5 Reasons You Should Switch from Android to iOS
Images: Thinkstock/Apple/Android, modified by Yahoo Tech
Android or iOS? It’s a question I’ve been asked hundreds of times. Based on my experience using both platforms on a daily basis, my typical response has traditionally involved listing the pros and cons of each, followed by, “There’s no right answer, use what works best for you.” To be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever truly answered the question.
But over the past few months, I’ve found myself pausing for a moment before reciting my usual nonanswer. That’s because I’ve begun to think that there’s no better time to switch from Android to iOS.
Before you skip down to the Comments section to call me every name in the Android Dictionary, consider the five reasons why I say so.
1. Consistency
The Android ecosystem is complex: Google provides the software to hardware manufacturers, who in turn customize it, adding and removing features in a bid to set their Product A apart from their competitor’s Product B. But that understandable desire to differentiate hurts Android as a whole.
An Android user who has long used a Samsung device but then switches to an HTC will find the change confusing. Replace either manufacturer’s name with another, and the same issue will still apply. The app icons will be different, some features will be missing, and new features will be present. For the average consumer, it’s a jarring, unpleasant experience.
The number of vendors creating that fragmentation is truly astounding. According to OpenSignal, maker of an Android app that tracks cellular signal strength and quality, that app has been installed on more than 24,000 different Android devices this year, representing nearly 1,300 different brands or manufacturers.
There’s a valid argument to be made about providing consumers with choice, but those numbers are ridiculous. And it’s bad for users, who can never know exactly what kind of Android experience they’re going to have when they buy a new phone.
By comparison, when you pick up an iPhone — whether it’s the original iPhone or the iPhone 6s — you have a good general idea of what to expect. By retaining control over the entire experience, from software to hardware, Apple can ensure that the user-experience remains consistent. That familiarity not only makes it easier for you to upgrade, it also means you can spend less time teaching family members and friends how to use their new devices every holiday season.
2. Software updates
Google recently published an update to its Android distribution report. As of the first week in October, 23.5 percent of Android devices were running Android Lollipop. At the time the report was compiled, that was the most current version of the mobile operating system. Since then, however, Android 6.0 Marshmallow has been released.
In other words, last year’s Android is only found on a quarter of all Android devices. Android KitKat — an operating system released in late 2013 — is still the most prevalent version, running on 38.9 percent of Android devices.
In comparison, within days of iOS 9′s release, more than 50 percent of iOS users had already installed the newest version of Apple’s mobile operating system. In other words, in a short period of time Apple more than doubled the installed base of last year’s Android update.
Vendors of Android hardware don’t always help those adoption rates. For example, Motorola recently announced it would not update the 2015 Moto E to Android 6.0 Marshmallow — despite the phone being sold earlier this year on the promise of future software updates.
The point being, Apple has evidently made iOS easier to update than Android. You can be confident that, as new features are added or security issues patched in an iOS update, you’ll be able to download and install that update almost as soon as it’s available. You can also be confident that, when you purchase an iPhone, it will be compatible with new software updates for at least two years, maybe longer.
3. Security
There’s no other way to say it: Android security is a mess. Over the course of the past few months, a series of vulnerabilities deep within the Android OS have been revealed to the public. The bugs — often referred to as “Stagefright vulnerabilities” — give would-be hackers the ability to take complete control of your Android device with as little effort as sending you a picture message. Another hack is possible by streaming a video or song from a nefarious website. Nearly every Android device is impacted by one or more Stagefright bugs.
For its part, Google has announced plans to release monthly security updates for its Nexus line of devices, while at the same time releasing the patches to its hardware partners for implementation. But there’s no guarantee that the updates really will roll out on a monthly basis. Even HTC, an Android partner, is having doubts about the feasibility of monthly updates.
Apple’s iOS is not immune to malware and hacks, either. But the differentiator here is how quickly Apple can correct the issue. Again, when Apple releases a security update, that update is available to everyone at the same time, not just a small subset of owners in a staggered rollout.
I realize the likelihood of someone using a Stagefright exploit on my Android phone is slim to none. But I still appreciate the peace of mind I get knowing my phone is secure.
4. Privacy
Apple has spent a lot time lately making it clear that it respects its users’ privacy. The Cupertino company even created a website where it details the steps it takes to protect your private information.
Google, on the other hand, is constantly walking a privacy tightrope. Remember, this is a company that makes its money from serving ads. The better an ad targets a user, the more that ad is worth. To better target users, Google needs to use the information we willingly — but sometimes unknowingly — provide the company.
Take, for example, Google’s recent announcement in which it revealed a method for online retailers to track your activity across the Internet using your email address. That’s right: Your email address is now a tracking mechanism. But unless you make a point of keeping up on the various ways Google is using your information, you might never know it.
As the number of database breaches of major websites increases, so does my awareness of just how much information a company is storing about me. I’d rather do business with a company that’s clear upfront about the kind and extent of personal information it stores.
5. Easy transition
Apple is actively working to make the process of switching from Android to iOS as easy as possible. Reading the reviews for the company’s new Move to iOS app, you might think it’s a dud. But don’t be fooled by the overzealous Android loyalists: When it comes to transferring contacts, messages, photos, videos, mail accounts, and calendars from your old Android device to an iPhone, this app gets the job done.
Furthermore, the process of switching is easier than ever thanks to the ubiquity of apps on both platforms. The days of an app being available on iOS first, only to follow on Android months or years later, are numbered. Odds are that, if you use and love an app on Android, it’ll be available on iOS too.
The bottom line
Notice that I haven’t said a thing about how delightful the new iPhone 6s is to use. Sure, I think it’s stronger and faster and has a better camera than last year’s model, while still providing the same familiar experience. But I’m just talking about the software platform itself.
And this isn’t to say that Android is the worst smartphone platform on the planet. There are a lot of good ideas found throughout the system. The ability to set default apps is one feature I desperately wish Apple would incorporate into iOS. Google’s new Now on Tap feature in Marshmallow is impressive, if not downright fun to use. (That’s assuming you’re lucky enough to own a Nexus device and have received the update over the past couple of weeks; only one of my two Nexus devices have updated so far.)
I’ll continue using both platforms on a regular basis — but I have to for my job. If I was forced to pick just one, for me or for someone randomly soliciting my advice, the choice has never been more clear: I’d choose iOS.
