Android V/s IOS Operating System

It is expected that number of smartphone users would cross one billion by the end of 2014. Considering the fact, the first real smartphone – the original iPhone was launched just six years ago. Choosing a smartphone today is as difficult as finding a pearl in an ocean. People will usually end up choosing between the iPhone and one of the million Android phones.

When it comes to size, iPhone is always comfortable to carry than most gigantic Android smartphones. Apart from that, competition is the hardware specification department has almost saturated. It is the battle of mobile application development. The most unique feature of Android smartphones is its open-source operating system. Manufacturers and Carriers can independently modify user interface and fix bugs. iPhone on the other hand has a completely different story. For years, iOS has been leading in the iPhone application development and it currently has over 9,00,000 applications on its app store. However, Android application development is catching way too fast by allowing Firefox, Opera and Chrome to run independently, which is not possible in iOS. One of the biggest problems Android is currently facing is the lack of security on its app store.

The most underrated function in Android OS is the system-wide sharing function called “intent”. It allows the user to pass the data (text, images, hyperlinks, etc.) across various apps using the SHARE button. On the other hand, not having an open-source system makes it possible to maintain consistency across all versions of iPhones. That means, once you are logged into the iOS ecosystem (with a single password), photos, music and other files can be synced across each device using iCloud. That said, software is very much controlled by Apple, user can only do what Apple allows you to do. Android OS has the potential to as great as iOS but manufacturers and carrier companies using ruin the phone’s potential by adding unnecessary bloat wares which lowers the device’s battery life and turn its home screen ugly.

When it comes down to necessities, Android application development leads the way through in which it handles notifications. Unlike iOS, which are just read-only notifications that launches the app on tapping, Android OS keeps the user in control and actually makes it clear what each notification is saying. Notifications can individually or in bulk be dismissed. Whereas, iOS just lets it do at app level. Android lets you do a lot with its apps without actually opening up every app. On the downside, Android notifications don’t light up the screen or display them on the lock screen like the iOS does it.

Only Apple has the desktop, mobile and cloud solutions seamlessly intertwined, and at an increasing rate given free to its users. On the other hand, the list of Google products an Android user uses each day involuntarily is – Gmail, Android, Calendar, Search, Maps, Chrome, YouTube, and Play Store. Of these, at least five are used by every computer literate user. That’s the power of mobile application development these technology giants have created to cater its more than a million users.