When comparing Android vs iOS, the Slant community recommends Android for most people. In the question“What is the best mobile operating system?” Android is ranked 1st while iOS is ranked 6th. The most important reason people chose Android is:
There are about 18000 released devices that run on Android. This means that a user familiar with Android can have a large variety of devices from which they can choose.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Lots of hardware choices
There are about 18000 released devices that run on Android. This means that a user familiar with Android can have a large variety of devices from which they can choose.
Pro Customize what apps perform what actions
Android gives users the ability to define which apps perform which action. For example, if an Android device has several browsers installed, the user can choose a default one which will start every time a link is for example opened from another app.
Pro Open source
The AOSP (Android Open Source Project) is the software stack for the Android OS. It is led by the open handset alliance which includes firms like Google, Acer, NXP, Motorola and many others.
The fact that Android is an open source software has led to many custom Android variants. It also is a big assurance of Android's safety in terms of privacy.
Pro Integration with Google Services
For those that already use Google's services, like Google Maps and GMail, Android offers tighter integration with those services than any of the alternatives, and saves users the need to create extra accounts.
Pro Highly customizable
One of the massive benefits of Android being open-sourced are all the modifications you can make to the phone to customise pretty much anything. Some of the cooler things you can do are:
- Replace the entire operating system with a custom ROM.
- Replace the keyboard.
- Change the home screen launcher.
- Change the lock screen.
Pro Cheap phones
Android phones can cost little as $100.
Pro More integrated sharing options
Pro Desktop and lockscreen widgets
Desktop widgets provide quick access to the information you need quickly and access the most. These are available out of the box, and can be developed by anyone. Widgets on the lockscreen have been removed since the Lollipop update, but is available on 3rd party lockscreens such as AC Display and KK Locker.
Pro Consistent back button makes navigation easy
Pro Personal assistant with Google Now
Google Now is an intelligent personal assistant available within the Google Search mobile application for the Android and iOS operating systems. It's software that makes your life more convenient by giving you all the information you need at any moment.
Pro Accessibility
Built in text to speech is provided by TalkBack for people with low or no vision. Enhancements for people with hearing disabilities are available as are other aids.
Pro The most widely used mobile OS
Pro Great user experience right out of the box
Pro Built-in screen recording
Android 5.0.+ supports screen recording via a new api.
Android 4.4 KitKat supports screen recording accessible via an ADB command on unrooted devices.
Pro Customizable multiple "desktops"
Can customize the home screens with widgets (not just a grid of apps like iOS).
Pro No Backdoors
Since Android is written by a worldwide community of developers it is very unlikly that backdoorss exist for any local governments.
Pro Security updates
Android does frequent updates to keep users secure.
Pro Root
You can root your phone to get full access.
Pro Sideloading of apps
You can sideload apps.
Pro Not bound to Google
It is fully working without the play store or the Google play services.
Pro Highly secure core system
Since Android is open source and developed worldwide, anyone can read the code and there are no government forced backdoors.
Pro Supports plenty of peripherals
You can use external displays with MHL, HDMI, DP or miracast. It supports external storage devices like microSD cards or USB OTG devices. You can also use almost any kind of USB or Bluetooth input devices like keyboards, mice or game controllers.
Pro Gesture based interface
Since Android 10 you can use gestures to control the OS.
Pro Modular
There are major versions of android however the most important components are modular and get frequently updated.
Pro It's all yours
You can do anything you want with YOUR phone.
Pro Great selection of high quality and polished apps
Apps must pass tighter guidelines to make it into the app store.
Pro Everything works very well out of the box
It's engineered to be designed. Design means choice. A collection of best options, components and programs chosen by highly experienced curators/designers/engineers are installed by default. No need to customize. It's best by default.
Pro Personal assistant called Siri
Siri is an intelligent personal assistant and knowledge navigator. Siri lets you use your voice to send messages, schedule meetings, place phone calls, and more.
Pro Easy to learn to use
The iOS user interface is known by millions. It has mostly stayed the same throughout the years.
The main view is a simple grid menu which displays all the installed applications. On the bottom there is an app tray which displays the icons for the most used apps.
The iOS user interface is especially easy for users who want an easy experience and don't want to spend time learning on how to navigate through their phones. Everything is displayed right in the main view and it's easy to find. The fact that it has not changed, at least significantly in the past years has made it possible for it's most devoted users to keep upgrading their iOS devices without having any difficulty to adapt.
Pro Security
A trustworthy OS, secure for use with banking apps.
Pro Consistent performance
Unlike Android, iOS is developed to be used on similiar devices and both the hardware and iOS itself are developed by Apple. This means that they are highly adapted to work with each other. Even after the hardware becomes a little outdated, the performance still remains consistent and smooth on several iOS versions.
Pro Apps request permissions when needed
Instead of an app asking for all permissions it will need when installed, iOS apps request permission to access certain parts of user's data only when the current action requires it.
Pro CarPlay
Available in select cars, CarPlay is built primarily around the use of Siri voice commands and prompts, providing an "eyes-free" experience where you can respond to incoming calls, dictate text messages, or access your music library from a vehicle.
Pro Longtime support for older smartphones / tablets
iPhones don't become obsolete in a year or so. Most of them get updates for even more than about 4 years.
Pro Support for standard sync protocols
Out of the box support for caldav and carddav.
Pro Clean UI across the operating system
Unlike many other operating systems, iOS has a clean and consistent UI that is shared across the entire operating system, even with third-party apps.
Pro Apple pay
Apple pay, an easy and secure payment option.
Cons
Con Fragmentation and security flaws due to negligence
Most Android phones seem to be released on a "Let's release a few software updates until we release the next phone, and never push out an update again." For example, In May 2014, 8.5% of phones were Kitkat, 60.8% were spread out between three versions of jellybean (with bias towards older versions), and the another 20% spread out over ICS, Honeycomb, Gingerbread, and Froyo.
Google no longer maintains Android 4.3 or prior and serious security exploits remain in those versions. Device manufacturers are also taking no action, which leaves almost a billion Android users exposed.
You may also encounter lingering and unfixed bugs, glitches, etc. as a result of the manufacturer's and Google's lack of interest in older versions.
Some flagship phones are well supported into the future, but the fact that your phone won't be supported by its manufacturer and/or Google is a consideration you must make when purchasing an Android phone.
Con Most preinstalled distributions are not open source
Although the AOSP exists, your phone is most likely running a proprietary apps like the GApps or manufacturer specific applications.
Con Owned and abused by Google
Which has very unsafe advanced AI development policies and is known for dodging monopoly and monopoly abuse laws.
Con Wide variety of phones forces variance in quality
While there are many great Android phones, there are also many Android phones that lack in both hardware and software. When purchasing Android phones, a consumer might want to do some research first - especially when buying on a budget. Not only do you have to worry about shotty hardware or poor quality testing, manufacturers tend to tinker with the software on phones. More often than not this leads to poor performance, unintuitive 'features', slower (or complete lack of) updates, and custom software that detracts from the user's experience.
Con Tied to Apple
No alternative software can be installed unless you keep your phone jailbroken (with the system outdated and probably with security issues).
Con Inconvenient price and hardware lock-in
iOS is only available on iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, in which these device may be more expensive than the competitors.
Con Apple is very unfriendly regarding warranty and repair work
If your device breaks, they will just tell you to buy a new one.
Con Vendor lock-in
You are forced to use the Apple ecosystem. Like the AppStore or iTunes.
Con Possible backdoor
There are some rumors that Apple provides NSA backdoors to its products.
Con Jailbreak breaks iOS
Unlinke Android where you can still use a rooted device normally a jailbreak will break your iOS.
Con Outdates web browsers
All Webbrowser must use the Webkit/Safari webengine to display websites.
Con No privacy allowed
Does not allow for privacy due to it's closed nature.
Con Closed source
The iOS source code is not available.
Con Unlike Android, it is proprietary
Nobody can look into the system so you can't even say if it is secure or not. In the worst case Apple could log all your activities and data.
Con Older iPhone models with poorer batteries might perform slower
iOS delibrately slows the CPU down on older iPhones with worn-out batteries so as to preserve battery life, resulting in possible slower-than-expected performance. This only applies to iPhone 6, iPhone 6S, and iPhone SE running iOS 10.2.1 and above, and iPhone 7 running iOS 11.2 and above.
Con No file managing
Managing files and directories is not possible. Files are in fact attached to applications. It is an oversimplification that can be limiting.
Con Not very customisable
Other operating systems like Android or Windows Phone (more or less), iOS isn't as customizable.
Con Apple is not interested in decent climate action
... but very much in making us overconsume through planned obsolescence and others.
Con Infantilizing
The OS is babysitting you and does not give you basic control, such as turning off location, which massively shortens the lifespan of the battery
Con Planned obsolescence everywhere
Planned obsolescence through very short OS support lifespan and steep requirements for the new Apple apps and other apps. iPhones otherwise have planned obsolescence in so many other parts of their design.
Con No sideloading of apps
You have to install all apps from the Apple Appstore.
Con No widget support
iOS has no widget support.
Con No alternative browsers
All iOS brower need to use safaris webkit rendering engine