The iPod touch was the gateway device that got me into the Apple ecosystem.
Before that, I’d dabbled with things like the iPod nano, but it was very much a “take-it-or-leave-it” situation. The iPod touch, with its huge — for the time — display, a web browser and apps suddenly made it the convergence device I’d been waiting for.
Now the iPhone has become my daily driver, but it’s odd that I always seem to have an Android handset nearby.
Over the past few months I’ve been noticing when I’ve been turning to my Android handsets, and I’ve noticed a pattern — there are something that Android is just better at doing.
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#1: Battery life
I’m continually amazed by how much battery life I get out of Android handsets. While I generally roll with quite large handsets — such as the Ulefone Armor 9 — I’ve noticed that even smaller handsets — such as the Motorola G9 — have incredible battery life.
My iPhone — which is the giant Pro Max version — is lucky if it makes it a day without needing to be recharged, but Android handsets seem to have much better stamina when it comes to battery life.
#2: Better value
I paid a lot for money for my iPhone. I’m amazed how much cheaper Android handsets are.
The cheapest iPhone I can pick up is the $399 iPhone SE. I’ve used Android handsets that cost $60 that offered acceptable results. Certainly, it’s hard to say that the iPhone SE is six times better than something like the Doogee X95 handset.
Apple has conditioned us to think that handsets have to be expensive to be good.
#3: More features
I have Android handsets with all sorts of features, from thermal cameras to night vision. Seems niche, and it is, but adding those sorts of features to an iPhone handset would involve lots of expensive dongles.
For engineers and those in mechanical trades, there are some truly awesome handsets out there, and for far less than you’d pay for an iPhone.
#4: Fewer bugs
It’s weird how I rarely come across bugs on an Android handset.
I sometimes get an app that misbehaves or some no-name accessory that doesn’t want to play nicely, but I can’t remember the last time I was affected by a bug that got in my way.
If I want solid connectivity for things like a hotspot, I’ll always choose an Android. It’s just more reliable.
iPhone, on the other hand, seems riddled with weird, random bugs that seem to routinely affect battery life and connectivity.
#5: Easier to use user interface
As much as I like the iPhone’s Control Center, it’s clumsy, awkward, and there’s just not enough customization. By comparison, Android’s Quick Settings panel offers a greater level of customization, and well as offering me a one-tap button to get straight into the Settings app.
I think the difference is fundamental. Apple doesn’t want users to be playing in the settings (a sort of “if it works, don’t fix it” mentality), while Android is built with the idea that people are going to need to get into the settings.
I also enjoy the fact that Android allows me to use a custom launcher, as opposed to the one-size-fits-all approach of iOS.
