He asks, in a FOSS community.
What's stopping you from switching to iPhone?
My lack of desire to switch to iPhone.
Why should I downgrade?
Apple's stuff is:
- Locked down hard, meaning you get completely vendor-locked-in, and you can't install alternative OS (there is none I think) or even apps from different sources without voiding warranty or using unsupported, unreliable hacks like jailbreaks for specific models.
- Privacy-invading. Sure, not as bad as proprietary Android distros, but still far from privacy-respecting
- Account-bound. Everything is tied to your Apple account. To even set up or use the product you need an account.
- As proprietary and closed source as it gets
- Ridiculously overpriced, so very low value for the money
- The company is known for its anti-competitive and monopolistic, even mafia-style behavior (e.g. when insisting on their 30% cut for all apps, insisting that apps use the in-app-purchasing system and not allowing "subscriptions from outside of Apple's ecosystem", stuff like that. If app developers don't comply with ridiculous rules, they get their apps taken down, and since the AppStore is the only source for apps, this means they have 100% control and can kill any app which they don't like or which they perceive as competition for Apple's own apps.
Use GrapheneOS. It's a secure, fully privacy-respecting open source distro of Android (based on the open source Android) without any Google services/apps by default, but with full Android app compatibility.
I don't want to switch to something that costs more and that I like less?
Expensive and impossible to customise effectively, making it much poorer value than Android. Not that Android is perfect. The instant some form of non-proprietary Linux (like Debian w/phosh, PostmarketOS, etc.) becomes viable as a daily driver, Android is out as well.
Apple controls what may be installed on iphones with an iron fist. Did you know there is only one option for a web browser? Chrome, Firefox, and other apparent alternatives are actually re-skinned Safari. They don't want to allow real competition to their own browser. This is certainly not the only case where they use app store approval powers to block competition.
Plus Apple takes 15-30% of every transaction on iphones. That includes payments in the app store, and also in-app purchases. Sure they have to fund the store, but given that Apple has an absolute monopoly over iphone app distribution this seems predatory to me.
Apple is anticompetitive, and seems to have little regard for their responsibility as a platform provider to allow application diversity to flourish.
So Google has a similar app store approval process, and takes basically the same percentage from transactions. But they are much more generous in what they allow in their store in terms of competing apps. And most importantly, Google does not have a monopoly on Android app distribution. You don't need to do any jailbreaking to set up F-Droid, or to install apps from the web.
It's true that the vast majority of Android users use Google's app store. And I think that Google taking a cut of in-app purchases is also predatory. Apps should be able to not use Google Pay, and to not pay Google a cut. But the fact that there are other options puts a limit on how much Google can block competition, and gives some option for publishers to avoid that 15-30% cut.
There's no reason for me to switch. It would be going to a worse product in my opinion. I only use phones that can run lineageOS or another custom rom on it now, and have been doing so for the past 6 or so years.
I like my phone, I have more control over it, I like that it's not made in ways to punish me for fixing it, I don't trust Apple, and it cost 300$ instead of costing more than my current car
Why would I?
I don't like the walled garden that constutes the Apple way of doing things. I like to side load apps.
to preface what might sound like slander, I really would love to get my hands on apple hardware. It is engineered rather well and the geek in me can appreciate that. However, getting access to your own hardware is an issue.
While I have some concerns about their objective features, to my shame, the greatest problem is with the brand and their practices.
I think the root cause of all my issues stems from their morals and aggressive/elitist business practice - specifically their quest to squeeze money out of users and hide behind the lie of "we are doing this for the user's benefit".
I have no issue paying money for features I want or entities I'd like to support. In fact, I'm more inclined to financially support those who I believe in.
And apple loves to gatekeep features and keep them exclusive to apple. They effectively benefit from hard work of others who contribute to open standards and services, but at the same time do not share their own. Greedy.
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Ton of paid apps + no reason to switch + sideloading + don't like or trust apple
I won't buy Apple hardware as long as they keep being absolute dicks in the tech and app world. It's a shame really, because they build awesome devices, but I would feel bad everytime I use them.
Also they are much more restricted in many aspects (e.g. sideloading!), so it would be a downgrade for me.
It's Fisher Price, it does not let me do poweruser things.
Nothing except the fact that I have absolutely no desire to use an iPhone or, indeed, any Apple products at all.
I have an iPhone for work. The UI is unintuitive, unresponsive and restrictive. It's like a child's toy version of my s23. The fingerprint reader is useless, the screens color range is dull and the build quality is plastic trash. Plus my phones camera array beats the iPhone array to hell and back.
The iPhone is the phone for old people, children or the infirm. Why would I limit myself?
Being forced into the apple ecosystem. If I could use iphones with other products not specifically designed to work with apple (i.e. android auto instead of apple carplay) then I would maybe consider it.
Not saying that apple car play or android auto is better or worse, just that it would be nice to have the option to choose which one especially if other family members have androids.
Privacy and security through custom ROMs like CalyxOS and GrapheneOS, which are the number one reason why I use Android. However, the average person doesn't necessarily care about their digital privacy or security.
As for reasons to use Android that the average person may care about, there is a greater variety of device options to choose from when it comes to Android. Many different companies produce Android devices, including eco-friendly options like the FairPhone!
In addition, another advantage of using Android is the ability to side-load apps. I can easily install and use apps that are not available on the Google Play store, such as Thunder, my Lemmy client, which I use daily. Moreover, even if an app is not available in my region on the Play store, I can still use it by side-loading.
Another feature I appreciate is the direct access to internal storage through a USB cable, eliminating the need for any additional software. For managing my apps, Shelter is a must-have for me. It allows me to separate my personal apps from my work apps without creating a completely separate device profile, and I can easily disable the work apps whenever needed so I don't receive notifications.
You can even use iMessage on Android via apps like BlueBubbles or AirMessage. Even FaceTime works on Android, natively so long as an iPhone user sends you a link first.
When I purchase somethung, I prefer to own it instead of just renting it. Lol.
Apple really doesn't offer me anything I want to do above and beyond what Android offers that makes the cost of transition worth it. I've been on Android for 13 years, I'm very used to it, know all the tricks. I like the level of control Android gives, I've loaded custom roms in the past and I side load apps now. I've also never had a (modern) Apple product and never had the need to set up any Apple accounts, so it'd be a pain starting completely fresh.
Lmao why the fuck would I do that? You say it like it's the thing to do
Custom ROMs, Sideloading, File Structure, F-droid and open source apps, customization, privacy/security features.
I want the ability to sideload, Apple is very much a walled garden.
I enjoy having the ability to use custom roms.
I've been generally happy with all the android phones I've used in the past and see no reason to change that.
control.
Freedom.
For me it's the price first, the interface second. I find anything Apple very counterintuitive to use.
In saying that- I'm reading all these amazing answers here and realising how much I've taken for granted. I didn't know "side loading" was a thing though I've done it many times. If I'm understanding things right- you can't install whatever you want on an iPhone???? Crazy. I definitely wouldn't want a phone like that.
Also, someone mentioned accessing the phone via a usb cable. Another thing I took for granted! Hey! I even have portable USBC storage drives I can plug and transfer files to/from my phone and to my computer if I wish.
I don't like iOS. I have one as my work phone and I dislike it.
I dislike that I can't sideload apps (yes there's testflight but it sucks). A huge portion of apps I use are from F-Droid or GitHub. I dislike how iOS handles the home screen and app placements. I absolutely HATE iOS notifications, they're atrocious compared to how they're handled on Android.
I like Android, I like my Galaxy Fold, a lot would have to change for me to ever consider an iPhone.
Nothing. I just do not want to and don't see any positives in me switching.
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My first smartphone and every one after has been android.
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I like being able to download APK files and installing them without having to jailbreak or root my device. I don't live in Europe, so I don't get the option for the iphone that allows you to side load apps whenever the feature comes there (if it hasn't already) and I don't trust them not to make it block that feature the second you are not connected to a European cell service/signal.
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I cannot say with certainty that I'd be able to find anything like F-Droid on ios, let alone my favorite apps from there (like OpenStreetMap or Aegis). Also, the whole jailbreak thing is off-putting when I could just root an android much more easily.
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I am already set up in the android ecosystem currently (until something a lot better like a decent Linux based mobile OS comes) and don't wanna switch and have to buy any apps just to get a similar experience on android.
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I also don't like how whenever the EU forces apple (and other companies) to switch to USB-C charging ports (if they already haven't yet), I couldn't make use of it because, again, I ain't in the EU. I also do not feel like ordering a phone from another continent and having it shipped over, especially if there's no guarantees the features I want even work on American telecommunications infrastructure.
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First of all, the cost. An iPhone does nothing more than an Android but costs significantly more.
Second, Android is a more open platform. I can rip apart the OS and look at its guts. I can alter it or replace it altogether. I can make my hardware do exactly what I need it to do, the way I want it done.
Lastly, I can fix the hardware if it breaks and do not need to buy an entirely new phone.
I did swap for a couple of years and then switched back. Some aspects were great but iOS is just too restrictive.
iPhones being iphones
All the reasons I switched to Android.
Customization, file structure, sideloading apps, etc.
No sidelong, easier rooting (sometimes), price, etc
Price and closed ecosystem. (closed for users and devs)
Lack of customization, lack of options, lack of compatibility.
With iPhones you choose from iPhone 1, 2, 3, or 4. They're all the same, and frankly they all suck. They're overpriced and the charger always breaks.
Right now I'm using a custom ROM, ~10 magisk modules, 2 Xposed modules and a handful of other things that require root.. My phone is almost 5 years old and I am on the latest Android version with no signs of community support stopping. Half my apps are open source, and the paid, proprietary ones are actually affordable hobby projects (and not VC backed startups) with one time payments and worth the price.
I can load up a non-Android Linux distro on it and everything except the camera will work. Mainline kernel, too.
And I didn't need to take out a loan to buy it.
The lack of consistently in how Apple devices work, as hey truly feel like a black box where anything beyond basic functionality is held back from the user.
Not having any restricts placed on me as to what software I can install on my devices. Seriously, not allowing sideloading is ridiculous in 2023.
Moronically overpriced hyped product which misguides humanity into capitalism and surveillance
Apple, iOS, and the iPhone.
There's a lot of features on a pixel that I'd miss out on in an iphone.
However, the biggest is the back gesture.
I love the back gesture, I just swipe from the side to go back a page instead of reaching allll the way to the top left to go back.
I can also actually develop on this without paying $2,000 for a Mac.
I prefer the openness of android as well.
I picked up a cheap ipad just to experiment with and find what all the fuss was about. My first thought was that this feels like a nerfed/kiddie version of a real device. Everything is walled off so you can't change anything that had a chance of borking it up.
I mean, proper Nix systems you could theoretically run 'sudo rm -rf /' and at most it might ask if you're really sure, and then duitifully comply...
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I recognize that they currently have basically the most refined hardware on the market. However: No other device I own is in the Apple ecosystem. Not one. So the benefits are just not there.
quite frankly the benefits of owning an iPhone are kinda garbage unless you fully buy into the Apple ecosystem for full intercompatibilty. Trying to interact with other Androids, Windows, Linux machines is just pain. Otherwise, it's just a slightly better built, slightly better specced, very much more locked down phone like every other phone. It does phone things. Not worth the premium.
Using my iPad and then seeing how difficult it was to find apps that didn't have ads, apps I could buy outright, and so many subscription only options was what turned me away. And then how incompatible it is requiring work arounds to access the file system if you aren't using air drop compared to Android where just plugging it into any system and giving permission lets you see files beyond just files and videos you took, and move files back and forth with ease.
And how difficult it was to find Foss apps without something like F-droid. And because of that I noticed apps I took for granted on Android creates a system where you are having to spend more money and then being up sold subscriptions because of lack of options. It felt like a very gacha like environment. It felt so much like dealing with some scummy sales person.
My 5 years old android phone still working perfectly. And then, when it finally isn't enough I'll just take an alternative ROM/linux phone hoping for it to have better quality/price ratio in the future rather than Apple because that company is bullshit and Google is bullshit too.
The lack of LDAC bluetooth and native FLAC playback support is a deal breaker for me.
Back gesture / design
Whatsapp portability. Last time I checked Whatsapp data couldn't be moved to Android. I have a decade of chat history id like to preserve.
Integration with Google Photos. I am not switching to icloud or any other. Google Photos is just way too good. I can even search photos with text!
Notification system. I'm not entirely happy with how android does it, but apple does it worse.
Charging port. All my cables are USB C that charge both my phone and iPad. I'm not thrilled about getting 3 more chargers and cables.
App prices. Android has great KeePass clients for cheap / free. I use strongbox on my iPad which is like $30 a year
I have absolutely desire to lock myself into a flowered prison and pay extremely high price for it in both freedom and money. Apple just is too totalitarian and limited for me to consider anything from them.
Mostly them not having a type c charger.
Pixel has this really nice feature called Overview Selection where it does OCR and all text is selectable when you open the app switcher. That and Now Playing are features I would miss.
The whole messages lockin sucks. iMessage to other iPhones is nice but I want RCS for other conversations
$1000 monitor stand is enough reason to be against all Apple products
I came from iOS about 6 years ago. Initially it was annoying to escape from the ecosystem but I am glad that I did. Unfortunately I use a MacBook and an iPad for work though. In saying that, their integration with each other is really good, and can see why/how an iPhone would fit in to that.
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I bought a flip phone (Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3) a year ago, and it's so much more comfortable to have in my pants pockets that I feel like I will never buy a non-flip phone again...
But also what everyone else says: customizability, etc. I'm using Tasker to run automated tasks, and KLWP to essentially program my own live wallpaper.
All my stuff is here.
Walled garden
Any phone I get needs:
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A large display for my huge hands
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a screen with no notch
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USB C
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firefox and ublock origin
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a youtube app that can be modified to fix google's design mistakes.
This used to be WP. I use android out of necessity. I dislike android and iOS but there's no other options.
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Used an iPhone very long ago as my daily driver (I think the iPhone 4... the neon green one) until I discovered android.
I switched because Had so much more choices and that you weren't locked down. If you have an iPhone you have to use Apple's services no matter what. Want to uninstall safari, because it is a really awful browser? Well you can't. Want privacy? No that's not possible (I know what Apple advertises but just because an iPhone is built to be privacy-friendly doesn't mean that services from Apple are privacy-friendly. And how will you prove that an iPhone could be considered privacy-friendly anyway?)
What also triggers me: with newer iPhones you do not have a universal backup option thingy. If you use your Phone with your right hand it is really annoying to constantly reach for the upper left corner to go back. On android: You can decide what gesture to use to go back. You can use three buttons or swiping gestures etc.
As other users mentioned, with android you have lots of choices. I for example have a Fairphone 4. I can replace my display myself without needing to pay extra for Apple Care. My Brother has a folding phone, I hate it, but there is the option.
Another great factor is customization. Apple does a great job, Android just does it better in some ways. "How?" You might ask, well, you can choose what launcher you want to use. You can choose what icons you like, and you even can choose an alternative App Store like F-Droid. And you can even choose the whole OS, like Lineage OS and Graphene OS. I for example use Kvaesitsio as a launcher, I mean look how beautiful it looks.
Picture from my Launcher, Kvaesitsio
I have two phones as daily drivers, one Android and one iPhone. Compared to Android, the iPhone is very restrictive and locked down. Adblockers don't work and you're forced to use whatever iOS interface it throws at you. Buttons and gestures move around with every update. There's no way to view and manage internal files, no sideloading, lots of options that are just not accessible to normal users.
The positive side is that iPhones are very optimized and I can get similar performance to my Android phone despite the iPhone being older and having worse specs. The closed ecosystem also has its benefits, because it makes data very hard to get out, so I use the iPhone as a device to sandbox all the Meta crap that I'm forced to use.
