Android Owner Purchases iPhone 6 and Reports
How does Email and the App store stack up?
The built-in email client works very well and is more advanced than comparable email clients on Android. It supports sub-folders and Exchange server. Viewing message threads in a conversation mode works very well for me when I have to skim subjects for a 1,000 messages in my professional discussion group. The main issue I have is that the list of sub-folders cannot be collapsed or moved. If I want to empty the Trash folder, I have to swipe up a dozen times to pass through all the folders above Trash. On Android, I was accustomed to hiding the sub-folders by touching a chevron, a little indicator that turns horizontal when sub-folders are hidden and pointed down when they are expanded. It is a big time-saver.
The email client doesnt have support for HTML formatting or logos in messages and signatures. Attaching a file is done from an app by sending it to email, which feels awkward to me.
While I dont separate my personal and business contacts, some people do. I dont see a way to keep business and personal contacts in iPhone separate. When my clients go on hosted Exchange accounts with me, their iPhones sync all contacts to Exchange.
I had all these features on Android using a terrific app called Touchdown by Nitrodesk (now part of Symantec). It is a full email client for Exchange and includes contacts, calendar, and memos which synchronize with Exchange. E-mail folders can be created, deleted, collapsed, and moved. The integrated calendar supports Outlook categories, a feature I enjoyed because I use color-coded categories to record billable client appointments and other appointments. Apples calendar app does not support categories. Neither do contacts.
Unfortunately, App store reviews of Touchdown for iOS report a lot of bugs and problems not found in the more mature Android version. Since Touchdown is relatively expensive ($19.99) and refunds are not easy to get, Ill stick with the built-in apps for now as I can do email, its just more bare-bones than I am accustomed to.
Apps Store
Google Play is the Android version of Apples App store. With Google Play, there is a short period where you could reverse a purchase and get a refund. I dont see any refund option in App store except to request one by email from Apple iTunes Support. Im told they will do it if the request is justified, but it seems to me this extra step shouldnt be necessary.
Im not all gloom and doom! I am happy with the iPhone 6. Perhaps in a future column Ill write about what works well.
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