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Farewell, Phandroid…hello, iPhone!

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Over the next several months, follow Kevin as he blogs about his experiences with the iPhone over at iSource.com.

I have a confession to make. I’m a bit of an Apple fanboy. It all started when I purchased my first PowerBook back in 2005. As a writer and musician, I bought into the idea that Macs were ideal production tools for artists. And I fell in love. Several MacBook Pros later, nothing has changed.

When the iPhone was first announced, I simply had to have it. The problem was, I couldn’t bring myself to sever ties with Verizon at the time. The carrier had been good to me, and I had been a loyal customer for my entire life as a cellphone user. So, we all know how the story goes. The Motorola Droid is announced, it’s advertised as a real machine for doing real things, not some frou-frou iPhone backed by colorful commercials and geared at people that want a simple and basic experience.

Droid Does was the slogan, and Droid did it for me. I jumped on board as soon as Verizon launched the phone. Simultaneously, the meteoric rise of Android began. The Droid quickly erased any desire I had for the iPhone, and I found myself blogging right here at Phandroid about the very phone I had completely flipped for. Years later, after countless platform versions, Google’s OS developed into a robust experience that rightfully earned it a place as the top smartphone operating system in the world.

But eventually the fragmentation got to me. The stagnation in device design. The lack of a unified experience or truly carrier-agnostic Nexus devices with stock Android. The iPhone 5 was released, a simply stunning device to behold. Carrier loyalties had wained  (though the phone is now available on all major US networks) and those feelings started creeping back in. If Google couldn’t give me a true Android flagship, I wanted the iPhone.

So here I sit today, at the dawn of a new era in my life as a mobile consumer. After the OG Droid, a Galaxy Nexus, Motorola RAZR M, and reviewing countless devices in between from manufacturers like Samsung, HTC, and LG, I have traded in Android for iOS. I am now the owner of a shiny new iPhone 5 (check out some of my early opinions on the device in our head-to-head comparison with the Galaxy S4).

But this goodbye is not necessarily a permanent one. Think of it more as an experiment. You will still find me at our sister site iSource blogging my experiences transitioning from Android to iOS as well as covering the latest news and rumors in the lead up to the launch of the next iPhone.

Believe me, it won’t be easy. As much as I fell in love with Apple after getting my first Mac, Android really has taken hold of me. I will miss Google Now (despite my known issues with the system). I will miss widgets. I will miss big, beautiful displays and the option to choose a device that fits my lifestyle.

But perhaps the iPhone is the device that fits my lifestyle now. After years of being a smartphone user, I have come to find that I only use my phone for the most basic of needs. Messaging, making calls, light web browsing, and social media. Sure I play a game from time-to-time, but my phone is far from a media or productivity device. In this sense, the iPhone seems tailored for how I use my phone. Clean and intuitive.

But it won’t be without its challenges. There is plenty to learn, many habits to change. That’s why I will also be popping my head back in at Phandroid each week to give a quick update on how the whole experiment is going. With Google I/O right around the corner, I’m already nervous that I jumped ship too soon.

And then of course, there is the next iPhone, which will afford me an opportunity to really make a decision between the two platforms. It sort of feels like I’m leaving a faithful, homely, girlfriend simply because some other hot chick gave me the time of day. Maybe the next few months will be filled with the same sort of regrets. I have no idea. But life is about the adventure, and this is one I’m ready to take.

TL;DR: I now have an iPhone 5. You can find me over at iSource.com, but don’t think I won’t be keeping a close eye on Phandroid and keeping tabs on the Android world in general. So let’s see how this goes. It has been an awesome experience interacting with this community for the past three years, and I’m thankful for that. Wish me luck.

Kevin Krause
Pretty soon you'll know a lot about Kevin because his biography will actually be filled in!

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200 Comments

  1. Traitor.

    1. Yeah!

        1. If you leave..I’m out ;)

          1. I mean, I experimented a little bit with the iPhone in college, but haven’t we all been curious at some point? O_o

          2. hahahaha that cracked me up

          3. I once considered messing around with her to but thankfully at&t saved me with a deposit of $900 I was considering the iPhone4 but was like I could buy the phone outright and put it on tmobiles even more plus plan and have three months of service for just the deposit so I stuck with android and never thought about cheating again and our love grew when she gave me my g2

  2. Wow Kevin. Didn’t see this coming! You’ll be back, they all come back!

  3. iKev, pretty soon you’ll have a camera on a stick hiding behind a buffalo.

    1. We are switching Google Talk and Hangouts for Apple Messages and Facetime! LMAO

  4. And you JUST gave the Galaxy S4 the win over the iPhone 5 in your comparison haha….
    http://phandroid.com/2013/04/26/samsung-galaxy-s4-vs-iphone-5/

    Great work over the years, Kevin, super excited to hear about your experience with the iPhone. There are a ton of people considering switching back and forth all the time – my Facebook is littered with those types of questions – so I’m sure there will be some great reads along the way if nothing else.

    Good luck!

    1. Did you just bump your own post? Abuse of power!!! /end melodramatic finger waving

  5. This really doesn’t shock me AT ALL lol Have fun!

    1. I wish you guys would send Ron to iSource, my God he’s a perfect fit. ;)

  6. It must be those cool points you alluded to in your GS4 vs iPhone comparison that now makes so much more sense. What you’re saying is that you want something that’s pretty to act as a basic smart phone, instead of a hand held computer that also makes phone calls.

    Maybe Samsung’s next add can feature you standing in line.

    1. super lol!

      1. Huehuehuehuehuehuehue

  7. Im sure the features in Key Lime Pie will make it to iOS by 2014…

    1. trollololol

    2. So funny, yet true lol

    3. “I’m sure the features of Froyo will make it to iOS by 2014”. Fixed that for you. :-)

      1. Agreed, but a true techie needs to know all about everything, including the iPhone. On the other hand, that photo with the screens in angle said a lot about what phone has the best screen…

      2. i’m sure iOS had screenshots since iOS 2.0 and it took android till ICS. Cry moar!

    4. Then Apple will have a commercial boasting about their new feature as if they created it and all the iSheep will eat it up as the best thing ever. It’s comical. IE dual mic commercial currently airing.

      1. They just created the noise cancellation Mic

        1. Not sure if serious, or heavily sarcastic, because my Galaxy Nexus definitely has 2 mics (not to mention the fact that the iPhone 4 had them as well).

        2. I’m hoping that’s sarcasm, because the noise cancellation Mic was in the Nexus One 3 years ago….

          1. It was complete sarcasm with the ad campaign for the iPhone 5 they were advertising the noise cancellation Mic as if it’s new tech but it has been around forever even on cheap feature phones

          2. Always write /s

            You might get followed by an angry mob if you don’t…

          3. Thanks for the tip

          4. /s wasnt needed, it was very obvious sarcasm, especially if you read the comment above it.

      2. WHat about the Android Goats? All you guys do is boast how “bigger is better?” and “my phone is faster!” even though android is the slowest mobile OS I have ever experienced.

        1. you need to hop of the htc one and try a new phone… android outpreforms ios every time.

          1. I have a HTC Droid DNA. I’m just stating what I hear on other sites.

    5. Seeing as how iOS hasn’t even caught up with Gingerbread yet, I’d say 2016.

    6. Later, much later.

  8. You have done a great job here, Kevin. But like all good tech writers, you must experiment with other ecosystems. How else would you have a good perspective?! I have owned BlackBerry, iOS and Windows Phone devices while working for Phandroid.

    There is something to love about all ecosystems, and I believe learning about all the operating systems improves my opinion/writing. I agree with Nick, though. You will be back! Until then, I will be reading your iOS articles.

  9. This is more proof that Phandroid is nearing its end of life. iSource is already a ghost town and this is just the owner trying to get some traffic over there. Sadly, by moving away one of the top guys from his top site, it will end up just ruining both.

    Good luck to you, Kevin. You were the one bright spot for this less than passable blog.

    1. This was an honest move. I can attest to the fact that Kevin was the one with the idea to try this out. He wanted this. Our boss was so nice that he decided to let him try it even though he is such an important part of Phandroid.

    2. I’ve been following http://androidcommunity.com for a few weeks now they seem to have put together a nice site for android users with a bit more in depth understanding of the platform.

      1. Excellent. Love sites that actually treat readers the smart way. I think androidauthority.com is very up and coming site too.

        1. Not sure if you’re being serious or sarcastic. I hope you don’t take my reply offensively, I just take a lot of pride in our site and our team, and so I feel compelled to vigorously defend the work we do here. If you’ve got specific suggestions, criticism, or feedback, hit me up directly at my first name @ phandroid dot com.

          1. i think you guys run a damn fine site i started my android life here even thou i look at androidcentral and XDA phandroid is always what i check first all news sites post slightly different content its good to have multiple you trust but Phandroid FTW

      2. I’m not sure whether to laugh or cry.

        1. I just s**t the bed after reading his comment..lmao. Would be nice to see you in the forums more, just saying.

          1. agreed

        2. I miss our long voice calls.

    3. Thanks for guessing, but unfortunately, you’re wrong.

      (1) I don’t mean to brag, but If you haven’t noticed, we’ve kinda been kicking ass lately. This theme will persist well throughout 2013 and beyond. But hey- I’m sure you won’t be at all interested in our hands-on coverage of Google Glass next week? Because we’re nearing the end of our life and are ruined. C’mon man… really?

      (2) I am the owner, and no, this wasn’t a move to just get traffic over there. Will it? Yes, because Kevin is a great writer and he’ll have a lot of great information and insight to share. Kevin came to me asking if he could try something new… and I want my bloggers working on topics and content for which they’re passionate. This was an exciting opportunity for Kevin and a leap that he asked if he could take.

      You’re of course entitled to your opinion. But I’m entitled to mine, too, and I think you’re terribly, terribly wrong.

      1. So you managed to spend $1600 from ad and SEO money on Google Glass from the pre-order at last year’s Google I/O. Engadget is already doing a piece on it and pretty much every other site will have one too. That’s not ground breaking. You are right, I won’t be interested in your piece. I’m already enjoying Engadget’s.

        1. If you like Engadget or other Android sites.. thats fine. Why post such negative at Phandroid?

        2. No one likes an over-eager fanboy. No one.

          Branching out is a good learning experience, you should try it sometime.

    4. I have tried several but I find Phandroid to be the most enjoyable experience. Guess it’s not for everyone…

  10. Kevin, I enjoyed reading your articles over the last few years. I will especially miss your in-depth reviews and your honest opinions (even when sometimes against the odds…I like that). I know you will be greatly missed on team phandroid but I can only imagine the success you will bring to our sister site, iSource.com. As a mac user myself I will be sure to read your new perspective over on the dark-side.

    Good luck bro.

  11. Time will tell, soon you will say “I wonder if we get that feature on the next upgrade. a controlled device gives security but no freedom, a free device keeps you on the cutting edge.

  12. Good luck with the lack of customization and slower iPhone, get used to those useless splash screens when you open an app(the reason why the isheep think the iPhone loads apps faster when in fact it doesn’t).

  13. I got an iPad for my kids, and every time I use it, it seems I can never ever find how to go back, with out pressing home button. Its like the lil rectangular back button is always out of sight. It takes a while to get used to it.

    1. Man, just learn to use the gestures.

  14. Good luck. Just don’t look at it while driving. You’ll fall asleep at the wheel. I kidd I kidd.

  15. Yall wasting an article space on this? Really Phandroid?

    1. They made a comparison of the S4 vs the iPhone 5. This year vs Last year. This shouldn’t have surprised you.

      1. I’m confused.. are you saying you agree? Plus.. why wouldn’t you compare those phones.. iPhone 6 is not out.. no one has one.. it will most likely be not many improvements to the iPhone 5.

        1. I was making a statement, not showing which side of the argument I’m on. But if you must, I don’t mind. It’s a blog, you post what you want.

          But as for the comparison, I think it’s stupid and completely biased. I hate to use such harsh words, but I must. You compare a device that came out this year to a device that came out last year. Mobile technology advances to fast. A one-year gap is pretty large. It’s not like comparing cars that barely have anything different within a year.

          1. I was just confused..thats all. lol. I see your point but the other side of things a lot of iPhone fans think the iPhone 5 is better then anything Android. I think its always nice to compare.. but I do agree that its not 100% fair. When the iPhone 6 comes out I am sure they will compare that phone to a few of the top Android devies that are out at the time (maybe 2014?….jk..i think).

            What phone do you think is a good iPhone 5 comparison.. just curious myself.. i’m not a writer nor do they take my advice on what to write about. lol.

    2. This is not a waste.

  16. “so long gay boy” -Mr.Chow

    http://youtu.be/5SsCP-dd6Gs

  17. iKev the sister blog is failing because Apple is failing, less people want to read about their lack of innovation, not because its not a good site. You don’t need to lie to us about wanting an iPhone 5 we understand this was a business decision. Good luck. hope it goes well for you over there. Maybe…just maybe if you can bring the viewership up at iSource in time you guys will get your hands on the iPhone 5s when its comes out in all of its mediocre glory.

  18. You will have to buy ALL your apps again. *laughs maniacally*

    1. I see that as one of the biggest barriers to switching from any OS to another.

      1. And your music. I’ve been buying music from Google Play because I’m too lazy to get it illegally. LoL!!

        This makes it even harder for me to switch. Wait!! Isn’t Google Music cross platform?

        1. Even though I buy more digital music now, most of mine is ripped from CDs I own, so that wasn’t as big an issue for me. And as far as I know you still get buy any AC/DC in digital form (probably a few others I have too).

          1. You can get AC/DC on iTunes.

        2. What’s the problem with music ?
          Google Music works well with iOS devices. I’m currently listening to it on my iPhone. Both purchased titles and uploaded songs are supported.

          1. Read OP. It was about getting a new OS would mean re-buying all your apps. I was asking if I would have to do the same thing with my music since I’ve purchased music from Google Music. But if Google Music is on iOS then that wouldn’t be a problem.

          2. Understood. Paid apps are the only real issue (assuming Google Now is coming on iOS one day or another).

          3. Wait, you have a what?

          4. :-D

      2. Never put any thought in to it, apps are cheap.

      3. Well, it’s not a problem if you switch from HTC to Samsung to Droid

    2. I didn’t have to buy Mlb at bat again :)

  19. at the end of the day it really comes down to what you need in a phone and what works best for your personal needs. and an iphone will do just that from reading what you use your phone for. i’ve started off with android and then got the iphone 5 for an experiment myself. loved it but now i’m headed back to android.

  20. I have enjoyed reading your articles and would agree with you on just about every point. I use an iPhone for work purposes and the phone does a lot of the basics a lot better. I am an Android enthusiast but if Apple ever had a Swype keyboard, decent navigation app, and eventually received Google now I would have to consider switching as well. thanks again for the articles and maybe in time I might be reading some again.

    1. “Decent navigation apps” ?

  21. I just want to know how you can hold “stagnant device design” against Android, when the iPhone’s design has basically stayed the same since the original release.

    1. What he said!

  22. i should have unsubscribed from this copycat blog a long time ago. thanks for giving me the extra push.

    1. How could the first ever Android-focused website be a copycat?

  23. Enjoy your hot chick! Hopefully the faithful girlfriend will be waiting when you return!

    1. Android is the most faithful. It will be there waiting for him, and if he is broke from buying all his apps again, he can even get Android back without spending too much. LOL

  24. I….. Don’t….. Care….

  25. He will be back when he notices that ios is nothing compared to Android. Have full with your 5th row of icons.

  26. I just did the same thing. Felt like it was time for a little change / experiment, so I sold my GS3 and bought an Iphone 5. My experience thus far (3 days) has been mixed. Some feature are refreshing, some frustrating, but in general change has been good.

  27. Totally understand this move. It’s a personal and journalistic experiment; a chance to try something “new”; taking a look at the competition and all that…

    I understand perfectly and wish you all the best in your new endeavour.

    But THIS I simply CANNOT understand:

    It sort of feels like I’m leaving a faithful, homely, girlfriend simply because some other hot chick gave me the time of day.

    Sorry to say you have totally gotten that backwards! :<
    Where's the editor? He's got some editing to do!

    :p

    1. Its more like ending up with the seemingly homely girlfriend only to find out in addition to being more interesting she’s also actually hotter than the “hot” chick.

    2. Yeah, quite! It’s more like he has sown a few wild oats and wants to settle into suburban mediocrity and safety… so is getting married to the girl next door because it’s convenient.

  28. Duces

  29. Enjoy the vast amount of quality accessories! That’s my biggest envy of the iPhone. Also, let us know how being forced to touch type goes. That’s my biggest gripe about the iPhone.

    Happy experimenting!

    1. *looks up touch typing* *confused* How are you being forced to touch type? Touch type relates to typing without looking at the keyboard. HOW can you do that on a touch screen? I can’t even type correctly while looking at the screen. LoL!!

      1. Sorry, I didn’t know there was a specific definition for touch typing. What I meant was non-gesture/swipe typing, which I may point out can be done quite easily without looking at the screen. So … swipe typing is actually more like touch typing than actual touch typing?! *mind blown* *Inception boom*

  30. “The stagnation in device design.”

    Um, have you seen the iphone’s designs? :P

    1. Yeah, I saw that and laughed. iPhone has been more or less the same rectangle with rounded edges since it was brought to market. Meanwhile, Android has had just about every form factor imaginable: slide out qwerty keyboards like the OG Droid, Blackberry style, dual screen fold out (Kyocera Echo), slightly curved black slab (Galaxy Nexus), ruggedized phones (Casio G’z One), etc.

  31. One of the many things I love about Android is all the tinkering you can do with it. But I get why people love iPhone too. There’s no reason for anyone to be such a “fanboy” that they feel the need to put other people down because of their choice.

    Along those lines, there’s no reason to put Rob or his team down either. They have all worked very hard to provide us different aspects ranging from news to reviews to contests across the multiple platforms/sites they contribute to. If you feel that strongly about Phandroid (or any site), why don’t you provide honest, well thought-out feedback that can help provoke positive change vs. blanket negativity.

    The internet is such a dangerous place when people just zing insults without any regards to the time, energy and sacrifice other people are putting in to try and make it a better, more educational/interesting place.

    Best of luck Kevin with your new adventure. I have no interest in iPhone so I personally won’t be reading your writing, but I can say I will miss it, because I’ve always enjoyed your perspective form the Android side.

  32. Make sure to jailbreak that iphone and get some basic android options usually available through the play store! When a new firmware comes out, make sure to update and rejailbreak , possibly bricking your phone in the process and or starting over! Have fun sharing media files with friends and family! Do you still need to pay to make ring tones on ios? Well….. just have fun with that! ;-)

  33. This is funny because after several years of owning iPhones I have decided to try android. I absolutely love my iPhone and seeing as so many people bash one os for the other without ever owning both devices I have decided to give it a try and then decide which os is better. I will see what will come of it. Btw, the HTC one is a dream.

    1. I’m in the same boat. I’ve been an Android user all my smartphone life. I feel like I need to experience the other side just so I can accurately express my opinions and beliefs towards Android. It’s just hard to make the switch.

      1. It’s not that hard. The only real problem in switching between the two is paying twice from the great apps (most of them games). The rest works more or less the same way.

  34. I don’t understand why this is an article on phandroid, i’ve always respected Kevin Krause as one of the better blogger on this site but could really care less about his reasoning for jumping ship, a simple short paragraphing just illustrating that he was leaving would have sufficed instead of him trying to reason a move to a shitty device and boring OS.

  35. Kevin, not surprising after reading your pretty daft iphone5 vs sgs4 where you rated the iphone higher for multimedia! erm, are you frigging joking? Perhaps you feel “multimedia” is the ability to have a company sell you music via their site, then to use their cable, their quicktime, their software to put the stuff on your phone, and then suffocate your ability to share it with anyone anyhow… I’d say that is rather awful. But ignoring that dreadful workflow, how about divx, xvid, flac, ape, ogg, mpeg2 etc etc… as you say, your needs are a lot more simple… which brings me to wonder why you blog for technology if your use of a phone is pretty much the same as my wife’s, and she hates technology! EEnyway, have fun, my wife likes her iphone too.

    1. I was wondering the same thing. Why’s a non techie blogging on a tech blog?

    2. I think just like anyone, your work and personal life can be different. From his articles it seems like he did quality work. But I do agree about the itunes thing, I’ve only used it to watch free videos in their university section.

    3. There are apps in the app store that give you all these codecs. During my brief time with an iPad, I installed a video app that played everything I threw at it, and also had an option where you could transfer files wirelessly from the PC. Sure, there are things the iPhone can’t do (esp when not jailbroken), but I don’t think it’s as handicapped as a lot of Android users think.

      1. And how much do those apps cost?

        1. I don’t remember… couple of bucks, probably.

        2. There are numerous apps that cost from nothing to 15 bucks, depending on the supported codecs, the presence of adds and the additional features.

          1. Oh you mean just like android? Nooo, you do go on sir.

    4. Many apps are available on iOS to play all multimedia formats, push them to the device wirelessly, download them from a NAS, FTP server, Cloud storage (all of them, Google music included) or even from a website. You can enjoy your media without ever plugging the phone/tablet to iTunes, if you wish so (this is one way among many others to get your music/videos/podcasts, just the one that comes built into the device, no more no less).
      Most Android users don’t know how many great apps are available on iOS.

    5. You realize that all those formats listed are playable on iOS right? If you’re going to troll at least be accurate mate. And QuickTime? Really? What are even going on about? What does that have to do with iOS at all? You are a great example of why it will be good for the original poster to conduct this grand experiment. So he won’t be ignorant of the other platforms and his writings of his current preferred platform will be much more well rounded and grounded in actual truth and not silly assumptions made by someone already blinded by his own partisan loyalties. It’s like an Amish kid commenting on rock music production.

      1. “mate”, can you use itunes without quicktime? NO. To connect an ishit to a computer you need an Apple Corporation proprietary cable, Apple Corporation Quicktime, Apple Corporation itunes and then you cannot just plug into any old computer and drag and drop music to and from it… unless of course you have hacked your ishit. Nope, nice try, but the facts are simple. Apple Corporation likes things CLOSED and to have their customers DEPENDENT on THEIR proprietary system. YUK!!!

        1. You said iShit… Thats so funny.

          Couple of points, what codec cant your wife’s device play, you seem to thing that using 3rd party apps is a crime, WTF, the whole point of smart devices is to allow then to work with different things.

          Also, proprietary cables, like the ones found on the Samsung Tab, you mean that right, right ??

          Glad to see you are dragging and dropping music still, thats so old school of you. I use Google play, or iTunes Match or Spotify. You should try them as they are new wireless solutions you might have read about.

          If you are going to talk about chalk and chess at least understand the difference in the two… ‘MATE. ‘

          1. wow, someone with your level of maturity is able to do sarcasm… well done! I have never owned an android device that uses anything BUT a generic micro usb… so im not sure what that one in a million tablet you mention uses, its a rarity, as you may now know. If you are interested in listening to quality audio files (ie not the compressed stuff you get on all the services you mention) and NOT have to have a great data connection to listen, then loading music to your device is the only way to go, especially if you listen to ALBUMS and are not a teeny bopper who downloads single tracks. The simple fact is, Android is way more open and capable wrt multimedia, full stop. Shout your little head off if you like, but you are fooling only yourself.

          2. As IOS devices have sold in the millions, I assume you will agree that even though only one manufacture uses it although proprietary, it is still prevalent.

            Also as you seem to be a connoisseur of music you will be using all the best equipment to play back your tracks that have taken so long to drag and drop onto your phone. What dock are you using. I assume that you will agree that although iOS uses a proprietary connection it does enjoy a vast amount of third party support in terms of high end audio equipment, more (dare I say it than even super open micro USB.

            Thanks for pointing out that the Samsung Galaxy Tab is a One in a Million android device, maybe it goes to show that one of the great things about Android (its diversity) also highlights one of its weaknesses (its fragmentation).

            Did that shout my ‘little head’ off or maybe you can now start calling me an ‘isheep’, or ‘Apple Fanboy’ or some other crap..

          3. Anyone who THINKS a phone is able to produce audiophile sound is ignorant…. so you’d best keep your limited knowledge to yourself in that regard, you sound oblivious. The listening I do on my phone does not involve some lame docking system, just excellent headphones, still very limited by the second rate DA converters put in ALL phones, and portable MP3 players for that matter. HO HUM and whatever about fragmentation, it has never affected me in the slightest in all my years of using Android, that’s just one of the lame arse bleatings of someone who has no decent argument to put forwards.

          4. Wow, did’nt realise I was dealing with an audio snob. So I assume that you don’t actually ever put audio on your android (or your imaginary wife) iphone, as you would never consider playing the damn files anyway. So how would you know how good this quality is when tiny inconsequential firms like Bose, Sonos or Monitor seem to know better.

            I assume you must be sitting in your perfect audio chamber at the moment, testing for you Audiophile consulting firm.

            Ho hum, anyway good response about fragmentation, I suppose as long as you are alright thats the main thing.

      2. Furthermore, if I copy a bunch of videos and audio files of those codecs I mentioned to my wife’s ishit, she will NOT be able to play them. She will have to (at least) use some 3rd party software, perhaps even hack her phone? Comparing ios to andriod wrt openness and multimedia ability off the bat is silly. Chalk and cheese “mate”, chalk and cheese.

  36. Good luck! iPhone seems nice for sure, especially for your phone usage I guess. I mean isn’t that what the iPhone is all about, something that looks good and is easy to use? I have a bad habit of rooting and flashing different ROM’s, feels like I can change phones just by trying a new ROM sometimes.

  37. Don’t choke on any Apple seeds.

  38. “I have come to find that I only use my phone for the most basic of needs. Messaging, making calls, light web browsing, and social media. Sure I play a game from time-to-time, but my phone is far from a media or productivity device.”

    And that is exactly what an iphone is good for. Anyone who wants a beast that can do just about anything they can think of use android.

    “It sort of feels like I’m leaving a faithful, homely, girlfriend simply because some other hot chick gave me the time of day.”

    So android is the homely chick? How dare you?

    No, android is the chick that takes you home, rocks your world and leaves you exhausted, then meets your mom and charms the pants off of her.

    Seriously, tho. Kevin, you used to drive me crazy. (now I know why), but your writing and style matured, and I grew to enjoy your articles.

    Guarantee: you’ll be back. You’ll figure out that the old, limited girlfriend isn’t what you remembered, and you’ll come back to the girl who is a firecracker in bed and everyone’s sweetheart elsewhere.

    ;-P

  39. “Better get used to these bars, kid.” — Marty McFly to his future jailbird, 1-yr-old uncle.

    Seriously Kevin, good luck with the experience and with your new job. :)

    It should be interesting for you to see if the consistency of the experience outweighs the inherent OS restrictions.

  40. Stagnation in device design. That’s hilarious.

    1. I caught that too! Plain silly. How an “expert reviewer” for Android products (who owned some fairly lame ones, I might add) can say that Android phones are stagnated in device design, it is just plain wrong. ..and then he moves to a company that has had no major new design to its phones since the first iPhone?? Oh, wait, my bad: they did switch that connector/charger port. What an awesome thing to do to all of the existing iPhone users. yeah, i want to give my loyalty to a company that does that to me and keeps me in a no-new-design phone for years on end.

  41. This reminds me of one of those farewell posts on mmorpgs boards or something. Where’s everyone’s like who cares? Go lol.

    Deuces good sir.

  42. Aren’t we on the cusp of a new iPhone announcement? Why move now?

  43. I love my Macbook Pro and iMac. Ever since starting to work on a Mac Pro nearly 10 years ago, I have never looked back to Windows (unless I had to do so for a specific application).

    I had an iPhone and an iPad 3. However, I can NEVER see myself going back to iOS again. The closed system, app costs and juvenile operating system (not to mention stagnation) are just not appealing in this competitive marketplace.

    As much as I hate to say it..I also think the loss of Steve Jobs was truly a devastating blow to the company. Tim Cook just has not delivered anywhere near the same level and the company’s stock certainly indicates such.

  44. I’ve just made the same switch a few weeks ago (GS2 -> Nexus 4 -> iPhone 5) and I fully understand the homely girlfriend/hot chick concept ;-)
    The more we experience, the more we know what may suit us at a given moment.

  45. Slow news day.

  46. Can’t say I’m surprised, won’t miss his articles, which always had a certain amount of negativity regarding Android.

  47. Hey Kevin,

    Good luck to you over there man! I venture over there every one in a while to see what Jailbreaking Processes have been made and other iOS news. My girlfriend just got the iPhone 5 for T-Mobile and she absolutely loves her device. She’s not asking me questions ever 10 minutes of how to change settings or set something up. She’s not a tech-head; nothing wrong with that. And coming from the polar opposite side, I have the Nexus 4, I will say it is a damn good-lookin phone.

    I just have to speak my opinion abut something though. I’ve browsed many-a forum and website pertaining to each OS and it disgust me how rude, inconsiderate, and ignorant some of my fellow Android users are. It’s just a phone at the end of the day, that’s all. Really, that’s all it is. As they say, “Different strokes for different folks,” but some people get flat-out aggressive and disrespectful over iOS and it’s users. For these readers to be attacking you (Kevin) personally actually made my gut and my jaw drop. I just can’t take it anymore, and if you don’t like the title of an article why do some people decide to comment on it anyway? Trolling is something CHILDREN do, not adults (grown people).

    That being said, good luck to you Kevin. I’m sure it’ll work out great.

    1. We’re rude because for years we’ve suffered the look down the nose of pretentious pricks and their holier-than-thou iPhones. The sneers and jeers when they say “oh I don’t know if you can get it… for THAT phone”.

      I

  48. photo sphere will come to iOS by 2016.

  49. Best of luck to you.

  50. Benedict Arnold

  51. He complains about lack of design and then runs ti iPhone where they all look the same? WTF The stagnation in device design <- Apple is the pinnacle for that

    1. exactly!

  52. I pity you… It’s like going from straight to gay ;(

    1. That made me laugh more than it should have haha.

  53. I thought it was April fools for a second…. Anyways Good luck!

  54. Don’t let the door hit you…..

  55. This has got be a really late April fools joke…

  56. i went the other way in the experiment…definitely think droid is the better phone as far as innovation….Iphone wins as far as it just works every damn time without failing…When working for verizon it was the same thing…iphones only came back because of a broken screen…droids came in with several issues…I do like the lightning cable better than the micro cable…always feels like it wants to break.I have the note 2…love the S-pen…Love the big screen…biggest complaint is lack of games…Always have to wait…and once android finally gets that on lock… it will be a real game changer…because I have all this horsepower in my phone…and about half of the great games to take advantage of it…….I really do not want to go back but it does make it tough when you own so much itunes crap…it is annoying on their part….but smart business… i guess thats why they have a bigger operating budget then the federal government

  57. Good luck with the experiment. Trying out various OS is a great way to get an impartial opinion. I use both Android and iOS on phone and tablet, respectively, and have also dabbled with Windows Phone. Even I’m a basic user who mainly makes calls, browses, uses Twitter and Facebook, and very rarely play a game, but even then iOS and WP just don’t do it for me. The easy sharing, ability to change keyboard and other default apps, the awesome expandable notifications, customizable homescreen for fast access to stuff, and truer multitasking that don’t make me wait for always on stuff like WhatsApp or Twitter to load and allow things to load in the background are something I can’t live without and have become basics for me that I don’t find on either of the other OS.

    But yeah, I see the merits of iOS pretty clearly, especially on a tablet, but some limitations and long winded ways of doing things just put me off. WP is the same, but their simplicity does have an appeal, not to mention their mostly smooth operation..

    Again, good luck with the experiment! Have fun on the other side!

  58. May you burn in Apple hell 3 times over :D

  59. Apple never created anything original and never will. The galaxy s 4 is light years ahead of it. Apple is destroying freedom of choice and I hope that patent troll rots. It beats out better products because of fanboyism and consumer ignorance.Dude your a traitor there are many windows versions out at a time just like android.
    Apple is still trying to unsuccessfully ban the android product.they ipodded out mp3 players but I ordered a creative Zen 2. I refuse to jump off a bridge even if everyone else does.

  60. Takes a real man to admit his flaws, Kevin!…LOL. In all seriousness, your reviews will be missed.

  61. This feels like a pro-iphone article. I understand that its supposed to be a goodbye but it felt like you were begging us to follow. My galaxy note ll and I will be over here weeping quietly.

    1. “This feels like a pro-iphone article.”
      Maybe that’s because the article was about someone switching to iPhone.

  62. “So here I sit today, at the dawn of a new era in my life as a mobile consumer.”
    Christ, no wonder the author is switching to iPhone with pretentious sentences like that.

  63. Lol iSource isn’t even loading for me.

  64. Good riddance. Never liked when you posted anyway.

  65. Good luck

  66. Don’t let the door hit you in the Ass on the way out DumbAss….

  67. I won a contest on iSource for an iPod two Christmases ago. They never sent it out, and never replied to me. They don’t keep their word. I never looked at that website again.

  68. I have both a GS3 and an iPhone 5. I can say, completely objectively, that using an iPhone is torture after being an Android user. I have no idea how Apple could sell so many of these things. And, I am also an Apple fanboy, starting way back with the II-e I used in grade school and the first computer I owned, the II-gs. Not even that amount of history and buy-in can influence me away from Android, at this point.

    But hey… good luck with your experiment!

    1. Why did you buy an iPhone if its torture ???

      1. It was provided by my workplace.

  69. He obviously loves their consistent level of innovation and ever changing to meet the customers needs… oh wait they haven’t changed since they came out. You’re getting a highly capable grandma phone! I’m not hatin’ :)

    Your right fragmentation sucks every carrier to give us stock options so we can get quicker upgrades.

  70. take your donkey ass no one cares

  71. Can’t think of a logical reason anyone would have iPhone envy. Have fun with the iCrap.

  72. @KevinKrause Well Kevin, despite what all the other insensitive people are saying, I for one am sad to see you go, I appreciate the great review job you just did on the S4 vs the HTC One, and I wish you well over in apple-land. :)

    I’d be lying if I didn’t share at least some of your feelings. I am still waiting for a nearly-stock experience to come out with at least on-par specs to all the hot-rod phones out there. I’m still rocking my old HTC Droid Incredible running Albinoman’s Jellybean until someone meets my demands! :-P

    We appreciate the work you have done here Kevin, and… ok fine, I might secretly be hoping that you’ll hate it over there and come back to the Android phanatics you know and loath…I mean love :-P

  73. So… you chose iOS because of carriers? Dude, that’s just stupid.

    Here, let me send you a photosphere of… oh wait… iOS. LOL.

  74. Wait, iPhone is the hot chick? Better check her for an Adam’s APPLE.

  75. wait…i don’t understand this article.

    ~”the fragmentation” isn’t something anyone really holds against an open-source os. it’s a red herring/click bait issue for tech bloggers. ~”stagnation in device design” has defined apple for a couple of years now, as well as in their software. ~”lack of a unified experience” meaning only 1 experience, which is quite limited for something titled ‘smart’ & owes to stagnation in design. ~”iPhone 5 was released” ..were you stunned because it was a slightly elongated version of the past 2 iphones?

    i refuse to fall for the fanboy flame fanning, because i sense a skeleton in your closet.

  76. stagnation in design? Have you actually looked at the different iPhone generations side by side?

  77. More like you’re leaving a smart, beautiful, amazing woman because some slutty goober tramp gave you a handy while you had a 2 beer buzz in a back ally.

  78. You’ll be back and we’ll be here to welcome you back!

  79. I obviously need to find another site….somehow I have been duped into taking android advice from an apple fanboy…Go figure…so your out of the closet..by by

  80. Very lame….but, hopefully, his leaving will make Phandroid.com better. I have read Kevin’s reviews and have found them to be mediocre at best. I am not surprised that he was an Appleboy all along. Why someone would want a phone with less advanced technology and constant proprietary limitations, it is beyond logic (except, like the Samsung commercials and that awesome TinyWatchProductions video of the “Evo vs iphone” so correctly prove: some people just want to be sheep and follow a crowd SOLELY because they think it is cool.) Believing that Apple is better for artists is nothing more than a misguided view point and not based in actual fact….but that is where Kevin lived all along. Good bye. Good luck. Let’s hope the replacement isn’t a closet member of the anti-Android mentality.

  81. Pathetic its good that he left why the hell would you down grade from a 1080p display to a 720p whatever floats your boat

  82. Good Riddance. Anyone who chooses to dumb themselves down, is a sad excuse for a human.

    1. NEXUS WARRIOR!

      1. Ya I don’t own a Nexus. Not since the Nexus 4 came out. I had the Nexus 3, but wanted a larger screen, and a screen that didn’t scratch easily. Nexus 4 was a big mistake by Google. Looks like the Note 3 might be my next phone, or the X-phone.

        1. Reference: http://www.reddit.com/r/AndroidCirclejerk

          Means you stand up for Android. Sony Xperia ZL is a pretty amazing device.

          1. I can’t say that I stand ONLY for Android. I stand for choice. I stand for whatever works best for me NOW. Tomorrow, something better might come along and I would jump ship. I am definitely NOT an Android Purist.

  83. Google now will be coming to iOS very soon. So dont worry about that ;) I reckon you made a good decision for now. Android feels somewhat stuck in innovation and as humans we tend to love change and exploring new stuff. Best of luck!

  84. I’m baffled to hear anyone say they will miss Google Now. I’m an Android fan who hates Apple but think Google Now is Android’s worst feature: it’s always popping up when I don’t want it and it seems to be impossible to deactivate completely.

  85. I wish you the best of luck with your iPhone. Although I am an Android user, I know that there are people who prefer or want to try out other devices. I hope you enjoy your iPhone. If not, I will welcome you back to Android. I am interested to see how you make out with your new iPhone. I may check out your blog from time to time.

  86. Lol, all these comments are high-larious

  87. To each his own. Good luck with your iPhone. In fact I find this experiment interesting.
    There have been some bloggers going from iOS to Android, but this is the first switch in the opposite direction I read about. I am interested in your experience reports. Will you still miss the Android features in a month, or is it a thing, one quickly forgets about?

  88. one question to phandroid how does f* ckers like kevin get to post these trashy articles

  89. I tried the switch also. I’ve been on an android since the htc hero. When the gs3 came out, I bought it. Loved it. Then heard the iPhone 5 was coming out with a bigger screen. So I returned the gs3. Got the iPhone 5. I liked it. But couldn’t do near what I could do with the gs3. And the “larger” screen wasn’t even noticeable compared to previous iPhones. I regretted returning my gs3. So I took i5 back. Got gs3. Now I’m happy!!!

  90. My wife, an absolute non-techie, recently had to have warranty work done on her original Note. While waiting several weeks for a working replacement (the first replacement had a non-functioning speaker), she has been using my old GSII. She has completely had it with the tiny 4.3″ screen and is desperate to get her under-powered, but spacious Note back. I am curious as to whether you will ever get used to the tiny screen or find yourself using tablets and computers for tasks you once were able to do on your phone.

    My 16 year old daughter went from a Skyrocket to a iPhone 4 ONLY for iMessage. She dislikes everything else about it, has called me crying and lost in the middle of nowhere unable to navigate home — but dammit she knows when someone views her text message!

  91. When will we see the Windows Phone user switching to Blackberry? Blackberry user to Bada?

  92. Good luck, the “I can’t do this, I can’t do that” bug, will bring you back.

  93. Anyone who ever read any of your posts already knew you were an Apple fanboy. Now it’s just the time you felt it was time to officially come out of the closet. And good riddance. Don’t come back.

  94. Kevin, I’m sure you expected the fanboy reaction (they have them on the iphone side too). Good luck man. Hope you just brush off the negativity.
    My first smart phone was android, and now I have an iphone (jailbroken of course). I also have a Google TV and airplay video’s from my iphone to my Google TV, and I’m about to get a Nexus 7 (until the ipad mini gets a high res screen, apple was stupid for that). Tech is tech…. I like ’em all!

  95. Good luck writing features on isource its like a ghost town on there :p

  96. I don’t get it. Since when does Google (Android) not have a flagship phone? I would consider the Nexus 4 to fill that role easily.

  97. iShill. Get out of here and never come back. Go instagram a screenshot of this.

  98. I am so sorry for you. i breifly had an iphone 5 and it was miserable… i still havent gotten over the fact the widgets come only with jailbreaking…

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