iOS 10 vs Android Nougat: iPhone OS gets better but Android still rules

 In the last couple of years a sort of consensus has emerged among the tech savvy bloggers and the gadget writers: Google's Android is better than the Apple's iOS but the iPhone, as a device, is better than anything coming from tens of Android phone makers. That changes somewhat with the iOS 10, the latest version of Apple's mobile operating system that is hitting iPhones and iPads. The iOS 10 is more flexible, more open, more versatile than what Apple has shipped so far. In fact, it is fairly close to Google's Android, which too has got an update in the form of version 7 aka Nougat.

We will take a better look at the iOS 10 in the coming days, but it sure looks like the version where Apple almost catches up to Android when it comes to the ease of use and versatility. Almost all areas of the iOS have been spruced up in the version 10 but the most significant and user-friendly updates are on the lock screen and in the way apps talk to each other.

Also Read: WhatsApp iOS 10 update: Now ask Siri to make calls, send messages

The lock screen in the iOS 10 is more dynamic. Android has always enjoyed a lead over Apple when it comes to the way operating systems handle notifications. But a few years ago, Apple introduced a notification system in the iOS that was similar to the one used in Android. Subsequently then the company fine-tuned this and now in the iOS 10 is making it more dynamic by bringing features like "direct reply from lockscreen" to the iPhone. The end result is that it will not only help users deal with the notifications quickly but also help them do more. The notifications system has also been enhanced with the help of 3D touch, which on newer iPhones allows users to carry out certain shortcuts using long or short press.

iOS opens up

Although the iOS 10 is full of new features -- revamped music app, a more fun iMessage app with stickers, AI-powered Photos app etc -- the most significant probably is the more open ways in which apps can communicate and availability of Siri to third-party app developers. It shows that finally Apple is moving, albeit cautiously, away from its silo approach for apps. It is now allowing apps a bit more leeway in how they use the data on the phone. The opening of Siri is particularly noteworthy. The results of the move are going to extremely useful to consumers. For example, with Siri integrated with Uber, consumers will be able to tell the phone to book the cab by speaking a command. Similarly, with WhatsApp integrated with Siri, the iPhone users running iOS 10 on their phone will be able to dictate a message.

Also Read: iOS 10 rollout: 11 new features that may make iPhone great again

Most of these are the improvements that are already either available or possible on the Android because by nature Android has always been more open and flexible operating system. And even with the iOS 10 in the market, the Android Nougat continues to be a better and more versatile operating system. The way data can be accessed in Nougat or the way a user can access almost any file worth accessing is tremendous. Although with the iOS 10, Apple gives more leeway to apps, they still as much flexibility as Android apps have and hence the whole experience still feels relatively rigid,, especially to power users. Features like double-tap to switch between last two open apps, multi window and intents (ability to chose which app you want to open to view an image) are incredibly useful and offer Android users ability to customise their workflow.

This is still not possible in the iOS, even with the version 10. But at the same time, it is easy to see that for most users, for people who like simple and reliable workflow, the IOS is now much better compared to the software in the earlier iPhones.

All that is good remain

Even as the iOS 10 is tweaked and improved in some key areas, it retains all that was good in the earlier versions. The animations are smooth and lag-free. The performs is good and the software seems well optimised for the devices on which it is running. At the same time, by the virtue of being a little less open compared to the Android, it also avoids some of the privacy and the security issues that Android faces. Is Android Nougat unsafe? Definitely not. But iOS sure gives a feeling that your data and is more private and safer in its compared to how it will be in an Android phone.

Overall, the choices that both iOS and Android make in terms of user experience and product features are different. Personally, I find Android Nougat just a touch more versatile and flexible. It a better operating system, particularly when you want to put the phone at the centre of your digital. But there is no doubt that the combination of the iPhone hardware and the iOS 10 too is a very potent combo and offers more than enough to satisfy almost every phone users. In some areas, Android is still better and the Nougat update is an evolutionary but wholly awesome upgrade to it. But if you prefer the iOS, with the version 10 you get an operating system that gives almost the same feature-rich experience that Android has, combined with the kind of polish that Apple's software always offered.