It’s 2021, and even after dozens of Android device launches, iPhone 12 series continues to dominate the sales chart. However, the iPhones aren’t perfect either. Apple’s 2020 flagship lineup misses on a high-refresh display, lossless zoom camera, fast charging, and more. You can easily get such add-ons from a typical Android flagship. If you are on the verge of switching from the iPhone to Android, then read along to find the top reasons to make the switch.
The Best Reasons to Switch from iPhone to Android
In this list below, we will talk about Android flagship hardware advantages and why Android’s obvious superiority makes it worth switching to from an iPhone.
1. Customization Options
Didn’t like the default look of the icons and theming engine on the Android device? No need to worry. The Play Store is full of Android launchers, third-party icon packs, and widget-maker apps that completely change the look and feel of the device. The trick isn’t possible on the iPhone. OEMs like Samsung, Xiaomi, and Oppo even go a step ahead and offer a dedicated theme store to choose from hundreds of ready-to-go themes.
Google has acknowledged the customization popularity on Android, and with Android 12, the company aims to take the whole experience to the next level with built-in multiple theming options.
2. Google Assistant Integration
Even after years of development, Siri doesn’t hold a candle against Google’s superior assistant. The speech recognition and prompts answers are miles better on the Google Assistant compared to Siri. Technically, Google Assistant is available on the iPhone as well. However, the deep integration with the OS and other Google Apps is simply better on Android.
3. MicroSD Card Support
The major Android flagships have already dropped the microSD support. But do you know the highest selling Android device in the world (Galaxy A51) still comes with a microSD card slot? It’s a handy and cheaper way to extend the storage on the device. I get the current trend with the cloud storage services, but nothing beats the convenience of topping a 256GB memory card to store and move media files on the go.
4. Wide-variety of Options to Choose From
Didn’t like the latest OnePlus device, or not a fan of the recent changes to the S21 series? You can always go with rivals such as Xiaomi or Oppo as the next purchase. The Android world is full of options. There is something for everyone. On the iPhone side, you are stuck with whatever Apple decides to pack in their offering.
Also, if you are on a tight budget, you have some excellent offerings from Realme, Poco, and Samsung A-series as well. No need to shell out $1k for a shiny new gadget.
5. Superior Multitasking
No matter how hard Apple tries to optimize the iOS experience, multitasking will always be better on the Android side. It’s all numbers game, and the high-end Android devices come with 8GB or 12GB of RAM. They can easily keep dozens of apps open in the background. Let me share an example.
I use the OneDrive app on both the iPhone XR and Pixel XL. I have enabled the camera upload option on both platforms. On iPhone, I need to keep the app open in the background for a flawless upload process. No such issue on the Android side. You will also notice frequent app reloads on iPhone compared to a capable Android device.
6. Call Recording
This one is only true in certain parts of the world. iPhone simply doesn’t offer a native way to record calls, even where it’s possible and legal. There is a workaround to record calls on the iPhone 12 using third-party apps, but they are not as simple as an Android device. Samsung, Xiaomi, Oppo, OnePlus, etc., offer a built-in call recording functionality.
If call recording is your priority, then an iPhone shouldn’t be on your buying list.
7. Headphone Jack
I know we all have moved to the TWS (True Wireless Stereo). But hear me out. There can be times when the device Bluetooth connection throws an error, or the TWS runs out of battery. You can simply go back to the old style and opt for a headphone jack for music needs in such cases. On the iPhone side, you will have to rely on a dongle to get things done.
Most Android flagships have already ditched the headphone jack, but some of the best mid-range phones, such as Galaxy A52 and Galaxy A72 still features it.
8. Higher Refresh Rate Display
OEMs have already moved on to 120Hz display panels with a 240Hz touch-sampling rate on the Android side. Apple’s best iPhone, the iPhone 12 Pro is still stuck at 60Hz. Some users might not find a huge difference between the two but use an Android device with a high refresh rate display and an iPhone side-by-side, and you will notice the butter-smooth scrolling experience made possible by the 120Hz display.
The implementation makes a definite difference in day-to-day use.
9. Better Zoom Camera
This is yet another hardware advantage of owning an Android flagship compared to the iPhone. Galaxy S21 Ultra comes with a 10x lossless zoom, while the Mi 11 Ultra packs a 5x lossless zoom. Remember, we are talking about lossless quality and not the 100x or 120x gimmicks.
They are definitely handy and adds a fun element over a capable camera system.
10. Apps Talk to Each Other
Have you ever tried to open a YouTube link from the iPhone Twitter app? It will open the link in the default Safari or Twitter browser. Not a desirable experience from a user perspective. Try to open an Amazon link from the WhatsApp chat, and it will use the default browser and not the Amazon app. No such issue on the Android side. Apps talk to each other on the Android side, and you will have a seamless experience switching among apps.
11. Third-Party Messages App
The default Messages app on the iPhone is basic at best. There is no option to star a message to save it later, and the organization structure is also average. iPhone doesn’t allow third-party developers to read the messages on the device. On the Android side, you have apps such as Microsoft SMS Organizer and dozens of third-party message apps that are miles better than the iPhone’s native solution.
Another category missing from the iPhone side is finance apps that read your bank messages and automatically compose expense or income entries in the respective app.
12. Fast Charging
Apple has never pioneered the battery or fast charging tech on the mobile device. The same holds for the iPhone 12 series as well. On the other hand, you can get up to 65w fast charging on the latest flagships from Oppo and OnePlus. Top-up your phone for half an hour, and you are ready to go with a 60%-70% charge.
Some Android flagships offer the convenience of up to 50w fast wireless charging, something that’s only capped at 15w on the iPhone.
13. Sideload Apps
Didn’t like the recent changes to your favorite app? On Apple, once you update the app, you are stuck with the changes. There is no way to downgrade the app to the previous version. On Android, you have the luxury of installing apps from the web. Simply find the APK file of the app and install it on your device.
14. Biometrics
Apple’s Face ID might be superior on paper, but in today’s COVID-19 times when everyone uses masks, you have better convenience using a standard fingerprint scanner on an Android compared to the Face ID on the iPhone.
15. Better File Management
Apple did a decent job with the Files app on the iPhone. However, it’s no match for superior third-party file manager apps such as Solid Explorer Pro and ES File manager on the Android side. You will be surprised to see just how much better and easy it is to manage files on Android compared to iOS. Also, if you are using Windows, then you don’t need to deal with a cumbersome iTunes experience on the desktop.
Go through the list above and get an Android device over iPhone. While you are at it, do let us know which reason pushed you towards buying an Android.
By the way, not everything is lost on the iPhone side. We have compiled a similar reason list to switch from Android to iPhone. Do check that out.
