iPhone or Android: Which Should I Choose & Why?

These days it is hard to choose which smartphone one should get. We are spoiled for choice and often it is hard to determine which is easier or better. This article, I hope, will help you decide which phone type you should go for. This particular article takes into account only iOS (the iPhone & iPad operating system) and Android. Windows Phone 7 (WP7) and Blackberry are not taken into account because 1) both are not as popular as iOS and Android and 2) I don't know as much about WP7 & Blackberries.

If you want a solid, totally self-contained operating system, user interface & device, you will want iOS devices. iOS has the extreme advantage that it is VERY well controlled by Apple and is solidly structured. It has a unified experience strait out of the box. That being said, if you are into customization and changing things then Android is for you. Android is also solid in structure, but it is looser in that it allows for customization. The customization of Android is AMAZING! I have done so many things to streamline and modify my phone it is unique to me.

You may hear words like "Fragmentation" when people talk about Android, but this is mostly talking heads. Android provides a solid and unique experience that is well put together. Some phone makers are better at keeping their phones up-to-date over others (HTC being among the best), but Apple suffers from fragmentation as well. The original iPhone can't sent picture messages. The 3G can't do things the 3GS can do. The 3GS can't do things the 4 can do and the iPhone 4 can't do things the iPhone 4S can do. The more up-to-date the hardware is the more likely you are to get the best and brightest experience. So pick based off of customization rather than fragementation and you won't go wrong.

Another pointer in favor for the Apple devices is the large number of iPhone cases and accessories at a low cost. If you want to customize the outside of your phone but want a canned experience, iOS is the way to go.

As for applications iOS has a bit of an advantage in selection (based on numbers only). That being said, expect to spend more money on apps. There are free apps, yes, but to fully take advantage of the OS you will need to buy at least a few apps.That being said, most applications arrive for iOS first and then tend to trickle out to other operating systems such as Android. We can see this in popular games like Angry Birds and Cut the Rope. Still, these games are now available on Android, so it isn't an end all issue if you wait just a little bit. Further more, many developers are now releasing apps for both operating systems almost simultaneously.

With Android, the cost per app is lower but the selection is a little less if you are worried about the total number of apps available. BUT the quality of the applications is the key and Android has plenty of those and more. Also, there are several Android market places such as the Android market, GetJar and my personal favorite is the Amazon Appstore. The last one gives away one paid app every 24 hours. From games to customization apps to productivity apps you can get a ton of stuff for no money at all (although I have purchased apps through here as well). Another selling point for the Amazon Appstore is the ability to use the same app multiple times on multiple devices. For example, since my wife has an Android phone as well, we can both use the Amazon app store apps on our phones without having to double purchase and having issues of sharing info from our individual calenders or contacts (an issue we encountered with sharing the same Android marketplace purchases).

The issue of hardware is huge for both phone and tablet types. Apple has an advantage because they have a TON of control over the hardware. BUT you are limited to one screen size. One type of keyboard (on screen, not physical) unless you buy a special case for your phone. Also, if you buy an older iPhone or iPad, you are limited by the older hardware. The more up-to-date the better. The iOS devices are wonderful, but one size does not fit all.

Android has the opposite issue. Too much choice. I have a few suggestions to make sure you have a good experience with Android here. First, anything less than 1Ghz for the processor is not worth your time. This is considered mid-range for Android devices. That being said, go dual core if you can! Don't worry too much about whether the phone as a 1, 1.2 or 1.5 Ghz processor. This is important, but not nearly as important as RAM. Try to have at least 512MB of RAM or higher. 1GB of RAM is the best. The higher end devices are better. The extra cost is worth it. The cheap phones are cheap for a reason. Steer clear of those.

If you want to open up the box and not have to worry about customization and have a canned operating system that has a custom feel the iPhone and related products is the device for you. I would recommend this product for people who are technologically illiterate to the point of disability. My mom would have fit this particular crowd of not for the fact that she just recently got an old school Palm phone. She has since graduated to a group that I would comfortably recommend the Android device to.

Android devices are not hard to use. If you can use install a program on a computer (Mac or PC) and use it, the Android device can work for you. The question here is do you want to customize or not? If you like having your phone be unique then Android is definitely for you. You don't have to customize, but if you like to, this is the device for you. Just remember that the cheap Android devices are just that, cheap. Go for high end or at least midrange. If you were to get and iPhone you are looking at at least $200 invested. Think the same for investing in your Android. You will make up the cost by using such services as the Amazon Appstore and other budget minded options for applications. Also, if you are budget minded, Android is your device.

The thing that will really make the difference for you is actually using these devices. Be warned, if you get a fanboy for one or the other showing it to you, you will hear tons of arguments for one and against the other. The most important thing here is does it fit what YOU WANT in your device? If you don't like the feel, be honest with yourself and go towards the one that works best. This is hard for me to say since I am a big Android fanboy, but to be intellectually honest and fare, I have to say the end choice is and always will be up to personal taste.