The smartphone market can be a minefield when it comes to getting a new handset, with new models seemingly appearing by the month and different operating systems to choose from. One of the biggest discussion you need to have with yourself before even decide which handset you want to buy is whether to open for one of Apple’s world-famous iPhone handsets or an Android device. Here are some pros and cons to help you decide on your next phone.
Choice
The first pro-Android argument is the amount of choice that it offers, there are hundreds of different models of handsets out there that run on the Android operating system compared to the number of iPhones that exist. Generally speaking there are only 2/3 iPhones worth buying at any one time which are the most recent ones at the time. In contrast there could be 20/30 new models of smartphones out at once that run Android.
Battery
In the same line as the storage problem, battery issues are also far easier to resolve with an Android phone that with an iPhone. Apple decided to create a fully sealed unit with the iPhone and therefore you cannot remove or replace the battery unit unlike with Android phones. Regardless of the quality of the battery cell, over time it will begin to deteriorate and with an Android phone you can simply purchase a new one and replace it, with the iPhone you would need to go to an Apple Store and even then you’ll be paying a far higher cost for the replacement.
Storage
Regardless of which iPhone you buy, you are stuck with however much storage came with the phone, there is no way to increase or reduce storage levels. Apple have improved this somewhat by creating the iCloud where you can store music and documents in the ‘sky’ but this doesn’t help with software such as applications. With Android phones however you can buy microSD cards up to 128GB to pop in the phone and dramatically increase your storage with ease.
Appstore and iTunes
Whilst there are Android alternatives to both Apple’s Appstore and iTunes functions, they simply aren’t as good. The ability to control all of your apps, your music, photos and videos via your home computer and handset is simply made easier with Apple. The interface is far more user-friendly, the update process is simpler and moving stuff between computer and handset far simpler.
Cost
If you are looking to buy a phone outright and not be beholden to any contacts with a network provider then the Android phones are probably best for you. With the range of handsets comes a huge range of cost to suit any budget. The truth is that only 20% of iPhone owners actually bought their phone outright, this is due to the eye-watering cost of the handset. There are high-end phones that run Android however here is also a bigger choice. If you are happy to go into a long-term deal with a network provider then you end up staging the cost of the device over the duration of the contract which is a good way to do it, the only downside is that you can’t change your phone until the contract is up.