Column: Android vs iPhone

In a world of smartphones, there are only two types that most choose from when deciding to get their next phone, Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android.

Ever since Android first became a competitor to the iPhone, there has been a war brewing between those who prefer an iPhone or an Android.

The iPhone is Apple’s leading product and accounts for most of the revenue that it makes. Though the iPhone has seen much success over the years, its sales have started to dwindle due to the lack of innovation. Despite the lower sales, the iPhone is still the top choice of Americans. As of Sept. 30, 2016, Apple claims 12.5 percent of the global smartphone market and is slated to have 43.5 percent of the U.S. market by the end of 2016.

The iPhone wasn’t the first smartphone, but since its introduction, it revolutionized the industry. It was the first phone to bring multi-touch support that did not need the use of a stylus.

Because Apple decide to bundle their famous iPod software within the phone, it became a huge success practically overnight.

Android, on the other hand, is a free, open-source operating system created by Google that manufacturers choose to install on devices they sell. Although the core of Android devices may be the same, manufacturers may decide to install their own flavors to stay competitive with one another. Though they boast differences in how the devices look and what type of hardware they use, they all basically work the same.

Android is slated to hold 52 percent of the U.S. smartphone market by the end of 2016, but because it’s spread out among many different manufacturers, there is Android bias for one manufacturer over another. Samsung currently runs supreme, allowing for it to be the company that strategically goes head to head with Apple for top phone manufacturer. But because Samsung is not the sole maker of Android devices, it loses market share to the other manufactures; HTC, LG, Sony, Lenovo, Asus, Huawei, and Xiaomi are its top competitors.

Comparing the iPhone to Android, there are as many similarities as there are differences. Both run similar style apps from major companies. Both make and receive calls, text and data.

But the iPhone boasts its messaging service iMessage, which allows iPhone users to gain a slew of options over text that Android users have no access to. Android boasts user customization within the software and the ability to find a device that exactly tailors to their needs both economically and individually.

Android might boast awesome hardware functionality, but none have been great enough to be called the iPhone killer. Some of Android’s major failings are in the security sector with 99.7 percent of phones not on the latest version and 75.7 percent which will never be updated. Most manufacturers don’t even include an update structure for their phones if it isn’t a flagship device.

With the amount of vulnerabilities plaguing Android devices, such as Stagefright, and fixes not coming to most devices, it is safe to say that if you value your security, be careful with the information you place on an Android phone.

Overall, the iPhone beats Android in areas that are of concern. If you want a phone that leads as the phone every other manufacturer is trying to topple, has instant access to the latest security and software updates, polished software and apps, ease of use, and no backdoors for unauthorized access, choose the iPhone. If you want phones that come with huge screens, huge batteries, loud speakers, budget price tiers and a ton of vulnerabilities choose an Android.

Features editor Shir Nakash, 21, along with reporter Mohammad Djauhari were entered for their multimedia piece on ethnomusicology major Evan Henzi, which focused on his original song “Alien” and his musical talent.

They took fourth place in video journalism. Although she couldn’t attend the convention due to work, she said it was a nice feeling knowing she and Djauhari had earned an award.

Nakash said that she loves the newsroom because it feels like a second home to her.

“One of the things I was worried about when I came to community college was not being able to connect with people,” Nakash said. “This gave me a community to latch onto, and I feel really close to the people who help put the production together every week. I wasn’t expecting it and it wasn’t why I joined. It’s a bonus.”

Community college newspapers were able to submit three consecutives issues that were critiqued by officials from the JACC.

In the critiques for the Roundup, judges stated that the photos were professional quality and top-notch, which is the result of the natural talent and dedication of photographers, the photo editor and teaching ability of their professors, according to managing editor Victor Rodriguez. However, in design, judges said that it is not always consistent. Also, workshops were organized to aid in different aspects of online, writing, photography, design, and more.

Besides the opportunity to win awards and acclamations, the convention gave students a venue to network and meet other journalists.

Bravo said that during lunch for the event, students were able to mingle among other editors of their particular section. She met other news editors and they shared stories with each other.

“Outside of your department, you don’t meet a lot of like-minded people. When we were doing the workshops and networking, we kind of all realized that we were with the same type of people,” Rodriguez said. “These are the type of people in classrooms with just one more question, or in any conversation. When we hear something interesting, we don’t want to let it go. We are journalists.”