When it comes to the software industry as a whole, Android vs iOS selection is one of the fastest-growing sub-sectors. The need for efficient and user-friendly apps has grown steadily following the explosion of mobile app development. It is predicted that by 2020, consumers will spend around 87% of their time online interacting with mobile apps.
As a result of the widespread COVID-19 epidemic, there has been a dramatic increase app downloads. In March, the number of people using Microsoft Teams, the company’s videoconferencing software, increased by 1,000, with the number of meeting minutes reaching 2.7 billion in a single day. Telehealth, academics, and many other sectors have all shown a significant need for mobile applications to assist them in adapting.
When developing a native app, Android vs iOS are your two most common options. As far as the industry is concerned, they are the undisputed frontrunners everywhere. IOS and Android provide powerful frameworks for app creation, so it’s essential to compare the two in detail before making a final choice.
In this post, we’ll compare and contrast the two platforms to help you make the right decision for your business.
Android or iOS development comparison
Future prospects
Android smartphones currently account for 74.4% of the worldwide market share, the near-term outlook for Android app development is bright. The strong performance and consistent innovation of iOS devices are attracting more and more consumers at ever-decreasing prices. As both iOS and Android show no signs of waning in popularity anytime soon, basing your app development decisions on a prediction of which platform will win is a waste of time.
Revenue
Despite Android’s overwhelming dominance in terms of market share, the average lifetime value of an iOS user is greater (LTV). This indicates that these users are more likely to make in-app purchases for downloadable material. There is no obvious victor between Android and iOS when it comes to development money, but analysts expect that the iOS App Store will see $60 billion in in-app purchases from users in the next year.
It’s more likely that your app will turn a profit on iOS if you intend to sell items inside it or if it provides a substantial amount of ad-supported in-app purchases.
Target audience
The features you want to include in the app will help you determine who you’ll be marketing to. On the other hand, you may exploit the fact that iOS and Android consumers are different in other ways to your advantage when making a choice.
According to the data, Android app development may do better if the app’s intended users are professionals in the scientific or medical sectors. People in management and sales are more likely to use iPhones. People more likely to choose iPhones are also more educated, more interested in being on the cutting edge of technology, and have more disposable cash.
Budget for development and deadlines
In the ongoing Android vs iOS app development race, iOS continues to hold a decisive lead in both development time and cost. The languages used to write the programs on each platform become a significant differentiator.
Java is the foundation of Android, whereas Apple’s Swift is the language of choice for iOS development. Most of the time, Swift seems more user-friendly and better suited to the demands of iOS programmers. As a result, fewer resources are spent on coding.
iOS, in contrast to Android, is not an open-source platform and thus requires much more excellent uniformity in its included software to guarantee proper and consistent operation across all supported devices. Time and money are both saved in the development process and saved in the cost of fixing bugs in the future, thanks to the data given.
Post-launch maintenance
Despite the availability of newer versions of Android, users continue to cling to the old ones. About half of all Android devices are using out-of-date versions of the operating system. This causes crashes and other unexpected issues in otherwise fully working new applications. iOS app maintenance costs are often lower than those for Android applications.
Desired features
Android’s greater openness stands out in contrast to iOS’s stricter restrictions as the primary distinction between the two platforms. The former is a free and publicly distributed OS. Access to restricted hardware, file systems, and iOS functionality is what this implies for programmers. Android also offers more personalization options than iOS.
User location
Apps aimed at users in Western Europe, Australia, or North America may get higher returns if developed for iOS. In Japan, the United States, and especially the United Kingdom, iOS has a larger market share than Android.
The Android platform is more widely available and is popular in Africa, Latin America, and even certain regions of Europe. This system has a larger market share than iOS in numerous countries, including Germany, China, Brazil, Nigeria, and India.
What you choose should be based on where your audience is. And to be on the safe side, it is advised that you develop an app for both platforms, as people on one platform are switching to the other.
Which system should you use first? It depends upon your target audience.
The following should be considered while determining whether to build for iOS or Android:
user location, development time and cost constraints, the novelty of the interface, and the intended audience.
This list may not be exhaustive, but it does cover the most important considerations when deciding on mobile app development services between Android and iOS development. The two operating systems have similar market shares, promising futures, and massive user bases across all industries.
Whether it’s an Android or iOS platform, you need to consider where your audience is. If they use Android, go for it. If it’s iOS, utilize that.
