Android is the most used mobile operating system all around the world. With a massive following, Android is the subject of many myths and misconceptions about its functions, complexities, performance, life, security, and more. Unfortunately, many people believe them to be true. These myths have existed for a long time, causing prospective Android buyers to look for other huge rival: iOS
Whether you are a regular Android user or have just started taking interest in its gadgets, you must learn about some of the myths about Android and we are here to bust them for you. So, let’s get started.
The existence of critical vulnerability is one of the oldest myths about Android devices. The critics claim that iPhone is safe from malware, whereas Android is its hub. Malware exists in Android as in any other operating platform and all of them need to be protected against these risks. The average user needs to be careful about catching malware on either of the platforms.
If you only download applications from Google Play Store and avoid third-party sources, you are already on the right path to safety. All you need is a bit of common sense to avoid malware. How? Think twice before clicking in-app ads, suspicious links, and unknown email attachments while browsing.
Android is often compared to iOS and one of the persistent myths about Android is that it has more performance issues than an iOS device. The operating system itself and its apps are rumored to suffer from big issues that impact performance. True, in the early days of its development, Android devices used to lag and crash frequently; this issue was also reported in other operating platforms.
Users fail to understand that there are several other factors that contribute to the performance problems as well, such as underpowered hardware, badly optimized third-party apps, software’s excessive manufacturer customization, and more. Not just Android, these problems occur in any other mobile operating platform that needs up-to-date devices and secure apps to prevent it from happening.
Many people say that Android always gets bad apps. This is true that iOS gets access to some of the apps right after they launch, but that doesn’t indicate that Android stays deprived of them or receives all the worthless apps.
In fact, many developers prefer creating applications for Android or the Google platform for its big number of users. With technological advancement, apps arrive on both platforms at the same time and are updated on the same schedules. Moreover, if an app is released on iOS first and on Android later, the gap between the two intervals is negligible to cause any problem.
It is important to understand that the nature of the two platforms, their programming languages, operating systems, and more are very different to be compared. Therefore, assuming that Android releases all the bad apps because developers prioritize iOS over Android is untrue and users should not believe that.
Like many other myths, Android haters portray that it’s a complicated system that can only be used by a computer genius. This is not even close to reality. Every system seems difficult to understand in the beginning.
However, the modern versions of Android incorporate a set of guidelines to help you through getting your device online and adding your accounts. It allows you to use the device normally for calls, texts, social media, photography, browsing, and more.
Some people find the Settings menu of Android devices a bit confusing, but it is the same for iOS as well. For someone who has never used Android, it can be a little overwhelming at first. However, with experience, users learn their ropes around new devices and platforms, for Android as well as iOS.
One of the misconceptions surrounding Android devices is that they appear the same on every smartphone. This is not true because Android has several series of smartphones running on the same platform. And since they are open source and customizable, it can look different on every phone, especially if you are comparing the newer phones with older ones.
Moreover, not every Android device runs the same version of the operating system, which indicates that it cannot look the same on every device. So, if the last Android smartphone you used a few years ago was an older version, there are strong chances that the new Android devices will show you a considerable difference. This is not the case with Android only; even if you use an old iOS three to four years ago, chances are that you won’t like it now.
Additionally, manufacturers are paying attention to the usability of software programs. This means that new smartphones will not have the same old look with slow-loading animations and lagging applications.
The myth that it is an insecure operating platform has been surrounding Android devices for a long time. However, it was true only in its initial iterations. Now, Google has taken serious measures to make it a better platform so that the myth doesn’t hold true any more. Google has introduced two moves to keep a check on security: Android security updates and the integrated Play Store App check.
As a user, it is your responsibility to be careful of your browsing conduct, unverified or unreliable software programs, and malicious links.
You will always find a myth about one thing or another. What you need to understand is that you cannot believe every review you hear; most of them come from biased opinions that are meant to misguide you. Just because a few people have had a bad experience using Android, doesn’t make it a bad choice for you. Create your own experience and then form an opinion. Moreover, the problems that a user faces on Android, may also come across on other operating platforms.