In this era of digitalization, businesses are encashing on the growing popularity of mobile handsets to expand their outreach. Clearly, mobile App Development is the best way to digitize a business venture. However, it is not as easy as it sounds; the choice of mobile app operating system can determine the failure or success of your app.

While both iOS and Android app development platforms have gigantic user bases, a mobile app should not be launched on both of them simultaneously. If you opt for native app development, you’d be expected to build apps for iOS and Android separately. A single code doesn’t work for both platforms when it comes to native apps. iOS and Android being the leading operating systems, present a difficult choice for business as both iOS and Android users behave in different ways.

Launching on the wrong kind of app development platform would mean that business would miss out on its target user segment. Simply put, to launch mobile apps on both app stores means developing two apps from scratch to meet the unique requirements that each operating system presents.

Promatics is a full-stack mobile app development agency. We have worked with multiple clients and guided them towards the right app development platform for their business. Many start-ups developing their first mobile app get confused while choosing the operating system for their app. We educate them on the product development process, helping them decide between the two based on numerous factors. Our team of expert mobile app developers shares their expertise on the matter in this article. We intend to help young businesses make informed decisions before they jump into app development with the wrong kind of operating system for their business first.

Why Should You Not Build for Both the App Platforms Simultaneously?

Mobile app development for both the platforms simultaneously might sound catchy at first, but many reasons make it a wrong choice. Here are a few such reasons:

a.) Without validating your idea via the app you present to your customers on one platform, it’s not financially viable to invest in the other forum.

b.) Mobile applications differ in their app design. Therefore, you might not be able to provide all the features simultaneously on each platform. In retaliation, the audience can tag you with the title “discriminator” that’ll harm your brand value.

c.) When you offer applications at the same time on both platforms, the maintenance workload also increases. Conversely, if you know the modifications beforehand, the second app’s development is much more convenient.

Factors to Consider When Choosing Android vs iOS Development

Outreach

When it comes to iOS vs Android comparison list, Android dominates the global market share, thanks to its budget segment apart from its premium collaborations. As per Statcounter, more than 74% of the smartphone market share is captured by Android, while iOS sits at 25.15%. The remaining percentage is divided among multiple operating systems that haven’t impacted the global market as of now. So, if you feel that your app can become a part of everyone’s life, go for Android first.

Audience

Both iOS and Android operating systems have significantly different usage statistics. The audience segment that wants value-for-money smartphones at a moderate budget is the typical Android audience. Regions like South Asia, South-East Asia, and other developing parts of the world prefer Android phones because of their affordable price segment.

The dominance of iOS is observed in developed countries like the U.S.A., UK, Germany, and more. Study of demographics, in general, can help you decide which platform between iOS Vs Android to choose first.  

Revenue

Revenue generation is a litmus test that every app needs to pass. The investment that you make on app development and app design should pay for themselves after your app is available to the public. Features like in-app purchases, brand sponsorships, Google AdSense, and other methods help you generate revenue from the mobile application. A market study by BusinessOfApps informs that iOS minted $46.6 Billion in revenue, and Android generated $24.8 Billion for the financial year 2019.

If you are building a mobile app to earn revenues from the iOS platform can easily be your best choice amidst the two. An iOS mobile application is radically different from its Android counterpart, and so is its revenue generation method. The “paid-apps” section in Android doesn’t match up to that of iOS because on iOS, the percentage of paying customers is considerably high.

Features

Segregate your list of features into “must-have” features and the “wishlist” features. If the mobile app design is similar to a digital or e-commerce store, you can opt for iOS. This is because, as per market research, iOS users are 15% more likely to open e-commerce apps in comparison to Android devices. However, if it’s a mobile messenger app, you can prefer Android because iOS users don’t use multiple chat applications, generally.

Cost of Development

For any small business or a budding start-up, the cost of developing an app is a primary concern. If the mobile application is complex and involves multi-layered functionality in terms of structure, the price is bound to rise. Comparing both the platforms, the development cost is slightly higher for the Android operating system due to the vast array of devices that an Android app needs to serve. Additionally, there are many customized versions of Android that add up to the costing.

Enterprise Apps

Enterprise applications prioritize end-to-end encryption, data security, and access privacy. It’s best to choose iPhone app development when creating enterprise apps. People belonging to the lavish corporate world, celebrities, and Bureaucrats – all prefer the iPhone because of its dependability and data privacy.

Release Cycles

iOS is regular with its release cycles and also ensures that all the users are uniformly shifted to the newer versions of their operating system. However, that’s not the case with Android. The version upgrades aren’t uniform and not compatible with all Android devices. Therefore, application updates in Android should be cross-checked with the latest version as well.

Tablet Friendliness

The usage of tablets has changed over time. Today, they are profoundly used in all business sectors and are rarely used for entertainment purposes. If your app has a substantial business value attached to it, go for iOS tablet development because they are preferred in the corporate world over Android tablets.

Brand Loyalty

The high-scale revenue generated by iOS applications, even after having 25% of the market share, is a testimonial for Apple regarding brand loyalty. However, many users have switched from iOS to Android because of its newly refined premium segment. But, the overall brand loyalty that Apple has earned over the years is unmatchable.

When is it Better to Build an Android App first?

It’s best to create an Android app first when the purpose of the app is inclined towards general usage with minimum constraints. A study of the global demographics helps businesses gain an understanding of the regions that have Android dominance. App businesses can then compare the selected demographics with their app’s offerings. If everything falls in place, it’s best to go with the Android mobile application first.

When is it Better to Build an iOS App first?

When the USP of your app revolves around data privacy and ease-of-usage, you must prefer iPhone app development. Also, when your business manifesto requires you to focus on revenue generation from the beginning, iOS development can be the optimum choice.

When Should You Choose Cross-Platform App Development?

Cross-platform mobile development boasts of platform independence. It is best suited for quick app trials without spending much on development, and the idea is to get instant feedback from the consumers. Mobile app developers reuse the code to develop the app compatible with a new operating system after using platform-dependent tools and frameworks with cross-platform app development.

To Conclude

The decision to choose a platform for mobile app development first depends on the vision and business model of the business. Factors like the target audience segment and the relatively long and short term goals also help in decision making.

We at Promatics, conduct in-depth research to help our clients choose the right operating system for mobile app development. We aim to help them garner rich dividends from mobile app development without getting them to build for both app development platforms. Begin the mobile app coding journey or, conversely, consult with mobile app developers from our team that help you make an informed choice.

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