The holy war between people who use Android and those who use iOS is one that really should have gone away by now, but all you have to do is browse any public smartphone forum to realize people really do still get their knickers in a twist about which platform they believe is the best.
To prove the point that both Android and iOS have their positives and negatives we thought that we would put together a list of twelve – 12 – things that make iOS better than Android and in the interest of fairness, we’ve done the same to show why Android is better than iOS.
We’re sure plenty of people will disagree with a few of these but that’s what makes the internet so great.
So, let’s get started.
iOS
Faster OS Updates
Without the need to get updates OK’d by hardware makers who then slap their own cruft over the tap, Apple just pushes an update and watches as millions upon millions of people install it as soon as it is released for all supported devices. No waiting.
Better Quality Apps
That’s always going to be debatable, but the overall quality of iOS apps – compared to their Android counterparts – has always remained superior in terms of fluidity, performance and overall polish.
Longer OS Support
This one’s a winner when compared to Android; Apple keeps on supporting its older hardware for an extended period of time, keeping things fresh for those who can’t afford to upgrade to the latest and greatest.
Best Apps First
Developers tend to go for iOS first before pushing their apps out on Android – in short: iOS gets the best apps first, followed by Android.
Apple’s Ecosystem
When you look at iOS you have to take into account iTunes, the App Store, the iTunes Store and all of the other parts of Apple’s ecosystem like OS X, Apple TV, Watch OS, iCloud etc that amount to more than the sum of their parts.
User Friendly
Apple’s iOS may be getting less user friendly with every update, but when compared to Android it’s a piece of cake to use, even for novices.
Apple Pay
Paying for things with your iPhone, or even your Apple Watch, never gets old. Apple Pay is fast becoming the most popular and the most used mobile payment option out there.
Customer Support
With over 400 Apple Stores around the world, the Cupertino giant provides customer support for iOS devices like no other. Have a broken device and need a replacement? No problem. Want to set up email on your new device? Consider it done. And AppleCare is second to none. End of conversation.
Family Sharing
Being able to have everyone in one family use the same credit card and effectively share a bucket of apps is great, especially when you throw in the parental controls that come with it.
More Secure
Yeah, iOS has had its moments but you don’t see anywhere near the number of security scares on iOS that you do on Android.
Continuity / Handoff
You can start a task on one device and pick up where you left off on another. And oh, you can even make or receive phone calls from your iPad or Mac too. What’s up, Android?
iMessage
A messaging platform unlike any other, iMessage is by far the most seamless IM/SMS experience out there. Period.
Android
Open Source
Well, to a point at least. It’s certainly more open than iOS, that’s for sure, leaving it more accessible for changes by its users.
Customization
One of Android’s biggest strengths is the lengths that people can go to when customizing how it works, and how it looks. Users have the option to use custom skins and themes to the nth degree.
Hardware Choice
Want Android on a high-end smartphone? No problem. A low-end phone that costs next to nothing? You got it.
File System
Access to your files like a grown up. That should not be undersold and Android wins here over iOS by a huge margin.
Multi User Accounts
If you’ve ever tried to manage how a child uses your iPad or iPhone, then you’ll know why user accounts are so important.
Expandable Storage Support
You’ll never run out of space to keep your videos on. Well, almost never. Most Android manufacturers support this feature.
Removable Battery
Running low on juice on that business trip? No problem, just swap out the battery. Just like expandable storage, this feature is supported by most Android device manufacturers.
Infrared Support
Because who doesn’t want to change the channel on their TV using their smartphone? Exactly.
Custom ROMs
You can spend hours fiddling with Android, flashing ROM after ROM. Just be careful because once you pop, you just can’t stop.
Overclocking
Perfect for squeezing that little bit of extra performance out of that already-powerful CPU.
Download Files Via Browser
This one’s our personal favorite; you can download any file right from the Web browser on Android – be that a song, a video or a plain old document.
Fast Charging
A feature supported by most Android devices these days, you can get hours of battery life by just charging your gadget for a few minutes.
There are plenty more reasons on both sides of the fence, but these are a good start as far as we’re concerned. We’re big fans of both Android and iOS though, so let’s all be adults and just get along. OK?
OK.
You may also like to check out:
You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the web.
