Android and iOS are the most popular mobile operating systems on the worldwide market today. When it comes to choosing Android vs. iOS development for mobile application creators, many are quick to take sides, answering the age-old question “Are you Team Apple or Team Android?” Beyond the aesthetics of a mobile phone app, you should consider the operating system behind these two platforms in order to make an informed decision about which one will better suit your mobile app. The operating system manages both the hardware and software and will ultimately determine the look, feel, and functionality of your app, which will inform how successful it is.
There is no clear winner when it comes to choosing Android or iOS development, which is why other factors must be considered rather than going with what is popular. It’s possible to create a cross-platform app, however, this can be expensive, pose technical issues, and create other challenges, so it would be wise to choose one. Once your app is launched and successful, it would then be easier to begin to develop it on the other platform using its native programming language.
Your app deserves a software development company that supports your app’s unique needs and requirements. Determining whether your next project will utilize Android or iOS development is an important decision and not one that you may feel comfortable making on your own, which is why we’ve compiled a list of pros and cons for each platform in this article. Read on to discern whether Android vs. iOS development is the ideal operating system for your mobile app.
There are six crucial factors to consider when choosing Android vs. iOS development:
Marketing Strategy: Do you have a plan for spreading the word about your project? How apps are distributed vary on both platforms and one may be better suited to fit your marketing plan.
Google released Android in 2007 and its main source code is Android Open Source Project (AOSP). The original industry language for programming Android apps was Java, however many in the industry have shifted to Kotlin, a more modern programming language created by Google and JetBrains in 2011. At the core layer of an operating system is the kernel and Android uses the Linux kernel, which is open-source. It is also the same kernel used in MacOS.
Fun Fact: Android has a sweet tradition of choosing desserts as code names for their latest models, such as “Snow Cone” for Android 12 and “Tiramisu” for Android 13 DP1 and Android 13 DP2, which are being released in April 2022. While these codenames are no longer used to market Android, they are used internally among employees.
The native programming language in iOS is Swift, which Apple introduced in 2014. The older, original language was Objective-C which dates back to the 1980s, but over the last few years, Swift has taken over and can only be used with Apple-specific products, like the iPhone or iPad.
As you can see there are many advantages and drawbacks to both Android vs. iOS development. Android development is great for those who crave more creative freedom and a greater variety of hardware while staying budget-conscious. iOS development is wonderful for those who want to spend less time on designing for different devices and those who prioritize security as well as a streamlined user experience and user design.
If you need help discerning which platform to choose, don’t hesitate to contact us with your project’s requirements, such as timeline, budget, and anything else that would help us narrow our search for the best software development company for your project. The best part? It will take under 15 minutes. In a matter of 72 hours, we will create a customized shortlist of up to 5 vendors on the Pangea platform that are interested in working with your team. We are here to help assuage any anxieties you may have when making a decision in the Android vs. iOS Development debate.
Curious about what sort of vendors we work with? Take a look at our curated list of top Android and iOS Development companies to get a sense of the stellar services that they provide. We look forward to bringing your unique ideas for a mobile app to life.
Android development is great for those who want to customize user experience and user design elements with more options to choose from. Those who are not looking to spend a lot of money will find Android development easier on the wallet as well. iOS development is better for those who prefer the streamlined appearance of Apple apps and security assurance that iOS development boasts.
Categories such as one’s skill set, programming language, marketing strategy, development and maintenance cost, as well as target audience should also be considered when deciding between iOS or Android development.
Android development is easier for those who have experience with Java and Kotlin, whereas those with Objective-C and Swift in their wheelhouse will find iOS development an easier mobile operating system to work within.
In simple benchmark tests, Swift has shown to be 27% faster than Kotlin – Swift completed the tests in 1.9ms and Kotlin came in at 2.5ms. Swift is also a marked improvement over its predecessor Objective-C which is 6x slower. With Swift, coding has become even more simplified and optimized, which shortens the learning curve and saves you time and money.
In contrast, Kotlin can quickly set up a mobile app development project to function in under 10 minutes, which reduces development time when building native mobile apps. This makes it more valuable for companies with a higher workload. Looking ahead, Kotlin may catch up to speed with Swift as it develops over the years.
The data comparing the speed of Swift to Kotlin is thin as they are both fairly new programming languages and employed for different operating systems and hardware. You need to consider various factors, including but not limited to whether you prefer developer ease over processing performance or which program measurements to consider when testing speed.
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