Moving from iPhone

[dampchimp]

Apologies if this has already been discussed and not wanting to start any sort of flame wars.

Has anyone else moved to Android from iPhone? If so what where the main reasons.

I am patiently waiting for the HTC Desire to land in the UK to upgrade, my main reasons for doing so are:

• Dislike of Apple's recent activities, the seeming arrogance they have in thinking they are the only company that should be able to provide a touch screen smart phone.
• Getting away from the walled garden of iTunes and iPhone. I want to be able to use my phone however I like and not how Jobs and co tell me.
• Being able to change base functionality how I like. Prime example being podcasts. I regularly download 3-4 a week and hate having to either connect to iTunes or manually check every time for all my podcasts. There isn't an app for that!
• Getting the latest hardware that I want and being able to chose the features that are important to me. Do I want a keyboard, a better camera, a removable battery...
• Improved speed compared to 3G iphone
• Sense UI on the Desire

Things I am not quite so sure about in Android:

• Not getting the latest version of the OS on day one.
• Scarcity/poor quality of most of the games?
• Slight lack of slickness in the UI?

Would be interested if others have had similar thoughts?

 

[chrlswltrs]

I had an iPhone since release day in 2007, then the 3GS. I bought the Droid for 1 reason: Verizon. AT&T had no service at my house, and the Droid was the first phone that could ever begin to compare.

There are things I miss about my iPhone, but there are things that Android does better. I am looking forward to getting rid of my Droid for the nexus one because physical keyboards are worthless. I will even consider the iPhone if it comes to verizon. My iPhone was jailbroken so there really is a lot to miss about it.

It is just really a matter of preference. Apps are better on iPhone for the most part. Multimedia is no comparison, Android sucks.

UI is better on a jailbroken iPhone, but better on an android phone than a stock iPhone.

If you like to play games other than just puzzle games, keep your iPhone, games on android suck.

 

[macprv]

I green on the games section... most of them are poor quality.. but there are a few games that are really good.. like exzeus, raging thunder, wave blazer, mystique, armaguedon quad armored strike and others... but hey they keep coming and coming fast.. after all, iphone has been in the spot light more time than android, its kindda obvious why iphone has way more "good" games than android

 

[IOWA]

When it comes to gaming, iphone doesn't hold a candle to android. Emulators are the key here. I can play any gba, gb, nes, snes, and sega game on my phone with ease.

Why would "slickness" be a considerable factor for you? As long as the ui is usable, and not a pain in the but, its fine. What, do you really need something to look "cool" to make you feel better?

And as for os on "day one" that's not just a little greedy, that's extremely greedy. People tend to forget mobile os's need to be custom taylored to each device. That takes time. Apple only has ONE device, one choice, so upgrading is easy. Plus they only upgrade once per year, and its not much improvement each time. Some people need a reality check sometimes!

 

[grainysand]

Things I am not quite so sure about in Android:

• Not getting the latest version of the OS on day one.

The Nexus One is almost certainly going to.

Slight lack of slickness in the UI?

You like the iPhone's repetitive, lifeless, impersonal icon grids? I've always found the iPhone UI, contrary to popular opinion, exceptionally ugly. The nice thing about Android is that there're many home replacements (and themes if you root). There's never a shortage of options and you can make your homescreen look like whatever you like. Take a look. Or how about this?

And since you're looking at the Desire, you'll have the pinch-to-leap feature (pinch your homescreen and it "zooms out" so you have an overview of all seven homescreens). Experience that in concert with a nice live wallpaper and you'll never, ever look back.

 

[bluenova]

With regards to 'slickness' HTC phones (so I presume the Desire) come with Sense UI. this whips the pants off of stock Android and the iPhone.

 

[macprv]

i agree with grainysand... if you are worry about the slickness... just get sweeter home 2 and make the home screen look like whatever you would like... that home replacement is awesome

 

[dampchimp]

When I mentioned slickness I simply meant that some areas appear to lack the consistency you get in some other O/S's. From what I have seen some of the areas appear a little beta (camera, music player) etc. I am aware that there are lots of things you can change in Android, again one of the things that are attracting me to Android.

With respect to the comments on being able to customise the UI, that is a good point and one of the reasons that my next phone will be an Android phone.

I also agree completely that Sense is super slick and is one of the reasons aside from lack of announcements of the Nexus One in the UK that is attracting me to the Desire.

 

[dampchimp]

And as for os on "day one" that's not just a little greedy, that's extremely greedy. People tend to forget mobile os's need to be custom taylored to each device. That takes time. Apple only has ONE device, one choice, so upgrading is easy. Plus they only upgrade once per year, and its not much improvement each time. Some people need a reality check sometimes!

It isn't so much the day one thing that gives me pause, but that due to various factors it could be months before receiving updates meaning I miss out on features and/or applications.

I fully understand the iPhone situation is completely different. Android is in it's infancy and expanding at a much greater rate than the iPhone again one of the things which attracts me.

As I stated in my original post, I am not looking to start wars here, I am merely trying to get all my facts straight before deciding which handset to buy.

 

[macprv]

When I mentioned slickness I simply meant that some areas appear to lack the consistency you get in some other O/S's. From what I have seen some of the areas appear a little beta (camera, music player) etc. I am aware that there are lots of things you can change in Android, again one of the things that are attracting me to Android.

With respect to the comments on being able to customise the UI, that is a good point and one of the reasons that my next phone will be an Android phone.

I also agree completely that Sense is super slick and is one of the reasons aside from lack of announcements of the Nexus One in the UK that is attracting me to the Desire.

Oh i know what u mean now... yeah they need alittle more of polish in those areas, but they do the basic funtions, take pictures (decent) and play music, etc.... after all, im sure google will not leave them like that, look at the gallery, browser, maps

 

[IOWA]

What I don't understand, is why, exactly, should the way a camera app looks, be of any importance to you? Really? What, are you going to show your friends hey look how cool my camera app is! ....

And all this sense of entitlement is just plain sicking. Why do you guys feel like htc, sammy, or google etc owe you an upgrade? And why are you complaining about features your getting for free, that you never had, regardless of timeframe?

Like I said, a cold hard reality check is in order here.

 

[dampchimp]

What, do you really need something to look "cool" to make you feel better?

Some people need a reality check sometimes!

Really? What, are you going to show your friends hey look how cool my camera app is! ....

Excuse me, there is no need to be rude or patronising.

If how a certain aspect of the O/S operates, feels or even looks is important to me, that is my choice, if it isn't to you, I certainly wouldn't question your opinions.

Coming back to my point, as I understand it, some areas of the O/S are undeveloped or counter-intuitive, I have heard several people on this very forum who have said they are unhappy with the media functions etc.

Again, this may just be personal expectations, but I was wondering if this has improved or is a major issue or not. From what I see, Sense has improved on a number of these areas.

With regards to updates, this is a major factor for many. You only need look at these forums to see many people who are unhappy with the lack of upgrades. My hope is that Google get behind a push to co-ordinate with networks and providers to streamline and improve this situation.

 

[grainysand]

My hope is that Google get behind a push to co-ordinate with networks and providers to streamline and improve this situation.

They have, more or less: they released the N1. It didn't sell amazingly, but what it did do is to ensure that the next generation of Android phones will ship with better hardware--Snapdragon, 512 MB RAM and all--and a newer version of Android, because now the market is aware that 1.5/1.6 out of the box is no longer acceptable. They clamor for updates so they'll catch up with 2.1, updates that most likely would never have happened if Google hadn't cut to the chase and shown the world what the latest and greatest Android combined with up-to-date hardware can really do.

I have heard several people on this very forum who have said they are unhappy with the media functions etc.

The media functions are fine. People are just distraught that the media player doesn't look pretty. Sense media player in Desire looks like this:

If you're still not happy with that and like blue, there's Nemo Player which also functions as a gallery:

 

[IOWA]

Excuse me, there is no need to be rude or patronising.

If how a certain aspect of the O/S operates, feels or even looks is important to me, that is my choice, if it isn't to you, I certainly wouldn't question your opinions.

Coming back to my point, as I understand it, some areas of the O/S are undeveloped or counter-intuitive, I have heard several people on this very forum who have said they are unhappy with the media functions etc.

Again, this may just be personal expectations, but I was wondering if this has improved or is a major issue or not. From what I see, Sense has improved on a number of these areas.

With regards to updates, this is a major factor for many. You only need look at these forums to see many people who are unhappy with the lack of upgrades. My hope is that Google get behind a push to co-ordinate with networks and providers to streamline and improve this situation.

People are starting to develop more and more of an entitlement complex. It's a terrible thing. These companies don't owe you a damn thing. And you demanding or thinking you deserve something for FREE is just plain absurd. And complaining about not getting something for FREE just because it is taking longer than YOU think it should take, is also absurd. So yes, a reality check is in order here.

If you think 2.1 should come out faster, go make it yourself, and release it, and you'll be the savior of the android world.

/rant

 

[TheBrit]

People are starting to develop more and more of an entitlement complex. It's a terrible thing. These companies don't owe you a damn thing. And you demanding or thinking you deserve something for FREE is just plain absurd. And complaining about not getting something for FREE just because it is taking longer than YOU think it should take, is also absurd. So yes, a reality check is in order here.

If you think 2.1 should come out faster, go make it yourself, and release it, and you'll be the savior of the android world.

/rant

Calm down.

 

[IOWA]

Calm down.

That was me being calm.

 

[dampchimp]

They have, more or less: they released the N1. It didn't sell amazingly, but what it did do is to ensure that the next generation of Android phones will ship with better hardware--Snapdragon, 512 MB RAM and all--and a newer version of Android, because now the market is aware that 1.5/1.6 out of the box is no longer acceptable. They clamor for updates so they'll catch up with 2.1, updates that most likely would never have happened if Google hadn't cut to the chase and shown the world what the latest and greatest Android combined with up-to-date hardware can really do.

I think you are completely right and this is a good thing. Let's be honest, I want Android to succeed and thrive. Whether it is fair or correct, the supposed "fragmentation" is an issue both in the specialist press and in the minds of a lot of the people who may be in the market for an Android handset. If this stops people buying into Android then surely this is a bad thing. I think you are completely right and it does look like the majority of manufacturers are following the example of Google and releasing quality handsets.

The media functions are fine. People are just distraught that the media player doesn't look pretty. Sense media player in Desire looks like this...

Excellent, that looks great. As I say, I was just going on what I had read, really good to get some feedback from those who are using these things day to day.

 

[imekon]

I've had an iPhone 3GS for about a year and a half. I've got far too many apps on it, and thought about developing software for it... then found I wasn't happy with using an Apple Mac and Objective C. All the fuss about restrictions on which languages I could use didn't help (though that's lifted now), then came iOS 4.0

Before iOS 4.0 my battery life was resonable. Afterwards, it was awful. Even shutting everything down every night (something not easy on pre-iOS4) I still found I could get a flat battery in the morning.

So, I came to Android. Java as a language, and XML as a UI description language. Seemed pleasant enough. Oh it works on Windows, Mac and Linux.

I bought a Samsung Galaxy Tab a few weeks ago, and have been using it in preference to my iPhone ever since (except for phone calls). I've got an Amazon Kindle as well, and just recently decided to put that to one side in favour of my tablet.

So how do they compare? The iPhone has a MUCH better base of applications. There are quite a few that exist on iPhone and Android, but there are a number of missing ones on Android. Where is PopCap games? Can I find a decent todo/notes organiser like Amazing Note on iPhone?

Battery life on my Android makes sense, whereas I find the iPhone too mysterious. I like the feature of the home button leaves an app running, whereas back can force it out. Gives me a feeling of control I don't have on the iPhone.

Surfing on the iPhone is just too small. Even with zooming (somehow easier on the iPhone - seems you have to kick start zooming on Android 2.2, whereas it starts straight away on iPhone). On the 7" Galaxy Tab landscape mode is good enough for surfing.

Mail, news etc. work well on both platforms. I did have a subscription to the Evening Standard on my Kindle, however that became a paid for subscription after a while. With the Samsung, I get Samsung Apps (strangely unavailable unless you've got a SIM card) which recently gave me the Evening Standard for free!

Angry birds is great on a 7" screen! Just waiting for Plants vs Zombies from PopCap...

As a phone the Galaxy Tab is a bit ridiculous - but I didn't buy it for that. The contract I have on it is biased towards data. I plan to get a HTC phone later in the year once my existing iPhone contract expires.

I have a lot of music apps on my iPhone. There aren't so many of those on the Android. They are starting to appear, however I've heard of issues with the audio API on Android. Hmm... I think Android 2.3 might improve this but I'm not sure. Be interesting to see if Samsung do release it for the Tab.