How to Choose the Right App Development Platform?

If you’re buying a smartphone today, there are chances that it will run on one of the two OS - Android or iOS. They jointly possess 99% of the global market share. So, what should you choose?

Both the operating systems are sound. They have many similarities. However, there are a few differences that you’ll have to consider. Let’s see what those are and pick a winner. Ultimately, the best platform would be one based on your requirements. While undergoing Android app development services or iOS app development services, pick what matters to you and choose the correct option.

• Geographical Distribution

iOS and Android cater to different regions. For example, iOS is popular in the US, Canada, Australia, Japan, and Western Europe. Android dominates the Asian region, Central and South America, the Middle East, and some other countries.

According to Statista, Android holds 87% while iOS is only 13%. Similarly, in the US market, the Android share was 43.5%, whereas iOS accounts for 56.22%.

So, go for an OS that’s popular in your key market. If your target audience uses iOS, choose iOS app development services and vice versa.

• Technical Specification

Apart from demographic and market demand, there are some technical details to focus on, such as design guidelines, tech stack, etc.

When designing Android apps, designers have to follow Google’s Material Design Guidelines. It specifies table sizes, icon spacing, color palette recommendations, and more. In terms of iOS apps, designers can refer to Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines. These guidelines offer recommendations rather than dictating details. Some say that Apple guidelines provide more freedom than Google. Decide based on various design factors such as animation, navigation, buttons, and typography.

• Device and Platform Fragmentation

Android is open source, and developers can use it to customize the Android OS. However, open-source has few issues. For instance, Android developers can tweak apps according to their devices. Some of the Android devices have cheaper components. This can cause bugs or slow down the app, making it less appealing.

iOS, on the contrary, has no issue with fragmentation. So, the conclusion is that iOS can run on more devices for less development time than its Android counterpart.

• App Store Submission

When you have to meet deadlines, the time required to submit the app can be crucial. So, before submitting, go through the App Store and Google Play checklis

The App Store provides manual testing with people performing step-by-step app reviews. On top of that, they use automated tests. The waiting period for review is one to two days. If your app gets rejected, the review team will explain the reason.

The Google Play Store uses automated testing. It can leave minor issues undetected. The best thing is that it can be available in one or two days after submission. If your app is rejected, it’s challenging to get a hold of Google’s review team.

• Budget

There’s a myth that Android is cheaper than iOS. The app development price actually depends on the features and design, not on programming language and OS. However, the tech stack does affect the budget, but not on a significant level. Some even argue that Java code is more verbose than Swift code. But in reality, sometimes, Java solves tasks with less code.

Hence, the advice to get a proper estimate is to talk to an expert.

What’s the Final Choice?

It depends on the kind of app you want to create and what unique features you want to offer. Demographic, tech stack, app store guidelines, speed, interface, and other factors need to be considered too. So choose wisely.

However, the best option, according to me, is to build an app for both OS. It has a better chance of success. You can target both Android and iOS users.

Maulik Shah runs an IT company named BiztechCS which is headquartered in Ahmedabad, India. They offer innovative IT solutions like mobile app development, eCommerce web development, custom solutions, and more.