iPhone to Pixel Pro 9 XL (+Google Watch, Earbuds etc)

[LukeyP_]

Evening All,

So I have been an Apple user since around 2010 and literally I'm in their 'Ecosystem' of MacBook, iPad, Watch, AirPods, AirTags & iPhone, but I feel the time has come after 15 years to make a jump into Android and more specifically, the Google Phones impress me. I feel I am just a little bored now and as my devices will need replacing - MacBook isn't supported now, Watch battery life is suffering - I am not sure I can keep justifying paying for the Apple badge anymore and maybe a change is welcome.

So I'm wondering what people are thinking of the change and who has done it?

My main concerns are the following;

1. Is Android easy enough to use? I found it clunky back in 2015 when had a works phone
2. Is Google Watch anygood?
3. For those who made the switch, did you find it OK?
4. Is Google Wallet as good as Apple Pay?

Anything else you wish to give me Pros, Cons, Tips on the phones etc.

It will be a full switch from Apple to Google products as a whole, apart from MacBook still have some left + iPad was new 2 years ago, so will keep for now.

[danb79]

LukeyP_ said:

Evening All,

So I have been an Apple user since around 2010 and literally I'm in their 'Ecosystem' of MacBook, iPad, Watch, AirPods, AirTags & iPhone, but I feel the time has come after 15 years to make a jump into Android and more specifically, the Google Phones impress me. I feel I am just a little bored now and as my devices will need replacing - MacBook isn't supported now, Watch battery life is suffering - I am not sure I can keep justifying paying for the Apple badge anymore and maybe a change is welcome.

So I'm wondering what people are thinking of the change and who has done it?

My main concerns are the following;

1. Is Android easy enough to use? I found it clunky back in 2015 when had a works phone
2. Is Google Watch anygood?
3. For those who made the switch, did you find it OK?
4. Is Google Wallet as good as Apple Pay?

Anything else you wish to give me Pros, Cons, Tips on the phones etc.

It will be a full switch from Apple to Google products as a whole, apart from MacBook still have some left + iPad was new 2 years ago, so will keep for now.

Android is very easy; it's much more customisable and the usability is slick... You simply need to get used to the platform

I'm everything Apple, but my phone is a Samsung S25U (was a Pixel 9 Pro Fold) and before that a 16PM with an AWU2, and I have the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra too

Google Wallet is spot on; I use that over Samsung Wallet on both phone and watch; the Google Pixel 3 watch is really good, but too small for my wrists/hands, hence I went for the Samsung Watch Ultra (chunky build, 47mm and is a superb watch, which, you can use with any Android phone, doesn't have to be Samsung).

I've always had feet in both iOS and Android; so never had any issues. You soon get used to it and then start to prefer the way it works and what you can do to it (making it your own with launchers (ie Nova Launcher), icon packs, layout, wallpapers / themes etc

I use Textra for SMS; WhatsApp, Google Photo's/Drive/Maps/Gmail etc etc. MS Swiftkey for the keyboard rather than GBoard and so on

This is my set up on my S25U (more or less the same as it was on my Pixel 9 Pro Fold) - Nova Launcher with CircleDient icon pack



And both my S25U and GWU on my Evolve charging stand specific for Samsung

[LukeyP_]

Thank you for the comprehensive feedback mate.

I like how you change apps for text messages and also keyboard by the sounds of it, one thing that I guess is better and less restrictive with Apple products. Did you use the Samsung Watch with your Google phone? If so, any issues/restrictions? I do prefer the Samsung watches but prefer the Google over Samsung phones so it's a difficult choice at the moment.

[danb79]

LukeyP_ said:

Thank you for the comprehensive feedback mate.

I like how you change apps for text messages and also keyboard by the sounds of it, one thing that I guess is better and less restrictive with Apple products. Did you use the Samsung Watch with your Google phone? If so, any issues/restrictions? I do prefer the Samsung watches but prefer the Google over Samsung phones so it's a difficult choice at the moment.

Exactly; iMessages is fine, basic but fine. I've got that on my M4 iMac, M3 MBA, iPad Pro etc - same with FaceTime and iCloud etc

I use Apple Music on my S25U; works faultlessly

Re Samsung Watch; yes you can use them on any Android phone with the most recent OSs etc - you simply download Samsung Wearable app and whichever watch manager app (it Watch 7) and that's it; set it up and away you go

I think it's stuff like blood pressure/ECG that you can't use as that's with Samsung Health only, but I never use them so it was never an issue

[the-norseman]

I've been a Android user since Android 1.5 and been using Pixel phones since the Pixel 2XL, I have a Pixel 9 now.

Since 2008 , Apple wise I have used, iPhone 3GS, 2010 Macbook Pro (for about a year and then went back to Linux) and a work supplied iPhone since 2020 (XR and now SE).

I find the switch between Android and iOS quite easy these days they are actually very similar. There are some differences.

Pixels are the closest OS your going to get to iOS for being clean, Samsung etc put a load of their own bloatware on top of their version of Android.

Google Wallet has come on a long way, you can use bank/credit cards, store cards and save boarding passes/match tickets in it. Storage wise anything you want to be accessible on computer or other devices needs to be stored in Google Drive (drive.google.com), Google Photos will automatically back up your pics so they are accessible on other devices (via photos.google.com).

I dont have the Pixel watch but my wife and my sister do, I do however have the Pixel buds (Pixel buds pro 1) and love them.

I know "Messages" now has RCS but dont think it can communicate with iMessage still so your limited to Whatsapp/Telegram/Signal etc for that. I wish Apple and Google would just encrypt between iMessage and Messages so we can all do away with Whatsapp.

Edited by the-norseman on Wednesday 19th February 09:54

[LukeyP_]

Thanks buddy for the your input.

I went down to Currys last night to browse what they had and I feel like I'm leaning more towards a Samsung now, but agreed with your point of view on the Android on a Google vs Samsung, just using the phone there - I felt more at ease with the Google. My issue now is - I feel Samsung do better other products (i.e watch + earbuds) that I feel if I go for them, I need to go Samsung to get the best experience from them all, rather than Google phone + Samsung accessories if that makes sense.

[danb79]

LukeyP_ said:

Thanks buddy for the your input.

I went down to Currys last night to browse what they had and I feel like I'm leaning more towards a Samsung now, but agreed with your point of view on the Android on a Google vs Samsung, just using the phone there - I felt more at ease with the Google. My issue now is - I feel Samsung do better other products (i.e watch + earbuds) that I feel if I go for them, I need to go Samsung to get the best experience from them all, rather than Google phone + Samsung accessories if that makes sense.

I agree

I love the Pixel range; my wife's 9 Pro is a superb phone, as is her Pixel Watch 3 (I bought her a 16 Pro and AW10 for Christmas; she is too used to Android and Pixel; so my Mum bought them from me and I bought the wife the 9 Pro / Watch 3 combo etc (in fuscia too; cracking colour)

But for me, now I've got the S25U and not the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, with my Galaxy Watch Ultra, the combo is fantastic - all apps work as they should, the sync is on form and for the likes of my training and using Samsung Health alongside Hevy app for recording my sessions, it's brilliant.

Plus it's a superb phone; really well made, very slick and a great colour in Titanium Blue And the GWU is, as I've already said, a brilliant watch, well made, not stupidly expensive (got mine brand new via eBay for £350 via a genuine business reseller); plenty of different bands for it (I like the Ultimal range) and plenty of screen protectors & cases for both (my preference is Spigen for screen protectors, UAG for the phone cases and Ringke for the watch case etc)

I've a thread here on Android Central forums showing the S25U off a bit more:

https://forums.androidcentral.com/threads/just-ord...

[LukeyP_]

As much as I love the Pixel Pro, I think it's a right decision too.

Ordered placed earlier for Samsung S25 Ultra and got free Galaxy Watch 7 + Galaxy Buds Pro 3 too with it, so excited for that. Going to get an Ultra Watch in the next few days then get rid of my iPhone, Watch + AirPods.

[gangzoom]

LukeyP_ said:

I went down to Currys last night to browse what they had and I feel like I'm leaning more towards a Samsung now, but agreed with your point of view on the Android on a Google vs Samsung

The Mac Plus was my first experience of using a computer, the PowerBook 150 my first laptop experience, QuickTake 150 first digital camera. But I haven't bought a single Apple product now since my iPhone 5S died, and original MacBook Air was the last Mac I bought, having owned/used every Mac from the 68K, PowerPC, through to the intel transition (including owing an Umax Pulsar 'clone). Through work now use a M1 powered iPad Pro, so I think I've tired/used every Mac chipset since the mid 1980s.

Leaving the Apple ecosystem though was surprisingly easy, but be weary of swapping one brand lock in with another. Since leaving Apple behind we're now on our 6th household Samsung phone, have a Samsung watch, buds, and when we needed new fridge/TV, some how ended up with Samsung products.........

I'm not sure if Samsung is better or worse than any other Android brand but they clearly have a large department aimed at ensuring they lock consumers into their ecosystem. I'm not entirely sure how/why we seem to have been 'trapped' by Samsung despite the huge amount of choice for other Android/none Apple devices. So maybe cancel the Samsung order and go with Pixel just to avoid the trap we seem have fallen into!!

Edited by gangzoom on Thursday 20th February 00:14

[danb79]

LukeyP_ said:

As much as I love the Pixel Pro, I think it's a right decision too.

Ordered placed earlier for Samsung S25 Ultra and got free Galaxy Watch 7 + Galaxy Buds Pro 3 too with it, so excited for that. Going to get an Ultra Watch in the next few days then get rid of my iPhone, Watch + AirPods.

Exciting times

I'd highly recommend the Spigen screen protector for both watch and Galaxy Watch Ultra; very easy to apply

As for cases; the worlds your oyster, but my preference is always rugged, so UAG, Spigen, Supcase and Otterbox are my usual go-to's

[LukeyP_]

Thanks mate.

Phone arrived on Thursday, finally got it all setup properly today - the free watch I got, I don't like so it's been sold but Ultra watch arrives Monday. It's taking some getting used to, finding it harder than I thought but I will get there with it....

On Apple I could setup a Sleep Schedule and then when alarm goes off, the watch vibrates - not fully sure if I can do that with Samsung just yet.

[danb79]

LukeyP_ said:

Thanks mate.

Phone arrived on Thursday, finally got it all setup properly today - the free watch I got, I don't like so it's been sold but Ultra watch arrives Monday. It's taking some getting used to, finding it harder than I thought but I will get there with it....

On Apple I could setup a Sleep Schedule and then when alarm goes off, the watch vibrates - not fully sure if I can do that with Samsung just yet.

Super

And yes you can; just go into settings, modes and routines and take it from there

[LukeyP_]

Watch arrived yesterday, had some issues pairing it with phone with the eSim but all good now - I love it, its great and a nice upgrade from a Series 7 Apple Watch.

Loving the Android setup now, cannot see me getting bored or wanting to go back to Apple now. Just waiting on my Earbuds Pro now and I'll be in the Samsung Ecosystem haha