Interesting. I too am an iPhone lover who recently picked up a Nexus 4 to get into Android development. This is my first experience with Android, so I didn't realize that the Nexus 4 Android experience might be different than your typical Android smartphone.
I was very impressed with the overall experience. If I wasn't so used to iOS, I could easily see myself using Android on a Nexus 4. But in the end, I walked away with the opposite impression; I saw no compelling reason to switch to Android and have decided iOS is still the mobile OS for me. Unlike the author, I do not really consider myself a power user. The customizability of Android is really enticing, but at the end of the day I find myself preferring the design/philosophy of iOS. But it really just comes down to personal preference.
After using an iPhone for so long, I became annoyed at the small design/interface differences present in the Nexus 4 (e.g. no physical home button). At times I found it difficult to use the Nexus 4 because of it's greater width. The iPhone width is optimal for my hand size and pocket size. Also, in my opinion as an app developer, the iOS app ecosystem still seems a lot stronger than Android. Browsing the Play Store was a little boring to me. Yes, most popular apps have both iOS and Android versions, but many developers still target iOS first and Android second. Until there's a reason for that to change I think iOS still has the edge in "killer" apps.
That being said, I agree that there are a lot of nice things in Android that I would love to see implemented in iOS.
Are you kidding me? The iPhone has the optimal width? You sound just like Marco, Gruber, and all those other Apple sycophants who were claiming that the iPhone size was perfect for the hand, until the iPhone 5 came out, of course.
Just like they got their thumbs surgically altered when the 5 came out, no doubt you will be getting all your pockets resized if Apple increases the iPhone width.
The fact that the iPhone 5 made the screen bigger doesn't mean the original rationales for the smaller screen size wasn't justified. It's an engineering problem, and that involves trade-offs. My wife doesn't follow the tech press at all, and complained unprompted about the extra length on the 5. She can't reach the top with her thumb anymore.
I still think the iPhone 4 &< had the best screen size for ergonomics. I don't think you can contest that.
The iPhone 5 compromises to make the screen bigger, but only by a little.
I don't think I could use a 4" device like a Nexus 4 (I have a Nexus S which was a good size), on my commute where I need to hold onto a handle of the train, underground with one hand, smartphone in other.
You don't think that's contestable? It's one of the most absurd things to say. It's impossible for a device to be perfectly ergonomic for everyone.
I have big hands. I loved the original Xbox controller before they shrank it. I love bigger phones. I find the iPhone 4 and earlier too damn small for me.
The Apple commercials with someone hand showing that it is "perfect size" are simply laughable. Lets have someone with small, medium, and large hands film that commercial and you will see how ridiculous the concept of "perfect size" is.
Sorry but while it may not work for everyone it is close to the perfect size for most people. You even acknowledge it with your comment about the original Xbox controller. I've never met a single person who thinks that controller was appropriately sized.
Nobody said perfect for everyone. It is however, very likely, better for more people than anything else. There are a few people with large hands that liked the original xbox controller. There are 0 people in the world who think it was the best size for most people. It's just not. The same goes for the Samsung Note (1 and 2). It's objectively not the correct phone size for most people, but there is a large subset (in raw numbers, not percentage) that likes the huge phone.
Oh I think it's very contestable. I use my Galaxy Nexus one handed all the time in many situations, including on public transport. Can iPhone users please stop saying that their device has the best ergonomics of all time as if the ratio came down from the heavens. I don't see how people can even think something like a perfect size exists suitable for every human being. To each their own.
A perfect size doesn't exist for every human being. But the average thumb travel for adult males is 4 inches. For adult women it is 3.8. The width directly impacts usability for over 50% of the human population. Get over 3.5 inches and you're having to fidget with the phone to go side to side while holding the phone.
There are actual limits to width that have to be take into consideration. Just because you might have a hand large enough for a nexus, does not mean every human, or even adult male for that matter shares that trait. And you're guaranteed less women share that trait.
> I still think the iPhone 4 &< had the best screen size for ergonomics. I don't think you can contest that.
Yes, I can. It's complete bullshit. All the arguments for why the iPhone 4 form factor was the best are now being used to claim that the iPhone 5 is the best by a lot of the same people. That just goes to show that you can manipulate that argument to work with whatever screen size you want.
The argument that a smaller screen, allows for a smaller surface area, that is easier to navigate is obvious.
That's not obvious at all. Larger screens can allow for larger touch targets, and by showing more content they can reduce the need for "navigation" in the first place.
> All the arguments for why the iPhone 4 form factor was the best are now being used to claim that the iPhone 5 is the best by a lot of the same people.
Some people have larger hands than others. Android gives you the whole range from an Xperia tipo to the Note. On the iPhone, unless you want to compromise performance, you have one phone.
The ecosystem may give you a choice in size, but that has an impact on power. Take the Tipo, woeful screen and battery life as well as being desperately underpowered. So, no, there isn't really a choice. If you want a useable device, these days you are looking at 4" plus.
The danger is that changes to screen size aren't always reflected by the software, so you may have a small screen that scales down, or a large screen with wasted real estate. See the host of apps that haven't update for the iPhone 5 screen yet!!!
Keep in mind that the Android SDK has quite a few features that allow you to create liquid layouts that will work fairly well on most device sizes, as precisely because the Android OS comes on a great variety of hardware, this problem had to be addressed early on, while on iOS every time a new screen size/pixel density comes along you have to create an all new view.
I'll acknowledge that many times you have to fiddle a bit to make sure that your Android view works well on a variety of screens, but usually you can target between 3 and 4 layouts and have a usable UI for all devices from 10" tablets all the way down to small feature phones.
On this note - I didn't get surgically altered, and if there is one thing that drives me bats (daily) about the 5 it's the bigger screen. Man do I wish we could go back to the 4's screen size!
Agreed on the size. Nexus 4 is basically a mini-tablet, and looks incredibly retarded when someone holds it up to their ear. Reminds me of people who use their iPad cameras to take photos and videos.
> looks incredibly retarded when someone holds it up to their ear
I care more about my phone's abilities than I do about what people think of me when I'm holding it up to my ear. (Which only happens maybe once a week for me, anyway.)
I was very impressed with the overall experience. If I wasn't so used to iOS, I could easily see myself using Android on a Nexus 4. But in the end, I walked away with the opposite impression; I saw no compelling reason to switch to Android and have decided iOS is still the mobile OS for me. Unlike the author, I do not really consider myself a power user. The customizability of Android is really enticing, but at the end of the day I find myself preferring the design/philosophy of iOS. But it really just comes down to personal preference.
After using an iPhone for so long, I became annoyed at the small design/interface differences present in the Nexus 4 (e.g. no physical home button). At times I found it difficult to use the Nexus 4 because of it's greater width. The iPhone width is optimal for my hand size and pocket size. Also, in my opinion as an app developer, the iOS app ecosystem still seems a lot stronger than Android. Browsing the Play Store was a little boring to me. Yes, most popular apps have both iOS and Android versions, but many developers still target iOS first and Android second. Until there's a reason for that to change I think iOS still has the edge in "killer" apps.
That being said, I agree that there are a lot of nice things in Android that I would love to see implemented in iOS.