Now, don’t bite my head off, but this train was always going to flash by-the idea of comparing smart phones. Technology has brought us many of these devices, and we are always spoilt for choice whenever we go shopping. For some, this argument may be moot at this point already, because we all know that the dominant operating system is Android, which commands like 80% of the market. While it is true that this option has bossed the landscape, options like Windows Phone are coming up real quick and turning heads.
Interface
Android has undergone a series of makeovers over time, but the overall look has consistently remained unchanged. The icons are always placed smack on the screen, with various short cuts to be found all over. The introduction of Android Lollipop heralded a series of changes that brought home a unique feel, which was about just what the users needed after various upgrades yielded little in the way of physical change.
Windows Phone on the other side has a completely different feel. The operating system displays its icons prominently, with the user having the choice to flip them over or hit them in a bid to view menus. The array of colors available allows for regular changes in terms of display. Most users currently feel that phones such as the Lumia have a more appealing look than their nemesis from android.
Performance
The problem with gauging the performance of the Android phone is that it is used by so many brands, and the drives it runs on affect its workings either positively or negatively. Generally, the OS in these phones works okay if the RAM is at north of 1 Gigabyte. There have however been complaints that Android devices running on 512 MB access memories tend to be slow and that their applications tend to hang whenever multi-tasking is taking place. In addition to that, there is a feel that the OS tasks its hardware too much, with users arguing that battery life is substantially shortened in the end.
Windows systems have a great response, with the capacity to run a variety of applications on the fly. Very few users report problems with the screens freezing due to multi-tasking, but again this depends on the specific model used. Generally, these systems do not task the hardware parts too much, which explains why the use of power is more restrained.
Compatibility
Android is basically an open-source operating systems, which explains why it works on so many devices. As indicated, the OS commands a massive 80% of the smartphones out there. Models that use these systems are diverse, ranging from market leaders such as Samsung to relatively newer entrants in the mold of techno and iTel.
The Windows Phone is a family of operating systems that works in very specific devices. You are very likely to see ten Android phones before you land a windows-based device.
Applications
Android users can enjoy a slew of applications that cover diverse purposes. Android’s main store, the Google play store features hundreds of thousands of programs for the brand’s users (700,000 to be precise), and most of them are free. With these systems, there are few restrictions as to what applications maybe uploaded for the users’ benefit.
Windows Phone is a very specific operating system, allowing only carefully selected and vetted applications in its store (100,000 at last count). The downside is that the user has little flexibility. However, the selectivity of this brand is good as it weeds out junk programs.
Price
According to Meteor a sheer number of brands going for Android, you will find a phone running that system at any price range. There are budget phones that offer dumbed-down versions of Android, and there are premium products that run Lollipop (version 5.1) and Marshmallow (version 6.0).
Windows Phone systems primarily run on premium products, which is why the price is going to be steeper than that of the average Android device.
Now, Android has a staggering hold on the market, and is the clear winner if the smartphone wars go down the wire. However, when it comes to sheer performance, build and longevity, Windows Phone takes the day.
Photo credit: Microsoft
