The Much-awaited Face-off between Apple & Android: iOs10 vs Android N

by Micheal John Technical Writer

Apple and Google have released the beta versions of iOS 10 and Android Nougat respectively, revealing what the new upgrades would include for both the user and the developer. Both OS updates will go live sometime in the latter half of 2016, approximately at the same time as the release of the hardware i.e. iPhone 7 and the new HTC Nexus models. While it still remains a question whether the new upgrade will be available on the current Android phones or not, the two beta versions are being compared for the feature updates and new functionality that they have managed to introduce. When iOS 10 was released, developers claimed this was the biggest release ever. On the other hand, when Android N beta was released, developers found it to be intriguing and some of the features hit the headlines for being intuitive and user-friendly.

Let's have a quick look at some of the major differences between the two platforms.

User Interface
The interface is an essential part of your operating system, as it aims to enhance the overall experience of your user. If you have studied the two new operating systems, to be launched by end of this year, you would know that both have redesigned their design aesthetics, and both are quite comparable to each other. Notifications for Android N are easier to read, and have minimal borders. The fonts have become smaller; in fact, you can group the notifications for a particular app with this new interface. This new interface is pretty similar to iOS.

With iOS 10, you don't need to unlock the phone to act on notifications. By swiping left, you can easily access the music apps. This simply means, you can engage with certain apps and perform certain tasks even when the screen is locked.

Taking inspiration from Android design, iOS 10 has ensured that widgets are not present on the homescreen. With 3D touch enabled, if you touch the app's icon you can see the widget appear on the screen. For example current temperature might appear if you press the weather app. This design changes make the new OS version user-friendly. iOS 10 has removed the "slide to unlock" feature, and has included dual cues instead- "press home to unlock" and "press home to open". This is in order to include added security to the phone. With iOS10, you will receive notification bubbles, which can help you know the hidden menu actions. Apple and Google have come out with some design refinements to make the interface interesting and friendly.

Virtual Assistants
Google Now (Android) and Siri (iOS) have also received an upgrade with the new OS versions. Siri has finally opened its doors for third party apps, which means you can now ask Siri to perform the tasks on third party apps also. Let's say you want to send a message on a chat app, you can do it using Siri. Even rides can be booked using Siri.

QuickType, the new keyboard released closes the gap between what you are saying and what the computer interprets. Siri uses deep-learning to reduce this gap and analyze conversations to gain deep insights.

Like Siri, "Ok Google" has received an upgrade. This assistant understands the context and offers real-time information. The information is delivered quickly, while keeping track of your earlier conversations with the assistant. The assistant has advanced, and can interact with emojis as well.

Music & Photo App Updates
Both Apple and Android OS versions have received music & photo app updates. The new iOS 10 identifies people, places and objects in the photos and sorts and arranges the gallery app accordingly. These features were already there in Google's photo app with the earlier OS version. iOS 10 has received a major update in the music app. The playlists are curated as per your choice of music, and the tracks you don't listen to are removed from the playlist.

Android N and iOS 10 have adopted features from each other, and have revamped themselves to set new benchmarks for the other. The makeover for iOS10 is said to be defining. Android has made its user-interface simple and intuitive, thus making it user-friendly.

The face-off will happen when the two will finally release for the users. It will be nice to see which features are retained, and which are removed in the final version.

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