How does everyone feel about iPhones?

Surprise.

Bet you didn’t see this one coming.

This week’s post has been pretty late. I’m a bit troubled by yesterday’s thread on Apple. So, a foreword: It’s OK to prefer something over another, it’s not OK to say people who like different phones than you are somehow more childish or less intelligent than you. Again, we are going for casual, yet intensely helpful here, so please don’t call people names over petty reasons, we have rules here.

Previously on Lemmy:

Past Discussions:

In this post, it’s not about saying how bad iPhones are, but I’d just like to hear the perspective on iPhones from Android users. I, for one, had an old iPhone 4 for a long time (call it nostalgia, or laziness, or just being cheap), and it was my general frustration with the device that ultimately led to my preference for Androids, (It was quite a while back though).

  • It was absolutely painful to transfer files from the phone to my computer (Ugh, iTunes).
  • I got it pre-jailbroken and didn’t realize you can’t just update the system casually, so it was really fun trying to find ways to downgrade the system until I realized that I can’t and have to pray for the next jailbreak to get half my things working again.
  • The 40-pin cable wears out so fast, and always in the same spot on the strain relief. I swear I’ve gone through 3 of these cables in one year just from normal use.
  • All the browsers are somehow flavors of Safari. To do anything, I will have the choice of ad-filled websites, or ad-filled apps.

It always just seemed like I’m fighting against the system. Never did I have that “it just works” moment, until I’ve got my first Android, and realize I have the freedom to do whatever I want with it, and I can install what I want, and if there’s a problem, I can look things up and fix it myself.

(Having a back button is also a game changer.)

Of course, there is a lot that Android manufacturers can learn from Apple as well, one of the most obvious one is the time for software support: I think my old iPhone has gone through like 3 version updates over the years, whereas currently I’m lucky to get 2 out of any Android manufacturer.

But it seems that Android manufacturers are more content on copying things that works for iOS, but doesn’t work for Android, like removing the headphone jack. Or big notches. (It makes no sense to do that because of Android’s notification system uses the full length of the bar.) It’s gotten to the point that I don’t think people who makes Android phones actually uses Android but are content to copy superficial features from Apple without understanding why Apple do them.

Like a bunch of lemmings. (Heh)

Again, these are my personal preferences, I have nothing against people who prefers iPhones, nor do I think they are lesser for it, but it’s just not for me.

I’d use a one as a work phone/for iMessages though.

kowcop, (edited )

I used Android exclusively for about 3-4 years, I was even developing ROMs, then switched to iPhone for work. I wouldn’t go back to Android. Most of the problems with iPhone don’t exist anymore… the walls have mostly come down due to cloud based services and apps being able to use wifi to drag/drop files

IMO, iPhone is easy to use, great quality apps, great battery life, secure and best value for money. They have great resale for those people who upgrade every year, and long support for people who buy a phone every 5 years.

They just work

The Android system just seems so disjointed and the App Store is full of junk apps.

Sootie,

Still running and iPhone XS, battery still lasts all day, still as fast as when I got it. Definitely some annoying things with it but much longer lives than any Android I owned in the past

JangoF76,

I’ve been an android user since I’ve been using smartphones. Out of curiosity I tried an iPhone 13 pro recently for about 3 days. I couldn’t believe how ugly and unpolished a lot of the 3rd party and Google apps are on IOS. After hearing for years about how refined iOS UI is, I was shocked. I guess aesthetics aren’t that important to iPhone users? It was enough to make me gratefully return to my S22.

Coffeemonkepants,

Apple is winning the communications game and I’m afraid I’ll wind up switching once they go usb c. I’m sick and tired of the iMessage walled garden when messaging nearly everyone I know, and also tried of the hit or miss debacle of rcs. I will miss the customization freedom (currently using Niagara launcher and it’s super unique ux), but Android phones have deleted all of the other benefits that separated them from iPhones, like expandable storage, ir blasters, headphone jacks, etc. I hate to jump on the bandwagon, but I’m sick of waiting for this all to be worked out. Before anyone says to use signal or Whatsapp, etc, it just isn’t a standard here in the US. Folks will never switch off iMessage.

MargotRobbie,
@MargotRobbie@lemmy.world avatar

I think having Sup. will change that, since you can tell them “Hey, check out this cool Instagram/Twitter/reddit/Facebook thing! It also comes with this cool messager!” and they’ll switch.

Hopefully.

Coffeemonkepants,

I don’t know what you’re referring to

MargotRobbie,
@MargotRobbie@lemmy.world avatar

Oh, the maker of Pixelfed (Instagram equivalent) announced that he’s making a secure messanger called “Sup.” with the Signal protocol that should work for ALL Fediverse accounts (Mastodon, Lemmy/Kbin, Pixelfed, Friendica, etc.).

DharmaCurious,
@DharmaCurious@startrek.website avatar

Damn, really? Anywhere to follow the progress? Not a techie, and I do not understand GitHub. Lol. Mastodon account or lemmy community to follow?

MargotRobbie,
@MargotRobbie@lemmy.world avatar

lemmy.ml/post/3697221

Dan Sup’s Mastodon should have some progress, but he works on multiple projects at once.

He said the beta should be out at the end of month though.

DharmaCurious,
@DharmaCurious@startrek.website avatar

Whoops, just saw this. Thanks!

MargotRobbie,
@MargotRobbie@lemmy.world avatar

I haven’t seen much new info on this even though its supposed to be coming out soon.

DharmaCurious,
@DharmaCurious@startrek.website avatar

Just scoured the mastodon, and haven’t really seen anything. It sounds like a huge undertaking, so I’m guessing it’s probably delayed? The dev seems like a good guy, though!

Coffeemonkepants,

I’m literally the only person I know who uses any of these platforms. A new messaging service out of those won’t ever be on their radar.

weeeeum,

Yeah I understand your pain too, in the US almost everybody has iPhones. Thankfully you can get iMessage on Android by having an old iPhone and connecting it to an open source app on Android.

As for the lost features, it is extremely unfortunate too. I can’t fathom why execs would even attempt copy them because no one does apple better than apple (undying loyalty and brand). All they are doing is alienating those who want an alternative to apple by making a shitty knock off iPhone.

Sony is a god send though keeping the android spirit alive. New phones have a headphone jack, expandable storage, fingerprint sensor, light indicator, dedicated focus and shutter button, assistant button, 4k 120hz display and probably more. They are expensive but you can get the last gen top model for like 700$ (or last last gen for 500$ which is almost identical). A good deal since it’s only 1 years old and MSRP was like 1200$

Seriously Sony does not get anywhere near the attention they deserves despite everyone bitching about their lost headphone jack and microsd storage.

xio,

Just a small correction- the latest Xperia 1 V lost the notification light led. Everything else is good though. Replying on my Xperia 1 ii

BillDaCatt,
@BillDaCatt@kbin.social avatar

At first it was cost. Android phones and tablets were (and mostly still are) less expensive. Now that I have used both, I very much prefer Android devices.

For most people I'm sure the difference is negligible or maybe they even find Apple devices easier to use. For me iOS has always been a struggle between what I want to do and what the software requires before it will do it. Although Android devices are not as open as they once were, they are far more customizable than the iPhone.

s7ryph,

So have been on both sides and prefer the iPhone. The logic being that I have no advanced needs that require the adaptability of android. If I wanted to root a phone for more control then iPhone would not be the way to go.

In the past the big turn off for android was carriers adding spyware (ie Facebook, etc) by default that required rooting to get rid of.

BURN,

This is a big part of it for me. I use my phone for web browsing and that’s about it. Any advanced needs are managed on my pc.

If I wanted to do more an android would probably be necessary, but I just don’t do enough with my phone.

NumbersCanBeFun,
@NumbersCanBeFun@kbin.social avatar

I just told my wife she can have my iPhone. I’m buying a pixel and loading Unbuntu mobile on it. I don’t use my phone hardly at all so she will get a lot more benefit from having this device than I currently do.

Before anyone jumps to conclusions. I offered to buy a new one first and she declined.

SirSnufflelump,

I had no small amount of issues with the one iPhone I ever owned, and have had no interest in trying a new one since switching to android. I’m further discouraged from even giving one a shot because of how difficult Apple made it to switch to android the first time, so if I didn’t like the phone I’d have to jump through hoops to switch back. That being said, I will never care what kind of phone someone else uses. If you’ve had great experiences with iPhones, I’m happy you found something you like.

MargotRobbie,
@MargotRobbie@lemmy.world avatar

Looks like many people here have had the same experience as me.

eee,

There are things i like about ios and things I like about android. And to be fair, both companies have somewhat converged slightly over the years (and learnt from jailbreakers/rooters).

The main thing I still like about ios is that swipe up for control center works better, especially when screen sizes are now all >5".

Things I still like about android:

  • you can sideload apps without resorting to exploits
  • you can transfer files directly onto your phone without using itunes or some weird hack

Ultimately I usually end up on android because the sideload/file transfer thing becomes a deal breaker, but I like that ios provides Google and other phone manufacturers with a reason to continue innovating.

root,

I borrowed an old iphone 4 (or was it iphone 5? Can’t tell the difference) about 7 years ago when i had to send my Sony Xperia Z3 Compact in for repair). Couldn’t get it to work thw way i wanted it to. There was no way to properly configure the notifications. I think i could not have the vibration on for messages but not calls or something silly.

I also don’t like being forced to install itunes just to copy music from my computer to phone. No idea if that is still the case nowadays.

There are people who like that convenience and that’s ok.

evidences,

I own an iPad and wanted to copy a gig worth of shit onto it, I think I ended having to resort to Google drive but I still have no clue how to get files onto that damn thing. I’m not sure why apple needs to lock down file transfers on iOS so hard.

root,

Best guess is they wanted a very well defined and controlled file structure, where there’s a place for each type of file, and the only way to do that is to lock it down and have their tool do all the work. Good for some people, but heck, I bloody well want to store my MP3s together with my photos, even if it means I can’t find it later. :D

glockenspiel,

I agree that this is needlessly nuanced, but it is possible. If you have a Mac you can transfer files between Mac and an iPad wirelessly or with a cable. iPads can also connect to external storage devices or Windows PCs if they are sharing the files. But it isn’t like Android where you can basically just plug it into a Windows or Linux machine and have direct instant access to its entire directory.

43dc92z0,

I have arch and I can also copy files. I use Documents as file manager on ipad.

ProtonBadger,

I've been back and forth between Android and iOS several times, I'm happy with either these days.

I use services that work on both platforms like GMail/Cal/Contacts, Dropbox free (10GB)/oneDrive + Cryptomator, Bitwarden, 2FAS, Signal/WhatsApp, etc. There's no lock-in on either platform as far as I'm concerned and I can switch over in half an hour and keep going.

I charge my phones with an ancient 7W Qi pad, batteries usually last 3-4 years before any degradation is mildly noticeable, at which time getting a store to replace it is trivial or I sell the old phone and buy a new one - Apple/Samsung/Google, whatever takes my fancy.

applejacks,
@applejacks@lemmy.world avatar

They are many nice things about them.

  • great build quality
  • long software support
  • brick and mortar repair
  • cohesive ecosystem
  • products aren’t abandoned
  • devices hold their value

I really wish I could use them but there are simply a lot of things about Android that I find more important.

  • ironically, not being bound into an ecosystem
  • much more freedom of device choice\
  • can install whatever apps you want
  • i refuse to use a device without a headphone jack
  • far more customizable
TORFdot0,

I use both devices and to me I prefer the iPhone for its simplicity in UX of things such as audio handoff between devices with airpods, the ease of using their “Find My” network. And being able to use iMessage/FaceTime seamlessly with other apple users without them needing another account to use Wi-Fi calling/messaging. The camera/photos/iCloud integration is much better too.

Android is much better for various little apps. They are more permissive on the App Store and even if they weren’t you can easily side load. Things like emulators are way more convenient as well as various other self hostable projects that can extend the life of the device even when it’s no longer adequate for communications.

Personally I prefer the ubiquitousness and of the apple ecosystem and I prefer the smaller form factor for phones and so the iPhone 13 mini is my preferred device. If there isn’t another small form factor phone from apple when it’s time for me to upgrade then I’ll probably try to look into whatever the latest fairphone at the time is (if it’s still supported in the US)

If the manufacturers would stay out of Google’s way and let there be a unified android experience without manufacturer bloat then it’d probably be the best as pixels are fantastic phones with good support, they are just a bit too big for my liking

hellishharlot,

I had an iPhone 12 Pro Max before my pixel fold. I love carplay compared to Android auto, the UI personally looks prettier except for the home screen layout, I like how seamless the experience can be between Apple devices, and it’s nice to be on the platform that gets more attention from app devs.

But all was not perfectThe past 6 months that I’d had it, it would overheat anytime you had to charge it which led to issues with carplay and such. The charger itself was a pain to have be different from my USBC devices like the MacBook, iPad, keyboard, mouse, work laptop, monitor, anyone else’s phones, headphones, and literally everything else. Lastly, the lack of call screener like I’d had on my pixel 4 before it and now on my pixel fold. It’s so nice having a virtual secretary

lividhen,
@lividhen@kbin.social avatar

I have some nostalgia for when they introduced the appstore. Aaaand that's where the nice things I have to say end.

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