iPhones and Android smartphones connect to the network in shockingly different ways

We all know that Android and iPhones have their own way of doing things - Android offers nearly endless customization, while iPhones keep things simple and streamlined. Android phones tend to present new and sometimes experimental features, while iPhones keep it more conservative.

But these differences go beyond just looks and features; they even affect the basic task of how the devices search for a network signal. A new comparison from GeekerWan, who runs some pretty in-depth smartphone tests, reveals how iPhones and Android phones handle weak or lost connectivity differently - one prioritizing battery life, the other focusing on speed.

When first connected, the iPhone (as usual) starts searching for a network. It makes roughly three serious attempts to connect, and if there's no connectivity, it enters a state where it's making weak attempts to search and then abandons ship. 

Curiously enough, once it discovers there's no network, the iPhone doesn't really go back to searching for a signal again even when the network is back. To bring back the search for an available network, airplane mode has to be activated and then turned off.

Because of this behavior, iPhone users have to master the skill of switching airplane mode on and off during a subway ride, for example, where the internet signal may be lost and then available again.

This most likely happens because Apple prioritizes power saving. If the iPhone determines there's no connectivity, it needs to be forced to check again with airplane mode, instead of continuously searching for a network.

Android phones have a different approach. They seem to be searching continuously once the signal drops and are able to quickly find it on their own without needing the user to prompt them by toggling airplane mode off and on. This method allows for a faster reconnection once the signal is back, and doesn't require any user input.

But Android's approach isn't without flaws either. During the video, GeekerWan demonstrates how the Xiaomi struggles to realize the network has been lost, and continuously shows four bars of connectivity for long seconds after there's none. You are unable to refresh websites or run a network speed test (because there's no signal) but the phone still shows that there is.


These two different approaches to connecting to the network illustrate once again another difference between Android and iPhone. Android prioritizes the speed with which the internet connectivity is recovered, thus risking the use of more battery power if there's no signal for a long period of time. Meanwhile, Apple's take is that you'll need the battery more than immediately find the signal once it's back (and yep, you'll have to manually force the iPhone to search once more).