Switching to the Apple ecosystem

I’ve been a Windows and Android user for many years, and I had a Mac once for 2 of those years back when I worked at GoDaddy. I loved it. There is just an elegance to the OS that one doesn’t find in other stacks. Because of a yearn for change (and other practical reasons having to do with software development) I recently decided to take the plunge and go all-in on the Apple ecosystem for my personal computing.

I have been a Samsung user for a long time and gave up a Samsung S25 Ultra and a Samsung watch for this transition. Although it was spread out over a couple of months, I ended up with the following.

• Mac Book Pro – 16″ MAX
• iPhone 15 Pro Max
• Apple Watch series 10

After living in this ecosystem for a few months and getting used to things, I am laying out my joys and peeves of migrating.

Mac Book Pro

I have always thought it is completely unfair to compare a Windows laptop vs. a Mac. Apples and oranges. The operating systems are fundamentally different and in most cases the hardware is too. The only hardware I have seen for Windows that matches Apple quality is my Surface. Given this, I will skip over a direct comparison and just share some of my joys of working on the Mac and a few peeves.

Joys

1. Flawless integration of messages.
2. ZSH shell (I am using Warp instead of the baked in terminal)
3. Controlling my iPhone from the Mac
4. Beautifull experience using the OS and most all of the apps that I’ve added.
5. Much prefer the standard function keys than the bar I had on my Mac at GoDaddy.
6. I think the command key is just more logically placed and easier to reach than CTRL on a Windows keyboard.

Peeves

1. I would really appreciate a camera-based facial recognition log in the way it works on iPhone.
2. I have learned there isn’t nearly as much free software for Mac as there is for Windows. Platform lock-in indeed.

iPhone

The iPhone transition hasn’t been as pleasant as the Mac Book. Here are direct comparisons to my Samsung S25 Ultra Android phone.

Android	iPhone
Fingerprint scanner. Super easy to use and built invisibly into the screen.	The lack of a fingerprint scanner is very annoying. I have to pick up the phone and look into the camera to get biometric unlock. This is just an irritant when the phone is sitting on my desk.
Very natural hand controls that let me navigate apps easily while holding the phone in one hand.	The iPhone feels it was designed just for left-handed people. The volumes on the left are driving me nuts, making it hard to use with one hand.
Back button – more useful than I had any idea.	The lack of a back button means I need to close the current screen to go back using the X at the top left of the app. I can’t reach this when holding the phone with one hand. So, basically to browse through things naturally and quickly I need to use both hands. This is huge.
Static app icons. When I put an icon on the home screen it stays where I put it.	What? The app icons on the home screen can’t be fixed in place? When I add a new one they shift automatically? My God. I’ve known this is how iPhone has worked since the beginning but I thought they would have “fixed” this by now. As it is, I must hunt down apps that weren’t where I left them a day or two ago. Super big peeve.

Watches

In terms of core functionality, I don’t find a big difference here. Both watched provide similar apps, the difference being the flawless integration of the Apple watch into the ecosystem. One the Samsung there was sometimes a feeling of disconnect between the apps and the phone.

The Samsung watch was bigger, and that made it a little easier to navigate, but the real advantage was the battery life. I need to charge my Apple watch at least every two days, more often every 1.5 days. This is ridiculous. The Samsung can run three days on a charge with active mode (not energy saver) and I appreciated that.

Air Tags

I bought a pack of Air Tags for my luggage on a recent trip. I’d heard about them and understand the tech behind them so this was an opportunity to try it myself. They work flawlessly. This is an amazing tech that wouldn’t be possible without Apple’s dominance with the iPhone. Love it.

Conclusion

I don’t regret the platform move, but it hasn’t all been a bed of roses. The most frustration I still experience is with the iPhone. The need for two-handed operation drives me nuts.

The battery life on the watch is disappointing and an annoyance. Apple is really lagging here.

But the Mac surpasses all my hopes. I just love working on this thing. It makes the iPhone and watch blemishes worth putting up with. I can see a long relationship with this ridiculously overpowered machine.