If you are in the market for a new phone, you might be on the fence about whether to choose an iOS or Android device. Considering that you do almost everything with your smartphone these days, it’s vital to ensure that you’re picking the right one when upgrading. After all, you’ll likely use it every day for the next two years or more.
If you’re torn between the two and can’t decide which way to go, here are some reasons to choose an Android phone over an iPhone.
1. You Want More Options and Features
The first reason is that Android devices offer more options in terms of designs, sizes, colors, specs, and prices. If you have specific needs or wants, chances are there’s an Android phone that will fit the bill.
You can find relatively inexpensive, feature-packed Android phones with a near flagship-level experience, like the Google Pixel 6a, Samsung Galaxy A54, or the OnePlus Nord N20 5G. On the other end of the spectrum, you have high-end devices with all the bells and whistles, like the Galaxy S23 Ultra, the Google Pixel 7 Pro, or the OnePlus 11.
There are also more diverse form factors to choose from, like the Galaxy Z Flip and Fold series, which have foldable displays, and if you are a gamer, you can go for some of the best gaming smartphones.
In addition to this, Android phones offer features like reverse wireless charging, fast charging, fingerprint scanners, headphone jacks, split-screen multitasking, and more that are not available on the iPhone.
2. One Charger for All Your Devices
These days, almost all Android phones use the same charging cable and port—USB-C. Scratch that; nearly all your recent devices use USB-C, from your laptop and noise-canceling headsets to your external hard drive. Interestingly, even Apple’s latest iPads and MacBooks use USB-C.
This means that with a single cable, you can power all your devices without carrying a bunch of different chargers. It also allows faster-charging speeds, with the Realme GT3, one of the most exciting smartphones unveiled at MWC 2023, able to get a full recharge in less than 10 minutes.
What’s more, if you damage or misplace your cable, it’s easier to find a replacement at a lower price since it is a more popular standard.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about iPhones, at least at this time, as they still use Apple’s proprietary Lightning cable, which is more fragile and expensive. Worse still, Apple doesn’t even include a charging brick in the box anymore, so you’ll have to shell out extra money to get one.
3. You Want More Storage Options
Your new smartphone will likely be your go-to device for almost everything, from taking pictures and videos to storing work documents, music files, and more. As a result, you will need enough storage space to accommodate all your needs.
When it comes to storage options, many Android phones offer expandable storage via microSD card slots, allowing you to easily add more storage space as needed without worrying about deleting files or apps to make room.
iPhones, on the other hand, don’t offer expandable storage. This means you will have to pay a significant amount of money for extra storage up-front, and if you run out of space, you’ll have to pay a monthly subscription for iCloud storage or delete files to create space.
While we are on cloud storage, Apple only gives you 5 GB of free storage with iCloud, while Google gives you 15 GB of free cloud storage. What’s more, you can use the Google Drive app on both platforms. There’s no iCloud for Android app, although there are several workarounds to access iCloud on your Android phone
4. You Own a Windows PC
If you own a Windows computer, you will find it much easier to sync your Android phone than an iPhone. For example, there are several ways to transfer files from Android to your Windows PC, including using a USB cable, Bluetooth, or cloud storage services.
In addition, you can use the Windows Phone Link app to get the most out of your Android device and PC, as it allows you to stay on top of your phone’s notifications, read and respond to your text messages, and make and receive phone calls, to name just a few features.
On the other hand, it’s more challenging to sync an iPhone with a Windows PC. Except for images and videos, you would have to use iTunes to transfer files from your iPhone to a Windows PC, which is not as straightforward. Alternatively, you could also download the Intel Unison app to sync your iOS device to a PC.
5. You Don’t Want to Be Locked Into One Ecosystem
While Apple and Google offer a great selection of devices, apps, and services, Apple’s ecosystem is much more closed off than Google’s. This means that if you own an iPhone, you are more likely to buy other Apple products, such as a MacBook, iPad, or Apple Watch, and services like Apple Music, Apple Maps, and iCloud.
Although most of these devices and services are great on their own, they complement each other and work in synergy to create a seamless user experience. So, you will need to be ready to invest heavily in other Apple products if you choose an iPhone, as they are not cheap.
On the other hand, Google’s Android ecosystem is more open and diverse. For starters, Android is an open-source platform, which means that it can be used on devices from different manufacturers, such as Samsung, Sony, Xiaomi, and more.
In addition, you are not locked into using Google’s services, so you can use other third-party apps and services if you prefer. So, picking an Android device over an iPhone lets you steer clear of Apple's gigantic walled garden.
6. You Want More Freedom, Control, and Customizations
Since Android is an open-source platform, it offers more freedom and customization options than iOS. You can customize almost anything on your Android device, from how your home screen looks to how you interact with your phone.
For example, if you get bored with your Android home screen design, you can customize and change everything from the app icon sizes to their shapes and colors. You can download third-party launchers, app themes, and font packs to completely change the look and feel of your device. Do you want to use your favorite song as your ringtone? You can easily do that!
Although Apple has made great strides in recent years to improve the customizable options on iOS by adding features like widgets or third-party keyboards, it still doesn’t offer the same level of customization as Android. For the most part, you are stuck with default apps like Safari each time you click on a web link or Maps for directions.
Furthermore, you can sideload apps on Android that are not available on the Google Play Store. This can be useful if you want to install an app not available in your country. However, it is worth mentioning that you might expose your device to malware when downloading apps from unknown sources, so don't just install any random app you find online!
7. You Want the Best Virtual Assistant
Using your smartphone’s virtual assistant can make your life much easier, as you can simply ask them to set reminders, call someone, check the weather, or answer simple questions.
So, who would win in a battle between Alexa vs. Google Assistant vs. Siri? Yes, you guessed right! Google Assistant is the best virtual assistant on a smartphone, and it’s another reason to pick an Android device over an iPhone.
Although Siri is the first of its kind and has been around longer than Google Assistant, it currently lags behind its rival in terms of speed and accuracy, third-party app support, handling web queries and conversations, and overall functionality. So, if you are looking for the most useful virtual assistant on a smartphone, you won’t go wrong with Google Assistant.
Choose the Smartphone That Suits Your Needs and Preferences
As this good old debate continues to rage on and divides people into two camps, the answer all comes down to your needs and preferences.
Arguably more important than determining which is better than the other is choosing the right fit for you. If the reasons we have listed above resonate with you, then an Android phone will be the right choice for you. But, of course, there are arguments in the other direction too.