Android 4.2 Jelly Bean vs Apple iOS 6 – Full Comparison

One of the comparisons of the day – the OS analysed from the perspective of both the Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and the Apple iOS 6. Buckle up for an unprecedented journey into the depths of analysis and let’s start from the beginning. Ok, I have the gift of exaggeration – but seriously, let’s go through a brief analysis on both of them.

As it usually happens in the industry, the role of the winner sometimes changes in between contestants, and this is what looks to be the case here as well. On the one hand, we have what generally was the peak of the OS chapter – Apple to be more exact, that has been applicable for quite a while. The iPhone ruled as the most successful holder of  iOS, which also automatically translated into iPhone’s ruling in the arena of the smartphones. And then, on the other hand, we have what now seems to be the king of the day when it comes to OS – and we of course place in this category the famous Android, which seems to have gained its place as such. So we could easily state that the Samsung Galaxy S3 has put the O in the OS and perhaps made its way through as being current leader of the smartphone section, scoring the Best seller title at the same time.

And what exactly are we doing here today? Well just make sure you stay updated with the facts of the day. The first actor in this movie is the latest version of the Android that got its 4.2 Jelly Bean update and the second leading role is played by Apple’s iOS 6 upgrade. There are both positives and negatives side attributed to both updates, but while the latest version of the Android has pretty much been constructed on the back of the previous update, it still introduces a series of new features that make us happy. However, when it comes to the iOS 6 there seems to be more negativity revolving around its features than expected, and both the teams of critics and users highlight a lacking in different sections, and also scrutinize over how poorly implemented the maps of features are. But let’s not yet jump to conclusions before we actually get our hands on all the info, so we would be better off just taking a closer look at both these OS and then decide which can be declared the winner.

Interface And Performance

We have reached the interface chapter, and there are not really that many changes when it comes to the updated Android 4.2, so the differences are not exactly noticeable. But there is however something slightly different here – and this something shall surely bring a smile on your faces: I am speaking strictly about the overall speed that is now a lot better than before and we can definitely notice a better overall responsiveness, which is a great improvement. Moreover, when it comes to customization – there are a lot of possibilities with the Android, so this might also score higher with you. But what about the iOS? Well there is also a difference in the performance chapter which is now much better – but the customizing features are not that largely applicable here, so there is a certain limitation involved. However, the iOS brings both an improvement in interface and performance, so I guess the balance is once again restored.

The Apps Chapter

Things are also tight when it comes to the applications’ chapter so this makes it even more exciting for us to consider the comparison. On the one hand, we need to acknowledge that Apple has a little more apps, but we can put this on the premise that the iOS has actually had a longer existence than the Android. That doesn’t mean that Android has not recuperated or that it is currently not strong in this perspective, as it has scored a constant and really big boost when it comes to its rate of growth in applications. We could even predict that the number of Android apps shall soon be higher than the iOS ones so this is something really curious for some of us.

But there aren’t too many apps yet for the new Android version, and the case is similar with the iOS 6 too. But I am positive that the situation shall not stay like this for much longer now, as the app library for both OS version is unbreakable and also undeniably strong. If we are however playing the comparison game, then I am happy that I can give the grand prize to Apple for now.

Device Support

The iOS – well if you have an iPhone 5 then you automatically also have the the iOS 6 as well, which is great – and you can also upgrade to the new iOS 6 if you are an user of an older iPhone version. So everybody wins with this.

But can’t really say that it’s a win-win with Android as well, and in order for Android users to get an update on their devices, well they might grow a beard. Another pretty annoying thing is that until the actual update happens – then Google also might release a newer OS version, so you get the picture. Frustration is key when it comes to this so we can put the negative stamp on this chapter. Also – let’s highlight an important aspect – Android 4.2. is currently only applicable on LG’s Nexus 4, Asus’s Nexus 7 and Samsung’s Nexus 10 – so a total of 3 models. If you have followed the track, you have got the routine – there will be an update on all Google supported products.

Introducing New Features

The iOS 6 brings a few new cool features into the game for Apple, and we can mention as starting point the updated Siri has underwent. You can now make a better use of Siri – not only is it now integrated with apps, but it can keep up better to the phone’s functionality. Among the other cool updates we have previously mentioned – I must also mention the Passbook, Wi-Fi sync and iTunes updates. But not everything is a success – on the contrary, one big negative example is the iOS maps which did not work at all (hence the going back to Google Maps).

Ok, now that we are done with the iOS, let’s get to the Android 4.2. We can’t fail to notice that there are some upgrades involved here as well, and I’d like to mention first of all the Photo Sphere (it serves for taking panorama like images, which is really cool). Secondly, we also like Gesture Typing (Gesture Typing pretty much resembles Swift Key and is meant to help you type in a faster pace). And this is not all – we should mention some other features such as  Wireless TV display, Daydream and Expandable Notifications. Put all of these features together and you get a much cooler experience.

All in All

I could almost talk all day about the 2 OS, but I will stop here as I don’t want to take all the mystery out of the equation. The main idea behind all of the above is that there is a certain balance when it comes to the ups and downs we have in both the iOS 6 and the Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, which certainly contribute to an overall better usage of your device. As most critics and users altogether conclude, while the Android OS is not available on such a large scale, we can add this as a great advantage to the iOS, which you can upgrade to on any model of iPhone. But this doesn’t make the iOS better, and I will leave the task of deciding the winner strictly up to you. I am sure this would be particularly difficult as there is no revolutionary characteristic of update in any of the OS described that can rock your world and help you decide on the spot.