Why is Android laggy compared with iOS?

[nickdalzell]

I don't get It and it makes me sick. Kindle fire vs. apple ipad 3. Similar performance specs, both dual core CPUs, but when I find myself typing lengthy posts on the fire, it becomes so frustrating as the OS fails to keep up with my 80+ WPM touch-type rate that it lags or produces often misspelled results or poor performance. Or flat out crashes with a force close. I find myself in such instances whipping my ipad from the closet finding the response in comparison rather snappy, my only question is, why? Why is android, even today, with today's specs so slow?

Even the best web browser for android seems to take ages to load androidforums, when mobile safari comes up instantly.

 

[chanchan05]

They dont have the same processor or chipset. Just like a real PC, not all chipsets are made the same. For example, on a PC, a dual core 2ghz i5 is faster than a dual core 2ghz core2duo. In the same way, the dual core AppleA5x on the iPad is faster than the dual core TI OMAP on the Kindle Fire. Furthermore, the Kindle Fire relies on the three year old PowerVR 540 for graphics, while the iPad3 uses the newer quad core VR 543.

Then you have to account for Amazon likely using cheaper products for the antennae, motherboard etc.

Basically, this is another one of those you get what you paid for issues. There is a reason why the Fire is cheaper.

 

[nickdalzell]

But higher end android products suffer similar lag issues, I read about them all the time. Even $599 tablets running android 4.x seem to stutter behind iOS, especially when it comes to typing

 

[chanchan05]

No such issue on my device. Even my friend who owns an iPad3 prefers to play games on my tablet. Then again i am using an international non-carrier modified device. For those in the US carrier modified firmware is usually the problem.

 

[chrlswltrs]

But higher end android products suffer similar lag issues, I read about them all the time. Even $599 tablets running android 4.x seem to stutter behind iOS, especially when it comes to typing

I have had zero lag on my Nexus 4, whether I'm typing, playing HD games, or anything else. And I have fewer apps crash on my Android devices than I do my iPad2.

The iPad was made to perform, the Kindle Fire was made cheap to sell cheap. It really isn't a fair comparison.

Think of it like this:

Kindle Fire = Kia/Hyundai, etc
iPad 3/4 = Porsche/Audi, etc
New Android devices = Ferrari/Bentley, etc

They all serve their purpose.

 

[BBEG]

My iPad 2 is notably slower than my MX quad core phone. I think your problem might be the Kindle Fire, which is not exactly a powerhouse of a device.

 

[AntimonyER]

I have a hardcore Apple friend who is finally considering Android, because he says Project Butter (Jelly Bean) finally made Android a competitor to iOS. However anytime a manufacturer puts a skin over stock android, it adds more weight to be moved, and some are worse than others. My GNex and N7 absolutely fly. Of course an S4 Pro processor and 2GB of RAM make my DNA do pretty much the same thing, even with Sense on board.

 

[NightAngel79]

Fwiw I have the iPhone 5 and the new DROID DNA and the DNA eats the iPhone for breakfast

That said, I have noticed android in general performing poorly when typing, on full Web pages only.

Haven't tried it with the DNA yet though.


I'm curious, what about chrome browser on the iPhone/ios? Still completely lag free when typing?

 

[chrlswltrs]

I'm curious, what about chrome browser on the iPhone/ios? Still completely lag free when typing?

Aside from crashing more often on my iPad Chrome works pretty good. It crashes at least once or twice a week while I'm browsing though. No problems on my phone. Chrome is my default browser on both.

 

[chanchan05]

I have a hardcore Apple friend who is finally considering Android, because he says Project Butter (Jelly Bean) finally made Android a competitor to iOS. However anytime a manufacturer puts a skin over stock android, it adds more weight to be moved, and some are worse than others. My GNex and N7 absolutely fly. Of course an S4 Pro processor and 2GB of RAM make my DNA do pretty much the same thing, even with Sense on board.

Isn't project butter a form of using hardware acceleration for UI rendering? Samsung has been doing that since Gingerbread, but I have yet to see a Note 2 in action personally so I can't comment on how Samsung has done it now.

 

[nickdalzell]

I won't touch android 4.x with a ten foot pole. Hated it and downgraded. If that is all it takes to get rid of lag I'd live with lag.

As for crashing my ipad 3 never has crashed. I get FCs and unexpected error notifications a lot though in android

 

[chanchan05]

I won't touch android 4.x with a ten foot pole. Hated it and downgraded. If that is all it takes to get rid of lag I'd live with lag.

As for crashing my ipad 3 never has crashed. I get FCs and unexpected error notifications a lot though in android

What's do you find wrong about it? After upgrading to ICS, my Tab just got a whole lot better than before.

 

[nickdalzell]

Too much got changed, I hated how slow it got, the notification area redesign and lack of a clear all button in favor of swipe away, which was tedious and fingerprint inducing, the huge virtual keys where I am accustomed to finding my app drawer, the settings menu is far more complicated than those in GB. It was like going from a mom and pop to Walmart for grocery shopping. I despise android 4.x and should this be the direction it'd going I refuse to buy any new android devices in the future.

I started out in eclair. It sucked. Froyo was a little better but not good enough then came gingerbread. I didn't hold much hope but I ended up loving it. I tried two ROMs more recently of 4.x only to hate it and downgraded. Which is more than I can say for any poor sap who got OTA upgrades which are a one way trip. Here is an example of the notification area redesign.

Plus notification icons animate, bounce and blink, bloody annoying and used too much RAM. It also tended to crash more often then GB ever did. For example the lock screen caused a sleep of death forcing a reboot often, a problem I hadn't seen since eclair...

And..can't stress this enough....TOO...MUCH...BLUE

 

[lunatic59]

As for crashing my ipad 3 never has crashed. I get FCs and unexpected error notifications a lot though in android

Nick, I hope you understand the reporting model for exceptions in both platforms. iOS is designed to keep faults from the user's eyes. If your app crashes, it just drops you back to the home screen while Android is design to report back to the user that there was a problem.

Statistically iOS apps tend to crash more than Android, it's just the user never sees it.

In any case, no company can build a product that will please everyone. Just be grateful that there is enough choice out there so you can find something that works for you.

 

[nickdalzell]

I know that. It's called a crash to desktop or silent crash. Android has a knack for it too, I'm telling you my ipad has never crashed. But lately I'm only using it to post to the forums. The fire can't handle the task, even with the CPU over clocked. While android is my preferred OS for phones. iOS works better for tablets for me. Regarding android 4.x it reawakened the nightmares of eclair all over again, I won't touch it

 

[chrlswltrs]

Just one little piece of info... There is a button to clear all notifications in Jelly Bean.

 

[nickdalzell]

If it exists it must be microscopic because I expect it to say something like 'clear' the way GB did. I also hated the huge, unmovable virtual keys. In GB they're small and share the status bar. In JB they're taking up most of the lower 1/3 of the screen, and I've hit home by accident when trying to hit space bar a lot. I hate Android 4.x nothing will make me upgrade to that monstrosity again.

More JB screenies. If you notice those huge virtual buttons

 

[nickdalzell]

For all the gripes apple gets, at least they don't drastically change their OS to where it is so unfamiliar the way android did with version 4.x. Part of why I liked Android is that they don't force upgrades on you, but already there are posts all over about OTA upgrades being automatic with no hope of going back to GB. if they pull that stunt with me bye bye Android. If I wanted forced upgrades ala Microsoft I'd have gotten a windows phone

 

[chanchan05]

Too much got changed, I hated how slow it got, the notification area redesign and lack of a clear all button in favor of swipe away, which was tedious and fingerprint inducing, the huge virtual keys where I am accustomed to finding my app drawer, the settings menu is far more complicated than those in GB. It was like going from a mom and pop to Walmart for grocery shopping. I despise android 4.x and should this be the direction it'd going I refuse to buy any new android devices in the future.

1. My Tab got faster and smoother upgrading to 4.0.4
2. Notification in my Tab still has the clear all button
3. Huge virtual keys? Sounds like you got a ROM not made for your device, or something not very well made. Look at Samsung's phones running on ICS and JB. They have no virtual keys, and still have the clear all button.
4. Setting menu got changed a bit, but not too much to gripe about. Everything is still there with more functions than before/

I started out in eclair. It sucked. Froyo was a little better but not good enough then came gingerbread. I didn't hold much hope but I ended up loving it. I tried two ROMs more recently of 4.x only to hate it and downgraded. Which is more than I can say for any poor sap who got OTA upgrades which are a one way trip. Here is an example of the notification area redesign.

Your picture doesn't work. Also, Samsung's stock notification area still has a clear button on ICS/JB

I have no pictures, but the HTC and Motorola versions also still has the clear button.

Plus notification icons animate, bounce and blink, bloody annoying and used too much RAM. It also tended to crash more often then GB ever did. For example the lock screen caused a sleep of death forcing a reboot often, a problem I hadn't seen since eclair...

And..can't stress this enough....TOO...MUCH...BLUE

Too much RAM? Crashing more than GB? No it doesn't. But then again you are using a ZTE Merit. You're running a 600Mhz CPU that's 4 generations behind, no GPU that I know of, and a miniscule amount of RAM. Of course you'll crash. Its not JB's fault. Your phone just doesn't cut it anymore. The Nexus S and Xoom won't even be getting JB because Google can't guarantee a smooth experience, and you're running way worse hardware than those devices have.


PS: OTA upgrades are carrier pushed. Not Android pushed. And I like Blue.

 

[nickdalzell]

The two ROMs I tried were on a kindle fire. The Merit can't run ICS yet (thank god!) I can't use 4.x. Too much different about it for me to feel comfortable. GB does everything I ask of it and does it well with great balance. I use my phone far more often than any tablet and it does well...I can't type much but it does work. I tried two ROMs (pictures were from the first, a CyanogenMod 10 based) just to make sure it was not a faulty ROM.

Every time I spot a screenshot of ICS/JB they have virtual or soft keys. Large blue ones for home, back and multitasking.

 

[chanchan05]

The ROM you were using is most likely at fault for not being well done.

 

[nickdalzell]

Faulty rom maybe for instability but the changes? The iOS style settings menu? Widgets in the notification area? Lack of clear all button? Virtual keys? The cosmetic changes? I don think so. There are many threads of ICS hate. It's an overhyped upgrade that we are expected to like despite how drastically different it is from GB

Heck when I see those screen caps I just posted I see RIM OS all over again.

 

[chanchan05]

Maybe its just me, but shouldn't the settings menu style reflect the ROM? Just like how the settings menu in my Tab looks nothing like iOS. I've been putting widgets in the notification area since gingerbread too. Cosmetic changes are moot point, as everyone has their own idea for "beauty". I for one like the new look. It looks cleaner.

I noticed you mentioned onscreen buttons taking 1/3 of the screen. It doesn't. It barely takes 1/8. More like 1/9 or 1/10. Faulty ROM

 

[nickdalzell]

Depends on the device. On the fire it was half an inch reserved for that taskbar the icons were not the same size but still...1/3 of the BOTTOM of the screen. Not the whole thing. It was the same size as the dock above it

I found the new settings menu overdone. Much like how many big box grocery stores have say three separate sections for snacks. I prefer the simple mom and pop approach, the settings have remained much the same since eclair, until gingerbread. Well laid out, categorized perfectly. Display, sound, date and time, the like. Now its all fragmented and three different steps to get to say clock settings when it used to be touch, tap,done. It was too much of an overhaul in one sitting, should have had a gradual evolution, not a sudden redesign of the UI with things in the wrong places (what good is having power control where the notifications are?) and the amount of extra ram and CPU required. Can you imagine a new device on GB? It would blow away ICS.

I could reinstall ICS to be specific and post better screen caps but I hated the thing that much I shudder to even touch it again. I mean weather and media controls in the LOCK SCREEN? No wonder my Fire locked up in sleep

 

[mikedt]

Amazon Kindle $99, slow and laggy.
Apple iPad $499, smooth and beautiful.

Try comparing the iPad to a decent (more expensive) tablet.