ANDROID VS IOS
16Jan
| Developer | ANDROID Various, mostly Google and Open Handset Alliance | IOS Apple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Initial release | September 23, 2008 | July 29, 2007 |
| Latest stable release and Updates | Android 11 | iOS 14.1 and iPadOS 14.1 |
| Customizability | A lot. Can change almost anything. | Limited unless jailbroken |
| Source model | Open source | Closed, with open source components. |
| File transfer | Easier than iOS. Using USB port and Android File Transfer desktop app. Photos can be transferred via USB without apps. | More difficult. Media files can be transferred using iTunes desktop app. Photos can be transferred out via USB without apps. |
| Widgets | Yes, except on lockscreen | Yes, except on lockscreen |
| Internet browsing | Google Chrome (other browsers are available). Any browser app can be set as default. Ad blocking is supported with Firefox. | Safari. Any browser app can be set as default but they all use the same rendering engine (Safari/Webkit) behind the scenes. Ad blocking is supported via content blockers like Firefox Focus. |
| Web mapping service | Google Maps | Apple Maps (default). Google Maps also available via a separate app download, but not as default. |
| Available language(s) | 100+ languages | 40 languages |
| Video chat | Google Meet and other 3rd party apps | FaceTime (Apple devices only) and other 3rd party apps |
| Virtual assistant | Google Assistant | Siri |
| Available on | Many phones and tablets. Major manufacturers such as Samsung, Oppo, OnePlus, Vivo, Honor and Xiaomi. Android One devices are pure Android. Pixel line of devices is made by Google, using a almost pure version of Android | iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV (2nd and 3rd generation) |
| Calls and messaging | Google Messages. 3rd party apps like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Google Duo, Discord and Skype all work on Android and iOS both. | iMessage, FaceTime (with other Apple devices only). 3rd party apps like Google Hangouts, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Google Duo, Discord and Skype all work on Android and iOS both. |
| App store , Affordability and interface | Google Play Store – 2,000,000+ apps. Other app stores like Amazon and Aptoide also distribute Android apps. (".APKs"). Apps containing virus rare, but existing. | Apple App Store – 1,000,000+ apps. Apps containing virus very rare or nonexistent. |
| Alternative app stores and side loading | Several alternative app stores other than the official Google Play Store. (e.g. Aptoide, Galaxy Apps) | Apple blocks 3rd party app stores. The phone needs to be jailbroken if you want to download apps from other stores. |
| Battery life and management | Many but not all Android phone manufacturers equip their devices with large batteries with a longer life. | Apple batteries are generally not as big as the largest Android batteries. However, Apple is able to squeeze decent battery life via hardware/software optimizations. |
| Open source | Kernel (Based on Linux), UI, and some standard apps | The iOS kernel is not open source but is based on the open-source Darwin OS. |
| File manager | Yes. (Stock Android File Manager included on devices running Android 7.1.1) | Files app, limited and less useful (iOS 12). |
| Photos & Videos backup | Apps available for automatic backup of photos and videos. Google Photos allows unlimited backup of photos at a compressed quality. OneDrive, Amazon Photos and Dropbox are other alternatives. | Up to 5 GB of photos and videos can be automatically back up with iCloud, more paid iCloud storage available via subscription. All other vendors like Google, Amazon, Dropbox, Flickr and Microsoft have auto-backup apps for both iOS and Android. |
| Security | Monthly security updates. Android software patches are available soonest to Pixel device users. Manufacturers tend to lag behind in pushing out these updates. So at any given time a vast majority of Android devices are running outdated OS software. | Occasional security updates. Security threats rare, because iOS is locked and downloading apps out of the App Store is complicated. |
| Rooting, bootloaders, and jailbreaking | Access and complete control over your device is available and you can unlock the bootloader. | Complete control over your device is not available. |
| Cloud services | Native integration with Google Drive storage. 15GB free, $2/mo for 100GB, 1TB for $10. Apps available for Amazon Photos, OneDrive and Dropbox. | Native integration with iCloud. 5GB free, 50GB for $1/mo, 200GB for $3/mo, 1TB for $10/mo. Apps available for Google Drive and Google Photos, Amazon Photos, OneDrive and Dropbox. |
| Interface | Touch Screen | Touch Screen |
| Biometric Authentication | Fingerprint and/or Face Authentication. Availability depends on manufacturer's hardware. | Fingerprint or Face Authentication. Touch ID available on iPhone (5s and later) and iPad (Air 2 and later) but not on iPhone X or later. Face ID available on iPhone X and later, replacing Touch ID |
| OS family | Linux | OS X, UNIX |
| Headphone Jack | Some current Android smartphones and many don't. | None on iPhone 7 and later, lighting to 3.5mm no longer comes with phone after iPhone XS |
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