Android Tablets vs. iOS Tablets - A Comparative Study

A lot of tablets are now flooding the market thanks to the rage they have created with the youth. People

so addicted to their Tabs that they carry them wherever they go. Tablets are available either with iOS, a

software platform designed specifically for Apple products, or Android, a software platform designed by

Google, as their operating system. Both the variants have their own pros and cons. Here is a

comparative study between Android Tablets and iOS Tablets.

Interface and user experience: Both the tablets offer touch interface that functions in an

immensely smooth manner. Zoom, pinching, swiping and tapping are common features. Android

and iOS tablets are very comparable in this regard and no one is significantly better than the

other. However, in terms of user experience, Apple Tablets wins as users have reported that iOS

powered tablets are considerably better in terms of user friction and cognitive load.

Customizable:If you love to customize and personalize your gadgets, Android tablets are meant

for you.Android tablets can be customized as per the user’s choice to a great extent. On the

other hand, iOS Tablets offer little space for customization unless you jailbreak the tablet which

means you will lose the warranty on the product. Thus, in this regard, Android tablets have an

upper hand.

Available applications and their stability:Android Tablets and iOS Tablets come with certain

preloaded apps while rest can be downloaded from Google Play and Apple Store, respectively. A

total of 600,000 apps are available on Google Play while Apple Store has 700,000 apps to offer.

However, in certain Android Tablets, such as one by Amazon, you can download apps from

specific stores created for them as well. It is well known that game developers tend to develop

apps for iOS tablets first and then for the ones powered by Android. However, studies

conducted to check the stability of apps have reported that Android’s latest version Android

4.4.2 KitKat is more stable than the latest version of iOS, i.e. iOS 7.1.

Software upgrades:Although Google keeps upgrading its Android OS on a regular basis, the

upgrade is not available on all devices. Some tablets do not support the upgrade. On the other

hand, iOS upgrades are available on all tablets with an exceptions of those tablets that are 3 or

more than 3 years old. Thus, in this aspect, Apple has an upper hand.

Pricing:Android powered tablets are available at varying prices since almost every other tablet

manufacturer uses this platform. You will find Android tablets suitable for a buyer with any kind

of budget. There are some high end options while there are some budget tablets available as

well. On the other hand, iOS platform is used by Apple alone and as is well known Apple

products are quite expensive and high end. In this aspect, too, Android tablets have an edge

over the iOS tablets.

Both Android and iOS tablets have their respective merits and drawbacks. One can opt for any of the

two depending on their personal choice and preferences.