Apple vs. Android – How to Choose What’s Right For You
There are some feuds that have been immortalized by history – good vs. evil, the jedis vs. the siths, moms everywhere vs. their kid’s dirty laundry, and in the tech world specifically, Apple vs. Android. The war between the two is one that seems to be a tale old as time but really, where did it all start? And what are the reasons given by both sides in their defense? How does the average consumer wade through all of these differing opinions to figure out the best choice for them when it comes to picking out their new mobile device?
Now How Much Are We Talkin’ Here?
One of the first areas where we can compare the two is the pretty sizable cost difference that these brands offer. Android is commonly seen as the more affordable option of the two, as Apple devices fall under the category (and price range) of luxury items. The cheapest iPhone on the market at the moment is the iPhone SE, averaging about $400 and is around the same price as most mid-range Android devices such as the Google Pixel 4a which is priced around $470. Looking at the other end of the spectrum, the higher-end Android phone Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is priced around $1,100, while the iPhone 12 Pro Max available late last year can cost upwards of $1,400.
When it comes to the cost of repairing these devices when things go wrong, it seems that both brands average around the same cost. For example here at Peachtree Computers, both of our locations in Cumberland, GA and Roswell, GA have dealt extensively with mobile repairs on devices from both brands and in our experience, an Android phone repair and an iPhone phone repair are going to run our customers similar amounts.
This can be seen by comparing the cost to repair an iPhone 11 Pro Max screen at $349 with the cost to repair a Samsung Galaxy Note 10 screen at $399. Both are still pretty current phones that also both unfortunately have pretty costly repairs. The main thing to consider is that since Android devices are a bit cheaper than iPhones with the same general repair price; the question begs to be asked – is it worth it to repair Android phones or does it make more sense to just go ahead and buy a new smartphone?
Battle of the Operating Systems
The differences between Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android mobile operating systems aren’t purely aesthetic; the most notable difference is the fact that iOS is considered a “closed” system while Android is considered “open”. iOS is closed in the sense that it doesn’t allow consumers or outside developers the ability to make changes to the operating system. In plain English, that means that Apple has stricter permissions on what users can do with their mobile device. This in turn creates a more streamlined and standardized process for creating the apps that are available for users in the App Store.
This type of system has its advantages and disadvantages. The main advantages are security related – it’s much harder to pass malware and viruses through Apple’s rigorous standards and is the main reason that you rarely hear of Apple products getting infected with these things. A glaring disadvantage to this is the lack of freedom that comes with it; this can be overcome by a process called “jailbreaking” in which a user can bypass a lot of the restrictions and convert it to a more open system, but this is likely to void the warranty on your device.
Android’s software is available to all of the big manufacturers like HTC, Samsung, LG, etc. making the Google Play app store open and available for a more diverse selection of applications. It also gives you the options to install applications from outside the Google Play store – which can be great, but looser regulations can also lead to the security problems we touched on earlier.
https://www.theasoproject.com/blog/designing-app-store-vs-play-store/
Who’s Your Winner?
The fact is, when deciding whether Apple or Android is a better fit for your next phone, it all comes down to personal preference. You need to weigh the topics we previously discussed along with a number of other things that we didn’t even mention. Being a consumer in today’s market is a much better and more empowering experience when you research everything and can cultivate your own opinion rather than relying on other ones that seem to constantly conflict. At the end of the day, both of these brands offer competitive and cutting edge technology that is sure to make most people happy, leading us to wonder if it’s time to call a truce to this age old war.
