Switching from android, is iPhone really that good?

[leandronb]

Hi guys.

I am an android user for almost 5 years. Always had a good experience with it because I never used a samsung phone besides a galaxy nexus with pure android.
Also I started with ice cream sandwich so never used the laggy gingerbread.
I'm 24 now and do not have the time I had back then to customize, root, tinker with settings etc. So I always heard the iPhone is reliable and all the good stuff and it just works.
I think my current android phone is good, a htc m8 running the latest android version, but I think android is not a very polished OS.

I will tell some examples to make my point:

- my device got hot for no reason, I am used with android so a reboot fixed it.
- sometimes things stop working for no reason, like I open an app like whatsapp and it shows a blank screen is easy to fix, close the app and open again, or when I click a link in Twitter and it opens chrome but chrome do not redirect to Instagram or YouTube and I have to close and open again.
- when downloading a new game is uncertain the performance, i downloaded horizon chase, the game didn't opened until I rebooted, one of the problems of being in the newest android version, most apps are not made for it.
- gta San Andreas is almost impossible to run at max settings. I don't know how settings compare with android and ios but I saw some videos of it running on iPhone 6s and looks like most effects were turned on.

There is some other things that annoys me, like the battery that can stay at 100% for 9 hours in standby and other times some app gets stuck and drains 50% the battery. When playing a game or watching YouTube videos the phone gets extremely hot, is not like warm, is like will burn your skin.

I really want to try and iPhone because I think I will do not have any of this problems.
Of course I will miss stereo speakers, fast charging or taking pictures in 16:9 but I can live with that. I also will spend like twice the price on the 6s plus 64gb than a note 5, that I think that is a better device but have android that I am trying to avoid for now.

I am deciding for the plus model, i dont know if the device is too big. I think the iPhone 6 is a very good device to hold, but I don't think I can downgrade to sub 1080p panel, also there is the battery, i see most of my friends in the wall, while I am OK with my m8, maybe is the usage pattern.

What do you guys think? Is an iPhone really worth the price even if is the price of a motorcycle? What I am afraid is that I spend this much and it is no different from my current experience.
Also should I go for plus model? I am unsure because I am afraid about that rendering and downscaling that plus model do will hurt performance in games, I would prefer the device with better performance.

I hope you guys can help me with this, Thanks in advance.

 

[Knowlege Bomb]

If you're buying the latest model you should have no issue with the plus. The 6 before it had some issues with rendering but it's sounding like most of that has been resolved with the latest beta update.

As far as heat goes, the only time I've noticed a temperature difference on my phone is when I had it mounted in my car running Waze and Pandora and it was only slightly warm. You may have more power user attributes so I can only offer my heaviest use scenario.

The OS is generally very reliable. I can't remember the last time I opened something only to find it unresponsive. I can think of one app that consistently would stop loading data after a certain period of usage but that was an app issue rather than the OS. The nice thing is there's a lot of apps for which you can find several alternatives in the store. iOS uses a different type of multitasking and apps "getting stuck" and draining battery isn't an issue. You can rest easy on that one.

If you're getting the plus model, I don't think you'll have an issue with battery. I have the 6s and I can make it through a full day (9a - 1a) and usually have in the 20 - 40% range in reserve. Heavy use days I can find myself under 10% but I can count on one hand the number of times that's happened.

I have used every version of android except for the latest (Marshmallow) and I can tell you the stuttering that you see on your M8 is not present on the latest iOS hardware. There's a couple spots where it drops frames that everybody around here loves to scream about and write off Apple and iOS as doomed because of but it will be an improvement for you. Even on the latest hardware that I test drove (S6 Edge) it was apparent out of the box. Touchwiz is improving from what I've been told/read but it still needs a lot of work. I sent it back the day after receiving and rejoiced in my iOS haven (BOOM, fanboy status).

The one thing I will say other manufacturers can gloat over is display. Apple's choice in display manufacturers needs to change because the last couple of generations have been embarrassing. I compared my 6s to an old 4 I pulled out of the closet and was instantly saddened. I hope the rumors of a switch to OLED coming up pan out because the yellow display on this phone just plain sucks.

I say go for it. It may take a couple of weeks to really settle in but once you're there you won't wanna leave. I've converted countless friends, family members and coworkers and they love it.

TL;DR: iOS is better than android in every way unless you want to tinker/customize. You're making the right choice.

 

[billy the fish]

You will miss the small things, a back button, a file manager, the ability to drag and drop, being able to share anything to anywhere. . Basically what a proper computer can do as opposed to an app launcher. . If you are happy having your hands tied you will get on fine..

 

[billy the fish]

Oh, and come upgrade time.. u get what apple say you get good bad or indifferent. . As opposed to choosing one of 7 or 8 flagship.devices From other oems , all with great different highlight features.. so if.you like choice. Kiss it goodbye. .

 

[Evolution2015]

leandronb: To make a long story short. Dont switch. You will regret. Android is better by far.

 

[joeblow7777]

You will miss the small things, a back button, a file manager, the ability to drag and drop, being able to share anything to anywhere. . Basically what a proper computer can do as opposed to an app launcher. . If you are happy having your hands tied you will get on fine..

It's not THAT bad, but none of this is actually wrong. iOS is smooth, reliable, simple, gets the latest updates as soon as they come out, and Apple's ecosystem is secure and well supported. However, that does come with the significant restrictions and limitations outlined above. Both iOS and Android have their strengths and weaknesses. Neither is perfect, but neither is awful either. It comes down to which advantages you prioritize, and which sacrifices you're willing to make to have them.

 

[Elisha]

The problems you are encountering are Sense related. I wouldn't call iOS more polished. Most of the third party apps are without a doubt.
All your issues or at least a majority of them will not be present in stock Android like on Nexus devices.
If you use Hangouts, you'll be disappointed that you can't share to Hangouts in iOS. I've already made multiple complaints about it but so far no resolution.
Copy and paste is a joke and so is the settings menu.
Battery life is amazing and so far that has kept me satisfied.
Also you tend to be a little more productive when you figure out there isn't much to tinker and you are stuck with the way the UI looks.
I'm tired of tinkering and want decent battery and that's why I switched. But my honest opinion is that Stock Android is where it is at if they can get good battery life and a nicely built device!

 

[billy the fish]

It's all personal opinion, last week I showed my edge plus to a long time ifan With a ip6, to say he was blown away was an understatement.. He Admitted He Knew Nothing of the Market OUTSIDE Apple. . Which is what I wager a lot of the shoutier ones on here are like. .

 

[C DM]

No one can say what it will be or is like for someone else. The only thing that will really do the trick is actually using it.

 

[leandronb]

The problems you are encountering are Sense related. I wouldn't call iOS more polished. Most of the third party apps are without a doubt.
All your issues or at least a majority of them will not be present in stock Android like on Nexus devices.
If you use Hangouts, you'll be disappointed that you can't share to Hangouts in iOS. I've already made multiple complaints about it but so far no resolution.
Copy and paste is a joke and so is the settings menu.
Battery life is amazing and so far that has kept me satisfied.
Also you tend to be a little more productive when you figure out there isn't much to tinker and you are stuck with the way the UI looks.
I'm tired of tinkering and want decent battery and that's why I switched. But my honest opinion is that Stock Android is where it is at if they can get good battery life and a nicely built device!

Not really, in fact sense is better than stock Android for me. Htc m8 is one of few devices that can have stock Android and custom UI officially. I was using marshmallow gpe, and when marshmallow was released in sense version I immediately converted back.
Even the battery is better with sense.
I just want a device that works, I hate random errors, "Google services stopped working" messages, or some random app that I didn't even know was running. I am hoping that ios do not have these problems and are smooth and polished as almost everyone says.

 

[Elisha]

Not really, in fact sense is better than stock Android for me. Htc m8 is one of few devices that can have stock Android and custom UI officially. I was using marshmallow gpe, and when marshmallow was released in sense version I immediately converted back.
Even the battery is better with sense.
I just want a device that works, I hate random errors, "Google services stopped working" messages, or some random app that I didn't even know was running. I am hoping that ios do not have these problems and are smooth and polished as almost everyone says.

I've owned the M8 as well and I have to say only HTC fans actually claim Sense is better. Yes it is better for HTC's battery optimizations but nothing else. The reason Sense became popular was because they were the first to slim down their UI while increasing user experience while Samsung, LG, Sony, and Motorola was still heavily skinning theirs.
Stability wise, the M8 on GPE was miles ahead. On Sense, I would have to reboot only every couple of days to get it back to operate smoothly.
Try an actual Nexus device and you will see Android in a whole different light.

 

[skiltrip]

Going from years of Android to iOS was refreshing and fun. Going from a year of iOS to Android was jarring when I recently got a Nexus 6P to try out. I honestly like both though. I could get on with either really. I ultimately choose to stick with iOS mainly because I support Apple products for a living. I frequently need iOS in my pocket to do my job, and carrying around an iPad all the time is a drag.

 

[convergent]

leandronb: To make a long story short. Dont switch. You will regret. Android is better by far.

Wrong. Millions of people disagree with this nonsense.

To the OP, the best thing to do is try it and give it a long enough time to learn and adjust to it. I spent 6 months with Android before concluding it's not for me. I'm confident I have it a fair shot.

 

[leandronb]

I've owned the M8 as well and I have to say only HTC fans actually claim Sense is better. Yes it is better for HTC's battery optimizations but nothing else. The reason Sense became popular was because they were the first to slim down their UI while increasing user experience while Samsung, LG, Sony, and Motorola was still heavily skinning theirs.
Stability wise, the M8 on GPE was miles ahead. On Sense, I would have to reboot only every couple of days to get it back to operate smoothly.
Try an actual Nexus device and you will see Android in a whole different light.

Have this problems with sense after lollipop update, every 2 days having to reboot. Reverted to kitkat and all problems were gone. Then I tried lollipop 5.1 gpe, was very good but still not as fast as kitkat, stayed on gpe for months because some apps were not working on kitkat anymore and lollipop with sense was terrible. Now with marshmallow and sense 7 all problems I had are gone, but still even gpe have the same problems I mentioned in first post.
I had galaxy nexus, nexus 4 and nexus 5, went for a lg g2 after.

 

[billy the fish]

Wrong. Millions of people disagree with this nonsense.

To the OP, the best thing to do is try it and give it a long enough time to learn and adjust to it. I spent 6 months with Android before concluding it's not for me. I'm confident I have it a fair shot.

Oh, and thanks for speaking on behalf of millions of people. The market share of 83% possibly might disagree with you tho..

 

[bembol]

I have both but if you ask me which OS to go with for life. Android.

First and foremost I love the Customization and second more choices with Hardware but lately hTc and Samsung has dropped the ball.

Two things that keeps me going back to the iPhone. Being a Mac user with iTunes purchases and better Apps. Take the latest from Starbucks I'm still waiting for android to get MOBILE ORDER.

 

[ron7624]

As an x Android user, once you get used to iOS, and that doesn't take long, you will like it.
My 2 cents.

 

[andyp350]

You won't get many impartial opinions here. If you're considering a change after so long then you must be seriously considering it so why not give it a go. You can always make your next phone an Android again if you don't get on with iOS. The one thing that can be said for Apple products is they have good re-sale value so if you decide after a year you want to go back to Android then you should get a good price for the iPhone if you keep it in good condition.

My personal opinion is that the iPhone is definitely worth the extra cost over an android as I feel both the hardware and the software is superior. But on the other hand the fact that you have been on Android for so many years means you got on better with it then I ever did. I'm very familiar with the Android interface through work but I've never liked it, again, that's just my personal opinion.

 

[JoeyD74]

I think it depends on how into the phones you are. I'm a very basic phone user, phone, texts, email, Internet so it doesn't matter as long as the phone and system work. I had a note 5 for a few weeks on the test drive promotion and it was great other than it had the typical freeze issues like the OP, not a lot but it had them. The screen and camera were very nice though.

 

[cagcody]

I have an iPhone 6S Plus, and I got to try a Galaxy Note 5 through the Samsung Ultimate Test Drive. I won't lie, I liked it. The screen was more vibrant and it felt better in the hand. I love the customization that Android brings to the table. You're free to do almost anything. But for me, I'm invested in the Apple ecosystem already. And I didn't really miss the phone after I sent it back. I think iOS is smoother compared to Android, and the apps for the most part seem to be higher quality.

 

[Gathomblipoob]

A) don't have to, I'll Just use split screen.. b) this is obviously differences between the apps so when you close the app just like YouTube it closes... nothing to do with OS deficiencies. . Why would you want to play a movie in the background?

To go to sleep by. But not all Android phones use split screen, I understand.

 

[cuzo]

Hi guys.
I am an android user for almost 5 years. Always had a good experience with it because I never used a samsung phone besides a galaxy nexus with pure android.
Also I started with ice cream sandwich so never used the laggy gingerbread.
I'm 24 now and do not have the time I had back then to customize, root, tinker with settings etc. So I always heard the iPhone is reliable and all the good stuff and it just works.
I think my current android phone is good, a htc m8 running the latest android version, but I think android is not a very polished OS.
I will tell some examples to make my point:
-my device got hot for no reason, I am used with android so a reboot fixed it.
-sometimes things stop working for no reason, like I open an app like whatsapp and it shows a blank screen is easy to fix, close the app and open again, or when I click a link in Twitter and it opens chrome but chrome do not redirect to Instagram or YouTube and I have to close and open again.
-when downloading a new game is uncertain the performance, i downloaded horizon chase, the game didn't opened until I rebooted, one of the problems of being in the newest android version, most apps are not made for it.
-gta San Andreas is almost impossible to run at max settings. I don't know how settings compare with android and ios but I saw some videos of it running on iPhone 6s and looks like most effects were turned on.

There is some other things that annoys me, like the battery that can stay at 100% for 9 hours in standby and other times some app gets stuck and drains 50% the battery. When playing a game or watching YouTube videos the phone gets extremely hot, is not like warm, is like will burn your skin.

I really want to try and iPhone because I think I will do not have any of this problems.
Of course I will miss stereo speakers, fast charging or taking pictures in 16:9 but I can live with that. I also will spend like twice the price on the 6s plus 64gb than a note 5, that I think that is a better device but have android that I am trying to avoid for now.

I am deciding for the plus model, i dont know if the device is too big. I think the iPhone 6 is a very good device to hold, but I don't think I can downgrade to sub 1080p panel, also there is the battery, i see most of my friends in the wall, while I am OK with my m8, maybe is the usage pattern.

What do you guys think? Is an iPhone really worth the price even if is the price of a motorcycle? What I am afraid is that I spend this much and it is no different from my current experience.
Also should I go for plus model? I am unsure because I am afraid about that rendering and downscaling that plus model do will hurt performance in games, I would prefer the device with better performance.
I hope you guys can help me with this, Thanks in advance.

Tell you the truth it's apples to oranges, I have a m9. a smooth (mostly) phone with decent battery hinded by sprint shytty service.

I have no real complaints besides weight (155grams) a bit heavy for a 5 incher. Also no fingerprint sensor and the screen is kinda dull compared to my older Note 4.

But to tell you the truth, this is the main reason I wanna go back to iphone.

http://www.businesswire.com/news/ho...hase-Mobile®-App-iPhone®-Introduces-Touch-ID™

Thats really it, the ease of use to log into my bank and 1password to remember my passwords is the main reason I wanna go back.

I'm at the age where honestly all the coolness wears off and you just want a phone for spefic reasons...

Trust me the edge plus is a cool ass phone but android/chase didn't implement touch id like apple did so that's something that I have to consider. I look for certain features.

 

[maxsix]

"Switching from android, is iPhone really that good?"


No, iPhone isn't "that good _or_ that bad"

It's simply different.


An excellent smartphone amongst a group of excellent smartphones, I enjoy my iPhone 6 Plus even though I _know_ for a stone cold fact Apple could do better.

My current Nexus 5, 6 and Moto X Pure are also excellent smartphones.

Having been deeply immersed in the use of both iOS & Android since the first day they were released, and maintaining constant concurrent, heavy usage daily, I have a full appreciation for each platform.

Choosing one over the other as "best for you" requires time, money and effort a great number of people are unwilling to expend.

Unfortunately some of these same people pontificate like "experts" quick to condemn what they fail to have a modicum of knowledge about. Usually it's Android they bash, often because it's very popular to hate Android and gush over Apple. It's also easy to bash what one doesn't understand.

Snob Appeal doesn't exist with Android Phones in the Googleplex, largely because all iPhone models are Shiny, Pricey, and Heavily Marketed by Apple as superior in our Cash Worshipping Society. Androids are indirectly labeled the commoners phone.

Apple devotees will argue relentlessly that they have the best Eco-system, the most apps, and even when it won't, the iPhone "just works".

I'm thoroughly enjoying my multi platform experience with these two exceptional platforms.


Pick Your Poison... I dare you

 

[Elisha]

Just (barely) works!

 

[convergent]

Oh, and thanks for speaking on behalf of millions of people. The market share of 83% possibly might disagree with you tho..

I'm not speaking for anyone. It's public information. Millions of people have chosen iPhones. Market share has nothing to do with it.... Millions buy iPhones. Millions by Android. Both are good platforms but different.