I Abandoned My Friends for Android

Photo by Sharice Miller on Unsplash Photo by Sharice Miller on Unsplash

For the past several years, I’ve left my friends hanging by sticking with Android. I explain here (The One Reason Why I Switched to an iPhone from Android (Hint: It’s Not What You Think)) why I’m now currently have an iPhone as my primary device.

I have been using both Android and iOS phones for a long time, since I’m a software engineer developing a mobile app that runs on both platforms. But over the past several year, I decided to ditch my Iphone and stick with Android as my primary device. Here’s why.

Summary

Figure out what you need

At the end of the day, get what makes your life better. For me, that’s Android. But you might have different preferences and needs, so don’t take my word for it. Try both platforms and see for yourself.

Android vs iPhone Daily Usage

Custom Themes

One of the things I love about Android is the ability to customize the look and feel of my phone. I can change the icons, the wallpaper, the fonts, the widgets, and even the launcher. I can make my phone look like a Windows phone, a Linux phone, or a Star Trek phone. The possibilities are endless.

On iPhone, I’m stuck with the same boring grid of icons and the same bland wallpaper. Sure, I can change the wallpaper, but that’s about it. I can’t even move the icons around freely. They always snap to the top left corner of the screen. How annoying is that?

Messaging

Another thing that annoys me about iPhone is the messaging app. It’s called iMessage, and it’s supposed to be better than regular SMS. But it’s not. It’s worse.

First of all, iMessage only works between iPhones. If I want to message someone who has an Android phone, I have to use SMS, which is slow and unreliable. And if I want to send a picture, I have to use MMS, which is even slower and more unreliable. And don’t get me started on the quality of the pictures. They look like they were taken with a potato.

On Android, I can use any messaging app I want. I can use WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, or any other app that supports end-to-end encryption and high-quality media. And I can message anyone, regardless of their phone. No green bubbles, no blue bubbles, just messages.

Video Calling

Speaking of bubbles, let’s talk about video calling. On iPhone, there’s FaceTime, which is supposed to be the best video calling app ever. But it’s not. It’s terrible.

First of all, FaceTime only works between iPhones. If I want to video call someone who has an Android phone, I have to use a third-party app, like Skype, Zoom, or Google Duo. And those apps are not as smooth or as integrated as FaceTime. They often lag, freeze, or crash.

On Android, I can use any video calling app I want. I can use the same apps I mentioned above, or I can use other apps that have more features, like Discord, Houseparty, or Jitsi. And I can video call anyone, regardless of their phone. No FaceTime, no problem.

Selecting Text

One of the things that I do a lot on my phone is selecting text. Whether it’s copying a link, a quote, or a code snippet, I need to be able to select text quickly and accurately. And on Android, I can do that easily.

On Android, selecting text is intuitive. I just have to long-press on a word, and it gets selected. Then I can drag the handles to adjust the selection, or use the smart actions to copy, cut, paste, share, or search. It’s simple and effective.

On iPhone, selecting text is frustrating. I have to tap on a word, and hope that it gets selected. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes it selects the whole paragraph, sometimes it selects nothing. Then I have to use the magnifying glass to move the cursor, or use the force touch to expand the selection. It’s complicated and annoying.

Notifications Bar / Tray

Another thing that I do a lot on my phone is checking notifications. Whether it’s an email, a message, a reminder, or a news alert, I need to be able to see and access my notifications easily. And on Android, I can do that conveniently.

On Android, checking notifications is convenient. I just have to swipe down from anywhere on the home screen, and I get the notifications tray. There I can see all my notifications, grouped by app, and sorted by priority. I can also swipe left or right to dismiss them, or tap on them to open them. And if I swipe down again, I get the quick settings panel, where I can toggle Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, airplane mode, and other options. It’s handy and useful.

On iPhone, checking notifications is inconvenient. I have to swipe down from the top left or middle of the screen, and I get the notifications center. There I can see some of my notifications, mixed with widgets, and sorted by time. I can also swipe left to clear them, or tap on them to open them. But if I want to access the quick settings panel, I have to swipe down from the top right of the screen, which is hard to reach. And if I want to go back to the home screen, I have to swipe up from the bottom of the screen, which is also hard to reach. It’s clumsy and awkward.

Taking screenshots

One of the things that I occasionally do on my phone is taking screenshots. Whether it’s a funny meme, a useful tip, or a beautiful photo, I need to be able to capture and share my screen easily. And on Android, I can do that smoothly.

On Android, taking screenshots is smooth. I just have to hold down the power and volume down buttons, and I get a screenshot. Then I can edit it, crop it, draw on it, or add text to it. I can also scroll down to capture a long screenshot, which is great for web pages or chats. And I can share it with any app I want, or save it to my gallery. It’s fast and fun.

On iPhone, taking screenshots is rough. I have to hold down the power and volume up buttons, and I get a screenshot. Then I can edit it, crop it, draw on it, or add text to it. But I can’t scroll down to capture a long screenshot, which is a bummer. And I have to tap on the share button to share it with a limited number of apps, or save it to my photos. It’s slow and boring.

Contacts on iOS vs Android

One of the things that I rarely do on my phone is managing contacts. Whether it’s adding, editing, or deleting contacts, I need to be able to do it easily. And on Android, I can do that efficiently.

On Android, managing contacts is efficient. I use Google Contacts, which syncs with my Gmail account and other Google services. I can see the profile pictures of my contacts, their phone numbers, their email addresses, and their social media accounts. I can also add notes, labels, or custom fields to my contacts, to remember important details or organize them better. And I can backup and restore my contacts anytime, anywhere. It’s smart and reliable.

On iPhone, managing contacts is inefficient. I use iCloud Contacts, which syncs with my iCloud account and other Apple services. I can see the profile pictures of my contacts, their phone numbers, their email addresses, and their social media accounts. But I can’t add notes, labels, or custom fields to my contacts, to remember important details or organize them better. And I can’t backup and restore my contacts easily, unless I use iTunes or iCloud. It’s dumb and unreliable.

Keyboard

One of the things that I constantly do on my phone is typing. Whether it’s a message, an email, a search, or a comment, I need to be able to type quickly and accurately. And on Android, I can do that comfortably.

On Android, typing is comfortable. I use Google Keyboard, which is the best keyboard app ever. I can swipe to type, use voice to type, or use gestures to type. I can also customize the keyboard layout, the keyboard size, the keyboard theme, and the keyboard settings. I can access emojis, stickers, GIFs, and symbols with a single tap. And I can switch between languages, keyboards, and input methods with ease. It’s flexible and powerful.

On iPhone, typing is uncomfortable. I use the default keyboard, which is the worst keyboard app ever. I can’t swipe to type, use voice to type, or use gestures to type. I can’t customize the keyboard layout, the keyboard size, the keyboard theme, or the keyboard settings. I can access emojis, stickers, GIFs, and symbols with multiple taps. And I can’t switch between languages, keyboards, and input methods easily. It’s rigid and weak.

Conclusion

As you can see, Android is superior to iPhone in every way. It’s more intuitive, more freedom, and more productive. It’s also more fun, more versatile, and more affordable. That’s why I abandoned my friends for Android. And I don’t regret it. Android has been my best friend for years.

Although Android is Awesome, check out The One Reason Why I Switched to an iPhone from Android (Hint: It’s Not What You Think).

Published: on Medium here

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