Why choose Android over iOS?

The first iPhone was announced on January 9, 2007, and the first Android handset (HTC Dream) arrived on September 23, 2008. It’s impossible to know for sure, but I suspect the first Android vs. iOS article was very well received. Right after that.

It’s a debate that’s been around for decades and tends to garner a lot of attention, like Windows vs. macOS or Coca-Cola vs. Pepsi. Both of these mobile operating systems are updated annually, so there are always new talking points.

As a technology journalist who writes guides, news, and reviews, I’m not a regular cell phone user. I spend a lot of time using both Android (especially the Google Pixel 8 at the moment) and iOS (which is my iPhone 15 Pro Max). now). Rather than switching from one to the other, I use both regularly and extensively.

This means I know the ins and outs of both platforms when it comes to day-to-day work, and I also know the phones I use most for personal messaging, social media, web browsing, music, podcasts, and everything else. . Work-related: Pixel 8. So I thought I’d add to the Android vs. iOS discussion by explaining why.

Remember, I don’t hate iOS or the iPhone, I’m just a fan of the sophisticated combination of hardware and software that Apple has created. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is definitely a great smartphone. However, I prefer to use Android for my everyday devices, and here’s why.

More customization available on Android

Home screen rotation is one of the features that Android has but iOS doesn’t.
Credit: Lifehacker

This is mentioned in every Android vs. iOS comparison, and it’s still true. Android lets you do more with your home screen, lock screen, and app icons. You can also change the skin of the entire interface using tools like Nova Launcher. Although iOS has caught up to some extent, iPhone customization options are still not as comprehensive or easy to use.

Get this: Android’s home screen actually rotates and works in landscape mode. I like having pixel-by-pixel control over how my phone looks, whether it’s displaying a single app on the home screen or extending widgets in all directions. Rumor has it that there will be even more home screen customization once iOS 18 is released, so I’m clearly agreeing with my opinion that Apple is lagging behind Google in this area.

I think the current iOS home screen and app library settings are pretty clunky. Why can’t I see a simple list of all the apps I’ve installed? To find apps that aren’t pinned to your home screen, swipe to the end of those screens and then see which category Apple puts them in. You need to decide what you decide to classify.

Google apps are everywhere

Google TV works fine on iOS. Apple TV on Android? You can’t even use it.
Credit: Lifehacker

Everyone is different, but I find Google’s suite of apps much more appealing than Apple’s, with a few exceptions. When it comes to Gmail vs. Apple Mail, Google Docs vs. Pages, Google Maps vs. Apple Maps, and Google Photos vs. Apple Photos, I always choose Google (although I love Apple Music).

We don’t have the space to explain every single reason here, but Google’s apps are fast, reliable, and, importantly, available everywhere. We know that if you rent a movie from Google, you can easily play it on just about any device out there, but have you ever tried running Apple TV on Android? I’m a little confused.

Granted, this is about apps and services provided by Google and Apple, not Android or iOS. But if you’re like me and split your time between Apple and non-Apple devices, choosing Google will definitely make your life easier. And if you’re choosing Google’s apps, those apps will work best and update faster. on android.

Now you have more control over your apps on Android

Android lets you change even more default apps.
Credit: Lifehacker

When it comes to apps, Android allows developers to bring hooks deeper into the operating system than iOS. Apple will argue that this makes Android less secure. Android is the place to be for tinkerers and hackers (I’d put myself in that group), as evidenced by apps like Tasker that let you create all sorts of automations and routines.

As a result, there are entire categories of apps on Android that don’t exist on iOS. Apps to check battery health and usage, apps to run Wi-Fi network diagnostics, apps to manage files on your phone (beyond Apple’s own), and more. option). As with customization options, many users may not want these extra features, but I do.

Android lets you do more with apps than the individual apps themselves. You can install multiple instances of the same app, run two apps side by side on the screen, and even change the default apps. . You can also install another app to manage your text messages. I don’t think we’ll see this on iOS for a while (if ever).

Android feels more intuitive

Two things you won’t see on iOS: notifications in the status bar and gaps on the home screen.
Credit: Lifehacker

This may be partly due to my familiarity with Android at this point, but some of the key ways to circumvent the software are better on Google phones than on Apple phones. It works. The universal “back” gesture is a great example. Move to the previous screen with a single swipe. This works for some apps on iOS, but not all apps. It’s also inconsistent across the system. On my iPhone, I often find myself reaching for the tiny back button or app switcher (or just staring at the screen in confusion). .

Then there are notifications. This is a matter of personal preference, but I prefer the Android system, including the fact that unread notifications remain in the Android status bar and lock screen instead of disappearing into iOS’s Notification Center. is. Expanding and hiding notifications also feels faster on Android, but there’s not much to choose between platforms.

Of course, if you’ve used every iPhone since the first iPhone and have never tried Android, switching may leave you feeling disoriented and yearning for the iOS way of doing things. But after using both, I think Android makes more sense in quite a few ways. For example, on iOS you can actually see that you’ve set an alarm on your lock screen that requires you to add a widget.