iphone vs android, which is better?

[asscherisme]

My contract is up with my call phone carrier (verizon) and I am thinking of switching from android to iphone. But I'm wondering if I will regret it.

Anyone have or use both iphone and android and can compare which they like better and why?

I have to admit, I love the slick look of iphone and thats pretty superficial of me. I also like the idea of having less devices to carry since I always have my ipod with me. Its al older ipod that I never upgraded so that would be a plus to have both in once device.

Help me decide what to do! get an iphone or get a better android phone? My current android phone is awful and is very buggy and freezes up all the time so I am defiantely getting a new phone of some type.

 

[D&T]

We have both in the family, My husband has the Iphone, I have an android but with the keyboard. If it wasn't for the keyboard, I'd switch over as I'm not quite there yet on texting and emailing from the touch screen although I do have capabilities, its just a pain for me . He has a ton of apps on his iphone and my kids love his phone for learning games and movies and what not. I'll probably be switching to the iPhone by Christmas time i think. The way the iphone situates things seems a bit more intuitive than my android -sometimes I think I have too many physical buttons vs the one that Iphone has to manuever.

 

[Miss Sparkly]

Do you have the Eris or one if its cousins (depending on carrier)? The Eris is the worst of the Droids and doesn't have the power to function properly. The thing I hated about the iPhone web pages didn't load fully and would slowly appear as you scrolled down. Pricescope did this a lot. After two hours of testing internet and phone calls I decided on the Samsung Galaxy S for Verizon. It is an android platform phone that uses Bing (so odd). I've also heard from my BIL (works for Verizon) to stay away from the new 4g Android phones as they're still quite buggy. Personally I feel that iPhone is too buggy (and pricey) for as long as its been out. Also keep in mind that Android is only a platform and as such each phone that utilizes this platform varies.

 

[chemgirl]

My husband has the iphone 4 and I have the nexus s (android google phone). So far my only complaint is the lack of cool accessories and apps for the nexus s. My phone is similar in style and shape to the iphone, but the case is super bulky. There isn't as much choice so it looks like I'm stuck with the bulky case. There are apps for android, but there aren't as many as there are for the iphone. I did manage to find versions of everything I use on a regular basis though. I just can't find Super Monkey Ball!

There are a lot of pros to the nexus s. For one, like the iphone, it has 16 gb of storage and a music player. Its drag and drop so you don't need itunes. My favorite thing about it is that it isn't locked to a carrier. The iphone is hard to unlock (pretty much impossible with the new updates). If you travel to other countries, having an unlocked phone is huge. I can put other sim cards in my phone and use it in Canada, the US, and the UK (the only ones I've tried so far). This is awesome since I can keep my apps, files, and contacts when I'm in another country without paying roaming fees. You can also use the nexus s to project wifi (I know you can do that with the iphone now, but android was first!). When you're typing on the nexus s, there is a list of possible words on top of the keyboard. You can select the appropriate word rather than relying on the auto correct.

All in all, the features are very very similar to the iphone, with a few small improvements. A diehard apple fan will say the iphone is better, but I'm really liking my android.

 

[merilenda]

I only have an android, but like D&T, I love that it has a slide-out keyboard. Everyone tells me that you get used to the touch screen keyboard, but I really haven't. My carrier does not offer the iphone actually, and when I upgraded, I shopped around. But my bill would have gone way up if I had switched carriers.

Anyway, I love my android, and I don't feel like I'm missing anything!

 

[Miss Sparkly]

Android can also be rooted if you are or know somebody who is tech savy

 

[jstarfireb]

I have an Android (the original Motorola Droid), and I'd choose it again over the iPhone in a heartbeat.

Advantages:
-you can swap out the battery without sending it in
-Adobe Flash (which Steve Jobs apparently hates)
-variety of models to choose from, some of which come with physical keyboards (I still use mine despite getting more comfortable with the touch-screen keyboard over time)
-apps that don't have to be approved by Apple
-open-source platform means you can write your own apps if you're really tech-savvy
-you can easily root it, which opens up a whole other world of possibilities such as upgrading the OS and overclocking the processor (this voids your warranty, but it's nearly impossible to screw up your phone if you follow the instructions online)
-widgets, which are a cool way to organize your home screen and display a bunch of info at a glance without actually having to go into your apps. For example, I have a clock widget that links to the alarm clock and Google calendar, a power management widget that allows me to change settings with one tap, and widgets for news/weather, Pandora, a coupon app, Facebook, battery/CPU temperature and processor speed at a glance...and that doesn't even scratch the surface of available widgets.

Disadvantages:
-battery life is poor (I have to charge more than once a day with heavy use)
-no front-facing camera on a lot of models, including mine (but this is improving)
-for medical people, fewer medical apps available
-technically more apps available for iPhone, but I have all the apps I could ever ask for on Android, and every one of mine have been free

 

[MonkeyPie]

I think this is a personal choice. I suggest going and playing with the iphone (or borrowing a friends) for a couple hours to really get a feel of it, of whether you will truly use it the way it was intended or not.

I have had both an Android (I had the original Motorola Droid with the keyboard) and an iPhone4. Personally, I prefer my iPhone. It has all the apps I could ever need (and I don't have to worry about buggy after-market ones like on Droid), the screens are fully customizable, it has a front-facing camera that I use a LOT, Skype that is smooth and perfect, excellent sound (both with headphones and without, which is amazing for such a tiny phone)...the list of good things for me is endless.

The only thing I DON'T like about the iPhone4, is being forced to use iTunes. But I've gotten used to that and I never use my iPod anymore.

 

[shihtzulover]

I've pretty much been wondering the same thing. I have had a Droid X for awhile now, but my fiance has an iPhone, and I have wanted to switch for a few reasons.

First of all, I admit that I also like the sleek look and better graphics of the iPhone. Another thing that I like is that it does have more available apps (although it is more likely that you'll have to pay for them). Last, and perhaps most importantly, I think that the iPhone's touch screen is more sensitive. I'm not a huge fan of touch screens in general because I do still prefer keyboards, but it seems to me that the screen/virtual keyboard is a bit easier to work with on the iPhone, even though the Droid X's is actually a bit larger. I remember reading somewhere that Apple currently has the patent on a technology that makes for a more sensitive screen, but I could be mistaken.

I know that people say that Androids are so much more customizable, but that's not a huge thing for me. I like to talk, text, email, use a handful of apps, and browse Facebook and the web - I don't really tend to use my phone for much else. I could definitely understand someone wanting an Android phone if customization is important to them, and if they use a lot of their phone's more complicated features, but that's definitely not me!

There are still a couple of reasons why I want to stick with my Droid X, though. The major issue is that I don't think that the iPhone's reception is quite as good. This probably isn't a problem for most people, who live in more urbanized areas, but my family (who I visit very frequently) lives in an area that is pretty much just on the edge of cell service. Verizon is actually the best service to have back there, but it's still pretty bad. Since it's right on the edge of service, I can see a huge difference between different phones and their antennas. The old Nokia candy bar phones actually used to be the best, followed by Motorolas (like the Droid X). LGs and other brands all seem worse, and my fiance can't place or receive any calls with his iPhone back there, either. Don't get me wrong, because I still usually have to go outside or maybe stand by a window to use my Droid X, but I feel that the reception might be just a hair better, and it makes all the difference in some areas. On the other hand, since the Droid X is a Motorola, I'm almost certain that other Android brands might be even worse that the iPhones.

Oh, and sometime when I'm talking to my fiance when he's on his iPhone, the background often gets static-y and I even hear a loud screeching/beep-like noise sometimes, which he doesn't ever hear. It happens even when I'm on a land line, so it doesn't seem that the issue is on my side. I never have that complaint when I'm in the same place and talking on my Droid X.

 

[tina sparkle]

iphone, iphone, iphone--everything else is an imitation. get the real thing, you won't be sorry.

 

[asscherisme]

I have not bought any aps on my droid, I just the free ones I have downloaded.

Does apple have a nice selection of free iphone apps? And, if I do purchase some apps, what happens when I upgrade my phone or if my phone breaks and I replace it. Is purchaing aps like buying on itunes and the apps can be transferred easily from one phone to another phone?

 

[Miss Sparkly]

iphone, iphone, iphone--everything else is an imitation. get the real thing, you won't be sorry.

Since the iPhone was not close to being the first smartphone isn't it just an imitation of its predecessors?

 

[Miss Sparkly]

I have not bought any aps on my droid, I just the free ones I have downloaded.

Does apple have a nice selection of free iphone apps? And, if I do purchase some apps, what happens when I upgrade my phone or if my phone breaks and I replace it. Is purchaing aps like buying on itunes and the apps can be transferred easily from one phone to another phone?

Yes. The apps are linked to your gmail and can easily be moved between phones.

 

[Autumnovember]

I'm waiting on the iphone 5

Currently have my droid and I love it and don't feel like I'm missing anything with the iphone....but the 5 will be a whole other story..

 

[mrssalvo]

I have not bought any aps on my droid, I just the free ones I have downloaded.

Does apple have a nice selection of free iphone apps? And, if I do purchase some apps, what happens when I upgrade my phone or if my phone breaks and I replace it. Is purchaing aps like buying on itunes and the apps can be transferred easily from one phone to another phone?

apple has just launched the icloud which holds all your data, photos, apps etc. and is interchangeable between your laptop, ipad and a phone and it's free. You're apps are stored in itunes though and if you accidently delete on or switch phones you just reload them. I have an iphone and am getting ready to upgrade to the 4 or may wait for the 5, not sure yet. I've got friends with the droid and seem really happy with it though. I love my iphone though and don't have any desire or reason to change.

 

[asymons412]

IMO after working with iPhones and android phones, as well as an iPad and an android-based tablet, it comes down to this:

If you want a highly customizable (and consequently, more user-dependent), constantly evolving piece of tech, go Android.

If you want a highly reliable piece of tech that may not have the bells and whistles of Android (turn-by-turn navigation, voice-to-text, flash, etc) but will excel in the things it does have, then go with the iPhone.

I think it comes down to whether you are looking for a highly reliable item to perform limited tasks x, y and z, or a "hey look how cool this is!" [but sometimes it crashes] gadget.

 

[asymons412]

The major issue is that I don't think that the iPhone's reception is quite as good.

I also have a Droid X via Verizon and my fiance has an iPhone via AT&T, and I will say that he constantly drops calls. Additionally, his GPS is horrible; my Droid's GPS can literally find me anywhere and give me voice instructions on how to get to where I want to be, but the iPhone frequently casts this large net of places where you might be-- and the little blue dot (your location) is almost always way-off. It drives him crazy.

 

[rainwood]

I have an HTC Android Evo 4G (Sprint) for work and an iPhone 4 (Verizon) for me. The Android Evo was a huge improvement over the Samsung Omnia smart phone I had before, and I've enjoyed using it. Much of it is fairly intuitive. Later, I got an iPhone 4 for personal use - didn't want to mix business with pleasure for a variety of reasons - and I like it even better than the Droid. Part of that is I'm a Mac user and it syncs so seamlessly with my home computer, plus I'm familiar with the general operation of it because I've had an iPod touch for several years.

In short, both are good choices and easy to use. I really like my Droid, but I love my iPhone.

 

[manderz]

I haven't read the previous responses, so please excuse me if I'm redundant.

I switched from an ATT iphone 3gs (we didn't have 3g in our area at that point, and we got sick of paying for it when it wasn't even available). I'm using a samsung fascinate droid. I'm happy that we have faster internet, and we joined a family plan with other members of my family, so we're saving money as well. I am ok with the droid, but there are not as many apps available as with itunes, and the ones that are available can be glitchy and buggy sometimes. There's a huge improvement over how it was a year or so ago though, especially with the amazon app store (which also gives away a free paid app every day!). I miss my iphone sometimes, but I'm planning on just buying an ipad (to use for games, internet, and getting kindle and nook apps to be able to get textbooks on there too) and going back to a plain, non-smartphone. I get annoyed having to pay for internet 3 times over between me, S, and home.

 

[jstarfireb]

The major issue is that I don't think that the iPhone's reception is quite as good.

I also have a Droid X via Verizon and my fiance has an iPhone via AT&T, and I will say that he constantly drops calls. Additionally, his GPS is horrible; my Droid's GPS can literally find me anywhere and give me voice instructions on how to get to where I want to be, but the iPhone frequently casts this large net of places where you might be-- and the little blue dot (your location) is almost always way-off. It drives him crazy.

+1 for the Droid's GPS being awesome. And you don't have to pay for turn-by-turn directions. It's included with the data package.

 

[Haven]

I hate it when people I want to speak with on the phone have iPhones. They have horrible reception. I know they're amazing for a million other things, but if you want a PHONE that works well, I'd avoid the iPhone. (My parents and sisters all have iPhones and they are the only people with whom I cannot have a clear conversation on the phone.) They all complain that it their iPhones have crappy phone
service, but they don't want to give them up because they love all the other bells and whistles, which I totally understand.

DH has one of the droid phones and loves it. His phone's reception is great--we have Sprint so I don't know if it's the service or the phone, though.

 

[TravelingGal]

Good points from everyone. A few more to consider...

You not only have to decide iPhone vs Android, but WHICH Android phone. Do you want to do the research? Because some phones are better than others. I have a Sony Xperia X10. But it gives iPhone a run for its money in terms of not being able to use it as a phone. Why? Because it's a KNOWN problem that the call volume is very low.

Because Android is an open platform, you sort of don't know when or if you'll be updated. With iPhone, Apple's controlling nature comes in handy when it comes to OS rollouts. Going back to my Xperia 10, until Monday I had Android 1.6. That's quite a few versions behind (I believe Android's on 2.3?) The 2.1 update for my phone came out MONTHS ago, but AT&T didn't test and held the update from Sony until now. The choice was to either root the phone or be stuck with 1.6 until very recently.

Which goes to another thing...depending on the carrier, they can cripple an Android phone. ATT doesn't allow apps not in the marketplace, nor does it allow sideloading - at least on the Xperia. They load it with crappy apps and you can't delete this. So "customizable" may not always be the case.

Different phone manufacturers may add their own interface for various things, or just use Androids. Sony has its own media app for pics, videos etc.

So you see what I mean? Lots to think about with an Android phone if you're into this kind of stuff. With an iPhone, it's kind of a no brainer, but I always say you have to take what Steve Jobs gives you. With Android, there are many more choices, and in a way, freedom. But Apple puts out a great product with a very easy learning curve...Android is a bit harder to pick up.

Agree with all the other stuff people said. More accessories with iPhone. Apps are a moot point because the Android market has a ton and the main ones you will want are there. More free apps than iPhone.

All that being said, I like Android. But I would take a good look at iPhone5 when it comes out!

 

[rainwood]

I've had good luck with the phone service on my iPhone - I hear well and the same for those on the other end so that doesn't really distinguish the two phones for me. It may be that I'm on Verizon with my iPhone and they have a better network here than AT&T. And when I use the ear buds/mic that came with my iPhone, my husband says he can't even tell that I'm talking on a cell phone outside, which surprised me.

I do think that much of the phone experience depends on the strength of the carrier in your area. The one downside for Sprint is that sometimes I haven't had service when my husband did on his Verizon phone. That was particularly true on vacation in Hawaii and some of the outlying areas where we live. The Sprint Navigation on my Android is great, but not infallible. I loved how it went silent when the map it was using was wrong, and it thought we'd just made a left into someone's house! I don't know how the GPS is other than the Sprint Navigation system. That's the only one I've used on my Droid.

 

[asscherisme]

Thanks for the great replies! So I've decided to put my decision on hold until the Iphone 5 comes out and then wait for reviews and decide then. In the meantime, I am just going to go month to month with no contract and keep my crappy buggy droid phone.

 

[Arkteia]

My husband and son have iPhones and I have a Droid. For me and my husband who are older iPhones are easier. The only reason I keep my Droid is because it has larger screen which is an important issue for me. My 21-year old should have bought a Droid.

 

[that_someone_special]

My family has 4 iP4's and two droids.

Let me just say, the droid users have been miserable with their phones because... well, they suck. They are slow, they have a hard time getting messages on time (or even sent on time), the games are extremely limited, the screens are a bit dull.. and they are bulky. And crappy

I would rather switch to a non-smart phone that ever go droid. Call me a fangirl if you want, I just have always had great customer service with apple (even on the off occasion that something happens with any of my apple products.) I can't really think of another product that you can buy in an AT&T store and then bring into an Apple store for service (usually free if under warranty and it's not a cosmetic issue or water damage.)

 

[that_someone_special]

I wouldn't hold your breath for the iP5.. it's rumored that another ip4 version will release in fall with the iP5 in 2012

 

[marcy]

We both had the droid incredible. DH used his with work too and it was horrible with the volume of emails he gets. He lost calls, messages and emails. He got the larger battery and still had to charge it at work. He paid the cash price for the iPhone 4 and hasn't regretted it. It works like a champ and stays charged all day. He doesn't lose calls, texts or emails.

I had the droid for 2 months and mine got hacked. Both of us had problems with apps crashing and more buggy programs.

When my mom was available for an upgrade inured her upgrade to get the iPhone. I can't tell you how much smoother and nicer everything runs. I sold our droits to a guy on eBay and wouldn't go back to one after having the iPhone.

 

[Autumnovember]

My best friend just got the iPhone and unfortunately had to send it back and get a replacement because after a week it started working like junk.

 

[PilsnPinkysMom]

My husband has a Samsung Galaxy and I have iP4.... And I think my iPhone is leaps and bounds better. Full disclosure: I am a Mac user, love Apple customer service, and superficially love the sleekness of my iPhone.

DH's Galaxy has been buggy and funky from the get-go. Truthfully, he needs to return it to the Verizon store and get a replacement. It shuts itself off, it freezes ALL OF THE TIME, and it is slow as molasses.

I had some random Blackberry before getting my iPhone 4 and am oh-so-happy that I made the switch. I use my iPhone for everything: e-mail, gps, internet, etc. The display is clear and easy to read. I use few apps... mostly news, Amazon, and movie reviews, but they're fantastic. And I the FaceTime function! It's so fun to talk with friends and family "face to face"

I guess a lot depends on what you want to DO with your phone. Are you an app person? Do you use it for texting/talking and nothing else?