The iOS 9 and the Android 5.1 Lollipop are currently the top notches mobile operating systems which rival each other. Both are great mobile platforms that try to outperform each other. The iOS 9 is Apple’s proprietary software whereas the Android 5.1 Lollipop is able to support a variety of devices. A key difference between the two platforms is that the iOS 9 is capable of supporting Android applications, but it does not work the other way. It is also noteworthy that transferring contact information from Android to iOS is much easier compared to the other way around. Let us dive in and review both platforms and highlight the new features of each before going into the comparison to find the difference.
iOS 9 Review – Specification and Features
The iOS 9 is Apple’s next big update which is expected to be launched with the new iPhone in September 2015. It is expected to have a smart Siri, Pubic transits on maps, multitasking features, and great built in apps. With this new update, it is expected that the stability of the system would increase, download size would shrink, and it would be compatible with legacy phones. The iOS 9 has been made more inclusive. The older iPhones and iPads which support iOS 8 will be capable of supporting iOS 9. This means that even the older devices will be able to enjoy iOS 9 features, which is great news.
In the iOS9, now the Siri is made to be more smart and proactive. This was mainly done to compete with Google Now, its rival. Siri in iOS 9 is considered to be 40% faster and accurate than its previous version. It is now powered with capabilities such as telling it to remind something like an iMessage. It can also be told to pull out photos and even add appointments to the calendar with your voice. Siri has an enhanced location knowledge where it will play music according to the location you are in. When you are in the car and plug in the audio book which you were listening to previously, it will continue from where it was left, and it will also tell you when the appointment is for you.
The iOS 9 is also able to find who is calling if the number is unknown to you. It will search in the places like the email to find the person who is making the call.
The Apple Pay feature was only available in the US previously, but this month, it will be initiated in the UK and also rumored to be introduced in China and Canada in the future. This feature has been backed by many banks as well. The mobile wallet will support issued cards and rewards, and it was a feature introduced by Android Pay as well.
The Apple News App will provide personalized news as preferred by the user. The news available on Apple News will be magazine-like giving the user a more graphical experience.
The Apple Maps is the default app for navigation. It is constantly used by Siri for directions. The special addition to this app compared to previous versions is that it includes transit directions. Now more information like buses, trains, and subway information have been added.
Multitasking is another feature that was designed to support iPad. This will increase the productivity of the session, and the personal use will be more efficient than before. Slide over will let the user doc the app on one side and take notes or answer text messages. Picture in picture lets the user watch videos on top of the active app. Split View is a feature that is only supported by Air 2. This enables the user to use apps side by side with multi-touch feature.
The iOS 9 keyboard for iPad includes a shortcut bar. This suggests the next words to the relevant sentence. The keyboard of iPad is turned into a trackpad which makes it easier to put the cursor in between the letters.
The new iOS 9 features a low power mode to save up to an extra hour on the battery. The install size of the iOS 9 is only 1.3 GB. The iOS 8 needed 4.5GB in comparison. CPU, GPU, and security features also have been upgraded with the iOS 9.
Android 5.1 Lollipop Review – Specification and Features
The Android 5.1 Lollipop incorporates a lot of changes from the previous version. The interface only received a few changes, but most of the changes were under the hood.
Quick Setting saw changes such as, by using the down arrow, you will be able to connect to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, whereas the previous versions had to go into strings to turn on this feature. This also includes animations and portrait toggle mode.
The Screen Pinning feature will enable to lock the screen onto a single application. Now, Android is able to exit the pinned screen with the use of a button. The Contacts app now does not support any color overlay. Contact pictures are not used from Google+ now.
Previous Lollipop versions were not able to support silent mode, but that was added to the newer version.
There are many other features that have been added to enhance the Android Lollipop 5.1 version. For example, the selection window is now able to display the icons of the priority mode, and there is no interruptions mode, which enable new users to understand what these icons mean in the status bar. The notifications will be indicated with a blinking light, in the no interruption mode. The Priority can be managed in a better manner than it was in the previous versions.
Further, the user is now able to access the system volume while a video is being watched or while listening to music. The icons of the clock app and portrait/ Landscape toggle settings are animated. The NuPlayer is now the default stream player surpassing the awesome player. Heads up notification will remain active even when it is swiped up and hidden. This will remain in the notification drop down and can be checked later.
The device protection feature locks down the device even if it has been factory reset. This feature is only available with Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 sadly. HD voice calling will be supported if the carrier is capable of supporting this feature. Dual-SIM is also supported by the Android 5.1 Lollipop OS.
What is the difference between iOS 9 and Android 5.1 Lollipop?
Design:
iOS 9: The iOS 9 is designed in a clean and seamless way. Sliding the finger will bring up a bunch of apps that can be used from another section.
Android 5.1 Lollipop: The Android 5.1 Lollipop is designed in such a way that it is finder friendly and depicts real life objects. Layered buttons, animated touch, and colorfulness are some of the features of this platform.
Both, the iOS9 and Android 5.1 Lollipop, have their own unique design.
Multitasking:
iOS 9: The iOS 9 displays all the information of the apps as a screen shot which gives it a clear view. The iOS 9 also allows frequently used apps to be displayed on top for easy access.
Android 5.1 Lollipop: The Android Lollipop 5.1 has a design like a pack of cards which can be shuffled to make a program active according to the user choice. It is easy to spot apps, but the down side is that it will not let the user see the information that is hidden behind the apps.
Notifications:
iOS 9: The notifications on iOS 9 can be set in an app by app basis.
Android 5.1 Lollipop: Lollipop makes it easier to respond to notifications and alerts.
Silent Mode:
Google’s priority mode has been developed to rival the iOS9 silent mode. Both features can be hard to get around at first.
Back Button:
iOS 9: Back button is irrelevant with the iOS 9 touch features.
Android 5.1 Lollipop: Android 5.1 has a back button.
Siri & Google Now:
iOS 9: Siri is now more proactive and voice controlled, pulling out information from various applications.
Android 5.1 Lollipop: Google Now also supports voice inputs to get a hold of the information that is needed by the user.
Customizations:
iOS 9: iOS 9 cannot be customized.
Android 5.1 Lollipop: The Android Lollipop can be customized.
In App sharing:
iOS 9: iOS 9 lags this feature.
Android 5.1 Lollipop: Lollipop is capable of in-app sharing, which can share any file with the use of any app.
Security:
iOS 9: The Touch ID feature of iOS 9 is great as it can be used to unlock the phone as well as verify purchases.
Android 5.1 Lollipop: The Android platform has a better customizable and flexible security policy. But, the apps of the iOS 9 have better security compared with the Android apps.
Stability and performance:
Because of the software and hardware synchronization, the Apple iOS 9 is faster and more stable than the Android 5.1 Lollipop platform.
iOS 9 vs. Android 5.1 Lollipop Pros and Cons
From the above comparison and review, it is clear that both platforms have their own uniqueness which gives both rivals an edge in competing with each other. Both platforms are great, and there are only small differences that can be spotted which may become ultimately irrelevant on the final verdict. However, finally, everything comes down to the user preference.