Choosing a smartphone today is much like buying a car, there are many different options out there and all will get you where you need to go, but not all have the same features while you drive. The same can be said for your smartphone.
The first choice you are always faced with is should you choose an iPhone powered by iOS or an Android smartphone. While both platforms have their strengths and weaknesses, there are very strong and compelling reasons to choose one platform over the other.
Reasons to Choose Android
Let’s take a look at seven reasons you should choose an Android smartphone as your next device to carry with you everywhere instead of an iPhone.
1. More Smartphone Options to Choose From
One of the most obvious reasons is plain to see. All you have to do is walk into any store that sells phones and you will understand. Apple makes a few different versions of the iPhone, more than they used to, but your choices still pale in comparison to the choices you have with Android. There are many different smartphones out there from a ton of different companies. Often a single company such as Samsung will have as many choices as Apple, but when you combine all the different options available you have more smartphones to choose from across a wide variety of price points that will fit any budget and any need.
2. More App Choices
The Google Play Store is the largest app store in the world, clearing beating out Apple with their App Store. While the iPhone may have an edge in the gaming segment, there are still more than enough games available on the Play Store to keep you distracted for hours on end. Add to that all the different apps out there for productivity, including web browsing, text messaging, email and pretty much everything in between, and you will find you have more apps to choose from compared to the App Store. If you love downloading and trying new apps or finding a great game to distract you when you have a little downtime, it’s tough to beat the Google Play Store and all the apps that are available for your Android smartphone.
3. Better Customization
This is perhaps my favorite reason for using Android. With Android, you can customize almost everything about your smartphone experience. This includes things like which email app you use, what app you use for text messaging, what browser you prefer, and more. You can even change the launcher to alter how your device looks, feels, and reacts to your touch. In recent years, Apple has begun to allow you to customize some of these aspects, but they are still very far behind Android in the world of customization. Now, this customization isn’t for everyone, as you have to be prepared to tinker with your device to get everything to work the way you want it, but for anyone like me who loves to customization, tweak and tinker, you won’t find a better choice than Android.
4. Google Service Integration
I love Google services. I’m a huge user of apps such as Google Docs, Google Maps and even G Suite. Many of these apps and services are built right into Android and come with your device. That means you won’t have to spend time searching for each app or service you may need on your device before you start using it. Sure, you can find pretty much anything you need on the App Store, as Google makes their apps and services available for the iPhone, but if you want a streamlined, seamless integration and you don’t want to spend forever downloading what you need, Android is definitely the way to go. Google makes tons of great apps, so why not take advantage of their power by use them seamlessly with Android?
5. Price
Now I know some of you will probably disagree with me on this one. However, hear me out. The iPhone X is the most expensive smartphone out there, running consumers well over $1,000. Now, there are many premium smartphones such as the Galaxy S9 from Samsung that cost almost as much as the iPhone, and the Google Pixel 2 comes close to matching the iPhone in terms of price, but because of all the other options out there, you don’t have to drop a bundle for a decent smartphone. In fact, there are many smartphones out there that are very affordable and for as little as $100 you can find a smartphone that will meet your needs. Sure, you have to make sacrifices on what you get for a smartphone to be this cheap, even powered by Android. But the point is it’s available. If you are shopping on a tight budget, you may not want to drop a grand just to be able to text and call your friends and family. With Android, you have that choice so you can find a smartphone without destroying your wallet in the process.
6. Better Hardware Support
We all know how iPhones work these days. They will allow you to plug them into a PC and use iTunes to interact with them, but many of their hardware features are really built for macOS. At the end of the day, Apple only wants you using their hardware for everything, and it shows with their design philosophies. Some of the coolest iPhone features will only work if you have a Mac, and the integration on the PC is very limited. The same can’t be said about Android. It will interact with your hardware in the same ways whether you have a Windows PC, Linux or macOS. Of course, Android doesn’t have some of the cool features that an iPhone does when you use a Mac, but knowing that you can use it with any type of computer is refreshing, and you don’t have to worry about missing out on something cool just because you wouldn’t pay the Apple tax on your hardware.
7. Free and Open Source
I know it doesn’t seem like Android is free, but the fact is the Android operating system is built upon free and open source software. That means that you can download it and use it as you wish. When you buy an Android smartphone, what you are really paying for is the hardware itself and any customizations the company has done. Personally, I love using free and open source software that gives me the freedom to do what I want. For example, if you want to flash your phone with another version, you can do it. This freedom, in my mind, makes Android worth it more than anything.
Choosing an Android Smartphone
Now that you’ve decided to choose an Android smartphone, you have to decide which Android smartphone to buy. Now this one could be an article unto its own, but I wanted to take a few minutes to sum up how you should make your decision.
In many ways, I believe it can come down to two things – features and price. Remember, there are Android smartphones at virtually every price point, from the ultra-cheap to the premium price tags that rival the iPhone and they all come with a different feature set.
Budget
The first thing you must do is decide on a budget. If you are okay with spending a premium on your device, or you are the type that keeps smartphones for a long time, then maybe you should spend a little more. In these cases, a premium phone just makes the most sense. However, if you are on a budget, you should look at some of the more affordable options out there.
Once you get closer to knowing and understanding how much you want/can spend, it’s time to look at features. All of the different Android smartphones will come with different features, but there will be some overlap. For example, all of them will come with a version of Android that will power the basics with ease, but not all of them will include extra features such as high-end processors that can power the latest games without lag.
Your Usage
Try to determine how you will use your smartphone and what apps you want to use. If you only use the basics, and just want a phone that works, then you probably don’t need to drop a big chunk of change on a premium Android device. However, if you tweak your system, use it for your main connection to the Internet, or like to play games, I think it’s wise to drop a little more money on one of the higher end Android devices.
The Interface
Once you decide that, it’s time to look at interfaces. Some devices, such as the Google Pixel line, comes with a traditional Android interface. However, Samsung uses its own TouchWiz interface that is similar, but still very different. Some users love it, others hate it. You may need to visit a store and play with the different options to make your decision. While you can always change it on any device, if you don’t like to tinker or you aren’t sure what to do, it can be a daunting task.
Check Out Reviews
After you have narrowed down your Android devices based on price, features, usage and the interface, I encourage you to read about your final choices. Check out the reviews to see both the good and the bad about the devices so you know what you are getting into before you make your purchase. There are many great Android devices out there, but nothing is perfect. But, I’m confident that there is a perfect Android device for YOU, and the reviews will help you determine that.
Make Your Decision
Once you figure out and understand all these factors, then it’s time to make your decision and buy your Android smartphone. I guarantee if you take all of these factors into consideration, you will make the right decision and love the Android device you have chosen.
Parting Thoughts
There are many great smartphones out there, and both Apple and Android have tons of amazing options out there for you. Which one you choose is up to you. Android is one of the most powerful mobile platforms today, and with all these great reasons to buy an Android, it’s understandable that is the most popular option out there today.
Do you use an iPhone or an Android tablet? Tell me why you made your choice and how your experience has been with Android in the comments below.
