Thinking of getting an Android phone/tablet for tinkering... What can I do on it I can't on IOS?

I just switched from iOS last month, with a Samsung s22 ultra and a cheaper Chuwi tablet replacing my iPhone and iPad Pro. I really really like Android a lot. I used to hate the way Talkback gestures worked, but they have come such a long way, I would never go back to the rotor again after this.
There is so much you can do on Android. It's the OS for people who like to tinker. Don't like your default launcher? Change it. Don't like the default keyboard, phone app, messaging app, virtual assistant, etc? You can change them all.
As for games, I really haven't explored that yet, and don't really do much in the way of text editting on either the phone or tablet.
I can say, Braille support on Android is good and getting better all the time.
The tablet, paired with a bluetooth keyboard does indeed feel like having a laptop. I love using Telegram and Whatsapp from it, which works nicely if my phone is on the charger. Still no Whatsapp on iPad. Chrome on the tablet or phone really is close to a laptop experience when used with a keyboard.
If you go for a tablet, and you want Braille screen input, make sure your tablet has enough touch points. I made that mistake, and mine doesn't. But it also only ran me like $100, so you get what you pay for. In every other way though, it's great. And if you don't care about Braille, then by all means the one I got is really good.

With Android, most apps that are accessible on iOS will also be accessible on Android. Some, like Telegram are much much better than their iOS versions. However, for some apps, they might not be as well optimized, so instead of exploring by touch, you have to swipe to get to everything. Not the end of the world, but a minor annoyance.
Another thing about iOS vs Android apps is that you will often get a better idea of how the screen is really laid out, as Voiceover tends to tuck away a lot of buttons and stuff under actions, whereas Talkback tends to give you a more realistic idea of the actual layout. Can be helpfull when providing tech support to a sighted friend or family member. Talkback also supports options, but they aren't as widely implemented yet. So, all the extra buttons can be a bit of an annoyance if you are primarily a swiper, but if you use a combination of swipes and explore by touch, you will navigate much faster. Plus, you start to develop better muscle memory and spend much less time swiping around looking for things. When I used Android before, I couldn't stand the gestures, but the learning to explore by touch more made me even more efficient when I decided to go back to iOS, because previously on iOS I was mostly a swiper, and after using Android, I began to use a more balanced combo of the two.

Back to tinkering. One thing I was able to do that I could never do on iPhone unless it was jailbroken, and it's been years since I was last able to do that, is to get my volume buttons to skip between tracks when long pressed. Short presses still do the normal expected behavior, of course changing the volume.
If you are a Windows user, you will get a similar level of continuity as what mac and iPhone users get. Actually a bit more, as if you want, you can use the computer keyboard to navigate the android device and use it on your computer, through the link to windows feature. Should be available by default, but if not, the app is free, from Microsoft and easy to set up. Google messages also has a web version that is very nice to use and plays well with screen readers.
I hope some of this helps.

The Google Pixel 8A, It's going to launch soon, and it's going to be around $500 range. It's a phone though, not a tablet.
7 years of Android OS updates from Google. It doesn't get better than that yet.
I wouldn't go for tablets unless you are specifically looking to use that large screen for content consumption or magnification. Samsung has some great tablets, but they ain't cheep.
I was also thinking about Lenovo Ideapad Flex. It is a great Chrome OS tablet on it's own, and can run Android apps. Plus you get a keyboard which magnetically attaches to the device.

Hey there,

I mentioned this some time ago, in a post far, far away. . .
A friend of mine and her hubby both switched their carrier, and are now on Google-Fi. They both are also using the Pixel 8 Pro. She came over one day and setup a temporary profile on hers, and hung out and watched stuff on my Netflix while I played around on her new Pixel.

Now the last time I owned or operated an Android was years ago, so i had reservations, however, Android 14 was a game changer in my humble oppinion. The ability to have custom gestures, the back tap feature, being able to add optional functionality to hardware buttons as mentioned above, being able to add ringtones without needing to go through iTunes, and the customization options also mentioned above.

I realize some of these were around before Android 14, but that is what is on my friends Pixel, so that is what I got to play with.

There are accessible games on Android, but I cannot say whether or not there are "as many" as on iOS, but they do exist.

Also as stated, most apps that are accessible on iOS are also on Android.

Finally, I would like to add one last caveat. There is a really nice app that is available for both Android and iOS, called "Google Meet". This is basically FaceTime, but can communicate cross-platform.

My friend and I do this all the time when I drop something on my floor in my apartment, and need sighted assistance to find it.

Don't judge me. . . . 😳

Forgot to mention, if you are on Windows 10, then the Phone Link feature works really well with Android. If you are on Windows 11, it works well on either OS. 😀

Do you mean Lossless with Apple Music? 'Cause that is available on Android as well, just gotta download Apple Music app for Android, and follow a few steps. Or are you referring to directional audio through a headset, such as when using navigation, etc?

I read somewhere that iMessage will be coming to Android. Anyone have any more insight on this? 🙂

It appears that the APTX feature can be enabled under "developer options".

Look for "Bluetooth Audio Codec, Streaming".

By default, it is set to "AAC".

FYI:

You can use the Galaxy Buds Pro line of earbuds to get that APTX feature, along with that wonderful Binural audio goodness!

Note:

Ensure that you are wearing your earbuds before heading to the developer options for the said items to appear (assuming the earbuds you are wearing are supported).

No news on Imessage for Android from my end, however the following article may peak y'alls interest. Article is from Forbs: iMessage’s Lock On America—Is This Really The Beginning Of The End?

I switched away a month ago, and not having iMessage has not been a big deal at all. I remembered to turn it off before restoring the iPhone, so my messages are all coming through as expected.
Also facebook messenger video calls or the previously mentioned Google meet work just as well as FaceTime.

When I first got my Samsung back at the end of 2021 I wasn’t getting messages from some people for like 2 weeks, I found out I had to turn off iMessage and when I did everything worked

So if people switch to android turn off iMessage

This time I was really tempted to abandon Apple, and move to Android, because I'm noticing a constant deterioration in Voiceover, year after year, with bugs being added to new versions of iOS and Apple failing to fix old bugs. I would like to ask you if Talkback or Commentary remains even less fluid than Voiceover when using flick or touch on the screen?

Below is a link to a work in progress. As I understand it, you can use it as an all-in-one app for iMessage, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, etc.

Not exactly iMessage(R), but its something. 🤷

https://www.sunbirdapp.com/

Oddly enough, I could have sworn I read an article that said iMessage was coming to Android, but alas, I may have misread. Oh well. . .

Phone link app is very specific in terms what features it provides on what phone. Not all Android phones will have Phone link's full functionality. But Samsung and Google pixel phones will most probably have everything. But worth checking carefully.
IMessage is not yet on Android, but Apple is being forced to support Android's open RCS protocol, so IOS users will be able to receive media and content from Android and viceversa.
I wouldn't invest in Android just to connect with my XBox. Any remote playing would be having lot of latency and issues.
There's a MS word app from Microsoft for Android, but it's not going to provide full desktop experience. There's also Google docs, which is similar.

One day all these smart phones will have fully accessible Word processing for us sightless folks.

Side note, I totally forgot about the RCS thing. So thanks for that reminder. 😀

I am not an audiophile, so my knowledge on such things is lacking. Still, it is good to know what is available out there in the wild, wild world of Smart phone and audio technology.

Having said that, I still use an old pair of wired Apple Earpods with my iPhone. Bottom line, I hate bluetooth latency, as I tend to do things very fast on my iPhone, and I hate having to slow down while I wait for the audio latency to 'catch up'.

So yeah, old wired for me everytime.

Now if I can just get those damned kids off my lawn. . . . 😫

I have a Turtle Beach Stealth headset for my Xbox. No latency and absolutely fantastic audio. So is aptx adaptive similar to this?

Hey there:
I been using both platforms for long time.
Many colors and android flavors
I love Pixel family
Everything is accessible same as iOS also offer multifingers gestures
CGM apps
Microsoft seeing AI
Be My Eyes
probably where android is behind is there only few accessible GPS design for us.
Audio and apple AirPoss Pro
Believe it or not airPods gestures works in android
volume answer calls and ended calls
Unfortunately there some notible delate wearing the airPods with android if you have notice some delate wearing the Ray ban Meta with iOS
be ready because AirPods with android is way worse lol
Also if you own some Ray ban Meta take a look in android compatibility because not all of the android manufacture offer support.
I highly recommend Pixel flagshit devices.

I would go so far as to say that Pixel is a great way to introduce oneself into the Android ecosystem. You get stock Android that is updated possibly the fastest as it is Google's Flagship, and while I cannot really speak for earlier Pixel models, the 8 Pro is a beast. I would also say that Samsung's are also really great smart phones, though maybe a little more geared toward the power users. Just my 2 cents. 😇

In about 2 weeks, give or take, they are reportedly releasing the Pixel 8A. It is said to be going for $499US. Not sure on your budget, but its a thought. 😉

One other thing I haven't seen mentioned is notification shade customization. Like in my notifications I have a little widget telling me the signal strength (in decebels) of my phone connection, another showing me the upload and download bandwidth I'm using, something for another great app called Universal copy etc. All of these are just a swipe away in any app and I haven't seen that on iOS. Not a dealbreaker but it's nice. I think you'd realistically just have to give it a try and find out what things it's better at for you etc. I find it's a little jankier than iOS but it suits me more in a bunch of little ways as a daily driver phone. As far as the bluetooth codecs go, yeah, you only get the adaptive aptX on Pixel or other phones with snapdragon chips, Samsung nerfed theirs for licensing reasons I believe and it's kind of annoying.
Oh, speaking of audio I love listening to my Senheiser Momentum 4 headphones from my Galaxy phone straight through USB C. It's just a little better sound quality and imaging than anything I've seen through bluetooth and I can just use the same cable that also charges my phone and most of my other devices.

I feel that the one thing holding most people back is cost. Sure one could purchase a cheaper model Android smart phone, and give it a whirl. However, I believe most people would prefer something with more 'Oomph'. for their money. Of course, therein lies the fundamental issue; is it worth shelling out the money for a 'what if' scenario?

Please note I am not saying Android isn't worth the money, but rather that for some, it may be cost prohibitive to make the leap from what is familiar, to what is unknown.

Which is possibly a relevant factor as to why there are so many questions about Androids in general.

Just my oppinion. . . 🤷

I used Android years ago on much cheaper devices, and can say now that I have the S22 Ultra, that I never got the best Android experience as it was always held back by the hardware. If you buy a cheapy just to play around, you will probably have a bad experience and then leave Android, go back to iPhone with this idea that Android isn't any good, when in reality what was junk was the particular device you had, not the OS running on it.

Regarding Kindle, oh how I would love to be able to buy books through the Kindle app. I am a Kindle Unlimited subscriber, so at least I can get KU books through the app, but actually purchasing books independently is a chore. 😭

Regarding the 'switch', I too am waiting for that final push, that one thing that convinces me that it will be worth it to truly transition from iOS to Android. It helps that my friend let me play with her Pixel 8 Pro when she first got it, so I can at least say with some certainty, that Android is absolutely useable. I just do not know how efficient I would be if it were to become my main driver.

Here
's to hoping. . . 😇

For me, it was having both the iPhone and iPad randomly freeze up on me several times, requiring a forced reboot, plus the geek in me after hearing how far TalkBack had come in the last few years. Not sure if it was a VoiceOver issue, iOS issue, orrrrrr what. Haven't heard about this happening to anyone else, so going to assume it was just an app I was using, buttttt also since I have Windows, I figured Android just made more sennnse. I will say, if you are a swiper as opposed to someone who does more explore by touch, TalkBack does seem to have a bit more delay than Voiceover, but it's not bad. At least not to me. But what isn't bad to one person might drive another crazy. So while I am perfectly happy with my Galaxy, in the interest of fairness, I figured it was still worth mentioning.
On a side note, today I had to go about setting the iPhone up again just to confirm it is indeed network unlocked, but in doing so, I had quite the time navigating and doing things. It's only been a month, but it's funny how fast one can adjust to a particular set of gestures or way of doing things. Here I was trying to do TalkBack gestures on it and wondering why it wasn't behaving as expected. Set up, checked what I had to check, reset it again, and done. That little bit was enough to confirm for me that I had made the right decision.

I have not owned an iPad in a dog's age. Though having said that, an Android tablet seems like it might be a viable option for the time being for me, as I would likely use it primarily for media consumption and light web page wool gathering. Agree TalkBack has come a very, very long way over the past few years, and personally I love the custom gestures and the way the 'Action' gesture works.

i would also go so far as to say the way the 'rotor' works on Android is a lot smoother, though one can always program iOS to behave similarly. In fact there is an old post from me where I did this exact thing for a short time on my (short-lived) iPhone 15 Pro.

Truth be told I think the one underlying thing holding me back would be app support. I do know a good majority of the apps I use regularly, and by that I mean at least a few times a week at minimal, are accessible on Android. However there are some optionally important apps that I would be hard pressed to live without.

Of course there could be alternatives I am unaware of. Hence why I think an Android tablet might be in my near future.

I think you are referring to the Fire tablet, which is Android based, but is Amazon's baby. Rather than the Google Play Store, you get the Amazon App Store, and so on.

Hmm, I wonder how comparable an Amazon Fire tablet is to, say, a Samsung tablet?

The nice thing you will get with a phone like that is that it will be a fairly stock experience. Not to much bloat. At least that will get your foot in the door and you can decide if you like it or not. Though, I found switching back and forth between the two to be a pain. I think it's best to just pick one or the other and force yourself to stick with just that at least long enough to learn the platform, but I realize not everyone can do that.

I also suggest you avoid the Amazon tablets like the plague. If they had the Alexa voices they would be halfway decent to listen to, and maybe the English voices aren't bad, but the Spanish voices are terrible! Can't say they are any better on the fire stick, but those devices are at least a bit more speedy. At least the newest one. I also got one of the tablets to play around with, and wouldn't recommend it to anyone in its current state.

Thanks for the heads up on the Fire tablets. I currently use a Firestick 4k Max in my living room, and while it is useable, the Amazon store experience leaves something to be desired.

Enjoy the Motorolla, Ollie. I agree that should be a decent enough UX to get your foot in the proverbial door.

I know they are kind of hit or miss here, but one thing I like on Androids is the angle gestures. I also think it is amazing that TalkBack can work in concert with Voice Control. Deffinitely adds versatility. 😀

Hey,
Glad you like the phone and Android over all. The only thing that comes to mind for your issue with the double tap is maybe you are doing it just a tad bit to fast? Lag on TB isn't terrible but it does seem to register things sometimes just a tiny bit slower than Voiceover. So maybe just slow down when you do it just a tiny bit. That's the only thing that comes to mind for me. And when I say you could be doing it to fast, I'm not suggesting you wait all that long before the second tap, just a fraction of a second. I've had double taps not always register, more on my cheapo tablet than on my galaxy. But when I slow it down a bit that usually takes care of it. Hope that helps.

Hey Ollie,

Unfortunately, it is possible that the BBC iPlayer is just not accessible with VoiceView. I have had that experience myself with Spotify. Works great on iOS, unusable on FireStick. 😭

Hopefully the double tap thing won't discourage you too much from the device. i am honestly looking forward to hearing how you feel about the device after you have had time to get to know Android. 🙂

Bummer about that app not working for you. I also have the 4k Max. That's really the only one I would recommend, as the others can be a bit on the slower side. Navigation of the fire stick is incredibly easy. Could it be made better? Of course, same with any platform. But the thing I really really really like is the ability to pair the Fire Stick with my echo dots to give me better sound than I could get with just my TV. A bit buggy on older models, but with the 4k Max, works like a charm.

I do not remember where I read/heard this, but reportedly Android handles sound channels better than iOS in regards to media consumption. Ollie, I am hoping you can confirm (or deny) this as you learn your device, having said that apparently Android does a better job of assigning channels independently. I may not be explaining this right, but essentially the idea is, say you're listening to an audio book and get a phone call, followed by a voicemail. When you stop your book to hear your voicemail, you are supposed to be able to immediately be able to resume your book without the OS 'losing' track of what media you were listening to previously.

That alone, if proven to be true, would be the sole reason to at least obtain an Android tablet for media consumption, because I cannot express how very frustrating it is to have to re-launch apps and manually find my place in any given media content i happen to be indulging myself with at any given day.

Hope this post makes some kind of sense. 😳

Stupid human question for ya. Does Android have different typing methods like iOS? I am a bit old school, and actually prefer standard (split) typing over touch or direct touch. I have gotten pretty fast with it, but have no idea if there is an Android equivalent?

Thanks in advance. 🙂

Audible, Alexa (for Kindle books mostly), Book Funnel (similar to Audible in functionality), YouTube, and even Netflix. I have likely missed an app or 3, but you get the gist. . .