When I switched from the Pixel 2 XL to the iPhone 11 Pro Max a few years ago, I felt stifled and closed in by iOS. And when I saw the AI features introduced with the Pixel 6 series unveiling in 2021 such as Magic Eraser and Hold for Me, I was ready to jump to the Pixel 6 Pro. So I did. Since it had been a few months after the original release date, I missed out on some of the issues…at first. Occasionally, there were moments when I needed to urgently make a call only to see that there was no cellular connectivity.
Some Pixel 6 Pro features including the “Magic Eraser” stopped being useful to me
Some of the Pixel features were helpful, to be sure. But while I activated Hold for Me often, it occurred to me that I hadn’t used the Magic Eraser in some time. And I mentioned this the last time I wrote about switching to iOS, but I’m one of those rare individuals who prefer the iPhone’s notification system to Android’s. And the “grass is greener on the other side” syndrome started to sink in.
For now, I am using my Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
My ultimate plan is to buy the iPhone 15 Pro Max when it is released later this year. But as a test, I used a two-week free trial from Verizon’s digital Visible offering and forwarded incoming calls from my Pixel 6 Pro to the iPhone (by the way, if your cellular network offers this, you can forward calls by going to your current phone’s dialer and tapping on *72 and the number of the phone you want to receive the calls. To disable this, tap *73)
You never know when you might start pining for the operating system that is on the sidelines
During the two-week trial, I confirmed to myself that I enjoyed using the iPhone more than the Pixel 6 Pro. And while I wait for September, the battery on my iPhone 11 Pro Max, as degraded as it is after a few years of usage, is still an improvement over the Pixel 6 Pro. For the photos I take (mostly of my dogs), the iPhone 11 Pro Max does a superb job. Until I buy the iPhone 15 Pro Max, I’ll miss 5G connectivity, the 120Hz refresh rate, and the always-on screen. But to me, this feels like I’m doing the right thing. Your mileage may vary.
There is a warning, a caveat if you prefer. I’m keeping my Pixel 6 Pro on Wi-Fi and if the “grass is always greener” syndrome starts up again, you might find me deactivating my iPhone and activating my Pixel. But for now, I boldly step back into the world of iOS and strap on my Apple Watch.
