Contents
Yes, this is another Apple vs Android article and yes there will be plenty more.
A lot of people think Apple is no longer delivering the best smartphones in the market and they are just riding on popularity and a very loyal customer base. Apple announced its iPhone 6 and added two new products to its line; iPhone 6+ and Apple Watch. As usual many android users, manufacturers included jumped on their smartphones (Thank you apple) and started bashing the products.
Why?
The above picture is truly eye opening but it does not in anyway paint the true picture. Let me start by reminding or educating you on what Apple products are truly about – “Usability & Innovation”.
Features tell, Benefits sell.
- There will always be phones with more megapixels in their cameras.
- There will always be phones which have more pixel density on their screens.
- There will always be phones that have much more memory
- There will always be phones which port larger battery capacities.
- There will always be phones which have an SD slot.
- There will always be phones which use universal standards, such as USB.
- There will always be phones which are much lower in price with much better features.
When you buy a mattress, what you really want to experience is a good night sleep. Bottom line: there will always be products with better features but can they offer the benefits of Apple products?
Security & Stability
Apple does not open its OS because it wants a secure environment for your device, hence no external storage support, bluetooth app and so on. You are only able to installed signed apps only.
You really can’t blame a mother for protecting the innocence of her child, can you?
Apple devices are secure and stable, it rarely crashes and this is because apple controls what gets into an Apple device and how it gets in.
Quality Design.
In an industry still dominated by plastic products, Apple obviously still leads in this department. Today it’s gorilla glass patent, tomorrow its sapphire glass technology, the truth is Apple puts a lot of thought into its design and this leads to devices that look better and feel natural when using them.
The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are larger and yet thinner than its predecessors and like all Apple products it still has a unique look and feel.
Processor & Performance
Apple A7 chips was the first and is still the only 64-bit cellphone processor. This delivers more efficiency in the code, a better battery life, quicker responsiveness and of course better features.
The iPhone 6 & 6+ features a 64-bit architecture, a faster chip; A8 & an M8 motion coprocessor.
Camera
The iPhone rocks an 8mp camera but megapixel doesn’t determine picture quality, the iPhone 5s camera has held its own against Samsung’s latest smartphone Samsung S5.
The new iPhones come with an even better camera, an additional sensor, optical image stabilization and a couple of other neat features.
Usability
“Easier-to-use is harder to do”.
This is the one area where many android manufacturers are playing catch up.
Apple understands the true value of technology is to make our life easier. This explains why NFC is just coming to the iPhone and why the iPhone isn’t water resistant yet. For Apple it is all about matured technology.
iOS
Many people feel constrained by the iOS and Apple is responding to that by loosening its grip on the OS. The iOS 7 opened up the iOS so much that I no longer feel the need to Jailbreak my phone and iOS 8 opens it even further. The IOS 7 was a complete redesign yet it didn’t feel strange, it does not lag or crash often, it still feels very much like an iPhone.
NFC
A lot of android phones come with NFC but a lot of android users are yet to even enjoy the NFC technology.
Apple is finally adding NFC but it isn’t a lone wolf, it comes with Apple Pay. Apple Pay is new and we have no idea how it is going to work out but one thing is certain, it is already gaining ground.
File Transfer
You want Music, we have iTunes.
You need apps & Games, checkout the Appstore.
You need books, we’ve got you covered.
Magazines, try Newsstand.
NFC payment, try Apple Pay.
Bottom Line, Apple wants a closed operating system.
Bigger Screens
Steve Jobs said no one was going to buy phones with bigger screens “you can’t get your hand around it”, “no one’s going to buy that.”.
The original iPhone was the biggest iPhone in the market when it launched and yet here we are, apple iPhone 5 had a taller screen and once again here we are. Steve Jobs was obviously thinking along the lines of user experience but he ignored how the smartphone and tablets are becoming more important in our lives, it makes a PC look obsolete sometimes and for that Steve Jobs was wrong.
Apple recognized that people love bigger screens and it responded to that by creating a phone with a bigger screen and so as not to ruin the iPhone for people who are not crazy about bigger screens, we have the iPhone 6+.
Newer Features
Siri
Apple introduced an interactive voice assistant named Siri when it released iPhone 4s and back then it was a game changer, now every smartphone has their own voice assistant. Siri keeps getting better and smarter with every iOS update.
Touch ID
Where many have tried and failed, Apple’s touch ID passed in flying colors. It is fast, easy to use and as secure as a fingerprint technology can be.
Health & Fitness
Apple has identified that the health and fitness industry could use more personal technology and they are already responding by taking health & fitness into consideration in iOS 8. The Apple Watch, iPhone 6 & Iphone 6+ are all designed with fitness and health apps in mind.
iPhone Saves Lives Also
US Paratrooper Joel Stubleski dodged a bullet during his tour in Afghanistan, when his iPhone which was in his pocket prevented an enemy round from entering his femoral artery during a firefight.
Apple vs Android
The major difference between Apple and many android devices is that Apple adopts only matured Technology while the others are running the feature race.
There was a time apple adopted a technology (Apple Maps) that wasn’t half ready and the backlash was terrible, needless to say, there was an apology and someone lost his job.
Samsung and other Android smartphone manufacturers keep adding more bogus features, year after year, yet the devices feel the same. Let’s take a look at smart Scroll, air gestures and air view that came in the Samsung S4, how much impact have these features had towards improving users experience?
Product differentiation is something Samsung and other android manufacturers are still battling with.
Apple has succeeded so far because they understand that the user experience is key to the whole process and that is why Apple leads and others follow, sometimes a little too closely.
Ever wondered why every new phone is compared to the iPhone, or why Samsung, Nokia and everyone else seem to be dissing Apple products in their ads?
Apple is still the brand to beat, it is the brand that speaks and the whole world listens, it is the brand that is worth your attention and once again the iPhone 6 set a new record; over four million pre-orders in 24 hours.