Switching From iPhone To Android - What Made Me Jump Ship

Posted by: Rob Newcomb on July 13, 2011 at 9:51AM
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Trying to convince a die hard iPhone enthusiast to drop their iOS powered device in exchange for an Android is like trying to convince a fish to live out of water - it just doesn't happen. I've been one of those enthusiasts since December 2009, enjoying almost every second of it to boot. All love stories come to an end however and mine is no different. If you told me I'd be jumping ship to Android earlier this year I probably wouldn't have believed you. But in the past few months after careful thinking, research, and Googling, I finally reached a decision.

What I Do Like About My iPhone

Before I jump into my critique of the iPhone, it's only fair I share some of the things about it that I really have come to enjoy. Out of all the great features the iPhone does offer I think one that best resonates with me is the iPod app. I've been a long time iPod user since early 2002; using it as my sole source of music while driving in the car. CDs, radio and satellite don't compare when you can carry around your entire music collection right in your phone. Because I was an early adopter, I've had an iTunes library organized and built long before I ever synced the iPhone to my computer. And speaking of syncing, all it took was a few minutes of mindless waiting for my phone's internal library to mimic my computers - extremely handy when running out the door interested in listening to the newest jam I just downloaded.

The next item on my list - business apps. E-Mail, calendar, notes, and the clock keep me always connected and visible to my clients; an important part of working in the tech industry and owning a small business. The standard e-mail app that comes with the iPhone is more than enough to let me sit down and type for hours. The calendar app does an incredible job of keeping my daily routine in check (and reminding me along the way). I also have to admit my memory is pretty lackadaisical, and nearly non-existent at times. Without the quick to open Notes application I'd never be able to remember that million dollar idea that hits me at 4AM. Snoozing in the morning would not be possible without my reliable clock app (alarms set every 7 minutes or so, but hey I'm not a morning person.)

For me, the music and business apps are the main reasons for hanging on to the iPhone. Silly app store games and the other fluff apps that iPhone users usually cling to have lost their appeal over the past year and a half.

What I Don't Like About My iPhone

When you list the 'likes' you have to list the 'dislikes' as well. Many of these dislikes are the reason I have been considering a switch to Android. The number one reason? Speed. When I purchased my iPhone 3GS in December of 2009 it was snappy, responsive, and top of the line. Fast forward to June 2011 and my iPhone is sluggish, bloated, and sometimes completely unresponsive. The snappiness that I've come to love has all but been forgotten. In a world where 1.2 GHz dual-core smartphones have begun making their mark, my iPhone pales in comparison.


The sluggishness has put a real damper on using quite a few applications, the browser in particular. Getting it to start running is now a chore. It's slow and tedious. I wait for it to finish one task before starting another. Searching the internet with the in-browser search bar (top right) is extremely aggravating as it requires tapping it for several seconds before it accepts text. The limited amount of tabs is also something that bothers me. Only 8 can be open at any given time (this is specific to all iOS devices). The experience of using the browser is not a complete loss. Zooming in and out and double tapping to zoom is pretty accurate.

Did I mention the crashes and extended periods of unresponsiveness? Several times when I have finished a phone call my phone will go completely black, unable to turn on or take commands. After about 20 minutes the screen may respond but the touch screen won't accept touches no matter how many times I swipe. This has only occurred a hand full of times (the first made me sick to my stomach) but it is something I'd rather not live with. If I had to make an emergency call I'd be out of luck. Keep in mind my phone hasn't really been dropped, mishandled, scratched or gotten wet. I can only assume that the frequent everyday use of the phone over the past year and a half has been pushing the phone's internal database to a point where sluggishness is the norm.

There are the little things as well such a the inability to create a custom text message alert, no widgets, no Adobe Flash, and the almost mandatory need to jailbreak the iPhone to get the functionality you need.

Why Switch From iPhone To Android?

You might suggest that I take on an upgrade to the iPhone 4, but since the day that device was released I have held back for a couple reasons. First and foremost the hardware upgrade just isn't significant enough for me to justify the spend. The CPU speed of the iPhone 4 was boosted slightly and the screen resolution is much more crisp but nothing else really wows me enough to hop on-board the iPhone 4 train. It is pretty of course, but I just could not commit. I'm in a two-year contract and extending that contract for 2 more years was out of the question. I wouldn't even consider the cost for the device out of contract.

Expanding on that a bit more, I feel Apple is just not keeping up and other, technologically superior, smartphones are hitting the market. You can only hold out so long before you realize that Apple phones are behind the curve in hardware. This year they have not yet announced the next great device, much to the chagrin of those who waited until June to upgrade (yours truly included). The Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) came and went with those holding out to upgrade for this announcement left in the wind. At this point the best we can do is hope that the next iPhone will come out September/October of this year, but will it? How will its hardware compare to its competitors and will I end up in December with a phone that isn't competing? These are real questions that an iPhone user in my position has to ask.

So I guess I'm tired of being locked into a phone that is released once a year, perhaps not even as often looking at 2011. Just take a look at the wide selection of Android devices currently on the market. Large or small and one for any carrier. I like the fact that I could easily upgrade to a better phone without regret if I switched to Android. We have to get out of the 'grass is always greener' mindset of waiting three months for a new phone release only to wait another three months for an even that better phone promised on the horizon. Diversity and selection have become a big selling point when considering a switch to Android and the marketplace has begun recognizing the new options.

Concerns Before Jumping Ship To Android

Despite spending countless hours reading reviews, playing with my brother's HTC Incredible, and looking at specs, there are a few things that do really concern me about the switch to Android. Typing with the on-screen keyboard is absolutely the biggest concern I have by far. The decision to initially invest in an iPhone in 2009 had a lot to do with the key-less design. During that time, the jump to touch only devices was not what it is now. I could have ended up with a phone that I simply hated using. As it turns out, I thoroughly enjoy typing on the iPhone, but I feel as though I have completely trained my fingers and my brain on its layout. I'm hoping for a short and seamless transition back to a different on-screen keyboard. I'm sure with time I'll be able to re-train my brain, but how long will it take?

As I mentioned earlier, music is one of the fundamental features that my iPhone offers. Finding a good music application on the Android Operating System itself is a big concern of mine, and at this point it is something that I can only assume will be there. There are quite a few choices out there, but having stuck with one brand as a music player for the past 9 years I admit I'm a bit nervous. Keeping all my music in sync and organized is something that I pride myself on. Sticking an Android device into my PC and assuming iTunes is going to sync with all the new music is a bit intimidating. Will I be able to keep track of all my music as easily as I do now? Just keeping it organized is only one facet of the iPod, iPhone experience - play-counts, 'recently played' and 'recently added' are things that I have grown accustomed to and would hate to lose.

What if I just hate using the Android and completely regret making the change? Buyers remorse is a definite possibility - but not probable. I have gotten past all the 'what ifs' and relish in the fact that I will soon have a Samsung Galaxy S2 in my hands. Its' quad-core 1.2 GHz engine and 1GB of ram will beat the living hell out of the iPhone, and probably the iPhone 5 at that!

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So wish me luck Questional readers; I'll be posting an update after a month or so of using the Samsung Galaxy S2 with my thoughts, opinions, and just generally what the experience was like. Thinking of making the switch yourself? Tell us in the comments what made you switch to the other side.