Android is the most popular mobile operating system in the world. But with that notoriety comes a lot of myths and misconceptions about Android.
Android is the world’s most popular Smartphone operating system. But however Android’s widespread popularity, people pick up to catch a number of misconceptions about Android.
Some of these misconceptions are harmless, while others certainly influence Android sales in a negative way.
Here are common misconceptions and myths about Android:
1. Android is too complicated for newcomers
A common misconception about the Android operating system is that it’s too complex for newcomers — either to Android or to the smartphone world as a whole — to learn to use. It’s a myth that’s been around for a long time, and perpetuated by everyone from anonymous online commenters to top tech executives. Back in 2011, for instance, former Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer said in an interview, “You don’t need to be a computer scientist to use a Windows Phone. I think you do to use an Android phone.”
But the credibility of the argument falls away when you consider the fact that the majority of smartphone users around the world use Android. Would Android really be the world’s most popular operating system if it were truly counterintuitive for users learning to use it? While there might be a learning curve to figuring out how to take advantage of Android’s most advanced apps and settings, especially if you’re used to iOS or haven’t had a smartphone before, it’s an easy operating system to get started with. If you’re assuming that Android is too difficult for you to figure out, you’re insulting your own intelligence (and underestimating the informative power of a Google search and an online tutorial or two).
2. Your Android phone will inevitably be infected by malware
There’s no doubt that malware exists and there are plenty of people trying to infect your smartphone, but for the average user Android is secure enough. It’s not difficult or complicated to protect yourself from threats. Every app that is installed on Android has to ask for permissions and you can review them before you decide whether to install.
If you feel like that’s too much hassle then there’s a very simple alternative. Start by installing a security app, the independent security institute, AV Test, does a regularly updated report on the best options and most of them are free. Don’t go outside of Google Play for apps, most malware comes from third-party stores or other sources. Since it takes time to identify malware you can drastically reduce your risks by not downloading the newest apps, stick to things with plenty of reviews and download numbers. Apply the same common sense you would browsing the web on your computer – don’t click on suspicious links or open suspicious email attachments. Don’t root your phone.
3. Android looks the same on every smartphone
Android is an open-source operating system. That means anybody can edit Android, manufacturers choose to do so in various ways. Before releasing a device, companies like Reliance might install various Reliance-related apps, like a music player or browser, for example. While the same Android apps experience is maintained, those who use a Reliance Galaxy S3 will have a different experience than those who use best Android apps on a device like the Nexus 4. Apple has changed Android software to a point where it’s really unrecognizable on its line of Apple has changed Android to a point where it’s really unknowable on its line of fire. But yes, fire run Android.. But yes, fire run Android.
4. Android has more performance issues than iOS
Another persistent myth about Android is that the operating system and the apps built for it suffer from significantly more performance issues than the software on rival platforms. While early versions of Android did lag and crash from time to time, so does any mobile operating system. It’s true that you’re more likely to encounter bugs immediately after updating to a new version of the operating system, or after downloading a new build of an app, simply because it can take a little while for developers to catch and remedy early bugs.
One of the reasons that the myth of annoying Android performance issues persists is that a number of different factors contribute to those issues, and users don’t always understand everything involved. Underpowered hardware, excessive manufacturer customizations to the software, as well as third-party apps that aren’t well-optimized can all make you think that Android is prone to lags and crashes. But if you’re using an up-to-date device and reputable apps, then you shouldn’t have any more issues on Android than you would on iOS.
5. None of the good apps go to Android first
While some apps certainly do arrive on iOS first, the assertion that none of the apps worth having arrive on Android first is just untrue. There are many developers who prefer to create Android apps, and focus most of their energy on creating great apps for Google’s platform and the huge numbers of users with Android smartphones. Apps by most major companies arrive on both iOS and Android at the same time, and are updated on similar schedules. And when apps are released on iOS first, and Android second, the lag between the two is often significantly shorter than it used to be.
Additionally, many apps that are built for Android never arrive on iOS, since iOS apps don’t have all of the same capabilities that Android apps do. Developers build many apps that are uniquely well-suited to Android, and wouldn’t be as useful or as capable on iOS. Additionally, while lots of developers prefer iOS to Android, many other developers prefer Android to iOS. The nature of the two operating systems, and the programming languages needed to develop for the platforms, are very different, and it’s inaccurate to assume that the developers behind all of the best apps prioritize iOS above Android.
6. You have to use Google services to use Android
While Google services, like Google Maps, Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Calendar are all very useful on Android or elsewhere, you don’t have to use them to get the most out of an Android smartphone. One of the great things about Android is that it’s very customizable, so if there are apps and services you prefer to the ones made by Google, you can place their icons in prominent places on your smartphone.
Every smartphone you’re considering buying will come with the manufacturer’s preferred service on the home screen and elsewhere throughout the phone. But with the wide assortment of excellent apps and cloud-enabled services out there, you’re free to choose services from a wide number of other companies if you’re willing to spend a little time setting everything up when you first take your phone out of the box.
7. Charging your android phone overnight is dangerous
Charging your phone overnight is not dangerous given that your phone doesn’t get hot while charging. Modern batteries go to around 80% very fast and then the charging rate slows down and after reaching 100% the circuit breaks and the battery doesn’t charge for some time , until it reaches 97-98% after that it starts charging again. So there is no risk of overcharging your android Phone!
7 Common Misconceptions about Android
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