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ChowboyDan t1_j5kmhlg wrote

Reply to comment by ReluctantApple in I can’t get over how terrible the notifications system is on iPhone. by tertiarytheory

Overall, I want to interact less with my phone. When I've tried iOS in the past, I felt that I was having to do more with my phone, rather than get my phone to do things for me.

It's been a little while since I have done an iPhone trial, so I suspect things have improved. But there are a few things that I missed last time around.

Note: my lifestyle has been a parent and manager of boring household stuff, as well as a software engineer who has moved into the boring world of data. My kids are getting older, so I'm having to manage soccer practice, bball practice, etc for 3 kids while having a full-time job less now. This is one of the reasons I feel that I'm open to simplifying a bit more now.

  • Android has a status bar along the top of the screen that has icons that tell you if you have notifications that you need to act on. I can work in whatever app I'm in and always be aware (without swiping) that I have something outstanding.

  • Notifications have actions in the notification (reply, snooze, etc).

  • Notifications stay until you have acted on it. There is no risk that something has disappeared because you looked at it.

  • I need to get notifications from my work, but I don't want to be bothered by notifications from various systems that send out emails to everyone. I can decide how - or if - particular work emails notify me. These customizations can be made by sender and/or keyword. Some notifications never display, some display without sound, and some display and make a sound.

  • The above type of customization means that any possible combination of variables that I can think of can be used to make my phone work for me, rather than me work for my phone. If I want to only receive notifications from people who text me about the "elephants" between the hours of 1:15pm and 2:45pm and I'm currently at work, I can make this happen.

  • I value my sleep, but have needed my 3 kids to be able to reach me at all hours of the night if it's important. So, I don't get woken up when they message me unless they include a secret unmute word. This will allow the notification to make noise, so I will get it.

Overall, I just want to have control to make the phone work for me in a way that allows me to not have to try to remember the 500 things that need to happen. And I don't want to be forced to browse around my phone looking for app badges or anything else. I want to use my phone less and have it act like my personal assistant, so it can free me up to be more present.

(I'm sure I'm forgetting things from my last trial with iPhone. Plus, I'm sure it's changed since then.)

EDIT: Did I get downvoted for this? Fascinating.

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ReluctantApple t1_j5l18ng wrote

OK, understand that! I'm at quite a different point in life, which explains our differing approaches to some degree.

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ChowboyDan t1_j5l2yv0 wrote

For what it's worth, I will likely do another iPhone trial this year. I usually purchase a used iPhone, use it for a month, and then sell it. It's been a couple of years, so I think it's time. There aren't many good options for Android phones right now, and I suppose I'm looking for a change.

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tapiringaround t1_j5ljm73 wrote

I switched to iPhone in 2018 with an iPhone 8. Before that I used Pixel and Nexus phones back to when they first started. Since then I’ve had the 8, SE2, 12 mini, and a 13.

I’ve felt since I switched that there’s just a different philosophy. iOS seems designed to get you into apps and keep the focus there in a way that Android isn’t. They have made some changes since 2018 though.

When I first switched, the homescreen was just icons, notifications were worse, and they hadn’t implemented shortcuts. The notifications in iOS have always seem designed to make you open the app whereas Android can often just tell you what the app is trying to tell you and let you respond without making you open it.

Another difference is that Google’s apps always seemed to have many more options. They try harder to be everything to everyone and the result is increased complexity. Apple seems to try to be everything to about 80% of people and those who need more options have to turn to third party apps. For example, I never felt the need for another calendar app on Android, but on iOS (and Mac) I use different email and calendar apps because Apple’s don’t have enough options. The result for Apple is that their apps are generally simpler, but also easier to learn because they have less options.

Apple has really muddied the waters here over the last few years though. They have added shortcuts and focus modes which seem like bolt-on additions to cover perceived gaps. Neither are particularly beginner-friendly and both require significant effort to get set up. I went through the effort to set up focus modes and it accomplishes what I need as far as who can reach me at what time of day. Your method of using a specific word in a text as a keyword could probably be accomplished with shortcuts, but that’s not an area I’m particularly familiar with.

The homescreen also now has widgets, which is great I guess, but they aren’t interactive. I have a whole homescreen page that’s my calendar, email, and task widgets. It takes the place of the Notification Center for me generally. But because they aren’t interactive I can’t just check off a task from the Home Screen. I have to tap it and then do it from the app. Which I’m used to at this point.

I really don’t use the pull down Notification Center at all. It’s a mess, has been a mess, and will probably continue to be a mess. I don’t feel like Apple cares about it and that it’s only there at all because people complain about iPhone notifications all the time. I don’t think that’s the way they want you interacting with your phone. But I don’t really know what they’d prefer you do instead.

Unless there are other parts of the Apple ecosystem you really like, I don’t know that switching would benefit you if you already have a system set up. I think you could accomplish most of what you want on iOS, but it would take a lot of tinkering to get there. Which is ironic because one of the things I loved when I switched was that iOS didn’t let me tinker with my phone like Android.

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ChowboyDan t1_j5lqbdv wrote

Thanks! This is really helpful.

> Unless there are other parts of the Apple ecosystem you really like, I don’t know that switching would benefit you if you already have a system set up. I think you could accomplish most of what you want on iOS, but it would take a lot of tinkering to get there.

You're probably right. I think the reason I'm interested in trying iOS again is that I would love for there to be competion or another option. I keep thinking that iOS will mature enough and bring more functionality so that I can live with it. I know I won't have everything, but I'm hoping it catches up to Android a bit.

Plus, Android hardware options are a mess right now. I have the Pixel 5a, which just got repaired (for free) due to the motherboard failure debacle. The 6 and 7 series Pixels are a disaster, and I will not be buying them. They went with a new chip set (Tensor), which runs hot and has an inferior modem. They dropped the fingerprint scanner for an under-the-screen one that is unusable. Motorola has fallen off the map, and the only real Android option for me is Samsung, which can't put adult-sized batteries in their phones. And they charge absurd prices.

iPhones seem to last forever (just have the battery replaced), have local Apple stores for support/service, have ridiculous resale value, and are just ubiquitous among most of my non-techy family and friends. I'd love to be able to just move over and deal with it. But I don't even have any other Apple devices other than Airpods.

Anyway, thanks again for your thoughts. Later this year, I'll likely pick up a used iPhone for another trial and see how it goes.

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ollieseven t1_j5m1hww wrote

> Overall, I just want to have control to make the phone work for me

I'm a year into my first iPhone and have learned that you have to give up some control with this OS. I can't even set up the Home Screen to best suit my usage. I'm stuck with a Today panel I can't disable and an App Drawer that's annoying to navigate (and also can't disable). Home Screen, widgets, and placement -- basic UI customization I was used to on Android is a lost cause here.

Your notification needs are ahead of my basic ones but even my basic usage leaves me wanting. For example, the notch renders the status bar useless. No room for any of those helpful icons that let you glance down at one spot to see what's waiting. The Shortcuts app does have options to automate some email actions and that might be what you're looking for, but I haven't personally put that to use.

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ChowboyDan t1_j5m25a0 wrote

Thanks. It's good to hear these experiences.

Re: UI customization - I realized that I hardly customize my UI anymore, so I don't think I'd miss that. There were times I had all kinds of crazy setups with alternative launchers, but I've been sticking with the standard Pixel launcher for years now.

I've been looking into some of the Focus functionality, and it looks interesting. It wouldn't meet all of my notification needs, but it might be enough. Mostly, I think I'd have to change my expectations if I were to move to iOS. We'll see.

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LittlePixels t1_j5m9uc1 wrote

> • I value my sleep, but have needed my 3 kids to be able to reach me at all hours of the night if it’s important. So, I don’t get woken up when they message me unless they include a secret unmute word. This will allow the notification to make noise, so I will get it.

OMG, I need this in my life! I miss Android notifications (and I’ve been on iOS for 9 years), but I’ve gotten used to them on iOS, and I have them set up the best way that works for me. But as someone who has their phone on mute 100% of the time, this would be awesome!

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