The chances of buying a brand new smartphone that runs either Apple iOS mobile or Google Android are high. More than 99 per cent of new smartphones have been shipped since last year. That number increased to 99.7 in 2017.
Both operating systems for smartphones are outstanding and fantastic. There are more similarities between them than differences, but you should also be aware of some important differences. Android and iOS are compared under different categories to determine the winners. It is ultimately up to you which platform you choose. Select the criteria that are most important for you.
Apple has always had the highest prices on the market. With a price tag of $1,000, the iPhone X is a game changer. iPhone 8 Plus starts at $800, and iPhone 8 at $700. You can choose the iPhone 6S, which is two years old and costs $450. Or you can opt for the iPhone SE, which costs $350. This is the cheapest you can get unless it’s a second-hand model.
Android is the most diverse operating system. If you’re willing to spend, then the Pixel 2 phones from Google or Samsung are priced at Apple’s iPhone level. But there’s a huge selection of cheap handsets, too, made by a variety of manufacturers. And Android is optimized to run on low end hardware. Android is the best choice for budget-conscious users because it has the most free apps. Andriod has the best price-to-quality ratio.
Let’s start by looking at some numbers. This is the number of apps that you can find on the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.
Android apps: 2.8 million
iOS Apps: 2.2 Million
Although numbers can be a good indicator, most people only use the popular apps that are on both platforms. iOS is traditionally the platform of choice for developers. As a result, new apps are often developed for iOS. However, as Android’s growth continues, this has changed. iOS still dominates the United States, but Android is gaining ground elsewhere. Play Store continues to have a greater percentage of apps that are free than App Store. In the end, quality wins over quantity. This is why iOS has a slight edge.
Battery life should be taken into account as it is one of smartphone owners’ biggest complaints. The hardware is not the same on both sides, making it difficult to compare. iOS is designed to maximize battery consumption per mAh. You can, however, buy a device with an Android battery that easily outlasts the iPhone.
Both platforms let you see how much power you’ve used, by app. But only Android can estimate the remaining battery life. Android has a more customizable power-saving mode, which limits performance, connectivity, or other battery-sucking features. Android wins this category, although it is not a clear-cut decision. When comparing iPhones and Android phones of similar price, Androids have longer batteries.
Android has always had a strong themeing feature. You can easily customize your phone’s appearance, including adding shortcuts and gadgets. Launchers allow you to change the look of your user interface. iOS allows you to change the background and widgets but there are limitations. Android, however, allows third-party software as defaults. Android is a great platform if you want to customize your homescreen.
You can root your Android device and gain access to new apps, OS updates, software skins and more. It also allows you to remove bloatware that comes from manufacturers and carriers, as well as tweaks for your device’s battery and speed. Apple does not allow this type of activity. iOS users can jailbreak their devices to allow them to install and download apps outside the AppStore and bypass other restrictions. Android wins this round.
ConclusionAs you can see, each person will have different priorities, so it is important that you pay attention to those divisions that matter to you. Then, you can make a decision. Android is the obvious choice if charging and battery life are crucial factors. Android and iOS both have a lot of features, but they are very similar. Any platform would be recommended.
