I am not a professional reviewer. I want to get that out there first thing. I have wrote about my opinions and comparisons of technology products in the past I am well aware that any number of people have written about this subject. I am writing about it because I continually try to be open minded and it has been very difficult to do so when comparing IOS to Android.
I can safely say that I’ve used regularly all of the major mobile operating systems in the past 10 years. I have owned many generation Treo’s with the Palm OS. I can’t even count the number of blackberries I’ve had. I have used three or four Symbian devices and loved my Nokia E60 for the 6 or 8 months I had it before I got my iPhone 3G. I have tried numerous Android devices, and even had a few windows mobile phones. I mention all that because I am not someone who just gets Apple stuff by default. I look like that but that is a credit to Apple for making great devices and software. I actually have only been buying Android devices because I didn’t want to be so reliant on Apple. My observations started between Android & iOS only because I wanted to see what was out there.
As a technology person on paper iOS has problems and Android looks promising. What I mean by that is if I read anywhere else that an operating system and an ecosystem was so restrictive as Apple’s was I probably wouldn’t try it. When you dig a little deeper that restrictiveness some of my Android friends like to complain about actually makes some sense. it provides for a more stable phone. It really does. I have seen it between my iPhone and several Android devices. I do not want to go back to the days were I reboot my phone every few hours like i did with my Treo 600. Lack of true multi-tasking on iOS is another item that when it was announced iOS would be that restrictive i was turned off by it. Now Apple has come up with interesting ways to let you think you have multitasking but still limiting it and thus reducing power usage. Restrictive yes, but in the end it probably helps the overall experience.
On the other hand that restrictiveness has a drawback. On my Galaxy Nexus I love the Locale app that changes settings based on my location and time of day. My ringer goes off at night except for some work numbers. My Google Voice # would change to point to my desk phone when I was at work and Skype when I was at home. Come on that is cool. Using that same example though, one of the best plugin’s for that app has a big note saying it is buggy and the developer does not suggest using it. Really? If it crashes the phone then block it. Apple would. I know its heavy handed but the idea here is to be transparent as possible but have the customers interests at heart.
There are plenty more examples. The last big one i would highlight is the fact that iOS is again restrictive on how the UI of apps look. Sounds bad on paper, its apple being restrictive again. Only problem is have you looked at Android apps? How about comparing them to iOS apps. Not just any iOS apps. Compare something to the same app on iOS. Apples restrictiveness gives the customer a consistent user experience. Androids openness give you an inconsistent experience. As a user i have been frustrated by this. Heck I still don’t know what some of the dam icons mean on my Nexus 7. Apple uses icons also but they just come across as more intuitive. Getting back to that app comparison. I have used many apps on both platforms. When I bought my first Android phone that is what i did. I went through making sure i could get the same experience on Android I had with iOS. For the most part i found the same apps for Android that i had on iOS or ones that did the same thing. Problem was they weren’t comparable. Sometimes in features, but mostly in general look and feel and polish. Some have improved over time but Apple still has better looking apps. Foursquare, Facebook, Lastpass, Yelp, to name a few of the ones that I have had issues with. The last aspect of user experience I would question is Exchange mail support. Its built in to both platforms now but have you used the email app on Android. Not the Gmail app because that is actually a great app. I do give them credit for that. I am talking about the regular email app. Or the calendar app. Using them on Android for my exchange mail was horrible. It is just plain ugly and clunky to use. iOS mail app may have its problems but it is intuitive and nice to look at. Even the 3rd party apps such as Touchdown were horrible looking and I stopped using them after their trial ended. That exchange limitation alone is a show stopper for me.
The theme I have seen with Android is that the apps work but they leave me wanting to go back to my iPhone or iPad. Thats the problem. I have gotten these devices wanting to be swept away and to sell my iOS stuff on eBay, but every time I get one I end up back with Apple. Android keeps getting better but its been 4 years and they still aren’t that close in my opinion.
By now its clear I am in the Apple camp, but I really don’t want to be. Given the opportunity I would switch. The 5 or more Android phones I have had since using iPhones are an indication I do want to try. Of course in the end I have a new iPhone 5 and an iPad Mini on order. With those purchases Apple has locked me in for another year or two. I will see how the landscape looks then, and maybe my own personal opinion may change.