Android Devices
iPad 2 vs. Android tablets: who’s winning? [Comparison Chart]
March 2, 2011 | by Andrew Kameka
Tablets
Steve Jobs has done it again. At the iPad2 unveiling today, Jobs took several shots at Android, belittling the Samsung Galaxy Tab and the handful of tablet-specific apps available for Honeycomb. Was this just another classic case of Apple misrepresenting the state of competition or are Android tablets really that far behind the iPad?
The App Store currently boasts 65,000 iPad-designed apps, which is more than 100 or so applications built specificly for Android 3.0. But that number will surely increase in time. Heck, we’ve already seen how fast the Android Market accelerated its app growth, so the gulf between the two tablet platforms will not be so wide for long.
Before anyone uses apps, there’s still the matter of in-store decisions of which tablet best suits the user. How does the iPad2 stack up against the Motorola Xoom, LG Optimus Pad (G-Slate), and Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1? Below is a short comparison chart that shows the most basic specs of each device (or at least what we are able to compare based on confirmed information). Expect to see this chart updated once more information is released on each device.
Click image to expand iPad vs. Android chart
Beyond the chart, let’s consider which product has the right amount of tiger blood to claim supremacy in the tablet wars (note: I promise that will be my last Charlie Sheen reference). Android tablets still have a shot because they may offer things that the iPad 2 doesn’t. The Optimus Pad (G-Slate) supports shooting 3D videos, the Motorola Xoom will be the first 10-inch tablet to support Adobe Flash, and the Galaxy Tab 10.1 – while lacking a truly distinguishing feature – has a great form factor and could succeed with the right price.
I’m slightly disappointed that it even comes to this because Android should have walked away with the crown months ago. Worse yet, Android tablets are still held back by carrier requirements and not available in a Wi-Fi only mode, while Apple release the Wi-Fi and AT&T or Verizon 3G models at the same time.
I fully expect the tech-oriented person to strongly consider one of the Android 3.0 tablets, but the average consumer will probably look to Apple simply because of its marketing power. While Motorola ads spit out specs of which 90 percent of people probably have no contextual understanding, Apple focuses on real-world use-cases. Android tablet makers need to focus on the areas in which it may be able to outpace the iPad – 4G/LTE support, unique form factors, etc. – and maybe we’ll see more Xoom’s on the street than people expect.
Why does everyone keep forgetting that when Ice Cream is released there will be no difference in tablet and phone apps. Most devs will just add the needed code to their current app and boom its a tablet app. The whole thing is a marketing pitch I expect Google to punch clean through at Google I/O.
What does the fragments api have to do with Ice Cream? The ability to take an app and make it work on phones and tablets was added with the Honeycomb SDK and it supports devices as far back as 1.6.
A few years ago…Steve Jobs has done it again. At the iPhone unveiling today, Jobs took several shots at Android, belittling the G1 and the handful of apps available for Android…
and the rest is history….i like that.
You should add a line comparing 3G to 4G difference between the models. That is a potential big selling point of the Xoom over the iPad2 in my book.
The price is the only thing that the consumer cares about, and unfortunately, the iPad2 will win the first round…
Not really. Only if you don't compare the iPad against other comparable products. If you get the 32 GB iPad 3G (like the Xoom), it costs $729 vs. Xoom's $799 (BestBuy prices). But when the Xoom comes with USB port, HDMI output, and SD card slot, forcing you to buy those things for your iPad ($30 + $30 + $15-$20), the price is $10 in favor of the Xoom. And that doesn't even consider that the iPad will only connect to your TV using a VGA adapter – when the Xoom uses HDMI. VGA is soooo 2005 – as are black turtle necks!
Black turtle necks are 60s and 70s mate. And they are a statement of a more individualistic character that isn't the hallmark of present times droid-like times. The tight-fit, being up to the neck, are aesthetic qualities emphasising certainty, assertiveness, and a stand against the bourgeois tie-noosed outfits. That said, your calculations are spot on. Good one! My recent post My great respects to the Blacks of america On Racism
I'm in the market for a tablet myself, and while I'm slightly torn, I'm pretty sure I'll end up getting the iPad2 over any of the current Android-based options. I say this as a huge Android geek who spends hours each week installing custom ROMs and otherwise having an awesome time screwing around with my phone. I'll regret not being able to do that with my iPad — I'll particularly regret not being able to replace the (lame) iPad onscreen keyboard with something more high-functioning. OTOH, a tablet is (at least) three times the price of a phone, and with that in mind I kind of want to be able to count on regular software upgrades and solid manufacturer support. With my phone, keeping it up to date means running an endless stream of slightly buggy 3rd-party OS versions, something or other not working at any given time, inconsistent app compatibility, all the usual drawbacks. Which, again, are not particularly bothersome for a phone. But I'm finding I just want a bit more from a tablet. Not to mention the app availability issue. Yeah, the Android market will no doubt be loaded with awesome tablet apps 18 months from now, but I'm buying a tablet now, not late 2012. Now, all that said, it's going to be a few months before I pull the trigger. If in the meantime the Motorola Xoom flops hard in overall sales and the price drops by half, my mind is well open to being changed.
will there be wifi only version of these tabs ? and why apple is allowed to sell wifi only but not android ?
There is always a lot of enthusiasm when popular tech products come out. After a couple of weeks things start to cool down. With that said the fact is as far as technology goes, the iPad 2 is behind the most popular Android 3.0 tablets that are coming out. So if you want things like, USB connection, SD card, higher quality cameras and so on, you have only one route to go. But then comes the price consideration. Apple is trying their best to sell the idea that their iPad 2 offers the right performance increase at the right price. But if we consider that a vast number of Android 3.0 devices will be in the market with lots of options to choose for and competing for your attention, than it is easy to see that there will be Android 3.0 tablets withe about the same specs and price as the iPad 2. So what will really make people decide going the iPad 2 or Android 3.0 is the platform characteristics. And in that area you eighter choose the iPad because there are more apps ready to go or Android 3.0 because its open and more customizable. I would go with Android 3.0 because in ma opinion is more future proof but as everyone I'll wait for the devices to arrive to make the right decision.
The only reason that the iPad/iphone/etc…comes out on top is because 1) They are always first out the gate 2) Advertising That's all. Steve is a master at marketing to the avg Joe knowing that all they want is pretty and fast and that they want it NOW. Not coming soon, not 2 months or 6 month or at some trade show…NOW. Why no other company realizes this is baffling. If all these Coming Soon "iPad Killers" stopped talking about how awesome they were and actually put their products on the shelves first the iPad would not be as popular as it is now and will be in the coming years. The spec talk and comparison means nothing (thought I do love them)and only matter to the techies out there who,IMO make up a small percentage when compared to the avg Joe. But hey I have been ranting about this since the iPad came out and it took competitors almost 1 year to put anything (that can compete) in B&M stores. Galaxy Tab, EXOPC, Adam, HP500….the list continues Its tiresome reading about people complaining or comparing products to the iPad bc all the blah blah websites say about the iPad is only more advertising for the iPad bc when a company says my product is an "iPad Killer" they are just basically saying I made a product to simply compete with the iPad not make a better product. Stop comparing and release the damn thing in less than a month. …..Sorry had to rant. Feel free to remove this post. Current owner of EXOPC tablet, NexusOne Phone, and a soon to be (whenever a non-carrier branded 10+in Honeycomb tablet with SD that allows me to watch flash, and play any media file I wish w/o conversion (hence the reason for the Win7 tablet)) android tablet. Love Your site BTW.
The main drawback of iPad for me is low screen resolution. In that respect any Honeycomb-based Android tablet beats it. I _am_ frustrated by the fact the none of the Honeycomb tablets is currently available in WiFi only version. At this time it looks like Honeycomb has a lot of rough edges. This might be the reason why it's not heavily promoted by Verizon. When Google pushes an update we'll likely see more marketing efforts from both the device manufacturers and network operators. Once all that happens the applications, including ActionComplete, will start trickling in. Borys Burnayev actioncomplete.com GTD for Android and Web My recent post How to Transition to ActionComplete 2
Apple has a huge advantage with pricing. Not only does the iPad 2 have 6 pricing options but now the iPad 1 is cheaper. And that comes with an established ecosystem. Apps, support, upgrades…these are all guaranteed when you purchase an iPad. I'm not 100% positive that I'm going to see great support when I purchase a Samsung Galaxy Tablet. That upgrades are going to come timely (if at all). Are they just going to ditch said tablet once their new one comes out in 6 months? And what about the apps? I'm expected to shell out $800 for Xoom, that has a meager app selection (still no Netflix! come on!) and wait until they fill up. I don't have to do that with the iPad. The apps are there now. I'm certainly not chained to Apple, and am willing to buy an Android device (I have a G2), but I'm not impressed (overall) by what's offered. A sharper screen doesn't mean anything when I can't even get Netflix on it or use all the apps I love on my iPad.
The reason why ipad has a wide pricing option is to get around and profit from their not providing memory card slots. That way, they can make more per gigabyte than if people were to use memory cards. It is a screw-the-people-for-profits strategy. If it is an advantage, it is an advantage to Apple, not to the customer who will simply try to make the best of a bad situation by 'upsizing' or buying connectors. Either way, Apple gains, at the expense of the customer. The ignorance of the latter might engender bliss, but that doesn't absolve them of the loss. My recent post What the ipad 2 has in common with a high society whore
For me it's very simple.. if I'm shelling out over $600 for a tablet to sit around in various areas and be able to surf the web and watch netflix/hbo, then it better be able to do both those things. Right now, Android just doesn't do that. It's annoying as hell, because I really wanted the Xoom to be better than the iPad 2 (so I could just go fully android with my droid x and xoom), but how could they release their signature tablet without netflix, hbo go or any other really good media options? Unless they announce netflix and/or hbo go support in the next 10 days, I'll be sporting an iPad 2 and hoping that Google/Android manufacturers can get their act together in the next 12-18 months before it's time for me to upgrade.
Use an iPad. Go and use one. They are very well done. The specs don't matter. The attention to immediate user interface performance and quality of interaction is what matters for these devices. Does android really get there?
First off specs do matter or people wouldn't be comparing them ill give it to Apple for there products. But when it comes to the OS that's more personal preference Apple for less techy and less customization on UI you have icons that's it my girl has iPhone 4 and I have the HTC Evo,nexus S,and Nokia and she on my evo more than here iPhone because of the better keyboard and Adobe flash ect…… I wouldn't worry apps trust me app dev. are working on apps for honeycomb as right now I would give it a couple of weeks before buying a tablet and no matter what if u get a ipad2 ,xoom or Samsung usb 10.1 there will be better device on its way wait til 3D tabs come out personally I think android or window is better Apple kept it to simple for too long they gotta make a big change or I guess its for not tech save people and for followers and not leaders lol j/k or not
While the Xoom is obviously better than the iPad in raw specs, it's not *so* much better as to make up for the fact that, just like every other Android device released so far, it's going to get one or at most two major software upgrades before being essentially abandoned by its manufacturer inside of a year. For a $600-900 gadget, this takes off the luster a bit. The iPad, on the other hand, will be regularly updated for years. I have a friend with a three year old iPhone that's still getting full-version OS upgrades right along with the newer iPhones. An Android tablet would have to either be waaaay better specs-wise or waaaay cheaper to overcome that particular advantage.
Phew, I bet it's impossible to ever have a debate without it turning into a flamewar. I'm looking forward to a dual-review of the two tablets, once their both out in the open.
Actually they are both winning because they are playing in different games! If you do not realize that then your depth of knowledge about each OS and its capabilities is greatly circumscribed by popular generalizations in news and advertising media.
the Cius is the only obvious choice as a tablet for business. From enterprise management to security, no matter what 3rd party apps and add-ons are spewed forth as afterthoughts to attempt to line up the iPad (Playbook, Touch, etc) with enterprise, the Cius is the clear answer. David Watts NYC Area IT Mgmt http://doingmorewithless.info/ for free Cius
iOS let's you add bookmarks to your home screen and iOS is more polished than Android.
I am torn between which to by a ipad2 or a tablet. I think I only want a ipad2 just be cause of its many apps, but many well to do tablets are cheaper. Even though an ipad2 seems like the best bet. I don't think I am willing to spend more on it then I spent on my 32" TV. ( which was on sale at walmart) So I guess you can say the big deal with me is the price. Hopefully the ipad2 will go on sell soon…..
I do not care about Ipads or tablets. If it is cheap I will buy it, no big deal!
Android Tablets are dropping like crazy now that Christmas is here. Kindle Fire will be on this list soon My recent post Motorola Xoom 2 Android Tablet Video
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