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Abstract

an interest, the big announcements would rarely pass me by completely.There is definitely that feeling of being welcomed to the club by other users and I will close out this very shallow paragraph with the observation that within a day of using it, a random kid in the street expressed his awe at my new device.<h2 id="3c6c">Cyber Security</h2>As for a more serious reason: in a previous role I have worked as a Security Officer and I take a broad interest in cyber security.In this regard, iPhone performs better than Android. This is a result of their closed ecosystem, rigid App Store review process and something called “App Sandbox”.What this means is that third-party apps cannot make changes to the device or access files stored by other apps. Every app installation is isolated in its own directory (sandbox).There is a bit of a tradeoff however, as Android is more open by design. In my personal use I do not take advantage of this, so for me losing some freedom was not a negative in the switch.It should also be noted that an iPhone today comes with many customization options that you would not have seen even 5 years ago, such as widgets, lock/home screen adjustments and focus modes (preset modes for work, sleep etc.).<h2 id="0ff1">The Transfer</h2>As for actually using the phone, I was expecting to be forced to start fresh in the new ecosystem.Fortunately there is a “Move to iOS” app that allows you to transfer contacts, apps, settings, photos/videos and your WhatsApp archive when initializing the iPhone.It’s not perfect, as I noticed there were some apps missing. Those could however easily be found and installed from the App Store manually.It should also be mentioned that you only get that one chance to transfer your WhatsApp archive; once the app is set up on iPhone you can not import an archive later (without unofficial third party apps, that is). This might have something to do with the fact that WhatsApp on iPhone only works with iCloud and not Google Drive.All in all it took me less than an hour to get set up, with logging in to various places, installing certain apps manually and adding my payment cards taking the most time.This speaks v

Options

olumes to how intuitive an iPhone is and I experienced more guidance in the setup than I recall from my Android phones.Apple used to notoriously have their own standard of charging cables, which seemed like an unnecessary inconvenience and cash grab. Fortunately, they have been forced by the European Union to let go of this standard in favor of regular USB-C cables. This therefore had no impact on my experience as a new user.<h2 id="c59d">Unique Features</h2>Although Samsung has done a lot to set up a holistic ecosystem, it remains impressive how Apple has their own apps for virtually everything.While the benefits for me are often limited to interactions with other iPhone users (I do not have a Mac, for example), there is no denying that some features are very convenient.I personally like Face ID, which recognizes your face to unlock the screen. This means my phone instantly unlocks when I put my face in front of it. Samsung has put their efforts towards a fingerprint scanner, which I found far more inconsistent by comparison.I am also a fan of AirDrop, which allows you to exchange files or contact information with other iPhones by physically bringing them close.Another quality of life feature is the ability to silence phone rings with a button, without muting all audio. On the flipside, I do find myself missing the back button from Samsung on the lower part of the screen.Apple supports their systems for a relatively long time with iOS updates, which has the secondary benefit of the device’s market value staying relatively high.<h2 id="b9ca">In Conclusion</h2>I am only about a week in and probably have a lot more to discover about my new system.That said, the transition has been smooth and I enjoy the new device that I will use daily for the years to come. Previous negatives, such as Apple’s proprietary cables and lack of customization, no longer apply.I have not run into issues that hinder my personal user experience and in a situation where friends, family and colleagues use iPhones as well, there are small benefits over using an Android phone.For what it’s worth, I hope my experience can help inform others with similar considerations.</article></body>

I switched from Android to iPhone

My reasons and experience

Ever since the days of my trusty BlackBerry came to an end, I have been a user of the Samsung flagship phones. They were to my satisfaction, but I never gave much of a chance to other brands.

My initial choice came from a combination of positive reviews and an admitted bias against iPhones; for a long time I was under the impression that they were overpriced and overhyped. It seemed like people were mainly paying for the brand.

What recently piqued my interest is that the market share of iPhone has been steadily increasing, even in the face of recessions and overall market decline. In the US, more than half the smartphones sold are iPhones.

Closer to home, my wife has been an avid iPhone user for a long time now and keen to sing its praises. At work I noticed some of the more tech-oriented guys using iPhones, somewhat to my surprise. Upon discussing it with them, some of them had only recently made the switch from Android.

Considering the above, it seemed foolishly dogmatic to not at least update my views and do some research, after which I took the plunge and got the recently released iPhone 15 Pro Max. I would like to share my personal reasons and experiences so far.

iPhone 15 Pro Max and the box, via Wikimedia Commons

Novelty

I have to be honest about the fact that there was no immediate need to switch ecosystems or even upgrade my phone in the first place.

My S21 was paid off and could have probably lasted me 1–2 more years without significant performance issues. In fact, I will likely keep using it to some extent and it’s nice to have a backup.

Very central to my decision is that I enjoy having a novel experience with an impressive piece of technology, especially because smartphones have become so central to daily life.

I noticed there is a lot more hype surrounding (new) iPhone and iOS releases than with Android. Even before taking an interest, the big announcements would rarely pass me by completely.

There is definitely that feeling of being welcomed to the club by other users and I will close out this very shallow paragraph with the observation that within a day of using it, a random kid in the street expressed his awe at my new device.

Cyber Security

As for a more serious reason: in a previous role I have worked as a Security Officer and I take a broad interest in cyber security.

In this regard, iPhone performs better than Android. This is a result of their closed ecosystem, rigid App Store review process and something called “App Sandbox”.

What this means is that third-party apps cannot make changes to the device or access files stored by other apps. Every app installation is isolated in its own directory (sandbox).

There is a bit of a tradeoff however, as Android is more open by design. In my personal use I do not take advantage of this, so for me losing some freedom was not a negative in the switch.

It should also be noted that an iPhone today comes with many customization options that you would not have seen even 5 years ago, such as widgets, lock/home screen adjustments and focus modes (preset modes for work, sleep etc.).

The Transfer

As for actually using the phone, I was expecting to be forced to start fresh in the new ecosystem.

Fortunately there is a “Move to iOS” app that allows you to transfer contacts, apps, settings, photos/videos and your WhatsApp archive when initializing the iPhone.

It’s not perfect, as I noticed there were some apps missing. Those could however easily be found and installed from the App Store manually.

It should also be mentioned that you only get that one chance to transfer your WhatsApp archive; once the app is set up on iPhone you can not import an archive later (without unofficial third party apps, that is). This might have something to do with the fact that WhatsApp on iPhone only works with iCloud and not Google Drive.

All in all it took me less than an hour to get set up, with logging in to various places, installing certain apps manually and adding my payment cards taking the most time.

This speaks volumes to how intuitive an iPhone is and I experienced more guidance in the setup than I recall from my Android phones.

Apple used to notoriously have their own standard of charging cables, which seemed like an unnecessary inconvenience and cash grab. Fortunately, they have been forced by the European Union to let go of this standard in favor of regular USB-C cables. This therefore had no impact on my experience as a new user.

Unique Features

Although Samsung has done a lot to set up a holistic ecosystem, it remains impressive how Apple has their own apps for virtually everything.

While the benefits for me are often limited to interactions with other iPhone users (I do not have a Mac, for example), there is no denying that some features are very convenient.

I personally like Face ID, which recognizes your face to unlock the screen. This means my phone instantly unlocks when I put my face in front of it. Samsung has put their efforts towards a fingerprint scanner, which I found far more inconsistent by comparison.

I am also a fan of AirDrop, which allows you to exchange files or contact information with other iPhones by physically bringing them close.

Another quality of life feature is the ability to silence phone rings with a button, without muting all audio. On the flipside, I do find myself missing the back button from Samsung on the lower part of the screen.

Apple supports their systems for a relatively long time with iOS updates, which has the secondary benefit of the device’s market value staying relatively high.

In Conclusion

I am only about a week in and probably have a lot more to discover about my new system.

That said, the transition has been smooth and I enjoy the new device that I will use daily for the years to come. Previous negatives, such as Apple’s proprietary cables and lack of customization, no longer apply.

I have not run into issues that hinder my personal user experience and in a situation where friends, family and colleagues use iPhones as well, there are small benefits over using an Android phone.

For what it’s worth, I hope my experience can help inform others with similar considerations.