iOS three times faster than Android for HTML5

When it comes to handling HTML5, iOS devices are some three times faster than Android devices, claims a report by cross-platform mobile game development tool maker Spaceport.io.

HTML5 isn't just a web thing; it also serves as the platform for a completely new range of applications and games. The faster a device (especially mobile device) is at handling HTML5, the better it will be when it comes to running these applications and especially games, which put a greater load on the hardware.

According to the study [PDF], iOS devices have a clear advantage over Android.

Testing was done using Spaceport,io's own open-source benchmark tool called PerfMarks and put a range of Android and iOS devices to the test. The test was simple: how many images can be moved around a screen at one time, while maintaining a 30 frames per second (FPS) frame rate? Why 30 frames per second? Because that's the minimum required frame-rate for maintaining visual smoothness.

The results show that iOS devices have a clear advantage over Android hardware, with the iPad 2 leading the field and Android tablets being the slowest. The worst performing iOS device used for testing was the iPhone 3GS.

Image credit: Spaceport.io

Some of the scores are interesting:

• iPhone 4S: 252
• iPad 2: 327
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus: 147
• Samsung Galaxy Tab: 65
• iPhone 3GS: 53
• Kindle Fire: 25

The only Android smartphone that could handle a frame rate greater than 30 FPS was the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.

"HTML 5 is getting faster over time, as seen in the latest OS updates across Android and iOS. Although this is a welcome trend, there is still a long way to go," said Spaceport.io founder, Ben Savage. "We hope the spaceport.io PerfMarks report will act as a bellwether for mobile browser and operating system creators who hope to better serve the HTML5 game development community."

Android has a long way to go if it plans to catch up with iOS when it comes to HTML5 performance, and given that HTML5 is increasing in relevance, Android needs to catch up, and catch up fast.