Android users greet iOS 10 with a loud shrug

It's that time of year again, when Apple releases its latest version of iOS to millions of people on the same day, and Android users get all salty that they're still waiting for [insert latest version here].

The reality is, as we remind people year after year, you can't directly compare the two ecosystems as they relate to software updates because Google by design only controls a small number of the phones. On the day Android 7.0 Nougat was released to the world, we shared all the tools on how to update a recent Nexus phone immediately, and those who waited a bit longer should have received their over-the-air update by now. Still, Nexus phones account for less than 1% of the total Android devices in use, and many millions of people will never even catch a whiff of Nougat. That's by design, whether you like it or not.

But that hasn't stopped people from complaining — and rightfully so! Updates are fun, and they add exciting new features that more often than not improve the way a phone functions. Because of the way Android updates work, even simultaneous rollouts are issued in stages, so users rarely have a chance to share in the excitement of a simultaneous update.

Of course, even the world's biggest tech company can't get software right all the time, as evidenced by the large number of Tweets complaining that iOS 10 is bricking their devices. As Samsung struggles with its own quality control issues with the Note 7's battery, it was incumbent on Apple to have a flawless release season, scooping up as many potential Note 7 customers as possible.

While it remains to be seen if the iPhone 7 hardware has any showstopping bugs, a widespread issue updating from iOS 9 to 10 on existing hardware is no easy thing to fix, and a potential PR nightmare. Apple says it has corrected the issue, but there are a lot of upset early adopters right now. Except our own Andrew Martonik, who was #blessed with a flawless update on his iPhone 6. Yes, even we AC editors still use iPhones from time to time.

In the meantime, it's totally possible that you are an Android user with an iPad, or a dual-wielding phone owner excited about what iOS 10 can offer. And it offers a lot, bringing many of the features to the iPhone that Android users have been enjoying for some time. But as Apple tends to do, it approaches things like widgets and homescreen icons and background processes a little bit differently, and — love it or hate it — it continues to keep a grip on the App Store in a way that Google never will. That's OK, because these days both ecosystems are incredibly powerful, and we're lucky to have them.

So what do you think of iOS 10 and the iPhone 7? Sound off in the comments!

Read more: iOS 10 review on iMore

Have you listened to this week's Android Central Podcast?

Every week, the Android Central Podcast brings you the latest tech news, analysis and hot takes, with familiar co-hosts and special guests.

• Subscribe in Pocket Casts: Audio
• Subscribe in Spotify: Audio
• Subscribe in iTunes: Audio