Moving away from iOS? Want some tips?

[Technerd108]

It seems every week there is a new post about moving away from iOS and why they are doing so or why they can't do so.

For those of you making this consideration I have some advice as a former iPhone user well integrated into the Apple Ecosystem with a Mac and iPad.

First off of you have an Apple watch and will not get rid of it then you may as well stay with your iPhone. Apple watch simply won't work with Android phones. There are Android watch alternatives but you couldn't use your Apple watch and that might be a deal breaker right there.

You will lose air drop with Apple Products and FaceTime. iMessages will work with Android phones but there are some big limitations. First you must deregister your phone number from icloud. Otherwise texts will not go through. You won't be able to use iMessage with your iPad to text to other people unless they have Apple products. So you can still use iMessage to send texts to other people with an iPad or Mac from your Mac or iPad but they won't show up on your Android phone. Texts from your Android phone won't show up on those same wifi only connected Apple devices.

Sending texts to iPhone users from your Android phone will work fine. You will have issues with sending or receiving videos as they will be absurdly compressed. You can use Google Drive to send files to other people and vice versa.

FaceTime can be replicated by numerous other apps. If you have other devices like a Windows PC or Samsung Android Tablet and a Samsung phone you can make calls and texts from your PC and send and receive texts. You can use Samsung share to instantly share video, photos, and other files. I am not 100% sure but I think you can make calls from your Samsung tablet as well. You can also mirror your phone home screen on your PC and use any app from your phone on your PC. All of this functionality is limited to non Apple devices though.

Emails from icloud can be set up in Gmail just like you can use Apple mail to send and receive emails from Gmail accounts. Full compatibility with email is cross platform.

You can also use your Safari or other Mac browser on your Mac to access Google messages and send and receive texts in real time on your Mac or iPad through the browser.

So that is about all I can think of in regards to how the transition from iOS to Android will be. You will lose some compatibility but most of it has work arounds that are not a big deal.

Personally if you like the ease of being in the Apple Ecosystem I would just save yourself the hassle and keep using what you are using. Nothing wrong with that.

If you don't like being purposely locked in az a consumer to any platform and are tired of the experience on iOS and are willing to figure things out and don't mind a very small amount of inconvenience then I think this guide will help you. You can reply here with any questions related to your specific use case and if I have experience with it I will offer a solution or any advice I can.

If you use Procreate or some other Apple iOS app and can't live without it you are probably not going to find a good alternative on Android.

However for 99% of apps that most people use Android has an identical or similar app. Apps on Android work just as well as iOS. There are slight differences but sometimes you will find an Android app has more options and works better than iOS alternative and vice versa but app parity is pretty much there.

iOS vs Android security. This is an often misunderstood point that people often claim iOS is much better. If you are using a very inexpensive no name or Chinese phone then yes, they are not secure. But if you are using a Pixel phone or Samsung flagship then you are just about as secure as using an iPhone. Pixel would be best if security is a big issue. Google constantly looks for security issues and patches them. Apple might be a little faster in sending out patches but not faster in identifying security threats. Another thing to consider is the overall target surface. Android has a much wider user base which incentivized criminals to target Android more than iOS simply because they can get more hits. This doesn't make Android less secure but it is a bigger target.

In terms of privacy. Let's be honest here. If you think your phone is not tracking you and your data is not being harvested to some degree then you are living in fantasy land. Use a dumb landline phone if you want to be private and never browse the internet without a VPN and TOR browser. Even then you aren't 100% safe.

Apple iOS and other software is proprietary which means no one but Apple can audit the software officially and actually say what it is doing behind the scenes. You can monitor internet traffic which tells some about telemetry but there is no way to say for sure how much Apple is tracking it's users without their consent and harvesting data for any purpose they see fit including sharing information with Governments.

Google on the other hand has a completely open platform with open source software that any computer software engineer can verify and audit what Android does. Google is pretty transparent about what data they obtain and how they use it. Obviously you are more openly being tracked by Google than Apple but what that actually means to your privacy is debatable.

If I was considering the jump from iphone to an Android device the best advice I could give is to just jump in and do it. You will never know what it is like until you actually do it. I would recommend that you get a good Android phone like the newest Pixel or Samsung s series phone and try it for the two week return period for at least 13 days and use it exclusively. Don't go back and forth to iOS because of you do you will never leave iOS. Also I would recommend that you don't sell or trade in your iPhone until after the return period and you are absolutely sure you want to switch. This way if need be you can use your old iPhone and return the Android with no financial burden to you.

In the end don't listen to people who judge you for using either platform. Don't listen to people who tell what is better. Only you know what is better for you. I would recommend that you base your decision not on fear of what you may lose but on excitement of new features, hardware, and a new software experience. Better to base a decision on what is positive than based on fear in my personal opinion. But no matter what do what you like and what makes you happy. Be free. Think different.

I hope this helps someone with their choices going forward.

 

[ian87w]

You touched very great points.
Basically we are no longer at the days of feature phones, where one can simply switch phones willy nilly without issues. We are at the age of ecosystems, where the phone is just part of it. Although many common apps are platform agnostic, there are specific apps that are platform specific. Add on the amount of personal data people have in some apps, switching platforms is not that simple anymore.

This is why sometimes I question people who are willing to switch just because there's a new shinier phone on the other side. If you can switch that easily, that means you are not even taking advantage of any of the platforms well.

Having said that, considering cheap phones are getting good, I don't see why one has to be stuck only in one platform. I'd rather use both and enjoy the best of both worlds. Being on both iOS and Android also make myself more platform agnostic in most of my personal data.

Extras from my experience.
Contacts/Calendars: use Google/GMail. It works great on both the iPhone and Android, syncs to both just fine. Unfortunately the "open" Android doesn't support CardDav natively, so Google is the easiest solution.
Cloud storage: I use OneDrive, available on both iOS and Android, also on mac and Windows. Google Drive, Dropbox, etc works well too.
Whatsapp: considering now whatsapp offer an official way to migrate chat history, this is no longer an issue. Just make sure to get at least a phone with Android ver 12 as the migration to Android only works with Android 12 and up.

 

[Ludatyk]

Personally if you like the ease of being in the Apple Ecosystem I would just save yourself the hassle and keep using what you are using. Nothing wrong with that.

I think this part is important because most people attempt to move from iOS to Android and not stop to think how they value the ease of use being in the Apple Ecosystem (more so the familiarity).

And then try to find any issues to justify staying in the Apple Ecosystem when it was perfectly okay to stay with iOS to begin with.

 

[Technerd108]

I think this part is important because most people attempt to move from iOS to Android and not stop to think how they value the ease of use being in the Apple Ecosystem (more so the familiarity).

And then try to find any issues to justify staying in the Apple Ecosystem when it was perfectly okay to stay with iOS to begin with.

The Apple Ecosystem is a double edged sword. For those deeply invested in it or have been using iPhone and other Apple devices for a long time it becomes very difficult to ever leave.

This is a concerted and purposeful action on the part of Apple not just to bring enhanced interconnectivity to their products but to lock out the competition.

To me, it smacks of a corporation trying to control it's user base over their own best interests.

I don't understand why they do it. They could release FaceTime and Airdrop to Android to work with iPhone and other Apple devices and they could make iMessages compatible with Android phones but they don't. They know it will inconvenience their users if they ever try to leave.

If they made these things cross platform it would also be an advertisement for them to Android users who have never used their products making them familiar with the enhanced functions that iOS has.

But they must at some level be afraid that there would be a mass migration away from iPhone otherwise they wouldn't do what they do. That is in my opinion unfair competition and business practices.

I understand that Apple is in business to make a profit but ethics should be a part of their business model. They love to say how "green" they are which is debatable but most of the good they say they do is mostly just marketing.

 

[Ludatyk]

The Apple Ecosystem is a double edged sword. For those deeply invested in it or have been using iPhone and other Apple devices for a long time it becomes very difficult to ever leave.

This is a concerted and purposeful action on the part of Apple not just to bring enhanced interconnectivity to their products but to lock out the competition.

To me, it smacks of a corporation trying to control it's user base over their own best interests.

I don't understand why they do it. They could release FaceTime and Airdrop to Android to work with iPhone and other Apple devices and they could make iMessages compatible with Android phones but they don't. They know it will inconvenience their users if they ever try to leave.

If they made these things cross platform it would also be an advertisement for them to Android users who have never used their products making them familiar with the enhanced functions that iOS has.

But they must at some level be afraid that there would be a mass migration away from iPhone otherwise they wouldn't do what they do. That is in my opinion unfair competition and business practices.

I understand that Apple is in business to make a profit but ethics should be a part of their business model. They love to say how "green" they are which is debatable but most of the good they say they do is mostly just marketing.

Yes, it's business. And once again, Apple at its core is a hardware company... Google with Android is not (they are known primarily as an ad company). Its quite evident by the fact Google pays Apple billions to be the default search engine on Safari.

Granted, Google makes hardware as well... but not at the scale Apple do.

 

[Technerd108]

Yes, it's business. And once again, Apple at its core is a hardware company... Google with Android is not (they are known primarily as an ad company). Its quite evident by the fact Google pays Apple billions to be the default search engine on Safari.

Granted, Google makes hardware as well... but not at the scale Apple do.

The fact that Google is the default search engine on Apple because Google pays Apple shows Apple's dedication to user privacy. 😂 Lol.

Just because it is a business doesn't mean they have to play dirty. This is a terrible excuse and used my many to justify all sorts of evil practices by corporations.

Business should be done to make money but make money with at least some ethics otherwise what is the difference between criminals and business people?

Yeah I would rather have Google hardware and software. I like Pixel phones a lot. At least I don't have any illusion of privacy.

Also at least Google doesn't purposely lock me into their products regardless of how they make their money.

In my personal uneducated opinion I feel of I buy a product from a company that gets a profit from it's hardware I shouldn't be locked in and disincentivized to use other hardware. Just make better hardware and the choice will be easy.

 

[ian87w]

The Apple Ecosystem is a double edged sword. For those deeply invested in it or have been using iPhone and other Apple devices for a long time it becomes very difficult to ever leave.

This is a concerted and purposeful action on the part of Apple not just to bring enhanced interconnectivity to their products but to lock out the competition.

To me, it smacks of a corporation trying to control it's user base over their own best interests.

I don't understand why they do it. They could release FaceTime and Airdrop to Android to work with iPhone and other Apple devices and they could make iMessages compatible with Android phones but they don't. They know it will inconvenience their users if they ever try to leave.

If they made these things cross platform it would also be an advertisement for them to Android users who have never used their products making them familiar with the enhanced functions that iOS has.

But they must at some level be afraid that there would be a mass migration away from iPhone otherwise they wouldn't do what they do. That is in my opinion unfair competition and business practices.

I understand that Apple is in business to make a profit but ethics should be a part of their business model. They love to say how "green" they are which is debatable but most of the good they say they do is mostly just marketing.

Apple is doing their best to lock people in their ecosystem. The didn’t even take advantage of the windows of opportunity to make iMessage cross platform even for a fee during the WhatsApp TOS fiasco. In that time, many people on Android were desperately trying to switch from WhatsApp and some were willing to pay for it. But Apple ignored that chance. They are so afraid that people would leave the iPhone if people can get iMessage somewhere else.

Yet they made Apple Music for Android, which actually is an even better app than the iOS one as I can set sleep timer right on the app 😂

As for Apple being a business, I think it’s up to us consumers on how we react to this. Apple is purely for profit, and anything nice they say are purely marketing and PR. As such, I have no allegiance to any of these Silicon Valley/tech companies. I use their stuff to fit my workflow and needs, not the other way around. If their products don’t offer the function that I need, I won’t bother with them. I use an iPhone because I know from technical standpoint, iOS doesn’t share as much data to 3rd party developers as Android by nature. That is of value to me as there are so many apps nowadays to be functional in society.

Android is still my goto phone for their flexibility. But I am getting more aware of the things going on in the system (ie the ridiculous amount of app tracking shown by DuckDuckGo). If only Google Pixel is available in my country. I want to try Graphene OS, but it only works on the Pixels.

 

[Ludatyk]

The fact that Google is the default search engine on Apple because Google pays Apple shows Apple's dedication to user privacy. 😂 Lol.

Just because it is a business doesn't mean they have to play dirty. This is a terrible excuse and used my many to justify all sorts of evil practices by corporations.

Business should be done to make money but make money with at least some ethics otherwise what is the difference between criminals and business people?

Yeah I would rather have Google hardware and software. I like Pixel phones a lot. At least I don't have any illusion of privacy.

Also at least Google doesn't purposely lock me into their products regardless of how they make their money.

In my personal uneducated opinion I feel of I buy a product from a company that gets a profit from it's hardware I shouldn't be locked in and disincentivized to use other hardware. Just make better hardware and the choice will be easy.

At the end of the day, money talks. I'm not justifying their actions... I'm only relaying why they do it.

We fall victim to this illusion that companies have feelings (they do to some degree) and should have ethics on how they go about doing business... but no, it doesn't work that way. I believe any company will keep a specific service tied to their hardware if that helps them make an outrageously amount of money.

You can look no further than Sony and Microsoft with their game consoles.

Yet they made Apple Music for Android, which actually is an even better app than the iOS one as I can set sleep timer right on the app 😂

The reason why Apple Music exist on Android is primarily because users pay a subscription for that service. If iMessage was a subscription service... then it would be on Android.

And I believe Apple is coming out with their TV app for Android as well.

 

[Technerd108]

At the end of the day, money talks. I'm not justifying their actions... I'm only relaying why they do it.

We fall victim to this illusion that companies have feelings (they do to some degree) and should have ethics on how they go about doing business... but no, it doesn't work that way. I believe any company will keep a specific service tied to their hardware if that helps them make an outrageously amount of money.

You can look no further than Sony and Microsoft with their game consoles.


The reason why Apple Music exist on Android is primarily because users pay a subscription for that service. If iMessage was a subscription service... then it would be on Android.

And I believe Apple is coming out with their TV app for Android as well.

Yes Apple TV will be on Android. It is already available for Android TV's.

I completely agree. Just saying it would be nice if businesses could make a good profit and not screw us over at the same time.

I completely get why Apple does what they do and if I was in Tim Apple shoes I would be okay with the insane amount of money I have and maybe try to give back instead of ruthlessly trying to gain more and more profit no matter the cost to the people who made me so rich.

In the 80's ethics basically went out the window and it is barely even a thought or consideration anymore. I don't even think Business school teaches it but barely.

Capitalism works best when companies have some degree of ethics and ideals but throughout history the most successful businesses don't care much about ethics unfortunately.

 

[ian87w]

The reason why Apple Music exist on Android is primarily because users pay a subscription for that service. If iMessage was a subscription service... then it would be on Android.

And I believe Apple is coming out with their TV app for Android as well.

And they had that chance. Like I mentioned, during the WhatsApp ToS change fiasco, many people were willing to pay for a more private messaging service. Many people I know ended up donating to signal. The market was ripe for Apple to enter with iMessage and people would be willing to pay for it. But they missed it.

 

[ian87w]

Yes Apple TV will be on Android. It is already available for Android TV's.

I completely agree. Just saying it would be nice if businesses could make a good profit and not screw us over at the same time.

I completely get why Apple does what they do and if I was in Tim Apple shoes I would be okay with the insane amount of money I have and maybe try to give back instead of ruthlessly trying to gain more and more profit no matter the cost to the people who made me so rich.

In the 80's ethics basically went out the window and it is barely even a thought or consideration anymore. I don't even think Business school teaches it but barely.

Capitalism works best when companies have some degree of ethics and ideals but throughout history the most successful businesses don't care much about ethics unfortunately.

I don’t see a problem with Apple pricing and positioning in general. But what really grinds me is that they are still cutting corners (ie the neutered SSD) even on the premium Pro machines. That’s just plain cheapskates mentality 😂 And the worse is the so called Apple support. Just reading the posts here, feels like there were more good stories back then than now. I thought throngs would change when Apple got rid of the the Burberry lady, but it didn’t. The Apple support division seems to be still required to be a profit making division.

 

[Ludatyk]

I completely get why Apple does what they do and if I was in Tim Apple shoes I would be okay with the insane amount of money I have and maybe try to give back instead of ruthlessly trying to gain more and more profit no matter the cost to the people who made me so rich.

Now, I'm with you on this... Apple is ridiculously rich and I don't see enough giving back to the community. As you mention they are always about gaining profit no matter the circumstances... I wish there were more stories of Apple giving to certain institutions or communities.

I think that's what's missing from Apple... I think if they tried to give back the stigma of "all about profit" would go away.

And they had that chance. Like I mentioned, during the WhatsApp ToS change fiasco, many people were willing to pay for a more private messaging service. Many people I know ended up donating to signal. The market was ripe for Apple to enter with iMessage and people would be willing to pay for it. But they missed it.

I'm not a WhatsApp user, never tried it. But has it always been free?

I know there are people willing to pay for an iMessage subscription... but I argue will that be enough revenue instead of keeping it the way it is. Because think about it... how much should users pay for that service? I've yet to see a subscription service based on exchanging messages.

 

[ian87w]

I'm not a WhatsApp user, never tried it. But has it always been free?

I know there are people willing to pay for an iMessage subscription... but I argue will that be enough revenue instead of keeping it the way it is. Because think about it... how much should users pay for that service? I've yet to see a subscription service based on exchanging messages.

Context is the timing. I’m talking about the time when WhatsApp made changes to the ToS. This was so scandalous that people were actually worried. At that time, many people actually was willing to pay. Many people donated to signal. There’s a reason Signal got an uptick during that time. It was a prime business opportunity for Apple to come in. But now that window has passed. People already went back to their content state. It won’t happen again, and Apple missed it.

 

[Technerd108]

I don’t see a problem with Apple pricing and positioning in general. But what really grinds me is that they are still cutting corners (ie the neutered SSD) even on the premium Pro machines. That’s just plain cheapskates mentality 😂 And the worse is the so called Apple support. Just reading the posts here, feels like there were more good stories back then than now. I thought throngs would change when Apple got rid of the the Burberry lady, but it didn’t. The Apple support division seems to be still required to be a profit making division.

I have no problem paying a premium for a premium product. I do have a problem with their new delineated lines divided by Pro and non Pro.

Take the iPhone 14 for example. It is basically a rebranded iPhone 13 with the same price. A year old chip, same camera's, same notch, same everything but they didn't reduce the cost? What the F is a Pro phone anyway? Apple used to have an iPhone and different sizes. The largest size cost the most but beyond that they were all the same phone.

When they didn't have a Pro line their phones were a better value. You still payed a premium but you got a premium product no matter the size. Now if you don't want to be stuck at 60hz and want a new chip in a new iPhone you have to buy a pro. Not to mention cameras, dynamic island and all the rest. Everyone wants those features, not just Pro's.

Take the 14 max. What a joke. $900 for a large iPhone 13? Another hundred and you have a Pro with all the goodies.

Now if they really want to delineate the line then they need to reduce the cost of the non Pro models by a couple hundred dollars considering the older components used.

Take the M2 MacBook air which I have and love but again the price is too much. The naming needs to be dropped. How about a MacBook and MacBook pro? Now in the scheme of things the M2 MBA is not a bad value, specially if you can find discounts and comparative to the M2 MacBook pro but I still think it should have cost a little less or had a better base configuration. What if the base cost $1299 but came with 512gb ssd and 16gb ram then it would be a much better value and a better delineation between pro and non Pro models.

Apple has always been about profits and about under delivering specs unless you BTO and pay and arm and a leg. The M2 MBA compared to other Windows laptops is still competitively priced and a better laptop to boot but the pricing is too fragmented. Selling the old air for the same price is ridiculous it should cost $799 retail. The new air should start at $1000 and a decent configuration around $1400 or less.

But I still bought my air and love it.

 

[ofarlig]

I am really trying to figure out if I could replace my 14 Pro Max and my iPad Mini 6 with a Fold 4, the problem is I want to keep my iPad Pro 12.9” as well so I am trying to figure out if I can live with the friction that will be there when trying to integrate the two systems. I used to have a Fold 2 but never used it with any Apple products so I know I like the actual hardware.

- I know I’ve always had problems with standby time on my Android devices, sometimes I’ve woken up to 40% drain overnight and so on. I don‘t use my phone that much so most of my usage is standby. I would be very happy with the 6-8 hours of on screen time people get with the Fold if the standby time was good, I don’t know if I am doing something wrong on Android? Currently my iphone has used 18% battery in 20 hours and has 2 hours of on screen time.

- I know I will lose iMessage on the phone (unless I use some service on a Mac where they get access to my messages) which is kind of a bummer since most people here have iPhones but I guess I can survive not sending pictures to family (and not being in any of the family group chats) and so on.

- I will also miss being able to have a tab open on Safari and pull it up on my phone to show the wife later. Can Chrome on Android integrate with Safari on the iPad in any way?

- I use ”Files” on both my units now so it is easy to scan a document to a pdf with just the press of a button that is instantly available on the iPad. What is the best and fastest way o doing that on Android? Overall having a fast cloud service that works well (fast and reliably) with the file manager on Android as well as “Files” on the iPad.

- The same as above but for pictures? When I had the Fold 2 I used both OneDrive and Google Photos but neither was reliable or fast enough since it sometimes took minutes before I could access them on my Windows desktop.

- How does AirPods Pro work with switching between an iPad and an Android phone? Is it just a matter of selecting it in the Bluetooth menu and it switches to the unit you are at?

 

[Annv]

First off of you have an Apple watch and will not get rid of it then you may as well stay with your iPhone. Apple watch simply won't work with Android phones.

That's a good reason (at least, for me) to never ever consider having an Apple Watch. I wonder how many people realize they need a companion iPhone when buying an Apple Watch. Even such a simple product as wired 3.5 mm EarPods have limitations outside the walled garden, but it took me time to find it out.

Since I decided I wouldn't use macOS due to eyestrain in the first place, but also because of limited software choices in my industry, I've been trying to stay as far away as possible from the Apple ecosystem to easily replace the tech I have as soon as it breaks or becomes unusable for other reasons: no iCloud for pictures, no keychain, no Apple sign-in, no Notes app, no Apple Music.

I try to keep synced with Google or Microsoft whenever I can. Don't mind their ecosystems.

 

[Technerd108]

I am really trying to figure out if I could replace my 14 Pro Max and my iPad Mini 6 with a Fold 4, the problem is I want to keep my iPad Pro 12.9” as well so I am trying to figure out if I can live with the friction that will be there when trying to integrate the two systems. I used to have a Fold 2 but never used it with any Apple products so I know I like the actual hardware.

- I know I’ve always had problems with standby time on my Android devices, sometimes I’ve woken up to 40% drain overnight and so on. I don‘t use my phone that much so most of my usage is standby. I would be very happy with the 6-8 hours of on screen time people get with the Fold if the standby time was good, I don’t know if I am doing something wrong on Android? Currently my iphone has used 18% battery in 20 hours and has 2 hours of on screen time.

- I know I will lose iMessage on the phone (unless I use some service on a Mac where they get access to my messages) which is kind of a bummer since most people here have iPhones but I guess I can survive not sending pictures to family (and not being in any of the family group chats) and so on.

- I will also miss being able to have a tab open on Safari and pull it up on my phone to show the wife later. Can Chrome on Android integrate with Safari on the iPad in any way?

- I use ”Files” on both my units now so it is easy to scan a document to a pdf with just the press of a button that is instantly available on the iPad. What is the best and fastest way o doing that on Android? Overall having a fast cloud service that works well (fast and reliably) with the file manager on Android as well as “Files” on the iPad.

- The same as above but for pictures? When I had the Fold 2 I used both OneDrive and Google Photos but neither was reliable or fast enough since it sometimes took minutes before I could access them on my Windows desktop.

- How does AirPods Pro work with switching between an iPad and an Android phone? Is it just a matter of selecting it in the Bluetooth menu and it switches to the unit you are at?

If you want to use your iPad with an Android phone like you use your iPhone the short answer is it will not work as easily. There are work arounds to some of the issues you bring up but they may not be worth the trouble.

If you had a Galaxy Tab s8 then you could literally do everything you do on the iPad and iPhone but cross platform is not easy. You will lose some functionality too.

Unless you really unsatisfied with the iPhone 14 PM and iPad mini I would just keep them.

Battery life on the Fold 4 is not going to be as good. The Fold 5 yet to come out may change things but for now you would take a hit.

However since you have a Windows PC I might suggest an alternative strategy.

With Samsung devices you can send files pretty much instantly between them. With Link to Windows you get a ton of features including texting and calling from your PC. You should be able to send files to your PC very easily. If you use Chrome browser you can sync tabs etc. with any device using Chrome browser including your iPad.

I think a better strategy would be to get a S23 ultra and a tab s8 with an AMOLED screen. They have the same size 12" screen and a larger 14" screen using AMOLED and 120hz display. There should be a Tab S9 coming out this year and that might be worth the wait.

If you had a s23 ultra and tab s8/S9 you would have all of the same interconnectivity you have with your iPad and iPhone. But as a bonus you would also get that on your PC too.

You can connect your air pods pro via Bluetooth but you will lose some features that Apple only supports on Apple products and I am not sure about updating.

You could alternatively get the Samsung buds pro 2 and have full compatibility.

And yes iMessages will be limited to sms texts and sending pictures and videos will be compressed.

So in your case I would either jump all in and get rid of all of my Apple devices or just keep what you have. There are advantages and disadvantages to both platforms. But working between the two is a hassle.

Since you already have the latest iphone, a large and small iPad and airpods pro it just doesn't make much sense to sell them and buy into Android even though they would be more compatible with your PC. You would gain the ability to call and text from your PC. You would gain an OLED screen if you got a S series tablet in 12" size or greater. If you got an s23 ultra you would have pretty much the same battery life as your iPhone 14 pro max and get a slightly larger screen and sPen. Also the Samsung tablets come with an sPen. You would get a better cell signal on the s23 ultra as well. The Samsung buds pro 2 would also integrated with your phone and tablet just like the airpods do - just open the case and they connect.

So you are kind of stuck in your ecosystem and unless you are willing to sell a lot of things second hand and then buy new which would be really expensive I would recommend that you just enjoy what you have.

The Apple ecosystem with Apple products works very well and if you have friends and family who use iPhone why inconvenience yourself? On the other hand if you are tired of iPhone, don't like the directions Apple are going with their devices or things are buggy, don't like being locked in then you could make a change. You could wait until the summer time around July and Samsung should have a lot of sales on all of their products. They should have the new fold out around that time too.

Or you could sell your Windows PC and get a Mac and all of what you already have would work wonderfully well together. Might be the better option at this point and keep your family happy. 😂 Lol

 

[Technerd108]

That's a good reason (at least, for me) to never ever consider having an Apple Watch. I wonder how many people realize they need a companion iPhone when buying an Apple Watch. Even such a simple product as wired 3.5 mm EarPods have limitations outside the walled garden, but it took me time to find it out.

Since I decided I wouldn't use macOS due to eyestrain in the first place, but also because of limited software choices in my industry, I've been trying to stay as far away as possible from the Apple ecosystem to easily replace the tech I have as soon as it breaks or becomes unusable for other reasons: no iCloud for pictures, no keychain, no Apple sign-in, no Notes app, no Apple Music.

I try to keep synced with Google or Microsoft whenever I can. Don't mind their ecosystems.

Well I guess that's the beauty and Achilles heel of Apple products.

If you have an Apple watch it works great with your iPhone and iPad. Your iPad works great with your iPhone and Mac and airpods and they all work together seamlessly and effortlessly. So if you like Apple products and they work for you they have genuinely brilliant ecosystem. You really can't knock it as long as you stay within it.

For a lot of non tech people the way Apple products work together is just an easier and better solution for them.

If you are primarily a Windows user and will never get a Mac or iphone then Apple Watch is all but irrelevant since you wouldn't use any of the apps anyway.

For a Windows user Samsung offers the best solution that is very close to Apple's. If you have a Samsung phone it can link to your PC and you can send and receive texts and calls from your PC. You can even mirror your phone screen on your PC and use Android apps on your phone from your PC. If you have a Samsung phone you can use Dex to have a PC like experience on any screen you connect it to with free floating windows and multiple apps running at once. If you have a Samsung s series tablet it will work seamlessly with your Samsung Galaxy phone and you can get a Samsung watch and it will work with your Samsung phone. You can get Samsung buds that likewise connect to all these things with ease. So in your case I would recommend going into the Samsung ecosystem instead. At least with Samsung you pay generally less, specially if you get a sale and you get more like sPen, more base storage, etc. So generally you can get the same functionality as Apple for a fraction of the cost.

But Apple generally still supports their products with updates longer, has better resale value, and works with less configuration.

Samsung will give you AMOLED on their Tablets larger than 11", gives you sPen included, still has a long update support window, you can find better sales and deals and works with Windows. Samsung is more open. You can use Samsung buds on Apple products and download their apps to use full compatibility. If Apple would allow it the same would be true for their tablets and phones with Apple Mac's but Apple won't.

Both platforms have their advantages. Samsung has greatly improved their interconnectivity of their products and OneUI is much more polished and feature rich than ever so functionality speaking you won't be without and will gain more configurability on Samsung side of things.

 

[ofarlig]

If you want to use your iPad with an Android phone like you use your iPhone the short answer is it will not work as easily. There are work arounds to some of the issues you bring up but they may not be worth the trouble.

If you had a Galaxy Tab s8 then you could literally do everything you do on the iPad and iPhone but cross platform is not easy. You will lose some functionality too.

Unless you really unsatisfied with the iPhone 14 PM and iPad mini I would just keep them.

Battery life on the Fold 4 is not going to be as good. The Fold 5 yet to come out may change things but for now you would take a hit.

However since you have a Windows PC I might suggest an alternative strategy.

With Samsung devices you can send files pretty much instantly between them. With Link to Windows you get a ton of features including texting and calling from your PC. You should be able to send files to your PC very easily. If you use Chrome browser you can sync tabs etc. with any device using Chrome browser including your iPad.

I think a better strategy would be to get a S23 ultra and a tab s8 with an AMOLED screen. They have the same size 12" screen and a larger 14" screen using AMOLED and 120hz display. There should be a Tab S9 coming out this year and that might be worth the wait.

If you had a s23 ultra and tab s8/S9 you would have all of the same interconnectivity you have with your iPad and iPhone. But as a bonus you would also get that on your PC too.

You can connect your air pods pro via Bluetooth but you will lose some features that Apple only supports on Apple products and I am not sure about updating.

You could alternatively get the Samsung buds pro 2 and have full compatibility.

And yes iMessages will be limited to sms texts and sending pictures and videos will be compressed.

So in your case I would either jump all in and get rid of all of my Apple devices or just keep what you have. There are advantages and disadvantages to both platforms. But working between the two is a hassle.

Since you already have the latest iphone, a large and small iPad and airpods pro it just doesn't make much sense to sell them and buy into Android even though they would be more compatible with your PC. You would gain the ability to call and text from your PC. You would gain an OLED screen if you got a S series tablet in 12" size or greater. If you got an s23 ultra you would have pretty much the same battery life as your iPhone 14 pro max and get a slightly larger screen and sPen. Also the Samsung tablets come with an sPen. You would get a better cell signal on the s23 ultra as well. The Samsung buds pro 2 would also integrated with your phone and tablet just like the airpods do - just open the case and they connect.

So you are kind of stuck in your ecosystem and unless you are willing to sell a lot of things second hand and then buy new which would be really expensive I would recommend that you just enjoy what you have.

The Apple ecosystem with Apple products works very well and if you have friends and family who use iPhone why inconvenience yourself? On the other hand if you are tired of iPhone, don't like the directions Apple are going with their devices or things are buggy, don't like being locked in then you could make a change. You could wait until the summer time around July and Samsung should have a lot of sales on all of their products. They should have the new fold out around that time too.

Or you could sell your Windows PC and get a Mac and all of what you already have would work wonderfully well together. Might be the better option at this point and keep your family happy. 😂 Lol

Honestly the appeal of going Android would be having a foldable like the Galaxy Fold 4, I’ve been going back and forth between iOS and Android since they came out and just prefer iOS. So I am just trying to see if I can make it smooth enough that I can live with Android on the phone while having my main computing device be an iPad, just to be able to have a foldable since Apple doesn’t make one currently. Always wanted the multiple units in one thing and foldables are the best attempt at that to date.

I did try out a Tab S8+ and although it was cool with DeX and such it just didn’t suit the way I would use it, the keyboard is also less stable and takes up a larger footprint on your lap than the “magic keyboard” for the iPad Pro which is how 90% of my usage is. So my main computing device would most likely stay as the iPad Pro so I wanted to see if they can integrate enough for me not to get frustrated.

My Windows desktop is only for gaming really so I don’t need any access to my files on that, most of my personal stuff is done on my iPad Pro (previously that unit was a MBP).

As for battery life I know the Fold 4 has less than my current iPhone, I just wondered if I might have been doing something wrong before as I’ve always had much higher idle drain on my Androids I’ve been using. With light use my iPhone is lasting me 3-4 full 24 hour days while my Androids have more been 36 hours tops even when barely being used. Hell I’d often get 30-40% drain during the night now and then out of nowhere.

 

[Technerd108]

Honestly the appeal of going Android would be having a foldable like the Galaxy Fold 4, I’ve been going back and forth between iOS and Android since they came out and just prefer iOS. So I am just trying to see if I can make it smooth enough that I can live with Android on the phone while having my main computing device be an iPad, just to be able to have a foldable since Apple doesn’t make one currently. Always wanted the multiple units in one thing and foldables are the best attempt at that to date.

I did try out a Tab S8+ and although it was cool with DeX and such it just didn’t suit the way I would use it, the keyboard is also less stable and takes up a larger footprint on your lap than the “magic keyboard” for the iPad Pro which is how 90% of my usage is. So my main computing device would most likely stay as the iPad Pro so I wanted to see if they can integrate enough for me not to get frustrated.

My Windows desktop is only for gaming really so I don’t need any access to my files on that, most of my personal stuff is done on my iPad Pro (previously that unit was a MBP).

As for battery life I know the Fold 4 has less than my current iPhone, I just wondered if I might have been doing something wrong before as I’ve always had much higher idle drain on my Androids I’ve been using. With light use my iPhone is lasting me 3-4 full 24 hour days while my Androids have more been 36 hours tops even when barely being used. Hell I’d often get 30-40% drain during the night now and then out of nowhere.

Well there are several reasons why battery life and drain are different on iOS vs. Android and I won't go into all the details here. AOD drains battery on iPhone 14 pro max and Android devices in stand by so turning always on display will help. The Fold 4 just has a smaller battery, less efficient processor compared to s23 series and more screen which all use more power and Fold 2 was probably much worse.

The new s23 series and I would imagine upcoming fold 5 use a more efficient processor, more efficient and much faster storage, faster ram at same power draw and the ultra has a more efficient screen as well so battery life is much, much better than even last year.

BUT honestly if you want to use your iPad as your main computing device (even with all the limits of iPadOS) then I would not get an Android phone. Period. You will be throwing away all the advantages and gain little in return beyond having a cool foldable smart phone. I would just wait and see if Apple ever makes one and for now just keep on using what you have.

I would highly recommend a MacBook air at some point though as it will do much more than your iPad ever will and costs about the same when you factor in the keyboard. Since you already have a mini iPad then you could get by with a MacBook air. The M3 might come out this year and possibly next year they might have an OLED display MBA.

You know you and what works best so I am not trying to convince you of anything just sharing my experience. I personally just don't see much of an advantage going with the fold over your current setup. I mean you have the best iPhone, a dope tablet with keyboard and airpod pros. Enjoy your sweet setup. The grass is always greener on the other side until you get it and realize it isn't. Just my 2 cents. Do what makes you the most happy but I would just say don't take what you already have for granted.

I am lucky enough to use both platforms and have a Windows laptop and a MacBook air, I have a Galaxy Tab s8 and iPad air 5th gen. I have a Samsung s23 Ultra but no longer have an iPhone. I like having choice but if I had to get rid of some of the devices I have I would keep my air in a heartbeat. No fans on a laptop while it is still blazing fast and being in such a slim profile is just amazing and I could not give it up. I like Windows and there are some things I would lose but the Mac is just that much better and I can deal with the compatibility issues. I really like my Tab S8 but again I would probably get rid of it even though the hardware is mostly better than my iPad. My s23 ultra is just so much better than my old iPhone 13 Pro Max and I could not go back. But luckily I have options. My main computing device is my Mac and my main phone is my s23 ultra and everything else is expendable if need but I would probably keep the iPad too.

 

[h.gilbert]

Business should be done to make money but make money with at least some ethics otherwise what is the difference between criminals and business people?

You're quite naive if that's what you think.

 

[ofarlig]

Well there are several reasons why battery life and drain are different on iOS vs. Android and I won't go into all the details here. AOD drains battery on iPhone 14 pro max and Android devices in stand by so turning always on display will help. The Fold 4 just has a smaller battery, less efficient processor compared to s23 series and more screen which all use more power and Fold 2 was probably much worse.

The new s23 series and I would imagine upcoming fold 5 use a more efficient processor, more efficient and much faster storage, faster ram at same power draw and the ultra has a more efficient screen as well so battery life is much, much better than even last year.

BUT honestly if you want to use your iPad as your main computing device (even with all the limits of iPadOS) then I would not get an Android phone. Period. You will be throwing away all the advantages and gain little in return beyond having a cool foldable smart phone. I would just wait and see if Apple ever makes one and for now just keep on using what you have.

I would highly recommend a MacBook air at some point though as it will do much more than your iPad ever will and costs about the same when you factor in the keyboard. Since you already have a mini iPad then you could get by with a MacBook air. The M3 might come out this year and possibly next year they might have an OLED display MBA.

You know you and what works best so I am not trying to convince you of anything just sharing my experience. I personally just don't see much of an advantage going with the fold over your current setup. I mean you have the best iPhone, a dope tablet with keyboard and airpod pros. Enjoy your sweet setup. The grass is always greener on the other side until you get it and realize it isn't. Just my 2 cents. Do what makes you the most happy but I would just say don't take what you already have for granted.

I am lucky enough to use both platforms and have a Windows laptop and a MacBook air, I have a Galaxy Tab s8 and iPad air 5th gen. I have a Samsung s23 Ultra but no longer have an iPhone. I like having choice but if I had to get rid of some of the devices I have I would keep my air in a heartbeat. No fans on a laptop while it is still blazing fast and being in such a slim profile is just amazing and I could not give it up. I like Windows and there are some things I would lose but the Mac is just that much better and I can deal with the compatibility issues. I really like my Tab S8 but again I would probably get rid of it even though the hardware is mostly better than my iPad. My s23 ultra is just so much better than my old iPhone 13 Pro Max and I could not go back. But luckily I have options. My main computing device is my Mac and my main phone is my s23 ultra and everything else is expendable if need but I would probably keep the iPad too.

The idea of a foldable for me is to always have my small tablet with me, I barely use my phone since I think the display on phones is too small to do anything useful on. It’s when getting closer to 8” I think you can actually use a device for more than a quick message or checking something on the web. Being able to read a book while out and about and not having to bring a bag for either of my iPads if I am going somewhere I know I will be waiting a while would be very nice since I dislike having to lug around a lot of stuff.

But I might need to stay with iPhones until they release a foldable in a few years unless I can find a way to make a Android phone work well with my iPad. Just getting the sense it is very far off before I can get a foldable made by Apple.

MacBooks aren’t really something I will get into again in the near future, I just sold my 14” MBP since I wasn’t using it much anymore after getting the iPad Pro 12.9”.

 

[Technerd108]

You're quite naive if that's what you think.

It what would be ideal if people had a conscious and profit didn't override every other consideration.

I am not naive to believe that any business operates this way. There is a difference between principle's and ethics and reality.

But just because something is the way it is doesn't mean it shouldn't change.

If everyone is doing something wrong it doesn't make it right just because everyone is doing it.

Maybe you are just too cynical?

 

[CasualFanboy]

I understand that Apple is in business to make a profit but ethics should be a part of their business model. They love to say how "green" they are which is debatable but most of the good they say they do is mostly just marketing.

It always makes me laugh when people believe Apple has any ethics whatsoever.

 

[Abazigal]

It always makes me laugh when people believe Apple has any ethics whatsoever.

Yeah, let’s just say for argument’s sake that Apple isn’t ethical. Pray tell which other company is. If anything, I am even more amused by the people who shout "screw you Apple!" over labour conditions, and then rush to use a Windows PC made in similar conditions, an Xbox made in similar conditions, an Android phone made in similar conditions... it's really just a thinly-veiled attempt to tie their irrational hatred of Apple to a sense of moral superiority.