Overall winner
Each OS won three categories and there were four ties. Apple's operating system excelled in key areas of security and software upgradeability which helps to make it attractive for deployments. It's also got the edge when it comes to applications.
Android's strengths lie on the end-user side. Its Maps, Email/Calendar and Google Now applications are excellent and the OS offers levels of customisation not possible on iOS. Security is a concern and Google's updates are manufacturer and carrier dependent.
If we had to pick between iOS and Android we'd opt for an Apple device but only just.
This article was originally published on the 15/11/13 and was updated on the 19/08/14 to include the statistics on how many devices the mobile operating systems are available on.
Get the ITPro. daily newsletter
Sign up today and you will receive a free copy of our Focus Report 2025 - the leading guidance on AI, cybersecurity and other IT challenges as per 700+ senior executives