Apple and Google announced new versions of their respective mobile operating systems, iOS 9 and Android M within weeks of one another. You are either an Android user or a fan of iOS and chances are that you are not very likely to switch from one to the other.

However, it is always interesting to see what the opposition is up to. Here is a brief comparison of iOS 9 and Android M in terms of release date, device compatibility and announced features.

iOS 9 vs. Android M: release date

Apple released a developer beta, iOS 9 beta 1, last Monday and is slated to release a public beta sometime in July. The general public release date for iOS 9 is not set in stone; however, if Apple sticks with its usual release schedule we expect to see iOS 9 late in September alongside the next iPhone.

Google released Android M as a developer preview on May 28 and has given no indication when the general public release can be expected. We don’t even know what it will be called as the ‘M’ only applies to the developer preview. If Google sticks to its candy theme though, we may see it called Android Marshmallow or even Android Marzipan.

Android M may roll out alongside Google’s next-generation Nexus smartphone, the Nexus 5 slated to arrive in October.

iOS 9 vs. Android M: device compatibility

iOS 9 will be available as a free software update for iPhone 4s and later, iPod touch 5th generation, iPad 2 and later, iPad mini and later. Basically, Apple said that every device that is capable of running iOS 8 will get iOS 9 immediately upon availability.

Android M will likely roll out far slower than iOS 9 given the vast variety of hardware and manufacturers in the ecosystem.  It is likely we will see Android M on Google’s upcoming Nexus 5 first, followed by (slightly) older Nexus models before it comes to any other handsets.

OEMs like Samsung and LG are traditionally slow to roll out updates to their users as they use a modified version of Android. We may see a version of Android M on Samsung’s next-generation Galaxy S7 smartphone in early 2016 or they push it out to the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge first as has been rumored.

iOS 9 vs. Android M: features

In iOS 9, Siri has been redesigned to resemble Siri on the Apple Watch and boasts contextual reminders and more intelligent search functions in Spotlight. Proactive assistance in iOS 9 surfaces reminders and suggestions across Calendar, Contacts, search, and other apps taking time and place into account and learning a user’s habits.

Mostly aimed at iPad users, iOS 9 brings a slew of multitasking features, including Slide Over and Split View – to view and use two apps side-by-side – and Picture in Picture viewing.

On the app side, iOS 9 has a redesigned Notes app featuring the ability to draw a sketch using your finger, easily create checklists to keep track of your to-dos, or snap a photo directly in a note.

Apple has replaced its Newsstand app with a brand new News app that looks and works much like Flipboard.

Perhaps the biggest change to an app in iOS 9 is the addition of public transit information in Maps. Maps will include information on metropolitan transit systems and schedules, as well as subway station entrances and exits.

Apple Pay will gain support for loyalty cards and rewards programs as of iOS 9 and the Passbook app has been renamed to Wallet.

Along with these new features, iOS 9 will also have improved battery life management thanks to a new low-power mode and more energy efficient apps and system software. On the security side, iOS 9 will require a six-digit passcode by default and support native two-factor authentication.

Android M is a bit of mystery as the developer release does not show off all the new features users tend to get excited about, but rather focuses on the developer features as the name suggests.

We do at least know a few details about Android M’s new features. In Android M, user will be able to select which app permissions they’d like to agree to, and which not. For example, if you don’t want and app to access your phone’s microphone, you’ll be able to deselect that specific permission. As it stands, users don’t have a choice; you either agree to all the permissions or you don’t install the app.

Android M contains a fingerprint API and will feature a fingerprint screen in the Android lock screen. Fingerprint authorization will be used to approve Android Pay transactions and purchases on Google Play. Third-party developers will be able to include fingerprint authentication in their apps using the API.

Android M will preserve and extend battery life through a “Doze” mode. Using motion detection – likely via an accelerometer – Android M can tell if a device has not moved in a while. If “Doze” thinks you are not using your phone, Android M will “exponentially back off background activity, trading off a little bit of app freshness for longer battery life.”

Android M will also serve as the launch pad for Android Pay, Google’s mobile payments API that gives third-party app developers the ability to include contactless payments using Google Wallet in their apps.

Last but not least, Android M will include Google Now on Tap, Google’s contextually aware digital assistant. By long pressing the home button, Google Now will surface a card offering suggestions based on whatever is on your phone’s screen at the time.

iOS 9 vs. Android M: conclusion

It’s worth noting that both iOS 9 and Android M are in beta release only and many of the features mentioned may change or disappear entirely. At least we can be a bit more certain of when to expect iOS 9 and who will get it, while Android M is a bit of a mystery and many devices will never even be considered for an upgrade.

Image credit: Tsahi Levent-Levi, Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0