Thinking of switching from iPhone to Samsung

Hello everyone. I would’ve post this on the iPhone sub, but from what I’ve seen they’re a little biased. Here it’s 50/50. Sorry for the upcoming rambling. TL;dr/questions at the bottom:

When it comes to tech and specs, I know very little to none. I got my very first (current) iPhone 3 years ago (SE 2nd) after using android most of my life (Freeform lll and then the Galaxy exhibit). Reasons why I wanted an iPhone was because I heard Apple support/update their phones for quite awhile, security, Apple Pay, and the old “iOS is better than android”. The SE was the closes I’ve ever got to a flagship phone without paying a premium price. I knew battery life wasn’t the greatest with this phone and at the time I didn’t mind the 4.7 screen (I actually prefer the compact size). I was just happy to finally own a iPhone.

Well after 3 years, 70% battery life, and tired of this small ass screen, I was thinking of getting an upgrade. Jesus Christ the prices. Last years iPhone is hovering at around $800. A new iPhone 13 (release in 2021!) is around $600.

Idk why but I decide to take a look at androids. Maybe things changed or I didn’t do enough research back then, but I remember when android would get 2 major updates and after that security updates every now then. It looks like android has step up their game since. I’m very interested in Samsung last year’s flagship the S23. Still pricey at $700 but looks amazing, glowing reviews, and will get updates until 2028 which is amazing! I can definitely see this being my next phone until 2028. I was thinking of the S23 fe but I heard that phone is a POS.

Now I did say a bit pricey but from my knowledge Samsung phone do sales often and they don’t tend to hold their value overtime.

My questions:

It looks like the S24 FE is dropping soon. Will that lower the price of the S23?

Any chance the S23 will reach under $400 this year in a sale without a trade-in (my SE trade in value is $30 lol)?

If no to #2, is there a Samsung phone that would be an upgrade from my SE that’s under $400 (specs, camera, overall)?

How would I go about with my iCloud email and everything else from my iPhone if I do make the switch?

Worst case scenario I just pay $70 to get a new battery and I guess this would be my phone for the next 3 years. Just tired of the small screen lol. Would appreciate your guys advice. Thanks

TL;dr: I have a iPhone SE (2nd). Tired of battery life and small screen. Thinking of getting a Samsung. Questions above.

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I think Samsung is very fun. You get to customize your home screen and pretty much anything. That said, I doubt you would change it since there is always some sort of limitation or con to changing the default stuff.

I think the iPhone camera experience is miles ahead of Samsung. Its very hard to take pictures of moving subjects on Samsung thanks to shutter lag. Video in my opinion is better on iPhone as well. Samsung and iPhone pictures are up to par as well.

Edit: i actually even like the direction apple is taking lately. They are becoming android-like in their own way with the whole widgets and home screen stuff.

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Just do it and see which one you like more. You may be pleasantly surprised by what you find.

I personally use both the 13 pro and the s22u daily. I prefer my s22u over the 13 pro.

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After daily driving both an iPhone and a Galaxy phone the past couple years, they both have their pros and cons. I’ll share what I’ve told someone else that had the same question as you.

Haptics. I used to not think haptics weren’t a big deal until I felt the haptics on an iPhone. The haptic engine feels so nice and adds to the experience. I think only the Pixels have come closest to matching iPhone haptics.

Notifications. iOS notifications feel like it’s miles behind Android when it comes to notification management. It’s probably one of my biggest irritations with iOS.

Camera. This one is a bit of a tough call depending on your use case. They both take great day time photos. The two aspects that the S22 Ultra falls behind is when the lighting isn’t as optimal. The slow shutter makes it a little more difficult to nail a good shot of the subject is moving. The iPhone handles this much better. When it comes to video, the iPhone is still the most versatile in my opinion. It also looks sharp without the over sharpened look that the S22 footage still seems to have.

iOS has limited customization, but that’s been a given for such a long time. Surprisingly I’ve been able to adjust to it much better than I thought, but I still prefer Android’s customization though.

Updates. Apple is really consistent when it comes to updates since you don’t have to wait for the carriers to approve the update, like how it is with Samsung and other Android phones.

Resale value. iPhones hold their value MUCH better than Galaxy phones.

Battery life. Probably the biggest differentiator between the two. The 13 Pro Max lasts an insanely long time even with heavy use. It’s easily a day and a half kind of battery life for me. My S22 Ultra battery life is decent… 12 hrs of total usage with 4-5 hrs on screen time, but the iPhone just runs circles around it even though it has a smaller battery.

USB-C vs Lightning Port. Lightning port is so annoying on the iPhone and much slower with data transfer.

I say if you have the financial means to do it, give it a try to see whether you’ll like it or not.

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As an iPhone and Android user… iPhone works very well between Apple products… Android is universal works well with any other brand, you’ll also notice a brighter more vivid screen on a Samsung phone.

Edit: I’ll recommend you to use Google calendar, Google Photo, Google Pay and Google drive instead of Samsung apps so you can access them from any other devices… unlike Apple that will ask you like Three times to verify your Apple ID … Google is a lot faster and easier to use. Yes battery life is not same compared to iPhone 13 Pro Max but they charge to 100% in 30 minutes.

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I was an iPhone user for what felt like a lifetime - until iPhone 7, and I kept wanting to make the switch because the Android ecosystem seemed so much more dynamic and customizable, not to mention the expandable memory (at the time) and the easy file transfer to all platforms.

Also, I had an extreme allergic reaction to iTunes, which was necessary at the time and bricked my phone on one occasion, Apple tech support telling me I had no other option but to get it replaced.

After making the switch, there’s no way I can go back to iOS in its current iteration. There’s just so much flexibility and autonomy that Android offers. My only concern was losing all the apps. But, in actuality, most of the apps were also available for Android or had an Android equivalent.

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Benefits of samsung: Android gives you way more freedom to do whatever you want. Samsung phones have smaller notches and are easier to hold due to curved edges. Stock apps are better than apples.

Benefits of iPhone: ios has less bugs and iphones have better battery life.

Cameras are really down to personal preference, I like samsung photos better but apple videos better.

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Depends what you use your phone for

Apple does some things a lot better while Android has a lot more options and handles some things better

But if you are not locked in Apple’s economy, give Samsung a try and see if you like it, most stores you can return the phone to if you don’t like it so its safe to try one

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I had sold my 12 Pro Max in April when the S22 Ultra came out… Guess what, i bought the 13 Pro Max in July.

The S22Ultra is a beautiful and kickass phone, works well, has good features and a brilliant display.

Why i moved back to the IOS, everything works… Apps are of better quality, less crashes, better battery life, reliable… All the apps i use are not only faster, but much better made for IOS. I might have a few features missing compared to android, but many are gimmicks which are fancy for the first week or two and you’d probably forget about after the initial few days.

iOS just works… No speed bumps, no over heating… No battery anxiety.

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It is a great idea, but one major thing to note - If you’re transitioning, ensure a dedicated transition.

I say so, because Android is fantabulous. Not even a question about that.
I’ve used phones like the Pixel 3/6 Pro, S21 Plus, and I really know what they offer, they genuinely offer much more than iPhones in all aspects including software, stability, etc. They are so damn good that I don’t even consider switching to an iPhone, not for any reason.

However, if you are a knee-deep Apple Walled Garden user, then the other Apple products will cause hell and make your experience awful. Fearmongering iSheep statements like that of Bradley, “no AirDrop, no iMessage, no Mac sync” will indeed be true.

But if you make a dedicated transfer, you’ll not worry about any of this.
Android has Nearby Share that works with ANY other Android, and a trial version is already on Windows, in form of an app! Android-Windows, despite being from different companies, can share notifications and calls. Also, any pair of headphones like Bose QC45, or Sony XM5 can do multi-device with any device, unlike AirPods.

And of course, most important of all - Make sure to get a good Android.
Don’t do the typical move of going from 1200$ iPhone 13 Pro Max, all the way down to 100–200$ Scammy10i, or FakeMe 11 Pro with big specs and failed execution.
Even if you wish to go affordable, consider good phones, like S20 FE 5G, or Pixel 6a, or such. And if you can spend, obviously get equally flagship-grade Pixel 7, S23, Zenfone 9, etc.

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I’ve carried an iPhone and Android for over 3 years now. (Earlier, I carried an iPhone and a Blackberry.) I’m convinced that for the near term my needs are best met by owning both platforms – iOS and Android. I carry one in each pocket and have come to accept it as normal. Others might disagree! It’s my dream that one day, hopefully in the near future, the two platforms will become more similar!

Some pros and cons in no particular order……

There are several apps on the iPhone that you can’t find on the Android and a few the other way around. Advantage goes to iPhone.

Switching carries the cost of repurchasing apps which can be a heavy burden if you’re deeply vested in one or the other. No distinct advantage to either as apps generally cost about the same.

Android is more configurable than iOS and appears to me to be preferred by technically minded folks comfortable with making the necessary tweaks (myself included) – Advantage based on how technically minded you are.

Each platform has deep roots into the ecosystem to which it belongs. If you are heavily vested into Macs, Apple TV, iCloud and other Apple products then you’ll find moving to Android will be a step backwards.

On the other hand if you’re heavily into using Google apps then an Android phone will take you further than what you can leverage with the iPhone. Example, Google Voice is better integrated with Android than on the iPhone.

Android units come in a variety of sizes – an important factor for some. Certain Android brands have unique capabilities not found on iOS as yet– handwriting on the Samsung Note or the always-listening Moto X for example. Advantage goes to Android for the wide choice.

iPhone 5S has the touch ID feature not found on Android – this one feature makes me use the iPhone a lot more than the Android! This might be important to you if you keep your phone locked – which I recommend everyone do so. Advantage iPhone!

The Android allows you the option of various soft keyboards. Swiping text works a whole lot better for me than thumbing it – as such I prefer my Android over iPhone for text based interaction. Advantage Android!

Apple’s iCloud isn’t as sophisticated as Google’s services. There’s nothing Google Now capabilities on the iOS platform – for example I get heads up on flight delays by Google Now on my Android but the feature is not as mature on the iPhone. Advantage Android.

iPhones have a higher resale value on eBay than Android devices of equal vintage. Advantage iPhone for holding up value.

You’re more likely to be a target for thieves if you own an iPhone than an Android. Advantage Android.

iPhone has a better pull from top notification bar and a push up from bottom set of utilities - I’ve never understood why one needs to unlock a phone just to use the flashlight! Advantage iPhone.

Android has widgets and iPhone doesn’t. Widgets are simply great! Advantage Android.

Hope this helps….