Windows Phone 7.5 on Nokia Lumia 710 vs. iOS 5.1.1 on iPhone 4S : Email Interface Comparison

A few weeks back, a friend on Twitter asked me how Windows Phone fares against iOS in terms of managing emails.

I told him I'll post photos of various sections of the email interface of WP vis a vis those of iOS just to highlight their differences. (Can't really say which one is better as it's all a matter of taste, in my opinion. I mean, features-and-options-wise, they're almost the same.) Took me a while to take the shots and to upload them as I've been swamped with work, but here you go - finally;

We have Nokia Lumia 710 running Windows Phone 7.5 and Apple iPhone 4S running iOS 5.1.1, respectively. As you can see, their official/default email clients support almost all email account types including Gmail, Yahoo Mail, and even Microsoft Exchange.

Setting up a new email account is actually easier on WP as the option is included in the app itself. Whereas, in iOS, you'd have to exit the client and go to Settings to create a new account.

Check out the inbox! As you can see, the search box is shown outright in iOS while you'd have to click on a button to launch it on WP. If you often search for mails, I'd imagine you'd prefer the one on iOS. If you like a more simple - cleaner interface, WP might look more attractive to you.

This section is where you compose your email. Again, you have more options shown outright on iOS; CC BCC box, for instance. (You also get those on WP but you'd have to make two extra clicks to see them.) What I like about WP though is that the keyboard is slightly bigger and it delivers the same snappy feedback as that of iOS. The Nokia Lumia 710 only has a 3.7-inch screen; Imagine getting that keyboard on Nokia Lumia 900 or HTC Titan II.

This shot shows the body of the mail itself. Obviously, WP takes the cake in this section; The presentation is better as it doesn't feel cramped and requires less zooming.

In search, you get more options with iOS. You can sort results based on the email subject or its title, or even based on who sent them.

Overall, I think email on WP has an edge in terms of presentation. The magazine-like Metro UI, which you navigate by swiping or long-pressing, looks really sleek and neat. And not to mention, the keyboard is bigger so that should make you type your emails faster. However, in terms of options - especially those that are accessible outright - you do get more with iOS.

That said, let me ask you, "Which email client do you prefer? The one in iOS or the one in WP?"