Why You Should Abandon Your Android Device and Start Using an iPhone? Why should I use iPhone instead of Android?Is it worth it to switch from Android to iPhone?Is it a pain to switch from Android to

The time we live in can be fairly called the epoch of mobile devices. Every time you use public transport, have a lunch break, attend a meeting, or walk down the street, you will see people staring at their phones, tablets, smart watches, and other gadgets, completely absorbed in their blueish glow. In developed countries, it has become almost impossible to imagine a person having no smartphone or its substitutes, since the pace of modern life has become intertwined with the usage of mobile gadgets; the variety of models available on the market is overwhelming, and a person facing the need to choose a gadget may experience difficulties. Which model is better? What about the camera? How long will the battery last? Can I run games on it? What are the specifications? These are some questions an average consumer may have when browsing shops in search of a new gadget.

Nowadays, there are two giants holding a monopoly on the market of mobile devices: Apple with its iOS, and Google with its Android OS. Although the latter is more affordable and often as efficient than the former, there are many people who prefer Apple products despite their price tags. If you browse the Internet, you will find tons of blog posts, articles, comparisons, and videos, each arguing in favor of either Apple or Android. If you are looking for a new smartphone, and have not yet decided which brand to choose, let us try to analyze the reasons why you might want to consider buying an iPhone (not necessarily the latest model).

First of all, iPhones are extremely easy to use. When one starts to use a new Android device, a user has to go through a number of setup instructions, confirm policies, and so on; in the case of an iPhone, you just turn it on, and it is ready to use. There is no need to download third-party applications and adjust tricky parameters; an iPhone has everything you need right from the box, and delivers an extremely personalized experience of usage.

Addressing more objective advantages, one should mention updates. No matter which iPhone model you use, your device will receive iOS updates on time, right after it is released. In the case of Android devices, the situation is different; Android is an OS for a large number of devices manufactured by varying companies: HTC, Samsung, Lenovo, Acer, LG, and so on. Each company has a separate schedule of updating their devices; moreover, almost every model has its own schedule as well. So, even when Android receives an update, months may pass before your specific device gets updated—except for Google Pixel and Google Pixel 2 produced by Google itself; in this case, you will receive updates instantly (Tom’s Guide). In practice, this means that if you own, say, an older Samsung model, you will have to wait: 1) for Google to release a new update 2) for Samsung to start updating its devices 3) wait for your specific phone model to receive an update—if it ever happens at all. This is not to mention the fact that new Android releases may be poorly optimized for older models; of course, iOS 11 might run not as smoothly on iPhone 5s as on iPhone X, but it will still be comfortable to use.

When buying a device on iOS, you will never have to deal with pre-installed carrier-bound applications you will never need. Many phones running on Android suffer from this problem: in addition to standard Google applications, manufacturers often install a bunch of their own apps that a user cannot delete from the phone (Gotta Be Mobile). If you are not a perfectionist, or do not mind your phone’s memory being occupied with useless software, then this is not a problem. However, considering that many of these applications function worse than standard Google applications, occupy extra space and RAM, and are in fact being imposed on, such a practice might be a serious disadvantage. This is not to mention the fact that due to Android’s open source code, many phone manufacturers can redesign it, creating their own versions of the software shell. This may lead to poorer optimization and user experience; when switching from Samsung to Meizu, for example, you will have to get used to the new OS look, icons, design, and so on. In case of iOS, there is no such issue.

Since we are examining mobile devices, security is an important aspect that should be considered before purchasing a gadget. iOS is more secure than Android; it has much less malware developed for it, and is more difficult to break into and steal data from due to its “closed” structure: Apple developers fervently protect code, so there is little-to-no opportunity for third-party developers to make changes in it. iOS is not some kind of fortress, though—as any digital product, it has weaknesses, it can be hacked, and so on—but still, the fact is that Android may be more dangerous to use. According to the Pulse Secure‘s Mobile Threat Report published in 2015, Android can “boast of” approximately 97 percent of all mobile malware being developed for it; at the same time, in 2013, the United States Department of Homeland Security stated that the amount of malware threats to iOS was only around one percent—just because Android is an easier target for malignant developers, and because this OS has more users. Considering the aforementioned complications with Android updates, not all of the users can upgrade to the new, safer versions of Android, which means they become more vulnerable to hackers and malware (MacWorld). In this regard, iOS looks like a more reasonable option.

In a nutshell, it can be said that every user purchases mobile devices based on his or her needs. It should not be blatantly stated that one mobile platform is superior to another, since each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages, and whether a platform fits you or not depends on your preferences and priorities. In this regard, if you value safety, timely updates, a homogeneous design, and stability, then iOS is probably for you.

Works Cited

Spoonauer, Mark. “11 Reasons the iPhone Beats Android.” Tom’s Guide, 8 Dec. 2017, www.tomsguide.com/us/iphone-is-better-than-android,news-21307.html.

Smith, Josh. “iPhone vs Android: 14 Reasons iPhone Is Better.” Gotta Be Mobile, Gotta Be Mobile, 13 Sept. 2017, www.gottabemobile.com/iphone-vs-android-iphone-better/2/.

Price, David. “iPhone vs Android: 5 Reasons to Pick the iPhone (and IOS).” MacWorld, www.macworld.co.uk/feature/iphone/iphone-vs-android-5-reasons-pick-iphone-ios-3454817/.