Android vs iOS Development Battle

So, you are a entrepreneur or young startup founder, or maybe you have your business and want to express yourself to new customers and sell services in new way, heard about mobile platforms, but still can’t decide which one and what the distinction between Android and iOS.

Android vs iOS Development Battle

We know that not every tech startup founder or entrepreneur is not a developer and they don’t really must be. As a businessman, you can do more than just writing a code and thinking how it should work. You have to work with product validation, marketing, market fit and much more. In addition: developers, who have founded their startups almost do no coding when the application start getting traction (you even may find many books about it).

But before we start, let’s clarify some questions:

If you have an idea, but do not have specific design for your project, or want to see some awesome application to match to, you should know the top apps in the market.

Top Android apps of 2016:

1. Weather: Widget Forecast Reader;

2. AppLock;

3. CloudMagic Email & Calendar;

4. Evernote;

5. Google Drive.

Top iOS apps of 2016:

1. Facebook;

2. Youtube;

3. Skype;

4. WhatsApp;

5. Find my iPhone.

First to know information to start:

 Source: acadgild.com

And before we start to speak about iOS vs Android development (and advantages of android app development or advantages of ios app development) plus how much does it cost to make an application, we should speak in global about features of this platforms.

Developing for Android

Speaking of Android, people often align it with new technologies, great features like 4k displays, 3D cameras etc, as well as devices with low price and good hardware. Big manufactures like Samsung, Lg, Motorola and others preferred Android in their devices.

Mention that Android platform have a lot more audience global. More people like it - more buy it, plus you can include in-app purchases and Ads monetization.

Pros and cons of developing for Android:

Pros:

• Market Share. About 81% global;

• Demographics. Wider demographics = bigger chance to reach necessary niche;

• Better AD revenue;

Source: mobyaffiliates.com

• Google Play Review. Take less time to launch the app into the store;

• Cheaper publishing. One-time payment ($25) in Google Play market and $99 once a year in the App Store to publish the application;

• More testers. Google had opened tester’s service.

Cons:

• Fragmentation. Big amount of different devices can make development of a good app more difficult.

• More developing time. Time equal money, but in comparison of Android and iOS development you have to wait a little more longer in first case.

And finally, let’s talk about why such a great amount of people likes this operating system and preffered it to iOS. TOP 3 Reasons to choose Android development platform:

1. Price. Indeed, Android’s price list is much lower, than rival’s. You can buy great devices for under $200 or even $150 and be happy with this purchase;

2. Features. Brand new technologies opportunities, that Apple can’t bring such fast as Android manufacturers can. Water resistance, wireless chargers, 3D and 4k displays - not the full list of what Android can offer you.

3. Google services integration. The platform gives you deep integration with Google services like Gmail, Maps, Google Drive and many others. But another some are Google Analytics - powerful SEO tools, that can bring you complete information about the app downloads, requests, and in-app time. Forewarned is forearmed, make your app easy to use, design better UI, get positive UX - all these points will increase your incomes.

Developing for iOS

Speaking about iOS means more secure and complete applications with great feel, design, and UX. Apple devices are quick and easy to use, got all-you-need preinstalled apps and suits a lot better for users who don’t know how to use smartphones, in addition, all iOS devices have a similar interface.

Everyone knows that Apple is a great quality with no exception and compromises because lots of it uses by many companies in the business segment. Over and above, iOS applications drive most revenue from mobile downloads

Source: 9to5mac.com

Pros and cons of developing for iOS:

Pros:

• Higher revenue. Look at the picture above;

• Minor dev time. As you can see lower, this is a fact. As faster you can launch the application, the faster you can take your incomes);

• Better security;

• Fewer apps number. You can be on top longer and more often;

Cons:

• Poor customization. Although iOS devices have better user interface and user experience, some specific functions like widgets and notifications still remains inaccessible;

• Closed system.

Source: comscore.com

Now, let’s look at the iOS advantages and Top 3 Reasons to choose iOS development platform:

1. Quality. It would be no secret if we tell you that Apple have done a great job and their devices not only looks good but works well too. This also applies to apps, due to high entry barrier and app control;

2. Fluid experience. iOS environment provides well-directed system, instinctive interface and app speed;

3. Compatibility. Unlike the Android device specific, which means a lot of devices with different hardware, various display resolutions, and os versions, iOS devices are always consistent to each other. So this expands into easy development.

Source: forbes.com

If you are still wondering which mobile platform to choose and cannot make a decision, we can help you to solve this trouble. As a mobile development company we can make some comparison of Android and iOS development, as we’ve got a lot of complete and published applications in our portfolio, such like: chat app with unique features, Real Estate - app for searching housing and apartments for rent and sale and, finally Flower delivery - for the NY’s delivery company.

Read also:

•  How to Make an Event App

•  Does a Real Estate Agency Need a Mobile App?

Comparison of Android and iOS development

How long does it take to learn to read the code

In our terms, beginners with no previous experience in mobile development can make their first release in about 4-6 month after the start. Study results shows, that iOS developers have to write fewer lines of code, unlike the android developers, but Android SDK have better documentation and some API compatibility (like HTML5), that can give 10% less time of writing the same application compared to iOS.

Starting from the above, Android and iOS development areas differs in such aspect as demographics (Android have global coverage, iOS users usually have a bigger income, higher ed level, spend more).

Revenue model (android have more ad-supported apps, iOS - paying for the app), release cycle (iOS developers can focus on supporting new os, Android - still supporting several old os), development speed (Android dev is longer), app cost (iOS is getting cheaper).

How much does it cost?

Although, development costs of android & iOS apps may vary, but the end price will be similar due to programming specifics (android code contains more lines of code and time).

The worldwide hourly-rates:

• North America: $40-$240;

• Australia: $40-$180;

• Western Europe\Uk: $40-$150;

• Eastern Europe: $20-$120;

• India: $5-$70;

The price of making application is usually based on hours, that project can take and the more inconvenient functionality, the more it can take. For easy understanding, let’s divide apps into 3 groups: easy, medium apps and hard, with $40\hour rate:

1. Easy apps. Basic functions, no API, no backend, standard UI components. This will cost you from $20,000. For example Clockifi;

2. Medium apps. Simple backend, few API support. May contain online chat, payments, custom UI features and phone\tablet adaptation: 600-800 hours, $35,000-50,000. This can be Instagram bot app that can help you get more Instagram likes & followers: Like Boost;

3. Hard Apps: Advanced Functionality, real-time events, integration with audio & video, third-party API integration, composite backend, databases and more. It will cost you $60,000-$80,000 for 800+ hours. For example, it could be the social network app or the streaming application.

Read also: How To Develop an App Like Periscope?

Concluding Note

For your startup you may start from Android app or iOS app, this is not necessary, more important would be the application quality because if your product will be successful, you’ll totally make it on another platform too. If you need unimprovable, perfect Android App Development Services or iOS App Development Services, we got some, just write and we will make your dream come true!

We’re hoping, that given information will be useful enough alone. If you have another information points, you search at researching this theme or anything else can give you the answer, leave us a note and we’ll contact you ASAP.