The two major operating systems that dominate most of the smart phones across the world are Android and iOS. These are two of the most effective and major operating systems that power more than 90% of the smart phones globally. Both operating systems have quite a few similarities and some stark differences. In general both the operating systems deliver the necessary framework for applications to be useful and engaging with the end user. Eventually the user decides what sort of operating system he or she prefers based on features, functionalities, characteristics, interface, security and updates. Let us have a look at some of the key differences as well as features.
Documenting the different aspects of Android and iOS
Price: The iPhone that basically runs on iOS is the high or premium end of the market. The latest iPhone named iPhone X pushed the boat in terms of pricing. While in comparison the Android phones are available in a wide range of different price brackets and categories. You also get customized versions of android operating system experience on different phones. The iOS on the other hand has a universal interface and functionalities for the Apple phones. The range of handsets available when it comes to Android operating system is huge as there are a large number of manufacturers as well as companies that produce Android phones whereas in contrast only Apple phones run iOS operating system. Another important thing to note here is that you have a larger collection of free apps as well as more publishers on Android than you have on iOS. Thus you can access more apps in various different categories that provide multiple functionalities with Android as opposed to iOS.
In terms of specific number of apps, there are approximately 2.7 million Android apps as opposed to 2.2 million iOS apps. Though most of the apps are available on both the platforms, conventionally Apple has been a more lucrative platform for the developers thus you are likely to see newer apps on iOS first then Android. However in the recent times, with the gradual increase in the number of Android devices and its increasing stake in the smart phone market, a lot of the developers are focusing their energies on Android, especially outside US. The Google Play store has the most number of free apps, however some of the best mobile apps or games might be exclusive to iOS. It eventually boils down to the choice of the consumer as most of the fundamental and major apps are available on both the platforms or operating systems.
When it comes to the interface of the app store, both the operating systems have their own advantages as well as disadvantages, It is quite a task to organize millions of apps together with the right algorithm and place it in sequence so that it is easy for the end users to navigate effectively. Here both the operating systems, Android as well as iOS, suffer a bit since neither are perfect but both the operating systems interface does the job effectively. The Play store search filter is better with Android and it also allows you to queue as well as install apps from the web browser on the PC. However It can be argued that iOS provides better recommendations and a slightly better interface but eventually there’s not a huge difference between those two. Both platform’s stores have some dodgy apps that could be potentially harmful however Apple has a stricter policy when it comes to curating and filtering apps. This is a good thing in terms of the quality of the apps however it can be a disadvantage if you for the classic consoles of game emulators.
Third-party apps: Android provides its users with the choice of apps other than the ones available on the Play store. This means that Android users can download APKs for different apps from the third party sources. A lot of adult specific apps like Fuckbuddy Hookups and other adult dating apps are only available via this path. It is important to note that if the users choose to download apps from third party then they might be potentially exposed to risks in the form of malware. Apple on the other hand doesn’t allow third party apps on its platform. So as a user if you want different options then Android should be your preferred choice of platform.
Maps: The Android as well as iOS have their own version of the navigation software in the form of Google Maps and Apple maps respectively. To begin with the Apple maps was not as effective and had many issues however it has improved significantly over a period of time. Most of the features on both the maps are similar however Google maps offers an additional feature of cycling direction. Also overall the Google maps is by far the best navigating software and it is important to note that the Google maps is also available on iOS.