It’s been a very long time since I used a cellphone with a 4.8-inch display screen and a house button for quite a lot of minutes. But when the iPhone SE arrived on my doorstep final month, I popped the SIM out of the Galaxy S20 Ultra and stepped again into 2016.
Update 6/13: Added two new observations about switching.
After the preliminary shock—which was initially like leaping from a luxurious automobile to a motor scooter—I settled in and instantly started to study some vital issues about Android vs. iOS. I knew the digital camera could be method higher on the Galaxy S20 Ultra so that you gained’t discover any shootouts right here, however such a drastic change 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’ve come to equate greater with higher in the case of telephones, whether or not it’s the S20 Ultra or the iPhone 11 Pro Max. I believed that transferring from a 6.9-inch cellphone to a 4.7-inch one could be torture.
I used to be improper. There had been fewer tweets in my feed and extra scrolling whereas studying, nevertheless it was a suitable trade-off to take pleasure in true one-handed operation. The SE has proven me that it’s actually not so dangerous to return to a sub-6-inch show, particularly with such an inexpensive price ticket. When I choose up the S20 Ultra now, it feels comically giant and heavy.
Buying a brand new Android that’s as small because the Galaxy S9 from 2018 is principally not possible.
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 technology go a bit smaller. There are rumors that Apple can 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 won’t 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 primarily the identical on each platforms, the consumer expertise on iOS is across-the-board higher. Even in case you don’t use Apple’s apps, apps on iOS are quicker, 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 screen with the S20 Ultra, however there’s little level when the apps don’t know what to do with it.
An always-on show is a necessity in 2020
Apple doesn’t even provide an always-on show choice for its OLED telephones, so I wasn’t stunned that the LCD-based iPhone SE doesn’t have one. But man, do I miss it. It’s most obvious once I need to test time in the midst of the evening, nevertheless it’s equally annoying at work once I look over to see a clean display screen just a few seconds too late after a notification seems. I don’t know why Apple refuses to have an always-on show on any of its telephones, nevertheless it’s a particular knock on the expertise. The SE would not even have the tap-to-wake choice that the Face ID fashions have. I imply, who desires the entire display screen to gentle up each time a message is available in?
Christopher Hebert/IDGThe iPhone 11 (left) is a darkish spot amongst a crowd of always-on shows.
The proper haptics make all the things higher
If you haven’t considered your cellphone’s haptics, these days it’s in all probability as a result of they’re not excellent. At greatest, Android’s haptics are little greater than vibrations that accompany faucets and swipes to make the digital photographs in your cellphone really feel extra tangible, and sometimes they’re generally they’re both too buzzy or not buzzy sufficient. (They had been so aggressive on the S20 Ultra, I really 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 method Android telephones simply don’t.
The Phone SE’s superior pace is greater than the chip
The iPhone SE is getting a number 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 whenever 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’ll get a immediate asking if you wish to delete it. Want to silence your cellphone? Flip the change on the facet. Yes, you could find a few of these issues on Android telephones, however altogether they make the iPhone really feel like an entire bundle that’s optimized and accelerated.
Smart Lock is Android’s greatest 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 don’t know, Smart Lock is the thing that retains your cellphone unlocked whenever you’re at house or carrying a trusted Bluetooth machine 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’s a little bit too distant to unlock together with your face or finger. Apple will seemingly add a model of Smart Lock sooner or later, however till it does, iPhone customers don’t understand how good Android customers have it.
App Store advertisements are deceitful and shady
Google could have a repute for annoying advertisements, however Apple is not any stranger to intrusive advertising and marketing. Nowhere is that extra obvious than when attempting to seek for an app. Whether you’re in search of a selected app or a class of apps, you’ll be served with an advert positioned prominently on the high of the search outcomes. That’s advantageous whenever you’re in search of a generic class like journey or note-taking, however even whenever you seek for Ring or Candy Crush, you’ll nonetheless see a paid advert for an unrelated app within the high slot. I don’t understand how many individuals mindlessly faucet it, however I think about it’s an excellent quantity. For an organization that likes to tout its excessive buyer satisfaction, Apple’s App Store advertisements are low-cost, determined, and fairly horrible.
IDGOn the App Store (heart and left), even trying to find big apps like Facebook will carry up advertisements within the high spot. That’s not the case with the Play Store.
USB-C is superior in each method
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 larger energy supply and quicker knowledge transfers, permits for exterior show assist, and will 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 develop into a plague on the house display screen, and all the things must be micromanaged to be of any use. Android makes it straightforward to snooze, work together, prioritize, and act on alerts. Even in case you can one way or the other keep in mind to make use of the iOS Notification Center, there are a number of stuff 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 general.
I actually just like the Android standing bar
Speaking of notifications, my sojourn with the iPhone SE additionally made me recognize the Android standing bar much more. It’s not simply the tiny notification icons that remind you of current alerts, nevertheless it’s additionally small, considerate issues like indications for silent mode and operating timers. Android’s Quick Settings are simpler to entry and extra customizable than the iOS Control Center, with a concentrate on shortcuts to helpful and speedy settings moderately than app actions.
Android has nothing on Apple’s iOS optimizations
The iPhone SE could have a quicker processor than the S20 Ultra, however the remainder of its parts are far inferior. For one, it solely has 3GB of RAM in comparison with 12GB on the S20 Ultra and its battery is a paltry 1821mAh, a couple of third of the capability of the 5,000mAh battery within the S20 Ultra. That ought to imply the S20 runs circles across the SE, however that simply is not the case. Yes, there are far fewer pixels to push on the SE, however just like the S20 Ultra, the SE was in a position to get by way of a full day of use with little bother. And I used to be impressed with its reminiscence administration. At one level I counted 60 open screens within the app switcher, and even once I opened one which was dormant for days, it launched shortly from the identical state it was left in. The S20 dealt with open apps nicely too with its gobs of speedy RAM, however the SE is surprisingly simply pretty much as good—and generally higher—with 1 / 4 of the RAM.
Michael Simon/IDGThe S20 Ultra has far more RAM and battery then the SE, however Apple’s iOS optimizations preserve issues operating extremely easily.
The iOS house display screen cheapens the expertise
When Apple launched the iPhone in 2007, it additionally launched the house display screen grid as a spot to simply entry your apps. At the time, there have been simply 17 apps they usually commanded your consideration always. practically 15 years later, that hasn’t modified. Apps nonetheless litter the house display screen and you want to keep in mind the place they as a result of Apple would not present a straightforward option to kind them or place them outdoors of the regimented grid. On Android, you’ll be able to cover your apps in a drawer, kind them, organize them nonetheless you need on the house display screen. Such an previous interface makes the iPhone SE (and the iPhone 11 for that matter) really feel a little bit low-cost.