IOS to Android

[PCTechBoi]

I was wondering if its worth it to switch from the iPhone 6s to the note 20 ultra or should I keep with the apple ecosystem and get the 13. I like the freedom of android and I want to side load apps. I want to know people’s opinion. It doesn't matter what side you may be on but I want your opinion and pros and cons of that choice. Thanks.

[Fried.Bacon]

Just talking about the OS itself: The Apple ecosystem is top notch; integration very seamnless; in a lot of cases you do NOT need to install anything, built in right into the OS; if you have multiple apple devices, then you might want to hold out on switching. That's coming from me an windows/linux(CentOS)/android user
 

Also consider if you're comfortable switching to android; because that's another learning curve that you might not want to experience.

 

 

 

[IPD]

Android will give you far more flexibility.  But part of the charm of the Android ecosystem is not having to go with Google or Samsung phones.  I swear by Sony Xperia's phones.  Conversely, I would stay the F away from Pixel phones, and anything made by Huawei or any Chinese brands.

 

iOS is geared for people who don't want the flexibility, and want to stick to homogeneous Apple products.  That usually means middling quality and overpriced for what you get.  Because iOS products are made by Apple (just like how Pixel is made by Google)--you end up "locked" in many ways that they want you to stay inside the lines.  Samsung is marginally better in this regard--but superior to the inevitable backdoors/trojans/etc that all the Chinese stuff will have.

 

Again, that's why I love Sony.  I've never ran across someone with an Xperia who absolutely hated it; they're a dark-horse favorite of everyone.

[HanZie82]

Depends on how you use your phone actually.

Personally i prefer Android for its open-ness but even that is limited.

 

Samsung makes really good software for on their phones, choosing another manufacturer that will only be worse. (But they dont use the best/latest quality hardware).

 

 

I think it would be very helpful to tell a little on what you expect form a phone and what your primary needs on it are?

[NinJake]

I alternate ecosystems every new phone or 2. I'm currently on ios but my last apple device was the iphone 4. I think it's important to know/use/learn different devices and move out of your comfort zone to stay up to date with technology.

[PCTechBoi]

2 hours ago, HanZie82 said:

I think it would be very helpful to tell a little on what you expect form a phone and what your primary needs on it are?

I don’t really expect much. I want to do some discord, Snapchat, some games, and some tech apps.

[PCTechBoi]

2 hours ago, Fried.Bacon said:

Also consider if you're comfortable switching to android; because that's another learning curve that you might not want to experience.

I went out a little ago and bought one of those prepaid android phones for like $50. I don’t really like the experience but that’s because of the hardware not the software.

[PCTechBoi]

2 hours ago, IPD said:

Android will give you far more flexibility.  But part of the charm of the Android ecosystem is not having to go with Google or Samsung phones.  I swear by Sony Xperia's phones.  Conversely, I would stay the F away from Pixel phones, and anything made by Huawei or any Chinese brands.

 

iOS is geared for people who don't want the flexibility, and want to stick to homogeneous Apple products.  That usually means middling quality and overpriced for what you get.  Because iOS products are made by Apple (just like how Pixel is made by Google)--you end up "locked" in many ways that they want you to stay inside the lines.  Samsung is marginally better in this regard--but superior to the inevitable backdoors/trojans/etc that all the Chinese stuff will have.

 

Again, that's why I love Sony.  I've never ran across someone with an Xperia who absolutely hated it; they're a dark-horse favorite of everyone.

Thanks for your opinion. It will help me a lot in my decision!

[PCTechBoi]

2 hours ago, NinJake said:

I think it's important to know/use/learn different devices and move out of your comfort zone to stay up to date with technology.

Ive used it a while and I’m sorta comfortable.

[Commodus]

4 hours ago, PCTechBoi said:

Thanks for your opinion. It will help me a lot in my decision!

I'll be honest: IPD isn't telling the whole truth about Apple.

 

Android is certainly more flexible, and offers a wider range of designs and price ranges. I'll never dispute that. But iPhones aren't overpriced compared to many similar Android flagships, and they currently offer top-tier performance and cameras. They also offer much longer-term OS support; you can typically get 5-6 years of OS updates for an iPhone, grabbing them as soon as they're available, rather than 2-3 years for Android with a typical wait of a few months between Google's release and when you can install them. If you do have a deep involvement in Apple's ecosystem, things will work very well (AirPods, Apple Watch, etc.), but you do have to be comfortable with that level of involvement.

 

Migrating to Android isn't necessarily a big pain, but you do need to make sure the apps you use have Android equivalents and that you're comfortable leaving behind any paid apps or device integrations. If you are, feel free to seriously consider a switch; just be informed, whatever you do.

[Imbadatnames]

8 hours ago, PCTechBoi said:

I was wondering if its worth it to switch from the iPhone 6s to the note 20 ultra or should I keep with the apple ecosystem and get the 13. I like the freedom of android and I want to side load apps. I want to know people’s opinion. It doesn't matter what side you may be on but I want your opinion and pros and cons of that choice. Thanks.

What would you side load? The majority of shit propensity load is just illegal and not allowed on the play store. Overall you really don’t get much freedom and the small amount you do get you’re paying for with your privacy. 
 

Put it this way in support too your iPhone 6S is still supported and will be until late 2022. It launched with iOS 9 and is now on 15.2 which is the latest build overall it will finish with 7 years of support. The S7 which was released around 6 months later launched with android 6 and was supported to 8 which was surpassed by 9 in 2018. So the S7 was supported for 2 years. 

[IPD]

I'll have to disagree on price.  Apple's devices may not seem overpriced compared to some flagship Samsung devices, but they are far overpriced compared to many other offerings.  I paid FAR, FAR less for my Xperia XZ2 Compact than I would have for a Galaxy S9 or the iPhone X; and keep in mind it has the same Snapdragon 845 that the S9 has.  In fact, the XZ2 Compact was every bit a flagship phone that the XZ2 was--minus Qi charging--in a smaller form.  (And why I consider it probably the last great "small" smartphone at only 5" diagonal).

 

But that's not the entire picture on cost.  The Apple ecosystem comes with OPUD (overpriced/underperforming or overpromised/underdelivered) peripherals.  So even if you paid the same price for the phones, the Apple ecosystem is going to cost you more to stick with the Apple-proprietary peripherals--which are (afaik) designed to specifically work better on Apple devices than any other competing product/s.

 

With an Android phone, you can have peace of mind knowing that there's a far wider assortment of headphones and other devices that will all offer high quality experience--no Apple trickery.

[Roswell]

4 hours ago, IPD said:

I'll have to disagree on price.  Apple's devices may not seem overpriced compared to some flagship Samsung devices, but they are far overpriced compared to many other offerings.  I paid FAR, FAR less for my Xperia XZ2 Compact than I would have for a Galaxy S9 or the iPhone X; and keep in mind it has the same Snapdragon 845 that the S9 has.  In fact, the XZ2 Compact was every bit a flagship phone that the XZ2 was--minus Qi charging--in a smaller form.  (And why I consider it probably the last great "small" smartphone at only 5" diagonal).

 

But that's not the entire picture on cost.  The Apple ecosystem comes with OPUD (overpriced/underperforming or overpromised/underdelivered) peripherals.  So even if you paid the same price for the phones, the Apple ecosystem is going to cost you more to stick with the Apple-proprietary peripherals--which are (afaik) designed to specifically work better on Apple devices than any other competing product/s.

 

With an Android phone, you can have peace of mind knowing that there's a far wider assortment of headphones and other devices that will all offer high quality experience--no Apple trickery.

Xperia XZ2 Compact MSRP is $649, iPhone 13 Mini is $699. Xperia XZ2 (non compact) is $799, iPhone 13 (non mini) is $799.

 

I don't know what you're going on about "FAR FAR LESS", lol.

[D13H4RD]

6 hours ago, IPD said:

With an Android phone, you can have peace of mind knowing that there's a far wider assortment of headphones and other devices that will all offer high quality experience--no Apple trickery.

You can use any pair of headphones on any phone regardless if it's running Android or iOS...

 

My Sony 1000XM2s work great on both my old Note8 and my current iPhone 13 Pro. Sure, the AirPods work best on the iPhone but any standard pair of headphones, regardless if it's wired (dongles) or wireless, will work fine on either. You don't have to buy Apple crap for it to work with an iPhone. Much of my peripherals that I use with my iPhone aren't from Apple.

 

1 hour ago, huilun02 said:

Well the Note 20 Ultra has stylus (included), telephoto/optical zoom camera, expandable storage, and wired/wireless Dex.

 

There is no way get those from an iPhone...

The iPhone Pros have a "telephoto" camera, but unlike the Note's, it's not a periscope, so you get far less zoom range.

 

Just needed to clarify that one.

[D13H4RD]

OP, the big question you need to ask yourself is how much of the Note's features will you actually use? It's one thing to imagine on how it would improve your experience, but it's another to know that you would actually use it.

 

I asked because the Note is probably still the most feature-packed slab smartphone out there, with the S21 Ultra basically being almost-identical sans an included slot for the S Pen. I own a Note8 since launch and it was my daily driver until recently, when I replaced it with an iPhone 13 Pro (but kept it as a secondary). At the time, I had thought that I would use the pen on the regular, but after over 4 years of using it as a daily, I've come to realize that I've only used it less than 50 times during that period, and the only feature that I've used on the regular is Samsung's Smart Select feature, which doesn't require an S Pen. The rest of the time, I was using it like any other Android phone.

 

It's a great phone, but keep that in mind first and foremost. And think of whether what you're giving up on iOS would be worth making the switch. Android is great in its customization and flexibility, but whether you'll actually make use of it is something only you can decide.

[IPD]

7 hours ago, Roswell said:

Xperia XZ2 Compact MSRP is $649, iPhone 13 Mini is $699. Xperia XZ2 (non compact) is $799, iPhone 13 (non mini) is $799.

 

I don't know what you're going on about "FAR FAR LESS", lol.

At the time I purchased it, the XZ2 Compact was ~$500.  The other two were in the $800-1000 range.

[Commodus]

12 hours ago, IPD said:

I'll have to disagree on price.  Apple's devices may not seem overpriced compared to some flagship Samsung devices, but they are far overpriced compared to many other offerings.  I paid FAR, FAR less for my Xperia XZ2 Compact than I would have for a Galaxy S9 or the iPhone X; and keep in mind it has the same Snapdragon 845 that the S9 has.  In fact, the XZ2 Compact was every bit a flagship phone that the XZ2 was--minus Qi charging--in a smaller form.  (And why I consider it probably the last great "small" smartphone at only 5" diagonal).

 

But that's not the entire picture on cost.  The Apple ecosystem comes with OPUD (overpriced/underperforming or overpromised/underdelivered) peripherals.  So even if you paid the same price for the phones, the Apple ecosystem is going to cost you more to stick with the Apple-proprietary peripherals--which are (afaik) designed to specifically work better on Apple devices than any other competing product/s.

 

With an Android phone, you can have peace of mind knowing that there's a far wider assortment of headphones and other devices that will all offer high quality experience--no Apple trickery.

I'm sorry, but this is still highly irrational anti-Apple rhetoric @PCTechBoi should ignore.

 

He's buying a phone in 2021. Not 2018. You've already heard that modern flagship iPhones are cheaper, but I'd add that Sony has bowed out of the compact flagship category (I'd argue the iPhone 13 mini is the actual last great small smartphone, but that's another thread). And comparing a sale price for the XZ2 Compact in 2018 to the full price of an iPhone 13 mini in 2021 is disingenuous.

 

Care to explain how these peripherals are supposedly underwhelming? The Apple Watch is generally considered the best smartwatch on the market, and I'm not being hyperbolic; I hear that from diehard Android fans and Android-focused media outlets. AirPods? Even the Pros aren't the best-sounding wireless earbuds for their price category, but they do sound good and are clever in ways few rivals match. Don't knock the easy connections, spatial audio and other perks until you've tried them.

 

And there is not a "far wider" range of headphones for Android. Virtually any Bluetooth headphones will work with an iPhone; you may not get the full feature set if they're designed to encourage Android lock-in (like Galaxy Buds or Pixel Buds), but those are few and far between. Don't want to tie your audio gear to a particular platform? Then get something reasonably neutral from the likes of Jabra, Sennheiser or Sony. But don't pretend iPhone users suddenly lose a ton of choices.

 

This isn't to say the OP shouldn't still consider an Android phone, but they should consider it based on a more level-headed approach that acknowledges the virtues and vices of both platforms. A "rah rah total Android monopoly" mindset isn't helpful, and arguably might drive people to the iPhone just to avoid that toxic attitude.

[HanZie82]

19 hours ago, PCTechBoi said:

I went out a little ago and bought one of those prepaid android phones for like $50. I don’t really like the experience but that’s because of the hardware not the software.

Those arent a real good indication, the hardware as well as the software will suck on those.

And a 50$ phone should definitely not be compared to one thats 20 times as expensive.

 

 

To all others, ok can we tone down on the fanboism please.

[PCTechBoi]

10 hours ago, huilun02 said:

 

Well the Note 20 Ultra has stylus (included), telephoto/optical zoom camera, expandable storage, and wired/wireless Dex.

 

There is no way get those from an iPhone...

 

That’s what I’m going for. I’m going for the stylus and the other good features that iPhone doesn’t have

[PCTechBoi]

8 hours ago, D13H4RD said:

OP, the big question you need to ask yourself is how much of the Note's features will you actually use? It's one thing to imagine on how it would improve your experience, but it's another to know that you would actually use it.

 

I asked because the Note is probably still the most feature-packed slab smartphone out there, with the S21 Ultra basically being almost-identical sans an included slot for the S Pen. I own a Note8 since launch and it was my daily driver until recently, when I replaced it with an iPhone 13 Pro (but kept it as a secondary). At the time, I had thought that I would use the pen on the regular, but after over 4 years of using it as a daily, I've come to realize that I've only used it less than 50 times during that period, and the only feature that I've used on the regular is Samsung's Smart Select feature, which doesn't require an S Pen. The rest of the time, I was using it like any other Android phone.

 

It's a great phone, but keep that in mind first and foremost. And think of whether what you're giving up on iOS would be worth making the switch. Android is great in its customization and flexibility, but whether you'll actually make use of it is something only you can decide.

I would like to use the features of the pen and the other features that iPhones don’t have. In my opinion buying a phone with a built in stylus is better than getting an ipad with a high quality $100-$200 stylus.

[PCTechBoi]

1 hour ago, HanZie82 said:

Those arent a real good indication, the hardware as well as the software will suck on those.

And a 50$ phone should definitely not be compared to one thats 20 times as expensive.

 

 

To all others, ok can we tone down on the fanboism please.

Thanks. I shouldn’t think a $50 phone would be a “good” experience.

[HanZie82]

17 minutes ago, PCTechBoi said:

Thanks. I shouldn’t think a $50 phone would be a “good” experience.

Depends on what you expect from it.

I bet it does calling and texting well enough?!

[PCTechBoi]

4 minutes ago, HanZie82 said:

Depends on what you expect from it.

I bet it does calling and texting well enough?!

Nah lmao

[HanZie82]

3 minutes ago, PCTechBoi said:

Nah lmao

Oh, well thats really bad then. Sorry
One would assume that the minimum a phone should be able to do is at least that.

[IPD]

@Commodus

 

WTF.  I never compared the XZ2 to the iphone 13.  That was @Roswell.

 

Second off:

 

https://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=9082&idPhone2=11104

 

5.4" isn't small.  It's just smaller than the 6.5" offerings that have flooded the market.  And when you are talking about phones, that addtional .4" of diagonal size is a big deal.  The only reason that the exterior dimensions are close is because apple has a fetish for the goddamn notch, and Sony could have easily made the top/bottom bezel even smaller.

 

Third off, every apple-fanboi is going to call everything "anti-apple" as "highly irrational".  This despite years of document evidence of all the unpardonable sins that Apple keeps committing (Antenna-gate, bend-gate, purple photos, yellow screens, updates that all but brick older devices, chipped circuit boards that make repairs impossible, etc, etc, etc)

 

Fourth, android isn't "a monopoly", even without counting Apple.  Nor is this like some kind of "Android master race" argument.  Apple peripherals will almost never sound/perform/etc as good on non Apple devices--and the ones that do still cost far more than a third-party offering which offers far more value/performance.  You don't lose choices by sticking with Apple, you just lose features or abilities; which is why the Apple-only experience is generally better than the Apple+non-apple experience; and both far inferior to the "stayed the F away from Apple altogether" experience.

 

20 goddamn years of comparing every product Apple has made to its contemporaries has left me with the unshakable conviction that you will always be overpaying for lower quality.  That goes for laptops, phones, desktops, mp3 players, headphones, etc, etc, etc.  The rabid anti-apple comes from years of listening to goddamn fanbois try and FUD away everything I'm saying as though none of these Apple drawbacks are well historically documented.