- October 27, 2018
- Posted by: fyber
- Category: Uncategorized
Do you want to develop an Android or iOS app? And you are confused to select operating system between Android and iOS. This info can help you make an informed choice and help into a comprehensive comparison between Android and iOS.
There is a revolution in mobile app development. That is happening right now with the number of apps available for download in major apps stores.
App developer works hard to create the latest software for mobile devices and their creations earn enough money for them at the Google Play Store and the Apple’s store.
It is undoubtedly a good time for mobile app companies to continue hiring an app developer to work on a wide array of mobile app products-from mobile music apps to instant messaging and mobile game apps.
These apps are forecast to earnings of $2000 billion in in-app and in-advertising revenue in less than 3 years time. However, the question is arise, that what should you develop in both Android or iOS apps?
Android and iOS app: A comprehensive comparison between
You will need to consider some factor to decide which platform (Android or iOS) is best for you, such as. demographics, the time frame of development, the range of devices, hardware, publishing and restrictions, cost, and revenue.
In terms of Demographics:
Android has a greater reach than its contender, although iOS user’s income levels and spending capabilities may balance things out in the overall picture.
| Android | iOS |
| Android Current global platform share is larger than iOS. | Caters mostly to U.S. and European markets. |
| It is outstanding in developing countries and low-income areas. | Users tend to have a higher income. |
| Users generally belong to lower-income brackets with more practical spending habits. | Users willing to spend more time and money on apps |
In terms of Devices:
Screen and Resolution
The OS of Android and iOS differ from one another to a great extent. In designing your app, you need to factor in how your app will run given a distinct device’s screen and resolution, the hardware compatible with the platform, and the individual features and capabilities of various phone models.
It might be a little more difficult to develop apps on the Android platform since you will be designing for different screen sizes and resolution. But iOS has a more uniform size range, that’s why you have less trouble to develop the app.
Manufacturers
In the case of Android, you are not developing only for one Android-based device but thousands of other devices produced by different vendors. Since Android has an open nature system, you can leverage it to run your apps not just on mobile phones but also on smart TVs or other media streaming devices.
Since different Android devices have different capabilities that are distinctive from each other, your apps ought to be designed to allow compatibility with all Android devices.
You have to think about the whole Android family-from low-range to mid and high-range iterations when developing and designing your apps. If not, then you might be leaving out a large portion of the Android market from running your apps.
But in the case of iOS, developing your apps for iOS means you’ll have fewer configurations to make, as you only have a limited lineup of gadgets at your disposal. This also means that you’ll have fewer fragmentation issues developing your apps within the iOS system.
| On the basis of | Android | iOS |
| Screen and Resolution | Phones and tablets come in many sizes. | iPhones or other different iDevices offer quite a limited range of choices. |
| Hardware | Apps can be developed on a Windows machine, Mac or Linux. | Apps can be developed on a Mac alone. |
| Manufactures | Multiple smartphones vendors are running the Android OS. | Apple has exclusive rights for manufacturing iPhones and iPads. |
In terms of Development Time:
As a developer, you should naturally concerned about how much time it will take you to develop your app and put it on the App Store or the Play Store. Spending longer on app development might cause a dent on your resources and also effect on your chance to generate revenue for your company.
You have naturally required more time for testing your app across Android’s wide range of devices as you look for fix issues on one device after another. If your app works well only one device but not on another then you have to make necessary changes to the app.
| Android | iOS |
| Generally takes longer to manufacture and test an app because of the platform’s fragmented system. | Development time is significantly shorter. |
In terms of Development Tools:
Programming Language
Java and Swift have a fairly similar in structure. The only difference between them is that the former may be a bit complex if you are just beginning to code, while the latter is based on Objective-C and touted to be generally error-free.
| On the basis of | Android | iOS |
| Integrated Development Environment(IDE) | Uses the faithful Android studio for developing apps on the platform. | Uses the Xcode IDE. |
| Programming Language | The programming language Java is most commonly used in app development. | Uses Apple’s programming language called Swift. |
In terms of Publishing and Restrictions:
| On the basis of | Android | iOS |
| Licensing/Membership | Allows development of an app without any subscription. | Requires subscription to Apple’s membership program. |
| Approval | Publishing policies are less restrictive. | Enforces restrictive policies- i.e. originality of design and potential legal liabilities. |
| Only takes a couple of hours for an app to go live and be available for download on the store. | App store usually takes from several days to weeks to approve an app. |
In terms of Cost and Revenue:
Both the Play Store and also the App Store place developers on equal footing. when it involves revenue generation, but the interplay of cost and revenue seems to more favor with iOS. This may be attributed to iOS users temperament to spend on app purchases.
Thus, iOS would appear to be a higher alternative over Android cost-and-revenue-wise since it is quicker and fewer difficult to develop on the iOS platform. As you need a shorter time to design, test, and release your app for mobile development, these factors make the iOS platform effective for mobile app development
| Android | iOS |
| Costlier to develop. | More cost effective in terms of time and capital resources needed for an app development. |
| You get 70% of the sales revenue made be your app on the Google Play Store | You get 70% of the sales revenue made by your app on the Apple’s store. |
Who is the winner?
After putting Android and iOS against each other, each fared fairly identical. It is a draw between Android and iOS if you consider market demographics, IDE features, and the nature of programming language used.
If we considered all things, no one can claim to be better than other. It’s your own choice to make, depending on the availability of resources and your business goals.