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Android Vs. iOS: Which Platform Is The Best?

The lion’s share of the mobile operating system lies majorly with Android and Apple, precisely iOS. And the battle of claiming the best between the two has always remained a debatable topic among developers. Both app development platforms have their fair share of benefits and almost no disadvantages are associated with them.Being into app development industry, we all are aware of the updates both of these OS have received lately. When it comes to innovation, both the operating systems have their hard-earned-points in their pockets. And the list of comparison goes on. This article is going to explore the different features and functionalities of Android and iOS to denote the key differences between both of these operating systems. While we explore the differences, we will try to declare the winner for each section to find out the ultimate answer to the burning debate of which operating system is the best.Let’s explore!!The key TakeawaysMobile VulnerabilityMarket shareHardware SpecificationUpdate to OSCustomization and AccessibilitySecurityMobile vulnerabilityTalking purely about the threat level that Android and iOS are exposed to, the former is believed to have more vulnerabilities than iOS reason being it’s an open-source operating system. iPhone users, on the other side, have a bunch of benefits when it comes to security. If some major studies are to be believed, the percentage of malware targets is higher on Android than in iPhones. And because more Android phones are still running on year old software, Android phones are at the stake of vulnerability. Apple has been working on adding a number of security patches and the launch of touch and face id is an example to it.Apple controls the appearance of apps on its store whereas the case with Android is a bit different and also believed to be effortless when developers need to submit their application to the Google Play. That's one aspect of the story. Android, because of its open source nature is exposed to vulnerability more than Apple. But when it comes to security attacks, the percentage for the operating systems is equal. Both the apps are at risk of social engineering and for the similar reason both the operating systems can easily be exposed to vulnerabilities. But the fact that Android is open source takes it at the edge.The verdict: iOS wins the battle for being secured from vulnerabilities.Market shareLet’s look at the numbers both operating systems have in their store for us. The count represents the number of apps users can find at App and Play Store. So, the count goes as:Android apps: 3.5 millioniOS apps: 2.2 millionLet me be honest about it. Numbers are never the true metrics to measure the real popularity. Of course, Android host a great deal of applications at the Play Store, but Apple is renowned for letting the apps appear fast on its store if a comparison is made with the counterpart i.e. with Android.Traditionally, iOS has remained a lucrative platform for the developers as there has remained a tendency for the apps to appear there first. But the tendency is changing quickly in the Android landscape for a few years now. Making a comparison in terms of percentage of free apps, the Android ecosystem wins the battle. The number of apps for having the best mobile game is still there with iOS and some apps even fail to make their appearance over the Android platforms. Additionally, quality is always rated beyond quantity and iOS never compromises on the quality of the application. So, here iOS gets a narrow win over Android.The verdict: iOS wins the battle for quality apps.Hardware SpecificationMaking a comparison between iOS and Android concerning hardware specification is not justified as both the platforms boast different software specifications. Talking strictly in terms of battery per mAh rating, I can say iOS is designed to squeeze the most out of such a setting. Whereas the case with Android is a bit different. The users can have an Android device with a much bigger battery that may easily outlast any iPhone.With both these operating systems, the users can easily have their battery usage chart at a glance. Both these operating systems break down the battery usages specified by apps to present the statics for the users. This gives useful information to find out about the actual app usage. Be it Android or iOS both the platforms offer power saving modes. These modes have been developed to extend battery life by limiting performance, connectivity, and other power-sapping features. These customizations are more precise on Android.Android has been showing versatility regarding battery charging department. It has in a few years showed greater capability when it comes to charging the phone. Android is also leading the game in wireless charging. With iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, iOS is giving a heated competition to its counterpart. Wireless charging is also possible with iOS but users need to buy the system separately, which is not the case with Android.The verdict: Android wins the battle for hardware specification depending specifically on battery performance.Update to OS (software update)Apple iOS is renowned for receiving timely updates including security patches and other update to the software. The similar service is available to Google but on Pixel phones. When it comes to version updates, almost 90 percent of all iOS devices running on the updated operating system. And for the Android, the graph seems as displayed below:The game with iOS is a bit different as it exclusively takes care of the bug fixes, latest releases, security patches, and the updates that an operating system must receive from time to time in order to offer the best and most updated services to the users.So, in terms of security updates, we have a clear winner with this section in the form of iOS owing to its capability of providing the latest services to the users.The verdict: iOS wins the race on the most updated operating system. CustomizationCustomization is Android’s strength. And we bet you would agree on that. Right from the tons of customized themes to the layouts for the screen and to the widgets and the shortcuts, Android floods you with choices only to make it difficult for the users to choose from the same. So, Android is quite versatile when it comes to customizing the effects for your smartphone. There are even launchers for the Android users to alter their screen interfaces easily.The game with iOS is a bit different in this regards. There are impressive backgrounds available for the iOS users but when it comes to widgets there is a limited support to it. But the level of freedom that Android offers to the users is much wider if compared to the iOS gameplay. Setting up third-party application is much easier in the Android ecosystem, which on iOS is still locked down. Therefore, if you are looking for a customized look and feel for your screen, there is no better platform than Android. The customization level with Android is beyond fabulous.The verdict: We declare Android the winner for having the most amazing customizable operating system.AccessibilityBoth platforms have a good range of accessibility, although Android is known for a bit complicated architect as Java seems to be more complicated than objective C including the massive lines of code that Android developers need to code for an app that could easily be done in iOS. So, when it’s on Accessibility, the race between the two operating system is to make things easier for the users.If we talk about the big fishes who offer services through Android devices, Samsung is a big name that is making the things easier for the users by introducing its “easy mode” to make interface bigger and simplify the whole experience. For Android, there are third party apps to accomplish the same.One notable thing regarding compatibility in iOS devices is its interface remains similar across devices. The look and feel even with upgraded system remains a bit similar whereas the interface with different Android mobile manufacturers change as per the device specification. iOS is less cluttered, more streamline and thus here comes the verdict.The Verdict: iOS snatches the deal under the accessibility title.SecurityMuch has been talked about the security of both the operating system right from the security patches to the software updates it releases. The slovenly nature of update with Android devices is a matter of concern that may sometime delay some important security patches for the Android devices. While the case of iOS is not similar. In order to beef up the security game for their Android devices, some manufacturers like Samsung take extra efforts to embed security in their devices.Security breaches are becoming more common these days and thus it is important for Android to remain abreast of the changes. In case of Apple or iOS, the giant has kept working on improving its security game by including facilities like FaceID and fingerprint sensors into its device. However, the technological giant had also faced some criticism when the faceID in iPhone X didn’t work as expected for a child’s facial imprints. Besides that Apple has remained an ardent candidate when it comes to maintaining the security patches.The verdict: iOS wins the race in the security concern.The Final VerdictNumerically speaking, iOS has more points than Android but in some departments Apple’s OS fails to make its impression. And when it comes to the customization, Apple seems losing the race to Android but in other departments, iOS is more impressive than Android. Both the operating systems have their ins and the outs and thus you pay attention to the areas important to you prior to choosing any of the operating systems.