Android VS iOS: Which Platform To Build Your Mobile App On First

Android VS iOS: Which Platform To Build Your Mobile App On First

Android vs iOS App Development: What Platform to Choose for Your Mobile App

Android vs. iOS: the never-ending battle. For the business, however, the question is which platform should they focus on first to develop their application. This often is a hard choice for many companies.

iOS and Android both have their advantages but to make the right choice you need to consider which one is the better option for your needs. The main considerations that come to mind are:

  • Audience
  • Development cost
  • Revenue model
  • Target market
  • Features
  • Compatibility
  • Ease of use
  • Security

Of course, if you have target users in both iOS and Android, you might consider building a cross-platform app eventually. However, if you still need to choose a starting point, we can help you by outlining the differences. With years of experience in the field of mobile app development, we have them rather mapped out.

Revenue Generation

You might think that since Android has a bigger market share, it generates larger revenue, but you’d be wrong. When it comes to revenue, Apple’s App Store earns about 2 billion dollars more than Google Play per year. A reason for that is the higher cost of publishing on the App Store, while Android apps earn mostly from ads.

Android vs ios programming

However, Android beats iOS in terms of the number of downloads. Android users are less willing to pay for an app than iOS ones. Furthermore, Apple users are more likely to make an in-app purchase. There is only one category of apps that iOS users are less likely to pay for and that’s utility apps. Shopping apps are the ones to generate the most revenue.

ios development vs android development

So, when it comes to iOS vs Android developer revenue, it boils down to what revenue streams you choose to depend on. If you want to create a successful e-commerce app or just an app that monetizes through subscriptions and in-app purchases rather than mobile ads, Apple would be your best choice. In terms of revenue, Google Play is growing and it is actually expected to overtake the App Store, but for now, Apple still reigns supreme.

Market Share

The number of Android users is almost twice as large as that of iOS users. If you want to cover a wider market with a single-platform app you’d probably want to choose Android for the development of your first app.

To tap into the needs and preferences of your target audience, consider your target group’s demographic and geographic characteristics. This is essential to the creation of the mobile app strategy and will make your decision of the platform much easier. Android covers a broad global audience, but if your audience is mostly in North America or Western Europe, Apple is the one for you.

Android vs. iOS Audience

Let’s take a step further and share some differences in both platforms’ audiences. Most of the Android users, for example, work in technical jobs. On the other hand, iPhone users tend to be more affluent. They are also younger than Android users, which means a greater share of the 18 to 24-year-olds.

enterprise mobile application development

Android users are largely males while women are more likely to choose iOS. Apple users, in general, are more engaged with their devices and are willing to spend more on apps. They are also more likely to shop online using their mobile device.

As for the enterprise market, iOS is widely preferred thanks to its reputation for better security. The downside, of course, is that if your business operations rely on cross-platform solutions, iOS wouldn’t really work for you. The same goes for features – the platform to build Android apps allows for a broader functionality than its more robust iOS alternative. Overall, it would be fair to say that enterprise mobile application development is more complex and costly on Android but can be advantageous in the long run.

Android vs. iOS Development

The limited number of devices makes iOS development easier compared to Android. All of the different kinds of devices on Android OS have different development needs which makes it a lot more complex.

When being developed for Android, an app has to be compatible with all aspects of these devices, from different screen sizes to exotic hardware components. You may also need to have it in more than one OS version according to what the market requires.

ios and android

Many Android devices still run on old versions of the OS. To be fair, this is not an issue for professional app development companies but would still require more time and resources to smooth everything out. Nevertheless, from the simplicity standpoint, this round of the Android vs iOS programming showdown goes to the latter.

iOS Development vs Android Development: Programming Languages

Most of the app developers prefer to use Java and related languages. They are used for developing many of the Android apps. For an iOS app, developers have the xCode environment. It supports several languages but perhaps the most popular one is Swift. It’s a rather easy one and is preferred especially by developers with experience in C and C++ development due to similarities between the two. That being said, experts in app development services are experienced enough to work with both iOS and Android.

Android vs iOS Development Time and Cost

Android app development is definitely more time consuming, due to the large variety of devices it supports. For iOS developers, it usually takes about 40% less time to create an app of the same measure.

Costs may vary as they depend on a number of things, but judging by the complexity of creating an Android app, it’s likely that it turns out to be more expensive as well. However, it takes a very short time for it to be published. It will usually go live in just a few hours after an approval process.

Apple, on the other hand, has strict rules as well as quality expectations and a review process. They will test your app for any possible bugs. It usually takes longer for an app to be approved, and there’s a good chance it may even be rejected if it’s not up to their standards, which can inflate app development costs over time.

Android VS iOS App Development: Pros and Cons

Android App Development

iOS App Development

Revenue

  • Low but rapidly growing (main source – mobile ads)
  • High (main source: monetization)

Market Share

  • Nearly ¾ due to broader audience
  • Less than ¼ (dominates in certain demographics)

Audience

  • Diverse, evenly distributed globally
  • Mostly affluent users from Western Europe and North America

Programming

  • Java: Relatively simple and widely available
  • Swift: Exclusive to Apple, much simpler than Java

Cost

  • Moderate (open architecture, extensive compatibility testing)
  • Low (closed architecture, quick development and testing)

Publishing Requirements

  • Liberal (mostly content-centered)
  • Stringent (content, UI, development guidelines, and lack of value)

Device Fragmentation

  • High (hundreds of different devices)
  • Low (about 20 devices)

Customization

  • High (flexible SDK, many feature-rich devices)
  • Low (restrictive guidelines, limited SDK)

Security

  • High when done right
  • High out of the box

 

As you can see, Android development vs iOS development is largely a matter of what the app is meant to achieve. The matter of Android vs iOS programming is really only relevant for those who plan starting from scratch. Apple’s closed architecture may provide additional security perks and cost savings early on, whereas Android offers greater flexibility down the line. So for those who think big, iOS vs Android development future is really about the value they can deliver to their audience.

Android vs. iOS: Which is the Right Platform for Your First App

The best choice of a platform for developing your business app depends on where your audience lives, who they are, and what features they expect to see. Of course, budget and time considerations should need to be reckoned with too, whether you like it or not.

If you want to create an e-commerce app to make money from and you want it to be built quickly and cheaply, then iOS is your ideal choice for sure.

However, if your target is global markets, especially Latin America and Asia, and the features you want to roll out are not supported by Apple, then Android is your best option.

Similarly, enterprise mobile application development can benefit from the simplicity and reliability of Apple products sacrificing the diversity of features and cross-platform functionality.

Having differentiated the audiences and pointed out the benefits on both Android and iOS, we hope that you will be able to make the right choice for developing your first app. Being the biggest platforms out there, they both have a lot to offer. So instead of falling for the Android vs iOS mentality, you just need to figure out which suits your needs best.