Android 10 vs iOS 13: which mobile operating system is better?
Apple has had a reputation for being the company obsessed with quality and high standards. Its recent OS update iOS 13 speaks volumes in this regard. On the other hand, we have Android, which is also a popular operating system and the choice of many.
This is where the clash begins.
Now, that they both have launched new updates — iOS 13 and Android 10 (previously called Android Q), you could see a hard distinction between people siding with their favorite mobile operating system. We are going to take on this debate and analyze the features of both updates in an effort to draw a conclusion on who wins in this debate.
The list is pretty long when talking about Android Q features or even that of iOS 13, so let’s make the comparison of both on the grounds of most impacting features.
Dark Mode
Witnessing the demand, Google also introduced Dark mode functionality in its latest update of Android 10.
On the other hand, Apple is a little ahead in this race, for it introduced this function earlier in 2018 in the macOS Mojave. Apple also passed this feature to the new update, this time for mobile.
We have to say that iOS 13 won this aspect of the debate.
Priority to Privacy
Let’s state the obvious–Apple’s business model does not rely heavily on ads that access users’ data as opposed to that of Google, so it is evident that Apple is more protective of its users’ data.
However, with the advent of Android 10, Google hopes to restore the faith of users. The new version promises to give greater control to the users on what information gets shared and what does not. One new feature found in the recent version’s menu is in the Advanced section which had put aside the common security concerns at one place for controlling instead of spreading it to numerous menus.
Despite seeing the advancements in security in Android 10, the winner in this round is definitely iOS 13.
Maps Enhancements
When we talk about maps, Google is the one that pops up in the head of many. While Apple Maps are absolutely better than they have ever been; Google Maps offers more in this regard than just navigating. For example, it delivers a more accurate addresses and also has 3D street view. That being said, we have to say that the changes Apple has made in Maps in iOS 13 update are competing nicely against Google Maps, including improvements to the indoor mapping functionality that was built into iOS starting in iOS 11.
Who is the winner here depends entirely on how they both perform in real life for individual users. In other words, your mileage may vary depending on location, try both and see for yourself.
Pictures: Capturing and Sharing
Another thing for which Google is famous is its Photos functionality. It has all that a user can need from a photo service be it incredible editing tools, photo sharing or backup facilities. It also enables users to search for places, things, or people that have been automatically tagged through Google.
Apple on the other hand also offers a wide range of editing tools but still is lagging a little behind in functions like easy photo sharing and free storage. The free storage capacity that Apple offers to its users is 5 GB which is very in comparison to 15GB offered by Google.
The winner is evidently Android 10 in terms of software and services, but for hardware, our pick is one of the new iPhone 11 Pros running iOS 13.
Voice Search Assistants
Apple was the pioneer of voice assistants as it introduced Siri in 2011. Though many updates and improvements have been made to the voice assistant, it still falls a little short in front of Google’s voice assistant.
Google’s voice assistant is pretty incredible in recognizing voices and commands and pretty much beats Siri in all aspects. Its technology is so advanced that it can even understand different accents and still provide appropriate results.
It’s quite clear that the winner of the battle is Android 10.
Messaging Apps
Apple has so far kept its focus on delivering quality content instead of quantity. This also applies to the fact that it has only two messaging apps – Messages and FaceTime. These two are incredible in performance and quality which also focus on users’ privacy as the conversations are encrypted end-to-end.
Whereas, Google also has apps like Hangouts, Duo, and Google Voice for voice calls.
This shows that while Google has a more expansive offering of messaging apps, Apple still has an upper hand in terms of quality.
Swipe Keyboard
To offer users the option of swipe keyboard, Google has incorporated Gboard in Android 10. They have added various new and exciting features to its keyboard like custom themes, option to use multiple languages, facility to insert gifs, etc.
Though Apple also has a swipe-able keyboard in iOS 13, it is not feature-packed as the Gboard on Android 10. This clearly gives the impression that Apple’s iOS 13 lags behind the competition. However, fear not, because you can install Gboard on iOS 13 as well by downloading it from the App Store.
Apps Running on Different Platforms
Apple has introduced a tool called Project Catalyst, that will help in moving iOS apps to macOS. This will allow many app development companies to bring iPad apps to Mac (which is something we’re extremely excited about).
Users can also use apps on different platforms as Google provides this functionality through Chromebook. However, it comes with its own drawbacks.
In this context, iOS 13 is leading the battle.
Gaming
Well, this one is a bit tricky. Apple has launched its Apple Arcade service which will allow access to premium games at just $4.99 per month across all Apple devices. And on the contrary, we have Google’s Stadia services providing streaming games that users can play anywhere they get the chrome browser. This service costs $9.99 a month, but has its own controller and also works with third-party controllers.
If you are a hardcore gamer, likes console games and have a good internet connection, then Android 10’s Stadia is a good match. However, if you are a fan of indie games then Apple Arcade available in iOS 13 is your match.
Conclusion
Now that all the points of comparison have been laid out with features explained, you can see and decide for yourself which is the better OS. Which mobile OS do you prefer: iOS or Android? Let us know in the comments!