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Is the iPhone touchscreen more accurate than Android? Study says yes

Summary: The Apple iPhone bested its Android competitors when it comes to tracking and accuracy on its touchscreen, according to a new study.

Andrew Nusca

By for The ToyBox |

The Apple iPhone bested its Android competitors when it comes to tracking and accuracy on its touchscreen, according to a new study.

According to analysis by the MOTO Development Group, a company that offers products and services for startups, the iPhone has better integration of software and screen than the Motorola Droid, Google (HTC) Nexus One or HTC Droid Eris.

In a test, MOTO conducted a line touch test on each handset -- seeing how smooth and straight lines are when drawn slowly with a finger.

MOTO writes:

Why do you need to draw slowly?  On a good touchscreen, users can draw clean straight lines, even while going very slowly, so the graphics that appear on screen accurately represent what was physically drawn.

On inferior touchscreens, it’s basically impossible to draw straight lines. Instead, the lines look jagged or zig-zag, no matter how slowly you go, because the sensor size is too big, the touch-sampling rate is too low, and/or the algorithms that convert gestures into images are too non-linear to faithfully represent user inputs.

According to the results, the iPhone was the best of the bunch, both with light pressure and moderate pressure. All three Android phones showed hints of poor finger tracking, MOTO found, less evident with more pressure.

The iPhone did have one major drawback, however: sensitivity fell off near the edges of its screen, especially along the bottom edge. In the edge test, the Nexus One was king, with the Droid Eris a close second.

Here's a video of the test:

In my experience, I've found the iPhone's screen to be much more accurate when it came to placing my touch inputs -- I've experienced a degree of frustration with the Motorola Droid, particularly on mobile websites not designed for a touch interface.

What have you found with your touchscreen device? Do you agree with the results?

[via Ars Technica]

Topics: Hardware, iPhone, Mobility, Smartphones

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63 comments
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  • Sounds like a simple software update, no?

    I think Android will catch up just fine once Google trains their eye on that particular problem.
    Fark
    Reply Vote

    • That is Android's main problem

      It is still playing catch up and is lacking maturity. Unfortunately, the market is moving fast and it may always be playing catch up.

      To make matters worst it is becoming ultra fragment. When two Android phones can't play the same apps ......
      wackoae
      Reply Vote

      • ? "two Android phones can't play the same apps"? huh? Get a Life! :D

        Android is a OS platform. On it's mobile devices, that means that every device can play/use any app in the App Store! ..go do your homework, instead of making vague negative assumptions or accusations! ;)

        "The Truth Shall Make You Free" of your ignorant Apple iPhoney sadistically held, Religious Beliefs!
        i2fun@...
        Reply Vote

        • All Touch Screens are Multiple Touch Capable! ;)

          Because they all use the same basic control chip. "Multi-touch" is a trademark of Apple's, along with it's term pinch in reference to their screen features. In an agreement with Apple, Google is not using the "Pinch" feature in their browser. But like all Touch Technology since it's invention in 1972 (think!... your bank's ATM's), they all have multiple touch capabilities. Therefore, any touch screen device can feature multiple touch screens. They just can't use the term "Multi-Touch"! (an alternative browser already has squeese/spread zoom... lol)

          Like Windsurfer vs Sailboard!

          So Droid with Android Eclair supports multiple touch and games, along with new applications being developed for squeese/spread in the UI. So yes indeed Android can use multiple touch with Squeese! haha

          It's all Apple's, Steve Jobs's Arrogance and asinine "idea" ownership mentality (which is bogus). Before long we won't be able to read or use the Bible (Steve will replace God). Because it uses Apple's Trademark in the story of Adam and Eve. When we go the store, apples will need a new name and they will have applied for an iDon't trademark to keep Verizon and Motorola from defaming them! lol ;)
          i2fun@...
          Reply Vote

  • Yes, there are a lot of little things that Apple does VERY well.

    That is why people will pay a premium.
    DonnieBoy
    Reply Vote

  • I'm about to make this test meaningless

    My HTC Touch Diamond, with a resistive screen and Windows Mobile, draws perfectly straight lines from edge to edge. Since Apple is no longer the best at this test, this test is no longer important.

    Cue the double standards...
    NonZealot
    Reply Vote

    • Well, who cares about the touch screen if the OS sucks???

      But, I doubt the HTC touch screens for Win Mobile
      are any better than for the Android ones.
      DonnieBoy
      Reply Vote

    • Do this,

      Draw two lines at the same time...

      Wait... YOU CAN'T.

      Cue the double standards.
      Bruizer
      Reply Vote

      • Why would you want to do that?

        No scenario where that is functional.
        Lester Young
        Reply Vote

        • Two-Fingers

          Scroll an image for further editing in ColorSplash.
          People
          Reply Vote

          • Not the same.

            So, when do you draw two lines simultaneously on a handheld device? That would be awkward to say the least.
            Lester Young
            Reply Vote

          • Not in the least.

            Do it every time I zoom in on an image; or a web page; or a video clip; or
            a map...
            Bruizer
            Reply Vote

          • When I Pinch to Zoom I am drawing two lines the same time...

            When I Pinch to Zoom out with multi-touch out I am drawing two lines.

            I draw two lines the same time when using my DJ App.
            dave95.
            Reply Vote

        • It is called multi-touch.

          And yes, it is functional, usable and quite cool.
          Bruizer
          Reply Vote

      • I Constantly Need to Draw Two Lines Simultaneously!

        Seriously, how weird must your life be that drawing two lines on your phone is an important feature?

        My Android doesn't peel bannanas or play the violin, either...does that make it a bad phone?
        calmarimaker
        Reply Vote

        • The double standards are coming.

          When do you need to draw a single line as important feature?

          The two lines simultaneously is a direct reference to multi-touch enabled
          applications. When I "zoom" in on a page, I am drawing two lines on the
          screen simultaneously.
          Bruizer
          Reply Vote

          • Don't cloud the issue with facts, this is a flame war. [nt]

            [nt]
            olePigeon
            Reply Vote

          • Thanks

            That one actually made me laugh.
            use_what_works_4_U
            Reply Vote

          • LOL

            That gave me a chuckle. Thanks.
            Hallowed are the Ori
            Reply Vote

        • It doesn't do "pinch" either, does it

          Please, think a little beyond the test itself.

          They weren't drawing lines because they longed to be Picasso, they were using it to check accuracy of the touch screen.

          It would have been impossible, or rather unnecessary, to do a two-finger input test because Android phones are not multi-touch.

          It's true, just get over it.

          I like my Droid, but I wish it had multi-touch.
          I don't think it would have those "pinch" gestures though, since I think Apple patented them.

          I wouldn't buy an iPhone just to have that capability, though.
          tikigawd
          Reply Vote
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