Compare and Contrast Essay: iOS Vs. Android

In 2020 it was reported that 45.3% of smartphone users have an iPhone (Statista). It is common to see people with either an iOS or Android device; it is often debated whether iPhone or Android is better. However, most people who debate which phone is better might not have a true understanding of the device. To determine which phone is better, differences in the operating system should be considered. iPhone devices running on iOS, or iPhone operating system. This operating system was created by Apple Inc, and it has changed over time, giving users a different look after each update. Samsung devices run on Android or Android operating systems. This operating system is owned by Google, and it's one of the most known operating systems there are. iOS and Android are different because of accessibility, security, battery life, and the AppStore. 

Accessibility is an extremely important factor to take into consideration when looking at the differences between iOS and Android. iOS devices have less accessibility in the language feature than Android devices do. iOS has 40+ languages within its system, however, iOS only supports 33 languages in its App Store. This means that app descriptions cannot be translated into certain languages. The lack of accessibility in the language feature makes iOS devices less accessible for people who speak different or uncommon languages. On the other hand, Android has a lot more accessibility in the language feature. Android supports 100+ languages within its system. In addition, these languages are included in the App Store, so everything is fully translated. This makes android more accessible for people who speak different or uncommon languages.

Accessibility may be limited for iOS; however, iOS is stronger in security than Android. Phone security is extremely important when deciding whether iOS or Android is better. In terms of security, iPhone is a lot better than Android. “Apple blocks 3rd party app stores. The phone needs to be jailbroken if you want to download apps from other stores.” (Diffen).  Since iOS blocks third-party apps on the App Store, an iOS device cannot be corrupted by scams or viruses. In fact, viruses are nonexistent within the iOS App Store due to the blockage of third-party apps. In contrast, Android has weaker security. Android is more open when it comes to security. Third-party apps are not blocked, which, in some circumstances can be good because it gives users the availability to more apps. However, this means that Android does not hold up as well as iOS devices against viruses. Viruses on Android are very rare; however, they are not nonexistent. In the worst-case scenario, the lack of security could lead to the device becoming corrupt.

Android devices may have weaker security; however, Android devices have a better and longer-lasting battery life. Battery life is another important factor when deciding which operating system is better. Android devices are made with a larger battery than iOS devices. Since Android devices are made with a larger battery, the device is able to last longer than an iOS device after a single charge. “Many but not all Android phone manufactures equip their devices with large batteries with longer life” (Diffen). Longer battery life in Android devices provides android users longer run time on their device. On the other hand, iOS devices are made with smaller batteries. iOS devices are not made with a large battery like android devices are. However, iOS is able to optimize a device's battery life through software optimizations. The software optimizations allow for the iOS device to die slower. Despite the software optimizations, iOS batteries are still smaller than androids and decay over time. This gives iOS users less run time on their devices. 

In addition to Androids having better battery life than iOS devices, Android also has a far more superior App Store compared to iOS. Android has a more open App Store than iOS does. Due to the limited security that Android has, there are a lot more apps from different developers on the Android App Store. This gives Android users a larger selection of games and apps to download. However, since there are more apps on the App Store, some coming from third-party developers, viruses can pose a threat to Android users. On the other hand, the iOS App Store is more limited than the Android App Store. Since iOS security is so high, the apps on the App Store are more limited. Most apps on the iOS App Store do not come from third-party developers, meaning that viruses will not be a threat to iOS users.

In conclusion, iOS and Android differ from each other because of accessibility, security, battery life, and the App Store. A person looking to purchase either an Android or an iOS device should consider the differences between the two systems. They should decide if the difference in language accessibility will affect them negatively or positively. They should also make sure that they understand iOS devices have stronger security than Android devices, giving stronger protection against viruses. Furthermore, they should determine if long-lasting battery life is important to them. Finally, they should decide if the number of apps available in the app store is important to them. Overall, there is no right or wrong answer when deciding which operating system is better. The decision between the systems ultimately comes down to the person's choice and personal preference. So, a person deciding over android or iOS should consider which device will benefit them in their personal life, work-life, and even for entertainment purposes.