Android is the most used mobile operating system in the world. So what makes the Android operating system so popular? What are the sides of Android OS that still need to be improved on? In this article, I will cover the advantages and disadvantages/ pros and cons of the Android mobile/ operating system 2024.
Android OS, developed by Open Handset Alliance and Google, also commercially sponsored by Google, is the most used mobile operating system after apple’s iOS. Learn the pros and cons of the iOS operating system. The Android team has been updating the operating system day by day. They are improving the OS for better UX, stability, security, performance, etc. The latest stable version of Android is Android 11.
Before going to discuss the pros and cons of Android OS, first try to understand the basic difference between the two most used operating systems: Android OS and iOS. The difference is that any mobile company such as Xiaomi, Samsung, or Huawei can build a mobile using the android operating system. But in iOS, except iPhone, no other company can build mobile using the iOS operating system.
Now, have a look at the pros and cons/ advantages and disadvantages of the Android operating system. These advantages and disadvantages are basically based on the user experiences so far.
Learn detailed info on all the advantages of the Android Operating System.
1. Variety
The choice is yours! You can choose an android phone from over 200 android brands. Some popular Android mobile companies are Samsung, LG, Huawei, Xiaomi, Google Pixel, One Plus, Asus, Oppo, Vivo, Nokia, etc.
2. Affordable price
Device: As there are many android companies, the completion is increasing. So they are reducing the price to keep a balance with the competitive market. Undoubtedly it’s helping general people to buy a better device at a reasonable price.
Application: There are over 3 million apps on the Google play store and most of them are free. The paid apps are also at cheap prices. Besides, most of the games on the play store are free.
Repairing: The repair cost is also lower as the equipment is available everywhere. So don’t need to worry if any part of your expensive device will damage.
Unlock: Compared to other OS, the unblock price of any lock is too low. It’s like 20:1 in proportion.
3. Custom configuration
As the number of Android device providers is higher, you can choose according to your choice. You can choose custom hardware configurations such as the amount of RAM, ROM, processor, battery size, camera quality, flash, external SD card compatibility, size, etc.
4. Usability and UX
Usability means how easily a user interacts with a device. A great UX design helps users to interact with a device smoothly. Most popular android brands ensure usability and user experience.
5. Everything in one place
As android has been provided by Google, they always prioritize easy and smooth OS. You can manage everything in one place. It means mail, photo, backup, contacts, derive, app activity history, etc. will be stored on your google account.
6. Gaming Performance
Though some android has bad gaming performance, some popular android phone has amazing gaming performance. Android brands such as Xiaomi, Google Pixel, OnePlus, etc. now focusing on gaming performance.
7. Multilingual
Android supports multilingualism. A user can set his native language as a default language.
8. Lots of Apps
Google play store is the #1 app store that has over 3 million android applications. And the number of Android developers is also higher than others. So they are developing all the necessary apps for all stages of people.
9. Third-party apps compatibility
There are some alternatives to the Google Play Store. You can install apps from any source. Android allows its user to install any apps from unknown sources. However, if you install a third-party non-play-store app, then android (Google play security) will notify you that you are installing unknown apps. If it’s harmful then Google will alert you as a harmful app. But in other OS, you may not do so.
10. Expandable memory
Most Android phones allow its user to insert an external SD card. But some operating system such as iOS doesn’t allow to insert of an external SD card.
11. More SIM slot
Same as an external SD card, most android phones have more than 1 SIM slot. So you can insert two or more SIM cards that aren’t available in iOS.
12. Developer Friendly
Compared to other operating systems, Android is more developer-friendly. There are lots of Android resources on YouTube and Google. Developers can build an android app not only by using android studio but also by using sketch software such as Sketchware (mobile app), thinkable (web app), etc. Besides, to publish apps on the play store, a developer needs only a one-time payment of $25.00
13. Open-source OS
Android is an open-source mobile operating system and a corresponding open-source project led by Google. So anyone can use it to design a mobile phone.
Learn detailed info on all the disadvantages of the Android Operating System.
1. Mixed Quality
While buying an android phone, you may be confused as the quality is mixed. Such as, if you are going to buy an android phone at a price, you will see lots of differences including RAM, Processor, Camera, etc between the two brands. Even there are many android brand names that you never heard of.
2. More Bugs
As the process of reviewing apps before being published on the Google play store is less productive. Hence a large number of apps having bugs are available on the Google play store. Depending on models and versions, some apps may crash on certain types of Android.
3. Less Security
Compared to iOS, the security is low. It’s easy to bypass any type of lock on Android. If your Google account is already signed in on a device, anyone can access your Gmail, drive, photos, etc.
4. Too Many Ads
The number of ads is too much on android. Even some popular brands such as Xiaomi show ads on default apps. It’s annoying and less user-friendly.
5. Unwanted Apps
There are many apps that many users don’t need to have. But they consumed rams and storage. Some android brands install their default apps including prompted apps that are similar and unwanted. Sometimes, some default apps are uninstallable.
6. Must have a Google Account
It’s actually not a con. But some users don’t like to use Google account for security purposes. You also cannot use other mail such as Yahoo mail, Yandex mail, custom mail, business mail, etc. In other OS like iOS, a user has a unique apple id to save his activities. To enjoy all features of Android, you must have a Google account. For some users, it’s hard to open a Google account though it’s super easy. Without having a Google account, you cannot install apps from the play store, cannot install most online apps, etc.
I hope that you find the article helpful. If you have a question regarding the pros and cons of the Android operating system, leave a comment below.
