If you want to upgrade your smartphone, it’s usually an iPhone-or-Android question. But why just these two? Aren’t there other operating systems you could consider? Well, for the foreseeable future, anyway, no; it really is iOS versus Android. Other operating systems have become insignificant or exited the market altogether. Windows phones and Blackberry are becoming things of the past.
So we’re down to iPhones and Android phones. But which is better? Which has the better operating system, better hardware, better app store, better security, better resale value?
This is a hot topic, even among the experts at WirelessWizard. There are hordes of fans on both sides. Some swear by the stability, security, and ease of use of iOS. Others insist that their Android phones are just as good as iPhones, or even better, and that iPhones benefit from superior marketing.
To help you choose, let’s compare these phones feature by feature.
Operating Systems
iOS is a closed and proprietary system that belongs to Apple. So although it’s feature-rich, stable, and secure, it limits outside interactions. What does this mean if you’re planning to get an iPhone?
For example, you can’t buy Kindle books from the Kindle app on your iOS device. In fact, you can’t purchase them from the Amazon app either. Even if you’re an Amazon Prime member and you want to download a free book—it’s not possible. This is owing to the rules governing Apple’s App Store, which enforces various content restrictions and manual reviews of software submitted to the marketplace, in addition to (and more controversially) taking a 30% cut of revenue from apps sold through the Store. Many companies instead opt not to sell their products via the App store.
Android is a more open system that lets you engage with software outside its walls. Often, you can seamlessly consume content without worrying about compatibility.
iPhone: More Frequent Updates
When it comes to updates, iPhones have a clear advantage. Apple is quick to release updates for their devices, and quick to patch bugs and resolve security risks. Apple also releases updates for all users all at once. This simultaneous release ensures that all iPhones have immediate access to the latest software updates.
Moreover, Apple will keep supporting your phone with updates for several years. You may get the latest update even five or six years after the product has launched. In 2021, the iPhone 6s, which came out in 2015, is still being supported.
In the case of an Android phone, however, what updates you get and how fast you get them depends on your model, the carrier, and the software policy of the manufacturer. Other than Google’s Pixel and phones in the Android One line, brands and models don’t usually get updates very quickly.
Even an Android phone that comes with extended updates will probably stop getting updated if you use the phone for more than three or four years.
Android: More Customization and Personalization
Probably the biggest disadvantage of the iPhone is its lack of flexibility. Most Apple products look the same. Sure, you can change the screensaver and add a widget or two to the home screen. But for the most part, the operating system is invariant.
With an Android phone, though, you can customize your home screen with several application launchers, and select apps yourself instead of relying on the manufacturer’s default options. This means that you can choose your default chat client, web browser, email app, camera app, etc.
Two Android phones can look entirely different from each other. If you wish, you can change the appearance of your Android phone every few months to make it look different and new.
Hardware: Choice versus Polish
The operating system and the apps aren’t the first thing you notice in a smartphone. That would be the hardware: how the phone looks and how it feels to hold it.
iPhone: Limited Choices, Incredible Polish
Almost everyone recognizes an iPhone. Manufactured only by Apple, its design and aesthetic appeal have been consistent and uniform. The company alone decides what hardware and software goes into its phone.
Thanks to legendary designer Jony Ive, iPhones are exceptionally beautiful, one of the biggest reasons people prefer it. The design is sleek and the polish is many levels above that of most Android phones—always excepting expensive models from brands like Samsung and HTC.
Android: More Choices, Not All of Them Great
The wider variety of Android phones is what most clearly differentiates them from iPhones. Android is available on many different models from many different manufacturers. No single company has the exclusive right to use it.
Android phones have many different screen sizes, camera capabilities, battery strength, keyboard specifications, and so forth. You can even get an Android phone with a stylus.
Unfortunately, not all Android phones have the same high quality of hardware or same high level of functionality. Most entry-level or budget phones leave a lot to be desired. To benefit from the kind of sophisticated design and robust features you get from an iPhone, you must buy a high-end phone from Samsung, Google, or HTC.
Apps: Selection versus Control
Whichever operating system you choose, you won’t be just using only the native apps on your phone. You’ll also be using third-party apps for everything from banking to dating to booking flight tickets.
So the selection and quality of these apps matters when you’re deciding whether to go with an iPhone or an Android.
iPhone: Better Quality and Security
There are fewer apps in the Apple App Store than there are in the Google Play store. Apple has 1.96 million apps; Google Play has 2.87 million apps. But apps for iOS are typically better than the equivalent apps for Android. iOS apps are also exceptionally secure and stable, since Apple enforces strict criteria for the apps it accepts.
An app developer need provide only one version of his app for the Apple Store, making it easier to develop an app that is robust and secure. But to satisfy the requirements of different phone manufacturers, a developer must make several versions of an Android app.
This is one big reason that most apps are released on Apple’s app store first. Another big reason is that iOS apps tend to make more money than the Google Play counterpart.
Android: More Choice and More Freedom
Android gives you a bigger choice of apps, and most of these apps are free. This makes Google Play an ideal option if you want to try different apps that perform the same function.
If you need an app that plays both music and movies, Android doesn’t restrict to you to a single app. You can install and uninstall several apps until you find your favourite.
Security and Privacy: No Question about It
Every day, there’s news about some new malware attack. You don’t want your new and expensive smartphone to be compromised by malware. So how do Apple and Android compare when it comes to security and privacy?
iPhone: A Walled Garden
iPhone users appreciate its security. Anyone who migrates from Windows laptops to Apple laptops would also vouch for it. When it comes to security, Apple is the undisputed winner.
What makes this possible is software architecture that prevents any or almost any kind of intrusion. Apple’s software does not allow outsiders to tinker with it. It’s a closed loop, and Apple intends to keep it that way with respect to every product and feature, including the Apple App Store.
Android: Messier But More Open
When anyone can enter your system, that system is much more vulnerable than it is when nobody can. Moreover, different manufacturers have different levels of security. So it’s often easier for hackers to gain access to an Android system. Almost 97 percent of all smartphone viruses and malware are targeted at Android.
This is a pretty sobering statistic when you realize that we are conducting more and more financial transactions through our smartphones every year.
Cost: Is Free Really Free?
Your decision to buy an iPhone or an Android may come down to cost. But cost has to be understood in relation to value. Keep in mind the long-term value of the product.
iPhone: Expensive, but Retains Its Value Longer
iPhones are expensive. The cheapest brand-new model starts at $399 or more. On the other hand, iPhones are sturdy, intuitive, easy to use, and unquestionably more secure.
Plus, if you ever sell your iPhone, it will have more resale value than its Android counterpart. Check any online marketplace for used phones to confirm this fact.
Android: More Value for the Dollar?
If price is your chief concern, you should consider buying an Android phone, since they are usually much cheaper than iPhones. Thanks to the competition among smartphone makers, Android phones are also available in a wider price range than iPhones.
Android phones offer considerable value. If you don’t need to use very many apps, they may be an ideal option.
Intelligent Assistant: No Contest
In a world where devices talk to each other, intelligent assistants are fast becoming a necessity. Even if this feature is a low priority for you, it is worth considering the intelligent assistant services your phone can provide.
iPhone: Siri Lags Behind
This is an area where Apple hasn’t been able to outdo either Google or Amazon. Apple’s Siri still lacks much of the functionality of the other intelligent assistants. Siri can perform only basic tasks, and its voice interface is inferior as well. Siri can answer questions and make a few bad jokes, but that’s about it for now.
However, Google Assistant is also available on iPhones.
Android: Google Assistant Can’t Be Beat
Google Assistant is miles ahead of Siri because it gathers information about all of your actions throughout the Google ecosystem. Google Assistant can tell you whether the traffic is slower than usual on your normal route, remind you of your meetings, and ask you to leave an event early in light of other information it has about your schedule.
If the artificial intelligence in your phone is of paramount importance to you, you should probably go with Android.
Conclusion
When choosing between iPhone and Android, consider your specific needs, current usage patterns, and the other devices and operating systems you regularly use.
If you’re looking for a rich ecosystem of reliable apps, an easy-to-use interface, strong security, and seamless integration with other Apple products, iPhone is probably your best bet—despite the price tag.
But if you don’t care how sleek your phone looks and you want more flexibility with respect to apps, Android may be the better choice. Android phones are also cheaper; if you can find the right brand and model, an Android phone will be valuable for a long time.
