Apple iOS: The Best and Worst of

Mobile operating systems is probably one of the most sensitive topics in the industry. Insult one platform and you start a flame war. But, let’s move on, shall we? Go back to basics. In its current state, what does iOS have to offer? What does it lack? Read on and join in the discussion.

No one will ever forget that moment: Steve Jobs occupied the stage and introduced the first iPhone in 2007. iOS was really meant to be easy-to-use and smart at the same time. Apple succeeded with this and they immediately rose through the charts. It expanded through the iPod Touch, the iPad and the iPad Mini.

But in a much smarter world, will the same OS conquer? Put the original iPhone OS beside iOS 6 and you’ll barely see any difference. Is that a good thing?

The Best of iOS

1. Simplicity – Take an iPhone in your hands, power it on and play with it for minutes and we bet you’ll know how to use it instantly. The use of a single home button and the elegance of the icons are enough for almost everybody. Not everyone enjoys exploring their devices, and with iOS, you don’t need to.

2. “There’s an app for that.” –  iOS is an app-centered platform. It’s basically a grid of apps. Titles usually come to iOS first (Temple Run, Instagram etc.) and not only that it gets them first, but they also get the best ones. Even games like Infinity Blade won’t see the light of day in Android or any competing platform.

3. Straightforward – Apple hides everything you don’t need to see. It feels like you’re dictated upon and it’s a good thing for the average user. It doesn’t confuse people, it doesn’t show you options you don’t understand and above all, it’s all done for you.

4. It was a pioneer – Being first in the business is a good thing, and this is why Apple has a great share of the market today. No matter how tempting it is for users to shift platforms, it’s difficult and it’s all due to the money and time they’ve invested in iOS. It’s more than just an operating system; it’s an ecosystem.

The Worst Of iOS

1. Slow evolution – Take a look at iOS in 2007 and take a look at it now. What’s changed? iOS 6 has 200 new features, but who can name them? Windows Phone, Android and even BlackBerry 10 is evolving faster than iOS within the past few years. Sure, it nailed some features like Siri, but how about updates like Apple Maps? We could use some changes.

2. Lawsuits – Not really a side of iOS that people hate on, but a side of Apple itself. Most consumers won’t know about this, but the internet goes off on this topic like crazy. Apple sues mostly on the iOS front; you don’t see them suing for Macs and iPods. Their obvious love for monopolizing the market isn’t a thing to like, and the less competition they have, the less innovative they will be. So, here’s to hoping they’ll stop.

3. Price – For a device running a simple OS, it’s quite expensive. We understand that Apple is a very valuable company and that the law of supply & demand is applicable here as well. The demand and supply should meet halfway, and that is called the equilibrium price. We won’t see any cheaper iOS devices yet, because until someone wants an iOS device, the price will remain high. So we guess that’s where the sad part lies; only a few can purchase a device running iOS.

Apple’s iOS was there from the start, and it’s trying to maintain its position as one of the best mobile operating systems out there. Will we ever see a massive rethinking of iOS? Will we see cheaper iPhones? Under new management, we can’t really tell. What about you, what were your best and worst experiences with iOS? Where do you see it in the next 5 years? Please share and leave a comment down below.

Editor’s Note: This article is one of a 3-part series tackling the best and worst characters of smartphone platforms. You can read about the one for Google Android here and for Microsoft Windows Phone here. – Yuga