Android App OR IOS App Development

Are you looking to build an app for your business? The first question that must be on your mind is which operating system would be more appropriate for you to build your app on. Both Android and iOS app development come with their own set of advantages and limitations. Read further to find out which one of the two would be the right fit for you.

The platform you choose for app development would primarily depend on 5 factors:

development and maintenance budget, the target audience, launch deadline, features expected in the app, and the revenue goal.

While initiating android app development as well as iOS app development simultaneously may appear to be the best foot forward, it can be both risky and expensive.

A wiser move would be weighing your options properly, launching an app on one operating system, and moving on to the other one after successful establishment on the first one.

Let us first discuss the factors that will influence your decision when choosing between iOS and Android for the initial launch.

Development and Maintenance

As is the case with any operating system, developing and maintaining an app on both Android and iOS becomes easier

when users stay on top of the operating system updates. When users run older operating systems, the developers will need to put in extra hours to fix bugs and crashes, and ensure their app’s compatibility with all the supported Android versions.

Moreover, there are several studies that suggest over 50% of Android users worldwide are using a version that is more than 2 years old. Android users are relatively slower with adopting new operating systems.

Target Audience

Another crucial point is that you must keep in mind when choosing between iOS and Android for app development is Android has the greatest market share globally, while iOS has remarkable insights on customer spending.

You must pay attention to your target audience’s demographic and geographic characteristics in order to choose the best platform.

When it comes to targeting a broader set of audience, nothing beats Android. On the other hand, if your primary goal is to meet your sales expectations, targeting users with Apple devices might be a better idea as they are more likely to convert.

Mobile users in up-and-coming countries, such as Africa, Asia, and Latin America are more inclined towards Android devices as per some recent statistics. iPhone users, however, are more affluent. Since iOS has the reputation of being more secure among the two, it enjoys better penetration in the enterprise market.

Launch Deadline

Contrary to popular belief, developing apps for iOS is faster and easier as compared to custom Android app development for one simple reason: Java, the language used to write Android requires heavier coding as compared to Swift for iOS.

Another contributing factor is Android being an open-source platform. Since there are so many active Android versions across all kinds of devices, you need to create an app that is functional on each of them to make sure you’re reaching the target audience.

One does not face similar problems when developing an app for iOS as standardized devices make it relatively easier.

The fact that the Apple store has a longer review process and strict rules for an app to be listed on it also needs to be considered when choosing between the two.

Desired Features

While the fact that Android is open-source may require you to put in some extra effort when developing an app, this very feature comes in handy when building features and functions. The possibilities for personalisation are endless with Android.

Although iOS doesn’t offer the same level of flexibility, it is comparatively more secure.

Revenue Goals

It has been observed in several surveys and reports that Android users are less likely to pay for an app. Also explains why you see more in-app ads in Android apps. Even though the number of downloads on an iOS app might be low, the probability of it generating revenue would be higher. Some other factors for you to consider:

• Android users are more likely to pay for a utility app, iOS rules across all the other categories.
• Subscriptions enable you to offer a larger cut of revenue to the developers.
• Shopping apps generate the maximum revenue on both the platforms.

Android vs iOS: Your Best Bet

Now that we have discussed the limitations and advantages of both the platforms, you can weigh your expectations and priorities to find which operating system would be more appropriate for you to start with.

If you are looking to build a minimum viable product that needs to be launched immediately, and there are budget constraints, iOS will help you get the job done faster. An iOS app will be your best bet also when making money from the app is on your checklist.

On the other hand, if you want to reach a larger set of people or go global, nothing is better than an Android app.

Irrespective of the platform you choose for your first app, as soon as you build a user base, users on the other platform will eventually start looking for a version that is made for them.

With the initial friction of building a user base is gone, launching an app on the other platform will be a breeze.

Most companies that offer iOS or Android app development services may also be able to help you build a cross-platform app if the budget is not a constraint.

Thanks to the availability of various cross-platform app development frameworks, this can be accomplished with minimal effort.

What are the primary distinctions between creating iOS and Android?

The following key distinctions exist between creating apps for iOS and Android:
Developers of iOS apps utilise Swift, but those of Android apps use Java or Kotlin.
For iPhones and iPads, the screen sizes on Apple devices are uniform.

Interface design and case-by-case programming are more important to assure compatibility and functionality across devices.

Because there are so many distinct Android OS versions available, device fragmentation makes it more difficult to create Android apps. Important security updates for various devices arrive at various times, which makes maintaining and creating Android apps more difficult.

iOS vs. Android: Cost of Developing Mobile Apps

On the internet, it’s a widely held belief that iOS apps are more expensive than Android apps.

We computed the price of Android app development versus iOS app development to see if this is accurate or not. According to Cleveroad, it takes an average of the following amount of hours to construct a simple, medium, and complicated mobile app.

Simple apps take 300 hours to develop, medium apps take 600 hours, and complicated apps take 800 hours.

According to the same source, these are the rates for Android and iOS developers in the US and Eastern Europe.

Main Points
Again, which is better: iOS or Android?

Because both offer advantages and disadvantages, making a decision is actually quite tough. But in the end, time and money are the only factors that matter. Do you not concur?

You see, choose iOS if you want to target a specific, wealthy clientele and have a large budget. Also Android is the best option if you have a low budget and you want to reach a global audience.