Are you planning to buy a smartphone and wondering which, between iOS and Android, is a better Operating System? Look no further. In this post, we look at some of the areas where Android is more user-friendly than the iPhone.
Read: 6 factors to consider when buying a smartphone
While there are things that are exclusive to iPhone and iOS, there are features that you can only find or are better on Android. Below are 10 ways Android is better than an iPhone.
1. Customization
Android is arguably the most versatile mobile Operating System in the market today. You can personalize an Android phone in ways you can’t an iPhone. For instance, you can change your Android phone launcher (how your desktop looks and feel).
You don’t even have to own a Google Pixel phone to use a Google Pixel Launcher. You simply download and apply your favorite launcher from Play Store.
In addition, you can root your phone. This gives you a deeper level of customization like installing alternative firmware (open source). With a rooted phone, you can install updates when they become available (no waiting) and remove bloatware. You can even overclock/underclock your phone for better gaming experience or longer battery life respectively.
Read: What is Root?
The point is, you can’t enjoy this level of control with an iPhone. Even a jailbroken iPhone is no match when it comes to customization.
2. Android has a Free Market
Android allows you to sideload apps. In other words, you can bypass the Google Play Store and download your apps from other sources. Is that even possible on an iPhone without jailbreaking the phone first?
Once you allow installation from other sources, you’ can download and install your favorite apk including other App stores. And you don’t have to root your phone to enjoy all the freedom.
3. Seamless interaction with PC
Unlike iPhone that needs iTunes to communicate with a PC/Mac, Android acts like any other USB drive. You can access both the onboard and external memory of your phone by simply connecting to your computer via a USB cable.
Read: How to connect iPhone to a laptop
You can then move files to and from the Android phone even through drag and drop. Conversely, you need to install iTunes to move photos from your laptop to the phone. iOS only allows you to move pictures from it to the computer because your computer sees the iPhone as a Read Only Camera.
4. Infinite Hardware Choice
Unlike iOS, Android is open source the software can be found in millions of different hardware. This means serious competition. As the competition becomes even stiffer, the Android phone manufacturers are under pressure to continuously innovate.
Thanks to innovation, you get superior displays, stereo speakers and other amazing features. With an iPhone, you are stuck with the one you have until the next release. Very limited options to upgrade if any.
5. Affordable Pricing
The budget iPhone goes for $700 or more while you can get the latest flagship Android phone for $350 or less.
Simply put, iOS is for those who want to pay more for less while Android is for those who want to pay less for more. While there is an android phone for everyone, iPhone is beyond the reach of millions of people.
You now know why both Samsung and Huawei have overtaken iPhone as the largest phone manufacturers by market share.
6. Enhanced Multitasking
Android lets you split your screen into two so that that you can watch a YouTube tutorial as you type on the notepad. If you are a power-user, multitasking capabilities especially the split screen can really come in handy.
Read: Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus Review and where to buy
On the other hand, even iPhone 10s doesn’t support split screen.
7. Standard Interface
Nothing makes an Android more convenient than USB C. It has not only closed the gap between USB Micro B and iPhone’s Lightning Connector but surpursed both in terms of transfer speed and ensures that nearly every device can use one cable.
Type C is reversable and has many more features.
8. More unlock options
An Android user can unlock their phone with a fingerprint, face, pattern or a code depending on their devices. In face, some phones have all the options under one so that you can pick what suits you where/when.
iPhone’s options aren’t that many.
9. Convenient Universal Back Button
While you can swipe, use safari back button or swipe the back button in the header on an iPhone it is not that convenient, especially with huge 6-inch screens. On the other hand, Android has a universal customizable back button conveniently placed where your finger can reach without straining.
When it comes down to the convenience of the back button, Android beats iPhone hands down.
10. Better OLED Screen
While the cheapest iPhone ($700) still rocks an LCD screen, you can get a midrange Android phone with AMOLED Display. In fact, some brands are advancing their always-on screen look.
11. Expandable Storage
Most if not all Android phones have expandable memory (a microSD card slot). This way, you can increase your phone’s 16GB memory to 32GB by simply inserting a 16GB Memory Card. Some high end Android phones have more than 512GB internal storage with an expandable memory of upto 1TB.
With an iphone, you are stuck with your internal memory and must buy another iphone if you want memory.
12. More Apps
There are over 2 million apps on the Google Play Store with over 1.5 million being free. Compared to App Store, there are thousands of apps you’ll find on the Android platform that you’ll never see on iPhone. You literally have hundreds if not thousands of similar apps to choose from on Android
13. Google Assistant
Siri was the King of Voice Assistants until Google Assistant took over. With its AI capabilities, Google Assistant can do so many things that Siri can’t. For instance, Google Assistant can look through your email for travel plans e.g flight confirmation.
While Siri sometimes struggles with understanding your English, Google Assistant can translate languages. You can ask the Assistant how to say something in Spanish and you’ll get it instantly.
15. Widgets
Widgets are so useful on your home screen so that you get realtime info about the weather, stock portfolio etc. If widgets are on the iphone, they are very limited.
16. Superior Notification System
Android phones, most if not all, have LED notification to alert you whenever you have any notification and which it is based on the LED color. You don’t have to pick your phone and check what notifications you have; look at the LED color to know whether it is an email or a text.
The Android notification is so optimized that similar ones are grouped. On an iPhone, you’ll get single notifications which will fill your homescreen within seconds especially if you are a member of a very active chat group. And you can clear all the notifications on Android by a single swipe as opposed to an individual clearing on iPhone.
Does this mean, Android is perfect? Of course not…and neither is iPhone.
Quite informative and well researched piece. Thanks a lot.