It’s been a very long time since I used a cellphone with a 4.8-inch display and a house button for various minutes. But when the iPhone SE arrived on my doorstep final week, I popped the SIM out of the Galaxy S20 Ultra and stepped again into 2016.
After the preliminary shock—which was like leaping from a luxurious automobile to a motor scooter—I settled in and instantly started to study some necessary issues about Android vs. iOS. I knew the digital camera could be approach higher on the Galaxy S20 Ultra so that you gained[‘t discover any shootouts right here, however such a drastic swap made the 2 telephones’ strengths and weaknesses crystal-clear, and in some instances painfully so.
Size doesn’t actually matter
Over the previous nonetheless a few years, we have come to equate larger with higher on the subject of telephones, whether or not it is the S20 Ultra or the iPhone 11 Pro Max. I assumed that shifting from a 6.9-inch cellphone to a 4.7-inch one could be torture.
I used to be improper. There have been fewer tweets in my feed and extra scrolling whereas studying, nevertheless it was an appropriate trade-off to take pleasure in true one-handed operation. The SE has proven me that it’s actually not so unhealthy to return to a sub-6-inch show, particularly with such an affordable price ticket. When I decide up the S20 Ultra now, it feels comically massive and heavy.
Buying a brand new Android that is as small because the Galaxy S9 from 2018 is principally unimaginable.
I’m not going to argue that Samsung return to the times of the Galaxy S6, however I’d prefer to see the upcoming Galaxy S21 era go a bit smaller. There are rumors that Apple will likely be making a 5.4-inch iPhone 12 with an edge-to-edge design, which is likely to be the candy spot for individuals who need a cellphone they will use with one hand with out sacrificing on the trendy design or show tech.
Apps on Android are merely inferior
Size may not matter, however pace does. As I do with each new cellphone, the very first thing I did on the iPhone SE was set up a dozen or so apps that I take advantage of frequently: Slack, Ring, Twitter, Chrome, and a handful of others. While they’re all basically the identical on each platforms, the consumer expertise on iOS is across-the-board higher. Even in case you do not use Apple’s apps, apps on iOS are sooner, menus are smarter, and navigation is extra intuitive on iOS, even with a few of Google’s personal apps. I is likely to be gaining much more display with the S20 Ultra, however there’s little level when the apps do not know what to do with it.
An always-on show is a necessity in 2020
Apple doesn’t even supply an always-on show possibility for its OLED telephones, so I wasn’t shocked that the LCD-based iPhone SE doesn’t have one. But man, do I miss it. It’s most obvious once I need to examine time in the midst of the night time, nevertheless it’s equally annoying at work once I look over to see a clean display a couple of seconds too late after a notification seems. I don’t know why Apple refuses to have an always-on or perhaps a tap-to-wake ambient show possibility, nevertheless it’s a particular knock on the expertise. I imply, who desires the entire display to mild up each time a message is available in?
The iPhone 11 (left) is a darkish spot amongst a crowd of always-on shows.
The proper haptics make all the things higher
If you have not thought of your cellphone’s haptics, currently it is in all probability as a result of they are not excellent. At finest, Android’s haptics are little greater than vibrations that accompany faucets and swipes to make the digital pictures in your cellphone really feel extra tangible, and infrequently they’re typically they’re both too buzzy or not buzzy sufficient. (They have been so aggressive on the S20 Ultra, I truly turned them off.) On the iPhone SE, they’re an extension of the {hardware} and a refined mixing of the bodily and digital worlds. Roll your eyes all you need, however the haptics and Haptic Touch on the iPhone SE elevate the system in a approach Android telephones simply do not.
The Phone SE’s superior pace is greater than the chip
The iPhone SE is getting lots of reward for its pace and rightfully so. It’s as quick because the iPhone 11 Pro and faster than the fastest Android phones, however the cellphone’s pace is greater than benchmarks. Even while you’re not utilizing an app, iOS is smarter, faster, and extra intuitive than Android. Need to fill in a password? Just faucet the important thing icon, and you may shortly entry your password supervisor or managers of selection. Taking a screenshot? After you edit or share, you will get a immediate asking if you wish to delete it. Want to silence your cellphone? Flip the swap on the facet. Yes, you will discover a few of these issues on Android telephones, however altogether they make the iPhone really feel like a whole package deal that is optimized and accelerated.
Smart Lock is Android’s finest function
Speaking of little issues, I’ve by no means appreciated Smart Lock like I do after utilizing the iPhone SE for a few weeks. In case you do not know, Smart Lock is the thing that retains your cellphone unlocked while you’re at residence or carrying a trusted Bluetooth system like a pair of Galaxy Buds or a WearOS watch. It’s a implausible function that saves time and makes it simpler to make use of your cellphone when it is somewhat too distant to unlock together with your face or finger. Apple will probably add a model of Smart Lock in some unspecified time in the future, however till it does, iPhone customers do not understand how good Android customers have it.
App Store adverts are deceitful and shady
Google might have a status for annoying adverts, however Apple is not any stranger to intrusive advertising and marketing. Nowhere is that extra obvious than when making an attempt to seek for an app. Whether you are searching for a particular app or a class of apps, you will be served with an advert positioned prominently on the high of the search outcomes. That’s fantastic while you’re searching for a generic class like journey or note-taking, however even while you seek for Ring or Candy Crush, you will nonetheless see a paid advert for an unrelated app within the high slot. I do not understand how many individuals mindlessly faucet it, however I think about it is a good quantity. For an organization that likes to tout its excessive buyer satisfaction, Apple’s App Store adverts are low cost, determined, and fairly horrible.
On the App Store (heart and left), even looking for large apps like Facebook will deliver up adverts within the high spot. That’s not the case with the Play Store.
USB-C is superior in each approach
Apple’s Lightning connector is likely to be barely smaller than USB-C, however the advantages begin and cease there. USB-C is common, helps greater energy supply and sooner knowledge transfers, permits for exterior show assist, and could be plugged in at both finish. Not to say, I had to purchase a separate Lightning-to-USB-C cable simply to get quick charging.
Android notifications are literally fairly nice
Say what you’ll about Google’s fixed tweaking, however in comparison with iOS, Android’s notifications are a dream. On the iPhone SE, the Notification Center is principally a black gap, badges have turn out to be a plague on the house display, and all the things must be micromanaged to be of any use. Android makes it simple to snooze, work together, prioritize, and act on alerts. Even in case you can one way or the other bear in mind to make use of the iOS Notification Center, there are lots of belongings you simply can’t do. Notifications are a nuisance and a distraction regardless of which platform you employ, however on Android they’re extra helpful total.
I actually just like the Android standing bar
Speaking of notifications, my sojourn with the iPhone SE additionally made me admire the Android standing bar much more. It’s not simply the tiny notification icons that remind you of latest alerts, nevertheless it’s additionally small, considerate issues like indications for silent mode and working timers. Android’s Quick Settings are simpler to entry and extra customizable than the iOS Control Center, with a give attention to shortcuts to helpful and speedy settings relatively than app actions.