iOS vs. Android – Which is better? This is a never-ending debate amongst people of all ages, especially Gen Z, and Gen Y. Today, we will discuss it in detail to enlighten you about the different aspects involved in both the operating systems and devices.

Before we dive into iOS vs Android, it is pertinent to note that both, Android from Google and iOS from Apple, are operating systems upon which their mobile technology is based.

Android is Linux-based and open-source. Its features & interface are customizable and seen as PC-like. On the other hand, iOS’s design elements are uniform and considered user-friendly.

When choosing between the two, you need to be smart and conduct thorough research. Swapping from one device to another will require you to buy/download Apps again from the Google Play or Apple App Store.

According to numbers and stats, Android is the most popularly used smartphone. This platform is used by many manufacturers around the world. iOS is only leveraged by Apple Inc., iPhone, and other Apple devices like iPad.

iOS vs. Android

	Android	iOS
Developer	Various, mostly Google and Open Handset Alliance	Apple Inc.
Initial release	September 23, 2008	July 29, 2007
Latest stable release and Updates	Android 14	iOS and iPad:16.4
Customizability	A lot. Can change almost anything.	Limited unless jailbroken
Source model	Open source	Closed, with open-source components.
File transfer	Easier than iOS. Using USB port and Android File Transfer desktop app. Photos can be transferred via USB without apps.	More difficult. Media files can be transferred using iTunes (Windows and macOS pre-Catalina) desktop app (via Finder in newer version of macOS). Photos can be transferred out via USB without apps.
Widgets	Yes, except on the lock screen	Yes
Internet browsing	Google Chrome (other browsers are available). Any browser app can be set as default. Ad blocking is supported with Firefox	Safari. Any browser app can be set as default, but they all use the same rendering engine (Safari/Webkit) behind the scenes. Ad blocking is supported via content blockers like Firefox Focus, or by jailbreaking.
Web mapping service	Google Maps	Apple Maps (default). Google Maps also available via a separate app download, but not as default.
Available language(s)	100+ languages	40 languages
Video chat	Google Meet and other 3rd party apps	FaceTime (Apple devices only) and other 3rd party apps
Virtual Assistant	Google Assistant	Siri
Available on	Many phones and tablets. Major manufacturers include Samsung, Oppo, OnePlus, Vivo, Honor, and Xiaomi. Android One devices are pure Android. Pixel line of devices is made by Google, using an almost pure version of the Android.	iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV (2nd and 3rd generation)
Calls and messaging	Google Messages. 3rd party apps like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Google Duo, Discord and Skype all work on Android and iOS both.	iMessage, FaceTime (with other Apple devices only). 3rd party apps like Google Hangouts, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Google Duo, Discord, and Skype all work on Android and iOS both.
App store , Affordability and interface	Google Play Store – 2,500,000+ apps. Other app stores like Amazon and Aptoide also distribute Android apps. (“.APKs”). Apps containing virus are occasionally to rare, but existing.	Apple App Store – 1,800,000+ apps. Apps containing viruses are very rare or non-existent.
Alternative app stores and side loading	Several alternative app stores other than the official Google Play Store. (e.g., Aptoide, Galaxy Apps)	Apple blocks 3rd party app stores. The phone needs to be jailbroken if you want to download apps from other stores.
Battery life and management	Many, but not all Android phone manufacturers equip their devices with large batteries with a longer life.	Apple batteries are generally not as big as the largest Android batteries. However, Apple can squeeze decent battery life via hardware/software optimizations.
Open source	Kernel (Based on Linux), UI, and some standard apps	The iOS kernel is not open-source but is based on the open-source Darwin OS.
File manager	Yes. (Stock Android File Manager included on devices running Android 7.1.1)	Files app, limited and less useful (iOS 12).
Photos & Videos backup	Apps available for an automatic backup of photos and videos. Google Photos allows unlimited backup of photos at a compressed quality. OneDrive, Amazon Photos and Dropbox are other alternatives.	Up to 5 GB of photos and videos can be automatically backed up with iCloud, and more paid iCloud storage is available via subscription. All other vendors, like Google, Amazon, Dropbox, Flickr, and Microsoft, have auto-backup apps for both iOS and Android.
Security	Monthly security updates. Android software patches are available soonest to Pixel device users. Manufacturers tend to lag in pushing out these updates. So, most Android devices are running outdated OS software at any given time.	Occasional security updates. Security threats are rare because iOS is locked, and downloading apps from outside the App Store is complicated.
Rooting, bootloaders, and jailbreaking	Access and complete control over your device is available, and you can unlock the bootloader.	Complete control over your device is not available.
Interface	Touch Screen	Touch Screen
Biometric Authentication	Fingerprint and/or Face Authentication. Availability depends on the manufacturer’s hardware.	Fingerprint or Face Authentication. Touch ID is available on iPhone (5s and later) and iPad (Air 2 and later) but not on iPhone X or later. Face ID available on iPhone X and later, replacing Touch ID
OS Family	Linux	OS X, UNIX
Headphone Jack	Some current Android smartphones, and many don’t.	None on iPhone 7 and later, lighting to 3.5mm no longer comes with phone after iPhone XS.

iOS vs. Android- Which is better?

Let’s now discuss iOS vs. Android to give you a clear picture of the differences between the two. After going through the detail, you’ll be better able to choose between the two next time you require a smartphone.

Interface

Both Android and iOS come with touch interfaces with many similarities, like swipe, tap, pinch, and zoom. iOS home screen has rows of app icons whereas Android lets you use widgets that show auto-information. These apps include texting apps, weather, email, etc.

iPhone’s user interface comprises a dock that allows users to pin their most-used apps. Talking about the status bar, both have got it. It is full of quick information like time, Wi-Fi connection, cellular service, and the remaining battery. On Android, you get to see notification reminders of different apps.

Over the years, we’ve seen many phone manufacturers entering the Android phone market and coming up with some customisation over the vanilla Android experience, like HTC Sense or Samsung TouchWiz. Also, whichever manufacturer you choose, some apps come pre-installed on your Android.

User experience

Android handsets usually come with a persistent back button for navigation. It is an acceptable fact that the interface, viewing and feel are different in iOS vs Android. Still, various apps like TikTok, Twitter, YouTube, and WhatsApp look similar on both. Or you won’t feel any difference in these apps even if you switch operating systems/handsets.

iOS exclusive features

iMessage:

One of the most used iOS apps, this app includes both Apple to Apple chat and Apple to other device texts. iMessage is popular as it also allows making & receiving payments through Apple Pay quickly.

AirDrop:

This easy to use feature is based on Bluetooth to send and receive files, images, videos, and links from iPhone to any other Apple device.

Share Wi-Fi passwords:

Wi-Fi password sharing between Apple devices is very easy and straightforward to do. Bring the devices close to each other, and an option will pop up asking whether you need to share the password.

App offloading:

Those apps you don’t use are automatically removed from the device. They are easily re-installed if you want to reuse them. The app data is not lost.

Quick & easy setup of new devices

Switching from an old iOS device to a new one is easy as breeze. They let you import all the essential stuff like data, apps, passwords, and settings quickly and easily.

Android exclusive features

Home Screen Customisations

Android is more control in your hand. It gives you the flexibility of adding widgets and customize the home screen layout. Android also supports other apps taking over home screen management.

File Manager

With Android in your hand, you can choose a file manager and have access to the file system. If you plug your Android smartphone into your laptop/PC, it shows the phone’s file system like another drive. Here, you can easily add or remove files between the PC and phone with drag and drop functionality.

Expandable Storage

Most Android handsets come with storage that can be extended at will. With most phones in the market coming with 64 and 128GB, you also have the option of increasing the memory up to 1TB by adding a microSD card.

Storage enhancement also depends on the capacity of the mobile’s extendable memory. For instance, some Android smartphones only support 1GB microSD card, some support 2GB and some 5Gb or more.

Multiple users and Guest Accounts

Compared to iOS, a single-user OS, Android supports multiple users and a guest account. This functionality comes in handy when you have to share your mobile with kids or a friend who may need it in an emergency.

Split Screen

The split screen feature in Android is available on phones, while you can only benefit from it on iPads; when it comes to iOS.

Software Upgrades

iOS users are always talking about frequent software updates. These updates are typically available for all iOS devices. When Apple releases an update, they also cater to its older models (not all of them). According to them, hardware capabilities restrict some older devices from receiving new features of an upgrade.

On the other hand, although Google releases frequent updates, some people either don’t receive these updates on their smartphones or buy handsets with outdated software. It is the phone manufacturer that decides when to update software.

They decide whether to upgrade the newest Android version for the phones and tablets in their product line. When an upgrade is rolled, it is normally a few months after an Android version gets released.

Speed

Apple manufactures its A-series chips in-house, and the technology used in these chips gives them a lead of two years over the latest Android phones. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon series chips normally power these Android handsets.

As far as the speed is concerned, Apple’s latest iPhone 14 series outscores Samsung Galaxy S22 and Google Pixel 7 Pro in Geekbench 5. Follow these tips and tricks to speed up your Android or iOS.

Apps on iOS vs. Android

If you use an Android smartphone, you download apps from Google Play which hosts over 1 million apps. Most of these apps also run on tablets. Android devices like Kindle Fire have separate app stores having a small collection of apps.

Also, many apps that were iOS-only, in the beginning, can now be downloaded for Android. These include Pinterest, and Instagram. As Google Play for Android is more open, you can get hands on exclusive apps like Adobe Flash Player and BitTorrent.

Moreover, with Android handsets, you can access Google-based apps like Maps, Google Sheets, Photos and YouTube.

Apple’s App Store has over 1 million apps for its users, and 30% of them can be used on the iPad. Most developers like to create games and other apps for iOS before they do it for Android users.

When comparing the App stores of Apple and Android, it is worth noting that the most popular apps are present on both platforms. It’s a bit different for tablets. For iPad, more apps are developed, while Android tabs are almost larger versions of Android smartphones.

App development experts at startups mainly focus on one platform when launching their apps. It is because they don’t have the resources to create software for both the app stores. If it does well, then they do it for multiple platforms. Instagram is the best example of it. It was launched for iOS, and later they developed it for Android.

The ability to run Android applications on Windows PCs is an additional factor. Windows is compatible with Android apps offered through Amazon’s app store. In some situations, this would give Android an advantage for purchased programs you wish to use on your tablet and PC.

Device Selection

Android devices are available at various prices, in many sizes and with hardware capabilities. This gives buyers a wide choice to make their selection based on different things like budget and specs etc. Many Android phones are available under £200, and that too in 2023.

iOS is only available at Apple Inc. Here, if you want a phone, you can get your hands on iPhone, if you like to have a tablet, choose an iPad and if you are looking for an MP3 music player, get an iPod. Apple’s products are generally more expensive than Android products.

Call features

After refusing a call, Android allows the user to auto respond with one of many pre-written texts.

The phone app for iOS provides a variety of features, such as the capacity to set a call back reminder or to reply to a call with a pre-written text message rather than pick up. There is also a Do Not Disturb mode. You can also block calls easily on an iPhone.

Messaging

With Android phone, you can log onto GTalk for instant messages. While with an iPhone, there’s no native way to chat with someone who doesn’t have iOS. Users can communicate with Apple users via iMessage, or with Google via GTalk and Microsoft via Skype.

Video Chat

You can video chat on Android via Google Hangouts with users able to communicate via 4G or Wi-Fi. Facetime, which is available on iOS, can make video calls over both 4G and Wi-Fi. It can, however, only communicate with other Apple devices.

Voice Commands on Android vs. iOS

Siri, a voice-based virtual assistant in iOS can understand and respond to written and spoken prompts. Siri has many features, including updating you with sports scores and team rankings, making restaurant reservations, and finding movie times at the local theatre.

You can also use it to dictate text messages and emails, schedule calendar events, and interact with car audio and navigation systems.

Google Assistant is an alternative to Siri offered by Android. It provides the same functions mentioned above, in addition to the ability to monitor your schedule and offer spoken reminders when it’s time to leave. It enables you to conduct voice searches and perform dictation as well.

Maps

Both iOS and Android users have access to popular navigation apps such as Google Maps, Waze, and Bing. In 2012, Google released a maps app for iOS that outshone the Android version in terms of its user-friendly design, range of features, and ease of use.

However, improvements to the Android version are expected. On the other hand, Apple’s default mapping app that comes pre-installed on iOS devices was heavily criticized when it debuted alongside iOS 6.

Web Browsing

Android’s default web browser is Google Chrome and Safari is iOS’s web browser. Both these browsers are quite popular and possess the same qualities and abilities. Although Safari web browser cannot be used on Android, Google Chrome can be used on Android.

Facebook Integration

Android and iOS both offer seamless integration with Facebook, enabling users to update their statuses, upload pictures, and pull contact data from their Facebook friends across various apps.

Additionally, iOS offers advanced integration with Facebook and Twitter due to its strong integration with core apps on the iOS platform. Users can update their statuses, upload images, and have their Facebook events automatically added to their iOS Calendar.

Mobile payments

Android users have the convenience of making mobile payments using Google Wallet, a payment app that supports contactless payments. This feature is enabled on some Android phones equipped with an NFC chip, which allows for wireless payments by tapping your phone at the checkout counter.

However, not all Android devices or wireless carriers support this feature. To use this service, you’ll need a device with a NFC chip, such as Samsung’s Galaxy S4 and S5, running a version of Android that is newer than 4.4 KitKat.

With these requirements met, you can make mobile payments effortlessly and quickly with your Android phone. Apple’s mobile payment system is known as Apple Pay. Although it came out a bit later than tap-to-pay features on some Android phones, it has an advantage over the competition with its integration with fingerprint identification, making it more user-friendly.

Apple Pay has seen much more use than other mobile payment systems. It has even sparked an interest in mobile payments, leading many Android users to discover the feature on their own phones, resulting in increased use of Google Wallet over NFC.

Additionally, iOS offers Passbook, an app that keeps all your tickets, reward cards, and credit/debit cards in one convenient location. With these features, iOS users can easily manage all their payment and reward information in one place.

Privacy

iOS and Android are vulnerable to privacy leaks in a certain way. When you install an app on any of the two platforms, the developers get to know which other apps are already present in the device.

Simply saying, a food delivery app gets to know that you use a certain match making or any other delivery app. They can collect and transfer this information back to their developer who can then use this info however they want.

Back in 2014, Twitter openly confessed that they stalked the app list on its users phones. Apart from Twitter, many other apps are doing this. This is where iOS stands out Android and other operating systems, as it protects users’ private information.

Before the release of Android Marshmallow in 2015, installing apps on Android devices could be a bit of a gamble. Users were presented with a list of permissions the app would require, but it was an all-or-nothing deal.

You either had to accept all the app’s requests or not install it at all. This feature was often exploited by app developers who requested access to a lot of user information, even if it wasn’t necessary for the app to function correctly.

For instance, Pandora’s mobile app on Android would request permissions for a wide range of things, such as your Google identity, contacts, calendar, photos, media, files, and even your call information.

Building and Publishing Apps for iOS vs. Android

The programming language used to build Android apps are C, C++ and Java. It is an open platform, meaning the Android source code and Android SDK are available for anyone to download for free. Moreover, anyone can develop and distribute Android apps with no charges incurred.

However, the developer or publisher must pay a $25; registration fee to have their app (free or paid) published and publicly available on Google Play. This is a one-time fee, and you don’t need to pay $25 if you develop and publish other apps too.

When someone publishes an app on Google Play, it has to go through a review by Google. The Android SDK – which is a software development kit – is available for all platforms – Mac, PC and Linux.

On the other hand, iOS apps are based on Objective-C. iOS app developers must pay $99 per year to access the iOS SDK and publish software in Apple’s App Store. The iOS is available for the Mac platform.

There are certain app creation platforms like Titanium, Appcelerator and PhoneGap that let you code once and convert it into “native” code for both the platforms in discussion; Android and iOS.

 Conclusion: iOS vs. Android- Which is better?

Let’s now summarise the pros and cons of iOS and Android to understand better which one to go for.

iOS pros and cons

Massive app ecosystem: While popular apps are typically available on both platforms for smartphones and tablets, the former has a clear advantage.

Integration with Facebook and Twitter: Because iOS and these platforms are so tightly connected, using iOS to post updates and share on social networks is simpler than using Android.

The interface is locked down: Home screen modification choices are limited; only rows of app icons are permitted. The wireless provider does not pre-install any apps from third parties. Apps can only be downloaded from the App Store by users.

Software upgrades: All devices with the hardware necessary to run the new software are eligible for software updates from Apple. This implies that software features on devices remain current for at least two to three years.

Better privacy controls: iOS gives users better control over how apps can access their personal data, including contacts and location.

Android pros and cons

Massive hardware selection: The best thing about Android is that the users have the liberty to choose from a range of handsets based on price, hardware capabilities, screen sizes and other specifications.

Highly customisable user experience:

In addition to app icons, the home screen can be personalised with widgets that help the user keep informed or connected. Other examples are apps that imitate vintage gaming consoles, like SwiftKey, which alters the keyboard on your Android smartphone.

The kind of apps that are permitted in Google’s Play store are subject to less limitations than those of Apple. Also, you have the option to download Android applications from sources other than the Google Play store.

When it comes to iOS vs. Android, it is pertinent to note that many people in the recent past have shifted from iOS-based iPhones to Android. As multiple manufacturers are in a race to produce the best android phones and to capture the market, the choice factor does play an important part.

Also, the varying prices play an integral part in Android leading the competition. Last but not the least, the integration of Google’s ecosystem in Android gives it an edge over Apple’s cloud services suite.

So, which phone are you going for next? Do let us know in the comments sections.

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