iOS or Android: Which App Should You Build?

Demographics

Companies that research the demographics of iOS or Android users can learn a lot about them. There are more people in the world who use the Android platform than the iOS app platform, likely because Android devices are cheaper. With that being said, the majority of these people are living in developing countries. Either that or they are lower class people in first world countries.

The people who use the iOS app platform are usually young, more educated, and have a higher income. This means they aren’t afraid to spend extra money on purchasing their apps.

Revenue

Companies need to think about the location of their target audience. Since Android users have less money, then it is wiser to create free applications that support advertisements. Then, for the iOS platform, you can make paid applications with no ads because iOS users will likely have the money to purchase those apps.

You might think it would be harder to make money trying to get people to purchase apps, but the iOS revenue model actually proves to be more successful than the Android revenue model. According to Statista, during 2017’s first quarter, iOS apps generated 70% more revenue than apps made for the Android.

Recommended Reading: “8 monetization models for your mobile application”

Speed of App Development

The biggest worry about developing an app is how fast you can complete it and make it available on the market. On which platform you can launch the app faster – iOS or Android? In most cases, an Android app takes 20% more time to develop than an iOS app. It also applies if you build MVP app. The main reason for this is due to the release cycles of the system as well as “Android fragmentation.”

You see, Android devices come in many different sizes and shapes. This means they also have different screen sizes and perform differently as well. Plus, there are many active versions of Android happening simultaneously. All these reasons are why there is Android defragmentation. So, to develop an app which has the ability to function properly on each of these varying Android devices, the app development company has a lot more work to do. This means it will take more time and lead to a higher app development cost

Cycles for App Releases

Android releases tend to be more difficult because of the OEM and carrier lockdowns. Also, the frequent new versions of the operating system make it take longer for the adoption of them to occur. For example, the Android Nougat version was released way back in August of 2016. But only about 7% of worldwide Android users can say they’ve adopted this version. Meanwhile, more than 80% of those using the iOS app platform can say they’ve adopted the iOS 11, which is the latest version of the platform.

It helps app developers for hire when they can just focus on creating apps which can be supported by the latest versions of the app platform. This allows the apps to reach a wider audience. On the other hand, if just 10% of apps platforms users can say they’ve adopted it. This means mobile app developers must make apps which are supported by older versions of the operating system. This will involve additional testing, which will mean more cycle time wasted in the development process.

Recommended Reading: “Building an app: How much does it cost”

Since the adoption rates amongst iOS users are higher, developers can create apps without having to worry about making them compatible with older versions of the operating system. This will reduce the amount of testing time needed. Also it will give them a chance to integrate new APIs into it.

More Engagement or More Numbers?

When developing an app, do you want it to have fewer users who are more engaging or more users who are less engaging? This is what you need to decide while thinking about which app platform to make your app for. The choice comes down to the monetization method you choose from the app. Since more people use Android, you will have more users who are less engaged on there. With iOS, you will have fewer users who are more engaged.

Making the Platform Choice for Your App – iOS or Android?

So what platform do you have to choose – iOS or Android? If you want to earn more money and market your apps quickly, then your choice is to develop iOS mobile application. On top of that, the app development cost will be lower. Another good reason to create iOS app is that you get to understand the learning curve of new app creation.

In other words, you’ll learn what works and what doesn’t work. It will be harder to learn this when you develop for the Android and iOS apps platforms at the same time, or just the Android platform because of the Android defragmentation issue. This would make it less profitable for you.

If you create a startup and you want your app to become successful but you don’t have a big capital for app development at the time, then creating iOS mobile app must be your choice. Because besides the lower app development costs new and interesting iOS apps attract more media attention. In other words, more people will likely be clicking on your app if it is an iOS app. On the other hand, if your target audience is in an emerging marketplace, then create Android apps instead.

Once you have made your platform choice and gotten started, you should only move on to the next platform after you’ve seen growth in revenue from your first platform. This will help you expand your reach and invest your time in creating apps for an even wider audience.

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