There are hundreds of phones running Android, with different shapes and hardware configurations. And yet they share a common characteristic: they suck.
Here is 5 reasons why I don't like smartphones with Android.
1) There is no 100% Android phone
The first reason why Android phones should be avoided is that there are no phones that work with the original version of Android. With the sole exception of Google Pixel phones, virtually all "Android" smartphones have a slightly different version of the Android operating system.
Most of them use heavily modified user interfaces and terrible uninspired names (One UI? EMUI? ColorOS?).
2) Slow propagation of OS updates
Google releases an Android version every year, with huge improvements over the previous one. But while Google Pixel smartphones receive their updates on day one, all other Android smartphones receive the update months, if ever, after the original release.
Why?
Quite simply because each brand of phone has a different hardware configuration. Which means that each new version of Android must be thoroughly tested by each manufacturer before being rolled out to their respective devices.
So most Android devices will only receive one or two new OS updates at most. Many cheaper models will have none at all.
3) The Android app ecosystem is a mess
Indeed, Google Play Store today has more than 3 million applications, but how many of them is compatible with your Android device ? And of these, how many work without bugs?
Android apps are notoriously bad compared to their iOS counterparts, and that's partly because Apple has stricter regulations around app functionality and quality.
That said, the Play Store on Android hosts more junk apps. And even more serious, you will find some apps that are outright malware.
4) Google Ads Store instead of Google Play Store
As we all know, Google Play Store has a lot of free apps compared to Apple Store. And as the saying goes: "When it's free, you're the product" is not it ?
What you save upfront will cost you your personal data, frustration, time, and lots of pressure to get rid of the ads that plague many free apps available on the Google Play Store.
5) Performance material wasted
Compared to iPhones, Android smartphones have less efficiency, both in terms of resource and energy optimization.
Apple designs its iOS operating system and the hardware that goes with it. Which means Apple has a lot more control over hardware and software. So they know how much power each app consumes, thus, they are able to modify the battery life and operating system accordingly.
With the chaos that is Android, you can't replicate that level of control.
Conclusion
In conclusion, despite all these flaws, Android is still one of the best operating systems available in the world today. And you ? Do you like using Android phones? Are there any features you like or dislike in particular?
Let me know in the comments, I'm curious about your experience with phones in general (including iPhones).