October sees the EZTakaful blog discussing topics from the ever-changing and vast world of Technology! Gizmos, gadgets, apps, social media and smartphones will all be covered this month.
In this first installment of this new series we focus on the classic battle tech geeks have been arguing for years…iOS versus Android.
What is a Smartphone?
Smartphones are a piece of technology that concentrates the world’s information into a pocket-sized device and visualizes it through text, images and sounds. Essentially, a smartphone is a computer in your pocket that can make calls!
Key features of Smartphones typically include:
- Internet access, usually through a 3G connection
- Social media such as Facebook and Twitter in the palm of your hand
- Mobile applications available for download
- Access to popular instant messaging services such as WhatsApp
- A Qwerty keyboard
- Synchronising your personal and professional accounts
- Email Communications
The Smartphone Market Share:
The worldwide smartphone market grew 13.0% year over year in 2015 Q2, with 341.5 million shipments, according to data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker.
Smartphone shoppers generally fall into two major camps: iOS (developed by Apple) and Android (developed by Google), while Windows Phone and Blackberry OS have very small market shares.
So….iOS or Android: Which One Is Better?
Well, that depends on who you ask! Both iOS and Android platforms are known for their fanatical supporters known as ‘fanboys.’ Fanboys tend to give biased reviews of their preferred platform and will always fight the corner of their choice unconditionally.
Fortunately the team here at EZTakaful have put together an unbiased and objective comparison of some key features for those who are still struggling between these 2 tech giants!
The Device:
As iOS is Apple’s software, you must go for an Apple iPhone if iOS is your preference. However with Android there is a bit more choice as multiple phone makers utilise Android for their devices. Brands ranging from Samsung, LG, HTC and Oppo are all available for selection for Android users.
Storage:
When you buy an iPhone, the storage is pre-determined by the device you choose … and what your budget allows e.g. 32GB, 64GB. On the other hand, most Android phones have a microSD card slot, so you can easily and cheaply buy more storage space.
Battery:
In some Android devices, you can often remove the battery and replace it with a new one, prolonging the life of your smartphone. You can’t do that with an iPhone. However, a lot of the new Android phones like the Samsung Galaxy Note 6, Galaxy Note 5, and HTC One are made of metal and glass so their backs aren’t removable. When it comes to the battery setting, iOS and Android will be getting more similar to each other.
App Availability:
Android apps can be downloaded from the Google Play Store, which currently has 600,000 apps available. Many originally iOS-only apps are now available for Android, including Instagram and Pinterest, and Google’s more open app-store means other exclusive apps are also available, including Adobe Flash Player and BitTorrent. The Apple App store currently offers 700,000 apps. Most developers prefer to develop games for iOS before they develop them for Android. It is also argued that the apps on Apple app store are of better quality, in terms of user experience and bugs, as Apple employs a stringent review process of apps before they are allowed to be made available to the public. Android does not have such checks.
Interface:
iOS and Android both use touch interfaces that have a lot in common – swiping, tapping and pinch-and-zoom. Both operating systems boot to a home screen, which is similar to a computer desktop. While an iOS home screen only contains rows of app icons, Android allows the use of widgets, which display auto-updating information such as weather and email. The iOS user interface features a dock where users can pin their most frequently used applications. Overall It is claimed that iOS is more intuitive, whilst Android is more customisable.
Stability of Apps and the Operating System:
The Crittercism Mobile Experience Report published in March 2014 ranked Android KitKat as more stable than iOS 7.1. Other findings from the report include:
- Android 2.3 Gingerbread has the highest total crash rate, at 1.7%. Other versions of Android — Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean, and KitKat — have a crash rate of 0.7%.
- iOS 7.1 has a crash rate of 1.6%., and the rates for iOS 7.0 and iOS 5 are 2.1% and 2.5% respectively.
- Phone versions of both Android and iOS are more stable than their tablet versions.
- Crash rates for apps vary by category — games are most likely to crash (4.4% crash rate) and e-commerce apps have the lowest crash rate of 0.4%.
Security:
Android’s applications are isolated from the rest of the system’s resources, unless a user specifically grants an application access to other features. This makes the system less vulnerable to bugs. Conversely, malware writers are less likely to write apps for iOS, due to Apple’s review of all the apps and verification of the identity of app publishers. Rest assured, both systems are secure.
Privacy:
When installing apps on Android, the user is presented with all the permissions that the app is requesting. This is an all-or-nothing proposition. For iOS, after an app is installed and opened by the user, an iOS app may request additional permissions like location and access to Contacts. But the user can reject these permission requests. Even after approving the permission requests, iOS users can quickly glance at which apps have access to their Contacts and location data, and turn off access for apps with which they no longer want to share this data.
In conclusion it is fair to say that both systems have their benefits and shortfalls. In our experience the winner of this grand battle in the end comes down to personal choice – it really depends on your usage and your preferences. Some users love the ability to customise their devices with Android, while others require quality apps from Apple’s App Store.
For iOS and Android users alike, the good news is the new EZTakaful app is now live – making it even easier to arrange affordable protection for you and your family.
Download the free app now to learn more about EZTakaful and cover everyone you love!
Stayed tuned for the second instalment in our Technology series as next week we discuss the Top ‘Must Have’ Apps for your smartphone or tablet.
Happy Reading!