In fall 2019, I made the switch from iOS to Android and it wasn’t as bad as you may think.
I’ve been using the iPhone since the iPhone 3GS was released. Since that time, the YouTube app has come and gone, Apple Maps turned into Google maps, and Google Drive and Microsoft Office became iOS friendly.
I had been using am iPhone 7 since its release and was overall satisfied with the device. The performance was good, the camera shot in 4k and I had all the apps I needed.
I ended up switching to a Google Pixel 3 prior to the launch of the Pixel 4 because of Google’s discount on the phone.
Here are some of the best and worst things that came with switching to the new operating system.
1. Customization and organization!
Android’s operating system allows you to customize your home screen far more than iOS does. I’m able to bring in my calendar, organize my apps and add other widgets as needed.
My biggest pet peeve with my iPhone is that I had too many apps that would clutter my screen. With the new phone, I have 2 pages of apps that I use on a regular basis. The rest live in the swipe-up menu, out of my way but available when I need them.
2. Notifications
There are pros and cons to Android’s notification system.
Pro: notification icons.
At the top of my screen, I see what apps I have notifications for. I don’t have to sift through the iOS notification centre or scroll through to find that one specific notification that I missed.
Con: Un-dismissable notifications
I have Spotify on most of the time, whether I’m listening on my computer, in my car or wandering around. The “Spotify connections” notification doesn’t go away, even if I swipe it. I can turn off the notification entirely, but sometimes it would be nice to know if my Spotify account is being used elsewhere.
Extra: The notification controls are completely different between iOS and Android. For example, swiping on iOS opens the notification or gives you control options. Swiping the notification on Android dismisses the item.
3. The back button
This is something incredibly small that I didn’t think I would use as much as I do.
I’ve always appreciated smaller smartphones and stayed away from the xl options. I like being able to type with one hand and comfortably reach the top of my screen.
Even though I don’t have the Pixel 3XL, I still appreciate this small back button that lets me navigate through apps, close windows and makes my life easier by not forcing me to reach the top left corner of my screen every time I want to go back out of something.
Overall
The two systems are strikingly similar and it was quite easy to change over. My biggest hassle was adjusting to the new keyboard. Before, I could type blind on my iPhone perfectly at a moment’s notice.
Ultimately, play with all the settings as soon as you get a new phone. Make sure you know the thing like the back of your hand and your transition will be just a little smoother.
