That sounds harsh, and whilst Android fans have constantly pointed to the greater openness and customisation options of Google’s OS, the truth was that really good, well finished phones didn’t really exist. Sure, you could find something powerful, but there were few handsets that came anywhere near the build quality of an iPhone.
That’s started to change in recent years, and arguably the nicest looking Android phone of late was the the HTC One. This year, its replacement, the HTC M8 is good enough to directly challenge Apple’s iPhone 5C. Which is the best though?
The Outside Specs
Both phones are available in only 3 colours. These colours are all relatively similar. In addition, the bodies are both machined from metal. The comparison ends there though, and the iPhone is much smaller and lighter than the HTC M8, in the main, due to the iPhone’s much smaller screen size.
That’s not a criticism of either phone. It just depends on your preferences. Android is going large screen crazy, and for now at least, the iPhone is the handset for those who want to keep their device to a more one-handed, pocketable design.
If you ignore the size differences, these two phones are equally well made, although slightly different in design. The HTC is curvy and smooth, whilst the iPhone is angular and sharp.
Hardware
The smartphone war of specs has meant that in reality, once you start paying the top prices for a handset, the hardware is all so similar that it feels exactly the same in operation. You could argue all day about which phone is more powerful, but to be honest, both of these phones are as good as it gets in terms of cutting edge technology.
Even their screens are similar in quality, except for the fact that if you want to watch movies and play games, the HTC has a huge size advantage ver the iPhone. another HTC win comes in the Micro SD card slot, which means you can quickly and cheaply upgrade the phone’s storage capacity.
This could be a deal breaker in itself when you consider a pay-as-you-go iPhone with 64GB of internal memory costs a staggering £700! A micro SD card of similar volume will only cost a few month’s worth of iPhone insurance premiums in comparison.
Camera
When it comes to the camera, the iPhone is the clear winner. It’s better in daylight, low light and everything in between. The HTC does have some interesting effects though, and it’s a novel implementation of a smartphone camera.
Battery
The HTC does have a much larger battery than the iPhone, but it’s also a more power hungry phone to run. Expect both handsets to last an equal length of time.
Which Should You Buy?
If you watch movies or play games, the HTC is the better choice. The iPhone is quite overpriced for its size, despite packing in similar hardware specs. If you’re keen on keeping your phone size down, and you take a lot of photos, the iPhone is the better handset. Either way, you won’t be disappointed with either of these amazing smartphones.
Wendy Lin is a guest blogger and entrepreneur. She has spoken at many women's rights conferences and "women in the workplace" events.
