In a recent article about choosing the right tablet for you, I touched base on the need to consider your current tech/gadget ecosystem. With the on-going debates about “who is better” out of iOS (Apple), Android (Google) and Windows (Microsoft), I thought it would be helpful to knuckle down on what should really influence your decision when deciding on the right ecosystem for you and why.
It’s worth mentioning that not everybody feels the need to be tied in to an ecosystem. Some like using a “hybrid” model, where they may use an Android phone, iPad and Windows for an operating system. It’s not for everyone but it can work. For this post though, I wanted to focus on how to choose the right tech ecosystem for you.
Personal Preference
First thing’s first – when it comes to choosing the right tech ecosystem for you, personal preference takes precedence over everything. Forget specs, forget looks and forget opinions – the key influencer in your decision should be how you feel using the devices that brand/ecosystem has to offer.
The three big players (Apple, Google & Microsoft) have so much to offer but it all comes down to what you enjoy using and what gets the job done, for you.
Convenience & Seamless Experiences
Whether it’s receiving messages & photos or synchronising calendars & contacts – working within a unified ecosystem is convenient and offers a seamless experience across all devices.
I like being able to access all of my photos across my iDevices; the iPhone, iPad & MacBook Pro. I can only seamlessly do this by using iCloud technology within that ecosystem – so it works for me. In the same way, somebody using Android across their devices would benefit from seamless access to their Google Docs files.
Apps
This aspect of your decision should take in to account the apps you already use on your phone/tablet/computer. In a previous article about iTunes Match, I outlined that the service allows me to stream music across all of my devices with a single yearly subscription. This makes it cost-effective to have all of my devices under one platform.
Costs
Google’s Android is probably the most financially accessible platform on the market. The hardware is affordable and backward compatibility makes it an increasingly popular option. On the other hand, Apple is the more costly alternative as a result of high upfront costs and a lack of support for older software versions means you’ll need to upgrade more often.
So, you’ll need to carefully consider the financial viability of committing to more expensive ecosystems.
Upgradeability
If upgradeability is important to you then going with Windows or Android tends to be the better option, since Apple doesn’t have any expandable memory or directly replaceable batteries. When it comes to computers, this is once again the case, where Windows-based machines allow you to replace components with minimal effort.
Final Thoughts
As I mentioned in the intro, a unified ecosystem isn’t for everyone. Some people will prefer using devices from different brands and platforms but ultimately, if you’re after a seamless experience with access to your files across multiple devices, as well as making the most out of the resources available – ‘committing’ to a particular ecosystem may be for you.
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What are your thoughts? Are there any additional considerations you’ve had to make? Let us know in the comments section below.
