Your Cart is Empty
With over 5 billion smartphone devices being used around the world currently and thousands of new apps being developed each year, the debate still stands: which is better, Android or Apple?
Over the years, Apple and Android have dominated the smartphone market with Android holding a 86.1 percent share of the global market in 2019, while iOS run devices held a 13.9 share of the market. The rest being made up of smaller OS providers.
Even though it appears Android has a significant edge in the market, this figure varies considerably depending on where you are in the world. In the American market, the share is much more evenly split, however in Asia the market is more weighted towards a majority of Android users.
When comparing the two major smartphone softwares, there are many unique benefits for each operating system. We take a closer look at these so that you can make an informed decision when purchasing your next phone.
One of the biggest advantages that Android boasts is actually hardware diversity, rather than software. Within the Android range there is a huge variety of different hardware options including styluses, screen sizes, excellent battery life and even a physical keyboard. As well as these options, if your preferred brand takes out a key feature that you see as a 'must have' (i.e fingerprint sensor or headphone jack), you can always switch to another model or brand that provides the same benefits and specs as well as still running on Android OS. This is not a luxury that you have when using Apple devices.
With such a wide range of phones on the Android market, there is one that fits every budget. Even though there are different prices, that does not necessarily result in a poorer quality device. As cost of production drops, the ability to produce high quality phones at low prices has become easier. We have seen this with the low cost Google Pixel 4a, which is an exceptional phone at a low price. In comparison to Apple, you can buy a brand new Android phone from anything as low as $99 all the way through to $2000. This price diversity is not seen in the Apple range.
If you prefer to customise your devices, then Apple's iOS is likely not going to be for you. However, Android offers a wide range of customisation options. You can change an iPhone’s text size, reorganise your home-screen icons, install third-party keyboards, and add some basic widgets to the Notification Centre, Control Centre, and home screen.But all of Apple’s devices still look and work pretty much the same way.
Android offers similar customisations, but it’s also possible to completely replace your device's home screen with any number of flexible, customisable application launchers. Android also allows you to choose your own default apps for handling different tasks or types of files, much like a PC. However, iOS 14 added the ability to change the default web browser and email app, but the rest of the operating system is still locked down.
One benefit of Apple iOS is the fact that there are continual and regular software updates that are available to devices usually up to around six years old. Even as the devices get older, their speed is not compromised as new software is released, unlike Android devices which tend to slow down as new updates are released. Every iOS update comes with security improvements and generally a large array of new features.
One huge benefit of Apple iOS devices is that they hold their value significantly longer than Android devices. Many people are willing to pay higher prices for second hand Apple devices, no matter their age. This is largely due to their ability to keep performing at fast rates even as the device may age, as well as their reliability.
The selection of apps in the Apple Store is slightly better than that on Android's Google Play Store. Although the gap between the differences in the two stores has decreased significantly over the last few years, many app developers still generally tend to release apps first on the App Store. This is largely due to the fact that revenue tends to be better on the App Store and also the App Store carries a larger range of high end professional apps for areas such as editing videos and images. This results in a different audience being targeted - one that is more likely to fork out a few extra dollars for an app.
Although all software companies occasionally have a software glitch where a bug gets in and disrupts users, Apple has a long history of eliminating these issues. Overall, Apple is significantly safer in terms of protection against software glitches and this is largely due to their constant release of minor updates to protect your devices. As Apple releases updates straight to your phone there is no chance of providers getting in the way and interfering, which is one of the main reasons that Android has a higher rate of bugs causing disruptions.
When analysing Android and Apple, they both have huge pros and cons. We have just outlined a couple of the benefits of each operating system, but the more you use each one, the more you will figure out which best suits your needs. For simplicity of layouts and ease of use, Apple is the way to go. For personalisation and the ability to customise the way your phone runs, an Android powered phone would be your best option. Either way, these two systems are powerful and reliable, hence why they are the two most popular in the global market.
Here at DeXTech, we are here to help you with your technology requirements. We stock a wide range of Apple products, from the iPhone 4s all the way through to the iPhone XS, plus the iPad range. Along with this, we carry a huge range of Android smartphones and tablets, including Samsung, Pixel and LG. With these devices on hand we are able to offer technical support every step of the way from assisting to get your device setup to dealing with issues such as network issues or software troubleshooting. We have a helpful team who can lend a hand via our tech support email address: support@dextech.co.nz. Do not hesitate to reach out!
