Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, has confessed to finding Android-based handsets hard work, but says they have plenty of advantages over the iPhone.
In a conversation with The Daily Beast website, Woz said that Android handsets worked better when it comes to voice commands and satellite navigation.
"My primary phone is the iPhone. I love the beauty of it. But I wish it did all the things my Android does, I really do," Woz said.When it comes to Siri, something that Wozniak said he had been using for a long time, it doesn't work as well as it used to now that it is on the iPhone 4S, he said.
"I used to ask Siri, 'What are the five biggest lakes in California?' and it would come back with the answer. Now it just misses. It gives me real estate listings. I used to ask, 'What are the prime numbers greater than 87?' and it would answer. Now instead of getting prime numbers, I get listings for prime rib, or prime real estate," he said.
Woz concedes that Android-based phones aren't as user-friendly as the iPhone, though. "If you're willing to do the work to understand it a little bit, well I hate to say it, but there's more available in some ways."
He also said that developers had a harder time creating apps for iOS than for Android because of Apple's approval process, another area where Android has an edge. He said that there is a danger Apple could see itself pushed to the margins in the mobile space much as it was in the desktop space by Microsoft.
Comments
David smith said: i like wozniak typical engineer just says what he thinksin a world of marketing double speak hes very refreshing
Alexander Stopher said: Finally- Apple are starting to realise
imaginarynumber said: Surely ecosystem implies trapped regardless of whoose ecosystem Granted the Apple one is one of the most closedUltimately the main problem with smartphones is that most people cant be bothered to learn how to use them Having a smartphone doesnt make one smartApple are guilty of allowing customers to be dumb validating their unwillingness to learn But in their defence all OS makers want to do the same thingSadly the simplifcation of OSes makes them even more complex and often leads to seemingly straight forward tasks becoming awfully complexIf Apple made cars- you would just jump inand select your destination People wouldnt bother to learn how to drive anymore because theiCar works pretty well that is until they need tobreak in an emergencybecause some dumb kid ran into the road in the wrong way
imaginarynumber said: IMO the most contentious part of the interview was him saying that the iPhone is pretty much the best option for people that are scared of technologySadly most sites incliding this one seem to not carry those quotes is this because you are scared of upsetting iPhone usersSorry Matt- putting you on the spot
Maccyroo said: Hardly endorsing the comments madeby the recently dear departed Mr Jobs about how Apple should spend the last cent in its considerably largebank accountson permanently killing of Android as in his view it was stolen technologyIt seems that on this particular point Mr Jobs was very much alone then