Like the “Thrilla in Manila,” Game 7 of a war between two great baseball teams, or the Final Four in March Madness, Android versus Apple has entered the middle rounds of a great heavyweight battle. And in this round, score the decision to Apple. Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed that 30 percent of the iPhone purchasers last fiscal quarter switched over from Android. Since Apple began measuring the switch from Android to Apple, no fiscal year has matched the most recent.
Even though Android smartphones continue to rule the roost, more and more users have been switching. What’s the big reason? Well, the Iphone’s biggest flaw has been the small screen size. Android phones often resemble supercomputers with the large screen size and great processors. With the release of the Apple iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, Android’s biggest advantage shrunk.
Another issue plaguing the Android software are the scattered updates. Whenever Android releases the next software patch, not every smartphone user gets the update at the same time. This causes a lot of disconnect between the user, updates, and the phone. iPhone is well-known for its smooth operating system and connected update structure. Aleksi Aaltonen of the Warwick Business School thinks the switching will not stop anytime soon:
“It is clear that Apple is after potential Android switchers,” Aaltonen said. “The trend may continue unless Android manufacturers come up with good reasons to stay with the Android ecosystem, which may be difficult given its fragmented nature.”
I understand the exact sentiment Aaltonen speaks to. While I love my Android product and don’t anticipate a switch any time, those users who are considering Apple may do so because of the incredible support and easy transitions into the next wave of software updates. This battle between the two won’t stop anytime soon, and I’m excited to see the next punch thrown.
Thanks to CNET for the story and quotes.
