How to Choose the Best Smartphone for You: iPhone vs Android

 How to Choose the Best Smartphone for You: iPhone vs. Android

Making a rational choice between iPhone
and Android devices necessitates determining which features and specifications are most essential to you. Here's everything you need to know to make an informed choice.

I don't care if your favourite tech guru claims that only a moron would buy an iPhone. Or that your IT pal claims that the other man is a moron and that her Android phone is the finest of the best. That is not selecting a piece of technology, but rather a tribe. If you wish to make a rational choice between an iPhone and an Android phone based on technological specifications, I must first state that there is no one correct answer.

The plain reality is that, tribe allegiance and marketing brilliance aside, iPhones running iOS and smartphones running Android OS both have advantages and disadvantages. To make matters even more confusing, comparing operating systems does not reveal anything.

Apple's iPhone 13 is displayed.

The iPhone's operating system and hardware are inextricably linked. It's a different scenario with Android phones. The contrast between Android smartphone models is so great that comparing the iPhone 13 to, instance, a superb affordable Android smartphone like 2020's Moto G Power is like comparing apples (oops) and oranges. A more up-to-date comparison would be the brand-new Samsung Galaxy S22 or the Google Pixel 6 series.

[How to Make the Switch from iPhone to Android]So, when weighing this option, I examine the operating system as well as the variations between phone types. You can't compare these two phone systems until you understand the hardware differences.

Having said that, here's how Apple and Android smartphones compare in 14 important components of the smartphone experience.

1. Usability

People are fond of saying that Apple products "simply work." It is undeniably true that the iOS UI is simple to use. However, the Android UI is as well. To be honest, if you can use one, you'll have no problem using the other.

Sure, when the iPhone initially launched and the competition was Windows Mobile and Nokia Symbian phones, the iPhone blasted them away. That was back then. This is the present.

Today, all phone interfaces are better and easier to use than they were back then. The essential distinction, in my opinion, is control. Android devices provide far greater control over your phone and its applications than Apple phones. I enjoy having control. If you're OK with what Apple provides — here is your home screen; add a photo if you want to be unique — that's fine, but I like being able to configure my phone exactly as I want it. Android phones allow me to accomplish this.

2. iPhones are stunning in terms of fit, quality, and pricing. 

What about Android phones? They differ, to be sure. Wildly.

Some, such as the top-tier Samsung S22+ and the Google Pixel 6 Pro, are just as appealing as the iPhone 13. Apple ensures that iPhones have excellent fit and finish by regulating every stage of the production process. However, the main Android phone makers do as well. However, some Android phones are just plain unattractive.

The Google Pixel 6

6Part of the reason for this is that Apple only manufactures premium phones. There will never be a low-cost iPhone. If you don't want to pay full price for an iPhone, your only option is to buy a used one.

But, remember, no matter how gorgeous the outside of a phone is, you'll probably conceal it inside a really ugly, robust cover if you want to keep it safe. Nobody is going to claim an OtterBox case is gorgeous. But it protects my pricey phone, which is essential.

Good Android phones may be had for less than $300. They aren't the most attractive phones, but they look the same inside a cover and work just as well at a tenth of the price of an iPhone.

3. Systems that are closed versus systems that are open

The iPhone is as exclusive as ever. That's OK if you don't want anything in your pocket that you can't get from Apple. However, bear in mind that as long as you own an iPhone, you will be trapped into the Apple software environment. As a result, when Apple clashes with Epic, the creators of the famous Fortnite game, over how to pay for the game, your ability to buy or play the game is severely hampered.

Android is free and open-source software. It is also far more open to different applications.

Furthermore, Apple does not port its programmes to Android and is unlikely to do so in the future. iMessage is the most popular and most vexing of these iPhone-specific applications. My buddies who use it rave about it. But it has one major, vexing flaw. Other messaging systems are incompatible with it. Yes, you may send SMS messages to Android messaging applications, However, with the translation, you lose a lot of qualities that people enjoy.

Read more about the Android-iPhone texting debate.

Still, most consumers won't notice unless a software company's battle with Apple directly impacts an app they adore, like with Fortnite. However, if you prefer open systems than closed ones, Android is your only option.

4. Artificial intelligence and voice assistants

When it comes to Google Assistant vs. Siri, there is no contest: Google Assistant wins by a country mile.

Google Assistant is more than just a great voice search interface. Google Assistant can help you if you use Google services like Google Calendar and Google Maps. Assume you're meeting someone for lunch downtown and the traffic is terrible. Google Assistant will figure out that you need to depart early for your appointment and will alert you. That's great.

Siri may have been the first to market, but it remains quite simple. It's adequate for answering inquiries, but it's not really an artificially intelligent assistant.

Google Assistant, on the other hand, isn't a compelling incentive to select one operating system over another. Because it is also compatible with iPhones.

5. Regular updates

When it comes to software upgrades, though, Apple has a clear advantage over Android. When Apple issues a new update or patch, all phones — at least those that are still supported — receive it.

With Android phones... you have to pray and hope for the best.

That's because, unlike the iPhone, where Apple controls every aspect, Google provides the base operating system and certain bundled apps, but it's up to the phone maker to offer upgrades and fixes. With high-end phones, the odds are you'll get the fixes in a timely manner. However, many other Android cellphones are unlikely to receive a security fix.

Skycure, a mobile threat protection firm, claims that roughly three-quarters of Android smartphones have out-of-date security. I'm honestly astonished at how low this figure is. I'd say that 90% of Android smartphones were running out-of-date software.

Some Android manufacturers, most notably Samsung and Google,do a fantastic job of keeping their Android distributions and apps up to date. Anyone else? Not at all.

This gets old quickly.

iOS upgrades, on the other hand, may be erratic. Apple needs to improve its quality assurance. I can't recall a single significant iOS upgrade that didn't cause a Wi-Fi issue, beginning with iOS 6 and on to the newest and greatest, which had more than its fair share of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and 4G/5G issues.

I'm not sure why this is the case. Apple has complete control over all of its hardware. Why is it so difficult for the corporation to get something as basic as wireless networking right?

My Android upgrades, on the other hand, "simply work." When I can get my hands on them.

So, while Apple typically provides better updates, the best Android phone suppliers provide superior fixes.

6. Safety

When it comes to security, it's not so much that Android has flaws as it is that Google is laxer than Apple in terms of what apps it accepts into its app store. Getting applications from the Google Play store is the best method to keep viruses off your Android device. Nonetheless, Google estimates that malware is present in 0.16% of all programmes.

But don't get too arrogant if you own an iPhone. There is iPhone virus waiting for an overconfident consumer to download it.

In general, iPhones are more secure by design. If you believe you can trust Apple with your personal information. While Google receives a lot of flak for not being trustworthy with personal data, Apple is not universally seen as trustworthy. For example, Apple recently confirmed that iOS 15 logged certain Siri interactions.

7. Accessories

I'm not sure about you, but I like to link my phones to other devices. Android has the upper hand here. Because all Android smartphones use standard USB ports, you may connect a wide range of items to your phone. Something that connects to the iPhone's proprietary Lightning connector is required.

Another advantage of Android is that USB cables and gadgets are less expensive than their Lightning-port counterparts. It may be old-fashioned of me, but I prefer phones with a headphone jack. It's all too simple for me to misplace my pricey AirPods. So I'll always choose for a nice, low-cost wired headset.

8. Charge and battery life

Because Android phone models differ so greatly, judging battery life is difficult. In my experience, mostly with Samsung, Google, and Motorola phones, Android phones do not require as frequent charging as iPhones. Because your charging may differ, we'll declare this a tie, depending on the phone in hand and how you use it.

9. Integration with the cloud

Apple's iCloud is still a huge nuisance for me, whether I'm attempting to utilise it on an iPhone or a Mac.It always goes wrong. And I'm not the only one who is having issues with iCloud.

Android, on the other hand, is deeply integrated with Google's applications and services. I use Google applications for business and play all the time. When it comes to cloud integration, there is no doubt that Android is the winner.

10. videoconference

Google can't decide between audio, video, and instant messaging programmes. Google Hangouts and Google Meet are the company's primary communication tools at the moment. I really enjoy them and use them almost as often as Zoom.

Facetime is the only option for iPhone users. Facetime is an excellent videoconferencing application. I wish it was available on platforms other than Apple. However, if your whole family or workplace uses Apple, you're set to go. Grandma, on the other hand, will be out of luck if she uses an Android phone. I am a firm believer that the first task of a communication programme is to, well, communicate. Anything that stands in the way of it is a no-go.

While it's true that iPhone users running iOS 15 may invite Android and PC users to a Facetime chat, it's still a pain in the rear. I'd prefer Hangouts and Meet over Facetime any day.

11. Cameras (nineteenth)

I'm no camera specialist, but I know a few. Andrew Hoyle, my go-to colleague on this, tested all three of today's leading smartphone cameras.And he discovered that the Galaxy S22 Ultra Camera outperformed both the Pixel 6 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro. You just cannot compete with Samsung's 10x optical zoom.

12. Software selection

Once upon a time, you might argue that one app shop had superior apps than the other. It's very much a tie these days. Besides, with nearly 3.5 million applications on the Google Play store and 2.2 million on the Apple App Store, you'll never run out of apps to play with.

13th and beyond

There was no need to upgrade to 5G until lately. Despite the hoopla, there wasn't enough 5G to warrant purchasing a 5G-compatible phone. This has changed. Today, there is finally enough 5G accessible to make purchasing a 5G phone worthwhile.

Which one should you choose? To be honest, it's whatever works with your phone company's 5G network. The term "5G" is a misnomer. There are four types of 5G, and they are not all compatible. Simply purchase the phone, whether an iPhone or an Android, that your carrier guarantees will operate with the exact 5G types they support.

14. Price

This one is simple: iPhones are pricey. The third-generation iPhone SE is priced at $429. The most costly iPhone — excluding status symbols like the $48.5 million Falcon Supernova iPhone 6 Pink Diamond Edition — is the iPhone 13 Pro Max, It costs $1,599 with all the bells and whistles (including a 1TB disc). Even without a pink diamond, that's a bit much.

The Pixel 6 Pro, on the other hand, is the finest of the best in the Google Pixel range and costs $1,099. The most expensive Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra will cost $1,299. However, you can get a perfectly functional Android phone for far less money.

People are prepared to pay a premium for an iPhone, in principle. According to a recent survey, "87% of adolescents own an iPhone, and 88% expect an iPhone to be their next phone." Please pardon me if I believe the majority of the adolescents they questioned were lying. They may desire iPhones because they are "cool,"But desiring and being able to afford are not the same thing.

True, iPhones appear to be more popular than Android phones in the United States, but only by approximately two-thirds, not ninetieths. This is based on the US government's Digital Analytics Program (DAP), which provides us with a running tally of the technologies used by visitors to US federal websites in the last 90 days.

So, which is best for you? I propose that you choose the smartphone that best meets your budget and requirements. There is no one-size-fits-all solution that applies to everyone. As I have stated, both phone ecosystems have pros and cons. If you're currently using an Android smartphone and want to convert to an iPhone, check out our Android-to-iPhone switching tutorial. If you have an iPhone and wish to move to Android, we have a tutorial for you as well.

It all boils down to your money and what is most important to you. For me, the solution is Android, but I won't argue if you prefer an iPhone. We're all good if it works for you.