It is becoming increasingly difficult for businesses to choose between the Android and iOS platforms.

Google’s Android has a whopping market share, making it very attractive for businesses that want significant reach. But on the other hand, can your business ignore the opportunities of monetization by the iOS platform?

Businesses usually want to offer mobile apps on both platforms, but choosing one to start with can help reduce risks.

The tedious task is deciding which platform is going to be the best for your business.

This generally depends on five main factors:

*Audience

*Time

*Features

*Budget

*Release Cycles

*Look into your Audience

Where is your audience?

Android has more presence in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Western Europe and North America mainly comprise Apple users.

If your target is a global audience, then Android is the best option. However, if your business is launching an e-commerce or enterprise app then iOS is the solution.

However, it’s not only a case of where your users are, but that also defines your audience. Also, consider how much disposable income they do possess. How much money are they spending on an app- is it to be seen? Even if the application isn’t free, it can happen that you’ll still be including some in-app purchases.

Timeline is needed

One of the biggest factors in calculating the time you have to work with.

How quick would you want your app to go to the market?

It is required to note that the longer the time the app takes to be developed, the higher will be the costs of development. The time can depend on a number of things.

It generally takes less time for a mobile application development company in India to build an app for iOS because unlike Android, iOS is not open source. The high-level flexibility of Android generally introduces more components, devices, and potential for software fragmentation.

Apple offers fewer features which in turn also means there are fewer devices and operating systems. This, in turn, means it’s quicker to build for.

What do You Want the App to Feature?

Android is an open-source platform and thus it delivers the ability to customize properly. The disadvantage of this is that Android is extremely susceptible to attacks due to being open source.

Apple’s platform is properly secured. If you are on the look to take payments or information via your app, then iOS is the safer choice for your business and also the customers.

It’s also needed for you to consider the latest operating systems for each device.

Consider Your Budget

No one can deny that it is cheaper to develop an app for iOS. Actually, it can be 30-40% cheaper than building an app for Android. The primary reason for this is that Apple is easier to develop- owing to the code; Android apps are usually written in Java which involves more writing compared to Apple’s coding language. That of which is Swift.

If your business is operating on a budget, it is more beneficial to develop an app for iOS and then move onto Android, rather than doing it the other way around.

Try and Extend to Other Platforms 

When you have reached success on one platform you may wish to extend your business reach to the other. However, why don’t you just do this from the initial stage itself?

The Android vs. iOS debate had ended years ago by the Cross-Platform design. But this might often come with a higher price tag. However, some experts still debate that although cross-platform is expensive, businesses that resort to this option won’t have to resort to paying twice to develop their app for both Android and iOS.

 

It’s a good debate with fair and compelling points on both sides of the argument, but the correct answer for your business will always depend on the circumstances and your business priorities. The solution needs to come from a business perspective. Which app platform provides you with the most budget-friendly, and a better experience for your potential customers?

Well, there lies your answer!