I want Android to get a lot better so I'm telling people to buy an iPhone 15

stopthatgirl7@kbin.social to Technology@lemmy.world – -47 points –
techradar.com

Google and Samsung will improve if they feel the pressure

26

Ok that's fucking stupid.

Yea, among other things, I'm not going through the process of migration just to prove a point. Too much work for uncertain returns, and on top of that I'll end up hating my phone. Why'd I do that?

I'm running a Google Pixel + a popular open source android ROM. No Google.

When will I change my phone? When my Pixel dies and I buy another pixel to install an open source android ROM without Google.

Is it even usable my dude? The phone oses all seem like "Linux desktop" maturity of 2 decades ago.

Would my bank app work? Can I use it for navigation?

I run Calyx and everything works for me except for Google pay. Google's device validation is required for that, and since Google can't separate the spying from security it's a no go.

My bank and Google maps works even. In fact you can download any app from Google Play itself via Aurora store.

Would my bank app work?

In most cases, yes. Otherwise you can try yourbank.com from a mobile browser

Can I use it for navigation?

Yes, with OsmAnd from f-droid. However, it does not have many addresses so if you search (business name) and a nearby one doesnt show up then get the address from the web and enter it into https://gps-coordinates.net and use the first 7 numbers. Example "xx.xxxxx -xx.xxxxx" and that will do it for sure

Well that sounds awful.

A bit annoying sure, but not terrible. I add things to OSM after i use them the first time to help myself and others in the future.

The thought process is…. Convoluted, at best.

Switching platforms annually also is a) worthless, because if adopted at large scale, it’s a wash…. And b) Quite a bit of work mentally readjusting annually.

I can’t even.

The article is quite harmless compared to the silly title.

But the main argument is that Android has too many settings and options where users don't even know what they are good for. And with further development it's getting more features and more options.

That seems to be a very minor and rather luxury problem to have more and more features and options.

On the PC, there are lots of programs that already use a short list of options available and then a checkbox with 'I'm an expert' or 'Advanced settings' to show them all. More settings means more freedom for the user to chose from. Hiding them would be a simple task. But just because they exist and are shown, this doesn't mean that anyone has to click on anything without even knowing what it does. So it's not really a problem besides reading 3 more words in the list of settings but not doing anything with it.

For options I don't know, I just use a web search in case I'm interested. Or I just ignore them as long as I don't have a problem related to the topic.

I hate the Apple approach of "90% of users don't understand this, so we won't allow it". That's exactly the reason I cannot use Apple products. I've always argued exactly like you - offer expert settings instead. That requires more testing for their QA but PCs are still around, so it's obviously doable.

Switch. Buy an iPhone to make Google and Samsung scared.

No, i dont think i will. Every time i use an iphone it makes me want to scream because it dictates what i am and am not allowed to do and how its done. No thanks.

Say what you will, but this article actually does a pretty good job summing up why I don't want to switch back to Android after trying my first iPhone. As a longtime Linux user, I naturally thought I'd be using Android for the foreseeable future, since it's Linux under the hood.

One of my friends got her first iPhone, and she talked me into giving it a try, and while I was lost for a while, I was quickly blown away by how much better everything worked. And knowing that I'll get the latest software the same day as every other iPhone user, for at least five years, is pretty awesome.

Android could be a great thing, but manufacturers rely way too heavily on proprietary modifications to both the UI and drivers and have no incentive to provide updates for as long as Apple does, because they want you to buy a new phone. The fragmentation among Android manufacturers is real too. I don't want to have to root my phone and reflash the OS just to get a usable phone either.

Look, I know tons of people on the Internet are like "lol apple sux" but there is truth to this article. If you love Android, or flashing a custom OS, I'm certainly not going to tell you you're wrong. It's just not my cup of tea anymore.

I'll never go back to iPhone simply because Apple hasn't changed.

They finally have USB but I imagine you'll still need to use iTunes to have any chance of doing something basic like copying files off or on to it.

I think you can change some of the defaults like the keyboard settings now, but you're still stuck with the Apple app for messaging which is kind of worse.

I imagine you'll still need to use iTunes to have any chance of doing something basic like copying files off or on to it.

And you’d be wrong, going by how it’s done on iPad. The Files app lets you copy files directly to USB, and the few times I’ve used Files on my phone, it seems identical. You can also copy files to iCloud or any other cloud service like Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox from Files, or use Airdrop.

I know it’s cool to hate on Apple, but at least be up to date about hating. You haven’t needed to use iTunes to move files in years.

Yeah, I personally prefer SSH for this task, and I also like that it works with both Linux and Mac wirelessly.

iTunes doesn’t even exist anymore. Get with the times man.

I haven’t used iTunes in years.

Pretty much only thing it’s needed for is moving music into the Apple Music app which I don’t use.

iMessage is leagues better than the Android alternatives, all of which are available on iPhones if you really want to.

You are but one “make && make install” away from happiness. Libidevice actually works well for me and it’s free in both senses.

If you’re not already on Linux, spin up a Manjarp VM - offhand, I believe it’s in the AUR.

I expect there are other non itunes solutions, havent needed to find them.

Android (on Pixel devices) has gotten better. iOS has largely stagnated over the past 5 years.

The article has a somewhat misleading title. The author’s main gripe is with Samsung. Samsung =/= Android.

Pretty much this.

The android experience on a Samsung is worlds apart from the experience you'd get on a Pixel, or any of China's domestic brands that use an entirely separate appstore

“Android OS is bad”?, compared to IOS 17? At this point IOS just feels like an Apple flavor of Android, similar to other brands like Samsung.

As an iPhone user, I can confidently say that most of Apple’s OS innovation in the last two years has primarily been adopting Android features that have existed for years. The whole reason I switched from Pixel to an iPhone 13 Pro was because Apple had finally caught up to Android and aped so many Android features and design choices that I felt like I could switch and enjoy the connectivity features with my friends and family who have iPhones, without sacrificing all the Android features I’d come to know and love.