MKBHD has an excellent video on picking out the right mobile OS for you. He compares the two, giving reasons why one OS does better than the other, and then gives a winner (spoiler: it’s different for everyone). The idea is, based on the importance you put in each category, you can figure out which OS is right for you. However, I didn’t think his ranking system was complete enough, and wanted to expand on it. He admits in the video that you might want to do this for yourself, so here’s some additional considerations, including a few expansions on the original comparison categories.
Some introduction: I’m an Android developer and an iOS user. I’ve developed apps for both, but have far more experience in Android and Wear OS than any of Apple’s device ecosystem operating systems. I spend a lot of my time on the Android side of things. However, at the end of the day, the platform has never made me want to switch.
Contrary to MKBHD’s closing thoughts, the real loser here won’t be Apple or Google. It’s you. Yes, sorry, you’re the loser. No, not because you’re reading some nerd’s tech blog (thanks!), or because you care about the tech you use (you should care about that). No, you’re the loser because you have to decide between Android or iOS, and there’s no good answers in between. Microsoft dropped their mobile plans, Sailfish OS failed, Ubuntu and other Linux distros have failed, and you don’t get a third choice. Hell, because of how closed-off both sides are, you can’t even mix and match! I would know, I’ve tried for years! So, yes, I’m sorry, you’re the loser because you only get two choices. But, you can at least make your choice an educated one, right?
In This Article:
MKBHD’s System
Ecosystem — Winner: iOS
Alright, I’m an adult. However, when a non-iOS user gets added to the group chat, I am a bit disappointed. No iOS user likes it when their iMessage group chat turns into an SMS group chat. And, because Google can’t end-to-end encrypt iMessages, Apple won’t open up their platform to RCS, so there’s no way to get cross-platform compatibility unless Apple makes iMessage for Android. That’s not going to happen because it’s a major driver of iOS purchases.
Then there’s the way devices work together. On iOS, you have macOS, iPadOS, tvOS, and watchOS all working together seamlessly. You can use your iPad as a wireless Mac screen, your iPhone as a Mac camera, your Mac’s keyboard and mouse on an iPad, your AirPods on everything, and it’s all seamless. Interactions are generally device-to-device, keeping it private. That’s not the same as Google’s ecosystem, which requires connections to Google’s services. Some, like their chat services, have popped up and died so much I don’t even know which one to use off the top of my head. Not only that, but if you’re not okay with Google’s treatment of your data, that is, claiming ownership of it to train AI and ads, then you can’t use any sort of “ecosystem” from Google because it’s all just going through Google.
The Android “ecosystem” is fragmented too. If you have a Samsung Watch, but a Pixel phone, you can’t use all the features of your watch. Do you have a Google Pixel Watch? You’ll need a FitBit account to use the fitness features because Google, despite owning FitBit, hasn’t brought the company within their frameworks entirely.
Third party accessories are a huge win for Apple too. Because the devices are all the same, accessory makers don’t have to support as many devices to support all of Apple’s devices. I noticed this issue when trying to find a 2M cable for my Samsung Galaxy Watch 5. Not a single reputable company was selling them. My best bet was to get one of Samsung’s wireless chargers that took USB-C and use a 2M USB-C cable. That just wasn’t going to work.
While Google, Samsung, and others have tried to make their own ecosystems, they’re competing with each other as much as Apple. As a result, they fragment Android, and make iOS a clear winner here.
Apps — Winner: iOS
I could write a lot more on this than I care to. As an Android developer, this is a tough thing to admit, but… iOS apps are just better. There’s consistency of design within the app itself as well as with the operating system and other apps on the device. Everything just feels familiar and the same on the platform. A swipe from the side goes back on iOS, but on Android it might go back, or, if done on the other side, it also… might go back, even if you expect it to go forward. Or it could open an app drawer. Some apps still have app drawers, others have menus, others have app bar menus. There’s so little consistency across the platform that it makes apps less intuitive.
Companies often hire fewer Android engineers, treating the platform as an afterthought. They release Android apps after their iOS counterparts, they spend less time polishing and testing them, and they create a rift between their users and their company for no good reason. Historically, this was because iOS users were more likely to spend money on apps and services within apps than Android users. This is still true. However, by dismantling customer trust, they make this problem worse. On top of that, many apps that don’t even try to sell anything through the app and instead just use it as a mobile interface for a service, and therefore don’t need the user to buy anything, still put more attention on iOS. Sometimes this is just because of the perception of wealth with devices, with iOS users expected to be more wealthy, and therefore the platform is more “high end.” Other times it’s just because no one making design, product, or hiring decisions use Android because these positions are more likely to attract the same kinds of people that are attracted to iOS in the first place.
Often, for a “mobile first” company, they’re really “iOS first,” and this is blatantly obvious to me both as an iOS and Android user and as an Android developer.
Updates — Winner: iOS
The iPhone XR, a slightly upgraded iPhone X, will get iOS 17. That device came out five years ago, and it’s still getting full OS updates. Not just security updates, either, but full updates. Security updates go even further back. The closest you can get to that on Android, at least from mainstream manufacturers, is Samsung’s updates of four, perhaps five years, depending on the device. There’s little guarantee of follow-through on these Android promises, and often they only come after months of waiting. There is the Fairphone 5, which is promising over 10 years of updates, however, it’s a small company selling a niche product, they may not even last that long. On top of that, they don’t offer their devices worldwide, and U.S. buyers can’t even get one. Apple controls everything from the processor construction to the OS, and that empowers them to update devices longer than Android manufacturers can. Android manufacturers often don’t control the processor, hardware, or base Android operating system. Apple is a clear winner here.
Ease of Use — Winner: iOS
One thing I always notice when using my Android devices is just how finicky they feel. It’s hard to describe, but I’ve talked to other Android developers who also have used iPhones, and they agree, there’s something “off” in how you touch and handle Android devices. Every touch has to be more precise. It feels like mistakes are easier to make on Android. On iOS, a slightly off touch will still register what you meant it to. Everything just feels more solid. You can trust your iPhone and it feels smoother to use.
On top of that, iOS has consistency. Apps work as you’d expect them to, even from other developers. There’s no learning curve for new features or new apps because they’re closely deigned to feel familiar. This has its drawbacks, but it certainly makes for an easier to use device. There may be fewer customizations or experiments available to users, but they can always expect their phone to look and feel familiar.
Features — Winner: Android
Often, it’s Android that first gets new features. From NFC for tap to pay and data transfer to astrophotography, Android devices get an experimental feature first, with iOS getting it a few years down the road. Remember how long we had to wait for widgets? They’ve been a core part of Android design for years! It’s true that Apple’s ecosystem features blow Android devices out of the water. AirDrop has no equal on Android, for example. But when new features come to iOS that aren’t related to that tightly nit ecosystem, they’re often coming from Android inspiration.
Excitement — Winner: Android
This goes hand-in-hand with those new features. Android devices are pushing boundaries. Samsung’s on its fifth version of a flip phone, while Apple hasn’t released a single one. Don’t like the outer screen? You can find other flip phones. Apple may have abandoned the iPhone mini, but Android still has the Asus Zenfone 10. Some phones, like the new Motorola Razer, can use the outer screen like a small screen for any app, meaning you can have a small phone when you want it, and a big phone when you need that. Apple has nothing even close to that.
Android’s on the bleeding edge. Sometimes that doesn’t work out, but it’s always more exciting than whatever boring slab of metal and glass Apple’s going to release every September like clockwork.
Customization — Winner: Android
This isn’t even a contest. I’m not going to clean this up: Apple customization sucks. It’s awful. I can’t even put my icons at the bottom of the screen, closer to where my thumb is, without filling up the top portion because all apps have to be in order. Widgets aren’t endlessly customizable, they’re always the same size. You can’t even make a transparent widget! You can make a little hack where you take a screenshot of your wallpaper and load it as the background of a widget, but this doesn’t look great and still makes a large touch area on your device.
On Android, you can even swap out the “home screen.” The launcher itself. I’ve been a fan of Nova for years, but also like the simplicity of Niagara. You can back up your settings to these so, even when you move to a new device or new manufacturer, you can carry all your customizations over.
Then there’s “Material You.” This can tint colors in your apps and settings to match your home screen and your personal style. You can theme your entire device with just your wallpaper, including third party apps with Google’s Material You.
This isn’t even close to being a contest, even with Apple’s pathetic lock screen widgets. If you want a phone that is uniquely yours, you have to get an Android phone. Anything on iOS is just a sad imitation of Android’s capabilities. This may be where the gap between the two is the largest.
My Additions
MKBHD admitted that some people may want to add their own categories. Some of these you may not want to consider at all. Maybe you don’t think a phone needs any choices because you’re happy with whatever Apple spits out each year. However, there’s one I think every user needs to consider: privacy and security.
Privacy and Security — Winner: iOS
Google is a data collection company. They use their customers’ data to deliver ads and train AI. Every service you use on Android will send some data to Google. They even track locations by default and can use it, along with their AI, to predict where you’ll be at any time. It’s scary. Google has ignored the advise of AI professionals, even going as far as firing ethical AI researchers for calling out problems within the company. You’ll never have privacy if Google’s involved.
Then there’s security. You can more easily run untested apps on Android, from a variety of sources, than you can on iOS. This opens the platform to bad players. To remove some pre-installed phone bloatware, you may have to root your phone. This can give elevated privilege access to hackers as well. Apple still has Google beaten with security, even if it can make iOS feel more limiting at times. This should be an important consideration for every phone buyer. Apple’s ecosystem is far more private and secure than any Android phone with Google’s play services. There are some niche Android products you can buy without Google’s involvement, but it’s a terrible experience.
Accessibility — Winner: iOS
I consider accessibility work some of the most important work I do as an app developer. It can sometimes be frustrating. On occasion, I’ll need hacky workarounds just to make Android’s Talkback read out messages in a way that follows WCAG. Vision impaired users have also pointed to iOS as the best option. However, it won’t be the winner if current trends continue. Google has been improving Talkback and guided access on their devices, while these features have plateaued on iOS. On top of that, Apple has been removing Touch ID from their devices, and Face ID is far less secure for someone with vision impairment. Android devices, even when they have some form of facial recognition, still have fingerprint readers. Apple’s still in the lead, but Android has finally started closing the gap.
Size, Device Choice, and Variety — Winner: Android
If you want a flip phone, you need an Android phone. Want a slim phone that’s taller than it is wide, for one-handed use and a large screen? That’s also an Android phone. Want a small enough phone that you can use with one hand comfortably? You either have to buy an almost 2-year-old iPhone, the iPhone 13 mini… or you can just buy the Asus Zenfone 10, a brand new flagship with a 5.9-inch screen. Want a tablet that’s also a phone? That’s only on Android. Want a tiny phone? Gotta go Android. Unless you want the exact same slab of glass and metal that Apple has been selling for years, you’ve got to get an Android device. Apple hasn’t come close to trying anything remotely close to innovative in the phone space in over five years.
Friends and Family — Winner: iOS
If your friends and family are all on Android, you can still use an iPhone and use a messaging app like Signal or (please don’t) WhatsApp. However, if your friends and family are all on iOS devices, you might get pushed out of the group chat for buying an Android device. iOS has FaceTime and Google’s video options. Everything Android has, iOS also has, with the exception of RCS chat, which is still niche. So, for now, the device that best helps you conform to your group, the device that will upset the lease number of your friends and family, will be an iPhone. That’s why it’s your safest bet if communicating with groups of your friends is important. No one will be upset if you use an iPhone, and Android phone will degrade everyone’s iMessage and FaceTime experience.
Move Past Fanaticism
At the end of the day, these are two companies in competition with each other. Part of that is certainly to your benefit. It allows them to create better products. In other words, it’s okay that Android is better than iOS with some things and iOS is better than Android in other ways. If they weren’t, the tech landscape would be even more pathetic than it already is. It’s rather unfortunate that they’ve gone with a walled garden approach on both iOS and even Android. I’m still mad I can’t just use all the features of my Galaxy Watch on any platform. Until users can mix and match across ecosystems, there’s so little competition it’ll cause stagnation in every piece of tech. Maybe that’s why tech hasn’t actually changed all that much in the past decade. The only real enemy here is stagnation, which would be even worse without competition.
iOS lost in some key areas, but security and privacy and ease of use are really important.
All you have to do is go through this list, and think about what each item means to you. Do as MKBHD suggests, and rank each item in importance. Maybe add your own to the mix too. Give them a rating, perhaps 1-5, or 1-10, on how important they are to you, and then add up each side. Is privacy the most important thing to you? That’s 5 points to iOS. Customization the utmost importance? 5 points to Android! Figure out your own rankings, without thinking about the totals until the end. Then, just add them up. You should have a better idea of which platform is right for you. MKBHD had a really elegant solution to this problem, and I like it a lot. Maybe these additions weren’t important or useful for you, but I hope they helped!