The match-up between that indispensable device you carry round with you every day is one of the biggest in technology. Do you need an Android smartphone? Would an iPhone with iOS be a better choice?
I admit that it's a tricky question since each mobile operating system covers so much ground and has so many features. As for iOS and Android, they do the majority of the same things anyway, and mostly in the same way. Here's a quick guide to key differences and similarities you should be aware of.
Android vs iPhone: Basics
Google develops Android. It sticks its own Pixel version on its Pixel phones and lets Samsung, Oppo, Sony, and other hardware manufacturers add their own skins on top.
Apple's mobile operating system for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch is iOS. Apple doesn't have to worry about making the code fit a hundred different devices from a dozen different manufacturers since it's developed alongside the hardware.
Both are quite similar in their functions. In addition to making calls, sending messages, taking pictures, and operating hundreds of apps, you can watch movies, chat with friends, read the news, manage your calendar, etc.
The two have also borrowed a lot from one another - issues that used to distinguish Android from the iPhone, like notifications or widgets, no longer matter as much. Still, we'll discuss some key differences.
Android vs iPhone: Hardware
Android has the advantage that there are so many different phones to choose from in terms of hardware. For example, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. The Pixel 5. Or the Oppo Find X3 Pro. There are many manufacturers and models of Android devices to choose from if you choose this platform.
With the iPhone and iOS, you have a range that is split in two - on the one hand, you have the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro that will launch in 2020, and on the other hand, you have older, more affordable models like the iPhone 11, iPhone SE, and iPhone XR.
Android vs iPhone: Apps
Most big-name apps are available on both Android and the iPhone nowadays - there isn't much software that runs exclusively on one platform.
However, many new apps (or app updates) appear first on iOS, especially games. You may have to wait a little longer for your favorite Android title. In terms of Apple and Google apps, you can get all of Google's apps on your iPhone: many people use them instead of Apple's default applications. Apple Music, however, is the only app you can get on Android that the company makes.