- 10 reasons why Android is still better than iOS
- Devices… devices everywhere!
- Prices to fit your needs
- Customization
- Top reasons why Android is better than iOS
- Android has more apps
- Android is more customizable
- There’s an Android phone for everyone
- There is a wider array of price ranges
- You don’t have to use iTunes
- You’re integrated with Google
- Android keeps up with technology
- Android has microSD card support
- Android has removable batteries
- Android has real multitasking
- Android offers more cloud storage
- Android doesn’t limit NFC
10 reasons why Android is still better than iOS
Back in 2013 we wrote “10 reasons why Android is still better than iOS.” Three years later, almost all these points remain the same, but we’ve updated a few to keep them relevant.
It has been a good year for Android, considering the latest reports mention it has an 84.7 percent market share (as of Q3 2015). But with a bunch of competitors waiting in the wings, there’s no time to rest on laurels. So in 2016, what are the ten top reasons we feel that Android is the champion over iOS?
[related_videos align=”center” type=”custom” videos=”686286,684690,683535,670067″]12
Let’s jump in and take a look.
Devices… devices everywhere!
There is something for everyone on the Android platform. The sheer variety of Android smartphones from manufacturers like Samsung, HTC, Sony, Motorola, LG, Huawei, ZTE, and others is staggering. You can get a compact phone, something with a huge touchscreen, a stylus, a rotating camera, an edge screen, or even a physical keyboard such as those found on the Blackberry Priv. Niche demands like dual SIM are accounted for, and the flagship devices are on the cutting edge when it comes to specs. There are also features you just can’t get with Apple’s devices, like microSD and removable battery. Yes, some Android manufacturers have moved away from offering these extras, but the nice thing about options is there are manufacturers that haven’t too.
It’s the same story over in the tablet market, with all sorts of different devices, from the Pixel C to the Nexus 9, Xiaomi’s tablets, Honor’s tablets, Samsung Note tablets, and the list goes on.
Attracting a huge range of manufacturers and giving them license to let their imaginations run amok has resulted in the widest variety of devices on any platform, even blurring the line between smartphone and tablet. Compared to the limited iPhone and iPad lineup, Android represents choice on a grand scale.
Sure, Apple has a few sizes to offer, but size is really the only differentiator there. The iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus, for example, have pretty much the same specs, the main difference being screen size and resolution. The same general argument applies to the iPads, even though there are more choices than with their smartphone counterparts.
Prices to fit your needs
This naturally follows on from the first point on our list on why Android is better than iPhone. A wide variety of devices with different designs and specs means that Android has something for you at just about any budget. The exclusive nature of Apple’s products is in stark contrast to the inclusive nature of Android. Almost anyone can afford an Android phone. It might not be all singing and dancing, but there are solid budget options that give people a true smartphone experience.
This is even more true in 2016 than it was when we first created this list in 2013. Not only do you have the Moto G line, but there’s the Honor 5X, a variety of BLU devices, OnePlus X and OnePlus 2, and even low-cost flagships like the Moto X Pure Edition and Nexus 5X. In contrast, the iPhone and iPad are prohibitively expensive for many, but a budget Android device doesn’t need to cost much more than an old feature phone. And if you can afford to spend somewhere in the $150 to $300 ballpark, you can find a handset that gives a near flagship-level experience with just a few concessions in order to keep pricing down.
Affordability has been a key driver for Android dominance worldwide, and it continues to be. If you want premium devices that match and surpass the iPhone or iPad then you can find them, but if you want a budget device, then Android is really your only choice.
Customization
One of the strong points of Android has always been the level of customization it allows. While Apple wants to keep control of default apps in order to maintain a homogenous software and hardware experience, Android lets you pick your own level of customization. This extends all the way from simple things like live wallpapers, to alternative keyboards, to custom ROM installs.
Detractors will always say only hardcore geeks care about this level of customization, but at the shallow end of the pool this isn’t true. Plenty of iOS users loved it when Apple started allowing third-party keyboards and basic widgets, and that on its own is proof that this flexibility is what people want.
Some manufacturers are even allowing complex hardware customization. Motorola has Moto Maker, LG has replaceable leather back plates, as does Xiaomi. Those are just a few examples of something Apple will never do for you. Consider yourself lucky to have champagne gold and rose gold available… that is pretty revolutionary for Apple.
Источник
Top reasons why Android is better than iOS
Android and iOS are the two most popular mobile operating systems around. In the hyper-competitive tech world there can only be one winner, and we believe it’s Android. Here are our top reasons why you’re better off owning an Android phone rather than an iPhone.
Android has more apps
The Google Play Store is where most Android apps can be found. The App Store is the app marketplace for Apple (iOS) devices. There are more apps available in the Google Play Store than in the App Store. At the moment there are a little over 2 million available for the App Store, whereas the Google Play Store has 2.5 million.
In addition to there being more apps in the Google Play Store in general, there are also more free apps. Of the 2.5 million total apps for Android, 2.3 million of these are free. That’s more free apps for Android than the total number of apps you get from Apple. And while there are some quality concerns over free Android apps, there are more options to choose from and you can try more apps out without any concerns about the costs.
Get more free apps on Android than iOS. / © NextPit
Android is more customizable
While some people are quite content with the homogeneity offered by iOS, those of us who like to see a phone as an extension of ourselves want to tweak it. You can even completely replace the software on some Android devices.
Android devices let you change just about every aspect of their on-screen appearance – from the keyboard, to the homescreen launcher, to your email app. If you get CyanogenMod, you can pretty much strip away any unnecessary features that come pre-loaded on your phone.
Check out some Android customization options below:
- Best Android launchers
- Best custom ROMs for Android
Android can be tweaked and tinkered to work how you want it. / © NextPit
There’s an Android phone for everyone
Need a rugged phone that you can take mountain-biking or rock-climbing? Get the over 24,000 devices from 1,300 brands.
With each generation of Apple devices, you basically get three different options (sometimes only two): small, medium and large. The sizes are basically the biggest differences in the devices. Sure, there are also variations in display or hardware but they’re all essentially the same phone.
Many options to choose from in the Android world. / © NextPit
There is a wider array of price ranges
Let’s face it, sometimes we feel like spending a ton of money on our smartphones and other times we don’t. If you’re upgrading to the next generation of iOS devices, then you’ve got just a couple of different choices – and all of them are expensive.
There’s an Android phone out there for every price range. You can pick up a $20 Alcatel Pixi Glitz or jump into a $800 (starting price) Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. The choice is yours but the point is that there is a choice. Apple won’t release a phone under $500, so you’re quite limited.
Don’t have a lot of money to throw around? Avoid Apple. / © NextPit
You don’t have to use iTunes
Apple is a pioneer of hardware and software design, but iTunes – which is required to transfer music between your iPhone and computer – is a bloated mess. Uninstalling it is a nightmare too, to the extent that Apple published an extensive guide for how to fully remove iTunes from your PC.
Android users don’t need iTunes, and are given many more choices for music services and purchases in general. More and more services are expanding to Android and not just for music but movies, TV shows, games and many more. Heck, you can even get iTunes on Android if you want to.
You could put iTunes on your Android device or choose from other programs. / © NextPit
You’re integrated with Google
Android is an open source project called AOSP (Android Open Source Project) that is led by Google but not owned by it. Google uses this to make its version of Android, which is then used by the other manufacturers. That said, Google services are an integral part of Android and are a good reason to pick up one of these devices.
Google services are great and people are flocking to their convenience. How could we live without Google Maps, Gmail, Google Drive, Google Docs, Google Music or Google Chrome? When integrated, these services make our lives so much easier and Apple just isn’t keeping pace.
Aren’t Google services great? / © NextPit
Android keeps up with technology
Apple moves slowly, while Android races ahead at full speed. Individual technological innovations of Android devices are way ahead of Apple. Usually, Apple follows Android. For instance, the Huawei P9 was released with a dual rear camera system earlier this year and now the iPhone 7 Plus has it.
If there’s a new innovation you’re interested in then you should go with Android. Manufacturers of Android devices give you plenty of fresh choices for new technology. If you want last year’s innovations jumbled into one device, then Apple is the best bet. Remember, many new features Apple touts are already in Android devices. The iPhone 7 is now water resistant, but Android did it first two years ago, and the Galaxy S7 still has a higher IP68 certification than the IP67 certification of the iPhone 7. Android started using haptic feedback two years ago as well. Apple marketing is clever. For instance, many people believe that Apple invented the smartphone.
The Huawei P9 had the dual-camera system before the iPhone 7. / © NextPit
Android has microSD card support
If you want more internal storage on Apple devices, then you need to either erase your stuff or buy another phone. Apple devices don’t give you the option to expand with a microSD card. But many Android smartphones come equipped with microSD card access.
The difference between a 32 GB iPhone 7 and the 256 GB version is $200. But the SanDisk Ultra 200 GB microSD card only costs $72. That’s a huge savings. But another great thing about microSD card support is you can customize how much storage you have for your phone. For instance, SanDisk microSD cards come in 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 200, and 256 GB. So if you just need an extra 64 GB you would only have to pay $20.
If you want 256 GB more storage, you can have it with Android. / © NextPit
Android has removable batteries
When your iPhone has aged and no longer holds a charge as well, you have no choice but to replace the phone or plug in constantly. With Android, many phones like the LG G5 have removable batteries, so you can swap them out for a spare without skipping a beat.
Android has real multitasking
Sure, you can switch between apps and call it multitasking on iOS, but real multitasking is available on Android. Samsung for example, has had the Multi-Window feature for some time now. It allows you to display two apps on the screen simultaneously so you can do more than one thing at a time.
- How to use Samsung Multi-Window
Android offers more cloud storage
Google Drive offers a full 15 GB of cloud storage, while iCloud only gives 5 GB, which is not nearly enough for all of a person’s documents or photos. If you want to upgrade your iCloud storage, again Apple is less generous than Google. It’ll cost you $100 per year for an extra 50 GB with iCloud, and only $24 per year (at $2 per month) from Google for twice as much storage.
Android doesn’t limit NFC
Apple brought NFC to the iPhone 6, but they only allow you to use it with Apple Pay. Since there’s a lot of money to be made with mobile payments systems, this is likely Apple’s attempt to hold off competition on that front. But, with Android, NFC chips been available in devices for years, and they work with everything they’re meant to, including NFC tags and file sharing.
Share files between devices using NFC on Android. / © NextPit
Do you agree with these points? What other ways is Android better than iOS? Let us know in the comments below!
Some comments may refer to an older version of this article.
Источник