iOS vs Android: Which One is the Best Mobile App Development Platform? [Updated]

Last updated on August 10th, 2023

The use of apps, or mobile applications, on mobile devices has revolutionized the way organizations operate. Businesses are more interested in creating mobile apps as the number of people utilizing these tools continues to rise. According to data compiled from various sources, the Google Play Store currently has approximately 3.5 million applications, while the Apple App Store hosts 2.25 million.

These statistics show that a mobile app is crucial for your company. Still, operating a firm that relies heavily on apps is more complicated. It would help if you thought about many things, such as getting help from a mobile app development business, before making a good choice on your iOS or Android. For this reason, we have compiled a thorough comparison of iOS vs Android. Ok, then, let’s get started!

iOS vs Android: Current Analysis of the iOS and Android Markets

Business decisions made with insights tend to have a higher chance of success. Here are some nuggets of information that will help you evaluate the success of each app store on your own.

To that end, let’s take these one by one and analyze them.

iOS vs Android in Worldwide Sales

Estimating the total number of users on each platform allows us to calculate each company’s worldwide market share. More than a billion people across the globe have purchased an iPhone since its introduction.

Android has over 2.5 billion active users and is number one in more than 190 countries, but it has struggled to overtake Apple in Japan and the United States. Countries like India, Turkey, Brazil, Indonesia, and Iran control eighty-five percent of the market.

Therefore, Android is leading based on the worldwide market share. With Android’s more extensive user base, firms should prioritize creating an app for Android before making an iOS equivalent.

iOS vs Android App Revenue: Which is more lucrative?

Some smartphones come with preloaded software, but users may expand their capabilities using apps from the app shops for their operating system. Google Play is the largest app store, housing over 4 million apps.

However, the Software Store from Apple takes the cake regarding app sales. In the third quarter of 2022, consumers downloaded 27.6 billion applications, leading to 12.1 billion US dollars in revenue for Google Play. On the other hand, Apple’s App Store has racked up 8.1 billion downloads and $21.5 billion in sales, making it the largest app store in the world.

So, pay attention to these market insights if you’re beginning to design mobile apps focusing on results.

iOS vs Android: Brief Comparison Based on Different Parameters

• Programming Language
• System Based Designs
• Interface
• Integration with Google Products
• Security
• Testing
• Browsers’ Speed and Performance
• Breaking Tablet Market

Even though Android has a commanding worldwide market share, you, as a developer, need to be aware of the difficulties inherent in making mobile apps. Comparing app creation for iOS and Android

1. Programming Language

Differences in technology are the most notable feature of these two alternatives. Firstly, while developing for iOS, developers utilize Swift/Objective-C, whereas when making apps for Android, Java or Kotlin are the most used languages.

Most mobile developers find Swift easier to work with than Java, which takes more time to code because Java is more readable. Since Kotlin is so easy to learn and use, it may eventually replace Java in widespread use. Developers prefer cross-platform development tools because they provide code reuse across platforms like Android and iOS. In addition, you may commission the creation of your app by employing iOS app developers.

2. System Based Designs

Apps for iOS and Android that follow software design principles are called system-specific designs. Their primary distinctions are in their layouts’ navigation and content presentation.

iOS programmers pay special attention to how you implement content into your app. This is why it’s so important to leave some space around the text. You should be familiar with the technologies used by UI designers, such as gradients and shadows.

View controllers, such as page view, new tab, split view, and many more, are used by UI designers. The goal of designing an iOS app is to provide the impression of depth and complexity.

The design of Android’s user interfaces was significantly impacted by human factors. Color and movement are hallmarks of these visual compositions. Android designers have a more nuanced toolkit, including light, motion, and color.

To add, partitions are a standard tool for Android programmers. Therefore, even if a project has several screens, the developer may control them all at once. This method of breaking the software into smaller, more manageable chunks is often used.

In summary, developing for iOS is less complicated and error-prone than for Android.

3. Interface

We use XML files to make contrasting visuals in an Android or iOS app. Both systems share the same XML documents.

In addition, iOS has better animations than Android. To address this issue, Google has worked hard on Material Design, a new design pattern for applications, and enhancing energies in the next version of Android. When it comes to improving the user experience, Apple has never wavered from its commitment to using sophisticated and visually stunning animations. While Google is all about the hardware, Apple is about the user experience.

4. Integration with Google Products

The ability to integrate and utilize exciting Google products and add-ons is one reason why your business app should be built using Android rather than iOS. To make it simple to work with other Google products like Hangout, Plus Chat, Calendar, etc. Apple also offers a variety of optional Add-ons, or “Extensions,” that can be selected based on a company’s specific needs.

5. Security

Google Play is a less secure platform for publishing an app than Apple’s App Store. Malicious apps on Google Play are more likely to be downloaded by users. You may ensure that your program is free from malicious code if it passes the App Store’s vetting procedure.

Approval from Google might arrive in under a day, while it could take a few days from Apple. It takes time to learn both platforms’ ins and outs and ensure your app can handle their high criteria. Apple’s security standards are more stringent than Android’s. Comparing Google and Apple, the former is more effective regarding how quickly permissions are granted.

6. Testing

Quality assurance testing is essential to developing mobile apps, such as games and other forms of software. Your app’s smooth operation may be tested with a simulator for iOS or an emulator for Android.

Unfortunately, the Android emulator is far slower than its iOS counterpart. Further, the Android emulator is more potent than its iOS equivalent, making it a viable alternative in some cases. The iOS simulator often needs satisfactory virtual counterparts when simulating Apple items.

Equally crucial to testing on virtual devices is thinking about how users will interact with the app and making any required adjustments based on that research.

Testing an Android app often takes more time and effort than trying an iOS app due to the wide variety of Android devices available. Android app developers are available for hire to ensure seamless operation.

7. Browsers’ Speed and Performance

And when it comes to browsers, Android has more to offer. On the other side, iOS’s superior processing speed makes using apps a breeze.

8. Breaking Tablet Market

You have a firm grasp of the tablet market and understand why your product appeals to that demographic. In terms of tablet sales, the iOS platform outperforms Android. If your demographic is predominantly tablet users, it’s wise to zero in on iOS.

iOS vs Android: What Elements Play a Role in Deciding the Best?

• Know Target Audience
• Estimation and Schedule for the Project
• App Capabilities and Features
• Expenditure
• Timely Upgradation of App
• Devices Fragmentation

There are several factors to consider before reaching a final choice on iOS vs Android. So, let’s have a look at them:

1. Know Target Audience

Android outsells iOS in developing regions like Latin America, Asia, and Africa. However, consumers in Europe and the United States lean toward Apple products. While e-commerce and enterprise apps should be built for Apple’s platforms, Android is the better choice for general business apps since it allows developers to reach a wider audience.

While geography plays a role, your target audience’s ability to pay will determine how much they are willing to invest in app subscriptions (even free applications can include in-app payments). Demographic comparisons demonstrate striking contrasts between the Android and iOS user bases, with the former being significantly younger and having substantially lower disposable income.

2. Estimation and Schedule for the Project

One must consider the available time for app development when deciding whether to create an app for Android or iOS. A company’s timetable should be considered before deciding. Project timeframes are essential for both Android and iOS developers to have. More money is required financially the longer it takes to create an app. The duration required to develop a mobile app is variable.

Compared to Android developers, those working on iOS can crank out apps far more quickly. That’s because there are fewer iOS devices and fewer features to work with, making iOS app creation significantly more straightforward than Android app development.

3. App Capabilities and Features

Each of Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android has its advantages. This is because the Android OS is open-source, allowing programmers to quickly implement new capabilities and tailor the user experience to specific needs. The Android operating system is thus left open to security flaws due to this.

Alternatively, Apple’s secure operating system makes creating financial and data-exchange apps easier. According to Android engineers, people seldom update their devices. To play it safe, businesses should test their applications to ensure they run smoothly across various devices.

4. Expenditure

iOS developers can save money compared to Android developers since the iPhone’s OS is less expensive. iOS apps are often 40 times less costly than their Android counterparts, thanks mainly to Apple’s Swift programming language.

Which platform is best for your company will depend on the total app release costs. Launching on the Google Play Store costs $25 for Android developers once. When working independently, iOS developers still need to pay a yearly fee of $99. iOS app development businesses must pay Apple $299 annually to have their apps shown in the App Store. Outsourcing to an iOS development company may be a viable option for businesses on a tighter financial plan.

5. Timely Upgradation of App 

The popularity of an app usually increases once it receives frequent upgrades. An iOS app for the iPhone is so popular because it is constantly updated. However, because of the wide variety of Android partner devices from different manufacturers, updating Android apps may take more work than expected. It’s much simpler for iOS developers to maintain compatibility with the latest iOS release.

6. Devices Fragmentation

In layman’s terms, device fragmentation refers to the fact that some users are still operating on earlier versions of the system software while others have upgraded. This may pose a serious issue for anyone working on app creation.

As with other things, Android device fragmentation has benefits and drawbacks. We all know that a vast number of Android smartphones are being manufactured by thousands of different firms. Compatibility across all of these devices is essential for each OS upgrade, which presents its formidable obstacle. However, if you take a step back and look at it from a different angle, an Android app may expose you to the largest possible audience. When it comes to iOS, though, there isn’t a similar issue. Join forces with Apple’s iOS programmers if you want access to their exclusive user community.

Are You Still Confused for Choosing iOS vs Android for Mobile App Development?

There are advantages and disadvantages to iOS and Android, so choosing the best one for you will come down to personal taste.

If you favor Apple products because of their intuitive design and app compatibility with other Apple products, you are probably not going to be swayed by Android’s advantages. If you’re looking for flexibility and personalization in a corporate mobile phone, you may be better off with an Android device.

Connecting with an iOS or Android app development company like iTechnolabs may help you save time and money by providing you with comprehensive app mobile app development services for a wide range of mobile apps in a variety of industries. Connect and see the difference.

Frequently Asked Questions For iOS vs Android

1. What is the difference between iOS and android development?

The differences between iOS and android app development are stated below – 

• For android app development, the programming language used is Java or Kotlin, whereas Swift and Objective C is used to program iOS applications

• The design approach of an iOS development platform is elegant and minimalistic. However, Android app development follows a flexible approach with its designs

• Similarly, the integrated development environment (IDE) for iOS is XCode. On the other hand, the integrated development environment (IDE) for android is Android Studio

• iOS development platform has less fragmentation and hence, easier to develop, whereas with more fragmentation, Android apps become complex to build

• iOS earns more return on investment (ROI) compared to Android, even if Android enjoys more consumer base

2. How to develop apps for both Android and iOS?

• For the purpose of development of Android and iOS apps, you can develop separate native apps for both the platforms

• The development of separate native apps for both iOS and android can be expensive and time-consuming

• Therefore, you can go for cross-platform app development for developing apps for both android and iOS platforms

• Cross-platform app development framework allows using a single codebase for for the development of both iOS and android apps

• With cross-platform app development frameworks, you need only one development team and lesser time to develop apps for both the platforms

• The famous cross-platform app development frameworks are React Native, Flutter, Xamarin, Ionic, and Cordova

• With cross-platform app development framework, you significantly reduce time to market (TTM) for your app