Apple v Android means 2016 v 2014

This is the thing, you see —

When people compare iOS to Android they tend to compare the latest edition of iOS with the latest edition of Android. That’s fair up to a point but the comparison is false.

Why is it false?

Because #market share:

While iOS 9 now has 79% market share across the iOS ecosystem, the most recent Android (6.0) version with a silly name has just 4.6% across its ecosystem, according to BGR.

This means that while people using iOS today are likely to be accessing all the latest features, those using Android just aren’t. In fact Android users are mostly using an OS that’s over two years older than that.

Now this may not mean too much to most people, but if you put it into perspective it basically means that when people compare the current versions of Android to those of iOS, they are creating a false impression of the experience most users get. This misconception helps Android, but if you think about it in the long term it is a gift to Apple, as it drives disappointment and disloyalty across all but the most ardent Android users.

It’s just a thought, but it probably should be considered when you read compare and contrast reviews: Apple users are using the latest edition. Android people ain’t. And won’t for a very long time, in most cases — Android is still working on it.