Apple iOS 6 vs Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
It is common knowledge that Apple iOS and Google Android are arch rivals and are entangled in a battle that never ends. They are like water and fire. Apple iOS 6 is like water which is more powerful because it has been there for a longer time. Google Android is like fire which bursts in to high flames immediately after a new release and subsequently Apple manages to contain the fire by throwing water on it. Recently we brought a comparison about the newest Android operating system code named as Jelly Bean. Now the Apple iOS 6 is also released which has a range of new features that would likely act as water for the fire that was started with Jelly Bean.
One of the noticeable features of the Apple iOS was the reliance on Google Applications, especially Google Maps. However, with the release of iOS 6, Apple has made a bold move towards a self-sustaining eco system by introducing Apple Maps. It is at a premature condition with meager amount of usage statistics, but we have no doubt that Apple is aggressively pursuing to develop it to a great system. Hence let us look at these two rival operating systems individually and talk about the performance offered by them. Please don’t expect us to select the best operating system because it depends on your preference and the wars on operating systems are far from over.
Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Review
There is a common saying among techies when it comes to Windows OS; the proceeding version is always slower than the predecessor. Fortunately, that’s not the case for Android. So Google can proudly announce Jelly Bean as the fastest and smoothest Android yet, and as consumers, we certainly can embrace it gladly. When we look at what’s new in Jelly Bean, there are differences in the developer’s point of view, and then there are more tangible differences that anyone can see and feel. I will not go in to length about the API difference and concentrate on tangible differences.
The first thing you will notice is that, JB is quicker to respond to your touch. With their intuitive UI, Google guarantees an effortless operation with the lowest touch latency. JB introduces the concept of extending vsync timing across the UI. What this means in layman’s terms is that, every event in the OS will in sync with this Vsync heartbeat of 16 milliseconds. Normally when we use the phone after a period of inactivity, it can tend to be sluggish and slightly less responsive. JB has also said goodbye to this with the added CPU input boost that ensures the CPU is dedicated for the next touch event after a time of inactivity.
Notifications bar has been one of the major interests in Android for a long time. Jelly Bean brings a refreshing change to the notification framework by allowing applications to use it with more diversity. For instance, now any application can display expandable notifications that have support for content types such as photos and dynamic content. I’m sure consumers will have a plenty of things to play around with the notification bar when applications pick the scent of this new goody. The browser is also improved, and some added language support enables more consumers to embrace Android in their mother tongue.
When we look at the Stock applications, Google Now is undoubtedly the most talked about app. It is so popular because of its ardent simplicity. Google Now features information that has any importance to you at any given time. It is a learning application which can quickly adapt to your habits and display the information you want as cards. For instance, when you go on a business trip and out of the country, Google Now will show you the local time and the relevant exchange rates. It will also volunteer to assist you in reserving an air ticket back home. It can also act like a personal digital assistant like Apple’s famous Siri. Besides these apparent differences, there are a lot of new features and changes at the back end, and we can safely assume that consumers will have enough and more apps that would use these features to come up with cool things.
Apple iOS 6 Review
As we discussed before, iOS has been the main inspiration for the other OSs to improve their appearance in the eyes of the users. Hence it is needless to say that iOS 6 carries the same charisma in impressive looks. Besides that, let us look what Apple has brought to the plate with the new iOS 6 that differs from iOS 5.
iOS 6 has improved the phone application significantly. It is now more user friendly and versatile. Combined with Siri, the possibilities to this are endless. It also enables you to reject calls more easily with a pre-composed message and a ‘don’t-disturb’ mode. They have also introduced something similar to Google Wallet. iOS 6 Passbook lets you keep e-tickets in your mobile phone. These may range from musical events to airline tickets. There is this particularly interesting feature related to airline tickets. If you have an e-ticket in your Passbook, it would automatically alert you once the departure gate was announced or changed. Of course, this means a lot of collaboration from the ticketing / airline firm as well, but it’s a nifty feature to have. As opposed to the version before, iOS 6 enables you to use Facetime over 3G which is great.
A major attraction in the smartphone is its browser. iOS 6 has added a brand new Safari application which introduces a lot of enhancements. iOS mail is also improved, and it has a separate VIP mailbox. Once you define the VIP list, their mails would appear in a dedicated mailbox on your lock screen which is a cool feature to have. An apparent improvement can be seen with Siri, the famous digital personal assistant. iOS 6 integrates Siri with the vehicles on their steering wheel using the new Eyes Free feature. Leading vendors like Jaguar, Land Rover, BMW, Mercedes, and Toyota have agreed to support Apple on this endeavor which would be a welcome addition in your car. Further it also has integrated Siri to the new iPad, as well.
Facebook is the world’s largest social media network, and any smartphone nowadays concentrates largely on how to integrate more and seamlessly with Facebook. Apple specifically boast on integrating Facebook events with your iCalendar, and that is a cool concept. Twitter integration has also been improved as per official preview of Apple. Apple has also come up with their own Maps application which still needs improvement on coverage. Conceptually, it can act as either a satellite navigation system or a turn by turn navigation map. Maps application can also be controlled using Siri, and it has new Flyover 3D views of major cities. This has become one of the main ambassadors for iOS 6. In fact, let us look at the maps application in depth. Apple investing in their own Geographic Information System is an aggressive step against relying on Google. However, right now, Apple Maps application is going to lack information about the traffic conditions and some other user generated data vectors that Google has collected and established over the years. For instance, you lose Street View and instead get the 3D Flyover View as the compensation. Apple was conscious enough to provide turn by turn navigation with voice instructions with iOS 6, but if you intend to take public transport, the routing is done with third party applications, unlike Google Maps. However, don’t expect too much right now because the 3D Flyover feature is only available to major cities in USA only.
A Brief Comparison Between Apple iOS 6 and Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
• Android 4.1 Jelly Bean has a new Personal Digital Assistant while Apple iOS 6 has further enhanced Siri.
• Android 4.1 can respond faster even when the phone suffered a period of inactivity due to the new CPU input boost application while Apple iOS 6 has enhanced lock screen that provides a range of information.
• Android 4.1 Jelly Bean has a versatile notification bar where applications can create vivid notifications with a wide variety of dynamic content while Apple iOS 6 introduces notification right in the lock screen which is great, and it also provides heavy integration with social networks.
• Android 4.1 Jelly Bean features Google Maps while Apple iOS 6 features a new Apple Maps application.
• Android 4.1 Jelly Bean maintains all categories in their store within a single application while Apple iOS 6 has delegated it to several applications.
• Android 4.1 Jelly Bean comes with default Google Chrome browser which offers unified search and URL feed while Apple iOs 6 offers Safari browser that has a ‘read it later’ function.
Conclusion
It’s really difficult to give out a conclusion in a comparison like this. First off, we cannot talk about every single detail of the operating systems, and second off, they run differently on different handsets. However, let us generalize and discuss few key points to understand the differences offered by these two operating systems. The new Google Now Voice Search in Android 4.1 Jelly Bean has its pros and cons compared to Siri in Apple, but Siri seems to excel at the moment with the accumulated set of experiences and superiority of Wolfram Alpha engine. It is understood that Google Now offers better versatility in terms of accessing information, but Siri excels this by enabling you to open applications using voice commands. Apple Maps is a bold move from Apple towards a self-sustaining economy although right now, Google Maps performs better and is available in most locations as opposed to the limited availability of Apple Maps. Notifications have been the specialty of Android for a long time, but innovation regarding that has been rather stale. As opposed, Apple iOS 6 now offers versatile notifications right on your lock-screen, which is really great. While Android 4.1 Jelly Bean notification bar performs well with Google +, iOS 6 notifications are very well integrated with Facebook and Twitter. On the contrary, since Google has a transparent API, many third party sharing opportunities are available. While iOS 6 gives you the ability to share things in your gallery in Facebook and Twitter, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean has allowed it for a lot more vendors like Dropbox, Foursquare, GroupMe etc right from the gallery. Another difference is the way you can browse the available content. Apple iOS 6 has different apps for movies, apps and podcasts etc. while Android 4.1 Jelly Bean still has all of them in a single application. This may be good or bad depending on your preference. The web browsing has been improved, as well. The new Safari browser has a ‘read it later’ list which is really cool. Android 4.1 Jelly Bean comes with Google Chrome as your default browser which can sync your content across the platforms that adds versatility.
We tried to explain the key differences so that you will have a better understanding on what you would get. Hence now it is up to you to take your pick and go for the operating system you like. We have to mention one last thing; the subsequent updates of these operating systems take different patterns. While Android updates will be based on the smartphone manufacturer, Apple will push their updates to every possible handset at the same time which may be highly desirable.