Any major manufacturer is trying to create an ecosystem around their gadgets, which is very, very difficult to get out of. Apple has succeeded in this like no other, its devices are closely intertwined and associated with proprietary services or applications. If you’ve owned an iPhone for years, but still decide to try something new and move to the opposite camp, it’s important to do it right so that the cardinal differences don’t alienate you on the first day.
You can’t try one device and understand Android
By purchasing a smartphone, you may not see Android at all – most manufacturers use their firmware, which change the system beyond recognition. This was the reason for writing this material, trying to answer the question – which Android shells are most suitable for people who are accustomed to years of using iOS, and which ones are best not to try.
Of course, the division into suitable and unsuitable brands is very subjective. Moreover, modern firmwares are quite similar to each other in basic elements, which further minimizes the differences between them.
However, you can still trace the key features, as well as pay attention to Russification – many developers do not bother with localization, which is why the inscriptions can overlap each other, and the names can be cut off as incorrectly as possible.
iPhone is the flagship. His replacement should be no worse
If you are not sure about the correctness of your choice and want to buy an Android smartphone in the initial price segment, then you will certainly be disappointed. But this will be a distorted result, because the iPhone (even some SE or a three-year-old model) is always a flagship device equipped with the appropriate components.
When choosing an Android smartphone to replace the iPhone, you need to look for models at a similar price – they will not only be equipped with the relevant key components (processor, cameras, display, speakers), but will also demonstrate the same attention to detail (for example, the quality of the vibration motor, o which you don’t immediately think about).
Also look for analogues to the chips of your apple gadget. For example, if you bought the iPhone 11 with the iPhone XR just for the extra ultra wide-angle camera and you love it, then look for a replacement with the same module. Similarly with the display (and everything else) – if the iPhone 13 Pro attracted you with a screen refresh rate of 120 Hz, then in the Android world it is illogical to look for something with a lower hertz.
🍏Google Pixel
- Best replacement: Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.
- Extremely cheap, but suitable: Pixel 4a 5G.
Pixel is Google’s own brand, and in branded gadgets, the company implements all its ideas to the maximum. These smartphones are the first to come to mind when looking for an iPhone replacement, as they update just as quickly and have amazing camera algorithms that often outperform those from Apple.
Of course, Pixel smartphones run on a clean system without any shell on top – now it’s Android 12, but Android 13 is on the way. The “Green Robot” itself is quite minimalistic and not overloaded with any additional features, so Pixel can feel free to consider it as a replacement for the iPhone. But in Android 12, the design was completely transformed, especially the color palette, and since then the system has looked rather unusual. Someone might even consider that after iOS this is a step back in graphic terms.
🍏 Samsung
- Best replacement: Galaxy S22, S22+ and S22 Ultra.
- As cheap as possible, but suitable: Galaxy S20 FE.
On the Internet, you can find the opinion that Samsung flagships are reference smartphones in the Android world. And it’s hard to argue with him. The South Korean corporation is Apple’s main competitor, and you can be sure that its flagship smartphones of the Galaxy S series (or the frozen Galaxy Note) are no worse than any iPhone, both in terms of features and in terms of capabilities. In addition, it is Samsung, and not Google, that is the leader in the duration of support for its devices (at least flagships): starting with S21, the company promises four years of Android updates and five years of security patches.
Throughout its history, Samsung’s Android firmware has changed names several times and has been transformed from version to version. Now One UI 4 is relevant, which skillfully combines functionality and minimalism – the shell does not overload with information, but only helps not to be distracted from the content. One UI 4 is notable for a very good selection of colors: a fixed palette is used throughout the system, and catchy red, green and orange are used only for function buttons. This, nice font and everything else can be called an ideal replacement for iOS.
🍏 One Plus
- Best replacement: OnePlus 10 Pro or OnePlus 9 Pro.
- As cheap as possible, but suitable: OnePlus 9R, OnePlus 8 Pro or OnePlus 8T.
If you do not follow the world of mobile devices, then you may well not even know about the existence of this Chinese manufacturer, because he officially started selling some of his models on our market only recently. OnePlus is not one of those Chinese companies that are gaining popularity with their clones of famous models of competitors, selling them at a lower price. This is a reputable manufacturer on the world stage, whose smartphones journalists called “flagship killers” for their relatively low price with comparable stuffing and capabilities.
OnePlus smartphones have fallen in love outside of Asian countries largely thanks to the OxygenOS firmware – it is very similar to pure Android, but at the same time provides additional functions. She has such loyal fans that they even forced the manufacturer to abandon their idea to make the firmware look like the Chinese ColorOS (shell from the parent company OPPO). That says a lot: OxygenOS is appreciated in the Android world, it’s simple and functional, and it’s the perfect combination for an iOS alternative.
🍎Xiaomi
- Best replacement: Xiaomi 12 and Xiaomi 12 Pro.
- The cheapest, but suitable: Xiaomi 11T or Xiaomi Mi 11.
Xiaomi has been nicknamed the people’s brand because the manufacturer offers smartphones with an excellent price-performance ratio. For a long time, the company played seriously only in the segment of budget models, but in recent years it has also competed in the big leagues, and often quite successfully.
However, Xiaomi gadgets cannot be called the best solution for replacing the iPhone – all because of its MIUI firmware. She has both fans and haters, but after many years with iOS, she objectively does not fit. The shell is very heavily overloaded with various functions, and sometimes ads that come across (which you have to turn off in the wilds of settings) and constant notifications from pre-installed applications can forever spoil the impression of “about Android” in the early days.
🍎Nokia
Nokia is no longer the same – unlike the grass that used to be greener, it really is. In the past, the Finnish company sold the brand of mobile devices to Microsoft Corporation, and now it is owned by the Chinese HMD Global. The new manufacturer has been testing the sales strategy for a long time and now has come to the conclusion that it has completely refused to release flagship models. Naturally, no budget smartphone will be a normal replacement for the iPhone.
To be fair, if Nokia’s flagship models were released and they could compete with gadgets from other manufacturers, they would become an excellent alternative to the iPhone. The fact is that HMD Global decided to release Nokia smartphones under the Android One program – with a clean version of the system and guaranteed updates for two to three years. In fact, everything was not so rosy, but that’s a completely different story.
🍎Huawei and HONOR
- Best replacement: Huawei P50 Pro, all HONOR Magic4 series.
- As cheap as possible, but suitable: Huawei P50, Huawei Mate 40E or HONOR Magic3.
Before the trade war between the US and China, it was Huawei among all companies from the Middle Kingdom that constantly stepped on the heels of Apple, and even surpassed it in cameras. HONOR is its sub-brand, which is now allegedly separated into a separate company that produces smartphones with Google services and applications (Huawei uses branded replacements with the ambiguous Huawei Mobile Services).
Huawei releases a smartphone with EMUI firmware, and HONOR with its copy in the face of Magic UI. Both of them, although they borrow a lot from iOS, outwardly still contrast, and hardly for the better (for former iPhone owners). To be fair, Huawei/HONOR’s firmware doesn’t look much like Android or any other skin, but it’s still hardly the best choice to replace iOS. Yet they have different ideologies.
🍎Realme
- Best replacement: Realme GT2 Pro.
- As cheap as possible, but suitable: Realme GT2.
Modern Realme is similar to the past Xiaomi. This relatively young Chinese brand is a huge competitor to any manufacturer in the budget and mid-price segments, but among the flagships, if I may say so, it is only trying itself. Nevertheless, he makes excellent smartphones for the price, and they definitely attract.
The latest firmware at the moment is Realme UI 3.0 based on Android 12. It works quickly, it has nice animations, and most of the settings are hidden deep in the settings, where they are unlikely to interfere. But there is a significant problem – localization. The text very often either overlaps with another, or is clumsily cut off in the middle of a word, and this is always very striking.
Source: Trash Box
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
