Articles with headlines along the lines of Android versus iPhone are among the top topics of tech enthusiast writers and analysts. The first iPhone was unveiled on Jan 9, 2007, while the first Android was unveiled on September 23, 2008. Just Google ‘Android vs iPhone’ and you’ll discover tens of thousands of such articles.
Nonetheless, we are now in April 2024, and you can only imagine the number of times Google and Apple have tried to outdo each other. It’s almost certain that at one point over the years, Android outperformed the iPhone, and at other times, the reverse was true.
So, at this point in time, Android v/s iPhone, which carries the day?
This article will explore which of the two mobile platforms currently has the most benefits. Bear in mind, the views below are quite subjective and limited to my interaction with both platforms. Another person might have a contrary opinion based on their own preferences, tastes, and needs. Without much further ado, let’s dig into it.
Customization – Android Wins
When you look at two people using the same phone make and model that are running the same Android version. You can almost certainly see the difference between the two phones in a lot of aspects; whether it’s the theme, the GUI, and just about every other customization option.
Now find two people using the same iPhone, make and model running the same iOS. The two iPhone are closely identical in a lot of aspects. That is because iOS has a more strict restriction when it comes to user customization.
On the other hand, Android has a lot of room for users to customize their device.
Google Apps run the World
There’s a funny saying among tech bros that goes, “you might be using an iPhone, but you’re running Google apps.” Think about the top apps most people use for their daily life activities. Top of the list include, Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive, Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Contacts.
You cannot deny Google Apps are quite useful for a number of activities in our daily lives.
Deeper App Control on the Android Ecosystem
Compared to Apple, which can be described as a dictator, Google is more democratic and liberal. Understandably, this is a double-edged sword. The dictatorial tendencies of Apple mean it has an iron-fist grip on the iOS ecosystem. Hence, the platform is more secure.
On the other hand, Google is more democratic and has less choke-hold of the Android ecosystem. On the flip-side, the Android ecosystem tends to be more vulnerable compared to the iOS ecosystem.
On the positive side of things, developers tend to have more control of the Android ecosystem than they do on the iOS platform. That means, third-party apps on Android can run more powerfully on the hardware compared to third-party apps running on iOS.
Apps on Android are more Intuitive
Android comes standard with the universal back gesture, one tap, and you are back to the previous screen. Although this feature can be customized and be done away with, it is there on default. However, on iOS it not available by default, and navigating back to the previous screen – for instance – is not that intuitive on iPhone compared to Android phones.
Conclusion
In retrospect, if you have used either of the platforms exclusively, you might be biased in favor of one platform over the other. Then again, it boils down to use preference, tastes, and needs.
