10 year iPhone user switching to Samsung.

[TheNiceGuy]

Hi guys
I currently have an iPhone 6+, and need to get a new one. I’m getting fed up with Apple, so pretty much decided to get a new android product. I’ve never even held one, but I’ve been watching a few videos the last couple days and it looks like it may be exactly what I’m after. I just want to make sure I’m not missing anything.
These days, I pretty much exclusively use my phone for searching the web, Internet radio, listening to lectures, making and posting YouTube videos, photos, watching videos, posting on Internet forums, phone calls, voice to text recognition, translation stuff, kids games, and occasionally directions through Google Maps.
There’s a lot of other things I would’ve liked to have done, but I gave up on years ago because trying to do them through Apple actually ended up making me angry.
I have a desktop windows PC, so I’m very used to that format. Being able for example to just download Videos and lectures in any normal format, directly transfer through USB or sd to my phone, and watch and listen via VLC– would just blow me away.
I absolutely hate iTunes, and refused to use it except when I’m forced to when buying a new phone.
I also use headphones almost daily, and the stock Apple ones wear out quickly, and replacements are expensive here. Apparently they’ve also done away with the headphone jack on the newer iPhones, requiring you to buy wireless.
So in summary, I guess the purposeful torpedoing of basic functions like being able to drag and drop a file onto the phone and listen to it, by Apple, has really turned me off. I also noticed a lot of new nag screen pop ups asking me to do things like Apple Pay etc. which I’m not interested in at all.
I have a package deal with our service provider with my wifes phone, so I’ll have to get a Translator to sort out what changing to android Will do, if anything. One of the reasons I haven’t looked into this earlier I guess.
Anything horribly Wacky about android phones compared to Apple I should know that I have missed? Are they fairly easy to use, if so maybe I can convince my tech-phobic wife to change over as well?
Which phone would be good? I like a larger display because I find easier to use, the 6+ size is no problem, I could even go a bit larger as long as I can put it in my pocket.
We’ve spent a lot of money with iPhones over the last decade, and I just realized there’s a lot of basic things that really irritate me and less that I like. Perhaps a new android phone would be a really nice positive change. Thanks.

 

[Red Storm]

I would recommend the Galaxy S8+. It's similar to the Note 8, but it doesn't have the stylus or dual camera, but it can be had for significantly less money than the going price of the Note 8.

 

[dawheat]

If you can wait a bit for a good deal, the S8+ for $550ish have been available in the past (may require low end trade-in). Best bargain IMO.

If money isn't an issue, the Pixel 2 XL is probably the best phone for an iPhone-convert but will be over $900 (no ideas if there are deals available).

I don't find that much is easier/harder on iOS vs. Android, just different and it may take relearning some muscle memory which can be annoying the first couple weeks. Get an unlocked phone with less bloatware if possible.

 

[lopri]

If you are used to desktop PCs (presumably Windows) and hate iTunes, I am confident that you will find Android logical and easy to use.

 

[TheNiceGuy]

Ok Thanks guys.
Being able to plug the phone directly into a projector or AV jack in the car to watch a movie would be another thing Apple purposely ruined to make more money.
I often wear gloves, which my 6+ can’t handle. I suppose the s8+ has pressure sensitive screen? What is the point of the note stylus other than precision?

 

[Commodus]

Ok Thanks guys.
Being able to plug the phone directly into a projector or AV jack in the car to watch a movie would be another thing Apple purposely ruined to make more money.
I often wear gloves, which my 6+ can’t handle. I suppose the s8+ has pressure sensitive screen? What is the point of the note stylus other than precision?

But you can't really plug most Android phones directly into a projector or AV jack, assuming you mean a display output... not sure what you mean. I know Apple CarPlay works with a standard Lightning-to-USB cable, though obviously Apple doesn't want you watching movies through the main touchscreen.

The S8+ doesn't use pressure for everything, just the home button. Otherwise, it's most like any other smartphone. In short: it won't be any better with gloves. The Note 8's pen is mainly useful for drawing, notes and selecting things on-screen. There's a note-taking mode you can access before you've woken the phone, for example.

 

[TheOracle72]

Hi guys
I currently have an iPhone 6+, and need to get a new one. I’m getting fed up with Apple, so pretty much decided to get a new android product. I’ve never even held one, but I’ve been watching a few videos the last couple days and it looks like it may be exactly what I’m after. I just want to make sure I’m not missing anything.
These days, I pretty much exclusively use my phone for searching the web, Internet radio, listening to lectures, making and posting YouTube videos, photos, watching videos, posting on Internet forums, phone calls, voice to text recognition, translation stuff, kids games, and occasionally directions through Google Maps.
There’s a lot of other things I would’ve liked to have done, but I gave up on years ago because trying to do them through Apple actually ended up making me angry.
I have a desktop windows PC, so I’m very used to that format. Being able for example to just download Videos and lectures in any normal format, directly transfer through USB or sd to my phone, and watch and listen via VLC– would just blow me away.
I absolutely hate iTunes, and refused to use it except when I’m forced to when buying a new phone.
I also use headphones almost daily, and the stock Apple ones wear out quickly, and replacements are expensive here. Apparently they’ve also done away with the headphone jack on the newer iPhones, requiring you to buy wireless.
So in summary, I guess the purposeful torpedoing of basic functions like being able to drag and drop a file onto the phone and listen to it, by Apple, has really turned me off. I also noticed a lot of new nag screen pop ups asking me to do things like Apple Pay etc. which I’m not interested in at all.
I have a package deal with our service provider with my wifes phone, so I’ll have to get a Translator to sort out what changing to android Will do, if anything. One of the reasons I haven’t looked into this earlier I guess.
Anything horribly Wacky about android phones compared to Apple I should know that I have missed? Are they fairly easy to use, if so maybe I can convince my tech-phobic wife to change over as well?
Which phone would be good? I like a larger display because I find easier to use, the 6+ size is no problem, I could even go a bit larger as long as I can put it in my pocket.
We’ve spent a lot of money with iPhones over the last decade, and I just realized there’s a lot of basic things that really irritate me and less that I like. Perhaps a new android phone would be a really nice positive change. Thanks.

As a 10 year iPhone user you're going to be in for a shock as to how much more you can do and do it for free. I presume you mean Android when you say Samsung as most people use the terms interchangeably which is wrong. There are other excellent Android devices from Xiaomi, Huawei, LG, Sony, HTC etc that are just as good as any Samsung.

Whatever you buy you may want to change the launcher to an IOS like one so it's more familiar to you. That's the first complaint of many iPhone users that make the switch. You'll also get 5.5 - 6 inch phones that are smaller than the iPhone 6+ bezel monster you're currently using, so they'll definitely fit in your pocket. Just give yourself time to get used to whatever you buy and remember that each brand has its own UI and one may suit you better than another.

 

[Commodus]

As a 10 year iPhone user you're going to be in for a shock as to how much more you can do and do it for free. I presume you mean Android when you say Samsung as most people use the terms interchangeably which is wrong. There are other excellent Android devices from Xiaomi, Huawei, LG, Sony, HTC etc that are just as good as any Samsung.

Whatever you buy you may want to change the launcher to an IOS like one so it's more familiar to you. That's the first complaint of many iPhone users that make the switch. You'll also get 5.5 - 6 inch phones that are smaller than the iPhone 6+ bezel monster you're currently using, so they'll definitely fit in your pocket. Just give yourself time to get used to whatever you buy and remember that each brand has its own UI and one may suit you better than another.

I wouldn't say he'll be in "shock." If you don't care about the feng shui of having your home screen icons just so, or changing default apps, Android isn't that much more compelling.

Also, do remember that the iPhone X basically eliminates the size complaints you're mentioning. It's wildly expensive, but it's in the ballpark of a Note 8. This isn't to necessarily deter him from getting Android, just that it's not the greatest line of reasoning.

 

[TheOracle72]

I wouldn't say he'll be in "shock." If you don't care about the feng shui of having your home screen icons just so, or changing default apps, Android isn't that much more compelling.

Also, do remember that the iPhone X basically eliminates the size complaints you're mentioning. It's wildly expensive, but it's in the ballpark of a Note 8. This isn't to necessarily deter him from getting Android, just that it's not the greatest line of reasoning.

I'm not quite sure how the iPhone X got into this because he clearly stated he wants to get away from IOS and it's a poor comparison for other reasons too. If he's never used Android before he WILL be shocked at the freedom it allows compared to IOS. He's clearly been frustrated by the restrictions IOS imposes.

 

[Commodus]

I'm not quite sure how the iPhone X got into this because he clearly stated he wants to get away from IOS and it's a poor comparison for other reasons too. If he's never used Android before he WILL be shocked at the freedom it allows compared to IOS. He's clearly been frustrated by the restrictions IOS imposes.

Yeah, you're right about the OS frustrations. I'm just saying that saying "and look, you'll get a much more space-efficient phone!" isn't a good argument when Apple is making a more space-efficient phone. It's more that the OP would be getting that and the software flexibility he's looking for.

 

[darkswordsman17]

As a 10 year iPhone user you're going to be in for a shock as to how much more you can do and do it for free. I presume you mean Android when you say Samsung as most people use the terms interchangeably which is wrong. There are other excellent Android devices from Xiaomi, Huawei, LG, Sony, HTC etc that are just as good as any Samsung.

Whatever you buy you may want to change the launcher to an IOS like one so it's more familiar to you. That's the first complaint of many iPhone users that make the switch. You'll also get 5.5 - 6 inch phones that are smaller than the iPhone 6+ bezel monster you're currently using, so they'll definitely fit in your pocket. Just give yourself time to get used to whatever you buy and remember that each brand has its own UI and one may suit you better than another.

No idea what you mean by this. Most major free apps are free on both, and plenty of the "free" Android apps are junk/spyware/malware, or you'll have to sort through a bunch of different ones to get the features you want, and entirely possible you won't find one or you'll end up paying to get it just like on iPhone. Plus, even Google's own apps are often superior on iOS, and I'll let you guess what that means for 3rd party apps. Its not as bad these days (and there are a few that the Android app is better, although I can't think of any off the top of my head), and sure there's issues with default app situation on iOS, but its not like Android doesn't have plenty of its own issues. Performance is still better on iPhone (haven't noticed "we totally super duper absolutely fixed performance and made things smooth for real now" claims for the newest Android, which means we'll be hearing it next year after things bog down yet again). And let's not forget the mess that is updates (in fairness, Apples has had issues with updates causing problems, but you typically at least get the update and don't have to wait months to find out if you actually do or not; my ATT LG V10 still hasn't gotten a main Android update and I can't force one).

For me, its a tossup, and I'm not sure I'd give up years of built up apps (guarantee that if you've spent much money on iOS apps you're not gonna get equal features for free on Android) just over drag and drop. Which pretty sure there are programs that let you wirelessly drag and drop and plenty of apps can be aware of and use the files. In fact VLC itself integrates something like that:

https://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-ios.html

• A media library, with WiFi Uploads & Downloads, Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud Drive, OneDrive & Box.com integration and optional passcode lock.
• Web Interface for easy uploads and downloads to/from device.

With regards to the headphone jack, new iPhones still come with the dongle, don't they? So you don't have to use wireless headphones. And talking about quality, lots of Android phones either don't come with their own (gotta love carriers literally removing them from boxes just because...) or they're no better than Apple's (you do know you don't have to use the official Apple ones on iPhone, right?), so that shouldn't even be weighted as a knock against iPhones (especially since several Android devices are doing the same thing). And the inline DAC/mic devices are more likely to be tailored to iOS. Actually general connectivity (connecting to external devices) is better with iPhone, isn't it? Aside from USB to PC.

I don't know exactly what the OP has spent a lot of money on with iPhones (the phones themselves and accessories, apps too?), but you'll end up doing that on Android too. And I guarantee you'll encounter plenty of minor annoyances that will bug you just like iPhone (some might be device specific, but . That's not to say you might find it less annoying than iOS (seems like a fair amount of people do), but at minimum you'll be spending a lot of time tweaking things. Oh and stuff like ApplePay exist on Android, so not really getting how you think you'll be getting away from that (I don't recall Apple being obtrusive and popping up forcing you to use ApplePay?). Speaking of pop-ups, I love how I have to do a special thing to get ATT's stupid AddressBook from popping up every single time I click Contacts using the built in phone dialer/contact app (and sorry but finding another one was a nightmare that ultimately proved pointless since they all had their own issues).

Don't get me wrong, there are some great Android devices, I just don't think the overall situation is any better than iPhone (and I'm not an Apple/iPhone fanboy either, I agree with many criticisms about it, I just don't get the way people act like Android doesn't have just as many issues; my main point of contention was Apple not using AMOLED and the cost of storage both of which are being addressed). I'd guess that plenty of the things that bug you on iPhone actually have workarounds too (see VLC, do you have some aversion to using wi-fi, or did you just not know about that ability?).

I suppose it comes down to viewpoint. Some see Android tweaking as a positive, I see it as neutral as its often either required (FYI, file management probably won't work just as well as you're used to on PC; also have fun, as just search on here for the people that were using some popular file management app, where the app maker decided to push people to pay for it by removing features and making the non-pay one an ad-infested data mining nightmare, think there were other issues with it too) or you still can't tweak it to get what you want (but you'll spend plenty of time trying to, and there's less safeguards when it comes to malicious software). And let's not forget software bloat. And if you're someone that isn't very tech/software savvy you might actually find Android to be worse.

Not trying to completely discourage you, just know what you're in for. Hopefully if you do switch you won't have serious problems and it'll go well. I personally would strongly recommend you buy a decent lower end device (Moto G?) or older flagship and try it out before seriously trying to make the switch. That goes double for your wife, since in my experience that is asking for trouble.

 

[TheNiceGuy]

Thanks guys. I just wanted to make sure there’s no secret manipulation going on when I sign up for android, like Apple does, claiming they’re simply trying to improve my “user experience” by doing things like blocking my ability to drag and drop a bunch of lectures I want to watch onto my phone.

 

[mrochester]

Thanks guys. I just wanted to make sure there’s no secret manipulation going on when I sign up for android, like Apple does, claiming they’re simply trying to improve my “user experience” by doing things like blocking my ability to drag and drop a bunch of lectures I want to watch onto my phone.

The manipulation is Google takes your data, aggregates it, and uses it to sell advertising. If you don't like advertising, Google, or the data collection they do without paying you for it, then you won't be happy with Android.

 

[WelshBloke]

But you can't really plug most Android phones directly into a projector or AV jack, assuming you mean a display output... not sure what you mean.

All my recent Android phones have been able to connect to a HDMI port via MHL.

 

[WelshBloke]

The manipulation is Google takes your data, aggregates it, and uses it to sell advertising. If you don't like advertising, Google, or the data collection they do without paying you for it, then you won't be happy with Android.

That's happening no matter what OS you're using and not just by Google.

 

[lxskllr]

The manipulation is Google takes your data, aggregates it, and uses it to sell advertising. If you don't like advertising, Google, or the data collection they do without paying you for it, then you won't be happy with Android.

Google's optional, even with an unrooted phone.

 

[mrochester]

That's happening no matter what OS you're using and not just by Google.

I want to be able to trust that google isn’t using my data to sell advertising. Sadly, I don’t trust them not to do that.

 

[WelshBloke]

I want to be able to trust that google isn’t using my data to sell advertising. Sadly, I don’t trust them not to do that.

I'm probably going to regret asking this but what does it matter what they use the data for? As long as the data isn't passed on does it matter if it's used for advertising, making maps more accurate, usage reports...
Everyone's collecting your data (even your beloved Apple). Get used to it. The important thing is that that data is secured and not passed around. What service they improve with it isn't really that relevant.

 

[mrochester]

I'm probably going to regret asking this but what does it matter what they use the data for? As long as the data isn't passed on does it matter if it's used for advertising, making maps more accurate, usage reports...
Everyone's collecting your data (even your beloved Apple). Get used to it. The important thing is that that data is secured and not passed around. What service they improve with it isn't really that relevant.

Google doesn’t pay me enough for my data (they currently pay me £0, and my data is worth a lot more than that). In terms of value, Google gets a lot more out of me than I get out of them. I want that transaction to be more in my favour, not in Google’s. With Apple, I get more value out of them than they get out of me. That’s the way transactions should be.

 

[WelshBloke]

Google doesn’t pay me enough for my data (they currently pay me £0, and my data is worth a lot more than that). In terms of value, Google gets a lot more out of me than I get out of them. I want that transaction to be more in my favour, not in Google’s. With Apple, I get more value out of them than they get out of me. That’s the way transactions should be.

I get Gmail, Google maps, Google search, photos, etc from Google so I'm getting fairly good value given that I'm not paying them directly for anything.

Also that doesn't answer the question I asked.

 

[mrochester]

I get Gmail, Google maps, Google search, photos, etc from Google so I'm getting fairly good value given that I'm not paying them directly for anything.

I have no interest in services that duplicate functionality I already have.

It would be better if you could pay Google for those services and not have them collect your data to sell advertising.

 

[Commodus]

All my recent Android phones have been able to connect to a HDMI port via MHL.

Ah, but you still typically need a special cable (micro-USB to HDMI) for that. You don't need an adapter dongle like you do on the iPhone, but it seems funny to complain about Apple's approach when both still involve buying a cable that doesn't usually come in the box. The big difference is that you don't have to get another cable if you switch between MHL-compatible Android phones where you would if you moved to or from the iPhone.

(Edited for clarity)

 

[WelshBloke]

I have no interest in services that duplicate functionality I already have.

It would be better if you could pay Google for those services and not have them collect your data to sell advertising.

I'd rather get the services for free if my data's being collected anyway.
I'd also rather use Googles services for most of those things because they are better as well.

And you're still not answering the question I asked.

 

[WelshBloke]

Ah, but you still typically need a special cable (micro-USB to HDMI) for that. You don't need an adapter, but it seems funny to complain about Apple's approach when both still involve buying a cable that doesn't usually come in the box. The big difference is that you don't have to get another cable if you switch between MHL-compatible Android phones where you would if you moved to or from the iPhone.

Eh? How are you going to connect with a wire to your TV without a wire?

 

[mrochester]

I'd rather get the services for free if my data's being collected anyway.
I'd also rather use Googles services for most of those things because they are better as well.

And you're still not answering the question I asked.

Obviously, if you pay Google, they wouldn’t then be able to sell your data for advertising. Although knowing Google, they would do both! Just look at the Pixel as an example of Google double-dipping, making you pay top-dollar for the device AND selling your data for advertising! They’ve got you lot by the balls.