Have to switch to Android. Where to start?

I am ditching the iPhone for an android based device. No clue where to start. Been an iPhone lifer.

can y’all weigh in? Google pixel?

 

I had the original Pixel and it was great. I'm assuming the new ones are good as well. I'm currently using a Samsung Note 9 and I've been very happy with it. The waterproofing rating has held up in my inadvertent testing of submerging it in water while kayaking. The battery has held up well and I still get typically a day and a half out of it. When it was new I'd get around 2 days for a normal amount of usage.

Honestly any phone these days that's on the expensive side is going to be great. All the reviews online are made by people that are really into the tech, so it's easy to say that one phone is better than another based on specs, but I've never felt the need for a newer phone even using one that's 2 years old at this point.

 

What is the reason(s) that you are ditching Apple?

 

No longer supported at work and not carrying two devices

 

Samsung Note series or cheaper Samsung S series, pretty much the direct competitor for iPhone.

 

Samsung has some really nice hardware, one thing I don't like about Samsung is they bloat their phones with preinstalled apps, but the same can be said for most others brands. It's been getting better over the years though.
I prefer the Vanilla android experience like the Google Nexus and Pixels, stock google android without any customizations . Google provides android OS to the OEMs and they put their own interface (Called a launcher) on it so you can have 2 different brands with with similar hardware and the interface looks totally different (look up Android Fragmentation).
I vote for Pixel and Samsung a 2nd, I do use a Samsung for my work phone.

 

Have the Google pixel 4 and it's fine. Fast enough to do everything and everything is synced up to make life easier

 

I have a Samsung note 9 and very happy with it

 

There's also Motorola devices are good.

 

Been using Samsung Galaxy S Series for years now. Can always get an unlocked phone a few years older than current on Amazon for cheaper than paying new prices on the newest issue. Got an S8 via Amazon (non-refurb).

 

My samsung s7 is fantastic, I actually like it better than the s9 I have for work.

But they're both getting pretty long in the tooth now.

Samsung seems to make a pretty solid phone overall though.

 

my first smartphone was a iphone3g. did the jailbreak crap and suffered with it. i like modifying things and it wasn't enough.

went to a Sammy galaxy s2 and began the rooting madness and rooted & modified every phone since. but it always had some bs going on due to rooted roms. now I'm on an unlocked S10+, not rooted, but modified with Good Lock stuff and it's brilliant, best phone experience I've had hands down. I'm surprised every day how much i like it and that it's not rooted and weird.

 

I've had the Samsung Galaxy S2, S3, S7 Edge, and currently the S10+. All have been great phones. The main reason I ditched the S7 Edge was because I'd used it so much that the battery was dying in the cold. I predict in another year or two I'll be in need of another. But, in my opinion, based on my research and needs, the Samsung Galaxy S series is the best out there. Usually iPhones are about a generation or two behind in most specs except battery life. My significant other is an iPhone person so I have plenty of experience with those too. The nicest perk is that the Galaxy offers expandable memory, which Apple does not.

 

i also did some LGs, HTCs, and OPs, all rooted. the best of those was the OnePlus 7 Pro. i hated it and my wife loves it so it's hers and she's happy. 120Hz screen is nice. the one thing i miss on the S10+. no phone jack on the S20 so had to stay back a gen.

 

I've had the Galaxy S5, S7 and now the S9 that i've had for a few years. I really like them a lot and haven't had any issues with any of them. My S9 is starting to show it's age but not planning to get a new one until it dies.

I really like that you can add a memory card to the Galaxy, which you can't on an iPhone.

The Pixel gives the Android OS without any other pre-installed app which is nice too.

 

I forgot about that. Although I love my Galaxy Buds that I got as a free promo with my S10 so I guess it isn't too big of a downside. But running an Aux cord will be a tad more difficult.

 

have you seen Brownlee's review of the Xperia 1 mk ii ? pretty funny, somewhat compelling. not gonna buy it! lol

 

Used to always get the Motorola Droid's. Up until I got the Samsung S5 years ago. Now I can't leave Samsung because I don't want to. The features they implement are nice to have (note pen for instance). I have had their S5, S7 Edge, S8+, and now their S10+. Each upgrade has been great to me. I miss having AOSP, but I haven't rooted in so long that I don't really miss it. There will be a learning curve, but if you're into tech then it shouldn't be much of a problem.

 

It depends on what you want. Technology as of late has been obsessed with cramming their users/customers into their own "ecosystems." Sell them one of your products and then bind them all to your other products. There are so many at this point it's difficult to keep track. If you buy a Samsung phone you will get thrown into their ecosystem with all their apps. Buying a carrier device will include additional apps which force you into their own ecosystem. In such cases "your phone" (not really yours anymore) ends up having 20+ apps you never wanted to begin with, and you can't remove. 99.99% of users don't care or think that's how it's supposed to be. Pixel phones derived from the Nexus line of phones from back in a day, and used to offer an alternative to all that bloatware. I use the term "used to" because Google themselves are now guilty of preloading a bunch of their apps which you can't uninstall unless you modify their phone. You will get less apps on the phone of course and some of the Google apps can be removed if you don't want them. The other upside is that you will not have the manufacturers GUI on top of the Android OS changing the look and feel of it. It will remain as "pure Android". In addition to the Pixel phones there is a lesser known line of phones called Android One, which also is trying to do the same thing as the Pixel. Give you the "pure Android" experience without the bloatware. I think that pretty much covers that.

https://www.android.com/one/

 

I currently have a OnePlus 7pro but I had Samsung Galaxy phones, LG and Motorola.
Moving from IPhone isn't that hard. I helped 2 friends move to OnePlus a year ago. Most of the apps have the same apps in both app stores. The thing that is different is you need a Google account vs iCloud. There are ways to move your pics and contacts to Google pretty easy.

Here is an article
https://www.androidcentral.com/switching-iphone-android

Here is a good video to get you started with the move
https://youtu.be/m9GdmT7fUtc

As far as phones the android one phones by Nokia and Motorola are fine I had one but they are usually Budget or mid range devices. They will get the job done but don't expect high end Mobile gaming to run on them ..
If you want the most pure android experience then Pixel is the best now. I actually love my OnePlus. Yes is has a skin over the base android OS but it's very small very few apps you can't remove of the things that they add most are useful or not in the way if you don't want to use them. I would buy a OnePlus phone from them directly not via t-mobile as they add there own software and customize ROM that doesn't get updated as fast as the unlocked phone. Both are fully supported by t mobile and some other carriers too.