Which side of the Android/iPhone fence do you fall on? I’ve reviewed a lot of smartphones and usually carry one of each, but my SIM card is currently in a Pixel (Pixel 8 Pro to be exact) It has been purchased at. Or at least it was…
I’ve tested iPhones for reviews, and recently reviewed the iPhone 15 Plus and the iPhone 15 Pro, but outside of reviews, my personal use is mostly with Android smartphones. and has been for many years. I like the flexibility and customization of the platform, the ability to address shortcomings in ways that don’t exist on the iPhone, and customize it with third-party apps and tools. It’s also undoubtedly interoperable with a wider range of devices/OSes, including iPhones, iPads, Macs, Windows PCs, and other Android smartphones and tablets. It also offers greater control and versatility in Android file management (don’t @@ me).
That said, I’m often curious about what it would be like to live more wholeheartedly on the other side of this divide. Will you be able to fully embrace your current Apple smartphone, or will you miss the Android way of doing things? What obstacles will you run into, and conversely, what aspects of the iPhone and iOS experience do you prefer?
After a week of living that iPhone life, here’s what I discovered.
First impressions and setup
Jumping from Google’s latest and greatest Pixel 8 Pro to the most modest member of Apple’s best 2023 iPhones may seem like a step down. But from first impressions, the iPhone 15 looks like a very premium piece of kit in its own right.
Sure, it didn’t have a titanium frame like its Pro-branded sibling, but alongside the Pixel, the frosted glass back and carefully rounded aluminum bodywork looked just as premium, and the angles Some look better. Tolerances are tight and the contoured front and back glass is a pleasure to work with. And since it won’t last long in this world, I decided to enjoy that physical alert slider – now the action button has arrived on the pro model.
I also liked that, compared to all previous generations of iPhones, I didn’t have to replace all the cables I already had by my bedside, in my bag, in my car, and at my desk at work. Apple may not have been happy with the move to USB-C with the iPhone 15 series, but it’s definitely a win for consumers, and perhaps a great addition to the iPhone for Android users who are on the fence. It will make the transition a little easier.
first hurdle
The biggest obstacle that kept me from going all in with my iPhone in the past was WhatsApp. And after doing a lot of research, it appears that my concerns about the migration process are still very real. While it’s easy to move your chats and media from one Android smartphone to another, the requirements for moving them to an iPhone are a little more prescriptive, even if you use Apple’s Move to iOS Google Play Store app. It’s a target. Switching from iPhone back to Android is even trickier, at least in my situation.
Moving WhatsApp from Android to Android (or iPhone to iPhone) can be done at any time, no matter what state both phones are in (as long as the receiving device has enough storage). The situation becomes even more difficult if you want to move between platforms in either direction. In both cases, the receiving phone must not already be set up.
While I was comfortable resetting an iPhone that was already set up to use WhatsApp on iOS, I found it nearly impossible to switch back to Android at the end of the experience unless I was willing to do so. Ta. The Pixel I’ve been using for months. Doing so means revalidating banking apps, reactivating individual cards in Google Wallet, losing game save states, smart home configurations, automations, and routines, not to mention making sure loose files and media are safely backed up. It goes without saying that you should make sure that it is. And it was just too inconvenient for his week of testing on his iOS side of the fence.
So even though my iPhone was my daily driver, my WhatsApp usage was exclusively an Android issue. This will change as the ability to move chat app data between two operating systems becomes as easy as between two devices running on it. Same operating system.
In operation
I also had to put a case on my iPhone before I could actually take it outside. I don’t understand people who want to use their $800+ smartphones without a case. Assume that they care about looking good. Apple talks about iPhone durability. Its IP-certified bodywork is best in class, and the Ceramic Shield may be the sturdiest, but it strikes me that Apple’s designers clearly spent a lot of time maintaining the sleek and nice finish. I know it’s very important. , similar to expensive Android smartphones (including Pixel).
Taking the case off and using the phone without the outer shell is a home-only luxury for me. The furniture is soft and the floors are carpeted. In my opinion, one of the best iPhone 15 cases is a must in the wide world.
After making a call on WhatsApp to discuss a case, they start downloading all the other major apps they trust or might enjoy, including social apps, their favorite email clients, banking apps, and streaming services. I did. The gap in availability and quality between Android and iOS is narrower than ever when it comes to popular apps, but Apple’s apps still have a polish that Android apps lack. Even if the App Store itself still has a relatively spotty navigation experience.
In addition to everything I needed, I also bought Genshin. Because, despite being the most modest member of the iPhone 15 line, we already knew that the standard 2023 model could run games just fine. This cannot always be said of all his Android rivals of similar style.
This is one of the qualities I’ve always loved about the iPhone. It doesn’t matter which member of the series you buy each year. Performance is always guaranteed to be on point, with even the most modest devices outperforming some of the most competitive Android flagships. with artificial benchmarks.
But on the software side, it’s the opposite. I’m still so glad I committed to Google’s app ecosystem and cloud storage over Apple all those years ago. Getting all its features and data onto your iPhone is quick and easy. If it were the other way around, iCloud and many of Apple’s apps wouldn’t exist on Android, but unfortunately, that’s what Apple wants.
days after that
Once up and running, it offered the familiar iOS experience we’ve grown accustomed to from our iPhone reviews. But this time, there was a difference that I wouldn’t normally notice.
First, we’re now more aware of how iOS apps check permissions, especially location access. On Android, once permission is granted, apps will happily use your device’s location, microphone, or whatever they’re allowed to use without question. If you stop using certain apps for a long period of time, those permissions will be lost. It will be revoked until you authorize it again. On the iPhone, many of Apple’s native apps, such as Camera and Weather, also ask you if you want to “Use Location” when you first open the app, but the pop-up menu provided does not include an “Always” option. is not displayed. For that, you’ll have to dive into your phone’s settings menu and dig into it yourself. This isn’t the most intuitive approach, and most users likely won’t know they need to check and will end up wrestling with the permission popup for longer than necessary.
iOS also reminds you which Apple apps you’re using. do not have You’re using (or uninstalling) when you’re trying to use a feature within the app. For example, a wake-up alarm exclusive to the Clock app won’t work unless the Health app is also installed…apparently. Google’s native Android apps are built in a way that allows for interconnectivity, but it doesn’t seem as biased or necessary as iOS.
untapped potential
iOS has its little quirks, but it’s definitely a polished and consistent experience, but given iOS’ overt familiarity and seemingly glacial evolution compared to Android, Apple could do more with it. I definitely feel like it can be done. For example, the iPhone 15’s dynamic island is one of the best-executed examples of interaction between hardware and software, but even though Apple added a wide range of features in the 15 series, its implementation We chose not to build on it.
AI-supported features, especially on Pixel, are far more advanced than what’s possible on the iPhone, and features like Google Assistant interactivity and Live Caption are far more advanced than their iOS-based counterparts. Masu.
Also, while I praised Apple’s smartphone hardware earlier in this article, the display’s bezel thickness and fixed 60Hz refresh rate are laughably outdated in 2023, and otherwise state-of-the-art. This prevents it from being a smart phone.
There’s another thing Apple’s hardware and software ruins for all Android phones: power efficiency. In our tests, the entire iPhone 15 series outperformed most of the leading Android alternatives by several hours. In terms of screen on time per charge. The iPhone 15 lasted almost two days when I was using it, but I carry the Pixel from charging point to charging point if I want to avoid battery anxiety.
conclusion
The iPhone 15 is an undeniable victory in its own right, and the Pixel 8 Pro offers one of the most polished Android experiences, but it still feels crude when compared to Apple’s more affordable alternatives. Masu.
That said, Android offers far more flexibility than iOS, and certain features from Google highlight how far behind the iPhone is in areas like AI and personalization.
If you’re happy with your bumper up, the iPhone is a perfect choice with excellent battery life, performance, and a level of reliability that Pixels (and Android devices overall) struggle to match. Deliver a premium user experience. However, Apple’s way is often presented as the only way, and such prescriptive tendencies are at odds with Android’s approach. If Apple doesn’t have a solution to a problem, that implies there can’t be a solution. If you can’t find a solution for your Android phone, you just haven’t looked hard enough because someone is bound to have it.
Speaking of which, it’s time to transfer the SIM back to your Pixel.