Those who carry an Android device don’t do it just because it’s cheaper. Many people freely choose to experience the open world of this operating system, instead of going through the Apple hoop in exchange for a phone, albeit aesthetically appealing.
A battle rages on social media between Android users and Apple lovers, resurfacing periodically. Android customers don’t understand what people like so much about Apple products that encourages many to buy them despite their high price. In contrast, fans of the bitten apple wonder why so many people prefer to stick with Google’s operating system.
Within many circles, the belief that iPhones are necessarily more beautiful or powerful in specifications still prevails. However, Android OS users have no problem listing dozens of reasons why they voluntarily reject Apple’s phone.
These are 10 reasons why Android users prefer this system over iOS. Arguments that many have cited on the social network X while resurrecting the debate this Thursday.
1.iOS is ‘too boring’
Despite all the lights and glitz boasted by the iPhone operating system, many users demand freedom to use and experiment with their phones in various ways. The iPhone system is more closed than Android’s in many ways, so those who don’t resonate with Apple’s default apps and ecosystem may feel constrained.
There are users who value the ability to place app icons wherever they want on the screen or who want to install apps that are not available in the App Store, the only app store allowed on the iPhone. There are countless versions of Android with different aesthetics or approaches that may appeal more to certain types of users. It’s also important to remember that Android is an open-source system. This means that there is a large community of volunteer developers creating new features or possibilities for the system.
2.The iPhone system is a “walled garden.”
One thing that is often recognized about Apple phones is their good hardware features, such as excellent cameras and sophisticated finishes with durable materials. However, it’s not the physical aspect of the phone but its software that turns many people off. Many accuse iOS, the iPhone operating system, of being a “walled garden.” What they mean is that once you enter the Apple ecosystem, the system encourages you to use other Apple products to make the experience as efficient as possible.
But it’s not just about this. Apple has its own app store, its own music service (Apple Music), its own cloud storage service (iCloud), its own streaming platform (Apple TV), and more. The iPhone comes with all these apps pre-installed, and Apple’s goal is for you to use its services for everything, instead of, for example, using Spotify to listen to music. It doesn’t mean you can’t do it on the iPhone, but the inertia will encourage you more to pay Apple for all these services. Other apps like FaceTime, for example, cannot be used with users of other phones.
Furthermore, the App Store exercises tight control over the apps it allows to be offered on it, so there are many apps available for Android that are not found on the iPhone. On the contrary, Apple’s headquarters is where total control over iOS is located, making it impossible for anyone to improve or alter the system to their liking. In summary, some think that Apple’s ecosystem is not an innovation but a way to exclude the user from other possibilities.
3.Greater customization
The iOS system has a unique design known to all. It’s a highly polished style that has been preserved for years. For lovers of its aesthetics, the iPhone will always be more beautiful than an Android. However, Android devices allow for endless customization options. With a bit of skill, it’s often possible to change the theme, app icon styles, and many other things.
Overall, it’s generally recognized that Android phones grant users much more freedom when it comes to designing their own home screen. Nevertheless, it’s also true that the iPhone now offers more options than before, thanks to features like widgets.
4.Charging speed
Many users claim that iPhones take too long to charge, and their batteries lag behind those of other brands, even with a good display. Several phones, including some from Xiaomi or Samsung, feature ultra-fast charging.
Many users on X claim that their phones charge faster than iPhones, and this can save more than one situation for those who always forget to charge their phones before going to sleep. Additionally, some iPhone users are disappointed when their battery doesn’t last all day. In their latest models, Apple boasts in its ads of having increased the battery life.
5.Price
Of course, this is one of the reasons, and one of the most important ones. It’s not difficult to find technical specifications similar to those of the iPhone in other devices, often at a lower price. Android customers can get a cheaper phone that is also less expensive to repair. The issue of repair costs causes headaches for more than one Apple user. Repairing one of their devices through official channels (such as handing it in at an Apple Store) can cost hundreds of euros. An amount that would even be enough to buy a completely new Android device.
Additionally, there’s also the price of any official replacement or accessory we may want. Replacing the charging cable is not cheap either.
6.They reject a “status symbol”
Everyone knows that many people don’t buy an iPhone because they like it more or think it’s better, but because an iPhone is seen by some as a status symbol. Due to the high price of Apple products, as well as their recognizable design by anyone, having an iPhone can become a way for some to show themselves to the world, adopting the values that Apple projects onto its products. That is, someone with good purchasing power, creative, important, different, etc.
There are people who detest this type of symbolic products and don’t seek to draw attention to themselves through what they own or don’t own. Some even label Apple fanatics as a “toxic community.” A famous controversy surrounding the superiority that some feel for having an iPhone is the one about the blue bubbles, due to the ¿discriminatory? distinction by colors that Apple makes between messages sent between iPhone and iPhone vs. between Android and iPhone.
7.Outdated technology compared to Android
There’s a mistaken belief that the iPhone, being more expensive, should include the latest and most innovative technology, which is not the case. In fact, Android phones tend to be quicker to adopt new developments.
There are cases where features or tools available on Android are still not available on the iPhone. This may be due, among other things, to the fact that Cupertino takes great care and attention to detail when incorporating any new code into their systems. At Apple, everything has to be thoroughly controlled so that new technologies fit the device the way they want and that interests them.
8.Freedom to use other devices
Today, everything from Bluetooth headphones to smartwatches is used in conjunction with mobile phones. The issue with Apple is that connecting the iPhone with other devices not produced by the company is usually less straightforward than connecting it, for example, with AirPods or an Apple Watch.
This is evident when trying to transfer files like photos or videos from the iPhone to the computer. It’s clearly easier to make this transfer between a Mac and an iPhone than between this phone and other types of computers with Windows, for example.
9.Features only available on Android
Others argue that Android features are better than their equivalents on Apple. Some users cite better voice recognition or automatic spam detection available on Android.
Examples of features available on Android that are not or not as good on the iPhone may include: greater freedom to choose default apps. Greater control in the Android file explorer and connection with the computer. The ability to temporarily disable the microphone, camera, location, and NFC for all apps. The personal Internet access point that doesn’t auto-disconnect on Android. Built-in call recording function. Downloading apps from the store faster without having to confirm with fingerprint or Face ID, etc.
10.Possibility to expand storage space
A characteristic that has accompanied iPhones over the years is the inability to increase the storage capacity that comes from the factory. These phones do not include a slot for microSD cards, with which Android users can add space to their phones if needed.
Expanding storage with a microSD is much cheaper, for example, than the price difference between a basic capacity iPhone model and one with higher storage. The difference in GB that comes with an iPhone causes significant differences in the final price when buying the phone.
