iPhone vs Android
Ok everyone. As bias as I can be (key phrase being "I can be") this will most likely be thee most technically objective breakdown of the subject on whether the iPhone or Android phone is better. At the end, I'll throw in an elucidation on other platforms like Windows phones and other alternative platforms
With that being said, I've worked with most phones and have a fairly well rounded knowledge of each platform.
Since iPhone and Android pretty much dominate the smart phone mobile realm, tackling these two first will be the central theme and the two that I shall start off with first.
I personally prefer iPhone over Android and I am a fanboy of iPhone. However interestingly, after praising it and stating my preference of it over Android, the reader will find that I have a ton more criticism of it than I do with Android. Yes it sounds schizophrenic in nature, but it is what it is.
What makes iPhone dominate over Android ultimately are a couple of issues, at least for me, and while it is my opinion, Im sure many people would agree.
- The OS (operating system) The OS is soooo smooth and elementary in style. The way it operates. The elegant simplistic design. The GUI (graphical user interface) for me is much better than Android's GUI. I simply dont like the GUI for Android. I would venture to say that 80% of the mobile user populace simply choose one platform over the other simply based on the sheer design of the user interface.
The way that apps are sandboxed rather than integrated into the whole of the system. Its a programming genius from a development point of view, but it does have its flaw, but extremely trivial. This actually leads to the second point
App development This, to me, is key. The apps on iPhone are just so much better in their functionality, design, and abilities. When comparing the same apps that are offered on each platform, the iOS version is much, and I mean MUCH better. In the past year though, Android has really uped the quality of their apps. Nevertheless, I believe this is where Apple dominates. The integral reason for this is that the apps made for iOS were engineered through Xcode for Mac. Xcode, I would say, is pretty darned good casting aside its proprietary nature. I'm not quite sure what it could be, if its the language of cocoa and objective C, or the Xcode environment, or both, but the final result is stunning quality in both visual and functionality.
Hardware Not so much as the latest most advanced technology because Android devices usually produces more later technologies, and ill get into the details of this later. Hardware in terms of how the product is made. Apple's hardware completely annihilates Android devices. The batteries durability and life far outlast Android devices. The charge port for Android devices are crappy. Likewise the entire design/frame/body/structure of the iPhone is just so "Mac" like. The body is slick, slim, smooth, outright sexy. The 4 design was a landmark revolutionary design. So is the current model (5, 5s)
Screen This is where iPhone and Android outdo each other. How can this contradistinction take place? Quite simple. If your a fan of bigger screens, then Android smokes Apple in this regard. A lot of people do like large screens. However, I believe that the size issue is actually better with Apple. The basis of mobility is mobility. Huge screens are a turn off for mobility. The S3 or S4 are the largest sizes I can deal with from a mobile device. Anything bigger, I will simply regard as a pad/tablet rather than a phone. The Galaxy Note just doesnt look good at all for a mobile phone. Its nice as a tablet or for watching movies in the car, but not necessarily my type of mobile computing/social experience while on the go. And it is certainly bothersome in my pocket, that is, if your pockets are big enough to even hold the darn thing.
So the size of iPhones is ultimately a key strategic implementation of Apple, and this was seen in the 5 and up models. Having a device in which it's screen surpasses your thumbs reach ultimately defeats the purpose of mobility and enters the genre of tablets.
Quality. While Android devices do come out with interesting designs or abilities of their screens, where Apple completely obliterates Android is in the retina display. I virtually need not say more. There is no Android device that matches the superb crisp resolution of the iPhones retina display. And this is what really is a key issue for the majority of users.
- Interoperability This is where Apple dominates as well. I love the interoperability between other idevices and the Mac line of computers. Everything from iMessage, iCloud, iTunes, iPhoto, iWorks, iLife, and the list keeps going. Owning Apple devices is virtually a harmonious computing ecosystem. That is essentially what it is. Having a Mac Mini, Macbook Pro, iPad, iPhone and Apple TV, and the Airport extreme is just a work of art in terms of interoperability. On the flip side, there is a cost to this, the urge to keep people behind a walled garden and sucking more money out of the customers.
All of these issues is what essentially keeps me in the Apple ecosystem.
However, with all of these praises, now I offer my criticism, because some of these issues I highlighted as praises for Apple, are also its failures, the irony of it all.
More interesting is the fact that the criticisms I have with Apple are essentially Androids high points. So now comes the iPhone bashing (as I type this up in my brand new 32g gold 5S, lol)
- The closed functionality of the device
This is a monstrosity for technical users, a problem for most common people, and ok for the simple-minded in mobile user experience factor. The problem remains primarily because Apple caters mostly to this third class of people, which is becoming quite clear that this third class of mobile users constitute the minority of mobile users, and hence a fundamental flaw of Apple's advertising ideology.
- Customization
Again, stemming from the first, yet deserving a section of its own. iPhone's complete lack of ability in terms of customization's to many parts of the iPhone's structure, whether it be in the GUI (like themes) or in tweaks (mods, avenues of easy access (like the toggle system for SBSettings and the ability to add as many toggles for different functions and even customizing the theme of SBSettings).
Theming is a major factor in jailbreaking for users with literally 10s of thousands of ways that the iPhone could look like as opposed to the 100% non-customizable iOS. THE ONLY ability iOS users have to help give life to the user interface is the background wallpaper. Thats it.
- The Irony of Apple's Ideology of Simplicity
This concept from Apple is one of the pitfalls and the engine that stifles everything that iPhone can be. In fact this ideology which is manifested through market production of the iPhone is the reason that the concept of jailbreaking was born. Well, actually its one of the reasons, but it is a concept that is nevertheless a reason for jailbreaking.
One reason why I honestly hold this concept as one of Apple's marketing blunders is that most people are already neck deep into mobile user experience. The mobile revolution has already taken place and where nigh high into the rising atmosphere of its sophistication. The latest features now in current version of iOS (as of now, 7) should have been either in iOS 2 or 3. Simplicity in 2013 and now hitting 2014 is virtually a market for the minority. IMHO, Apple's continuity of implementing this strategy will be detrimental to Apple's dominance, and we've seen this through the rise of Android post 2010 and more so in late 2011 and into 2012. This philosophy is essentially archaic for a tech company.
- Extremely Late Implementations
This is probably the issue that pisses me off more than anything about Apple's iPhone. The fact that it took 7 iOSs for Apple to realize that we needed a quick reach to certain settings, which is known as control center in iOS 7, makes users to iPhone literally want to slap Apple CEOs silly. Whats even worse than that is they didn't even add enough quick access settings in this "Control Center" feature, like a toggle for the 4G and LTE buttons or other essential apps on the bottom of Control Center. This is completely mind boggling.
Whether its certain basic features in the settings app or notification center in iOS 5. The fact that it took 7 versions of iOS to help Apple realize to bring Control Center (which is still limited) to access something as convenient as the flashlight is truly the pinnacle of technical foolishness and on the boarder of technical tyranny.
Another prime example is "multitasking". Lets dedicate some language just on this topic alone. The Apple version of "multitasking" was introduced to the iPhone in iOS 4. So what is the problem? The problem was their extremely deficient, even decrepit conception of "multitasking" was essentially a useless feature because a. It was not actually multitasking and b. the tweaks presented in the jailbreak realm simply used this feature for performing other much more usefull features, like actually adding a music playing equalizer by simply sliding to the right upon summoning this "multitask" feature brought by Apple.
We are in the post iOS 7 era now and since iOS 4, not a single line of code was introduced to iOS multitasking to enhance it. The only thing that virtually changed was the user interface of it, which changed from a infantile moving of the springboard upwards to the phenomenal look of a card switcher, which was literally stolen from the jailbreak community.
So whats wrong with Apple's "multitasking"? Well, it doesn't multitask. It merely keeps apps running on cache memory, and depending on the app, it will be killed after a few minutes or up to the 10 minute limit. You wont be able to download a 100 megabite file while switching to another task if it takes longer than 3 minutes on any given downloader app. Luckily in the jailbreak scene, we have backgrounder, and other tweaks that aided in filling the void of true multitasking that Apple failed to provide. The underlying reason Apple uses is mainly to preserve ram, which helps in preventing crashing applications.
I retort by stating if we were simply provided with a tool to free our ram, that would be a perfect fix. But alas, we're into the 7th iOS, and we still have not been provided with a simple gesture based summoning of freeing our ram. Hence the need for iPhone users to remain jailbreaking
Another issue, WIDGETS. Again, after 7 OSs, we still have not been provided with the extremely useful feature of something called widgets. This is where Android comes in as the Bruce Lee of the market, defeating the Chuck Norris of the market. The jailbreak community has brought extreme functionality to the iPhone through many modifications, one main aspect of tweaks being widgets.
Im sure after 2 iOSs later down the line, Apple may eventually come around by giving its users the ability to have widgets, which I might add would most likely be extremely limited with like 5 or 6 widgets with no room for customization or even a portion of the appstore to dedicate to developers in order to sell widgets for user advantage. Such a feature may come 4 OSs down the line, possibly.
Literally, what keeps the iPhone interesting is the jailbreaking industry. So the formula that I came up with is the following
"Powerful Android phones can crush iPhone customization-wise. But a jailbroken iPhone is unbeatable"
Further review regarding the concept of jailbreaking can be found here https://pidsec.bearblog.dev/the-fundamentals-behind-jailbreaking-and-rooting/
So, Android. Well, one of the unique features of Android is custom roms, which give features to users that normally do not come on stock devices.
Hardware
Apple has an implied sense of arrogance regarding hardware, and I dont blame them. This needed to be said for quite some time.
One if the only reasons Android even survives is that the devices from various companies compete with each other, and inexorably with Apple, over new advancements in its hardware. On the other hand, Apple ALWAYS and UNABASHEDLY lags behind. It wasnt until the iPhone 4s that the mega pixels was amped from 5 on iPhone 4, and given 8 mega pixels in the 4s. While most droids were boasting 8 mega pixels at the time, Apple kept its iPhone 4 to the mere 5 mega pixels. Even now, with the 5s, Apple kept it at 8 mega pixels whereas new droid phones are boasting 12 and even 15 mega pixels
Part of the reason why Apple can get away with intentionally lagging behind in accelerating the power of aspects to its hardware is actually a couple of reasons
a. They build their own devices. This is a plus plus for computing gadgets. Android is merely an OS and it has to work with separate companies to fine tune the OS to the specific hardware features of a certain company's device. Apple knows that the symmetry and syncronicity of their OS to their hardware is unmatched, a perfect harmony. Thats one of the things Apple is known for. In fact, thats what makes Apple, Apple. So their enginuity is what allows them to do this. Even if Apple outsources some if its hardware components to its enemies, it does nothing to Apple's demise. Thats what I call "mad pull"
[Side Bar] Apple is actually more intelligent in their approach to hardware than most folk are. Apple explained that picture quality does not lie all in the mere megapixels alone. In other words, more megapixels doesn't mean greater/better camera. In its conference introducing the 5 (or 5s, I forget which one) they said that there are other mechanisms involved in photo taking. And hence in that conference, they revealed that the phone would be the same megapixels, but it incorperated additional hardware that enhances the quality of photos.
b. Class. Apple products are simply known as the Rolls Royce of gadgets. S3s and S4s, HTC Ones and such powerful gadgets are like the mercedez bens of the market. The rest are just the rest. iPhone is simply on a totally different ball park. In fact, I have another one of those personal sayings
"Theres iPhone, and then theres everything else"
Point being, Apple products from the Macs, iPads, and phones, and the pods are simply beyond and transcends the sphere of all other devices. People know as a mere matter of fact that Apple products simply costs, and that they get exactly what they pay for.
Speaking of this, I have a problem with the 5c. Its simply anti-Apple-ish in nature. This was one of the dumbest concepts Apple ever did. The reason for the launching of the 5c was supposedly to attract clientele that may not have been able to afford the actual iPhones. This is absurd from several angles
a. This line of phones is only a mere 100 bucks less. This is completely stupid. Only 100 bucks less. If it were at least 200 or more, i could understand trying to reach that market.
However, reaching that market is essentially counter-Apple. People gravitate to Apple because of the quality and superbness of their product. If people want an Apple product, whether it is a Mac or an idevice, they will make the effort to get one regardless of their abilities. This is where I feel Apple reniged on their entire legacy, the introduction of the 5c. Even my wife and daughter wouldnt even want to get one. They'd opt for the 5s any day.
b. it is the antithesis of Apple's supreme line of product production.
Also I don't like it because the colors are too damn fruity.
Conclusion Between The Two
Ultimately, the most objective answer is that it ultimately depends on the user. Both iPhone and droid pretty much do everything one can think of. One platform might have a special feature the otherdoesn't have, but they both perform and get the job done.
It depends on the user and how they like the graphical user interface. Thats ultimately the thematic difference. Some people like the design of Android, some people prefer the design of iOS.
They are both good phones overall, well at least the higher end of droid phones, not the low end devices. Of the two, I do prefer iPhone and I'll rank iPhone at 51% and thee absolute best Android has to offer at 49%. The basis for these statistics is based on everything I've just mentioned above.
I can even say that a high end Android, like an S4 or the new Motorola, LG, or HTC One, can be better than a 5c. But once an iPhone is jailbroken, not only have the tables have turned, the entire solar system shifts.
Windows
The Windows phone to me is essentially garbage in its GUI. Id rather have a droid anyday over a Windows phone. Even more strange is that in my view, the Windows phone is too, too, Windows. Its simply ugly. What has also affected my bias is my conversion from PC to Mac a few years back. I just cant stand Windows. A Windows phone to me is about as essential as Blackberry, both being useless post 2010.
Alternatives
The essentially problem with all of mainstream mobile is ultimately the closed/inclusive nature of iPhone and Android. Even with Android's much more open platform, its still closed. What do I mean? I mean giving users "root access" to their own device. This is really the ultimate root of the problem. This is where I would praise the creation of a Linux phone, a true open source framework, without sacrificing any functionality.
An Ubuntu phone, or even if there was a way to port linux or Ubuntu to either the iPhone or even an Android (preferably the iPhone though), I would ditch the original OSs of these devices any day as my main mobile. As a tech person, it is useful to have all platforms on hand.
Hopefully the above should dispel the myths that are usually attached to me, about how fanatical I'am about iPhone and inconsiderate of other gadgets. I have been known for being partisan and mocking/dogging Android and making the supremacy of iPhone known, but this is just my comical side. This article is more of my rational side and my methodological approach to how I judge devices and how I embark acquiring them.