iOS 13 vs. Android 10: How Apple and Google match up

Without the software program that powers them, iPhones and Android telephones can be high-priced items of glass, metallic and plastic. So let’s examine how the brand new cell OSes from Apple and Google examine. iOS 13 will go live on Sept. 19 and Android 10 — previously codenamed Q — is out now for Pixel telephones. 

On one facet of the desk, iOS 13 features a systemwide dark mode, extra management over privateness settings and a bushel of enhancements designed to make the iPhone safer and simpler to make use of. On the opposite facet, Google’s Android 10 additionally brings on darkish mode, a give attention to privateness and helpful AI enhancements.

With the iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Max Pro simply introduced, we’ll quickly see this the brand new iOS software program absorbed into {hardware}. And in case you have a Pixel telephone, Google’s new software program is your actuality.

That means we’re basing this comparability on the delivery model of Android 10 and the near-shipping model of iOS 13. After the ultimate model of iOS 13 is out, we’ll have the ultimate showdown with Android 10.

One ultimate word — this piece would not cowl each characteristic that Apple or Google introduced. It focuses on the principle components that we expect are essentially the most fascinating, helpful and vital to on a regular basis individuals. Here’s a extra complete list of the key features in iOS 13 and extra on Android 10.

Minding your privateness

Advantage: iOS 13

Over the years, Apple has made retaining consumer knowledge personal a promoting level. And not like Google, Apple’s enterprise will not be depending on focused advertisements primarily based on consumer knowledge, as a substitute getting cash on the {hardware}, apps and companies it provides. At WWDC, Apple stated it might give customers larger management of location permissions with apps, selecting to share that data as soon as after which have the app request it once more if it needs it. Apple also unveiled a new sign-in method that permits you to anonymously signal into web sites and apps with out being tracked. The characteristic, Sign in with Apple, will be mandatory for apps to include this fall. Apple is not excellent: Google did just lately level out a security flaw on iPhones.

Google additionally talks up defending consumer knowledge, reminiscent of in a New York Times opinion piece the place Google CEO Sundar Pichai wrote that “privacy cannot be a luxury good supplied solely to individuals who can afford to purchase premium merchandise and companies.” But Google has a more durable case to make as a result of a serious supply of income is its advert enterprise, primarily based on what customers seek for, for instance, and which movies they watch. The search large does take an enormous step within the proper course with the following model of Android: Android 10 gives users more control over what information they share by means of apps and companies.

But the 2 corporations’ approaches to privateness present up in numerous methods. For instance, Google is engaged on an replace to its Chrome browser that builders say might hobble ad-blocking and privacy extensions. In distinction, Apple final yr introduced Safari would prevent third-party trackers from monitoring your actions throughout the online.

Dark mode for all

Advantage: iOS 13

Besides letting you turn it up from a shiny white display screen, turning on a darkish mode can supply the benefit of preserving battery life by lighting up fewer pixels on the display screen and in addition reducing eye strain. Google folded a dark mode into an Android Pie update earlier this yr, however the firm did not use the theme all over the place. In the Android 10, the darkish theme is extra evenly distributed throughout the cell OS. Some of Google’s cell apps, reminiscent of Chrome, nonetheless lack a darkish mode choice, nevertheless.

Apple has extra expertise on this space. It went moody on the desktop first and rolled out a darkish look in MacOS Mojave in 2018. In iOS 13, Apple will bring a dark theme to its cell OS. Apple lists a broad assortment of locations that show the darkish mode theme — from wallpaper, widgets and notifications to Calendar to Messages  — and for now, iOS 13 ought to supply a extra uniform darkish expertise.

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Taking, modifying and sharing photographs

Advantage: Android 10

Google Photos provides nearly every part you’d need in a photograph service. It combines easy backup and picture sharing with highly effective, easy-to-use modifying instruments to create a vital images instrument for an Android telephone. Night Site mode on Pixel phones nearly by itself is sufficient to tip the size to Android. Because it is from Google, you may seek for individuals, locations,  issues and even text to see all of the photographs Google Photos has assigned the tag to. And the primary 15GB of on-line storage is free. (And in case you use Google’s high-quality compression setting to retailer your photographs, you get limitless storage.)

Apple Photos comes with a wealthy of modifying instruments, and in iOS 13, the app will achieve much more, together with the power to regulate the depth of portrait lighting with a slider. (And paired with the brand new iPhone 11 cameras, it ought to pack a punch.) Apple Photos excels at recognizing faces, objects and scenes that will help you type by means of your photographs. Unfortunately, a lot of the app’s energy is offered simply to Apple’s customers. And the first 5GB of iCloud storage is free.

Running cell apps somewhere else

Advantage: iOS 13 (and MacOS)

At final yr’s developer convention, Apple stated it might begin moving some of its own iOS apps to MacOS utilizing a brand new developer instrument that was named Project Marzipan and is definitely now named Project Catalyst.

And now, iPadOS developers can convey their very own iPad apps to Mac within the upcoming Catalina. The transfer ought to profit builders — who will be capable to extra simply create an app that may run on Apple’s cell and desktop platforms — and Mac customers, who probably get entry to a richer collection of apps. 

Google additionally lets app builders transfer software program between platforms by giving house owners of latest Chromebooks access to Android apps by means of the Google Play Store. But the constraints of Chromebooks — they require an Internet connection, for instance, and so they lack common Windows and MacOS apps reminiscent of Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop — additionally restrict the usefulness of this selection.

Gaming: Arcade vs. Stadia

Advantage: Well, it relies upon

With Apple Arcade, you can obtain and play video games in your iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Mac and Apple TV gadgets for $4.99 a month. Interestingly, You’ll be able to play some Arcade games using controllers.

Google with its Stadia service is all about streaming video games and can allow you to play them wherever you could find a Chrome browser beginning at $9.99 a month. Google Stadia will have its own controller and work with third-party controllers.

With Arcade coming Sept. 19 — and Stadia debuting in November — now we have little to go on past learning video demos of every service (and playing with Stadia for a bit at the recent Game Developer Conference), however we might recommend in case you like console video games and have a superb web connection, Stadia may be a superb match with its controller-driven service. If you are an informal gamer who likes enjoying cell and indie video games in your spare time –or searching for an inexpensive household plan — Apple’s method may be a greater match.

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Apple’s Messages and FaceTime or Google’s Duo and Hangouts and Messages and …

Advantage: iOS 13

Apple places its messaging give attention to FaceTime and Messages, that are exhausting to beat for video and textual content chat. Communications are encrypted finish to finish. The messaging handoff between iOS and MacOS gadgets is seamless. And you can further customize Memoji avatars.

Google’s messaging method on Android is, err, extra diverse, with Duo and Hangouts for voice and video calls, Google Voice for devoted voice calls, Hangouts Meet and Chat for enterprise communication, and Messages for textual content messaging. You can use the Hangouts web site to proceed messaging in your Mac and Windows machine, and you may sustain together with your Messages texts via the web version of the app. The net model is useful however not flawless, and it generally appears to neglect it is linked to the cell model of the service.

Google Assistant vs. Siri voice assistant

Advantage: Android 10, by a protracted shot

Apple might have been first out of the voice assistant gate in 2011 with Siri, however Google Assistant runs circles round it, and through the years, Apple has achieved little to shut the hole. In iOS 13, Siri will get a brand new robotic voice and picks up just a few tips right here and there, like searching for WatchOS apps on the Apple Watch and having the ability to learn and reply to incoming messages by means of AirPods and stream radio stations. iOS 13 can even come preloaded with Siri Shortcuts. 

But Siri would not carry out almost in addition to Google Assistant at recognizing and understanding completely different voices and instructions. It’s this primary performance that is on the coronary heart of the problem, however Google assistant can be built-in tightly into every part you do in your telephone, and may proactively make suggestions by taking a look at your calendar and Gmail account for upcoming reservations and appointments.

Google has put its assistant on each Android telephones, within the $49 Google Home Mini and $299 Google Home Max, and into cars as Assistant Driving Mode, and at this summer season’s Google I/O developer convention, the corporate confirmed off a variety of Google Assistant personalization features.

Siri can be broadly out there — engaged on iOS, MacOS and WatchOS gadgets and the HomePod. Siri shortcuts can create customized duties that Apple’s sensible assistant can carry out for you. However, Siri remains to be underwhelming, largely as a result of the database it attracts from is restricted, whereas Google guidelines search.

Swipey keyboards

Advantage: Android 10, perhaps

If you swipe as a substitute of kind, iOS 13 gaining a swipable keyboard is an enormous — however extraordinarily belated — deal. Google has its own swipable keyboard, Gboard, and lots of different Android telephones implement different apps like SwiftKey, into their default digital keyboards. 

There is lots to love about Gboard, particularly, past its swiping capabilities. I like having the ability to apply completely different themes, use completely different languages and simply insert GIFs. Apple’s demo of QuickPath Typing, the swiping a part of the iOS 13 keyboard, seems to be good as effectively, nevertheless it’s to this point behind the competitors, it is exhausting to see this as something however lengthy overdue catch-up.

Mapping and exploring

Advantage: Android 10

If you simply must get from right here to there, Apple Maps is as much as job. And with iOS 13, Apple is rebuilding Maps to incorporate higher street and pedestrian info and extra exact addresses. Apple’s up to date Maps app can even have  a Look Around instrument that permits you to see a 3D view of a location.

Google Maps has had these options for some time, nevertheless, together with its personal 3D mode referred to as Street View. But Google has rather more, constantly updating its Maps app to make it much more helpful getting you locations, partially by folding within the helpful bits of its different map app, Waze. But Maps can be helpful after you arrive. For instance, its Explore tab enables you to discover a seemingly countless record of locations to eat and issues to do, wherever you might be.

Shara Tibken contributed to this report. Apple didn’t reply to a request for remark.

Originally printed earlier this yr and up to date with new info.