The Galaxy S22 Ultra, packed with the beloved S Pen, blew my mind because it’s super handy for easy note-taking as a journalist who attends lots of tech events and needs to record a mountain of information on a regular basis.
I’m also a fan of the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s 40MP selfie camera. Images are rendered in warmer tones compared to the iPhone 14’s 12MP shooter. HoweverI can’t deny that iOS 16 is a beautiful and seamless mobile operating system that’s compelling enough to sway me towards #TeamiPhone.
1. Security
Recently I decided to download one of the best mobile games, Yodo1’s Rodeo Stampede: Sky Zoo Safari, on the iPhone 14 while I was testing its battery life. Imagine my surprise when a message popped up asking me for permission to access files, such as my private photos and videos, that aren’t necessary for the game to run.
Knowing that the game is also installed on my Galaxy S22 Ultra, I wondered how much data the app had collected so far. However, on iOS, Apple tells you upfront that an app intends to track your every move – and you have the power to decide whether you’re willing to allow it.
Apple began enforcing its App Tracking Transparency in April 2021, which requires developers to ask users for permission to track their activities outside of the app. Naturally, most people don’t like being harassed. According to data from Flurry, only 15% of users agree to opt in to app tracking.
On Android, however, you have no choice but to opt out. You will receive a message “By pressing ‘OK’, you accept the terms of use and confirm that you have read the privacy policy”. Some people will just press OK out of impatience, but they don’t know that they consent to their data being sent to third-party entities. Ouch!
Additionally, the Apple App Store is unquestionably more secure than the Google Play Store. It has stricter review and verification processes for app submissions, ensuring that malware and other nasties slip through the door and infect its users’ devices much less frequently. As we reported last year, the Google Play Store’s built-in security only recognized 31% of spyware threats.
2. Easy data transfer with AirDrop and iCloud
If I want to send photos to my PC, I can use Phone Link, which allows me to pair my Galaxy S22 Ultra with Windows. However, it requires a lot of work. The app is extremely slow when it comes to syncing photos. And while I appreciate its ability to show me texts from my phone, Phone Link has been known to periodically fail to show notifications.
On the other hand, recovering content on my iPhone is seamless with services like iCloud. After logging into my online account, my photos are instantly available for download. Hell, I can even download videos, which Phone Link can’t.
Granted, I can use Google Drive to upload photos and videos, but iCloud, which instantly syncs your content across devices, removes the annoying steps of having to select the photos and videos you need before waiting for the upload, which sometimes fails for me for some unknown reason.
Just for the easy data transfers, I’m willing to ditch my PC and Android for a MacBook Pro and an iPhone.
3. Siri Dictation is elite
Google Assistant and Bixby wipe the floor with Siri when it comes to entertainment value, engagement, and AI loot, but one thing Siri nails is dictation.
Thanks to the new iOS 16 update, using dictation to build texts is more seamless than ever. For example, when dictating a text to a friend, I no longer have to interrupt the flow by pausing to add an emoji. I can just say “crying emoji” and Siri will, as expected, type in the real crying emoji without a hitch. When I would try this on the Galaxy S22 Ultra it would write the words instead of putting the emoticons I want. Lame!
4. The iPhone has better features for travelers
If you often go on vacation to places where you don’t speak the local language, in my experience, you’ll be better equipped to overcome language barriers with an iPhone. If you come across a sign you don’t understand, you can simply take a picture of it, long press the text, and get an English translation. This cool feature, known as Live Text, was introduced in iOS 15. Apple later extended this feature to videos (which Google Translate can’t do).
You can also do the same for price tags. It’s easy to overspend in countries if you can’t calculate conversions in your head. For example, you can take a picture of a price tag that says “¥5,000” and with a quick long press you can get a quick conversion to your local currency (in my case it’s 34.55 $).
5. Action mode is an awesome video feature
The Galaxy S22 Ultra can let you record in 8K, a nice little perk for YouTube content creators, but the iPhone, especially the 14, has unquestionably better video capabilities. Cinematic mode is cool, but action mode is where it’s at!
If you’re recording fast-paced activity, like a salsa dancer or a bustling crowd, Action mode ensures videos are more stable. I tested Action mode while recording a group of joggers in Central Park, and was impressed with how stabilized it looked (like I was holding a gimbal).
At the end of the line
Keep in mind that I only have the iPhone 14 to review, which doesn’t have Pro perks like the eye-catching Dynamic Island UI, a new 48-megapixel wide camera, and more. If I had the chance to experience the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, who knows how quickly I would have jumped out of the Android ship?
#Android #fan #Ive #iPhone #weeks #reasons #tempted #switch