Hey guys, I am on the fence here....
Let me start off by saying This is not a Apple vs Android OS debate
I currently have the iPhone 6 Plus 64GB, but I am seriously considering switching to the Samsung Galaxy S6 64GB (not the edge). I saw what the edge has to offer over the regular S6, and they are not features I would really use... Not worth the extra $100 in my eyes.
Biggest Things I Will Miss from iPhone:
- iMessage
- iCloud
- Find friends
Are There Viable Replacements for This with Android?
I saw something about being able to use iMessage on the Android and having to put your Apple ID in (I wouldn't mind if I removed everything from it just in case my info gets taken).
Are there any good replacements for Find Friends? iCloud? I don't know the cloud service used by Android, and all the Find Friend replacements I have found are not that great..
All of the Find Friend apps for Android need you to open it in order to update your location. I ride motorcycles and my girlfriend and I use that as a way (1 of many uses) to make sure I'm still moving when I don't answer, so she knows nothing happened to me.
What Do I Do About Insurance?
I spend $99 on Apple Care, and I understand I must pay $80 to replace my phone up to two times for physical damage. Replacement is also free for hardware problems. What does Samsung offer and at what cost?
I guess I just need that final push... I don't want to sell my iPhone, get the Galaxy, and totally regret it.
P.S.
If I start to miss my iPhone, can I run a ROM that is similar to the iPhone?
Thanks in advance for the help guys!
Edited due to typo: rid to ride
21 Responses
As a long time Android user and an occasional iOS user, I'd say you'll be fine making the switch, but there will be an adjustment period.
iMessage will be the biggest change, as there is no direct counterpart on Android. You'll still be able to receive and reply to group messages just fine, but as iMessage routes everything through Apple, you won't have things like read receipts and blue/green bubbles.
As far as cloud services, the options are nearly endless. You have Google Drive, Box, Dropbox, and OneDrive (the S6 comes with 100GB of OneDrive).
There are tons of alternatives to Find Friends, but they all hinge on the fact that the other person will need that service as well. With iPhones it's easy, since Find Friends is something everyone with an iOS device has. On Android, you can share location is messaging, using Facebook, Android Device Manager, Maps, and others.
Samsung has some options for extending warranty, starting at $129 with a $99 deductible if your device needs to be replaced. Of course there are carrier-options (through Asurion) that charge monthly and have a deductible. Then there are 3rd-party services, like Best Buy protection, Square Trade, etc.
There aren't any direct iOS ROMs out there, but plenty to find one to your liking. Better yet, you can try changing your home screen, dialer, messaging app, and others without any system modifications to get things how you like them.
The takeaway here is this: you won't have many of the exact features, but with some tinkering, you can get close. Apple is all about ecosystems, whereas Android is all about letting you decide how you want your phone to work.
Awesome take on my questions... I really enjoyed reading this. I guess if I did decide to switch, I could try to get it how I liked and if I truly did not like it, what is stopping me from selling it and getting another iPhone?
Thanks again! +1 from me!
I wrote this a while back when the iPhone 6 was announced. It's sort of the opposite of what you're asking, but you may find it interesting.
I'm curious to know why you're considering the S6 with your relatively new iPhone 6 Plus. It's a good phone so you must have your reasons for ditching one flagship for another...
I see Android as an environment where I can (just as Faisal said above) decide how I want my phone set up. I have had iPhone since the 4 came to Verizon back in 2011.. I had a Droid X before that and don't remember much of using it.
Like I said in my reply to Faisal, I could just sell it and get another iPhone if I truly don't like it.
Yeah, I'm also curious as to why you want to make the switch? What is it about the Galaxy S6 that makes you want to replace your iPhone 6 Plus?
If you're looking customization, you should look into jailbreaking (if you're not already). As a long time Apple user I'm terribly biased, but Faisal ^^^ broke down everything you need to know above.
I've used the Galaxy S6, and it's great, but I prefer my iPhone 6 because it does everything I need it to do (send text messages, check emails and surf the internet).
I don't require much from my smartphone. Also, I just love Apple's great customer service. I know that I can walk in to Apple when something is wrong with my phone and get everything figured out (although it might cost $$$).
I agree with you in the fact that it is very easy and straightforward to use. I love that it integrates with my iPad and my Mac, but I just feel like changing it up a bit... I can customize it after rooting it just about any way I can think of.
I am Jailbroken already and I enjoy it, but I'm not exactly sure as to why I really want to switch... I think just trying it for a couple days will either kill my curiosity, or ignite it.
Thank you for taking the time to reply!
As Faisal mentioned, you are granted more freedom with Android, but it's Apple's uniformity that makes it easier to manage and grow accustomed to.
The main reason I fell in love with Apple was because of it's ease of use and how it all ties together (devices working together).
I think it's just like I said in my reply to Nelson, I probably just need to fulfill my curiosity... Or give it a chance to grow.
Thanks for your replies :)
Have you ever thought of satisfying your curiosity with a tablet, like the Nexus 7 or something? If anything, you may come to love Android and make the investment in a Galaxy S6.
Side by side with no mods, jail breaks, app cakes, r00ting or wild apks just plain old vanilla devices. I would go with android.
I liked the fact android had more usability out of the box with out going into a store and loading stuff.
Now pimped out mode. I'll take an iPad/Apple all day long over android anything.
Why would you take the iPhone pimped out over android? What can you do with a jailbroken iPhone that you can't do with a rooted Andoird?
Really? 2 words to start off with. App Cake
Then if you look at my iPad you may have to double take it cause it does not look or do anything like stock device.
I blue tooth calls for free from it. I have to pay 0 service for it. I have not paid for service for 3-4 yrs.
Well I hope you did not take offence to my question as it was a genuine one. Thanks for pointing all that out, I did not realize they didn't have something for free apps and service hacks like that on Android.
I actually use LinkStore which has been pretty good lately.
My biggest question for you then would be... How do I back everything up? If I lose my jailbreak, do I lose everything that I got from it? Or is there a way to backup all my jailbroken apps and such?
No I didn't was just awake and LED was too bright and thoughts disjointed. No you wont but it will not boot up if you remove the jailbreak. You can just make a itunes back up and reload it after JB. then make another backup and remove JB and roll back to stock.
Thanks for the info... Have been jailbroken on my new phone for a little bit but haven't jumped into it too much. Maybe I'll hang with my iPhone a little longer :) Thanks!
Definitely explore the many awesome jailbreak options for a bit.
Thanks for the link, I was looking at Android Gadget Hacks and didn't even think to look at iOS!
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i recommend not changing it cause my friend has the sam e vsamsung galaxy model and IT WORKS LIKE SHIT!
Thanks for the tip! I decided to keep it... Especially with the iOS 9 announcement and how everything (like mentioned earlier) ties together (iPad, Mac, iPhone, etc..).
One of the biggest reasons however was because of GBA4iOS :)
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