The COVID-19 pandemic opened a new era of digitalization, which has become reliant on smartphones and laptops to get things done. For this purpose alone, mobile apps have become the go-to choice for almost every mobile user. Mobile apps are now preferred over mobile websites by up to 85%.
Android app development services India has seen a massive surge. Even IT sectors from other countries are desperate to hire Android app developers in India.
On the other hand, being an iOS app development company when Android is in demand is still not a bad idea as iOS app developers work at better quality and app delivery than Android developers.
So, what app should your business concentrate on - Android or iOS? Let’s find out.
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Key differences between Android and iOS App Development
Thanks to the availability of cross-platform app development tools, you can now develop the app for both Android and iOS with up to 60% similarity in the underlying code. However, there are still some fundamental differences:
Programming Language
The most fundamental difference is the programming language that they both use during development. Android apps can be developed using Java or Kotlin, which are relatively complex to work with and need some getting used to at first.
iOS apps, on the other hand, are regarded as easier to develop since it uses the language Swift making it efficient with more straightforward commands and access to a lot of phrases for key functions.
Development Environment
Android apps are primarily developed in a development tool called Android Studio, which was launched in 2013. It was initially available with limited features, and apps developed on one platform could not be edited/worked-on on other platforms. However, now it offers a lot of features and tools and also allows for cross-platform development.
Apple being Apple offers a proprietary tool called XCode command-line tool to develop apps. It has always provided all of the tools needed for iOS app development and native iOS app development. The user interface is also more straightforward than Android Studio.
Design Differences
Though app development might seem like a straightforward option to many, fundamental differences depend on the type of device.
With Android apps, the app development team breaks down the app into fragments and activities. All of these are developed separately and then brought together all at once. Every activity is a separate screen and hence can get cumbersome. Furthermore, with android apps, aesthetics are more important than the content of the app.
iOS, on the other hand, works on the principle of views, like split, tab, and page views. So, the developer has to write the code about which part will have what kind of view. Also, as opposed to android, Apple apps pay more importance to the actual content of the app rather than aesthetics.
Market Share
Android has a more significant market share than iOS. Play Store has 3.48 million apps, and the Apple Store has 2.22 million apps. Despite this, the way they operate differs fundamentally. With Play Store, you can reach a wider audience right from the get-go. But iOS offers developer programs where you can test the app with a small group of people before a massive rollout. This makes the process easier and less costly overall.
Complexity
Android and iOS app development are both quite difficult. However, Android is considered more challenging because Android as a platform is used on many devices with varying controls, screen sizes, and performance.
With iOS, Apple controls the devices that use the OS. Hence, all of the details are predefined, and not much ad-libbing is needed. Therefore, iOS apps are more convenient and more accessible to develop than Android apps.
Development Time and Cost
Staying in line with complexity, other factors like time and cost are essential metrics in determining the ROI. For example, iOS apps are often considered more costly since they are more expensive than average Android devices with the same specs. But in reality, iOS apps are less complex, are faster to develop, and cost less since they only have to adapt to Apple devices.
Android apps need to be adaptable to countless devices globally, increasing the app operation’s development time, costs, and complexity.
Top Platforms for Android App Development
With over 3.48 million apps on the Play Store, Android dominates the mobile app market. With a 95.3% market share in the Indian smartphone space, there is a valid reason why Android app development is one of the go-to businesses in India. The following are the most famous tools for developing Android apps:
1. Android Studio: Key Android Build Tool
2. AIDE
3. Stetho
4. Gradle
5. Android Asset Studio
6. LeakCanary
7. IntelliJ IDEA
8. Source Tree
9. GameMaker: Studio
Top Platforms for iOS App Development
Like Apple’s devices, standalone iOS development platforms are not as readily available as other OS. Mostly, You can do iOS app development on cross-platform development tools. With 2.22 million apps on the Apple App Store, you can surely use one of the following tools for adding your apps to it:
1. Swiftic
2. XCode
3. Xamarin
4. Ionic
5. Onsen UI
6. Flutter
Top Platforms for Hybrid App Development
While there are choices available for developing the mobile apps separately, platforms allow for cross-platform app development. The following are the most preferred ones:
1. Titanium
2. React Native
3. Unity3d
4. Phone Gap
5. Sencha
6. Qt
7. Corona
8. 5App
9. Alpha Anywhere
Conclusion - Which is Better?
Looking into the overall picture, iOS apps seem like a better proposition if you want a more straightforward app that appeals to a specific set of people. However, if you want an app that reaches many people irrespective of the costs involved, Android App Development is the way to go.
ManekTech can help you guide your Android or iOS app idea to its reality. Hire ios App Developers and Android developers for the best mobile app development. Then, get in touch to understand what’s trending and launch your app.
About Author
ManekTech Team
ManekTech is a well-known software development and IT consulting company, providing custom software, website, and mobile app development services. ManekTech has own content writing and development team who writes content on various and trending technology that it serves currently.
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