iPhone or Android?

[123456789A]

As a Windows Phone user of 4 years, I am considering getting an iPhone or an Android but I want to know if this is possible:

 

iPhone

If I get an iPhone, I would want to change the gaudy colors they use on the icons. I don't mind the flat design at all but those colors are just horrible looking. Can this be customized? Also, do I still need to install iTunes? iTunes is garbage on Windows and I do not want to install it on my computer. Is Siri still as dumb as a rock or has it improved?

 

Android

If I get an Android, is there a way to avoid using all the Google services? I guess right now there's no choice but to use the Play Store to get apps, but can you at least avoid all the rest of Google tracking you? Does my location get sent to Google even if I'm not using their services? How do you get the Cyanidegen thing on your phone? Also what's the best high end Android on AT&T right now?

 

For either iPhone or Android, are all the Microsoft services available on them now (OneDrive, Bing, Office, Xbox, Outlook, Remote Desktop, etc.) and how are they compared to what's on Windows Phone? Are they/can they be integrated into the way I use the phone or is it clunky with lots of extra steps?

[+E.Worm Jimmy Subscriber¹]

 you can just wait for Win 10 phones, you know.    So you don't have to whine how you don't like the other companies services, if you get iOS and Android.

 

 

seriously though, the iOS is very dependened on itunes which works like crap on windows.. i have not found a suitable replacement... even paid for.

 

android build would have a better chance, IMO   but it would require a lot of research.   your best bet would be samsung galaxy (s5) phone, which, due to popularity, have a LOT of customization available, and people working on updates for them.

[Nick H. Supervisor]

I was going to take issue with Earthworm Jimmy's post, but honestly it sounds like it would make more sense for you to stick with a Windows Phone.

To answer your questions for Android, you can root it and get access to everything, right down to which services are allowed to run. But I can't vouch for the stability of the system afterwards. To get Cyanogen on the phone, you should root it and flash the ROM to the device. XDA-Developers offer a load of tutorials specifc to whichever device you get.

For iPhone, I believe you could change the icons if you jailbreak the phone. I don't know if iTunes is necessary, but I seem to remember that you'll have issues doing things like backups if you don't. That might have changed in recent years though, what with cloud storage and the like.

I can't comment on Microsoft apps compared across all devices. I would assume that you get the best compatibility with a Windows Phone though.

TL;DR - From the sounds of things, you'd be best sticking with a Windows Phone. What makes you want to move away?

[Praetor]

why no love for BlackBerry?

[techbeck]

iPhones you can jailbreak and get more access to the system.  Tho every new update from Apple tends to break jailbreaking for a while.

 

If you install CYANOGEN, and others, a lot of time they dont come with Google services preinstalled.  It is a separate package you  flash after the main ROM.  So you could just leave off Google Services and use the Amazon App store to get apps.  Or you can find where to download the APKs and side load them that way.   You can also turn off Google Location Reporting in the settings on Android.  The Google Settings app you can do this in easily.  you can also go in and turn off interest based ads.

 

If you are to freaked out about Google, just wait a little while and see how WP10 is.  Maybe what you are looking for and isnt that far off.

[gradient456]

your best bet is to get an android and go whatever customization you need. what ever you requested on android can be done with ease and no root is needed.

 

also on the iOS you dont need iTunes at all except

1) sync photo,Music etc - with many cloud service i dont see a reason to use it at all

2) backup to computer- again icloud backup work as good as the local backup

[guitmz]

Stick to windows or go for android. I dont think you should pay big bucks for a phone where the max you can do to it is change the freaking background like the iphone

[Jaybot]

Coming from an iPhone 6+, I say go to Android. (Actually planning on getting a new Android phone today as well.)

 

iPhones are great, but they're simple. For me, I am switching to Android because of the customization, Google Now (Amazing, miles better than Siri), and just the overall feeling of Lollipop (Nexus 6)

[Melfster]

Coming Android I'd say go for iphone 6.   I find Iphone camera miles ahead of anything available on android.    The quality of apps very good compared to what you get with android.

[123456789A]

Well what I'm really saying is that the quality and availability of apps as Windows Phone is an afterthought for most developers. There's also no WP devices that appeal to me right now. If that changes when Windows 10 comes out, I'd happily switch back, but right now it's very frustrating. After 4 years of waiting for the next version, I figured I could try another OS for a while to see if it works for me. The thing is, I really like MS services as they meet my needs and work very well. The article posted yesterday about Microsoft working with Cyclogen on an Android with MS services is what got me thinking about trying something new, but if that concept isn't quite ready yet, I may wait.

 

As for the iPhone, it works pretty well in our enterprise and it has the best app store available. They're all around good phones but at the same time they're all pretty much the same. I'd like to be able to customize it enough that it's not just another one of a billion iPhones. I also abhor the iTunes software.

[Nick H. Supervisor]

Well what I'm really looking for is the quality and availability of apps...

Well as you know, Android and iPhones have that covered. Each side could sit here and argue the point, but at the end of the day there are apps on both platforms to suit anyone's needs.

 

As for the iPhone, it works pretty well in our enterprise and it has the best app store available. They're all around good phones but at the same time they're all pretty much the same. I'd like to be able to customize it enough that it's not just another one of a billion iPhones. I also abhor the iTunes software.

I disagree on iPhone having the best app store available, as I mentioned above.

However, for customisation there is no contest. Android wins on the ease and options available when it comes to that.

[tsupersonic]

I disagree on iPhone having the best app store available, as I mentioned above.

What's there to disagree about? iOS does have by far have the best app store. Apps typically come to iOS first, and then may get released to Android. 

 

@ OP - I'd stick with Windows Phone. I've seen your posts - you are very pro-Microsoft, and anti-Google.

 

iTunes on Windows can be a pig, but the effect is less, since modern PC's have decent specs these days. It is a much better experience on a Mac. With an iPhone, you don't have to use iTunes. If you utilize cloud services, you can gain access to your content w/o iTunes sync. 

[DarkyDan]

You just cancelled out iPhone with your questions.  iTunes will always be the only way to get ###### onto a non jailbroken iPhone.  It's a piece of ######.

 

Here is one thing putting Android above Windows Phone besides the obvious.. Flagships!  There are new flagship Android devices about to come out.

 

There is exactly dick all coming out with Windows Phone.  I love Windows Phone, I want to stick with it (###### Garmin, make your app for WP) but where is the flagship I can jump to from my Lumia 1020?

 

It's a joke.  I will have a bit of fun with Windows 10 on my Lumia in a week or 2 and if that doesn't impress me I will be looking at a Sony Z4.  Motorola's cameras are ######, HTC and Samsung have too much bloat.

[DeadEndAccount]

As a Windows Phone user of 4 years, I am considering getting an iPhone or an Android but I want to know if this is possible:

 

iPhone

If I get an iPhone, I would want to change the gaudy colors they use on the icons. I don't mind the flat design at all but those colors are just horrible looking. Can this be customized? Also, do I still need to install iTunes? iTunes is garbage on Windows and I do not want to install it on my computer. Is Siri still as dumb as a rock or has it improved?

 

Android

If I get an Android, is there a way to avoid using all the Google services? I guess right now there's no choice but to use the Play Store to get apps, but can you at least avoid all the rest of Google tracking you? Does my location get sent to Google even if I'm not using their services? How do you get the Cyanidegen thing on your phone? Also what's the best high end Android on AT&T right now?

 

For either iPhone or Android, are all the Microsoft services available on them now (OneDrive, Bing, Office, Xbox, Outlook, Remote Desktop, etc.) and how are they compared to what's on Windows Phone? Are they/can they be integrated into the way I use the phone or is it clunky with lots of extra steps?

 

How desperate do you need your new phone? the reason why is if I was you I'd hold out till the HTC One M9 is announced.

[sc302 Veteran]

If comparing stock to stock, apple is a very good solution and far more accurate than samsung.  If you want to modify from stock, go with samsung.   You can turn off the tracking, if that is what you want.  I have both the iphone (4 and 6) and the samsung s4...to me the 4 is better than the s4 as far as being able to use the phone as more than a phone (stock vs stock).  The note 4 is supposed to be much better than the s4, but I am pretty turned off of samsung after owning the s4.  I don't have a need or want to modify the stock phone.

 

If you have a samsung

 

[+Asmodai MVC]

What's there to disagree about? iOS does have by far have the best app store. Apps typically come to iOS first, and then may get released to Android.

What's there to disagree about? The "best app store" isn't a clearly defined criteria so there is plenty to disagree about. Take a look at this:

http://blog.appfigures.com/app-stores-growth-accelerates-in-2014/

Now I'm not saying you're wrong. I'm just saying it depends on the criteria you use and how you weight it. The apple app store tends to be more profitable for devs. So if that's your criteria then sure the apple app store is better. If you go by raw number of apps then Google Play is the best app store. Your claim that typically apps come to iOS first then may get released on Android doesn't make sense if Android has more apps. While it's certainly true that some apps go to iOS first and some never come to Android clearly there are a number of Android apps that never come to iOS either... and that Android exclusive number is larger than the iOS exlusive one. Now you could argue the Android exclusive apps are a bunch of junk, that's opinion though... one mans junk is another man's treasure. Again I'm not saying Google Play is better than the Apple App store, I'm just saying there is certainly room for people to disagree on the subject.

[mjedi7]

Coming from an iPhone I'd say go for an iPhone.

I was and Android user for a few months, and I was very disappointed of the quality of the apps, how often they crash, the lagginess of the OS, but today those problems are far better.
I loved the Google services all integrated in the OS, but now with iCloud, Apple services works really good.
 

• The camera is one of the best and super easy to use.
• To iOS version 8.1.2, iOS can be Jailbroken, so you can change icons, themes, fonts, lockscreen, the notification center, tweak the system, add new functions, new effects, etc, etc,etc.

• The quality of apps in iOS looks superior, most of Android Apps are ugly with black backgroud or ugly UI like Windows Phone. Lollipop looks amazing now but, like, only 1% of all android phones got it installed LOL.
• The AppStore is very well organized, kinda expensive though.
• iOS can be updated to the latest Operating System version (I have an iPad 2 from 2011, and it's on the latest version of the OS, 8.1.3).
• TouchID is a bless when you have to type a password or just unlock the phone, feels nice, secure and easy.
• You don't need iTunes, but if you use it, WIFI syncing works fine, a little slow but fine. 
• iMessage, Facetime, Facetime Audio, are stock apps, works super easy with other iOS/Mac devices. If nobody in your family has one, Skype, LINE, whatsapp and a ton of apps are available to your communication pleasure.
• Google and Microsoft publish most of their services apps to iOS.
• The Settings app is very well organized and clear, compared to the Mess in Windows Phone and Android.

iOS 8 is the buggiest release that Apple has ever shipped, but updates are doing good job. But has brought a lot new features: http://www.lowyat.net/2014/09/cool-new-features-on-your-ios-8/

My main concern about old iPhones, was and always been the battery (Except for iPhone 6 and 6+). If you are a Power User they won't last munch (the iPhone 6 and 6+ ad said before, don't have this problem).

[Obry]

Microsoft services are well supported on iPhone. I use them all and the new Outlook app (re-branded Acompli) is an excellent email client for iOS as well. Remote Desktop app works quite well too. You can do most stuff without iTunes but it's generally nice to have. I personally don't have any issues with the latest 12.x versions - they seem to work fine. You can backup your phone online to iCloud but not sure if it's the same as doing a full backup using iTunes. In either case, you don't really need to use iTunes much except to sync music (not sure if there is alternative to that; not to the best of my knowledge). Using iCloud you can have your photos and videos synced to your Windows PC (or you can use Dropbox and their Carousel app to sync that way) but for music you need iTunes and I agree - the way it works is not the best.

 

As far as icons, you will have to jailbreak your phone to change them. I don't personally know you but you might just get used to them after a while and not be bothered so much. I wasn't too crazy about iOS7/8 icons too when I was still a WP user but after I got my first iPhone I didn't really mind the icons much in the end. I had a choice between Android and iPhone from my work and ended up going with the iPhone - don't really regret that decision. The whole experience seems a lot more polished and integrated than Android. Yes, Android has a couple customization options that would be nice to have on the iPhone but overall for me the iPhone just works and works well. Never had issues with it. Can't say the same for my experience with Android in the Gingerbread and early 4.0 days (last time I used an Android phone).

[123456789A]

How desperate do you need your new phone? the reason why is if I was you I'd hold out till the HTC One M9 is announced.

 

Not that desperate. I mean I was even considering getting an 830 for now but it's way overpriced. I'd pay $249 (off contract) for it at the most.

[DeadEndAccount]

Not that desperate. I mean I was even considering getting an 830 for now but it's way overpriced. I'd pay $249 (off contract) for it at the most.

 

In New Zealand the cost is NZ$599 off contract and including GST. Don't get me wrong, I think it is a worthy phone but the amount they charged for it I feel that it sound be closer to NZ$499. The HTC One M9 I'd go for even though I'd love to give Windows Phone a go it is missing too many features I need as part of the base operating system - gapless playback still as part of their music application 2 years after Windows Phone 8 shipped. The HTC One M* range, although Android, is probably the best Android phone out there when it comes to build quality, software and after market support in terms of software updates and upgrades.

[The Evil Overlord]

why no love for BlackBerry?

They still exist???

 

 

 

and ROFL at the camera being the best, that made my day, thank you

[+Zagadka Subscriber²]

They still exist???

 

 

Same can almost be said of WinPhone.

 

I'm desperately hanging on until Win10 based devices are released.

[The Evil Overlord]

Same can almost be said of WinPhone.

 

I'm desperately hanging on until Win10 based devices are released.

Believe it or not, the now old lumia 1020 is growing on me (again), (If it wasn't for the tie down on my contract, I think I'd get one now)

[+Zagadka Subscriber²]

Don't get me wrong, I really like WP8. I could have upgraded the 822 by now, but I'll upgrade when I renew my contract with a WP10-based phone. WP8 isn't perfect (I've had some lockup/crashing issues with media playing and BlueTooth), but I do like it. Definitely has the best software keyboard I've used.

 

As I've said before, at this point your choice isn't the OS, it is the ecosystem. If you get an iPhone, you're using Apple apps and Apple storage, iCloud, etc. If you get a WinPhone you're going to be using OneDrive, and so forth. If you're a heavy Windows user, the ecosystem integration is worth it to tie your data together, especially with Win10 coming.

[Vinit Pratap]

Not exact situation like OP but I just want try other OS's, mainly Android. And by the time we get proper camera flagship with Windows 10 I'll jump back. Not thinking about iPhone because currently can't afford it and here we don't have carrier subsidized sales, may be in near future If get a job will consider it. Even though I've never owned phones of other OS's I have friends and people using them, And in my perception I think If you want a very good all around phone plus go for iPhone (I have to agree iTunes sync is not for tech freaks) and If you want Custumization with more feature( or say gimmicks) with good all around Phone go for Android flagships. TBH these are my perception not experiences and anyone can correct me here.