Yes, you read that right.
I betrayed my years of loyalty to Android and moved to Apple's iPhone.
How my betrayal began
Actually, this started back in 2017, when I got frustrated trying to find proper design programs for Windows. As a product/UI/UX designer, these tools were scarce at the time. Adobe UX was just getting started and Figma was still miles a part from tools like Sketch. I tested the waters with my friend's Mac and bought a Macbook Pro shortly after.
Years before this - in the iPhone 4 era - I got so frustrated with the boring UX and interface of iOS, I swore off iPhone.
What changed?
When I got my job here in Berlin, I got an additional Macbook Pro for work purposes. And honestly, switching now to my Windows Gaming Laptop, always feels clunky now for some reason. Gestures are smoother and the interface is clean.
But what about phones? Well, let me tell you a tale. Two years ago, I got a phone contract for two years. Armed with my new Samsung S10 I whistled through these two years. However, now it was time for a new phone. No, nothing is wrong with my S10, but I do like the occasional change. I was looking into new devices, high and low. But nothing seemed to get my interest.
I have teeny tiny hands
I found my S10 already quite large and definitely did not want to get a bigger phone than that. This significantly limited my options. The only phone which would live up to the specs (which wouldn't be a downgrade) and the size, would be the Pixel 5. And the upgrade in specs were minimal..
And then I discovered the iPhone 12 Mini
Perfect size! Specs seems good. But. It's an iPhone 😱 . I did days of research into the current iOS. I always knew iOS was super late with simple features compared to Android to see if it would still be fine. And I finally gave in. Ok, iPhone 12 Mini it is.
WhatsApp is my problem
Setting up the device isn't the problem. My biggest hurdle was getting my f*cking WhatsApp conversations into my new phone. Because apparently the two OS's use different encryption and they don't talk. We literally spent a full 24 hours trying to figure out a free option to get my messages, photos and everything into my new phone, until we gave up and decided to opt for a paid third-party software. 30 goddamn forsaken euros to get two years of conversation (and I really did not wanna lose them). But as the cheap Dutch person I am, this was a stab in the heart.
It's called BackupTrans and looks very scary. It has a bunch of steps but eventually did the job. Cost me +/- 30 bucks. Not an ad, just a tip for desperate people like me.
I know what you're going to say: Use Signal, use Telegram! I got all of these, but I'll need all of my people to use these services too. Plus, I really did not want to lose my conversations. I keep everything, and I look up so much. Not in a mean kind of was like, "No, I said this and you said this." Some people I use for notes. Or I look up dates when something happened. Or photos in relation to conversations. It's a whole thing.
Anyway. This was my rant. Love you.
My name is Shannon, I am a digital designer. Born and raised in Amsterdam, living in Berlin.
I write about travel, HIVE, design, food, life and any thoughts I have!
