Differences Between Android and iOS App Development

You come across them everywhere: smartphones. When you board a train, walk into a waiting area or see colleagues taking a break, you immediately notice something: (almost) everyone has a smartphone in their hand. either Android and iOS App Development.

In 2021 Android and iOS operating systems own more than 99% of the market. This means that organizations that want to develop an app have to make a choice between these platforms or develop an app for both. In this article we will further discuss the consequences and differences between Android and iOS app development.

Differences between Android and iOS App Development

There are clear differences between the two major players in the smartphone and app market:

1. Market share

The convincing market leader of the two is Android; Google’s open-source operating system. The great strength of Android are cheap entry-level models and that the operating system runs on several smartphone models from different manufacturers. Smartphone manufacturers, including Samsung and Huawei, do not have to pay license fees to Google. This is one of the reasons why Android as an operating system can be found on 60% of all smartphones in the Netherlands. In second place is iOS, partly due to the great popularity of the iPhone and the iPad. Together, Android and iOS have more than 99% of the smartphone market (Statcounter, 2020).

2. Users

As indicated above, Android has the largest market share. iOS users, on the other hand, generally have a higher income and education level. In addition, iPhone users are more active on their smartphone.

3. Income generation

iPhone users on average spend more time on apps per user and are more willing to spend money on them (New York Post, 2018). Android users largely compensate for this thanks to their market share.

The consequences for Android and iOS App Development

There are five major differences between iPhone and Android when it comes to app development:

1. The operating system: iPhone uses the closed operating system iOS and Android uses the open operating system Android.
2. The programming language: for iOS Native you program in Swift or Objective-C and for Android Native you program in Java or Kotlin.
3. User Interface (UI) elements: iOS has stricter regulations compared to Android about what is and is not allowed in the UI.
4. Screen size and resolution: iPhones come in three different resolutions, while Android devices come in a large number of screen sizes with a wide range of screen resolution.
5. Navigation: Unlike Android, iPhones do not use a “back button”, which allows users to return to the previous page.

Difference between Google Play Store and Apple App Store

Android users use the Google Play Store to download apps and iPhone users download apps from the Apple App Store. There are many differences between the two app stores and both platforms have their own advantages and disadvantages. For example, it costs $ 99 per year to launch an app in the App Store and you pay a one-time fee of $ 25 in the Play Store. In addition, it takes longer to submit an app to the App Store than to the Play Store. The reason behind this is that all apps are manually checked and if the app doesn’t meet all guidelines, it will have to be resubmitted after processing the feedback from Apple. Apple uses a review time of 48 hours, after which the app will be live as soon as it is approved. At the Play Store you will have an answer within 24 hours, usually this takes 2 to 3 hours.

Native Android and iOS App Development

One of the challenges during the development of a native app for Android and iOS is to ensure that the same app functionalities are present on both platforms. Due to the differences between the two platforms, it is important to develop apps that are adapted to the characteristics of iOS and Android. With the iOS platform, Apple has ensured that more rules have been laid down about what is and what is not allowed. As a result, the possibilities are limited about what different User Interface (UI) elements look like. Consider, for example, the standard keyboard of iOS or the way in which time and date are selected.

The app development for an Android device is the opposite. Rather than capturing one specific User Interface and associated functionalities, Android only provides directions and advice on what UI elements look like and what they can be used for. The downside of Android’s flexibility is that the platform is fragmented by different smartphone models and operating system types. The big challenge in app development on Android is to make sure that the app looks and functions the same on every type of device.

With the 99% rule in mind, it makes sense to choose a native app on Android and iOS. After all, there are serious opportunities for app development on both the Android and the iOS operating system.

The benefits of a native Android or iPhone app

Developing a native app offers several advantages:

1. User-friendliness
Native apps have been developed specifically for a particular platform and are therefore perfectly tailored to the platform. When you create a native app, you can use the user interface parts of Apple and / or Android. The user will quickly get used to using the app.

2. Strong performance
Because the app has already been downloaded, the app hardly needs to be loaded, which improves the speed. In addition, native apps are developed for a specific platform with its own programming language. As a result, native apps are very fast to use.

3. Offline availability
The entire app has been downloaded in the app store in advance and therefore much information from the native app will also be available offline

4. Maximum use of all functionalities
A native app can use all the features of a smartphone. Think of camera, GPS, notifications, Bluetooth or microphone.

5. Integration options
Native apps offer good integration possibilities with other apps that can exchange data.

6. Security
Native apps must meet the platform’s security standards, making a native app generally safer than a hybrid or web app.

7. App Store Optimization (ASO)
With App Store Optimization (ASO) you can ensure that your app ends up in the spotlight.

The disadvantages of a native Android or iPhone app

Despite many advantages, a native app also has disadvantages:

1. Develop separately per platform (iOS and Android)
The biggest disadvantage of native apps is that the app will have to be developed with two different programming languages and development environments.

2. Costs
Because development is required for multiple operating systems, the start-up costs are often higher to develop an app natively on two platforms.

3. Dependency on Google Play and the App Store
Native apps depend on the Google Play Store and the App Store, because they have to approve whether an app is on the platform.

Android and iOS app development

Our conclusion is that app development for Android and iOS does not follow the credo ‘one size fits all’. To develop a successful app for Android and iOS, it is important to adapt the design to the characteristics of the operating system. Qualitatively developed apps provide you as an app client with the benefits you desire.

In the best scenario, you want to develop an app for Android and iOS, so that you can appeal to as many users as possible. Unfortunately, this is not always possible, due to budget or time constraints, for example. In that case, a hybrid app or a PWA (Progressive Web App) could offer a solution. Read more about hybrid apps or PWAs.

Do you want to know whether a native app is the right choice for your organization? Feel free to contact us, we are happy to help.