Android Lollipop vs iOS 8: Which Mobile OS Innovation Truly Stands Out?
Explore an insightful comparison between Android Lollipop and iOS 8, highlighting their innovation, user benefits, and performance from an expert perspective.
At first glance, comparing two fundamentally different operating system updates might seem illogical. Android Lollipop and iOS 8 serve distinct purposes and are built on different foundations, making direct comparisons challenging.
However, a thought-provoking answer from Glen Williams on Quora sheds light on this topic. Previously, we shared his insights on why Android devices tend to have more RAM. Now, he offers a detailed evaluation of which update excels in innovation, user experience, and performance.
Here is his perspective:
When designing an OS for mobile devices, several critical factors must be considered:
- Mobile processors are less powerful than desktop CPUs, so the OS must utilize hardware resources efficiently.
- The touchscreen must respond instantly, requiring software optimized for fast image rendering.
- RAM is always limited, so memory management must be highly effective.
iOS originated from software innovations developed by NeXT and adapted specifically for mobile platforms. It operates near flawlessly because it is written in native machine code tailored precisely to the hardware.
Memory usage in iOS is optimized to allocate only the necessary amount of RAM for applications to run smoothly.
Android’s approach differs significantly. Java, the primary language for Android development, is less efficient than native code, leading to more processor cycles per operation. The Android Runtime (ART) aims to address this by recompiling Java code into native machine code, but its effectiveness remains to be fully seen.
Why did Google choose Java for Android? It appears that, as a latecomer after the iPhone launch, Google prioritized rapid market entry over maximum efficiency. They leveraged the free Linux kernel and adapted Java to avoid Oracle licensing fees, enabling faster development.
Early engineering decisions favored speed to market rather than optimal performance and user convenience.
Consequently, Android continues to face challenges stemming from these initial compromises.
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