Mobile app services are now an essential requirement for all businesses. This is due to the shifting behavior of consumers. These days, they are more dependent on their phones to shop, travel, and even for payment. Mobile phones have taken over laptops and PCs in the daily life of people. So, to make it in the digital world, even having a website is not enough.
You need to ensure that your business is available for them to access. At the same time, you’re shifting to mobile app, one of the important choices in choosing the correct operating system version.
Android and iOS mobile app services have been among the top two well-known operating systems globally, enjoying a significant part of the users. So which is best to build your mobile application for? Additionally, why should you develop mobile applications for both Android and iOS? The questions may seem a bit difficult right now, but a look at this blog will help you find the solutions. Read on to find all the information you’ve been seeking.
iOS Versus Android
The two OS, Android & iOS, together account for nearly 97 % of the world’s mobile market. Given these numbers, one wouldn’t be incorrect to conclude that there is no other platform worthy of consideration to launch a mobile application in the present. However, deciding between iOS and Android isn’t easy.
Both have much attention that no company would wish to ignore. According to some estimates, an Android app could cost 30 percent over an iOS application. Indeed, the higher price is also justified since who can use Android with various devices that have different sizes of screens and handsets?
Why Not Develop Apps for Both Platforms?
Making mobile app services for both platforms can strain your business and slow down your entrance into the mobile market. Making apps for both OS is costly and lengthy. In addition, you’ll have to create separate teams that have expertise in the relevant technology to create mobile app services for both platforms and, consequently, the cost.
Therefore, you can’t use an alternative to weighing these two (of course, it’s not a good idea only if you have an enormous budget). It is best to choose the first platform and then develop the second. But which one do you choose to pick first, with distinct divergences?
Factors to Decide Which Platform to Choose
Here are a few things to take into consideration when you select the platform you want to select first:
The target audience:
The first thing to do is track how much ownership you have of Android and iOS with the target audience you want to reach. It is essential to obtain an accurate picture of the demographics to understand the gender, age bracket, and income of users of a specific platform. The user demographics aligned with your target audience are the ones you should work with.
It could mean that an iOS user’s age or budget, place of residence, and gender are in line with your intended market. This could give you a clear idea of the reasons to choose iOS instead of Android. The more details you can gather regarding the demographics of your intended market, the better you’ll be able to select the best platform.
Talent Availability and Cost of Acquisition:
Each Android & iOS mobile app development requires specific knowledge. A person with expertise and expertise in Android app development alone cannot create an iOS app and vice the reverse. Android apps typically require the knowledge of Java, while iOS requires Swift or Objective-C. Another aspect to be considered when developing an app is the cost and time aspect.
Based on market research, typically, those who have a working knowledge of Objective-C are costly to hire. They could cost 15 percent more than Android developers. However, developing Objective-C apps is between 30 and 40 percent faster, so you’ll be able to make up the difference by reducing your development time. Android applications require longer development times because Android OS is available across a variety of devices, with various dimensions of screens and other attributes. Yet, iOS is used exclusively for Apple products. Therefore, the app developer doesn’t need to complete the process to make their application compatible with different devices.
Cost and Reviewing Procedure:
The app development journey doesn’t stop when you code. Getting it into the app store can be time-consuming as well. So, if you’re working on a strict schedule and want to launch your app quickly, iOS is not the best platform for you. While Android apps can be approved within a few hours, iOS will take longer because they follow stringent guidelines. Below are the requirements for iOS application approval.
A review to ensure conformance to specific design, technical and content guidelines. Compatibility with the current version. Utilization of Xcode 10.2 for development. Test thoroughly and ensure compatibility with the most recent designs. Although there are occasions where iOS developers might see their apps up and running on the store in just only a few hours, this isn’t a guarantee that it will happen, as the majority of times, it can take much longer and may be delayed for months.
Monetization
It’s true that you must monetize your app, or else why would you want to develop it initially? It’s awe-inspiring to find out that even though the Google Play store accounts for the majority of downloads for apps, however, the percentage of app monetization is lower by 88% than the Apple store. iOS apps have produced incredible results with subscription models or in-app purchase strategies for monetization.
However, should you plan to earn money from apps, you should consider the Google Play store as the answer. Additionally, you should be aware of the increased profits from Google Play store apps year upon year. After a modest increase of $15 billion in 2016, Google Play Store app revenues increased by more than a third to 38.6 in 2020.
I hope this guide helped in helping you pick the right platform for the launch of your mobile application. Don’t worry about not reaching the right audience with the platform. Many companies that are today’s successes started with applications solely based on one platform.
For example, one of the most well-known apps, Uber, began its journey with iOS in 2010. One year after, their popularity has led to them gaining an Android audience. You will also come across certain companies like Overcast & Tweetbot, which started with one platform and now enjoy their unique fame.
