Android and iOS aren’t as different these days as you might think, and everyone has their favorite platform, but as both operating systems mature, both follow the path of the smartphone’s future And go, but in some details will feel very obvious difference. If you are considering switching from Android to iOS, this time the author will share with you 5 discomforts you may encounter.
5 things you can’t get used to when switching from Android to iOS
Notification management is a bit annoying
Apple has been less than satisfying when it comes to notification management, dating back to the early iPhone OS in the late 2000s, and while trying to catch up to Android, which did a better job before, took a step back with iOS 16 .
Notifications are no longer front and center on the lock screen, instead they’re moved to the bottom of the screen to more fully represent your wallpaper. While it sounds sweet, for the more productive, it can feel overpowering. Go to the “Notifications” item in “Settings” and change the default to stacked display to “List”, which will restore it to an experience similar to iOS 15, but only slightly better.
Android is more convenient in the way it is connected to the application. It has improved everything from email management to text messages to social media posts. You can also quickly reply to most notifications, which makes it faster and easier to initiate responses. No need to open the app. Also, on Android, most notification management is handled through apps rather than system settings. On iOS, you need to browse Apple’s settings sheet to find the service you want.
Some Google apps aren’t as intuitive on iOS
This isn’t a universal app conclusion, but for most of Google’s productivity tools, you’ll likely find it’s lacking on iOS. These applications are not always so intuitive, and sometimes a little cumbersome when you want to link related services. For example, when you open the map link in Gmail, you may need to click other menus to view the route of an address. , instead of using the default app to autoload the navigation.
Things are even worse for some of Google’s tools, Gboard being the most obvious example, and while Gboard is a fairly popular third-party keyboard for iOS, that doesn’t make it any better. Apple allows you to change the settings of some apps on your phone, including the keyboard, maps and browser, but they are also restricted by stricter requirements. For example, Chrome has to use the same rendering engine as Safari, and you might be able to visit your bookmarks, but you won’t have the same experience as on Android and desktop.
For years, Google has maintained its design language, however this has slowly changed over the past few years. The company also occasionally rolls out new features to iOS before Android, which can frustrate Android loyalists a bit too. Meanwhile, some of the company’s most famous apps, including its entire suite of productivity tools, are missing key features. Documents lack the ability to triple-tap to highlight paragraphs; Tables for iOS doesn’t allow you to build forms, charts, or tables, which is obviously annoying considering you can do most things on Android.
Limited custom layout
iOS customization has come a long way since the platform launched, and it took years for wallpapers to show up on the home screen, addressing the basic black background that users were tired of. Gadgets make the iPhone feel more alive these days, and if you’re patient enough to browse Apple’s dizzying array of tools, you can customize icons. Not to mention that the company is also overhauling the lock screen in iOS 16.
Nevertheless, there are still many limitations in the experience of switching to iOS, which can be seen from the layout. Apple pushes each app or widget to the first available position on the screen, pushing your content up and to the left, although it has cleaned up some of the interface since iOS 14 by adding the app library, but this may It also clutters up your interface. Still, for a company that seems intent on putting notifications as close to your thumb as possible, you’d think app icons would follow suit, but they don’t.
iOS constrains widgets in the same way, maximizing the widget’s fill of the screen, but this can make the overall layout look too much. Then there are app icons, iOS introduced a way to change icon shortcuts, but it’s more of a solution than a feature. You can use the Shortcuts app to customize the icons and create shortcuts for apps, but it will still open the app after clicking on it, which is an extra step when it supports icons for third-party apps.
App Store Restrictions
Apple built iOS success on the groundwork of the App Store. The App Store, first launched with iPhone OS 2, has become one of the biggest ways for the company to make money, and Apple only needs to serve as a platform for developers big and small, and of course, the company’s monopoly on iOS is not short of controversy.
On Android, the Play Store acts like the App Store, and as you might imagine, it faces its own set of criticisms. Of course, Android is an open platform, and the restrictions set by Apple are much lower. If you don’t like the Play Store, you can also use it without it. Downloading APKs from other reliable platforms allows your device to install any application, although it sounds safe. Threats, but for demanders, as long as they choose third-party platforms carefully, it will be more beneficial to users.
Of course, this is likely to change in the future. The EU is forcing Apple to open the App Store, which is likely to bring other applications that left due to monopoly back to the iPhone. But don’t be surprised if Apple makes it difficult for consumers to implement, or worse (like locking the tool into Europe). Because the U.S. and other countries have yet to file antitrust charges against the company, which means they don’t need to do anything outside the EU.
The choice of accessories is more diverse, but the surrounding area is very limited
If you choose to buy iOS, you are buying the entire ecosystem. It’s an interesting option for a lot of people, especially if you have both a Mac or an iPad, but it can be a nightmare for everyone else. First of all, you have to be ready to put away the USB-C charging cable at home. Although Apple is likely to jump out of Lightning in 2023, you can only choose Lightning for now.
The same goes for your smartwatch of choice. If the Apple Watch’s square design isn’t your thing, you’ll have to change your tastes. Although some wearable devices in the market also support iOS, the more mainstream and high-end Pixel Watch and Galaxy Watch 5 do not.
But there is a more gratifying point, because of the uniform size of the iPhone, you can find a super variety of protective cases and third-party gadgets on the market, but before that you have to deal with some major limitations, especially when it comes to cross-multiple Products that work on one platform.
Whether it is from Android to iOS or iOS to Android, jumping from one platform to another completely different platform, this process is inherently difficult, and the pain point is still a matter of personal adaptation. Sometimes you almost have to change the habitual operation of muscle memory to jump the system, so how it feels is still very subjective.