iOS vs ANDROID

Published in

The Startup

7 min readMay 22, 2020

From A Perspective Who Has Used Both

MARKET SHARE

It is not a secret that Android has a large market share worldwide out of the two because the iOS platform can only be used by Apple themselves which ultimately reduces their market share whereas, on the other hand, Android is free to use OS. Any manufacturer who is making a smartphone is forced to use Android because of the fact that Apple has made its OS proprietary.

2019 worldwide stats:- Android- 74.45%, iOS- 22.85%, others- 2.7%

2019 India stats:- Android- 94.44%, iOS- 2.61% , others- 2.95%

2019 USA stats:- Android- 42.43%, iOS- 57.22%, others- 0.35%

CAMERA-IN COMPARISON

Undoubtedly the heavyweights of this category are Google Pixel and iPhone. Photos captured from Pixel’s camera has more exposure while maintaining a depth of field and is more vivid in colors as compared to the iPhone. The photos look sharp and on par with the color accuracy. Whereas photos taken from an iPhone are super-rich in contrast but not up to the mark like the ones from Pixel.

iPhone Primary: 12MP (f/1.8, 1.22-micron) + 12MP (f/2.4, 1.0-micron)

iPhone Secondary: 12Mp (f/2.2, 1.02-micron)

Pixel Primary: 16MP (f/2.4, 1.0-micron) + 12.2MP (f/1.7, 1.4-micron)

Pixel Secondary: 8MP (f/2.0, 1.22-micron)

VIDEOGRAPHY

Taking about the other aspect of a camera which is the video taking capability. The iPhone wins this segment clearly with flying colors. The YouTuber MKBHD states “iPhone has the best video camera in any smartphone period”. It is usually said if you have an iPhone you don’t need to buy an expensive high-end camera for recording stuff unless you want to do it professionally. iPhone’s camera has a good depth of field which allows it to focus more correctly with quick accuracy. It can easily distinguish between the foreground and background. Its only downside is the slo-mo which looks as if the camera is broken and is unable to function properly.

iPhone primary: 4k@24/30/60fps

iPhone secondary: 4k@24/30/60fps

Pixel primary: 4k@30fps

Pixel secondary: 1080p@30fps

SECURITY

Securing the phone is one of the primary reasons to obtain consumer satisfaction and trust. The user feels free to use a brand whose security is nothing but the best. This is the reason why the blackberry brand was at its peak before the iPhone and android era. Blackberry provided unmatched security in the industry which included its BB Messenger among other features.

Coming to the topic of security, it is provided by both of them to a good considerable extent. But the industry-leading security king is the iPhone which has unparalleled protection which the android would never be able to match in the near future for reasons.

Android is not proprietary, anyone with a manufacturing plant and good designed product can get their hands on the android and sell it to the market whereas iOS is full and completely proprietary and can be used by Apple only. Unlike Apple, the mammoth Google likes to get their services on every manufacturer that is unable to make their own OS.

Credit: The Infographics Show

Here’s a video that’ll help you make a better choice as to which OS is perfect for you:

WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER

1. APP STORE

Taking about stores (play store in case of Android), it is basically the area where you can give your smartphone some more useful functionality than the basic functions that your smartphone company has provided you with.

It is true that the play store has more users than the app store but on the other hand, the app store provides developers with more functions to work with.

2. EASE OF USE

Both iPhone and Android devices are relatively easy to use nowadays with their never-ending software updates. Earlier versions needed some getting used which required some knowledge of the system to use the device effortlessly.

Android was initially built keeping the system in mind not the user whereas iOS is built for ease of use from the ground up.

3. GETTING UPDATES

keeping up to date with the latest software experience while maintaining top-notch security is the basic purpose of getting regular updates. Android is unable to match iOS in this category due to the sheer scale of different and distinct manufacturers using android.

Apple on the side is the only manufacturer that uses iOS. As a result of that, they are able to provide updates on a regular basis.

4. AFFORDABILITY

It is not shy of anyone that Apple is breaking new grounds on prices that is general public can’t afford. They were the very 1st manufacturer to ask $1000 for a smartphone. Seeing the trend other manufacturers soon followed and started to ask for even more. Prices went the range of $1300 which is just jaw-dropping for a smartphone.

On the other range of the spectrum, Android has a very wide range of prices to choose to range from $200 to $1200. The average price of an Android device worldwide is $269 and the average price in India is just $170. Image these people affording a $1000 iPhone.

5. VOICE ASSISTANT

iOS has Siri whereas Android has Google Assistant working for people as their personal assistant. If you ever have used them you can clearly identify who is more clever and why.

Google is basically a software company that focuses their minds more on AI and Machine Learning rather than caring about the hardware aspect of things. Apple thinks of themselves as more of a luxury company providing their products in the technology industry. They would rather focus their time on the aesthetic of a product and ways to perfect it than thinking about Siri.

6. CUSTOMIZABILITY

Being customizable is the key factor in enhancing the user experience. Users in today’s time are more educated than ever before and also they are able to take care of their phone properly, they know exactly what each function of their phone does. Hence, an OS that is easily customizable is the key factor that leads to its survival in the competitive market.

The generation that 1st got their hands on a smartphone was not deeply interested in the workings and functionality of a smartphone that is the reason earlier versions of the OS were not that great and were not customizable enough.

7. MAPS

Maps are designed to take you places. They are specifically designed to keep you updated with the route while you never have to take your eyes off the road.

Google maps are very intuitive in the way that they show traffic and a new feature has been added where you can mark an accident or mark some obstacle ahead to alert other drivers in advance. Apple maps lag behind in some areas but it not too behind its counterpart.

8. DESIGN AESTHETICS

The design aesthetic is all about the look and how the device feels in hand, to what degree it is aesthetically correct? As stated earlier Andriod devices are made by a no. of manufacturers whereas iOS devices are only made by Apple. These Android devices have to meet a no. of standards in the specific budget which makes them less of a desirable product.

This is somewhat of a limiting factor that prevents some Android devices from entering into the premium segment along with the iPhone.

9. RESALE VALUE

Resale value or buyback value relates to its manufacturing process as well as the type of condition in which the devices were built. iPhones are built from the ground up to last an eternity, on the other hand, Android devices need upgrading every one and a half years.

Many companies assign 3rd parties to develop and built their phones. iPhones are made by Foxconn which has a long and proud history in manufacturing devices. Earlier versions of Nexus devices were made by a no. of companies but the later versions were made by hTC.

10. BRAND LOYALTY

Overall the likely scenario that the customer is going to return to the same brand while purchasing or upgrading their smartphone to the latest one is in high terms with Apple.

Android users tend to shift from one company to another, wherever they find better features they don't give a second look before investing in that brand. Apple increases their loyalty by locking people into their ecosystem which the users can’t get out of even if they want to.

Overall Score (Android/iOS): 6/4

SIMILARITIES THEY POSSES

Both of them have similar basic functionalities like messaging, email, status bar, app store, etc.
Both are trying to push the envelope of bezel-less design to the extreme, achieving the perfect screen-to-body ratio.
Both are trying to excuse as much money as possible from people’s pockets, these days you can easily find yourself paying $1000 for a smartphone
Both provide some necessary apps on which lives depend. Like Maps, email, fitness app, etc
Both are trying to achieve excellence in the field of performance while maintaining a perfect balance of battery life and user experience.