How I Fell Out Of Love With My iPhone And Fell In Love With The Nexus 4

Killian Bell (8:30 am PDT, Feb 13th)

I’ve been in love with the iPhone for the past five years. I got the original as soon as it went on sale in the U.K. in November 2007, and I’ve had every model Apple has released ever since. My job has given me the opportunity to play with plenty of other devices over the years — including those powered by Android, BlackBerry, and Windows Phone — but I’ve always remained loyal to the iPhone and iOS.

That was until a couple months ago, when my contract ended and it was time to decide which smartphone I wanted for the next two years. I already have the iPhone 5 — I bought it unlocked when it was launched back in September — and I wanted an Android device to replace the Samsung Galaxy Nexus I broke late last year. So I decided to pick up the new LG Nexus 4.

I was lucky; I didn’t have to wait six weeks for the device to arrive from Google Play. My carrier had plenty in stock, so a unit was delivered to my door the day after I ordered it. I was looking forward to testing it out, but I figured I’d play around with it for a little bit, then switch straight back to my iPhone 5 for everyday use. Like the Galaxy Nexus, I thought the Nexus 4 would be mostly used for work — testing apps and writing the odd tutorial for Cult of Android.

But boy, how wrong was I.

I’ve been falling out of love with my iPhone 5 and iOS 6 since the day the Nexus 4 arrived.

I’ve been falling out of love with my iPhone 5 and iOS 6 since the day the Nexus 4 arrived. It’s the first Android-powered device I’ve been persuaded to switch to for any extended period of time, and there are a number of reasons why Google’s latest smartphone has me hooked.

It’s not just the hardware that I love; I’ve also been wowed by Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, and the improvements Google has made in its latest platform updates. In this post, I’ll run through some of the reasons why it has convinced me to ditch iOS — on my iPhone, at least.

Software

I wouldn’t like to say Android is better than iOS — or vice versa. For me, the two platforms are so different in so many ways that it all comes down to personal preference, and which one you enjoy using the most. They both have their strengths and weaknesses.

Google’s open approach to software is a refreshing change when you’ve been playing in Apple’s “walled garden” for the past five years.

But I’ve recently been enjoying Android’s strengths a lot more. Its customizability, flexibility, and Google’s open approach to software are a refreshing change when you’ve been playing in Apple’s “walled garden” for the past five years. And Android appears to be moving forward a little quicker, too; Google is making pretty big improvements with each major revision, whereas iOS is very much playing it safe.

One thing to note before you move on is that I’m comparing the Nexus 4 and the iPhone 5 “out of the box” — neither handset has been rooted or jailbroken. That’s mostly because I haven’t seen a reason to root the Nexus 4 yet, and because the iPhone 5 jailbreak didn’t drop until a few days before I began writing this post.

Customizability

Your customization options with iOS are very limited. You can change the background wallpaper and you can rearrange your icons to suit you — you can even place them into folders if you wish — but that’s pretty much as far as it goes. With Android, however, the possibilities are almost endless.

Not only can you rearrange your icons, but you can place them exactly where you want them — they don’t have to sit next to each other like they do on iOS if you don’t want them to. So if you have a wallpaper of your newborn baby, for example, and you don’t want their face to be covered by icons, you can place four apps at the top of the screen and four at the bottom, leaving the center clear.

Android has folders, too, but they’re not limited to just 12 apps. I’ve never understood why this is the case on iOS; having to make numerous folders because you have more than 12 games installed is just silly.

I quite like the look of stock Android, but if you choose to, you can give the platform a complete overhaul by installing a custom launcher. You don’t need to root or perform any unauthorized tweaks for this — everything you need can be found in Google Play. Just grab a launcher and download a theme you like — there are literally thousands to choose from.

Widgets

It annoys me when I have to open an app to see basic information on my iPhone.

Ah, widgets. I’ve mentioned them time and time again — you’re probably bored of hearing it — but I love Android’s widgets. They provide you with all sorts of real-time information right on your home screen. You can view live sports scores, breaking news stories, your website’s statistics, the weather forecast, your email inbox, and lots more without opening a single app. And with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, you can add widgets to your lock screen, so you get all of this information without even unlocking your device.

I know widgets aren’t perfect; some are ugly, some consume too much data, and some will drain your battery life. But once you start using them and you begin to rely on them, you wonder why other smartphones don’t have them. When I use my iPhone now, it annoys me that I have to find and open an app for basic information — such as the weather forecast.

Default Apps

The majority of Apple’s default apps in iOS are great, but I don’t want to be forced to use them if I don’t want to. I much prefer Google’s Chrome browser to Safari, and I like Sparrow better than Mail. But I still can’t make these default apps in iOS 6. So if I tap on a URL someone sends me in a text message, it automatically opens in Safari — whether I like it or not.

With my Nexus 4, I can choose my default apps myself, and the ones I don’t like I never have to use. I’ve replaced Google’s built-in email client, text messaging app, and video player with third-party solutions that I prefer. I can’t uninstall Google’s completely, but they never get in my way.

Sharing

Sharing files between apps isn’t easy on the iPhone.

This is a big one for me — the ability to share different files between different apps. Again, your options are limited on iOS; apps don’t really work all that well together, and moving things between them isn’t easy. Part of the problem is that Apple doesn’t allow us to access the iOS file system, so you can’t save files to certain folders that other apps can then access.

As an example, I sent myself an MP3 file via email. On my iPhone, I could open it, or I could send it to Evernote, Dropbox, or a new email. On my Nexus 4, I could open it in one of three media players I had installed, or I could save it to my ‘Downloads’ folder. From there I had the option to send it to Evernote and Dropbox — just like on the iPhone — but I could also send it via Skype, WhatsApp, Bluetooth, or one of three email clients. I could also move it to other folders, copy it, rename it, or stick in in a zip file.

Then there’s sharing to social networks and other services. On my iPhone, I can share photos in my camera roll via email, iMessage, Photo Stream, Twitter, and Facebook. I have Google+, App.net, Instagram, Flickr and more installed, but I can’t sent the image to them — I have to go into those apps and then find the image in my camera roll.

When I take a picture on my Nexus 4, I can share it to WhatsApp, Bluetooth, Picasa, Messages, Google+, email, Flipboard, WordPress, Facebook, Instagram, Dropbox, Flickr, Snapseed, Twitter, Evernote, Skype… you get the idea.

Performance

The performance improvements Google has made to Jelly Bean are outstanding. Ice Cream Sandwich wasn’t too bad, but on certain devices it had a tendency to stutter when you tried to do too much. But Jelly Bean’s “Project Butter” makes using my Nexus 4 a super smooth experience.

The performance improvements Google has made to Jelly Bean are outstanding.

Moving around the operating system, web browsing, taking photos, and loading and switching between apps is just seamless. The Nexus 4 does it all the moment your finger touches the display.

Sure, certain games and apps — such as Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Temple Run 2 — take a bit of loading, but you’d expect that on any device.

Hardware

The Nexus 4 actually feels like a premium smartphone.

The Nexus 4 is a beautiful smartphone. I’ve used a ton of Android devices, most of them from Samsung, and they almost always feel plasticky and somewhat “cheap.” But the Nexus 4, like HTC’s high-end devices, actually feels like a premium smartphone.

The front is dominated by that large glass display, which curves ever so slightly around its sides into a thin metal bezel. That sits on top of a soft, rubbery frame that feels great in the hand and increases your grip on the device. The back is also glass, and it has that trademark Nexus 4 pattern shimmering beneath it.

Don’t get me wrong, the Nexus 4 isn’t as pretty or as luxurious as the iPhone 5, but it’s nowhere near as expensive, either. As Android smartphones go, its build quality is right up there with the best of them, and it’s another reason why I love it.

As for its internals, the Nexus 4 is powered by a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 processor and 2GB of RAM, and as I mentioned above, it’s blazingly fast. I also love its large 4.7-inch display, which boasts 318 pixels-per-inch. That’s not as many as the iPhone 5’s 326 pixels-per-inch, but it’s not far off, and I’d sooner trade in a few pixels for the extra space.

The Things I Still Miss

There are still some things I miss about my iPhone and iOS.

While I’ve been super happy with my Nexus 4 for the past two months, there are things I miss about my iPhone and iOS. After all, I was an iPhone user for five years, and there was a lot of things I loved about Apple’s smartphone and its operating system. Here’s a few of them.

iMessage & FaceTime

I know there are plenty of third-party services out there that can substitute these things, but iMessage and FaceTime are terrific — especially when almost all of your friends and family are using iOS devices. They’re built into every iOS device, and they take hardly any setting up — so even your parents can use them, and you don’t need to convince anyone to sign up to anything just to chat for free.

Battery Life

The Nexus 4’s battery life isn’t bad, but it isn’t good, either.

The Nexus 4’s battery life isn’t too bad, but it isn’t too good, either. And in comparison with the iPhone 5’s, it’s pretty disappointing. Even with plenty of use — including some gaming, web browsing, YouTubing, and phone calls — the iPhone 5 will easily get me through a day. I’ve never been in a situation where it hasn’t lasted until bed time since I got it last September.

With the Nexus 4, however, I have to be a little bit more careful about how I use it. If I spend too much time on YouTube or playing games, then it will die before the day is out, and I’m stuck without a phone.

Camera

Again, the Nexus 4’s 8-megapixel rear-facing camera isn’t too bad, but it’s not as good as the iPhone 5’s. I recently mentioned in my review of the BlackBerry Z10 that I’ve been spoiled by the iPhone’s awesome camera, and that I find it hard to get used to other smartphone cameras. And that’s certainly the case with the Nexus 4.

I still use it a lot, and it takes good photos in well lit environments. But if I know I need really good shots and my iPhone is nearby, I’ll grab that instead.

Speaker

The iPhone 5’s speaker is significantly better than the Nexus 4’s.

Smartphone loudspeakers probably don’t concern most people too much — if you can hear them, that’s all that matters, right? But they are a concern to me. I use mine a lot, mostly to listen to music or podcasts when I’m doing things around the house, but the Nexus 4’s is just downright awful.

It’s quiet, but still sounds sharp and tinny. The iPhone 5’s speaker is significantly better. I have gotten more use out of my Bluetooth speakers since I got the Nexus 4, though, so I suppose that’s not such a bad thing.

App Store

I love Apple’s App Store.

I love Apple’s App Store. It might be “closed” and it might have a stringent review process, but at least that ensures that the apps and games you download are almost always well worth the price you paid for them. The software selection is second to none, and the quality of the apps it outstanding. Can you remember the last time you downloaded an iPhone app that looked awful and didn’t do what it was supposed to? I can’t.

Sure, there are some good apps for Android, too. But there are nowhere near as many quality apps for Android as there are for iOS. I don’t mean to offend Android developers here — many do some terrific work — but all of the pretty apps are built for iOS.

I only recently discovered a third-party Twitter client I really like (Carbon) on Android, whereas there are a handful on iOS that look great and do everything you want them to do. It’s hard to find truly great apps on Android, but they’re in abundance in the App Store.

The other thing I don’t like about Android apps is that they hardly ever arrive the same time iOS apps do. Developers seem to make iOS the priority every time, and then worry about Android later on — if at all.

Conclusion

So for now, I’m an Android user and I’m loving my Nexus 4. I’ll still hold onto my iPhone 5, and I’ll be looking forward to the next iPhone and indeed iOS 7. But I think Apple will need to make some significant changes to iOS to get me back — at least when it comes to the iPhone.

I’m still very much in love with my iPad mini, and you won’t catch me swapping that for anything else.

Apps you might like

Comment »

Ted Chuang
Thinking of trying it out too. What are the AirPrint and AirPlay counterparts in Android?
- http://ryan.thejenks.me Ryan
  I don’t know a ton about AirPrint, but I think that Google Cloud Print might be a similar solution. Don’t know about AirPlay (although this might be interesting to you – http://evolver.fm/2011/11/02/surprise-android-smartphones-can-stream-to-apples-airplay-speakers/).
- Robert Beck
  Big weakness here unfortunately, I suppose due to the proprietary nature of airplay, et al. I have both an iPhone 5 and Nexus 4 and one of the things that I really miss is the lack of apps for my airplay system at home. I have found one app that works with airplay, called “Honey”, but it has problems from time to time with poor sound quality connecting to components connected to two airport expresses I have for that purpose. I’m hoping for something in the future, but it isn’t there yet. Another app called “Remote for iTunes” works well at controlling a running computer’s iTunes library and redirecting it to various airplay speakers. I’m leaving a computer on much of the time just for that purpose as I’m trying to learn to love the Nexus 4. I do often grab my iPhone admittedly when I get frustrated. I enjoy both, and could depend on either…just trust the iPhone more at this point due to my long history with iOS. I think I spend more time playing with the Nexus and learning the Android OS, etc., which is fun in itself. Oh, btw, Google Now is starting to learn a little bit more about me as I use it, and it’s becoming extremely useful. I’m hoping Google extends that to the browser!
- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1153076925 Frank Lazar
  As far as I know, both are open protocols so there is nothing stopping Google from making them standard ports, or third party programmers from using them directly. IMediaSharelite (both Android and IOS) plays into our AppleTV without a problem.
- Test
  There AirPlay apps available in Google AppStore
digitaldumdum
Oh how I’m “falling out of love with Cult.” If only you’d separate them into their distinct areas, so the Android nonsense doesn’t show up on the Apple side. But then, I guess it’s all about the clicks.
- Alex Murphy
  God forbid you hear an opinion that doesn’t agree with your own…keep living in the buble, everything’s going to be OK!
  - digitaldumdum
    I do not understand your reply. Do you mean no one should ever post a comment or criticism? I do not live in a bubble, and everything is okay, thank you.
- bahrta sai
  Correct me if I’m wrong but the site is cult of ANDROID. I don’t understand your objection to an android site posting an article about Android. It’s nearly impossible to find an article about Android anywhere on the Web without at least one isheep complaining. If you don’t like android, stay off ANDROID sites. Like Alex Murphy said keep living in the bubble. Or should I say walled in garden?
  - elder Signin
    Actually I came over from several “Apple” sites.. Sadly all the android users are over there posting constantly about how Apple should die and that it will, any day now….
    Actually the android posters here seem much more adult and well spoken (in general) than on Apple posted sites. Weird.
  - digitaldumdum
    First, my mistake for posting here. As you may know, Cult of Mac and Cult of Android are co-mingled for reasons I can’t understand. Therefore, I sometimes post to CoA thinking I’m posting to CofA.
    Second, you can leave off the iSheep crap. I actually have a mind of my own, and I choose what works best for me. Except for the Google Nexus tablet running some Jelly Bean-or-whatever version of Android, every other Android device is either a battery hog, or has a load of silly aspects that are of no use to me. Those huge tab-phones look obnoxious in peoples’ hands, and there is very little maturity to the whole OS. I’m an Apple user because it’s much more mature, and is integrated much better.
    - bahrta sai
      Whatever works best for you is your choice. But don’t pick on the competition because they have features your phone doesn’t. My reasoning for the term “isheep” is that apple users pick on Android/Google like no other company & I’ll bet many have never actually used an android device to find out if Apple’s claims are even true. I’m not saying all apple users are that way.
gettysburg11s
I’d love to be able to use Android, and JB 4.2 is very good, in some ways better than iOS 6. However, for the reasons outlined in this article, I can’t give up my iPhone 5. I wish I could afford to have both phones, and switch between them like a lot of tech bloggers do.
- http://ryan.thejenks.me Ryan
  You could get a Nexus 7 for pretty cheap and achieve almost the same effect.
- Test
  Most new Android phones do not get latest Android updates. Even their best S3 is not at 4.2.x.
http://www.facebook.com/depelteau Philippe Dépelteau
Or you just jailbreak your iPhone. Done.
- http://ryan.thejenks.me Ryan
  Sure you can do a lot of this stuff by jailbreaking, but you shouldn’t have to jailbreak your device in order to get a decent experience that’s comparable to what’s on another device out of the box.
  - http://twitter.com/jab43 joosh
    Those who care about getting out of the walled garden will figure out how to jailbreak. On evasi0n you just push a button and done.
    Apple caters to the masses. The masses want simplicity or require simplicity. iOS interface is simple not chaotic like Android. I owned android for over a year. Will never go back.
    - Piotr Teicher
      On Android you don’t have to do anything But let people choose what they want, i own iPhone 4. With Android 4.2. Because of laggy AppStore i couldn’t use iOS anymore, Apple screwed me.
      - elder Signin
        Poor english.. or grammar. Laggy AppStore caused you to have problems with iOS??? Apple screwed you??? How???
        I am just so confused with this post.
      - Piotr Teicher
        Try using iOS 6.1 on iPhone 4…
    - http://ryan.thejenks.me Ryan
      You probably didn’t own an Android with Jelly Bean. It’s a significantly more polished experience than even Ice Cream Sandwich, let alone everything that came before that. Nothing chaotic about it.
      - http://twitter.com/lghulm Luke Hulm
        Yeah but the design is just ugly on the interface . The menus, yuck, I wouldn’t wish it on anybody.
    - Alex Murphy
      Apple caters to the masses, but Android has 70% global marketshare? The masses with a lot of money, you mean.
      - elder Signin
        Not sure how they figure market share as Android mfgers do not post sales,,,, just shipping. ANd for usage, iOS seems to have 2-3 times the web usage than android. So, not sure how they get the market share numbers.
  - Test
    It is the same for Android too.. How can you get latest Android updates on S3… Jail break and use C10 or AOKP
- Piotr Teicher
  JB iPhone (and lose your guarantee) to get it working like non-rooted Android? Where is logic in that?
  - ABR2195
    I’ve had a jailbroken iPhone for a number of years now. The warranty issue is a bad threat at best. I’ve gotten my iPhone serviced at an Apple Store – jailbroken – without them saying anything, changing my warranty status, or even batting an eye for that matter. And if it really comes down to it, you simply backup your phone, reset it, bring it in, rejailbreak it and then restore it. If its non-operational, they’re going to be unable to see its jailbroken and will likely just reset it anyway.
  - Test
    Even Android devices are rooted… How did S3 get 4.2.2?
    - Piotr Teicher
      My isn’t. Does everything i want it do. Run any launcher? No problem. Install apps for alpha testing? Run virtual windows machine? Laggy a bit, but works. And i can buy on my own risk apps from outside Google Play Store. I need rooting only for advanced stuff, not every day use. iPhone is just like Nokia 3310 + color display + touchscreen.
http://twitter.com/Sociofranco Sociofranco
I made that switch back in June after realisng that iOS 6 was not much different from iOS5…man, the iOS paradygm is 5 years old and still hasn’t changed. We have been using the same os since 2007 with very little innovation and added features.
- Piotr Teicher
  Don’t say – panorama feature is so usefull and innovative! (Let Apple pretend Android 2,2 didn’t have that at all ;P ).
  - http://twitter.com/butler1233 Lee Butler
    It had it on 2.1 (my old phone ran 2.1 and the first thing I used when I got it was the panorama feature on a field)
- http://www.facebook.com/SushyTM Mario A Flores
  Perhaps you should go back to the first iOS released, look at the features that it has and all the ones that is missing from today’s iOS. You say that because you take for granted all the great features the iPhone has, just because it hasn’t changed the GUI. In reality, many features have been added, the app store and itunes store didn’t even exist in the first iOS version. None the less, the iPhone is the first one to bring video calling to the mainstream.
  - bahrta sai
    Yes there have been a lot of improvements. It can send an sms now which the first version couldn’t. Come on. Ios’ improvements are all available on Android already. If you prefer ios fine, but please don’t pretend ios has features android doesn’t.
- http://twitter.com/lghulm Luke Hulm
  I’m so bummed that the latest BMW has 4 wheels. That paradigm is 100 years old and still hasn’t changed.
  You don’t change something that works perfectly for the sake of being different.
http://twitter.com/RolStain Stain Rol
Falling out of love with Cult of I don’t no what!
brockway
I haven’t used an Android device, so I can’t comment on Android features, but an iOS feature that I like and did not see mentioned is how well it integrates with other Apple devices. If I take a photo on the iPhone or iPad, it shows up on my iMac and Macbook too. If I start a document on the iMac in Pages or Numbers, I can pick up right where I left off on the iPad or iPhone versions of these apps. That’s something that I find hugely useful.
- http://ryan.thejenks.me Ryan
  Google+ and Dropbox (and to some extent Facebook) can also automatically upload your photos so they’re available when you log into other devices. If you start a document on your Android device, there’s a good chance you’re starting it in Google Drive in which case it’s also available from all your other devices as well.
  - jaystrab
    It is an extra step saving photos to Dropbox. Doesn’t work nearly as fluid as Photostream.
    - Adriann
      Google has something similar to Photo stream. If you take a picture with your phone, Instant Upload will automatically upload it (depends on how you set it up either by WiFi or 3g) to a private folder on you G+ account. You can then access pics through your browser.
      AFAIK, there is no limit to the pics on Instant Upload. There is a limit of pics in Photo stream.
    - http://ryan.thejenks.me Ryan
      Its only an extra step on iOS. You just make the decision once and then all your photos are pushed into Dropbox from then on. In iOS, photos aren’t synced unless you open the Dropbox app.
http://profile.yahoo.com/VHQMA5ZNKNRBNLRU6AW26P47PM Carlos
Google is in trouble, real trouble here. It is making no money with Android, in fact Google is losing money on Android and anything else not related to search engine advertising. So the question is how long and how much money Google is willing to burn in its “business” model. Google, of course, touts the huge lead that Android OS has over Apple’s iOS, the problem with this statement is the lack of numbers beyond the market share (revenue, profits, etc.). How much longer can Google continue to lose many hundreds of millions of dollars each year playing catch up while Apple’s cash coffers grow at an astounding rate? How much longer do you think you’re going to have you Nexus phones before Google gives up? Think about it.
- http://ryan.thejenks.me Ryan
  Google doesn’t care about making money from Android. Just having an Android phone means you’re going to do all your searches on Google. (Sure a tiny fraction of users might change the default search engine, but I don’t think that’s a concern.) Google _is_ making huge profits from this. In fact just yesterday I read that Google may have to pay Apple $1 Billion in order to keep Google as the default search engine for iOS. They wouldn’t even consider this if they weren’t making boatloads of cash from people searching on mobile.
  - jaystrab
    I can’t wait until Google starts putting speech ads in their driving directions in the Maps app. Every 10 minutes driving along passing a pizza place, “Hey, on the right is a great place to get a pizza. They’re only $5 right now if you stop in!”
  - Carlos Revelez
    Yes, you right Ryan, having an Android phone you’re gonna make all your searches on Google… and that’s the point!! There are many investigations, polls, etc. showing that a very small amount of Android phones are used to make searches, in fact Apple rules the Internet experience because more than 70% of the searches, impressions and shopping are made via an iOS device (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch). That’s why Google payed to Apple I billion dollar in order to keep Google as the default search engine for iOS, but as long the war between Apple and Google continues heating up, then you do not doubt that Apple could removes Google as the default search engine, and then the search business of Google would suffer a dramatic fall. It is a fact: Android users don’t spend money trough their Android devices (phones & tablets), Android users don’t buy apps on their Android devices, Android users don’t browse the Internet in their Android devices; iOS users do. So, where is the business for Google, for developers, for advertisers, etc.? And Google needs ALL THE MONEY it makes from iOS devices in order to sustain its subsidized war against Apple. In a subsidized business model, you’ll get goods under its real price, but this is not business, and it can not last for long because it’s bad for everyone. At some point, Google will no longer continue to subsidize the phones of everybody, and then what will happen? That’s what I’m talking about.
SuperMatt
One thing to note with the weather forecast and iOS. If you swipe down from the top of the screen, you get the notification center. The weather forecast is the top item, with calendar just below that, and then a stock ticker, and then all other notifications below. It’s not as customizable as widgets, but you also don’t have to worry about battery life.
- dcj001
  Or you can use Siri or the Google Search app.
- Piotr Teicher
  Notofication center is copied from Android, so…
  - http://www.facebook.com/bogdan.oancea1977 Bogdan Oancea
    Wrong: the jailbreak iOS community had notifications before Android.
    - jaystrab
      And widgets were on Mac OS in the form of Konfabulator before anything else.
      - http://www.facebook.com/bogdan.oancea1977 Bogdan Oancea
        Educate yourself a bit: http://daringfireball.net/2004/06/dashboard_vs_konfabulator
      - jaystrab
        That is BS. Desk accessories never have been and never will be even close to what widgets are. They cannot connect to the web, they cannot be styled in any way. Even the name “widget” was coined by Arlo Rose.
      - http://www.facebook.com/bogdan.oancea1977 Bogdan Oancea
        Maybe because in the ’80s there was no chance for those Desk Accessories to be connected to the internet? Because there was no internet?
        And not to diss Arlo Rose’s work in any way, but for non-native English speakers, let me just say that “coining” a name is not the same with inventing a word—the word “widget” existed already.
    - Piotr Teicher
      Jailbreak, not out-of-box iOS. And – BADA OS had notifications before iOS JB
      - http://www.facebook.com/bogdan.oancea1977 Bogdan Oancea
        Yes, jailbreak iPhone OS was first with notifications before Android and before iOS—did I say anything else?
        And only Bada 2.0 got push notifications. But anyway, it was oh-so-influential, that Apple must’ve got inspired by it for sure /s
      - Piotr Teicher
        Deny it or not – official iOS wasn’t first with notifications
      - http://www.facebook.com/bogdan.oancea1977 Bogdan Oancea
        And neither Android, buddy
        You wrote:
        “Notofication center is copied from Android, so…”
        And I brought you to reality with the fact that “the jailbreak iOS community had notifications before Android.”
        Where was I saying/implying that official iOS was first with a notification center? Please show me, and I’ll recant.
      - Piotr Teicher
        They copied from Touchwiz in Android 2.3 – looks very simillar and it was also interactive. In 2010
      - http://www.facebook.com/bogdan.oancea1977 Bogdan Oancea
        Indeed, poor Apple—such lousy designers they had that they had to “steal” from… Samsung? Really?!? It seems that a lie repeated as often as possible becomes “the truth” in some peoples’ minds.
        (BTW, once again I’m reminded that arguing with people who choose to believe anything that justifies and “confirms” the decisions they already made is an exercise in futility. Seems to be the case here).
      - Xeros
        Wtf are you talking about? The vert first prototype of Android had notification bar since day one. http://m.gizmodo.com/334909/google-android-prototype-in-the-wild?tag=gadgetsandroidhardwareinthewild
      - http://www.facebook.com/bogdan.oancea1977 Bogdan Oancea
        App Dock ≠ Notification bar, much less Notification Center.
      - Xeros
        Gosh you’re blind, look at the top left corner it has a Gmail notification without Gmail running on it… Look at this instead then http://www.youtube.com/watch?hl=fr&client=mv-google&gl=FR&v=1FJHYqE0RDg&nomobile=1
      - Xeros
        Its not drop down because their screen wasn’t tactile but it was interactive, its clearly what they had in mind hence an early state.
      - http://www.facebook.com/bogdan.oancea1977 Bogdan Oancea
        Sorry, I’m not blind—it’s just that the video on the Gizmodo page didn’t load for me (Flash crashed again, it seems :/ ), so all i could see was the image with the app dock.
        OK, so: indeed they were first with a notification bar (precursor to a notification center). Kudos to them for being smart about it (although that doesn’t prove Apple *copied* theirs from them).
        You proved me wrong about who was first, and I edited my first post in this thread, with a link to the YT video. Thanks, and take care.
      - Xeros
        Yeah, i’m sorry too. I was harsh on you for nothing. And about apple, we sure don’t know but at least they made it differently.
        Take care you too.
    - http://twitter.com/add119 adam
      Not really it was copied from android it had since 2008
    - http://twitter.com/add119 adam
      iphone began jailbreaking in 2008 it was late fall meaning it was android that had this feature first
http://ryan.thejenks.me Ryan
I haven’t tried the iPad Mini, but I can state conclusively that my Nexus 7 is fantastic!
- Mak
  I got iPad min, but boy its terrible especially after getting a experience with retina display from both iPhone and iPad 3. Why Apple , Why?
  - jaystrab
    Why do you need an iPad mini if you have those other 2 things?
- Louis B
  I have a nexus 7 and it’s pathetic. Quad core this and that, 1 GB of RAM and it’s suttery and laggy and all the apps look awesome on it. I hate it so much. Saving my money for the next ipad mini and I’m done with Android “innovation”.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_WTHOMHZSMJDKIBZ7CNEPYNWJVM Bob B
I do giggle when I see people using nothing but Google Android, Google Gmail. Google Maps, Google Wallet, Google Play, Google Drive, Google Docs, Google Chrome and then still saying on Google Plus they don’t like iOS because of Apple’s “walled garden.” It is slightly ironic to me…. just saying. Google is slowly moving into the same direction, they’re just putting up a small picket fence behind them.
- http://ryan.thejenks.me Ryan
  That’s a really good point. I’m one example of someone who is highly integrated into all of Google’s services. The thing is, I know that if I want to get out, I can just export my data and move on. Many of Apple’s services use proprietary systems that don’t allow for interoperability.
  One example of this is Facetime. Even if I had an iPhone, I wouldn’t be able to Facetime anyone in my family since none of them have iPhones or even Macs. We could do Skype, but then they’d have to download/install Skype for that to work. But they all have Google accounts (not necessarily Gmail). I can do a Google+ Hangout with them and they don’t have to install a thing. In fact, I can add any phone number to a Google+ Hangout and the participant doesn’t even have to have a Google account.
  - http://www.facebook.com/SushyTM Mario A Flores
    What a ridiculous reply, you obviously are a complete ignorant. iOS has had the google+ app since google+ came out, and yes it CAN do hangouts. If your family owned nothing but iOS devices, then they would have to get skype or google+ just to be able to talk to you, because YOU can’t do facetime. It goes either way, and it’s nothing but just a few extra clicks. Also, google+ hang outs is a browser service, are you implying that you can’t type Google+ into the browser? Again, what a ridiculous reply. Stop spreading nonsense, have some decency if you truly aren’t a fanboy of either side.
    - http://www.facebook.com/SushyTM Mario A Flores
      into the browser of a Mac*
    - William Wen
      Actually, G+ Hangouts is a native app on both iOS and Android.
      Ryan was specifically comparing Facetime to Hangouts.
      AFAIK, Facetime is Apple only, and not supported on all Apple devices. (http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4319)
      G+ Hangouts works cross platforms (Windows/Mac/Linux/Chromebook), cross browsers (Chrome/Safari/FF/IE), cross devices (iOS/Android), supports PSTN, supports 3rd party app integration, and up to 10 people at the same time.
    - http://ryan.thejenks.me Ryan
      Um… would someone be so kind add to ree-read my reply on behalf of Mario? He clearly completely misinterpreted what I wrote and then made all the same points I conveyed in my message. Kthxbye
- Alex Murphy
  Just because Google’s services are baked into the device doesn’t make it a “walled garden” – it’s a nice garden for sure, but you can replace any of them however you see fit.
  - http://ryan.thejenks.me Ryan
    Good point. Try fully replacing Safari, iTunes, or Apple Maps for example. Not going to happen.
bregalad
Smartphones gather information constantly and relay it to a variety of third parties. Sometimes you explicitly choose to share this information, sometimes you only share because it’s the only way to get a useful feature, and sometimes you simply have no choice. Your carrier knows where you are every second of your life. You accept that because a phone without coverage isn’t very useful. If you’ve opted into push notifications then someone like Urban Airship also knows where you are every second of your life and stores that information indefinitely.
Personally I consider all that data collection as digital stalking. It’s extremely creepy that someone in Portland can enter a unique ID into a SQL query and get a detailed heat map of exactly where a particular device has spent its time for the last year (or however long the owner has been opted into any push notifications). In order to get a push notification some computer needs to know where the device is right now, but storing the location every minute of every day for years is going way too far in my opinion. It has destroyed any interest I once had in receiving notifications.
Then there’s the maker of your phone’s OS. They also know exactly where you are at all times, know who you call/text/email and are often privy to the content of those communications too. That’s a lot of highly personal data that I don’t want to share with any corporation. Of the mobile phone OS makers only one makes the vast majority of its money from hardware sales. All the others have a strong incentive to sell the information they’ve gathered about you. A walled garden my information never leaves is a much more comfortable place than an open market where my identity is forever being bought and sold.
- http://ryan.thejenks.me Ryan
  Relevance to this article: 0%
  - bregalad
    The article is about a user leaving the only phone maker with no incentive to sell your personal data (Apple) and going to a phone maker that makes all its money by selling personal data (Google).
    It was very long winded, but completely relevant.
MacVities
I too sold my iPhone and picked up a Nexus4, i love it. It’s truly amazing, and it’s capabilities are limitless. i felt constrained on ios.
I was a heavy FaceTime user, but only amongst other iPhone owning friends. I have moved to Google Talk, and it’s just as easy to use, the video quality on 3G looks better (about the same on Wifi), and it’s available on all platforms, so I can video chat/voice chat/ group hangout to iphone, Blackberry, PC and Mac owning friends too.
I’m just sorry it’s taken this long. I was fooled by the Apple hype.
- http://twitter.com/lghulm Luke Hulm
  Why not use Skype on IOS? Provides me with video calls to all my friends on Skype AND Facebook (which is everybody) for free with great quality.
  I could never hack a Nexus4, 16Gb of memory are you joking? I tell you that would make me feel very constrained, I travel around the world and don’t always have unlimited data coverage (or coverage at all) so I want the FREEDOM of having more than just a couple of programs/songs/movies on my phone. Like most people I have a need of more than 16Gb, a size thats basically only suitable for people who will use the phone like a regular dumb phone, rather than a smart phone.
  iPhone for me or a Nokia 920 if I really had to.
  - http://ryan.thejenks.me Ryan
    So… my Nexus 7 has 32GB. I’ve never had any problems with lack of space.
    - http://twitter.com/lghulm Luke Hulm
      Nexus7 is not a phone.
      - Martin Fraga
        I know this was 3 months ago…but I’ll respond to this and move on. The Nexus 4 was _NOT_ meant for you if you need an sd card slot. Hell, it was not meant for most people that seem to be complaining…Go check the target demographic before you bother spouting all this nonesense. Wanting “FREEDOM of having [more] programs/[etc]” is such a boring argument. It sounds you want to use your phone as a media center, which for most people was never the point of a smartphone. Only as of late has this become important, and only due to the increasing number of teenagers with “smartphones”. Smartphones were meant to extend the capabilities of normal phones by adding a flexible operating system and increasing processing power. It was meant to empower people to use e-mail, read their documents, organize their life, browse the web, etc. Not a single thing for which you need more than a few GB of storage. The entertainment was added to smartphones when the demographic changed from people who work, to people who have no responsibilities.
        Granted, demographics merge, and you are allowed to want your phone to play videogames and your music…but these were never fundamental aspects of smartphones. The Nexus 4 was meant for developers…people who care more about efficiency than having a portable entertainment system. the phone is perfect for this. I would argue that mtp sucks, and an sd slot doesn’t always hurt…but the capabilities for allowing productivity are there.
        I don’t play videogames on my nexus 4, I don’t play music on my nexus 4, I don’t watch movies on my nexus for. I organize my life on my smartphone, using a myriad of features that classical phones never possessed. Your judgement on this doesn’t stand a femtoliter of water.
        All this for $350, while being able to avoid contracts and thus pay a fraction of what my peers do for service. A joke? Please…your lack of understanding is the only joke around.
http://twitter.com/scottasavage Scott A. Savage
Interesting timing on this article. Last month I read Ralf Rottmann’s article on his switch from an iPhone to a Nexus 4, and it piqued my interests. Mr. Rottmann and I, apparently, have a great deal in common when it comes to our “Apple Fanboyism”, extensive collections of Apple devices, our industries/professions, and what we use our mobile devices for.
I, too, had given Android a few tries in the past – the most recent was almost a full year ago with a Samsung Galaxy SII. It was a disappointing experience on all levels for me, coming from an iPhone 4S. Battery life, UI smoothness, functionality, etc. It took merely 20 hours before I decided to return it and go back to my 4S full-time.
Just last night, after reading Mr. Rottmann’s article again, I went out to Office Depot and bought a Nexus 7. My expectations were low. I hadn’t touched Android for a year, and I’ve never had a good experience.
To my surprise, about 24 hours in, I’m impressed. The hardware is better than I remember with previous Android devices, and Jelly Bean 4.2.1 is smooth, fast, and has had substantial improvements since my terrible experiences last year.
I guess what I’m saying is this: I’ve used iOS for six years. I love my Apple devices and think they’re fantastic, but Android is starting to become interesting for me, because I desire something new and something – dare I say – more innovative.
- http://www.facebook.com/bob.smogango Bob Smogango
  Being an Apple user myself, I’ve tried various Android phones and I just wasn’t impressed enough to move. I ask all of my friends that use Android products and only one of them likes it, but she only got a $99 unlocked Admire and doesn’t really use it that much. All of the other friends are waiting for their 2 year contracts to expire. The others have switched to iPhone 5′s and don’t have many complaint.
  I still have another year on my 2 year contract, so in the mean time, I gotta use what i use and I’ll buy whatever I like taking into consideration what my needs are. So far, I’m not impressed with how Google releases their OS updates and the Nexus 4 got LTE dropped, so I’m not impressed with the Nexus. Older Nexus couldn’t be updated to the latest OS, which was surprising.
jaystrab
So, let me get this straight. You bought an unlocked iPhone 5 for anywhere from $600-$800 and you are not going to use it and instead bought a new CONTRACT-locked phone that is Android-based? And you get a new phone every year regardless of whether your contact is up.
You wife/girlfriend/pet tarantula surely must think you are awesome. Hate to see your bank account when you are 70 years old.
- http://ryan.thejenks.me Ryan
  Lifehacker points out several ways to buy a new device every year with little-to-no out of pocket costs. Plus, his company probably reimburses him for at least one of these devices.
  - jaystrab
    He said he bought it.
    - Jim Finner
      So, I thought the iFanboy in you was supposed to hate poor people?
http://neuralmisfirings.com/ Glenn Dixon
I can’t say that this article persuaded me to try an Android phone – if anything, it reinforced the reasons I’ve stayed w/ the iPhone…
- http://neuralmisfirings.com/ Glenn Dixon
  Wow – did I really write this a month ago? Holy crap. Evidently just before I ordered my Nexus 4…*facepalm*
http://profile.yahoo.com/AJBY2PGYG4AVZUSA4LVQEA64AQ Ignorant bully killer
I love my Apple products but I am glad to see android coming up with cool innovations. I am glad that Samsung did not get off free of charge for what they did because Apple used to make them a lot of money by making them one of their exclusive suppliers and preferential treatment. But eventually i hope they then let the whole war die out and that Apple not only works with Samsung who despite being a bit unethical is still a well run company but also that Apple and Google heal their relationship some. I do know that the current Apple CEO was not as excited about going hardcore on Samsung and I also know that the current Google CEO Larry Paige was less than thrilled with the way that previous CEO managed the relationship with Apple as he really liked Steve Jobs. So hopefully Google and Apple can eventually let the whole patent war fall to the side. I assume that is what is going to happen and that the attack was simply a stalling tactic on Apple’s part to some what mitigate the fact that Both Google and Samsung were previously very tight partners with Apple It was only that both partners took some unfair advantage of inside vision and trade secrets, or so it can be argued. But my guess is that after the law suits have served their purpose of maximizing the first mover advantage and extracting some pain from the companies that chose to compete by being a bit underhanded that then they will still collaborate, or that is what I hope and think would be best for all parties concerned including Apple customers. When an expert talks about something as personal as an electronic tablet, phone, phablet, or iPod, there is no one best solution there is the best solution for a particular customer and circumstance. At least with the Post PC war the competitors are going to be competing on the basis of innovation and price point more than shady OEM restrictions and pricing which is ultimately what drew down the anti-trust oversight on Microsoft. If it was about taking no prisoners then Apple has the money to pretty much buy up the whole Android market at this point, but all it would do is draw down anti-trust action. Even Apple at its best is a better company when there are other top notch companies making alternate bets on what the customer wants. that has been clearly demonstrated by the desire for the oversize phone and the under size tablet. And though Microsoft is currently a mess right now and one can argue the have really botched the roll out strategy of their windows 8 slash surface pro OS. They have also done many things right and unlike Apple they are starting with a unified system that can be put in tablet or desktop mode and do not have to evolve towards that like apple. They have to do a lot more to get customers and developers to understand and buy into it as well as ad many missing resources to make it truly competitive but if they do that and do it well and restrain their other old Microsoft business practices and instead rely on quality and customer service to win their market share, then they could eventually be a long term winner and I think having several related but contrasting approaches to what in the future will be digital intelligence integrated into just about every aspect of life, then users and the US could be in a very nice place in the future. But for now, I just hope people keep in mind that regardless of what their preference is creative competition between the brands is actually something to support by acknowledging a good idea no matter who scores the point in the post PC so called platform war.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=714594652 Rob Alfonso
I think its not a better or worse thing, I think you actually changed and wanted to have a little more control of things on your phone. I also play with both as an app developer, and I can tell you at the end of the day, the app store, the shiny apps, and knowing that what I get will work, is the main reason I love my iphone 5. I used to care a little about those customization things, but its not even at the for-front of my mind now, my iphone does what it needs to do and does it well for the most part, and that is what matters too me. The 12 in a folder thing does irritate me too though, to be noted, and I hope Apple changes that soon! I think you will be back when Android’s cheap price and over-customization glow wears off, and it will, and then it will just be an OS that is not as well thought out or built as IOS, I think you know this in the back of your head. Peace out!
- http://ryan.thejenks.me Ryan
  I do think Android struggles with these things in general, which is the reason that I’ll only buy Nexus devices from here on out.
- http://www.facebook.com/ator.brogan Ed Clowes
  Pretty much agree with everything you said. I love the *idea* of the open environment Android offers, but where the rubber hits the road I need my device to *work* and do what I need it to do. Android has failed me there on three tries, iPhone always works. I do like the Nexus 4, and was thinking of getting one for my work line, but then I saw it – no LTE. Its always something…
- http://twitter.com/Ianthetechman ian walker
  Rob i have crossed over to android a few times now and what you have said in this message totally describes me.
  The amount of times i have thought i am board with iphone and crossed over only to realise in less than a week sometimes that i have made a mistake and sold the android device and repurchased the iphone again is a joke.
  Hopefully i have learned now though and have been rocking the iphone again for well over a year.
  But because of owning the iphone pretty much from day one it is easy sometimes to see these so called super android phones and have your head turned.
RetortForm
Did it all for the clickies.
texicali63
It’s the *things I’ll miss* bit at the end that reinforces why I’m happy that I took the opposite switch, from Android to iOS: the iPhone’s better battery, better camera, better app control and generally better hardware and manufacturing mean a better experience overall.
It’s just like how you can buy a Kia that *on paper* has the same specs as a Benz, but it will never, *ever* match the experience of driving such a finely crafted machine.
http://twitter.com/MediaCritiquer MediaCritiquer.com
iPhone’s camera is superior to other smartphones and many cameras. I’d get it just for the camera (the differences in OS’s is not significant either way).
Louis B
Switch from Android to iphone with the iphone 5 because I was sick of the bullying fanboys, the stuttery performance, the low quality apps and the late updates. After reading this I am very happy that I made the right switch. Android newbies and former iOS users may be blinded by the excitement of the new platform, but I can guarantee you all they will crawl back after one year.
http://www.skeetertalkstech.com Skeeter Harris
A good article and having gone back and forth between different Android devices, my most recent was the Galaxy IIIs before the iPhone 5 came out, I have to agree with most of what you post and candidly I felt the same way.
For me the one of the big driving factors back to iPhone 5 was the screen size, 4.8″ is just too hard to hold and do things with one hand. Thus Apples 4″ fits perfectly in my hand.
I would point out a major feature gap in the Nexus 4 I did not see you mention….
There is NO LTE Support!! – That is a complete deal killer at least for me with AT&T.
raSak Wattakaew
who cares?
http://www.facebook.com/jonatan.carrique Jonatan Carrique
Here’s an idea. You can have best of both worlds. Keep the Nexus and buy a ipod touch. Use your Nexus as a hotspot. Now you can still enjoy facetime, appstore etc. And if the battery runs out on your ipod touch because you played games and youtube videos all day, you still have a functioning phone in your pocket to make calls etc.
I’m considering doing this myself. What do you think about it?
- http://www.facebook.com/mikeydangelo Michael D’Angelo
  I do this with a Galaxy Nexus and an iPod touch. It works. I honestly greatly prefer Android but there’s always some new app or game on iOS i want to play with that isn’t on Android yet. I had an iPhone before and it was alright but I personally wouldn’t want to go back.
Vasco Marques
It’s the same as the old MacOS vs Windows discussions back in the 90′s. If you can’t see why Apple is far superior, as much as BMW is to Kia, then you probably deserve Android.
Ashton Sloane
My only problem with Android is how they set up the core; everything is a service. Applications opening up themselves left and right makes my phone slow down. As far as I know, iOS doesn’t do that. I’m sick of having to use a task killer.
The game changer for me will be Motorola X vs iPhone 5S. This will determine the final switch for me. Would love to stay with Android, but if they don’t fix that crap I am willing to go back to iOS; however, I will seriously miss my notification light..stupid god damn apple.
http://twitter.com/joey191x Joey Zhang
Nice post. Wanna have a try with Nexus 4 but no place to buy it in China. That sucks. iPhone 5 is best smart phone by now, but Android is growing fast and gap is narrowed quickly. Well done, GOOGLE!
http://www.facebook.com/bob.smogango Bob Smogango
What’s curious is that the reviewer doesn’t particularly care much for the Nexus 4 camera, battery, App Store, Messaging.
Bardock .
Did the same thing. I miss muy iPhone so much. Nexus is nice, but laggy, unstable and the battery just sucks. Dont be fooled, having the apps and spects of and iPhone 5 doesnt make it one. The nexus is a toyota, but the iPhone a mercedes.
Red
Interesting – the worm is turning on many Apples. I’ve never owned an Apple device and probably never will – when I buy a “washing machine” – I like to pick what “powder” I’ll use, thanks… but the fact that App developers favour what’s now a small part of the MID device market (ios) rather than the bulk (Android) I find bizarre. If it annoys me enough, I just make sure I never support them even when it trickles to the android realm. The apps tend to be clunky and buggy because they are indeed an afterthought in many cases – Closed minded maybe? but hey… makes me smile while I use a 3rd party app, that at least has been designed for the platform and I’m maybe giving some developer with a bit of vision a chance at seeing it succeed.
Test
Nexus 4 is dead as S4 is shipping with Stock Android… Isn’t that a sign?
Test
Android is horrible esp with hardware buttons (S3). Ask a 9 year old to change the wallpaper with an Android device and ask the same to a 4 year old with iOS device. Who do you think will be able to do it?
- cancerous_it
  IOS is made for toddlers and kids? Now that explains everything!!!
jamarkham
I have an HP and I loaded HP eprint and Google Cloud Print to get all my devices to print wirelessly to my Photosmart 7520. Never got it to print from my iphone4. Yay!
Shoaib Ahmed
Dude, itz a matter of time, u leave ipad mini for nexus 7, huh….

About the author

Killian Bell is a freelance writer based in the UK. He has an interest in all things tech and also writes for TechnoBuffalo. You can follow him on Twitter via @killianbell, or through his website.

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Posted in Android, Featured stories, News, Top stories | Tagged: Android, App Store, camera, Google, google play, ios, ios 6, iOS 7, ipad mini, iPhone, iPhone 5, jelly bean, nexus 4, project butter, speaker, widgets, youtube |

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