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I switched from the iPhone 13 Pro to the Galaxy S23 Ultra in early 2023.
1Lock Screen Customization
Apple introducedlock screen customization on iPhonesalongside iOS 16 in 2022.
In comparison, Android 14 offers limited lock screen customization options.
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Google added the ability to use Pixel phones as webcams via an Android 14 Feature Drop.
However, its implementation is inferior to that of iPhones.
It requires a wired USB connection to work, and even then, the picture quality is below par.
Apple
Plus, it is not as straightforward to use as Continuity Camera.
As if that’s not enough, the feature is limited to Google Pixel phones.
I used Continuity Camera numerous times with my iPhone 13 Pro forZoom and Google Meet calls.
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In comparison, Google’s implementation is basic and lacks such options.
3Superior Video Quality
I have used several flagship Android phones since switching from my iPhone 13 Pro.
And yet, none of them can match the video quality of the iPhone 13 Pro.
Paul Antill/MakeUseOf
It’s not just about the video resolution, bitrate, or detail.
In low-light scenarios, the iPhone takes cleaner videos with low noise.
More importantly, I noticed that the Pixel and Xiaomi capture sub-par audio in challenging scenes.
Hannah Stryker/MakeUseOf
The Galaxy S23 Ultra came closest to matching the video quality experience of the iPhone 13 Pro.
But it falls apart when quickly switching between lenses; the transition is jittery and not smooth.
The issue even exists on the Galaxy S24 Ultra.
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Plus, unlike the iPhone, the Galaxy cannot record ProRes or Dolby Vision videos.
But that doesn’t matter much if the footage has issues.
While Android runs on more than just smartphones, it lacks the same level of integration.
Even then, the implementation is nowhere close to that of Apple.
iPhones also offer deep integration with Macs, which I missed a lot after switching to an Android phone.
But you’re out of luck if you use a Mac like me.
5MagSafe Accessories
Once you’ve used MagSafe accessories with your iPhone, there’s no going back.
Apple’s standard allows a bevy of accessories that can magnetically snap on the back of your iPhone.
You will find plenty of MagSafe cases, car chargers, bike mounts, and wallets for the iPhone.
While using my iPhone 13 Pro, I went all in on MagSafe for convenience.
Switching to Android made me realize how practical and convenient MagSafe is in daily use.
I could bring my iPhone close to the car mount, and it would magnetically attach in place.
6Polished Apps
Both the Play Store and App Store boast hundreds of thousands of apps and games.
On iOS, you get powerful third-party camera apps likeFilmic ProandHalide Mark IIwith an equally impressive interface.
While there are some powerful camera apps for Android, they are all clunky to use.
And it’s not just camera apps.
Popular mail clients like Outlook and Spark feel much more polished on the iPhone than on Android.
The gap in app quality could be due to differences between developer tools and APIs.
There are other areas where iOS trumps Android.
For instance, third-party solutions cannot match the iMessage and FaceTime experience Apple offers.
Despite these factors, I am unlikely to ditch Android and return to an iPhone.
