Should Mobile Developers Work with iOS or Android First?

During the last 18 months, Google has made tremendous upgrades to their Android operating system to try to lure developers who want to create quality applications to this platform. Android-operated phones now make up most of the smartphone industry, but to the shock of many, several developers still choose to make applications for Apple's iOS. Some people may question how a developer can prefer the more limited iOS-style development to Android's open market distribution, but reports and research by firms like Flurry have shown several different reasons as to why this preference exists.

First, even though there are currently more smartphones using Android than iOS, Apple's iPod Touches and iPads take the total amount of iOS operated devices in the industry to about 200 million. Despite the current growth in tablets operating on Android, there is no way Google's platform can match the amount of iOS' widespread users in the near future. A larger user base means a greater opportunity for the developer's application to be downloaded, and that reason solely makes it worth staying with iOS for many - specifically those who are creating applications that cost the user money to download.

Together with a greater total amount of users, Apple has their App Store made in a way that shows a large amount of disparate applications to users. Top rated free and paid applications, applications of the week, and staff chosen applications are some of the various categories where application packs are displayed. Developers want their application to be seen, and the open nature of Android results in several boring applications flooding the store. This limits the chances that users will discover and download the quality applications they want.

iOS is frequently criticized due to the limited amount of devices that use it, but the truth is, this stops the disproportionate instances in devices that Android-operated units frequently face. Because every Android-operated device varies so much, it is almost impossible for developers to create applications that will run smoothly on every device.

Analyst Gene Munster, from Piper Jaffray says users are more inclined to pay for applications on the iOS platform when compared to the Android OS. The average cost of an iOS application is $1.48 per download. Developers prefer to create applications that aren't reliant on ads for revenue, since in most instances; an app will appear and run better without ads crowding the display. The better an application appears and runs, the greater the chance for the developer to be recognized for his or her creation. Since several Android applications are uploaded and given at no cost to the user, developers feel a greater obligation to make ad-cluttered applications in the Android Market in order to price them free of charge but still make a profit.

Naturally creating an application for iOS comes with a larger start-up cost than creating one for Android, but overall, users have a better chance at discovering and paying for an application presented on iOS. This does not mean Android application development should be left behind; there is still a significant market for them, and with some effort, one can create excellent Android apps. Nonetheless, with the amount of iOS-operated devices available presently, if you're a developer looking to reach a large audience, iOS application development is probably the strongest option for the time being.