The age-old debate has again come to the front with the launch of iOS 12, the debate about what is better out of the two mobile ecosystems? iOS or Android?
This is the urban world’s age-old debate. Which one’s better? Prefer one, and hordes would seize the opportunity to pounce on you. Android and iOS are the two primary mobile operating systems currently shaping the world’s mobile experience. Data-driven folks will always cautiously nudge you – it’s not fair to compare apples and oranges. I believe strongly in data. It’s objective. Always reveals reality. There’s no ambiguity. But hey, there’s something called experience and comfort.
With the discussion gathering steam, I found it amusing how some portions of the internet implied that iOS stood tall over the Android ecosystem. With the intensifying discussions, I felt that it was time to share my thoughts on why I firmly believe that Android is much better than iOS has ever been.
Freedom of choice and price
Closed hardware and software integration (mastered by Apple) is great. But it also limits device options. Talking about choice, Android gives you a vast pool of vendors and OEMs to choose from. That’s stating the obvious, but we need to appreciate the realities around us. And appreciate them. In effect, ecosystems determine the amount of money you’d need to spend on your next smartphone. Not everyone can spend a lakh on a smartphone. With Android, you have the choice between buying a budget, or even an entry-level smartphone. This freedom is the greatest weapon for Android, and definitely the most effective for a market such as India.
The operating system on your device goes beyond a smartphone or a tablet. It expands to form the entire ecosystem of services and additional hardware accessories. It shapes your world. You may not realize it, but it does. Considering that there is no strong third alternative, you’ve settled for either of the two. The reasons for your choice may differ. To each, his/her own. After initially flirting with Nokia, I settled with Android. 4.4 KitKat to be precise. Android wasn’t perfect. iOS was way better back then. My friends who used iOS devices would make fun of Android. It had its vast list of imperfections, and I wasn’t a huge fan of it.
Over the past decade, I graduated from a feature phone to dumbphones and eventually smartphones. I have stuck around as an Android user with occasional dabbles in the failed Windows Phone Mobile ecosystem along and an attempt to check the hype around iOS and iPhone devices in general. I’ve seen phenomenal changes in my friends’ preferences too. With the launch of the latest iPhone device lineup with the Apple iPhone XS and the iPhone XS Max along with iOS 12, the age-old debate has again come to the front. How much is too much?
Comparing the features and the sheer number of options available in Android, I believe that this is low-hanging fruit in this debate. You are free to disagree with me. But Android is all about providing options to its users instead of boxing them in a corner to learn or unlearn. Apple, on the other hand, made a choice about what you need.
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