Android vs iOS Development: Which One Is Best for Your App
Tags: mobile, ios, android, mobiledevelopment
Published: 2022-01-31 15:15:53

With both Android and iOS accounting for over [99%](https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/mobile/worldwide) of the global mobile market share, businesses have to consider both operating systems for their app development. In reality, project constraints such as time and budget, make them choose only one. Let’s figure out which platform to better start with. 
## Android vs iOS Market Share
For the past several years Android has been leading with a [72.2%](https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/mobile/worldwide) market share. The main reason is the lower cost of Android-based smartphones vs. IOS devices.
The iOS market share on the global market has achieved [26.99%](https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/mobile/worldwide). Still, when it comes to regional statistics, the market share in the USA is as follows:
* iOS: 59.17%
* Android: 40.54%

## iOS vs. Android Development Comparison
### Target Audience
Though the target audience of an application is usually defined by features, there are common characteristics of Android and iOS users. As it has been mentioned above, Android is the most used platform worldwide, while iOS is most popular in the US market. Moreover, iOS vs Android users demonstrate different levels of engagement. iOS users are more willing to make in-app purchases, whereas the Android market is known for more app downloads.
### Revenue
Though iOS app revenue has been higher in the third quarter of 2021 ([$21.5 billion earned by App store vs $19 billion earned by Google Play](https://sensortower.com/blog/app-revenue-and-downloads-q3-2021)), you should take into account monetization approaches for iOS and Android apps revenue generation when choosing a platform for mobile development. 
All in all, there are three monetization strategies used for getting revenue from Android and iOS apps:
* app installation or from embedded ads
* paid functionality or accounts
* purchases in apps
In particular, paid downloads are more typical for iOS apps, while apps downloaded for free with in-app ads – for Android applications.

###Future Prospects
As far as future technology prospects are concerned, both operating systems have introduced the updates that developers can leverage in 2022. Google has recently introduced the latest version Android 11 “R”, which will allow Android developers streamline the development of native apps for Google Pixel smartphones.  Apple also offers new development opportunities for iOS developers with iOS 15 introducing. The updates include a wide variety of new capabilities, ranging from better user data privacy to new voice control features.
### Development Time and Costs
Final costs and time to market mostly don’t depend on the platform itself but on other factors, including the functionality, Android or [iOS application development company](https://scand.com/services/mobile-app-development/ios-app-development-services/) rates, etc. Still which platform takes less time to develop an application based on it?
There’s no significant difference in Android vs iOS development time: however the number of device models might influence testing costs. If you decide to target Android consumers, you should be ready to adapt your application to multiple smartphones with different screen sizes. With iOS, it’ll be much easier because the number of iOS-based devices is limited. Moreover, Apple introduced a special device simulator for testing apps before deployment.

## Conclusion: Which Platform to Choose?
The majority of software development companies make their  choice depending on the audience they  want to reach. Let’s recap the key highlights of Android and iOS platforms:
###Android
* Audience. The platform has the largest market share worldwide and is more popular in developing regions such as Africa, Asia, and South America.
* Monetization. Most Android apps are downloaded for free and receive revenue from in-app advertising and premium accounts.
* Time to market and costs. Developers have to spend more time on adjusting apps to a wide variety of smartphone models and screen sizes.
 
### iOS
* Audience. When you release an iOS app, you will likely target users in such regions as North America, Western Europe, or Oceania. 
* Monetization. For iOS apps, in-app purchasing is more typical
* Time to market and costs. Since Apple has introduced the iOS Simulator, it makes the development process faster. Thus, whatever platform you would choose, you need to cooperate with a reliable software development company delivering [mobile app development services - SCAND](https://scand.com/services/mobile-app-development/) is one of them. Since 2007, they have been building mobile applications for their clients. They have experience in developing mobile games and building mobile solutions for digital marketing, banking, e-commerce, etc.