Thursday, 03 March 2011

• iOS vs. Android: Is one really better than the other?

  Mobile phones and other technology, like tablets, are some of the most popular products out there today. Consumers are always looking for the next best thing, whether that's a faster phone with a bigger screen, or a tablet that does more, has a better, more comfortable design, or any other number of variables. Yet despite the wide variety of phones (and pretty soon, tablets) on the market, it seems that the single biggest factor that matters to people is what software their device is running. Although the Blackberry is still popular, especially for businesspeople, the two major contenders in the market are Apple's iOS, and Google's Android.
  
  But which one is truly better? Are they just two very different operating systems with separate appeal, or two different flavors of the same candy? 
  
  Let's look at this objectively. What do both OS's do? 
  
  -Both provide users with a comprehensive cell phone that includes calling, texting, saving contacts, and all the basic functionalities you'd expect from a modern cell phone.
  
  -They both provide the user with the ability to store and listen to/watch music and video on their phone.
  
  -Both offer near-complete internet functionality. Their browsers are only limited by websites with elements that aren't properly formatted for mobile browsers.
  
  -Each one offers integration with a user's email, Facebook, and various other social networking sites.
  
  -Both offer enormous app markets, with programs that cater to any and every kind of user.
  
  These are the essential functionalities we've come to expect from smartphones, and each operating system handles those functions with grace. I think, then, that it really comes down to very minute details. Things like the phone's hardware (the processor, screen size, whether or not it has a keyboard), and personal preference. Most people who are Apple fans will spring for an iPhone and tout its superiority over Android. But, at the end of the day, aside from a different look and feel, they both do the same essential things, and do them well. 
  
  Which means, the whole argument of iOS vs. Android comes down to peanuts. Obviously, people will defend on or the other for various reasons. One has better apps, one is more extensible, and the list goes on. But that's fine -- it's those kind of arguments that drive the industry to keep trying new things.
  
  So why don't you tell me. Which is better, the iOS, or Android? Or are they just two sides of the same coin? 

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