This isn't a 'theory', it's just fanboyism. All it takes to prove a theory wrong is to find a single counterexample. My mother and girlfriend, both bordering on being technically illiterate, each heavily use their android phones. I also know many people who are scared of their iPhones and only use them for dumb-phone tasks. It is the user, not the tool.

I have to agree with jmhain. If this is your opinion on the "difference" between them, then I would call into question whether you really are even considering Android as a possible phone for yourself.

I'm sorry for being so bold, but this is plain stupid. I don't know any Android users that 'fear' downloading apps. I don't know where exactly did you get your statistics, but are clearly wrong.

I use both Android and iOS and I never installed an app that crashed my phone or did something bad to my device.

Maybe it helps that I don't download random stuff off the market.

If you use a smartphone you should probably tell if a app is worth downloading or not. If you can't tell, maybe you should use a Nokia 1310.

I will have to agree with your perspective. I feel more comfortable setting up my parents with an iOS device than with an Android device. With iOS, I can happily have them install any app they find in the app store.