Some people tend to completely dismiss Android as a platform
that's inferior to iOS in almost every aesthetic and pragmatic way.
Software projects tend to start with iOS, whilst Android is either put
on a shelf for later or isn't considered at all. While Apple's mobile
products (both hardware and software) are generally praised as icons of
style, quality and intuitiveness, Android devices cannot get even a
share of that Apple 'magic' or whatever we may call it. Android is
surrounded by several depreciating myths that have no actual substance
behind them. Let's have them all on a list.
1. Android is complicated and unintuitive.
When taken out of the box, an Android device is even more packed than an iPhone. Google provides its numerous services and makes a brand new device ready for work. Enter your Google information (which takes less time than creating an Apple ID) and start working. It doesn't take much time to get used to Android.
When it comes to user experience, there's a huge discrepancy due to the multitude of devices. There's no sense in taking a cheap Android and state that the OS is awful. Take a high-end device then, with Android 4.0 or higher, and you'll see the difference.
2. Android suffers from bad UI, its applications look bad (or worse than iOS applications).
That's the myth that haunts Android from the very beginning of its existence. It's reasonable to admit that the earliest versions of Android weren't that good at all in both looks and functionality. But the first iPhone and its OS weren't either. Now as iOS has become as polished as can be, Android hasn't been in stagnation. It has grown into an impressive mobile platform with beautiful UI and some features that many iOS users would really like to have (most obviously widgets). It's different from iOS, and design is treated differently. There are numerous beautiful Android applications that look no worse, some even better. It would be fair to say that ugly-designed apps are their creators' problem, not the platform's.
3. Android is a bad platform for monetization.
That's perhaps the most sound of these myths, since iOS has always been in the lead in terms of revenues. Users of iOS have a generally higher income, the devices are more expensive. Another argument is that many Android apps and services are offered for free. That's reasonable - Android is harder to monetize than iOS. But let's face it, a good startup can always take off and soar high. It depends on how good it offers things that people can't help but buy. There's always something valuable that you can offer, no matter what the platform is. The thing here is knowing the market of your platform and the niche you want to occupy.
4. Android shouldn't be taken into account since everyone has iPhones.
You might see a lot of iPhones around you, in the hands of your friends and your clients. But if you take a look at statistics, the picture will be somewhat different. While iOS can be dominant in some countries (the USA being one of them), Android is closing in there, and there's no way to disregard its percentage completely, especially if your application is supposed to encompass a wide audience and isn't way too specific.
And if considered worldwide, Android vastly reigns in numbers, with an exception of revenues, which has always been the strength of iOS. Every business owner, every entrepreneur who wants to launch a mobile product, has to know much about both leading platforms.
5. Android requires much more time and efforts in development.
What's the main problem of Android? Must be its open nature that led to fragmentation of devices (with the total number approaching 12000) and OS versions (in July of this year eight OS versions were simultaneously in use). How can you deal with it? It's not that hard. Actually, adjustments to various screen sizes don't take that long, you only have to choose the supported devices for your project (the most popular high-end ones for sure).
And if we take a look at OS versions, the long-standing older version 2.3 ''Gingerbread'' is slowly but steadily giving way to the latest one, 4.1-4.3 ''Jelly Bean'', which currently occupies 48.6% of all Android devices. The second last version, 4.0 ''Ice Cream Sandwich'', has a 20,6% share. OS versions fragmentation isn't as large as it used to be, say, a year ago.
6. Android is plagued by malware.
Just know what you download and you won't need any antivirus apps. When you visit Google Play and encounter an app you'd like to have on your device, read the reviews and see what people think about the app. If there's no obvious problem, here you go.
7. Android is simply worse than iOS.
We'll conclude with the most insipid statement: Android is simply worse than iOS. That's the reason it has less media coverage, less recognition, less revenues, and absolutely no 'magic' that is Apple's sole privilege.
It's like comparing apples with tangerines. Everything is a matter of personal taste. Some people feel good with the closed but smooth nature of iOS, some people can't stand it and prefer Android. What can't be denied, is that in this fight both platforms are winners, and neither is likely to completely replace the other one. And users win as well, because they have an opportunity to choose what they want.
1. Android is complicated and unintuitive.
When taken out of the box, an Android device is even more packed than an iPhone. Google provides its numerous services and makes a brand new device ready for work. Enter your Google information (which takes less time than creating an Apple ID) and start working. It doesn't take much time to get used to Android.
When it comes to user experience, there's a huge discrepancy due to the multitude of devices. There's no sense in taking a cheap Android and state that the OS is awful. Take a high-end device then, with Android 4.0 or higher, and you'll see the difference.
2. Android suffers from bad UI, its applications look bad (or worse than iOS applications).
That's the myth that haunts Android from the very beginning of its existence. It's reasonable to admit that the earliest versions of Android weren't that good at all in both looks and functionality. But the first iPhone and its OS weren't either. Now as iOS has become as polished as can be, Android hasn't been in stagnation. It has grown into an impressive mobile platform with beautiful UI and some features that many iOS users would really like to have (most obviously widgets). It's different from iOS, and design is treated differently. There are numerous beautiful Android applications that look no worse, some even better. It would be fair to say that ugly-designed apps are their creators' problem, not the platform's.
3. Android is a bad platform for monetization.
That's perhaps the most sound of these myths, since iOS has always been in the lead in terms of revenues. Users of iOS have a generally higher income, the devices are more expensive. Another argument is that many Android apps and services are offered for free. That's reasonable - Android is harder to monetize than iOS. But let's face it, a good startup can always take off and soar high. It depends on how good it offers things that people can't help but buy. There's always something valuable that you can offer, no matter what the platform is. The thing here is knowing the market of your platform and the niche you want to occupy.
4. Android shouldn't be taken into account since everyone has iPhones.
You might see a lot of iPhones around you, in the hands of your friends and your clients. But if you take a look at statistics, the picture will be somewhat different. While iOS can be dominant in some countries (the USA being one of them), Android is closing in there, and there's no way to disregard its percentage completely, especially if your application is supposed to encompass a wide audience and isn't way too specific.
And if considered worldwide, Android vastly reigns in numbers, with an exception of revenues, which has always been the strength of iOS. Every business owner, every entrepreneur who wants to launch a mobile product, has to know much about both leading platforms.
5. Android requires much more time and efforts in development.
What's the main problem of Android? Must be its open nature that led to fragmentation of devices (with the total number approaching 12000) and OS versions (in July of this year eight OS versions were simultaneously in use). How can you deal with it? It's not that hard. Actually, adjustments to various screen sizes don't take that long, you only have to choose the supported devices for your project (the most popular high-end ones for sure).
And if we take a look at OS versions, the long-standing older version 2.3 ''Gingerbread'' is slowly but steadily giving way to the latest one, 4.1-4.3 ''Jelly Bean'', which currently occupies 48.6% of all Android devices. The second last version, 4.0 ''Ice Cream Sandwich'', has a 20,6% share. OS versions fragmentation isn't as large as it used to be, say, a year ago.
6. Android is plagued by malware.
Just know what you download and you won't need any antivirus apps. When you visit Google Play and encounter an app you'd like to have on your device, read the reviews and see what people think about the app. If there's no obvious problem, here you go.
7. Android is simply worse than iOS.
We'll conclude with the most insipid statement: Android is simply worse than iOS. That's the reason it has less media coverage, less recognition, less revenues, and absolutely no 'magic' that is Apple's sole privilege.
It's like comparing apples with tangerines. Everything is a matter of personal taste. Some people feel good with the closed but smooth nature of iOS, some people can't stand it and prefer Android. What can't be denied, is that in this fight both platforms are winners, and neither is likely to completely replace the other one. And users win as well, because they have an opportunity to choose what they want.
No comments:
Post a Comment