Why I still pick Android V.S. iOS devices, reasons which might interest you too!

I for one will stay in Android land. Please note this article only applies to "Pure Android Devices" such as the Nexus Series or Pixel Series. The only reasons that legitimately prevent me from ever buying a iOS device are:

  • (critical) Bio fingerprint authentication Face unlock doesn't work for me. Phone on dash, screen turns off, phone locks. All I have to do is put finger on reader, this is not intrusive. Face unlock? Requires I press a button and then stare at the phone.. Too slow... Too user intensive.

  • (critical) If you need to reset your iCloud password, you will be forced to do so from another "Apple" device. If you do not own, or have access to a "Apple" device, the website informs you of the following alternative options:

    Use Find My iPhone on someone else’s iOS device

    Use Find My iPhone on an iOS device at an Apple Store

    I would never want to be forced to reset my password "from a limited pool" of devices which I inherently cannot trust. How do I know those devices are not key-logged? I trust my PC, or whatever other non-Apple Device I had that belonged to me. (In the event that I no longer own a apple device).

    Don't have a Apple Device? Here is what Apple says.

    Without a device, it will take longer for us to verify your identity. It may be several days or more before you’ll be able to reset your password.Apple Support can’t help you shorten this time.

    Supporting Screenshots: Use someone else's device - Several Days

    The claim here is that it adds more security to your account. Highly subjective, and very situational. In some situations this improves the security of your account. In others it further exposes your account to severe risk for an extended period of time. Once again, you are allowed to reset your google account password from any device that has a web browser, brand agnostic, as it should be. I suspect most security professionals would agree that time to recovery is more valuable in most scenarios.

  • (important) The whole Android ecosystem, it's store, the user experience. The download speed of new apps. Not being forced to be on a wifi for any reason. Buy an app once, use it everywhere, no iTunes needed, ever! Ability to push apps over the cloud from store to device.

  • (important) Way better development pipeline, tooling, support, and ease of publishing. Have you ever tried to develop an app for iOS devices?

  • (good to have) If rooted, custom recovery allows me to restore/wipe my phone without having to use iTunes or a pc.

  • (good to have) Obviously rooting, Roms, custom functional Roms like copperhead OS for example. Full control over your device, it's behavior, and your personal information. As in your not forced to use the Google play platform, thereby sharing a ton of info that you needn't be sharing in the first place. Kindah like Facebook.

  • (annoyance) Apple refuses to allow me to get rid of some apps which I have never "ever" had a need for, you know like stocks, and those other garbage apps that come preloaded that serve no purpose but to annoy me by their mere eternal presence. (Weather, Maps, Itunes U, Stocks, News) I use feedly, google maps, no use for stocks at all. Even if you were a stock trader, you would be using a proper trading app with an API integrated into a real trading terminal. Android at least allows you to "disable" non-removable bundled apps. Which makes them disappear. No such luck with iOS. Your stuck with those apps on your home screen "forever"

  • (annoyance) Google drive, photos, Google Office, is far more superior than Apple icloud services. Faster, and it's free. Way more functionality, and an more useful web dashboard to manage all these services.

  • (annoyance) iOS devices force you to have all your apps on your home screen or desktop. Even more frustrating is that they all have to be adjacent to each other. Can't have spaces in between your app folders/icons. Or say a row in the middle and a row on top. There's no grid. Also by extension no app drawer. This also means I cannot divide my home screen into logical sections like work vs personal etc..

Having presented my views on this highly controversial matter, everyone is allowed to evaluate this choice for themselves, so if an iOS device makes you happy, by all means go for it! What matters here, is that your happy with your device of choice, for your own reasons.

Curious? Explore the world of android today!

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