The most famous tech war, has always been the one between Android and iOS. Haters, trolls, the situation is not under control anymore.
Today, we are going to analyse objectively , and more in depth, features and properties of both the operating systems.
Let the war begin!
Let’s start from the base of an OS, its architecture and how it works.
Of course I’ll try to be as cleaner as possible.
ARCHITECTURE
- iOS: its kernel is written in C, and its system, is written also in Objective-C . Both are almost low-level programming languages which are compiled in machine language (0 & 1) with no intermediate steps, so, slightly fast.
- Android: its kernel is written in C and C++, but system is a little bit complex (due to its portability that we’ll see later on). Part of it is written using C, but most of its framework and APIs are in Java.
What’s java? An interpreted programming language, far away from the machine 0 and 1.. how it works? It uses bytecode,a code, which has to be translated into binary, using an interpreter, the DVM (dalvik virtual machine) that compiles code every time it is executed, so the system has to handle both compilation and execution at the same time. In fact, an evolution of the DVM is the newer interpreter ART (Android run time) that uses AOT (ahead of time), that stores the compiled code during the installation, giving better performance and less power consuptions.
FRAGMENTATION
iOS is used on Apple’s mobile phones, and each model, has its own personal system, adapted and edited to its hardware.
Android.. well, that’s a bit different.
You can find Android on TVs, Cars, Phones, PCs, Gaming consoles… you know, on many devices.
That’s why it is obliged to use Java language, so that its code can be executed on (almost) every device, thanks to the interpreter.
PERFORMANCE
A consequence of what I said before, is that, thanks to a proprietary system wholy written in C, adapted to every hardware, is obvious that performance on iOS are at the top.
Instead on Android, where code is not native, but it runs on a VM, it takes much more power from a device and so, performance are not always good. Thanks to ART, that has substituted DVM, performance are increased thanks to AOT , its processes has been explained before.
SECURITY
iOS has adapted many ways to protect its system, starting from applications, in fact you can only install applications which are on the Apple Store, end.
Do you want to copy your music, files, documents onto your iPhone? You must use iTunes, a program which is needed to do things like that.
Android is widely open or if you want, less secure, compared to iOS.
You can install apps, or from PlayStore or directly from your internal memory. You just need a signed apk.
Do you want to transfer files? Just connect your device to a PC and move the desired files into your chosen directory. More simple as that?
Of course this major ‘freedom’, may cost on security.
The trick? No, any antiviruses, they will just slow down your phone and waste useful RAM. Just check what you install and what websites you open, and you’ll be safe, always.
COSTS
Maybe it’s useless talk about this, but this is the major difference between an iPhone and an Android device. We can also expand it to all Apple products.
iPhone has became something ‘cool’, ‘fashion’, a mark that just like all the marks, make its products more expensive compared to others with same specs or better ones. But people likes it and buys it. In this aspect Apple has been awesome.
Android, since it is just an open operating system, is just used and edited by device producers onto their devices. In fact, you can also find an android device with top specs, even at 350€.
Or, you can even find an Android phone at 800$, but you’ll know that it’ll have top hardware and performance.
CONCLUSIONS
It depends on your necessities. You need a simple, fast phone to do basic stuff, you don’t care about hardware or neither the cost? Go for iPhone.
Do you care about hardware and all the in depth stuff? Maybe you don’t want to waste much money? You like open source?
Well, then you’ll surely choose an Android device.
