subject: How Android Beats the iPhone 4 [print this page] How Android Beats the iPhone 4 How Android Beats the iPhone 4
With the new Google Android and Apple iPhone 4 operating systems in close competition to win over the public, it can be confusing to know which is best at what. While it can often come down to individual user habits and preferences, mobile gadget gurus have tested the two rivals and made some interesting comparisons.
Following from last month's article titled 'How the iPhone 4 Beats Android', this guide will balance the scales by describing the key areas that Google's Android wonder is said to outshine Apple's latest iPhone 4 star. The conclusion at the end will also let you know the areas where the two rivals reach an equal tie.
Open Platform
Unlike Apple's iOS platform, because the Android operating system is open source, it means developers can design new applications without fear of legal reprisal - this means an unlimited scope for app creativity to make your phone more useful and fun.
Tailored Customisation
Customising your iPhone 4 pretty much amounts to being able to change the wallpaper - anything further would be a legal infringement. If you enjoy making your mobile phone truly unique, then open source Android is the winner hands down.
Voice Activated Text
Android devices are impressive at using voice activated words to fill in text. This means you can save time by using your spoken words to respond to emails and IMs or send long text messages. Apple's iOS falls behind on this in that it doesn't support voice-to-text at all.
Synchronisation & Integration
With iPhones, syncing to your other devices is far from effortless - you will need to plug into your computers and connect to iTunes to accomplish this instead of being able to do it wirelessly. Android phones win this category as they support good over-the-air syncing with your Google account. Even if you lost your previous Android phone, simply entering your Google account into a new one will see you happily back on track.
Also, while the iPhone can sync over-the-air with Google Apps that include Contacts, Calendar, and Gmail push for instant new message notifications, it doesn't match the Android's natural ease of integration with Google products.
GPS Navigation
Google offers a free and user-friendly turn-by-turn GPS application called Maps Navigation, which to date none of Apple's free alternatives can compare with.
Notifications
Android phones feature a convenient pull-down window shade notification tray. In contrast, the iPhone has a user-unfriendly modal notification system where you can only see and act on one notification at a time - by viewing the next notification you will then dismiss the previous one.
Tethering
Put simply, the term 'tethering' means the ability to use your mobile phone as a modem for other devices so they wirelessly go online in situations where there's no other means of Internet access. Many mobile providers of Android are currently offering unlimited tethering, whereas tethering for iPhones is pricier.
Conclusion
The above guide demonstrates how Android Phones are leading the race against Apple's iPhone technology. The competition between the two operating systems is constantly in flux however, which is great for us as consumers since it keeps both companies on their toes and hungry to win the biggest share of the mobile marketplace by offering the most cutting edge features and improvements possible.
To conclude my two guides on the iPhone and Android rivalry, it must be said that the two operating systems are at an equal tie when it comes to multi-tasking, system searches of your data and cool applications.
