But which upcoming operating system for mobile devices offers the best feature set? Is it Apple's
iOS 8 or Google's
Android Lollipop?
What is clear is that both operating systems will make their respective devices more functional, but in quite different ways. Let's see what Apple and Google fans have to look forward to.
iOS 8 vs Android Lollipop: availability and release date
If you're an app developer, you can get hold of both iOS 8 and Android Lollipop right away. Apple's iOS 8 was made available to developers on 2 June 2014 from
Apple's developer connection website. (Membership is required, at £59 per year, which might make it a better idea to wait for the official launch and the free public upgrade.)
Android Lollipop meanwhile was made available to developers on 26 June 2014 on the
Android developer site. That doesn't cost anything.
Both developer editions require compatible devices. For iOS 8 you need to be running an iPhone 4S, iPad 2 or iPad mini (or later editions of all devices). To run Google Android Lollipop you need to be running a Google Nexus 5 or Nexus 7.
iOS 8 vs Android Lollipop: interface and design changes
Apple gave iOS a major refresh in the previous major update to the iOS operating system. In iOS 7 Apple moved away from a realistic design, known as skeuomorphic, to a new design known as 'flat'. So don’t expect any major revisions to the iOS operating system's visual style. There is a new style keyboard with contextual entries coming in iOS 8, and new shortcuts to the people you interact with most on the multitasking window, but on the whole Apple made all the big visual changes already.
Android Lollipop , on the other hand, introduces a new whole look that Google is calling Material Design. This new style moves closer to the space vacated by Apple (which abandoned realistic design for a layered approach). Material design is somewhere between the flat, layered style used in iOS 7 and the skeuomorphic design used in iOS 6 and earlier but more colorful.
Material Design has a layered approach to interface elements (like iOS). But introduces other elements from the previous design like shadows, gradients and tiles that slide over one another. Google is going to make the design elements available to developers so they can easily incorporate the same style in their apps.
iOS vs Android Lollipop: key new features
Apple introduced a huge range of new features to both iOS and its Mac OS X operating system at the WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference) 2014. Each one received a rapturous round of applause from an enthusiastic developer crowd.
The new features found in iOS 8
With iOS, 8 Apple will be moving all the photographs you take on every device straight into the cloud.
- iCloud Drive. Apple is introducing a new iCloud Drive service that enables you to access files directly within apps. It will also enable apps to open, and insert files created by other apps.
- Health. Apple is also introducing a new Health app with iOS 8. The Health app collates all the health information gathered by the devices you wear. Health is open to all developers so they can make devices that measure your vital statistics and share them with the iOS.
- Home. There is a companion service to Health that we believe will be called Home. The HomeKit SDK is already available to developers so they can control home devices using iOS devices (although this may arrive later than Health).
- Spotlight. Apple’s Spotlight search is going to be much more powerful in iOS 8, and will combine online results with the items on your iOS device. So it will return Wikipedia articles, trending news and places nearby.
- Handoff. Perhaps the biggest deal for iOS users will be the new Handoff and Continuity features. Handoff means that working on a document in iOS or Mac OS X you will be able to pick up any of your devices (running the same Apple ID) and carry on working directly from that device.
- Phone calls and SMS. This aims to bring different iOS and Mac OS X devices together. When you sit next to your Mac with an iPhone you will be able to make phone calls and send SMS texts from the Mac;
- Instant Hotspot. You will also be able to share the data connection from your iPhone with your other devices (like iPad and iPhone more easily). Devices will automatically connect to each other when in range, and the data connection will be shared seamlessly.
- Developer tools. Finally, there is a lot for developers to love behind the scenes in iOS (there was a reason developers were cheering even louder than usual). Developers will be able to create extensions to apps (both Apple apps and each other’s apps). Apple is opening up TouchID to developers for implementation in their apps, and there will be direct integration with the Camera Roll so apps can edit photos. Apple is introducing over 4,000 new API (Application Programming Interface) elements to iOS 8. Developers are having a field day.
- Swift. Apple has also created a whole new programming language for iOS that is much easier to learn than the old Objective-C language. Swift means developers can work faster, and will be able to create better apps with the same resources. It’ll even make it easier if you want to start creating apps for yourself.
The new features found in Android Lollipop:
Here are some of the best features to be found in Android Lollipop:
- New notification screen. Android Lollipop has a vastly improved notification centre. This borrows some elements from iOS. Notifications now appear at the top of the screen as pop elements.We can now interact with the notifications directly from the lock screen itself
- Project Volta for better battery life.
- Battery Saver Mode that bring up to 90min extra standby time when activates.
- New lock screen. Android Lollipop features a new Lock Screen that brings notifications and unlock in the same place. The idea is that you see what is going on when you pick up your phone, and swipe up to start from there.
- Bluetooth Unlock. Android Lollipop unlocks when it is around other Android devices you own (and connected on Bluetooth). The idea seems to be that if you are wearing an Android Wear watch you won’t need to unlock your Android phone. It will unlock automatically.
- Interlocking Apps. Apps in Android Lollipop are able to take advantage of APIs in other apps. The idea is that apps can talk to each other, and installing apps will extend the functionality of other apps. It's an interesting feature that will depend on developer support.
- New runtime ART which brings upto 2X performance boost for every apps without even making any modification to the code.
- Full 64 bit support. Faster and smoother usage of memory.
- Multi user support to both mobile and tablets.
- Meterial Design.Brings continuity to the google's OS with lots of colors and animations making it way more easier and fun to use. Android Lollipop is the best looking Android update ever.
- Android Extension Pack.Created in collabration with GPU vendors like Nvidia, Imagination Techonologies. This will bring console level quality for mobile gaming.
- Over 5000 new API's for developers touching every aspects of the OS
- Screen Pinning.
OUR VERDICT
Both platforms have much to offer. Taking both operating systems at face value:
- Android Lollipop introduces more features, and more interesting ones at that.Android Lollipop also integrates with the Android Wear , and we are impressed by some of the ideas that Google has, such as app sharing multi user, screen pinning, tap to restore via an other android device and auto unlock.
- iOS with a whole new look and style that blends the best of skeuomorphism with flat design and features like Handoff ,Continuity and third party keyboard integration are interesting addons.
Both Apple and Google have given developers plenty of new toys to play with; a lot will depend on what they make with the new tools.
