iOS Lags Behind Android in Javascript Performance

The iPad is a web browsing powerhouse.  The combination of great hardware and great software has made the iPad a run-away success. We’ve already talked about how iPad web usage has rocketed past Android in only 90 days, but everything is not a bowl of cherries for iOS based devices.

Ars Technica just tested the latest version of Android (Froyo) to see how much web browsing experience has improved with its new Just In Time Javascript compiler.  They pitted a Nexus One against a new iPhone 4 and found that Android 2.2 smoked iOS in Javascript performance.  The tests revealed  a 200-300% speed improvement for browser based Javascript execution on the Nexus versus the iPhone.

A good web experience is made up of several pieces and Javascript performance is only one of many elements.  Apple has managed to combine and balance all these elements to deliver a web experience that users enjoy.  If Apple wants to maintain its market lead, it will need to continue to innovate and drive new performance and feature enhancements.

Something tells us that the folks at Apple will rise to the challenge set by the Android camp. Competition is always a great thing for consumers!