ANDROID MATTERS

10 things you can only do on an Android phone

Just last month at a developer conference, Apple CEO Tim Cook pointed out that only 8.5 per cent of Android users are using the latest version of Android (KitKat) while 74 per cent of iOS users are on iOS 7.

What he didn't mention was this — there's not a lot of difference between Android JellyBean (4.3) and KitKat (v4.4). JellyBean and KitKat combined make up 72 per cent of all Android devices, according to latest figures released by Google.

Make no mistake; it's Android, not iOS, that is spearheading the smartphone revolution, especially in markets like India where smartphone penetration is low. From a productivity stand point too, Android offers several advantages which a power user will enjoy.

When you want to transfer 1GB of video files, WiFi Direct can do it within a few minutes. Since the phones connect directly to each other, a WiFi network is not needed.

With NFC or Near Field Communication, you can tap two devices together to pair. Where NFC payments are enabled, you can pair your credit card with the phone and simply swipe the phone.

With USB host, you can plug in any USB flash drive into the phone and freely copy-paste files. Unlike Apple, Android also gives you the convenience of a file explorer (access to the complete file system of the device).

Apple's keyboard is fixed — but Android allows you to get excellent options like Swype and SlideIT. Not only do these keyboards suggest words, they also learn your style and offer multiple input options.

iOS doesn't give apps control over messages and calls. On Android, you can take things into your own hands and get a call/SMS blocker. You can also make your own blacklists.

Every iPhone looks the same. Android offers nearly limitless customisation. You can use a launcher to completely change the look, feel and performance of a phone.

Lightning cables are proprietary to Apple and they apply strong protection, so cheap knock-offs may or may not work. In comparison, any micro USB cable from anywhere will work on an Android phone.

On Android, widgets can be used for quick access to information and there's a widget for everything! Secondly, features like automation are not available on iPhones. For instance, on Android, you can have WiFi automatically turn on when inside your home or office.

Primarily, you can have a micro SD to enhance the storage on Android. But you can also use the card to quickly share large amounts of data. How about cost effectiveness? A 16GB micro SD card costs just Rs 700 while the difference between a 16GB iPhone 5S and 32GB iPhone 5S is Rs 7,000.

Share a photo from either device — you'll have three times as many options on Android. Using a file manager app, you can also share system files, set ringtones and transfer songs.