Android 2.x simply can not compete with iOS 4.

[jp700p]

No matter how you put it, Android simply can't compete with iOS. I've owned the Droid and EVO. And now that I compare them with the iPhone 4, I would never go back to Android 2.x.

Heres why:

- Poor UI
The interface is unpolished and feels "dated". Compared with iOS, the iOS offers a smooth and rich interface. iOS is polished and seems more higher quality.

- Apps suck
Most of the apps on the Android store were either incompatible with the phone you had, or they didn't work at all. And they all looked like crap. The apps seemed slapped together. Sure their are a lot more free apps, but most of them were crap.

- Widgets are cool, but don't work most of the time.
Widgets are cool, but they drain the hell out of the battery. And the ones that are available for download either don't work or cause crashes.

- Hardware, which one to choose?
I know iPhones have their share of problems, but most of the newer Android have a ton more problems. Example: EVO had the bottom part of the glass come off, dust gets in easy in the upper left hand corner, top half of the screen unresponsive unless you hold the phone and battery life that is so poor, you could probably count that as an issue. Also most Android manufactures are simply pumping and dumping out Android devices every few months. No wonder Android has yet to see a real iPhone 4 competitor. EVO was close, but no cigar. Maybe the Droid X, but we'll know for sure soon.

iOS 4 wins this war, but the next war will be with Android 3.x.

 

[3460169]

Actually Android is iOS' only viable competitor & you should be thankful for it. Without competition innovation tends to stagnate.

 

[ipoddin]

I have a Nexus One. I like the widgets but many crash, a lot. And swiping between screens is not as smooth. It lags. And the apps aren't nearly as polished as their iPhone counterparts.

 

[walangij]

I don't understand the point of these posts. This is an iPhone forum, and sure this compares between a competitor, but whenever any positives are spouted about the Android OS they are quickly met by ("this is an iPhone forum, why are you trolling...ect). But nonetheless. I don't think these "mobile OS wars" matter. The iPhone 4 is a great phone for many people, the Evo, Nexus one, ect are great phones for others. What's the benefit of everyone having the same phone or converting all other users to your platform? There's room for all. Android does things better than iOS in some aspects, and the iOS does things better than Android in many aspects.

I can't wait to see what is in the pipeline for Android because of what the iPhone 4 has brought to the table (facetime, retina display, ect...) and I hope that the iOS will find a way to adopt a way to improve the aesthetics of its UI (notification system which is sure to be done sometime, and done in a very apple way) and widgets (which in my experience don't kill battery life at all unless you use ones which are poorly optimized - which happens because of Android market being so open).

The only real losers of this war can only be the companies. We as consumers will win this war no matter what side we decide.

 

[TruckdriverSean]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_0 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/532.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0.5 Mobile/8A293 Safari/6531.22.7)

Actually Android is iOS' only viable competitor & you should be thankful for it. Without competition innovation tends to stagnate.

Exactly.

The difference is that Android's strength is with the "geek-class" of users, while the iPhone's strength is with the "regular" electronics consumer. But Android has come along on the UI front due to the iPhone, and I would argue the iPhone has come along on the technology front due to Android.



(I'm keeping my iPhone 4 just the same, though)



Sean

 

[PG-Monkey]

There are some features in android I would like to see carried across to the iOS platform in particular the ability to wirelessly send routes, plans and documents to your phone from inside the web browser.

Probably worth a quick look on the Froyo announcement video on you tube then you will see that both platforms have advantages.

Personally I prefer iOS but I can see why people would pick android.

 

[maflynn]

Heres why:

- Poor UI
The interface is unpolished and feels "dated". Compared with iOS, the iOS offers a smooth and rich interface. iOS is polished and seems more higher quality.

Actually the iPhone's UI is the dated one. With android you have a highly customizable interface that you can change to what you need.

- Apps suck
Most of the apps on the Android store were either incompatible with the phone you had, or they didn't work at all. And they all looked like crap. The apps seemed slapped together. Sure their are a lot more free apps, but most of them were crap.

While certainly the android marketplace does not have the volume of ifart/pull my finger apps the iphone does. They do have high quality apps, and making a blanket statement like that is at best ignorant, at worst blind fanboyism.

- Widgets are cool, but don't work most of the time.
Widgets are cool, but they drain the hell out of the battery. And the ones that are available for download either don't work or cause crashes.

I only have a few widgets, setcpu, weatherbug, music player but so far those have been very stable and have not impacted my battery. In fact my battery performance on the Nexus is on par to my old 3Gs.

- Hardware, which one to choose?
I know iPhones have their share of problems, but most of the newer Android have a ton more problems. Example: EVO had the bottom part of the glass come off, dust gets in easy in the upper left hand corner, top half of the screen unresponsive unless you hold the phone and battery life that is so poor, you could probably count that as an issue. Also most Android manufactures are simply pumping and dumping out Android devices every few months. No wonder Android has yet to see a real iPhone 4 competitor. EVO was close, but no cigar. Maybe the Droid X, but we'll know for sure soon.

The quality of the hardware is probably about the same as the iPhone. My Nexus is excellent, I've heard great things about the incredible, and desire as well. The iPhone has the yellow screen issue, green tinge, improper white balance with the camera, the kung-fu death grip, the proximity sensor problem - people in glass houses .

iOS 4 wins this war, but the next war will be with Android 3.x.

Last time I checked this was not a war, and people are not dying. The iPhone is a great phone as are android based. If the iPhone fits your needs, get one, if the android one does, get that.

 

[Acejam2k]

Does your iPhone:

1) Have turn-by-turn navigation? No, not some $75 "Navigon" app, but does it have a free, integrated directly into the OS, navigation app that can be used for full turn by turn directions?

2) Can your iPhone create a mobile hotspot, so anyone who has a wifi device can connect and use the phone's 3G connection for internet?

3) Does your iPhone have multitasking? No, it doesn't. It has "background services" which according to Apple is "multitasking done right". What they don't get, is that background services isn't true multitasking, so it's "actually done wrong".

4) Two words: Google Goggles

5) One word: Flash

With no pun intended, I'm comparing Apples to Apples here in terms of device state. Meaning, I'm comparing both devices out of the box. No hacking of jailbreaking here.

In addition, the build quality of my Nexus One is far superior to that of my old iPhone 3G. (which is the same as the 3GS) Also, don't you think it's a bit ridiculous that Apple released a phone which clearly has a signal/antenna problem? It's VERY obvious that anyone who is left handed (me) can't make a simple call. When you build a phone, the phone "feature" should be the #1 priority, and Apple clearly failed. And for what it's worth, a software fix will not fix the IP4's issues. It will simply reduce the number of bars your starting with BEFORE they drop to "Searching for service...". Unfortunately, they have a hardware problem on their hands.

There's a reason why the Android platform is growing exponentially faster than Apple's.

 

[IBradMac]

I tried the droid for a short period. I didn't like it all that well.

The app selection does suck on android.

Compare just even one element of apps: gaming.

Who wins?

 

[Brett3rThanU]

Good god, there's at least one topic started per day with the same stuff. iOS4 is soo much better than Android... Android is sooo much better than iOS4... I see both sides of it and IMO it comes down to personal preference. My wife uses the iPhone4, I have a Nexus One running Android. She hates Android, I hate iOS4. Do we really need to start a thread every day about why someone likes this over that? There are trade offs between the two and you just have to decide what is more important to YOU. These threads always turn into some battle which in the end has no winner because it's all preference, priorities, etc.

 

[VTMac]

Good god, there's at least one topic started per day with the same stuff. iOS4 is soo much better than Android... Android is sooo much better than iOS4... I see both sides of it and IMO it comes down to personal preference. My wife uses the iPhone4, I have a Nexus One running Android. She hates Android, I hate iOS4. Do we really need to start a thread every day about why someone likes this over that? There are trade offs between the two and you just have to decide what is more important to YOU. These threads always turn into some battle which in the end has no winner because it's all preference, priorities, etc.

It is indeed pointless. This will be settled over time via the only scoreboard that matters .. sales.

Right now Apple is winning by that count, but Android is definitely gaining.

 

[Apple...]

Actually the iPhone's UI is the dated one. With android you have a highly customizable interface that you can change to what you need.

That doesn't necessarily mean the iPhone's UI is dated. It's still more fluent and consistent than Android, and has a much more polished look and feel, although I don't disagree that the iPhone is in need of a major UI overhaul and needs far more customization.

While certainly the android marketplace does not have the volume of ifart/pull my finger apps the iphone does. They do have high quality apps, and making a blanket statement like that is at best ignorant, at worst blind fanboyism.

Not true. Apple's App Store has far more high quality apps than Android, and they're not all just stupid gag ones like iFart, etc. I know: I go through hundreds of them everyday. Plus, you don't have to worry about accidentally installing malware on your phone, or getting caught for using illegal services that an Android app may offer.

I only have a few widgets, setcpu, weatherbug, music player but so far those have been very stable and have not impacted my battery. In fact my battery performance on the Nexus is on par to my old 3Gs.

However, it all depends on what kinds of widgets you're using. Some widgets use more battery power than others.

The quality of the hardware is probably about the same as the iPhone. My Nexus is excellent, I've heard great things about the incredible, and desire as well. The iPhone has the yellow screen issue, green tinge, improper white balance with the camera, the kung-fu death grip, the proximity sensor problem.

Yellow screen issues = not a big deal. What's causing the yellow screen is the chemical Apple uses to seal the screen/ glass together. Once it dries entirely, you shouldn't have a problem. If, however, you're still having an issue, you can always exchange your defective iPhone for a new one.

The green tinge can be fixed by going to an Apple Store, explaining the problem, testing the replacement iPhones to avoid repeated journeys, and presto! Problem solved! Fortunately, it's not an issue too many people have experienced.

I'm not real familiar with the white balance problem. If it's not a hardware issue, it'll be fixed in an upcoming software update or by getting a replacement iPhone. ("This seems to be a common problem with a lot of cellphone cameras. Pictures showing the problem in the Nexus One and a Samsung phone (Omnia?) were posted and/or linked to." - pcguru83)

Proximity Sensor issues = no big fuss. This can be fixed by going to Settings -> Reset and then by tapping Reset Network Settings or Reset All Settings. Apple is also expected to release a software fix for this pesky bug.

Lastly, the antenna issue is a little bit overhyped. If you are having a problem, it can be fixed by holding the phone differently, putting a case on the it or by returning the phone altogether. ("A problem which the Nexus One has, Evo 4G has, older iPhones have, my moms dumbphone has, etc when you cover the antenna." - quagmire)

All phones in the past have all had similar problems, including the Nexus.

Last time I checked this was not a war, and people are not dying. The iPhone is a great phone as are android based. If the iPhone fits your needs, get one, if the android one does, get that.

True, and the consumers win either way.

*maflynn = Android fanboy?

I tried the droid for a short period. I didn't like it all that well.

The app selection does suck on android.

Compare just even one element of apps: gaming.

Who wins?

In your opinion (as well as mine): Apple.

Good god, there's at least one topic started per day with the same stuff. iOS4 is soo much better than Android... Android is sooo much better than iOS4... I see both sides of it and IMO it comes down to personal preference. My wife uses the iPhone4, I have a Nexus One running Android. She hates Android, I hate iOS4. Do we really need to start a thread every day about why someone likes this over that? There are trade offs between the two and you just have to decide what is more important to YOU. These threads always turn into some battle which in the end has no winner because it's all preference, priorities, etc.

+ 1.

It is indeed pointless. This will be settled over time via the only scoreboard that matters ... sales.

Right now Apple is winning by that count, but Android is definitely gaining.

Android may be gaining steam, but won't be able to overthrow the iPhone. Besides, BlackBerry and Nokia are still in the lead by a long-shot.

 

[ELBdelorean]

There is no true winner, only personal preference.

 

[br0adband]

As I state (with alarming regularity):

There is no best anything for everyone, only what might be best for you which in almost every case means it's not best for me, or someone else.

Why folks can't understand and appreciate that aspect is beyond me, really it is.

As far as saying Android can't compete, well... Android's market share is rising, considerably fast so that makes the OP's claim effectively moot, pretty much instantly.

 

[qpid360]

I have a Nexus One and an iPhone 4. Both OS have pros and cons. There's some things Android does better and vice versa. Easily the two best OS ever created for smartphones.

 

[Apple...]

Does your iPhone:

1) Have turn-by-turn navigation? No, not some $75 "Navigon" app, but does it have a free, integrated directly into the OS, navigation app that can be used for full turn by turn directions?

2) Can your iPhone create a mobile hotspot, so anyone who has a wifi device can connect and use the phone's 3G connection for internet?

3) Does your iPhone have multitasking? No, it doesn't. It has "background services" which according to Apple is "multitasking done right". What they don't get, is that background services isn't true multitasking, so it's "actually done wrong".

4) Two words: Google Goggles

5) One word: Flash

With no pun intended, I'm comparing Apples to Apples here in terms of device state. Meaning, I'm comparing both devices out of the box. No hacking of jailbreaking here.

In addition, the build quality of my Nexus One is far superior to that of my old iPhone 3G. (which is the same as the 3GS) Also, don't you think it's a bit ridiculous that Apple released a phone which clearly has a signal/antenna problem? It's VERY obvious that anyone who is left handed (me) can't make a simple call. When you build a phone, the phone "feature" should be the #1 priority, and Apple clearly failed. And for what it's worth, a software fix will not fix the IP4's issues. It will simply reduce the number of bars your starting with BEFORE they drop to "Searching for service...". Unfortunately, they have a hardware problem on their hands.

There's a reason why the Android platform is growing exponentially faster than Apple's.

Two words: Android fanboy. Absolutely sickening.

1) It doesn't compare. Navigon and TomTom kick Google's free navigator system to the curb.

2) It's not Apple's fault. It's AT&T's. Blame them.

3) Yes. It does. Android's version of multitasking is crap. I seriously need a Task Manager? Yes. Do I really need that game running in the background? No. Can I switch between apps as fast as Apple's fast-switch multitasking method? No. Do I conserve battery life? No way. So yes, it's "done the right way."

4) Who cares? I'm sure there's an app similar to it already in the App Store, which has far more high-quality apps than Android.

5) Flash = battery sucker, CPU hog, annoying ads, etc. Forget it.

The antenna issues is way overhyped. There have been many tests where the person will conduct the "Death Grip," but somehow, the call still goes through? And in the tests where it failed? There was very little AT&T coverage. Apple accidentally made it look like there was more bars in that area, when in actuality, it was less than one. As for the build quality of the Nexus One verses iPhone 4? Nexus One loses miserably.

These arguments of Android vs. iPhone are also ridiculous. There is no true winner, only personal preference.

If you're going to be this annoying, you may quietly leave.

 

[Chad H]

Does your iPhone:

1) Have turn-by-turn navigation? No, not some $75 "Navigon" app, but does it have a free, integrated directly into the OS, navigation app that can be used for full turn by turn directions?

2) Can your iPhone create a mobile hotspot, so anyone who has a wifi device can connect and use the phone's 3G connection for internet?

3) Does your iPhone have multitasking? No, it doesn't. It has "background services" which according to Apple is "multitasking done right". What they don't get, is that background services isn't true multitasking, so it's "actually done wrong".

4) Two words: Google Goggles

5) One word: Flash

With no pun intended, I'm comparing Apples to Apples here in terms of device state. Meaning, I'm comparing both devices out of the box. No hacking of jailbreaking here.

In addition, the build quality of my Nexus One is far superior to that of my old iPhone 3G. (which is the same as the 3GS) Also, don't you think it's a bit ridiculous that Apple released a phone which clearly has a signal/antenna problem? It's VERY obvious that anyone who is left handed (me) can't make a simple call. When you build a phone, the phone "feature" should be the #1 priority, and Apple clearly failed. And for what it's worth, a software fix will not fix the IP4's issues. It will simply reduce the number of bars your starting with BEFORE they drop to "Searching for service...". Unfortunately, they have a hardware problem on their hands.

There's a reason why the Android platform is growing exponentially faster than Apple's.

While I agree with other posters saying its strictly preference, Android doesn't have a leg up on anything.

Flash is still very new even to Android, the one demo I tried did work but hardware acceleration wasn't active so the phone got really hot. As far as "multi-tasking", in my opinion Apple did get it right. Now, it might not be implemented correctly, what I mean by that is access to your applications that are in the background. (RIM honestly has gotten everyone beat with multitasking implementation). I'll give the navigation point to you though, although I do think Apple will adapt to this and create or include something better or at least similar. Again both OS's have their advantages and disadvantages, but to say that Android runs more smoothly or is more polished is just stupid. Everyone from Engadget to the person down the street will disagree with that. As the old saying goes, to each his own.

Really quick though, did you really just throw out "Google Goggles"? I hope your joking with that.

 

[Apple...]

I have a Nexus One and an iPhone 4. Both OS have pros and cons. There's some things Android does better and vice versa. Easily the two best OS ever created for smartphones.

Totally agree. And each one pushes the other to succeed where it once failed. The wonders of competition!

While I agree with other posters saying its strictly preference, Android doesn't have a leg up on anything.

Flash is still very new even to Android, the one demo I tried did work but hardware acceleration wasn't active so the phone got really hot. As far as "multi-tasking", in my opinion Apple did get it right. Now, it might not be implemented correctly, what I mean by that is access to your applications that are in the background. (RIM honestly has gotten everyone beat with multitasking implementation). I'll give the navigation point to you though, although I do think Apple will adapt to this and create or include something better or at least similar. Again both OS's have their advantages and disadvantages, but to say that Android runs more smoothly or is more polished is just stupid. Everyone from Engadget to the person down the street will disagree with that. As the old saying goes, to each his own.

Really quick though, did you really just throw out "Google Goggles"? I hope your joking with that.

+ 1.

 

[army91c]

Can we please stop these retarded "my pecker is bigger than yours" posts? Each phone is great in it's own ways and for it's own reasons. I prefer iPhone but others don't so why come in and start what basically consists of a fan boy trying to troll? All it does is get people fired up which is the exact definition of a troll. Let it go ffs.

 

[Fernandez21]

I don't get these type of post or people who "root" for their platform to "beat" the competition. Now I'm no android fan, it's not my cup of tea it doesn't feel as polished as ios or webos, but right now it's really the only advanced platform competing with iPhone successfully and that is a GOOD thing. Competition spurs innovation, it's no coincidence that in past years we only got small incremental updates until this year when the competition caught up. So really quit "rooting" for your platform of choice to beat the competition and enjoy the innovations that come from competition.

 

[IgnatiusTheKing]

Speaking of dated, iOS 4's UI could use some updating after three years of being virtually the same. It would be nice if Apple allowed something like this (time/calendar/weather) on the top of the home screen.

 

[Apple...]

Can we please stop these retarded "my pecker is bigger than yours" posts? Each phone is great in it's own ways and for it's own reasons. I prefer iPhone but others don't so why come in and start what basically consists of a fan boy trying to troll? All it does is get people fired up which is the exact definition of a troll. Let it go ffs.

Agreed. Everyone, cool off, take a break. It's absolutely pointless.

 

[thetexan]

The iPhone is a great phone, even a lot of Android users can admit that. My biggest problem with the iPhone was AT&T, which totally killed the experience for me. AT&T flat out sucks in my area. Deadzones, 3G deadzones (AT&T admitted not all towers are 3G capable so I still see EDGE where the coverage map indicates I should have 3G), dropped calls galore, inconsistent data speeds that are blazing fast one minute and dialup speeds the next.

Both platforms have their strengths and weaknesses. I like how the iPhone is polished, and simple. I also believe the iPhone has a great camera, probably the greatest camera on a phone ever seen. I find their UI to be outdated and the notification system sucks however.

I like how Android is more open than iPhone, and my applications aren't sandboxed. For example, my Last.FM app will automatically run when I start playing music and scrobble in real-time my songs, or I can use custom browser (Dolphin HD) and a custom SMS app (Handcent) to replace my stock apps. I've never had a widget crash on me, and I constantly rely on my home screen widget for my weather information.

Everyone has their opinions, mine is that Android 2.x competes very well with iOS 4 and even beats it in some aspects, while iOS4 does somethings better than Android.

 

[Apple...]

Speaking of dated, iOS 4's UI could use some updating after three years of being virtually the same. It would be nice if Apple allowed something like this (time/calendar/weather) on the top of the home screen.

I would absolutely love it! I'm sure Apple is working on a solution right now...

I don't get these type of post or people who "root" for their platform to "beat" the competition. Now I'm no android fan, it's not my cup of tea it doesn't feel as polished as ios or webos, but right now it's really the only advanced platform competing with iPhone successfully and that is a GOOD thing. Competition spurs innovation, it's no coincidence that in past years we only got small incremental updates until this year when the competition caught up. So really quit "rooting" for your platform of choice to beat the competition and enjoy the innovations that come from competition.

Best post of the day. + 10.

The iPhone is a great phone, even a lot of Android users can admit that. My biggest problem with the iPhone was AT&T, which totally killed the experience for me. AT&T flat out sucks in my area. Deadzones, 3G deadzones (AT&T admitted not all towers are 3G capable so I still see EDGE where the coverage map indicates I should have 3G), dropped calls galore, inconsistent data speeds that are blazing fast one minute and dialup speeds the next.

Both platforms have their strengths and weaknesses. I like how the iPhone is polished, and simple. I also believe the iPhone has a great camera, probably the greatest camera on a phone ever seen. I find their UI to be outdated and the notification system sucks however.

I like how Android is more open than iPhone, and my applications aren't sandboxed. For example, my Last.FM app will automatically run when I start playing music and scrobble in real-time my songs, or I can use custom browser (Dolphin HD) and a custom SMS app (Handcent) to replace my stock apps. I've never had a widget crash on me, and I constantly rely on my home screen widget for my weather information.

Everyone has their opinions, mine is that Android 2.x competes very well with iOS 4 and even beats it in some aspects, while iOS4 does somethings better than Android.

AT&T is killing the iPhone for sure. That's probably the #1 reason people don't get an iPhone. I agree, iOS does need a better push notification system, and a revamped UI.

 

[diabolic]

There's a reason why the Android platform is growing exponentially faster than Apple's.

Yes, because it's free.