By the time a person is an adult, they have typically tied themselves to the professional sports teams that they will support season through season, regardless of that team’s performance. If there is anything else that seems to hold that same kind of loyalty, it is whether a person is an Apple iPhone or a Google Android user.

Until recently, I was under the impression that the majority of people in America used iPhones because I saw them everywhere. However, according to a study by Statista, that isn’t actually true. Until 2020, there were actually more people in the U.S. using Androids than people using iPhones, and even now, iPhones are not ahead by much. 

I come from a divided household; my sister and I have used iPhones for years while my parents have stuck to their trusted Androids. Let’s talk about what is actually different about the UX of each device and what users are gaining from each one. 

Based on my research of the two devices, the major differences between the two is that IOS will connect to all aspects of your life while Androids allow you to select the purpose it plays. They’re promoting different lifestyles, and that can be seen just through the Apple iPhone website and the Android website. 

On the Apple iPhone website it does not just advertise the phone itself. There is an entire section for Apple accessories that add to your iPhone or life in general, such as Apple Watches and technology for your phone to connect with the basic functions of your house. 

The iPhones all have an app called “Health.” Although you never have to check this app, it will automatically record information about your sleeping habits and the amount that you walk every day. At least in my experience I have found this data to be relatively accurate. 

I would guess that the same is true for many iPhone users because if you’re anything like me you typically check your phone one last time before going to sleep and use it to wake up every morning. iPhones also pull together news articles that are relevant to your interests and stores them in the Apple News app. 

My Apple iPhone has successfully incorporated itself into the most basic functions of my life; sleeping, exercising and reading about what is going on in the world. 

Androids on the other hand are more customizable. The user decides what role their phone will play in their life. 

This can be seen almost immediately when going to the Android website. When purchasing a phone with Android, there is not a specific phone that you have to have in order to have the software. 

There are multiple phones that have different dimensions, different camera setups, different buttons on the rims of the phones. The user is able to pick the phone that works best for them, whereas when an Apple user selects an iPhone, each one looks almost identical, with the exception of one version being slightly larger than the other.

On the Android website, there is even a section to help you select the best devices and technology to fulfill your specific needs. 

Neither the iPhone or Android “lifestyle” is better than the other, it all depends on what you want from your technology and in what ways you want it to interact with your life.