Building a mobile app is tiresome and technical task. Mobile app development is taking the world by storm due to growing number of mobile phone users and evolving business requirements. According to a research, the number of smartphone users around the world is expected to reach more than 2.53 billion in 2018. In addition, the number of smartphone users is expected to bypass the 5 billion by the year 2019.
In this article, we are going to compare the differences between Android and iOS app development in multiple categories. After reading this article, you will be able to understand the changes and determine what platform you should choose to build the next app for your business:
Language
Android follows Java as the basic development language. However, Java requires a lot of code. On another hand, iPhone app development is done through Swift. The Swift’s coding is rapid than the Android’s Java. Coders require more time to code in Java compared to the Swift. The Swift came into the bigger picture in the 2014. Swift requires less lines of code, and apps built on Swift are comparatively faster and responsive.
In addition, there’s an alternative to Java i.e. Kotlin. This coding language is similar to Java. Kotlin was designed as an enhancement to Java. This language is comparatively easier and intuitive. Kotlin stands as the prime language to create Android-powered apps.
IDE or Integrate Development Environment
Software engineers utilized Eclipse as an environment for Google-backed app development services. The tech giant Google then released its Studio, and the programmers adapted it due to endless possibilities. It offers cross-platform, plain packages, and a broad range of functionalities and debugging.
iOS developers choose Xcode to develop Apple iOS apps. It stands as a productive environment for creating great apps for Mac and iOS devices. It has possibilities to identify errors in syntax. Also, it can fix the code errors.
Audience
Demographic stats matter a lot. It offers useful insights about users who utilize iOS/Android backed gears. It’s the true north where one should begin with the investigation. The Google’s app development platform holds the largest universal platform share. According to a survey, a large number of Apple’s users are females of 35+ years of age, working in marketing or media industry with an annual income of over $200K. On another hand, Android users are male of between 18 to 34 years of age, working in IT or Energy industry. These males of an annual income of about $50 to 100K
Development Speed
According to a research, Android focused platform building requires more time and resources in regards to OS fragmentation. It can take about 30 to 40 percent more time for engineers to create and Android-based app. On another hand, iOS app is less time-consuming and complicated as compared to Java and Kotlin.
Development Cost
To discover how much it will cost to build an app on specific requirements, you need to take a decision about a platform. Also, you need to opt for a development team and enquire about a rough estimate. You should keep in mind that development cost for an app relies on the time consumed to build it. However, facts reveal that the more time an app takes to build, the more costly it becomes. We suggest business owners to rely on the quality iOS app developers to avoid revisions and get a top-notch application.
App Monetization
App monetization stands as the most critical factor when choosing any platform for app creation. Users of Apple focus on purchases, and android users have to deal with ads-supported applications. Both the applications stores – AppStore and PlayStore have download exceeding 26 billion worldwide. The stats have revealed that Google Play is leading in term of total number of app downloads. It’s downloads has increased by 10%. On another hand, downloads through iOS devices have increased by 8% since the last quarter.
Worldwide consumers’ expenditure on apps is increasing rapidly. In the 3rd quarter of last year, the consumer spend on iOS apps was double than the Google PlayStore. Surprisingly, both the stores have achieved record level of consumer expenditure with growth rate of more than 25 percent.
Conclusion
When choosing a platform for a mobile app, you need to consider some vital factors. We have explored the key factors that highlight differences between the mainstream mobile platform i.e. Android and iOS.
A vital factor here is to assess the components that distinguish the two platforms. The reliable app development companies are backed by a team of experienced developers who have expertise in building apps that become successful on application stores. If you know of more differences between the two platforms i.e. Android and iOS, then feel free to mention.
About Author:-
Gerry Wilson is a passionate tech blog writer and a senior mobile app developer, He transform complex ideas into innovative approaches for app development. His user-friendly visuals are based on the creative approaches that improve the digital marketing campaigns for brand awareness. Follow him on Twitter for further details.