Android

I was an iOS user for nearly a decade but I increasingly grew tired of the walled garden and lack of customization (i.e. not being possible for me to tailor the OS closer to my needs), especially the lack of third-party stores for FOSS apps. Not to mention the fact that the App Store model actively discourages developers of these apps, so it is an ideological question at the end of the day.

• I can build my own ROM and add any tweaks I want to the source
• Full filesystem access, not the circus act iOS is running with their "file management"
• I can run any browser I want, download any file I want
• I can sideload any app I want, and install open source apps from F-Droid
• I can use projects like ReVanced to install modified apps effortlessly, and don't have to go through the AltStore/Apple Developer BS to install simple things like uYou
• I can entirely replace my home screen with a different launcher app if I wanted to

It's easier to talk about what I like... How all your devices connect together. Been waiting for Apple to really expand that feature since the Mac's are using the same chips.

Surprisingly I used to be HUGE into Apple. Then the iPhonw came out and me and Apple prted ways

I can use my phone the way i wanted, not what Apple wants 😁

Customization is the main draw for Android Phones, particularly Samsung Phones as Samsung is leading the Theme game at least to me. Right now, I'm rocking a Google Pixel, but Google offers decent enough customization options that I don't miss Samsung phones terribly much. The second thing is that I dislike Apple's Walled Garden with passion. I'll recommend their phones to people based on their needs; Personally, I will never own an iOS Device. The lack of customization of icons and the like is a hard pass from me.

Even if Apple is better, the friction for me to switch would be way too much. I am way too entrenched into the Google ecosystem. Having said that, the customization of Android is much better. I like being able to change my launcher and I feel like I have more control over my phone.

Customization and repurposing of old phones. So far, I've turned one phone into a local, offline router. One into a security camera, one is my web cam.

More customizable, open source, don't want to pay the apple tax

I really like this Pixel feature called Overview Selection where in the all switcher you can highlight/copy like any text on the screen, even from images. Also having a type C plug.

I come and go from both iOS and Android, but on the whole I much prefer Android.

There are four things that keep me wondering if I'll go back to an iPhone:

1. the Watch
2. Airdrop
3. the general seamless integration across Apple devices
4. better art/design/editing apps

That said, these things keep me on Android:

1. really really love that it's more of a computer in the way it handles file management at OS level and across apps.
2. related to point 1: Background activity. Far fewer apps on Android require you to keep the app open while they work away, which is intensely valuable to me in my workflow.
3. core OS app alternatives, and easy sideloading of good apps that aren't quite 'legal' (😎)

(Apple has improved in these areas, but I'm still more impressed with Android's approach, despite the inherent security risks)

I mean, exactly none of the above is important to regular people, and even most iOS 'power users' are adamant they don't need that level of system access badly enough to leave iOS for it. Which is cool! But I'm glad I have it, and frankly I find my Samsung S23 Ultra experience to be better in just about every way than the various times I boot up my iPhone 13 Pro. (And I've absolutely spent enough time in both camps to know what I'm talking about. 😂)

My iPhone 13 Pro is now not much more than a camera and a gaming machine with the Razer Kishi V2 attached, haha.

That said, there are four things that keep me wondering if I'll go back to an iPhone:

1. the Watch. The Apple Watch is still the best watch around. I've had the Pixel Watch and the Galaxy Watch 4, and I still miss the Apple Watch 5 gathering dust in my drawer. I prefer the shape (which is why I have an old Oppo Watch and a Huawei Watch Fit 2), and it just does so much more than any Wear OS watch.

2. Airdrop. Yes, Android has its own take on this concept, but when you use an Android phone with a Macbook, the options are far fewer. Syncthing, Airdroid, Snapdrop, etc. None of them are quite as good.

3. the general seamless integration across Apple devices.

4. Better art/design/editing apps.

Tbh because it was cheap when I was younger, and now I don't really see a need to switch to iPhone (and have thus never used one). I like the photography on Pixel and also the UI better than iOS.

Mostly easy apk sideloading and customization. It's the most versatile OS.

It really is just a coincidence.

I got an Android for my first ever smart phone because the friend who was advising me happened to be an Android user too. If they'd been an Apple user, I probably would have gotten an iPhone that day.

I've stuck with Android since then because it's what I know. I had an iPhone for work for a while and I found it annoying to try to learn all the differences.

Back then, I found out that Android is more cutomizable than Apple, as well as cheaper. Not only that, I felt like Apple was restrictive at times.

• F-Droid via Neo Store (for Termux and Revancify CLI)
• Saikou (best replacement for Aniyomi imho)
• Developer Options

For me, it's the ability to customize the software experience to the way I like. I like my experience very close to stock Android with as little bloat as possible so being able to do that through a custom rom or by removing apps through ADB is a big deal for me.

I love the iPhone hardware. Especially the mini.

But I really don't like iOS. Or the lightning connector.

Same thing with Macs.

Overall I think Apple makes gorgeous hardware but the software just isn't for me.

I always tell people the best phone (or best one iPhone vs Android) is whatever is best for them.

My wife loves her iPhone and everything about it, and that's okay!

Don't like Apple's anti consumer attitude, same reason I don't buy Nintendo products.

At this point there are very few meaningful differences. They are both capable and there are plenty of good phones to choose from. I'm just used to Android.

I really don't. But whenever I pick up an Apple product I feel like it was made for a dumb monkey and I feel stupider for using it. I personally miss Blackberry.

For me it's probably the ability to sideload apps, among other things. Apps like NewPipe which would never make it to the Play Store are apps that I use every day, because they are just good apps. Also, I just like the UX of my Pixel compared to an iPhone - I couldn't live without things like a back button, and I sort of don't like the iOS UI.

Because I can use the real Firefox and not a Webkit imposter. I tried an iPhone for a year but it was too restrictive for me. Having a choice in phone manufacturer helps too. I've had phones from many different companies over the years.

I've done Palm Treos and windowsCE phones and, blackberries, I went Motorola Droid when they first came out, try to short stint with an iPhone 4, went back to Android ever since.

What's blocking me from going back to iPhone? Honestly they're hardware is great. Long battery life reasonable charging. It's the setup of the phone itself It's the software. It hasn't changed significantly since iPhone 4.

I want a large clock widget on my front page I want weather for this week at the bottom I want weather for today hour by hour, below that I want five folders, stuff to use while driving, media stuff, chat stuff, camera stuff, productivity stuff. I didn't want to have multiple desktops, swiping off main will bring me to gaming stuff, then drone flying stuff, then audio stuff.

Android software options historically were cheaper and free options were better than the Apple free options I'm not really sure that's the case anymore.

I'd like to have the option for a round watch with a functional physical bezel, that has 24 hours of battery life.

I'd like not to be penalized for using a Windows PC with my phone and my watch. Even a little garbage like you can reset your Apple account on an Apple device right now, but if you will need to reset it from Windows you have to wait 3 days.

It wouldn't keep me from transferring but, I'd miss stuff like Samsung dex.