Mobile operating systems: Comparing Android and iOS features

The smart phones have changed the era and now one doesn't need to use the desktops for using the windows. Now, in the tablets and the mobile phones, there are two of the windows which are being used a lot. Now, there are even the net books which have the android system and the many of the laptops and the desktops offered by the Apple Inc. already use this operating system known as the iOS. There are many features which are different among them and that are why they are having the neck to neck competition. These features are mentioned as follows;

Android 4.0.x vs. iOS 5.x

The Android is the OS introduced by the Google while IOS is introduced by Apple Company, the android is also sometimes known as the Google Android. The reason is that this is the company which introduced the Android. But there is the group which is actually responsible for managing the android system and it is known as the Open handset Alliance. Apple's IOS and Google's Android have been into neck to neck competition since many years. All it boils down to the question that which one is better in terms of convenient usage and security. Both are used in smart phones and tablets. Android and IOS have their own characteristics, which makes it difficult for user to make a choice. Other than having basic differences in Apps, like apps for chat, voice commands, web browsers and Maps, they have many other differences. Like, android is Linux based so pretty much of everything in it can be customized, while IOS users can't enjoy this privilege IOS is UNIX and OX S based. Android is used in many of the smart phones, including Samsung, HP, SONY, HTC, DELL and many more while IOS is used only on Apply, giving it an edge in terms of being special. Another plus to IOS is, that it's considered more user-friendly since it has more uniform elements of design. IOS has an edge when it comes to language it is offered in, since it is offered in 34 languages while Android is offered in 32 languages. Also, when it comes to security, IOS wins the race since it has many built in security features but they have to be enabled manually. But still, the IOS is less prone to have malware attacks.

Another edge IOS has is that it gets updates every year while Android's updates are slow. But when it is about UI, Android offers some really exciting features. This Year, Android user company Samsung has offered some amazing features like Air Gesture and Eye scroll, which are supported by Android.

So, both OS have their pros and cons, so it's up to user's needs and preferences that which one he chooses.

Open source vs. closed source/vendor specific

When it comes to being the open source and the closed source, then there exists a vast gap between the apple's IOS and the Google's android. The apple is actually based on the UNIX operating system and is it something to be considered very carefully.

The android is said to be having the open source. It means, that the company isn't the only thing have the full hold on it, one can also make some changes in the phone. It has made the life of many people easy and that's how many people can develop some games and the programs and they can place them on the Google store as well to show case their talents. When someone hears of a software development, they mostly will hear about androids software development which means that the developer would be making the software which are really useful on the android and can be run and supported by that specific OS. While talking about Apple, Apple is really closed one. It is not an open source system and hence no one can develop any software for it and use it without the permission of the company since the company would not allow someone to do that. One cannot download any of the software which is third party and apply will not allow to do that. Another amazing thing about apple is that one can't even sue the Bluetooth with these devices and apple can use the Bluetooth with only another apple device, not any android or the windows phone. Also, the iTunes to which it gets connected and has maintained the sync process is also supposed to be the same one and it can't be changed.

Being an open source gives advantage to the android but there are many disadvantages too which are associated there. Like, someone just cannot ignore the possibility that the software he is downloading is not virus. Since anyone can make some changes in the android and then the one can also upload some malware at some other websites and upon downloading that, the phone can catch it and the data can be sent out to someone else. But for the apply, since it is so narrowed and closed, it doesn't allow anyone to have the access to the data it has and hence one can be so sure about the fact that he would not get virus on the phone that easily no matter what he is downloading from apples store. Both of the systems can be saved from the threats by installing one antivirus which can help protect the system from the virus. Also, the both OS are having some special fractures which are kind of common. That is, that no matter that has open source, once a make change to the OS layout but they can never make change to the original SO and there is patch given where one can click and download updates. Hence the previous virus would also go away.

App source (app store and market)

For Google, one can find some of the application at the app store which is also known as the android market or the Google play. That place is actually some platform for the digital distributions of the applications which are made for the android system. The users are given the power to go through the website and one can browser and down many applications. These applications have been developed using the android SDK and are published through the Google. One can find some huge verities of the games, books; applications etc. and they have been categorized. Also, one can take help and buy some hardware's as well like the Google nexus, the mobile devices etc. one can find that application at the Google store either free of cost or some have the cost too. Also, the amazing thing is that it can be downloaded to the Google TV while using a mobile app. The application can also be deployed to some device by using the Google play website. There are many things supported by the Google and it includes the hand sensors and the motion cameras etc. the apple store also has some applications which are free or they are paid. One must make some apply account to get access there. In the 2013, the apple store and the Google play both had same amount of download but the apple has around three times more revenue.

This fight of revenue continues and one would see that the reason is the android allows installing and downloading any of the third part software while apple doesn't allow doing that. So, people are forced to download stuff only from the apple store and one cannot even download the songs from other open websites. That's the reason too why the apples revenue was so higher than the revenues of the android.

Screen orientation (accelerometer/gyroscope)

There is a feature which is present in many mobile devices. This is that the screen rotates the way one is grabbing the cell. If someone is grabbing the cell in some portrait mode, then it would stay like this and if someone is grabbing the cell in the landscape mode, then it would turn like that. These features are embedded into the OS. The position of the phone is recognized immediately and one can visibly see the changing trend of the screen. This thing is done through some device which is built in and is known as the accelerometer. It can detect that what is the presentation of the things and where the gravity is getting out. Now there are something new hardware's which are used. It is known as the gyroscope which can detect and pitch and the roll. Now one can see the combination of both in the devices and both OS support it.

Screen calibration

Many years ago, the devices used to use software which would help the sensitive touch of the devices. On could try to click on the screen but they couldn't click it well, the reason was the calibration wasn't set properly. One could click both higher and the lower but it didn't work. They would have to perform some extra check for the calibration. But the devices these days do not need this, they do not require any of the extra calibration checks and hence, when someone uses the touch then everything gets lined up pretty perfectly. Hence one now doesn't need some extra checking for this and one can make the checking once in the while, only if he likes.

GPS and geotracking

There is one amazing feature which is involved here for those who have lost their cell phones. For the Android users, there come the GPS. If someone has the GPS on their mobile phones and they have lost it, they can always use the track to know where the phone is and in which location is being moved. There is the IMAP service so if one knows that he has lost his cell he can log into it and can give the information. The GPS in the cell would keep sending the signals to satellite and then the satellite would send it back to the IMAP application. Hence one can track someone down. But there is some little problem here as well. Which is that the GPS tracking is good thing but there are many possibilities that the device is being used and being moved? So the location would not stay at one place and it would be keep changing. This way, it would become somehow, very difficult to trend the GPS and the mobile pone's location on the phone.

The geo tracking is used by the apple as well. There are many interesting things that one can find. Like after the iOS4 has been released, the apple has been tracking the location of the each individual. The government got involved into it too saying that has been keeping the data and it keeps the moving data of the politicians too and which is the privacy invasion. So the CEO must stop this application since it can be getting into the hands on some abusers and the criminals and hence it can be tracked easily by them. The case was that apple never took the consent of the user before tracing their location and if it did, it was never affirmative. Hence, one can criticize that the apple and Google have been tracking the locations of people to build the data base of how the one is travelling and what are the travelling paths. Although apple and Google developed such services for the good, but it turned out people didn't appreciate it much specially those who are some important and prominent personalities like politicians and the government workers. Also, the Google and apple have been storing data and so what if once day they get hacked as well and the data is revealed, that is the concern to many of the people around.

So now one can see that the both OS have got some differences and they both have many similarities as well. While many people make a debate about which one is better, it should be more like a debate that which one caters the need of which kind of person. So, one should know the differences so that he can make some good decision while making a choice among them.