A reader has a question about iPhones vs. Android smartphones:
“What do you feel is the reason behind all the talk about how much greater the IPhone is than the rest? In the over 55 circles my wife and I travel, Android seems a distant second to iOS, simply because of the amount of iPhones that our friends own. Marketing, maybe? We use Android, mainly because the devices it is installed on are much cheaper and do the same job. This reason alone could be the answer to my question. Thoughts?”
The Android operating system is used by 70% of users around the world compared to the roughly 30% that use the iOS. Remember that’s 30% of all devices accessing the Internet in the world, so that’s still an incredible amount of devices. Roughly a gazillion and a half. More accurately, there are over 1 Billion iPhone users. First, remember that iOS is only available on only a few devices, iPhones, iPads, and the iPod Touch manufactured only by Apple. Android can be used by any manufacturer that wants to. There are more than 24,000 different types of Android smartphones and tablets with more than 2.5 billion monthly active users.
In the US, iPhones are actually more popular than Android phones, with iOS devices getting just over 50% of the market share.
While there are some pretty cheap Android phones available, iPhones hold steady at a pretty hefty price. iPhones also have prestige. People who crave the latest and greatest often want an iPhone. They’re also proud of it. Just as people would be more prone to brag about a new Mercedes as opposed to a used Kia, you’ll likely hear a lot more about the iPhones. Apple customers are notoriously loyal to the product as well. Since iOS is exactly the same on every Apple device, many people feel it’s a superior OS because you can move easily between devices or upgrade to a new one without much of a learning curve. Since Android is customizable, it can behave very differently depending on the device.
Also, folks 55 and statistically have more money than younger people, so they may be better able to afford a more expensive phone.
Let’s ask your fellow readers what they think: Apple or Android? Both? Which operating system do you prefer?
I am 82 years old. I love my iPhone. I have no trouble figuring it out most of the time. If I run into a problem, I just ask someone younger a quick question; and I get an easy answer. My 66 year old friend has and Android, and he constantly has problems. He winds up calling the store where he bought the phone, or trying to find someone he knows to help. A lot of the time he winds up going to the store for help. He ask me on the phone for help, and all I can do is shake my head, and say I’m sorry; that makes no sense to me.