When buying a smartphone, we are faced with two general categories; Android and iPhone phones. If you are planning to buy a smartphone but do not know which one is more suitable for you, join Wironal.
We start with a question. Why do we use the plural adjective for Android phone but singular for iPhone? If you go to the market to buy a smartphone, you will be asked if you want an Android phone or an iPhone. But if you are unaware of the world of smartphones, you will probably be asked what are the differences between the two? The market is full of different phones from different brands with countless variety, so why all of them can be summed up in these two words?
The answer to this question depends on the expression of a concept called “operating system” without which it is not possible to directly compare the two. On the other hand, a full explanation of this concept is not included in the form of this article, so we will give a brief definition of it so that the difference between Android and iPhone phones can be more understandable to you.
What is an operating system?
The operating system is briefly referred to as software that is implemented by the manufacturer on any smart device so that the user can use it. In fact, a smart device without an operating system is a useless device that can do nothing. The task of the operating system is to connect with the internal components of the device (hardware) to create a virtual environment that the user can work with and perform tasks that today make things impossible without having these smart devices.
Expressing this concept, we find that the reason for this dichotomy is over the operating system, but the next question that arises is why the letters used to separate the two categories are not related to each other? ” iPhone ” is a brand of phone made by Apple. While ” Android ” is not the name of the phone, it is the name of the operating system that has been implemented on a wide range of phones with different brands. This is while the operating system of the iPhone is called iOS, it is not common to use the iOS name to select the type of phone. To answer this question, we need to look at a brief history of each.
iOS
In 2007, Steve Jobs, the founder and former CEO of Apple, introduced the first iPhone with the iPhone OS 1 operating system. The operating system name was retained for three years, until it was renamed iOS with the release of iOS 4 in June 2010. IOS is reserved for iPhones, which are the exclusive property of Apple; This means that this operating system can only be run on iPhones.
Android
The Android operating system was first introduced by Andy Robin in 2003. In 2005, Google bought Android and began offering the Android operating system to smartphone makers. This is how HTC introduced the first Android phone called HTC Dream with Android 1.0 in 2008.
Android has been owned by Google since 2005. Android is an open source operating system now developed by Google and licensed by various companies; This means that any manufacturer can use this operating system in their smart products and even change its code according to their needs and preferences.
So with this comparison, the reason why all Android phones are placed in front of the iPhone will be revealed to us. In fact , iPhones are phones that only work with Apple’s unique operating system, iOS. Just as no other operating system like Android runs on the iPhone, the iOS operating system does not appear on any phone other than the iPhone.
On the other hand, Android is an operating system that different companies are allowed to implement on their products, and users can benefit from the Android operating system by buying phones from Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei, etc. Therefore, Android is not limited to a specific phone or a specific brand.
With this explanation, the name that should have been chosen for this article was a comparison of Android and iOS operating systems, but since the user may have heard less of the name iOS and initially did not know the main difference between Android and iPhone phones, their operating system, this title We have chosen for the article. The purpose of this article is to compare the Android and iOS operating systems in terms of functionality, otherwise if someone is aware of the differences between the two, instead of comparing the operating systems, he considers different brands as the basis for his comparison to buy a phone.
What are the differences between Android and iOS?
When buying a phone, one of the most questionable issues is the differences between Android and iOS, and which one is superior to the other. This question is one of those questions for which each person has a different answer and each user chooses one for personal reasons and recommends it to others. In fact, each has its own absolute superiority over the other, despite their differences.
In general, Android and iOS have made a lot of progress in the last few years, and it is not like in the past to say that iOS or Android have shortcomings in certain areas. However, each in its own way meets the needs of users. It depends on the user what he sees as his preferences and needs of a phone. In a normal and everyday use, both meet the basic needs of users, but if we go beyond the level of a general use, this is where some parameters become more important.
For some people, for example, a quality user experience is a priority, while another person may be looking for the convenience of doing their job as much as possible, or in other words, looking for a solution that meets their needs as quickly as possible and is less troublesome. Note that speeding the phone by doing things as quickly as possible is a separate issue.
Therefore, in the following article, we will not compare the two operating systems directly with each other, but rather examine the differences between them from the perspective of what Google and Apple, as the developers of these two operating systems, have pursued for their target user. And the structure, method and solutions of each of them in meeting the needs of the user are different.
It is difficult to choose between the two if you do not know how to respond to them, because the mind of a normal user who has no idea about the differences between iOS and Android may be full of questions and contradictions that need to be answered.
Assuming that our main concern for choosing a phone is to recognize the differences between iOS and Android, we must choose the right option according to our needs and priorities. In this article, we have tried to express the difference between Android and iOS operating systems in simple language, assuming that the user has no idea about the difference between iOS and Android other than their name before buying the phone.
User experience
The work that smartphones do is done under complex computational processes and commands that are hidden from our eyes, and the graphical user interface (GUI) is where the role of converting touch inputs into code and computational operations takes place. Here a concept called user interface is formed and each builder has a graphic team that works on the development of this interface.
It can be said that the most important thing that connects the user to his device in a smartphone is the user interface, and it is the art of every maker to design his user interface in such a way that the user can get the most communication with it. In a nutshell, the user interface is the language of the phone talking to the user, the clever design of which creates a satisfying user experience.
IPhones were introduced from the beginning with a smooth and simple user interface, and over time they retained this feature. With the release of iOS 7 in 2013, the operating system saw the biggest graphical changes to align itself with the modern design, but since then the interface has not changed graphically, instead each version has minor visual improvements that the user sees. It may not be noticeable, but it may be an advantage, because revolutionary UI changes are likely to tarnish the user experience.
This is a little different for Android. First of all, different manufacturers such as Samsung and Xiaomi, etc., have separate graphical skins and more than a decade, many changes have taken place in the user interface of Android phones, but finally, by adding and subtracting various features and many tests, the user interface becomes simpler. And the avoidance of extra features is gone.
Most ordinary users do not welcome the instability and the many changes in the user interface that confuse them. In addition, the smoothness and quick response of the user interface are among the factors that affect the user experience. In this regard, iOS has gained more of its reputation from the past due to its psychological and stable performance, and this issue has been maintained until today.
In the case of Android, fortunately, due to the significant improvements that Google has made to the Android kernel, it has almost eliminated the problem of instability, even in the case of low-end phones, but in the long run, Android performance is still considered the Achilles heel of the operating system.
Despite all this talk, the efforts of some manufacturers such as Samsung to optimize and simplify the user interface have paid off over the years, and now Samsung can be considered one of the manufacturers that provide an almost flawless user experience. But if we want to look at it realistically, iOS is an operating system that has focused on simplicity and cleanliness from the beginning and excels in terms of the quality of the user experience it provides.
Many manufacturers, including Google and Samsung, have modeled their efforts on improving the quality and user experience of iOS to create a quality user experience by improving the visual and functional features. However, this is not the whole story, there are many important key points that may be vital for some users. Here are the most important ones.
Personalizations
Although iOS has shown itself in the last two versions in terms of personalization, and users can change the home screen with the desired icons and layout, Android personalization has always been popular among users who like to change the look of their devices. Android flexibility in changing the appearance of all parts of the user interface to what the audience likes, the ability to install multiple launchers and play with colors, menu shapes, fonts, etc. is a turning point for users who care about personalizing their smartphone.
This capability culminates in phones such as Samsung and Xiaomi with the ability to create and modify the entire system theme, which includes fonts, color themes, icon shapes and even system sounds. Although in terms of personalization, the superiority of Android is undeniable; But the improvements that the iPhone has made in the latest version of iOS can not be ignored.
File management and content sharing
One of the important issues that is addressed to many users apart from other issues is vital. Android is developed in such a way that it shares a part of the device’s storage memory with the user and other applications, and the user can use this space as a store for his personal files.
There is no such thing in iOS. Some may ask that iOS has a file manager, but the fact is that the shared storage space in iOS is practically undefined, and the applications each have access to the workspace that the operating system allocates to each of them separately.
The Files app on iOS gives you a separate space that does not allow you to access files in other apps unless you transfer the data you need from the app to the Files app. This allows you to share your files in each application to access other applications, causing your phone memory to fill up early.
File sharing is the same, but this is more for more security and to prevent a program from accessing the files of other programs, which we will explain in the security section. But if you are one of the users who need more control over file management, you can open an account on Android phones because managing and sharing files on Android is almost hassle-free and straightforward.
Interact with other platforms
Again, Android and iOS are not superior to each other in general tasks, and both can meet the needs of the user. The advantages of each over the other are discussed only in discussing their strengths and weaknesses. The same is true when it comes to interacting with other platforms. Apple should be described as a perfect example of creating an integrated ecosystem of its products that, like the interaction between them, no ecosystem and platform has ever seen, which ultimately leads to a quality user experience and the user feels no shortage.
But what does this mean? Suppose you have several smart gadgets, including laptops, smartwatches, TVs, or even home appliances, that are interconnected with each other, meaning that you want to manage each one on another device and exchange data between them. All of which give you access to what you need (so-called Integrity and Seamless Connectivity). Now, in terms of quality, Apple devices work best in relation to each other, but what about other manufacturers’ devices??
It is true that cross-platform integration on Android phones is not as strong as on Apple’s own devices, but the truth is that Apple’s policy in this regard is to attract customers to its devices and ecosystem, and its goals with the limitations of the iOS operating system. It is considered to follow, so iOS interaction with other devices does not leave the user as free as Android and has limitations.
For example, you can not display screen content on all TVs and monitors except the Apple TV or AirPlay compatible devices. Or, for example, share your files wirelessly with a Windows laptop. Note that there may be informal ways to do this, but if the user is looking for a quick and effective solution, the iPhone may not be a good option for him because Android phones offer simpler solutions.
This is also true when it comes to transferring files to a computer or laptop wired. IPhone’s are best combined with MacBooks for data transfer, but if you have a Windows laptop, it does not work, but to transfer any other file from your phone, except photos, you must first install the software that Apple has provided for this and then Do this.
Function
Like a garment that is embroidered on a personal person and fits well on the body, when software and hardware engineering is formed under intelligent management and close communication, it becomes the product of a system that operates in the best possible way and uses hardware resources in the best possible way. The operating system also integrates well with the device’s hardware, and as we’ve seen on iPhones, operating system performance increases.
Android is an operating system that can not be used on every device by default, but every manufacturer must get the code from Google and make it compatible in terms of hardware for each device it produces, meaning that Android on each device with the version released by Google It’s different. In addition, some manufacturers implement deeper changes to the core of the operating system and implement their own proprietary shells in their products.
This operating system is used on countless smartphones today, from low-end phones with weak hardware to flagship phones and the most up-to-date hardware, so the performance of Android is not the same in any of the phones, even the flagships of different brands. Depending on the amount of changes and optimizations that developers apply in Android, their performance varies. The end product that the user gets is the result of a long process from the development of Android by Google to its compatibility with various devices.
In recent years, Google has made extensive optimizations to Android, so that it can no longer be criticized for its performance even on low-end devices. User compared to iOS.
But despite the efforts made, Android is generally one step lower than iOS because the hardware resources in Android are not well managed yet, and especially in the battery sector, the manufacturers have resorted to using much larger batteries for their products than part of Android’s weakness in management. Cover battery consumption. Although the manufacturers’ flagship products follow in the footsteps of the iPhones, it should not be forgotten that more resources are available on Android phones than on iPhones.
The same is true for long-term performance and performance of the phone. IOS phones experience less performance loss in the long run. However, their Android counterpart may be more affected by the performance decline. So if you are one of those people who care about the performance and mentality of the system significantly and you want your phone to have a lower performance drop for several years, iPhones are a smarter choice.
Applications
In general, the two operating systems are not much different in terms of applications, and the stores of each of these platforms meet the needs of each user to the required applications. But there is a major difference between the two operating systems that can be crucial in choosing a phone, especially for Iranian users, and that is the possibility of installing (siding) applications outside the store, although there are rumors that due to a new bill of antitrust , possibly siding to download applications. Will be added to iOS. Also, due to the rules of the iOS app store (AppStore), apps that have a dedicated payment gateway are not allowed to be published in this store.
On the other hand, most important and necessary Iranian applications use the internal payment gateway, and therefore they can not be installed from the App Store. IOS currently (officially) does not allow the user to install the app from any other source. But not all roads are closed.
Many Iranian applications offer their services in the context of web applications. Some in-house service providers also offer the ability to download apps through their website, but they do so using corporate profiles, which Apple sometimes blocks because they know about it.
There are other informal ways to install apps outside of AppStore. But if you are looking for quick and painless solutions to install internal programs, iPhone is not recommended for you. This is because Android users can easily download and install the installation file of their desired program from external sources and sources other than Google Play.
In addition to the above talk, the existence of a wide range of Android phones with economical prices has caused the market to focus in this direction and the desire of Iranian developers to produce Android applications is higher; Therefore, the variety of Persian applications for Android phones is higher than iPhone phones. Although all the necessary internal applications for iOS are available, but in general there is a significant difference between the number of Persian applications for Android and iOS.
The power of action of applications in interaction with the functions of the operating system
Apple places special emphasis on the security of its products. Consequently, the iOS operating system also shows less flexibility in terms of access and authority of applications. In iOS, applications have very limited access to different parts of the operating system and are not allowed to change system configurations and settings. The activity of apps in the background (when that app is not open on the screen) is much more limited than in Android. To open a file with a specific extension, you can not specify that it will open with the application you want. Instead, you need to copy that file once in the program workspace and access it by opening the program.
Android apps like Windows apps use background services to work even when the app is not open, and you do not need time-consuming processes to keep the app open for a long time, and you can engage in other activities during that process. Default iOS apps are an exception to this rule, though. So in terms of operating system versatility and flexibility, Android is superior to iOS.
Security and privacy
IPhones are known for their high security, and many people turn to these handsets for the sake of protecting their data and privacy at a higher level. Thanks to the more consistent and regular iOS updates for its devices, the more difficult-to-penetrate ecosystem, and the stricter rules of Appostor, it makes it harder for attackers to target iOS users. In recent years, Google has been able to reduce its security vulnerabilities by releasing more regular security updates, making Google Play more secure, and taking more serious security measures.
Unfortunately, Android smartphone makers only implement these updates for older hardware in exceptional cases, so Android phones are less secure than iPhones and have become more consumable; Because users of phones with older models have to upgrade their phone model to access upgraded software.
If you are one of those people who are more sensitive to security and privacy, iPhone is an ideal option for you. Most of the reasons given for the weaknesses of iPhones stem from this issue. In fact, the security of users is more important to Apple than other manufacturers, and this is almost well observed in various parts of the operating system. From strict security measures to prevent non-access to the device with repeated validation of the Apple user account (Apple ID) to the possibility of preventing the tracking of users’ information by various applications and websites.
Apple’s distinction is based on the amount of data processing it does on the user’s device, not in the cloud. This means that Apple has less information about your habits and behavior than Google; Because information like the restaurants you go to every weekend is stored on your iPhone. Apple even uses a number of its capabilities to restrict user tracking to protect their privacy. While this information is stored in Google servers on Android phones.
Google argues that knowing more about its users’ habits empowers them to make life easier for them; So when you search for “restaurant” on Android, the restaurant where you dine every Friday will appear at the top of your search results. Google provides easier access to more personalized services, as well as more ads related to the user’s tastes.
Most of the data that is sent back to Apple (such as searches and location information) is anonymous and cannot be linked to a specific user. While Apple collects information such as the location of the phone (for example, Find My iPhone) and installed applications (to recommend new applications), the data it collects is more limited than Google. The default iPhone apps are also highly secure. Apple has always been focused on security and privacy.
Google’s primary business model is based on collecting user data and selling that data to advertisers. So Google needs to have access to users’ data and the ability to share it with other companies. Apple not only does not sell its user habits and interests to third parties, but also provides users with tools to limit what other companies can collect about them.
It is noteworthy that some of these measures, if the user is not well aware of them and does not obtain the necessary information about it, sometimes (for example, resetting the device to the original settings and not knowing the password) will take its toll. Therefore, this may not be to the liking of users who find annoying credentials and repeated security messages annoying. It is up to the user to decide which one to prioritize, but regardless of anything else, if you are going to buy any phone, whether Android or iPhone, you must have knowledge of the privacy policy, security and usage rules made by the manufacturers. Increase the set.
Software updates
One of the most controversial differences between the two operating systems from the beginning to the present has been the issue of operating system updates. Although updating is not a matter that directly creates functional and functional differences between the two operating systems, it is an important factor that affects the user experience. In fact, the differences between the two in terms of software updates depend on the policies of different manufacturers.
But in general, it is no secret that one of the strengths of iOS compared to Android is the longer support period and receive updates, the reason for which is obvious to everyone. As we said at the beginning of the article, the iOS operating system is perfectly designed for iPhones, which does not take a long time to implement, and the iPhone hardware and software development process is perfectly coordinated.
But this is different for manufacturers. Aside from the myriad variety of Android phones, its implementation involves much longer and more time-consuming processes, and all the hardware suppliers of an Android smartphone are involved in delivering the software updates. This poses two major problems for manufacturers: It takes a long time from the release of the first public version of Android until the update reaches the user. ۲. The number of basic operating system updates, which includes updates to the Android version and the user interface, is much less than the iPhone.
Fortunately, thanks to Google’s efforts, the Android update has improved a lot over the past few years. Although some manufacturers are still lazy in providing updates and no Android phone has ever received as many updates as any of the iPhones, some manufacturers such as Samsung have made significant efforts in this regard and have recently extended major updates for their flagships. It has been increased to four years, which can be very good news for users who have the issue of updates that make them hesitate to choose Android.
Although the updates are not just about the operating system version and new features, they may include security patches or, for example, the phone may have software bugs at the time of release that the manufacturer fixes by providing updates; Therefore, updating is one of the most important aspects of an operating system and its importance should not be overlooked and the necessary studies should be done among different manufacturers in providing updates.
Conclusion
We are now at a point where the two operating systems are almost at the crossroads; But they continue to develop like two parallel lines one hair apart. Deciding whether to buy an iPhone or an Android phone will ultimately be up to you, your needs and your priorities. In this article, we tried to examine the functional differences between iOS and Android operating systems to get a better view of the strengths and weaknesses of each and you can make a better choice. When choosing between iPhones and Android phones, the importance of different factors is different for different people. Some people value the choice of hardware, while others value the simplicity, freedom of operation, or security of the phone.
IOS and Android operating systems will never be the same, and this is to the benefit of consumers. Users who prefer customization and endless freedoms can use Android, and those who just want a secure, private, durable and functional phone can opt for iOS.
