Survey Explores Why People Switch Mobile Operating Systems

[mi7chy]

I am surprised 30% actually think Android is a better user experience. maybe more capable...but not better experience...

I'm actually surprised 47% think iOS is a better user experience after the secret throttling. Along with the brain dead Siri, dysfunctional Apple Maps, lag after every iOS update, etc. maybe it's a typo and they dropped the negative sign from -47%.

 

[RogerWilco]

A survey of 2500 is statistically irrelevant. Add some noughts to the end of that number and you'll get some accurate stats.

And the article is likely written by a journalist who never took a statistics class. What's the old joke, "80% of statistics on the web are just made-up B.S."?

 

[I7guy]

If they were selected randomly from the population of switchers, 2500 would be plenty - 95% confidence level, less than 2% margin of error. Unfortunately the article does not go into much detail on how the participants were selected.

It depends if the switchers were all attending an android sponsored game-fest. Then there might not be a statistically independent sample.

 

[neutralguy]

I'm surprised Better user privacy and security isn't a category. That alone is enough reason to switch to iOS in my opinion.

You understand that almost 90% of the smartphone users use Facebook on their phones. You think they care about privacy?
[doublepost=1535122924][/doublepost]

Agree. Apple support has been nothing but stellar for ANY Apple product I've owned.

Maybe they just really like the Wireless stores.

But if iPhone is so good, why do you need constant support?
[doublepost=1535123301][/doublepost]

My personal experience -- for what its worth.

I borrowed a friends Android phone, got a prepaid SIM card, and fired it up. I was lost and was confused. Nothing seemed intuitive. I used it for a few months or more and was never comfortable. That's the key word I think.

I then went to the local Apple store and while we were waiting for the phone to be brought out, he showed me a few things. He suggested get the free ebook about iPhone (which I did). He set things up for me. Basically held my hand through the first half hour or so. It was a wonderful experience and I've -- for the most part -- been comfortable with iOS ever since.

My main complaint with Apple on all devices is the lack of deep technical documentation. What, precisely, do each of the settings do? The ebook doesn't tell you. There is probably some developer documentation -- maybe? -- somewhere that is what I'm looking for but I haven't found it. And, very often, there are Easter eggs hidden around. That is true for all software these days and its sad.

How those two experiences are comparable? This is like saying I bought a book A on a tehnology that I don't know of. I started reading it and got hella confused. I read for couple of weeks, still I couldn't understand it. So I gave up.
Then I went and bought book B. While buying book B, I found that it has an online hands on tutorial class. I joined that class and there was a live person guiding me through page by page to tell me what each concept is. And I understood everything . So I conclude that Book B is better than Book A?????

 

[Shanghaichica]

To clarify, you got an Android phone and set it up yourself and never sought any online assistance or help from an experienced user.
Then you got an iPhone where an experienced user set it up for you and went through basic operations etc. And that means iPhone/iOS is better.

I don’t really see what’s so hard about using an android phone. If you’ve used a windows computer you can use an android phone.

 

[Just sayin...]

Personally, the reason(s) why I am considering switching to Android include:

- Siri is a poor compromise when compared to Google Assistant (waiting to see ios 12 improvements)
- Native voice control for Spotify and Google Maps (ios 12 improvements may take care of this)

Points in Apple’s favor: better security, great hw/sw, better resale value. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that ios 12 brings key improvements above...

 

[I7guy]

I'm actually surprised 47% think iOS is a better user experience after the secret throttling. Along with the brain dead Siri, dysfunctional Apple Maps, lag after every iOS update, etc. maybe it's a typo and they dropped the negative sign from -47%.

It could be that users view the "secret throttling" as a blessing to prevent the phone from shutting down, use Siri for what it does best, use apple maps so that their user info is not cataloged by google and don't experience lag. Or maybe as you suggested the 30% of users that switch to android for a better experience, was a typo and a minus sign and zero is needed.
[doublepost=1535126062][/doublepost]

I don’t really see what’s so hard about using an android phone. If you’ve used a windows computer you can use an android phone.

I had an easier time learning Linux than android, but for whatever reason, that's me.

 

[itguy06]

Having gone from iOS to Android 2 years ago I don't think I'll be back. The experience is just that much better. They get most things right and from a power user perspective the OS has stuff iOS can only dream of like split screen multitasking, sending audio to 2 outputs (music over BT and maps over the phone's speakers), and a bunch of other nice things.

 

[Mousse]

I am surprised 30% actually think Android is a better user experience. maybe more capable...but not better experience...

It's subjective. Users experience is 100% subjective. Some like vanilla, some prefer chocolate, others prefer strawberry.

iOS is better for retirees while Android is better for tech savvy.

Trudat. My wife hates android phones. Even after I customized it (better...stronger...faster), she still wanted an iPhone. Well, she who rules my universe commanded, I obeyed. Now that she's been using an iPhone 7 Plus for over a year, she's been happy as a clam.
I hate the iPhone. The hardware is top notch, so is the OS. I just hate Apple's control freak mentality. They've got iOS locked down tighter than the Pope's chastity belt. IF you manage to root iOS, Apple breaks root with its next update, which they force upon you.

 

[lowendlinux]

I like my Pixels/Nexus and I like Project Fi, I don't see myself switching any time in the near future but we'll see.

 

[nsayer]

My take-away is that 54% of folks switching to Android were seeking a better device (better experience or better hardware) while 74% of folks switching to iPhone were seeking the same.

 

[pipis2010]

iOS is better for retirees while Android is better for tech savvy. When I retire and my needs are more basic I'll likely switch back to iOS since I won't be needing a file manager, a command line shell, emulation, background multitasking, mouse support, freedom of placing icons anywhere on home screen, more app categories, etc. One thing about iOS is they need to unbundle apps like Safari from iOS updates so they can be updated independently from app store. Difference is when an iOS device stops getting iOS updates it no longer gets browser updates which is a major security attack vector while Android still receives browser updates independently from system updates.

Then again the majority of NORMAL users don’t need all these features either

 

[naturalstar]

The only data surprising to me is that more switch to Android for better customer service? I find that hard to believe. Unless those surveyed were thinking in terms of the customer service of carriers somehow, but that would have nothing to do with Apple or any any Android manufacturer. Apple is simply the best when it comes to customer service.

The rest seems about right. The general conflict has always been about Apple prices vs features/specs (customization, no “walled garden”, expandable memory, etc).

I don’t believe privacy was a data point only because when considering the average consumer, most aren’t thinking of privacy concerns when selecting their next new phone. I’m sure if it had been Apple would have been the clear winner though.

 

[jdawgnoonan]

When I have switched back and forth it was out of boredom in general with what I was using. It is incredibly easy for the most part to switch and to switch back. I have done it a few times, occasionally I still switch back to my Nexus 6P from my iPhone X.

Also, saying that Android is more for the "Tech Savvy" than iOS always automatically makes question how tech savvy the person saying that is. If installing alternate launchers makes one tech savvy then I guess you must be one of those people who believe your kid is a computer genius for knowing how to use social media too.
[doublepost=1535131775][/doublepost]

I'm actually surprised 47% think iOS is a better user experience after the secret throttling. Along with the brain dead Siri, dysfunctional Apple Maps, lag after every iOS update, etc. maybe it's a typo and they dropped the negative sign from -47%.

Well, on android there are always things like the 1/4 to 1/2 second wait for the keyboard to pop up after tapping a text box and other similar oddities that may make one think that iOS has a better user experience. At least those things make me think that.

 

[Gilligan's last elephant]

The only data surprising to me is that more switch to Android for better customer service? I find that hard to believe. Unless those surveyed were thinking in terms of the customer service of carriers somehow, but that would have nothing to do with Apple or any any Android manufacturer. Apple is simply the best when it comes to customer service.

The rest seems about right. The general conflict has always been about Apple prices vs features/specs (customization, no “walled garden”, expandable memory, etc).

I don’t believe privacy was a data point only because when considering the average consumer, most aren’t thinking of privacy concerns when selecting their next new phone. I’m sure if it had been Apple would have been the clear winner though.

In Europe, any hardware issues are dealt with by the retailer one buys their device from. That could be a shop e.g. John Lewis or the carrier. So it doesn't involve the OEM.
And there is a 2 year warranty.
If I have a rare software/os type issue I Google it and have a solution quickly from the global community. So OEM customer service is not an issue.

 

[rafark]

I'm a little surprised that only 4% of Android to iOS users cited faster operating system updates.

Because in real life no one really cares except for people in this forum.

 

[Shanghaichica]

It could be that users view the "secret throttling" as a blessing to prevent the phone from shutting down, use Siri for what it does best, use apple maps so that their user info is not cataloged by google and don't experience lag. Or maybe as you suggested the 30% of users that switch to android for a better experience, was a typo and a minus sign and zero is needed.
[doublepost=1535126062][/doublepost]
I had an easier time learning Linux than android, but for whatever reason, that's me.

I’ve never used Linux before. I just found android like windows when I first used it, in terms of file structure and moving things around.

 

[ipponrg]

I don’t really see what’s so hard about using an android phone. If you’ve used a windows computer you can use an android phone.

When people are comfortable with a certain UX, it takes them more work to adapt to a different UX

 

[Flight Plan]

I switched to an iPhone...what was it, a 4? for the quality and camera. Switched to a 6 Plus for the security and the camera. Looking forward to the XS2 for the processor, screen, facial recognition, and the camera.

I waited this long (over 5 years) to upgrade strictly because of the price of the device.

That means that only 4% of Android users even care about updates which seem to correlate with most consumers on most mobile and desktop platforms. We hear about Android's terrible update and fragmentation situation constantly on the Internet but that's because it comes from tech journalists who represent very few consumer opinions.
[doublepost=1535057036][/doublepost]
The same world where Apple devices last longer and require repairs less often.

This is actually not true. Macs and Macbooks have a terrible repair rate, and much of that is due to poor design. You should have a look at Louis Rossman's videos. Apple is certainly no angel among manufacturers.

So you come to an apple forum to bitch about them some more?

Hey, he's allowed to have an opinion. I shame you for your shameless opinion shaming.

Android club users in the survey were all drinking Mad Dog 20/20 and got confused about what OS even means.

Apple club users were drinking John Adams and writing their own survey questions while they collaborated with each other via FaceTime from their secure IOS sandbox.

Okay, now that's funny!

 

[ani4ani]

You might want to rethink that math. People upgrade their iPhone much more frequently than they do their Mac. I, for instance, upgrade my Mac every 3 years (and I’d venture to guess that is on the more frequent side, my wife upgrades every 5 to 6 years), but I upgrade my iPhone every year. So for every three iPhones Apple sells me they sell me one Mac and in my wife’s case they sell her five or six iPhones for every one Mac.

I’m still using my iPad Air 2 and don’t have any plans to upgrade it until it stops receiving iOS updates because it still works great for what I use it for 99% of the time, which is browse the internet and watch movies on the plane or train.

The same, slower upgrade cycle is true with peoples upgrade cycles of Apple Watches, Apple TVs and iPads.

My point is that someone can be all in on the Apple ecosystem without that being reflected in yearly sales numbers.
[doublepost=1535087857][/doublepost]

I get your point, but in the same sense, the phone you relinquish stays in the system, likely as it is only a year old, so the number of iPhones in that case stays at the same ratio to Macs, in fact, in reality the phones last as long in the system as the Mac.

 

[Herdfan]

I'll admit it, I switched. And then switched back.

The reason I switched in the first place was I got really pissed off at Apple one day and just went to the Verizon store and switched. I was familiar with Android as I have a tablet I use for riding my SXS. The GPS program we all use is Android only, so I have a Samsung Tab E 9.6 for that sole purpose, but it allowed me to be familiar with the OS.

So I was at work one day and an app I needed forced me to do an update to use. So I did it and then got the dreaded 2-factor code request. No one was home to give me the code. So I had to drive 30 minutes home, update my app and then 30 minutes back to work. On the way home that day I just stopped. Was so tired of that crap from Apple.

So I got an S8 and was quite happy with it until Google started with their crap. Everytime it would update it removed many of my settings such as ring tones. I would then have to go back in and reset them all. I lasted about 6 months and after playing with a friends X I gave in and went and got one.

Android does have 2 features that there is no reason iOS shouldn't have. One is the ability to close all apps with a button. Second is the ability to close all Safari tabs with a buttons vs having to manually click each app or tab. No reaosn that shouldn't be a feature.

 

[lec0rsaire]

I'm actually surprised 47% think iOS is a better user experience after the secret throttling. Along with the brain dead Siri, dysfunctional Apple Maps, lag after every iOS update, etc. maybe it's a typo and they dropped the negative sign from -47%.

What is wrong with Apple Maps? It was a horrible product when it launched in 2012 but that hasn’t been the case for several years now. I prefer the cleaner UI with Apple’s design language compared to Google almost forcing people to sign in and suggestions popping up every time I open it. Besides I’d rather Google not record where I am all the time.

 

[Solomani]

More people switched to Android than people switched to iOS for “better customer service”?!?! What customer service does Android even have???

It's the one where the Samsung Customer Service Department bounces you around from rep to rep, eventually you get a Bangladeshi fellow named "Steve Jefferson" to take your call. It's that one.

 

[jdawgnoonan]

I'll admit it, I switched. And then switched back.

The reason I switched in the first place was I got really pissed off at Apple one day and just went to the Verizon store and switched. I was familiar with Android as I have a tablet I use for riding my SXS. The GPS program we all use is Android only, so I have a Samsung Tab E 9.6 for that sole purpose, but it allowed me to be familiar with the OS.

So I was at work one day and an app I needed forced me to do an update to use. So I did it and then got the dreaded 2-factor code request. No one was home to give me the code. So I had to drive 30 minutes home, update my app and then 30 minutes back to work. On the way home that day I just stopped. Was so tired of that crap from Apple.

So I got an S8 and was quite happy with it until Google started with their crap. Everytime it would update it removed many of my settings such as ring tones. I would then have to go back in and reset them all. I lasted about 6 months and after playing with a friends X I gave in and went and got one.

Android does have 2 features that there is no reason iOS shouldn't have. One is the ability to close all apps with a button. Second is the ability to close all Safari tabs with a buttons vs having to manually click each app or tab. No reaosn that shouldn't be a feature.

Use 3D Touch on the tabs button to close all safari tabs.
[doublepost=1535164426][/doublepost]

What is wrong with Apple Maps? It was a horrible product when it launched in 2012 but that hasn’t been the case for several years now. I prefer the cleaner UI with Apple’s design language compared to Google almost forcing people to sign in and suggestions popping up every time I open it. Besides I’d rather Google not record where I am all the time.

Apple’s UI is far better than Google’s and hopefully the maps will be better than Google’s soon too. Now if they fix Siri or not is the real question...the index Siri uses is terrible, in Des Moines there are restaurants that have been in business for 20 years and that are quite popular that Siri is clueless about and so she decides that “Woody’s Smokeshack” is in Boston and suggests that I drive there when I ask for navigation. Oh, she also needs to learn to sort search results in ascending order by distance, google has NEVER had an issue with that.

 

[PickUrPoison]

<snip>

Android does have 2 features that there is no reason iOS shouldn't have. One is the ability to close all apps with a button. Second is the ability to close all Safari tabs with a buttons vs having to manually click each app or tab. No reaosn that shouldn't be a feature.

Not sure if it’s the same with the X, but with my 6S, when I touch and hold the tabs icon I get the popup in the screenshot below. (Yeah I’m one of those who keep a lot of tabs open, but after a year or two I’ve pretty much memorized where they all are and for me it’s faster to scroll through my tabs with a few flicks than find and open a bookmark. My nightmare is accidentally doing what you want to do on purpose—closing all tabs!)

re: closing all open apps, I never do that. iOS doesn’t have the same issues Android does. I’ve got 53 apps open right now, it varies but I rarely have fewer than 50 open.

Occasionally an app will become unresponsive and I’ll have to manually close it, but I never bother to close them all, what’s the point? You just end up having to re-open them. It’s faster to just leave them open.