It’s been 13 years since I held my first Android tablet, the Acer Iconia A100, and in those 13 years, one myth has been perpetuated and taken for gospel: Apps suck on Android tablets, but they’re amazing on the iPad. I wasn’t convinced by that back in 2011 and, as I hold the latest iPad Mini 2024 and stare at my Pixel Tablet, I’m still not convinced by that widely-accepted “truth.”
The reality, in my opinion, is much more nuanced than that. Some apps are better on the iPad, others better on Android tablets, and it really depends on what you want your tablet to do. If you’re using the large screen to browse the web, watch YouTube, and stream content, then I’d wager that iPads and Android tablets are on equal footing. I haven’t found a single app that works better here or there. Firefox, Chrome, Plex, YouTube, Spotify, Prime Video, Amazon, Twitch, Netflix; it all works just the same.