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Android and iOS have plenty of differences. Here are five places we think Apple is doing better than Google.

The internet is filled with words about Android and iOS and why one is better than the other. It makes for fun writing and reading because everyone likes to hear about why the thing they prefer is better than the thing they don't. but there are some important things each operating system does better than the other.

In a perfect world, Apple and Google would merge and the result (Gapple?) would make software with the best from both sides. Since that's never going to happen, let's look at five important things iOS does better than Android.

First read this: Five important things Android does better than iOS

Updates

The way Android and iOS are updated is very different. Google uses Play Services to handle many of the security and application compatibility parts of Android, and iOS updates don't include every feature for older models. But there is still no denying that updates are handled on iOS better than they are on Android.

Google is responsible because their name is tied to Android.

When Android is updated, only phones from Google that are currently supported can expect an update. Those phones are a very small portion of Android devices in the wild. It's difficult for Google to force another company to send an update because Google doesn't build Android: it only gives the source code to other companies who build it themselves. Once the code is updated Google can do no more.

That doesn't change the fact that most Android phones are using old software. It's the fault of the companies making the phones, but the blame will always fall on Google.

Junk apps

If you buy an iPhone from Verizon you won't have to hide the VZ Navigator app. The same can't be said for a Galaxy S8.

Step 1: Buy Android phone. Step 2: Try to delete all the carrier crap.

The small bits and pieces a phone needs to work on Verizon are built into iOS the same way they are built into Android. But the user-facing apps that you might not want use are not. Google has no say in how Samsung builds the software outside of the things required to use Google Play. That means Samsung and Verizon can make deals that leave you with junk you don't want to use. It's easy to never use the apps and ignore them in the app drawer, but have a look at the data they collect and send back to Verizon, which is now free to sell it to anyone it likes. We're picking on Verizon, but the same goes for every carrier and their junky apps.

Google's phones work on any carrier and don't suffer from the bloatware, but that's because Google builds Android themselves for the Pixel. This one's another of those things Google isn't directly doing but it still gets blamed for because it is in charge of Android. That's part of running a show this big, G.

Support

AppleCare is legendary. When you have a problem with your iPhone you can just walk into an Apple store and have it taken care of (thus AppleCare). Because Android phones come from so many different companies, there is no equivalent on the Android side.

Not that the companies making the phones aren't offering something. They all have their own customer care department, and even the Pixel has a way that lets you talk to a real live human if you have an issue or need some help. Samsung is expanding a retail presence in the west, but it's not even close to the AppleCare experience.

One company is in charge of everything on an iPhone and it offers better support, period. This becomes an important factor when you're buying a phone that costs close to $1,000.

iMessage

Apple's iMessage is both the best and worst messaging app to ever be created. It's a seamless process out of the box that lets you send texts or messages with rich content without installing anything. But it only works on Apple devices.

Green Bubble shaming can also work on the platform with 85% of the market.

Google has tried and failed at recreating this time after time. The biggest reason is that it wants a solution that works everywhere on everything, not just Android. The Hangouts app was able to do it, but the clunky interface and need to manually install it meant most people using Android weren't hanging out and Google is pushing it away from the consumer side. Allo is a great experience between two Android phones but doesn't include SMS so you can only talk to people who use Allo. And both apps were a tough sell to iPhone users because they have iMessage and it already works.

Google, please forget iOS for once and just make a messaging app that works great on Android and Chrome OS. Toss in a great Chrome extension for desktop users if you can and call it gold. Then force companies like Samsung to include it and put the icon on the home screen so people know it's there. Some things are worth fighting the EU over. You already have a good start with Allo.

Security and privacy

Apple collects data from everyone who uses iOS and does a good job of keeping it anonymous and in-house. Google does the same, regardless of what you might read from other places. But Android has some serious issues when it comes to security and privacy.

Updates are part of the problem. Your Pixel is probably protected against some random data-stealing exploit the latest botnet is pushing across the internet. Your BlackBerry does, too. But any other model — including the ones that sell by the tens of millions and drive Android's market share — might not. Google taking good care of your data doesn't matter when hackers get your bank login because you were tricked into installing something that old software allows.

Google understands internet security and privacy but some of that knowledge seems lost when it comes to Android.

Which brings us to the second part: permissions. Android does a good job at letting you decide what an app can and can't do, but it does a horrible job explaining what those permissions really mean. When an app can create accounts on your phone or read your identity you really deserve some explanation about why and how. A good developer will tell you why and how on their store page in Google Play. A good Google would force every developer to do the same then check to make sure they are telling the truth.

Sometimes being in charge of a thing means you have to have a firm hand. This is one of those times for Google. Strict rules for developers to follow if they use Google's store might cause an uproar on Stack Exchange, but it's better for users who aren't aware of how these things work. Those users are who security and privacy controls should be targeted at.

There are plenty of subjective reasons to like one over the other when it comes to Android versus iOS. But when it comes to core services and the way things are handled, there are some things Apple is doing better than Google. These are just five of them that we would like to see Google address as they continue to develop Android.

A better iOS means a better Android as developers on both sides are forced to fight for our attention.

Watching videos is better on Chrome when you use these browser extensions!

Chrome is a great browser, but it's the apps and extensions that really make Chrome shine brighter than the competition.

If you're addicted to watching videos — whether on YouTube, Netflix, or any other video service — we've got a collection of great Chrome apps and extensions designed to enhance your experience.

Update, April 19, 2017: We've added Video Resumer, and Floating for YouTube.

• Turn Off the Lights
• Google Cast
• VideoStream for Google Chromecast
• Flix Plus by Lifehacker
• Magic Actions for YouTube
• FasTube
• VideoResumer
• Floating for YouTube

Turn Off the Lights

There's a reason why movie theaters turn off all the lights once the movie begins. Outside light can be distracting when you're watching video.

Turn Off the Lights brings a touch of that cinema experience to YouTube, Vimeo, Hulu, and others by dimming everything in the browser window except for the video.

Once you've added the extension to Chrome, simply click the lightbulb icon next to the address bar when you're on a video page and everything other than the video will dim to near-black. This is a fantastic feature if you're the type to watch videos at night in a darkened room, when the brightness from the white background is most glaring. When you're done watching your video, simply click the lightbulb icon again and the page returns to normal.

See at Chrome Web Store

Google Cast

If we're talking about Chrome and video, it's impossible to avoid mentioning Chromecast — it's the handiest little disc that lets you connect your smartphone or Chrome browser to your TV via HDMI.

Google Cast is a must-have extension if you've got a Chromecast (and you should really get a Chromecast). It allows you to connect and stream content from your Chrome tab quick and easy to your TV. You can use it to help increase your productivity by using multiple screens, or use it to decrease your productivity by streaming YouTube or Netflix. The choice is yours, Google Cast just provides the options.

See at Chrome Web Store

VideoStream for Google Chromecast

As mentioned, one of the coolest features for Chrome is it's integration with Chromecast via Google Cast.

VideoStream for Google Chromecast takes that feature and builds on it by converting your chrome tab into an app that allows you to load and stream local videos from your computer and stream them wirelessly to your TV.

Once you've got the app installed in Chrome, you'll find it in the Apps menu just below the Back and Forward buttons. Launch VideoStream in a new tab and you're able to load up videos from your computer or external hard drive directly into a video player in Chrome, which then allows you to cast that tab via Chromecast to your TV.

It works like magic, and means you'll no longer have to deal with HDMI cables and adapters when you want to stream video from your computer to your TV.

See at Chrome Web Store

Flix Plus by Lifehacker

If you're addicted to watching Netflix on your computer, then you need to check out Flix Plus by Lifehacker.

It adds a bunch of really cool features that you'll appreciate, such as integration with Rotten Tomatoes, IMDb, and Wikipedia for ratings and information, the ability to watch a random episode from a show you love, and enhancements to browsing that include moving "My List" to the top of the page and fading out shows and movies you've already watched or rated.

But arguably Flix Plus' best feature is how it hides spoiler content from episode thumbnails and synopses — especially important for when you're watching a show for the first time. When you're looking at a show's episode list, all the thumbnail images and episode info will be blurred out and only viewable when you mouse over them. If you're serious about avoiding spoilers when you're watching a TV show, this feature alone makes Flix Plus a real winner.

See at Chrome Web Store

Magic Actions for YouTube

Looking to get more out of your YouTube experience? Magic Actions is jam packed with handy features that make YouTube easier to use.

With the extension added, you'll see a new row of buttons just below the video window that allow you to control and customize all sorts of features for YouTube.

Some of the most notable features include the ability to control the video volume using your mouse scroll wheel, set YouTube to autoplay in HD whenever applicable, Cinema Mode, hide ads, automatically turning off those annoying video annotations — and that's just scratching the surface.

Definitely worth taking a look, however you are required to install the Click&Clean Chrome App as well during set up. The good news is you can easily remove the app after setting up Magic Actions.

See at Chrome Web Store

FasTube

Sometimes you just want the video and nothing else. FasTube hears you, and delivers just the video — with faster load times!

As the name implies (FasTube... Fast Tube...), by loading only the video in a pop up window and ignoring the comments, thumbnails and everything else, makes videos load way faster. Like… stupid fast.

All you have to do is click the video's thumbnail image and BAM! The video pretty much instantly plays. FasTube also provides its own version of cinema mode, a button for rotating the video, and a button for sharing. The one thing you'll have to get used to is the pop up window, which will close the video instantly if you click anywhere else on the tab.

Oh, and if you want to see the description, comments, and related videos, all you have to do is click the video title. Pretty dang handy.

See at Chrome Store

Video Resumer

YouTube has tons of great content, and while there is plenty of bite-sized video, they also have some gems of longer documentaries. If you don't manage to finish the entire video in a single sitting, it can be hard to remember precisely where you left off. This extension does the work for you, resuming your videos where you stopped them, and not a moment sooner.

See at Chrome Store

Floating for YouTube

Floating for YouTube means that you'll never have to wonder where your YouTube video is playing. Instead of being a nested tab, it allows you to pop out and size the window that YouTube plays in. This is a great way to keep from losing YouTube when you have 20 tabs open and one of them is playing music.

Did we miss any killer extensions?

These are the best we could find, but maybe we missed something amazing. Share in the comments!

Instagram gets an offline mode to better serve customers in emerging markets.

Instagram crossed 600 million users back in December, with a majority of its customers located outside the U.S. In a bid to make the app a more enticing option in emerging markets, Instagram is taking a leaf out of Facebook's playbook by rolling out an offline mode.

Instagram's Android app will now let you browse content that's previously downloaded in your feed, giving you the ability to like, save, and comment on posts and unfollow users even while you're offline. The changes will be synced to Instagram's servers the next time you go online.

Profiles you've visited are also available in offline mode, as are cached versions of the Explore tab and your own profile. The functionality is designed to make Instagram easier to use in developing countries, where cellular data isn't always reliable. For now, Instagram's Stories feature needs an active internet connection, but with the company looking to add more functionality to offline mode in the coming months, we'll be hearing more soon.

Location services are the handiest smartphone feature to have on in the case of an emergency.

Last weekend, my mother totaled her car of 18 years. She's fine, though she came out with a few scratches because of how tightly the seat belt had buckled her in during the impact. And though we're still mourning the loss of a car we had made so many memories with, I also can't help but think about how thankful I am for location sharing. If it wasn't for this simplistic little smartphone feature, my husband and I may not have located her as quickly as we did.

We had used our smartphones to fill in the blanks where our brains could not.

My mother's voice was noticeably shaky when she had initially called us after the crash. I could tell she was struggling to hold back tears over the loss of her beloved car as it lay in front of her, wrecked beyond repair. I wanted to get to her as quickly as possible to comfort her and to get her out of the rain storm that had made the roads so perilous to drive on in the first place.

My husband had asked her for landmarks around where the impact had happened so that we could drive out to pick her up, but she was having a difficult time orienting herself. That's when I remembered that the Verizon's Messages+ app on my mom's Galaxy S6 Edge offers a native "drop pin" functionality that sends your approximate location in a text message. "Send me your location!" I shouted over the phone. She knew exactly what I meant. I had her coordinates within minutes, complete with a link to Google Maps.

My mother's text message to me with her location information.

It took us twenty minutes to get to her and, thankfully, a tow truck and the California Highway Patrol were already with her when we arrived. As my husband drove us home in silence, I could only think about how thankful I was that we were able to get to her so quickly. We had used our smartphones to fill in the blanks where our brains — effectively stunned by the emotion of the situation — could not. This very simple smartphone trick kept our family connected in a time of relative crisis.

What a smashed 18-year-old car looks like.

How to keep loved ones privy to your whereabouts

Google Maps offers a helpful new location sharing feature that keeps whoever you want privy to your whereabouts. If you've updated the app recently, you'll see an option in the menu to share your location. Tap it, and you can choose which friends and family members with Google accounts to share your location with.

Look for this feature next time you open up Google Maps.

Why not also rely on Google Maps to keep me informed of whether my family is doing okay?

I'd understand if you wouldn't want to broadcast your location to everyone at all times, but surely there's one person who wouldn't mind tuning into your whereabouts from time to time — at the very least to ensure you're safe. At present, I've only shared my location with my husband, but I plan to teach both my parents how to turn on this ability on their respective devices over Easter weekend so that I can keep track of them. I certainly hope something like this doesn't happen again anytime soon, but I want us to be prepared in the event of another emergency.

I often hear lamenting from smartphone users about how location services are such a battery suck, and I don't deny that's an unfortunate setback of having the ability always turned on. But I'm already relying on Google Maps throughout the day to get me to where I'm going. Why not also rely on it to keep me informed of whether my family is doing okay?

Google Photos can do more than just store and edit your photos.

Google Photos is great app for storing, sharing, and even editing the photos that you take with your phone. It isn't all business here though, and you can also use Google Photos' Assistant feature to create new collages, animations, and movies. These features are fairly small, but they're fun and easy to use.

How to create a new Collage

Collages are created by choosing between two and nine different photos. After you've chose the ones that you like the most, Google will put them together in a collage for you, They're super simple to create, since all you need to do is choose the photos, and if you don't like the way that the collage comes out, you can always choose not to save it.

1. Open Google Photos.
2. Tap the icon for Assistant in the lower left corner of your screen.

3. Tap the purple Collage icon near the top of your screen.

   

4. Choose the photos you want in your collage.
5. Tap Create in the upper right corner of your screen.

How to create a new animation

Animations are created from a bunch of different photos, but unlike a collage, you won't be seeing them all side by side. Instead one photos will shift to the next, and so on. You can add anywhere between 2 and 50 photos to an animation, and they work really well if you have a bunch of action shots that you have taken. It will take the photos you have chosen and essentially combine them all into a single animation that will move swiftly from one photo to the next. So it essentially lets you create a GIF where you decide on the images in the frame.

1. Open Google Photos.
2. Tap the icon for Assistant in the lower left corner of your screen.

3. Tap the blue Animation icon near the top of the screen.

   

4. Choose the photos you would like in your animation.
5. Tap Create in the upper right corner of your screen.

How to create a new movie

The third option that Google gives you is to create a movie and that's where things get a little bit more complicated. It works essentially the same way as creating a collage, or animation, except that there are far more moving parts that you can choose to mess with. First you'll want to select up to 50 photos or videos for you to use in your new movie. Next you'll get to name your film, and choose a filter to overlay your movie, and there are tons of options from Lo-FI to 8MM, to vintage. It automatically has music which you can change choosing from theme music or tunes you've saved onto your phone.

1. Open Google Photos.
2. Tap the icon for Assistant in the lower left corner of your screen.

3. Tap the green Movie icon on the upper right of your screen.

   

4. Choose the photos or videos you want in your movie.
5. Name your movie.
6. Choose a filter for your movie.

Are you using this features?

Google has packed roughly a ton of features into Google Photos, and that includes being able to create collages, animations, and movies. If you're a fan of sharing your memories this a great way to do it in a unique, and less spammy sort of way. It's also just fun, truth be told. So will you be taking advantage of these features? Let us know about it in the comments below!

If you're not using a password manager and two-step authentication, you're most likely doing things wrong.*

This 4-minute video may change your life. Or at least convince you that strong passwords and two-factor authentication are a must.

Oh, wait. You already use a password manager? You already have 2FA on all your accounts? Great. But chances are you know someone who doesn't. And you have got to share this video with them. We're to the point that these basic security measures are a must. (Don't believe me? Ask this guy.)

Subscribe to Modern Dad on YouTube!

Some MUST-HAVE links that go along with this little rant:

• Password managers for Android.
• Sites and services with two-factor auth.

Repeat: Strong, unique passwords and two-factor authorization are two of the most important things you can do online.

See also: How and why you should use encrypted messaging

*Unless you're one of those people who has a crazy sort of brain that can do a one-time password sort of thing mentally. In which case remind me to buy you a beer and never ask how you do such a thing.

Google Photos puts control of your photos in your own hands.

Google Photos makes accessing and sharing your photos from one place easier than ever. That isn't all it's here to do here, it also works very hard to organize all of your photos into albums, and easily manage who can see which photos. These albums let you easily share important moments with friends, as well as keeping more private moments for your eyes only.

• Create a new album
• Create a shared album
• Add photos to a shared albums
• Remove access to a shared album
• Adjust the sharing settings for a shared album

Create a new album

Albums help to keep all your photos organized. Some folks like to save albums of specific events so they can find all the photos from their last family gathering, while others prefer to have larger albums that encompass entire seasons or years. It doesn't matter how you prefer to organize your photos, so long as you know how to create an album when you need it. While Google does a good job automatically arranging your photos, these are mostly by date which can make it difficult to find the specific photo you are looking for. When you create a new album, you'll see the dates of photos in it, along with other pertinent info.

1. Open Google Photos.
2. Tap the overflow icon that looks like three vertical dots in the upper right corner of your screen.

3. Tap Album.

   

4. Choose the photos you want in your new album by tapping on them.
5. Tap Create in the upper right corner of your screen.
6. Give your album a name.

Create a shared album

Shared albums are a unique feature that easily allows you to share your photo with anyone of your choice. When you create these albums, you get to decide who else has access to them. Creation is nearly identical to a normal album, save for the part where you share them with other people.

1. Open Google Photos.
2. Tap the overflow icon that looks like three vertical dots in the upper right corner of your screen.

3. Tap shared album.

   

4. Choose the photos you want in your new shared album by tapping on them.
5. Tap Next in the upper right corner of your screen.

6. Give your album a name.

   

7. Tap Share in the upper right hand corner of your screen
8. Choose who or where you'd like to share the album.
9. Tap Send to invite people to view your album.

Add photos to a shared album

For some shared albums, you may want to add more photos to them as time pass. When you do need to add new content to the albums you have shared with friends and family, it's a very easy process. Additionally, every person that you have shared an album with can choose to receive notifications when you add new photos to this album.

1. Open Google Photos.
2. Tap the album icon at the bottom right of your screen.

3. Tap Shared to open all shared albums.

   

4. Tap on the shared album you want to add photos to.
5. Tap the photo icon at the upper right of your screen.
6. Tap the **photos you wish to add to the album.
7. Tap Done in the upper right corner of your screen**.

Remove access to a shared album

There are times during which you may end up cutting ties with folks who have access to certain albums. If this happens, or you want to remove someone's access to a shared album, it's a very easy process. This means that no matter who you have shared your photos with, you can revoke that access. This is just another way that Google puts control over your photos directly into your hands. Just remember that you are deleting the shared album and revoking access to everyone who has access to it. Don't get scared though, because all of those photos will still be available from within the app.

1. Open Google Photos.
2. Tap the album icon at the bottom right of your screen.

3. Tap Shared to open all shared albums.

   

4. Tap the overflow icon that looks like three vertical dots to the right of the album you want to revoke access to.
5. Tap Delete share.

Adjust the sharing settings for shared albums

While sharing an album is quite easy to do, it isn't just a one click option. You get to decide how much control the folks you share your albums with get when they see your photos. You can access a link to share photos with, allow other users to add photos to the album, and lets others comment on your photos. You can also see every person who has access to view the photos in this album, and block them if you want to keep the album but remove access for a single person.

1. Open Google Photos.
2. Tap the album icon at the bottom right of your screen.

3. Tap Shared to open all shared albums.

   

4. Tap the overflow icon in the upper right corner of the screen.
5. Tap Sharing options.

6. Use the toggle switch to allow others to add photos to this album.

   

7. Use the toggle switch to allow others to comment on this album.
8. Tap Copy link, to copy a link to share your album.

9. Use the toggle switch to turn off sharing for this album.

   

10. Tap the overflow icon next to a user's name.
11. Tap Block person, to revoke access to your album.

Conclusion

Google Photos gives you tons of options for sharing and managing the photos that you've taken using albums. You can create new albums, and shared albums, along with tweaking just who can see and interact with the photos that you share. Are you a fan of using albums? Is there a trick that we missed for managing your albums? Be sure to drop us a comment below and let us know all about it!