Apple or Android: Who is Winning the Mobile War?

Last month, Apple announced the iPhone 5, a predicted game changer in mobile technology. While some applauded Apple’s latest efforts, others believed that they fell short. Meanwhile, the Android crowd has been anxiously waiting for the release of Jelly Bean.  Though choosing your phone is a matter of personal preference, here are our thoughts on iOS and Android:

 

 

Apps
iOS is a great choice for those who want to play games on their phone, as the App Store has the largest library of games available. When considering non-entertainment apps, both the App Store and Google Play offer great choices. While the App Store has a broader offering, apps bought for Android can interact a bit more freely with your phone. Google Play runs efficiently on Android devices, while the App Store can be a bit clunky on older iPhone models.

Maps
Apple has gotten a lot of flak lately for their ill-designed Maps feature on iOS 6. Put simply: it wasn’t great before and it simply hasn’t gotten better. Google Maps for Android is much more accurate and easier to use. I’m an Android user-turned Apple user and the one thing that I miss about my old phone is the navigation capabilities. Apple has issued an official apology for the latest rendering of Maps, so we’ll see if they’re able to step up their game by the time the next update is released.

Customization & Intuitiveness
Both iOS and Android have great user interfaces, though it would certainly be an adjustment to switch from one to another. If you’re looking for customization on your home screen or anywhere else, Android has the clear advantage. You aren’t able to customize much on an iPhone without jailbreaking it. However, because iOS is highly intuitive, straight-forward and doesn’t allow for customization, it has a much easier learning curve.

Updates
While Android’s Google Maps beats iOS Maps by a landslide, iOS returns with a vengeance when it comes to updates. When iOS 6 was released a couple of weeks ago, it was immediately available to all iPhone users. How long will it take for all Android users to have Jelly Bean on their phones when some of them still don’t have Ice Cream Sandwich? This conversation is going to make me hungry!

Though many more comparisons can be drawn between iOS and Android, it’s best to leave the discussion here. Both iOS and Android are great operating systems, and Windows is also becoming a growing force in the mobile marketplace. One may be more useful to a certain demographic than the other, but they are all strong contenders in the mobile market.

What do you think? Love your Android? Die-hard Apple fan? There’s one thing we can all be thankful for: the SHOP.COM Mobile App is available on both iOS and Android!