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Android and iOS differences

S

Sinthor

Lurker
Ok, I'm getting back into the development game after a few years absence. I'm starting by getting up to speed in mobile device development. That means targeting Android and iOS with my projects.

Now I've used both types of devices and as somewhat of a power user though I haven't gone TOO deep into either. I'd like to get some specific feedback from Android users though since I'll be targeting them with my projects as well.

What really makes your Android devices preferable to you? What can you do with your Android device that you cannot do with an iOS device? What specific features or abilities do you feel make Android superior? What features or functionality would you like expanded on your devices?

For anyone who uses iOS, I would ask the same questions. Or perhaps to both, which features of the other OS would you like to see on your device? Appreciation in advance for your feedback and thoughts!
 
Sinthor said:
Ok, I'm getting back into the development game after a few years absence. I'm starting by getting up to speed in mobile device development. That means targeting Android and iOS with my projects.

Now I've used both types of devices and as somewhat of a power user though I haven't gone TOO deep into either. I'd like to get some specific feedback from Android users though since I'll be targeting them with my projects as well.

What really makes your Android devices preferable to you? What can you do with your Android device that you cannot do with an iOS device? What specific features or abilities do you feel make Android superior? What features or functionality would you like expanded on your devices?

For anyone who uses iOS, I would ask the same questions. Or perhaps to both, which features of the other OS would you like to see on your device? Appreciation in advance for your feedback and thoughts!
Click to expand...

An android can be rooted. Yes you can "Jailbreak" iOS however I do not believe its the same. (Never had an iAnything)

Rooting gives you control over your phone. It allows it to be "Your" Phone an not the intellectual property of some jackass who doesn't want you to think for yourself.

Everyone has different needs and uses for their phones. Some are strickly business while others are simply play. I use my phone for a bit of both.

What I want for a new app is a bit complex. I would like a program that could give more specific information about other apps.

Something such as:
FreindlyappName
systemappName
Size
process battery consumption
process wake time
process usage time
Location of App (internal / external)
A Graphical Display of how much space/memory app is using
Timestamp
Frequency of Use
Freespace of internal/external storage
freespace of internal memory
Phone rooted ? (yes/no)
ROM Name
ROM Type (Sense, AOSP)
Last Updated
If New update exist.
and the option to backup the program and user data.

so have ya got her done yet :eek::D:D:D:eek:

seriously I would love an app with those features a true App Manager. Maybe other features but this is a good start. :D
 
Sinthor said:
Ok, I'm getting back into the development game after a few years absence. I'm starting by getting up to speed in mobile device development. That means targeting Android and iOS with my projects.

Now I've used both types of devices and as somewhat of a power user though I haven't gone TOO deep into either. I'd like to get some specific feedback from Android users though since I'll be targeting them with my projects as well.

What really makes your Android devices preferable to you? What can you do with your Android device that you cannot do with an iOS device? What specific features or abilities do you feel make Android superior? What features or functionality would you like expanded on your devices?
Click to expand...

Not so much features, I think they're nice phones apart from the iTunes requirements, but its more about price and availability. Real iPhone4 and 4s' are extremely expensive, also one has to commit to a stiff two year China Unicom contract. From experience China Unicom is not a good carrier, especially in remote rural areas. Could probably get a non-contract iPhone next time I'm in HK, or get a friend to send one from the UK. Maybe a problem with warranty and support though, Apple can be a bit funny about grey imported iPhones.

What get's me is that China Mobile doesn't offer the iPhone, seems to be exclusive to China Unicom. Like WTF Apple!! China Mobile is only the world's largest carrier with most subscribers.

BTW...How do you p*ss off a Chinaman? Tell him his iPhone 4 was made in China....true. Seems that there are many here that don't understand the English phrase "Designed by Apple in California. Assembled in China" which AFAIK is not translated into Chinese in any Apple documentation or materials...They often think Apple products are made in the USA.
 
There are several reasons I choose Android over iOS, the main decision was based on hardware. I don't want a small screen, or to be limited to one device. I want to be able to choose nearly everything, so it was pretty easy to rule out the iPhone. When it comes down to software I prefer the advanced level of usability, and how customizable the OS is. I can have different widgets, launchers, lock screens, themes, flash support, different app markets, the list can keep going on and on. The main reason I see for most people is the choice and freedom of not being locked down.
 
I chose an Android because I could save money. I got a low to mid level phone (LG Shine Plus) which did not require me to sign up for a data plan.

However, if I were to sign up for a data plan and get a premium phone or if somebody offered to buy me a premium smartphone, there is no doubt in my mind that I would chose an iPhone. Nothing is perfect (I like the idea of a docking keyboard like ASUS; I would prefer a 7" compromise sized tablet; and I still miss using a stylus from my old Palm Treo days), but I would be getting the best phone of that particular OS and I would be confident that it would be fully supported and upgraded by Apple. On the other hand, I do not have the same confidence with an Android phone. Too many companies, too many models and somewhat hit or miss in my opinion as to how timely (or even how well) a particular model is upgraded or supported. I just want the phone to work reliably and preferably as smoothly as possible. I am not interested in rooting or jailbreaking; I don't have the time for it and I am scared of bricking my phone. I have absolutely no interest in packing around an extra battery. The idea of upgrading memory is attractive, but the reality is that whatever memory card I install, it will be the only one I ever use. Which is the best Android phone/tablet to buy? I try to read and compare the reviews. I guess I could just buy, test and return devices (and judging by the number of open box Android returns at Best Buy, that is not a uncommon strategy). Hell, which is the best Android phone company to invest in? I made a few bucks off of AAPL over the last year. I guess if I was going to spend some dollars on a premium phone or tablet, I may as well go Apple.
 
Sinthor said:
What really makes your Android devices preferable to you? What can you do with your Android device that you cannot do with an iOS device? What specific features or abilities do you feel make Android superior? What features or functionality would you like expanded on your devices?
Click to expand...

The primary reason I chose an Android device over an iOS device is for the physical keyboard. Now that I have used it for over a year, I found a number of things that I believe are not possible in iOS. The big thing for me are widgets. Here are the widgets that I find so useful that it would pains me to do without:

Volume Widget -- This is front and centre on my centre home screen. The widget has 4 tappable regions. Three sets one of the three sound profiles. I have one profile for indoor use, another for outdoor/hostered use with higher sound settings and one for sleep with all sounds turned off except for alarm and ring tone. I set it to sleep so as not to be awaken by email or facebook notifications, but I need to know when my phone rings or if the alarm goes off.

Brightness Widget -- Auto-brightness sucks because I cannot calibrate it myself. I'm told that it is not possible for anyone to write an app that lets me calibrate when it goes to the dimmest or brightest or medium setting. I found a brightness widget that with a single tap, cycles through 3, pre-set brightness levels. One for outdoor, one for indoor and one for darkness as designated by me.

Auto-rotate Widget -- When I wake up, I like reading stuff on my phone. I am lying on my side, so I want auto-rotate off. With a single tap on my home screen, I turn it off and can browse while lying on my side. Another tap turns auto-rotate back on.

Widgets also can display some useful information. There are a lot of crappy widgets out there. The best widgets that display some useful information without having to open an app are those found on HTC Sense. The Twitter for HTC, FriendStream and HTC Calendar widgets are the best I have seen. Nothing else that I have seen on Android come anywhere close to these widgets for my phone. What makes these widgets the best by a huge margin is that they are full screen widgets that you can scroll down. The only thing that comes close are the G+ and GMail and Mail widgets on my Eee Pad Transformer. If you want to make a good widget, look at these and make them at least as good.

The only other widget that deservs honourable mention is the Score Mobile widget. It has a ticker that has controls to advance. I've seen to many other widgets that try to do a ticker like effect that you can advance. What makes them fail is that the info they present needs to be scrollable and not advanced like game scores.

If you can make an Android app that can allow me to calibrate the brightness on the screen based on the ambient light meter setting, I will be very happy and will buy the app. I'm told by a developer that this is not possible. I would love to see you prove him wrong.
 
funpig said:
I chose an Android because I could save money. I got a low to mid level phone (LG Shine Plus) which did not require me to sign up for a data plan.

However, if I were to sign up for a data plan and get a premium phone or if somebody offered to buy me a premium smartphone, there is no doubt in my mind that I would chose an iPhone. Nothing is perfect (I like the idea of a docking keyboard like ASUS; I would prefer a 7" compromise sized tablet; and I still miss using a stylus from my old Palm Treo days), but I would be getting the best phone of that particular OS and I would be confident that it would be fully supported and upgraded by Apple. On the other hand, I do not have the same confidence with an Android phone. Too many companies, too many models and somewhat hit or miss in my opinion as to how timely (or even how well) a particular model is upgraded or supported. I just want the phone to work reliably and preferably as smoothly as possible. I am not interested in rooting or jailbreaking; I don't have the time for it and I am scared of bricking my phone. I have absolutely no interest in packing around an extra battery. The idea of upgrading memory is attractive, but the reality is that whatever memory card I install, it will be the only one I ever use. Which is the best Android phone/tablet to buy? I try to read and compare the reviews. I guess I could just buy, test and return devices (and judging by the number of open box Android returns at Best Buy, that is not a uncommon strategy). Hell, which is the best Android phone company to invest in? I made a few bucks off of AAPL over the last year. I guess if I was going to spend some dollars on a premium phone or tablet, I may as well go Apple.
Click to expand...

Even if it doesn't get the latest and greatest version of Android if the current one works great, what's the big deal? People act like their current phone is unusable just because they're not on the latest version. If you liked the phone before, why can't you just enjoy it as it is, or root/flash it?

Maybe I'm biased because I own one but the Samsung Galaxy S II is by far, the best phone I've ever owned.
 
schwenger said:
Even if it doesn't get the latest and greatest version of Android if the current one works great, what's the big deal? People act like their current phone is unusable just because they're not on the latest version. If you liked the phone before, why can't you just enjoy it as it is, or root/flash it?

Maybe I'm biased because I own one but the Samsung Galaxy S II is by far, the best phone I've ever owned.
Click to expand...

I hear you. There were so many complaints when ICS was delayed for the Eee Pad Transformer. My Eee Pad has been awesome for the 6 months I have owned one. There isn't really anything I saw in ICS that I really want or need.
 
Having been an AVID iPhone 3G and 4 user, and iOS in general, and a pretty big Android user, I can pretty much confirm these being the major things you should target in apps:

iOS:
1) Functionality: If you can help someone increase their workflow in whatever way, shape, or form, it'll be a hit.
2) ADDICTING Games: 'nuff said
3) Customizability: If you can add something to iOS that adds the illusion of customizability to their device, it should sell well. Apps like "Pimp My Screen" were really, really popular as it felt like you were doing something with your phone that nobody else could do on iOS.

Android:
1) Root Help: Making rooting more convenient is something that fairs well on the Android Market (coughTitaniumBackupROMManagercough).
2) Music in General: I know a lot of people will detest this one as being a large source of popularity on the Android Market, but seriously, a LOT of speaker boosting or music player enhancement apps are rocking it (no pun intended) on the Android Market.
3) REAL Games: Note, I did not say ADDICTING Games, although those sell well as well. Good games like World of Goo, Shadowgun, and Riptide have been doing awesomely. With Tegra 3, and Sammy's new Exydos chip coming out, there should be plenty of space for creating console-worthy games (plus we'll all love you for it, Android needs more full-fledged games-- all mobile OS's for that matter).

I can honestly say the main reason people choose Android over iOS is for customizability. Keep that in mind.
 
I have had a iphone and ipod touch the one thing a iDevice is good at is freezing up all the time i gave my iphone away and got a android becasue they done freeze up all the time and they can have more freedom Plus the android phones are not made out of cheap crap in a way
 
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