What can an android phone do that a iphone cant

[2008bangkok]

Looke all over the net for a difinitive anwser but cannot find so i thought id reach out to android users.

Im looking to get a new phone as i have a 4s but not sure to get another Iphone or Andorid so apart from the hardware(screen size, ram etc) software wise what does a android offer that an iphone doesnt?

[arnestockholm]

It offers you some more flexibility but mostly it's not really needed. It would avoid android as you have to deal with virus and spy ware and yes you have to run an antivirus virus tool. All this I don't have todo on an iPhone.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[sfokevin]

I have an iPhone 4 and am looking too... The new crop of Samsung and HTC's are looking pretty good...

You might wait a bit for the iPhone 6 to come out... whatever you choose try to get LTE capable...

Edited April 23, 2014 by sfokevin

[2008bangkok]

It offers you some more flexibility but mostly it's not really needed. It would avoid android as you have to deal with virus and spy ware and yes you have to run an antivirus virus tool. All this I don't have todo on an iPhone.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

This is true and being a tech guy info end up downloading some crap from all over the net, iPhones are good I just think they are starting to fall behind with IOS they seem to stamp there feet in the ground saying we are apple we will do things our way and that's that, from what iv seen even kit Kat is still not as polished as IOS but in terms of functionality Kit Kat seems to winning that battle?

[arnestockholm]

Our company develop mobile apps for iOS and android. For me it's just strange how google deal with there own store. You upload a software and some minutes later it's just available to download from the playstore. For me this feels complete unsafe. Apple proof your app against there rules. That's fine for me. Sure android isn't bad at all. They have some very nice features. But have to say after trying many android phones in the office I switched back every time to the iPhone. It just works. And yes it's not failure free. But who is without any failure?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[lomatopo]

Maybe review all of the applications which you use on your iPhone and make sure there are equivalents in the Android world.

On many Android devices you can change the battery, and add a uSD card. There may also be more options for rooting, hacking, modding, customization in the Android world.

[Carmine6]

I can't stand the iphone keyboard. I can swype with one hand while half asleep and then get back to sleep. The Google and Samsung keyboards don't work as well for me, but at least they do the same thing. I tried an iphone out and the keyboard was the main problem. Stupidly, I bought an ipad thinking it wasn't that big a deal, and it still is. Along with the other stuff like screen size, ability to customize, removable batteries and sd cards, I just couldn't do an iphone.

[Digitalbanana]

I plugged an iphone into my Windows PC USB port once and all I saw was the camera folder. Never looked at one since.

[JDGRUEN]

I have used both iPhone and various Androids. The only thing I thought Apple had an advantage over was the voice mail. The iPhone was under AT&T in the U.S. and the voice mail was on the phone --- not out in some service provider cloud. No silly messages to get to your voice mail -- delete one and it was gone ... loved it.... Everything service providers give in the way of voice mail seems to be to be 1980's technology... I love the Android -- does everything and more than I could possibly ask for ... People who get into one upmanship with iPhone versus Android are just kids bragging about their bicycle ... Apple should consider various sizes of their phone - if they haven't already

Edited April 23, 2014 by JDGRUEN

[2008bangkok]

I have used both iPhone and various Androids. The only thing I thought Apple had an advantage over was the voice mail. The iPhone was under AT&T in the U.S. and the voice mail was on the phone --- not out in some service provider cloud. No silly messages to get to your voice mail -- delete one and it was gone ... loved it.... Everything service providers give in the way of voice mail seems to be to be 1980's technology... I love the Android -- does everything and more than I could possibly ask for ... People who get into one upmanship with iPhone versus Android are just kids bragging about their bicycle ... Apple should consider various sizes of their phone - if they haven't already

What does the android phone do that iPhone doesn't in terms of usability?

[cooked]

You don't have to log in to bloody iTunes every time you want to do something. You can change the battery yourself. My Android doesn't overheat when I am using it to navigate and consequently charging the battery at the same time, as my iPhone did frequently. AND they are cheaper. I don't really miss my iPhone.

[2008bangkok]

You don't have to log in to bloody iTunes every time you want to do something. You can change the battery yourself. My Android doesn't overheat when I am using it to navigate and consequently charging the battery at the same time, as my iPhone did frequently. AND they are cheaper. I don't really miss my iPhone.

You had a iPhone before? If so what are the software differences, what can you do that you cannot on a iPhone,

[cooked]

Dunno. I am perfectly happy with the software that I now have, takes a bit of getting used to is all.

[build6]

Doing things in iPhone is either "easy" or "impossible". Nothing in between. If what you spend your time mostly on is what apple cares about then you'll be fine. If not then you're out of luck. Like, I first dipped my toes into android because I needed dual-SIM capability. Apple simply is not interested in this. I had no choice but to seek out android.

Over time I've come to the opinion that basically everything that apple and android both do, apple almost always does better. I've had the keyboard on android crash on me semi regularly, browser will go poof etc (even on the very latest version of android). As arnestockholm said, I'm also a little bit afraid of downloading apps off the android store. Camera on the iPhone may not have as good specs but its superior to almost any other android camera I've encountered, even those that on paper are better. But if you need (be clear about whether its " need" or "want") something like removable memory cards, or want the phone to mount as a USB storage device when you plug it in, then apple doesn't want your business.

[SoFarAndNear]

If you just want a Smartphone which allows you only what the manufacturer want's you to do take the iPhone but then you will have to live that you can't do more then you are allowed to do. If you really want freedom which also could mean viruses but in the other hand much more choices then use Android.

[2008bangkok]

If you just want a Smartphone which allows you only what the manufacturer want's you to do take the iPhone but then you will have to live that you can't do more then you are allowed to do. If you really want freedom which also could mean viruses but in the other hand much more choices then use Android.

Iv actually jailbroken my phone so there is a lot more freedom in terms of tweaks but things like not being able to move photos to new albums still irritates the hell out of me as iv mentioned in previous posts, one downside I see to android is it's so well integrated into google and we all know about Googles stance on privacy when they came out with the statement that anybody who uses gmail or sends to a gmail account should not expect any privacy. Edited April 23, 2014 by 2008bangkok

[2008bangkok]

For example can you deny an app access to location like you can on iPhone, say you want maps to use location but not Facebook or whatsapp can you do that?

[pbay]

what does a android offer that an iphone doesnt?

A cheaper price for starters.

[SoFarAndNear]

If you just want a Smartphone which allows you only what the manufacturer want's you to do take the iPhone but then you will have to live that you can't do more then you are allowed to do. If you really want freedom which also could mean viruses but in the other hand much more choices then use Android.

Iv actually jailbroken my phone so there is a lot more freedom in terms of tweaks but things like not being able to move photos to new albums still irritates the hell out of me as iv mentioned in previous posts, one downside I see to android is it's so well integrated into google and we all know about Googles stance on privacy when they came out with the statement that anybody who uses gmail or sends to a gmail account should not expect any privacy.

Wrong. You can even install a custom firmware which comes "completely" without all that Google Applications like gmail, app store, google drive or whatever comes from Google. You can also using your phone 100% without a Google account and absolutely no sync of any data to google servers.

[2008bangkok]

If you just want a Smartphone which allows you only what the manufacturer want's you to do take the iPhone but then you will have to live that you can't do more then you are allowed to do. If you really want freedom which also could mean viruses but in the other hand much more choices then use Android.

Iv actually jailbroken my phone so there is a lot more freedom in terms of tweaks but things like not being able to move photos to new albums still irritates the hell out of me as iv mentioned in previous posts, one downside I see to android is it's so well integrated into google and we all know about Googles stance on privacy when they came out with the statement that anybody who uses gmail or sends to a gmail account should not expect any privacy.

Wrong. You can even install a custom firmware which comes "completely" without all that Google Applications like gmail, app store, google drive or whatever comes from Google. You can also using your phone 100% without a Google account and absolutely no sync of any data to google servers.

Custom firmware are a nightmare had one on a android tablet I had a while back was running 2.2 and wanted to update to 3.x was always getting hot or wifi not working etc custom firmware is basically some dude in his room getting a ROM together a a a hobby

[JimMagee]

Android = freedom; iPhone = socialized computing. You use anything from Apple, you have to move to Apple island and use everything Apple. Android products allow you the freedom to choose, plus the choice of many many phones, plus many sources for getting apps, music, books, magazines, etc. I have used both and much prefer Android, and I have never had a virus on an Android device.

[robblok]

You don't have to log in to bloody iTunes every time you want to do something. You can change the battery yourself. My Android doesn't overheat when I am using it to navigate and consequently charging the battery at the same time, as my iPhone did frequently. AND they are cheaper. I don't really miss my iPhone.

You had a iPhone before? If so what are the software differences, what can you do that you cannot on a iPhone,

Difference is you can copy songs from and too your phone WITHOUT Itunes just like how you would manage a harddisk

Same goes for pictures.. way more flexible

Other big point is that in most android phones you can put an extra memory card.. if you want to do the same with an iphone you will have to pay a lot of cash.

All in all Iphones are inferior because they are less flexible.

[robblok]

For example can you deny an app access to location like you can on iPhone, say you want maps to use location but not Facebook or whatsapp can you do that?

Of course you can do that.. its android.. Flexible

[GBK]

I agree with arnestockholm and my experiences are largely the same. I try Android, but end up going back to the iPhone every time.

To answer the OP's question: Quite a lot. If you put your question into a YouTube search, you will find some clips uploaded by an iPhone user that illustrate very well the things that an Android device can do that an iPhone (non-JB) cannot. Warning, he has several clips and they are all long, but they do illustrate the answer to the question posed very well.

Although some of us here have rooted and JB'd our devices, I think we need to remember that we are a very small minority and Joe User doesn't want to/doesn't understand/can't be bothered/all of the above, to be doing with that.

I like iOS for the interoperability with my computers. I thoroughly dislike iOS 7, but I put up with it.

Android offers flexibility if you are prepared to live with the security risks that come from the fragmentation of the OS. There are some great apps that are not out there yet in the iOS sphere. There are many and various reasons for this.

Android is NOT cheaper, but there are some Android devices that are. Current model iPhone vs Samsung S5 vs HTV One M8 are all similarly priced, the HTC is actually more expensive.

If you are looking to buy such a device for the first time, I recommend considering what you actually want to do with it and ask yourself how much you want to have to learn about the damned thing in order to get it to do those things.

I am afraid the old OS X vs Windows debate, just like the iOS vs Android debate is so polarised that objective opinions are hard to find.

For work I want the lazy reliability of my trusty iPhone, but if i wake up with my geek head on, I'll dig out my Android device, head on over to the XDA Developer site and see whats happening in the world of rooting and custom ROMs.

All the extra RAM in the higher-end Samsung devices is lately wasted, as my iPhone runs faster on only one Gig, so you can get a perfectly acceptable Android phone for less than B10,000 and it will do most things well.

Ask around, but most people are very firmly in one camp or another.

HTH!

[Minnehaha]

It offers you some more flexibility but mostly it's not really needed. It would avoid android as you have to deal with virus and spy ware and yes you have to run an antivirus virus tool. All this I don't have todo on an iPhone.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

This is true and being a tech guy info end up downloading some crap from all over the net, iPhones are good I just think they are starting to fall behind with IOS they seem to stamp there feet in the ground saying we are apple we will do things our way and that's that, from what iv seen even kit Kat is still not as polished as IOS but in terms of functionality Kit Kat seems to winning that battle?

Apple has always been that way: "doing things their way". It seems you think this is having deleterious effects. Could you speak more about this? (I don't own anything Apple. Actually I bought the wife an IPad a while ago and found the hassles of using their store for everything a pain in the ass. But I did play Angry Birds for a month.)

I run Linux on my laptop and love it. Never had a problem with virus. I had several problems with virus when I used to run Windows. I find it curious to hear that Android OS on phones have problems with virus. I am also considering buying an Android phone, soon as my BB dies, which will be soon.

[Thaiready]

Better free applications

[empireboy]

Sorry, but I fear most of the iPhone users don't know what they talk about unless they have actually been extensive Android users.... I've been both and PRACTICALLY speaking, the best iPhone cannot hold a candle to a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 or 3. Just try one for a few weeks and you'll see. It's like night and day in terms of practical functionality. iPhone is good Note 2 or 3 is simply much better.

[2008bangkok]

Sorry, but I fear most of the iPhone users don't know what they talk about unless they have actually been extensive Android users.... I've been both and PRACTICALLY speaking, the best iPhone cannot hold a candle to a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 or 3. Just try one for a few weeks and you'll see. It's like night and day in terms of practical functionality. iPhone is good Note 2 or 3 is simply much better.

Do you have a couple of examples how it's practically better

[Keesters]

Very happy with my DTAC Joey Android phone. Compared it with my friends iPhone 4 and found very little difference. iPhone has flash mine doesn't. Don't need that anyway. Joey was 2990 baht. Far cheaper than iPhone. IMO buy an iPhone only if you have money to throw away. They and Samsung are way overpriced for what you get with most of the overpricing being spent on lawyers and law suits rather than the product.

[robblok]

Sorry, but I fear most of the iPhone users don't know what they talk about unless they have actually been extensive Android users.... I've been both and PRACTICALLY speaking, the best iPhone cannot hold a candle to a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 or 3. Just try one for a few weeks and you'll see. It's like night and day in terms of practical functionality. iPhone is good Note 2 or 3 is simply much better.

Do you have a couple of examples how it's practically better

I gave you examples that you choose to ignore.

Adding and taking files from your phone inclusive music like a hard drive (no annoying iTunes and you can always get it back without difficult extra programs)

Not having to pay a lot of money for more storage capacity (you can just buy a memory sim)

Just like other said there are so many other reasons not to take an inferior apple product.