Beautiful portrait photography is both an art and a science. While the technical aspects of lighting, composition, focus, depth of field contribute to your photographs, it’s often the intangible things that make or break a portrait – like expression. Experts like Bruce Weber Photographer agree that something intangible makes an image look like a portrait. It’s about photographing people in a sensitive, intelligent, and tasteful way. It’s not enough to simply snap photos of your friends, family members, or models. It would be best to take it up a notch using lighting, composition, and expression techniques.

Here are six portrait photography tips from top portrait photographers. They’re well-versed in the technical aspects of photography but also understand how to make a photo look emotional.

Lighting Tips for Portrait Photography

No matter where you photograph your subject or what time of day it is, there are a few simple rules that should always apply. The first step is to pay attention to the light. It’s best to avoid harsh spotlights and set your subject facing away from the sun to avoid harsh shadows across his or her face. If you’re photographing indoors, seek out a diffused window light that will help soften shadows. If you are already set with an outdoor shoot, try experimenting with different angles to see which direction works best with the light.

Expert Tip:

If your subject is wearing glasses, make sure the flash isn’t directly in front of them. It will create a glare on their lenses that looks unflattering. Instead, place the flash directly to the side of them to avoid the glare.

Composition Tips for Portrait Photography

You, as a photographer, need to follow a few basic rules if you want your portraits to capture emotion and tell a story. For starters, portrait photography needs space in front of the subject. Place your subject far enough away from the background, so it doesn’t blend into the scenery. Give them room to move around if they want, and be sure that your background isn’t cluttered with things that distract from the subject.

Another rule is to never shoot directly into a light source, like the sun or a window. Doing this creates unflattering lens flares and underexposed areas in the photo. Instead, position your subject so that the light source is to their side or slightly behind them. This helps fill in shadows and gives you more exposure across your image.

Expert Tip:

If the background of your photo has an element, you don’t want to be featured – like a power line or branches sticking out from behind your subject – simply wait for it to pass out of the frame before taking the shot.

Expression Tips for Portrait Photography

Having your subject look relaxed but natural for successful portrait photography is key. The best way to achieve this is by using a few trade tricks. First, give them something to do with their hands while they’re standing or sitting for the photo. If you’re photographing two people together, have them put their arms around each other and lean in close.

Another trick is to give your subject something to look at. A great way to do this is by having their eyes follow a focal point like a lit candle or flower arrangement. Ask someone not in the photo to hold something that will give you a good expression on your subject. If someone is emoting, their eyes usually follow the object they’re looking at.

Expert Tip:

The best way to get a dynamic look on your subject’s face is by having them think of a time when they felt a strong feeling like happiness, anger, or sadness. This expression will then shine through in the photo.

Real estate investing has proven to be one of the most rewarding vehicles for building wealth. There are countless stories of regular people just like you who have earned their fortunes in real estate. The challenge is finding a strategy that works for you and your lifestyle and then putting it into action.

One strategy is to mirror professional firms like Nelson Partners, specializing in commercial investments like student housing and assisted living facilities. This article will show you how they do it and why this type of real estate investing is a great choice for the serious investor.

First, let’s look at what makes commercial real estate investments different from traditional home investing.

Why Invest in Commercial Real Estate?

When most investors think about real estate, they typically think of single family homes or vacation rentals. While residential real estate is an integral part of any strategic financial portfolio, most experts agree that commercial real estate offers several benefits over its more popular domestic counterpart.

First, commercial real estate is much less volatile than domestic real estate. During the 2008-2009 meltdown in the housing market, many investors watched their savings evaporate. Commercial real estate investments are much less susceptible to the same type of fluctuations in value.

Second, because commercial properties are generally income-generating assets, they can provide significantly higher cash flow. Whereas a single family home or vacation rental might net you $100-$200 per month in positive cash flow, multi-unit residential properties yield upwards of $2,000 per month. Commercial property investors often enjoy ten times the return on investment compared to traditional housing investors.

Finally, commercial real estate is usually much easier to finance since it is acquired through larger loans that are backed by the collateral of the property itself rather than the ability to repay the loan from personal income, which is required for traditional real estate investing.

While residential real estate investing may be the path of least resistance, commercial property investments can provide a faster and more reliable way to build and protect wealth over time.

What is Commercial Real Estate?

Commercial real estate is any property that is not considered a primary residence or traditional second home. These include multi-unit residences such as student housing, assisted living facilities, mobile home parks, and retirement communities; office buildings; retail space for shops and restaurants; warehouses; industrial plants; even parking garages! But whatever type of commercial real estate you pursue, it’s important to understand that they all share some very distinct characteristics.

Investing in Commercial Real Estate = Investing in Income Producing Assets

As mentioned above, commercial real estate is all about income. Commercial property investors invest in multi-unit dwellings or commercial real estate, which is capable of producing positive cash flow to grow their net worth over time.

For example, when you own a four unit apartment building for $150,000 and each unit rents for $800 per month (or $9,600 per year), the average monthly rent collected from all units combined will be greater than your monthly mortgage payment of roughly $1,000-$1,500 per month. The remaining portion of your rent ($7,400) minus your total expenses ($5,400) equals a positive cash flow of $2,000 per month or $24,000 per year. If you live in one of these units, that’s $2,000 per month of income you did not have before acquiring the building. If you choose to rent out all four units, congratulations…you just became a commercial real estate investor!

 

Instagram is one of the social media platforms that many people like and use. It is a super site that allows you to post photos or short videos and then share them with family, friends, and celebrities. When you do this, it’s important to get maximum exposure for your Instagram profile so more people can see what you are posting. SimplyGram Reviews has some tips for getting maximum exposure on your Instagram profile.

What are the Benefits of Maximum Exposure?

Maximum exposure means that anyone who uses Instagram should see what you have posted on the website just by looking at their feed page. This makes it easier for users because they don’t have to go out of their way to look for your posts. It also makes it easier for other users because they can see your images or videos right away while scrolling through their feed.

How Can You Get Maximum Exposure on Instagram?

There are several ways you can get more exposure on Instagram. First, you need to understand how the site works so you can take advantage of the features. You need to make sure you have a great username and profile picture so people can find your account easier. If you write good, interesting Instagram posts, many will share with their followers because they want them to see what you post.

What Are Some Other Ways to Increase Your Exposure on Instagram?

You can add stickers or location tags to your posts to encourage others to add these, which will give you more exposure. This is a great way for other users to know exactly where you’re posting from and what’s going on when they see these tags in the comment section of your picture. Encouraging people to like and share your posts is another way to get maximum exposure. You can do this by making sure all of your posts are interesting enough so that users want to engage with them and share them with their followers. For example, if you post about topics that most people share, such as food or fashion trends, it will be easier to learn about what you have posted. Sharing other users’ work with your followers is also a great way to get them interested and involved with what you share.

How Can I Grow My Instagram Profile?

You should make sure your feed is interesting and contains high-quality images or videos. You can do this by following other Instagram users who post similar content and those who love the type of work you post. It’s important to like other people’s photos and leave comments on their posts, as well as share your own with others. In addition, engaging in conversation with those who follow you is an easy way to find new people that might be interested in checking out your profile and following you as well.

In conclusion, if you want to get maximum exposure on Instagram, make sure your posts are interesting and engaging, especially if you share work from others. You should also try sharing other people’s work while encouraging your followers to see all of this great content by leaving comments and liking their photos.

Jakim Pearson is a name that not many people know about, but that may all change soon. Jakim is currently one of the most interesting artists around, and he’s only getting started! Since he could walk, this jazz pianist has been playing; his mother claims she found him playing her piano at two years old. At age three, he had his first public performance, and at a mere nine years old, Jakim spent a summer in New York working with jazz legend Herbie Hancock. He attended the prestigious Berklee College of Music, where he established himself as a true piano virtuoso.

As a jazz fan, what I like best about Jakim’s style is that he’s not afraid to experiment and that he’s not stuck in any genre. Instead, he dabbles in smooth jazz, funk, Latin, and fusion, all of which are seamlessly blended into his distinctive sound. One of the best examples of this is a track I stumbled upon by accident called “Change Up” off his Uprock Jazz EP.

I’m trying to think of other artists who seamlessly throw funk, rock, and jazz together as Jakim does, but I can’t come up with any! This song is extremely catchy, and the feedback from fans on his YouTube video is proof. With over 33,000 views and almost 2,000 thumbs up, it’s clear that Jakim has a dedicated fan base who can’t wait to hear more from him in the future.

Influences

Jakim’s main influences seem to be Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, and John Coltrane. As well as working with Herbie Hancock at the young age of nine, he also became close friends with Chick Corea – they would even play hockey together on occasion!

Jakim is far from your traditional jazz pianist. He grew up in a household of pop and rock music fans, and that influence is evident in his playing. He approaches the piano like a guitarist or an instrumentalist, not just another keyboard player.

There’s still plenty more to discover when it comes to this young artist. His next project has him collaborating with fellow Berklee College of Music alumni Matt Marshak on a release called “Elephant’s Foot.” So keep your eyes and ears peeled for that one!

Style

Jakim is a self-proclaimed modern jazz pianist. You can hear his funk and Latin influence in his song “Change Up” off the Uprock Jazz EP. However, he’s a bit of a jack of all trades in the genre, so he doesn’t fit neatly into any category.

He’s not afraid to explore and push the boundaries of modern jazz, and he does so in a tasteful, rhythmic way that makes you want to get up and move! Jakim on the piano is like an instrumental hip-hop beat – completely funky but with just enough edge to seem fresh.

Upcoming Projects

Up next for Jakim is a big touring schedule across Massachusetts and New York in February, where he’ll be promoting his latest EP Uprock Jazz. But, that’s not all; he has an interesting collaboration with fellow Berklee College of Music alumni Matt Marshak called “Elephant’s Foot,” which will be out in late May/early June depending on which side of the rock you’re on.

 

Podcasting is definitely taking off in popularity. The more specific type of podcast you listen to, the more likely you will listen to more of them. This applies to all people from various walks of life. However, if you have a disability, it may be difficult for you to get your hands on some podcasts easily.

This is where accessiBe comes in – acting as an artificial intelligence (AI) service that can create complete accessibility for any website. Michael Hingson, former national ambassador for the ‘Brail’ Literacy Campaign and chief vision officer at accessiBe, discusses how his company works with podcasters to make their content more accessible for people with disabilities.

Hingson details the problems with accessibility online, citing the fact that 380 new websites are created every minute, and programmers that make websites more accessible can’t keep up. As a result, we need a “scalable solution,” Hingson says.

The first main change that podcasters using accessiBe will see is that the information they already have is the same on their website as on their podcast. This makes it easier for them to move forward.

The next improvement will be in terms of captions. Hingson defines this as “the ability to hear something that’s happened at the same time when you were reading it.”

“That takes an extra step,” he says.

“It will be easier for people to discover your podcast because the accessiBe dashboard will make it easier for you to add in all of the metadata that’s going to help with search engine optimization, things like image descriptions and alternative formats.”

Hingson is quick to point out that accessibility doesn’t just apply to people with disabilities.

“If you have a new show, if it’s early on in your podcast listenership or even if you have hundreds of thousands of listeners – accessibility is hugely beneficial to everyone,” he says.

Hingson notes that accessibe is working with some popular podcasts to ensure what they offer works for all people, so there is no confusion with audiences or simply a lack of accessibility.

One podcast benefiting from the change is ‘What’s Tech,’ which discusses technology news and innovations daily.

“We are super excited about it because it means people can access all of our content…No matter whether they are actually watching the video or just listening to the audio – they see all of the same things.”

It may not seem like much, but it is to people with disabilities. It means that they can learn about technology news and innovations to keep up with what’s happening in their own lives or around them, which is great for the tech world as a whole.

“We are trying to make your content available to everyone. I believe that would be the internet’s highest calling.”

In closing, Hingson said: “If we all improve accessibility and make it for everyone, it will be much easier to learn about everything going on. Inclusiveness is not just the law; it’s also good practice for things like SEO and rankings.

Asylum is an immigration benefit that allows people to live and work lawfully in the US if they meet certain refugee criteria found under federal law. Asylum can be granted to those who have been persecuted, or have a well-founded fear of persecution on account of their race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.

You’ve seen the news about foreigners spilling across the borders, forced to leave their countries because of persecution. You know that U.S. immigration law allows people fleeing persecution to file for asylum in America, but you’re not sure how it works or whether your situation qualifies. Before you break out your suitcase and head for the airport, here are five common myths about asylum — debunked!

1) I can get asylum if I’m being pursued by a gang or other criminals.

While seeking protection from threats is indeed one reason people flee their home country and seek permission to remain in America, many people who think they qualify don’t understand the difference between being persecuted by criminals or being threatened with criminal prosecution—which could land you in jail—and being prosecuted by a nation-state for specific crimes.

“People say, ‘I’m in fear of the gangs, they’re going to kill me,'” says Anne Richard, assistant secretary of state for population, refugees, and migration at the U.S. State Department. “We try very hard to explain that asylum is not for criminal prosecution.”

You can seek protection from persecution by criminals under U.S. law through a different process—by applying for temporary protected status (TPS), which is available to people already in America who cannot safely return home because civil strife or natural disasters are keeping them from their native land. But TPS doesn’t provide any path to permanent residency or citizenship; it’s just designed to keep you safe while you remain in the United States.

2) I’ll go to the end of the line if I lose my case.

You can certainly apply for one of the forms of protection that will let you remain in the United States while your deportation case goes forward—but don’t expect to jump ahead of other asylum seekers or immigrants with pending petitions. For example, if you win asylum but then request withholding of removal based on a fear of returning to your home country, you still have to wait behind people who already applied for withholding before you did, despite having won an earlier status-based “priority date.” In fact, even though DHS designated January 1, 1990, as a priority date to determine which cases would qualify under its new rules covering spouses and children of people who had won asylum in the United States, that date only applied to those who filed their withholding applications after November 1, 1997. Even if you win your case for asylum or withholding or Convention Against Torture protection, the U.S. will not just open up its borders and let you skip to the front of the line—you could still be waiting behind others who applied earlier than you did.

3) I’m not sure I’ll be persecuted if I go home; maybe it’s safe now.

Even if you can’t qualify for asylum, you may still be able to return home—if the dangers have subsided enough to let you safely travel back. That’s why the U.S. government encourages people to seek out “post-flight determinations” that evaluate whether it is safe to return after being granted asylum, through either parole or withholding of removal. This process grants at least temporary permission to stay in America while your native country organizes the paperwork needed for you to come back and file full asylum claims from home. But don’t leave without checking first! If you are already here in the United States, DHS will not let you board a plane unless you can prove that you have this permission.

I am from another country in Central America-I don’t need asylum

Even though violence against women is pervasive throughout all of Central America, it is often its worst there because of high levels of poverty, inequality, and corruption. Women who are raped, for example, maybe unable to report it because they fear retaliation by their attackers or even arrest by corrupt police forces—much less actually be heard. Further, women who fight back against domestic violence face stigmatization not only by family members but sometimes their own governments as well. While these problems affect both sexes throughout the region, females are particularly at risk because men hold the majority of leadership positions in all branches of government, which means that whatever laws it enacts will be enforced unequally based on gender. This is why so many families leave not just out of fear—but out of desperation—when even one parent (or another older member) can make a credible claim to have experienced persecution. Fortunately, the United States has a generous policy of allowing victims of such persecution to resettle here if they can prove their case—and it does not matter where in Central America they may have originally come from.

4) I have family members in the United States who will help me.

Having family or other connections in America does not automatically make you eligible for asylum. In fact, it probably counts against you: If your relatives are willing and able to assist you financially and emotionally, they can also be asked to sponsor your application from abroad. That means that a relationship with a U.S. entity—whether a person, an organization, or even a state government—is considered evidence of your ability to resettle successfully without needing federal assistance. DHS officers assume that people with international support networks don’t need asylum protection as much as those who lack such ties, so having those kinds of contacts causes doubt about whether you really face a serious threat.

5) I won my case, so now I’m a legal immigrant.

Not necessarily. You could be allowed to remain in the country as a “parolee” for humanitarian reasons. This doesn’t mean you have been granted a green card, but it does mean you may be able to stay if you can convince officials that your presence is justified for emergency or other humanitarian reasons. Be aware that even if your application is approved, this permission to stay temporarily does not guarantee future entry into the U.S., and any subsequent request for readmission will still require normal immigration requirements to be met—just like everyone else’s. In rare cases, an alien who is removed from the United States via deportation proceedings may reenter immediately upon winning his case, but only if DHS did not appeal and the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) orders reopening and remands.

For more information, you may ask or consult with Houston immigration lawyers.

Unlike some creatures in the cold weather, squirrels don’t hibernate. With the advent of winter, they look for warm places to live and store their food. They often infest neighborhoods after neighborhoods for this, especially in the northeast part of the country.

Although they do not threaten human health directly, squirrels often carry diseases. Their urine and fecal matter release harmful toxins. They can also wreck furniture and house structures by gnawing through the wood. Squirrel removal near me helps families to get rid of squirrel infestation in their houses.

Signs of a squirrel infestation

Scampering sound overhead:

Gray or red squirrels running about in the ceiling, and the walls make a sort of scampering sound throughout the building. Their claws scratch on the wooden surface of the beams and other structures. Flying squirrels can mostly be heard at a lower volume.

Noises during the day:

Squirrels are usually active during the daytime, so that is when most of the sounds can be heard. This is unlike a raccoon or rat infestation, which can be heard only during the night. However, flying squirrels can be heard in the evening.

Squirrels going in and out of holes in the building:

If there is a squirrel infestation, the creatures can be seen going in and out of the building through several small holes and openings. On observation, they can be easily detected in these spots – soffits, vents, chimneys, plumbing stacks, and dormers.

Checking the attic:

The attics bear hard evidence of pests that can infest a building since they’re the most neglected and vulnerable spaces. If the squirrels have reached the attic, it means that it is time to call the pest control services.

How can squirrels harm you?

A squirrel infestation does not threaten humans directly. But they can carry diseases like typhus, plague, tularemia, and Dermatophytosis. Parasites like fleas, mites, and ticks can also nest in their fur. These, when carried to humans, may cause encephalitis, Lyme disease, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

Squirrel bites can be extremely painful. They cannot cut through human bones, yet the cuts can be intense in fleshy body parts. The toxin released from their excretion can pile up in the building putting human health at risk.

Gnawing through wires and wood, tearing up insulation for nests, making nests in the vents, and cutting off the airflow can result in molds being formed. Squirrel removal near me can stop this destruction of property and poor air circulation.

How to get rid of squirrels infesting your house?

Although it is always the best and most needed option to call a professional pest control services worker, the homeowner can also do their bit in helping to reduce the chances of another squirrel outbreak. Some ways to stop squirrels from breaking into the building include:

● Trimming branches of trees till around six feet from the perimeter of the house

● Repairing chimneys, vents, holes, and cracks

● Calling a wildlife professional for detecting the damage

Conclusion:

Any pest infestation in the house can be harmful to the residents and incredibly frustrating for those with a squirrel infestation. A professional pest control worker can safely remove the squirrels, including any babies to whom they may have given birth. They are unloosed back into the wild while ensuring that the houses and buildings stay safe.

 

While most people live in a place where summer weather is something to look forward to during all other times of the year, there are some negative things about summer weather, too. Primarily, summer is the time when bugs and pests come out in droves, which can put a damper on your outdoor or even your indoor summer plans.

Luckily, there are things you can do to keep the pests away, both through hiring a pest control company or by looking into more natural options. To help you with the latter, here are three natural ways to keep your home pest-free this summer.

Make Your Home Inhospitable

In most situations, pests only choose to come into your home because it makes for an easier existence for them. Knowing this, it’s worth your while to take any means necessary to make your home as inhospitable as possible for pests of all kinds.

To do this, you’ll want to start at the exterior of your home by blocking up all holes or cracks that could allow for easy entry. You should also remove anything from close to your home that could be a good place for pests to hide, like wood piles or bushes and shrubs. Moving to the inside of your home, you should strive to keep all areas clean and free of food or other materials that could look like a cozy home for the pests more common in your area.

Try Natural Remedies

If you’re needing a little more help with keeping certain pests away, there are almost always natural remedies you can look into that will be non-toxic to you and your family but will also be effective at keeping targeted pests away.

Some of the most common natural remedies that you might consider using, which will vary based on what kind of pests you’re dealing with, include things like basil, citrus, vinegar, dish soap, salt, cinnamon, peppermint, and more. Just make sure that the natural remedy you’re using has been known to help for the pests you’re dealing with.

Keep Food Contained

For many pests, what really gets them eager to come to your home is the allure of food. But since you have to eat food to survive, too, you can’t just not bring any food into your home.

The trick here is to ensure that any food you bring into your home and eat is properly contained so that it won’t draw in unwanted pests. This can best be done by cleaning up food as soon as you’re done making it or eating it and making sure that all food is stored in airtight containers that won’t let off scents of food or allow pests to make their way inside.

If you want to enjoy your summer without worrying about pests, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you see how this can be done.

 

Buying a puppy is an exciting time for you and your family, but the key is in the preparation. From puppy proofing to preparing the family, we have everything you need here to get you going with your new little addition.

Puppy Proofing

It’s time to puppy proof your home. Just as you would with small children, you need to consider removing harmful substances and poisonous food to dogs from the lower levels of your home. You could consider getting some child locks on cupboards under the sink with dangerous products that your puppy could get hold of, or baby gates to stop your pup reaching rooms they shouldn’t be. Be sure to tuck away any electrical cables, your puppy is adventurous and wants to explore everywhere, preventing the puppy from chewing cables and getting tangled is important.

Flea and Tick Protection

The excellent news is that Frontline Flea and Tick protection as seen on Wynnstay can be used on puppies from 8 weeks old. This means you’ve got a solid protection against fleas and ticks from a young age so if you get on top of it, this shouldn’t be a big problem for your little pup.

Image Credit: Wynnstay

You actually don’t need a prescription to purchase Frontline which is extremely handy for pet owners, however you must take into account that should your pup have any lesions on the skin or injury, as well as being unwell to avoid use until it’s safe to do so, in this circumstance you would look to contact a vet for some advice.

What Will I Need?

Take the following items into consideration before bringing your puppy home to ensure they have a safe space to relax, sleep, eat and play.

Crate: A crate needs to be big enough for the puppy to move around in at ease, including stretching out and turning around. This creates a safe space for your puppy to retreat if they feel they need some time out.

Puppy Matts / Puppy Pads: Puppy pads are the perfect solution to avoiding accidents as much as possible, although be prepared for accidents to happen, this is very normal!

Dog Food: Choosing the right dog food for your puppy will help them thrive. It could be a good idea to speak to the dog breeder and find out which puppy food they either recommend or have been using so you can continue using a similar food without upsetting your puppy’s tummy.

Dog Beds: Ensuring you have a good, comfortable soft dog bed for your puppy to sleep will make for a happy little one. Having a dog bed that is machine washable is also a huge benefit, this makes it easy for you to clean, as you’ll certainly be doing a lot of that! Wynnstay provides the perfect bedding for your pup complete with a removable mattress as well as ensuring pure clean comfort for your little run around.

Image Credit: Wynnstay

Once your home is fully equipped and puppy proofed you’ve finally created the best environment for your new addition. It’s now time to enjoy your bundle of joy, spoil them rotten and introduce some playtime.

Do you have Apple stock in your portfolio? If you do, you’re probably interested in an Apple stock forecast to see how the company is doing. If you own Google stock, you are probably watching it closely as well. Let’s look at the phones these two companies provide and see some differences and maybe some similarities.

If you’re on the market for a new smartphone device, even though there’s an abundance of phones that can be purchased, you’re probably aware that your choices come down to getting an iOS device or an Android-based device. Contrary to popular belief, comparing an iPhone to an Android isn’t as simple as comparing Coca-Cola to Pepsi. Even though they essentially provide the same functions, they each come with their own sets of cons and pros.

In this post, we take a closer look at Google’s Android operating system and Apple’s iOS operating system to see what are some of the major differences between the two.

1) Closed vs Open Ecosystem

One of the major differences between the iPhone and Android is that the iPhone features what we’ve now come to call a “walled garden.” Essentially, Apple controls the iPhone ecosystem which gives it the ability to pick and choose what apps its users are able to download. The company is able to do this by customizing the phone to disable it from being able to download apps from outside sources. Said in simpler terms, you can’t download an app without going to the iOS store.

Alternatively, the Android operating system is what’s known as an open-source operating system which means that developers and users have way more leeway when it comes to customizing and editing the operating system itself. Additionally, its open-source nature means that users are able to download apps from outside the official Google Play store. While this is possible on the iPhone, users have to illegally modify the device. Alternately, Android users do not have to bypass any security features in order for them to download content from outside the app store.

2) Security and Malware

As mentioned above, iPhone users aren’t able to download apps from third-party sources. While there are cons associated with this, in the same breath, it leads to higher security. Since all apps have to go through a strict approval process, you stand a lower chance of encountering malware from the iOS app store than the Google Play store which has a more lenient approval process. Additionally, since Android has no control over third-party sources, you could easily download a malware-infected app on the Android system.

3) Facial Recognition

While it may be true that Android brought facial recognition into the smartphone market first, Face ID is regarded as being more advanced and secure. In fact, many Android smartphone manufacturers proclaim that the facial recognition features of their device are less secure than using a pin number and that users should use it as a secondary security feature as opposed to a primary one. Alternatively, Apple’s Face ID is a lot more refined and offers better security against manipulation attempts, such as using a person’s photo to unlock their phone via facial recognition.

4) Battery and Storage

One of the things that Apple continuously emphasizes is that their devices are simple. This is one of the reasons why users are not able to replace their batteries or upgrade storage. On the other hand, Android users are able to expand storage and change the phone’s battery. The trade-off with this is that Android devices are viewed as being more complex, especially amongst the older population.

For instance, if an iPhone user wants to replace their battery, they would simply send it to the manufacturer and pay the associated fees. Alternatively, an Android user who learns that they are able to remove their battery may start researching what kind of battery to get. In order for them to do that, they have to ensure that they get a battery that was specifically designed for their model, plus they have to make sure that it’s the correct MaH. For people who are technically adept this isn’t an issue, but for people who like the simple side of things, owning an Android may prove to be cumbersome.

5) Smart Assistant

Android devices come equipped with a smart assistant that’s simply called Google Assistant. Meanwhile, iPhones come equipped with a voice assistant called Siri. Contrary to popular belief, scientific research has proven that Google Assistant is the most advanced voice assistant on the market. This was from research that was published by a nationally known firm—Loup Ventures. The study showed that Google Assistant outperformed Alexa and Siri. According to their results, Google Assistant was able to correctly answer a user’s inquiry 92.9% of the time. Meanwhile, Siri was able to correctly answer questions 83.1% of the time. To put things in retrospect, Alexa correctly answered questions 79.8% of the time.

There are many benefits to either smartphone. When you think of all that your phone can do, you realize that they are convenient technological marvels.