I’m an Android Guy. This iPhone Is Changing My Mind..
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Four years ago I bought my first iPhone in over a decade, having used Android since the earliest days of that platform. The 14 Pro was a great phone, but ultimately not quite enough to keep me from going back to the Android flagships of the world. Ultimately, I just missed too many of the things that made the "Ultra"-class Android phones so enjoyable -- the crazy cameras, the hardware variety, the fast charging, the giant batteries.
So what about now, with the iPhone 18 Pro Max? On paper, it's ready to crush an increasingly flabby, complacent Android ecosystem -- especially in North America, where Galaxies, Pixels and Motos are increasingly your only real high-end choice.
So it's time for me, as someone who's used almost every Android flagship for the past few years, to take a shot at the 18 Pro Max here and see whether it's got enough going for it to tempt me over. For me, this comes down to three things: whether Apple has caught up on battery and charging, how much camera versatility I’d lose, and whether iOS still makes everyday tasks feel like extra work.
0:00 Intro
1:01 Hardware Basics
3:48 Small Changes
5:13 Performance
6:54 iOS 27
10:06 Cameras, Photo & Video
14:18 Closing Thoughts
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20 Comments
- Is it just the phones, which sometimes have better cameras, better batteries, or perhaps faster processors in certain applications?
- Or is it the variety of devices that can be purchased individually to suit user requirements?
- Is it the openness of the system?
- Is it perhaps features like Rambler or Circle to Search?
- Is it the ability to install self-written programs on your own phone and perhaps pass them on to friends and acquaintances?
I think the purchasing decision doesn't depend on a single device. It is actually a question of belief. Do you want a well-functioning, closed system from a company that repeatedly gives itself an advantage over competitors? Or do you want a system that works on devices from various manufacturers, is still relatively open, and where peripheral manufacturers have the opportunity to use the same features, or mostly the same features, as the system developer? Think about it.
My Pixel 9 Pro XL is struggling to last 8 hours on charge despite my best efforts, so I went shopping around to replace it and was underwhelmed by the options from Pixel and Samsung.
I'm not brave enough to drop out of the mainstream because I like variety of options when it comes to cases and accessories, so for the first time in nearly 2 decades I am trying iPhone, I have an 18 Pro on order.
I'm doing it partly for a change of scenery, excited to give the Apple ecosystem a try, see how well it integrates with my laptop and give CarPlay a whirl.
I am also looking forward to all the shocked faces of my family when they see my wielding an Apple phone.
I don't look at it as switching to iPhone, chances are in 2-3 years I'll be just as underwhelmed by the next iPhone and my head will turn once again.
I’m an Android Guy. This iPhone Is Changing My Mind..
XDA
12,950 views
Sponsored by PureTalk. Go to https://www.PureTalk.com/XDA and get 50% off your first month!
Four years ago I bought my first iPhone in over a decade, having used Android since the earliest days of that platform. The 14 Pro was a great phone, but ultimately not quite enough to keep me from going back to the Android flagships of the world. Ultimately, I just missed too many of the things that made the "Ultra"-class Android phones so enjoyable -- the crazy cameras, the hardware variety, the fast charging, the giant batteries.
So what about now, with the iPhone 18 Pro Max? On paper, it's ready to crush an increasingly flabby, complacent Android ecosystem -- especially in North America, where Galaxies, Pixels and Motos are increasingly your only real high-end choice.
So it's time for me, as someone who's used almost every Android flagship for the past few years, to take a shot at the 18 Pro Max here and see whether it's got enough going for it to tempt me over. For me, this comes down to three things: whether Apple has caught up on battery and charging, how much camera versatility I’d lose, and whether iOS still makes everyday tasks feel like extra work.
0:00 Intro
1:01 Hardware Basics
3:48 Small Changes
5:13 Performance
6:54 iOS 27
10:06 Cameras, Photo & Video
14:18 Closing Thoughts
Check out XDA on Twitter: xdadevelopers Facebook: xda.developers and Instagram: xdasocial
When you make a purchase using links in the description or comments, we may earn an affiliate commission. See more: https://www.xda-developers.com/page/t...
The 1TB and 2TB models of the iPhone 18 Pros and (presumably) the iPhone Duo are using slower QLC SSD's vs the 256GB and 512GB models which use faster TLC SSD's.
Avoid the 1TB and 2TB models.
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!