Android vs iOS: Which Mobile Platform To Choose for App Development?

For businesses who want to develop a mobile app, choosing between Android and iOS - the top two mobile OS platforms - is quite a challenge. While some businesses may not want to develop an app for both platforms, others may lack the necessary funds/budget to do so. Thus, if you are struggling with questions like; which platform is best for mobile app development or is Android better than iOS?, then the below iOS vs Android comparison can help you make the right decision.

The choice would, ultimately, be based on what your requirements are. However, the below guide will help you discern how both mobile platforms compare with each other based on various factors. So, let’s go ahead and check out this Android vs iOS comparison guide.

1. Android vs iOS - Market Share of Apps

The current market share of Android and iOS in India, as published by Statcounter. As you can see, Android OS has a larger market share of 89.93%, while the iOS market share is 2.74%.

Based on this, Android OS is clearly a winner. However, when choosing a platform for building a mobile app, market share shouldn’t be your only criteria. In the Android vs iOS debate, knowing your target audience is important. This includes the geographical area and demographics.

So, if you want to create a mobile app for the global audience, then Android is a great choice. But, if you are targeting audience in Western Europe or Northern America, then choose iOS as Apple dominate these markets.

2. iOS vs Android - Complexity of Development

When it comes to mobile app development, iOS is less complex to develop than Android. The reason for this is simple; device fragmentation. Apple has a lesser number of devices - iPhone, iPad and iPod. Android, on the other hand, has an extensive range of devices (smartphones and tablets), which, in turn, have different screen sizes. This makes developing an Android app more complex.

3. Android Apps vs iOS Apps - Programming Languages Used

A developer needs to have knowledge of different programming languages for iOS and Android app development. The programming languages used for Android apps are Java and Kotlin and in some cases even C#. Whereas, the native development language used to create iOS apps are Objective C or Swift. So, this is another factor you need to consider when choosing a mobile app development platform.

4. iOS Apps vs Android Apps - Time and Cost

Like mentioned above, iOS apps are faster to develop than Android apps as they are created only for one platform rather than thousands of devices. Similarly, writing codes with Swift is easier compared to Java, which involves writing more codes. So, from the perspective of mobile app development, iOS wins as it has a faster process time.

The cost of developing iOS or Android apps, on the other hand, is subjected to many factors. While longer development time (like in the case of Android) incurs more costs, let’s not forget that the development platform for Android is ‘Android Studio’ which works on all modern PC. But, to develop an iOS app, you need to work on ‘Apple’s Xcode development platform,’ which works only on Mac systems. So, this would add cost to the iOS development as you need to buy a Mac system.

Also, the cost of publishing an app varies. With Google Play, you need to just pay a one-time fee of $25 to publish an app, whereas, Apple App Store charges you $99 per year.

5. iOS vs Android Comparison - Timeline for Approval

If you want to release or publish an app faster, then this is another thing you need to consider. Android doesn’t have strict verification procedures, which ensure that you get an approval real quick. Apple, on the other hand, follows a strict verification process for all apps and as such, takes a longer time to give approval.

#Conclusion

As mentioned in our introduction, in the iOS vs Android comparison, the choice between the two OS platforms is solely based on your requirements. Ensure that you take into consideration factors like your target audience, development cost & time and how fast you want the app published. This will help you make the right choice and enable you to pick the best mobile platform for app development.