Elysian
SCAATSJW
Been thinking about this since I placed the order for my Essential Phone, and thought it might be an interesting topic, basically the things about iOS that drive me nuts, and as I get back into the Android ecosystem, the things about Android that drive me nuts. Probably doesn't help anything, but wanted to put it out there nonetheless.
I'm actually looking forward to going back to Android, because of the things about iOS that I've just had to live with, that I can't fix.
One of the things that drives me nuts the most is the 3rd party keyboard implementation. It's obvious that Apple has gimped 3rd party keyboards in major ways so their solution can still reign supreme. Like not being able to use a 3rd party keyboard in any password field, why the hell? Not being able to fully disable to stock keyboard, again why? So often I'll bring up the keyboard and it will revert back to stock, sometimes Swiftkey very obviously crashes, and will crash multiple times while trying to get back to it. Yes, crashing might be on Swiftkey, but reverting back to stock keyboard really gets annoying. Sometimes I even have to reboot my phone to get the 3rd party keyboard working right. It's frustrating, and the stock keyboard sucks so bad. Also don't feel like Swiftkey's predictions are as good on iOS, nor do I feel like the swipe typing is as good, seems to get lost, and force touch comes into play a lot. When you force touch on Swiftkey it starts scrolling the cursor, which is annoying if you're swipe typing.
In fact, force touch overall isn't worth it. I never use it intentionally.
Let's talk maps... I'm not particularly fond of Apple Maps. It's not awful by any stretch, but I far prefer Google Maps, the interface is better, the maps are more visually pleasing, I just feel it's better. So Apple gimps other map softwares. When Google Maps is navigating I can't see the map from the lock screen, all it shows me is crappy push notification directions, which you just can't read if you're driving and trying to navigate. It's not safe, and there's no reason to gimp other maps software like that. I hate that Apple Maps is the only game in town for lock screen directions.
Browsers... I'm used to Safari by now, but I've never felt Chrome on iOS was very good compared to Android. I also don't like that it can't be made the default browser, it creates a really disjointed experience. Because of that I just don't install it anymore. I'm glad I'll have Chrome back on the new phone.
The settings app, it's still a mess, I basically have to use the Search function for most things, instead of just scrolling to them. It's amazing that it hasn't gotten any better over the 2 years I've had my iPhone, but they've gone from iOS 9 to 11.
Music/podcasts... I don't use the Apple podcast app anymore, and I don't use iTunes music. I use Downcast, and Spotify or Google Play Music. However, I have two albums on iTunes, so when I get in the car and hit the play button, a lot of times it won't resume what I was last listening to, instead it will start music from my iTunes library. Drives me nuts. Means I can't start driving, I have to turn my phone on and launch the app, then start it playing what I actually want to hear. This was even an issue at times when I did still use the stock Podcasts app, it would play music instead. It also doesn't send any track information to my head unit, but not all Android devices I've had did this either, only LG and Sony. Will be cool if the Essential Phone does though.
Power management, this one really drives me nuts, and I think it might be a big part of why my phone doesn't resume what I was last listening to. Power management is absurdly strict on the iPhone, it'll close down apps as soon as you leave them at times, or very shortly after. I've got a solitaire game I play, if I leave the game for any reason it has to fully reload when I go back to it. I don't lose my position in the game, but having to take that extra time to launch it seems like it wastes more power than if it actually properly backgrounded it. Downcast gets closed like that as well, as does Google Play Music. Meanwhile, Safari is allowed to stay running. This is especially annoying since my 6s+ has taken a big hit in battery life since around iOS 10.3 or so, so what exactly are they saving by being so strict?
Any iOS users have anything to add? I get my Essential Phone on Tuesday, per FedEx, so I'll be updating this thread about my Android annoyances then.
Overall, I do like my iPhone, I might be back next year or the year after, if they release an iPhone X type phone that doesn't start at $999. Just think they can do better, I shouldn't have to compromise so much, the things listed here are daily issues for me.
I'm actually looking forward to going back to Android, because of the things about iOS that I've just had to live with, that I can't fix.
One of the things that drives me nuts the most is the 3rd party keyboard implementation. It's obvious that Apple has gimped 3rd party keyboards in major ways so their solution can still reign supreme. Like not being able to use a 3rd party keyboard in any password field, why the hell? Not being able to fully disable to stock keyboard, again why? So often I'll bring up the keyboard and it will revert back to stock, sometimes Swiftkey very obviously crashes, and will crash multiple times while trying to get back to it. Yes, crashing might be on Swiftkey, but reverting back to stock keyboard really gets annoying. Sometimes I even have to reboot my phone to get the 3rd party keyboard working right. It's frustrating, and the stock keyboard sucks so bad. Also don't feel like Swiftkey's predictions are as good on iOS, nor do I feel like the swipe typing is as good, seems to get lost, and force touch comes into play a lot. When you force touch on Swiftkey it starts scrolling the cursor, which is annoying if you're swipe typing.
In fact, force touch overall isn't worth it. I never use it intentionally.
Let's talk maps... I'm not particularly fond of Apple Maps. It's not awful by any stretch, but I far prefer Google Maps, the interface is better, the maps are more visually pleasing, I just feel it's better. So Apple gimps other map softwares. When Google Maps is navigating I can't see the map from the lock screen, all it shows me is crappy push notification directions, which you just can't read if you're driving and trying to navigate. It's not safe, and there's no reason to gimp other maps software like that. I hate that Apple Maps is the only game in town for lock screen directions.
Browsers... I'm used to Safari by now, but I've never felt Chrome on iOS was very good compared to Android. I also don't like that it can't be made the default browser, it creates a really disjointed experience. Because of that I just don't install it anymore. I'm glad I'll have Chrome back on the new phone.
The settings app, it's still a mess, I basically have to use the Search function for most things, instead of just scrolling to them. It's amazing that it hasn't gotten any better over the 2 years I've had my iPhone, but they've gone from iOS 9 to 11.
Music/podcasts... I don't use the Apple podcast app anymore, and I don't use iTunes music. I use Downcast, and Spotify or Google Play Music. However, I have two albums on iTunes, so when I get in the car and hit the play button, a lot of times it won't resume what I was last listening to, instead it will start music from my iTunes library. Drives me nuts. Means I can't start driving, I have to turn my phone on and launch the app, then start it playing what I actually want to hear. This was even an issue at times when I did still use the stock Podcasts app, it would play music instead. It also doesn't send any track information to my head unit, but not all Android devices I've had did this either, only LG and Sony. Will be cool if the Essential Phone does though.
Power management, this one really drives me nuts, and I think it might be a big part of why my phone doesn't resume what I was last listening to. Power management is absurdly strict on the iPhone, it'll close down apps as soon as you leave them at times, or very shortly after. I've got a solitaire game I play, if I leave the game for any reason it has to fully reload when I go back to it. I don't lose my position in the game, but having to take that extra time to launch it seems like it wastes more power than if it actually properly backgrounded it. Downcast gets closed like that as well, as does Google Play Music. Meanwhile, Safari is allowed to stay running. This is especially annoying since my 6s+ has taken a big hit in battery life since around iOS 10.3 or so, so what exactly are they saving by being so strict?
Any iOS users have anything to add? I get my Essential Phone on Tuesday, per FedEx, so I'll be updating this thread about my Android annoyances then.
Overall, I do like my iPhone, I might be back next year or the year after, if they release an iPhone X type phone that doesn't start at $999. Just think they can do better, I shouldn't have to compromise so much, the things listed here are daily issues for me.
Lots of people complaining about 11.1...
