tobyl · June 15, 2022 20:23
diff --git a/iPhone-vs-Android.txt b/iPhone-vs-Android.txt
 I was an iPhone user circa 2010, although I can't recall which models I owned (there were at least 2 or 3).

 I can't recall exactly what prompted me to switch to Android, but for a long time I have felt that whoever Apple's target audience is (for computers and phones) I'm probably in either their primary, secondary or perhaps even tertiary group. Apple's web/online services was a BIG weakness back then, especially for those who are mostly happy with Google's web services.

 I hated my first Android phone, a Motorola something-or-other. But once I switched to Google's Pixels, I was pretty happy and remained that way from my first pixel, the 2XL to my last, the Pixel 4. They were never mind blowing, but they were solid and reliable and did a small handful of things really well. However, in the past few years the price of everything has crept up, and now Google's phones are as expensive as iPhones, so more and more the question is "if I'm paying a ton of money for a phone, does Apple offer anything that is simply unavailable on Android?".

 The answer is "yes" in some cases. It''s impossible to deny that Apple is killing it right now with their hardware. CPUs, cameras and screens seem to be drastically better on the Apple side. But software, particularly for online services, is still a big question on both sides. There are now established paradigms for almost every interaction on mobile, so it's interesting to see how and when the two operating systems differ and the ideological reasons behind the differences.

 I've been using an iPhone 13 for a week now, so this feels a good time for first impressions.

 It's worth also noting that some of my early impressions may just be outright incorrect, since I haven't read any articles or tutorials or watched any YouTube videos. At this point in my life I "should" be able to easily adapt to the functionality of any device without going out of my way to learn, but I do intend to look into a small handful of things I'm finding annoying or problematic.

 My first and most obvious impression is that iPhone is absolutely more fun than Android. In messages and in general interactions, Google tends to favour raw efficiency and clarity of goals and function. Apple skews more towards fun and whimsy (memojis being the example that comes to mind). It's hard to quantify this - if you asked me, I would tell you I just want to "get shit done". In reality, I'm having more fun with simple tasks like messaging, and it's hard to ignore the benefit, albeit minor and nonessential.

 Beyond that, I'm having trouble figuring out which platform is "best", or even "best for me". Much of the experience on both phones comes from a deep history, spanning a range of factors that have led to the current iterations. The ideology of the two companies is evident in much of the OS, but there are also primary goals, and even bugs and glitches specific to each platform that affect the overall feel. There is a big push by many people these days to "de-google" their life, and while this isn't a primary goal for me, I would consider that to be a good thing. On the other hand, Apple is very much in favour of devices as part of a larger ecosystem. As a Mac user that could be a good thing, BUT I mostly want to own the best possible device for me, regardless of whether the device is made by Apple or Google.

 Right off the bat, there are features and functionality specific to each device and each platform that are pretty clear cut. Some are significant, some less so. I wouldn't pay more for a "great" phone camera, but since the prices are now so close I'm happier with a better camera. I place extremely high value on battery life, and due to Apple's hardware excellence they seem to have the edge here. There were some Android (or Pixel) features I liked that do not exist on iPhone. "Now Playing" was a cute little feature that Google did fairly well. Something else I miss, and it seems like there *HAS* to be an iPhone equivalent, is seeing the time and some notifications even when the phone is locked and asleep. I'll be looking into this more.

 Parts of the experience are maddening to me. Notifications are a huge aspect of using a phone, and there is no perfect solution. However, Google seems to edge out Apple on this one. I can very quickly view, edit and dismiss notifications whenever and wherever they appear on Android. That doesn't seem to be as easy on iPhone. Something else I'm struggling with is that by default the iPhone shows a lot of "stuff". This is 100% an old man complaint, and it's something both companies do in varying degrees, but it seems worse to me on iPhone. The impression I get is that Apple needs to show off the features by shoving them in users' faces. It's debatable whether this is "good" or "beneficial", but it's definitely overwhelming, and I'm saying that as a relatively tech-competent user.

 Web services have improved greatly on the Apple side. I was a subscriber to YouTube Music, and while I understand why YTM exists in the form it does (essentially as a focused sub-category of the larger YouTube ecosystem) it's always been hit or miss when searching for songs (you can easily find 5 or 6 versions of a song, from live or bootleg to differing album versions). I subscribed to Apple Music, something I would never have done when it was initially introduced, and so far I'm impressed. This is Apple at it's best - the UI is simple and attractive, and there's an element of fun to the experience compared to the efficient and sometimes joyless UI on Android.

 When I switched my partner also switched, and it's been interesting to compare our experiences. She has been more frustrated than me, mostly because she has no desire to spend time to solve problems that did not exist for her before the switch. Our first joint metric was to determine if we could "survive" on iPhones - are there any major dealbreakers, do we need to return the phones and return to Android? The answer, unsurprisingly is no, of course not. There are no major gaps in functionality, no features or even apps available on Android that simply do not exist on iPhone.

 The more complex question is, once we're accustomed to the new phones and are certain that we are beyond the learning curve, which would I/we prefer? For me, the answer will depend on any changes I can make (or will be forced to make). I won't be heartbroken to switch from YouTube Music to Apple Music, and even at this early stage I'm almost excited to switch. But for every app or tool or feature I use, will I be better off or happier on iPhone? I'm curious to see.
	I was an iPhone user circa 2010, although I can't recall which models I owned (there were at least 2 or 3).

	I can't recall exactly what prompted me to switch to Android, but for a long time I have felt that whoever Apple's target audience is (for computers and phones) I'm probably in either their primary, secondary or perhaps even tertiary group. Apple's web/online services was a BIG weakness back then, especially for those who are mostly happy with Google's web services.

	I hated my first Android phone, a Motorola something-or-other. But once I switched to Google's Pixels, I was pretty happy and remained that way from my first pixel, the 2XL to my last, the Pixel 4. They were never mind blowing, but they were solid and reliable and did a small handful of things really well. However, in the past few years the price of everything has crept up, and now Google's phones are as expensive as iPhones, so more and more the question is "if I'm paying a ton of money for a phone, does Apple offer anything that is simply unavailable on Android?".

	The answer is "yes" in some cases. It''s impossible to deny that Apple is killing it right now with their hardware. CPUs, cameras and screens seem to be drastically better on the Apple side. But software, particularly for online services, is still a big question on both sides. There are now established paradigms for almost every interaction on mobile, so it's interesting to see how and when the two operating systems differ and the ideological reasons behind the differences.

	I've been using an iPhone 13 for a week now, so this feels a good time for first impressions.

	It's worth also noting that some of my early impressions may just be outright incorrect, since I haven't read any articles or tutorials or watched any YouTube videos. At this point in my life I "should" be able to easily adapt to the functionality of any device without going out of my way to learn, but I do intend to look into a small handful of things I'm finding annoying or problematic.

	My first and most obvious impression is that iPhone is absolutely more fun than Android. In messages and in general interactions, Google tends to favour raw efficiency and clarity of goals and function. Apple skews more towards fun and whimsy (memojis being the example that comes to mind). It's hard to quantify this - if you asked me, I would tell you I just want to "get shit done". In reality, I'm having more fun with simple tasks like messaging, and it's hard to ignore the benefit, albeit minor and nonessential.

	Beyond that, I'm having trouble figuring out which platform is "best", or even "best for me". Much of the experience on both phones comes from a deep history, spanning a range of factors that have led to the current iterations. The ideology of the two companies is evident in much of the OS, but there are also primary goals, and even bugs and glitches specific to each platform that affect the overall feel. There is a big push by many people these days to "de-google" their life, and while this isn't a primary goal for me, I would consider that to be a good thing. On the other hand, Apple is very much in favour of devices as part of a larger ecosystem. As a Mac user that could be a good thing, BUT I mostly want to own the best possible device for me, regardless of whether the device is made by Apple or Google.

	Right off the bat, there are features and functionality specific to each device and each platform that are pretty clear cut. Some are significant, some less so. I wouldn't pay more for a "great" phone camera, but since the prices are now so close I'm happier with a better camera. I place extremely high value on battery life, and due to Apple's hardware excellence they seem to have the edge here. There were some Android (or Pixel) features I liked that do not exist on iPhone. "Now Playing" was a cute little feature that Google did fairly well. Something else I miss, and it seems like there HAS to be an iPhone equivalent, is seeing the time and some notifications even when the phone is locked and asleep. I'll be looking into this more.

	Parts of the experience are maddening to me. Notifications are a huge aspect of using a phone, and there is no perfect solution. However, Google seems to edge out Apple on this one. I can very quickly view, edit and dismiss notifications whenever and wherever they appear on Android. That doesn't seem to be as easy on iPhone. Something else I'm struggling with is that by default the iPhone shows a lot of "stuff". This is 100% an old man complaint, and it's something both companies do in varying degrees, but it seems worse to me on iPhone. The impression I get is that Apple needs to show off the features by shoving them in users' faces. It's debatable whether this is "good" or "beneficial", but it's definitely overwhelming, and I'm saying that as a relatively tech-competent user.

	Web services have improved greatly on the Apple side. I was a subscriber to YouTube Music, and while I understand why YTM exists in the form it does (essentially as a focused sub-category of the larger YouTube ecosystem) it's always been hit or miss when searching for songs (you can easily find 5 or 6 versions of a song, from live or bootleg to differing album versions). I subscribed to Apple Music, something I would never have done when it was initially introduced, and so far I'm impressed. This is Apple at it's best - the UI is simple and attractive, and there's an element of fun to the experience compared to the efficient and sometimes joyless UI on Android.

	When I switched my partner also switched, and it's been interesting to compare our experiences. She has been more frustrated than me, mostly because she has no desire to spend time to solve problems that did not exist for her before the switch. Our first joint metric was to determine if we could "survive" on iPhones - are there any major dealbreakers, do we need to return the phones and return to Android? The answer, unsurprisingly is no, of course not. There are no major gaps in functionality, no features or even apps available on Android that simply do not exist on iPhone.

	The more complex question is, once we're accustomed to the new phones and are certain that we are beyond the learning curve, which would I/we prefer? For me, the answer will depend on any changes I can make (or will be forced to make). I won't be heartbroken to switch from YouTube Music to Apple Music, and even at this early stage I'm almost excited to switch. But for every app or tool or feature I use, will I be better off or happier on iPhone? I'm curious to see.