One of the biggest debates in the mobile world is about which operation system ecosystem is the best and most suited for a consumer. There are two major operating systems which each have their own following and advantages. These are Android (owned by Google) and iOS (owned by Apple). Android is ubiquitous with mobiles with majority of phones and tablets being powered by it. Apple on the other hand has made an image for itself as a premium and elite brand with a closed source environment and end to end control. Android is open source and more open to customisation. Android is based on Linux. iOS is on another extreme with a huge focus on simplicity and user friendly controls. However one may argue that iOS oversimplifies to the point of hindering operation. Android though has a set level of simplicity and has advanced features available for serious developers and hobbyists. No other platform enjoys the popularity of these two but Windows Phone is the closest competitor to them.
Comparison:
Android:
- Developer: Google Inc,
- Initial Release: 23 September 2008
- Source Type: Open Source
- Customizability: Huge customization possible due to open-source env.
- Media Transfer: Depends on the carrier and the version
- Availability: Highest (most common platform)
- Defaults: Messaging app- Messenger, Browser: Chrome
- App Store: Play Store
- OS base: Linux
- Programming Language: C, C++, Java
- Open Source: Kernel, UI and built-in apps
- Voice Assistant: Google Now
- Latest Release: 6.0.1 Marshmallow (December 9 2015)
iOS:
- Developer: Apple Inc.
- Initial Release: 29 July 2007
- Source Type: Closed with limited open source elements
- Customizability: Limited unless Jailbroken
- Media Transfer: With the iTunes Desktop Application
- Availability: Only on Apple devices
- Defaults: Messaging-iMessage and Facetime, Browser- Safari
- App Store: Apple App Store
- OS Base: OS X, UNIX
- Programming Language: C, C++, Objective-C, Swift
- Open Source: iOS is not open source'
- Voice Assistant: Siri
- Latest Release- iOS 9.3.2 (May 16 2016)
From this comparison we can see the stark difference between the two different platforms. Apple has an approach of end to end control for a controlled user experience while Android is more feature-heavy and open. The Android Open Source Project (AOSP) released to the public allows developers access to stock android and helps them create their own custom ROMs or interfaces on top or add device trees. Apple on the other hand though doesn't release code into the public. It is seen as more secure but part of it is because it is not as common as Android is. In the next part of this series, we will explore the difference between the interfaces in more depth.
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