iPhone vs. Android: Assessing 6 Key Areas

3. Photos: iPhone, Android quality is nearly equal

A more expensive phone, whether Android or Apple, has better photo and video quality than its cheaper counterpart. So you get what you pay for.

AI can help. Newer Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel phones leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to help make photos look better. That includes simple ways to edit the pictures, such as removing unwanted people or things ruining your perfect shot.

Apple, too, added Apple Intelligence to iPhone 15 and newer devices, which includes tweaks to the camera editing features.

“Not everyone will care about this advanced functionality,” Milanesi says. “The good news is these cameras are foolproof for most when taking pictures of a grandchild or pet, or what have you.”

Video calling ‘easier’ on iPhones. FaceTime video calling is popular among iPhone users as a meaningful way to chat with friends and family.

“I still think FaceTime is much easier than video calling on an Android,” Milanesi says.

Both brands span the divide better. She notes that Android has changed the name of its video chat service, also available for iPhones, a few times over the years — now Google Meet instead of Google Duo — and that can be confusing.

FaceTime used to be an Apple exclusive. But Apple now makes it possible to FaceTime with an Android or Windows user via a web browser feature.

4. Accessibility: Check for the features you’ll use most

Not all aging adults will need accessibility features, but iPhone and Android include a host of tools for those with hearing loss, low vision, poor motor control and other challenges.

“Whether it’s the sizing of the fonts or adjusting contrast, navigating with your voice, or even addressing motion sickness in a car, Apple has paid way more attention to accessibility than Android has,” Milanesi says. “They’ve even added the ability to synthesize your voice if you one day lose the ability to speak.” Apple’s Personal Voice feature can be used for phone calls, FaceTime and in-person conversations.

A Pixel 9 Pro Fold phone.

Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images

Android also offers accessibility features, including conversation captions, type magnification, and text-to-speech and speech-to-text technology.

Google’s platform doesn’t offer as many options as iPhone, but Android’s Lookout feature uses the smartphone’s camera and sensors to give visually impaired people information about nearby objects and text. If the feature is not already on your Android phone, it’s a free download from the Google Play store.

After one platform debuts an accessibility feature, you may notice that its competitor will follow within a year or two, often through a software update. Look for what you need most when buying a new phone or what on your list is most important and you may get more in the coming year.

5. Security, privacy: Apple’s closed system has benefits

iPhones and Androids have robust security features for both the device and the apps within them.

• Your smartphone can be protected with a password, PIN or biometrics that include a fingerprint or facial recognition.
• Strong encryption renders your lost phone’s data unreadable if it falls into the wrong hands.
• Apps now allow you to individually control access to your data.
• Apple asks on every download. But because Apple devices operate in a closed system, iPhone security measures are standardized.

iPhone’s Ask App Not To Track pop-up appears when you install a new application, which is allowed only from Apple’s App Store, and lets you keep the app from knowing where you were or are online so it can’t target ads. Android doesn’t offer this.

Android’s flexibility has downside. Android users can modify the source code of their device if they desire. While this allows for better customization, it can introduce vulnerabilities that could be exploited.

Android’s Google Play store is much better at catching and banning suspicious apps compared to a few years ago, but you aren’t restricted to Google Play for your downloads, which could introduce spyware, viruses or other privacy problems.

“Potentially installing harmful apps is less common on Android than some believe, but it’s far easier to accidentally end up with unwanted malware on your Android device than Apple’s walled-garden App Store ecosystem,” O’Rourke says.

Manufacturers take up slack. Some companies that make Android phones, such as Samsung, add more security. Samsung’s is called Knox.

Google Pixel phones offer strong security, too, thanks to its Titan M2 security chip. It also promises seven years of operating system and security updates.

Similarly, most iPhones get six and as much as eight years of support.

A Samsung S24 Ultra.

David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images

6. Apps, assistants: Both get you what you want, need

A tap is all you need to launch an app with either operating system. Swiping left or right on the screen allows you to see more apps.

To search for something with a keyword, swipe down on an iPhone. One an Android type the name of the app in the Google search bar.

Each platform has a handful of built-in software to get you started.

On iPhone. Mail, Maps, Messages, Notes, Photos and Safari web browser among others.

On Androids. Chrome web browser, Gmail, Google Maps and YouTube and others part of Google’s suite of apps.

But Android phones’ manufacturers and carriers are allowed to add their own apps to your phone, filling it with “bloatware.” You can delete unwanted apps, but you may not realize the problem at first.

In the app stores. Apple’s App Store and Google Play each have about 2 million applications to customize your experience. Many are free but be aware that more are free to download but want you to make “in app purchases,” often activating recurring subscription charges.

iPhone users can download Google apps, but Apple apps aren’t available to Android users. Many third-party apps work with both operating systems, such as Facebook, Uber, WhatsApp and many games.

In your smart home, car. iPhone and Android phones are compatible with most smart home devices, including platforms such as Matter.

Apple’s Siri voice-activated digital assistant comes installed iPhones and iPads. Google Assistant comes installed on Android phones but also can be downloaded to Apple devices. Amazon Alexa is downloadable for both platforms.

Plug your smartphone into newer cars and you can use apps such as Google Maps or Spotify while you drive. Sound flows through car speakers and data shows up on the dashboard screen, thanks to Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.