It's been a few days now that I've made the switch from the Samsung Galaxy S5 to the new Apple iPhone 6 (4.7"). And I can honestly say I will not be looking back. So long Android, it was good knowing you, but I am making the switch to Apple. For perspective, I've been a loyal Android user for the past several years. My last phones have been a Motorola Droid HD, Samsung Galaxy S4, and finally a Samsung Galaxy S5 (all on the Verizon network). So why the change of heart? I feel the iPhone 6 is truly the tipping point for Apple. Apple finally adopted all of the features that kept me a loyal Android user for many years (large screen, custom keyboards), while maintaining their amazing design and sleek operating system. Basically whatever advantages Droid phones had in the past have all been adopted (or copied depending on your perspective) by Apple. But, I'll let the courts and lawyers sort that out. The fact of the matter is that the iPhone 6 truly represents the best overall smart phone. Is it perfect? Far from it, but it really is the best all around phone on the market.
What makes the iPhone 6 so great (for a former Galaxy S5 user)...
- "It just works"... it may sound cliche but there really isn't a better way to describe using an iPhone. Everything runs buttery smooth and apps open instantaneously. No lag, no waiting, no apps crashing. It really is refreshing to have a phone that responds instantaneously to every input. To see for yourself just how fast the iPhone 6 is check out this speed test.
- Hasta la vista bloatware... Finally, I don't have to deal with updating NFL Mobile, Verizon Cloud, ISIS Mobile Wallet, ChatOn and the dozens of other useless apps forced on you by both Samsung and Verizon.
- Hello iMessage... I'm an avid texter and there were few things more agonizing than waiting... and waiting... for a text message to go through only to find out that your, "message failed to send." iMessage uses WiFi to seamlessly send messages to other iPhone users (which 95% of my friends and family are).
- The cool touch of aluminum... Just holding an iPhone in your hand and you immediately realize the benefits of a metal phone. All of the Samsung Galaxy phones felt like cheap plastic toys while the iPhone feels like a quality piece of fine jewelry.
- A fingerprint scanner that I actually use... The fingerprint scanner on the iPhone is so effective and accurate that it's actually quicker to unlock your phone using your fingerprint than it is to swipe across the screen. The fingerprint scanner on the Galaxy... well I wouldn't know... I never used it.
- Superior apps... The quality of the apps you find on iOS are markedly superior to their counterparts on Android. Not only do they run smoother and faster, they also look better. This doesn't come as much of a surprise as any app developer will tell you creating an app for unified and consistent iPhone ecosystem is much simpler than the fragmented Android operating system.
- May I update your OS?... Apple issues a new operating and you update your phone. Simple. With Android on the other hand, if you want the latest operating system your best bet is to buy a new phone.
Of course not everything is milk and honey in the land of Apple. Here's what I miss about Android...
- Better integration with Google Services... You can still access GMail, Google Maps, Google Now, etc. on your iPhone but it just doesn't work as well. And since Apple won't allow you to select a default app you are stuck using Safari and Apple maps (I prefer Chrome and Google Maps)
- Better notification bar... The notification bar on Android phones was an extremely useful and polished tool that allowed you to not only receive notifications, but to also respond to emails, get traffic updates, and control apps. The iPhone notification bar I feel is a work in progress.
