Perhaps it’s something in the air, but lately it feels like there have been an influx of people asking me for advice on which phone they should upgrade to next. Despite the fact that there are four major mobile operating systems on the market, the question never starts out with “Which platform should I get?” but rather “Should I get an iPhone or an Android?” Being the two most popular platforms on the market I’m not surprised at the frequency this question is asked, and it can sometimes be hard to find a proper answer when the web is filled with heavy-handed opposition or loyalty for one or the other.

After several use of both operating systems, I’ve come to the simple conclusion that I like both of them for different reasons. As often as iOS and Android are compared to each other (and they do share many similarities, don’t get me wrong) they are still very different operating systems that cater to two very different crowds. With that in mind, let’s cut to the chase.

iOS in a nutshell

My experience with iOS has been mostly stress-free. The UI of iOS is extremely simple in the sense that there’s really not much you can do to customize it. You can change the wallpaper and ringtones, change some widgets around in the notification center, and rearrange apps or group them in folders.  

People ask me why I like iOS, and the simple nature of the platform is exactly why I like it. At this point in my life I’m so busy dealing with everything else that the small amount of ways to customize an iPhone is a welcome restriction - the less for me to do right now, the better. Couple that with the fact that iOS has around 1.4 million apps available in the app store and you have a very solid and straightforward smartphone experience. And if you really get that bored, you can jailbreak your phone for a bit of leeway on your iPhone.

It’s good to keep in mind, however, that words like “straightforward” and “standard” aren’t always what win people over, and that’s perfectly okay. For people who want more say in how their smartphone looks and acts, you have

Android in a nutshell

Sometimes I get bored of iOS. While I love the stability and the fact that I always know what to expect, sometimes I do miss being able to do almost anything with an Android device. Not only do you have numerous ways to customize your device right out of the box, but if you’re feeling fancy you can go even deeper and root your phone to further customize your Android. When I discovered that I could make my Android perform faster, smoother, and finally get rid of that pesky bloatware once and for all I was positively thrilled. Going from iOS to Android is definitely night and day in terms of creativity.

It also helps that Android has around the same amount of apps as iOS, and actually has a slightly larger catalog at around 1.5 million apps.

The other benefit of Android is that you’re not confined to just one device. Apple comes out with one (well, sometimes two) iPhones each year, but those iPhones are going to be the only devices that run on iOS. With Android there are tons of manufacturers creating unique smartphones that run on Android, and there are phones of every type of budget, shape, and size. The world of Android is ever-expanding, and if and when you have the time to customize it it’s a wonderful platform to explore.

And that’s basically what I end up telling people. Yeah, iOS can be really boring and straightforward, but for some people – particularly those with busy lives – iOS works perfectly well. Android, on the other hand, can be overwhelming at times, but if you enjoy tinkering with customizations and making a phone that truly stands out as your own, then Android is a great option, too.