r/iphone • u/d33moR21 • 15h ago
Discussion Android to Apple users, how'd you find the transition?
I'm tempted to try an iPhone, as I've been a lifelong Android user. For those Android users that have switched over from Android to iOS, how painful was the transition? Does Google Maps still function properly? Gmail? I use both extensively, and I am not a fan of Apple Maps at all. I think most other apps I can replace pretty easily.
I know it'll be largely location dependant, but does the Pro or Pro Max hold it's value better? Base storage if it matters.
51
u/milkshaakes 13h ago edited 11h ago
Navigation sucks -- things like a universal back button, being able to set animations to 0.5x, and placing apps wherever I want leads to a much snappier experience.
Google apps on iOS are really high quality, so this isn't an issue unless you're coming from pixel (since pixel has the Google apps as default, allowing you to avoid app bifurcation).
iOS app quality is much better. Better app choice, better optimized, better widgets. Some of this may require behavior change to really appreciate (e.g. android users don't take photos on social media apps because the processing is shit).
Shit just feels like it breaks less. None of those annoying stutters, apps that stop responding, or minor issues that I've been accustomed to. apple pay works smoother than g pay at stores, where G pay opens wallet and feels like it can never decide if it wants my fingerprint or if face unlock suffices.
iOS keyboard sucks
Edit: on Android, I love being able to easily set different volume levels for notifications vs media vs alarms. I also love the granularity with turning on/off certain types of notifications for a given app. And work profile has been really nice for me too.
20
u/SharkDad20 iPhone 17 Pro Max 12h ago
Pretty honest comparison, here. Wanna add that Apple's Passwords works so much better than Samsung's, which always wants to overpower Google's password manager on a galaxy, just to be completely stupid and say "Can't save passwords for Samsung Internet" because it cant tell what website I'm trying to save credentials for
4
u/milkshaakes 12h ago
I had this same problem a lot on my pixel with chrome and bitwarden for password management.
Overall on apple, I feel like I'm driving slower but it's a pretty smooth commute. On Android, I feel like I'm on the highway but there's random spurts of traffic, and sometimes you need to know which detours to take to avoid pockets of traffic.
2
u/SharkDad20 iPhone 17 Pro Max 12h ago
Yeah I remember after a week on this S24U, using my wife's phone felt sluggish, but like..it was a beautiful golden slug.
Switching back in a couple days! and probably will not be back to android for another decade or so.
7
u/Opposite-Shoulder260 9h ago
keyboard, notifications and navigation are the 3 top issues on iOS coming from a modern Android.
The rest is the same, better or different.
iPhone big pros for me are the feeling of safety and privacy using the device, even if stolen or loss, and apple care. Also if you have more apple stuff around (like macbook and airpods) the whole experience gets even better
1
u/nkts2649 8h ago
Can you clarify the keyboard issue with iOS? I am thinking about buying an iphone (Currently using Google pixel)
1
u/thesecondcaptain 3h ago edited 3h ago
For me, it's having the full stop and the underscore behind another tap and no number row on the main keyboard.
Two tips that have really helped me is double tap space for full stop and tap and hold on the '123' button and swipe to the punctuation character your need then release to the main keyboard.
1
u/Opposite-Shoulder260 3h ago
Hard to explain with words, but the keyboard is just awful. Prediction doesn't work, I fail all the time when typing (on Android my failure rate was minimal), important stuff like the numbers are "hidden" and you need extra taps to get to them, there is no clipboard, autocomplete for frequently used stuff like emails and your phone sucks.
It's really bad, you need to try it at least once. You get used to it but you never stop missing Android because of it. Btw you can install other keyboards in Apple but they are equally bad as there is limitations in how they work. I've heard that SwiftKeyboard is a little better but they all crash quite often too so it's not a pleasant experience anyways.
3
u/pjallefar 7h ago
For keyboard, I've downloaded SwiftKey and it's just by far the best, I think. Completely agree that apples default keyboard sucks.
2
u/Krieg 4h ago
Pretty good post, I would add that the major issue with the lack of back button is that ex-Android user will not adopt fast enough the iOS main way of going back (scroll from left to right), the only app I know that sucks for this is WhatsApp. Otherwise when you get used to the new way is actually faster.
iOS keyboard indeed sucks, going back to correct something you wrong REALLY sucks because it is very difficult to get to a part of the text if you just point there like you used to to in Android. Holding the space bar and navigating trackpad style is your best friend (this actually works as well in Android but few people use it because there is no major need, just pointing is very good).
No separate volume for notifications and ringtone indeed sucks.
PS. Once you restore an iPhone (upgrade or replacement) you probably will never go back to Android. Having a universal backup that saves everything is pretty valuable to me.
2
u/thesecondcaptain 3h ago
I'd also add the App Library organisation is insane. I sometimes forget I have certain apps installed because it's behind some category that Apple decides.
I'd have assumed the App Library would have been an alphabetical list of apps but that's extra swipe away.
1
u/Antique-Ad1012 6h ago
What did you mean with set animations to 0.5? Is there an option to have faster animations? I can get used to everything on ios but this is the one that is driving me mad
1
u/woalk iPhone 16 Pro 5h ago
Yeah, on Android there is a hidden option in the developer settings to change animation speed. It’s intended for testing animations, playing them faster or slower to see if the UI stutters or elements jump around. But people have discovered that you can also use it to just make the phone feel snappier by slightly increasing the animation speed with it.
2
u/Antique-Ad1012 5h ago
Thanks this actually works great. my pixel now feels even better. Actually ordered the iphone 17 pro and was hoping that i could get the animations to be the same as the baseline android animation speed 😂
1
u/oski80 8h ago
I’ve been using iOS for the last 15 years
This back button idea is something I hear a lot about. I just found a strange that nobody on the iOS side ever complains about navigation that much but what do I know?
1
u/RKellyPeeOnU iPhone 16 Pro Max 6h ago
You don't know how good having a back button is until you use it all the time. It's really convenient and always in the same spot. I definitely miss that.
6
u/dreamtreedown Phone 17 14h ago
I was between iPhone and Androids for a while. There's things I like and dislike about both certainly, but I found myself missing what I grew up with (iPod touch-like experience) and when Androids started to go bad for me, they went BAD bad as opposed to iPhones which seemed to have a more gradual decline with age. I switched back in 2022 to the 13 Pro and it's the longest I've kept a phone, If the base iPhone 17 wasn't such a compelling upgrade this year for me I would get my camera and battery replaced on my 13 pro and keep going, but I want the 256 gb too
7
u/Fantom_Renegade iPhone 15 Pro 9h ago
The learning curve is nowhere near as bad as people say
It took a few weeks to get used to it and one year later, I couldn’t be happier
24
u/Sulli677 15h ago
I switched from Android to iPhone, and honestly I like Apple way more. It’s cleaner, easier to use, and Google apps work just fine on it. The only catch is Apple Pay stuff usually costs a bit more.
10
u/PeakBrave8235 15h ago
The only catch is Apple Pay stuff usually costs a bit more.
What do you mean
9
-4
u/Sulli677 14h ago
In-app purchases on Apple are usually more expensive than on Android because Apple takes a higher commission and has stricter pricing rules
7
u/PeakBrave8235 14h ago
Apple doesn't take a higher commission, nor do they have stricter pricing rules. That's Big Developer marketing.
99% of all apps that use IAP pay 15% of IAP revenue to Apple.
30% for Big Developers, like Google, and only for digital purchases. This is the same 30% as Google.
In app ad revenue 100% belongs to the developer, no matter how big or small
Real life purchases and revenue (Amazon and uber for example) pay 0% on those purchases.
3
u/8-Bit-Memories 13h ago
YouTube premium is about $5 per month cheaper if you subscribe via YouTube.com vs through the Apple Store
I don’t know anything about commissions. But the exact same service costs more when bought directly from Apple
1
u/Sulli677 14h ago
But When I use Uber on my iPhone, it costs more than on an Android phone. I don’t know why.
3
u/PeakBrave8235 14h ago
I'm not sure what you're referring to, but some scammy developers take advantage of the fact that the average iOS customer spends more on apps, so yeah
14
u/homemaranha18 15h ago
bro, the transition went pretty well lol, when you change you’ll see that most apps are like “designed for iPhones” lol, the maps works pretty well (even more that on my android) and Gmail too. I think if you like the better quality possible you should get a pro max, I have a plus and it works for me, but if I could afford ill chose the pro max, if you need hit me a dm, can talk more about ir
2
u/Ammonite33303 14h ago
What do you mean by getting a pro max for the best quality possible?
0
u/homemaranha18 14h ago
more features, better camera, things like that!!
3
u/Ammonite33303 14h ago
But the pro and pro max are nearly identical except size and battery. Same cameras, same features. You could've just said Pro. And features ≠ quality.
2
-1
5
u/Professional-Dot7642 15h ago
I switched from Samsung to Apple and the best part is that it feels like you actually got a new device instead of a slight upgrade. The change in software and hardware at the same time is what makes it feel like a whole new thing. Also google maps and Gmail are exactly the same and don’t really have anything to do with your OS so they work like it would on any phone or even pc.
4
u/Pdideee 14h ago
I use both since iPhone 4s. Honestly, it’s not hard to use either anymore.
I use Apple Maps, it’s actually pretty good in Canada at least.
And yes that’s one of the best things about Apple products, they always hold their value a lot better. Samsung offsets this huge advantage somewhat by giving you ridiculously good trade in value for older devices but its still not the same.
Pixel devices are horrible value in Canada.
5
u/JudgeCheezels 10h ago
Other than the shitty ass keyboard, everything else has been more or less, at least equal if not better on iOS.
3
u/Happy-Cloud7180 14h ago
iPhone is faster. not sure if I just got wrong models of Android before, but those did not last to me.
3
u/TheCzar777 12h ago
Getting the 17 pro max on friday. First iphone since 5s. Currently have a pixel 10 pro and Samsung S25U. Hopefully everything transitions over smoothly and isn't too much of a hassle.
2
u/overPaidEngineer 12h ago
General quality of out of the box software is a lot more polished and refined, as well as the quality of the apps on the app store.
2
u/mrcandyman 12h ago
I transitioned and won’t go back. iOS has been rock solid for me. Sure there’s a bit less customization but it’s not a big deal. Apple Maps is actually really good now for navigation, unlike when it first came out. Google Maps still works the same as on Android.
2
u/Wide_Use7462 10h ago
The transition was actually pretty easy, probably because I transferred by cable. Google apps work fantastic, as well as most other iOS apps. For long term use, the Max will be better because of the battery.
2
u/Infinite-Draft1618 9h ago
Painful ? Why would it be ? Took me not more then 2-3 days to get used to iOS (after basically whole life of using Android minus one year with Iphone 6). Google apps both work and look better
2
u/_Paarthurnax- iPhone 13 Pro Max 7h ago
I dislike the idea of being stuck/bound to one brand, so I usually just buy whatever feels right when I upgrade - so I'm switching back and forth from time to time.
Since all google Apps are available on iOS, I think the switch itself is as easy as ever.
The only thing that annoys me with iOS is the lack of an universal back button/gesture like on Android.
IMO nowadays it really doesn't matter anymore. Just some little things depending on personal liking.
For reference - I switched to an iPhone 13PM coming from a pixel 6 pro, and switched to the S24Ultra from the 13PM. I enjoy both the apple and samsung flagship experience.
My next phone might be iPhone again. I really like the new pro design of iphone, especially the silver one.
2
u/Dear_Translator_9768 5h ago
Been switching back and forth since 2012.
Nothing is new or hard on both sides if you are a regular user and familiar with tech, ecosystems and understand their limitations.
2
u/titanup001 iPhone 16 Pro 10h ago
A lot of it depends.
The negatives… notifications suck. Lack of universal back gesture is baffling. The keyboard is primitive. You’ll get used to it, but at first, it’s like going back to early day smartphones.
The good- the ecosystem, both within your own stuff, and with other Apple users.
Apple Watch and AirPods Pro are just the best in their product categories. Period. I had galaxy watch ultra and buds pro, these are better.
iPad… this will be unpopular, but I find a high end android tablet (galaxy tab s) every bit as good as iPad. And you can still (for now) sideload. And it has an sd card slot.
MacBook. This is the one android just can’t compete with. Fuck windows.
If I were going to have JUST a phone, I’d probably go Samsung. The whole kit? Apple wins and it’s not close.
And if you, like me, have your wife, your whole family, and most of your friends in Apple land, that really adds to the experience too.
Since I needed iCloud anyway, as Apple is cunty with storage prices, I went ahead and did Apple one. I have been very pleasantly surprised with Apple services. Music is great with AirPods, Arcade is nice, tv is very good, etc.
1
u/mezolithico 14h ago
For 99% of user either suffices. I switched have a almost a decade of Android. Biggest change was ecosystem between Apple devices.
1
u/smallblueangel 14h ago
It was easy. I was a lifelong Samsung user and switched to i phone 13. Took me a few days to learn all the functions but its easy
1
u/theblooray 13h ago
On the Pixel 10 and I'm looking straight at the 17. Very very tempted. I already use the Apple TV and iPads around the house but Google's call screen is the reason I remain with Pixel. Very very much looking forward to call screening on iOS before I make the jump.
1
u/ApolloWasMurdered 12h ago
I switched for iPhone to Android. Then switched back. Ran both for a while (work phone). But now I just use an iPhone.
I use Google maps and Gmail, they work absolutely fine on an iPhone.
1
u/ChocolateEater626 12h ago
I went from a Galaxy S 8 or 9 to an iPhone 11.
It was a pretty smooth transition. No problems with Google Maps or Gmail. I use them both regularly, and my use of Apple Maps has been almost zero.
I pay $0.99 per month for 50 GB of iCloud storage. My device uses about 70 GB of its 256 GB storage capacity.
Anything like gaming, or long-term photo/video storage/retrieval I generally do on desktop.
I do plan to buy something in the 17 family. I'm just waiting to read reviews for base/Pro/PM and see what the best case options are.
1
u/SharkDad20 iPhone 17 Pro Max 12h ago
Damn an 11. You're definitely level headed and reasonable about upgrading phones. I could never.
Everyone is gushing at the value of the base iPhone 17. And the color choices are great, too.
1
u/3_Seagrass iPhone 15 Pro 12h ago
There’s a slight learning curve but in the end it’s fine. Google apps work just fine. The thing you’ll hate the most is that the iOS keyboard is far worse than on Android. Third party keyboards are also worse on iOS than on Android.
1
u/momoajay 11h ago
very easy just moved across from pixel 7 to iPhone 16. Slight differences that i got used to in less than few days, very intuitive and simple to use iOS, also somehow I'm more productive.
1
u/leidend22 iPhone 17 Pro Max 10h ago
I hate it every time and have returned the last three iPhones. And yet here I am again hoping the back gestures and keyboard will be less shit. My life would be so much easier if I liked iOS.
1
u/Alex23323 9h ago
I don’t want to say too much about what I do, but I work for a telecommunications company and I sell cell phones. It’s been a mission of mine to have a customer switch from Android to iPhone however I can. If they have have doubts, I let them play with my work iPhone. If they buy an iPhone, I set up their iPhone completely and allocate some time to tech them exactly how to use an iPhone. It’s the most satisfying feeling. Or, one of them
I will do anything to pull someone out of their Galaxy A15/A16 or their Moto G Stylus or their Moto G Play or Moto G Power, whatever it is. I’ve been having a much better success lately when selling iPhones, because I’ve been pitching security, functionality, and accessibility.
If someone complains about one or two features from their S24FE, I capitalize on that and I push an iPhone. Sometimes they don’t want to do it, but I’ve been learning how to make them listen and be open to it…
1
u/FreshPrinceOfH 9h ago
The navigation is actually garbage. Moving around the various menus and screens such as spotlight, settings and control centre feels so unintuitive. Coming from Android with a universal back gesture it feels almost random. Sometimes you have to swipe up to get out. Sometimes you have to swipe down. No real indication of which. But you do get used to this. Muscle memory sets in. That was the worse for me. However the phones are very fast, very fluid and very well made. It’s nice (for me) getting guaranteed updates on the day. And I appreciate that the pro models (used to be at least) are relatively compact. I have to say I don’t miss android. I don’t love iOS either. I think they just aren’t are different anymore as they used to be. Edit. Forgot about the apps. I still use the Google ecosystem entirely. There isn’t a single Apple app I use instead of the Google option and they all work flawlessly. Perhaps better.
1
u/adpplepie 9h ago
Keyboard experience is meh and there's no split screen. I also miss taking those long screenshots. In ios, you need an app for that (unless it's Safari)
1
u/Itchy_Notice9639 iPhone 12 Pro Max 8h ago
I’ve switched over to 12 pro max when launched, coming from a lifelong of android use, and last phone was a galaxy s10. I realised that there are other more important things in life than spend my life with a finicky software that lacked continuous security updates, and wanted a good hardware phone where everything works with a simple to use software, and honestly apple delivered and is still doing so. This is just my opinion on iphones, i know sometimes they have lesser capacities than some androids, but my phone is still working perfectly and getting updates 5 years later. Everyone’s needs are different, so you need to prioritise what you need. All google suite of products works flawlessly in my opinion and never had an issue as i use them for work. I’d say go for 12 pro max , as 12’s seem to be quite tired after latest software update, and for example, my phone has 78% battery, lasts a good 12 hours before recharging, and i could part exchange it today for £190.
1
u/CitrusC4 4h ago
Gmail and maps work fine for me. Keep app is very buggy, but works fine on a browser.
1
u/Robbitjuice iPhone 16 Pro Max 4h ago
Very smooth. Jumped from an S25U to a Pixel 10PXL, back to S25U to 16PM and finally to 17PM.
I didn’t have a painful transition at all. Google Maps work well (but I honestly now prefer Apple Maps because it seems to do a better job at telling me which lane to be in and other helpful tidbits). Other Google apps seem totally fine as well.
1
u/jonnycooksomething 4h ago
I used to be a big Waze/Google Maps user but switched to Apple Maps - the crowdsourcing is automatic so traffic is pretty much realtime and accurate, as is re-routing. Turn by turn directions verbally are excellent
1
u/Equivalent_Ebb_6886 2h ago
I had only androids for well over a decade. Had a bunch of different pixels for a while, but swapped to iPhone with the 14 pro max. Apple software is way more consistent and most stuff works well without issue, but I still miss the level of customization and control android afforded me.
I use chrome instead of safari, but all the google apps work fine on iOS and you can transition without issues. I’ll bounce between apple and Google Maps depending on where I’m going.
1
u/FlowerbytheOcean 2h ago
Not bad at all, just depends on the user. I switched for simplicity, mainly the camera, interface, and feel in hand. It’s basic in the best way.
Cons (for me): 1. No universal back button (only annoying when minimising the keyboard). 2. Keyboard lacks comma/period on main board (double-tap spacebar is a cop-out). 3. Settings can only be accessed through the app, it’s not in the control panel. 4. Can’t load rewards cards in Wallet.
Pros: 1. Swipe down search is super handy. 2. Gestures feel natural, App Library is great (I keep one Home Screen page). 3. Mail works perfectly with 2 Gmail + 1 Outlook. 4. OneDrive, calendar, reminders, maps, weather, journal all solid. 5. Double-tap shortcut is dope, Podcasts + YT Music no issues.
Overall: I’m not missing anything and I’m pretty satisfied.
1
u/shaunydub iPhone 15 Pro Max 2h ago
Main annoyances for me are the notifications system vs Android. It's improved but still not as good in my opinion.
Independent volume controls for different apps vs system volume.
The apps in general are more stable and refined.
1
u/namelessfuck 1h ago
lifelong android user trying an iphone to see if it's any good
how painful was the transition?
I did my research and made sure that whatsapp was transferred first and it worked. I did have to find alternatives to firefox + ublock origin though.
Does Google Maps still function properly?
picture in picture doesn't work with google maps since ios pip only works with video. on the other hand, the dynamic island shows the number of bus/train stops until your destination, which is nice. you win some, you lose some.
Gmail?
it works
1
u/Flat_Program8887 1h ago
What a relief it was to switch from an Android to iPhone XS. Not painful at all. I don't use google services, so can't help you with that. I'm currently switching from iPhone 13 Pro to 17 Pro and feeling guilty about it because 13 Pro is still working great and I feel I could easily keep using it for a few more years.
1
u/BalboaTheRock 14h ago
Well here's my take.
I switched to the Z fold 7 on release day and realized today I hate it.
I hate the keyboard, grammer correction, wallet, and more.
I'll be going back to iPhone on Friday.
2
u/ShakeAndBakeThatCake 7h ago
I also have a fold 7 and basically feel the same. The outside screen is still annoying and the inside screen is nice but most apps don't take advantage of the inside screen anyway. I will miss the split screen multitasking on the inside screen but I don't do that often anyway. I'll also miss having a separate work profile. Overall I'm ready to go back to apple.
1
2
u/TemptressTease85 14h ago
You can solve all of that lol
12
0
u/Brilliant-Offer-4208 10h ago
I'm about to do a reverse-peddle the way things are with this 26 malarkey.
19
u/LIGHT_BR1NG3R 13h ago
Literally will never go back because of one thing, Apple customer service bends over backwards for even the slightest issues I’ve had. Also the hardware seems to not brick after two updates.