Groups > comp.sys.mac.advocacy > #136252

Re: Is there really only one thing that iOS can do that Android can't do?

From	Marion <marion@facts.com>
Newsgroups	comp.sys.mac.advocacy, misc.phone.mobile.iphone
Subject	Re: Is there really only one thing that iOS can do that Android can't do?
Date	2025-08-04 20:45 +0000
Organization	BWH Usenet Archive (https://usenet.blueworldhosting.com)
Message-ID	<106r65d$2aeb$1@nnrp.usenet.blueworldhosting.com> (permalink)
References	(2 earlier) <pLicnSKW2pP-SRL1nZ2dnZfqn_adnZ2d@supernews.com> <106ol6c$3b064$1@solani.org> <gzydnbR_LvT8YhL1nZ2dnZfqnPidnZ2d@supernews.com> <106p4vm$1u466$1@dont-email.me> <106r087$2afoi$2@dont-email.me>

Cross-posted to 2 groups.

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On Mon, 4 Aug 2025 12:04:39 -0700, sms wrote :


> I think that the one thing is MDM, (Mobile Device Management) which is 
> why many corporations, that provide company phones, use iPhones.
> 
> My wife's former employer (she's now retired), buys tens of thousands of 
> iPhones (and AirPods) for employees. The iPhones are locked down tight 
> due to HIPAA, using MDM. She had to carry a separate personal phone.
> 
> When she first started at that company they were using Nextel, which was 
> a nightmare because the employees frequently traveled to more remote 
> areas of the county where Nextel had no coverage.
> 
> Also, because of HIPAA, the Nextel PTT (Push To Talk) feature could not 
> be used (the employees used to call it PTA (Push To Annoy)). Then they 
> tried Sprint, after Sprint bought Nextel, but that was no better in 
> terms of coverage. Only AT&T and Verizon have adequate coverage in 
> Silicon Valley, so employees were often using their personal phones even 
> for work. Thankfully, the company eventually switched to Verizon.
> 
> I still recall my sister-in-law, who switched from a Samsung Android 
> phone to an iPhone, trying to set different volumes for ring and 
> notifications (which she needed to do at work) and me explaining to her 
> that the iPhone doesn't have that capability. She didn't believe me, and 
> went to an Apple store in the mall to the Genius Bar, where they told 
> her the same thing. iPhone sill lacks that capability, unless you 
> Jailbreak <http://aidyc.saurik.com/package/net.midkin.smartvolumemixer/> 
> or 
> <http://apt.thebigboss.org/onepackage.php?bundleid=com.brend0n.volumemixer&db=> 
> but I doubt if these still work.

It's refreshing that both Steve & badgolferman brought up highly advertised 
& therefore obvious iOS capabilities that seemingly don't exist on Android. 

I know nothing about MDM, so I looked it up, where it appears that MDM 
is alive & well on Android, through Android Enterprise, which includes: 
a. Zero-touch enrollment for large-scale deployments
b. Work profiles to separate personal & corporate data
c. Remote app distribution via Managed Google Play
d. Policy enforcement, remote wipe & device tracking
e. Security features like encryption, passcode enforcement & geofencing
REFERENCES:
 <https://www.android.com/enterprise/management/>
 <https://expertinsights.com/endpoint-management/the-top-mobile-device-management-solutions-for-android>
 <https://blog.scalefusion.com/top-android-mdm-solutions/>

Apparently Android MDM solutions like Scalefusion, Microsoft Intune, 
VMware Workspace ONE, and IBM MaaS360 offer enterprise-grade controls 
that rival or exceed iOS in flexibility based on numerous articles.
REFERENCES:
 <https://simplemdm.com/blog/apple-mdm-vs-android-mdm/>
 <https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/post/Evaluating-top-MDMs-for-Android-and-iOS>

It's a completely different question of why some corporations prefer iOS 
over Android (and vice versa, of course), where some of those reasons may be
A. Uniformity: 
   Apple's limited device lineup makes fleet management simpler.
B. Security reputation: 
   Apple's closed ecosystem is perceived as more secure by the unknowing.
C. Apple Business Manager: 
   Offers streamlined deployment and integration with tools like Jamf.

But this doesn't mean Android can't do MDM; it just means Apple's approach
may be more appealing for certain IT teams or compliance needs.

In summary, Steve has been great in keeping tabs on what iOS and 
Android can and cannot do - which I give him credit for a valiant
effort - however - my research above shows Android has MDM too.

As such, Steve needs to be apprised that MDM isn't exclusive to iOS.
Since I think he blocks me, someone else may need to let him know.

Android Enterprise offers comprehensive device management, including 
zero-touch enrollment, work profiles and remote policy enforcement.

The real difference lies in implementation. 

Apple's ecosystem is more uniform, which some IT departments prefer 
for simplicity. But Android's flexibility and depth, especially with 
tools like Scalefusion or Intune, make it equally viable, especially
for BYOD or diverse device fleets. 

So while iPhones may be popular in some corporate settings, it's not
because Android lacks MDM. It's often just a matter of preference.

In short, as far as I can tell with research, Steve needs to rethink
the MDM but I am impressed that Steve is helping to answer the question.

The question therefore remains unanswered as far as I can tell...

Q: Is there really only one thing that iOS can do that Android can't do?
A: ?

Is there anything else iOS can do that Android doesn't already do?

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