4 Differences Between iOS and Android App Development That You Should Know
Introduction
There are already plenty of phones that support the Android operating system and a handful of iPhones that were already released through the years. If you could think about a certain functionality, more likely, there is an app for that. But, how much do we really know about the creation of an application? Well today, I aim to educate you about the differences between iOS and android application development. So sit back and relax because we are going to get started!
1. THE CODING PROCESS
One myth that has since been believed to be true is that creating iOS and Android applications require the same coding process. That myth stems from the emergence of app builders where people can create cross-platform applications using a single pre- programmed codebase. Although it may seem that way due to the aforementioned app builders, the backend coding process is actually different for every platform. For instance, if developers want to create iOS apps, they would need to learn Objective- C and Swift, Apple’s own programming language. They would then have to use the Xcode which is a development kit that includes all of the tools necessary for app creation. Android apps, on the other hand, requires the use of Java and the Android Software Development Kit. The programming languages that are needed are quite different, although it may seem that they are the same due to the features that an application has.
2. APPLICATION REJECTIONS
Before an app is published in the different app stores, Google and Apple will have to test and look at your app in its entirety- from launching the application to looking at the actual codes being used. Google uses an automated machine to look at the application, which is the reason why there are some buggy apps that still make their way to the Google PlayStore. Conversely, Apple assigns an actual human to look an app. This is why developers feel that they are stricter than Google because statistically speaking, the company has rejected more applications than the green team. Be that as it may, it is more accurate for a human to test the app, and therefore, the iOS apps get rejected more often.
3. AUDIENCE
There are currently 3.5 million apps on the Google PlayStore and only 2.3 million on the App Store. But, interestingly enough, there are more paying customers on the Apple side rather than the Google side. Why is that, you ask?
According to the demographical surveys, there are more Apple users in developed countries such as the USA and some parts of Europe. Therefore, Apple users are more keen on readily spending their money if they find that the application is worth it. However, the same cannot be said on the Google platform. Although there are plenty of apps available, it is also precisely the reason why there aren’t many paying customers. You see, there are plenty of similar apps on the market and some of them are free, which means that people need not pay for them. Also, since Google has a much wider reach, only a small portion of the users are in developed countries while the others are, well, from developing or third-world countries.
4. PRODUCTION COST
Android applications require more time to develop because Java and Kotlin programming languages need more lines of code to implement a single feature. Apple has made huge strides when it comes to app development and they made sure that their Swift language is easy to use which translates to faster app production times. In summary, Android app production costs are more expensive than Apple’s.
Conclusion
There are some obvious pros and cons on either side. It is easier to code for Apple apps, but Google has more coverage. Google is more lenient when it comes to publishing your product, while Apple is stricter. Really, it is up to the clients and developers which side they will choose as both have their own advantages anddisadvantages.