Over the past year or so, Google’s Android phones have really started to catch up with Apple’s iPhones. In part, this is due to an aggressive Android advertising campaign (then again, Apple spends more money than most companies on ads). Another reason why many people have begun to buy Android phones is that they’re comparable to the iPhone in many different ways.

One of the main reasons why consumers purchase smartphones is apps. Apps, it seems, make the world go around. There’s an app for finding your car, find looking up words, for helping you make your next meal – for really everything. Yet, Apple has always cornered the app market. Now that Google has come along, the questions is: how do Android apps match up to iPhone apps?

Android Has Free Apps

The title of this subsection is enough to gain attention. Android offers lots and lots of free apps. Seemingly, this is a positive thing. However, many of these apps may not be up to par. Since Android allows anyone to create an app, and offer it to all Android users, some apps may not be worth using at all. Of course, all Android apps are rated by users, which is one way to determine the worth of an Android app.

Apple, on the other hand, doesn’t offer as many free apps. It is possible to find some free apps through the iPhone App Store, though the majority of iPhone apps must be purchased. Some speculate that Google will begin adding price tags to apps within the near future, which would change the whole “free app” appeal. But, at the time of this writing, for now, Android apps are most of the free sort.

Organization Issues

Since Apple entered the app market first, buying apps from the iPhone App Store is a cinch. Apple has spent plenty of time setting up this store, so that you can have the app you want in minutes. This isn’t the case with the Android marketplace. Not that Android doesn’t have worthwhile apps (it does), but some people find it hard to, well, find apps through Android phones.

It helps to think of the Android app marketplace like a port during pirate times. Apps come and go, people add and delete apps, and all apps are up for grabs. Some apps are good, some are bad, and some are even created by Google. If you don’t mind wading the rocky waters, finding the Android apps that you want can be worth your time. Otherwise, you’ll find the iPhone App Store easier to use.

Choosing Between the Two Based on Apps

Gamers may find the iPhone far superior to Android phones. Social media marketers usually discover that Android phones have an edge over iPhones. Deciding between an Android phone and an iPhone really depends on what you want to get out of your apps. Android phones are better at some things while iPhones blow Android out of the water when it comes to others.

Here’s something else to keep in mind: Apple is constantly releasing a new version of the iPhone. At the time of this writing, the iPhone 4 had just been released. Rumor has it that the iPhone 5 is hot on its heels. What does this mean for the consumer? Not much other than the fact that Apple will fix all little glitches as it goes along. The drawbacks that are relevant today may not be so relevant tomorrow.