Tips for a new Samsung user (coming from iPhone)

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#311578 28-Jan-2024 10:17

Hey team, long-time iPhone user switching to the Android side with a Samsung phone and tablet. Looking for some eco-system switching tips. Specifically:

Messages - I only used iMessage with a couple of contacts but will switch to mostly WhatsApp instead. Are there any other gotchas between iMessage and Android? (I did remember to switch off iMessage). For SMS is there any advantage to using Samsung's Messages app over Google Messages?

Location tracking / Find My - My family use the 'Find My' feature on iPhones to check each other's location. This is super easy on iPhone. You can just click on the profile pic in iMessage. Is there any equivalent to this that would work between iPhone and Android?

Shopping lists / reminders - we used the iPhone reminders app for a shopping list. Any good replacements for that?

Anything else you'd recommend to a new Android / Samsung user?

Gurezaemon

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#3187629 28-Jan-2024 10:28

For shopping lists, Google Keep is simple and solid, and lists can be shared between people.

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caffynz

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#3187640 28-Jan-2024 10:54

Gurezaemon:

For shopping lists, Google Keep is simple and solid, and lists can be shared between people.

2nd this. I also like the location feature to alert you when you have arrived at a specific location, e.g. I might make a list of things I want to grab from Bunnings next time I go there, and add to it over the next wee while, and then when Keep detects I'm at Bunnings, it alerts me to my list.

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#3187654 28-Jan-2024 11:47

I use Google Messages because you can set RCS (similar to iMessage) and it will use data instead of SMS, giving better flow, content quality, etc.

I use Life360 to create family circles and track each other. Not sure there's something in the OS for this.

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#3187681 28-Jan-2024 12:56

lookout:
Location tracking / Find My - My family use the 'Find My' feature on iPhones to check each other's location. This is super easy on iPhone. You can just click on the profile pic in iMessage. Is there any equivalent to this that would work between iPhone and Android?

Google Maps will let you share location [realtime-ish]; I guess it's possible that Google Maps on an iPhone will interact with Google Maps on Android, but I've never tried.

shk292

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#3187685 28-Jan-2024 13:01

jamesrt: >Google Maps will let you share location [realtime-ish]; I guess it's possible that Google Maps on an iPhone will interact with Google Maps on Android, but I've never tried.

Google maps location sharing works across platforms, we use it in a mixed Android Apple family

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#3187720 28-Jan-2024 15:32

shk292:
jamesrt: >Google Maps will let you share location [realtime-ish]; I guess it's possible that Google Maps on an iPhone will interact with Google Maps on Android, but I've never tried.

Google maps location sharing works across platforms, we use it in a mixed Android Apple family

Realtime-ish is the important part here. It can be out by a few hours. I think it depends on when last Google Maps / a Google service was used.

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#3187722 28-Jan-2024 15:33

lookout: ... Messages - I only used iMessage with a couple of contacts ...

Do you have any interest in exporting your iMessage history? I'd like to know if there is a way I can backup iMessages and/or export them.

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lookout

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#3187730 28-Jan-2024 15:51

Thanks for the comments so far.

-Life 360 looks like it might be worth a shot. I have used Google Maps location tracking in the past and it would often be quite behind.

-Google Keep is perfect. Thanks for that tip.

-I've installed Google Messages and it seems like it will work well. I see that tapbacks work with iMessage which is quite cool.

ANglEAUT:

lookout: ... Messages - I only used iMessage with a couple of contacts ...

Do you have any interest in exporting your iMessage history? I'd like to know if there is a way I can backup iMessages and/or export them.

I used the Smart Switch app and my messages (including iMessage) all transferred over with pics and everything into the Samsung Messages app. When I installed Google Messages they were also there.