This phone stuff needs to stop for me, too old.... need to make a choice.

[cuzo]

I got a dilemma and don't know what to do. Need to decide

1. Apple

I don't hate Apple products but I think they're overrated in a sense but they last a long time, I know people still on the Iphone X and 11 today and still get updates. I like how it looks, it's trendy device that does the basics very well and I can't hate on that and imessage stands out, blue vs green and so forth. It's a social phone with face-time integrated into the calling app, the social apps are pretty, face-time is cool and face ID is a game changer and very handy.

but sometimes things do go according to plan...

I don't make a lot of money about 45k a year and I'm older so i don't expect a big pay raise at my age but Iphone at times is a miss, I had a draining battery in my 13 pro that went from 87 to 77 percent in a year, also I got scammed and broke the screen and went to some repair shop that has great reviews and go a cheap 400 nit screen and ended up selling the phone for under 200 bucks just scammed and didn't know how many hustlers and crooks are out there selling cheap repair for apple services, also apple is premium and prices to do anything is high, robokiller now is like 9.99 a month from 4.99 last year, no spam protection, nothing apple does nothing it looks pretty and it's trendy but apple literally doesn't nothing, no file system nothing, ITUNES which no one uses, just trash and outdated.

But it looks good and last a long time...

2. Samsung

Sammy is cool but sometimes I ask myself can these devices last years and also it's android no offense is it worth 1k with no imessage and all that stuff, no offense but people are shallow and that's just life. I had a S24 Ultra and returned it because I was supposed to get 15% CB with MS and they declined me so i took it back, it was 880 with taxes in the states. Nice phone but didn't see the point in spending all that money and it's a big boy. Nice phone and can integrate with Windows better than apple and I have no desire to use macs ever. So I think what's the best move? I want to buy something and stop doing this tech stuff, it's time consuming and honestly it's just a phone...

3. Google

Pixel's are cool but kinda plain and boring, my 8a works great, it's small and lite and durable and can use with 1 hand but it's boring and it's only 128 storage and I only have the phone nothing else pixel, wondering if I should get the watch and buds or not.

I have the following devices and if I can make up my mind I can sell some of these things

1. Galaxy watch 5 pro - durable beast, can trade in for ultra for 240 I think
2. Galaxy buds pro 2 - decent can trade in for 3 pro for under 100 bucks
3. Apple watch ultra 1 - tank and I like it but no iPhone so can't use it much
4. Samsung s9 Fe tab - good not complaining

If I get iPhone I can sell watch 5 pro ,if I get Samsung I can sell watch ultra and pixel.

So kinda undecided, money wise Samsung is probably the best choice.


What makes the best sense? I cheap bigger screen Samsung and just call it a day or go back to iPhone, I don't think the pixels are worth that price 800 and up, i got this 8a for 399 from BB as a sale.

 

[Sheepish-Lord]

Refurbished from Apple or new iPhone SE. Explore the base models of the other brands if you want Android. You talk about not making a lot of money and are older so why are you looking at Pro and Ultra models? Do you really use those features? Get the cheapest products for the ecosystem you like and you should be good to go especially this day and age where base model stuff was the Pro level just a few years ago.

 

[tbayrgs]

Why not use 0% financing? The major carriers offer it, as does Apple (if connecting to a major carrier) and Google. It doesn’t change the price and you can get more phone without having to drop $800-$1200 up front.

I know some are immediately opposed to any sort of credit/financing but 0% actually lets you hold onto your own money longer and get a better product (within your own budget, of course). Just my $0.02.

 

[Just_Kevin]

I see iPhone as being a better value for the money for the reasons you stated... longer support for updates and overall lasts longer. I did Samsung & Pixel for years, after a year they all started to run slow.

 

[HouseLannister]

Apple has committed to 5 years for security updates. Google and Samsung promise 7.

Apple will provide a minimum of five years of iPhone security updates

Google and Samsung guarantee seven years of updates.

www.theverge.com

 

[cuzo]

I would like to test out the Pixel watch 3 and see how that runs and maybe you know that might work out. But with apple you know I don't like the fact that they don't have any any spam protection and everything seems on Apple you have to actually pay for

 

[Harthag]

I agree regarding looking at Apple refurbished, they're basically good as new. If you go with Google the Galaxy Watch and Buds will work just fine- I use them both with my phone. You can't go wrong with current generation phones, they won't lag after a year or two.

 

[danb1979]

IMO go with Any Android device you want; trade in the Galaxy Watch you have now and buy the Samsung Watch Ultra (that's what I have paired with my 9 Pro Fold) - works as it should (but I don't use/need all the options you get when used wkith a Samsung device)

Or; get a refurbed iPhone of your choice and go with the AWU / AWU2 when the 16 is released; prices will drop and you'll get a superb pairing

 

[JonathanX64]

Is there a point in owning pro/ultra flagship devices? Unless you're a c-word creator who needs latest cameras and best performance for cutting & editing videos?

Pixel Watch 1 costs pennies on Amazon refurbished, it's made from stainless steel and it works better than I expected for ~125 bucks. And their official woven band is sooooooo nice + has the most convenient buckle I've ever had. You will appreciate it if your hands are not as agile as they used to be.

Pixel 8 with 256 gigs? It's boring, it's reliable, it just works. Not 10/10 perfect but the only serious complaint I have is a slightly bigger bezel down below. I charge it to ~40-50 percent once a day, and it always lasts till the next day. And unlike Apple, Google allows you to repair it with official parts.
Plus the Rose color is gorgeous, but you may want to stick with Charcoal if you're into more masculine stuff.

 

[cuzo]

Is there a point in owning pro/ultra flagship devices? Unless you're a c-word creator who needs latest cameras and best performance for cutting & editing videos?

Pixel Watch 1 costs pennies on Amazon refurbished, it's made from stainless steel and it works better than I expected for ~125 bucks. And their official woven band is sooooooo nice + has the most convenient buckle I've ever had. You will appreciate it if your hands are not as agile as they used to be.

Pixel 8 with 256 gigs? It's boring, it's reliable, it just works. Not 10/10 perfect but the only serious complaint I have is a slightly bigger bezel down below. I charge it to ~40-50 percent once a day, and it always lasts till the next day. And unlike Apple, Google allows you to repair it with official parts.
Plus the Rose color is gorgeous, but you may want to stick with Charcoal if you're into more masculine stuff.

Pizel watch 1 is too small for me, and 2 the Pixel 8a is what I have with 128 gigs not 256.

I like the pixel 3 watch when it comes out and the embargo is lifted I will check that out.

Pixels are nice, the thing about iphones is I like the notifications on the lock screen to be displayed.

I will check out the 16 today.

Might just cancel my s24 ultra order for 850 and keep the pixel and call it a day, I will see yes I'm older and realistically it's 80% of what the phone can do that I won't do.

 

[h.gilbert]

If you want to save money I'd suggest used. I always buy used, usually flagships from one or two years ago. Frankly it's a waste of money buying new. I got a Samsung S23 Plus last month for £450, that phone was £1049 when new in Feb 2023.

I usually stick with eBay. Look for good seller feedback, nice photos and a well written description showing the seller cares, and if anything does go wrong then eBay will step in a protect you.

As for the phone itself, you could get a used iPhone 14 or 15? Older Pixels including the 8 seem to be hit and miss - bugs, battery life, etc. The Pixel 9 on the other hand seems to be really good. Samsung is great too but really seeing as you like FaceID, imessage and all the other Apple stuff an iPhone seems to be what you want.

 

[edubfromktown]

I'm never going back to iPhone. I use Mac's, one iPad Pro 9.7 and a mix of Apple and Samsung buds. No digital watches.

My wife prefers iPhones. I just bought her a refurb 14 Pro from Apple, which is great for her needs.

I prefer Samsung over Pixel for a few reasons:

Knox Secure Folder is brilliant. Android 15 may offer something similar (encrypted separate container for apps and associated data)

The Good extras are nice to have

Updates have been consistent for S24+

Better performance, battery, charging, ... than the competition

I might consider Pixel next upgrade interval after TSMC processors replace "glorified Exynos" current gen Tensor.

 

[Harthag]

My wife doesn't even want me to buy her the 16 PM because she thinks it's due to my phone addiction 🤣. I tell her repeatedly that her 11 PM needs to go. Her storage both on device and iCloud is full, her battery is at 75% health. This will be the first year since iPhone 4 that I have not bought an iPhone for myself, she doesn't believe me 🤣. I'm doing well, back to using only one phone!

 

[cuzo]

I actually got a S24 Ultra from slickdeals for 800 after taxes, 512 version too and it's nice but I also have my Pixel 8a which I think the software is much better.

So I might return the ultra and just keep the 8a, I do like the 16 basic version in black but 800 for what you get is criminal.

So I might just keep this.

 

[RSB96]

Okay, regarding phones, I'm going to tell you a little about what's been happening to me these past few months/years.

I hated the 13 Pro Max camera because of the processing. The Pixel 7 Pro was amazing in comparison and worked quite well, although it had software flaws that weren't good.

The Pixel 8 Pro never felt entirely fluid, but the camera and software made up for it (for me). But you compared it to the OnePlus 11 that my uncle bought (incredible in performance, fluidity, the customization layer is quite good, the cameras are fine, better than those of the S24 that he bought recently... because he lost his phone who knows where) or you compared it to the S24... and it showed (and a lot). They said it had a scroll bug and that with Android 15 they were going to improve it, I think it comes out this month, I will update it to see how it goes.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9. A fantastic device, great screen, excellent speed, multitasking that leaves iPadOS in oblivion, extraordinary features, but the quality of the apps I do notice is inferior to that of the iPad. You can tell that in the end it is not an app for Tablet, but the mobile app stretched. Twitter itself, the iPad one is far superior to the Android one (which is the same as the mobile one). Microsoft 365 is the same rickety and cropped app as on iOS, but I can't tell you if the file thing works better than on iOS (Sometimes the OneDrive app freezes when transferring large files). With the keyboard, Word was worse than on the iPad, the keyboard sometimes got stuck (the original Samsung one) and it would capitalize and such, I think it was an autocorrect problem, but on the iPad it is much less intrusive and with the capital letters and such it also drove me crazy.

For photo editing I use Pixelmator, an application that is only on Mac/iPad that is a one-time payment and not a subscription like Adobe and it works very well. Procreate for painting is also superior to similar applications that are on Android. But now they have GoodNotes, the Samsung Notes app is great and things like that that you say... well, maybe I could live with limitations (I think Google's photo editor is good enough).

At work I have the Galaxy Fold 6 and a Surface OLED with the Snapdragon X Elite chip. And I have to say that I am quite comfortable with the devices. Windows is not insufferable, the Surface does not heat up, it does not make noise, like the first ones my father had (he had the original and the 3 if I remember correctly). The Snapdragon ARM chip makes everything go very fast and very fluid and the battery lasts about 10/12 hours approx. Some things despair me, like asking me to log in all the time sometimes (I think it's been a few weeks since it happened to me, maybe they fixed it with an update). I still like macOS a lot more, but I could live with Windows 11 perfectly.

The Galaxy Fold 6 is the perfect mix between a mobile and a Galaxy Tab. It may be a bit narrow and elongated, but folded it is not uncomfortable (a bit bulky, but the weight is like that of the 15 Pro Max or an S24 Ultra). You unfold it and you have all the multitasking of a Galaxy Tab. The crease is there and outdoors it reflects a bit, but indoors from the front it is barely noticeable. The Spen is a marvel on this thing, using OneNote and having it sync with Surface and using the styluses to annotate... a marvel. The cameras are the worst thing about the phone, and Samsung phones in general, except for the Ultra. They have been using the same camera hardware for 4/5 years... and it shows.

The Pixel 9 Pro XL arrives and I find myself with a much more refined product than it seemed in its presentation. I like the new design, but above all the fluidity and transitions have been greatly improved. The new AI features are cool. The screen is better, the battery is better, it heats up less, the telephoto lens has more detail and optimizes digital zoom better. The software, without being as complete as OneUI, which has functions that I don't even really know exist, is a mix between iOS and other Android skins. It is simple, polished and clean, it does not have as many functions as OneUI, but it does have the "freedom" that iOS does not have, multi-window, clipboard, file manager... and the cameras... are second to none.

In the end, during this time I have realized that iOS has limitations and absurd failures that are not understood today. Why not put a universal clipboard that stores it in iCloud and syncs between devices and that not only allows you to do it with the last thing you copied? When will there be a file manager that works like the Mac one? And for some time now I have noticed that they are increasingly taking out less polished things and with more bugs. There is a bug in the notifications that appear square and then the rounded corners are put that has been like this... 3 years? Allowing greater customization is fine, but they do it in a complex and unintuitive way, which is totally contrary to what Apple usually does.

I see that Apple is putting aside what made it "special" (or, at least, spatial for me) and that it only focuses on aesthetic or personalization functionalities for influencers to promote them. As in the iPhone, the camera, always the camera, but being one of the best, it still has problems in photography, but not in video which is still unbeatable. But it gives the feeling that everything they do is for influencers and teenagers, doing things without thinking them through and taking them out for taking them out. I have always liked Apple and it would be difficult for me to get out of "there", but the truth is that I see more and more what is outside the "walled garden of Apple" and I like it more. I'm lazy to start from "0" again.

I'm not unhappy with the iPhone, maybe I'm bored with the same old thing. I love the iPhone 15 Pro Max, it's more compact than the 13 Pro Max, it weighs less, the cameras are very good, everything is going well, but I no longer feel anything "special" about it. Maybe I'm getting older too. Maybe Apple has become too conservative. Maybe mobiles can't get more attention.

But I don't know, the Galaxy Fold for me is something totally exciting and new. To think that Apple could do something like that with iOS/iPadOS I would love… but they are not going to do it. The Pixel 9 Pro XL has AI functions that Apple does not yet have and will not have for quite some time, because Apple is only going to launch it in the US and in English for now. The genmoji (AI emoji generator) is sure to be perfect… for teenagers and influencers. But, advanced photo editor? Magic eraser and thank you. They take out a new button to… activate their Google Lens, which will be worse since Google has had it for… years. We are no longer at a point where Android was bad beyond belief, it had a thousand bugs and brutal fragmentation. The high ranges with 7 years of updates, the Galaxy Fold already has the October update (the Pixel does not yet have it, I suppose because Android 15 is already coming out this month).

Will I finally take the risk and leave that walled garden? I don't know, I don't have any problem with Apple either, I'm just not passionate about what it releases or does. Maybe little by little... I will change things and stop using some Apple products and keep others. But, either Apple becomes “special” and “innovative” again, surprising and exciting the “geek” of always, or little by little they are going to lose me. I miss the Apple that surprised, the one that brought out something that was far above the competition. Now it is for me a "mainstream", a very good brand, but with nothing special to offer.

 

[aggie99]

Okay, regarding phones, I'm going to tell you a little about what's been happening to me these past few months/years.

I hated the 13 Pro Max camera because of the processing. The Pixel 7 Pro was amazing in comparison and worked quite well, although it had software flaws that weren't good.

The Pixel 8 Pro never felt entirely fluid, but the camera and software made up for it (for me). But you compared it to the OnePlus 11 that my uncle bought (incredible in performance, fluidity, the customization layer is quite good, the cameras are fine, better than those of the S24 that he bought recently... because he lost his phone who knows where) or you compared it to the S24... and it showed (and a lot). They said it had a scroll bug and that with Android 15 they were going to improve it, I think it comes out this month, I will update it to see how it goes.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9. A fantastic device, great screen, excellent speed, multitasking that leaves iPadOS in oblivion, extraordinary features, but the quality of the apps I do notice is inferior to that of the iPad. You can tell that in the end it is not an app for Tablet, but the mobile app stretched. Twitter itself, the iPad one is far superior to the Android one (which is the same as the mobile one). Microsoft 365 is the same rickety and cropped app as on iOS, but I can't tell you if the file thing works better than on iOS (Sometimes the OneDrive app freezes when transferring large files). With the keyboard, Word was worse than on the iPad, the keyboard sometimes got stuck (the original Samsung one) and it would capitalize and such, I think it was an autocorrect problem, but on the iPad it is much less intrusive and with the capital letters and such it also drove me crazy.

For photo editing I use Pixelmator, an application that is only on Mac/iPad that is a one-time payment and not a subscription like Adobe and it works very well. Procreate for painting is also superior to similar applications that are on Android. But now they have GoodNotes, the Samsung Notes app is great and things like that that you say... well, maybe I could live with limitations (I think Google's photo editor is good enough).

At work I have the Galaxy Fold 6 and a Surface OLED with the Snapdragon X Elite chip. And I have to say that I am quite comfortable with the devices. Windows is not insufferable, the Surface does not heat up, it does not make noise, like the first ones my father had (he had the original and the 3 if I remember correctly). The Snapdragon ARM chip makes everything go very fast and very fluid and the battery lasts about 10/12 hours approx. Some things despair me, like asking me to log in all the time sometimes (I think it's been a few weeks since it happened to me, maybe they fixed it with an update). I still like macOS a lot more, but I could live with Windows 11 perfectly.

The Galaxy Fold 6 is the perfect mix between a mobile and a Galaxy Tab. It may be a bit narrow and elongated, but folded it is not uncomfortable (a bit bulky, but the weight is like that of the 15 Pro Max or an S24 Ultra). You unfold it and you have all the multitasking of a Galaxy Tab. The crease is there and outdoors it reflects a bit, but indoors from the front it is barely noticeable. The Spen is a marvel on this thing, using OneNote and having it sync with Surface and using the styluses to annotate... a marvel. The cameras are the worst thing about the phone, and Samsung phones in general, except for the Ultra. They have been using the same camera hardware for 4/5 years... and it shows.

The Pixel 9 Pro XL arrives and I find myself with a much more refined product than it seemed in its presentation. I like the new design, but above all the fluidity and transitions have been greatly improved. The new AI features are cool. The screen is better, the battery is better, it heats up less, the telephoto lens has more detail and optimizes digital zoom better. The software, without being as complete as OneUI, which has functions that I don't even really know exist, is a mix between iOS and other Android skins. It is simple, polished and clean, it does not have as many functions as OneUI, but it does have the "freedom" that iOS does not have, multi-window, clipboard, file manager... and the cameras... are second to none.

In the end, during this time I have realized that iOS has limitations and absurd failures that are not understood today. Why not put a universal clipboard that stores it in iCloud and syncs between devices and that not only allows you to do it with the last thing you copied? When will there be a file manager that works like the Mac one? And for some time now I have noticed that they are increasingly taking out less polished things and with more bugs. There is a bug in the notifications that appear square and then the rounded corners are put that has been like this... 3 years? Allowing greater customization is fine, but they do it in a complex and unintuitive way, which is totally contrary to what Apple usually does.

I see that Apple is putting aside what made it "special" (or, at least, spatial for me) and that it only focuses on aesthetic or personalization functionalities for influencers to promote them. As in the iPhone, the camera, always the camera, but being one of the best, it still has problems in photography, but not in video which is still unbeatable. But it gives the feeling that everything they do is for influencers and teenagers, doing things without thinking them through and taking them out for taking them out. I have always liked Apple and it would be difficult for me to get out of "there", but the truth is that I see more and more what is outside the "walled garden of Apple" and I like it more. I'm lazy to start from "0" again.

I'm not unhappy with the iPhone, maybe I'm bored with the same old thing. I love the iPhone 15 Pro Max, it's more compact than the 13 Pro Max, it weighs less, the cameras are very good, everything is going well, but I no longer feel anything "special" about it. Maybe I'm getting older too. Maybe Apple has become too conservative. Maybe mobiles can't get more attention.

But I don't know, the Galaxy Fold for me is something totally exciting and new. To think that Apple could do something like that with iOS/iPadOS I would love… but they are not going to do it. The Pixel 9 Pro XL has AI functions that Apple does not yet have and will not have for quite some time, because Apple is only going to launch it in the US and in English for now. The genmoji (AI emoji generator) is sure to be perfect… for teenagers and influencers. But, advanced photo editor? Magic eraser and thank you. They take out a new button to… activate their Google Lens, which will be worse since Google has had it for… years. We are no longer at a point where Android was bad beyond belief, it had a thousand bugs and brutal fragmentation. The high ranges with 7 years of updates, the Galaxy Fold already has the October update (the Pixel does not yet have it, I suppose because Android 15 is already coming out this month).

Will I finally take the risk and leave that walled garden? I don't know, I don't have any problem with Apple either, I'm just not passionate about what it releases or does. Maybe little by little... I will change things and stop using some Apple products and keep others. But, either Apple becomes “special” and “innovative” again, surprising and exciting the “geek” of always, or little by little they are going to lose me. I miss the Apple that surprised, the one that brought out something that was far above the competition. Now it is for me a "mainstream", a very good brand, but with nothing special to offer.

This post describes my feelings exactly. I still like Apple, like the iPhone, but nothing about it excites me anymore. I use the iPhone for a day or two and meh. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Z Fold 6, Pixel 9 Pro XL, all of those are just fun to use and in a way, more productive devices. The AI on the Pixel devices is far ahead of anything else and Galaxy AI is a distant second place, still way ahead of Siri. Apple really made it hard for me to use an iPhone with any regularity when they went eSIM only. It's still too much of a pain to swap eSIM back and forth between Android and iOS devices. Going into a store, calling customer service, or chatting with a rep on twitter in the case of T-Mobile is just too time consuming for me. I guess they did me a favor in a way, because I really don't find myself wanting to reach for my iPhone other than an occasional facetime call with my kids over wifi. The only Apple devices I'm still tied to, and by choice because I love them, is my Apple TV's.

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold continues to just amaze me and would be the one device I chose, if I had to make a choice. The camera is just slightly beneath the 9 Pro XL but amazing for a foldable. Last night capturing the northern lights, I just sat it on my bar on the patio in flex mode, set the camera to astrophotography, and let it sit for 4 minutes. No tripod needed and it produced a pretty great photo. The Z Fold 6 is definitely a more powerful and capable workhorse, but I can't do without the little things that make the Pixel the smartest and most convenient device to use. Displaying the song playing around you on the lock screen, call screening, direct my call, the AI photo editing tools. Even the battery life is great on the new Pixels. The Tensor is one thing that can be nitpicked but it's great for what I do 99% of the time. I think I'm done jumping around to new devices and will roll with the Pixels as my personal and the ZF6 as my work device and likely repeat on the next cycle if the trade ins are good.

 

[cuzo]

Apple is just boring, my 13 pro was decent and then the screen broke and I got scammed by a crappy shop and got crappy parts and the screen was probably 400nits, just hustled like a idiot and after that I got very salty and never wanted to do that again since I wasted money. I dislike the hustlers and the you tubers and the "right to repair" warriors because this is kinda where it leads after the social justice talk, people end up getting scammed.

Also with IOS I was just bored of it but I will say it does the fundamentals very well, the call quality with airpod pros was excellent and better than the Galaxy pro 2 that I have now. the battery imo was kinda hit or miss, I bought the phone at 87% and within a year it's 77% and needed to be changed, with Apple is very variable so you don't really know much of the time it could be a great battery that lasts 1 year and doesn't budge off 100% or it's not and it drains quickly.

Didn't care for Apple blocking pretty much unblock origin like on my android and Firefox has, didn't care for all browser running in apple Web-kit or whatever it's called, didn't like the file system just ugly and terrible. No call blocking, no spam protection just seems like Apple puts no real effort in to innovate just make the thing pretty, and trendy and call it a day.

But...

If you are in a situation and don't need a job, have a good career, good family, kids, everything is fine and just need a great phone to take pictures, messages, communicate and use Apple can't be beat.

I guess it depends, I mess my iPhone only when I'm relaxed and just want to throw in some earbuds and go for a walk but I don't miss it when I'm getting 10 spam calls a day. I get no spam calls on my S24 ultra at all where as with apple I was getting numerous.

Samsung is good but applepay is just double tap the power button, look at it and pay.

It's up for debate sometimes Apple is great, others it's not.

 

[Heat_Fan89]

Apple is all about hardware first, everything else is just secondary. Google is just the opposite, software first. I’ve always seen the iPhone is to Apple what the PlayStation is to Sony. It is their bread and butter products and since Apple has been successful with their formula they have little reason to change until the competition forces their hand. That’s why the hardware has evolved in increments and now the yearly craze are the new iPhone colors because iPhone users expect little changes from one generation to the next.

Hell, my iPhone 13 does for me what the iPhone 16 does. There’s no reason for me to spend money on something that does basically the same thing as my 3 year old iPhone.

 

[Ctrlos]

It boils down to software vs hardware.

iOS does still sadly have better quality apps than Android and a lot of exclusives, Pixelmator being one of them. A lot of them tend ot be writing and/or note-taking apps that are easily replaced with OneNote or Notion though. If its relevant iOS also has a lot of exclusive paid-up-front mobile games, although this can be offset by a better array of emulators on Android. iOS is slicker and it works when you need it to.

Android phones have better hardware. You can get 90% of the functionality for 50% of the price. I have a Nothing 2a that has a 3-day battery, plays GameCube titles at full speed and is bloat-free. It was £300. You also have the option of flip phones which are genuinely useful or folding phones which whilst a compromise in some areas do fulfil the needs of a phone and tablet.

I've used most major brands:

iPhones are brilliantly reliable but also not the leaders in any one area. The ecosystem is its strength.

Pixel Phones have killer cameras but the chipsets still suck. I've always found the battery life to be unreliable. The 7a never lasted a day.

Samsung Phones are great all-rounders. You can plug Microsoft services into the default apps if this is your jam. The Android 'default'.

If you can live without Google apps and make do with maps in a web browser then Huawei still make the best phones around. I have a 6-year-old P20 Pro with a cracked screen I keep as a backup. The camera still takes wonderful images and the battery lasts all day.

If you want to save some $$££ and you can put up with an 8/10 camera then Nothing offer tremendous value.

the Honor magic series pack in some serious tech and have a great little ecosystem of their own. Did you see the 4.4mm foldable Magic v3?!

 

[aggie99]

It boils down to software vs hardware.

iOS does still sadly have better quality apps than Android and a lot of exclusives, Pixelmator being one of them. A lot of them tend ot be writing and/or note-taking apps that are easily replaced with OneNote or Notion though. If its relevant iOS also has a lot of exclusive paid-up-front mobile games, although this can be offset by a better array of emulators on Android. iOS is slicker and it works when you need it to.

Android phones have better hardware. You can get 90% of the functionality for 50% of the price. I have a Nothing 2a that has a 3-day battery, plays GameCube titles at full speed and is bloat-free. It was £300. You also have the option of flip phones which are genuinely useful or folding phones which whilst a compromise in some areas do fulfil the needs of a phone and tablet.

I've used most major brands:

iPhones are brilliantly reliable but also not the leaders in any one area. The ecosystem is its strength.

Pixel Phones have killer cameras but the chipsets still suck. I've always found the battery life to be unreliable. The 7a never lasted a day.

Samsung Phones are great all-rounders. You can plug Microsoft services into the default apps if this is your jam. The Android 'default'.

If you can live without Google apps and make do with maps in a web browser then Huawei still make the best phones around. I have a 6-year-old P20 Pro with a cracked screen I keep as a backup. The camera still takes wonderful images and the battery lasts all day.

If you want to save some $$££ and you can put up with an 8/10 camera then Nothing offer tremendous value.

the Honor magic series pack in some serious tech and have a great little ecosystem of their own. Did you see the 4.4mm foldable Magic v3?!

With the 9 series I don't agree that the chipset sucks. Does it benchmark near what a SD or iPhone chip does? No. But does it need to? I like that Flossy addressed this in his P9PF review. I can do everything I need or want to do just fine on my P9PF or P9PXL as I can on my Z Fold 6 or 15PM. I'm not playing COD Mobile for hours and I'm sure in heavy gaming you are not going to get quite as good of performance, but for the most part the chipsets are more than adequate. The modem is far better in the 9 series than the 6, 7, and 8 as well. Still not quite as good as the Qualcomm modems, but it doesn't suck anymore by any means.

 

[mjschabow]

I was where you were at a couple months ago. I've notoriously flip flopped phones every year and was really trying to make that long term platform decision. I'm currently on the iPhone 15 Pro Max. I'm content, not amazingly happy but it has a lot of little features that are actually useful in my every day life. Plus, I really do like my Airpod Pros and my Apple Watch Ultra. Plus, I really have come to love Apple Music. Would love them even more if I could upload my own songs to the platform without needing a laptop, which is really annoying.

I do really think every platform is good though. I'm sure I could be happy on the Google or Samsung ecosystem. For me, the thought of switching that all is a big headache, which is why I've settled staying on Apple. My wife is a Samsung user, so sometimes I do wonder if it would be easier to be on the same platform though. iOS 18/RCS updates has helped there for sure.

 

[Harthag]

I caved and got a 16PM a couple weeks ago, I lasted 9 months without iOS which is a record for me. Still using my Pixel 9PXL daily for work. Agree with Floss' review 100%. From only a telephone / communication perspective and nothing else the Pixel is absolutely the superior device. Several phone functions and screening that iOS can only dream of. When taking into account the whole picture and everything that each device can do, the iPhone for me is more efficient, despite me being quicker on the Pixel overall in day-to-day tasks. Texting and translation with WeChat using Gboard, and the keyboard in general on the Pixel is light years ahead of iOS. Gboard is utter garbage on iOS.

I've come to the realization that having two phones (Pixel and iPhone) is cheaper over the course of a year than going back and forth, trying an S24/25 or Xiaomi / OnePlus, then selling them. And inevitably end back up with iPhone, FOMO, getting another Pixel or flagship Android, and so on and so forth. It's ridiculous and exhausting. The 16PM and P9PXL are both exactly what I need out of phones, and I can't choose, so I'm using both and will not buy another phone until fall '25.

My wife also got the 16PM coming from an 11PM and doesn't want to trade in or sell the 11PM, she's become attached to it. I *thoroughly* enjoyed roasting her to no end on the fact that she now has two phones, when she'd been giving me grief for years about my phone addiction. Not a peep out of her since for me using two phones 😂😂. Such a satisfying victory 😂😂.

 

[cuzo]

I caved and got a 16PM a couple weeks ago, I lasted 9 months without iOS which is a record for me. Still using my Pixel 9PXL daily for work. Agree with Floss' review 100%. From only a telephone / communication perspective and nothing else the Pixel is absolutely the superior device. Several phone functions and screening that iOS can only dream of. When taking into account the whole picture and everything that each device can do, the iPhone for me is more efficient, despite me being quicker on the Pixel overall in day-to-day tasks. Texting and translation with WeChat using Gboard, and the keyboard in general on the Pixel is light years ahead of iOS. Gboard is utter garbage on iOS.

I've come to the realization that having two phones (Pixel and iPhone) is cheaper over the course of a year than going back and forth, trying an S24/25 or Xiaomi / OnePlus, then selling them. And inevitably end back up with iPhone, FOMO, getting another Pixel or flagship Android, and so on and so forth. It's ridiculous and exhausting. The 16PM and P9PXL are both exactly what I need out of phones, and I can't choose, so I'm using both and will not buy another phone until fall '25.

My wife also got the 16PM coming from an 11PM and doesn't want to trade in or sell the 11PM, she's become attached to it. I *thoroughly* enjoyed roasting her to no end on the fact that she now has two phones, when she'd been giving me grief for years about my phone addiction. Not a peep out of her since for me using two phones 😂😂. Such a satisfying victory 😂😂.

What I want in a phone that I despise I can't do on Samsung is look at it and it shows all the notifications like on IOS and Pixel but IOS is clearly the superior system not in terms of overall notifications but in terms on looking at the phone and everything just pops up, Samsung has a lock screen that you have to press and I despise that greatly.

I also miss my apple watch ultra that I ended up selling since I sold the iphone, I think it's moreso when I'm out doing stuff I actually just dont think about all this stuff as often and apple works well for just the basics, I don't have a macbook but I want to use one.

I love my airpod pros greatly, love how they look and the call quality. Also love apple built in podcast app, love face ID, applepay but "browsing" on the phone isn't mess, I prefer android by a mile.

Probably best to save up and get both, i do think the iphone is the best everyday device but samsung is the better computer device.

 

[mjschabow]

I caved and got a 16PM a couple weeks ago, I lasted 9 months without iOS which is a record for me. Still using my Pixel 9PXL daily for work. Agree with Floss' review 100%. From only a telephone / communication perspective and nothing else the Pixel is absolutely the superior device. Several phone functions and screening that iOS can only dream of. When taking into account the whole picture and everything that each device can do, the iPhone for me is more efficient, despite me being quicker on the Pixel overall in day-to-day tasks. Texting and translation with WeChat using Gboard, and the keyboard in general on the Pixel is light years ahead of iOS. Gboard is utter garbage on iOS.

I've come to the realization that having two phones (Pixel and iPhone) is cheaper over the course of a year than going back and forth, trying an S24/25 or Xiaomi / OnePlus, then selling them. And inevitably end back up with iPhone, FOMO, getting another Pixel or flagship Android, and so on and so forth. It's ridiculous and exhausting. The 16PM and P9PXL are both exactly what I need out of phones, and I can't choose, so I'm using both and will not buy another phone until fall '25.

My wife also got the 16PM coming from an 11PM and doesn't want to trade in or sell the 11PM, she's become attached to it. I *thoroughly* enjoyed roasting her to no end on the fact that she now has two phones, when she'd been giving me grief for years about my phone addiction. Not a peep out of her since for me using two phones 😂😂. Such a satisfying victory 😂😂.

Yep, it's those little features that Apple has that builds up to a sum larger than its parts sometimes. I agree with you about Google. The last time I had a Pixel, I was floored by all the smart features it had with communication, phone, and of course the assistant. But everything else seemed so bare bones to me that I quickly had an empty feeling about the phone. This was also 5 generations ago, last Pixel I had was the 4, so maybe things have changed a bit.

 

[Harthag]

What I want in a phone that I despise I can't do on Samsung is look at it and it shows all the notifications like on IOS and Pixel but IOS is clearly the superior system not in terms of overall notifications but in terms on looking at the phone and everything just pops up, Samsung has a lock screen that you have to press and I despise that greatly.

I also miss my apple watch ultra that I ended up selling since I sold the iphone, I think it's moreso when I'm out doing stuff I actually just dont think about all this stuff as often and apple works well for just the basics, I don't have a macbook but I want to use one.

I love my airpod pros greatly, love how they look and the call quality. Also love apple built in podcast app, love face ID, applepay but "browsing" on the phone isn't mess, I prefer android by a mile.

Probably best to save up and get both, i do think the iphone is the best everyday device but samsung is the better computer device.

I had an AW6 awhile ago, still have a Galaxy Watch 6 Classic. As a watch (showing time, aesthetics, overall look), the Samsung smokes AW6. Things have changed with the Ultra watches, but I've no interest in those (I am sure they are fantastic). Also may need to buy AirPods again, currently using the Buds3 Pro. Fantastic buds but for some reason they make my right ear sweat and itch. Never had that problem with any earbud until now but obviously can't go on.

I would love to get the S25 next year but know that at the end of the day, like the present, Pixel has my heart and I'd go through the same thing next year which I'd like to avoid. Love OneUI, version 7 / Android 15 looks amazing if the leaks are accurate. It's honestly a draw between Pixel and iPhone, this is the first year I am completely unable to just pick one. Made a deal with myself that I can keep both if I don't buy any other phones until fall '25 at earliest.

Yep, it's those little features that Apple has that builds up to a sum larger than its parts sometimes. I agree with you about Google. The last time I had a Pixel, I was floored by all the smart features it had with communication, phone, and of course the assistant. But everything else seemed so bare bones to me that I quickly had an empty feeling about the phone. This was also 5 generations ago, last Pixel I had was the 4, so maybe things have changed a bit.

That's how I feel as well. At the end of the day I felt I was making my life more difficult / less efficient for no good reason by not using an iPhone. The Pixel 9 Pro feels like a completely different phone than the Pixel 8 Pro. The Pixel 4 I think is still my favorite Pixel of all time. That face unlock was iPhone-esque, can't believe Google scrapped it. Actually I can, because it is Google, but they really should've continued with Soli on Pixel devices.