iPhone Apps Are First and Better Looking

Most of the popular apps are on both platforms, but many top games and apps still come to iPhone first. We’re seeing more apps come to both Android and iPhone at the same time, but there are still way more iPhone only apps that we see than Android only.

When apps are available on iPhone and Android we still often see a better design on the iPhone version than on Android. This is something that still rings true in 2016. For example we still see some new Snapchat features and Spotify features come to iPhone before Android.

Apps are an area where the gap is closing, but the differences still exist and are noticeable. We also see Apple take better care of the App Store. Recently they purged 47,300 apps from the app store that were simply bad or abandoned.

Fast iPhone Updates for All

iPhone owners enjoy quick and regular iOS updates for the iPhone no matter what carrier they use.

Faster updates are available for all iPhone owners.

Android updates take months to arrive on all the devices. After an Android device is 18 months old, you may need to wait for a new Android smartphone to get the latest software.

Apple delivers iPhone updates to devices that are three years old. Apple offers iPhone 4s iOS 9 support. It is unheard of to see support for an Android phone that old. iOS 10 is available for the iPhone 5.

When you look at Android devices support ends much faster. Google promises at least two years for Nexus devices, which means Nexus 6 support ends this fall and the Nexus 6P in September 2017. Google may push farther out, but it is not a guarantee. Other Android device manufacturers don’t typically match the longevity of iOS updates.

On top of the added update support, Apple does not allow carriers to hold up the updates. As soon as the update is available from Apple it is available on every carrier.

If you really want Android Nougat, you may need to simply buy a new Android phone.

Works Great with All Your Devices

If you own an iPhone, iPad and Mac your information flows smoothly from one device to the other. You can quickly sync photos to all of your devices, answer a phone call on your iPad or Mac and send text messages from your other devices. There is also support for Handoff that allows you to start a task on your iPhone and continue on your iPad or Mac.

The iPhone works great with the iPad and Mac.

Overall the connectivity between these devices is something Android doesn’t yet match without relying on a collection of third-party applications and services to hodgepodge together a similar feature.

Sharing a file from your iPhone to your Mac is also faster and easier thanks to AirDrop. This built-in service sends the file wirelessly directly to the Mac, even when there is no other WiFi around.

No Carrier Bundled Apps

There are no extra carrier apps installed on the iPhone when you buy it. On many Android phones, there are a dozen carrier branded apps, and there might be another dozen apps that you will never use but that someone paid the carrier to install.

Many times you cannot uninstall these extra apps, only disable them. This means they still exist on your phone and take up space. This is a small issue on day one, but after a year when you need more memory, and you cannot delete Candy Crush and VZ Navigator, it’s a problem.

Apple isn’t perfect when it comes to pre-installing apps, like the Apple Watch and Apple News app, but the iPhone app experience out of the box is more of a blank slate. With iOS 10 you can at least remove the user data portion and hide Apple apps.

AppleCare+ iPhone Warranty

Apple offers an iPhone warranty for $99 to $129 that extends the manufacturer’s warranty to two years, adds two years of accidental damage coverage and support by phone or in store. This is AppleCare+ and it is a service that you need to buy, but it is something that most Android phones don’t come with.

AppleCare+ is incredibly handy.

HTC offers a free one-year UhOh protection that covers a cracked screen, water damage or carrier switch. Samsung offers a Galaxy warranty program for the Galaxy S5, Galaxy S6, Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 Edge and Galaxy Note 4 for $99 and $129 depending on the phone. This offers similar features to AppleCare+, but you cannot take it into a store for a replacement. On the upside you can get next business day replacement shipping after the claim is approved.

The rest of the Android smartphone world must rely on more expensive carrier plans or go to third parties. We’ve already come across users paying $9.99 a month with a $99 deductible to get a replacement for a Galaxy S3 Mini.

Apple’s option is a better value than what you will find from most carriers and from what you will find for most Android phones. With the new $29 screen repair option and $99 repair deductible AppleCare+ is an even better value.

Sharing to Other iPhones

When your friends have iPhones sharing everything is a bit easier. For instance, if you want to share your location with friends on iPhone it only takes a tap or two from the message you are sending to share it. Sharing a photo, link or file is also simple with AirDrop.

This seems like a small thing, but once a friend switches to Android you’ll quickly find out that you need to download several apps to maintain the same level of sharing that Apple builds in.

Samsung is making it easier to share between Samsung phones and Android Marshmallow does a better job of Android to Android sharing, but the odds are some of your friends will still be a phone behind you or an update behind you.

We could see Android Nougat help close this lead, but that will only help users if it arrives on their phones.

Worth More When You Resell

The iPhone holds its value better than an Android phone. If you sell your one-year-old or two-year-old Android smartphone, even a flagship device, you will often get much less than you paid.

When you sell an older iPhone, it is easy to find offers of almost double the value of an Android phone that came out at the same time.

An old iPhone is worth more than an old Android phone.

For instance, an entry-level Galaxy S5 from 2014 is worth $70 in flawless condition on Gazelle. The iPhone 6 that came out a few months later is worth $210 in flawless condition.

With better build quality and higher demand on more recent Android devices, this is changing in some instances, but for now the iPhone still offers a better resale value over time.