Sweet-spot iPhone for Noob?

[stubbsonic]

Essentially, my main concern is just being able to drag-and-drop files of any given type to the Mac tower.

This is why I've been a little "pushy" about Android.

How it works in Apple world:
I just now connected my new(ish) iPhone to my new(ish) MBP. It said I need to download and install some software to connect my iPhone to my Mac. Ok. Then it said, "To sync this Mac with your iPhone, click Trust, then tap Trust on the iPhone". OK. done. Once installed, and "trust established" it then opened a window (which is practically identical to the old one inside iTunes) where you can choose to do some various "Sync" functions.

This "sync" approach both annoys and terrifies me. It's not how I like to think about my files or my devices. I make individual choices about what files I want on each device. Clicking a button to say--- "sync" is way too non-specific.

In short, Monkey Man, no drag & drop. One way around this-- sort of, is to use iCloud, which isn't drag & drop, but does allow you to get things from one place to another. However, it absolutely requires internet connectivity-- wifi. There might be other methods to move files (bluetooth, airdrop, etc?). I've never connected a lightning storage device (such as the one James linked) to an iOS device, but that might be a reasonable option for getting files to & from the iPhone. "Sneaker-net" as my brother calls it.

How it works in Android world:
You must install an app called Android File Transfer from android.com. This app is from 2018, and has not gotten any updates in that time. Once installed, now when I connect my Android device to my Mac, the app launches a Finder-like window which shows all the storage on the Android (both internal and on the SD card). It does allow drag and drop to & from Finder. My only caveat is that the app or transfers don't always work smoothly, requiring me to reconnect and try again. But generally it's been pretty reliable.

So this is the drag-and-drop that you want.

As I mentioned before, Android hardware isn't as good as Apple-- but you have many more Android device choices, some of them inexpensive.

Android vs iOS is in all the important ways, fairly comparable. You have access to settings and can configure it the way you like. For iOS there are far more and far better apps to be had. So if you want amazing music apps, iOS is the choice. There are a few really nice things for Android. I only use a handful, but I really like them.

[mikehalloran]

You guys are speaking Greek to me, but I'm liking the sound of it!

Essentially, my main concern is just being able to drag-and-drop files of any given type to the Mac tower.

Mike:
You mentioned iPod earlier. Per chance did you mean to say, "iPad"?

I've been out of town a few days but I am back.

Nope. I meant the iPod Touch 7. Essentially, it's an iPhone without the phone part. The 4" screen is the size of the iPhone 5 but it's slimmer.
https://support.apple.com/kb/SP796?locale=en_US

It was released in 2019 as an upgrade to the iPod Touch 6 with more storage and the ability to run a later iOS — the physical form is the same.

Texting such as that needed for 2-factor authentication requires cell or Wifi. It does not work over Bluetooth (for security reasons per Apple). The phone is normally the center and relays to your other devices—iOS or Android (SMS).

WiFi can be enabled on your Mac but for most of us, it can be enabled on your modems or routers that we receive from our ISPs. This lets it work when your Mac is off or sleeping, likewise you do not have to enable it on your Mac.

Although a Mac without a phone can be set up to text, you are limited to messages relayed by iCloud/Apple Server in the Messages App. If it is originating or being sent any other way, you are out of luck. SMS messages (Win/Android/Unix etc.) can't get to you and vise versa. There is pressure on Apple to change this but it ain't happened yet.

Paired with a phone, SMS messages are not a problem. What I don't know is if messaging including SMS forwarding can be set up on an iPod Touch.

If, like the iPad, this can't be set up without a phone, then the Touch is not a solution. Since I happen to have a Touch 7, I will check it out later today.

[monkey man]

Wow, thank you Steve and Mike; you guys are the best!

Steve, that drag-and-drop functionality, for me anyway, pretty much overrides everything else, so I think you've sold me on Android. I say this with a heavy heart, being a Mac guy.

Mike, thank you for all that info and I look forward to hearing your final verdict later mate.

What a rabbit hole this is, and all so that I can simply continue to have access to my PayPal, ISP and Gmail accounts.

[mikehalloran]

Wow, thank you Steve and Mike; you guys are the best!

Steve, that drag-and-drop functionality, for me anyway, pretty much overrides everything else, so I think you've sold me on Android. I say this with a heavy heart, being a Mac guy.

Drag and Drop is dead simple from an iPhone to a Mac and vise versa. No special app needed. Record a concert video on my iPhone? Take pictures of the orchestra sections on my iPod? Write some Notes? As soon as I get home, I drag them all into the folder on the Mac I'll use for editing, scan the program in and get to work. Before Catalina, this was done in iTunes — much easier now. If I use a cable, I open my device on the sidebar, click on Files, open the app, drag its files to my desktop.

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There are ways to do this over WiFi — some are even easier.

Mike, thank you for all that info and I look forward to hearing your final verdict later mate.

Bad news. When it comes to messaging, an iPod Touch behaves the same as an iPad. Without an Android or iPhone to relay SMS messages, it is dependent on Apple Server through iCloud which supports messages from other Apple only.

What a rabbit hole this is, and all so that I can simply continue to have access to my PayPal, ISP and Gmail accounts.

No argument, there.

[stubbsonic]

I wouldn't call drag&drop between Mac and iPhone dead simple, as MH suggested. And I did have to install a program for it to be able to access the phone. It was automatic, so I didn't have to "do" anything other than say "OK" and "Trust" and "Trust".

First there's the matter of creating files on iPhone and where the iPhone will put them, or will allow you to put them. Not entirely clear. Then when you connect your iPhone to the Mac, you may need to scroll to the right to see the "Files" tab. Click on that and you'll see a list of folders. That list does not correspond with the list you will see on the iPhone via Files app, in ""on my iPhone". There are folders shown on the Mac that are not shown on the iPhone, and vice versa.

It is quite possible that you will be a very happy Monkey with a nice iPhone. But you'll probably have to jump through some hoops to get there. You'll have to jump through hoops either way.

[monkey man]

Thank you so much again guys.

Too bad about the iPod Mike; thank you for checking that.

Mike said:
"Before Catalina, this was done in iTunes — much easier now. If I use a cable, I open my device on the sidebar, click on Files, open the app, drag its files to my desktop."
This looks fantastic Mike and exactly what I was hoping for, using a cable too.

Only one problem, I'm on HS 10.13.6 and can't upgrade this machine to Catalina AFAIK (2012 cheese grater).

[mikehalloran]

Thank you so much again guys.

Too bad about the iPod Mike; thank you for checking that.

Mike said:
"Before Catalina, this was done in iTunes — much easier now. If I use a cable, I open my device on the sidebar, click on Files, open the app, drag its files to my desktop."
This looks fantastic Mike and exactly what I was hoping for, using a cable too.

Only one problem, I'm on HS 10.13.6 and can't upgrade this machine to Catalina AFAIK (2012 cheese grater).

I still have a couple of Macs on on Mojave and can post a couple of screen shots on how to do drag and drop in iTunes.

[bayswater]

I still have a couple of Macs on on Mojave and can post a couple of screen shots on how to do drag and drop in iTunes.

For some reason I thought this stopped at High Sierra. Thanks for the correction — my elderly 10.13.6 iMac is at end of life and the rest of them are at 10.14 +

[mikehalloran]

I still have a couple of Macs on on Mojave and can post a couple of screen shots on how to do drag and drop in iTunes.

For some reason I thought this stopped at High Sierra. Thanks for the correction — my elderly 10.13.6 iMac is at end of life and the rest of them are at 10.14 +

I was going by an Apple Support doc when I posted that. I remembered the change being Big Sur. Am I old yet?

Anyway, I happen to be flush with 2012 MBPs at the moment. If necessary, I'll set up one in High Sierra. The one I use is running Catalina and the 2nd boot volume on my iMP is Mojave so that I can run a couple 32 bit apps (EazyDraw Retro and Encore 5.0.7). One way or the other, I'll get some iTunes screen shots going.

[monkey man]

Thank you for your continued attention guys; I keep saying it, but you're the best.

Still considering Android (reluctantly).

There's an app called "Android File Transfer" that runs on anything back to OS 10.7.

Installation is the simple matter of dragging the app from the .dmg to wherever you want. Hook the 'phone up and double-click the app. The full list of folders appears.

You can't preview anything (eg. with the spacebar) but to transfer you just drag and drop.

There's another app called "Smart Switch" but all I know about that one is that you hit a button called "Backup" and it backs the entire 'phone up to your Documents folder. I assume you can then browse that.

Another thing I know nothing about is the whole simcard / no simcard / internet / 'phone-call / text-verification message / no Wi-Fi thing.

No idea how any of that works, but once I have a vague idea I guess I'll be ready to grab an Android or, if Mike can convince me to stick with my beloved Apple, an iPhone.

[stubbsonic]

With an iPhone (or iPod Touch) would you need to have a cell phone plan (or pre-paid or pay-as-you-go cell phone plan) in order to receive authentication messages?

I guess the other question is which of these services will let you work around not having a cell phone/plan in order to authenticate, etc. I know that my bank has made it increasingly tedious-- but not impossible to authenticate via email.

[mikehalloran]

With an iPhone (or iPod Touch) would you need to have a cell phone plan (or pre-paid or pay-as-you-go cell phone plan) in order to receive authentication messages?

I guess the other question is which of these services will let you work around not having a cell phone/plan in order to authenticate, etc. I know that my bank has made it increasingly tedious-- but not impossible to authenticate via email.

Unfortunately, the answer is no. That’s what I wanted to test with my iPod Touch and iPad.

A phone is required for SMS messages (Windows, Android, UNIX). Without a phone, Apple Server will let a Mac send and receive texts from Apple devices only via iCloud in the Messages App. The phone can be an iPhone or Android—Apple has instructions for both types.

If Apple Server were to support SMS messages, then messages could be received through iCloud. There has been a lot of pressure on Apple to do this, even rumors that it may happen next month but I’m not believing them. I’d love to be proved wrong.

Anyway, once the phone is set up, it can relay SMS messages to all your devices. Although iOS and Android can send and receive Apple and SMS, neither will relay to other devices without being set up to do so.

[stubbsonic]

So that adds another wrinkle, which is which cell phone provider/plan to go with, that will provide not much more than what you need-- and then the phone itself has to have a way of linking to the plan (via sim card or esim).

Since both your phone needs and your cell plan are likely pretty modest, you can look at cell providers that are reliable in your specific area. Might be worth asking your neighbors.

We have T-Mobile and our cell reception at home is not very good, so I had to install a booster antenna on/in my house which was a massive hassle, but it works ok.

[bayswater]

If Apple Server were to support SMS messages, then messages could be received through iCloud. There has been a lot of pressure on Apple to do this, even rumors that it may happen next month but I’m not believing them. I’d love to be proved wrong.

I’m doubting it too. The way SMS works, it’s not obvious how you would support it if you aren’t a service provider. Does anyone else support SMS without the use of a cell phone on a cell network? Is there even a reason for Apple to do this?

There are a couple of niche providers here who will give you a number and not a phone, usually to connect security devices AFAICT. I suppose if you had that, you could link it to Apple Messaging, but there would probably be a charge for every message.

[mikehalloran]

Here's how to drag and drop in iTunes (Mojave and earlier). Although there are a number of ways to transfer files in Catalina and later over WiFi, iCloud and the like, I do not see a way to do this in iTunes without a cable.

I remember that the Mac would ask to install an app but it was automatic and there was nothing for the user to find and download. I have never tried to connect an iPhone to this OS Volume but I can see it's asking for an update.

Depending on the MacOS and iOS, there will be some authenticating—how much depends on both the MacOS and iOS. My iOS is 16.6 and this MacOS is 10.14.6.

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Once you connect your iPhone to the Mac, it should appear in the iTunes Sidebar (green) where you will see music and playlist folders by expanding—Drag n Drop audio in the Sidebar or set iTunes up to sync these automatically. For file transfers other than music, click on the phone icon at the top left (red) in iTunes.

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Now, click on File Sharing to find apps that store their files in the app, in this case, GarageBand. You can now drag files back and forth.

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Some apps store their files in iCloud. Pages is a good example. Files created on your phone should be available by opening the app on your Mac.

Notes creates pages that are contained in the app. These save upon closing the app, whether on your iPhone, Mac or iPad etc. A couple times, I copied and pasted addresses into Notes on my Mac, forgot to close and found they weren't on my phone when I got into the car — oops! Should also be sync'ng your Contacts through iCloud so that, when you update on one machine, everything you own is updated.