Everyone has their preferences, I would love to hear why you guys prefer using Android!
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I want a customizable phone that is not stuck in a walled-garden. Plus I do not use Apple products.
In no particular order
- File management works like a charm
- USB-C and fast charging
- Customizations
- Custom ROMs
- Privacy (getting a Pixel soon for GrapheneOS)
- Easier to repair
- More efficient (takes less steps to do stuff)
- Looks better
- Sideloading
- More choices for phones
Sideloading is the big one. I was considering an iPad before getting Xiaomi tablet (even though it costs roughly the same), but sideloading is game changer.
- YouTube Vanced
- Emulators
- Stremio and torrents
Along the lines of sideloading: proper adblock
I was reminded ads exist after I bought an iPad for school (sadly the notetaking experience is truly unrivaled). Adblock only works on Safari and whether it’ll work properly is another roll of the dice.
I have an iPad too. Try NextDNS. I have it set up on my iPad. I think it works but I only use it as a glorified notebook so I’m not sure
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I used it initially, because I hated Apple and their proprietary stuff and have stayed ever since. I liked androids more universal approach. SD cards, usb, etc.
Exactly. Also, custom kernels, rooting, optimizing battery life by underclocking, disabling wakeups, and a helalalot more
Having the ability to add an SD card is great
Was great
- File management is noice, the ability to plug in a USB C usb is very clutch.
- I swear a lot more apps on iOS are subscription based than on Android.
- A lot more open source apps.
- Modded apps.
- I can easily connect my phone to my laptop and copy actual files.
- Sideloading.
- Choice.
#2 I am a developer, the reason for this is that publishing an app in App Store is not free unlike in Android where it’s a one time payment.
I swear a lot more apps on iOS are subscription based than on Android.
I used an iPhone for a week for the first time in my life earlier this year and I realized that if I were to switch to IOS, I’d end up spending literally hundreds of dollar per year on stuff I can get for free on Android via piracy.
In regards to point 2, this is very true. Apps that are free or freemium on Android are often subscription on iOS. I wonder if a part of it is the higher costs of requiring a Mac to develop the app (and iPhone to test it), and any app store differences that may account for this. Big companies can handle this, but for little guys it’s a barrier to entry
I think it’s also a chicken-or-egg question:
Apple users are more willing to pay for apps. So if you’re a dev and you want to release a paid app, iOS is the platform of choice. So more devs release paid apps on iOS, so iOS becomes the platform with more paid apps. So users are more used to pay for apps. So paying for apps is normalized, so Apple users are more willing to pay for apps.
Etc. etc. etc.
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I can sideload apps. These apps are usually either obscure but useful or FOSS and designed for the user rather than for money.
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Even the apps officially on the Google Play Store are more powerful, such as emulators and an app using an advanced algorithm to change the speed and pitch of music while having it still sound high-quality. And of course, a file manager is a must-have.
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The ability to have Firefox+uBlock origin is a must-have for web browsing.
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More powerful in automation tools. I didn’t care too much about this until I found it extremely useful for work.
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More hardware variety. I hate that you can’t get a headphone jack on an iPhone and that the storage markups are absurd. Here I am with a $300 phone with a good performance, 256GB internal storage, a headphone jack, and a MicroSD slot. Bonus: The iPhone notch is incredibly ugly and the way Android does notches and punch holes is way better.
Unfortunately, we are beholden to greedy Google that actively is nerfing Android. Android 11 made it harder to access files, Android 12 replaced the WiFi and mobile toggles an incredibly poorly-designed internet toggle, and Android 14 is gonna restrict sideloading of older apps (which generally use less storage and are more optimized).
Wow, fuck everything then. I hope forks of Android continues to thrive, but there is only so much we can do when the base starts deteriorating in quality.
Too bad Linux phones failed to launch. I mean, if there is as great working phone that reliably makes calls and fully accepts SIM cards, I will buy it the day my phone dies. There needs to be a Fedora phone, an open source backed up by an established freedom respecting company with a lot of money.
Maybe it’s just Samsung, but at least One UI refused to give in to Google retardedly combining the WiFi and mobile data toggles together.
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It seems like any time I consider giving iOS a chance, I hear about some basic thing where I’m like “Wait, it can’t do that?” So until that stops happening, I’m sticking with Android.
I have only ever inherited Apple products (excepting a long time ago when I used a Mac Book Pro) so I love my tablets, but I could never stand using an iOS phone. It genuinely sucks the kind of restrictions you run into, and the apps that let you do what you want are either comically overpriced or feel like a scam. Some things I will never trust on an Apple device because the FOSS solution is the best option.
There is a lot more freedom on Android. I want to be able to side load.
Apple is nice but a walled garden.
This was one of my prime motivators for leaving iOS.
Also choice of device to meet my needs regardless of manufacturer, I’m still getting the experience , in the main.
To feel that YOU are the one really owning your phone.
iOS is always over-protective and doesn’t allow sideloading. Whenever I use an iPhone I feel like I’m using a phone lent by a parent to some child.
There’s not equivalent F-droid for iPhone, and almost all apps on Appstore contain ads.
- Headphone jack
- SD slot
Yes I’m using a Sony phone (Xperia 1V)
How do you like it?
Been deciding between an Xperia 1V and s23 ultra.
It’s a great phone. Good camera and it has a dedicated shutter button too. I’m not going to pay flagship money for a phone that doesn’t even have a headphone jack…
I see!
I understand for me the big point is the update policy. Just 2 years of OS updates is dissapointing, same as the 30Watt max charger.
But indeed the Headphone jack and SD card functionality are such a big plus.
Thanks for the input!
Is 30W low? I just charge a bit everyday morning before I go out and it got to 100%
I am spoiled haha. I had an realme x2 pro since 2018 or 19 and that was already 50watts.
Also got the Realme Gt 5G as an replacement 2 years ago which is 65 watts.
Anything below 50watts seems slow in comparison haha ;).
i ended up getting the S22U, just because the Xperia wasnt availble locally. If i had had a choice, i would have gone for the Xperia every day.
No SD card on that S23 = not good
Freedom. I feel so restricted on iOS. I want to do this, and this, and that there too!
Anytime anyone asked why, my response has always been “options”. Plain and simple.
On top of my mind
- I can develop apps quickly and check how it looks on mobile (android can be built on any OS with lesser effort compared to iOS builds)
- RetroGames!
- Sideload apps
- More customisation options
- USB C
I use both Android and iOS Some features I miss on Android are
- Long press on space bar to move text cursor around.
- Seamless integration between Apple Devices
On my a android 11 / miui 12.5.2 pressing space bar to move cursor works without any problems.
Maybe Xiaomi implemented what iOS did in their miui, however same feature is not present in GBoard or SwiftKey :/
The trigger is slightly different on GBoard. Rather than long press and hold, you just touch the spacebar and drag right away. Press too long and the language options show up.
The other big difference with this is it’s a 1-Dimensional traversal so it’s like having the left and right arrow keys but not the up and down keys.
Oh my god thank u so much was really missing that from iOS. And airplay of course 🥲
Wow I didn’t know, thanks for letting me know. Even the 1D traversal helps. Keeping one language makes this feature prominent.
Swiftkey has that option. Settings -> Input
Thanks for letting me know, I will check it out!
Long press on spacebar to move text cursor around.
You’re saying you don’t have that on Android? I do. But I use GBoard.
Looks like the UX is different on GBoard, it triggers language options when you have multiple languages set up, but works when you have only one language on. Thanks for letting me know!
It works with multiple languages too. Just tap and slide as if you’re doing a horizontal scroll. Once in that mode, you can keep your finger held down and sliding as long as you want.
I use the default Samsung keyboard and I do have that
@andrycake @flagellum It works on Microsoft SwiftKey as well.
Iphone is incredibly expensive. IOs seems much more restrictive than Android. There’s a bigger offer of different phones and manufactures in Android. Most people in my country use Android.
GrapheneOS, other custom OSes, ability to hack/mod/repair.
Apple is one of the most scummy and anti-consumer companies in the world, they won’t ever get a dollar from me or any endorsement.
Likewise. I’ve been on graphene for about 2 years now.
Miss iMessage and Facetime though.
Sideloading apps is the main reason. I couldn’t use a phone without Adblock.
iPhones are also just way more expensive and the few times i’ve tried them the UX just sucked so much, form over function.
