iOS user: “DUDE have you seen [new iOS feature]? This is the bee’s knees!” [10 minutes of gushing omitted for brevity]
Android user: “…Yeah, we’ve had that for 15 years.”
This is sort of hard to answer because of the number of varieties of Android from different vendors could have things that weren’t in core Android but some user will be like I had a Samsung phone in 2012 that did that or something, so I’ll just base my answers on Android core.
Notification badges were a big one I wanted on Android that iOS had done since the beginning. You could sorta have them with nova launcher for a while, but it wasn’t as good. Eventually Android came around, I think?
I think the ability to swipe up and navigate opened apps also existed in iOS long before Android, though I think Samsung may have copied it shortly after, as they do with most solid iOS innovations.
iOS’s privacy controls have always been better than Android’s, though that’s not super surprising given Google’s market is advertising, Android did eventually try to add granular privacy controls but it feels lacking compared to iOS.
Also screen recording, is it even in Android yet? It’s been in iOS forever.
There’s a lot more than that, but reading any Android community and you’d think that the copying only happened one way.
Haha I agree with that actually, I’m an Android fan but don’t see the issue with all the copying. If iPhone users want it and we have it, why can’t they? Also, conversely, if there’s an iOS feature that I don’t yet have so what if I finally get it?
I can’t too much understand being all too competitive about this. plus, comparing them is apples to oranges. Apple, who I actually used to work for 😂 is one company making one device.
Android? Anyone can make one, anyone can make apps for them. Of COURSE we’re going to get some features first.
And yes, you’re also right, depending on the manufacturer some Android devices have had features we’re just now getting today many, many years ago but as we’re not consolidated into one company sometimes they’re forgotten or omitted from later Android barebones cores.
Screen sharing being one of those things lol. I’ve had it on a few devices throughout the years but probably couldn’t pinpoint the device as I’ve switched between Google, Motorola, LG etc. And also try more 3rd party stuff than most. I believe the first time I saw it native was OS10 or whatever it’s called as that was my last phone, a Motorola Ace something from Verizon.
Good phone btw! Had some badass features that iOS most likely doesn’t have yet, like can you flick your wrist twice to activate the camera instantly anytime for quick shots? Or can you shake it twice to activate the flashlight?
However, the fucking cameras on that thing were awful. Advertised as 48Mp but really just a 12, 2 and 16 megapixel camera strapped to the back. Why? Because not Apple. With an iPhone you know that you’re getting something consistent with great hardware. Some of the androids I get may have a feature or two that iOS doesn’t yet have, but I also miss out sometimes and have to pay for that feature in other ways because androids are the wild west of smartphones.
Love my androids for my personal needs, freedom and the price but can definitely get why iPhones work better for some.
Also, yes the privacy shit is insane on these devices. I constantly have to fight to keep it from spying and sending reports about my usage to anyone that will listen.
Floating apps. And split screen. I was playing Pokemon Go with reddit open in the corner in 2017 and it was old then. I dunno when iOS got it, but it’s recentish.
Neither floating apps nor split screen were ever released for iOS. Split screen was added a while ago for iPadOS, but floating apps (Stage Manager) was released just last year.
Wait, floating apps as in being able to keep an app in the corner (like YouTube) when I’m using another app primarily right? iOS just got that?
It’s definitely old for Android as I can remember it being a thing for at least 5 years, and before that it was P-I-P “Picture in Picture” even on old CRT t.v’s with cable boxes lol. My old “Web TV” setup had PIP and was already old when I got it in the early 2000’s
No, that has been a feature for years on iOS and iPadOS. I’m talking about movable apps, like a desktop, a feature many android phones have. Only iPadOS has this feature to date.
Even the iPhone itself was just a more advanced version of a PDA or other handheld PC device that existed years before it. Logically, phones would have advanced similarly with or without Apple.
KkI wouldn’t even say the iphone was more advanced than what came before it haha.
I still have 2 fully functioning Palm TX devices from 20 or so years ago, they were released mid 2005 while iPhone was June 2007 I think?
Looking back, I cannot fathom (aside from marketing) how apple beat palm in that market.
Here are the specs, keep in mind the TX was released several years before the original iPhone
Ram:
Palm TX: 128 Mb iPhone: 128Mb
Screen
palm TX: 480×320 iPhone 480×320
Processor
TX: 312Mhz iPhone 416 Mhz
So, for a 3 year or so delay, the original iPhone imo still doesn’t completely dwarf the TX, but I’m also not through as there are plenty of features that the TX had but the iPhone lacked.
The TX was also touch screen (I find it much more responsive) and was meant for a stylus instead of fingers. To this day, I still love writing and drawing on the TX. Oh, and the stylus fits neatly into the TX on the right side. Also, it has a nice little replaceable flip cover for the screen.
But that’s not all, it has an SD card slot for expandable storage, something the iPhone omitted.
It also has wifi 302.11b support and Bluetooth as well, yes, Bluetooth in 2005 and it was very easy to activate and use.
But no, that’s not all, it also had an IR transmitter/receiver! Something the iPhone helped to kill. Those things were underrated!
They made the TX the perfect universal remote! I had a program on the TX that listed every T.V/DVD/VCR/Cable etc. Manufacturer you could imagine, you’d just select the manufacturer for the device you wanted to control, aim the TX at it and bam, you had control.
This helped me a lot as essentially I could control almost any device I could see. Lost remote for the DVD player? TX got you. It wasn’t just for t.v’s and whatnot though, many things run on IR and I miss when smart devices supported it.
Ah, and I’m still not done, the TX had BUTTONS. Actual factual buttons. Not only was it 100% touch screen, but it had 4 buttons and a directional pad with another button in the middle iirc.
Those buttons made it great for emulation and I believe I had a snes emulator on it though that may have just been Nes, either way, the buttons were much more fun to play with than touch screen, it made the device actually feel… made for what you were using it to do.
In fact, everything on the device felt made for what you were doing, and not just an afterthought. It came preloaded with plenty of useful apps. A web browser that was even YouTube capable for one, which in 2006 or so when I got the TX blew my mind, YouTube in my Palm?
Maybe I went a little overboard in this comment but my point is, damn, some more competition may have been nice.
Oh, and one last thing, My TX devices still run like the day I got them, hell, the battery life is insane as well. I left one on for at least 2 weeks and it still had power last I checked. How many original iPhones that were opened in 2007 are still running? Heck, even an iPhone 5 from 2012, how many of those are still up and running?
Yet my 2005 TX runs just the same as it always did. It’s insane to look at a device from 2005 and feel like in 2023 we should be taking notes, but we should.
Our devices won’t last that long on standby today because they’re filled with bloatware processes that refuse to stop running. The TX powers up instantly after it’s been sitting for days and will be on 99% battery. My modern smart phone will kill its own battery within a day or two, tops, just sitting on my desk without me touching it.
Palm needs to make a comeback. Devices with SD, IR, buttons, built in stylus etc. Should as well.
Oh, and the OS was perfect. Calendar, web, paint etc, an Aux jack, these little things were and still are badass. If it wasn’t for the limited capability due to not being able to access the web like before I’d probably still use them daily.
But I’d never use an original iPhone daily, they just aren’t good for anything that I can’t do with any other device.
Not that I’m anti IPhone as I realize my comment seems, don’t get me wrong I do prefer androids for my uses but iPhones aren’t too shabby either. Top notch hardware, all of their devices sharing the same hardware also mean their apps tend to be better optimized and more reliable, etc. They’re dependable, reliable devices but… my Palm from 20 years ago can do things no iPhone can, like still run after 2 decades, control IR devices, have an SD card inserted etc.
The closest thing I’ve had to a TX was an LG Stylo 6, and for it’s day if was a decent device but the screen cracked in my pocket within a year and the battery life had shortened significantly. I was carrying around mophies and chargers like nobody’s business. My TX though? 2 decades without even a scratch that I can see on either of the 2 that I own, and when I’m using it the battery almost seems limitless as I can go for quite some time using it without seeing that 99% battery drop a digit.
I know we’ve changed battery types a time or two since then but can’t help but wonder how are modern batteries are so unreliable in comparison? Planned obsolescence is a factor, surely because I’m seeing a year or so tops before major performance reduction with these lithium ions of late. Whereas the TX still outlasts them 20 years later,
Just love my old tech and wish it were updated! I’d love a new palm device built as well as the TX was.
This happens the other way too FWIW
Genuinely curious, what did iOS have first that Android then adopted? Not doubting at all just curious as to what
This is sort of hard to answer because of the number of varieties of Android from different vendors could have things that weren’t in core Android but some user will be like I had a Samsung phone in 2012 that did that or something, so I’ll just base my answers on Android core.
Notification badges were a big one I wanted on Android that iOS had done since the beginning. You could sorta have them with nova launcher for a while, but it wasn’t as good. Eventually Android came around, I think?
I think the ability to swipe up and navigate opened apps also existed in iOS long before Android, though I think Samsung may have copied it shortly after, as they do with most solid iOS innovations.
iOS’s privacy controls have always been better than Android’s, though that’s not super surprising given Google’s market is advertising, Android did eventually try to add granular privacy controls but it feels lacking compared to iOS.
Also screen recording, is it even in Android yet? It’s been in iOS forever.
There’s a lot more than that, but reading any Android community and you’d think that the copying only happened one way.
Haha I agree with that actually, I’m an Android fan but don’t see the issue with all the copying. If iPhone users want it and we have it, why can’t they? Also, conversely, if there’s an iOS feature that I don’t yet have so what if I finally get it?
I can’t too much understand being all too competitive about this. plus, comparing them is apples to oranges. Apple, who I actually used to work for 😂 is one company making one device.
Android? Anyone can make one, anyone can make apps for them. Of COURSE we’re going to get some features first.
And yes, you’re also right, depending on the manufacturer some Android devices have had features we’re just now getting today many, many years ago but as we’re not consolidated into one company sometimes they’re forgotten or omitted from later Android barebones cores.
Screen sharing being one of those things lol. I’ve had it on a few devices throughout the years but probably couldn’t pinpoint the device as I’ve switched between Google, Motorola, LG etc. And also try more 3rd party stuff than most. I believe the first time I saw it native was OS10 or whatever it’s called as that was my last phone, a Motorola Ace something from Verizon.
Good phone btw! Had some badass features that iOS most likely doesn’t have yet, like can you flick your wrist twice to activate the camera instantly anytime for quick shots? Or can you shake it twice to activate the flashlight?
However, the fucking cameras on that thing were awful. Advertised as 48Mp but really just a 12, 2 and 16 megapixel camera strapped to the back. Why? Because not Apple. With an iPhone you know that you’re getting something consistent with great hardware. Some of the androids I get may have a feature or two that iOS doesn’t yet have, but I also miss out sometimes and have to pay for that feature in other ways because androids are the wild west of smartphones.
Love my androids for my personal needs, freedom and the price but can definitely get why iPhones work better for some.
Also, yes the privacy shit is insane on these devices. I constantly have to fight to keep it from spying and sending reports about my usage to anyone that will listen.
Floating apps. And split screen. I was playing Pokemon Go with reddit open in the corner in 2017 and it was old then. I dunno when iOS got it, but it’s recentish.
Copy muthafuckin paste. That was a laugh, listening to explanations of why you didn’t need it, until they “invented” that too.
Neither floating apps nor split screen were ever released for iOS. Split screen was added a while ago for iPadOS, but floating apps (Stage Manager) was released just last year.
Wait, floating apps as in being able to keep an app in the corner (like YouTube) when I’m using another app primarily right? iOS just got that?
It’s definitely old for Android as I can remember it being a thing for at least 5 years, and before that it was P-I-P “Picture in Picture” even on old CRT t.v’s with cable boxes lol. My old “Web TV” setup had PIP and was already old when I got it in the early 2000’s
No, that has been a feature for years on iOS and iPadOS. I’m talking about movable apps, like a desktop, a feature many android phones have. Only iPadOS has this feature to date.
Oh okay, I’m late to the party on that and actually had to Google it. I’ve just been using split screen for that purpose haha
Even the iPhone itself was just a more advanced version of a PDA or other handheld PC device that existed years before it. Logically, phones would have advanced similarly with or without Apple.
I had one called the iPaq.
Apple has since then made it illegal to trademark products starting with “i”. Irony.
KkI wouldn’t even say the iphone was more advanced than what came before it haha.
I still have 2 fully functioning Palm TX devices from 20 or so years ago, they were released mid 2005 while iPhone was June 2007 I think?
Looking back, I cannot fathom (aside from marketing) how apple beat palm in that market.
Here are the specs, keep in mind the TX was released several years before the original iPhone Ram: Palm TX: 128 Mb iPhone: 128Mb Screen palm TX: 480×320 iPhone 480×320 Processor TX: 312Mhz iPhone 416 Mhz
So, for a 3 year or so delay, the original iPhone imo still doesn’t completely dwarf the TX, but I’m also not through as there are plenty of features that the TX had but the iPhone lacked.
The TX was also touch screen (I find it much more responsive) and was meant for a stylus instead of fingers. To this day, I still love writing and drawing on the TX. Oh, and the stylus fits neatly into the TX on the right side. Also, it has a nice little replaceable flip cover for the screen.
But that’s not all, it has an SD card slot for expandable storage, something the iPhone omitted.
It also has wifi 302.11b support and Bluetooth as well, yes, Bluetooth in 2005 and it was very easy to activate and use.
But no, that’s not all, it also had an IR transmitter/receiver! Something the iPhone helped to kill. Those things were underrated!
They made the TX the perfect universal remote! I had a program on the TX that listed every T.V/DVD/VCR/Cable etc. Manufacturer you could imagine, you’d just select the manufacturer for the device you wanted to control, aim the TX at it and bam, you had control.
This helped me a lot as essentially I could control almost any device I could see. Lost remote for the DVD player? TX got you. It wasn’t just for t.v’s and whatnot though, many things run on IR and I miss when smart devices supported it.
Ah, and I’m still not done, the TX had BUTTONS. Actual factual buttons. Not only was it 100% touch screen, but it had 4 buttons and a directional pad with another button in the middle iirc.
Those buttons made it great for emulation and I believe I had a snes emulator on it though that may have just been Nes, either way, the buttons were much more fun to play with than touch screen, it made the device actually feel… made for what you were using it to do.
In fact, everything on the device felt made for what you were doing, and not just an afterthought. It came preloaded with plenty of useful apps. A web browser that was even YouTube capable for one, which in 2006 or so when I got the TX blew my mind, YouTube in my Palm?
Maybe I went a little overboard in this comment but my point is, damn, some more competition may have been nice.
Oh, and one last thing, My TX devices still run like the day I got them, hell, the battery life is insane as well. I left one on for at least 2 weeks and it still had power last I checked. How many original iPhones that were opened in 2007 are still running? Heck, even an iPhone 5 from 2012, how many of those are still up and running?
Yet my 2005 TX runs just the same as it always did. It’s insane to look at a device from 2005 and feel like in 2023 we should be taking notes, but we should.
Our devices won’t last that long on standby today because they’re filled with bloatware processes that refuse to stop running. The TX powers up instantly after it’s been sitting for days and will be on 99% battery. My modern smart phone will kill its own battery within a day or two, tops, just sitting on my desk without me touching it.
Palm needs to make a comeback. Devices with SD, IR, buttons, built in stylus etc. Should as well.
Oh, and the OS was perfect. Calendar, web, paint etc, an Aux jack, these little things were and still are badass. If it wasn’t for the limited capability due to not being able to access the web like before I’d probably still use them daily.
But I’d never use an original iPhone daily, they just aren’t good for anything that I can’t do with any other device.
Not that I’m anti IPhone as I realize my comment seems, don’t get me wrong I do prefer androids for my uses but iPhones aren’t too shabby either. Top notch hardware, all of their devices sharing the same hardware also mean their apps tend to be better optimized and more reliable, etc. They’re dependable, reliable devices but… my Palm from 20 years ago can do things no iPhone can, like still run after 2 decades, control IR devices, have an SD card inserted etc.
The closest thing I’ve had to a TX was an LG Stylo 6, and for it’s day if was a decent device but the screen cracked in my pocket within a year and the battery life had shortened significantly. I was carrying around mophies and chargers like nobody’s business. My TX though? 2 decades without even a scratch that I can see on either of the 2 that I own, and when I’m using it the battery almost seems limitless as I can go for quite some time using it without seeing that 99% battery drop a digit.
I know we’ve changed battery types a time or two since then but can’t help but wonder how are modern batteries are so unreliable in comparison? Planned obsolescence is a factor, surely because I’m seeing a year or so tops before major performance reduction with these lithium ions of late. Whereas the TX still outlasts them 20 years later,
Just love my old tech and wish it were updated! I’d love a new palm device built as well as the TX was.