The two biggest giants when it comes to the world of smartphones are Android and iOS. Most of the worlds smartphone users and the best mobile brands use either of the two operating systems for their devices.
Yes, even Windows and Linux are quite nice, but when it comes to the biggest competitors, the first two take away the larger hares. But the fundamental question that we keep asking ourselves time and again is which mobile OS is best?
Honestly speaking, the debate of Android vs iOS is a never-ending one. Those who are loyal iPhone users will always talk about the surreal features their iPhones have. On the other hand, those who have been using Android for ages will stick to it in the debate. It is only a full comparison that can tell us which of the two is really better in the respective aspects.
Here is a comparison of Android vs iOS to find out which mobile OS is the best.
User Interface and Experience
The first criterion where the iOS scores higher than Android has to be the user interface and experience. Android phones are too complicated for persons lacking in dexterity with multiple menus to tackle. Even for changing a simple setting as wake time of your phone, you have to search across different apps, then menus, then sub-menus and finally the option. This is a major cause of why the older generation finds it difficult to navigate through an Android phone.
With iOS, this is not a concern. The interface, usability and ease of operating the phone become easier with iOS. The settings and appearance of the settings are consistent across devices, unlike Android phones which might sometimes vary due to different mobile brands. It is easier to search in the iPhone compared to Android, despite the latter being powered by Google. The appearance on an iOS device is much more refined, well-organized and consistent.
The number of widgets offered by iOS is higher and the extent of customization of icons is greater. However, with several themes available in Android phones, it is possible to customize the entire look of your phone to a greater extent with Android than iOS.
Variety in terms of choosing the device
Undoubtedly, Android provides customers with a lot of options at the time of purchasing a smartphone. You have some of the best mobile brands available with an Android OS. Samsung, Redmi, Realme, Oppo, Vivo and so on are some of the best mobile brands globally. And all of these supports the Android Operating System. It is also interesting to note that Android is open-sourced. This means that any smartphone brand can use it to develop their devices.
On the other hand, iOS is a close-sourced operating system. You have a lot of constraints as far as the device is concerned when it comes to using iOS. All you can purchase are iPhones handsets. This means less variety, waiting for new models by Apple to come up, and in case they dont satisfy you or fit your budget, staying content with your old lot.
We cannot deny that iPhones cost much more than Android phones for this simple reason of exclusiveness. You can purchase an Android phone from the market for as low as a hundred dollars. However, iPhones have come to be associated with the upper class. The cheapest iPhone you can buy begins at about four hundred dollars! This also means that the range of features that Android smartphones can provide in terms of hardware might not be present in iPhones.
Compare the hundreds of brands functioning on Android. Can iPhone match up to the varied features of all these different brands? Certainly not.
Tech Support
Android has been quick in updating itself with the latest technologies compared to iOS. It has beat iOS first in terms of 4G and then in terms of 5G network connectivity. Besides, because of it being open-sourced, Android sees more participants and hence more advancements. Android phones come in foldable forms as well and technology to support the creation of such a screen is already in place, unlike iPhones.
Yet, we can say that iOS generally prefers waiting around for a technology to come across as reliable and fool proof. Compared to iPhones, many Android phones have been in news for technological mishaps and accidents. So, on the one hand, if Android scores are higher on the rapidity of technological advancement, iOS beats it in terms of filtering tested and superior technology only. The choice is yours to make.
Security and Privacy
Again, this is one area where iOS manages to beat Android. The reason is simple. iOS is close-sourced while Android is not. This makes the latter more prone to malware attacks and cyber-security threats. If you are an Android user, news such as Google removed so-and-so apps from its Play Store for security issues must be a common update you see. The same is not true for iPhones.
Though we cannot say that iPhones are completely safe against any kind of security threats, the issue is more prevalent in Android phones. Even the best mobile brands and the biggest online giant Google have not been able to prevent such security breaches in the past. Google has also been in news for quite some time over its privacy policy, hasnt it?
Compatibility with other devices
iPhones have always been known for their seamless integration with Macs. However, the recent versions of Android phones come with the same feature. This is what makes them score higher in this category, for the sheer diversity in the best mobile brands and laptops/computers in the market.
Not just this, the device ecosystem extends up to Bluetooth speakers (which is not even a thing in the world of iPhones), Google Assistant speakers and smart TV sets. However, the Apple family is stronger here. The range of devices supported by iOS ranges from laptops, computers, Apple TV, Apple Watch, iPads, smart speakers and so on.
Accessibility
When it comes to accessibility, operating systems and the best mobile brands have come a long way. Both the Android and iOS devices have worked hard to make their devices suited for people with disabilities.
Apples features include a Sound Recognition feature, VoicOver screen reader system, Back Tap, zoom dictation, Pointer Control, Voice Control and so on. Android too has interesting features up its sleeve. These include TalkBack, Voice Access, Lookout and external switches like Tecla, RJ Cooper and Enabling Devices.
Conclusion
Choosing the best mobile brands and the better operating system can be a tough task if we sit down to comparing both. Yet, we have tried to enlist for you some major points where Android scores higher and some others where iOS does. At the same time, there are points where it is difficult to make one decision exclusively. The long list of features each operating system makes both worthy of trying.
However, if you have been loyally using one operating system for a long time now, you might feel the other falls short of some major features you feel addicted to. Yet, depending on your budget, your eagerness for a new experience or simply for the sake of interest, you can try the other OS and you won’t be disappointed.