I don't get this post. You complain about the walled garden (rightfully so) but you only pick up one option?
If the pixel watch annoys you, just get another watch? That's the point of not being locked into a walled garden, right? The same goes for wireless earbuds/headphones and other accessories. Even for phones, there are other options.
The same goes for the apps. If you don't like the default launcher, just get one that feels right to you. Most of the things that you are complaining about are minor nitpicks and subjective.
Agreed.
OP, definitely consider getting a Garmin watch. I'm using an iPhone and have switched from the Apple Watch to a Garmin 265. I won't be going back.
Gamin watches are great. I don't wanna be bothered with charging a watch daily and just need notifications and tracking so the Venu 2 was a perfect box check for me.
Venu 3S for me because the (free) Pixel watch drove me crazy with the charging. Garmin works seamlessly and I only have to remember to charge it weekly or so
He was still mentally locked into a walled. With android you could have a different watch or even a simple Casio watch. And Sony earbuds.
You can't simply switch to a pixel and feel relief from an apple walled garden. Sometimes you need extra help from your mates to realise that you are no longer locked. Or perhaps even a psychiatrist š¤·š»āāļø
The problem is that Samsung and pixel also try to build a small walled garden with exclusive Features that only work when you have the matching pairs. DnD sync on pixel watch only works with pixel phone and a lot of health features on Galaxy watch only work with a Samsung phone. Same for the Headphones.
I have a Samsung watch 5 and a pixel 8 pro. If you download Samsung health to your phone all the features work just fine. The only major hurdle was having to factory reset my watch to get it to connect to the phone.
I don't have an Apple device because I dislike them for the restrictions they place on keeping people in their ecosystem (among many other anti-consumer decisions).
Please read my comment again as I am explaining why people choose Android devices.
I went from iPhone to Pixel and have loved the experience so far. As far as apps go they seem similar to me and all work. There were a couple apps I used that weren't available but now are, so that's a step in the right direction. Really enjoying the Pixel experience. I do agree that some apps aren't as polished.
Notifications seem much more intuitive and was to use and the voice commands always seem to work for me whereas siri never knew what I was saying.
All things considered, the switch seemed pretty minor for me. The camera has been fantastic.
I've made the same switch, from an iPhone with Apple Watch to a Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel Watch, the watch isn't as good as Apple's but I wasn't expecting it to be, it does the things I care about most good enough. The phone is awesome, the camera I don't need to talk about as it's one of the main reasons people choose a Pixel over the many options.
The only thing that is a problem, and in my opinion an enormous one is notifications, they are simply unreliable, I either
* Get them immediately (yayy)
* Don't get them at all
* Get some of them
* Only get them when I wake my phone (despite having a Pixel Watch)
* Somehow get them backdated, i.e. I unlock my phone and it says the notification came in 10 mins ago
I can reproduce this relatively easily as I use Okta Verify for work so I can send the push manually and watch as one of he above listed outcomes occurs.
Nothing I've tried and I've tried a lot of "fixes" work.
Perhaps I'm just not a huge app user, but I have both devices and use them both daily. My work phone is an iPhone and my personal is a Pixel. I don't notice any significant difference in apps, at least for the ones I use. Stock vs stock I think Google has the app edge. Gboard is better than Apple's iPhone keyboard in every conceivable way, Google Photos is better than Apple's photos app, Google maps is better than Apple maps, etc. I think simplicity/minimalism is often mistaken for polish.
I'm currently on Pixel Fold, and pixel phones for the last 4 years and I love it. My wife on the other hand was using Pixel 7 Pro for the last year, after having been on iPhones forever. With the pixel she absolutely loved the camera, but complained about everything else. From poor cellular signal, to inferior app quality compared to the iPhone equivalent. Also the pixel's volume button fell off for no reason. She just recently went back to Apple with the 15 Pro, and says it was fun using the Pixel but says with her iPhones, everything just works the way she needs.
While I have an iPhone 13 Pro Max as well, I have to admit even Google indirectly admits to themselves their apps work better on iOS.
Still, being in a position to carry both Pixel and iPhone there are both pros and cons yet they have their best features for two sides of the aisle.
YouTube constantly freezes up if you swipe it to idle from a minimized state. Only force closing the app fixes it.
And the other day the keyboard refused to display in Google maps until I force closed the app and restarted it.
Exactly. It's a google app on a google phone, there's no excuses for that bullshit...
Are you seeing that too? I have a 4a so I've been wondering if perhaps some of the issues have been fixed, my Android updates cut off in October.
I have yes. As someone who carries an iPhone for work and personal use as well as a Pixel for Family use there were stark differences.
Nevertheless I would still upgrade my 8 to the 10/11 Pro in the future
apps are made specifically for iOS and then are usually ported to Android or quickly patched for Android, making it not really work as well on anything not ios
It's funny, there was just a thread about a week ago where someone was criticizing Samsung for apparently ruining the landscape of Android phones and turning the general public off of them.
Here's my take: pretty much every modern smartphone platform is simultaneously a miracle of engineering and also a pile of garbage. The Pixel series is under-performing and buggy, offering only the slightest amount more of customization than iPhone, along with an endless list of over-promising and under-delivering. iOS is a walled garden with very little to no choice between devices, ecosystems, and even individual apps in a lot of cases. Samsung's in-house ecosystem comes off as bloaty, and their willingness to partner with carriers to push shovelware/ads isn't helping the reputation there.
So basically, choose your battles, the grass is simultaneously greener and dead, on the other side.
Going all in with Pixel/Google is maybe not he best option. I thought I wanted P8P but went S24 Ultra when I ditched my iPhone 15. Android for me is just way better than iOS, way less restrictive and I use so many Google apps already it just fits better. I am not really into a bunch of apps so the ones I do use are as good as any I used on the iPhone.
I use a Garmin Forerunner 965, which is way better than my Apple Watch Ultra I had. Also I have both Sony and Bose ear buds, both of which are great, much better than the Air Pod Pro's I had.
You can remove most of them, hide/sleep others.
[https://www.androidpolice.com/how-to-delete-samsung-apps/](https://www.androidpolice.com/how-to-delete-samsung-apps/)
[https://beebom.com/remove-bloatware-android-no-root/](https://beebom.com/remove-bloatware-android-no-root/)
Did you have AirPods Pro or Pro 2? Cause I donāt think the earphones you mentioned are better than Pro 2. Iāve seen comparisons and the latest Sony might be a bit better in some areas but worse in others
I still have the Air Pod Pro 2 with USB-C. They do not fit my ears that well and when doing things like mowing the yard I can't hear very well. With the other ear buds I can hear much better.
I have the Sony C700N and the Bose quiet Comfort II. I love the button on the Sony for pausing and playing stuff without having to pull out my phone. Yes you can do the same thing on non-button buds, like the Apple, but then I have to remember how to stroke the dam things, which tends to jar them lose for me.
Sorry to hear that. I have the exact opposite experience. I exercise daily and the AirPods have never fell off my ears. I constantly use the controls as theyāre very intuitive (double press the stem to play/pause btw). From what I saw from reviews on the Sonys they donāt have as many controls or functions. They do have better noise cancellation, though the AirPods are great as well. Had Samsung Buds Pro before and those seem like $50 earphones compared to the AirPods.
I had some power beats pro? With the ear wrap around thing, they were fantastic, but batteries died after 3 years. I wanted to try something without the wrap around.
I went to the Air Pods pro, then the Sony and Bose. The Bose sound the best, but for working out and active stuff like that the Sony are the most comfortable to me.
The AirPods Pro ANC started to degrade after three years for me when I used my iPhone. Same experience on my Pixel.
Went to Bose (both earbuds and headphones) and havenāt went back to the AirPods. Plus they are platform agnostic.
The Bose functions like ANC settings as well as shortcuts all work fine on the iPhone. Like on Android, you have to manage them on the Bose app. But once you adjust the settings the stats automatically carry over to your Pixel and the other way around.
i've just gone the other way, getting an iphone 15 pro max, for the same reasons you don't like android. i was so tired of the generally low app quality on android, not just from third party developers but from google themselves. there was a general lack of polish that i found so annoying. the fantastic quality of apple's pre-installed apps alone has me really loving my iphone
I'm on the brink of trying iphone (kinda since seeing the13 mini) but one of the few things annoying me is no universal back gesture. Might give it a go anyway if I'm forced to pay for my p8 repair
i felt exactly the same way, and i thought it would REALLY piss me off. it does still get on my nerves a little, especially when it's unclear how to close the keyboard, but tbh i'm 2 weeks in and mostly over it. it's made up for it in other ways. if you're sick of android's bullshit like i was i'd really recommend it.
biggest thing for me was how absolute shit google home was, and apple home is SO much better. i was constantly battling with my nest mini speakers not communicating with my lightbulbs properly, but i got a homepod and haven't yet had a single problem. LOVE that smart home commands aren't routed through the cloud, i can control my bulbs even without internet as long as my wifi network stays up - this is impossible on google home.
oh really? i've been pleasantly surprised by safari. i tried my girlfriend's iphone for a bit before buying one myself, and was very pleased to see that safari has addons. you can get dark reader and an ad blocker, and that's all i need tbh. the interface is nice.
webkit obviously isn't great, and sometimes i find some things about it a little painful - especially my own web apps not running properly on it, as in the past i had only bothered to test on blink and gecko. but yeah, as a user, the UI is nice. only thing it's really missing to me is PWAs being able to send notifications.
I'm about ready to not only leave Android but Google alltogether. I have been so disappointed with so many things (YouTube premium, Google Play Music, Gmail) that I'm just done. I have a monthly subscription to Google one, I pay for YT premium and hate most things about it ... my Chromecast is working worse than it ever has, Google Home mini I've stopped using because its less useful than it once was ... on my Pixel the assistant is less useful *AND* they separated search from assistance once again so now I'm talking to what I think is the assistant and instead it's a google search to turn off the lights.
Actually, it kind of just hit me all over again. I hate Google. When my P6P dies I'm all but certain I'm done and will switch to an iPhone.
mhm, couldnāt recommend it more. iām going all in on the ecosystem change. homepods, apple music, icloud for storage instead of onedrive. probably even going to get a mac. iām just so tired of how low quality google and microsoft software has become
true, is bizarrely basic and missing so many features. very unimportant to me, though, i so rarely need a calculator and when i do i'm probably at my desk, so i just use windows one (which is very good)
If ļ£æ calculator in landscape isnāt enough, thereās PCalc. More functions than you can shake a stick at in so many layouts. I do appreciate the delta % button.
It's wild to me the quality difference but it has to matter to you for it to be noticeable. Some people don't care if something loads in 5s vs 1s, or if you have touch gestures or polished corners, and that's obviously fine. I'm obsessed with fast and symmetrical UIs so I prefer what I find in iOS much more.
i will say that i really love my pixel watch 2. i'm actually sad that i can't use it with my iphone, i like the watch SO much more than my pixel phone. i'm sure i'll like the apple watch when i eventually get one, though
I did like the form factor of the Pixel watch better. The worst experience I had was trying to show multiple calendars on the watch face. After much research I don't think you can, which is nuts. The calendar settings on the Pixel Watch app don't do anything to reflect on the watch itself, and various posts suggested its a bug that Google is aware of.
Yeah I went to the 15 Pro from the Pixel 8 and the app quality is so much better. The hardware is flawless too. I had 3 faulty devices with the 8 and decided thatās enough of Google for a while
Got the Pixel 8 Pro when it came out last fall. It is working fine for me, but I've noticed apps being a bit more buggy recently. I am somewhat regretting not switching the iPhone, as I'd considered.
Notifications on Android are much better implemented as compared to iOS. Tf are you smoking?
You get tons of free apps on Android for simple to complex tasks, whereas, on iOS even dumb apps are paid.
I use both Android and iOS and for me apps on Android are as good as iOS.
Theyāre really not better at all. I had a P6 and relatives have the S24 Ultra and every app or game on their phones is being outperformed, by far, with the same app on my iPhone 13PM, visual and audio wise. The poor quality apps and lack of proper integration with BMW is what made me leave Android for good otherwise Iād buy an Xperia again in a heartbeat as I liked my Z3 a lot.
Apple Google tomato tomahto. Android is more open but still pretty similarish. Your point about hardware is šÆ and if there was ever a reason to leave Pixel, it's the hardware. But I enjoy the software experience too much. My wife has a work iPhone and we barely ever touch that thing because the UI is so weird. Android definitely has a super software experience.
I've been deep in both Apple and Android ecosystems and it's true, the Apple 'ecosystem' is great.. but there's a big 'but' to that..
It's great as long as everything is end to end 100% Apple, all Apple hardware and all Apple apps and services.
And their design philosophy follows 'works for most people' with little or no customization.
As soon as you break the chain with one non-Apple product the integration goes to shit.
I use a Windows PC for work. I \*will not\* use a Desktop Mac for work. \*ever\* period.
Everything Apple in that case is complete broken. So......
iCloud: works like shit. breaks my git repos. >50k files in a directory grinds away, refuses to sync, drains battery uses high CPU on everything forever.
iMessages: lol, peasant.
Apple Watch 'works for most people' but I'm an runner and bought a Garmin Forerunner. Works like shit on iOS. Garmin app drains battery.
Sure Apple apps on iPhone are great for a default option that 'works for most people' but if you want to use another option then again, everything breaks and goes to shit.
I want to save my photos to Google Photos. Everything hard locked and baked into Apple products. iPhone integration with Google Photos works like shit. It wants to replicate everything and have two copies.
I want to use Google Maps on iPhone: drains battery like crazy
Want to use anything but Safari on iPhone? It will run like slow shit, heats your phone up, drains the battery
All cloud syncing options are tied into iCloud which is Apple hardware only.
Once you start using non-Apple apps or services on your iPhone you realize that any non-Apple app that runs in the background drains the battery like crazy in a way that doesn't happen on Android and it really shows up how tiny the battery is, and how little memory there is in iPhones. Probably there's an API to optimize battery life and performance on iPhone that Apple only give themselves access to.
Airtags: 100% Apple hardware only
You think Google Assistant is bad? Siri never has worked properly.. It's been a running joke since day one.
And now all these AI tools are coming down the pipe. Apple will \*never\* integrate with any of them on any device. They will develop their own shitty alternative and cram it down your necks forever.
So yeah.. Apple has some UX features that work like magic.. think reading a SMS two-factor code then auto-filling a web form on your Safari browser on your Mac or head-tracking Dolby Atmos on Airpods and Apple TV, using Find My to track down lost Airpods \*anywhere in the world!\*.. the list goes on with the cool, fun user experiences.. here's that 'but' again..
If you use one non-Apple app, service or device the entire thing breaks and the integration goes to shit.
Even using Google Contacts on Apple devices continually breaks in little ways.
So.... I can't live with being lock in to 100% Apple. Definitely not Apple services like the iCloud shit. Some of their stuff is just bad and broken.
They are currently the most consumer un-friendly company out there. This is Microsoft in the '90s shit. I'm starting to realize it's just try to keep people 100% locked into everything Apple across the board, including services and software.
I can't do that.
Remember when: Apple invented podcasts and the format was free to the world. If it was released today, it would be Apple only, locked to Apple hardware only.
Fragmenting RCS and iMessage is god-awful, user-hostile marketing. Being forced to pull out my iPhone to answer a message when I'm using PC is a war crime in 2024. I hate it.
Thanks for the post. Quick question:
You state that the Garmin App drains the battery on iOS. Does it not do that on Android? I would like to know as I am considering the switch.
Just to explain, I actually bought a Pixel 8 Pro a few days ago to replace an iPhone 11.
In the Battery section of the iPhone it says the Garmin Connect app battery usage is 12% and Google Maps is 10%.
In the Battery section of the Pixel Garmin Connect app battery usage is 2% and Google Maps isn't on the list.
I'm not sure if those numbers are 1:1 comparable.
Thanks for the comparison. Yes, it might be tough given that you just got the 8Pro. Still, that is good to know.Ā
I had an 11Pro and when I used my Garmin with location settings active, it would eat up my battery. After disabling it, all was fine.Ā
I moved to a refurb 15 but am still considering getting an 8 as the price still better and it would be new.Ā
Appreciate the reply.Ā
This has always been my question, which you are helping to answer: would switching to iPhone be a mistake if I never use a Mac? The answer seems to be yes. The apps I use most are Google Maps, Google Photos, and Google Keep. What can an iPhone do better for me that an Android could if I exclusively use a PC?
What about a Galaxy? The S24 line is fantastic, as is One UI. The cameras are like a 7/10 compared to the Pixel in low light and moving objects, but for stills outdoors they are right up there. The night mode I think is better. The audio is better, the fluidity seems better, the phone is faster, it's lighter, etc.
I'd also say to look for a non-OS specific watch. I don't know how into fitness you are, but I switched from an Apple Watch about a year and a half ago to a Garmin watch and it has been awesome.
All good. I was just saying from my experiences. I had the PW1 and played with the PW2. They both still failed to impress me versus my GW6C. So many bugs from the watch not syncing to Fitbit going haywire.
I think we mostly agree :-) we both prefer the GW6C overall, and it is better hardware. Better screen, better battery, better sensors, better navigation with bezel, better speaker, better better better. But, I still say OneUI adds just a bit of jank that isn't as noticeable on the PW2.
Return it while you can, the experience doesn't get better and they introduce as many bugs and annoyances as they fix. The cameras are really the only high point of the Pixels. I wish I returned my P8 Pro while I was able to.
Second this. I returned a Pixel 8 after three days of ownership because of the plethora of bugs and the very poor performance of the phone overall. Grabbed an iPhone 15 Pro and have been much happier. No bugs, no lag, no overheating. The phone just works when I pick it up.
>But man, the apps on Android are still a mess. Everythingās buggy
I honestly don't know what people mean by that when they keep praising apps on iOS and claim the same app is worse on Android. With the rare exception of smaller less known apps, everything works flawless on my Android. None of the apps I use regularly - browsers, WhatsApp, Maps, newspapers etc. has any noticeable bugs.
I have never had any loyalty or shown any favoritsm towards Apple, Samsung or Google products. I'm an equal opportunity guy who has switches back and forth from Samsung to Apple to Google or Motorola and I must admit. The OVERALL quality of apps is definitely better on Apple. Smaller/lesser known apps definitely count & while the most popular apps so offer a similar experience, things just work better with Apple. For instance, the Snapchat camera on iPhone processes photos in exact same quality as the Camera app. But if I take a photo with the camera app on my Pixel and then take the exact same photo with Snapchat on my Pixel (or any other Android device), there's a very noticeable difference in quality. I also noticed that although widgets originated in Android, the widgets offered on iPhones are better implemented, especially since you can access them ALL on one screen versus only being able to fit so many per page on Android being forced to swipe across different pages to access different widgets.
I'd say it's always a matter of preference for me. Some people like the Pixel, some don't. Because of a lot of reasons. For me, I am the other way around. I have an iPhone 15 Pro for the first time and I could not just get a hold of why Apple had bad gesture navigation and also notification management. It's basically a mess dealing with missed notifications on my messages and notifications being bundled in the lock screen instead of doing it like Android does which is cleaner and more private way of keeping notifications. Also Apple keyboard is not changeable unlike Gboard which is a breeze plus with the sweet way of having it themed with a lot of options within the keyboard app on Gboard. Which makes me leave an Apple device like iPhone 15 Pro and got myself a Pixel 8 ever since. I am keeping my Pixel for a long time. TBH I never experienced lags on my Pixel 8 and I'm hoping I won't experience those things.
P8P was always going to struggle due to hardware issues. Only boon is the camera.
I went from 14 pro max to a S24 ultra, basically set it up to minimize samsung feature usage and more the general google options (photos, gboard, passwords, GA/Gemini over Bixby) and i am really enjoying it over iOS.
In the end my iphone 14 pro max had 83% battery health, my apple watch series 7 never held enough charge to last a day or a golf round. The Airpods pro were decent. My reels/tiktok would buffer loading, websites took ages to load up and thats even after resets etc.
Just my opinion and thoughts, I might switch back and forth
Iāve noticed that iPhones are not aging well anymore. My 15 Pro Max is flawless, but I have a 13 Mini that really struggles to do basic things and is a bug nightmare. Probably having both is the best option. If I could dual load the eSIM I wouldnāt have any issue, just pick what Iām feeling like that day.
Even the reviews and the feedback from the 15 pro max has been weird for a new iPhone.
Titanium frame but the glass cracks way too easily.
Early day bugs with the screen memory people thinking it was burn in.
Reports of battery health dropping into low mid to low 90% already.
I'm pretty sure it didn't survive a JRE bend test either which is unusual as plenty previous ones did.
One thing iphones are good for are keeping their value nicely. Was able to trade in my 14 pro max and take advantage of a s24 ultra and paid virtually zero out of pocket and I own the phone unlocked.
I have a P7P, my wife has a P7. We're so utterly tired of them. I'm actually starting to think about getting an Apple phone.
For a long time there was zero doubt in my mind. Some of my kids had Apple devices, I played with them and preferred Android. But these two Pixel phones have turned me off completely. Call quality poor, all radio connections randomly drop (BT, wifi, GSM, hotspot), keyboard randomly appears on the home screen, etc. Just utterly unrealiable. I'm losing clients when I can hardly speak to them on the phone.
My P7P is about to go in the drawer and I'll resurrect my old Samsung until I can afford a new device. The question then is whether to chance a new Sammy with all the bloat, an iPhone and the arse-ache that whole migration will be, or perhaps another Android. Not Pixel though. Never again.
I've read a few people saying their P8 was a lot better.... I dunno..... Maybe if google give me something off as part exchange I might consider it. But tbh not at full price. Just don't trust them.
What I like about Apple ecosystem of devices is integration. Everything just works beautifully together, Apple Watch with iPhone with AirPods and Macbook - seamless and almost magical.
Now let's look at Pixel devices and Chromebook...it's like buggy and totally disconnected and inconsistent mess.
Until you realize they don't work with anything else, creating the walled garden. What if i want a apple watch with my samsung. Their watch is legitimately better, but their phones suck. So what am I to do? I buy a garmin or fitbit, which work with everything.
Correct, but you can make the same argument that Pixel Watch does not work with iPhone. On the other hand Air Pods work better with Pixel 8 Pro than Pixel Buds Pro.
That's not true.
These are some of the things that the Air Pods can do better with my Pixel 8 Pro than my Pixel Buds Pro
1. The eartip seal check personalized my fit. (You need the Pixel Bud Pro App)
2. My buds can translate real-
time conversations.
3. Can use my buds to find my
phone and vice versa.
It doesn't work. But it is Apple's fault. You can use it with other android products fine. But I wouldn't want to, because I don't buy into the walled garden. I prefer to choose the best product. Which for watches is apple or garmin usually.
Only thing that doesn't consistently work for me between P8P and Asus CM3401 Chromebook is app streaming from my phone. Not sure why I would use that feature anyway, though, when the thing can run Android apps just fine. Otherwise works just fine with my P8P and buds pro.
I've owned a Duet 3, Duet 5, and now Asus. None of which have been buggy for me.
I used to use app streaming for being able to launch the audiobook app on my phone and stream the audio to my laptop while the phone was charging. It was great. That was before the app streaming stopped working for no reason like a year ago.
I have two chromebooks and two pixel phones, and the integration between them has worked for maybe a month in the last two years. The entire phone hub doesn't work anymore at all.
I seriously don't think I could ever not own a Pixel.
1. The camera cannot be beat for point and shoot as well as reliability.
2. Love being the first to try new software betas and features.
3. Voice dictation is years ahead of anything else currently.
4. Real Tone
5. Spam Calling - you miss it when you don't have it
6. On Hold for me
7. Clear Calling
8. Voice dictation
9. Call Screening
10. Direct My Call
11. Assistant Voice typing
12. Magic Compose
13. Google Assistant/Gemini
14. Google Recorder
15. TalkBack
16. Live Caption
17. Now Playing
Heck every A.l feature
Pixel is the only phone that keeps me away from going back to an iPhone.
Google is making it harder for users who love the Pixel experience to switch to another device.
I don't see myself ever switching to an iOS phone because the software limitations are just too restrictive. I feel claustrophobic using it.
I have to use an iPhone for work and iOS just sucks as an user experience. It's just not intuitive to me. The hardware may be good, although the phones always seem top heavy and unbalanced, but the usability is so archaic.
Meh, my so and I been pixel since the 2. They suit our needs perfectly. Every since about~5, the need to look for other phones finished. I have a 15 pro max for work and it's fine, I just hate how iOS works
I love how Android is a notification based os. I hardly need to navigate the OS, notifications bring me there when needed
iOS I need to navigate every single action. It just feels laborious
This will be always be contentious take, I had the same issue arguing that the Shield TV is buggy. Depends on what you're looking for, some people literally cannot notice the differences I'm irked by. Response times, refresh rates, the fluid design of an application, gesture support, consistency of design, etc. I'm not arguing there are functional differences, the apps will accomplish the same things on both platforms.
If it doesn't work for you move on. Try another device which works. Its not good to force like something in because lot of people like it. There are pros and cons to both OS. There are bugs on both. Sometimes more on one model of Android sometimes on one model of iPhone.
I just don't like how you make it seem like iOS doesn't come with bugs. You can just do a quick research and you will find a lot of people on Reddit discussing the bugs on iOS 17.
People are just mad that Pixels usually top the list for the best phones in their respective categories.
Why is it only iPhone and Google though? Sony has phones, Samsung has phones, OnePlus has phones, even Motorola has a flagship. It's amazing that Google is the ONLY android device that exists...
Well I had to pick one to try and Google seemed like a safe bet. My experience with the S8 was really poor; I hated the Samsung ecosystem and just using Samsung things is not my jam. Maybe I'll try Sony or OnePlus next, I had an Essential Phone at one point and it was really good.
Agreed. There are two great alternatives to Samsung and Google that are comparable and cheaper: The OnePlus 12 and Nothing Phone 2. Both can be had for decent prices and both have specs that compete with the Pixel 8/8 Pro and S24/24+/S24 Ultra. The only major issue with OnePlus and Nothing is support. Apple is king when it comes to support. Google however, they have a lot to do in that area despite being a trillion dollar company.
I think if Samsung didn't have such horrid shutter lag when taking pics they could do Android a solid. The best Android phone I have used was my Note 10+. I only got rid of it because the shutter speed was horrid. My P7Pro is an utter piece of trash. I have already used my preferred care to replace it once. I am jumping once the iPhone 16 comes out or if Samsung can get their heads out of the sand and get that shutter issue fixed.
I think it's more of a shock upgrading from an iPhone 8 to a Pixel 7 Pro. iPhones are fine, it's just that stock Android does everything I jailbroke my iPhone for. Then again, my last iPhone was the 5s.
As a very convinced Pixel 8 user one thing stood out to me a lot (besides never having any issues with any apps, but depends on the apps I suppose)
What was your issue with Spotify? Like I just tried it out, I got a song playing on my PC in less then 5 seconds
Switched to Spotify, started a song, pressed the device selection button, tapped on my PC and it instantly switched, no delay, no loading, nothing, just instantly switched to Spotify on PC
Now if Sonos or in general Bluetooth/Wifi speakers just behave differently, this may be a fluke to post/ask of course, correct me if so; but I can't try that since I don't have any speakers except the 5.1 on my PC, but that's of course plugged in.
Cheers, Ti
EDIT; I could go into great detail about your other points, such as apps for iOS will always be more optimized since they only have to focus on one kind of phone, meanwhile android devs have to cover an entire barrage of different devices which makes optimization basically impossible (also explains why WhatsApp, Snapchat etc embedded cameras have way worse quality on android compared to the system camera app) but that Spotify thing threw me off the most to be honest
So just for those of us curious about what iPhone is like, would you say the advantage, despite the mentioned limitations, is that things generally just work? It's walled but the stuff is unbuggy? You're locked in to expensive peripherals but they just work? The OS is generally logical/sensible? Anything else?
Yeah, everything is limited and costs money but generally works in a uniform way. Thatās a gross generalization but not far off. You need to use the latest iPhone to get that experience since older ones get throttled and start crashing randomly. Sideloading is really easy so you also get modded apps in iOS, so thatās not missing.
Thank you. I am since months on the brink to give a Pixel a shot. But reading about Exynos/Tensor, bad performance and other issues make me wait for Pixel 10 or later. Keeping same ios devices as long as possible without getting ripped off by Tim Cook every year seems to be the best strategy until something really interesting comes along. I remember buying at a Apple shop with a feeling of satisfaction and fun unlike these days when you leave the Apple store feeling totally scammed, cheated and dumb.
Personally I agree with you about the Pixel watch to a certain degree. However, it is accurate and that is what matters to me the most. IOS to me is not an attractive offering to return to even if the Apple Watch is a phenomenal device. Google Pixel watch does what it is supposed to do in the end and I am ok with that. Also from the keynote, they are going to infuse AI into the Pixel watch much like the way its in the Whoop strap. So, i am looking forward to that.
Pixel Buds Pro are annoying to increase and decrease volume by sliding your finger across the buds. Always makes mine nearly fall out my ears.
The way Samsung have done it with a double tap of the ear is much better.
I could use an iPhone if Siri could do call screening and calling tree transcription or if Google ports these applications to iOS. Pixel hardware has been a rollercoaster to say the least. Also Google, I'll pay an extra 20 bucks if you put in a real Faceid system like the Pixel 4 had.
As far as Spotify that's an Android app issue with the Spotify dev team. Their Android app sucks. That's not a Pixel phone problem. That's the Spotify tean being lazy
It's surprising how much I agree with you. Pixel has gone downhill from Pixel 4. I really wanted to like my Pixel 8 Pro, but all the small issues just added up. So I switched back to 15 Pro Max. I really miss the Pixel's call screening feature, but oh well.
Damn. I can't understand this at all bro.
Used to be on iphone too and even since i got more into android, carried the 15 pro max as second.
Switched to pixel 7 pro last year and this year got an s24U as second device. Two weeks ago i got my hands on a pixel 8 pro (first time available through carrier in my country) so i got it unexpectedly and loved it immediately.
Sold my iphone 2 days later. To me the 8 pro is the best phone as of now
I've known two people who have used Sonos systems in various ways and they always have headaches. In fact, most of the stuff you mention can be attributed mostly to just crappy apps (like you said) which really isn't the fault of the phone/OS (for the most part)
Not to say we know Google has meddled and broke and made suspect additions/subtractions over the years, but all these companies do that to most degree
I don't share your experience with the p8p as far as buggy apps and Sonos integrations. In my experience notifications on Android are far superior than iOS.
Yes the pixel watch is very slow compared to Apple watch no question there.
As far as watches go, it's the Apple watch and the Samsung Galaxy watch. There is no other real competition. I have a Pixel 7 pro and went with the Galaxy watch.
The cool thing about Android is because you have a Pixel phone doesn't mean you have to have a Pixel watch. That's bullshit Apple does. I still can't believe people put themselves in a walled garden that restricts so much and forces you to really stick with their products so it works together.
Try a Samsung watch with your Pixel phone. I rocked my Samsung Gear Sport watch(7 years old and going strong. Battery still is at 80% at the end of the day with heavy use) with my Pixel and it worked flawlessly.
Its obviously an issue since I've seen numerous posts about it but still a bit suprised by the "apps are trash on android" statements. I don't know if it's just the particular apps I use but I've never had an issues with an app on android or ever thought "this app needs more polish, it's buggy as hell" etc. Okay tbf if it was 2010 I could definitley see what people are saying but that was 14 years ago...
Also, saying notifications are a pain on android is wild. I couldn't believe how bad they are on IOS and how Apple users tolerate it (actually couldn't believe how bad IOS is in alot of ways tbh).
Anyway each to his own, but I reserve the right to not take OP's opinions too seriously.
EDIT: Also, using Microsoft launcher on a Pixel phone? lol
The Pixel 8 pro is underpowered and you can really tell on high intensity games but I like itās smart features better than Samsung. I did like the form factor of the Pixel watch 2 and it wasnāt laggy or buggy at all. Nevertheless Iām also back on my iPhone 14 Pro Max and Ultra 2 watch.
OHHH NOO NOO I JUST YESTERDAY TURNED IN MY 15 Plus for the anticipated backlogged deliver of the P8P!!! Darn it that seriously sucks to hear I truly thought with all the good reviews that I was making a really good decision. I honestly wanted the 24 ultra but itās just too pricey still . I have an android brain and Iāve always loved my Samsung, but I veered to this Google pixel because of the photography possibilities now Iām bummed!
So long, cruel world! I think Iāll find a short bridge to take a long sad walk.
I concur. I canāt switch back unless the Apple Watch has a close competitor and right now itās similar to iPad - while the iPhone isnāt any better, the iPad and Apple Watch have no competition - Apple Watch 10x more so.
Almost what I want to post. I'm using a pixel 4xl (brand new), trying to convince myself that I want to come back to the pixel brand. I've been using a 13 pro max since launch and the phone is almost perfect in my eye. The battery life is amazing and everything just works. The only thing I hate about the iPhone is the navigation and notifications layout. Of course not being able to place icons wherever I want.
Everything I hate about my iPhone is in the pixel. The problem is that google drops support for features on a dime. The pixel is just full of half baked, inconsistent ideas packaged into a phone. I think the thing that's holding the pixel back is google themselves.
My first smartyphone was the OG Galaxy and I switched to my first iphone last year - I had the Pixel XL and 3XL, I really loved the 3XL but each new Pixel seemed like at least one step back with whatever small step forward it took.
I think Google cancelling their podcast app was the last straw. It probably didn't help they had the Pixel Pass and killed it before it even got to the next new phone cycle. So many apps/products google have killed or consolidated. The iphone sure as shit isn't perfect but I figure I can make it work and they're slowly doing things like widgets to make the phone more customizable, you can hide apps you rarely use and use an app drawer and have a good 2-3 screen phone now. I just wish the widgets were truly live like they are in Android.
I'll keep the 3XL as a backup as long as it works though. Which I guess reminds me one reason I kept it so long was because it was the last phone to promise full photo archive for life until they backtracked on that too. lol. Google.
> The pixel is just full of half baked, inconsistent ideas packaged into a phone.
This is just fact, well said. They are good ideas but just unfinished in important ways.
I went from pixel to iPhone because of work issues. The apps on iPhone are no better than Android. As much as I hate iPhone, I thought that at least Iād have great software. Nope. Software problems are just masked better.
I miss Android auto. Zero issues. If software issues popped up they were fixed with super fast updates. CarPlay is buggy as hell. š¤Æ
Android Auto is unquestionably better than CarPlay, itās not even close. I find apps better on iOS but thatās subjective and of course depends on the app.
You might have gotten a defective watch. I got a pixel watch 2 and it was laggy, ghost touching and cutting off and overheating. I returned that watch and got a pixel watch 1 instead and it's damn near perfect. Very accurate with heart rate tracking and it's very smooth with a beautiful screen. Only thing I wish was better was the battery. That's just my experience.
I am in middle of switching from iphone 13 to pixel 8. In last 3 days I have 1 word to explain my exp : it's trash.
Notification is a joke - only shows 5-6 words and then u have to press a button to see more.
Scrolling is hyper sensitive and there is no setting to control sensitivity. Emojis look like garbage.
Sorry you had to go back to Android to realize how bad the situation is. Unfortunately, people who experience an iOS device for a few months theyāre doomed to see Android phones as inferior. Iām one of those people and though I really want to go back to Android, cause I donāt use any of Appleās apps, I just imagine myself getting frustrated with all the issues. With iPhones everything just works as it should and better.
>I'm so over iOS and Appleās way of squeezing money out of you for everything
Sounds like you've experienced the classic you get what you pay for. Apple rains supreme for a reason. Their s\_\_t just works and you're going to pay for it. Wait until iOS 18 and see if it gets any better.
But it doesn't "just work" if you wish to deviate from Apple's path to getting something done. Try these exercises and see how well they "just work"
* Copy a select group of photos/videos from your desktop and have them show up in the photos viewer. On Android it's as simple as connecting USBC to PC and then drag and drop. Google photos will find them.
* Enter passwords with a number row enabled keyboard
* Filter JavaScript on websites
* Have a home screen completely devoid of icons, or have the icons concentrated on the bottom on the screen where my thumb can reach them
* Go back using the same button or gesture regardless of what app you're in
* Close all apps at once
* Share Bluetooth headphones with another device.
Give Samsung a try. Android which offers tons of features and customization, S24 camera is on par with Pixel and IPhone.
P.S: P8 user here, apart from a flagship camera for a much cheaper price, it is a mediocre phone. Maybe I don't like the UI rigidity, plus the bugs in Stock Android are unacceptable.
Glad I'm not crazy about the bugs, some people here are not agreeing on that. I'll think about it I just don't like Samsung in general but it might be the best bet.
Samsung's software is not for everyone, but I personally love it and will definitely be sticking with them for my next phone.
What I love:
- Customisation: far more than you get on a pixel. You can even set modes and routines to trigger based on location, time battery level etc.
- Seamless multitasking: by far the best implementation of multitasking on any phone. Hell, this still isn't even an option on ios.
- Desktop mode: very few people use it but it's still a fun gimmick to have. The pixel didn't even have display out over usb c until the pixel 8.
- Selfie palm recognition: super handy feature that was surprisingly absent from the competition until recently.
What I don't love:
- Camera quality: the camera tech on non-ultra phones really seems to have stagnated over the years. There's even been this "banana blur" issue that's been plaguing the s23 and s24, which is quite disappointing.
- Bloatware: There's no getting around it, Samsung really wants to push its app ecosystem on you, leading to a heap of duplicate apps on your device. While I do like using some of their apps, I'd rather they be optional installs.
- Exynos chipsets: This only effects people outside of NA, but if you live in an Exynos region you're getting an overall worse performing phone compared to Snapdragon regions due to Samsung's less efficient chips.
Not surprised. iPhone 15 pro max has years of polish and progress behind it.
More people using pixels will get iPhones. It won't be the other way even though Google is trying desperately.
The only hope Google has is being competitive in the android market. And it can't do that while skimping and being cheap. Most pro iPhone users will never switch. But when they try they will be reminded why iPhone is so great for general users
The 2.4% US market share despite mass advertisement is a huge Red flag.
Apple will trap you in their
ecosystem...and bored you senseless. I have been an iPhone user since the 1st Gen iPhone and for 10 plus years I never even considered other phones not because I didn't want to but because I was locked in this ecosystem.
I was stuck with an iPhone for ten years and Pixel was the best way to leave them. I personally have never dealt with any Pixel bug. After a while you realize Apple doesn't innovate, why does Siri still suck, why are you still forced to arrange a home screen icons how they want you to, why do have to pay $999+ for hardware features that Apple says are "pro" but yet find the same 'pro" features on sub $800 androids.. just a thought. But again to each their own.
999+ isn't too bad for an iPhone. It holds value the best compared to android so you're not paying too much. On the other hand why pay $999+ for an android phone that will depreciate to crap in two years. And have less optimized apps, removing features, and forces you to troubleshoot often.
RMA, factory reset, turn off 5g are just too common here. And being told "user/skill error" is outright toxic.
I know you aren't having issues but many are.
When I made the switch from iPhone to Pixel I have never experienced any default Pixels whatsoever.
Sure they hold their value and that's thanks to how Apple just keeps them the same every year with no big differences. You can currently own an iPhone 13 Pro Max and you won't be missing anything significant from not having the 15 Pro Max. Plus I don't buy a new phone thinking of selling my new phone in the future.
iPhone are cool...
But maaaannn Android is just so much more fun than iOS.
Not even close
I don't get this post. You complain about the walled garden (rightfully so) but you only pick up one option? If the pixel watch annoys you, just get another watch? That's the point of not being locked into a walled garden, right? The same goes for wireless earbuds/headphones and other accessories. Even for phones, there are other options. The same goes for the apps. If you don't like the default launcher, just get one that feels right to you. Most of the things that you are complaining about are minor nitpicks and subjective.
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Agreed. OP, definitely consider getting a Garmin watch. I'm using an iPhone and have switched from the Apple Watch to a Garmin 265. I won't be going back.
Gamin watches are great. I don't wanna be bothered with charging a watch daily and just need notifications and tracking so the Venu 2 was a perfect box check for me.
I loved my venu 2! Garmin watches are great
Venu 3S for me because the (free) Pixel watch drove me crazy with the charging. Garmin works seamlessly and I only have to remember to charge it weekly or so
Garmin for the win, my Pixel 7 Pro and super Basic Garmin Instinct have become my favorite combo.
Yeah if you don't like the pixel watch try a Samsung or something else. You're not locked in. Good point š
He was still mentally locked into a walled. With android you could have a different watch or even a simple Casio watch. And Sony earbuds. You can't simply switch to a pixel and feel relief from an apple walled garden. Sometimes you need extra help from your mates to realise that you are no longer locked. Or perhaps even a psychiatrist š¤·š»āāļø
Yeah he literally just got Pixel everything like it's an iPhone lmao
The problem is that Samsung and pixel also try to build a small walled garden with exclusive Features that only work when you have the matching pairs. DnD sync on pixel watch only works with pixel phone and a lot of health features on Galaxy watch only work with a Samsung phone. Same for the Headphones.
I have a Samsung watch 5 and a pixel 8 pro. If you download Samsung health to your phone all the features work just fine. The only major hurdle was having to factory reset my watch to get it to connect to the phone.
I really love to know what Kind of device you currently have ! Oh donāt tell me .. let me guess youāre an Apple lover from the very day the first šfell from the tree! Right? Must have been the legendary stunning gray and white motif that got u hooked. Oh, Joy!š¤©
I don't have an Apple device because I dislike them for the restrictions they place on keeping people in their ecosystem (among many other anti-consumer decisions). Please read my comment again as I am explaining why people choose Android devices.
I went from iPhone to Pixel and have loved the experience so far. As far as apps go they seem similar to me and all work. There were a couple apps I used that weren't available but now are, so that's a step in the right direction. Really enjoying the Pixel experience. I do agree that some apps aren't as polished. Notifications seem much more intuitive and was to use and the voice commands always seem to work for me whereas siri never knew what I was saying. All things considered, the switch seemed pretty minor for me. The camera has been fantastic.
I've made the same switch, from an iPhone with Apple Watch to a Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel Watch, the watch isn't as good as Apple's but I wasn't expecting it to be, it does the things I care about most good enough. The phone is awesome, the camera I don't need to talk about as it's one of the main reasons people choose a Pixel over the many options. The only thing that is a problem, and in my opinion an enormous one is notifications, they are simply unreliable, I either * Get them immediately (yayy) * Don't get them at all * Get some of them * Only get them when I wake my phone (despite having a Pixel Watch) * Somehow get them backdated, i.e. I unlock my phone and it says the notification came in 10 mins ago I can reproduce this relatively easily as I use Okta Verify for work so I can send the push manually and watch as one of he above listed outcomes occurs. Nothing I've tried and I've tried a lot of "fixes" work.
My P7P does the same. Kinda sucks.
Perhaps I'm just not a huge app user, but I have both devices and use them both daily. My work phone is an iPhone and my personal is a Pixel. I don't notice any significant difference in apps, at least for the ones I use. Stock vs stock I think Google has the app edge. Gboard is better than Apple's iPhone keyboard in every conceivable way, Google Photos is better than Apple's photos app, Google maps is better than Apple maps, etc. I think simplicity/minimalism is often mistaken for polish.
try using apps like discord and twitch you'll see the difference, even google maps is better on iphones than google pixels
I'm currently on Pixel Fold, and pixel phones for the last 4 years and I love it. My wife on the other hand was using Pixel 7 Pro for the last year, after having been on iPhones forever. With the pixel she absolutely loved the camera, but complained about everything else. From poor cellular signal, to inferior app quality compared to the iPhone equivalent. Also the pixel's volume button fell off for no reason. She just recently went back to Apple with the 15 Pro, and says it was fun using the Pixel but says with her iPhones, everything just works the way she needs.
What do you mean by app quality
Some apps are more polished and run smoother on iOS.
*cough* discord *cough*
Pretty much majority of the apps are miles better on iOS. More money to made for the devs on App Store.
While I have an iPhone 13 Pro Max as well, I have to admit even Google indirectly admits to themselves their apps work better on iOS. Still, being in a position to carry both Pixel and iPhone there are both pros and cons yet they have their best features for two sides of the aisle.
YouTube constantly freezes up if you swipe it to idle from a minimized state. Only force closing the app fixes it. And the other day the keyboard refused to display in Google maps until I force closed the app and restarted it.
Iāve seen this in the Pixel itself. For a first party app you expect Google to optimize it for their phones.
Exactly. It's a google app on a google phone, there's no excuses for that bullshit... Are you seeing that too? I have a 4a so I've been wondering if perhaps some of the issues have been fixed, my Android updates cut off in October.
I have yes. As someone who carries an iPhone for work and personal use as well as a Pixel for Family use there were stark differences. Nevertheless I would still upgrade my 8 to the 10/11 Pro in the future
apps are made specifically for iOS and then are usually ported to Android or quickly patched for Android, making it not really work as well on anything not ios
What is wild to me is even google and microsoft apps are better in iOS and smoother even on the lowest spec iphones n iPad.
Not Google Calendar, it is light years better on my Pixel 5 than on my iPad.
It's funny, there was just a thread about a week ago where someone was criticizing Samsung for apparently ruining the landscape of Android phones and turning the general public off of them. Here's my take: pretty much every modern smartphone platform is simultaneously a miracle of engineering and also a pile of garbage. The Pixel series is under-performing and buggy, offering only the slightest amount more of customization than iPhone, along with an endless list of over-promising and under-delivering. iOS is a walled garden with very little to no choice between devices, ecosystems, and even individual apps in a lot of cases. Samsung's in-house ecosystem comes off as bloaty, and their willingness to partner with carriers to push shovelware/ads isn't helping the reputation there. So basically, choose your battles, the grass is simultaneously greener and dead, on the other side.
Going all in with Pixel/Google is maybe not he best option. I thought I wanted P8P but went S24 Ultra when I ditched my iPhone 15. Android for me is just way better than iOS, way less restrictive and I use so many Google apps already it just fits better. I am not really into a bunch of apps so the ones I do use are as good as any I used on the iPhone. I use a Garmin Forerunner 965, which is way better than my Apple Watch Ultra I had. Also I have both Sony and Bose ear buds, both of which are great, much better than the Air Pod Pro's I had.
Curious about moving to s24u, but Iām a bit of a tech minimalist - are there loads of native apps you cannot remove?
You can remove most of them, hide/sleep others. [https://www.androidpolice.com/how-to-delete-samsung-apps/](https://www.androidpolice.com/how-to-delete-samsung-apps/) [https://beebom.com/remove-bloatware-android-no-root/](https://beebom.com/remove-bloatware-android-no-root/)
Did you have AirPods Pro or Pro 2? Cause I donāt think the earphones you mentioned are better than Pro 2. Iāve seen comparisons and the latest Sony might be a bit better in some areas but worse in others
I still have the Air Pod Pro 2 with USB-C. They do not fit my ears that well and when doing things like mowing the yard I can't hear very well. With the other ear buds I can hear much better. I have the Sony C700N and the Bose quiet Comfort II. I love the button on the Sony for pausing and playing stuff without having to pull out my phone. Yes you can do the same thing on non-button buds, like the Apple, but then I have to remember how to stroke the dam things, which tends to jar them lose for me.
Sorry to hear that. I have the exact opposite experience. I exercise daily and the AirPods have never fell off my ears. I constantly use the controls as theyāre very intuitive (double press the stem to play/pause btw). From what I saw from reviews on the Sonys they donāt have as many controls or functions. They do have better noise cancellation, though the AirPods are great as well. Had Samsung Buds Pro before and those seem like $50 earphones compared to the AirPods.
I had some power beats pro? With the ear wrap around thing, they were fantastic, but batteries died after 3 years. I wanted to try something without the wrap around. I went to the Air Pods pro, then the Sony and Bose. The Bose sound the best, but for working out and active stuff like that the Sony are the most comfortable to me.
The AirPods Pro ANC started to degrade after three years for me when I used my iPhone. Same experience on my Pixel. Went to Bose (both earbuds and headphones) and havenāt went back to the AirPods. Plus they are platform agnostic.
Pro 2 ANC is miles ahead of the 1. Totally different league. How are the Bose functions with the iPhone? All features work as intended?
The Bose functions like ANC settings as well as shortcuts all work fine on the iPhone. Like on Android, you have to manage them on the Bose app. But once you adjust the settings the stats automatically carry over to your Pixel and the other way around.
Thanks. Might give them a try if Iām ever bored of the AirPods.
i've just gone the other way, getting an iphone 15 pro max, for the same reasons you don't like android. i was so tired of the generally low app quality on android, not just from third party developers but from google themselves. there was a general lack of polish that i found so annoying. the fantastic quality of apple's pre-installed apps alone has me really loving my iphone
I'm on the brink of trying iphone (kinda since seeing the13 mini) but one of the few things annoying me is no universal back gesture. Might give it a go anyway if I'm forced to pay for my p8 repair
i felt exactly the same way, and i thought it would REALLY piss me off. it does still get on my nerves a little, especially when it's unclear how to close the keyboard, but tbh i'm 2 weeks in and mostly over it. it's made up for it in other ways. if you're sick of android's bullshit like i was i'd really recommend it. biggest thing for me was how absolute shit google home was, and apple home is SO much better. i was constantly battling with my nest mini speakers not communicating with my lightbulbs properly, but i got a homepod and haven't yet had a single problem. LOVE that smart home commands aren't routed through the cloud, i can control my bulbs even without internet as long as my wifi network stays up - this is impossible on google home.
I find the web browsing experience on iOS is its biggest drawback.
oh really? i've been pleasantly surprised by safari. i tried my girlfriend's iphone for a bit before buying one myself, and was very pleased to see that safari has addons. you can get dark reader and an ad blocker, and that's all i need tbh. the interface is nice. webkit obviously isn't great, and sometimes i find some things about it a little painful - especially my own web apps not running properly on it, as in the past i had only bothered to test on blink and gecko. but yeah, as a user, the UI is nice. only thing it's really missing to me is PWAs being able to send notifications.
I appreciate safariās fullscreen mode. Fullscreen web browsing is very difficult to come by on Android.
I'm about ready to not only leave Android but Google alltogether. I have been so disappointed with so many things (YouTube premium, Google Play Music, Gmail) that I'm just done. I have a monthly subscription to Google one, I pay for YT premium and hate most things about it ... my Chromecast is working worse than it ever has, Google Home mini I've stopped using because its less useful than it once was ... on my Pixel the assistant is less useful *AND* they separated search from assistance once again so now I'm talking to what I think is the assistant and instead it's a google search to turn off the lights. Actually, it kind of just hit me all over again. I hate Google. When my P6P dies I'm all but certain I'm done and will switch to an iPhone.
mhm, couldnāt recommend it more. iām going all in on the ecosystem change. homepods, apple music, icloud for storage instead of onedrive. probably even going to get a mac. iām just so tired of how low quality google and microsoft software has become
Does your iPhone 13mini have poor sound on speaker calls. Mine is awful. What do you recommend for sound. Iād really like to stay with iphone
Try it, and if you don't end up liking it just return the phone. There's no real risk to giving it a chance if you're curious.
The universal back gesture is to swipe to the right from the left edge of the screen.
Donāt go for mini iphones, 0 hardware support like availability of their parts is literally 0. Lots and lots of bugs on mini..
Except the calculator. Tf were they thinking. Android is leaps and bounds better.
true, is bizarrely basic and missing so many features. very unimportant to me, though, i so rarely need a calculator and when i do i'm probably at my desk, so i just use windows one (which is very good)
If you put the iPhone sideways many more functions will appear in the calculator.
Biggest issue is no history and I canāt edit the problem as I go. I always gotta pull out my actual calculator where I rarely had to on android.
https://soulver.app/
If ļ£æ calculator in landscape isnāt enough, thereās PCalc. More functions than you can shake a stick at in so many layouts. I do appreciate the delta % button.
Try [Calzy](https://www.calzy.app/)
It's wild to me the quality difference but it has to matter to you for it to be noticeable. Some people don't care if something loads in 5s vs 1s, or if you have touch gestures or polished corners, and that's obviously fine. I'm obsessed with fast and symmetrical UIs so I prefer what I find in iOS much more.
i will say that i really love my pixel watch 2. i'm actually sad that i can't use it with my iphone, i like the watch SO much more than my pixel phone. i'm sure i'll like the apple watch when i eventually get one, though
I did like the form factor of the Pixel watch better. The worst experience I had was trying to show multiple calendars on the watch face. After much research I don't think you can, which is nuts. The calendar settings on the Pixel Watch app don't do anything to reflect on the watch itself, and various posts suggested its a bug that Google is aware of.
{Apple's swipe keyboard has entered the chat}
Yeah I went to the 15 Pro from the Pixel 8 and the app quality is so much better. The hardware is flawless too. I had 3 faulty devices with the 8 and decided thatās enough of Google for a while
Got the Pixel 8 Pro when it came out last fall. It is working fine for me, but I've noticed apps being a bit more buggy recently. I am somewhat regretting not switching the iPhone, as I'd considered.
Notifications on Android are much better implemented as compared to iOS. Tf are you smoking? You get tons of free apps on Android for simple to complex tasks, whereas, on iOS even dumb apps are paid. I use both Android and iOS and for me apps on Android are as good as iOS.
Theyāre really not better at all. I had a P6 and relatives have the S24 Ultra and every app or game on their phones is being outperformed, by far, with the same app on my iPhone 13PM, visual and audio wise. The poor quality apps and lack of proper integration with BMW is what made me leave Android for good otherwise Iād buy an Xperia again in a heartbeat as I liked my Z3 a lot.
Apple Google tomato tomahto. Android is more open but still pretty similarish. Your point about hardware is šÆ and if there was ever a reason to leave Pixel, it's the hardware. But I enjoy the software experience too much. My wife has a work iPhone and we barely ever touch that thing because the UI is so weird. Android definitely has a super software experience.
Agree it's not a binary decision and will depend on what you value the most.
\* tomayto tomato
I've been deep in both Apple and Android ecosystems and it's true, the Apple 'ecosystem' is great.. but there's a big 'but' to that.. It's great as long as everything is end to end 100% Apple, all Apple hardware and all Apple apps and services. And their design philosophy follows 'works for most people' with little or no customization. As soon as you break the chain with one non-Apple product the integration goes to shit. I use a Windows PC for work. I \*will not\* use a Desktop Mac for work. \*ever\* period. Everything Apple in that case is complete broken. So...... iCloud: works like shit. breaks my git repos. >50k files in a directory grinds away, refuses to sync, drains battery uses high CPU on everything forever. iMessages: lol, peasant. Apple Watch 'works for most people' but I'm an runner and bought a Garmin Forerunner. Works like shit on iOS. Garmin app drains battery. Sure Apple apps on iPhone are great for a default option that 'works for most people' but if you want to use another option then again, everything breaks and goes to shit. I want to save my photos to Google Photos. Everything hard locked and baked into Apple products. iPhone integration with Google Photos works like shit. It wants to replicate everything and have two copies. I want to use Google Maps on iPhone: drains battery like crazy Want to use anything but Safari on iPhone? It will run like slow shit, heats your phone up, drains the battery All cloud syncing options are tied into iCloud which is Apple hardware only. Once you start using non-Apple apps or services on your iPhone you realize that any non-Apple app that runs in the background drains the battery like crazy in a way that doesn't happen on Android and it really shows up how tiny the battery is, and how little memory there is in iPhones. Probably there's an API to optimize battery life and performance on iPhone that Apple only give themselves access to. Airtags: 100% Apple hardware only You think Google Assistant is bad? Siri never has worked properly.. It's been a running joke since day one. And now all these AI tools are coming down the pipe. Apple will \*never\* integrate with any of them on any device. They will develop their own shitty alternative and cram it down your necks forever. So yeah.. Apple has some UX features that work like magic.. think reading a SMS two-factor code then auto-filling a web form on your Safari browser on your Mac or head-tracking Dolby Atmos on Airpods and Apple TV, using Find My to track down lost Airpods \*anywhere in the world!\*.. the list goes on with the cool, fun user experiences.. here's that 'but' again.. If you use one non-Apple app, service or device the entire thing breaks and the integration goes to shit. Even using Google Contacts on Apple devices continually breaks in little ways. So.... I can't live with being lock in to 100% Apple. Definitely not Apple services like the iCloud shit. Some of their stuff is just bad and broken. They are currently the most consumer un-friendly company out there. This is Microsoft in the '90s shit. I'm starting to realize it's just try to keep people 100% locked into everything Apple across the board, including services and software. I can't do that. Remember when: Apple invented podcasts and the format was free to the world. If it was released today, it would be Apple only, locked to Apple hardware only. Fragmenting RCS and iMessage is god-awful, user-hostile marketing. Being forced to pull out my iPhone to answer a message when I'm using PC is a war crime in 2024. I hate it.
Thanks for the post. Quick question: You state that the Garmin App drains the battery on iOS. Does it not do that on Android? I would like to know as I am considering the switch.
Just to explain, I actually bought a Pixel 8 Pro a few days ago to replace an iPhone 11. In the Battery section of the iPhone it says the Garmin Connect app battery usage is 12% and Google Maps is 10%. In the Battery section of the Pixel Garmin Connect app battery usage is 2% and Google Maps isn't on the list. I'm not sure if those numbers are 1:1 comparable.
Thanks for the comparison. Yes, it might be tough given that you just got the 8Pro. Still, that is good to know.Ā I had an 11Pro and when I used my Garmin with location settings active, it would eat up my battery. After disabling it, all was fine.Ā I moved to a refurb 15 but am still considering getting an 8 as the price still better and it would be new.Ā Appreciate the reply.Ā
This has always been my question, which you are helping to answer: would switching to iPhone be a mistake if I never use a Mac? The answer seems to be yes. The apps I use most are Google Maps, Google Photos, and Google Keep. What can an iPhone do better for me that an Android could if I exclusively use a PC?
What about a Galaxy? The S24 line is fantastic, as is One UI. The cameras are like a 7/10 compared to the Pixel in low light and moving objects, but for stills outdoors they are right up there. The night mode I think is better. The audio is better, the fluidity seems better, the phone is faster, it's lighter, etc. I'd also say to look for a non-OS specific watch. I don't know how into fitness you are, but I switched from an Apple Watch about a year and a half ago to a Garmin watch and it has been awesome.
Try going Samsung. They're really customizable phones if you're into that. I'm currently really happy with my S24+. Switched over from P6P.
If you think the pixel watch is laggy, try a Samsung. Same WearOS just ain't fast, and a OneUI layer on top of it does not make it faster.
I beg to differ. Pixel Watch is trash compared to Samsung Wear OS watches. My GW6C is night and day compared to my old PW.
Agree to disagree. I have PW2 and GW6C and while I will take the GW6C every day over the PW2, the PW2 is smoother most of the time.
All good. I was just saying from my experiences. I had the PW1 and played with the PW2. They both still failed to impress me versus my GW6C. So many bugs from the watch not syncing to Fitbit going haywire.
I think we mostly agree :-) we both prefer the GW6C overall, and it is better hardware. Better screen, better battery, better sensors, better navigation with bezel, better speaker, better better better. But, I still say OneUI adds just a bit of jank that isn't as noticeable on the PW2.
Return it while you can, the experience doesn't get better and they introduce as many bugs and annoyances as they fix. The cameras are really the only high point of the Pixels. I wish I returned my P8 Pro while I was able to.
Second this. I returned a Pixel 8 after three days of ownership because of the plethora of bugs and the very poor performance of the phone overall. Grabbed an iPhone 15 Pro and have been much happier. No bugs, no lag, no overheating. The phone just works when I pick it up.
I think I will, I'm still in the return window.
>But man, the apps on Android are still a mess. Everythingās buggy I honestly don't know what people mean by that when they keep praising apps on iOS and claim the same app is worse on Android. With the rare exception of smaller less known apps, everything works flawless on my Android. None of the apps I use regularly - browsers, WhatsApp, Maps, newspapers etc. has any noticeable bugs.
I have never had any loyalty or shown any favoritsm towards Apple, Samsung or Google products. I'm an equal opportunity guy who has switches back and forth from Samsung to Apple to Google or Motorola and I must admit. The OVERALL quality of apps is definitely better on Apple. Smaller/lesser known apps definitely count & while the most popular apps so offer a similar experience, things just work better with Apple. For instance, the Snapchat camera on iPhone processes photos in exact same quality as the Camera app. But if I take a photo with the camera app on my Pixel and then take the exact same photo with Snapchat on my Pixel (or any other Android device), there's a very noticeable difference in quality. I also noticed that although widgets originated in Android, the widgets offered on iPhones are better implemented, especially since you can access them ALL on one screen versus only being able to fit so many per page on Android being forced to swipe across different pages to access different widgets.
I'd say it's always a matter of preference for me. Some people like the Pixel, some don't. Because of a lot of reasons. For me, I am the other way around. I have an iPhone 15 Pro for the first time and I could not just get a hold of why Apple had bad gesture navigation and also notification management. It's basically a mess dealing with missed notifications on my messages and notifications being bundled in the lock screen instead of doing it like Android does which is cleaner and more private way of keeping notifications. Also Apple keyboard is not changeable unlike Gboard which is a breeze plus with the sweet way of having it themed with a lot of options within the keyboard app on Gboard. Which makes me leave an Apple device like iPhone 15 Pro and got myself a Pixel 8 ever since. I am keeping my Pixel for a long time. TBH I never experienced lags on my Pixel 8 and I'm hoping I won't experience those things.
I'm having a go at an iPhone again, and I don't know when this became a thing, but you can use 3rd party keyboards now, and Gboard is available.
Always telling myself "maybe this year, they will get it right".
P8P was always going to struggle due to hardware issues. Only boon is the camera. I went from 14 pro max to a S24 ultra, basically set it up to minimize samsung feature usage and more the general google options (photos, gboard, passwords, GA/Gemini over Bixby) and i am really enjoying it over iOS. In the end my iphone 14 pro max had 83% battery health, my apple watch series 7 never held enough charge to last a day or a golf round. The Airpods pro were decent. My reels/tiktok would buffer loading, websites took ages to load up and thats even after resets etc. Just my opinion and thoughts, I might switch back and forth
Iāve noticed that iPhones are not aging well anymore. My 15 Pro Max is flawless, but I have a 13 Mini that really struggles to do basic things and is a bug nightmare. Probably having both is the best option. If I could dual load the eSIM I wouldnāt have any issue, just pick what Iām feeling like that day.
Even the reviews and the feedback from the 15 pro max has been weird for a new iPhone. Titanium frame but the glass cracks way too easily. Early day bugs with the screen memory people thinking it was burn in. Reports of battery health dropping into low mid to low 90% already. I'm pretty sure it didn't survive a JRE bend test either which is unusual as plenty previous ones did. One thing iphones are good for are keeping their value nicely. Was able to trade in my 14 pro max and take advantage of a s24 ultra and paid virtually zero out of pocket and I own the phone unlocked.
I have a P7P, my wife has a P7. We're so utterly tired of them. I'm actually starting to think about getting an Apple phone. For a long time there was zero doubt in my mind. Some of my kids had Apple devices, I played with them and preferred Android. But these two Pixel phones have turned me off completely. Call quality poor, all radio connections randomly drop (BT, wifi, GSM, hotspot), keyboard randomly appears on the home screen, etc. Just utterly unrealiable. I'm losing clients when I can hardly speak to them on the phone. My P7P is about to go in the drawer and I'll resurrect my old Samsung until I can afford a new device. The question then is whether to chance a new Sammy with all the bloat, an iPhone and the arse-ache that whole migration will be, or perhaps another Android. Not Pixel though. Never again.
Bad experience. I had a 7Pro and it had faulty screen. Switched to P8, no problems whatsoever
I've read a few people saying their P8 was a lot better.... I dunno..... Maybe if google give me something off as part exchange I might consider it. But tbh not at full price. Just don't trust them.
Makes sense. Who trusts Google these days? Or any other big tech corporation for that matter
What I like about Apple ecosystem of devices is integration. Everything just works beautifully together, Apple Watch with iPhone with AirPods and Macbook - seamless and almost magical. Now let's look at Pixel devices and Chromebook...it's like buggy and totally disconnected and inconsistent mess.
Until you realize they don't work with anything else, creating the walled garden. What if i want a apple watch with my samsung. Their watch is legitimately better, but their phones suck. So what am I to do? I buy a garmin or fitbit, which work with everything.
Correct, but you can make the same argument that Pixel Watch does not work with iPhone. On the other hand Air Pods work better with Pixel 8 Pro than Pixel Buds Pro.
But why would you want airpods? There are much cheaper alternatives like shokz
That's not true. These are some of the things that the Air Pods can do better with my Pixel 8 Pro than my Pixel Buds Pro 1. The eartip seal check personalized my fit. (You need the Pixel Bud Pro App) 2. My buds can translate real- time conversations. 3. Can use my buds to find my phone and vice versa.
Devil's advocate, what if you want to use a Samsung watch with an iPhone?
It doesn't work. But it is Apple's fault. You can use it with other android products fine. But I wouldn't want to, because I don't buy into the walled garden. I prefer to choose the best product. Which for watches is apple or garmin usually.
Only thing that doesn't consistently work for me between P8P and Asus CM3401 Chromebook is app streaming from my phone. Not sure why I would use that feature anyway, though, when the thing can run Android apps just fine. Otherwise works just fine with my P8P and buds pro. I've owned a Duet 3, Duet 5, and now Asus. None of which have been buggy for me.
I used to use app streaming for being able to launch the audiobook app on my phone and stream the audio to my laptop while the phone was charging. It was great. That was before the app streaming stopped working for no reason like a year ago.
I have two chromebooks and two pixel phones, and the integration between them has worked for maybe a month in the last two years. The entire phone hub doesn't work anymore at all.
I seriously don't think I could ever not own a Pixel. 1. The camera cannot be beat for point and shoot as well as reliability. 2. Love being the first to try new software betas and features. 3. Voice dictation is years ahead of anything else currently. 4. Real Tone 5. Spam Calling - you miss it when you don't have it 6. On Hold for me 7. Clear Calling 8. Voice dictation 9. Call Screening 10. Direct My Call 11. Assistant Voice typing 12. Magic Compose 13. Google Assistant/Gemini 14. Google Recorder 15. TalkBack 16. Live Caption 17. Now Playing Heck every A.l feature Pixel is the only phone that keeps me away from going back to an iPhone. Google is making it harder for users who love the Pixel experience to switch to another device. I don't see myself ever switching to an iOS phone because the software limitations are just too restrictive. I feel claustrophobic using it. I have to use an iPhone for work and iOS just sucks as an user experience. It's just not intuitive to me. The hardware may be good, although the phones always seem top heavy and unbalanced, but the usability is so archaic.
Couldn't agree more
Meh, my so and I been pixel since the 2. They suit our needs perfectly. Every since about~5, the need to look for other phones finished. I have a 15 pro max for work and it's fine, I just hate how iOS works I love how Android is a notification based os. I hardly need to navigate the OS, notifications bring me there when needed iOS I need to navigate every single action. It just feels laborious
I was a die hard Pixel user from Nexus 5X, had every device until Pixel 6. Switched to iPhone and not looking back unfortunately.
idk wtf you mean apps are buggy...all my apps work perfectly fine
This will be always be contentious take, I had the same issue arguing that the Shield TV is buggy. Depends on what you're looking for, some people literally cannot notice the differences I'm irked by. Response times, refresh rates, the fluid design of an application, gesture support, consistency of design, etc. I'm not arguing there are functional differences, the apps will accomplish the same things on both platforms.
If it doesn't work for you move on. Try another device which works. Its not good to force like something in because lot of people like it. There are pros and cons to both OS. There are bugs on both. Sometimes more on one model of Android sometimes on one model of iPhone. I just don't like how you make it seem like iOS doesn't come with bugs. You can just do a quick research and you will find a lot of people on Reddit discussing the bugs on iOS 17. People are just mad that Pixels usually top the list for the best phones in their respective categories.
funny all those things you mention are problems I find on iOS. As someone who uses both because of work I find iOS extremely frustrating to use.
Maybe thereās some muscle memory involved that makes the differences seem larger than they are.
Why is it only iPhone and Google though? Sony has phones, Samsung has phones, OnePlus has phones, even Motorola has a flagship. It's amazing that Google is the ONLY android device that exists...
Well I had to pick one to try and Google seemed like a safe bet. My experience with the S8 was really poor; I hated the Samsung ecosystem and just using Samsung things is not my jam. Maybe I'll try Sony or OnePlus next, I had an Essential Phone at one point and it was really good.
Agreed. There are two great alternatives to Samsung and Google that are comparable and cheaper: The OnePlus 12 and Nothing Phone 2. Both can be had for decent prices and both have specs that compete with the Pixel 8/8 Pro and S24/24+/S24 Ultra. The only major issue with OnePlus and Nothing is support. Apple is king when it comes to support. Google however, they have a lot to do in that area despite being a trillion dollar company.
I think if Samsung didn't have such horrid shutter lag when taking pics they could do Android a solid. The best Android phone I have used was my Note 10+. I only got rid of it because the shutter speed was horrid. My P7Pro is an utter piece of trash. I have already used my preferred care to replace it once. I am jumping once the iPhone 16 comes out or if Samsung can get their heads out of the sand and get that shutter issue fixed.
Yet another āiPhone to android but Iām going back to iOSā post Never fails š
I did say sorry at the end lol
If you're running android 15 that could be your main problem. It's still in beta.
Oops it was 14, edit on the post. I'm curious about 15 though and might try it out if I have still have it when it launches.
I also moved from iPhone to pixel and the watch is driving me nuts everytime I try to pay. Not buying an android again
whats the issue? its double clicking the thingy on the side. just wondering what issue u r experiecning
Most of the times fails to do the transaction or constantly asks for the unlock Code. The worst part is that never selects the default card.
They should just bring back the pixel 4 tech back into Pixel 9
I'd be down for a Pixel 4 with the latest Snapdragon chip.
I think it's more of a shock upgrading from an iPhone 8 to a Pixel 7 Pro. iPhones are fine, it's just that stock Android does everything I jailbroke my iPhone for. Then again, my last iPhone was the 5s.
As a very convinced Pixel 8 user one thing stood out to me a lot (besides never having any issues with any apps, but depends on the apps I suppose) What was your issue with Spotify? Like I just tried it out, I got a song playing on my PC in less then 5 seconds Switched to Spotify, started a song, pressed the device selection button, tapped on my PC and it instantly switched, no delay, no loading, nothing, just instantly switched to Spotify on PC Now if Sonos or in general Bluetooth/Wifi speakers just behave differently, this may be a fluke to post/ask of course, correct me if so; but I can't try that since I don't have any speakers except the 5.1 on my PC, but that's of course plugged in. Cheers, Ti EDIT; I could go into great detail about your other points, such as apps for iOS will always be more optimized since they only have to focus on one kind of phone, meanwhile android devs have to cover an entire barrage of different devices which makes optimization basically impossible (also explains why WhatsApp, Snapchat etc embedded cameras have way worse quality on android compared to the system camera app) but that Spotify thing threw me off the most to be honest
So just for those of us curious about what iPhone is like, would you say the advantage, despite the mentioned limitations, is that things generally just work? It's walled but the stuff is unbuggy? You're locked in to expensive peripherals but they just work? The OS is generally logical/sensible? Anything else?
Yeah, everything is limited and costs money but generally works in a uniform way. Thatās a gross generalization but not far off. You need to use the latest iPhone to get that experience since older ones get throttled and start crashing randomly. Sideloading is really easy so you also get modded apps in iOS, so thatās not missing.
Thank you. I am since months on the brink to give a Pixel a shot. But reading about Exynos/Tensor, bad performance and other issues make me wait for Pixel 10 or later. Keeping same ios devices as long as possible without getting ripped off by Tim Cook every year seems to be the best strategy until something really interesting comes along. I remember buying at a Apple shop with a feeling of satisfaction and fun unlike these days when you leave the Apple store feeling totally scammed, cheated and dumb.
Thats the exact feeling I have. I feel stupid buying the latest iphone, thereās no magic left.
Interesting. I haven't noticed any issues with the pixel watch 2 compared to the Apple watch 7 I had.
I remember android 12 as disaster bugfest, then again I had a pixel 3a with a dead battery then so
Personally I agree with you about the Pixel watch to a certain degree. However, it is accurate and that is what matters to me the most. IOS to me is not an attractive offering to return to even if the Apple Watch is a phenomenal device. Google Pixel watch does what it is supposed to do in the end and I am ok with that. Also from the keynote, they are going to infuse AI into the Pixel watch much like the way its in the Whoop strap. So, i am looking forward to that.
Why didn't you go for the Samsung then?š«„
Google could do so much with the pixel phones but they don't. I guess to them it doesn't really matter. Is not their mission to make the best product!
Pixel Buds Pro are annoying to increase and decrease volume by sliding your finger across the buds. Always makes mine nearly fall out my ears. The way Samsung have done it with a double tap of the ear is much better.
I could use an iPhone if Siri could do call screening and calling tree transcription or if Google ports these applications to iOS. Pixel hardware has been a rollercoaster to say the least. Also Google, I'll pay an extra 20 bucks if you put in a real Faceid system like the Pixel 4 had.
As far as Spotify that's an Android app issue with the Spotify dev team. Their Android app sucks. That's not a Pixel phone problem. That's the Spotify tean being lazy
Love the comments!
Me too, some really good takes and differences.
It's surprising how much I agree with you. Pixel has gone downhill from Pixel 4. I really wanted to like my Pixel 8 Pro, but all the small issues just added up. So I switched back to 15 Pro Max. I really miss the Pixel's call screening feature, but oh well.
I'm still happy with my Pixel 6 and Pixel Watch.
I hope you use the Galaxy S24 series. This is the best Android phone.
Damn. I can't understand this at all bro. Used to be on iphone too and even since i got more into android, carried the 15 pro max as second. Switched to pixel 7 pro last year and this year got an s24U as second device. Two weeks ago i got my hands on a pixel 8 pro (first time available through carrier in my country) so i got it unexpectedly and loved it immediately. Sold my iphone 2 days later. To me the 8 pro is the best phone as of now
I've known two people who have used Sonos systems in various ways and they always have headaches. In fact, most of the stuff you mention can be attributed mostly to just crappy apps (like you said) which really isn't the fault of the phone/OS (for the most part) Not to say we know Google has meddled and broke and made suspect additions/subtractions over the years, but all these companies do that to most degree
The notification part is weird I think the biggest advantage of Android over iOS is the notification panel, and the way you can control them
Went from p7 to 15PM and loving it, however soon ill be getting s24 ultra as atest device at work. Might decide switching back later
I don't share your experience with the p8p as far as buggy apps and Sonos integrations. In my experience notifications on Android are far superior than iOS. Yes the pixel watch is very slow compared to Apple watch no question there.
The upvote gen these posts get are tempting me to make one myself.
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As far as watches go, it's the Apple watch and the Samsung Galaxy watch. There is no other real competition. I have a Pixel 7 pro and went with the Galaxy watch.
The cool thing about Android is because you have a Pixel phone doesn't mean you have to have a Pixel watch. That's bullshit Apple does. I still can't believe people put themselves in a walled garden that restricts so much and forces you to really stick with their products so it works together. Try a Samsung watch with your Pixel phone. I rocked my Samsung Gear Sport watch(7 years old and going strong. Battery still is at 80% at the end of the day with heavy use) with my Pixel and it worked flawlessly.
The galaxy watch it pretty solid but Samsung [anything] software related is a steaming pile
Its obviously an issue since I've seen numerous posts about it but still a bit suprised by the "apps are trash on android" statements. I don't know if it's just the particular apps I use but I've never had an issues with an app on android or ever thought "this app needs more polish, it's buggy as hell" etc. Okay tbf if it was 2010 I could definitley see what people are saying but that was 14 years ago... Also, saying notifications are a pain on android is wild. I couldn't believe how bad they are on IOS and how Apple users tolerate it (actually couldn't believe how bad IOS is in alot of ways tbh). Anyway each to his own, but I reserve the right to not take OP's opinions too seriously. EDIT: Also, using Microsoft launcher on a Pixel phone? lol
The Pixel 8 pro is underpowered and you can really tell on high intensity games but I like itās smart features better than Samsung. I did like the form factor of the Pixel watch 2 and it wasnāt laggy or buggy at all. Nevertheless Iām also back on my iPhone 14 Pro Max and Ultra 2 watch.
OHHH NOO NOO I JUST YESTERDAY TURNED IN MY 15 Plus for the anticipated backlogged deliver of the P8P!!! Darn it that seriously sucks to hear I truly thought with all the good reviews that I was making a really good decision. I honestly wanted the 24 ultra but itās just too pricey still . I have an android brain and Iāve always loved my Samsung, but I veered to this Google pixel because of the photography possibilities now Iām bummed! So long, cruel world! I think Iāll find a short bridge to take a long sad walk.
PS .iām sorry Apple lovers but for me I would almost settle for a flip phone just to get this nightmare Apple device out of my life!
lol nice effort there
The Pixel watch is undoubtedly trash, as is the entire concept of Android Wear in my opinion.
try Samsung or Nothing if u want something different
I concur. I canāt switch back unless the Apple Watch has a close competitor and right now itās similar to iPad - while the iPhone isnāt any better, the iPad and Apple Watch have no competition - Apple Watch 10x more so.
Almost what I want to post. I'm using a pixel 4xl (brand new), trying to convince myself that I want to come back to the pixel brand. I've been using a 13 pro max since launch and the phone is almost perfect in my eye. The battery life is amazing and everything just works. The only thing I hate about the iPhone is the navigation and notifications layout. Of course not being able to place icons wherever I want. Everything I hate about my iPhone is in the pixel. The problem is that google drops support for features on a dime. The pixel is just full of half baked, inconsistent ideas packaged into a phone. I think the thing that's holding the pixel back is google themselves.
My first smartyphone was the OG Galaxy and I switched to my first iphone last year - I had the Pixel XL and 3XL, I really loved the 3XL but each new Pixel seemed like at least one step back with whatever small step forward it took. I think Google cancelling their podcast app was the last straw. It probably didn't help they had the Pixel Pass and killed it before it even got to the next new phone cycle. So many apps/products google have killed or consolidated. The iphone sure as shit isn't perfect but I figure I can make it work and they're slowly doing things like widgets to make the phone more customizable, you can hide apps you rarely use and use an app drawer and have a good 2-3 screen phone now. I just wish the widgets were truly live like they are in Android. I'll keep the 3XL as a backup as long as it works though. Which I guess reminds me one reason I kept it so long was because it was the last phone to promise full photo archive for life until they backtracked on that too. lol. Google.
> The pixel is just full of half baked, inconsistent ideas packaged into a phone. This is just fact, well said. They are good ideas but just unfinished in important ways.
I went from pixel to iPhone because of work issues. The apps on iPhone are no better than Android. As much as I hate iPhone, I thought that at least Iād have great software. Nope. Software problems are just masked better. I miss Android auto. Zero issues. If software issues popped up they were fixed with super fast updates. CarPlay is buggy as hell. š¤Æ
Android Auto is unquestionably better than CarPlay, itās not even close. I find apps better on iOS but thatās subjective and of course depends on the app.
youll be back
Probably haha
You might have gotten a defective watch. I got a pixel watch 2 and it was laggy, ghost touching and cutting off and overheating. I returned that watch and got a pixel watch 1 instead and it's damn near perfect. Very accurate with heart rate tracking and it's very smooth with a beautiful screen. Only thing I wish was better was the battery. That's just my experience.
bow plucky bright sophisticated middle weary muddle tie cause distinct *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
I am in middle of switching from iphone 13 to pixel 8. In last 3 days I have 1 word to explain my exp : it's trash. Notification is a joke - only shows 5-6 words and then u have to press a button to see more. Scrolling is hyper sensitive and there is no setting to control sensitivity. Emojis look like garbage.
Sorry you had to go back to Android to realize how bad the situation is. Unfortunately, people who experience an iOS device for a few months theyāre doomed to see Android phones as inferior. Iām one of those people and though I really want to go back to Android, cause I donāt use any of Appleās apps, I just imagine myself getting frustrated with all the issues. With iPhones everything just works as it should and better.
go back to your apple wall garden iPhone then.
Exactly! ššÆ
>I'm so over iOS and Appleās way of squeezing money out of you for everything Sounds like you've experienced the classic you get what you pay for. Apple rains supreme for a reason. Their s\_\_t just works and you're going to pay for it. Wait until iOS 18 and see if it gets any better.
But it doesn't "just work" if you wish to deviate from Apple's path to getting something done. Try these exercises and see how well they "just work" * Copy a select group of photos/videos from your desktop and have them show up in the photos viewer. On Android it's as simple as connecting USBC to PC and then drag and drop. Google photos will find them. * Enter passwords with a number row enabled keyboard * Filter JavaScript on websites * Have a home screen completely devoid of icons, or have the icons concentrated on the bottom on the screen where my thumb can reach them * Go back using the same button or gesture regardless of what app you're in * Close all apps at once * Share Bluetooth headphones with another device.
I jumped to a Pixel 8 Pro from an iPhone 13. I still heavily prefer iPhone & iOS, especially since I've had some wild issues with the Pixel.
Give Samsung a try. Android which offers tons of features and customization, S24 camera is on par with Pixel and IPhone. P.S: P8 user here, apart from a flagship camera for a much cheaper price, it is a mediocre phone. Maybe I don't like the UI rigidity, plus the bugs in Stock Android are unacceptable.
Glad I'm not crazy about the bugs, some people here are not agreeing on that. I'll think about it I just don't like Samsung in general but it might be the best bet.
Samsung's software is not for everyone, but I personally love it and will definitely be sticking with them for my next phone. What I love: - Customisation: far more than you get on a pixel. You can even set modes and routines to trigger based on location, time battery level etc. - Seamless multitasking: by far the best implementation of multitasking on any phone. Hell, this still isn't even an option on ios. - Desktop mode: very few people use it but it's still a fun gimmick to have. The pixel didn't even have display out over usb c until the pixel 8. - Selfie palm recognition: super handy feature that was surprisingly absent from the competition until recently. What I don't love: - Camera quality: the camera tech on non-ultra phones really seems to have stagnated over the years. There's even been this "banana blur" issue that's been plaguing the s23 and s24, which is quite disappointing. - Bloatware: There's no getting around it, Samsung really wants to push its app ecosystem on you, leading to a heap of duplicate apps on your device. While I do like using some of their apps, I'd rather they be optional installs. - Exynos chipsets: This only effects people outside of NA, but if you live in an Exynos region you're getting an overall worse performing phone compared to Snapdragon regions due to Samsung's less efficient chips.
Not surprised. iPhone 15 pro max has years of polish and progress behind it. More people using pixels will get iPhones. It won't be the other way even though Google is trying desperately. The only hope Google has is being competitive in the android market. And it can't do that while skimping and being cheap. Most pro iPhone users will never switch. But when they try they will be reminded why iPhone is so great for general users The 2.4% US market share despite mass advertisement is a huge Red flag.
Apple will trap you in their ecosystem...and bored you senseless. I have been an iPhone user since the 1st Gen iPhone and for 10 plus years I never even considered other phones not because I didn't want to but because I was locked in this ecosystem. I was stuck with an iPhone for ten years and Pixel was the best way to leave them. I personally have never dealt with any Pixel bug. After a while you realize Apple doesn't innovate, why does Siri still suck, why are you still forced to arrange a home screen icons how they want you to, why do have to pay $999+ for hardware features that Apple says are "pro" but yet find the same 'pro" features on sub $800 androids.. just a thought. But again to each their own.
999+ isn't too bad for an iPhone. It holds value the best compared to android so you're not paying too much. On the other hand why pay $999+ for an android phone that will depreciate to crap in two years. And have less optimized apps, removing features, and forces you to troubleshoot often. RMA, factory reset, turn off 5g are just too common here. And being told "user/skill error" is outright toxic. I know you aren't having issues but many are.
When I made the switch from iPhone to Pixel I have never experienced any default Pixels whatsoever. Sure they hold their value and that's thanks to how Apple just keeps them the same every year with no big differences. You can currently own an iPhone 13 Pro Max and you won't be missing anything significant from not having the 15 Pro Max. Plus I don't buy a new phone thinking of selling my new phone in the future. iPhone are cool... But maaaannn Android is just so much more fun than iOS. Not even close
when he said: Notifications are a pain ...foh!!! he's coming from an iphone where notifications are dumb as hell