Android or iOS App – How to Make the Right Choice for Your Startup?

As a startup, if you are about to develop a mobile application, there are many important decisions that you need to take as an entrepreneur. Among those, one crucial decision is which platform to use for mobile app development. Should you prefer Android or go with iOS? Isn’t it a very tricky question, especially for startups? 

There are numerous factors that need to be considered while you make the final decision. Don’t worry! We are here to help you! So, we have curated a guide for startups to help you choose the right platform according to your requirements. 

So, Let’s get started with the blog! 

Worldwide Number of Smartphone Users

*Figures by Ericsson & The Radicati Group

According to a report by Statista, in 2023, the current number of smartphone users in the world is 6.92 billion which means 86.41% of the world’s total population owns a smartphone. This figure is considerably higher than in 2016 when only 3.668 billion users were having smartphones which is 49.40% of that year’s global population. 

These numbers are clear proof of how big the smartphone industry has been and how it will be going to grow more in the future. So, it is beyond time for startups to make a decision related to iOS versus Android and an online presence to reach these thousands of users.

Let’s start with the statistical comparison of both of these platforms.  

Statistical Comparison of Android and iOS

• Android vs iOS-Market Share

The market share of these platforms is calculated on the basis of overall customers on both platforms. From the above graph, it is clear that Android has a higher market share than iOS. Let’s understand this concept in detail with an example. 

Since the Android customer market has been growing at 10 times the rate of market growth for iOS users. This means that if 10 people are picking an iPhone, then at the same time 100 users are choosing Android smartphones. 

As a whole, this difference makes Android a preferable choice for startups in terms of market share. 

• Android vs iOS-Generated Revenue

This is one of the biggest deciding factors when it comes to choosing between Android app development vs iOS app development for startups. The above graph portrays the revenues of apps developed for Android and iOS. 

A startup must base its platform decision on the potential revenue it can generate. 

iOS has positioned itself as the platform that businesses choose to generate revenue, as you can clearly see in the above graph. Although Android is also catching up with its monetized apps, overall, the Google Play Store will still take more time to reach the level of the Apple App Store. 

• Android vs iOS-User Retention

Below is the retention ratio for both Android and iOS platforms. But before we proceed, Do you know what is user retention? Basically, it refers to the number of users who continue to interact with your product over a period of time. In a nutshell, it is a key metric to measure the growth of SaaS and digital products. Moreover, they give an exact analysis of the choice of the mobile application development platform. 

The above graphs elucidate that Android users are more loyal than Apple users as they tend to leave the app after a bad user experience. Therefore, as a startup, it is very important to make the right choice and build apps that provide users with a seamless experience. 

Android vs iOS: Which platform Should Startups Choose As Their First App Choice?

Below are a number of factors that startups should consider when choosing between the Android and iOS platforms. 

• What is your target audience?

The above statistics clearly demonstrate that 80% of the world’s mobile app market is dominated by Android. But do not think that all the users are using a similar platform, because there are still 20% left. Some of the presumed revenue-generating countries, like the USA and Australia, come under Apple’s dominance. 

So, if your target audience is from these countries, you should definitely go for iOS app development services. But if you want to target spectators worldwide, go for Android. 

• Fragmentation

In the case of fragmentation, the one platform that emerges as a clear winner is Android. This is because Google has partnered with a number of device manufacturers, so there are now thousands of devices under Android in comparison with Apple. 

If you are looking for a platform that will help your startup become a household name, go for Android app development Company. On the other hand, if you want to make a presence among an elite concentrated group of users, then you can go with a team of iOS app developers. 

• Ease of development & design

This is one such factor that depends more on your partnered mobile app development company rather than the platform itself. When you collaborate with an organization that specializes in building both Android and Apple apps, then it doesn’t matter which platform requires less developmental effort as both are done with equal effort. 

Although, in terms of designing, Google Material Design has a greater impact on the user experience. 

• Revenue & in-app Purchases 

If your mobile app’s business model has in-app purchases at its core, then it would be suitable to go with the Apple App Store instead of the Google Play Store. This is because iPhone users are more likely to spend on apps than Android ones. So, if you are planning to charge for app downloads, the perfect mobile operating system will be iOS. 

• Release Cycles

Talking of the Android release cycle vs. the iOS release cycle, the Google Play Store app updates are generally restricted to the associated OEM devices and the operating systems that they support. This issue is something that iPhone and iPad users never face because the app store is more flexible. 

Key Differences Between Android and iOS app development (By Technical Perspective)

• Programming Language 

Both Android and iOS operating systems are customized in various programming languages. Furthermore, iOS apps basically run on Objective-C/ Swift, while Android apps run on the Java programming language. 

Now you must be thinking about which stack is easy to dominate. Generally, most mobile app developers have discovered that an iOS app is simpler to build than an Android one. Because coding with Swift takes less time than getting around Java because this language has more clarity and readability. 

To conclude, programming languages used for iOS have a shorter learning curve than those for Android. 

• Testing

Testing phase is very important in the whole mobile app development process. The iOS simulator and Android emulator are used for testing processes in the case of iOS and Android respectively. 

The difference between both of these is that the iOS simulator is a lot quicker than the Android. Although, sometimes iOS simulator often neglect to deliver precise and realistic portrayals of Apple devices. 

That’s why it is very important to complete several tests on different devices to see the real-time results and detect potential bugs. 

• Interface & Design

The nature of iOS animations and designs are superior to that of Android. Although, Google has also provided application design patterns known as Material Design to enhance the functionality of an app. 

Meanwhile, Apple is also continuously focusing on delicate and complex animations by taking care of its user experience. 

When should startups choose Android App Development?

• If your audience is not concentrated on any specific demographic location. 
  
  
• If there are many customization elements in your mobile app. 
  
  
• It offers different distribution options which means you don’t have to use a particular distribution platform to distribute your app to the users. Therefore, you can make your app available for a global audience of more than 1 billion active users. 
  
  
• Unlike iOS, Android is an open-source operating system that offers services for mobile devices, tabs, and smart wearables. Moreover, free tools and software development kits (SDKs) are available for anyone who wants to develop a high-performance Android app. 

Lastly, the benefit of reach and customization that this platform offers makes it obligatory for almost every business to have an Android app. 

When should startups choose iOS App Development?

• You can go for iOS app development if you want your users to experience exquisite functionality.
  
  
• However, the market share of iOS is comparatively low in comparison to Android. But mobile apps in the Apple App Store have been known to produce more revenue as compared to their Android counterparts through in-app purchases or premium subscriptions. It is one of the major reasons why should startups opt for the iOS platform. 
  
  
• This platform will provide startups with more visibility and improved financial benefits. 

One thing that is very important to remember in the debate between Android and iPhone is that there is another alternative where you can launch the app on both platforms simultaneously. Want to know what that is? So, that is cross-platform app development, which allows the building of mobile apps that are compatible with multiple operating systems, including Android and iOS by using the same codebase. 

Wrapping Up!

We hope that after reading this blog, you have a better idea of which platform your startup should use. But if you are still confused and wondering which is better between Android and iOS, then reach out to a mobile app development company. They will definitely provide you with the best assistance to get the right answer. 

Article Source: https://tealfeed.com/android-ios-app-right-choice-startup-xrdbf