Before you start reading this post, please note this is not about which of these is better than the other. It is just a list of criteria on which I based my decision.
A few months ago, my Nokia N900 (with the Maemo OS) broke down, so I was forced to buying a new one. I had thought for a long time that my next phone would be an iPhone (I admit, I’m kind of an Apple fan, although not all the way). I had seen Android in action about two years ago, and I was not at all impressed (it was very slow), but still I decided to take a look at it again. Here are the criteria on which I based my decision.
Reaction speed of the interface
I checked out some movies on YouTube of Android examples, just to see if it was as snappy as the iPhone. And I was pleasantly surprised! iOs is probably just a little bit faster, but you hardly notice it. Android (and the hardware) has come a long way since I saw it two years ago.
Integration and synching
iOs synchs very well with all Apple software and services. Android on the other hand integrates very well with Google services. As I already use GMail and Google Calendar, Android seemed to be a more logical choice for me.
GPS
Android supports voice-assisted navigation for free. On the iPhone, you must purchase separate apps (I think). I love the integration of GPS and Google Maps, it’s much better than my TomTom.
Tethering
This one was very important to me. I don’t think iOs supports tethering (unless it’s jailbroken), and Android supports this out of the box.
Apps
The iTunes store and all of the iOs apps look more professional and ‘polished’ than the Android ones. The apps were the main reason I kept wanting the iPhone for so long.
Screen size
Not really Android/iOs related, but the iPhone screen is just a bit too small for me. A lot of people don’t like ‘bulky’ phones like the Galaxy SII, but I don’t mind and I really like its big bright screen. It doesn’t bother me sitting in my pocket. But then again, just personal taste…
Music
There’s no doubt about it : iTunes in combination with the iPhone will always be better than any other system… But I must say the Andoid music player is not bad at all, I can live with it.
In the end, I decided to go for Android (Samsung Galaxy SII), based on previous criteria. These criteria are very personal of course, but they might help others make a decision. I must admit I had never actually used iOs or Android before the purchase, so some of these criteria may be incorrect. Feel free to comment…
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