# Mobile upgrade: Should I consider jumping from Android to iOS? Help me decide. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 22, 2014, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-upgrade-should-i-consider-jumping-from-android-to-ios-help-me-decide/696244 "2014-08-22T22:11:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-upgrade-should-i-consider-jumping-from-android-to-ios-help-me-decide/696244/21 "2014-08-25T01:20:57Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > Performance: iOS is often said to be like the Ferrari of mobile operating systems. Is it really that awesome? I’m an Android person, but I wouldn’t compare it to a Ferrari. They like to catch fire, have expensive routine maintenance, and other strange issues that you don’t get with less exotic machines. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-upgrade-should-i-consider-jumping-from-android-to-ios-help-me-decide/696244/22 "2014-08-25T01:38:25Z")
> [@Bozuit](#): > > Here’s one recent [review of phone cameras](http://blogs.which.co.uk/technology/phones-3/the-best-camera-phones-top-5/) from a well-known product comparison magazine. Should be very useful, this. Thanks for the link. > [@](#): > > Personally, I’d go with Android, as I much prefer the general “philosophy” of the OS and products to Apple’s. That’s always been my feeling as well. But I’ve had to invest a lot of time into customizing my Android devices, in order to get rid of OEM and carrier bloatware and to provide certain desired functionality, like 270-degree display rotation, by flashing custom ROMs. I can’t deny I’m sorely tempted by the idea of a device that undoubtedly works better out of the box, judging from many of the comments here. One of the reasons you want to root an Android device is so you can move more apps to the external card then you’d otherwise be able to. With even just the 32 GB version of the 5s, that problem would presumably be solved. ---
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-upgrade-should-i-consider-jumping-from-android-to-ios-help-me-decide/696244/23 "2014-08-25T01:39:16Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > I notice also that the later Galaxy models are far ahead of the 5s in camera resolution, but then specified resolution is obviously not the only factor in how good the pictures will be. The camera’s very important to me so I can’t simply shrug this one off. The 5s camera is excellent. With the tiny sensors used in phones, anything beyond maybe 8-10 megapixels is meaningless. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-upgrade-should-i-consider-jumping-from-android-to-ios-help-me-decide/696244/24 "2014-08-25T02:56:31Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > Should be very useful, this. Thanks for the link. Or rather not–it wants a pound for one-month trial–I have no pounds, and it won’t even accept my U.S. ZIP code. Too bad; it looks like a good resource. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-upgrade-should-i-consider-jumping-from-android-to-ios-help-me-decide/696244/25 "2014-08-25T05:45:26Z")
The iPhone absolutely works better, is more stable, and easier to use and to love than Android. I started with Android (and loved it at first), but got sick of the increasing instability and crappiness. That said, Mrs. Giraffe has both the Galaxy S3 and S4 and their cameras take significantly better photos than my iPhone 5, especially in lower light. Her battery life isn’t as good (and already much worse from when she got them), the GPS and maps aren’t nearly as fast, and there are the occasional hiccups you come to expect from Android, but the camera is way better. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-upgrade-should-i-consider-jumping-from-android-to-ios-help-me-decide/696244/26 "2014-08-25T06:10:40Z")
> [@Giraffe](#): > > The iPhone absolutely works better, is more stable, and easier to use and to love than Android. I started with Android (and loved it at first), but got sick of the increasing instability and crappiness. > > That said, Mrs. Giraffe has both the Galaxy S3 and S4 and their cameras take significantly better photos than my iPhone 5, especially in lower light. Her battery life isn’t as good (and already much worse from when she got them), the GPS and maps aren’t nearly as fast, and there are the occasional hiccups you come to expect from Android, but the camera is way better. It’s not really fair to directly compare Android to iOS unless you’re using a pure version of Android, such as on a Nexus device, without the bloatware and custom skins of phone manufactures. I actually left iOS because of _its_ increasing instabilitly and crapiness (minute long load time with iOS 4) and have used only Nexus devices since which have been generally fantastic. Written on my Nexus 7. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-upgrade-should-i-consider-jumping-from-android-to-ios-help-me-decide/696244/27 "2014-08-25T06:17:01Z")
> [@Sleel](#): > > Music: Has to be synced through iTunes, but you can rip CDs (or transfer already-ripped sound files) to iTunes easily. Just so we’re clear, this prospective iPhone would be the first Apple product I’ve ever owned. Can this syncing process be done from a PC? I know I’ve bought music through iTunes, at least. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-upgrade-should-i-consider-jumping-from-android-to-ios-help-me-decide/696244/28 "2014-08-25T06:29:15Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > Just so we’re clear, this prospective iPhone would be the first Apple product I’ve ever owned. Can this syncing process be done from a PC? > > I know I’ve bought music through iTunes, at least. Yes, though iTunes is a bloated PoS in Windows, and works better on Mac in my experience. ---
**Author:** ![Bozuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@Bozuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bozuit)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-upgrade-should-i-consider-jumping-from-android-to-ios-help-me-decide/696244/29 "2014-08-25T13:15:59Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > Or rather not–it wants a pound for one-month trial–I have no pounds, and it won’t even accept my U.S. ZIP code. > > Too bad; it looks like a good resource. Hmm. Basically, it mentions five different phones, tells you what each one is good for and then elaborates. Here are the subheadings and a few of the key points, since I’m probably not allowed to paste the whole thing. I’m sure there must be plenty of other similar comparisons online, anyway. **“LG G3 – best for autofocus”** Laser-guided auto-focus is quick. Photos “sharp and well-saturated with colour”. **“Nokia Lumia 1020 – best for quality”** 41 megapixel. Good in low light. Creates low- and high-res version of each photo for sharing and printing. **“iPhones 5s – best for flash”** Dual LED flash for less washed-out photos. Only 8 megapixel. “ **Sony Xperia Z2 – best for 4K** ” Records 4k video. Similar to Z1 camera which wasn’t well-reviewed. “ **Samsung Galaxy S5 – best for speed** ” “claims to be able to take a photo in just 0.3-seconds” “didn’t quite match the iPhone 5s and Lumia 1020 in taking a good photo” ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-upgrade-should-i-consider-jumping-from-android-to-ios-help-me-decide/696244/30 "2014-08-25T15:38:45Z")
> [@Red\_Barchetta](#): > > Yes, though iTunes is a bloated PoS in Windows, and works better on Mac in my experience. I’ve only ever used iTunes from Windows and it’s gotten worlds better in the past several years. It used to be a nearly unusable piece of crap that I hated like fire. Now it’s a perfectly fine interface to my iOS devices that has several quirks I still find annoying, but can at least manage my enormous media libraries without barfing. Android’s biggest problem IMO is longish-term support. Most devices run like a dream when you get them: the manufacturer has ironed out every last bug they can find and tuned the performance so they can tout the amazing features of their latest and greatest phone. Two updates later and that’s no longer the case. And the manufacturer is too busy getting their latest and greatest phone ready for market to spend much time supporting the older models. Apple’s narrow product line and large user base gives them a much greater incentive to support older stuff. ---
**Author:** ![nate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nate/32/13085_2.png) [@nate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nate)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-upgrade-should-i-consider-jumping-from-android-to-ios-help-me-decide/696244/31 "2014-08-25T16:32:00Z")
You could also use the Google Play Music app to play your music, even offline, on your iphone. You could avoid iTunes altogether by doing this. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-upgrade-should-i-consider-jumping-from-android-to-ios-help-me-decide/696244/32 "2014-08-25T17:38:58Z")
> [@Giraffe](#): > > Android’s biggest problem IMO is longish-term support. Most devices run like a dream when you get them: the manufacturer has ironed out every last bug they can find and tuned the performance so they can tout the amazing features of their latest and greatest phone. Two updates later and that’s no longer the case. And the manufacturer is too busy getting their latest and greatest phone ready for market to spend much time supporting the older models. Apple’s narrow product line and large user base gives them a much greater incentive to support older stuff. Which again is why I recommend the Nexus line, which is pure Android with updates provided directly by Google. It’s basically the iPhone of Android and is awesome for it. ---
**Author:** ![Cyros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Cyros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyros)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-upgrade-should-i-consider-jumping-from-android-to-ios-help-me-decide/696244/33 "2014-08-25T17:43:46Z")
> [@Red\_Barchetta](#): > > Which again is why I recommend the Nexus line, which is pure Android with updates provided directly by Google. It’s basically the iPhone of Android and is awesome for it. I second this recommendation. This is a big reason why I chose to go with the Nexus 7 tablet and Nexus 4 phone. I have yet to regret that decision. ---
**Author:** ![Sleel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/73ab20/32.png) [@Sleel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleel)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2014, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-upgrade-should-i-consider-jumping-from-android-to-ios-help-me-decide/696244/34 "2014-08-26T06:34:23Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > Can this be done with any sound file, including random .mid files? In order to sync music through iTunes, do the albums or songs have to have been original copies purchased from a music store (i.e. years ago), or later through iTunes or Google Play? [What audio formats will the iPhone play/support?](http://www.iphonefaq.org/archives/9739) No MIDI files, but the formats that constitute the vast majority of music files are all represented. You could probably convert MIDI to MP3 or something else if you really, really need to. iTunes will sync anything your iPhone will actually support. It doesn’t have to be purchased music at all. Apple dropped DRM several years ago (for music, at least; studios are still insistent on DRM for video). Upwards of 90% of my music is ripped from CDs, but I’ve got a scattering of files in various formats from all over the place. Everything works just fine, even the handful of files that (ahem) “fell off the truck”. There is probably also at least one MIDI app somewhere on the App Store. There’re like eleventy-billion specialty apps. > [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > Conceivably, could a faster or more efficient OS make up for mobile network issues by recovering from “drops” before I’m even aware they’ve happened? Ah, you meant transmission performance, not OS performance. I actually don’t know offhand, and I would expect that is quite difficult to objectively evaluate considering the huge variability among networks and usage conditions. The app’s implementation probably also has a big impact. If the developer is making lots of data calls for big chunks of data instead of doing more efficient queries, that will make a big difference in how fast the app is perceived to be, and will also impact data transmission and battery life. Facebook’s app, for example, on iOS [was cited](http://www.scottyloveless.com/blog/2014/the-ultimate-guide-to-solving-ios-battery-drain) as being a battery-killer, probably from using inefficient data practices and being a bad background-process client. > [@](#): > > My very first smartphone was a Windows device with only very limited memory and processing speed, but it performed better at streaming than anything I’ve had since. To find things to stream, though, I had to spend quite a while searching for the \*.pls files I wanted; I wasn’t aware of any TuneIn-like app that I could download to do this in a more user friendly way. The only thing I can think of that is remotely like this is [Airfoil](http://rogueamoeba.com/airfoil/mac/). > [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > This isn’t entirely true; with Android many apps can be moved to external storage, although in order to move many of them you need to root your phone. Most of the time, when something is locked down like that, it’s to keep you from shooting yourself in the foot. Anyway, I guess it’s technically possible, but probably a bad idea for any number of reasons. I can think of half a dozen problems that could cause, without spending much effort on it. The typical warning you get when you sudo something lets you know that “here be dragons” even when running as admin, much less root. ---
**Author:** ![Sterling\_Archer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Sterling\_Archer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sterling_Archer)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2014, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-upgrade-should-i-consider-jumping-from-android-to-ios-help-me-decide/696244/35 "2014-08-26T14:01:43Z")
If you’re picky about how things on your phone look and how you want your screens and icons arranged, and you like to install things like custom keyboards and other mods that change the core functionality of the phone, then you will not be happy with iOS. However if you’re a fairly flexible person who can adjust to things working in a slightly different way than you would have imagined, but heck they actually work REALLY well if you make the adjustments in behavior, then iOS destroys Android. I am the 2nd type of person. I don’t necessarily care HOW it works as much as THAT it works, and quickly and reliably. iOS is great at this. I use Google Maps for all mapping needs. I still have issues with the normal Apple Maps software. You can even get Siri to work with Google Maps if you learn the secret code word: “via transit”. Say “How do I get to blah blah blah via transit?” A prompt will pop up on the screen asking how you want to navigate, bus, train, car, etc, and Google Maps is included in the options. Haha Siri, fooled you! You are limited to the native storage, but if you dump your pics & videos to the PC regularly and use the Cloud it’s not bad. I only use the 16 GB model, and I have about 4 GB of music on my phone. Battery life is great, if you follow the tips online about increasing your battery life. Stuff like disabling location services and auto-updating for any apps that don’t really need them. My battery lasts about 24 hours with moderate usage. I think the camera is quite good and I don’t even have the 5s. (iphone5) ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-upgrade-should-i-consider-jumping-from-android-to-ios-help-me-decide/696244/36 "2014-08-27T01:42:59Z")
> [@Sterling\_Archer](#): > > You are limited to the native storage, but if you dump your pics & videos to the PC regularly and use the Cloud it’s not bad. I only use the 16 GB model, and I have about 4 GB of music on my phone. I haven’t totally given up on Android yet, but the 32GB 5s is looking pretty good. 32 GB total storage, internal and external, is what I have now, and I had been wanting something bigger as I hinted upthread. However, as I’m planning to hold onto my current phone, and knowing my listening habits, it should be easy enough to move some of my media onto the old phone and keep from pegging the storage on the new phone. Haven’t totally decided on the iPhone though; the Nexus 5 looks pretty good based on the comments here, and my carrier has a better deal on it. > [@](#): > > I think the camera is quite good and I don’t even have the 5s. (iphone5) Taken under consideration… ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-upgrade-should-i-consider-jumping-from-android-to-ios-help-me-decide/696244/37 "2014-08-27T01:50:20Z")
> [@Sterling\_Archer](#): > > If you’re picky about how things on your phone look and how you want your screens and icons arranged, and you like to install things like custom keyboards and other mods that change the core functionality of the phone, then you will not be happy with iOS. Does it have full display rotation? When using headphones I often find it more comfortable to have the cord at the bottom, i.e. holding the device in upside-down portrait position but with the display righting itself as the phone is rotated. There’s also less strain on the jack-end that way. Android devices don’t come with this capability out of the box but it’s not hard to enable it with a little customization. ---
**Author:** ![Sterling\_Archer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Sterling\_Archer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sterling_Archer)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-upgrade-should-i-consider-jumping-from-android-to-ios-help-me-decide/696244/38 "2014-08-27T13:49:52Z")
As of iOS 7.0.2, it’s supposed to support upside-down rotation, but I sure can’t get it to work. So I dunno?? ---
**Author:** ![andrewm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c57346/32.png) [@andrewm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewm)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-upgrade-should-i-consider-jumping-from-android-to-ios-help-me-decide/696244/39 "2014-08-27T14:02:40Z")
The iPhone 5 and later models all have the headphone jack on the bottom anyway (there is room for it with the replacement of the wide 30-pin dock connector with the narrow Lightning connector). ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-upgrade-should-i-consider-jumping-from-android-to-ios-help-me-decide/696244/40 "2014-08-27T20:29:25Z")
> [@andrewm](#): > > The iPhone 5 and later models all have the headphone jack on the bottom anyway (there is room for it with the replacement of the wide 30-pin dock connector with the narrow Lightning connector). I just noticed this from watching a couple of reviews on YouTube. Dammit, the iPhone screen is considerably smaller than those of most of the better [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-upgrade-should-i-consider-jumping-from-android-to-ios-help-me-decide/696244.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mobile-upgrade-should-i-consider-jumping-from-android-to-ios-help-me-decide/696244.md?page=3)