Most older adults now own a smartphone. Pew Research Center found that nearly 8 in 10 Americans aged 65 and over have one. If you’re choosing a new phone, for yourself or for a parent, the big question is usually: iPhone or Android?
Here’s an honest comparison. Neither is “better” for everyone.
The one question that matters most
What does the rest of the family use?
If your children and grandchildren all have iPhones, an iPhone makes FaceTime calls, photo sharing and “Can you show me how?” much easier. If the family is mostly on Android, the same applies the other way. Help from someone nearby beats any single feature.
Side by side
| Feature | iPhone | Android (Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel and others) |
|---|---|---|
| Consistency | Every iPhone works the same way, so help and guides always match | Menus vary by brand, so help needs to match the brand |
| Simple mode | Assistive Access: a few large buttons | Samsung Easy mode: bigger text and icons, simpler home screen |
| Scam call protection | Screen Unknown Callers asks unknown callers for a reason | Pixel Call Screen; Samsung Caller ID and spam protection |
| Video calls | FaceTime with other Apple users; WhatsApp and others with everyone | Google Meet, WhatsApp and others with everyone |
| Price range | Higher; fewer models | From budget to premium; many sizes |
| Buttons | New iPhones have no Home button | Varies by model |
| Updates | Usually many years, no fixed promise | Up to 7 years on Pixel 8 and newer and recent Galaxy S models; fewer on many cheaper models |
When an iPhone is the better fit
- The family uses iPhones and FaceTime.
- They’d like everything to work the same way every time.
- They’d benefit from Assistive Access, Apple’s simplest mode.
- They already use an iPad or a Mac.
When an Android phone is the better fit
- The family uses Android.
- Budget matters. Good Android phones cost less than new iPhones.
- They want a larger screen or a particular size.
- They’d like Samsung’s Easy mode or Pixel’s automatic call screening.
Try this
Visit a store together and hold both. Try making the text bigger, making a call and taking a photo. How it feels in the hand matters more than any list of features.
Whatever you choose, check these five things
- Updates: choose a model that will get security updates for at least the next four or five years. Avoid very old or very cheap models.
- Screen size: a bigger screen means bigger text and buttons.
- Loudness: check the speaker volume and whether it works with hearing aids, if needed.
- Battery: a full day’s use without charging.
- Setup help: plan an afternoon to set it up together. Our setup checklist covers everything.
Safety tip
Buy from a well-known store or the phone maker directly. Very cheap “senior phones” advertised on social media can be old models that no longer get security updates, or not arrive at all.
We have a book for each: Your iPhone, Plainly Explained and Your Android Phone, Plainly Explained, both in large print and updated for the latest software.