Other Would you ever switch to Android?

[ggibson913]

I'm sitting here in my living room with an iPhone 3GS, an iPhone 4, an iPhone 4s, an iPhone 5, an iPhone 6s and an iPhone 6s+. All of which work. PS, my daughter uses an iPhone 5 on an active line as her primary phone.

I think you may need to revise your max useable life criteria for the iPhone.

Also, right next to my Android phone is my 2009 HTC Touch Pro. Granted, it's WinMo and not Android, but it is 11 years old and still functioning.

Defining "usable life" as continuing to receive Operating System/ Security updates

 

[compwiz1202]

This is one of the reasons I went straight to a Pixel last year. I get updates and don't have to wait.

I have a 2009 HTC Touch Pro that's still waiting on the next Windows Mobile update.

However, I long ago just went and modified it to run non-stock stuff so there was that.

If anything drastic ever did happen for me to want to switch back to Android. I would definitely go closest to Google to get decent update timing instead of Oreo coming "Soon" on S8+ when it was a flagship for like six months until we fled back to Apple.

 

[Cashe_Me-345]

I have tried the switch From apple to Android in the past Not so great experience for me. Was in the ATT store one day and put my hands on an S4 and it was a Left turn in life for me I am 99.5 percent sure never try again.
After Working with the phone it Was ok for a while, soon I learned how valuable the iMessage App was and how many people were married to it, Like my whole family. the S4 locking up and the camera was not all that great. Started to envoy my wife and her iphone. Then switched to a few more brands Nexus4 or something from Google at the time, Great phones, just the App service was less than desired to be involved with. I am an Audio Guy and use the audio apps quite frequently on my iPhone and ipad devices. Needless to say I would like to be able to run the iOS on an different hand held but as I said before I am married to the Company and love the Apple products, the money or cost is a non Issue. My motto is if I use a device or touch something more than 20 times in a day Everyday and spend more than 10 hours onor using it like a Phone, Glasses, Watch, Computer, Shoes then it is priceless to me money doesn’t matter. You live once enjoy!!! Though hardware and software are not always perfect, then again I am not ether, so there you go perfect match. Can not wait to see what surfaces and how we end up, the products we use, and how they will change in the next 5 years.

 

[meddow]

switching to the Microsoft duo!

Im giving up on iphones as its the same thing year in year!

 

[Cwoods]

I would only switch to Android if it somehow made my life easier which is unlikely. Also, too many company’s have added their “skins” to android making it almost impossible to have one harmonious operating system.

 

[alan1974us]

I'm in the tech industry so I alternate every other with Apple/Android. They both have pro's and con's, but I feel I run across too many people with the belief that one or the other is worse/better and have never used it.

 

[kb2755]

I regularly hop back and forth. I find each ecosystem does some things really well. I like to do 2 years on one, then 2 years on the other. Keeps me from feeling I'm buying the same iPhone year after year

Granted, I've never used a skinned Android device. Always Nexus/Pixel devices, with a BlackBerry Priv mixed in (near-stock Android)

 

[generalanders]

When researching non-apple phones, the boasts were about 1 or 2 "guaranteed" updates for the life of the phone.... Apple is regularly updating my years old devices, the standards amongst non apple are just bizarre to me.

 

[scottcampbell]

Added in a useful row for most folks on here.

Well hey, congrats on getting home screen widgets this year. Maybe someday you'll be able to arrange your apps however you want them. ;D

 

[Dominicanyor]

The last ANDROID phone that i had it was the HERO. i Have never went back!

 

[762999]

When researching non-apple phones, the boasts were about 1 or 2 "guaranteed" updates for the life of the phone.... Apple is regularly updating my years old devices, the standards amongst non apple are just bizarre to me.

It's really hard to compare Apple vs Android patching. This is not 100% true and depends on manufacturer. In a Samsung`s world that means 1-2 generations of Android.

All your apps are always patched. Most applications, like ones built by Samsung are coming from the Samsung store. So even if you have a 3-4 years old you could still get updates, like to the Camera app.

With Apple, they bundle the OS core + Apple Apps together and this is why they need to release often.

With Samsung: mail, camera and all the other apps are coming from their store, you dont need to wait for an OS release to get a new mail app.

I currently have monthly security updates (with new OS kernel) and big upgrades yearly (Android change or Touchwiz).

Even on my S8, I still get the security patches and I`m updated daily for all apps (including Samsung). Its not getting touchwiz update, but I switched my Launcher to another app so I still get daily updates (if needs be) for that. Samsung is often years ahead of Google in term of features provided on the phone. Android is often playing catchup for features.

It's not as bad as people think it is. It`s mostly differents. I can't speak for non Samsung phones.

 

[Hastings101]

Sure, I've used Android off and on and would do so again. That said, most of the major reasons for using Android in the past like getting a bigger screen or better battery life or a better looking design are no longer concerns for me. Now it would have to be for software reasons instead: if one of the Android manufacturers could perfect the one device for everything idea (desktop/phone/tablet) AND have it be well-supported, I'd definitely be first in line for it. Samsung Dex is not even close.

 

[neuropsychguy]

Would I ever switch? Of course. It would depend on what Apple's iPhones are like and what other phone manufacturer's phones are like (and cost, etc.). If an Android-based phone had all the features and performance of an iPhone (within reason) but was, let's say, only 20% the cost new, why not switch?

"Would" and "ever" are such unlimited terms that answering other than "yes" seems awfully dogmatic.

 

[rebel22lax]

ill be real with you if the HUAWEI Mate Xs wasn't a huge security risk and cost so so much I would have already

 

[Elshad]

I have always had an iPhone since the smartphone era began and I would like to remain loyal but sometimes I do find it hard when Apple treats us with such contempt e.g. not giving us USB-C in the year 2020 and expecting us just to accept it.

The main thing keeping me with the iPhone is the design. I don’t really like the way most Android phones look.

 

[hakuryuu]

Sure, if Apple made a change or did something that caused the phone or the ecosystem to just not work for me any longer or be obviously inferior to any alternatives. I'm not sure what that would be, but it hasn't happened yet.

Currently, between device performance, privacy and most of my family's personal devices (Macs, iPhones, iPads, Watches, etc) are from Apple I have very little incentive to switch. It's not just about iOS/Android, it's the whole package that has to work for me. And I am increasingly trying to limit my use of Google (though Gmail and Youtube are tough to not use).

 

[StuBeck]

I have in the past. Switched from a iPhone 3G to a Droid and enjoyed the multitasking and keyboard, but then had stability issues. Got a 4, and then switched to Windows Phone for a while. It was great, but app support and Google fighting them on absolutely everything ultimately killed it. Rather than go to an iPhone, I went with a Moto X, which was nice for a bit but then had massive battery drain issues. Went to a LG G3 which had a great camera, but had similar battery issues. Came back to iPhone for the 6 and 6S, and went back to Pixel. It was amazing for a month, then I had slow down issues. Came back to an iPhone XS Max and it still works. Biggest problem has always been that after 6 months, its old and starts to have issues, and if you want a case for a phone, god speed as the selection is minimal compared to Apple. Touch screen accuracy is also worse than iPhone.

I'm intrigued by the Surface Duo, but would likely consider it as a second device and not a main one. I'm also considering keeping the iPhone I have and just getting an iPad mini for if I ever return to the office.

 

[QCassidy352]

Not unless there's some big change that we can't foresee at this time. I have multiple apple device (as does my wife), and I like how they all play nicely together. That's much more important to me than any particular feature Android might have. There are other reasons to stick with iPhone too, but that one is actually enough on its own.

 

[Fjuarez]

I did it once Motorola Razr HD Jelly Bean and it was awful 😡👎🏻 Sooo slow.

 

[Jimmy James]

I have no reason to switch. That said, I wouldn’t rule it out if Android could match Apple’s security and also not be a data mining ad platform. Not holding my breath.

 

[The Game 161]

I'm in the tech industry so I alternate every other with Apple/Android. They both have pro's and con's, but I feel I run across too many people with the belief that one or the other is worse/better and have never used it.

This is the issue. People who bash android don’t have a 2018-2020 phone so they bash it off the issues it used to have

 

[infelix]

Well that's a big issue with Android owners bashing Apple products as well.
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I used android phones up to the time when my s8 got to old, then I switched back to ios and it works much better for me.

 

[alan1974us]

This is the issue. People who bash android don’t have a 2018-2020 phone so they bash it off the issues it used to have

I agree. I had a Pixel 3 and the phone was great. I swapped back to an iPhone because it was affecting my dating life.. People love blue text.. 😅

 

[The Game 161]

I agree. I had a Pixel 3 and the phone was great. I swapped back to an iPhone because it was affecting my dating life.. People love blue text..

Got to admit I would struggle going back to no blue text. Green just wouldn’t be ideal

 

[anson42]

I have never actually used an Android phone. Started with iOS from day one and I see no reason to switch seeing as I am tied to the Apple ecosystem by choice – all Apple hardware, iCloud, Home – and prefer to have a device that works best within that ecosystem. IMO it's an ecosystem and philosophical choice now seeing as hardware has so little differentiation now.

But I would never say "never" to switching. I can think of a myriad of reasons where I might switch, but none of those are likely for the foreseeable future.