If you are seeking to develop apps for smartphone for the first time, deciding on what platform to choose is a daunting task. That’s because the patterns of usage between mobile platforms dictate the profitability of your app. This includes the willingness of the userbase to even try your app in the first place, which anchors on the capability of users to discover your app amongst the millions of apps competing against you. For end-users, the choice is not simple as well, there is only one way to make sure users get the best smartphone for their needs. It is to start from the most important thing: choosing the OS. The operating system installed on most smartphones is either Apple’s iOS or Google’s Android. At a basic level, both operating systems are similar. The work that can be done on Android can be handled on iOS as well. You can watch videos, play games, browse the Internet, send messages, video chat, take photos, manage email, etc., in exactly the same way. However, if you delve into it, you can see fundamental differences. These two operating systems are suitable for specific users because of the difference.
When choosing between Android and iOS, you need to take a look at these two crucial differences. The biggest difference between Android and iOS is how much you can customize. Simply put, Android smartphones are easier to customize than iOS devices. As a result, there is a natural trade-off. In other words, iOS devices are not as customizable as Android, so many users find it more intuitive and easier to use. It does not mean that it is necessary to have specialized education in computer science to operate Android smartphones. But if you like to play with the device and want to be able to fine-tune your smartphone and customize the interface to your liking, the Android smartphone will be the best choice.
The limits of Android smartphone customization depend only on the capabilities of the smartphone itself and the apps it is running. For example, the following can be done.
- Download app launcher / app tray / call app / keyboard / email / SMS third party app.
- Change default font
- Specify an app to launch a specific type of file
- Install any number of themes
- Even better, Android smartphones can also side load apps. This is the act of downloading the app to your smartphone from sources other than the official Google “Google Play”. For example, you can download directly from Amazon’s app store “Amazon Underground” or the Internet.
- Add interactive widgets to home screen and lock screen
Android is also famous for its functional shortcut buttons in the pull-down notification bar. Android can do a variety of things with a single tap on the notification bar button. You can switch on / off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, enable GPS, use airplane mode, mute, fix screen rotation, check and reply to messages, etc. You can display each setting menu by pressing and holding these function icons. Meanwhile, iOS devices also have a pull-up control center. This control center also has many of the features mentioned above, and it is possible to turn each feature on or off. However, a shortcut for accessing the setting screen is not prepared, and if you want to change the setting, you must access the setting screen. In short, Android has set a series of loose lines, allowing users to have some freedom in defining their own workflows and preferences. Although some trial and error will be required, it will also be part of the fun for Android lovers.
The iOS platform is different from Android, Apple has made it more flexible with recent updates. Specifically, it adds an operable widget to the notification center and supports third-party software keyboards. But apart from these updates and wallpapers, iOS is a more consistent and less flexible environment. By default, sideloading of apps is not possible, and you can not bulk-modify default apps such as browsers and email clients. When you click a link in the app, the link opens in Apple’s Safari. As a workaround, you can specify which app to use by default for each app. For example, Google’s “Gmail” app sets all links to open in their “Chrome”. But this would be annoying to say the least.
What is the reason for choosing iOS? Although less flexible, iOS is very intuitive and relatively stable. Apple will immediately provide a fix if something goes wrong or doesn’t work properly. Also, iOS is so sophisticated that Android users are drowning. Apple used to have the slogan “It just works”. And that also applies to iOS. The consistency inherent in iOS makes sense for users. Its consistency makes it easy for anyone who has never used iOS, or who has never used it, to pick it up and use it easily.
Despite the distribution of Android smartphones over iOS devices, many app developers first launch apps into the iOS market. One of the reasons is subdivision. There are literally thousands of different Android smartphones in the Android market. The RAM, processor, display size, display resolution, etc. are different. And then, there are countless versions of Android always in use. In such a situation, it is hard work for app developers to keep pace with the demand for support. Killing special bugs can be very annoying. Then there is the problem of the test. Working with a few iOS devices is much easier to test than supporting thousands of Android smartphones.
As a result, iOS users often have access to apps much earlier than Android users. In some cases, apps released to the iOS market may not last forever in the Android market. But basically, it’s limited to apps that take advantage of customizations that aren’t available on the default iOS device settings that cause such an event. The App Store is typically strictly managed by Apple and has limited device diversity, which guarantees a level of quality control not found in the Google Play Store. On Android, it is not uncommon for an app to have bugs or bugs after upgrading to a newer version of Android. That’s because app developers don’t get the opportunity to adapt their apps to the new version of Android. In iOS apps, this happens less often than Android apps.
Just because app developers release iOS-enabled apps first does not mean that iOS accounts for the majority of the app’s share. On the contrary, with sideloading support, there are many apps available to Android users. In addition, even if you check the official app store, most of the view is that Google Play has hundreds of thousands of apps more than the App Store. Mobile phone carriers may be able to easily replace their current iPhones with Samsung Electronics smartphones. But that doesn’t mean that you can migrate platforms without going through the corresponding hardships and obstacles. For example, whatever app you download on one platform, you will need to download it on the new platform. Most importantly, you have to repurchase your purchased app.
Apple has released an official app called “Move to iOS” for users who are concerned about such cross-platform migration. The app aims to simplify the transition from Android to iOS by letting you easily move content from your Android device to your iOS device. Google also offers similar resources for new Android users. It’s an easy way to transfer music, photos and contacts, and it also provides support for finding alternative apps. Problems with USB loading and overall accessory support will be another major consideration. Considering the number of USB peripherals that can be connected, Android smartphones are much more versatile.
Again, both Android and iOS are very useful. It is important to keep in mind that there aren’t many cases where Android can do something impossible with iOS. The opposite is also true. If anything, the problem is how to work on such a thing. If you want loose regulation to customize your smartphone or workflow, Android, or a sophisticated device that you can use right out of the box, iOS would be appropriate. Choose the one you like.
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