This is why our readers switched to the iPhone, in their very own phrases

At Android Authority, we’re enormous followers of Android telephones. Nevertheless, since we cowl your entire cellular panorama, you could be shocked to be taught that a number of the individuals who work right here don’t use Android telephones as their day by day drivers. Sure, we’ve got just a few traitors iPhone customers in our midst, and so they assist us get a broader take a look at the Android versus iOS competitors.

You could be shocked, although, to be taught that a lot of our readers additionally use iPhones. The truth is, after Android, iOS is the working system most used to go to our website, much more so than Home windows! Don’t imagine me? Take a look at the chart under, which represents a typical month of Android Authority visits:

With all this in thoughts, it will make sense that a few of our iOS-based readers was Android followers however have since made the change to the iPhone however are nonetheless maintaining a tally of Google’s cellular adventures. That received us curious, and in an effort to dig deeper, we ran a ballot asking if individuals had jumped ship from Android to iOS and why.

We ran this ballot right here at Android Authority but in addition on our X and YouTube profiles. Under, we’ve compiled a number of the most fascinating solutions. We predict it is a actually cool and fascinating look into what may want some work inside Android. In any case, if Google and/or Android OEMs addressed a few of these complaints, possibly these individuals would nonetheless be Android customers.

General, there have been just a few recurring themes for the solutions we noticed. We’re going to arrange the feedback by these themes and provide you with some examples. Let’s begin with probably the most vital differentiators between Android and iOS: privateness.

Privateness

On X, consumer Shafty023 summarized their cause for switching very succinctly:

Privateness is a large one. Finished with having Google see and know the whole lot about me by way of my cellphone.

It’s true that iPhones method information privateness a bit in a different way than Android telephones. The primary distinction is cash: Though each corporations are amassing consumer information, Apple’s income doesn’t depend on that information, whereas Google’s main supply of earnings is promoting that information. That being mentioned, Android telephones have come a great distance for privateness, and there are methods to “de-Google” an Android cellphone, corresponding to by flashing Graphene OS. However it’s nonetheless true that if privateness is your important space of concern, you’re in all probability going to be happier on an iPhone.

One other X consumer, DarkLordWaffles, agrees:

Google is primarily an advert company. They method all enterprise selections from that perspective. Apple primarily a {hardware} firm. Totally different design philosophies

And BaritoneGuy even claims to have learn the high quality print:

Privateness. Plain and easy. I truly spent the time to learn all of the squinty print earlier than I switched. I went from Blackberry to Home windows cellphone to Samsung after which Apple. If I might get an Android cellphone with out the Google stuff I would love that, however if you’d like the cellphone to be purposeful then that isn’t doable.

In america, probably the most vital elements of the iPhone protecting customers from switching is iMessage. For causes I received’t get into right here, individuals within the US haven’t adopted platform-agnostic chat apps (WhatsApp, Telegram, and many others.) practically as a lot as the remainder of the world has. This leaves iPhone customers depending on iMessage. It’s solely logical that this attract would tempt Android customers to make the change to an iPhone.

On YouTube, right here’s what Nathan1Sixteen needed to say on that:

As a result of I received uninterested in my pals complaining about my textual content message bubble coloration

This references so-called “inexperienced bubble hate,” a US phenomenon by which individuals get offended at Android customers for “ruining” group chats inside iMessage. Contemplating we primarily use our telephones as communication machines, can you actually blame somebody for utilizing the working system that’s finest for speaking with family and friends?

X consumer ERosener had comparable sentiments:

I like android. However till RCS is extensively out there on iOS I’ve needed to transfer again to my iPhone to be extra suitable with household and pals. Pathetic, I do know. 😞

This consumer is referencing Wealthy Communications Companies (RCS), which is what number of US-based Android customers talk with each other. It’s basically iMessage, however for Android. Fortunately, Apple goes to include RCS into iOS 18 this yr, which can enable iPhone customers to higher talk with Android customers. Nevertheless, these inexperienced bubbles aren’t going wherever, and iPhone-to-iPhone communication will nonetheless be superior to iPhone-to-Android communication.

On a associated word, one other X consumer, ArtoriasAkai, doesn’t point out iMessage however does speak about how apps on iOS are usually higher and extra polished:

I switched due to the apps. Customary and downloaded apps are simply higher on iOS. Each in polish and performance. I received uninterested in trying to find the great apps on Android. Typically the higher/finest apps value cash on Android.

It is because app improvement for iOS is extra streamlined than for Android. For instance, builders solely want to fret about one {hardware} firm as a substitute of dozens and likewise solely have to work with a reasonably restricted set of display sizes and {hardware} specs, not less than when in comparison with the hundreds of Android telephones on the market.

Since Apple tightly controls its {hardware}, it shouldn’t be shocking that its broader ecosystem consists of units that each one work very effectively with each other. Whereas a lot of the integrations Apple gives may be replicated with Android telephones, Home windows laptops, Chromebooks, and many others., Apple’s “it simply works” ethos is undeniably alluring.

X consumer DigiDynamo000 elaborates on this:

The explanation was extra in direction of the ecosystem itself and the way it labored effectively with my workflow. Although I acknowledge that on a 1:1 comparability, Android is the superior of the platforms.

Apple additionally dominates sure classes, corresponding to tablets and smartwatches. Merely put, the Android pill trade is dwarfed by the iPad and only a few Android-compatible smartwatches can actually meet the extent of the Apple Watch. X consumer ThatTim5 is keenly conscious of that final level:

The Apple Watch. All the opposite smartwatches wasn’t [sic] that good.

Whereas Google’s Put on OS (which relies on Android) has made huge strides up to now few years, the corporate wasted an excessive amount of time earlier than taking smartwatches critically. Due to this, Google is the David in a conventional David vs Goliath story in relation to the Apple Watch — and if you’d like an Apple Watch, you will need to personal an iPhone.

The aesthetic attraction of a smartphone is subjective, for positive, however some variations are objectively extra helpful. One instance is ease of use: a cellphone that’s actually huge goes to be troublesome for an individual with smaller arms to make use of. This has been a big downside within the Android world as a result of shopping for a compact Android cellphone has typically pressured you to make vital compromises on efficiency and options. In the meantime, the sizing of iPhones means that you can get huge and small telephones with out shedding out on many options.

Android Authority reader Phil Scadden sums it up like this:

It’s doable to purchase a high quality cellphone that also matches in your pocket with iOS. Onerous to purchase an android lower than 6.4 inches

Clearly, there are many Android telephones on the market with sub-6.4-inch shows. However what number of of them are simply nearly as good as their 6.8-inch counterparts? Not many. Hopefully, the Pixel 9 collection will assist repair this downside within the Android world because the Pixel 9 Professional is poised to be smaller however nonetheless provide all the identical options because the Pixel 9 Professional XL.

Exterior of sizing, the bodily options of a cellphone also can come into play. Android Authority reader Warden talked about the Motion Button on iPhones, a characteristic that doesn’t have a lot illustration within the Android world:

Motion button has been very handy.

Granted, there are telephones on the market with buttons much like the Motion Button, however they don’t seem to be as widespread, nor are they as simply customizable.

Talking of the comfort of the Motion Button, it seems that that phrase — comfort — got here up fairly a bit in a few of these feedback. For some individuals, it wasn’t a query of wanting to go away Android as a lot as a necessity to take action.

X consumer Kozjegyzo is an efficient instance of this:

As a result of the whole lot is Apple first with our firm. Each {hardware} and software program. So I needed to. It’s not as unhealthy as I assumed however I kinda wanna return to Android as a day by day driver…

X consumer Danield011 has comparable sentiments:

Simply conveniences as all my household has iPhones

Lastly, on YouTube, TechnoLawyer is in the identical boat:

Due to my youngsters having iPhones. So primarily for iMessage, FaceTime, Apple Money, and my oldest daughter’s use of Apple Notes to make lists and the sharing of mentioned notes. If it weren’t for my youngsters, I believe I’d have a Nothing Cellphone.

Hold this all in thoughts subsequent time you surprise why somebody would ever use an iPhone over Android. It could be that they merely don’t have any alternative.

These are a number of the explanation why some Android Authority followers have jumped ship to the iPhone. What do you assume? What ought to Android do to handle a few of these issues? Tell us within the feedback under!