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The iPhone 12 and newest iOS versions are a significant leap up. And Android has really stumbled lately.

megablast 5y ago
It is a new design, but not a big leap up.
reaperducer 5y ago
And Android has really stumbled lately. For those of us without Android devices, and who only know what's happening with Android through HN, can you elaborate on this a bit?
- enos_feedler 5y ago
  I’ve been an iPhone user for the last 5 generations and recently swapped it for a Google Pixel for a 5 day trip just as an experiment. If you substract off all the things that just work “differently vs better”, there are still many things that I found shocking with Android: * 3rd party app (Charles Schwab) was not usuable to execute an options transaction. App usability bug. * QR codes would not scan, but would scan fine on my gf’s iPhone. Hard to imagine a Google Pixel camera can’t see these well? * Battery drain was way worse than iPhone. Had lots of anxiety about this These are not just differences. These are tablestakes things that should just work without any education between Android vs. iPhone.
  - Mikeb85 5y ago
    > * 3rd party app (Charles Schwab) was not usuable to execute an options transaction. App usability bug. Seems like a Charles Schwab problem. > * QR codes would not scan, but would scan fine on my gf’s iPhone. Hard to imagine a Google Pixel camera can’t see these well? Wouldn't scan with the default camera app? A different camera app? Because the ability to read QR codes is an app function, not a camera function. Works fine on Samsung Android phones. > * Battery drain was way worse than iPhone. Had lots of anxiety about this Pixels have relatively small batteries. Which iPhone? Hardware makes a difference.
    - enos_feedler 5y ago
      It is a 3rd party app compatibility problem. It is a glaring issue with a core user journey. This does not happen on iOS. 3rd party app compat is particularly bad on Android. Default camera app would not scan. Pixel 4 vs. iPhone 12 Pro
      - enos_feedler 5y ago
        Also, your follow up questions sound exactly like the kind of questions an engineer who makes an Android phone would ask and not a product person who understands an average user and their expectations.
        Mikeb85 5y ago
        And? For better or worse Android is an open platform. It's the vast majority of phones world-wide, it's extremely functional and can be a very good experience depending somewhat on the handset maker. Apple can control their quality to the degree they want, but it's also not an open platform and there's limited hardware choice. I'll take Android any day, and most people I know do too. Also, while we're talking about user experience, Google's cloud everything is far better than Apple's. Google services are amazing too.
- SilverRed 5y ago
  For me its the fact that they have still not solved the update problem more than a decade later. All Android devices get 3 years updates max. While my 7+ year old iPad Air 2 is getting iPadOS 15 soon. Google has had numerous proposed solutions for this but yet their own devices do not get more than 3 years updates. Google excels at apps and web services where Apple fails. I still use the google services on my iphone because they have native apps on more platforms and their web versions are better while icloud web hardly has 10% of the features it should.
  - lotsofpulp 5y ago
    > Google has had numerous proposed solutions for this but yet their own devices do not get more than 3 years updates. Aka solutions except paying for labor to support their devices longer.
- renewiltord 5y ago
  Switched to iPhone from Android. The wearables game and integration makes Android a non-starter. I now have an M1 Mac + Apple Watch + Airpods Pro + iPhone + iPad and this is a way better technological ensemble than the Intel Mac / Linux Desktop + Samsung Watch + Jabra buds + Pixel 5 + iPad solution I had previously. The only exception is that I preferred the fingerprint reader to the Face Unlock and the Jabra buds stayed in my ear easier.
- Mikeb85 5y ago
  Android is fine, IMO keeps getting better. Not sure what OP is on about. Android is way more usable to me simply because Google does web and cloud things much better than Apple.
ksec 5y ago
As if newest iOS was designed specifically for Android Switchers. The widget is what a lot of people are switching over. In the Q&A session they also mention the highest number of people coming from Android in any June Quarter.
sg47 5y ago
I got an iPhone 12 after being a long-term Android user. The difference in quality is just phenomenal.

It is a new design, but not a big leap up.

And Android has really stumbled lately. For those of us without Android devices, and who only know what's happening with Android through HN, can you elaborate on this a bit?

enos_feedler 5y ago
I’ve been an iPhone user for the last 5 generations and recently swapped it for a Google Pixel for a 5 day trip just as an experiment. If you substract off all the things that just work “differently vs better”, there are still many things that I found shocking with Android: * 3rd party app (Charles Schwab) was not usuable to execute an options transaction. App usability bug. * QR codes would not scan, but would scan fine on my gf’s iPhone. Hard to imagine a Google Pixel camera can’t see these well? * Battery drain was way worse than iPhone. Had lots of anxiety about this These are not just differences. These are tablestakes things that should just work without any education between Android vs. iPhone.
- Mikeb85 5y ago
  > * 3rd party app (Charles Schwab) was not usuable to execute an options transaction. App usability bug. Seems like a Charles Schwab problem. > * QR codes would not scan, but would scan fine on my gf’s iPhone. Hard to imagine a Google Pixel camera can’t see these well? Wouldn't scan with the default camera app? A different camera app? Because the ability to read QR codes is an app function, not a camera function. Works fine on Samsung Android phones. > * Battery drain was way worse than iPhone. Had lots of anxiety about this Pixels have relatively small batteries. Which iPhone? Hardware makes a difference.
  - enos_feedler 5y ago
    It is a 3rd party app compatibility problem. It is a glaring issue with a core user journey. This does not happen on iOS. 3rd party app compat is particularly bad on Android. Default camera app would not scan. Pixel 4 vs. iPhone 12 Pro
    - enos_feedler 5y ago
      Also, your follow up questions sound exactly like the kind of questions an engineer who makes an Android phone would ask and not a product person who understands an average user and their expectations.
      - Mikeb85 5y ago
        And? For better or worse Android is an open platform. It's the vast majority of phones world-wide, it's extremely functional and can be a very good experience depending somewhat on the handset maker. Apple can control their quality to the degree they want, but it's also not an open platform and there's limited hardware choice. I'll take Android any day, and most people I know do too. Also, while we're talking about user experience, Google's cloud everything is far better than Apple's. Google services are amazing too.
SilverRed 5y ago
For me its the fact that they have still not solved the update problem more than a decade later. All Android devices get 3 years updates max. While my 7+ year old iPad Air 2 is getting iPadOS 15 soon. Google has had numerous proposed solutions for this but yet their own devices do not get more than 3 years updates. Google excels at apps and web services where Apple fails. I still use the google services on my iphone because they have native apps on more platforms and their web versions are better while icloud web hardly has 10% of the features it should.
- lotsofpulp 5y ago
  > Google has had numerous proposed solutions for this but yet their own devices do not get more than 3 years updates. Aka solutions except paying for labor to support their devices longer.
renewiltord 5y ago
Switched to iPhone from Android. The wearables game and integration makes Android a non-starter. I now have an M1 Mac + Apple Watch + Airpods Pro + iPhone + iPad and this is a way better technological ensemble than the Intel Mac / Linux Desktop + Samsung Watch + Jabra buds + Pixel 5 + iPad solution I had previously. The only exception is that I preferred the fingerprint reader to the Face Unlock and the Jabra buds stayed in my ear easier.
Mikeb85 5y ago
Android is fine, IMO keeps getting better. Not sure what OP is on about. Android is way more usable to me simply because Google does web and cloud things much better than Apple.

ksec 5y ago

As if newest iOS was designed specifically for Android Switchers. The widget is what a lot of people are switching over. In the Q&A session they also mention the highest number of people coming from Android in any June Quarter.

sg47 5y ago

I got an iPhone 12 after being a long-term Android user. The difference in quality is just phenomenal.