[GT3]

I have been an Android user for close to 7 years and have never tried IOS. Been thinking of jumping into the whole "Apple Ecosystem". Is the Ecosystem really worth the hype?

I am not a tech guy and my usage will be browsing, calls and social media. Extra preference will be given for smartphone photography and videography. Have been into fitness my whole life. Now looking to get a smart watch and monitor the essentials like heart rate, sleep quality and calories burned, etc. Does the Apple Ecosystem provide any benefit for video editing and fitness?

How useful is the Google Assistant, I cannot find any use for it with my current needs and lifestyle. How does Siri compare with the Google Assistant.

I hope this thread also serves as a base for general discussion of the pros, cons and developments of both Android and IOS.

[turbo]

Android

Because I cant afford a 50K phone.

[R2D2]

Have used both extensively for several years at a stretch, I prefer iOS for the stability and security it offers me.

[raksrules]

iOS user since 2012. Don't think I can go back to android. I just like using iOS. I am no longer young to fiddle with Custom ROM and rooting just to get best performance out of my device. I just want something that works out of box.

But to fair to android, I haven't used any android device since 2012 so I am not aware how good they are now (i am sure they are).

Coming to cost, yes iphones are expensive. But then I am using iphone 6S bought in 2015 so this year it will complete 5 years and I still don't plan to change my phone as my usage wont really change even if I got latest iPhone. I am not someone who changes phones frequently.
And yes running latest iOS 14 on my 5 year old phone today and this thing works great still.

[Justin]

Android, that too, prefer a phone with stock Android so as to set it up the way as I wish.

PS: This thread deserves a poll.

[saisailendra]

iOS is smooth to use, very well RAM managed and secure. The apps feel more polished on iOS than android. If security and polished interface is what one needs, iOS is the way to go.

But I'm personally an android user and I like it. The opportunities are limitless. I can download an app from a third party website and use it on my phone without a hiccup. I can hookup a nice fast pendrive to my phone and transfer songs, movies, PDFs without issues. I can plug the phone in to my computer and access the contents of the phone with ease. As far as I remember a few years ago, this wasn't possible with iphone and a windows computer, but I don't know if it's changed now.


So it all boils down to two things - the users need and budget.

[satyamkolhe]

Switching over to IOS is not as easy as it seems for Android users. You have to switch over to the whole "Apple Ecosystem". The cost of remaining in the ecosystem and upgrading devices regularly is also higher (in India) if compared to open ecosystems like android.

But if the cost does not matter to someone, then it provides the best experience in terms of usability and seamless switching between devices. The devices just work, they are a lot more intuitive than Android devices and helps a lot in increasing productivity. Even though Android is catching up in a big way in recent years, it is still far away from the Apple ecosystem.

But as one of my friends found out recently, moving out of the Apple ecosystem is an almost impossible task and you simply can not do it without losing at least some of your data.
So everything comes down to affordability. If you can afford it and are not really interested in all the gimmicky features in Android , you will never regret moving to the Apple ecosystem( until the moment you want to get out )

[typlo]

I have owned flagship Android phones as well as the iPod Touch/iPhone as I love to use the plethora of devices in market for testing their unique features and capabilities.

Over the last year or two, I have settled on the cheap (but good) Android phones - used OP5 for 2.5 years and upgraded to OP7 last year when I got a higher than market price on exchange for the OP5. Have plans to use the OP7 as long as it breathes.

As I have grown up, I find most smartphones boring and I find that only a limited features are used by me on a day to day basis, namingly, Phone, Camera, Email, Music, casually browsing ecommerce and food delivery, Texting, Web Browsing, digital payments and calendar. Almost all phones provide a uniform experience so I have settled on Android because it is greatly refined now from what it has been in the past and way cheaper than iOS devices.

A person who buys an iOS phone also buys into the ecosystem of Macs and other smart devices.

Edit: One thing Android can't absolutely beat iOS is the OS support and stability - a 5 year old iOS device rocks as good as new however Android ages not so good except stock.

[Cyborg]

I have been on both sides for a considerable period. It’s about what suits me, ease of use and mainly problem free usage which is paramount. If price is a consideration then Android is the only way to go, if it suits the pocket then the iPhone is in its own league. All companies are there to make money, they don’t really care a damn about us, hence we shouldn’t be taking sides or fighting as fan boys do
My current phone is the iPhone 11.

iPhone’s used and the top dogs from Samsung.
Apple - 4s, 5, 6 and 7
Android - Samsung S7 Edge, Note 8 and Note 10 Plus.

Depends on your usage, if you need a phone which straight forward just works, fast, smooth, great cameras, build quality then the iPhone just cannot be beaten.

The Samsung’s which I have used may have had upto 12 GB of RAM or whatever, it’s just does not match the fluidity of the iPhone. It’s not exactly quantifiable, it’s a easily identifiable feeling after using both sides for a considerable time period.

I went thru a phase when changing stuff like the Nova Launcher etc was fun on the Android side. However, after some time it got boring and I just wanted a phone which is simplicity personified and does what a smart phone should do - smartly!

Ecosystem: After I got back to the iPhone, I got the AirPods Pro and a Apple TV. The seamless usage and simplicity is unmatched again. Screen mirroring from the iPhone to the Apple TV is silly fast and stable. Being able to seamlessly connect the AirPods Pro to the TV is another plus. No batteries on the Apple TV remote, just charge it and one charge seems to last forever.

Earlier used the Amazon Fire Stick too, the mirroring thru the Note 10 Plus and connectivity features lack the finesse of the Apple TV + iPhone.

I do not see myself switching to the other side in future.

Cheers

[Cessna182]

I have always used Android, but got an iPhone for my relative in 2015. He used it till 2020 without any issues. In these 5 years I changed 4 phones- Micromax, Asus, Pixel and then on an LG now. I realized that you actually spend less on an iPhone. It costs around 30k to get a slightly older version of the iPhone and it lasts for years. Updates are always relevant.

My next phone will definitely be an iPhone. Besides the overall UI advantage, iPhones are simply better value for money and do well in the long run.

Just an example- I bought a refurbished Pixel in 2018 that had all original components (bought with seller warranty) and last year the phone started bootlooping. I read online that even folks who got the new pixel in 2017 faced the issue after 1 to 1.5 years. I simply don't trust these android allied manufacturers anymore. iPhone 5 works even today with limited functions of course, but you will be hard-pressed to find the more recent Pixel in many hands.

Why did I not buy an iPhone earlier? Middle class mentality. Can't spend 30-40k on a phone when a TV costs 15k these days. But I vowed to overcome that in my next purchase about a year from now.

[Fordlover88]

Will go for Android. There are options is all kinds of budgets, have enough performance for day to day activities & they can be fiddled as per our choice.

[akshay81]

iOS for me anyday for following reasons:
1. Less buggy and fast OS;
2. Assured updates for a long time;
3. Easy to use when you have multiple iOS (and MacOS) devices and the apple ecosystem. The way apple devices interact with each other is phenomenal;
4. In the long run, iOS and macOS devices have worked out cheaper for me (excellent resale value);

I have used Android devices also and they have come a long way - they are speedier and the interface has improved manifolds. However, I prefer the fluidity, speed and looks of iPhone and iOS

[for_cars1]

Originally Posted by Cessna182

.. but got an iPhone for my relative in 2015. He used it till 2020 without any issues. In these 5 years I changed 4 phones- Micromax, Asus, Pixel and then on an LG now.

Maybe Pixel's low longevity was an exception. Generally, the high end/flagship phones tend to last longer compared to cheaper phones and remains usable over multiple software upgrades without significant performance deterioration/lag.

iPhones are generally good quality, but I've seen these phones conk off after a couple of years of usage among my acquaintances, your relative must have been a very careful user.
I've also seen instances where people continue to use for Eg: Samsung Note 3 after 7 years and still going good. My first Note1 lasted me 4 years before I sold it and it was in great condition. My current Note 5 which I bought in late 2015 is going very good (touch wood). The only real crappy high end phone which I've used in the past was the Blackberry. Although solid looking and built to last looks, the rubber, side buttons were all coming apart in less than 2 years and ultimately the phone's hardware itself conked off.

Generally, flagship phones are of good quality, careful usage and luck (not ending up with a high end lemon which may develop issues after 1 or 2 years) is also a factor. End of the day, its very difficult to generalize that iPhones or Androids are long lasting, it all depends on several factors, generally quality is good at the higher end of the price spectrum.

PS: I strongly believe that mobile manufacturers intentionally make a phone slower over software upgrades to force people to upgrade to newer phones.
Also remember that the core team of an OEM is always focussed on bringing out the newer models year after year. So the software that a particular phone(hardware) comes out with is the better performing software for that hardware, most subsequent software upgrades developed by their B teams will be generally buggy or will deterioriate the performance, compared to the previous software version. So don't fall into the trap of upgrading the Phone OS if they lure you with more features in the new upgrade.
Its ok to do App upgrades, but resist the urge from doing a software OS upgrade. If you must do it, wait for 6 months until that new OS version stabilizes with bug fixes, don't end up becoming the beta tester for the company.

[raksrules]

Originally Posted by Cessna182

Why did I not buy an iPhone earlier? Middle class mentality. Can't spend 30-40k on a phone when a TV costs 15k these days. But I vowed to overcome that in my next purchase about a year from now.

Being middle class myself, I too always had same mentality but now I try my level best to remember "Mehenga Roye Ek Baar, Sasta Roye Baar Baar".

Recently wanted to buy the Samsung level U bluetooth which costs between 2500-2900 Rupees. On amazon I could find lots of first copy for under 900. I decided against buying those knock offs and got the original one.

Most people do not realize that although the upfront cost of iPhone is higher, the longevity and great resale value makes up for it and eventually the cost is on par or less than someone buying multiple android devices in same time span.

Although if people are looking for changing phone every 1-2 years and Dont want to break bank, android is way to go for them.

[IshaanIan]

Having extensively used both, here are my observations:

Android offers infinite levels of customization and your home-screen can really look quite fascinating if you bother taking out the time to do it up.

Today's flagship android phones have a faster screen refresh rate allowing for more fluid visuals

iphones tend to play good quality music across a wider range of bluetooth sources than android phones which sometimes default to crappy codecs

iphones experience less battery drain with bluetooth and wifi permanently on (useful if you want to use something like an apple watch)