Learning how to use a new technology can sometimes be troubling. If you’ve been a dedicated Apple customer throughout the years, but are considering switching allegiances to Android, you should know that simple differences between the two platforms can end up disorienting. Here are a few things you have to know when switching away from the iPhone.
Evaluating Your Application Needs
The more time you spend understanding the Android platform before you switch, the better off you will be. The first thing you should do is review the apps you use most often or are required to use for work reasons. Are they available through Google Play or the Amazon App Store? If so, you will have to repurchase them on that platform, which will require some additional investment.
This also provides you with the opportunity to consolidate the apps on your mobile device to only include those that you actually use – and of course, it isn’t as though you can’t stagger some of your non-essential downloads to minimize the financial fallout.
Deactivating iMessage
Once you have planned out which apps will be the first you install, you next need to be sure that your phone will be able to send and receive text messages. Because Apple’s iMessage utilizes a Wi-Fi signal, something an Android phone cannot do, you will not be able to receive any text messages from iPhone users until iMessage is deactivated. Apple has a page dedicated to this task that allows you to preemptively turn off iMessage, or to do so even after you no longer possess your iPhone.
Take a Backup on Google Drive
To make transferring your data from one platform to another much easier, Google Drive offers a simple solution in its native backup wizard. The first thing you have to do is install Google Drive and log in, assuming you haven’t done so already. Then, by accessing Menu > Settings > Backup, you can save whatever content is on your iPhone to your Google Drive.
You have the option to backup everything by clicking Start Backup, or to pick and choose what to include and what to abandon. This process can take up to several hours, so it is advisable to use Wi-Fi and make sure your iPhone is plugged in as the backup is taken.
Then, once you have your new Android device, all you have to do is sign in to Google Drive from there. It is also worth mentioning that some Android phones have apps that assist with this process, making the switch even easier.
What has inspired you to make the switch? Share your reasons in the comments, and be sure to subscribe to our blog to be notified of our new posts!
