Recently I changed my mobile service provider from T-Mobile to Verizon. It was a choice made with the intent of getting better service in my house (where service in the downstairs is spotty to be generous). Having been an Android user since the HTC G1 and a Nexus user since the Nexus 5 (it’s not really Android if it isn’t pure), the only Verizon option for phones was the Pixel. Naturally you can probably guess what happened next, all Pixels were on a 5+ week back order.
This led to a dilemma. Do I go Samsung and their version of “Android” or head to iPhone to give it a real try since I seem to be forced into that choice? I went iPhone. It pained me to do it. I hated myself for the first two days. I wanted to take it back immediately but I swore to myself to try it. Surely if seemingly half the world can use it, I can as well.
Setting it up wasn’t too bad. I was able to quickly and easily setup all of my accounts, find all of my apps, transfer over my data/files and get things generally running. By the first night I had things firmly in hand.
The first week was rough. Nothing worked the way I expected it to and it seemed as if everything was intentionally created to be the exact opposite of Android. The function of the home button was silly, the notifications menu was featureless, NO GOOGLE NOW!!!, no widgets or app tray, the phone seemed to act on its own with no regard for my desires. Even the way phone calls are handled was different and unappealing.
By week two things were looking up. I had enough iPhone friends to have support and guidance through my trying times. They taught me that left swipes worked different than right swipes. They helped me with settings and how to figure out little “glitches”. They kept me from simply calling it quits. I’ve also begun to notice that for all of it’s design quirks there are deeper integrations for some apps than exist on Android. Even Google seems to function better in some ways on the iPhone.
Ultimately I think I’m going to gut it out for awhile because I need to be able to know the iPhone. If you are in technology you should be willing and able to deal with workflows outside of your own. You need to be willing to try things that work for others. I still currently believe that the iPhone is inferior to a pure Android phone however it’s worth better understanding it and what it does.
Pray for me because I may not make it through this but I have hope. I think I can do this but it will be a struggle for awhile.
The Pixel will be waiting with open arms. It’s glorious.
I still want it but I think at this point I’ll wait for the Pixel 2 to come out. I know quite a few people with the Pixel and they all love it.