Iphone or smartphone which is better

iPhone vs. Android: Which is better for you?

Choosing between the two main players in mobile depends on what features and specs are most important to you. Here’s what you need to know to make the right decision.

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Want to start an argument? Just say, “There’s no question Android phones are the best,” “iPhones are worth every penny,” “Only a dolt would use an iPhone,” or, “Android sucks,” and then stand back.

Got that out of your system? Good. The truth is both iPhones running iOS and smartphones running Android have their good and bad points.

And make no mistake: The fight is between these two mobile operating systems. All the alternatives are pretty much dead and buried. Microsoft, for example, recently admitted, “We had no material Phone revenue this quarter.” Canonical, Ubuntu Linux’s parent company, has given up on smartphones. BlackBerry exists only as a brand name, and the manufacturer making “BlackBerry” phones is now using Android.

So today, and for as far as I can see into the future, your only real choices are Android smartphones and iPhones.

Here’s how they match up on 12 key aspects of the smartphone experience.

1) Ease of use

People love to say Apple products just work. It’s certainly true that the iOS interface is easy to use. But so is the Android interface. Frankly, if you can use one, you won’t have much trouble using the other.

Sure, a decade ago, when the iPhone first appeared and Windows Mobile and Nokia Symbian phones were the competition, the iPhone blew them away. It was just so much easier to use.

But that was 10 years ago. Today, there’s really not a lot that differentiates the two leading phone OSes when it comes to ease of use.

If we put appearance and home-screen setup into this category, though, things tip toward Android. Android smartphones give you more control over your system and its applications. I like control. If you’re happy with what Apple gives you — this is your home screen; add a photo if you want to be an individual — good for you, but I like being able to set up my phone just the way I want it, and Android phones let me do that. That flexibility has helped Android build brand loyalty.

2) Fit, finish and price

IPhones are beautiful. Thank you, Jony Ive.

Android phones — well, they vary. Wildly.

Some, such as the Samsung S7 and the Google Pixel, are every bit as attractive as the iPhone 7 Plus. True, by controlling every step of the manufacturing process, Apple makes sure iPhones have great fit and finish, but so do the big Android phone manufacturers. That said, some Android phones are just plain ugly.

Part of the reason for this is that Apple makes nothing but luxury phones. There will never be a “cheap” iPhone. If you don’t want to pay top dollar for an iPhone, your only choice is to get a used one.

Decent Android phones can go for as little as $100. Are they good looking? Not really, but they do the job at a fraction of the price of an iPhone. (If you’re wondering how hard it is to ditch the iPhone and move to an Android device here’s our switching guide.)

3) Closed vs. open systems

The iPhone remains as proprietary as ever. If you don’t want anything that you can’t get through Apple, fine. On the other hand, if you’re an iPhone user who wants to buy an Amazon e-book from the Kindle app or watch a Google Play movie using Play Movies, you’re out of luck.

Android is both open source and far more open to alternative applications. Keep in mind, Apple hasn’t ported any of its applications to Android and never will. So, if your music library is based on iTunes, then you’re locked into iPhones.

For most users, this is a difference that makes no difference. But if you prefer open systems to closed ones, it’s an important differentiator.

4) A.I. and voice assistants

When it comes to Google Assistant vs. Siri, there’s no question of the winner: Google Assistant by a country mile.

Google Assistant is more than an excellent voice interface to Google search. If you use Google applications, such as Google Calendar and Google Maps, Google Assistant can make life simpler. Say you’re meeting someone for lunch downtown and traffic is awful. Google Assistant will work out that you need to leave early to make your appointment, and it will notify you beforehand. Now, that is cool.

Siri may have been first to market, but it’s still pretty basic. It’s fine for answering questions, but it’s not really that much of an assistant.

If you’re looking for a clear reason to choose one OS over another, though, Google Assistant isn’t it. It’s also available for iPhones.

5) Timely updates

Here, on the other hand, is an area where Apple beats Android hollow. When Apple releases a new update or patch, all phones — those that are still supported, anyway — get it. With Android phones … it’s pray and hope for the best.

Unlike the iPhone, where every detail is under Apple’s control, with Android, Google supplies the base operating system and some programs, and it’s up to the phone manufacturer to deliver upgrades and patches. With high-end phones, chances are you’ll get the patches; with all the other Android smartphones, odds are you’ll never even see a security patch.

According to Skycure, a mobile threat defense vendor, nearly three-quarters of Android devices are running with out-of-date security. For me, the surprise is that the figure is so low. I would have guessed 90% of Android devices had out-of-date software.

This gets really old, so to speak.

On the other hand, iOS updates can be flaky. Apple needs to do a better job with quality assurance. I can’t remember a single time that a major iOS update didn’t result in a Wi-Fi problem, starting with iOS 6 and going up to the newest, iOS 11.

My Android updates, however, just work. When I can get them.

6) Security

It’s not so much that Android has security problems; it’s that Google is more lax than Apple about what applications it will let into its app store. True, the best way to keep malware off your Android gadget is to only get apps from the Google Play store; even so, Google reports that 0.16% of all apps contain malware.

If you’re an iPhone user, don’t get too cocky. There is iPhone malware out there just waiting for an overconfident user to download a dodgy program.

Still, iPhones are inherently more secure. (If you’re using an Android device and think you’re ready to move to iPhone, here’s our Android-to-iPhone switching guide.)

7) Peripherals

I don’t know about you, but I tend to connect my phones to other gear. Here, Android has the advantage. All Android devices use standard USB ports, so there are many gadgets you can connect to your phone. With iPhones, you need something that will connect with its proprietary Lightning port.

Another Android advantage is that USB cables and devices are cheaper than their Lightning port cousins.

8) Battery life and charging

This one’s hard to judge, because every Android phone is different. In my experience, largely with Samsung and Motorola phones, Android phones don’t need to be as recharged as often as iPhones. Your charging may vary, so let’s call this something of a draw, depending on the phone in hand and how you use it.

9) Cloud integration

iCloud continues to be an enormous pain for me, no matter what platform I run it on. And I’m not the only one who has trouble with iCloud.

Android, however, is tightly integrated with Google’s applications and services. I use Google apps all the time for work and fun. With an Android phone and Google Now home screen, I also get access to all the news I need, from the personal (local traffic) to the global (President Trump’s latest doings[JE2] ).

Google Photos has unlimited storage and includes a decent basic photo editor. True, the iCloud Photo Library is good too, but accessing iCloud across devices continues to be problematic.

All in all, for cloud integration, Android is the one to beat.

10) Videoconferencing

Google can’t seem to make up its mind about its voice, video and IM applications. I think Google Hangouts is now Google’s master communications application, but I could be wrong.

With iPhones, it’s Facetime, period. Facetime is a great videoconferencing program. I wish it ran on more than just Apple platforms, but if your whole family or workgroup is using Apple, you’re good to go.

11) Cameras

I’m no camera expert, but I do know that cameras vary wildly on Android phones. That said, the Galaxy S8, which uses essentially the same hardware as the S7, does seem to be a bit behind the top-of-the-line iPhone 7 Plus.

Mind you, both cameras are very, very good. In my amateurish opinion, the iPhone is a bit better at most things. But the Galaxy models, with their wider-angle lens, are a tad better at selfies.

Advantage: The iPhone, in a photo finish.

12) Software choice

Once upon a time, you could argue that there were better apps on one app store than the other. These days, it’s pretty much a dead tie. Besides, with 2.8 million apps on the Google Play store and 2.2 million on the Apple App Store, it’s not like you’re ever going to run out of apps to play with.

Pick one that fits your budget and needs

Put it all together, and there isn’t a simple, one-size-fits-all answer for you. As I said at the outset, both phone ecosystems have their advantages and disadvantages.

It really comes down to your budget and what matters most to you. For me, the answer is Android, but I’m not going to fight with you if you prefer an iPhone — unlike some people I could name.

Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols has been writing about technology and the business of technology since CP/M-80 was the cutting-edge PC operating system, 300bps was a fast Internet connection, WordStar was the state-of-the-art word processor, and we liked it!

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iPhone vs Android: Which Is Better For You?

Factors to consider before you buy a smartphone

When buying the best smartphone, the first choice can be the hardest: iPhone vs. Android. Both offer a lot of great features, but iPhones and Android phones are very different. Read on to learn more about these differences to help you decide whether an iPhone or Android smartphone is best for you.

Hardware: Choice vs. Polish

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JOHANNES EISELE / Contributor / AFP

Hardware is the first place where the differences between the iPhone and Android become clear.

Only Apple makes iPhones, so it has extremely tight control over how the software and hardware work together. On the other hand, Google offers Android software to many phone makers, including Samsung, HTC, and Motorola. Because of that, Android phones vary in size, weight, features, and quality.

Premium-priced Android phones are about as good as the iPhone, but cheaper Androids are more prone to problems. Of course, iPhones can have hardware issues, too, but they’re overall higher quality.

If you’re buying an iPhone, you need to pick a model. Because many companies make Android devices, you have to choose both a brand and a model. Some may prefer the choice Android offers, but others appreciate Apple’s greater simplicity and higher quality.

Winner: Tie

OS Compatibility: Android Is A Waiting Game

To ensure you always have the latest and greatest version of your smartphone operating system, you have to get an iPhone.

That’s because some Android makers are slow to update their phones to the latest version of the Android OS and sometimes don’t update their phones at all. The makers of the phones—not users—control when the OS update is released for their phones. Most Android makers are very slow to update if they update at all.

While older phones will eventually lose support for the latest OS, Apple’s support for older phones is much better than Android’s.

Take iOS 11, which was released in 2017. It fully supported the iPhone 5S, which was released four years earlier. IOS 11 was installed on about 66% of compatible models within six weeks of its release, thanks to its broad device support.

On the other hand, Android 8 ran on just 0.2% of Android devices more than eight weeks after its release.​ Even its predecessor, Android 7, was only running on about 18% of devices more than a year after its release.

So, if you want the latest and greatest OS as soon as it’s ready, you need an iPhone.

Winner: iPhone

Apps: Selection vs. Control

The Apple App Store offers fewer apps than Google Play (around 1.8 million vs. 2.8 million, as of Dec. 2020), but the selection isn’t the most crucial factor.

Apple is strict about what apps it allows, while Google’s standards for Android are lax. While Apple’s control may seem too tight, it also prevents situations like the one where a fake version of WhatsApp was downloaded 1 million times from Google Play before Google removed it. That’s a significant potential security threat.

Fragmentation—the large numbers of devices and OS versions to support—makes developing for Android expensive. For example, the developers of the game Temple Run reported that early in their Android experience, ​nearly all of their support emails had to do with unsupported devices even though they support over 700 Android phones.

Combine development costs with Android’s emphasis on free apps, and it reduces the likelihood that developers can cover their costs. Key apps also almost always debut on iOS, with Android versions coming later if they come at all.

Winner: iPhone

Gaming: A Mobile Powerhouse

Mobile gaming used to be dominated by Nintendo’s 3DS and Sony’s Playstation Vita. The iPhone changed that.

The iPhone and iPod touch are the dominant players in the mobile video game market, with tens of thousands of great games and millions of players. The growth of the iPhone as a gaming platform has led some observers to say that Apple is the leading mobile game platform (Nintendo has even started releasing games for the iPhone, like Super Mario Run).

The tight integration of Apple’s hardware and software supports powerful gaming technologies using hardware and software that make its phones as fast as, or quicker than, some laptops.

The general expectation that Android apps should be free has led game developers interested in making money (i.e., almost all of them) to develop for iPhone first and Android second. In fact, due to problems with developing with Android, some game companies have stopped creating games for it altogether.

While Android has its share of hit games, the iPhone has a clear advantage.

Winner: iPhone

Security: No Question About It

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If you care about the security of your smartphone, iPhone is more secure than Android.

The reasons for this are myriad and too long to go into here. For the short version, consider these two facts:

• In one study, 97% of all malware, viruses, worms, etc., were for Android. In that study, 0% attacked the iPhone.
• Even the head of Google’s Android team admits that «We can not guarantee that Android is designed to be safe. If I had a company dedicated to malware, I should also be addressing my attacks on Android.»

That says it all. However, it’s important to note that these stats don’t mean iPhone is immune to security threats. It is not. It’s just less likely to be targeted than Android-based phones and is better at keeping you secure.

Winner: iPhone

Privacy: A Stark Divide

If you care about the privacy of your personal data, just like with security, Apple is your only viable choice.

Google’s primary business model is built around collecting user data and selling that data to advertisers. As such, Google needs access to your data and the ability to share it with other companies.

Apple doesn’t have an advertising business (yes, there’s iAd for in-app ads, but it’s not the same thing) and doesn’t need your personal data to sell you products or make money. Apple has increasingly moved functionality that uses personal or private data onto your iPhone and other devices, reducing how much of that data ever leaves your device and goes to the cloud.

Winner: Apple

Cost: Is Free Always Best?

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If you’re concerned most about what your phone costs, you’ll probably choose Android. That’s because many Android phones are cheap or even free. Apple’s most affordable phone is the iPhone SE, which starts at $399.

For those on a very tight budget, that may be the end of the discussion. If you’ve got some money to spend on your phone, though, look a little deeper.

Free phones are usually free for a reason: they’re often less capable or dependable than their more-costly counterparts. Getting a free phone might be buying you more trouble than a paid phone.

The highest-priced phones on both platforms can easily cost $1000 or more, but the average cost of an Android device is lower than an iPhone.

Winner: Android

Resale Value: iPhone Keeps Its Worth

With new smartphones being released so often, people tend to upgrade quickly. When you do that, you want to be sure to resell your old model for the most money to put towards the new one.

Apple wins on that front. Old iPhones fetch more money at resale than old Androids.

Here are a few examples, using prices from the smartphone resale company Gazelle:

• 64GB iPhone X in good condition, unlocked: $161
• 128GB iPhone 8 in good condition, unlocked: $118
• 64GB Samsung Galaxy S9 in good condition, unlocked: $95
• 128GB Google Pixel 3 XL in good condition, unlocked: $89

Winner: iPhone

Support: The Unmatched Apple Store

Both smartphone platforms generally work pretty well and don’t usually have problems. However, everything breaks down once in a while, and when that happens, how you get support matters.

With iPhone, you can take your device to your closest Apple Store to get help from a trained specialist can help. (They’re busy, though, so it pays to make a Genius Bar appointment ahead of time.)

There’s no equivalent for Android. Sure, you can get support for Android devices from the phone company you bought your phone from, the manufacturer, or maybe even the retailer where you purchased it. But which should you pick and can you be sure the people there are well trained?

Having a single source for expert support gives Apple the upper hand.

Winner: iPhone

Intelligent Assistant: Google Assistant Beats Siri

The next frontier of smartphone functionality will be driven by artificial intelligence and voice interfaces. Android has a clear lead here.

Google Assistant, the most prominent intelligent assistant on Android, is very powerful. It uses everything Google knows about you and the world to make life easier. For instance, if your Google Calendar knows that you’re meeting someone at 5:30 and that traffic is terrible, Google Assistant can notify you to leave early.

Siri is Apple’s answer to Google Assistant for artificial intelligence. It’s improving with each new iOS release. That said, it’s still limited to relatively simple tasks and doesn’t offer the advanced smarts of Google Assistant (Google Assistant is also ​available for the iPhone).

Winner: Android

Wondering whether Siri runs on Android or Google Assistant on iPhone? Check out How to Get Siri for Android or Windows Phones.

User Experience: Elegance vs. Customization

People who want complete control to customize their phones will prefer Android thanks to its greater openness. That said, there are apps for customizing your iPhone too.

One downside of this openness is that each company that makes Android phones can customize them, sometimes replacing default Android apps with inferior tools developed by that company.

Apple, on the other hand, limits customization options on the iPhone. It recently added home screen widgets and now lets you change some default apps (for example, you can set Gmail as the default email app for iPhone). What you give up in flexibility with an iPhone is balanced out by quality and attention to detail, a device that works and is well-integrated with other products.

Pick iPhone if you want a phone that works well, delivers a high-quality experience and is easy to use. On the other hand, if you value flexibility and choice enough to accept some potential issues, you’ll probably prefer Android.

Winner: Tie

Pure Experience: Avoid Junk Apps

The last item mentioned that Android’s openness means that sometimes manufacturers install their apps in place of higher-quality standard apps.

This issue is compounded by phone companies also installing apps. As a result, it can be hard to know what apps will come on your Android device and whether they’ll be any good.

You don’t have to worry about that with the iPhone. Apple is the only company that pre-installs apps on the iPhone, so every phone comes with the same, primarily high-quality apps.

Winner: iPhone

Integration with Other Devices: Continuity Guaranteed

Many people use a tablet, computer, or wearable in addition to their smartphone. For them, Apple offers a better-integrated experience.

Because Apple makes computers, tablets, watches, and the iPhone, it offers things that Android (which mostly runs on smartphones, though some tablets and wearables use it) can’t.

Apple’s Continuity features let you:

• Unlock your Mac using an Apple Watch
• Start writing an email on your iPhone and finish it on your Mac with Apple Handoff
• Have all of your devices receive any call coming into your iPhone

Google’s services like Gmail, Maps, Google Now, etc., work across all Android devices. But unless your watch, tablet, phone, and computer are all made by the same company—and there aren’t too many companies other than Samsung that make products in all of those categories—Android has no unified cross-device experience.

Winner: iPhone

Battery Life: Consistent Improvement

Early iPhones needed to recharge their batteries every day. More recent models can go days without a charge, though new versions of the operating system tend to cut battery life until they’re optimized in later releases.​ Fortunately, there are ways to extend your iPhone’s battery life.

The battery situation is more complex with Android due to the large variety of hardware options. Some Android models have 7-inch screens and other features which burn through much more battery life. There are also ways to extend the battery life for Android.

But, thanks to the wide variety of Android models, some offer ultra-high capacity batteries. If you don’t mind the extra bulk and need a long-lasting battery, Android can deliver a device that works much longer than an iPhone on a single charge.

Winner: Android

User Maintenance: Storage and Battery

Apple emphasizes elegance and simplicity in the iPhone above all else. That’s a significant reason that users can’t upgrade the iPhone’s storage or replace the batteries (it’s possible to get replacement iPhone batteries, but they have to be installed by a trained repair person).

On the other hand, Android lets users change the phone’s battery and expand its storage capacity.

The trade-off is that Android is a bit more complex and less elegant, but that may be worth it compared to running out of memory or avoiding paying for an expensive battery replacement.

Winner: Android

Peripheral Compatibility: USB Is Everywhere

Owning a smartphone usually means owning some accessories for it, such as speakers, battery cases, or simply extra charging cables.

Android phones offer the widest choice of accessories. That’s because Android uses USB ports to connect to other devices, and USB ports are available practically everywhere.

Apple, on the other hand, uses its proprietary Lightning port to connect to accessories. There are some advantages to Lightning, like that it gives Apple more control over the quality of the accessories that work with the iPhone, but it’s less widely compatible.

Plus, if you need to charge your phone right now, people are more likely to have a USB cable handy.

Winner: Android

GPS Navigation: Free Wins For Everyone

As long as you have internet access and a smartphone, you never have to get lost again, thanks to the built-in GPS and maps apps on iPhone and Android.

Both platforms support third-party GPS apps that can give drivers turn-by-turn directions. Apple Maps is exclusive to iOS, and while that app had some famous problems when it debuted, it’s getting steadily better all the time. It’s a solid alternative to Google Maps for many users.

Even if you don’t want to try Apple Maps, Google Maps is available on both platforms (generally pre-loaded on Android), so the experience is roughly identical.

Winner: Tie

Add Ons: Apple Services Can’t Be Beat

Using a smartphone involves more than just the apps that come with it or that you add. Some of these apps are likely to require subscriptions to deliver valuable content. Think of music or TV streaming apps, for instance.

On that front, the iPhone offers a set of services that Android can’t match.

With Apple’s Apple One service bundles, you can get Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple News, Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+, and upgraded iCloud storage for one relatively low price per month. On Android, you can subscribe to competing services in every category, but not for such a reasonable price (and there’s no equivalent of Apple News or the made-only-for-Apple Arcade games). Android can’t match the combination of great content and intelligent cross-device integration offered by Apple Fitness+, either.

If you don’t want or need these services, then either platform will be fine. But only iPhone can offer such a compelling selection of content at such a reasonable price.

Winner: iPhone

Bottom Line

The decision of whether to buy an iPhone or Android phone isn’t as simple as tallying up the winners above and choosing the phone that won more categories (but for those counting, it’s 10-5 for the iPhone, plus three ties).

Different categories matter more for certain people. Some people will value hardware choice more, while others will care more about battery life or mobile gaming.

Both platforms offer good choices for different people. You’ll need to decide what factors are most important to you and choose the phone that best meets your needs.

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