After the iPhone 4S, Android just feels wrong(zdnet.com)
zdnet.com
After the iPhone 4S, Android just feels wrong
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/mobile-news/after-the-iphone-4s-android-just-feels-wrong/5068
113 comments
Re double-tap to zoom, nobody mentioned that I'd lose features when I upgraded, I honestly was starting to think I'd imagined that feature. It certainly doesn't behave like I remember it doing.
I'm having the opposite reaction as well, likely for similar reasons as the author: I use an iPhone 3GS running iOS5 and am comparing with a newer Android phone. Nearly every gripe he mentions having about Android, I have with my iPhone. Don't even get me started on web browsing, maybe iOS5 is just using a ridiculous amount of memory or something because I never had this problem before upgrading, but now visiting certain webpages (eg Canada Post) crashes Safari. Nevermind smooth scrolling.
I'm not about to write some link-bait blog post about it though, the reasons why are obvious, I'm using an older phone with a newer OS, and am comparing to a recent Android phone. Doesn't mean I'm happy that iOS5 is reducing the usability of my phone, but at least I can apply critical thinking to the situation at hand.
I'm having the opposite reaction as well, likely for similar reasons as the author: I use an iPhone 3GS running iOS5 and am comparing with a newer Android phone. Nearly every gripe he mentions having about Android, I have with my iPhone. Don't even get me started on web browsing, maybe iOS5 is just using a ridiculous amount of memory or something because I never had this problem before upgrading, but now visiting certain webpages (eg Canada Post) crashes Safari. Nevermind smooth scrolling.
I'm not about to write some link-bait blog post about it though, the reasons why are obvious, I'm using an older phone with a newer OS, and am comparing to a recent Android phone. Doesn't mean I'm happy that iOS5 is reducing the usability of my phone, but at least I can apply critical thinking to the situation at hand.
Double-tap for zoom is there all the time but maybe the sites you visit don't zoom correctly because the container goes all the way from left to right (I think this site has such a zooming problem).
And the iCloud web apps are awesome. Don't know where the problem is. They behave like real OS apps. I like that.
And the iCloud web apps are awesome. Don't know where the problem is. They behave like real OS apps. I like that.
Really? Performance is awful for me.
Double-tap to zoom has been there since day one.
Reading a notification, and having no direct path back to where you came from (answering a txt message, for instance) feels really clunky.
This is actually fully addressed in iOS 5 with the notification center. You can swipe down the notification center over any app, then swipe it back up out of the way right back to where you were.
This is actually fully addressed in iOS 5 with the notification center. You can swipe down the notification center over any app, then swipe it back up out of the way right back to where you were.
No, it's not. I can see the notification just fine, but if I click on it to answer, I have no one-click way to get back to the app I was in before responding to the notification.
You said reading a notification. That's addressed with the notification center which doesn't even take you out of the app. If you do switch apps quick switching back to apps has been there since iOS 4 with the double tap of home. How much easier do you need it?
One click, like Android does.
Two clicks and a tap. Double click the home button, tap the app you want.
> EDIT: Ok click to zoom is kinda there, but I like the way it works on Android better. That's just a preference, so I'll strike that from my list of objections.
What's the difference?
What's the difference?
I haven't studied it too carefully so I'm working off impressions here, but I don't think Android zoomed-to-content the way iOS does. For instance, when loading Hacker News, the initial view would be very zoomed out, so I could just barely read headlines. If I double-tapped, it would zoom in enough for me to read normally. Another double-tap brought me back out to the page overview. It also, as I recall, would not retain zoom levels if I entered a new URL manually. This seems more usable to me than retaining zoom level, and only zooming to show content.
iOS definitely doesn't retain zoom levels between pages and never has.
On zooming in to content (actually it zooms in on page blocks) I disagree, but I'll leave it at personal preference. Android zooms in at a fixed zoom level and reflows the text, IIRC.
(don't test any mobile web browser on this very website as the HTML is awful and makes its job much harder)
On zooming in to content (actually it zooms in on page blocks) I disagree, but I'll leave it at personal preference. Android zooms in at a fixed zoom level and reflows the text, IIRC.
(don't test any mobile web browser on this very website as the HTML is awful and makes its job much harder)
For the uninformed, these are two separate issues.
The first is that apps are laggy or jittery during scrolling or animations. This is partially due to poor coding from developers, but the main reason for its existence was the lack of hardware acceleration on Android devices. This changed with 3.0 on tablets, and now 4.0 on everything. Developers still have to opt-in with a one-line XML file change, due to compatibility issues. So in essence this has been solved across the board.
The second is what a lot of users are now referring to (and was largely masked by the presence of the former problem). And it's that there's a much larger drag distance required to "initiate" user interaction on Android than iOS. When I pick up a friend's iPhone, it seems like if a hair on my finger even grazes the screen the UI immediately (and appropriately) reacts. On every Android device that I've ever used, it takes approximately 0.5 to 1.0 centimeters before the UI will begin to react and scroll. This is what people mean when they say that it feels like you're "pulling" the UI on Android, while iOS has 1:1 natural interaction.
Is it annoying? Yes. But after moderate use I stop noticing it, until I happen to touch an iOS device again. Now that Ice Cream Sandwich has taken care of every other fault with the platform I had, this is really the last item on my list of complaints, having used Android devices for years on a near-daily basis. I don't know if it's a problem with the hardware of the screen sensors themselves or with the levels of abstraction to Java-land, but this should be their top priority for what I can only assume they'll call Jelly Bean.
The first is that apps are laggy or jittery during scrolling or animations. This is partially due to poor coding from developers, but the main reason for its existence was the lack of hardware acceleration on Android devices. This changed with 3.0 on tablets, and now 4.0 on everything. Developers still have to opt-in with a one-line XML file change, due to compatibility issues. So in essence this has been solved across the board.
The second is what a lot of users are now referring to (and was largely masked by the presence of the former problem). And it's that there's a much larger drag distance required to "initiate" user interaction on Android than iOS. When I pick up a friend's iPhone, it seems like if a hair on my finger even grazes the screen the UI immediately (and appropriately) reacts. On every Android device that I've ever used, it takes approximately 0.5 to 1.0 centimeters before the UI will begin to react and scroll. This is what people mean when they say that it feels like you're "pulling" the UI on Android, while iOS has 1:1 natural interaction.
Is it annoying? Yes. But after moderate use I stop noticing it, until I happen to touch an iOS device again. Now that Ice Cream Sandwich has taken care of every other fault with the platform I had, this is really the last item on my list of complaints, having used Android devices for years on a near-daily basis. I don't know if it's a problem with the hardware of the screen sensors themselves or with the levels of abstraction to Java-land, but this should be their top priority for what I can only assume they'll call Jelly Bean.
>Is it annoying? Yes. But after moderate use I stop noticing it
As someone who uses both devices, I really only notice this when I'm so board that dragging around a menu seems like a good way to kill time or plain old stoned. Its really surprised me how much I've seen this as a criticism of the android in the past few weeks. In the past I had always just written them off as being different, not necessarily better or worse, like a design decision to make sure that "Yes menu, it is in fact time for us to scroll" because there are many cases where the user won't have a steady finger but don't mean to activate scrolling.
But, if the menu feel is even being brought up as a valid comparison point, it is good news all around. Splitting these hairs is proof that both platforms have finally made it to the point of meeting most user's wants.
As someone who uses both devices, I really only notice this when I'm so board that dragging around a menu seems like a good way to kill time or plain old stoned. Its really surprised me how much I've seen this as a criticism of the android in the past few weeks. In the past I had always just written them off as being different, not necessarily better or worse, like a design decision to make sure that "Yes menu, it is in fact time for us to scroll" because there are many cases where the user won't have a steady finger but don't mean to activate scrolling.
But, if the menu feel is even being brought up as a valid comparison point, it is good news all around. Splitting these hairs is proof that both platforms have finally made it to the point of meeting most user's wants.
Oh I definitely agree. To be at the point where this is the last real criticism of the OS that I've come to know and use is excellent.
And take it for what it's worth, but the instant reaction of iOS devices isn't necessarily for everyone. My father for example thinks that it's much too sensitive. He'll accidentally graze the screen when hovering his finger over something while reading or trying to get to a UI element, and all of a sudden the app starts scrolling, making him feel lost and frustrated.
And take it for what it's worth, but the instant reaction of iOS devices isn't necessarily for everyone. My father for example thinks that it's much too sensitive. He'll accidentally graze the screen when hovering his finger over something while reading or trying to get to a UI element, and all of a sudden the app starts scrolling, making him feel lost and frustrated.
Oh my god. That’s intentional? Why? I don’t understand.
Makes me want to throw any Android device I’m using at the wall. You can’t imagine the amount of rage that creates inside me.
Why don’t they stop it?
Makes me want to throw any Android device I’m using at the wall. You can’t imagine the amount of rage that creates inside me.
Why don’t they stop it?
"So in essence this has been solved across the board."
Which is why ICS Galaxy Nexus demo units were reported to still be laggy?
Which is why ICS Galaxy Nexus demo units were reported to still be laggy?
Not from what I saw or heard. Engadget's review for example praised how silky smooth the entire user experience now was.
Though I can imagine that being a beta build running in debug mode doesn't really help, if someone did see the occasional hiccup.
Though I can imagine that being a beta build running in debug mode doesn't really help, if someone did see the occasional hiccup.
"As to overall performance, we saw a good deal of stutter in the Galaxy Nexus before us. Taps were not always recognized and there were occasional delays in performing an instruction, though in Google’s defense, it was a phone fully loaded with running tasks and the software is being continually improved and optimized (i.e. it’s not yet fully baked). That having been said, it unfortunately remains the case that Android isn’t as swift and responsive as iOS or Windows Phone (or even MeeGo Harmattan on the N9). Or at least it wasn’t on the demo phone we got a look at. The subtle, pervasive lag that has characterized the Android UI since its inception is still there, which is not a heartening thing to hear when you’re talking about a super-powered dual-core device like the Galaxy Nexus."
http://thisismynext.com/2011/10/18/galaxy-nexus-android-ice-...
http://thisismynext.com/2011/10/18/galaxy-nexus-android-ice-...
I was able to play with the device for a couple of minutes and like Engadget found it to be smooth.
Hardware acceleration is just one piece of the puzzle. Garbage collection is another issue. with ICS, you will now be able to run the garbage collector on a different core. great in theory but experience tells me that's a band aid solution.
A lot of people wonder why garbage collection is done manually in iOS/Obj C. Performance is one reason, battery life is another.
A lot of people wonder why garbage collection is done manually in iOS/Obj C. Performance is one reason, battery life is another.
is ICS going to fix all the crashes, virus/spyware/malware, poor battery life? will ICS even run on older Android phones? will your carrier even let you upgrade to ICS?
Battery life is pretty good with Gingerbread.
ICS will be able to run on any phone able to run Gingerbread.
ICS will be able to run on any phone able to run Gingerbread.
It's hard to read your post will all that FUD on it.
i mean, if you look at old iphones, they're pretty laggy and jittery on newer versions of ios
You mean specifically iPhone 3G with iOS 4.0 (which was fixed with 4.1)?
Doubtful, he probably means things like my (current-gen) iPod touch, which runs like molasses with iOS 5. Stutters, jumps, unresponsiveness far worse than any Android phone I ever used.
There's something wrong with your iPod. Have it looked at. I have an old iPhone 3GS that runs IOS 5 more smoothly than my wife's Nexus S runs Gingerbread. And on my iPhone 4 (not 4S) IOS 5 is buttery-smooth - even a bit faster than IOS 4 was in some respects.
There is probably something wrong with your iPod. I'd take it to the Apple Store. iOS 5 works fine on a 3GS, and your iPod has iPhone 4-comparable hardware.
The iPod touch (current gen) has 256MB of RAM to the iPhone4(S)'s 512MB. The iPod Touch (current gen) has a retina display which the iPhone 3GS doesn't have. These factors may have produced a difference in performance.
he made that story up. he's full of it.
That's not the fucking issue here. The only issue is whether is if ICS is smooth and yes it is across the board. But not in apps that havent been updated to take advantage of the newly added HW acceleration yet.
it is the issue. because it doesn't matter if you've got the fastest phone in the world if you can't use it because it's got spyware/malware/virus your phone's useless.
Where are you getting this notion that spyware/malware/viruses are prolific on Android? I can assure you that they are certainly less common on Android than on desktop computers. The Android Market is certainly less curated than the Apple App Store but it's not like it's some haven for cyber criminals. Furthermore, the applications you install all have permissions listed making it much easier to safely install software on Android than it is on a computer and yet here we all are being plenty productive with those (when we aren't on Hacker News).
Google is your friend.
Aug 24 2011: Android-targeted malware jumps 76% in Q2, McAfee says http://www.bgr.com/2011/08/24/android-targeted-malware-jumps...
Aug 01, 2011: Android Trojan records phone calls. CA security team finds more advanced Android malware http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/080111-android-trojan....
Aug 15, 2011: A malicious Android app that disguises itself as Google's new social networking platform, Google+, is capable of stealing data, and answering and recording incoming phone calls http://www.scmagazineus.com/new-android-spyware-answers-inco...
Sep 20, 2011: Android bug lets attackers install malware without warning http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/09/20/google_android_vulne...
Aug 4, 2011: 8 Notorious Android Malware Attacks. Nearly a third of Android users will fall prey to mobile security threats this year. http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/mobile/23130025...
Aug 24 2011: Android-targeted malware jumps 76% in Q2, McAfee says http://www.bgr.com/2011/08/24/android-targeted-malware-jumps...
Aug 01, 2011: Android Trojan records phone calls. CA security team finds more advanced Android malware http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/080111-android-trojan....
Aug 15, 2011: A malicious Android app that disguises itself as Google's new social networking platform, Google+, is capable of stealing data, and answering and recording incoming phone calls http://www.scmagazineus.com/new-android-spyware-answers-inco...
Sep 20, 2011: Android bug lets attackers install malware without warning http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/09/20/google_android_vulne...
Aug 4, 2011: 8 Notorious Android Malware Attacks. Nearly a third of Android users will fall prey to mobile security threats this year. http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/mobile/23130025...
Of all the tech blogs I read, thisismynext were the only ones who reported a laggy UI. Engadget and gizmodo reported the UI as very smooth. Next time get your fucking head out of apple's ass and take a look at reality.
I have a HTC Droid Incredible and I don't see the second UI lag issue whatsoever. I just tested by dragging around on the home screen, the lock screen, the SMS message list, and my Dolphin HD web browser. I have to move my finger maybe 1-2 milimeters for it to start responding, but nowhere near .5 to 1 cm.
As I pointed out in my post, the longer you use Android the further off your perception becomes. To get an accurate measurement I had to play with my Nexus S and an iPhone side-by-side, doing identical movements, and had a ruler and zoomed camera pointed at them both. After removing my mental bias from having become conditioned to that "pull" latency, the difference was pretty obvious.
I was also in the same boat about believing it was just a few millimeters, until I actually went ahead and measured it. My mind was thinking a millimeter was larger than it actually is.
I was also in the same boat about believing it was just a few millimeters, until I actually went ahead and measured it. My mind was thinking a millimeter was larger than it actually is.
I just tested again, with measuring tape, and I can get the lock screen sliding in less than a milimeter. What device do you have?
Try it with a scrolling list. The unlock button activates as soon as you press down on it. I was having the same results and didn't really believe his claim until I tried it elsewhere in the OS. 0.5 cm seems about right.
Anyone here familiar with Android's source code and can figure out where this behavior takes place? I'm curious if it can be easily disabled (if only to see what it's like).
Anyone here familiar with Android's source code and can figure out where this behavior takes place? I'm curious if it can be easily disabled (if only to see what it's like).
Android has the concept of "touch slop", the value of which you can get ViewConfiguration:
http://developer.android.com/reference/android/view/ViewConf...
ScrollView views use this value internally to prevent accidental scrolling when tapping elements. You can change the touch behavior by subclassing ScrollView (or ListView) and overriding onTouchEvent() to ignore slop and start scrolling immediately on a drag event.
Incidentally, I can't stand most iPhone apps because of their over-sensitivity to scrolling (and their tiny list elements). I'm glad Android has these defaults.
http://developer.android.com/reference/android/view/ViewConf...
ScrollView views use this value internally to prevent accidental scrolling when tapping elements. You can change the touch behavior by subclassing ScrollView (or ListView) and overriding onTouchEvent() to ignore slop and start scrolling immediately on a drag event.
Incidentally, I can't stand most iPhone apps because of their over-sensitivity to scrolling (and their tiny list elements). I'm glad Android has these defaults.
Some lag is necessary in order to simply and reliably implement long-press actions, to distinguish them from drags. It's a bit like Windows ignoring small drags to help people make double-clicks on icons.
Not true - iOS (being held up here as essentially lag-free) has several long press actions. Closing running apps in multi-tasking and organizing apps require long presses.
> Developers still have to opt-in with a one-line XML file change, due to compatibility issues.
Only if they are targeting a pre-ICS SDK version. Applications targeting 4.0 have hardware acceleration on by default.
Only if they are targeting a pre-ICS SDK version. Applications targeting 4.0 have hardware acceleration on by default.
"So in essence this has been solved across the board."
LOL. You clearly have no idea what you're talking about.
It's a marginal improvement at best on Honeycomb.
Android's performance woes are unsolvable due to fundamental design decisions in the UI layer and in the choice of a garbage collected language for a mobile device.
Sure, they might be less noticeable in your quad core monster phone, but it'll still be laggy compared to an iPhone 3GS running iOS 5.
Complaining about iOS's amazing touch responsiveness is ridiculous at best. It's a marvel of engineering prowess.
LOL. You clearly have no idea what you're talking about.
It's a marginal improvement at best on Honeycomb.
Android's performance woes are unsolvable due to fundamental design decisions in the UI layer and in the choice of a garbage collected language for a mobile device.
Sure, they might be less noticeable in your quad core monster phone, but it'll still be laggy compared to an iPhone 3GS running iOS 5.
Complaining about iOS's amazing touch responsiveness is ridiculous at best. It's a marvel of engineering prowess.
Comparing last year's Android with this year's iOS? Why not wait three weeks and compare recent iOS and recent Android?
I think it's common knowledge Google didn't work terribly hard on getting a smooth UI until ICS. I'm an Android dev and I fully understand the "smoothness" of iOS is attractive, but it's a bit unfair of a comparison to make at this time - using an iPhone 4S.
Yes, I know the 4S is shipping and the Galaxy Nexus is not - that much I'll give. But this is only a month-long window and not very reflective of the coming future.
I think it's common knowledge Google didn't work terribly hard on getting a smooth UI until ICS. I'm an Android dev and I fully understand the "smoothness" of iOS is attractive, but it's a bit unfair of a comparison to make at this time - using an iPhone 4S.
Yes, I know the 4S is shipping and the Galaxy Nexus is not - that much I'll give. But this is only a month-long window and not very reflective of the coming future.
> Comparing last year's Android with this year's iOS?
You could make that comparison using any iOS and any iPhone combination apart from iPhone 3G + iOS 4. It's not new to the 4S, although the 4S probably pulls even further ahead, this issue has been a recurring theme in Android phone reviews ever since the first Android phone was released.
You could make that comparison using any iOS and any iPhone combination apart from iPhone 3G + iOS 4. It's not new to the 4S, although the 4S probably pulls even further ahead, this issue has been a recurring theme in Android phone reviews ever since the first Android phone was released.
I'm amazed no one's mentioned this yet. it's not just hardware acceleration that's the problem with Android. it's the garbage collection constantly running in the background that's causing some of the performance issues and lag. Now with ICS I read that it will allow the garbage collector to run on a different core from your application. that's definitely going to improve performance, but the overhead is still there. No wonder Android smartphones need 1.x GHZ and 1GB of RAM. Android needs it.
The Android devs mentioned this themselves in the very first comment on the bug about turning on GPU acceleration[1]. But the internet decided that GPU acceleration was the silver bullet, and now it's been turned on they're surprised that it's not.
And this is somehow further evidence of Google's incompetence (and/or lack of taste) rather than just the obvious result of a bunch of engineering tradeoffs that, if you look at Android marketshare and Google's resultant influence on the future of the web, seem to have worked out quite well for them.
[1] http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=6914#c1
And this is somehow further evidence of Google's incompetence (and/or lack of taste) rather than just the obvious result of a bunch of engineering tradeoffs that, if you look at Android marketshare and Google's resultant influence on the future of the web, seem to have worked out quite well for them.
[1] http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=6914#c1
What Google should've done is disable the garbage collector in Android/Dalvik the same way Apple did in iOS/Obj C. I don't know whether it's lack of foresight or incompetence on the part of Google, or maybe they were in a hurry to launch Android they didn't have time to re-architect the thing. Garbage collection exists in MAC OS X/Obj C btw.
No wonder Android smartphones need 1.x GHZ and 1GB of RAM. Android needs it.
The side effect of having all that extra CPU is that, when not running the core Android UI (e.g. a game written mostly in native code), a lot more power is available to developers.
The side effect of having all that extra CPU is that, when not running the core Android UI (e.g. a game written mostly in native code), a lot more power is available to developers.
Is there any evidence that suggest this? I have seen people saying this against desktop Java applications as well but mostly the unresponsiveness is caused by bad programming not GC. The GC process runs mostly in sub-milliseconds and you will never notice this.
it's a widely known issues.
If you allocate objects in a user interface loop, you will force a periodic garbage collection, creating little "hiccups" in the user experience. The concurrent collector introduced in Gingerbread helps, but unnecessary work should always be avoided. http://developer.android.com/guide/practices/design/performa...
Why should I avoid garbage collection? When Dalvik does a GC, most of the time your game will have to wait until the garbage collection is complete. It will often take in the order of 100 milliseconds to complete. Doesn’t sound like much but in your game loop this is huge – causing a horrible stutter or lack of responsiveness. http://fanitis.com/2011/02/09/android-game-performance-garba...
Garbage collection and async operations frequently block UI rendering. http://www.satine.org/archives/2011/01/01/the-care-and-feedi...
Android Garbage Collector Slow Down http://stackoverflow.com/questions/6742314/android-garbage-c...
I'm performance tuning interactive games in Java for the Android platform. Once in a while there is a hiccup in drawing and interaction for garbage collection. Usually it's less than one tenth of a second, but sometimes it can be as large as 200ms on very slow devices. http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2484079/how-can-i-avoid-g...
If you allocate objects in a user interface loop, you will force a periodic garbage collection, creating little "hiccups" in the user experience. The concurrent collector introduced in Gingerbread helps, but unnecessary work should always be avoided. http://developer.android.com/guide/practices/design/performa...
Why should I avoid garbage collection? When Dalvik does a GC, most of the time your game will have to wait until the garbage collection is complete. It will often take in the order of 100 milliseconds to complete. Doesn’t sound like much but in your game loop this is huge – causing a horrible stutter or lack of responsiveness. http://fanitis.com/2011/02/09/android-game-performance-garba...
Garbage collection and async operations frequently block UI rendering. http://www.satine.org/archives/2011/01/01/the-care-and-feedi...
Android Garbage Collector Slow Down http://stackoverflow.com/questions/6742314/android-garbage-c...
I'm performance tuning interactive games in Java for the Android platform. Once in a while there is a hiccup in drawing and interaction for garbage collection. Usually it's less than one tenth of a second, but sometimes it can be as large as 200ms on very slow devices. http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2484079/how-can-i-avoid-g...
another note:
iOS/Obj C does not do automatic garbage collection specifically for this reason (and battery life).
iOS/Obj C does not do automatic garbage collection specifically for this reason (and battery life).
1) Having gone iPhone -> Android -> iPhone, I've always found the overall fluidity better on the iPhone. This isn't anything new in iOS 5. I believe it comes from the solid hardware and OS marriage. Android has too much variation that consistent performance across models is harder.
2) While Gingerbread is "last year's Android", it is still being shipped on new phones... or not even shipping yet. Android is cursed with a slow process for updates with the manufacturers and carriers. My Thunderbolt never got Gingerbread (from the carrier, sure I did root it) and it just came out and then was pulled.
2) While Gingerbread is "last year's Android", it is still being shipped on new phones... or not even shipping yet. Android is cursed with a slow process for updates with the manufacturers and carriers. My Thunderbolt never got Gingerbread (from the carrier, sure I did root it) and it just came out and then was pulled.
Absolutely. Last year's iPhones will be running this year's iOS. Last year's Androids will, most likely, never receive this year's Android (unless, of course if you are lucky enough to get working custom ROMs ported to your devices).
For the problems he's talking about, I would make this point:
From my experience, after taking away features and just focusing on user experience, iOS 1.0 beats Android 2.x in nearly every category. Even back then, everything just worked on iOS.
From my experience, after taking away features and just focusing on user experience, iOS 1.0 beats Android 2.x in nearly every category. Even back then, everything just worked on iOS.
Yes, but the same comparison could be made with last year's Android and iOS4. For smoothness of UI, even the original iPhone was smooth.
No it wasn't; I own an iPhone 3G and it stalls and stutters doing anything. It's consistently done that for the entirety of its service. My wife bought the 3GS and _that_ was when we saw much of the UI lag go away.
I moved on to Android and own a Galaxy S - there's virtually no UI stutter at all, I only see delays on shutting some programs or launching a few apps. My wife recently bought a 4S and it's very smooth, but don't tell me that iOS has always been this smooth because you're looking back with rose-colored glasses.
I moved on to Android and own a Galaxy S - there's virtually no UI stutter at all, I only see delays on shutting some programs or launching a few apps. My wife recently bought a 4S and it's very smooth, but don't tell me that iOS has always been this smooth because you're looking back with rose-colored glasses.
It probably would have been a lot fairer had he compared the iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4 to everything pre-ICS (AKA any android phone on the market). In which case, any iOS device would still win.
We'll have to see how ICS on (Android device) holds up against iOS 5 on 4S.
We'll have to see how ICS on (Android device) holds up against iOS 5 on 4S.
Problem is, due to the way Android is distributed, the vast majority of Android phones won't have ICS until mid-to-late 2012. There are still a couple popular phones like the Droid Incredible that don't even have the Gingerbread update yet. At this point we don't even know which carriers are going to be offering the Galaxy Nexuses or exactly when it will be released.
I know this likely doesn't apply to the average Joe, but I'm sure that I will have ICS running on my Galaxy S2 within a month or so, once the custom ROMs start getting stable.
[deleted]
I don't see why this is surprising -- after all, the Nexus S is a previous generation phone released 9 months ago. A more fair comparison would be with a Galaxy S2 or Galaxy Nexus.
Personally, I love my S2, as it's remarkably faster than my first gen Galaxy S in pretty much everything.
And since I hardly ever see anyone extolling the actual feature benefits of Android, here are 5 Android only features I could not live without:
1) Swype - Delightful, much faster one handed, much much better in portrait mode, don't have to change the way I hold my phone to start typing
2) Shortcuts to Contacts on Home Screen (two tap calling, texting, IM or email! Best flow for actual communicating after Blackberry's "Just start typing their name")
3) Widgets (Calendar, Time + Weather, Evernote, Live Weather background, Wifi Hotspot)
4) Dolphin HD Browser - I can use my volume buttons to change tabs!
5) Chrome to Phone - Really easy to clip notes to myself for later
Personally, I love my S2, as it's remarkably faster than my first gen Galaxy S in pretty much everything.
And since I hardly ever see anyone extolling the actual feature benefits of Android, here are 5 Android only features I could not live without:
1) Swype - Delightful, much faster one handed, much much better in portrait mode, don't have to change the way I hold my phone to start typing
2) Shortcuts to Contacts on Home Screen (two tap calling, texting, IM or email! Best flow for actual communicating after Blackberry's "Just start typing their name")
3) Widgets (Calendar, Time + Weather, Evernote, Live Weather background, Wifi Hotspot)
4) Dolphin HD Browser - I can use my volume buttons to change tabs!
5) Chrome to Phone - Really easy to clip notes to myself for later
This, a thousand times this.
I think it's a shock to nobody that Apple has made damn sure that their UI is lag-free and smooth while Android hasn't. It seems like they've put a lot of work into ICS on this front, but still.
But I've always loved what I can do with my Nexus One that I haven't been able to do with my iPhone. Everything on your list, including:
* Google Maps: the client continually gets better, and built-in turn-by-turn audio navigation is amazing. * Locale / Tasker. It's not a "can't live without" but it still feels like the future when my phone detects its location and environment and changes settings based on that. * Swype gets a second mention because it's just that awesome. In fact, being able to replace just about every stock function on the phone is great.
I think it's a shock to nobody that Apple has made damn sure that their UI is lag-free and smooth while Android hasn't. It seems like they've put a lot of work into ICS on this front, but still.
But I've always loved what I can do with my Nexus One that I haven't been able to do with my iPhone. Everything on your list, including:
* Google Maps: the client continually gets better, and built-in turn-by-turn audio navigation is amazing. * Locale / Tasker. It's not a "can't live without" but it still feels like the future when my phone detects its location and environment and changes settings based on that. * Swype gets a second mention because it's just that awesome. In fact, being able to replace just about every stock function on the phone is great.
I think this gets lost inside most android comparisons, but I find the lack of an intents system and more importantly, a global back button completely jarring on ios, the most common example would be, from clicking a link in email, to opening that page in the browser, then pressing back to go right back to my email. the same operation on my ipad means clicking a link, going back, being confused closing my browser, opening email and finding the email again
The back button on Android is a double-edged sword (based on what I have read/heard), because its function is overridden by apps in inconsistent ways, so you are never sure what effect that button press may have. Am I correct? (i am an iOS user, so don't know)
I love Android's back button, but yes, I think you're right about the overriding problem. The browser, for example, arguably shouldn't be using it to go back to a previous page.
Double click the home button, select previous app, you are back to where you were.
> I don't see why this is surprising -- after all, the Nexus S is a previous generation phone released 9 months ago
My girlfriend's 3GS is a couple of years old and is snappy as hell.
My girlfriend's 3GS is a couple of years old and is snappy as hell.
Agreed. I gave my old 3GS to my kids (minus the SIM of course) when I got my 4. With IOS 5 it's still very smooth and responsive.
We also have an old 3G, though, and that's dog slow. But no one should be surprised by that - the 3G has an ARMv6 chip in it without thumb2. The 3GS with its ARMv7 chip was a huge step change in performance.
1) I have not myself used Swype, but one thing I know is that it is not as fast as iOS keyboard, since I have beaten friends in typing speed (they were using swype and I was using iOS keyboard). Overall iOS's default keyboard is much better than default keyboard.
Is (2) still relevant after Siri?
3) I personally think Widgets clutter the desktop and consume unnecessary power, and they don't provide as much utility to compensate for that.
4) Thats a very minor thing. Mobile Safari is a great browser. There are lot of third-party browsers also available on iOS like my favorite Atomic for iPad which has a ton of extra features and flexibility.
5) Am not sure what that is, but is that relevant after Siri?
Is (2) still relevant after Siri?
3) I personally think Widgets clutter the desktop and consume unnecessary power, and they don't provide as much utility to compensate for that.
4) Thats a very minor thing. Mobile Safari is a great browser. There are lot of third-party browsers also available on iOS like my favorite Atomic for iPad which has a ton of extra features and flexibility.
5) Am not sure what that is, but is that relevant after Siri?
1) Swype - It's just much less awkward to type with Swype because you don't have to shift the phone from its natural position -- holding it with one hand and interacting with it with the index finger of your other hand. Also, much easier to type one handed by Swyping with your right thumb, which is useful when you're, say, carrying something in your other hand. Plus, even over a year later, it's still fun to wave your finger around the screen and make words. YMMV.
2) In my opinion, the home screen shortcuts to individual contacts is way better than Siri. Tapping is faster than talking. Plus, I can see if they're online and IM them if they are. I even have one click video chat with Google Talk Video Chat natively supported. Here's a screenshot of what I mean http://twitpic.com/73xo6d
3) My Galaxy S2 can run for almost 40 hours on a charge with light usage, and probably around 24 hours of heavy usage, so battery life is not an issue as it was on the original Galaxy. I like being able to see my calendar at a glance or the weather forecast without talking to my phone, or toggle on a wifi hotspot in one tap. YMMV.
4) It seems minor, but makes using the browser a much better experience. Don't knock it till you've tried it.
5) Has nothing to do with Siri. It's a Chrome extension that works with your phone. I just click a button in my browser, and it sends a notification to my phone with a link to whatever page I have open. Really nifty for grabbing an address before heading out the door, and sending stuff to read later on the train.
2) In my opinion, the home screen shortcuts to individual contacts is way better than Siri. Tapping is faster than talking. Plus, I can see if they're online and IM them if they are. I even have one click video chat with Google Talk Video Chat natively supported. Here's a screenshot of what I mean http://twitpic.com/73xo6d
3) My Galaxy S2 can run for almost 40 hours on a charge with light usage, and probably around 24 hours of heavy usage, so battery life is not an issue as it was on the original Galaxy. I like being able to see my calendar at a glance or the weather forecast without talking to my phone, or toggle on a wifi hotspot in one tap. YMMV.
4) It seems minor, but makes using the browser a much better experience. Don't knock it till you've tried it.
5) Has nothing to do with Siri. It's a Chrome extension that works with your phone. I just click a button in my browser, and it sends a notification to my phone with a link to whatever page I have open. Really nifty for grabbing an address before heading out the door, and sending stuff to read later on the train.
1) I can do all of that with iOS keyboard as well, and very conveniently. I am not sure why you feel you need Swype to do that. Perhaps because the size of android phones is larger.
2) Ok, I agree that is powerful -- but I don't need it, but my wife and almost all friends have iOS5, so iMessage can serve me without checking whether they are "online". Overall, I see it provides value, but really my home screen estate is precious and i am not sure if I have place to keep contacts there. Anyway, I give a small plus point for Android here -- but its a philosophical difference -- android is for power-user or for making the phone feel like a computer with lot of flexibility, (which it is really not, and most people don't want it to be), iPhone is for making a pleasant appliance-like experience, not as powerful and flexible as a computer. It is intentional.
3) I am happy with the stock and weather widget in pull down notifications. I don't want to use my iPhone as a computer.
4) What if you actually wanted to change the ringer volume when you are using the browser?
5) iOS5 has synchronized reading list and synchronized bookmarks.
regarding 4), it may be minor, but it's occaisonally handy yet doing it would get you banned from the Apple App Store.
Previously camera apps have been told not to provide this feature, yet now it's heralded as part of iOS 5.
Previously camera apps have been told not to provide this feature, yet now it's heralded as part of iOS 5.
> "Just start typing their name"
You can almost get this on the iPhone by swiping to the left of the first home screen and using spotlight. I use that all the time, for contacts and to launch apps hidden in folders I rarely use.
You can almost get this on the iPhone by swiping to the left of the first home screen and using spotlight. I use that all the time, for contacts and to launch apps hidden in folders I rarely use.
In Android you could use the universal search widget and start typing, but it's just not the same. I don't regret giving up my Blackberry, but having the physical keyboard there definitely made a lot of interaction flows better (RIP Blackberry Bold 9000).
Can't really disagree with this. After using my wife's iPhone 4S, my Droid X always feels like something less than direct manipulation. [Edit: And to be fair, my wife's old 3GS and her 3G before that were always more responsive to touches than any of my Android phones.]
I say this with every OS release and every major hardware upgrade, but I really hope the Galaxy Nexus[0] and ICS finally make up some of the difference with hardware acceleration of the UI.[1]
[0]: Terrible mouthful of a name, Galaxy Prime or Nexus Prime would've been so much better.
[1]: This is my next/Verge reporting notwithstanding. Reports are that some leftover jitteriness is due to apps not having opted into hardware acceleration yet. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
I say this with every OS release and every major hardware upgrade, but I really hope the Galaxy Nexus[0] and ICS finally make up some of the difference with hardware acceleration of the UI.[1]
[0]: Terrible mouthful of a name, Galaxy Prime or Nexus Prime would've been so much better.
[1]: This is my next/Verge reporting notwithstanding. Reports are that some leftover jitteriness is due to apps not having opted into hardware acceleration yet. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
TIMN/Verge also has this note[0]:
Note: Our initial performance observations were focused on touch response and not system-wide performance, and were based on a Galaxy Nexus being used by one of Google’s staff. The demo units during the show were definitely smoother in operation. All of them featured an early build of Ice Cream Sandwich, however, so we’ll make our final calls on the phone once we have a review unit in hand.
http://thisismynext.com/2011/10/18/galaxy-nexus-android-ice-...
Note: Our initial performance observations were focused on touch response and not system-wide performance, and were based on a Galaxy Nexus being used by one of Google’s staff. The demo units during the show were definitely smoother in operation. All of them featured an early build of Ice Cream Sandwich, however, so we’ll make our final calls on the phone once we have a review unit in hand.
http://thisismynext.com/2011/10/18/galaxy-nexus-android-ice-...
re [0]: It seems clear that it's a political choice-- Google's not releasing a flagship that's not a "Nexus," and Samsung's not releasing a high-end phone that's not a "Galaxy."
What do you think of "Nexus Galaxy"?
What do you think of "Nexus Galaxy"?
Agreed. Nexus Galaxy is just as bad, imo.
When all the rumored names were flying around, I suspected this would be it, but I was hoping it would be some sort of dual release, with Google selling the 'Nexus Prime' directly, and Samsung releasing the Galaxy [X] on carriers. Maybe that would've been worse, though.
When all the rumored names were flying around, I suspected this would be it, but I was hoping it would be some sort of dual release, with Google selling the 'Nexus Prime' directly, and Samsung releasing the Galaxy [X] on carriers. Maybe that would've been worse, though.
After Android, iPhone 4s just LOOKS wrong.
I am switching back from 4s to Android because I find Safari unreadable with my old eyes. No control over font sizes, and the double-tap zoom doesn't reflow text. So HN is completely unreadable in portrait, and only barely so in landscape. No problem on my DroidX.
I am switching back from 4s to Android because I find Safari unreadable with my old eyes. No control over font sizes, and the double-tap zoom doesn't reflow text. So HN is completely unreadable in portrait, and only barely so in landscape. No problem on my DroidX.
Have you tried "Reader" mode in Safari? An icon shows up in the address bar when Safari detects that you're reading an article - when you press this icon, the page appears as simply formatted text and it gives you full control of font sizes.
Of course, since HN isn't an article, it's not much help here - HN is the one page I use where this is a problem, ironically.
Of course, since HN isn't an article, it's not much help here - HN is the one page I use where this is a problem, ironically.
Goddamn reader button doesn't show up in half the places I would like to be. I don't know why they still haven't implemented text-reflow like most other mobile browsers.
Why was this downvoted? This is a clear shortcoming I noticed on ios 4 before I switched to Android. Safari doesn't reflow text on double tap and you have to scroll right and left to read an article. From a usability perspective if I double tap on text I want to do some reading and it should be reflowed. The reader button in ios 5 rectifies the issue but it is still not as natural as reflow text on double tap.
Rather subjective and very short on details. Comparing the Nexus S to a dual core phone like the 4S is blatantly silly. Blaming the fluidity of a phone experience on the entirety of Android as a whole is just blatantly stupid.
Nevertheless, "it just feels wrong" doesn't sound like a very actionable complaint; not to mention, the majority of the issues brought up seem to have been addressed in ICS. Perhaps the author should spend more time with newer Android phones, and less time making silly and useless comparisons.
Nevertheless, "it just feels wrong" doesn't sound like a very actionable complaint; not to mention, the majority of the issues brought up seem to have been addressed in ICS. Perhaps the author should spend more time with newer Android phones, and less time making silly and useless comparisons.
If anything the iPhone 4 was a step down in the fluidity department versus the 3GS (probably due to the increased pixels on the retina display).
I don't think it's a subjective, empty complaint. Android phones are laggy, or at least a lot of the popular ones are. Lag destroys the "direct manipulation" experience. Maybe ICS changes everything, who knows. I wrote off Android a couple of years ago. That's the fundamental problem with Android, isn't it? People try a couple of 2.1 devices that suck and well why should they give it another chance?
I don't think it's a subjective, empty complaint. Android phones are laggy, or at least a lot of the popular ones are. Lag destroys the "direct manipulation" experience. Maybe ICS changes everything, who knows. I wrote off Android a couple of years ago. That's the fundamental problem with Android, isn't it? People try a couple of 2.1 devices that suck and well why should they give it another chance?
"I wrote off Android a couple of years ago. That's the fundamental problem with Android, isn't it? People try a couple of 2.1 devices that suck and well why should they give it another chance?"
Considering that Android is leading the market place in almost every conceivable category, people obviously aren't just trying a "crappy device" and not giving it a second chance. So, no, obviously not a fundamental problem with Android...
Considering that Android is leading the market place in almost every conceivable category, people obviously aren't just trying a "crappy device" and not giving it a second chance. So, no, obviously not a fundamental problem with Android...
Some of these issues seem really frivolous. First if you're going to compare iOS5 and 4s the comparison should be against the latest Android ICS and Nexus. Second, after a week of use of his new toy he wants to compare it to years of usage of his old Android phone. As a 3GS owner, i've had apps crash, loss of data (instapaper).. among other things. I think its funny reviews like this come out before the launch (you can make the connection)
I don't get this article. Web browsing and notifications were the reason I loved Android more than iOS.
The double-tap to zoom on Android browser..just works! It perfectly flies in to the content, adjusts text size beautifully and rearranges the images linearly. If one reads a lot of content online, this feature is beyond awesome.
The double-tap to zoom on Android browser..just works! It perfectly flies in to the content, adjusts text size beautifully and rearranges the images linearly. If one reads a lot of content online, this feature is beyond awesome.
Yeah, it also works on iOS. Since the first iPhone.
No it doesn't. What does it do when you double-tap HN page on iPhone?
Do that on an Android and see what happens.
All it does on iOS is zoom till it removes the padding. On Android, it makes it a readable list, with correclty sized upvote icons, perfect reading size. It, in a way, instantly makes HN a mobile site. This is more than just zooming.
Do that on an Android and see what happens.
All it does on iOS is zoom till it removes the padding. On Android, it makes it a readable list, with correclty sized upvote icons, perfect reading size. It, in a way, instantly makes HN a mobile site. This is more than just zooming.
No, it doesn't. Safari does not reflow the content of a page like the Android browser does . You can zoom to a text block, yes, but you can't make that text block bigger with wrapping. Reading stuff on mobile safari is more frustrating because it's lacking this feature.
It's hard to disagree with one person's perceptions, but I do think there is a distinct type of person who notices this / cares dramatically about it and that they are not necessarily reflective of everyone. Similar to pentile screens, this seems to be a very personal, thing. Some people it bothers and they just can't stand it. Others will proclaim they cannot perceive it at all. It's interesting how variable it actually is between people.
The problem is that you will get a person who cares reviewing a unit and describing the problem as if its the end of the world when a majority of their readers actually will either not care or perhaps even not perceive the issue at all.
The problem is that you will get a person who cares reviewing a unit and describing the problem as if its the end of the world when a majority of their readers actually will either not care or perhaps even not perceive the issue at all.
I've been on Android for a couple of years now and just got the Galaxy SII.
It doesn't exactly feel wrong, but sure as hell it doesn't feel right, either. Everything I do on Android seems to take about two or three steps more than it should. Some things just don't work. Some things just aren't possible. I can't find certain software that I need. The worst thing, it's missing fit and polish half the time.
This is the least comfortable I've ever been with a tech purchase. Hopefully, T-Mobile gets bought out and then I can play the get out of contract free card and get an iPhone.
It doesn't exactly feel wrong, but sure as hell it doesn't feel right, either. Everything I do on Android seems to take about two or three steps more than it should. Some things just don't work. Some things just aren't possible. I can't find certain software that I need. The worst thing, it's missing fit and polish half the time.
This is the least comfortable I've ever been with a tech purchase. Hopefully, T-Mobile gets bought out and then I can play the get out of contract free card and get an iPhone.
I have to disagree with you - I got my SGS2 this spring (live in Europe) and it feels quite right to me. Browsing, for one, is really smooth. I thing Samsung did a good job with their Android customizations (well, they copied a lot of features from iPhone).
However the iPhone UI is much more polished. That can hardly be debated, feels to me like the Android dev team "just made it work" and didn't have too much time to worry about polish.
I really hope ICS fixes that.
However the iPhone UI is much more polished. That can hardly be debated, feels to me like the Android dev team "just made it work" and didn't have too much time to worry about polish.
I really hope ICS fixes that.
Java once again was a horrible horrible choice for a phone.
I'm still mind blown by the choice of Java. Slow start, garbage collection slow downs, and massive memory usage are all par for course. Then add to it the usual Java developer mentality of needing some massive architecture for the simplest of programs.
Is it any wonder to people that android is slow?
I have hopes that whatever comes next learns the mistake that people hate slow. Not being slow means not using a language where text editors are known to use gigabytes of memory and run slow on 12 core monster boxes.
I'm still mind blown by the choice of Java. Slow start, garbage collection slow downs, and massive memory usage are all par for course. Then add to it the usual Java developer mentality of needing some massive architecture for the simplest of programs.
Is it any wonder to people that android is slow?
I have hopes that whatever comes next learns the mistake that people hate slow. Not being slow means not using a language where text editors are known to use gigabytes of memory and run slow on 12 core monster boxes.
It's got to be java. The garbage collection hiccups and bad performance and all over android phones. I can feel it when I use them. I can feel it when I develop for them. It's like in the old days, 200 mhz computers trying to run java, it was so slow back then. And now cell phones are slow, and performance matters. It's ridiculous that you need a 1ghz processor to get get good performance on a phone, but thats java for you. We had fluid apps running on 200 mhz computers, but they were written languages without memory management. It's no wonder why iPhone apps written in objective-c run so smoothly.
I don't know why you've been downvoted, because you're speaking the absolute truth. I guess the truth hurts to the Android fanboys and/or Google employees in this thread.
Then again, Google really didn't have a choice back then.
Then again, Google really didn't have a choice back then.
Don't worry. I heard Android has been completely "re-invented" in version 4.0.
This article doesn't make much sense after we've seen Android 4.0. Plus, how come he's noticing these differences "just now" ? iOS has pretty much worked like that since day one, and it hasn't changed all that much up to iOS5. In contrast, Android has evolved tremendously over the past 3 years from version 1 to version 4. If they keep this up with future versions, Android will continue its rise in market share and mind share.
And if you expand to include the ecosystem, it's not even close. The iCloud web apps are pathetic compared to Google's offerings.
I could go on. And this isn't just bashing, I'm growing to like a lot about iOS, but I think these Android vs iOS stories are mostly link bait. They're a lot more similar than most people will admit, and both have plusses and minuses.
EDIT: Ok click to zoom is kinda there, but I like the way it works on Android better. That's just a preference, so I'll strike that from my list of objections.