Android OS, belonging to Google, is Linux-based and is partly an open source. Originally developed by Android Inc., the company was later acquired by Google in 2005. iOS is Apple's mobile operating system. Android no doubts dominants the market with a whopping 87% while iOS comes at a second at 12%. But iPhone is still the best.
I'll explain some reasons the iPhone is superior to Android with a 2018 iPhone Vs Android comparison that includes the newest iPhones and Android devices with Android 8.0 and iOS 11.
Now we have the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 plus that add in wireless charging and upgraded cameras and the OLED iPhone X with face ID adding to the reasons the iPhone is better than Android.
iPhone competition includes the Samsung Galaxy S8+, the Note 8, the LG G6 and other phones that deliver a challenge for Apple. But the iPhone still clearly surpasses Android and iOS 11 is better than Android 8.0.
These are my reasons:
I. iPhone Apps Are First and Better Looking
Most of the popular apps are on both platforms, but many top apps and games still come to iPhone first. When apps are available on iPhone and Android we often see a better design on the iPhone version than on the Android. This is something that still rings true in 2017. For example, we still see some new Snapchat features and Spotify features come to iPhone before getting to Android. We even saw this happen with better features for the Snapchat app on the iPhone X due to better face tracking.
Apps are an area where the gap is closing, but the differences still exist and are noticeable. Also Apple take better care of App Store. Recently they purged 47,300 apps from the store that were simply bad or abandoned.
II. Fast iPhone Updates for All
iPhone users enjoy quick and regular iOS updates for their iPhone no matter what carrier they used. Android updates take months to arrive on all the devices. After an Android device is 18 months old, you may need to wait for a new Android smartphone to get the latest software.
Apple delivers iPhone updates to devices that are three years old. Apple offers iPhone 4s iOS 9 support. You can not see support for an Android phone that old. Also iOS 10 is available for the iPhone 5 and iOS 11 is available for the iPhone 5s.
On top of the added update support, Apple does not allow carriers to hold up the updates. As soon as the update is available from Apple it is available on every carrier.
III. Works Great With All Your Devices.
If you own an iPhone, iPad and Mac your information flows smoothly from one device to the other. You can also sync photos to all of your devices, answer a call on your iPad or Mac and send text messages from your other devices. There is also support for what is call "Handoff" that allows you to start a task on your iPhone and continue on your iPad or Mac. Overall the connectivity between these devices is something Android doesn't yet match without relying on a collection of third - party applications and services to hodgepodge together a similar feature.
IV. No Carrier Bundled Apps
There are no extra carrier apps installed on the iPhone when you buy it. On many Android phones, there are dozen carrier branded apps, and there might be another dozen apps that you will never use but that someone paid the carrier to install. Many times you cannot uninstall these extra apps, only disable them. This means they still exist on your phone and take up space.
Apple is not perfect when it comes to pre-installing apps, like the Apple Watch and Apple News app, but the iPhone app experience out of the box is more of a blank slate. With iOS 10 you can at least remove the user data portion and hide Apple apps
V. Apple Care plus iPhone Warranty
Apple offers an iPhone warranty for $99 to $130 that extends manufacturer's warranty to two years, adds two years of accidental damage coverage and support by phone or in store. This is called 'AppleCare+' and it is a service that you need to buy, but it is something that most Android phones do not come with.
HTC offers a free one year UhOh protection that covers cracked screen, water damage or carrier switch. Samsung offers a Galaxy warranty program for the Galaxy S5, S6, S7, Galaxy S7 Edge, S8, S8+, Note 4, Note 5 and Galaxy Note 8 for $99 and $130 depending on the phone. This offers similar features to AppleCare+, but it cannot be taken to the store for a replacement.
VI. Consistency
iPhone is consistent while Android is not, I mean Android is just all over the place. By controlling the number of different phones it releases, Apple creates a consistent designs, with consistent operating principles and consistent performance (mostly). Android phones are so different from each other that Google has now, lamentably late, begun to advertise Android by saying: "Be Together, Not The Same." However, there is no real togetherness among Android phones. There are just too many of them and they are all of such differing quality.
VII. iPhone Is More Secure
The recent battle between Apple and the FBI shows that Apple believes in privacy and security are the fundamental to the Apple brand. Apple is increasing the dept of its encryption. Android is behind on this. We have all become so lax about our security, as we desperately click "I agree" on things we shouldn't really agree to, that we just hope for the best if we think about it at all. Perhaps we still don't care enough. But with ever more personal information on our phones than ever, Apple is showing that security matters.
VIII. Ease Of Use
The beauty of Apple design is that you can pickup any of its products and teach yourself how to use it, without thinking much. Human love not to think much. The iPhone is intuitive, it is simple and the design is so tasteful that it sucks you in. An Android phone, on the other hand, is too often like a PC. You have to learn how the designer was thinking, as opposed to the designer learning how you think.
IX. Better Control of Notifications.
The iPhone still does a better job of managing notifications. Android makes it easier to clear out your notifications, but we still prefer Apple's separation of notifications, options and what's happening now to what Google and Samsung offer. With the iPhone, you can see a short summary of what's happening today and then tap into notifications.
X. Resale Value: iPhone keeps it worth
When you sell your one - year - old or two - year - old Android smartphone, you will often get much less than you paid. But when you sell an older iPhone, it is easy to find offers of almost double the value of an Android phone that came out at the same time. This means an iPhone holds its value better than an Android phone. For example, an entry level Galaxy S6 from 2015 is worth $99 in flawless condition on Gazelle. While an iPhone 6s will worth $135 in same flawless condition.
These advances, paired with Apple's sprawling ecosystem, are why people continue to buy Apple smart - phones. While Android makers excel at introducing new and compelling features, they're often a fraction as good as what Apple ultimately delivers to the market.
Buy Quality! Buy the Best! Buy iPhone!
For observations and contributions, please drop your comments below.
Photo credit: Google