Yes, I always say this to android users.

DO NOT TREAT IT AS AN ANDROID. It is not !!! Is an apple iphone.

Come with a clean mind, do not compare… or you going to end up with a pro and cons list like the rest of android users and be trapped in the middle of two worlds. Same goes for apple to android users actually.

After 11+ years of Android, the iPhone 13 Pro Max was my first iOS device too.

First things first:

• If you like Android‘s back gesture (it works on both sides), get ready to be disappointed. iOS has a different concept: You „push“ something back the way it came from. So if a new screen comes in from the right, you „grab“ the left side of the screen and push it back to the right. Sometimes „cards“ (noticeable by not going all the way to the top; the previous screen is visible on the top under the new card) turn up from the bottom, you push them from the top back to the bottom. All of this makes sense! The behavior is actually a lot more predictable than Android’s back gesture. But it’s more work for your fingers 😅

That out of the way, some things you might want to consider:

• iCloud works great, but iCloud Photos can be a bit confusing. Yes, it backs up your photos just like Google Photos, but it mirrors your phone. So if you delete a photo on your phone after it’s been backed up to iCloud Photos, it will also be deleted on iCloud. I also still use Google Photos for that reason.
• Get a VPN! And I don’t mean for changing your geolocation. I use AdGuard Pro, it’s a VPN that essentially is always running and blocks out advertising in many apps, especially Safari. Works really well and is well worth the money. You can still whitelist certain sites and all that. Speaking of Safari:
• Use Safari. I know, coming from an Android device you’re probably tempted to use Chrome or Firefox, bit give Safari a try for a few days. It’s naturally better integrated into the system, supports extensions (like AdGuard Pro) and works beautifully with:
• Apple Keychain. All your website and app login credentials get saved into Apple‘s Keychain, meaning you can log in with FaceID. It’s a very convenient, built-in password manager basically. If you use a PC, you can download iCloud and via an extension, you can even use Keychain in browsers like Chrome or Edge on your PC.
• You can add your Google account to iOS and it will sync stuff like contacts. You don’t have to move them to iCloud (I did, however - it’s easiest to do it in the iCloud web interface on PC).
• It still annoys me that there is no camera roll in the Photos app. More or less anything gets saved into one folder, no matter if it’s photos or videos taken with your phone, downloaded media, media from apps etc. Some apps give you the option to create their own folders/albums. If you want a folder with just camera media, you have to create an album and move it there, while it still has to stay in the main album. It’s not a real copy, it’s basically just links to the media in the main folder. All of that is annoying, cumbersome and one of my main gripes with iOS.
• If you somehow think you can access iPhone‘s settings via Control Center (which is essentially Android‘s quick settings), forget it. You can only access settings by opening it via the app icon on your home screen or in your app library. Which you will do a lot, especially in the beginning and since app settings are usually not in the apps themselves, but in the settings app.

These are a few good starting points. You’ll figure the rest out as you go along, sometimes a quick Google search will help, but all in all the switch isn’t hard. Just be open to do some things in a new way. Sometimes the Apple way is mind-blowingly cumbersome (don’t get me started on custom ringtones), oftentimes it’s actually more logical than on Android.

Turn off Google RCS if you use it, those texts will still go to your old device if you don’t.

Be prepared to learn new habits and get frustrated at first. As someone who used Android exclusively for a decade, there was a definite learning curve at first but everything becomes second nature fairly quickly.

Apollo for Reddit is generally considered the must have Reddit app but it’s decently pay-walled. Worth the money though imo.

If you’re using the Move to iOS app, double check and make sure EVERYTHING you want transferred over before setting the device up further. That function can only be used during the initial OOB setup so if say all your text messages don’t transfer over, you’ll have to reset the device back to Factory.

Also do yourself a favour and go into this with an open mind. If you go into it with the mindset of a self-professed Apple hater, you’ll like it even less.

I switched after the Samsung Note 7 fiasco, never looked back, and have never missed it. I was a pretty hardcore Android nerd too, built custom ROMs and kernels and whatnot. It takes a second to get used to but once the muscle memory is there it’s seamless. As far as apps, I think what you’ll notice is how noticeably polished the iOS versions are, and you’re gonna love the battery life, especially if you’re coming from Samsung.

Coming from android, you'll hate the notifications. Even among diehard apple fans, I don't think you'll find anyone who likes it.

These are old (for a previous iOS release), but here are a couple of posts on useful tips and tricks:

• https://www.reddit.com/r/iphone/comments/s5f1gx/iphone_cool_tricks_that_surprisingly_most_people/

• https://www.reddit.com/r/iphone/comments/tvdka9/what_are_some_little_known_iphone_hacks/

If you have insomnia and want to read more than you ever wanted to know about iPhone vs android pros and cons, search this sub for "android" and sort by "new". Here are some links to get you started:

• https://www.reddit.com/r/iphone/comments/y7897e/moving_over_from_s21_ultra_to_iphone_14_pro_max/

• https://www.reddit.com/r/iphone/comments/y9f4fs/first_time_iphone_user_and_trying_not_to_be/

• https://www.reddit.com/r/iphone/comments/xui2q4/its_been_3_days_since_ive_switched_to_iphone_here/

• https://www.reddit.com/r/iphone/comments/xu5faq/life_long_android_users_first_week_with_the/

• https://www.reddit.com/r/iphone/comments/xns8on/ok_you_got_me/

Comparison is the thief of joy. Don’t go looking for Android in iOS. Embrace it as something new, something different and you won’t be disappointed.

Welcome to the dark side 😈

if you are using google RCS, make sure to turn it off. when i switched i lost the ability to text several contacts until i figured that out

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I'm on the same boat as you, but haven't pulled the trigger yet. Haven't got around to going to an apple store. Idk why they don't sell unlocked iPhones at bestbuy

You will find that the phone has very little drama attached to it. Everything works, and it works exceedingly well, and the UI does it’s best to stay out of your way when you’re not using it. You may find it boring at first (e.g. because you can’t customize the UI up the wazoo), but you get used to it quickly. Soon, the phone just feels like a part of you.

BTW, good choice with the 13 Pro Max. I have it, and it’s been a rock solid device (it’s almost an insult to call it a phone. It’s a pocket computer that can make and take phone calls).

Replaced my Pixel 6 with the 13 PM, best decision I ever made.

1st piece of advice, return and buy the 14 pro

Get an adblocking profile installed

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