Android over iOS
I’m seeing a wave of people move from iOS to Android, and I’m curious to find out why.
I’ve noticed that a number of people I know have recently upgraded from an old iPhone to a new Android device. Usually moving from an iPhone 3Gs or iPhone 4, to a Samsung Galaxy S4, HTC One or Nexus 4.
I’ve been incredibly curious to know why they made the switch and what they think of their new Android device… So I decided to check it out myself. I just switched from an iPhone 5 (running iOS7 b4) and will be using a Nexus 4 for the next few months.
I’m very familiar with Android and I used a Galaxy Nexus for about a month when it was originally released. This Nexus 4 is much better than that Galaxy, but overall I’m still struggling to understand why someone would buy an Android over an iPhone.
On the surface, the platforms are very similar now. Especially since iOS7 was announced. You might not like the icon styling or overall aesthetic, but there’s little doubt that iOS7 has borrowed a number of features from Android.
Hardware-wise, the features and specs are essentially at parity. You can debate the differences in screen sizes—and yes, the larger screens look more appealing—but I personally can’t stand the size of the Nexus 4. It’s too big and I actually find it fatiguing to use with a single hand. I find the width of the iPhone to be perfect.
From an OS standpoint, the platforms are also very similar… At least from a stock-Android standpoint. I quite like the Nexus version of Android—and am impressed how quickly it has been improved—but overall I still find it clunky.
Perhaps “clunky” isn’t the best description, but I don’t know how else to describe it. Things look like they should work well, but I continue to find something off about them.
The way you copy and paste is horrible on Android. The gmail app should be good, but it’s not quite there. Setting up and maintaining the home screens is a pain in the ass. And I find most apps to be a bit rough around the edges… Just not as polished as their iOS counterpart.
I do like that you can customize Android much more than iOS, tho I’m not sure its actually worth the tradeoff. I’ve changed the launcher and the icons and have installed widgets, but I’ve found them all to be flaky. They stall and stutter. Coincidentally, today I overheard someone complaining that Android 4.3 broke their launcher and things weren’t working correctly.
So, really, is this customization worth it? I’m not finding nearly enough value to justify it.
Yes, there are things that Android does better.
The keyboard is nice, tho I’m not sure I actually type any faster on it. I also tried the Swype keyboard, but I found myself fighting it more than enjoying it. Again, perhaps I just need to get used to it.
Yes, I like that you can install apps that can augment core OS functionality (like the I’m Sleeping app that brings Do Not Disturb functionality to the OS). You just can’t do this on iOS.
Yes, I like the idea of widgets, but I don’t actually find I use them much nor am I really finding that much value in them.
Yes, notifications are better (tho, I think iOS7 has addressed this).
Yes, I like that you can quickly disable WiFi or adjust the screen brightness (but iOS7 has addressed this as well).
I adore the idea of Google Now, but I haven’t found much use for it yet (and it’s technically available for iOS, but not nearly as integrated or convenient).
I love that Google services are so deeply integrated (email and calendar in particular because I use Google Apps for my personal and work email), but most of that is also doable in iOS now.
So, to all my Android friends. Why? What was it that made you decide to get your Android over an iPhone? Was it the screen size? The degree of control over the OS (and are you really exploiting it)? The price? Do you just hate Apple? Did you want to try something different?
I’m honestly curious.
