Mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets are cheaper and more powerful than ever, and businesses are discovering that these are a great way to augment and even improve productivity and collaboration in the workplace. It is for this reason that many managers and business leaders are seeking out the best mobile devices for their business.
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Currently, the smartphone market is dominated by two smart device operating systems (OSs): Android and iOS. These two OSs have distinct differences and are both powerful in their own right, which brings into question which mobile device OS is best for businesses.
Android vs. iOS
Android is a Linux-based open source OS that features customizable basic features from top to bottom. On the other hand, iOS is a proprietary closed-system OS that has uniform design elements. Here are some of their key differences:
Android
iOS
Customizability
Easy
Difficult
Available apps on official app repository
Over 2.89 million
Over 1.96 million
Biometric authentication
Face and/or fingerprint, dependent on device manufacturer
Face and/or fingerprint
Alternative app stores
Available
Not available
Variables for consideration
Either OS is generally reliable for business use, so the choice will ultimately come down to your business’s specific needs, as well as your expectations. Below are the key variables that will help you determine which OS is best for your organization.
Hardware
Android is a Google-powered open source OS for mobile devices. It is currently available through over 1,300 different brands worldwide on a total of 24,100 distinct devices. These smartphones and tablets also occupy all component tiers in the market, from high-powered processing to low-energy daily computing. So in terms of hardware, there won’t be a lack of choice if you go the Android route.
On the other hand, iOS runs on Apple’s line of iPhones alone — iPads now run on an iOS-based tablet OS called iPadOS. iPhones are tightly packaged and are designed to work seamlessly with iOS, so you can be assured that the hardware will perform as expected every single time.
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Security
For the longest time, iOS has had the reputation of being more secure than Android because Apple tightly controls the iOS ecosystem. This means that iOS is tightly woven into the hardware and the firmware, and that all third-party apps are closely scrutinized before they are published on the App Store. These greatly limit the chances of exploitation by cybercriminals and lessens the risk of users downloading malicious apps. One more thing to point out is that Apple wins out significantly in terms of legacy support, meaning even old iPhones still receive security updates and patches long after support for Android devices of the same age ends.
This is not to say that Android devices are unsecure because they are secure. However, many unscrupulous actors have a good blueprint of even the latest versions of Android to work with. And because the OS deployment of Android is fragmented across so many smartphone producers, updates and patches don’t necessarily arrive on time every time.
App selection
Ultimately, the decision you make will depend on the specific apps your business needs. Some business solution providers may choose to develop apps exclusively for either Android or iOS. But generally speaking, you can expect app functionality between Android and iOS apps from the same developer to be identical regardless of which operating system you choose.
To aid you in your decision, read through the top comments and reviews on both Google Play and Apple Store. This will give you clues on any quirks or issues specific to either operating system, as well as an idea of which app version is more popular than the other.
Interface
You can expect the functionality of apps from the same source to be uniform regardless of which OS you work on. You can expect interfaces to be similar, although iOS and Android versions will tend to have some distinct differences due to the nature of the OS design. For example, Android devices have different pulldown menus from iOS devices, so app shortcuts and functions through pulldowns will be different.
Price
This is a significant consideration for businesses, which is why most turn to Android devices over iOS devices for commercial purposes. Android OS is available on a wide variety of smart devices, not just smartphones. There are tablets, watches, and even televisions that run on Android at every price point imaginable. So in terms of flexibility and value for money, Android remains the majority’s operating system of choice.
Which smartphone operating system is best for your business? We’ll help you figure that out. Contact us today at [email protected], 1-877-USWIRED (1-877-879-4733), or fill out this form to schedule a complimentary consultation today.
