If you are an avid gamer, I bet it would interest you to know which platform- iOS or Android provides the best gaming experience. This, of course, is not an easy question to answer as both mobile operating systems have their own advantages and disadvantages. That said, there are some subtle differences between the two, the kind of which might sway you to one side or the other. Let’s look at the comparisons.
Game Availability
Both Google’s Play Store and Apple’s App Store host over 2 million apps. In other words, there are enough games to go around on both platforms. Moreover, most games have an Android and iOS version, although it is much easier to launch an app on Android compared to iOS.
A thing or two can, however, be said about the quality of the apps hosted on the two platforms. Apple’s App Store has more up-to-date apps compared to Android and they are more likely to be quality apps. Many developers also launch their apps on iOS first because it is more expensive to develop and test for Android as a greater range of devices exists for the latter.
Winner: iOS
Hardware
It goes without saying that any iPhone out there is a lot better than most Android devices. It has better hardware, up-to-date OS and enjoys extensive support from the manufacturer. In fact, the iPhone only ever competes with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy series and Google Pixel phones. Few other Android devices can stack up to the impressive hardware and software capabilities of the iPhone.
That said, it would be somewhat disingenuous to dismiss Android as not being an impressive gaming platform. Many Android phone manufacturers use the same hardware specifications as are available to the likes of Apple and Samsung. Not to mention, each one of them has a flagship phone that is as state-of-the-art as any other out there. This is to say that both platforms- Android and iOS- are equally impressive when it comes to gaming, they may differ in some ways, but none has a clear advantage.
Winner: Tie
Consistent User Experience
Compared to Android, which has to support thousands of devices, iOS currently runs on no more than 10 phones. In 2015, for instance, Google revealed that there were an estimated 18,000 Android devices out there all with different hardware specifications, screen sizes, and different button combinations. This, added to the fact that each manufacturer has to customize whatever Android version is available to them to meet user specifications, makes it extremely hard to maintain a consistent user experience across Android devices.
For this and more reasons, development is much easier on iOS as opposed to Android, as testing gets much more complicated when you have thousands of devices to test for. That is why Android games are more prone to bugs, crashes, and failed launches, something that is far rarer on iOS devices.
Winner: iOS
Fake Games
No gamer wants to fall victim to fake games, but they are out there. Some will not only take your money but also infect your phone or whatever other device you are using with malware. Of the two mobile operating systems, Android is more prone to allowing fake games on the platform. This is because Play Store is less stringent than Apple’s App Store when it comes to allowing apps on the platform.
Examples of recent fake games on the platform included fake copies of Super Mario and Pokémon Go. There are also fake Minecraft applications that have had hundreds of thousands of downloads. All these fake applications expose gamers to gross violations of privacy and cybercrime. It might help to know that you can use cleaner apps for Android to secure your data and ward of malware.
Winner: iOS
Compatibility
Compatibility here means how easily it is for an Android or iOS device to work seamlessly with other devices, such as PCs. Apple for one has a family of hardware devices that integrate with each other seamlessly. You can literally start doing something on your iPhone and finish it on your MacBook.
Apple’s Arcade for instance, has the capability of allowing people to play games across multiple devices, including the iPhone. While Google has little to compare with the extensive family of devices that Apple boasts of, the company has Google Stadia- a product that competes favorably with Apple’s Arcade. It is also more affordably priced.
Android compensates for lacking a family of hardware devices by way of Android simulators. You can use your computer to play your favorite Android games with the help of a simulator. This, of course, requires that your PC be performing at its best, and for that, you might want to know how to speed up your computer.
Winner: Tie
Cost
Like every other consumer out there, gamers look forward to taking advantage of any opportunity that can result in saving some of their hard-earned cash. If games are available for both Android and iOS, they are likely to cost the same, but that doesn’t mean that gaming on Android has the same cost effectiveness as gaming on the iPhone.
For one, the iPhone is way more expensive than any other Android phone out there. That means that depending on the platform that you choose, there are already huge cost implications involved. At the same time, you also have to take into account the accessories needed to make the perfect gaming kit and here again, iOS-based hardware is way more expensive.
Using Android also saves money in other ways too, as most phones share similar peripherals such as the charger and earphones. Some even have interchangeable batteries.
Winner: Android
Battery Life
There is a long-standing perception that when it comes to battery life, Apple smartphones pale in comparison with Android ones. There is some truth to this urban legend and one of the reasons is that Apple designs its own chips and optimizes its hardware and software components for battery consumption.
Apple smartphones are also notably smaller compared to say the Samsung Galaxy series, and while the Galaxy series phones have larger screens, they also bigger space to pack a much larger battery. Apple is experimenting on some solutions to optimize on battery performance, but until something tangible comes out of the efforts, the king of longer lasting battery will for the foreseeable future remain Android.
Winner: Android
Conclusion
It is not easy to make a convincing case of which platform- iOS or Android is the more optimized for gaming. The two operating systems are each great in their own way and whatever platform fulfills your needs, you should go for that.
If you are interested in learning more about Android and iOS, you should visit this PC repair tips and tricks. There is always something new to learn.
This is a Guest Post by Mathew Ngatia.
Mathew Ngatia is a computer scientist who currently works as a content specialist at Softwaretested.com. He writes on topics related to tech, VPN, digital marketing, gaming, SEO and more. Outside of work, Mathew is interested in artificial intelligence and programming in general and is an avid book reader.
