Long-time iOS user considering switch to Android - Need advice on $1000 flagships

Submitted ⁨⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩ by ⁨mudkip@lemdro.id⁩ to ⁨technology@lemmy.world⁩

Title: Long-time iOS user considering switch to Android - Need advice on $1000 flagships

Body:

Hey everyone, I’m looking at phones around the $1000 price point and would love some input. I’ve been an iOS user for years but I’m seriously considering making the jump to Android this time.

Here’s what I’m looking at:

iPhone 17 Pro - The safe choice since I’m already in the ecosystem

Samsung Galaxy S25 - Hearing good things about this generation

Pixel 10 Pro - Probably crossing this one off the list due to the stability issues I’ve been reading about (the 911 call failures, overheating problems, etc.)

Nothing Phone - The design looks really cool, but I’m not sure if they have anything in this price range

For those who’ve made the switch from iOS to Android (or vice versa), what would you recommend? Any major gotchas I should know about? And is the Nothing Phone even worth considering as a daily driver at this price point?

Thanks in advance!

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Comments

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brygphilomena@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Samsung is on my shit list. Their spammy, ad riddled UI is infuriating.

I don’t trust them. They lock their phones down and don’t let you remove their bloatware or block their ads/notifications.

Fuck them. Never buy Samsung.

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- Shadow@lemmy.ca ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  I’ve been on Samsung for years and I don’t get this argument anymore. There’s no ads on my phone, and one ui is pretty smooth.
  
  I do use my own launcher so maybe that covers it up, but new Samsung isn’t like what they were a long time ago.
  
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  - acosmichippo@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    they also didn’t donate any money to trump’s vanity projects unlike apple and google.
    
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  - kbobabob@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    I have the same experience although I’m still on One UI. S24 Ultra
    
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  - MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    
    and one ui is pretty smooth.
    
    Nah. It only stopped lagging, because the hardware got faster.
    
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  - MSids@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    I was working on my Mom’s Samsung tonight and can confirm that default One UI is the worst cell phone interface experience I’ve ever had. Needing a skin or launcher is a deal breaker when devices with great OOTB experience exist.
    
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- MagicShel@lemmy.zip ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Agree with this. Samsung has great hardware but I hate their software. I switched from them to iOS. Only thing I really hate in iOS is swipe typing and fucking awful autocorrect. Everything else is better than Samsung. They might also have a better camera but it’s hard to keep up with all the leapfrog.
  
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  - Ulrich@feddit.org ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    As an Android user, the iOS keyboard is fucking horrendous and I don’t understand how people deal with that every single day.
    
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- foggenbooty@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  I agree and disagree. I switched from a Pixel to an S series and I have to say I like the Samsung better.
  
  While the Samsung UI used to be a sore spot, I think the Pixel design language shift of the past couple years is far worse. All the big colorful pills with too much whitespace… Samsung brings back a proper notification shade with lots of quick buttons, like it used to be 3 or so versions ago with a Pixel. I put my custom launcher on basically forget it’s Samsung.
  
  There’s spots all over Android that have been rough that Samsung just, smooths out. It’s like they’re actually using the phone and willing to take matters into their own hands when Google isn’t, because Google isn’t focused on AI assistants and letting everything else rot. Samsung lets you customize, whereas Pixel keeps walking you toward an iOS style experience one step at a time.
  
  DeX, if you have a use for it, is awesome. During my lunch break at work can unplug my laptop from my dock, connect my phone, and have a personal workstation for watching videos, whatever. I also have a much better Private Folder with multiple apps. It’s like Samsung understands that with one device we need separation. Google has been saying a competitor to this is coming, but at this point it’s so far behind I’ll believe it when I see it.
  
  Samsung doesn’t hold you hostage in format wars. My old Pixel in 20fucking23 couldn’t support external storage with anything but FAT32. That’s insane. It was screwing me up trying to easily back up a large file and that was no problem for the Samsung. Same with casting, Google is all in on Chromecast and nothing else, Samsung can CC but it can also Miracast. So now I can cast to any TV instead of only some.
  
  Samsung’s hardware is usually better. They try new things sooner so you have a refined ultrasonic fingerprint sensor while Pixel was still doing illuminated, depending on your version the processors are better.
  
  Now, places where Samsung sucks are obvious and you stated a few. No unlocking is bullshit. I own the phone, I should be able to unlock it. If you’re into tinkering then stay away, but Samsung’s do tend to have higher resale value, so if you want to get into ROMs then you can always sell the Samsung and grab a cheap used Pixel. Samsung kept the headphone jack and uSD around a little longer, but they’re both long gone on today’s models so that’s moot.
  
  Samsung (and I can see where they’re coming from) was concerned with how much control Google had over Android so they made their own first party apps for everything. This means a lot of duplicate apps. I will say that while some can’t be easily uninstalled, they can be easily ignored. I just don’t use most of them and I’m fine. They don’t really force them on you or keep changing them to the default handler or anything. I’m OK with it, but I could see some people being annoyed.
  
  That’s about it honestly… Samsung reminds me a bit of the early Nexus era days. Lots of customization, interesting tech, and work being put into the OS. Google is just plodding along, content to lock people into an iPhone clone and sell AI. I say give them both a try. If you pick up used or a refurb you can save a fortune and easily switch if you don’t like it without losing much if anything.
  
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  - brygphilomena@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    It’s been a while since I used Samsung. My work phone is a Samsung flip of some sort that gets powered on once a month.
    
    However, it’s not just their phones that have me turned off. Their TVs built in OS is shit and they just had a whole lot of bad press for their fridges that will start showing ads. Not to mention how their appliances tend to have the shortest lifespan of comparably prices appliances.
    
    Good hardware, but consistently anti consumer software.
    
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- MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Even back then. I discovered on my Galaxy S3 (2011/2013?) that you have to buy some softwre from them, to edit the boot animations in their own proprietary format (a novum back then). Then they got Knox and stuff. Their entire bootchain is now a custom proprietary hackjob.
  
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obsidianfoxxy7870@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
If your wanting to switch for privacy reasons I would go for a Pixel and put a custom ROM on it.

Is there a reason you are tied to the idea of it being a flagship? I’ve been using the A series of Pixels forever and love them.

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- Glitch@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  This i 100% agree with, the construction of the A series phones is easier to hold and less fragile, and the performance difference is negligible unless you play mobile games
  
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  - VeganCheesecake@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    Compared to the Pixel / Pixel Pro, the Performance difference is pretty much nil because they’re all on the same SoC.
    
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- mudkip@lemdro.id ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  I use my phone often for photography
  
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  - mybuttnolie@sopuli.xyz ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    the pixel pros have had the same camera system since 6
    
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brucethemoose@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Just jumped from Android to iOS, and I maintain Android phones for family, seen lots of both since the iPhone 4.

My advice…

Cheap out.

Either keep your phone or get an iPhone on firesale. There is no point to getting a Pro.

Android freaking sucks now, as you can either get a custom ROM and break a lot of apps. It will get worse once sideloading is gone. And flagship Android phones are awful. They either cost a fortune unlocked and ‘mostly stock,’ or they run absolutely horrid, spammy, battery sucking UIs (looking at you, Samsung).

If you want great pictures, grab a nice point and shoot with stabilization. They’re incredible now. In fact, on a recent trip, I discovered my 2008 Canon takes better zoom photos than brand new iPhones.

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- The_v@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  The phones in the midrange are getting to be better than the top end ones in my opinion. Decent enough build quality for the phone to last 3-4 years. Expensive enough that the bloatware is reduced. If the company does do a modified launcher it’s generally pretty clean.
  
  I am liking the OnePlus 13R I picked up. Stable UI, decent battery life, and not a bad price. The stock launcher does a pretty decent job.
  
  For my work phone I have a Pixel 8. I really regret buying it. I had to disable 30 different bloatware apps. Plus I have 4 apps that I have rejected all updates because they can’t be disabled. I also installed a launcher because the stock pixel UI is trash. The hardware is solid and works well once you clear out the buggy bloatware
  
  Apple made a major fuckup with IOS26. I upgraded my iPad and felt nauseous from the blur effect almost instantly. I can’t completely get rid of it, just make it less horrific. Their “new” multitasking options I am not even bothering to turn on or try to use yet. This is like their 10th edition of multitasking. Let’s see if they get it right this time. Then I will bother to learn their “simple” process that usually involves having to read a manual and remember half a dozen new commands. Fuck it still takes me 2 or 3 attempts to get the the home screen without a button.
  
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  - Catoblepas@piefed.blahaj.zone ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    If you haven’t tried yet, for your iPad try going Settings -> Accessibility-> Motion, and enable Reduce Motion and Prefer Cross-Fade Transitions. Both helped me, because I hated the blur effects too.
    
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- VeganCheesecake@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Custom Roms like Graphene, Calyx are the answer. And there are quite a few finance apps thag do work, look it up for the ones you actually need before switching.
  
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- tal@lemmy.today ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  
  I do not game on phones, but my best experiences have, ironically, been with ‘gaming’ phones like the Razer Phone 2 and Asus phones. They have gigantic batteries, lots of RAM, and lean, stock UIs that let you disable/uninstall apps, hence they’re fast as heck and last forever. I only gave up my Razer Phone 2 because the mic got clogged up with dust, and I miss it.
  
  While I kind of agree (though I don’t really like the “gamer” aesthetics), Asus only offers two major updates and two years of patches, which is quite short.
  
  androidauthority.com/phone-update-policies-165863…
  
  If someone games with their phone and plans to frequently upgrade for new hardware, they may not care. But if you get the hardware just to have a large battery and RAM, that may be a concern.
  
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ripcord@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
$1000 is too much for a phone.

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- IllNess@infosec.pub ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  If you wait for a deal to January, you can probably get a Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus for under $700.
  
  If you want to really save money, you can get an S24 and it will still have half a year of upgrades.
  
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  - GreatRam@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    The s24 series has 7 years of updates
    
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- Rai@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Ehhhh I build a computer that lasts eight years or more for 2KUSD
  
  I think spending 1.5kUSD on a pocket computer that stays fast and works amazingly for at least five years is legit. I got my last phone five years ago and didn’t even need to upgrade, I just wanted more storage space and 120hz screen. Oh and better cameras. But 1-2k is not too much for a phone if you use it as a pocket computer with… what rivals a DSLR but you don’t have to bring your DALE with you, attached to it.
  
  You can get a decent phone for cheap, but it’s gonna be kinda shit it a couple years. I don’t have to lug my Nikon with me anymore and that’s great.
  
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  - golli@sopuli.xyz ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    I do agree with the notion that phones in todays society are hugely important and spending money on what for most people might be their most important computing device is valid.
    
    But the thing is that you really don’t need to spend this kind of money to get all the performance 95% of people need. Unless you want a foldable phone or NEED the telefoto-lense that is often reserved for higher end models (but I assume even then there are cheap options),
    
    As an example here in Germany you can get a pixel 9 for under 500€, if you get a cheap mobile contract even cheaper (I pay 15€/month over 2 years and got a free pixel 9 with the mobile plan). All the performance you need and makes great photos. And for anyone who wants lots of storage there are still phones with sd card readers
    
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  - ripcord@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    No
    
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- LagFlex@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Came here to say the same thing 😭
  
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MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

Need advice on $1000 flagships

Get a $500 non-flagship. Basically the same but a bit less AI-noise in the pictures it takes.

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ski11erboi@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
I was a lifelong android user, mostly pixels, and switched to a an iPhone 14 pro 4 years ago. This is the first phone I’ve had that’s lasted 3+ years, that’s never crashed, and still runsas quickly and smoothly as when I bought it. Apple would have to seriously fuck something up for me to ever go back to an android.

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- zewm@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  I’m the opposite. I switched to Apple in 2018 and their most recent changes have made me start looking at Android again.
  
  My biggest gripe is the crappy liquid UI and terribly low QA they have now. I’ve never had a more buggy experience in my life.
  
  If I ever figure out how to move all my 2FA stuff over to another phone I will most likely switch.
  
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  - Reverendender@sh.itjust.works ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    It’s atrocious. I’ve been an Apple user since 2007, and I am almost ready to move everything I can to Linux, and set up home assistant. Apple Home is straight garbage anyway; it’s barely functional, and they have abandoned the software.
    
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- Asetru@feddit.org ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Got an iPhone from my work… I really want to like it, but damn, I miss the back button.
  
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  - ski11erboi@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    Yeah it took me a while to get used to swiping to go back but I think I prefer it now.
    
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- devolution@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  I was a lifelong Android fan boy but I switched because Googles CEO was giving Trump fellacio at the inauguration, not like Tim Cook is any better.
  
  I like iOS better because the battery life is insane and it’s a more stable platform.
  
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- architect@thelemmy.club ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  I’m hoping the last iphone I bought will last until we get entirely new communication devices because the way this bs is going is bleak as fuck.
  
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sem@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
I switched from a Pixel to a Samsung and I would like to inform you that Samsung is bullshit. The phone is nice and all but I’m always fighting the software. Google Pixel software stays out of your way and occasionally helps you.

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- paris@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  As a Pixel 6 Pro user who occasionally has to interact with the Samsung devices my parents use, holy moly I don’t know how anybody puts up with this. We’re talking fullscreen advertisement lockscreen bloatware that can be disabled but not uninstalled, added to the phone out of nowhere with a recent update. The worst android keyboard I’ve ever used in my life. A UI and all of Samsung’s versions of existing apps that I’m constantly fighting just to use the phone. It’s ridiculous. I genuinely don’t know how anyone can run a Samsung device without installing a custom ROM or something it’s actually insane.
  
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  - FauxLiving@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    I’m another happy Pixel 6 Pro user. I use GrapheneOS so my phone doesn’t have adware (or Google for that matter).
    
    Great battery life, beautiful 120hz display, quality cameras. The only bad thing is replacing the battery isn’t easy (though I’m not having issues with the original battery yet)
    
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  - XeroxCool@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    I totally agree with Samsung being bullshit. As for how people can accept that, well, it’s probably the only ecosystem they know. My experience is anecdotal, but I’ve been to parts of the world where it’s iPhone vs Samsung. Like, USB-c is a Samsung plug. So, just as people get attached to the iPhone UI, regardless of model, people do the same with Samsung.
    
    Speaking of bullshit, has anyone elseatched Pixel’s deletion of the back button? While I’ve been conditioned on how it works, there’s still a number of app swipes that turn into “back” commands instead.
    
    I miss the Nexus lineup.
    
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  - dustyData@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    None of that comes activated by default. Sure, there are some dark patterns that trick people into activating bullshit. But anyone with half a brain and a minimum attention span not rotten yet by social media will click no on those prompts. Once disabled at the first startup, Samsung doesn’t bother you ever again. You can uninstall every single Samsung app and substitute with your favorite, no issue. This includes all Google apps, except play services because of Google.
    
    As for ads and uninstallable bloat, it’s probably a carrier version. Those do get bloated and get ads. But otherwise, the international unlocked versions don’t show any ads at all. I’ve never seen an ad in my S25 phone and use nearly all Foss apps. The phone has never refused to uninstall anything. The effort to do that is pretty minimum, no tech knowledge required. Just learn to say no to software, it’s not rocket science. People got conditioned to saying yes to every prompt just to make it go away. This is how they get you. But it is not mandatory or out of your power to disable that stuff.
    
    And for the UI, it’s a subjective matter of taste. I’ve never liked any of the alternative launchers either, they all suck in some minor way that breaks their gimmick. OneUI is fine and perfectly functional, it even has more customization and QoL features than stock launcher and other truly bullshit launchers like Xiaomi’s.
    
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  - el_abuelo@programming.dev ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    I’ve not run into any of these issues…but as I went from iPhone to samsung perhaps its all just a matter of perspective. Perhaps the Pixel is superior.
    
    I check each year what the reviews are saying and the Samsung always seem to edge out on top for what I want - a large device (i get the Ultra) with a premium build and great camera. I also have a samsung watch so the integrations work quite nicely. I found the google wallet on the watch constantly asked for my pin while the samsung wallet only would the first time since I put it on. Oh and you have to unlock your device to use Google Wallet as your travel payment…with samsung wallet I can just tap and go which is much more preferable to me as it means my eyes are up and paying attention to my world, not looking at my phone unlocking it.
    
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Pacattack57@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Honestly, if you’re coming from IPhone you won’t find any meaningful advice on Lemmy. Everyone here hates iPhones, and will try to sell you on phones with little to no market support. They’ll tell you to wipe the device and boot load your own OS.

I haven’t used an android in years but their strength is the flexibility in apps and you have a lot more options in terms of app ecosystem. That said I don’t know how long you’ve had an iPhone but if you exclusively use the apple ecosystem like MacOS, Apple Music, Apple TV it’s not worth changing it unless you are fully committed to starting over.

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sic_semper_tyrannis@lemmy.today ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
What’s your reasoning for wanting to switch?

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- mudkip@lemdro.id ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Honestly I would be upgrading phones anyway and the experience on the apple side is feeling stale. Their software is getting less stable with each release, while the amount of crammed in features is going up.
  
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Cassa@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
GrapheneOS is nice, and a way to keep your phone going even longer. Also supereasy to install.

I’d go with the pixel. Even if they might be the worst on battery life 🤔

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- doc@fedia.io ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Easy 24+ hour on a pixel with graphene for me. OP may not tolerate loss of tap to pay functions, though.
  
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  - Cassa@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    I use tap to pay? 🤔 A lot of bank apps do support grapheneos, but it is worth checking
    
    Yea, is usually good enough battery life for most ppl
    
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- anguo@piefed.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  What do you mean, going longer? GrapheneOS stops updates the same moment google does, AFAIK.
  
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favoredponcho@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
I would either get a pixel and put graphene os on it, or just get the iPhone. Android is trash for privacy.

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yersinda@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Regardless of what brand you choose, buy it from the manufacturer. I bought my prior Samsung from Verizon and the bloatware was horrible.

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- stealth_cookies@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Is this even a thing you can avoid anymore? You connect to the network with their SIM installed and it immediately downloads the apps they say you need.
  
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  - yersinda@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    I don’t know what carrier you use, but after I bought my new phone from the OEM I didn’t have that happen
    
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frank@sopuli.xyz ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Not sure where you’re located, but if you’re in the EU you can consider Fairphone for an extremely repairable phone instead. The 6 doesn’t have the specs of proper flagships, but it’s quite a step in the ethical direction in my opinion.

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- kubok@fedia.io ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  ...hard agree. Depending on use case, you do not need top notch hardware anyway. Also, degoogling a Fairphone is extremely easy.
  
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aqua_cat@pawb.social ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
In my honest opinion Sony Xperia (1 or 5) lineup is best Android has to offer, especially with LineageOS.

Nothing is good if you like the design, but it is expiriencing enshitification at a rapid pace.

Samsung is a no go (at least flagships) for their size, AI bullshit and forcing Samsung garbage on you (Samsung account, Samsung appstore, Samsung pay, etc.) .

Motorola is ok imo, just not much support from Lenovo.

Pixel is huge, underpowered and google is ruining it day by day.

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- fakeplastic@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  [deleted]
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  - sem@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    I also didn’t create an account, but it still annoys me about it sometimes.
    
    I hate trying to do something on my phone and finding out it is gated behind a Samsung app that I have to try to install from a 3rd party website to avoid making an account.
    
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- pipe01@programming.dev ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  
  Nothing is good if you like the design, but it is expiriencing enshitification at a rapid pace
  
  Hmm I disagree. Sure, the Phone 3 was a bit of a flop, but I think that’s far from enshitification
  
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- Atherel@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Can only agree. Had Pixel phones but with how Google is acting now, my next phone will be something else. Samsung is a nogo, I will look at Sony, Motorola and Fairphone when the time has come. Also depends on how custom ROMs will change until then.
  
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brillotti@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
If good multiple cameras is what you look for in a phone, you can’t go wrong with a Google Pixel. It comes with a clean OS as well. Don’t listen to the others who say to flash a custom ROM, as doing that will gimp the phone’s experience and potentially stop some of the apps from running.

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- hornedfiend@sopuli.xyz ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  The only things affected might be some banking apps and google nfc payments. Graphene OS is still the best alternative for Pixel Android for both privacy and security.
  
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  - brillotti@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    I agree that Graphene OS is the best alternative far privacy and security, but we’re giving advice to an iPhone user who probably expects their phone to just work. The OS can always be flashed later if the phone is a Google Pixel.
    
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Truscape@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
If you’re seeking privacy, I bought a Pixel 9 from a clearance sale (at a $200 discount) and the only difference for me personally is a one year support timeline difference. You can install GrapheneOS using their official guide and never touch the Google OS.

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tangonov@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Get a pixel. They are less expensive, especially at last year’s model. Way less vendor bloat. Easiest device to deGoogle, ironically. I’m running GrapheneOS on a pixel 7 I spent $700 a couple years ago. Get your freedom while you still can

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Normo@lemdro.id ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Samsung’s phones are pretty superior but the software is pretty bloated. And i don’t think anyone should trust Nothing anymore because of all the controversies going around.

Google pixels on the other hand has a good bloat free OS. Also i think those 911 call failures and overheating issues that you mentioned might get fixed via a new update. I think you should go with the Pixel 10 Pro, You could also consider installing GrapheneOS on that bad boy.

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cerebralhawks@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
I have both. iPhone 16 Pro Max (2024) and Galaxy S10 (2019).

Okay so the iPhone 17 Pro is kinda pointless vs the regular iPhone 17. There’s a reason the 17 is the hot seller. It got ProMotion and it has a virutal 2x telephoto (by cropping into the regular cam) so it’s good enough for most people.

Pixel 10 Pro is worth considering, but try the camera first. You’ll love it or you’ll hate it. I love how when dialing into the 100X zoom, you get a little preview in the corner so you see where you’re going! That’s helpful. But it uses AI to hallucinate what it can’t make out, so be advised the 100X is kind of an illusion. But it’s also a 100X zoom! That’s awesome.

P10P has roughly the same compute power as an iPhone 11, and that’s sorry as hell, given the price, and given that Google sells your personal information. It’s borderline inexcusable, but if you’re considering Android, you’re not getting away from that. Also, benchmarks can be misleading. The Tensor CPU may be a few generations behind in raw compute power, but the P10P package makes up for this in other areas, like camera compute and battery life. It is NOT like having an iPhone 11 in 2025 (not that there’s anything wrong with that, I rock a 2019 S10 in 2025 and I still love that phone). The phone is not much slower (if at all to a layman’s perspective) than any 2025 flagship.

Speaking of benchmark shenanigans, the Galaxy S25 gets the highest benchmarks (not sure if this counts the iPhone 17 line, they were benching against the 16 series), but it loses more when thermally throttling. So if you’re playing high-end games, the Galaxy S25 will become weaker than the 16 Pro because it slows down more. But in day to day tasks? Kicks the iPhone’s ass… in benchmarks. Both phones will perform admirably!

If I had to replace my S10 right now, I’d get a base Galaxy S25. I like Samsung. It gets the best of Android and you generally get a year or two before Google’s more controversial decisions (removing the buttons, removing the headphone jack) come to Galaxy. Galaxy phones are fun. They’ve always had good energy to me.

If I had to replace my 16 Pro Max, I’d get a base 17 in a heartbeat.

I don’t hate the Pixel phones. I want to see Google step up the power of the Tensor chip a bit. I like Apple’s lax approach to AI. Samsung tries to make it fun and I think Google does too much, but I can’t point to any one thing with AI that really bothers me that Google does. I just think Samsung is better here, and they use more powerful chips.

I’ve always said that no matter what side of the iOS/Android fence you’re on, you really can’t go wrong with either Apple or Samsung. That goes for platform loyalists and those considering switching. Samsung isn’t really the Apple of Android, that’d be Google, but Apple is kinda boring and so is Pixel, and Samsung… isn’t.

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- mudkip@lemdro.id ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Thanks for the detailed answer
  
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nutsack@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Google pixel /thread

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Amir@lemmy.ml ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Pixels just get astroturfed into oblivion, for 10 years they’ve offered the best Android experience by far.

The only mediocre aspect is battery life/charging. Other than that, Pixel is always the way to go.

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octobob@lemmy.ml ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Get a OnePlus 13. They’re ~$900 now but that will soon drop when the new model drops, or black Friday or whatever.

No bloat, great specs, a new battery technology that lasts for 2 days for me.

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- HereIAm@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  A friend of mine showed me their nothing phone, one with the glyph lights in the back. It wouldn’t have been an expensive version, but even so the back plate felt very plasticy. Is that still the case with them?
  
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  - Amir@lemmy.ml ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    Nothing’s releases this year were underwhelming unfortunately
    
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altima_neo@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
I like my Samsung phones. I’ve mostly had the Note line up until the S24 dropped it in favor of the “Ultra” line. So that’s what I’ve got.

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pelya@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
My advice is to go to gsmarena.com and find a phone with 4nm octa-core chipset for $400. Who needs those four cameras, you’ll probably use those fisheye lens maybe three times in your phone’s lifetime. It’s better to buy a phone with some useful gimmick like 6000 mAh battery and have 1.5 day life on a single charge.

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lietuva@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
you should get pixel 9 pro, its almost identical to pixel 10 pro, but much cheaper now, my girlfriend recrntly switched from apple xs and she’s quite happy. its comfortably sized phone 6.3", cameras are great, battery is ok. I own pixel 8 but i constantly lack telephoto camera. Theres new oneplus coming out, they have new type of battery that is almost twice the size of most phones.

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01189998819991197253@infosec.pub ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Big question for me, in order to make any sort of educated suggestion: what are the reasons you’re considering switching ecosystems?

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- mudkip@lemdro.id ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Honestly I would be upgrading phones anyway and the experience on the apple side is feeling stale. Their software is getting less stable with each release, while the amount of crammed in features is going up. I will likely keep the stock software for compatibility reasons
  
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  - 01189998819991197253@infosec.pub ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    Makes sense. I don’t know if I can recommend the Pixel series, as I’ve had stupid issues lately. It feels like google uses the Pixels as guinea pigs. I can’t really recommend Samsung for the same reasons you want to switch. Maybe OnePlus? They’re close to stock in UI, and I’ve been recommended them by several friends for at least a decade.
    
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  - DampSquid@feddit.uk ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    I would at least consider the phones already listed as compatible with Graphene or Lineage, then you’ll have the most options
    
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devolution@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Don’t. Google has gone down the shutter for a while now and they are abandoning open source.

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Adderbox76@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
I’m going to throw in a sleeper pick and recommend the Motorola Edge 2025.

I’m still running the 2023 version and I dare anyone to tell me the difference between that series at 700 or so versus a 1000 dollar Samsung.

The reality is that once you pass the 600 dollar mark, your primary difference is whether the phone uses Snapdragon or Mediatek chipsets. And the people who tell you that make any kind of regular use difference outside of heavy gaming are flat out lying to you.

Save your money. Motorola is the last company that is seemingly still trying to price their products sanely rather than chasing Apples policy of “charge as much as we can until people say no”

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MSids@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
I am nearing the end of my rope with Android, I might suggest hanging on with your iPhone for another cycle. Mine is feeling more and more like just an advertisement data collection machine, and core features like speech to text and notifications have never been worse.

I don’t own an iPhone, but got an iPad in 2024, and most of what I do on my iPad feels more refined. I was floored this morning when speaking out a comment on the iPad that the text to speech didn’t add a bunch of random periods/caps alongside half a dozen incorrect words. iOS also has basic things like consistent first party podcast, payment, and chat apps that they don’t continually switch out every few years like what Google just did (looking at you Google Podcasts, GPay in USA, and Hangouts). We’re also losing the ability to install apps from outside the walled garden that is then play store at some point soon. I’m not looking forward to learning what that means for my Retroid/Android gaming handhelds.

If you do jump to Android, consider the Pixel 9 Pro. I hate it the least of anything I’ve tried in then Android universe. Samsung makes nice hardware but the skin they put on Android is truly terrible. If you use Microsoft work apps on your phone, you’ll appreciate being able to shut them off with one button, and your employer’s limited visibility into your phone will be further reduced to what’s installed in the work container.

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