Android VS iOS Development: Which Platform is Better for Your App

Most people base their decisions between iOS and Android on their personal preferences. But, the app development decision doesn’t lie entirely on your personal preference.  

Take into account your specifications and the most significant business. To help you decide, we conducted extensive research, gathered a ton of data specifically for these two operating systems (iOS and Android), and compared numerous metrics.

Why Choose Android Application Development for Your Business?

In the world of mobile application development, an Android application gives you access to a sizable chunk of the quickly growing mobile market. With this, more people are exposed to your app. Users are drawn to and informed about promotions, new offers, discounts, and different incentive programs using push notifications. Attractive graphics can act as attention catchers. The type of app depends on your end goal. If you are targeting high revenue- launch a paid app. Launching free apps is beneficial if your goal is high downloads. Here are our thoughts as a leading provider of mobile app development in the USA on why Android is the greatest platform.

• Market Popularity: Android has been progressively increasing its market share over the past five years and is now utilized by a wide range of cell phone users in terms of both geography and demographics. The development of mobile technology has a direct impact; estimates estimated its potential revenue from marketplaces that enable Android at USD 189 billion.
• Low Cost & High ROI: Since Android draws a sizable customer base from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds, applications are less expensive. The majority of the programs are easily accessible on the Google Play Store and are available for free download, in contrast to other operating systems. This is especially useful for new businesses launching their applications. Free or low-cost applications aid in promoting both the software and the business that developed it.
• Fewer Entry Barriers: Compared to iOS developers, Android developers typically start a lot less expensively. Your Android app won’t be authorized and made available on Google Play for a day. On the App Store, it takes a month and a half. According to user feedback, an app on the Google Play Store may get as many updates as requested. The iOS app, on the other hand, necessitates the submission of an application update that must first pass a difficult process. Android is more efficient than other platforms.
• Target Multiple Platforms: When Android software is created on the Java platform, porting it to other systems like Ubuntu and Symbian is easier. As a result, you will have the opportunity to target several platforms with Android application development as a business owner. Kotlin, a language developed by Google that replaces Java as the official language for creating Android applications, is now the standard. Kotlin is used in the creation of applications that run on Android, iOS, and Java Desktop Version. Popular companies like Tinder, Pinterest, and Netflix create Android apps using the programming language Kotlin.
• Feature Flexibility: What characteristics will your company application offer? Because Android is open-source, you can modify your Android application and add the features and functionality your users want.
• Customization: The best customization capabilities for Android Application Development are provided by the open-source nature of Android, which is one of the main reasons why this industry is so well-liked.
• Easy Application Development: Because of Android’s open working style, simple access to resources, and adaptable ways for development elements, creating apps for the platform is amazing and quick. The Android community has grown significantly and is rapidly growing. You will run into some alluring time and cost matrices when creating your Android application. Thanks to its thorough approval procedure and features, publishing an application will be exceptionally simple and quick.

Why Choose iOS Application Development for Your Business?

Without having an app that smoothly manages to keep a user engaged, it is impossible to envision breaking into the fiercely competitive and highly unstable industry of iPhone app development. iPhone app creation is undoubtedly superior to Android app development when taking into account the popularity and demand for iPhone-specific apps. Being an ios app development company in the USA, here is our take on why Android is the best platform.

• Specific Audience: The fact that iPhones are widely used doesn’t need to be discussed. Companies need to be aware that just a small percentage of people use iPhones. The tech-savvy population that prefers a user interface that is simple but effective undoubtedly prefers an iPhone device. In this scenario, there is a big market ready to buy the products or software you wish to produce.
• Strong brand value: Since that Apple is one of the most trusted brands in the world, anything associated with it should likewise be trusted. Apple thoroughly examines all possible mobile applications before allowing them to be downloaded, as is known to iPhone users. Thus, what encourages more consumers to trust a firm app is the branding of iPhone app creation.
• Better User Experience: iOS users are frequently content, making them the ideal choice for a business app. Apple has become the industry leader in consumer electronics because of its faultless hardware, first-rate customer service, and faultless software. Some Android apps’ user downloads will function, while others won’t. But for Apple users, that is not the case. Every single iOS app runs smoothly on an iPhone and offers a fantastic user experience, which is always crucial for a business.
• Security: Even though security measures are in place to increase the security of online payments, the iOS app makes them more secure for users by encrypting transactions and eliminating risks like phishing, hacking, etc. Investing in this platform for a business app can be a smart move given the market reputation of iOS and its supporting devices, such as the iPad and iPhone, which are becoming more vital to increase corporate sales and productivity.
• Easy Testing: The Android operating system is used on several devices. While developing an app for the Android platform, the range of versions may lengthen the development and testing phases. There are only about 20 active Apple mobile device models. Because there are only a few iOS devices and versions available, developers can build and test their apps rapidly and begin enhancing the businesses of their clients.

Difference Between iOS App & Android App Development

The most obvious distinctions between iOS and Android development are technical. Programming languages, testing techniques, etc. vary among platforms. The most frequent technical differences between creating apps for iOS and Android are as follows:

• Programming Languages: Android and iOS programming use different technology stacks. Although the second mostly uses Java or Kotlin as an alternative, the first only uses the Swift app development language. Which stack is easier to understand and takes less time? The great majority of mobile app developers find it easier to create an iOS app than an Android one. Because Swift is easier to read than Java, learning to code in it takes less time. As Kotlin develops, the scenario might alter once more in the future. The readability, modernism, and intuitiveness of the language have led to predictions that it may soon displace Java. A single piece of code can be written using cross-platform programming tools to work on both iOS and Android devices.
• Development Environment: Android developers work with Android Studio, a proprietary program with a broad feature set that Google unveiled in 2013. This integrated development environment has a broad range of development and debugging tools, supports several operating systems, and is very readable. iOS programmers utilize the XCode tool. The Apple-backed solution is simple to use, supports the whole iOS device lineup, and provides many bug-fixing tools.
• System-Specific Design Differences: iOS and Android, two platforms made for the creation of mobile apps, share the fundamentals of software design. The smallest clickable regions for iOS and Android are 44px and 48px, respectively, because neither a touch device nor a stylus has a precision of 100% when clicking. A development team must divide the program into activities and components because Android apps are produced using partitioning. Because an activity is similar to one app screen, a developer who is working on a project with numerous screens will need to handle hundreds of activities. The user interface elements that are regularly used to switch between activities, enter values, or launch a new app screen are included in each activity. View controllers are a key component of the iOS application architecture. Split view controllers, tab controllers, and page view controllers are a few of these utilized in app development. A view controller is capable of controlling the entire screen or just a section of it. Developers can write controllers in code or arrange the images in a storyboard and save it as an XML file, among other choices for handling controllers. In this way, the rate of development accelerates while the likelihood of error decreases. The iOS framework is simpler to manage and less error-prone than Android apps. Because of how the system is built, creating an iOS app is simpler.
• The complexity of Development: In terms of the complexity of app development, Android substantially lags behind iOS. A key element is the fragmentation of devices. Apple only releases a small number of devices, but Android releases a wider range of screen sizes. There are dozens of various screen styles, which vary depending on the screen’s size, density, and OS version. In addition to changing the images to match a wide range of devices, a developer will need to use hundreds of device simulators during testing to ensure that the app is displayed consistently for all users. Because of this, testing and development, both need a significant amount of time and resources and call for frequent reviews and revisions. iOS development is simpler than Android.
• Market: Currently, Android controls the whole market. More than 80% of the population uses Android smartphones, but only 16% of smartphone users worldwide use iOS. Even the commonly held misconception that America is an iPhone-dominated nation is debunked by the relatively small market share difference between Android and iPhone development. If a developer wants to reach a worldwide audience, Android is the best option.

• App Design: Apple gives the app’s content precedence over its design. Therefore, emphasis on clarity and liberal use of white space is recommended. The most utilized tools by UI designers are gradients and shadows. The overall design of the application should have many layers and convey a sense of depth. Android’s designs are influenced by daily living. As a result, color and motion are two essential components. Light, motion, and color changes are some of the more common features used by Android designers. Of course, the style and feel of the app will be chosen by a designer. Yet, several system-specific differences have an impact on how iOS and Android apps are created.
• App Security: Due to the challenging process of program publishing and moderation, the App Store is a safer place to get apps than Google Play. There is less likelihood of falling for a virus dealer’s scam. If your program was given the thumbs-up by the moderators of the App Store, you may feel very certain about its security. Yet, Google will approve your app in a matter of hours while Apple can take a few days. The apps are extensively examined in both cases, but because Apple has so many requirements and peculiarities, you will probably need to spend a lot of time learning about them and adjusting your code.

Conclusion

Because each has advantages and disadvantages, choosing between iOS and Android application development can be challenging. In conclusion, if you don’t feel budget-constrained and aim for specific premium categories, iOS is a better option. If you want to explore the app industry, are aiming for a worldwide audience, or are on a tight budget, think about using Android. It’s challenging to create an app on your own, therefore it’s preferable to work with an experienced team. AtliQ Technologies has created numerous mobile applications for use in business, recreation, and other areas. In our portfolio, you may find both basic projects for SMEs and ambitious apps for big businesses.

Excited to talk about your project? Drop in your details & we would love to help you make your dream app come true. Check out our success stories to see if you need anything from there if you’re unsure of how we can help.