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Topic: Android

iOS three times faster than Android for HTML5

Summary: Android has a long way to go if it plans to catch up with iOS when it comes to HTML5 performance, and given that HTML5 is increasing in relevance, Android needs to catch up, and catch up fast.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

By for Hardware 2.0 |

When it comes to handling HTML5, iOS devices are some three times faster than Android devices, claims a report by cross-platform mobile game development tool maker Spaceport.io.

HTML5 isn't just a web thing; it also serves as the platform for a completely new range of applications and games. The faster a device (especially mobile device) is at handling HTML5, the better it will be when it comes to running these applications and especially games, which put a greater load on the hardware.

According to the study [PDF], iOS devices have a clear advantage over Android.

Testing was done using Spaceport,io's own open-source benchmark tool called PerfMarks and put a range of Android and iOS devices to the test. The test was simple: how many images can be moved around a screen at one time, while maintaining a 30 frames per second (FPS) frame rate? Why 30 frames per second? Because that's the minimum required frame-rate for maintaining visual smoothness.

The results show that iOS devices have a clear advantage over Android hardware, with the iPad 2 leading the field and Android tablets being the slowest. The worst performing iOS device used for testing was the iPhone 3GS.

Image credit: Spaceport.io

Some of the scores are interesting:

  • iPhone 4S: 252
  • iPad 2: 327
  • Samsung Galaxy Nexus: 147
  • Samsung Galaxy Tab: 65
  • iPhone 3GS: 53
  • Kindle Fire: 25

The only Android smartphone that could handle a frame rate greater than 30 FPS was the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.

"HTML 5 is getting faster over time, as seen in the latest OS updates across Android and iOS. Although this is a welcome trend, there is still a long way to go," said Spaceport.io founder, Ben Savage. "We hope the spaceport.io PerfMarks report will act as a bellwether for mobile browser and operating system creators who hope to better serve the HTML5 game development community."

Android has a long way to go if it plans to catch up with iOS when it comes to HTML5 performance, and given that HTML5 is increasing in relevance, Android needs to catch up, and catch up fast.

Topics: Android, Apple, Google, Mobile OS, Software Development

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35 comments
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  • Android users rely on Flash based content primarily.

    HTML5 is an afterthought for Google (Motorola) and Android tablet makers. Android tablet manufactures and Google have little to worry about regarding HTML5 performance. Their tablet sales and Android OS versions are doing just fine in the marketplace.
    kenosha77a
    Reply Vote

    • Then its...

      ...too bad Flash for mobile has been abandoned by its creator.
      Englishmole
      Reply Vote

      • Umm, yeah... probably not...

        This isn't an issue as Adobe noted Chrome would still have flash and that is where the mobile platform is moving.

        Also, Chrome, like safari, is a desktop browser and will have better HTML5 support.
        slickjim
        Reply Vote

    • agreed

      this test is biased toward apple and uses unproven technologies.
      The Linux Geek
      Reply Vote

      • hmm

        Given that the Android Browser is the most popular mobile browser and growing, they might want to hold off on HTML5 only sites until Chrome is on 90% of the Android products.
        slickjim
        Reply Vote

      • going back?

        Hold of sites using HTML5, because some browser does not have sufficient performance???

        Isn't it easier for fix the browser? Why is that such a great "Internet company" as Google can't get their own browser to handle HTML5 properly?
        danbi
        Reply Vote

  • letting go of the past is akways hard.

    apple moved forward even in the wake of criticism. Spmaybe this will happen with automobiles to get away from gas
    flyguy29
    Reply Vote

  • Yet another meaningless statistic Adrian?

    Everyone knows that HTML5 is bleeding edge and the preponderance of content found on the Internet has nothing to do with it, thus far.
    Dietrich T. Schmitz *Your
    Reply Vote

    • Not meaningless more niche

      From my journeys around the web its growing fast, these statistics are niche though as they refer to game performance
      the.nameless.drifter
      Reply Vote

  • Awesome Chance

    my roomate's step-sister made $19634 past month. she gets paid on the internet and bought a $452200 home. All she did was get lucky and use the advice explained on this link N U T T Y R I C H . C O M
    wanda02
    Reply Vote

  • Not testing for ICS on tablet

    Found this gem in the report:
    ------------------------------
    **Android 4.0 for tablets not
    included in this report.
    ------------------------------

    How convenient.
    The report has bias on iOS. If they included Transformer Prime it would probably pwn the iPads.
    Samic
    Reply Vote

    • Shocking

      how shocking indeed.
      jonandkelly
      Reply Vote

    • This is likely not that issue...

      It is likely an issue with the browser and ICS has Chrome so support will probably be better.
      slickjim
      Reply Vote

  • PlayBook 2.0 not tested?

    PlayBook 2.0 browser shatters all mobile devices in html5test dot com and many other tests, would be curious to see how well it measures up here.

    Edit: My first post was deleted, lets see if this stays...
    John_Carlos
    Reply Vote

    • Playbook? LOL!

      Other than the 5 Playbook users, no one cares.
      ScottsdaleHokie
      Reply Vote

  • No Real Context, Thus Not Very Meaningful

    This test is highly dependent on what hardware, which generation of the operating system, and whatever browser is used.

    To be more encompassing it should include other browsers like Dolphin, Opera, etc. It also would have to include Android 4 devices.

    For the headline to be anything like accurate it would have to use the same browser for both operating systems on a comparable CPU. As it is, this is closer to a test of iOS Safari vs. Android Browser than of iOS vs. Android, and even then the hardware differences are a wild card.
    CFWhitman
    Reply Vote

  • Need to see ICS, Chrome results, also full suite of HTML5 capability

    Let's re-run it on ICS and Chrome, and not just on one specific HTML5 capability, pls, before concluding that Android has a long way to go.
    daboochmeister
    Reply Vote

  • I think the only interesting part of this whole thing was how terribly poor

    the Kindle Fire did and yet it's the best selling android tablet out there.
    Johnny Vegas
    Reply Vote

  • These tests are worthless...

    Your eye doesn't perceive motion beyond 30fps so I don't see this as an issue because all devices except for the fire exceed that level.
    slickjim
    Reply Vote

    • You didn't understand the test then

      Those aren't FPS rates, they are how many images it can handle. i.e. the Kindle Fire can handle translating 25 images before it dips below 30 FPS.
      Aerowind
      Reply Vote
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