Android vs iPhone: reasons why Android is still better

It has been a good year for Android, considering the latest reports mention it has an 84.7% market share (as of Q3 2015), but with a bunch of competitors waiting in the wings there’s no time to rest on laurels. So in 2016, what are the ten top reasons we feel that Android champions over iOS?

Google is kicking up the competition with Android Marshmallowthat is thankfully rolling out to more devices and showing offAndroid N and a handful of interesting apps that will come later this year.

Apple continues to work on iOS 9 updates and is close to showing off iOS 10 this summer, which we hope will fix a number of issuesand bring the iPhone on par with Android in key areas.

The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus along with iOS 9 helped Apple users catch up in a number of ways, but there are still a lot of areas where Android is hands down better than the iPhone.

Devices… devices everywhere!

There is something for everyone on the Android platform. The sheer variety of Android smartphones from manufacturers like Samsung, HTC, Sony, Motorola, LG, Huawei, ZTE, and others is staggering. You can get a compact phone, something with a huge touchscreen, a stylus, a rotating camera, an edge screen, or even a physical keyboard such as found on the Blackberry Priv. Niche demands like dual SIM are catered for, and the flagship devices are on the cutting edge when it comes to specs. There’s also features you just can’t get with Apple’s devices, like microSD and removable battery. Yes, some Android manufacturers have moved away from offering these extras, but the nice thing about options is there are manufacturers that still do.

The same story exists largely for the tablet market too, with all sorts of different devices from the Pixel C to the Nexus 9, Xiaomi’s tablets, Honor’s tablets, Samsung Note tablets, and the list goes on.

Apple offers more choice than we've seen from them before with the iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 6s and iPhone SE as well as older models -- but you still only have three screen sizes and two designs to pick from. 

Android delivers more options with waterproof phones, different screen sizes, more colors, different materials and other differentiating factors. 

With Android smartphones users can choose a waterproof option like the Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge or go with a modular design like the LG G5. There is also support for a huge screen with a built-in stylus with the Note 5. In addition to these big names, there are many other options from Motorola and if you include last year's releases a number of other interesting options. 

There are also options to buy an Android phone with wireless charging or a replaceable battery, neither of which is available without adding a case to the iPhone.

Prices to fit your needs

This naturally follows on from the first point on our list. A wide variety of devices with different designs and specs means that Android has something for you at just about any budget. The exclusive nature of Apple’s products is in stark contrast to the inclusive nature of Android. Almost anyone can afford an Android phone. It might not be all-singing and dancing, but there are solid budget options that give people a true smartphone experience.

This is even more true in 2016 than it was when we first created this list in 2013. Not only do you have the Moto G line, but there’s the Honor 5X, a variety of BLU devices, OnePlus X and OnePlus 2, and even low-cost flagships like the Moto X Pure Edition and Nexus 5X. In contrast, the iPhone and iPad are prohibitively expensive for many, but a budget Android device doesn’t need to cost much more than an old feature phone. And if you can afford to spend somewhere in the $150 to $300 ballpark, you can find a handset that gives a near flagship-level experience with just a few concessions in order to keep pricing down.

Customization

One of the strong points of Android has always been the level of customization it allows. While Apple wants to keep control of default apps in order to maintain a homogenous software and hardware experience, Android lets you pick your own level of customization. This extends all the way from simple things like live wallpapers, to alternative keyboards, to custom ROM installs.

Detractors will always say only hardcore geeks care about this level of customization, but at the shallow end of the pool this isn’t true. Plenty of iOS users loved it when Apple started allowing third-party keyboards and basic widgets, and that on its own is proof that this flexibility is what people want.

Multi-tasking

You can argue iOS does multi-tasking all you want. And it’s true, you can do multiple things at once by switching apps back and forth, but that doesn’t even come near to the level of multi-tasking some Android phones offer.

Take Samsung as an example, which introduced multi-window long ago, in which you can view multiple apps at once. Plenty of other manufacturers have also been doing this for years, even if we will admit this is one area where stock Android lags behind.

Launchers

Grab an iPhone, sit next to another iOS user and compare your home screens. Oh wait, they look exactly the same! That’s not the story with Android.

If you want control over how your Android smartphone or tablet looks then you’ve probably tried out a custom launcher. You can choose from a wide variety of custom launcher apps in Google Play and tweak everything from your home screen layout, to your page transitions, to effects and even gestures. There’s no risk involved with launcher apps and you can really open up a world of possibilities.

Google integration

Some years ago we discussed why Google and Android will prevail over Apple and iOS, and this specific topic is still one of the main reasons. Android devices integrate seamlessly with Google’s array of services. People are increasingly using their mobile devices to go online and Google is king of the web. Google Docs, Gmail, Google Drive, Google Maps, Google Music, Google+, Google Chrome…the list goes on, and Apple and iOS are not keeping up.

The industry moves fast, and so does Android

Bugs, lag, an ugly interface, a lack of apps – Android’s weaknesses have been systematically dealt with by a determined development team. The Android platform is unrecognizable compared with the first release and it continues to improve and evolve at a faster pace than the competition.