

 

[MarkX]

There were too many niggles with Android to make me stay. Google changed the design rules but too many apps still just have a square icon in a white circle in the app drawer. I even got in touch with some devs and they said that it should display 'full-circle' but it never did. This lack of consistency is infuriating. Apps not running full-screen due to resolution incompatibility is another.

To be fair though, ios has its fair share of inconsistencies too so it's no better in that regard!

 

[super chimp]

The only problem I foresee with Android is the lack of smaller phones, especially available in the UK. Android phones all seem to be large or very large in size.

 

[TumbleDryer]

The only problem I foresee with Android is the lack of smaller phones, especially available in the UK. Android phones all seem to be large or very large in size.

That's the only problem I have with it at the moment, especially coming from a Mini. Everyone that has seen it up close, even the people with big phones says it's big. lol.

If I put it in my pocket when standing the top pokes out. Don't even think about sitting down with it. It's too big to fit in the centre console of my car when plugged in where the USB ports are. I do literally feel like Im carrying a brick around. Don't get me wrong I really like the phone and OS etc. but it's too damn big. I'll be sticking with it and Im sure I'll get used to it but phones just don't need to be so big.

iPhone 6s was perfect size.

 

[eyoungren]

This lack of consistency is infuriating.

One of the major reasons I decided I like iOS better. That, and Google changing gestures between versions of Android. Android, also offers a multitude of ways to arrive at the same function or setting - which sounds great, until you need that and can't remember how to get there.

 

[NUFC2025]

iPhone 6s was perfect size.

I still have my 6s with a brand new battery from Apple before they stopped supporting it.
Perfect size.

 

[I7guy]

The poison can be spread around mutually. I also use Google's services, but I use them on my iPhone. Because Apple's services are not cross platform.

But I'd also argue, just as @super chimp does, that I'm not tied to Google either. I make that argument because at any time, I could transfer stuff to my Yahoo accounts and use Yahoo's services. Yahoo's services are also cross platform. I'm sure if I looked hard enough I could also find other services that also work on both Android, iOS, Mac and PC.

I use neither Google nor Apple for Photos. I've been with Dropbox since 2009 and that's the service that handles my images. It's cross platform too.

Apple's services however, largely have the distinction of being tied to iOS/iDevices/Mac.

Not sure what yahoo has other than email as I’ve “looked them up.”

But you are correct apples’ iCloud services are frictionless. And if you want to backup your photos some advance planning is needed, especially to avoid lock in.

 

[Artemiz]

The poison can be spread around mutually. I also use Google's services, but I use them on my iPhone. Because Apple's services are not cross platform.

But I'd also argue, just as @super chimp does, that I'm not tied to Google either. I make that argument because at any time, I could transfer stuff to my Yahoo accounts and use Yahoo's services. Yahoo's services are also cross platform. I'm sure if I looked hard enough I could also find other services that also work on both Android, iOS, Mac and PC.

I use neither Google nor Apple for Photos. I've been with Dropbox since 2009 and that's the service that handles my images. It's cross platform too.

Apple's services however, largely have the distinction of being tied to iOS/iDevices/Mac.

Didn’t Yahoo have all their email accounts hacked a few years ago? Are people still using Yahoo Mail?

 

[eyoungren]

Not sure what yahoo has other than email as I’ve “looked them up.”

But you are correct apples’ iCloud services are frictionless. And if you want to backup your photos some advance planning is needed, especially to avoid lock in.

Yahoo has email, contacts, calendars, reminders, and notes. Same as Google.

When I said 'frictionless', I meant third party services to me.

As far as photos with Apple, that has friction for me. I take a picture on my iDevices and to get it on my Macs, I have to open the Photos app and pull it out. Of course, it syncs to all my Apple devices and Macs, but it's all stored in iCloud unless I pull out individual pics.

That's why I use Dropbox for photos. Take pic, open Dropbox, the automatic Camera Uploads feature kicks in and the new photo uploads as a file (jpg or heic) to the Camera Uploads folder inside Dropbox. So, at that point, on EVERY device I have running Dropbox, that file (image) is immediately present.

On my Mac, it means I can periodically pull images from the Camera Uploads folder directly to my NAS. Which means, all those images get backed up - because my NAS gets backed up. And yes, they exist also in Dropbox's cloud. But ALSO PHYSICALLY on hard drives, SSDs and devices that I have running Dropbox.

I don't have to open another app to pull them out. They are physically present right on my Macs drives and all my devices.

I have a 2TB iCloud sub, and I got it because I broke an iPhone and wanted to put all my images in iCloud back on my replacement iPhone. It's solely for convenience.

Guess what? iCloud didn't restore everything. I had to physically go back and drop in all my backed up images that DROPBOX had saved back in to the Photos app on my Mac to get them to ALL show back up on my iPhone.

That is not frictionless.

 

[eyoungren]

Didn’t Yahoo have all their email accounts hacked a few years ago? Are people still using Yahoo Mail?

Yeah, see…somewhere in this thread I mentioned that some people also don't like Yahoo. I'm guessing you are one of those.

In any case, yeah. I'm still using Yahoo. Just used it this morning in fact. I've had my Yahoo account since 1999. I have no plans to get rid of it.

If Yahoo was hacked a few years back I didn't notice. Why?

I have long used 2FA on Yahoo. My current 2FA requires that I have a Yahoo app installed on my iPhone and just as with Google, Amazon or Apple, I have to approve a login through that app or a code sent to my device. There are other 2FA features that are also active and that also require physical possession of my iPhone.

So, unless someone out there ALSO had my phone when Yahoo was hacked, they didn't get in - even if they had my password.

You didn't think Yahoo had no security did you?

 

[Artemiz]

Yeah, see…somewhere in this thread I mentioned that some people also don't like Yahoo. I'm guessing you are one of those.

When a company lets their entire email division hacked, it’s not a matter of personal preference anymore. If wanting to protect my info is the same as liking a company then yes, I am one of those.
I deleted my account right after the hack was made public.