In the last decade, iOS has only been surpassed as a mobile operating system by updated versions of itself. Developed by Apple Inc., iOS (formerly known as iPhone OS) is the operating system that powers Apple’s mobile devices, including the iPhone, the iPod Touch and the iPad. Since 2007, iOS has been one of the most highly praised mobile operating systems on the market because of its well-calibrated interface and excellent user experience. It is a tough act to follow.

Google Hangouts

In fact, even Google might agree. When you compare Google’s Hangouts app for Apple devices to that of an Android phone, you will notice a slight difference in how they run.

The year Hangouts was released, the app already felt consistent and coherent on the iPhone. The Android version, on the other hand, suffered from changing button placements almost every other month. It was also suffered from more bugs compared to its Apple counterpart, making it difficult to share content with other users.

Although a lot has changed since the early days of the Hangouts app, one could ask: why were the issues resolved much slower when it came to the Android operating system?

Google Search

The disparity between the iOS and Android systems was also conspicuous on Google Search.

In the early days of the Google Search app, iOS already had a noticeable advantage. Whenever you used the search engine on your iPhone, your search history would appear as a list that popped up whenever you reopened the app. For Android, your search history was almost inaccessible. Either the data was kept in a memory folder outside the app, or it disappeared somewhere within the operating system.

One Step Forward and Two Steps Back

In Australia, Android was leading in terms of overall market share. However, according to recent smartphone OS sales data in the country, sales of Android devices dropped by 52.3% in late 2016. Experts say the results might have been affected by the launch of the Apple iPhone 7 as well as the Samsung 7 battery issues.

Another reason could be less obvious: the rising preference for a smooth interface that makes a mobile phone worth the investment.

Hopeful for the Future

Other Google apps like Motion Stills, Gboard and Google Maps gave Apple a slight edge over Android because of how smoothly they run in iPhones. It does not mean, however, that all hope is lost for Android.

Just like other operating systems, Android is continuously changing and adapting to current trends and user needs. Considering the speed with which Android has caught up with Apple over the past few years, it is certain that there will be improvements in user experience.

The App Team

We are mobile app and software developers who work with the most advanced and innovative tech businesses in the industry. The App Team takes great ideas and transforms them into functional, scalable technology solutions.

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