So recently I've been tossing around the idea of switching from my iPhone to an Android phone. I've been an iPhone user since 2009, starting with the 3G, then the 4 and now the 5. I find myself feeling bored with the platform and constantly let down with the "upgrades" to the device each year or 2 (I don't expect much from the "S" versions when they come out). A buddy of mine and I have been thinking of going Android, just to see what the other side has to offer. As of now I'm thinking of going with the Samsung Galaxy Note 3...and I know some of you will question me about needing that big of a phone or not. Truth be told, I honestly don't...I'm just going for it for the specs and to go from a 4" screen to a 5.7" screen. I thought about going to the Samsung GS4, but from what I've read they will probably update it to a new series in the May time frame. So I may hold off on switching until then, or I may go ahead with the Note 3 for now and upgrade to something else later.

Anyway, not to start a flame war or fanboy war about either phone, I'm just wondering if there are any users here who have made the switch, to either side, and what their thoughts are. Anything I should be wary of with Android or any phones that aren't made by Apple?

Thanks in advance.

 

Verizon? Trade for my Galaxy Nexus and get a feel for Android before you drop some cash on a new phone o:

 

I used an iPhone for a couple months after using Android for years so my experience is reverse of what you are looking for and most likely is biased.

My main thing is integration with my daily life. I like things simple and to the point...I do this and this happens every.fucking.time. This is where the iPhone failed me through and through. Plug into laptop for a quick playlist update...Apple update needed, then 20 minutes later some random error about not able to sync due to phone update needed...wtf?? I could only update files from x number of computers and then I had to de-authorize it from one to authorize it to another I work with multiple computers I sync to regularly (3 at home, 2 at work, 3 at friends houses). Integration with Enterprise systems was tricky even though it does work it was clunky and slow.

With the Android I plug it into any computer and access it the same as any flash drive or portable HDD and move any file I like to any location I choose on the phone. Only updates are app updates (which admittedly are far too frequent) and maybe once a year or so an OS update which I have one yet to cause any issues or fail on me. Getting around the GUI takes a bit to get used to when coming from an iPhone, once you do it is fairly intuitive. I haven't had any issues with Enterprise servers, I have had a fairly constant issue with other mail servers, specifically Yahoo not wanting to allow the phone to log in using it's stock mail client and am thinking of finding a new one since sign in failure is constant. Gmail has zero issues (go figure), other mail servers have also been no issue but I only use one other which is based off an Enterprise system. I would like to root the phone and get rid of the bloatware on it that Tmo loads, not a big deal as it is the only "locked" feature that really annoys me.

I am probably skipping a lot but after a couple months with the iPhone I was more than happy to trade phones back and get back to my Android OS, the person I traded with was also glad to have their Apple OS back so it may just be familiarity.

Not sure that helped but it's my .02

 

I ran an iphone from first gen through 3GS. It would take a lot to get me back to an iphone. The screen for my personal taste is WAY too small. The phone is super picky as John mentioned and I don't like all the propriatary shit that goes with it. I can plug any micro usb into my phone and charge it for example. I am rooted on Cyanogenmod 10 so I could clear all the Verizon crap off of my phone and make it more like vanilla android. I have a samsung GS3 and to be honest its the first time I have ever owned a phone and didn't really care about upgrading to the next version. It serves my needs just fine. I am a tech dork, so this is saying A LOT. If you are to go Android I would rec. anything Samsung or the new Moto lines are pretty damn nice. Hell HTC puts out a great phone too. I have had shit luck with LG but maybe just me.

 

Thanks for the responses. I ended up going to Verizon today and traded in my phone for the Galaxy Note 3. It's a huge difference, but the core mechanics are the same (as I figured). I've only had the phone a few hours, so it's hard to determine my true opinion so far, but as of now I'm loving it. I ended up putting my apps in a similar fashion that they were in on my iPhone 5, so that part is familiar. But for the other stuff, I've got it figured out so far. Once I have a few days or about a month with it, I'll be able to get a better feel for the phone. Moving my contacts was easy with the Verizon app that backs up your contacts, so they switched fast. Music wasn't too bad, it was just a matter of moving my songs from iTunes to a folder on my desktop then to the phone, which took forever on my shitty old HP laptop. I'm having small issues with the Yahoo! mail app, but nothing major, I just don't think it's updating like it should.

I'm also getting a constant, "The wifi you're connected to is unstable" or something like that, but I'm not sure why. I've been sitting 4 feet away from my router and get 30mbs down/5mbs up. So go figure that one out. But overall I'm happy, especially going from a 4" screen to a 5.7" screen haha. It's a huge phone, but it's not unbearable.

 

I have been using the Note 3 since it was released. Best phone I have ever owned. The multitasking is flawless, the battery lasts ~48hrs, screen is gorgeous, etc. I do not think it is too big either. It fits in my pocket and is easy to talk on. Also there are settings to move specific buttons farther right or left if your thumb doesn't reach. Personally I do not use this because I like the buttons bigger and I don't have a problem reaching (and I do not have big hands). I say get the Note 3 and don't look back

 

all of your contacts will also now sync with google. Whenever you switch phones in the next 2 years or whatever, when you log into your new phone, all your contacts will already be loaded into the phone along with app history etc etc. Makes life easy to transition from phone to phone.

 

I switched from a Droid X to an iPhone 4 over three years ago. I still have the iPhone 4 and its only issue is that the lock button sticks.

With that said, I loved the droid ... it just wasn't reliable. It would constantly reset/screw up/delete things and became a total headache. My iPhone has been rock solid. I'm due for an upgrade, and I think I'll stick with the iPhone, but the samsung phones are pretty. I just don't need a mini tablet-phone, I already have an ipad. That and I'll be entering medical school next year (hopefully), and 99.99% of US medical schools roll with the iOS platform.

 

if 99.99% of your friends decided to suck dick for coke, would that make it more appealing to you?

 

My business runs some i-specific apps because it was easier to get through licensing and there seem to be a fair amount of Boulder hippies with i-products. That said, I have stuck with Android. I'm on my 3rd one, and each one is better than the last by leaps and bounds (not my impression of iphone development). And I can go for two years without feeling like I have a piece of crap. I currently have the Samsung GS3 and I'm 100% satisfied.

As others have said, my main reason for objecting to i-stuff is all the proprietary bullshit. I want to be able to charge it anywhere, plug it into any computer, plug it into my low-tech Pyle marine deck, etc without any hiccups or downloading i-junk onto my computer.

FWIW, my daughter used to have an iphone 3, thought it was cool for a few months until it had serious performance problems. Then she switched to Android (forget the model, but she's on AT&T) and hated it's guts even quicker, and now is back on an iphone 5 and seems pretty satisfied.