why are apple apps better than android apps?

[dainthomas]

So you're part of the tiny minority for which that is useful. I do exactly the same thing as you (build and support family PCs) and I've never come across the situation you have found yourself in.

What I guess I can't stand are the hipsters who think that buying Android is somehow a big 'screw you' to consumerism and how their purchase somehow makes them an 'individual' because they can waste their time playing with custom ROMs etc. The very same people usually have the nerve to call the iPhone a 'toy', despite the fact they probably spend more time playing around with their Android phone like a toy than actually using it as a tool to do stuff.

I buy technology to get shit done, and the iPhone does communication and mobile internet duties in the most comprehensive, enjoyable and least frustrating way out of all smartphones on the market.

Oh my god, thank you! I just realized that all this time I thought I was communicating and getting stuff done on my Note4! Now I've seen the light. My thanks to you, good sir!

 

[mrochester]

Oh my god, thank you! I just realized that all this time I thought I was communicating and getting stuff done on my Note4! Now I've seen the light. My thanks to you, good sir!

Probably just not as quickly or enjoyably as you'd do on an iPhone. That's always been my experience .

 

[cronos]

So you're part of the tiny minority for which that is useful. I do exactly the same thing as you (build and support family PCs) and I've never come across the situation you have found yourself in.

What I guess I can't stand are the hipsters who think that buying Android is somehow a big 'screw you' to consumerism and how their purchase somehow makes them an 'individual' because they can waste their time playing with custom ROMs etc. The very same people usually have the nerve to call the iPhone a 'toy', despite the fact they probably spend more time playing around with their Android phone like a toy than actually using it as a tool to do stuff.

I buy technology to get shit done, and the iPhone does communication and mobile internet duties in the most comprehensive, enjoyable and least frustrating way out of all smartphones on the market.

The huge problem is when you really believe that the solution that works best for you will work best for other people, regardless of their situation. That's just simply not true, and it's asinine to think like that.

Sure, there are some Android users who are 'hipsters' who wanted to make a statement, who call iPhone a toy, etc. but you could say exact the same thing about some iPhone users. In fact, you just gave a great example of this, by calling Android users who like to play with custom ROMs 'wasting their time'.

Why not use what's best for you and leave people alone to use what's best for them, without judging them if it's different than yours?

 

[dawheat]

Oh my god, thank you! I just realized that all this time I thought I was communicating and getting stuff done on my Note4! Now I've seen the light. My thanks to you, good sir!

Too many folks conflate differences (slight as they are in such basic tasks) and preference for better/worse. It's just human nature.

For example, I personally like pop up messaging on Android vs ios messaging. But I can use either happily. Doesn't make it better.

 

[mrochester]

The huge problem is when you really believe that the solution that works best for you will work best for other people, regardless of their situation. That's just simply not true, and it's asinine to think like that.

Sure, there are some Android users who are 'hipsters' who wanted to make a statement, who call iPhone a toy, etc. but you could say exact the same thing about some iPhone users. In fact, you just gave a great example of this, by calling Android users who like to play with custom ROMs 'wasting their time'.

Why not use what's best for you and leave people alone to use what's best for them, without judging them if it's different than yours?

No problem, as long as I get the same level of respect back again from others .

 

[poofyhairguy]

I do exactly the same thing as you (build and support family PCs) and I've never come across the situation you have found yourself in.

Well yeah, you probably drag your laptop almost everywhere. I did too back in say 2011 before I switched to Android. Nowadays thanks to the flexibility of Android I don't feel the need to drag the laptop everywhere "just in case," because if I get in a pinch my phone and a few cables can bail me out. It is kinda liberating to have a real computer in my pocket, and not have to think ahead so much to avoid being caught without capability. Especially when I go on flights, I no longer have to do the drag out the laptop routine. Its amazing.

What I guess I can't stand are the hipsters who think that buying Android is somehow a big 'screw you' to consumerism and how their purchase somehow makes them an 'individual' because they can waste their time playing with custom ROMs etc.

I won't argue with you there, I get a chuckle out of people in my life who think buying a Galaxy instead of an iPhone proves they are more tech savvy. Because they installed a new launcher to "remove Touchwiz" they are Android pros! Sigh. Buy a Nexus unlocked from the Play Store and then I am impressed.

I also agree that the whole "just fix it with a ROM" theory is often folly, as ROMs can sometimes bring in more bugs/problems than they solve. I really really don't like the strategy of a something like a modern CM that just tries to add as much functionality as possible to the ROM, bugs be damned. Plus I hate the idea that you spend so much money to buy a device, then you have to "fix" it with an update from a non-professional third party because the OS it came with is such crap. All that does is it rewards bad behavior in the Android ecosystem.

But again perspective can change things here. Personally I only use stock/unrooted Android devices, so I am not doing all the phone fiddling like you talk about (I had my day). But because of the limits of iOS my iPad will always be jailbroken just to get things (like a file manager or Kodi) that I can easily install on stock Android. I actually have to "waste" more time hacking on my iOS device to get to the same baseline of functionality.

The very same people usually have the nerve to call the iPhone a 'toy', despite the fact they probably spend more time playing around with their Android phone like a toy than actually using it as a tool to do stuff.

That is just the whole Windows vs OSX battle coming up again on another platform. Some people will always prefer a device that lets them hack on it some, that culture is ingrained in the tech community. Hacking devices is almost a hobby in itself, and you actually learn a lot about how things work because of it. Like I know way more about the ARM architecture than I otherwise would because of those years overclocking my Galaxy S2.

Even if you don't appreciate that hobby, and those people are fooling themselves on the time sink that is Android ROMing, the fact of the matter is that I can do a LOT more on stock Android than I can do on iOS. In fact thanks to good usb support, mouse support and VM support it is almost to the point where Android is as functional to me as say OSX is. Meanwhile iOS with its walled garden that won't let you touch the files because you are too big of an idiot to handle them is a MUCH closer experience to something like a game console (which is a toy to many people).

Maybe iOS meets your needs as it meets the needs of many, and I don't approve of Android fanboys looking down their nose at iOS users for their OS choice. I personally only give iOS users crap in my own life when they make bad DEVICE choices (aka like buying the iPad 3 or the iPhone 6+), as I think for many iOS is the perfect OS for them. Its obviously not a toy OS when so many people use it for so much.

I buy technology to get shit done, and the iPhone does communication and mobile internet duties in the most comprehensive, enjoyable and least frustrating way out of all smartphones on the market.

Have you tried all the options though? Have you given a Nexus a spin for a month to make a statement like that?

Since you shared your biggest beef about Android users, I will share my biggest beef about iOS users- they assume everything iOS is the best without any comparison base.

Some of it is that they assume that ONLY Apple has a device worth having, and ONLY Apple can innovate in this sector (despite the fact they were behind the market on things like smartwatches and NFC payments). More than that I hate the blind faith that every iOS device is equal, and as long as its an iPhone or iPad they guaranteed made a good purchase. Then they have to nerve to complain when their bad choice device runs slowly after a big OS update (like that iPad 3 when iOS 7 hit or the iPhone 6+ when iOS 10 hits), like Apple updates are some sort of conspiracy to force upgrades. I wish iOS users would spend more time researching their tools before they buy, and would therefore only reward Apple with record sales when they release a truly awesome iOS device (like the iPad 2, the iPhone 5s or the iPad Air 2).

Neither side is perfect, but I think it is nice that the smartphone market allows for enough variation to meet the needs of a large range from a non-techy grandma to a me. Personal preference is everything.

 

[mrochester]

Well yeah, you probably drag your laptop almost everywhere. I did too back in say 2011 before I switched to Android. Nowadays thanks to the flexibility of Android I don't feel the need to drag the laptop everywhere "just in case," because if I get in a pinch my phone and a few cables can bail me out. It is kinda liberating to have a real computer in my pocket, and not have to think ahead so much to avoid being caught without capability. Especially when I go on flights, I no longer have to do the drag out the laptop routine. Its amazing.



I won't argue with you there, I get a chuckle out of people in my life who think buying a Galaxy instead of an iPhone proves they are more tech savvy. Because they installed a new launcher to "remove Touchwiz" they are Android pros! Sigh. Buy a Nexus unlocked from the Play Store and then I am impressed.

I also agree that the whole "just fix it with a ROM" theory is often folly, as ROMs can sometimes bring in more bugs/problems than they solve. I really really don't like the strategy of a something like a modern CM that just tries to add as much functionality as possible to the ROM, bugs be damned. Plus I hate the idea that you spend so much money to buy a device, then you have to "fix" it with an update from a non-professional third party because the OS it came with is such crap. All that does is it rewards bad behavior in the Android ecosystem.

But again perspective can change things here. Personally I only use stock/unrooted Android devices, so I am not doing all the phone fiddling like you talk about (I had my day). But because of the limits of iOS my iPad will always be jailbroken just to get things (like a file manager or Kodi) that I can easily install on stock Android. I actually have to "waste" more time hacking on my iOS device to get to the same baseline of functionality.



That is just the whole Windows vs OSX battle coming up again on another platform. Some people will always prefer a device that lets them hack on it some, that culture is ingrained in the tech community. Hacking devices is almost a hobby in itself, and you actually learn a lot about how things work because of it. Like I know way more about the ARM architecture than I otherwise would because of those years overclocking my Galaxy S2.

Even if you don't appreciate that hobby, and those people are fooling themselves on the time sink that is Android ROMing, the fact of the matter is that I can do a LOT more on stock Android than I can do on iOS. In fact thanks to good usb support, mouse support and VM support it is almost to the point where Android is as functional to me as say OSX is. Meanwhile iOS with its walled garden that won't let you touch the files because you are too big of an idiot to handle them is a MUCH closer experience to something like a game console (which is a toy to many people).

Maybe iOS meets your needs as it meets the needs of many, and I don't approve of Android fanboys looking down their nose at iOS users for their OS choice. I personally only give iOS users crap in my own life when they make bad DEVICE choices (aka like buying the iPad 3 or the iPhone 6+), as I think for many iOS is the perfect OS for them. Its obviously not a toy OS when so many people use it for so much.



Have you tried all the options though? Have you given a Nexus a spin for a month to make a statement like that?

Since you shared your biggest beef about Android users, I will share my biggest beef about iOS users- they assume everything iOS is the best without any comparison base.

Some of it is that they assume that ONLY Apple has a device worth having, and ONLY Apple can innovate in this sector (despite the fact they were behind the market on things like smartwatches and NFC payments). More than that I hate the blind faith that every iOS device is equal, and as long as its an iPhone or iPad they guaranteed made a good purchase. Then they have to nerve to complain when their bad choice device runs slowly after a big OS update (like that iPad 3 when iOS 7 hit or the iPhone 6+ when iOS 10 hits), like Apple updates are some sort of conspiracy to force upgrades. I wish iOS users would spend more time researching their tools before they buy, and would therefore only reward Apple with record sales when they release a truly awesome iOS device (like the iPad 2, the iPhone 5s or the iPad Air 2).

Neither side is perfect, but I think it is nice that the smartphone market allows for enough variation to meet the needs of a large range from a non-techy grandma to a me. Personal preference is everything.

The last Nexus I tried was the 5, and I had a 4 prior to that. I used a Moto G for a month last year and I've just had and returned a Note 4. The Note 4 was just updated to Lollipop prior to me returning it so I was able to give that a try.

Biggest frustrations with the Note 4:

Poor keyboards in comparison to the iPhone. I wish you could get the iOS keyboard on Android

Lock screen music/media controls all different between apps instead of just one system wide set of controls. Playing Music would show a big set of controls on the lock screen with back/play-pause/forward whereas Pocketcasts showed as a small notification like bar with only pause and forward. Why aren't they the same set of controls?

No lock screen shortcut to torch, calculator and stopwatch/timer

No lock screen voice control

No access to notifications from lock screen (finally fixed with Lollipop)

Terrible finger print scanner for unlocking device (finally fixed with SGS6 apparently)

Tinny speaker

Single orientation micro USB connector

Icons all different sizes and shapes on home screen rather than all the same size and shape

Loads of popups asking me whether I want to use a certain app once, or always. Just get rid of this completely and use the built in app!

A selection of 'XXX has stopped working' messages

Headphone inline remote buttons don't work (can't even change volume)

A reliance on being tied to Google.


I find the biggest problem with Android is the lack of functionality and poor design decisions that compromise the overall experience.

 

[poofyhairguy]

The last Nexus I tried was the 5, and I had a 4 prior to that. I used a Moto G for a month last year and I've just had and returned a Note 4. The Note 4 was just updated to Lollipop prior to me returning it so I was able to give that a try.

That sounds credible, iOS really is a better fit for you. I will admit that list is a list of stuff that I view differently than you do. Some of it is stuff that doesn't bug me (I don't use and wouldn't use a finger print reader, I use Smartlock) and some of it that I actually like different things than you.

I LIKE that it lets you chose new default apps (you can hit always to make it stick), that drives me nuts on iOS when it always wants to open links in Safari instead of Chrome. You aren't forcibly tied to Google for core functionality unlike in iOS with Apple apps. I like how I can customize my home screen with objects of different shapes and sizes, and I LOVE alternative keyboards. On my iPad that stock keyboard drives me nuts, the fact that you can't tell if you are going to type a capital or not by the case visible on the keyboard feels very 2009. I put Swiftkey on that iPad within an hour of owning it.

Some of your complaints I agree with (the Note speaker sucks and lockscreens can be limited) but all that together doesn't bug me as much as iOS not having a file manager, or not being able to use an app like Kodi without jailbreak. It comes down to personal priorities.

I will admit though that the one-sided USB port on every Android device is starting to drive me nuts. Now that I have a phone that can't use a Qi charger I hate that it takes me THREE tries almost every night to plug it in. The iPad is so easy in comparison. If the next Nexus really has a reversible USB port I might be one of those people with multiple carts day one trying to get in the first batch.

 

[mrochester]

That sounds credible, iOS really is a better fit for you. I will admit that list is a list of stuff that I view differently than you do. Some of it is stuff that doesn't bug me (I don't use and wouldn't use a finger print reader, I use Smartlock) and some of it that I actually like different things than you.

I LIKE that it lets you chose new default apps (you can hit always to make it stick), that drives me nuts on iOS when it always wants to open links in Safari instead of Chrome. You aren't forcibly tied to Google for core functionality unlike in iOS with Apple apps. I like how I can customize my home screen with objects of different shapes and sizes, and I LOVE alternative keyboards. On my iPad that stock keyboard drives me nuts, the fact that you can't tell if you are going to type a capital or not by the case visible on the keyboard feels very 2009. I put Swiftkey on that iPad within an hour of owning it.

Some of your complaints I agree with (the Note speaker sucks and lockscreens can be limited) but all that together doesn't bug me as much as iOS not having a file manager, or not being able to use an app like Kodi without jailbreak. It comes down to personal priorities.

I will admit though that the one-sided USB port on every Android device is starting to drive me nuts. Now that I have a phone that can't use a Qi charger I hate that it takes me THREE tries almost every night to plug it in. The iPad is so easy in comparison. If the next Nexus really has a reversible USB port I might be one of those people with multiple carts day one trying to get in the first batch.

The problem you've got is trying to use Chrome in the first place. Safari is great on iOS and everything syncs up with your iPad, Mac and PC too, so no need to use any other browser.

I can quite easily see what case I'm typing in; that's why the shift key changes it's highlight. How do you manage to type on a keyboard on a desktop or laptop? I've got an image of you sitting scratching your head wondering whether the keyboard will start typing in upper or lower case :big grin:

I had to plug in a Google account to access or use the Play Store, which I'd call core functionality of the system. I don't mind having an Apple account as I know they aren't taking my data to use for advertising purposes. Plus I trust Apple with my data an awful lot more than I trust Google.

Agreed, microUSB has to be one of the worst connectors ever. I can't tell you how many people I know who have busted up that connector on their phone. At least Apple, amongst others, have come to the rescue with USB C for those of you still suffering in this regard.

The main purpose of my smartphone home screen is to make it as quick and easy as possible to get to the apps I use the most. That means everything I need is located on one home screen. It also means the Note 4 had a really messy looking home screen due to every icon being a different size and shape. I also had to put shortcuts to clock, camera, calculator and torch on the Note 4 home screen as Android lacks a control centre equivalent, which meant I could fit fewer apps on the Note 4 home screen, making it less efficient to get where I needed to go.

All in all there's just a lack of functionality and flexibility in Android when it comes to things that are actually useful! It's full of stuff that's not remotely useful, but lacking in things that are useful!

 

[poofyhairguy]

The problem you've got is trying to use Chrome in the first place. Safari is great on iOS and everything syncs up with your iPad, Mac and PC too, so no need to use any other browser.

Mobile Safari drives me nuts. I hate the tab implementation, I hate that the copy and paste seems more wonky than in Chrome, and I hate that it hides when I hit my RAM limit. At least Chrome is nice enough to crash when I go past my 2GB. In reality I use Chrome on all my other devices so I like keeping that in sync. Safari is only on Apple devices.

I can quite easily see what case I'm typing in; that's why the shift key changes it's highlight.

Yeah but that is harder to see then the case of all the letters on the entire keyboard. It something that once you get used to it you can't imagine why every virtual keyboard doesn't do it.

I had to plug in a Google account to access or use the Play Store, which I'd call core functionality of the system.

No, you really don't. You could skip that sign-in, enable "install from outside sources" and then put the Amazon app store on there instead. Google gives you a choice what app store you want to use, unlike iOS where you have to jailbreak to have options.

I don't mind having an Apple account as I know they aren't taking my data to use for advertising purposes. Plus I trust Apple with my data an awful lot more than I trust Google.

That is more a personal thing I think. I haven't seen any reason to not trust Google more than I don't trust any tech company. I like the ads they serve me sometimes, they really know my tastes thanks to years of Android use.

The main purpose of my smartphone home screen is to make it as quick and easy as possible to get to the apps I use the most. That means everything I need is located on one home screen. It also means the Note 4 had a really messy looking home screen due to every icon being a different size and shape.

Honestly that is something you can fix with a new launcher and five minutes of your time. In trade for it not being optimized by default in a way you like a person like me has the option to have five home screens with all kinds of different widgets on them.

I also had to put shortcuts to clock, camera, calculator and torch on the Note 4 home screen as Android lacks a control centre equivalent, which meant I could fit fewer apps on the Note 4 home screen, making it less efficient to get where I needed to go.

Android does have a "control centre equivalent," it is the quick toggles in the notification shade. I don't remember what options a Note 4 has (that part is Samsung specific) but I am pretty positive it has torch and I think a camera shortcut. I get that if you are used to something that it can be a pain to have to relearn your behaviors. Its why I won't upgrade my Macs to Yosemite, what Apple did to Spotlight RUINED how I use a Mac. So I understand.

All in all there's just a lack of functionality and flexibility in Android when it comes to things that are actually useful! It's full of stuff that's not remotely useful, but lacking in things that are useful!

I would love a little more detail on that point. To me the OS that gets new social media apps first is less useful than the platform with a real file manager. I am going to bet this is another personal preference thing.

 

[mrochester]

Mobile Safari drives me nuts. I hate the tab implementation, I hate that the copy and paste seems more wonky than in Chrome, and I hate that it hides when I hit my RAM limit. At least Chrome is nice enough to crash when I go past my 2GB. In reality I use Chrome on all my other devices so I like keeping that in sync. Safari is only on Apple devices.



Yeah but that is harder to see then the case of all the letters on the entire keyboard. It something that once you get used to it you can't imagine why every virtual keyboard doesn't do it.



No, you really don't. You could skip that sign-in, enable "install from outside sources" and then put the Amazon app store on there instead. Google gives you a choice what app store you want to use, unlike iOS where you have to jailbreak to have options.



That is more a personal thing I think. I haven't seen any reason to not trust Google more than I don't trust any tech company. I like the ads they serve me sometimes, they really know my tastes thanks to years of Android use.



Honestly that is something you can fix with a new launcher and five minutes of your time. In trade for it not being optimized by default in a way you like a person like me has the option to have five home screens with all kinds of different widgets on them.



Android does have a "control centre equivalent," it is the quick toggles in the notification shade. I don't remember what options a Note 4 has (that part is Samsung specific) but I am pretty positive it has torch and I think a camera shortcut. I get that if you are used to something that it can be a pain to have to relearn your behaviors. Its why I won't upgrade my Macs to Yosemite, what Apple did to Spotlight RUINED how I use a Mac. So I understand.



I would love a little more detail on that point. To me the OS that gets new social media apps first is less useful than the platform with a real file manager. I am going to bet this is another personal preference thing.

Safari is available for Windows. Or you can sync your bookmarks with Internet Explorer or Firefox if you wish.

I don't want to have to start fiddling on with installing from unknown sources and potentially leaving my device open to vulnerabilities. When I buy a *smartphone* I expect it to be *smart* and fulfil my needs out of the box. I don't want to have to fanny on fixing all the mistakes the manufacturer/OS developer made when designing and making their product.

There was no shortcut to calculator, stopwatch, calendar or torch from the notification shade. There were a load of shortcuts to completely useless things though; rather sums up Android!

 

[Commodus]

I'm mostly with poofyhairguy. I think iOS is perfectly functional for the vast majority of what people do, and you can in fact be a power user (with powerful apps, to boot). It's just that Android's flexibility is appealing for that group that insists on as much control and customization as possible.

And I would definitely agree with a key statement: you have to live with a platform for a while, really live with it, to give it a fair assessment. I've seen too many Android fans who make the "iPhones are for stupid people who like toys" argument... and promptly admit that they've avoided Apple products their whole life. Likewise, I've seen iPhone and Mac fans who pretend that Android phones and Windows PCs will explode in your hands if you so much as look at them the wrong way. As with many things in life, the answer is somewhere in between... and you often need first-hand experience to understand.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Safari is available for Windows. Or you can sync your bookmarks with Internet Explorer or Firefox if you wish.

Yeah but what about my Android tablet? My wife's Chromebook? Every "computer" in my life can run Chrome, down to my smartwatch.

Plus the Safari for Windows has been discontinued for a while, I don't know if it would sync with a modern Safari.

I don't want to have to start fiddling on with installing from unknown sources and potentially leaving my device open to vulnerabilities.

No one said you have to. You have a choice.

I feel like this one is lose-lose for you. On one hand you dislike Google and their Play Store so you don't want to use it. On the other hand you dislike the option to NOT use the Play Store because you think you should be able to use what comes with a device, which again is the Play Store. It is like saying you hate the color red because it only comes in shades of red.

In reality you don't have a problem with how the platform handles apps what-so-ever, you have a problem with Google itself. Which yeah if you don't like Google it makes sense you wouldn't want to use their OS. Personally I would sign over my first born to Google. Well maybe not that far, but I can't wait to have a Google Nexus using Google's phone service later this year. For me the more Google the better, they are the only large tech company making devices/OSes for nerds and not the lowest common denominator normal.

There was no shortcut to calculator, stopwatch, calendar or torch from the notification shade. There were a load of shortcuts to completely useless things though; rather sums up Android!

I know for a fact you can edit what is on the quick toggles on a Note 4. I get it though, you prefer a more iOSy experience out of the box. I recommend next time you try Android you try one of those Chinese phones that go out of there way to ape iOS, seems however that OS does things is how you like them done.

The question is: Is that a luck thing (aka iOS just happens to be setup in the optimal way for you personally by chance) or is it a learned preference (aka most of your smartphone usage has been on iOS so you have learned to love what it provides)?

I think a lot of iOS users have what is basically a digital Stockholm syndrome. I certainly felt that way when I got my iPad and the answer to all my questions of "how do I do this? how do I do that?" was often "you shouldn't." Like Apple is the only entity that should decide what capabilities/functionality a computer should have.

The big clue for me around my IRL friends that think like that is that they are like you in that they claim to prefer iOS's design, yet when they get on their Macs they never use that app drawer thing OSX has. Seems like they would prefer the rows of apps on all their devices if that is the optimal way to do it.

 

[mrochester]

I'm mostly with poofyhairguy. I think iOS is perfectly functional for the vast majority of what people do, and you can in fact be a power user (with powerful apps, to boot). It's just that Android's flexibility is appealing for that group that insists on as much control and customization as possible.

And I would definitely agree with a key statement: you have to live with a platform for a while, really live with it, to give it a fair assessment. I've seen too many Android fans who make the "iPhones are for stupid people who like toys" argument... and promptly admit that they've avoided Apple products their whole life. Likewise, I've seen iPhone and Mac fans who pretend that Android phones and Windows PCs will explode in your hands if you so much as look at them the wrong way. As with many things in life, the answer is somewhere in between... and you often need first-hand experience to understand.

I agree, which is why I always give everything a fair chance. I use a self-built Windows 8.1 PC as my desktop (because I want a powerful, silent PC so I modified the graphics card with a new fan etc), a MacBook Pro as my laptop (because Apple make the best trackpads) and an iPad Air 2 and iPhone 6 because Apple make the best tablets and smartphones. And I've come to that conclusion (about the smartphone at least) from extensive experience of Android and iOS devices. I've also tried Windows Phone too, but only at the low end. However, I do also really enjoy Windows Phone, it's just lacking the apps I want.

 

[poofyhairguy]

And I would definitely agree with a key statement: you have to live with a platform for a while, really live with it, to give it a fair assessment. I've seen too many Android fans who make the "iPhones are for stupid people who like toys" argument... and promptly admit that they've avoided Apple products their whole life. Likewise, I've seen iPhone and Mac fans who pretend that Android phones and Windows PCs will explode in your hands if you so much as look at them the wrong way. As with many things in life, the answer is somewhere in between... and you often need first-hand experience to understand.

Its frustrating that mobile turned into team sports like politics or being a console gamer. I like the ability to use both, and experience the best parts from both experiences. That is why I picked up an iPad Air 2 over the Nexus 9, well that and the fact I felt I had to put my money where my mouth was after all my rants about the iPhone 6+ vs the iPad Air 2 last year.

I wish people could just admit the flaws, and admit the best decision is a personal one of picking based on your priorities. Yes Android is fragmented and OS updates are a nightmare outside of Nexuses. Yes 1GB of RAM on a 2014 5.5 inch 1080p 64 Bit device is ridiculous. In both cases most people don't care though, and we lose sight of that.

 

[mrochester]

Yeah but what about my Android tablet? My wife's Chromebook? Every "computer" in my life can run Chrome, down to my smartwatch.

Plus the Safari for Windows has been discontinued for a while, I don't know if it would sync with a modern Safari.



No one said you have to. You have a choice.

I feel like this one is lose-lose for you. On one hand you dislike Google and their Play Store so you don't want to use it. On the other hand you dislike the option to NOT use the Play Store because you think you should be able to use what comes with a device, which again is the Play Store. It is like saying you hate the color red because it only comes in shades of red.

In reality you don't have a problem with how the platform handles apps what-so-ever, you have a problem with Google itself. Which yeah if you don't like Google it makes sense you wouldn't want to use their OS. Personally I would sign over my first born to Google. Well maybe not that far, but I can't wait to have a Google Nexus using Google's phone service later this year. For me the more Google the better, they are the only large tech company making devices/OSes for nerds and not the lowest common denominator normal.



I know for a fact you can edit what is on the quick toggles on a Note 4. I get it though, you prefer a more iOSy experience out of the box. I recommend next time you try Android you try one of those Chinese phones that go out of there way to ape iOS, seems however that OS does things is how you like them done.

The question is: Is that a luck thing (aka iOS just happens to be setup in the optimal way for you personally by chance) or is it a learned preference (aka most of your smartphone usage has been on iOS so you have learned to love what it provides)?

I think a lot of iOS users have what is basically a digital Stockholm syndrome. I certainly felt that way when I got my iPad and the answer to all my questions of "how do I do this? how do I do that?" was often "you shouldn't." Like Apple is the only entity that should decide what capabilities/functionality a computer should have.

The big clue for me around my IRL friends that think like that is that they are like you in that they claim to prefer iOS's design, yet when they get on their Macs they never use that app drawer thing OSX has. Seems like they would prefer the rows of apps on all their devices if that is the optimal way to do it.

Yes you can edit what appears in the Note 4 notification shade, you just can't add shortcuts to the things I actually use/want!

I'm not so sure I agree with your assessment of Android and who it's aimed for. In my mind, iOS is aimed for the tech enthusiast; Android is for the masses. All the techies I know rock iOS. Android is for the people I work with who would be looking all over the screen for the start button in Windows 8.

On OSX I have all the apps I need/use lined up on the dock. That's what it's there for!

I've never found myself sitting thinking 'how do I do that?' on my iPhone. The phone already does everything I need it to do, and what I didn't already know how to do is very easily accessible on the iPhone because Apple have designed the device so well.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Yes you can edit what appears in the Note 4 notification shade, you just can't add shortcuts to the things I actually use/want!

Sure, you can't add stuff without Xposed and root so you are right on that one. And honestly I HATE the quick toggles on Galaxy stuff, I much prefer the stock Android style. But that is why I will never probably get another Samsung phone. Thanks to Android I have the choice to move to a new OEM without losing all my apps and my time invested in the platform.

I'm not so sure I agree with your assessment of Android and who it's aimed for. In my mind, iOS is aimed for the tech enthusiast; Android is for the masses.

I think where we differ is that you view Android as the homogeneous blob, mostly as represented by Samsung, because that is how iOS is. And I am not calling you out on that, MANY MANY people like to equate Samsung and Android.

And I don't disagree that iOS is aimed at a "tech enthusiasts." They are the early adopters, and the people willing to pay $300+ for a first gen smartwatch. I would disagree that the group called "tech enthusiasts" directly overlaps with "nerds" (aka the people on this forum) because a lot of tech enthusiasts are the "I studied computer science in college but I have never built my own desktops" type of techies. Or "I know photoshop and I do web design" kind of techie.

What I meant by my comment is that for people that are nerd nerds (the "my desktop is Linux Mint" kind of nerd, or "I overclocked my CPU and my GPU" kind of nerd) the offerings that come directly from Google are some of the nerdiest phones on the planet. A stock Nexus device has a lot of rough edges and assumes that the person using the device actually knows what they are doing. Even then there are all kinds of things (like hold presses on toggle to do something, or multi-finger swiping, etc.) on a Nexus device that quite frankly a normal who is scared of clicking because he is going to break it won't get. On top of that Nexuses have minimal consumer support (compared to Apple with an Apple store, or Samsung with the Verizon/AT&T store) and now a new phone plan that takes understanding exactly what a gigabyte IS to even understand what your bill is. Google's offerings straight from Google are super nerdy. Heck their most accessible/popular device is a stick that is USELESS without another computer. That is so nerdy. They obviously dislike having to pander to normal consumers.

Samsung and its devices are on the other end of the spectrum. Their skin that they put on top of Android not only files off stock Android's sharp edges, it wraps bubble wrap around everything like you do to your furniture when your toddler starts to walk. They target their OS at the absolute lowest denominator of technical intelligence, and then they give you the Easy Mode to drop it even further into outright Jitterbug mode. They take whatever the current version of Android looks like and skins it to look like a previous one in order to not upset non-techies that hate change because it scares them. Samsung is Android for the masses, for the people who can't find that Windows 8 start button, and it sells that way. It is Android as designed by a focus group, compared to an iOS that is the vision of Mr. Ive.

But Android isn't Samsung or its Touchwiz. Nor is it the Nexus's, even though that is what is assumed by a AOSP experience. Android is all the experiences put together, and for each type of person there is a device for them: for the artsy/millennials? Here is your HTC with Zoe. For the iPhone-loving techy? Here is your Moto X. For the bargain hunter? Here is your LG phone after its been on the market for a few months because they never hold value. And for the masses here is your Samsung toy phone with the bubble wrap and some literal bubbles. Cool thing is that all of them are Android, so give my 15 minutes and I can make them feel 90% like my current nerdy Android phone feels today. That is the power of choice.

On OSX I have all the apps I need/use lined up on the dock. That's what it's there for!

I use spotlight to launch everything. My dock is minimal.

I've never found myself sitting thinking 'how do I do that?' on my iPhone. The phone already does everything I need it to do, and what I didn't already know how to do is very easily accessible on the iPhone because Apple have designed the device so well.

I won't disagree with that. Apple holds itself to a higher standard than anyone else in the tech industry when it comes to their experience. They are also pretty brave about telling people what they want rather than letting the market make bad choices based on an imperfect economic system (the core count of iDevices is a perfect example of that). Their devices are often top notch when it comes to build quality, and their attention to detail is second to none.I am happy to give Apple plenty of credit.

What I don't like about Apple is the heavy hand that comes with that philosophy, and the concept if they make a decision for you don't try to get around it because Apple knows best. Actually I don't mind that as much as I hate the army of iFans that defend Apple's choices and act like I am a heathen because I want to copy a Blu Ray rip to my iPad for playback without iTunes or some app. I also don't like that Apple KNOWS that their phones have a perceived value margin and they take advantage of that to maximize a profit that is already larger than most countries' incomes. They represent so much of the phone industry, I think they need to give more value just like they have traditionally done with their Intel products (new Macbook excluded).

The gulf right now between the iPhones and the iPad is a perfect example of that. iPad and tablet value is dropping, so for $500 I can buy an iPad Air 2 with a 2GB of ram, three cores, and a GPU that beats the best Nvidia can do. But Apple knew that 2014 consumers would give ANYTHING to have an iPhone as large as a Samsung device, so they cranked out a low-value iPhone 6+ that costs $750 but has a lower resolution screen, half the ram, two thirds the core count, and a slower GPU compared to the iPad. No one can give me a good reason why Apple, a company almost worth a trillion bucks, couldn't afford 2GB of RAM in a $750 phone. They did it because they could, and because that is a way to FORCE those people who get it just because the screen was bigger to replace it when iOS 10 makes it run like a dog. Apple knows that eventually phones will get "good enough" for many people, and they would prefer that "good enough" device to be the second gen large screen iPhone.

No matter what I don't like about Samsung, at least they always cram as much hardware value as they can into their Galaxy S phones. I wish Apple could say the same thing. Honestly I wish it could be both instead of either/or, but that is how technology works a lot of the time.