iOS 6 VS. Android ICS

It’s been a couple of weeks since Apple announced the updates to their iOS operating system, and there’s been time to digest the info and work out what this means for the future of the device. It also means we’ve had a couple of weeks of fanboy baiting online between the Apple and Google camps, with plenty of jibes heading in each direction. But which one is actually better, and should we be excited about the new software heading our way?

A couple of quick stats, Android currently services about half of the smartphone market based on device activations logged by Google, and has the highest number of app store downloads per day (more than double any of the other software providers). Apple however brings in the most money from app store transactions at around 9 times the value of Google’s sales, and doesn’t have a fragmented user base across multiple device manufacturers. What this shows is that despite the end use being the same, we’re really looking at two different business models, one as an open system software provider (Google, though they are starting to change this with the Nexus range of phones), and one as a closed system designer and manufacturer (Apple).

Let’s have a look at the major new/changed features of iOS 6 and compare these with what’s available on the latest Android release (Ice Cream Sandwich):

From the list there’s only one feature that iOS 6 has over ICS, the Passbook, though at this point it’s not really clear if this is a competitor to Google Wallet or if it will just be something that aggregates the current individual apps available for managing tickets, loyalty cards and payments. I’ll also point out that Maps is on the list because Apple is dumping Google Maps and going with their own proprietary software, though how this stacks up against the competition is yet to be seen. The flyover function mentioned in the press releases sounds interesting, but when I’m using any map I like to know where my journey takes me on the streets and not what it looks like to passing pigeons, so I’m not convinced that’s really useful.

There were numerous other features announced that make the iOS experience a little more fluid, and we also heard about the expected updates to Siri, though there’s still a large language barrier there that prevents most people (i.e., anyone with a strong accent) from using it. Google is set to release its Siri competitor later this year with deeper integration with phone functions and apps than currently available on any handset, and let’s hope they’ve figured out how to recognise regional dialects. Also, Rich and Dex talked a fair amount about the geo-fencing options in TechFixation episode 37, this was intriguing, and looks like it’s an update to the Find My Friends app. Again, it turns out this has been in use on Android for the 18 months or so in the Neer app, and is also already available for the iPhone 4 on the App Store.

Ultimately, whilst there were supposedly 200 new features announced for iOS 6, it’s looking like in reality it’s only going to pull it in line with the other smartphones out there by just adding the Apple spin on some existing ideas. The advantage Apple has is that they will be able to roll out to every device in the world on the same day, unlike Google that has been rolling out ICS for several months and is only just getting to the point where it’s on every compatible device.

It’s always good to get a shiny new firmware update, but is iOS 6 really worth the hype it’s receiving? From Apple’s perspective it has to help sell the iPhone 5 in the Autumn. They want people to upgrade to the latest model, but is there enough substance there to convince the iPhone 4 and 4S owners to make that switch? Possibly not. ICS has had a lot of attention as it’s the first unifying operating system for Android phones and tablets, Apple is already at this stage. The next Android update (Jellybean) is rumoured to be due for announcement through the summer, and it will inevitably get compared to iOS 6, but will that deliver any real innovation either? We’ll see, but I suspect not. The new Windows phone software was unveiled this week as well, and that is really underwhelming, Microsoft has a lot of work to do. After some time with a Nokia Lumia running WP7 earlier this year I swore (literally) I would never touch another Windows phone, and WP8 isn’t doing anything to convince me otherwise.

It seems like we’re at the point where the software is reaching its development threshold and only small incremental changes will be made just to keep the systems looking fresh. The real selling points for phones have moved to the hardware, and this is where Android has a significant edge. The restrictions imposed by Apple make it great for some users, but extremely limiting for others. With no file system access, iTunes only software management (no MTP access), and no external or upgradeable storage, the iPhone isn’t a device that’s easy to integrate with the other non-Apple devices you might have at home. Couple this with a smaller screen size, lower spec camera technology than most other manufacturers equivalent models, no on-screen widgets and lower customisation, and it isn’t surprising that Apple hasn’t maintained their majority market share.

So which is better? At the moment they’re pretty much the same with some give and take on the way features are integrated into the different software. A better question would be which one would you buy or upgrade to next? For me it will be dictated by the phone hardware and its connectivity capabilities, and I’m sorry to say Apple isn’t looking like they will get my money anytime soon.

This article was written by @SyphiloidMonkey.
Longtime listener and editor for podcast @TechFixation.