Android vs iOS: which mobile system should you prefer? (Topic)

This article discusses some of the differences between Android and iOS devices. Disclosed issues such as interface features, regularity of updates, expandable memory, available applications, voice assistants, security and price. The information can help those who want to buy a smartphone on an unfamiliar system, but do not know what difficulties they may face.

Price is far from the only factor that guides buyers when choosing a new smartphone. There are tons of other important things to consider - the size of the device, the battery, the size of the internal disk and, of course, the operating system. It is possible that the smartphone that you want to buy to replace the old one runs on a different operating system. And then you will be faced with the question: is it worth switching from Android to iOS (or vice versa)? Is it difficult? What are the nuances?

Well, let's take a look at the differences between these mobile platforms.

User interface

Disputes over which is better - Android or iOS - have been going on for many years, but there is still no solution. Why? Yes, because this is a purely individual question. No matter how many facts you read in defense of one of the systems, there is always a possibility that in practice it will not suit you with something.

Both mobile platforms have a pleasant, intuitive and customizable interface. But the customization options in Android are slightly more than in the iPhone. Launchers, icons, widgets, lock screens - all this can be installed extremely simply without superuser rights. For drastic changes in iOS, you need to install a jailbreak, however, stock tools also allow you to change the appearance of the system.

Only Apple is involved in the development of iOS and the release of the iPhone, so the same version of the system looks exactly the same on all iPhones.

On Android, the opposite is true. Each manufacturer develops its own shell (the same interface) in which stock Android is clothed, taking into account the characteristics of the device and the wishes of the OEM itself. Devices from the Android One line work on pure android. There are very few of them, and only on them the user interface looks the same. If we compare two devices from different manufacturers, there are a lot of differences - the design of the icons, the type of curtain, settings of the camera and navigation buttons, the order of items in the menu, etc. Each Android is unique in its own way.

System updates

With each update, new functions appear in the smartphone, existing ones are improved, the system receives protection from recently detected threats.

Apple releases a new version of iOS every fall, security patches every few months. As soon as an update is released, it becomes available for all iPhones at once, regardless of the year of release. However, the company recently announced that it would end support for the 32-bit iPhone 5 and iPhone 5c. These models are officially deprecated and will no longer be updated.

Android smartphone manufacturers have a different policy. Usually, a mobile phone receives major system updates within two years from the date of release and another year with security patches from Google. However, in practice, the frequency of updates and the timing of their production strongly depend on the manufacturer itself.

Memory size

If you need a smartphone with a memory card slot, your option is Android. Expansion of memory due to microSD is available on almost all devices, both budget and flagship. And this does not mean that androids have low-capacity disks: the minimum amount of memory is 64 GB, the maximum is 512 GB.

You cannot insert microSD into any iPhone, but the memory in smartphones from Apple is also enough - 64 GB in the basic versions of the latest models. Pay more - get 128, 256 or 512 GB. Versions of iPhones with different amounts of memory are released specifically so that users with different needs can choose the most suitable option. The same can be said about Android smartphones, however.

Applications

Several years ago, the iPhone was the leader in the number of apps available. Many programs first appeared in the AppStore and only then in the Play Market. Now mobile software developers are trying to upload their products to both stores at the same time.

Millions of applications have already been written for each platform. If both paid and free. However, once you purchase an APK for Android, you will not be able to continue using it after switching to iOS. Conversely, iOS subscriptions cannot be ported to Android. Consider this fact if you are going to move from one system to another.

Voice assistants

Siri on iPhone and Google Assistant on Android. Both are able to understand USA speech and are sharpened for executing commands - open an application, set a timer, type a message, order a taxi, etc. You can also chat heart to heart with them, but Siri and Google Assistant are not yet the most humane representatives of the virtual world: many of your jokes , references and hints will not be clear to them.

Security

There are far fewer iOS devices than Android devices, so the attention of hackers is mainly focused on the latter. The green robot is vulnerable to all kinds of ransomware and miners. This fact can be of particular importance when choosing a smartphone if you are going to store important documents, scans, passwords, etc. on it.

Price

Latest iPhone models cost from 60 thousand. The price directly depends on the amount of memory: the more there is, the more expensive the model is. For example, the iPhone XS Max with 512 GB will cost 128 thousand, and its smaller version with 64 GB - “only” 97.

For the same amount, you can buy 3 good androids or 2 coolest flagships. Budget options should only be sought among androids. Want a new iPhone, but cheaper than the store? Welcome to numerous exchange / sale flea markets.

Or you can just wait: both iPhone and Android drop in price several months after release, and then a purchase in a store can be made without much damage to the family budget.

Conclusion

You probably still haven't figured out which is better globally - iOS or Android. However, the article was written not for this, but so that you could decide which operating system is right for you, meets your expectations and is able to perform the tasks that you entrust to it. A smartphone is primarily a tool that you will use on a daily basis, so communication with it should not cause discomfort.

The Topic of Article: Android vs iOS: which mobile system should you prefer?.
Author: Jake Pinkman