Switching worlds

This week I made a switch. After finally breaking down and admitting that my iPhone 13 mini deserved to be repaired due to only being able to charge it wirelessly, and then being quoted $500 to fix it (to be fair I did turn up at the shop, remove the phone from its case and find the back glass smashed), I took up one of the recent bargains and got a Google Pixel 7 on clearance. That only cost me $199 and is one year newer. It’s a good way for me to do my every-few-year check into Android.

My initial assessment is that in Pixel Android 16 form it is robust and useful but in no way as easy to use as iOS 18 (iOS 26, well…). My less technical partner would struggle with the switch.

I have had some surprises and annoyances already.

1. Apple Australia has not made any effort to push us into the interoperable RCS world. I’d incorrectly assumed this has happened. Boo! I’m now a bit more limited than I’d anticipated with my partner staying on iPhone.
2. The Pixel is bigger than my mini but I knew that and there is no newer mini from Apple either. No I don’t want an offbrand Android thankyou. Been there, missed the updates.
3. The Switch to Pixel on setup with the USB adaptor in the box was super polished. Now of course for me this involved 3 phones. I had already restored my broken mini onto an iPhone SE (I always have a spare phone ready) before the repair appointment. It did copy more than I expected but also less than it promised. While it matched a number of apps, none of them that I checked brought over their data.
4. The hardest thing has been escaping iCloud Passwords. There are of course ways and means but because of the above I am purposely going into each app anyway.
5. I immediately turned on the Developer options because I want the native Linux container.
6. Split screen and native Gemini is a win.
7. Android Auto is only on par with CarPlay.
8. App quality is variable. I’m seeing more rough edges and crashes still.

But overall I’ve got more “freedom” from Android in a couple of key areas. Really happy to have built-in Linux and scripting/automations especially.

And yes, I am still editing this blog on the phone. The workflow has changed slightly though and there was some rough spots but I can actually test it locally now.