A study that compared browser load times on Android versus iOS is being slammed with criticism.
Yesterday, Blaze Software’s study, which involved loading 45,000 websites on a Nexus S and iPhone 4, made big headlines all over the online news world. Now, it’s making headlines for a different reason.
According to Apple Insider, the study used a custom Internet browser for the iPhone, and not the built-in Safari browser as claimed. Instead, the company used a proprietary app that it developed itself.
The app was custom built to run through the myriad tests for the study, but reportedly does not take advantage of new Safari enhancements that were added to iOS 4.3.
As a result, the study ended up being a test between the most current Android software and an outdated iPhone software.
The study had claimed that Android 2.3’s built-in Web browser was able to load websites 52% faster than the browser in iOS 4.3, and that the vast majority of Fortune’s 1,000 top websites loaded more quickly on the Google platform.
Apple specifically tweaked the browser in its 4.3 update with a complete overhaul on the back end, significantly improving load times.
So, in other words, the study was pointless and misleading. Neither Apple nor Google has responded to this development.
