Why iOS will never beat Android - Diversity

More recent smartphone acquirers might be choosing Apple's iOS platform over Google's Android, but in the grand scheme of things, Android will always outpace iOS.

I know that pundits (myself included) love to slice and dice the sales and market share numbers, and put the two platforms up against each other, but the truth is that such comparisons really are pretty worthless. Even though that Android and iOS are both mobile platforms, trying to compare the two is like comparing chalk and cheese ... or apples to oranges. There too many differences between the platforms to make comparisons valid. For example:

• iOS is only offered on two sets of devices (iPhone and iPad) by one company, and it's a tightly controlled platform. Android on the other hand is open and far more diverse.
• If you're going to buy into the iOS platform, you have to buy into Apple. There's no escaping that fact. With Android people tend to consider the handset maker more than the fact that Google is behind the operating system.
• There's a lot more perceived choice in the Android market (I say perceived because a lot of it is illusionary and mostly based on branding). With the iPhone or iPad, you either like it, or you don't.
• Android handsets are available at a greater selection of price points.

This is why trying to compare the two platforms is pointless. While you can put Android and iOS data on the same chart, there are just too many differences to make any comparisons or conclusions worthwhile.

So, why do I think that iOS will never beat Android in the long game? It's for the same reason that Mac OS never beat Windows - diversity. Sure, Apple will continue to sell millions of devices and make stacks of cash from iPhones and iPads, diversity will always be on the side of Android.

And there's a lot of diversity. There's diversity in terms of handset maker, diversity of models, diversity of price, and broad diversity when it comes to OS branding and features (bloat to many of us, but consumers love it). The power of Android is that this diversity allows it to appeal across the board. It's the one feature that iOS cannot emulate. And it's this diversity that will keep Android ahead of the competition.

Bottom line, While iOS may be stealing column inches on headlines, always bet on Android!