[Lobogris]

Definitely Android for a phone. Apple ecosytem places way too many restrictions on the user. The only Apple device I like is my Ipad pro 12.9 which costs well over a lakh but is totally worth it in my opinion despite several restrictions one has to live with.

With Android if you want to transfer some documents, videos or music, you simply use the USB charging cable to connect to PC or usb hard drive and then drag and drop them. Simple. Yes, you can use cloud but until recently high speed internet was not common and it seems silly to first waste time uploading and then downloading large files. It is ok for a simple book but try backing up 5 gigs of photos and it takes over an hour even on a fast connection. Then on Apple you have to put everything through itunes for photos and itunes converts each item first which takes a while if you have a lot of photos. There is no obvious download folder like Android either. In addition Google drive can be backed up instantly while iCloud back up automatically at night. I hate having such restrictions imposed on me.

You can easily sideload apps on Android while you can't do so on Apple. Price wise Apple delivers a much worse value. Any mid range Android like Oneplus can compete quite well with Apple phones. Coming to longevity, while it is true that Apple devices generally last a little longer but who wants to be using a 4 to 5 inch screen on a phone today? No OLED display? A phone is something that needs to be upgraded every 2 to 3 years (max) to keep up with modern technology. Hence paying over a lakh and then using it for 5 plus years makes no sense to me. Even if it is working well, it would be obsolete. I am Amazed to see well off folks using 4 inch iphones even today! Finally, Apple doesn't make any phone that is large enough for me. I currently use a Huawei Mate 20X with a real 7.2 inch screen (not the new fad where the screen is narrow and even though it is claimed to be 6.x inches but is really small in real life) and Apple's biggest phone is tiny in comparison.

On the plus side, Apple has introduced some good privacy features in its latest OS including restricting website tracking and the ability to provide a less precise location.

[rulerofsun]

I use two phones. An IOS and an Android, before the beginning of 2020 I also had a BB and a Microsoft Phone along with a Nokia running a Symbian platform. I have also used the Palm Devices.

I have chosen any one of the two options. Reason behind both have their strengths and weakness.

The biggest + and - I face with Android is that it is opensource. So manufacturers can tweak it the way they want it. This results in weak security. Anything can change at anytime with an android device.

The only positive with Android earlier was Google maps. But now you can get it on IOS

Another thing about Android are the different APP markets. It is irritating and the apps have their own agendas. The IOS has limited apps and some of them paid but their quality and security are seldom compromised.

If you have read this far then you might think I am gravitating towards the IOS and yes I do prefer the IOS platform.

But when it comes to providing devices which can connect and use applications for AV conferencing and Whats-app the Android scores as they are available in every price range.

I found Android to be a lifesaver for poor students during this pandemic where schools and colleges are closed indefinitely and only "Online" teaching is happening. My domestic helps son is able to use my old Android to attend his classes.

Hence depending on your use and budget both are capable platforms,

[NiInJa]

Voting for Android, though iOS is equally good.

I have been cranking iPhone 5S and Samsung S7 Edge since 2016 and 2017 and one thing I can say is that Android has improved over the years and with high end phones, there is no slow down or anything experienced as companies do keep updating their flagships. Same cannot be said for the cheaper versions.

I voted Android because it has really been an enabler of sorts for the masses. People with limited means too can use modern technology with Android. Not everyone can afford a 40,000+ INR device and unfortunately, Apple does not do anything in the direction and I don't blame them, its business for them.

[ishan12]

Practically an unending debate. Here is my personal take on this.
I have been an Android user since Gingerbread and an iPhone was never even in the consideration set when buying a new phone. In all those years I have used Samsung, HTC, Asus, Motorola, OnePlus. While my wife was a loyal iphone user until we got married, she has since then moved to Android. Her last apple phone was iPhone 7 and she now is a happy Oneplus user.

For me the the biggest deterrent to buying an iPhone is its price. It is extremely overpriced for what it offers. People may argue that you can hold on to your iPhone for 4-5 years (and I am sure one can), so it turns out to be cheaper in the long run. But honestly who would really want to hold on to the same phone for up to 5 years in current day and age. The software may still have support from Apple but the technology would have changed leaps and bound in 5 years, like charging, battery, display, camera and also the design would be outdated. People get bored of things too.

Also, the smoothness, finesse, experience and wherever one may call it might be better in an Iphone, sure, but is it 3 times better than a 40k Android, absolutely not. So I am not paying for something that is not value in my eyes. Exactly the reason my wife switched to Android. After Iphone 7 the Iphone didn't seem that good of a value anymore.

Another issue is that I consume a lot of media on my Phone, Netflix, Cricket YouTube, social media, stocks, news you name it, so having a good AMOLED display with a good refresh rate is a must and even the new Iphone displays don't even come close to the immersive experience of my OnePlus 7 pro full infinity display. Not to mention the ugly huge notch that Iphones still come with. And I am sure just like widgets when the Iphone comes with a no notch display they will give it some fancy name and call it a feature, that is now a norm with Androids.

Just the arrogance and take customer for granted attitude of Apple puts me off enough to never consider anything from them and don't see that changing anytime soon.

[mmxylorider]

I had a company provided blackberry all the way through 2016 when I was provided with an Android instrument. Shifted to IoS few years ago since the entire family was pestering me to follow suit. Must say it took a while to get used to the iPhone. No back button etc but once familiar it's more intuitive IMO. Yes not a lot of apps on it especially ENTUNE to connect to Toyota vehicles but that's fine. I've always bought refurbished iPhones which work out to be quite cost effective.
Android - Unbelievable variety to suit every whim and pocket eg Maruti
Apple - Attention to detail. eg BMW

both get you from A to B or contact A to B.

[Pontiac]

Was an Apple user for close to 8 years. Owned all the models from iPhone 3G until iPhone 6.

Over the course of these years, I got so tired of phone slowing down with every update and stopped updating the phone altogether so it will stay fast. And the apps will stop working and I will be forced to buy a new phone.

After so much frustration, I bit the bullet and bought the Note 8. The phone was peppy and still is. The battery is miles ahead of an iPhone and still is.

Recently I was given an iPhone 11 by the company I work for and the phone felt less premium compared to the 3-year-old Note 8. No OLED screen, no fingerprint sensors, no secure folders and the list goes on. Same with the brand-new iPhone XS of my Son's. He still uses my Note 8 or my Wife's S20 Ultra for photo/video instead of the two iPhones at our home including his's.

I am currently using the iPhone 11 since my company mandates it. But will move back to another Samsung the moment they lift the mandate.

Apple is no longer a premium phone maker as their best-selling models are the cheaper & smaller ones and it still holds its place on a small phone market.

[Romeo_Mike]

I have never been able to buy into the restrictive philosophy of Apple, which reflects in its software and devices. Use OUR formats and buy OUR devices which work seamlessly with each other or risk being stranded on the island of incompatibility. In the name of the ultimate experience, the company is just trying to up, down and side sell all its "premium" products to the consumers .

The Android world on the contrary, is all about working with each other and providing users with a myriad of options. There is absolutely no reason why one shouldn't be able to charge a Samsung phone with a Oneplus charger or sync data from a Mi band with a Realme phone.

[aarnav_b]

Originally Posted by GT3

I am not a tech guy and my usage will be browsing, calls and social media. Extra preference will be given for smartphone photography and videography. Have been into fitness my whole life. Now looking to get a smart watch and monitor the essentials like heart rate, sleep quality and calories burned, etc. Does the Apple Ecosystem provide any benefit for video editing and fitness?

How useful is the Google Assistant, I cannot find any use for it with my current needs and lifestyle. How does Siri compare with the Google Assistant.

According to what your needs are, the iPhone makes the perfect sense for you. If you have the budget go for the 11 Pro or else the 11 is good as well. One the best cameras out there, secure and fluid software, updates guaranteed for 4 years. Also as you mentioned that you are into fitness, you can go all out and buy an Apple Watch, which is the best smartwatch rn and very competent, can opt for the Nike+ edition. Also the AirPods Pro, which will complete the package.
Google Assistant is slightly better than Siri but they're both useful if you have your hands full, or your lazy to pickup the phone, etc.

[shashank.nk]

I'm a long-time Android user, having been on Android from 2011-2016-Nexus S and Nexus 5. I used a iPhone briefly from 2016 to 2017 before moving back to Android as iOS never worked for me. My Note 8 is now 2+ years old and there's no noticeable lag or freeze, still get monthly updates and the plethora of features never ceases to amaze me.

I can summarize my expereince as follows:

iOS
+

• Brilliantly integrated apps, I never had to remember a password as I used Touch ID everywhere. Samsung has something similar, but it isn't as good
• Bugs if any, were fixed in no time at all
• Stock apps like Notes, Mail were much better than Android counterparts
• Premium feel in hand was unmatched even by Android flagships
• Excellent stock speakers
• Software updates even for 5 year old devices.

-

• Pricey
• Notifications were a mess even with iOS 12 compared to Android.
• Truecaller didn't work like on Droid.
• I could never figure out how to stop it from vibrating in ear during a call whenever I got a notification. Very annoying this.
• Only displays the contact name not the number. I like detailed call logs as I don't store a contact unless I call them frequently, and the iPhone only stored a week's data max.

Android (specific to Samsung)
+

• Fabulous display, whether its reading text or consuming media its a joy to use
• I can set different volumes for notifications and calls, so while my notifications barely make any sound, I never worry about not hearing a call.
• Better configured for dual-sim usage, the minute I put in another SIM I can install two whatsapp apps and configure it for each number.
• Excellent audio output with Dolby atmos when connected to bluetooth headphones
• Secure folder adds an additional layer of security.
• Security updates for 4 years.

-

• Accessories-I couldn't find a device like Apple watch which integrates brilliantly with the phone and has a reasonably accurate HR sensor in the Samsung world. The HR monitor on the Active/Active 2 isn't accurate.
• One UI is much improved from Touchwiz days but not as fluid as iOS or Oxygen OS.
• Huge and bulky. I've lost count of the number of times its slipped out of my pocket when getting in and out of my car or on two wheeler. This is especially bad if i'm wearing shorts that don't have deep pockets
• Despite the hardware being capable, i'm restricted to 2 OS updates by Samsung. Since the device never ships with the latest OS in the firstplace, you will always be two OS versions behind.

However one are where Apple trumps Android is in making compact devices which don't feel like a compromise. I'd gladly shift to a smaller device of between 5.8 to 6" which don't make compromises if one was available. In iOS I can get a 11 pro and be happy,but no such device in the Android world. The S20s and the Note 20 launched this year have been a huge disappointment.

[Tucker48]

Android anyday for me.
Every company tries to cheat it's customers (yes, by forcing them to buy new devices every year) but Apple is the master at it. If your iPhone is working fine before an update but updating it might brick your device and there's no option to rollback even for Apple care. The only suggestion they have is to buy a new phone. No wonder Apple had to pay steep fines because they deliberately do these kind of things and with the kind of money they have, they get away with it very easily and cheaply (for them).
If making/receiving calls and messaging is the only purpose then even a feature phone is good enough. iPhones which didn't have AMOLED displays until last generation were poorly built as well for their price (grossly overpriced). Android's learning curve is bigger but it gives plenty of more options as well.
Now coming back to the original question.
Go for Apple if you want an easy interface or go for Android if you don't know what you want from your phone (you might want anything). For Apple you have to choose the latest phone but for Android you will have to look for latest hardware.

[vibmat]

On its own Android is far better than iOS.

However, if you live in the Apple Ecosystem iOS is amazing.
I use both of them on daily basis and I feel that apple's integration is almost like "Magic" the way hand-off works how you can receive and make calls from your tablet, watch or even Macbook is really unbelievable. I know windows have made something similar for android but its more or less hit or miss.

Even the Apple pay which is not available in India at this moment is really phenomenal,
This integration made me get the Apple card too and now it's my most used card with apple way the way it shows the history of transactions and classifies each traction into categories is something that no other credit card did before the interface itself is very smooth.

Coming back to the topic iPhone holds its value way better than any Android could. rs.100000 iPhone will easily sell for 70-80 in used market even after a year of use but try that with any android phone.

[fhdowntheline]

I switched to IOS in December 2017 and MacBook Pro from mid-2018. I have been a happy camper in the Apple-verse ever since. The peace of mind, reliability, bug-free nature (for non-inquisitive users) is one to be experienced. In fact, I switched to the iPhone 11Pro as soon at it was launched last year- less than a month since launch.
I occasionally have trouble navigating through the Android interface on my wife's phone nowadays.

[hydraulicsteer]

I have been on IOS since 2013. Get to fiddle with dad’s android all these years. Some of my observations

IOS
1. Super easy to use. Like it was designed to be used by grandmas.
2. Remains lag free for almost all of the device’s usable life(what I observed is around 4-5 years)
3. Listing an app on IOS requires back and forth improvements from the developer before it is published on the store. Tried doing it for a company i used to work for. Apple doesn’t let the app go live that easily. The reason the apps look more polished, crash rarely.
4. Camera image processing is ahead of the curve.
5. Battery life is terrible.

Android
1. Does the job well as a phone. Problem starts when you try to use it as your only device. It isn’t that intuitive to use. UI layers added over the stock make it worse.

2. Apps are flooded with issues. Be it UI, freezing or frequent crashing. Developers take long to take cognizance some times.

3. Battery life is great.

4. Highly customisable. The novices can even do it through some apps.

5. Average phone life loaded with android is around 3 years.

Yes iPhone pricing is prohibitive but one can buy a so called outdated variant at lower prices and i will still call it a better deal than android flagships. Rest to each his own.

PS: Posting it from my 3 year old iPhone 7 which works like a charm. Cheers

[bsdbsd]

iOS only. Because I have never bought one and company gives it for me. I have a close friend of mine who buys an iPhone every two years, and I buy the used phone from him and I have never paid more than 10K.

I am closely invested in Apple ecosystem (Homepods, CarPlay, Apple Music).

My family though: Android (2) or used iPhones (1).

[amitayu]

I prefer android only, and preferable stock Android.

Reasons:
a) Easier to buy relatively inexpensive handsets and replace them in 2 years. The price of 1 Apple phone covers for 2 mid level Android phones. The competition and features on offer in the 20-30 price bracket is very interesting to me! Over the last 6 years I have used a Motorola, a Lenovo and now using Samsung after ages!

b) cheaper accessories! Once you but an Apple you are committed to Apple for everything extra! Apple not only charge premium on their phones but even the accessories like a spare charger or i-pods are over priced!

c) Google playstore has way more interesting app options than the Apple i-store. Given android have higher penetration in India and many developing nations, some start-ups focus more on the Android platform than the IOS.