Published on | Prototyping: From UX to Front End — Medium Scott Murray

After ten years of iPhones in my life, I just switched to an Android phone.

Gasp! 😱

I’ve grown increasingly annoyed with Apple’s design decisions for iOS. Meanwhile, Android’s disorganization and free-for-all ecosystem has finally been reigned in with Android Oreo (version 8.0 of the OS) and in particular with the Google Pixel, the rare Android device that actually receives timely security updates.

I would have switched earlier if it weren’t for that stubborn network effect. Some of my favorite software is iOS-only. Giving it up would mean finding alternatives or —gasp, again! — changing how I live my life, or at least some of its various micro-workflows.

The good news is that there are lots of decent and even great Android-based alternatives that can fit into your nerdy, pixel-perfect, thick-rimmed-glasses, princess-and-the-UX-pea lifestyle.

I hope this guide will save you some time, money, and heartache. Affiliate links are scattered throughout, so click generously.

Questions? Tips? Please comment, and I’ll update as needed.

Platform

iPhone → Google Pixel

Wow, shiny. ✨
The fingerprint sensor actually works (unlike my iPhone’s), and is strategically placed on the back. If you’re used to using a front-and-centrally located home button to wake up your device, it takes about three seconds to get used to. Then you realize this design is much smarter. The Pixel has no buttons on the front (or back) at all!

I cloaked the Pixel in this clear case, which I highly recommend. The Pixel designers prioritized shininess over grippiness. That makes sense, as shininess drives sales, but grippiness is what you need day-to-day. This case adds the right amount of grippiness. I know designers hate seams, but the lip where the case ends eases pocket retrieval significantly. Especially from tight jean pockets.

Verizon Wireless → Project Fi

Officially, the Pixel is offered in the US through Verizon Wireless, my former carrier. But the Pixel is also an ultra-unlocked device that can be used on any wireless carrier in the universe. I am now a convert to Project Fi, Google’s little-known wireless carrier, and here’s why:

It’s way cheaper: $20 per month, plus $10 per GB of (non-wifi) data use. So, $30. My VZW phone bill was $100+/month.
Project Fi routes calls over wifi, when possible. That’s part of why it’s cheaper. But the call quality over wifi is also fantastic—like a good-quality Skype connection, not an over-compressed GSM signal.
If you’re away from one of your usual wifi hotspots, Google may auto-connect you to a “trusted, high-quality” network that it recognizes, and then routes all your traffic, including calls, through Google’s VPN, so your weird Internet habits aren’t exposed to random public networks. The device notifies you when it’s doing this.
When outside of wifi range, Project Fi falls back on one of three wireless carrier’s networks (Sprint, T-Mobile, or U.S. Cellular), automatically choosing whichever has the strongest signal. So you pay less money, but get to mooch off whoever has the best network. Nice.
No overages, and you get a monthly rebate for unused data, rounded to the nearest tenth of a GB. Say you’re on the 2 GB plan, so you prepay $40 for the month ($20 service + $10/GB times two). Then you only actually use 0.5 GB. At the end of the month, you are refunded $15 for the 1.5 GB you didn’t use. Adjust your data plan as often as you like.
Actually, adjust everything as often as you like. There’s no long-term contract, no commitment, nothing.
The most clear app and data usage display I’ve ever seen from any wireless company ever. This company really cares about UX. Also, note that I’m almost to the end of this month’s cycle and have only used 0.16 GB. I started on the 2 GB plan, but downgraded to 1 GB as soon as I saw this.

When you switch, use this link and we’ll each get a $20 credit. (Thanks.)

Apps

OmniFocus (iOS and Mac)→ 2Do (Android and Mac)

This was the hardest, yet most rewarding change. I used OmniFocus for everything from project managment to my grocery list. But OmniGroup is really, really committed to Apple platforms only 😯, so I had to find an alternative with cross-platform support.

I tried Todoist for a couple weeks, only to be bummed out by its overly abstract interface and lack of keyboard shortcuts on the Mac version. Todoist doesn’t feel like a native Mac app. (You know what I mean.)

2Do, in contrast, is super nice on the Mac—nicer than OmniFocus, I daresay—and the Android version is even better. Very few taps required to get anything into the inbox (for GTD folks). It’s beautiful, syncs with Dropbox (no need for yet another syncing service), and just customizable enough for my needs. You know the pinch in/out gesture normally used for visual zoom? In 2Do, you can pinch to adjust the information density of the list view—i.e., to show/hide notes, tags, and project names. 👏

Android has this thing where apps can spawn custom icons for your home screen. For example, Google Maps can create you a custom “app” icon that triggers immediate driving directions to your house. Well, 2Do supports this great feature, too, so you can have an “inbox” shortcut for logging to-dos in seconds, with minimal taps.

I wish I had been using 2Do app all along.

Overcast → Pocket Casts

Same here. I loved Overcast on the iPhone, but Pocket Casts is way better.

No third-party account needed.
Consistent, beautiful Material Design UI.
Colors, pretty colors.
Nice customization options, including a “play next” list. You can specify which podcasts are automatically downloaded and which are automatically added to “play next.” So, for example, you could have more timely shows (like news) auto-magically downloaded and put on deck, while the headier stuff waits patiently for you.

Google Maps → Google Maps

Ahhhhhhhhhhh.

That’s the sound I make when using a platform with native Google Maps integration. Maps, after all, are mobile’s killer app, and wow, it was always so frustrating to use workarounds on iOS to, say, copy/paste an address into Google Maps, instead of just tapping it directly. (Don’t get me started on the iOS Calendar bug that converts addresses, when copy/pasted from an event’s “location” field, into useless gibberish!)

On Android, “Google Maps” is just “Maps.”

🗺 ❤️

Calendar → Calendar + CalDAV-Sync

Moving to Android, I could no longer rely on iCloud to sync my contacts and calendars. So I moved everything to FastMail. Android doesn’t have built-in CalDAV support, but the inexpensive CalDAV-Sync app syncs everything for you in the background for a one-time purchase.

One complaint with Google’s Calendar app: It seems that once you’ve created an event, you can no longer change which calendar it’s stored in (e.g., Work to Personal). Choose wisely the first time, or later you’ll find yourself deleting events and re-entering them.

Contacts → Contacts + CardDAV-Sync

Same as above; move your contacts syncing to FastMail or another provider, then buy the CardDAV-Sync app to sync.

Safari → Chrome

Wow, Chrome on Android is so nice. Best part is: When viewing a web page inside another app (like inside of the Twitter app), you can tap “Open in Chrome.” A brief flash of lightning ⚡️ later (that’s what it really looks like) and you’re viewing that page in the Chrome app—no page refresh needed. I use this a few times a day: scan something quickly in the embedded web view, then “Open in Chrome” if I want to read it later.

PlainText → JotterPad

On my Mac, I use Notational Velocity to capture quick notes. This syncs to a folder of plain text files on Dropbox. There’s no mobile version of NV, but on iOS, PlainText was the nearest equivalent—until the developer announced it would no longer be sold or supported. ☹️

On Android, JotterPad is the best tool I’ve found for quickly viewing and editing plain text files synced to a folder in Dropbox. The app is actually designed for more intensive writing (like, with an external keyboard), but it works great for my purposes.

FaceTime → Google Duo + Skype

For all those long-distance family video calls, the nearest approximation is Google Duo, which works great if you have an Android or iOS smartphone. But there’s no desktop app, so it won’t work if, for example, you have a non-smartphone grandparent who’s used to using the FaceTime desktop app to chat with the grandkids.

Skype, the old standby, runs on everything. As far as I can tell, it remains the best in terms of A/V quality, yet also the most inconsistent and petulant in terms of its shapeshifting UI.

You could try Signal, LinPhone, or any other number of messaging, voice, and video apps, but nothing has the ease of use of Duo or the reach of Skype. 🤷‍♂

Phone → Phone

For just making dumb old phone calls, Apple’s Phone app still wins.

But Google’s Phone app does a few neat tricks, like warning “POSSIBLE SPAM CALLER” every time the phone is ringing (in my case, since no real humans call me anymore) and transcribing your voicemails (never actually listen to a voicemail again!).

Mail → FastMail

Did I mention that I ❤️💛💚💙💜 FastMail? They are amazing. I can’t say enough positive things about them, and I’ve been a paying customer for more than 10 years—longer than I’ve been using iPhones!

Why pay for email service? Well, because it’s amazing and fast and includes a ton of other services (sync for contacts, calendars, files, web hosting, DNS hosting…). And because you’re paying for it, you know they aren’t trying to scrape your emails for ad network kibble.

On my new Pixel, I use FastMail’s Android app for my personal email (though it also does calendaring, contacts, and everything else from within the app), and the Gmail app only for work email.

iMessage → Messages

Wow, every time Apple “improves” iMessage, I am just even more elated to be using plain old SMS and MMS. It’s super boring, but it works, and no one can send me their “heartbeat.”

The only downside seems to be that, with MMS, videos are scaled down and compressed to late-1990s QuickTime levels. It’s not flattering on the Pixel’s beautiful display.

Because it’s Android, you have your choice of messaging apps. So far, I’m using Google’s default “Messages,” and have no complaints.

Photos + PhotoSync → Google Photos + Transmit (Mac)

I have a Dropbox pro plan, which I use for an offsite backup of all of my family photos. On iOS, I used PhotoSync to periodically push any new photos and videos up to Dropbox. (The native Dropbox app is supposed to be able to do this, too, but I found it to be inconsistent.)

Google’s Photos app is really great at efficiently backing new photos and videos to the cloud. Even better, Pixel owners get unlimited, full-res backup for life. So that’s nice.

In the Google Drive web UI, you can set a preference to “show Google Photos,” so everything stored there also appears in a new folder in your Google Drive.

That said, I don’t really trust Google with all my photos (yet), so every couple weeks I use Transmit on the Mac to copy over anything new from Google Drive to Dropbox—my backup of the backup.

Camera → Camera

The Pixel’s camera is way, way faster to open up and take a shot. This is especially true if you use the built-in shortcuts: Double-press the power button anytime to activate the camera. (This works whether the phone is asleep or you’re in another app.) Then use either volume button as a shutter release (not just the volume-up button, like in iOS). Switch between the rear- and front-facing cameras by flicking the device twice with your wrist, as if rotating it around quickly. What a clever gestural UI!

The result: fewer missed photos, and a happier shutterbug.

Snapseed

This is Google’s amazing photo editing app. I mean literally amazing. As in, I am amazed when I use it. Imagine being able to do everything you can do in Aperture, Lightroom, and Photoshop, but with one hand and one thumb (or finger, your choice). Oh, and it’s free. UX geeks, check it out.

Also available for iOS.

1Password → 1Password

1Password on Android feels cleaner than the iOS version. Plus, it installs a “1Password Keyboard,” which lets you paste in usernames and passwords relatively easily in any app that uses a keyboard. This stands in contrast to iOS, where you’re dependent on each app’s developer to implement 1Password integration. (Most don’t.)

Keyboard → Gboard

For that matter, Google’s native keyboard app (yes, it’s apps all the way down) is pretty nice. I rarely type letters individually anymore, but rather swipe my way through words without a care in the world. Oh, except for when Gboard misinterprets my intent, in which case going back to correct the error is a major exercise in patience. (See No Undo below.)

Gboard pro tip: Adjust the cursor position within text by sliding left or right along the space bar, as though it were a mini, horizontal trackpad.

You can, of course, install any one of hundreds of third-party keyboards, such as Pink Glitter Keyboard and the gradient-dipped Gold Emoji Keyboard. I think only about a third of these send all your keystrokes back to foreign servers, so, you know, pretty good odds.

Deliveries → ParcelTrack

I am really dorky about tracking my packages, and I loved JuneCloud’s Deliveries app. It was smart, gorgeous, and synced magically with their Mac dashboard widget, now a full-fledged Mac app. Deliveries is one of the few apps I really miss. 💔

So far, ParcelTrack is the best I’ve found on Android, but that’s not saying much.

Gas Buddy → Gas Guru

Okay, both of these are available on both platforms, but Gas Buddy’s UI is atrocious, and Gas Guru is super clean. Like, way cleaner than any of the gas stations you’ll use it to find.

Irreplaceables

These iOS apps have no great Android equivalent. Life continues.

Android Pet Peeves

Brace yourself for these juicy bits before making the switch.

Sharing

“Sharing” data between apps is mostly superior in Android, thanks again to the OS’s open-source, free-for-all organizing philosophy. (“Organizing.” Ahahahaha.)

No, but really, through the “share sheet” you can share almost anything to anything else. So it’s really easy to move, say, a URL into 2Do, to remind you to check out that article later. Or move a text message into an email. Or whatever.

The exception to this is copy/pasting images, which seems to be impossible. Why doesn’t Android let me copy/paste images? This drives me absolutely bonkers, as without copy/paste, you are 100% reliant on developers to implement their own selection, copy, and share sheet functionality. This is often a dealbreaker. In Google’s Messages app, for example, there is no way to select an image that someone has sent you. So you can’t copy your friend’s cat videos and paste them into an email or tweet or whatever. It’s like Google hates cats! 😿

In iOS, you can long-press to select almost anything. Android does long-press for text selection, but nothing else.

One more complaint about the share sheet: Every single sharing option appears on the share sheet every time. So let’s say you have 50 apps installed (conservatively) and maybe 30 of them have the ability to receive external data in some form—you get a share sheet with 30 app icons, every time. Worse, these icons aren’t sorted alphabetically and appear in no discernible order, every time. So, yeah: Have fun “sharing”!

There is a third-party app that corrects this shortcoming, but it was last updated five years ago, pre-Material Design, and I can’t bear to look at it.

No Undo

WTF! There is literally no native “undo” function in all of Android. 😣 This is super annoying, as I’m not perfect! I’m only human!

People recommend purchasing a third-party app that adds “undo.”

I refuse to do this, on principle.

Persistent Back Button

Android’s omnipresent back button (just left of the home button, at the bottom of the screen) is a good idea. It’s mostly consistent, and mostly behaves as you would expect, though it’s up to developers to implement it correctly.

Unfortunately, not everything is web browser, so what “back” means in different apps and contexts can take some guessing. Sometimes you’ll try to “back” out of a screen and end up quitting the whole app instead. Good times.

No Forward Button

Once you’ve gone “back,” there is no going back, er, forward again. Yes, you have to retype that search string or repeat whatever action moved you “forward” just moments earlier. So annoying! (Also see: No Undo.)

Notifications

This may not be Android-specific, but setting up a new device requires at least a week of chasing down and disabling various notifications permissions. It seems like every app (and it’s all apps, remember?) wants to notify me about everything all the time. Get a life, apps!

Anything Else?

What did I miss? What did I get wrong? Let me know, and good luck!

A Designer’s Guide to Switching from iOS to Android was originally published in prototypr on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

A Designer’s Guide to Switching from iOS to Android

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