Android tablets have improved a lot in recent years. Still, I wouldn’t give up my iPad for an Android tablet. Android tablets may look better than the iPad on paper and offer great value for money, but they fall short in some key areas, leading to a poor user experience.
I don’t want to compromise on my iPad’s durable build quality
Apple products are known for their premium and durable build quality; iPads are no different. I got the iPad Air 4 soon after it launched in late 2020. Four years later, despite multiple drops and almost daily use, the tablet still feels new.
Even more impressive is how well my 2016 iPad Pro 9.7-inch has aged. Despite multiple drops and large dents on the body, the tablet doesn’t feel like it will break. I’ve never used an Android tablet before. I remember buying the Nexus 7 in 2013. Two years later, the tablet started breaking after a few drops. My three-year-old iPad is still faster than most Android tablets
I got an 11-inch iPad Pro with an M1 chip in late 2021. Even after three years, the tablet still feels new, with no signs of slowdown or lag. Apps open as fast as day one, all new and graphically intensive games run smoothly. That’s after the tablet has received three major OS updates, including the addition of Apple Intelligence with iPadOS 18.1.
On paper, it may seem that many Android tablets perform better than my M1 iPad Pro. The problem is that Android tablets don’t age as well as the iPad. The former start lagging and skipping frames during heavy use just a few months after purchase. Like other Apple products, iPads will perform just as well after a few years of use as when you bought them.
Android tablets don’t offer good battery life
Android tablets have improved dramatically in recent years. Still, they fall behind the iPad in terms of battery life. They mostly falter with their idle battery consumption, which is relatively high compared to iPads. Even after four years of regular use, I can come back from a week’s vacation and start using my iPad without needing to charge it.
This is not the case with Android tablets, as even when fully charged, their battery does not last long in standby mode.
Lack of quality apps and developer support
One problem that still lingers in the Android tablet ecosystem is the lack of quality apps and developer support. Even after so many years and Google’s effort to involve developers, there are not a lot of quality tablet-optimized Android apps.
I use several powerful apps like LumaFusion, Notability, and Procreate on my iPad almost daily. Final Cut Pro and DaVinci Resolve are also available for iPadOS, making it easy to edit videos like a pro when needed. These are in addition to the many streaming apps, all of which offer a better experience on the iPad than Android tablets.
If you’re an artist, you can use one of the many quality iPad apps to enhance your drawing skills. Such options are not available for Android tablets.
Better Software Support for iPad
Many of the best Android phones now promise up to seven years of OS updates and security patches. But Android tablets don’t get such long software support. The only exception is Samsung, which has promised up to seven years of updates for its latest Galaxy Tab S10 lineup. Otherwise, all other Android tablets get about three to four OS updates, including Google’s own Pixel Tablet.
In comparison, like the iPhone, Apple has provided iPadOS updates to the iPad for many years. For example, iPadOS 18 is compatible with the iPad mini 5th generation and the iPad 7th generation, which were launched in 2019. The best part is that they receive major iPadOS updates on the same day as the new iPad.
Since people generally keep their tablets longer than smartphones, they should also get longer software support. But that’s not the case, at least in the Android ecosystem.
My iPad supports a wide range of accessories
Apart from better hardware, the iPad also stands out for its wide range of accessories support. Even though my M1 iPad Pro is more than three years old, I can still find plenty of cases for it on Amazon. Try the same search for an Android tablet from a few years ago, like the Galaxy Tab S7 or S8. You’ll have a hard time finding quality options.
It’s not just about cases, though. There are plenty of other useful accessories available for the iPad, too, like magnetic screen protectors, styluses, portable keyboards, and more. As an Android tablet user, you won’t have as many options to choose from.