Many people have desktop computers, toys such as guns and fourwheelers, but a look at the average American, and their phone is the third most expensive thing they own.
I feel, for the most part, that people put a lot of time and effort into deciding which house to buy, or which apartment to rent. They put equal amount of time into shopping for a car. But I feel most people just waltz into Verizon, buy whatever looks pretty, or whatever their friend has, or whatever is the "latest model" of their current phone, and waltz right back out; completely and entirely oblivious of the capabilities (and limitations) of the item they just purchased! And for hundreds of dollars, mind you!
And that is completely stupid!
My roommate is a phone fanatic. He is to phones what some people are to cars. He knows every single phone on the market. He sees a phone, he can tell you how much RAM it has, what processor it uses, and what features you will enjoy if you own the phone. He reads phone reviews as a hobby. So I would say he is definitely a phone guru.
Having lived with him, and listened to him talk about all sorts of cellular phones, I have become quite knowledgeable myself (I might add that I work with technology as part of my employment, so I had quite a bit of knowledge on my own accord to begin with). So, with his help, I am able to provide this guide to making an educated decision when it comes to purchasing the 3rd most expensive item you own.
First, let's talk a little about the different phones available.
Blackberry
Yes, before iPhone was released, the Blackberry was the best phone to have. It integrated a palm pilot and a cellular device, and was wonderful for businessman. But, hate to say it, if you are still using Blackberry, you need to get out of the dark ages. iPhone and Android both blow Blackberry out of the water. There is not a single spec or feature that both phones don't beat out the Blackberry in. The only reason to own a Blackberry is if you are super-duper attached to a physical keyboard. That is the only reason.
Unless you by a Blackberry Priv, which uses an Android OS. In that case, see the iPhone vs Android arguments below.
Windows Phone
Windows Phone, I won't even consider. It is so far behind the competition in everything, that I don't know why Windows doesn't give up. Anyone who buys a Windows phones is completely technologically illiterate. Sorry, not sorry.
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Lots of people are personally and emotionally involved in the Apple vs iPhone war, and have a difficult time separating facts from opinions. Facts are facts, and not disputable. A 12MP camera is better than an 8MP camera. That is a fact. "I don't need a 12MP camera, an 8MP one will do for me" is an opinion. Make sense?
I have labeled what is fact, and what is opinion in the areas below, so that you don't get confused.
To get started, here is a little background and general knowledge on the two types of phones. (I know the Android section is much longer, but that is because there are a lot more factors at work with Android development that need to be understood.)
iPhone
iPhone was released July 29, 2007. At that time, Blackberry led the phone market for the most high-tech cellular device. Until iPhone.
iPhone brought us the "smart phone". It brought us the compartmentalization of Apps, and the concept of the App Store. Previously, with Palms and Blackberries, you got whatever came on the phone. With the iPhone, you could add whatever you wanted. The iPhone was more customizable, user-friendly, aesthetically appealing, and just plain cool. For years, nothing rivaled it.
You probably already know this, but iPhone is made by Apple, Inc.
The terms "Apple" and "Mac" are generally used interchangeably; for example, "I use an Apple computer" and "I use a Mac" mean the exact same thing. These terms will be used interchangeably throughout this post.
Android
The first Android phone was released in late 2008.
Android version 1.0 (Sept 2008) and 1.1 (Feb 2009) remained nameless. When Android 1.5 was released in April 2009, it was given the letter "C", and the nickname "Cupcake".
Each Android update since Cupcake has had a letter, and a "nickname", assigned to it. The most recent release is Android M, aka Android Marshmallow; the previous version was Android L, or Lollipop. Android N, which is still in development, has been rumored to have the nickname "Nutella" assigned to it.
For many years, iPhone beat out Android phones in specs and features. Until 2011. With the release of Android Honeycomb.
Android overtook iPhone in sales in 2012. Only once has iPhone risen above Android since then, which was Q4 of 2014. (I guess lots of people wanted to buy their loved ones iPhones for Christmas!)
Software vs Hardware
Software is any program or other operating system used by the computer or device. It is anything intangible. Software is made up of code, written in a way the computer can understand, known as software languages, or coding languages.
Hardware is anything you use to store, (USB drive, internal storage, DVD disc) interact with, (mouse, keyboard, touch screen) or view (monitor, phone screen) software. It is anything tangible. Hardware is made up of...well, lots of different kinds of metals and plastics (mostly).
Another way of thinking of it is comparing computers to the human body. Software is like thoughts and feelings (intangible things), hardware is like your brain and body (tangible things).
The OS
The software that is inherently on your device is known as the OS (Operating System). This is what makes your device work. Any additional software that is added to your device later is called a program. On a computer, Microsoft Word is a program. On a phone, any apps that you download from the Apple Store or Google Play Store are programs.
The Android OS
Google likes to share their OS.The Android OS is produced by Google, but not the Android hardware. That means means Google produces the software on the phone, but not the phone itself. With each version, Google open-sources the operating system. That means that they release the code for the OS to developers. Developers are then free to make changes, and experiment with the code. The developers then put this slightly-modified OS on their phone, and sell it.
Just to make sure everything is clear: let's take the Samsung Galaxy S7. To make this phone, Samsung took the Android code they received, and made a few modifications. They then manufactured the hardware to house this modified OS: the physical phone itself. They then put the modified OS into the hardware their developed, and sold it.
Google takes any cool improvements made by developers and implements them in the next version of Android (for example, split screen capabilities were added by Samsung developers into the Samsung Galaxy Note 5, and it has been rumored that these capabilities will be included in Android N).
Stock Android refers to the pure Android code, without any modifications made by developers. Theoretically, stock Android should work the best. That is because when you are using a phone by developers, you are basically the experiment group. The more changes that are made to the original code, the more glitchy and error-prone things become.
Samsung makes the most changes to stock Android. So there are subsequently more glitches.
With the Samsung Note, it is almost worth having split-screen capabilities, and risk the minor glitches.
How the Nexus Phone Works
Every year (or so) Google has a Nexus Phone competition. Whoever can take stock Android and made the best phone with the best software modifications, and the best integration of hardware and software capabilities wins the competition and is named that year's "Nexus Phone". This competition inspires innovation and creativity from all of the developers. Just because I find it interesting, here are the previous winners of the Nexus Competition:Jan 2010: HTC - Nexus One
Dec 2010: Samsung - Nexus S
Nov 2011: Samsung - Galaxy Nexus
Nov 2012: LG - Nexus 4
Oct 2013: LG - Nexus 5
Oct 2014: Motorola - Nexus 6
Sept 2015: LG - Nexus 5X
& Huawei - Nexus 6P
Basically, the Nexus Phone is the Google-endorsed phone. It's what Google has declared the phone of phones, at least for that year. The terms "Nexus 6P", "the Nexus Phone", and "stock android" will be used interchangeably in this post.
Free enterprise and competition among developers sparks innovation, and is what can be attributed as the reason for Android rapidly improving by large degrees every single year. That's hard to disagree with, unless you're a socialist.
If you're a socialist, just buy an iPhone.
There are literally hundreds of Android phones to choose from.
The top-rated Android phones of 2016 are:
- Samsung Galaxy S7
- Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
- Nexus 6P
- HTC 10
- Samsung Galaxy Note 5
- Huawei P9
- Blackberry Priv
- Moto X Pure Edition (2015)
- LG V10
- LG G5
The Apple OS
The iPhone OS (aka iOS) is developed by Apple, and not open-sourced.Apple seems to be very possessive and stingy with their OS. They don't want people messing with it and screwing up their work of art. I can't say I blame them. Whenever I make a Microsoft Document I am particularly proud of, I export it as a PDF when I send it to people, so they can't change things.
So although I understand Apple's motivation for locking down their OS, it doesn't seem to be the best business model for inspiring innovation and heralding progress.
But again, you may disagree with capitalistic principles. And again I say, if you are a socialist, buy an iPhone.
Now, let's take a look at the specs, features, preferences, and pricing of both the iPhone and the Android.
Specs are mostly determined by hardware. Because the hardware is produced by various companies who use the Android OS, the specs vary greatly on Android phones. You don't have this same variety in iPhone, as the hardware is determined by Apple.
Features are mostly determined by software. The software is virtually the same throughout all Android phones, with minor changed made by developers. You don't have this with the iPhone, as Apple doesn't open-source their OS like Google does.
Specs (facts)
Source: Greenbot.com
The Nexus phones are not listed above, so here is the information for those:
Source: 9-to-5 Google
To cover some information in the first chart that is not in this second chart:
Storage for the Nexus 6P is available in 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB.
Of course, there are many more specs than the ones listed in these charts, but we'll stick to the basics, as this is a basic guide for phone purchasing. Let's explain what some of these specs mean, for those who are not so tech-savvy.
I don't consider "Price" a spec, so I devoted a section below entirely to that.
Screen resolution and pixels-per-inch (ppi) both determine how clear and bright the display is, and how true the color display is. Basically, it determines the quality of whatever media you are viewing, whether it be pictures, videos, or something else.
Processor GHz and RAM both determine processing speed: ie, how fast your phone is. Both contribute to computer speed, the more GHz you have, and the more RAM you have, the faster your phone will be.
This graphic doesn't say the GHz for the iPhone A8 processor, but a simple Google search will reveal that it is 1.4 GHz. This also states that the RAM on the iPhone 6 is "unknown". It was later revealed to be 1GB.
Camera megapixels (MP) determines how high-quality your pictures are.
Battery milli Ampere hours, or milli Amp hours, determines how long your battery lasts. According to the chart, the Battery for the iPhone 6 is "unknown". It was later revealed to be 1810 mAh.
Mainly, people are concerned about phone screen durability.
Well, it turns out that 42% of iPhone users use handsets with a cracked screen. Why?
Basically, Corning Inc. has invented a flexible, bendable, high-impact glass called Gorilla Glass. Gorilla Glass is used in the majority of smartphones on the market.
The problem is, iPhone doesn't use the most recent version of Gorilla Glass. So it is less durable.
Also, Apple has always chosen aesthetic appeal over practicality. Everyone knows that Apple products just look pretty. This was something that Steve Jobs himself constantly emphasized. He didn't want Apple products to look like machinery or appliances.
Unfortunately, Apple compromises structural integrity in their phones by having the glass stretch to the very edges of the screen, rather than have the shell come up and wrap around at the edges. This looks a lot cleaner, but it breaks easier. Android phones have much more durable screens. Arguably, if you never drop your phone, or apply undue amounts of pressure on it, it doesn't matter either way.
The science of glass is explained in depth by Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman in "The Glass Age", a 2-part Youtube series sponsored by Corning Inc.
Here are the links:
The Glass Age: Part 1
The Glass Age: Part 2
(I also recommend checking out the other videos on Corning's Youtube page. They are super interesting!)
Keep in mind, though, that more doesn't necessarily mean better. This is true for screen size, dimensions, and weight. Personal preference determines what is best for the user when it comes to this.
More does mean better, however, in specs like resolution, ppi, processor GHz, RAM, camera MP & Battery mAh, and screen durability. Android is the winner in all of these categories.
Features (facts)
Although which features you prefer is an opinion, which features are available is a fact.
FaceTime is Apple's video-calling service. It allows anyone with a recent iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, or Mac to make free video and/or voice calls to any other Apple user over Wi-Fi or cellular connection.
Although FaceTime software itself is only available on the iPhone, dozens of similar video-calling apps exist for both iPhone and Android, including Skype.
3D Touch
According to the Apple website "iPhone 6s introduces an entirely new way to interact with your phone. For the first time, iPhone senses how much pressure you apply to the display.
This new technology senses how deeply users press the display, letting them do more than ever with your apps and games." So basically, new options show up when you press harder on the screen. Which is pretty cool.
But honestly, in my opinion 3D touch is like a 2-sided DVD disc: when the two-sided DVD became popular around 2005, it was a novelty. Everyone thought it was the coolest thing! "Wow, they can put the movie on both sides!" But it turned out to be impractical. Everyone was always confused which side went down, and you had to be super careful how to handle them, because you had to worry about not touching or scratching both sides. So slowly double-sided discs died out, and by 2010 had pretty much disappeared. Now you never see them at all. It was because this new technology, though exciting, cool, interesting and ingenious, was not in actuality practical. This is the same with 3D touch. (Plus, with iPhone screens being notably less durable, I have a hard time believing encouraging people to press harder on their screens is going to help screen-life).
Parental Controls/Internet Filters
Parental controls are super easy and intuitive on the iPhone. They are virtually nonexistent on Androids. Any parental controls done on Android have to come through your cell phone provider (Verizon, T-mobile, AT&T), but these are also extremely limited, and a lot providers don't offer them. This one small thing is definitely a deal breaker.
Internet filters are not so easy and intuitive to set up, but (as with parental controls) are available on the iPhone, and virtually non-existent on Android.
If I had underaged kids, I would definitely get iPhones for them, and put strict parental controls and Internet Filters on it. That is something that I am not willing to risk.
With split-screen capabilities, you can split your screen (betcha couldn't guess that), so you don't have to toggle between screens. You could use this to grab information from one window to put in an email, for example, and much more.
Multi-window capabilities make it so you can view programs and apps in adjustable-size windows, like on a computer. (see picture below).
Stylus Compatibility (not all phones)
If your phone doesn't come with a stylus, then it can be tricky finding one that works. It takes a lot of trial-and-error. Some phones don't come with a stylus, but a stylus still works, and others need stylus software, such as the Bamboo Paper app, in order for a stylus to work.
Whether you do or do not need stylus software, it is a royal pain to find a stylus that works well, selects where you are actually pressing, and writes naturally. So if stylus capability is a huge deal to you, you definitely want an Android phone with stylus compatibility. Any Samsung Galaxy Note, or the LG G Stylo, LG G3 Stylus, Alcatel OneTouch Hero 2.
Swype Keyboard
Swype is a virtual keyboard for touchscreen smartphones and tablets originally developed by Swype Inc. where the user enters words by sliding a finger or stylus from the first letter of a word to its last letter, lifting only between words. It uses error-correction algorithms and a language model to guess the intended word. It also includes a predictive text system, handwriting and speech recognition support. Swype is the default keyboard available on Android devices.
In September 2014, iPhone authorized third-party keyboards with the release of iOS 8. With this third-party authorization, Swype could be downloaded onto iPhones. However, it is third-party, and doesn't work neither as well as Swype as the default keyboard does on Android, especially when it comes to switching between languages. Also, Swype for iPhone is only available in 23 languages, where are Swype for Android is available in 53 languages.
Google Now
Google Now is an intelligent personal assistant developed by Google. Google Now remembers your parking location, let's you know how far to home, automatically adds flights and appointments from your email and text messages to your calendar and reminders, much more!
Every single week I attend church services at 1 pm. After 3 weeks of owning my Nexus 6P, around 12:40, Google Now sent a notification saying "15 minutes to Provo 136th LDS Ward. Leave in 5 minutes to arrive on time." It just knew that is where I went every week at 1 pm!
When I was on vacation, there were a "time at home" and a "temperature at home" cards! It also automatically brought up (as cards) my movie tickets for Captain America: Civil War, and my boarding pass for my flight to Atlanta.
Google Now recognizes repeated actions that a user performs on the device (common locations, repeated calendar appointments, search queries, etc.) to display more relevant information to the user in the form of "cards".
Google Now also let's third-party apps generate cards. For example, if you have the Netflix app installed, it will generate a "New on Netflix" card; if you have Amazon installed, it will generate an "Amazon deals" card.
Some people might not like Google Now knowing and running algorithms on where are are and where they are going, or automatically adding things to their calendar. That's alright! Google Now involvement is completely customizable. You can choose which cards you want Google Now to generate, as well as which third-parties you will allow to generate cards.
Also, Google Now enhances your Google search experience. If you ask it via the microphone "Who is Hugh Jackman" it will pull up a Google search for Hugh Jackman. Then if you ask "how old is he?" it will assume "he" is Hugh Jackman, and tell you how old Hugh Jackman is (it even replaces the word "he" for "Hugh Jackman" in the search bar.)
And then there is Google Now on Tap. If you are reading an article, or looking at a web page, and press and hold the Home Button, it will find words on the page, search them, and bring up additional options. Below are two examples of articles that I "tapped" with Google Now, and the options that came up.
Google Photos
Google Photos instantly backs up all your photos into the cloud, with unlimited storage! ...iCloud has limited storage :(
Google Photos uses facial recognition and image recognition software to automatically sort people and things into folders. My Google Photos has folders for all of my family and close friends. It also has folders for "mountains", "city" etc. You can search "glasses" and it will bring up pictures people wearing glasses. Search "water" it will bring up picture of rivers, lakes, and even water bottles!
Google Photos automatically creates trip albums when you are away from home, say, on vacation to Europe. It is absolutely incredible! It is the most comprehensive photo software at this point in time.
Offline-ing It
Google also understands that data charges are huge, and that you don't always have cell coverage. That's why they have created better ways to "offline it". For example, you can download an area of Google Maps for offline use when going on a vacation, and delete the offline portion once you get back from vacation, so that it isn't taking up all your phone space.
But it goes both ways. Google has made it so that those things you don't need saved on your phone aren't: they're in the cloud. Your music and movies, and even your photos can be cloud-only if you don't want to take up so much memory.
More on the Big 3
Google Photos (check out more of their capabilities here)
Google Now on Tap (the coolest thing you have ever heard of! Check it out here)
Offline Maps (and more offline capabilities soon to come! Check it out here)
These three videos are all from Google I/O 2015 (Google's yearly conference where they introduce new technologies and innovations). Watch the full 2015 I/O Keynote here. Also, there are lit
Also all Google I/O 2015 videos (about 20 hours of mind-blowing footage) can be viewed on this Youtube playlist.
Both iPhone and Android has awesome security. They have put a lot of money into protecting their devices against hacking, viruses, and malware. Some really smart guys have given us the breakdown for both iPhone and Android, and have concluded that both of them are extremely safe against hackers and viruses.
That being said, there are a couple things to understand about cybersecurity. After taking a year-long, in-depth West Point-sponsored cybersecurity class through the Army ROTC, I learned--among other things--that there is nothing that is "unhackable". Basically, if a hacker is good enough, and has enough time, he can hack into anything. The biggest deterrent is that most hackers don't want to spend months hacking into an extremely secure firewall, so they look for easier bait.
Building upon this knowledge, some people say "Google was hacked" or "Apple was hacked" or "Gotham First Bank" was hacked, as if that statement means that the company has horrible security. That's not entirely true. Google was hacked by the Chinese in 2010, along with Adobe, Yahoo, Juniper Networks, Rackspace, Symantec, Northrop Grumman, Morgan Stanley and Dow Chemical. iCloud was hacked in 2014. Name a company, and I'll tell you a time they were hacked. But, one of the major differences is that, on average, it takes 18 months before a corporation realizes that it has been hacked. 18 months! Google and Apple? Usually they detect hackers within 24 hours. So hackers can't just chill inside their servers, poking around for a year and a half.
Another important thing I learned in my cybersecurity class is that even though pretty much every organization has been hacked at some point, if you're an average citizen, you're pretty safe. When Google was hacked by the Chinese, it was because the Chinese wanted to find information on Chinese operatives who had been under surveillance by US agencies. When iCloud was hacked, it was to steal nude pictures of celebrities, and it was done through phishing (the activity of defrauding an online account holder of information by posing as a legitimate company or website) emails, not a sophisticated code hack.
I am neither a Chinese operative, nor a celebrity, so I think I'm pretty safe. You?
Viruses
With viruses, it is simple.
Android and iPhone both have excellent protection against viruses...Unless you watch porn on your phone.
If you watch porn on your phone, you will get a virus. I can guarantee it. (Another compelling reason to stay away from that filth.)
iTunes Store vs Google Play Store
iTunes
iTunes has a much wider selection of movies and music, especially if you are looking for foreign films, or music by small or local bands. That's because they have been around longer and have time to build up a clientele.
Also Apple has "tap for lyrics"! On iTunes you can download the lyrics to your songs, and then when you're listening on your device, if you tap the cover art, it will show you the lyrics while you're listening to the song! Cool huh?
However, iTunes is less accessible. It is only downloadable on Mac and PC devices.
You have to download iTunes. When it comes to "Cloud" capabilities, I have a huge beef with iTunes and Apple. It's 2016 Macintosh! Come one! Every other music and video application (Amazon Prime, Spotify, VUDU, Google Play, Pandora, Netflix, Hulu etc.) is internet-based, and you still are forcing me to download iTunes to my computer, and download my music to my phone/computer to be able to listen to it? Really?
It almost seems like an Apple conspiracy: you have to download everything to your phone to view it, but they charge you so much more for extra phone memory! (See "Pricing" below).
Google Play
Google Play is a a tad younger than iTunes, so it doesn't have quite the same selection of movies and music. That being said, the selection is still quite extensive.
Also, Google Play is much more accessible: you can download the Play Movies and/or Play Music apps on any Mac (Macbook, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV) or PC (Windows, Windows Phone, Surface) device, Blackberry, Roku, Nexus Player, Shield Player, Kindle Fire, and of course, any Google or Android device. Also, Google Play movies are viewable on PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii U or a smart TV from 2013 or later, accessible via the Youtube app. Actually, I haven't been able to find a single device that Google Play movies is not available on.
Although you have to download the Google Play Movies/Music apps on other devices, on a traditional computer, it is all internet-based, and you never have to download your movies or music, because they are accessible via live stream.
As previously stated, Google Play has a much smaller selection of movies and music, especially when it comes to small-time local artists. There is a way around this, however, at least when it comes to music. Using Google Play Music Manager, (if you're using Chrome try this link) you can migrate any and all music that you've previously purchased on iTunes into Google Play! You can also upload CDs and any other digital music to Google Play.
So, if you're thinking "But i already have 1000's of songs on iTunes!" Sick! Move them over!
Unfortunately, the same migration feature is not available for movies.
If you want all of your movies in one place, it might be smart to go with the place that has the widest selection. However, it is important to bear in mind that no digital media service has every movie and TV show ever, so you'll probably have all your digital media in multiple places anyway (mine are split between Amazon Video, VUDU, and Google Play Movies).
iNote vs Google Keep
After using both I have determined that they can do all of the same things. It comes down to your preferred app layout.
Group Messaging
Apple only allows you to send group messages to 10 people at a time. So, if you have 11 kids, sorry! You're gonna have to not invite one of them to the party. Although this was originally done to avoid those stupid "FWD: fwd: RE: fwd:" messages that people sent to everybody in their contact lists (remember those?), this is really impractical if you need to contact more than 10 people.
Also, it get's worse if you try to create a group message where some of the people are using iPhones, and some Android. Let's say that you are sending a group message to 15 people, and 5 of them are iPhone users. When Betsy get's the message on her iPhone, the phone will create a group of 10, and arbitrarily drop 5 of them out of the group. Dan's iPhone does the same thing, but arbitrarily drops a different 5 people. The other 3 iPhones do the same. So when Betsy replies to the message, she is leaving 5 people out. When Dan replies, he is leaving 5 different people out. So both the 5 iPhones users, and the people that each iPhone chooses to drop out of the group are missing bits and pieces of the overall group conversation. What. The. Heck.
The best way to avoid this is to use a third-party group texting app, such as GroupMe.
Keyboards
Aesthetic appeal is very important to me. That is one of the main reasons I bought an iPhone 5S back in October 2014. I switched to the Nexus 6P in April of 2016, and one of the determining factors is that it was the first Android phone pretty enough for me. I know, ridiculous.
So, "pretty" is important to me. Which is why I initially hated the Android clock application. The font is humongous, and the background is a hideous shade of purple. I found out, eventually, that this hideous design actually had a practical application. The large font is so that a blurry-eyed sleepy person can still read it, and the obscene purple color is soft on the eyes, so you don't have a blaring screen mercilessly shining into your eyeballs. Even so, I still cringe a little whenever I use the clock app.
Preferences (opinions)
Syncing/Other-source Access
I feel synching is better with Android, at least if you are working cross-platform.
I had tons of photo and music back-up problems with my iPhone...both automatic and manual back-up just got screwed up. For example, after backing up my pictures to iCloud, I tried to delete all of the pictures of my phone to clear some memory. A day or two later, they suddenly reappeared in my phone without my permission, as well as random pictures from my iPod touch. It tried all sorts of things, but iCloud syncing just kept putting pictures where I didn't want them, and deleting them from places I did want them. I ended up just resorting to putting them all on Flickr. After I found about about Google Photos, I migrated them over to storage there.
Now I hear these syncing errors are not an issue if you are all-Mac. Meaning that your computer is Mac, your web-browser is Mac, your phone is Mac, and your tablet is Mac. However, if you are doing anything cross-platform, all sorts of syncing errors occur. Android doesn't seem to have these problems, except when Apple has deliberately restricted them.
So when it comes to syncing, if you're all-Mac, you are fine. And if you want to stay all-Mac, that's cool. But if you want to do anything cross-platform, (ie, have a Microsoft Computer, an Apple iPhone, and an Android tablet, like I did just a few months ago) then you are probably constantly going to be frustrated with your Mac device messing up the synch.
Pricing (facts)
Below are the up-front prices of the iPhone and the top-rated Android phones.
Some people think that they are getting the phone for free with a 2-year contract, and that is just not true. You are paying the same price for the phone, just in a payment-over-time model, as well as being locked in at your current provider.
Prices varied slightly according to store. The prices below are the average prices, unless the majority of sellers had the exact same price, then I went with that.
Also, as prices vary with storage capacity, below are the 32GB pricings, with the exception of the iPhone 6S as it only offers 16GB and 64GB storage.
It appears that Apple likes a geometric growth rate when it comes to their storage pricing. Every time the storage doubles, the price goes up $100. This seems consistent with their current iPad sales model, as well as past sales models for both iPads, iPhones, and iPods.
Google has adapted this same sales model for the Nexus 6P. Most other Android phones have also applied this model. The 32 GB Nexus is $450, 64GB - $550, and 128GB - $650.
The iPhone 6S is thus: 16GB - $650, 64GB - $750, 128GB - $850. (Note that by the storage pricing model they have followed in the fast, the 32GB phone, which isn't offered and doesn't even exist, should be $650, and the 16GB should be $550. But it seems by removing the 32GB it forces you to pay for a 64GB phone if you want more than merely 16GB of storage, and they overpriced the 16GB by $100!)
So if storage capacity alone was all we were looking at, you are paying $200 more for the same amount of storage if you go with the iPhone over the Nexus 6P. You are paying $300 more for storage if you go with the 16GB iPhone.
However, if you go with the Samsung Galaxy S7, you are paying $200 more for the same amount of storage you would have with the iPhone. With the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge you're paying $300 more, and with the Samsung Galaxy Note 5, you're paying $150 more.
The Blackberry Priv and LG G5 are only offered in 32GB, which are both cheaper than the iPhone 16GB.
So to sum it all up, if the only thing you cared about was the price-to-storage ratio:
Samsung Galaxy S7, S7 Edge, & Note 5 - not worth the price. Go with an iPhone, or a cheaper Android phone.
iPhone - not worth the price. Go with a cheaper Android phone.
Nexus 6P - The best price-to-storage ratio available.
Other Android phones - When it comes to storage, cheaper than the Samsung Galaxy phones and the iPhone, but not as cheap as the Nexus 6P.
(PS...why is the iPhone so expensive? Well, that's an entire other post altogether, but part of the reason is because they don't manufacture any of their own parts, and all of their parts come from different places.)
Conclusion
Facts:
- Across the board, the top-rated Android phones have better specs than the iPhone.
- With the exception of the Samsung phones, Android phones have a better price-to-storage ratio than the iPhone.
Opinions:
The following conclusions are obviously based on my opinion. However my opinion is informed by all of the previously presented information.
- Google seems to have better features than iPhone
- Android phones have better syncing across platforms. If you are an all-Mac guy, this isn't an issue.
When it comes to iPhone vs Android, it is important to know which Android you are comparing to iPhone. iPhone clearly blows some Android phones out of the water. But when it comes to stock Android (ie the Nexus Phone), Android seems to beat out iPhone in specs and features, and everything else comes down to personal preference.
I hope this guide helps you in your quest to educatedly buy the 3rd most expensive thing you own.
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Specs are mostly determined by hardware. Because the hardware is produced by various companies who use the Android OS, the specs vary greatly on Android phones. You don't have this same variety in iPhone, as the hardware is determined by Apple.
Features are mostly determined by software. The software is virtually the same throughout all Android phones, with minor changed made by developers. You don't have this with the iPhone, as Apple doesn't open-source their OS like Google does.
Specs (facts)
Source: Greenbot.com
The Nexus phones are not listed above, so here is the information for those:
Source: 9-to-5 Google
To cover some information in the first chart that is not in this second chart:
Storage for the Nexus 6P is available in 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB.
Of course, there are many more specs than the ones listed in these charts, but we'll stick to the basics, as this is a basic guide for phone purchasing. Let's explain what some of these specs mean, for those who are not so tech-savvy.
I don't consider "Price" a spec, so I devoted a section below entirely to that.
Screen resolution and pixels-per-inch (ppi) both determine how clear and bright the display is, and how true the color display is. Basically, it determines the quality of whatever media you are viewing, whether it be pictures, videos, or something else.
Processor GHz and RAM both determine processing speed: ie, how fast your phone is. Both contribute to computer speed, the more GHz you have, and the more RAM you have, the faster your phone will be.
This graphic doesn't say the GHz for the iPhone A8 processor, but a simple Google search will reveal that it is 1.4 GHz. This also states that the RAM on the iPhone 6 is "unknown". It was later revealed to be 1GB.
Camera megapixels (MP) determines how high-quality your pictures are.
Battery milli Ampere hours, or milli Amp hours, determines how long your battery lasts. According to the chart, the Battery for the iPhone 6 is "unknown". It was later revealed to be 1810 mAh.
Durability
Another spec not mentioned above is durability.Mainly, people are concerned about phone screen durability.
Well, it turns out that 42% of iPhone users use handsets with a cracked screen. Why?
Basically, Corning Inc. has invented a flexible, bendable, high-impact glass called Gorilla Glass. Gorilla Glass is used in the majority of smartphones on the market.
The problem is, iPhone doesn't use the most recent version of Gorilla Glass. So it is less durable.
Also, Apple has always chosen aesthetic appeal over practicality. Everyone knows that Apple products just look pretty. This was something that Steve Jobs himself constantly emphasized. He didn't want Apple products to look like machinery or appliances.
Unfortunately, Apple compromises structural integrity in their phones by having the glass stretch to the very edges of the screen, rather than have the shell come up and wrap around at the edges. This looks a lot cleaner, but it breaks easier. Android phones have much more durable screens. Arguably, if you never drop your phone, or apply undue amounts of pressure on it, it doesn't matter either way.
The science of glass is explained in depth by Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman in "The Glass Age", a 2-part Youtube series sponsored by Corning Inc.
Here are the links:
The Glass Age: Part 1
The Glass Age: Part 2
(I also recommend checking out the other videos on Corning's Youtube page. They are super interesting!)
Specs Summed Up
As can be clearly seen from the charts and sources above, Android phones beat out (or at least tie) the iPhone in every spec.Keep in mind, though, that more doesn't necessarily mean better. This is true for screen size, dimensions, and weight. Personal preference determines what is best for the user when it comes to this.
More does mean better, however, in specs like resolution, ppi, processor GHz, RAM, camera MP & Battery mAh, and screen durability. Android is the winner in all of these categories.
Features (facts)
Although which features you prefer is an opinion, which features are available is a fact.
Apple-Only Features
FaceTimeFaceTime is Apple's video-calling service. It allows anyone with a recent iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, or Mac to make free video and/or voice calls to any other Apple user over Wi-Fi or cellular connection.
Although FaceTime software itself is only available on the iPhone, dozens of similar video-calling apps exist for both iPhone and Android, including Skype.
3D Touch
According to the Apple website "iPhone 6s introduces an entirely new way to interact with your phone. For the first time, iPhone senses how much pressure you apply to the display.
This new technology senses how deeply users press the display, letting them do more than ever with your apps and games." So basically, new options show up when you press harder on the screen. Which is pretty cool.
But honestly, in my opinion 3D touch is like a 2-sided DVD disc: when the two-sided DVD became popular around 2005, it was a novelty. Everyone thought it was the coolest thing! "Wow, they can put the movie on both sides!" But it turned out to be impractical. Everyone was always confused which side went down, and you had to be super careful how to handle them, because you had to worry about not touching or scratching both sides. So slowly double-sided discs died out, and by 2010 had pretty much disappeared. Now you never see them at all. It was because this new technology, though exciting, cool, interesting and ingenious, was not in actuality practical. This is the same with 3D touch. (Plus, with iPhone screens being notably less durable, I have a hard time believing encouraging people to press harder on their screens is going to help screen-life).
Parental Controls/Internet Filters
Parental controls are super easy and intuitive on the iPhone. They are virtually nonexistent on Androids. Any parental controls done on Android have to come through your cell phone provider (Verizon, T-mobile, AT&T), but these are also extremely limited, and a lot providers don't offer them. This one small thing is definitely a deal breaker.
Internet filters are not so easy and intuitive to set up, but (as with parental controls) are available on the iPhone, and virtually non-existent on Android.
If I had underaged kids, I would definitely get iPhones for them, and put strict parental controls and Internet Filters on it. That is something that I am not willing to risk.
Google-Only Features
Multi-tasking (not all phones)With split-screen capabilities, you can split your screen (betcha couldn't guess that), so you don't have to toggle between screens. You could use this to grab information from one window to put in an email, for example, and much more.
Multi-window capabilities make it so you can view programs and apps in adjustable-size windows, like on a computer. (see picture below).
Stylus Compatibility (not all phones)
If your phone doesn't come with a stylus, then it can be tricky finding one that works. It takes a lot of trial-and-error. Some phones don't come with a stylus, but a stylus still works, and others need stylus software, such as the Bamboo Paper app, in order for a stylus to work.
Whether you do or do not need stylus software, it is a royal pain to find a stylus that works well, selects where you are actually pressing, and writes naturally. So if stylus capability is a huge deal to you, you definitely want an Android phone with stylus compatibility. Any Samsung Galaxy Note, or the LG G Stylo, LG G3 Stylus, Alcatel OneTouch Hero 2.
Swype Keyboard
Swype is a virtual keyboard for touchscreen smartphones and tablets originally developed by Swype Inc. where the user enters words by sliding a finger or stylus from the first letter of a word to its last letter, lifting only between words. It uses error-correction algorithms and a language model to guess the intended word. It also includes a predictive text system, handwriting and speech recognition support. Swype is the default keyboard available on Android devices.
In September 2014, iPhone authorized third-party keyboards with the release of iOS 8. With this third-party authorization, Swype could be downloaded onto iPhones. However, it is third-party, and doesn't work neither as well as Swype as the default keyboard does on Android, especially when it comes to switching between languages. Also, Swype for iPhone is only available in 23 languages, where are Swype for Android is available in 53 languages.
Google Now
Google Now is an intelligent personal assistant developed by Google. Google Now remembers your parking location, let's you know how far to home, automatically adds flights and appointments from your email and text messages to your calendar and reminders, much more!
Every single week I attend church services at 1 pm. After 3 weeks of owning my Nexus 6P, around 12:40, Google Now sent a notification saying "15 minutes to Provo 136th LDS Ward. Leave in 5 minutes to arrive on time." It just knew that is where I went every week at 1 pm!
When I was on vacation, there were a "time at home" and a "temperature at home" cards! It also automatically brought up (as cards) my movie tickets for Captain America: Civil War, and my boarding pass for my flight to Atlanta.
Google Now recognizes repeated actions that a user performs on the device (common locations, repeated calendar appointments, search queries, etc.) to display more relevant information to the user in the form of "cards".
Specialized cards comprise:
- Activity summary (walking/cycling)
- Birthday
- Boarding pass
- Concerts
- Currency
- Developing story and breaking news
- Events
- Event reminders
- Flights
- Friends' birthdays
- Hotels
- Location reminders
- Movies
- Nearby attractions
- Nearby events
- New albums/books/video games/TV episodes
- News topic
- Next appointment
- Packages
- Parking location
- Places
- Product listing
- Public alerts
- Public transit
- Research topic
- Restaurant reservations
- Sports
- Stocks
- Time to home
- Time reminders
- Traffic and transit
- Translation
- Weather
- Website update
- What to watch
Google Now also let's third-party apps generate cards. For example, if you have the Netflix app installed, it will generate a "New on Netflix" card; if you have Amazon installed, it will generate an "Amazon deals" card.
Here is what the "cards" look like on the an Android:
Some people might not like Google Now knowing and running algorithms on where are are and where they are going, or automatically adding things to their calendar. That's alright! Google Now involvement is completely customizable. You can choose which cards you want Google Now to generate, as well as which third-parties you will allow to generate cards.
Also, Google Now enhances your Google search experience. If you ask it via the microphone "Who is Hugh Jackman" it will pull up a Google search for Hugh Jackman. Then if you ask "how old is he?" it will assume "he" is Hugh Jackman, and tell you how old Hugh Jackman is (it even replaces the word "he" for "Hugh Jackman" in the search bar.)
And then there is Google Now on Tap. If you are reading an article, or looking at a web page, and press and hold the Home Button, it will find words on the page, search them, and bring up additional options. Below are two examples of articles that I "tapped" with Google Now, and the options that came up.
Google Photos instantly backs up all your photos into the cloud, with unlimited storage! ...iCloud has limited storage :(
Google Photos uses facial recognition and image recognition software to automatically sort people and things into folders. My Google Photos has folders for all of my family and close friends. It also has folders for "mountains", "city" etc. You can search "glasses" and it will bring up pictures people wearing glasses. Search "water" it will bring up picture of rivers, lakes, and even water bottles!
Google Photos automatically creates trip albums when you are away from home, say, on vacation to Europe. It is absolutely incredible! It is the most comprehensive photo software at this point in time.
Offline-ing It
Google also understands that data charges are huge, and that you don't always have cell coverage. That's why they have created better ways to "offline it". For example, you can download an area of Google Maps for offline use when going on a vacation, and delete the offline portion once you get back from vacation, so that it isn't taking up all your phone space.
But it goes both ways. Google has made it so that those things you don't need saved on your phone aren't: they're in the cloud. Your music and movies, and even your photos can be cloud-only if you don't want to take up so much memory.
More on the Big 3
Google Photos (check out more of their capabilities here)
Google Now on Tap (the coolest thing you have ever heard of! Check it out here)
Offline Maps (and more offline capabilities soon to come! Check it out here)
These three videos are all from Google I/O 2015 (Google's yearly conference where they introduce new technologies and innovations). Watch the full 2015 I/O Keynote here. Also, there are lit
Also all Google I/O 2015 videos (about 20 hours of mind-blowing footage) can be viewed on this Youtube playlist.
Shared Feature Comparison
CybersecurityBoth iPhone and Android has awesome security. They have put a lot of money into protecting their devices against hacking, viruses, and malware. Some really smart guys have given us the breakdown for both iPhone and Android, and have concluded that both of them are extremely safe against hackers and viruses.
That being said, there are a couple things to understand about cybersecurity. After taking a year-long, in-depth West Point-sponsored cybersecurity class through the Army ROTC, I learned--among other things--that there is nothing that is "unhackable". Basically, if a hacker is good enough, and has enough time, he can hack into anything. The biggest deterrent is that most hackers don't want to spend months hacking into an extremely secure firewall, so they look for easier bait.
Building upon this knowledge, some people say "Google was hacked" or "Apple was hacked" or "Gotham First Bank" was hacked, as if that statement means that the company has horrible security. That's not entirely true. Google was hacked by the Chinese in 2010, along with Adobe, Yahoo, Juniper Networks, Rackspace, Symantec, Northrop Grumman, Morgan Stanley and Dow Chemical. iCloud was hacked in 2014. Name a company, and I'll tell you a time they were hacked. But, one of the major differences is that, on average, it takes 18 months before a corporation realizes that it has been hacked. 18 months! Google and Apple? Usually they detect hackers within 24 hours. So hackers can't just chill inside their servers, poking around for a year and a half.
Another important thing I learned in my cybersecurity class is that even though pretty much every organization has been hacked at some point, if you're an average citizen, you're pretty safe. When Google was hacked by the Chinese, it was because the Chinese wanted to find information on Chinese operatives who had been under surveillance by US agencies. When iCloud was hacked, it was to steal nude pictures of celebrities, and it was done through phishing (the activity of defrauding an online account holder of information by posing as a legitimate company or website) emails, not a sophisticated code hack.
I am neither a Chinese operative, nor a celebrity, so I think I'm pretty safe. You?
Viruses
With viruses, it is simple.
Android and iPhone both have excellent protection against viruses...Unless you watch porn on your phone.
If you watch porn on your phone, you will get a virus. I can guarantee it. (Another compelling reason to stay away from that filth.)
iTunes Store vs Google Play Store
iTunes
iTunes has a much wider selection of movies and music, especially if you are looking for foreign films, or music by small or local bands. That's because they have been around longer and have time to build up a clientele.
Also Apple has "tap for lyrics"! On iTunes you can download the lyrics to your songs, and then when you're listening on your device, if you tap the cover art, it will show you the lyrics while you're listening to the song! Cool huh?
However, iTunes is less accessible. It is only downloadable on Mac and PC devices.
You have to download iTunes. When it comes to "Cloud" capabilities, I have a huge beef with iTunes and Apple. It's 2016 Macintosh! Come one! Every other music and video application (Amazon Prime, Spotify, VUDU, Google Play, Pandora, Netflix, Hulu etc.) is internet-based, and you still are forcing me to download iTunes to my computer, and download my music to my phone/computer to be able to listen to it? Really?
It almost seems like an Apple conspiracy: you have to download everything to your phone to view it, but they charge you so much more for extra phone memory! (See "Pricing" below).
Google Play
Google Play is a a tad younger than iTunes, so it doesn't have quite the same selection of movies and music. That being said, the selection is still quite extensive.
Also, Google Play is much more accessible: you can download the Play Movies and/or Play Music apps on any Mac (Macbook, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV) or PC (Windows, Windows Phone, Surface) device, Blackberry, Roku, Nexus Player, Shield Player, Kindle Fire, and of course, any Google or Android device. Also, Google Play movies are viewable on PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii U or a smart TV from 2013 or later, accessible via the Youtube app. Actually, I haven't been able to find a single device that Google Play movies is not available on.
Although you have to download the Google Play Movies/Music apps on other devices, on a traditional computer, it is all internet-based, and you never have to download your movies or music, because they are accessible via live stream.
As previously stated, Google Play has a much smaller selection of movies and music, especially when it comes to small-time local artists. There is a way around this, however, at least when it comes to music. Using Google Play Music Manager, (if you're using Chrome try this link) you can migrate any and all music that you've previously purchased on iTunes into Google Play! You can also upload CDs and any other digital music to Google Play.
So, if you're thinking "But i already have 1000's of songs on iTunes!" Sick! Move them over!
Unfortunately, the same migration feature is not available for movies.
If you want all of your movies in one place, it might be smart to go with the place that has the widest selection. However, it is important to bear in mind that no digital media service has every movie and TV show ever, so you'll probably have all your digital media in multiple places anyway (mine are split between Amazon Video, VUDU, and Google Play Movies).
After using both I have determined that they can do all of the same things. It comes down to your preferred app layout.
Group Messaging
Apple only allows you to send group messages to 10 people at a time. So, if you have 11 kids, sorry! You're gonna have to not invite one of them to the party. Although this was originally done to avoid those stupid "FWD: fwd: RE: fwd:" messages that people sent to everybody in their contact lists (remember those?), this is really impractical if you need to contact more than 10 people.
Also, it get's worse if you try to create a group message where some of the people are using iPhones, and some Android. Let's say that you are sending a group message to 15 people, and 5 of them are iPhone users. When Betsy get's the message on her iPhone, the phone will create a group of 10, and arbitrarily drop 5 of them out of the group. Dan's iPhone does the same thing, but arbitrarily drops a different 5 people. The other 3 iPhones do the same. So when Betsy replies to the message, she is leaving 5 people out. When Dan replies, he is leaving 5 different people out. So both the 5 iPhones users, and the people that each iPhone chooses to drop out of the group are missing bits and pieces of the overall group conversation. What. The. Heck.
The best way to avoid this is to use a third-party group texting app, such as GroupMe.
The emoji keyboard is more accessible from more apps on the iPhone than it is on Android. The emoji keyboard doesn't appear in some Android apps, but I haven't seemed to have this problem with the iPhone. There is a smaller emoji selection on Android. Also, in my opinion, the Emoji's in Android look dumb. Not a deal-breaker, but definitely noticeable. I personally like the Emoji keyboard on the iPhone a lot better.
The Spanish keyboard is a separate language keyboard on iPhone, but it is not on Android. I don't like this. I like to switch to the Spanish keyboard, so that swype and autocorrect know that I am trying to speak Spanish, not English.
The Spanish keyboard is a separate language keyboard on iPhone, but it is not on Android. I don't like this. I like to switch to the Spanish keyboard, so that swype and autocorrect know that I am trying to speak Spanish, not English.
Aesthetic appeal is very important to me. That is one of the main reasons I bought an iPhone 5S back in October 2014. I switched to the Nexus 6P in April of 2016, and one of the determining factors is that it was the first Android phone pretty enough for me. I know, ridiculous.
So, "pretty" is important to me. Which is why I initially hated the Android clock application. The font is humongous, and the background is a hideous shade of purple. I found out, eventually, that this hideous design actually had a practical application. The large font is so that a blurry-eyed sleepy person can still read it, and the obscene purple color is soft on the eyes, so you don't have a blaring screen mercilessly shining into your eyeballs. Even so, I still cringe a little whenever I use the clock app.
Features Summed Up
If you just need calls and texts, stick with a cheap flip phone. If you want smart capabilities, but don't need all of the cool Google stuff, then get a cheaper Android phone. If you get an iPhone you will be paying more, and not have the cool features; with Android, you are paying less for more features (See "Pricing" below).Preferences (opinions)
Syncing/Other-source Access
I feel synching is better with Android, at least if you are working cross-platform.
I had tons of photo and music back-up problems with my iPhone...both automatic and manual back-up just got screwed up. For example, after backing up my pictures to iCloud, I tried to delete all of the pictures of my phone to clear some memory. A day or two later, they suddenly reappeared in my phone without my permission, as well as random pictures from my iPod touch. It tried all sorts of things, but iCloud syncing just kept putting pictures where I didn't want them, and deleting them from places I did want them. I ended up just resorting to putting them all on Flickr. After I found about about Google Photos, I migrated them over to storage there.
Now I hear these syncing errors are not an issue if you are all-Mac. Meaning that your computer is Mac, your web-browser is Mac, your phone is Mac, and your tablet is Mac. However, if you are doing anything cross-platform, all sorts of syncing errors occur. Android doesn't seem to have these problems, except when Apple has deliberately restricted them.
So when it comes to syncing, if you're all-Mac, you are fine. And if you want to stay all-Mac, that's cool. But if you want to do anything cross-platform, (ie, have a Microsoft Computer, an Apple iPhone, and an Android tablet, like I did just a few months ago) then you are probably constantly going to be frustrated with your Mac device messing up the synch.
Pricing (facts)
Below are the up-front prices of the iPhone and the top-rated Android phones.
Some people think that they are getting the phone for free with a 2-year contract, and that is just not true. You are paying the same price for the phone, just in a payment-over-time model, as well as being locked in at your current provider.
Prices varied slightly according to store. The prices below are the average prices, unless the majority of sellers had the exact same price, then I went with that.
Also, as prices vary with storage capacity, below are the 32GB pricings, with the exception of the iPhone 6S as it only offers 16GB and 64GB storage.
- iPhone 6S - $649 (16GB), $749 (64GB)
- iPhone 6S Plus - $749 (16GB), $849 (64BG)
- Samsung Galaxy S7 - $669
- Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge - $779
- Nexus 6P - $450
- HTC 10 - $686
- Samsung Galaxy Note 5 - $650
- Huawei P9 - $529 (must be ordered online to get this good of a price)
- Blackberry Priv - $650
- Moto X Pure Edition (2015) - $300
- LG V10 - $535
- LG G5 - $650
It appears that Apple likes a geometric growth rate when it comes to their storage pricing. Every time the storage doubles, the price goes up $100. This seems consistent with their current iPad sales model, as well as past sales models for both iPads, iPhones, and iPods.
Google has adapted this same sales model for the Nexus 6P. Most other Android phones have also applied this model. The 32 GB Nexus is $450, 64GB - $550, and 128GB - $650.
The iPhone 6S is thus: 16GB - $650, 64GB - $750, 128GB - $850. (Note that by the storage pricing model they have followed in the fast, the 32GB phone, which isn't offered and doesn't even exist, should be $650, and the 16GB should be $550. But it seems by removing the 32GB it forces you to pay for a 64GB phone if you want more than merely 16GB of storage, and they overpriced the 16GB by $100!)
So if storage capacity alone was all we were looking at, you are paying $200 more for the same amount of storage if you go with the iPhone over the Nexus 6P. You are paying $300 more for storage if you go with the 16GB iPhone.
However, if you go with the Samsung Galaxy S7, you are paying $200 more for the same amount of storage you would have with the iPhone. With the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge you're paying $300 more, and with the Samsung Galaxy Note 5, you're paying $150 more.
The Blackberry Priv and LG G5 are only offered in 32GB, which are both cheaper than the iPhone 16GB.
So to sum it all up, if the only thing you cared about was the price-to-storage ratio:
Samsung Galaxy S7, S7 Edge, & Note 5 - not worth the price. Go with an iPhone, or a cheaper Android phone.
iPhone - not worth the price. Go with a cheaper Android phone.
Nexus 6P - The best price-to-storage ratio available.
Other Android phones - When it comes to storage, cheaper than the Samsung Galaxy phones and the iPhone, but not as cheap as the Nexus 6P.
(PS...why is the iPhone so expensive? Well, that's an entire other post altogether, but part of the reason is because they don't manufacture any of their own parts, and all of their parts come from different places.)
Conclusion
Facts:
- Across the board, the top-rated Android phones have better specs than the iPhone.
- With the exception of the Samsung phones, Android phones have a better price-to-storage ratio than the iPhone.
Opinions:
The following conclusions are obviously based on my opinion. However my opinion is informed by all of the previously presented information.
- Google seems to have better features than iPhone
- Android phones have better syncing across platforms. If you are an all-Mac guy, this isn't an issue.
When it comes to iPhone vs Android, it is important to know which Android you are comparing to iPhone. iPhone clearly blows some Android phones out of the water. But when it comes to stock Android (ie the Nexus Phone), Android seems to beat out iPhone in specs and features, and everything else comes down to personal preference.
I hope this guide helps you in your quest to educatedly buy the 3rd most expensive thing you own.
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