9 Signs That an iPhone May Not Be for You

Don't Choose iPhone if You Like Customization

One of the biggest reasons why people choose Android phones over iPhones is customizability. Even though Apple has started to let users customize their iPhones a bit more, Android is still the best at this by far.

For example, with an Android smartphone, you can place any app or widget wherever you want. If you like, you can place a single app in the middle of your screen, and your Android device will keep it there forever. With the iPhone, that single app will be forcibly moved to the top left corner.

But that's not all. With just a few taps, you can completely customize the appearance of your Android home screen, including applying themes and easily changing the appearance of your apps.

On iPhone, this isn't officially supported at all beyond changing up your background wallpaper. There are workarounds that let you do this by creating a shortcut and giving that shortcut a specific icon, but that's a cumbersome process that you'll need to repeat for every app you want to change the look for.

Overall, if customization is your thing, Android might be the better choice.

If You Want Cheaper Alternatives, Go With Android

When you buy an iPhone, you get great value for your money. The software and hardware feel premium, and they're incredibly easy to use.

With that said, the money you need to spend upfront to get an iPhone can be a lot for many of us. Not everyone is willing to spend $800 or more on a smartphone. If you want more affordable options, Android is the way to go.

You can find a lot of cheaper Android phones that still offer good bang for your buck. You can get a bigger battery and display than the iPhone and even a higher refresh rate.

If you don't care much for what phone you have and you don't want to spend that much money, Android is better for you.

Avoid iPhone if You Don't Like the Apple Ecosystem

The "Apple ecosystem" refers to the way Apple manages to connect all of its devices to make it easier to share information between them.

For instance, you can browse the web on your iPhone, open your Mac, and continue browsing the same website almost instantly. Or, you can also copy some text on your iPad and then paste it onto your iPhone without doing anything else.

Of course, to do this you need to fully immerse in the Apple ecosystem and buy more Apple products. But if you aren't an Apple fan, chances are you won't get more products than your iPhone, making all these neat little features irrelevant.

Go Android For Faster Charging

It's no secret that the iPhone isn't the fastest-charging phone in the world. Other companies like OnePlus and Samsung let their phones charge at a faster rate as long as you have the right charger.

For context, using Samsung's Super Fast Charging feature, the Samsung Galaxy S24 can be fully charged in a little over an hour, and the OnePlus 12 is even crazier, topping up from zero to full in about 30 minutes. By contrast, even the smallest iPhone 15 model will take at least 90 minutes to charge fully, and the iPhone 15 Pro Max can take over two hours.

You can still charge from 0–50% in about 30 minutes on any modern iPhone., but if you're always on the go and have no time to recharge your phone, a truly fast-charging Android phone might be better.

Don't Get an iPhone If You Want More Options

As great as the iPhone can be, it's reached a point where all iPhones look pretty much the same. Of course, that's not necessarily bad. Don't fix something if it hasn't broken.

Plus, it's not like most Android phones don't follow the same design either, and most of the major brands like Samsung and Google have stuck to their respective styles over the past few years. However, the broader collection of phones and phone makers in the Android market means you can still find some creative or unique-looking phones out there.

The best examples are folding phones. You can literally unfold a phone and make it twice its size, or carry a new version of a flip phone that's still powerful and has all you need. The flippable and foldable styles have also matured over the past two years so there's no shortage of options from various manufacturers.

Whether you want a folding phone or just want other alternatives from more companies, getting an Android phone will give you more options than Apple ever will, and you don't need to stick with one manufacturer, so if another Android handset maker suits your fancy in the future, it's far easier to switch.

Get an Android if You Want Expandable Storage

Granted, most premium smartphones don't come with expandable storage anymore. However, many good-quality Android phones still have a microSD slot.

Granted, this will probably change in the future, but you can enjoy it while it lasts.

Choose Android for File Management

Managing your files is easier on Android than on iPhone. That's not to say that it's hard to manage your files on your iPhone, but if you want a more complete file management experience with features that you normally only find on PC, Android is the best option.

Not only that, but Android phones are also easier to connect to Windows PCs, making managing your files on a bigger device faster and easier.

Don't Choose iPhone If You Want More App Stores

Unless you're part of the European Union, you only have access to Apple's App Store on iPhone. Android, on the other hand, lets you use any app marketplace you can find.

Ironically, though, you may not need to. Most users don't go beyond Google's Play Store because Google isn't nearly as strict about what it allows. For example, the retro game emulators that Apple only began allowing this month have always been readily available for Android devices.

Not only that, but sideloading or installing apps outside the Google Play Store is really easy, and it opens your world to many different apps you didn't even know you needed.

Of course, that's not always a good thing. Having this freedom can lead to malware or piracy, but as long as you use your Android phone responsibly, you shouldn't have a problem.

Choose Android if You Still Want a Headphone Jack

Unfortunately, just like expandable storage, the highest-end smartphones on the market don't have a headphone jack anymore. And we probably have Apple to thank for this.

Still, while the headphone jack is following the steps of the Dodo, you can still find some good Android phones that pack a headphone jack. Again, there aren't many out there, but at least you won't have to worry about the battery life of your earbuds.