Whether your next smart phone or first smart phone should be from Apple or one with Google Android OS will always be one of those questions that can be easily added to every phone buying guide FAQ you can think of. Â This is not a “Android vs Apple” article so if you are expecting a debate, move along.
It can be so difficult when in a phone shop deciding which one to go for and deciding based on various things like benefits, ease of use, functionality, specs and perhaps ability to update to latest Android software when they are released. Â This post is to help you make an informed decision when thinking of getting a new smart phone.
Android:
Android with no doubt is a growing mobile OS and it is one that is growing very fast with 1 in 5 smart phones out there carrying the Google operating system. Â There are reasons why some, if not all of those users will swear by Android system, for the scope of this article, four good reasons to consider:
- There are various options available when it comes to Android; Android been an OS available to various hardware manufacturers from your Samsung to HTC or Huawei, you are able to pick from a wide range of devices. Â What that also means is that you have choices to pick from, whether you like big screens you have the likes of Samsung Galaxy Note, or maybe you like small screens you have the likes of Sony Xperia U. Â They come in all shapes, colours and sizes so the world id your oyster.
- Most Android devices gives you option to expand your memory capacity, some up to extra 32GB; if you get one for example the HTC One S with no expansion slot, do not worry because you could be entitled to up to 50GB cloud space with Dropbox. Â That is excellent because you are not confined in the situation where you can only have a 8GB, 16GB, 32GB or 64GB storage space.
- Android OS gives you opportunity to customise your device beyond just creating folders, you can add widgets for quick email viewing for example, you can add your icons to up to 7 home screens simply for convenience and productivity.
- An article by Techcrunch reveals that more than 50% of apps on Google Play are free, which means you can consider the Android OS as an affordable OS to buy; it could also make a good first device for your children when going to senior school for the first time.  It also means it is easy to get a game rather than worry about paying for them, although to warn you, research also shows some of those apps have ads hence why they are free.
iPhone:
 Apart from the looks of Apple product and the feel of owning a device that is widely accepted in our society, there are other reasons to consider as reasons to get and Apple iPhone.
- Apple customer service: You will never find a service better than Apple’s genius bar, with simple access to booking appointments either via your App Store app, walking in or via the Apple website.  The appointment is also added to your iCal or outlook or whatever you use so that you will never forget about your appointment.  They offer excellent service and can go as far as replacing your device for a new one if found to have manufacturer’s defect.  Only issue here is that, you hope you have an Apple Store easily accessible to where you live.
- Durability of Apple devices is another good point, they tend to last for  along time and because Apple looks after their hardware and software, it is easy to receive updates to any device you decide to go for, so if Apple were to release their upcoming iOS6, you are rest assured you will also receive the update as long as your device is compatible.
- Apple’s iOS is very simple and takes away the need to change so many settings to get going. Â When you get your handset out of the box, all you need to do is follow the steps and you are good to go; the longest part of getting set up is setting up your iTunes account with your credit card details (takes less than 5 minutes), and you are ready to start downloading apps. Â Apple’s app store also has less spam apps, so it would be difficult to find duplicate apps and easy to narrow down app searches thanks to the rigorous checks conducted before apps are accepted on the app store.
- iCloud: With Apple’s iCloud you can back up all your important data so if you were to upgrade to a new device or own other Apple products, you can simply sync your data across all of them seamlessly. Â Apple also have a service called find my iPhone that allows you to track your device, should you device gets lost, stolen or misplaced.
There are many other reasons to consider when buying an Android device or an iPhone, but I hope the above reasons stated will help you make an informed decision when deciding which one to go for; I can guarantee that this will come up in a conversation you have because they are the biggest players in the Mobile phone industry.  You have Windows Mobile and Blackberry also, however those will need another article to tell you why they make a good or bad purchase.
If you feel I have missed any important point, feel free to share with us below or even tweet me @gadgetsboy.
