iOS vs. Android: Does it still make a difference which one to choose?

if you put a iPhone X next to a Galaxy Note 8 it is quite likely to think that there is not much to choose between iOS e Android. After all, operating systems offer the same apps, in the same types of grids, with similar approaches to notifications and quick settings. At this point in the season, you're probably happy with your choice of apple or robot. So is there really any reason to change? Yes, and there are four reasons to be specific.

Privacy

For the past couple of years, Apple has been busy talking about the user privacy advantages related to iOS. Less of your data is sent to the cloud, more of it is stored securely on your device, and Apple doesn't want to collect as much data about you in the first place, according to the company itself.

You can read Apple's privacy policy in full. here. Much of the data that is sent back to Apple, including search queries and map locations, is aggregated and anonymized, though not all. If you are using the Find My iPhone, for example, Apple needs to know who you are and where your phone is, to help you get together.

This is officially called Differential Privacy, in which the data Apple collects about its users is scrambled, so it cannot identify people individually. This means that “we see general rather than specific patterns that can be traced back to you” in Apple's own words.

Google, on the other hand, likes to provide as much personal information as it can to create much more personal services, and it sees details about you – you can read their privacy policy. here (and don't forget the policy of Samsung, or LG, or whatever company makes your phone).

Of course, the question of how much data is collected – data that can be linked to you personally – is a little different than how that data is used. Google says it's using all the information it collects in a responsible and useful way, something you may or may not trust.

“We collect information to provide better services to all our users – from finding out basic things like the language you speak, to more complex things like which ads you find most useful, the people most important to you online or Videos from YouTube that you might like”, says Google in its privacy policy.

There's no question that Apple is less interested in creating profiles for its users and serving ads to them and more interested in defending user privacy. Google admits that it collects more data, but promises to be careful about it. So it depends on how much you trust these giant tech companies as to whether you're more comfortable using iOS or Android on your phone.

Compatibility

We already know Apple's approach: it can support the iTunes for Windows and the Apple Music for Android, but really wants its users to run Apple hardware and software and nothing else. O HomePod is just the latest example of this, no support for Spotify (unless you use Airplay) or Android.

It's always been amazing that iOS is fantastic if you like Apple's way of doing things, because you don't have much of a choice. There are no launchers for modifying the OS, for example, although customization is a different issue that we won't delve into here.

What we want to talk about in this article is about the “digital ecosystems”, instead of iOS and Android specifically: start investing in Apple, with its HomePods, Apple TVs and iCloud, and believe me, the ease of everything makes it very difficult for the user to leave this world. On the other hand, you can subscribe to Google to receive your email, your cloud storage, and your photos, and you can switch between platforms more easily, whether it's macOS, Windows, and Chrome OS, or iOS and the Android.

Compare the process of switching from Android to iOS with a Google account, which basically involves downloading and subscribing to a few Google apps, with the process of going in the other direction with an Apple account – you can set up your e-mails. Android mails and calendars, but there is no support for iCloud, or Apple Photos, or your iTunes movies.

That said, the ubiquity and popularity of iPhones means that other manufacturers have to support them, so your choice of compatible devices ends up being wider. Choose iOS and you can choose a device Apple Watch ou A to your next smartwatch or stream content to a Apple TV or a chromecast or send audio to a HomePod or a Amazon Echo.

As we've already said, it's more about Apple and Google apps and services rather than iOS and Android specifically, but if you're on iOS and think there's a chance that one day you'll jump the fence to Android, it's a It's a good idea to use Google for your apps and services, or just choose neutral options like Netflix and Spotify that don't care what mobile OS you're using.

Safety

As with the macOS vs Windows dispute, the security outlook for iOS vs Android is very favorable for Apple: there is more malware targeting Android devices as it is accessed more frequently and security updates are slower. in implementation.

iPhones are not invulnerable to intrusion attempts, but they are much more restricted and you don't have to worry too much about security. This means apps are sometimes restricted in what they can do, but the benefit is that malicious apps can't control your device as easily.

Like Windows, Android is not a case of “total loss” when it comes to security. Buy from a reputable supplier, stay true to Google Play Store, use a little common sense and you'll likely be worry-free, but it's fair to say you need to be a little more attentive.

The numbers aren't good for Android users - malware writers are more likely to target Google's operating system as there are fewer loops to go through, more devices to attack, and more devices running outdated versions of the software, possibly offering these vulnerabilities security that hackers love so much.

Good news is that apps are now automatically checked in the Play Store app on Google, with suspicious activity flagged and stopped. In late 2016, Google stated that 0,05% of Android devices exclusively using Google Play apps had potentially harmful apps.

Android is getting better, but iOS is still ahead. Applications written for iOS must be specifically approved and approved by Apple, making it very difficult to control an Apple device. Security bugs still pop up and need to be fixed on iOS, but they are usually resolved quickly.

Apps

For better or worse, Android apps still have the edge over iOS apps when it comes to how deep they can get their grip on the mobile OS. It's the reason why you can't change your default SMS app on an iPhone or record a call on the phone itself or open an email link in something other than Safari or change the icon and wallpaper theme.

Android apps can have access to this kind of information (which apps you're using and for how long), whereas iOS can't. Another example of banned iOS apps are those that measure detailed analysis of your Wi-Fi connection, or those like the bike Bags, which automate various low-level operating system functions.

Almost all apps now appear on Android and iOS, but it is true that the latest apps and games are released on iOS first: Alto's Odyssey is a current example that, on February 22nd, arrived on iOS and remains without a confirmed date. for an Android release. Early Android releases happen too, but they tend to be for smaller apps from independent developers.

iOS or Android: the decision is still yours

So the next time you come to a crossroads in your smartphone life, it might be worth considering what life is like on the other side of the wall of mobile operating systems – there are still key differences in the way Android and iOS work, and important enough to make the change or reinforce your preference for what you already have and know.