Industry Insights

Android app development and iOS app development are very different in so many ways. Although they’re both apps that can run on their respective operating systems (OS) and more, they’re both drastically different in terms of accessibility, flexibility, and publishing.

Today, we’re going to break down their pros and cons to help you find the right OS for your app.

Android App Development Pros

Flexibility

Android is a lot less restrictive than iOs, especially in terms of distribution. These apps will run on virtually any Android device, and you are unlikely to encounter any issues with hardware compatibility.

The development process is also more flexible for Android because it enables a smoother development experience by relying on Java. Java is an extremely versatile programming language that Windows, Mac OS, and Linux all support, allowing developers to build Android apps regardless of the operating system.

Learning resources

Google offers an extensive knowledge base for beginners, exercises, interactive materials, and whole training programs for different levels of Android developers.

Publishing the app

As of 2020, Google has become less lenient towards apps that developers want to post on Google Play. Despite this, the majority of Android apps that don’t violate the company’s content policy get approved.

Goes beyond phones

Android app development doesn’t mean the apps are restricted to phones. They can run on Daydream and Cardboard VR headsets, Wear OS devices, Android Auto, and several other platforms. It also grants you the power to integrate your app into users’ cars, TVs, and smartwatches in addition to phones.

The Drawbacks of Android Development

Quality assurance

The fragmentation of android apps can make testing them extremely difficult. Developers often have to frequently deliver fixes just because the majority of users stick to the older versions of the operating system instead of updating it when updates are available.

Time consuming

Developing for Android is more time-consuming than for iOS. On top of that, the long-term cost is often more than iOS systems as well due to debugging, testing, and additional development for other platforms.

Possible security issues

Android is an open-source platform, and it has a higher chance of falling victim to cyberattacks.

For example, four different Android banking trojans were spread via the official Google Play Store between August and November 2021, resulting in more than 300,000 infections through various dropper apps that posed as seemingly harmless utility apps to take full control of the infected devices.

While Google instituted limitations to restrict the use of accessibility permissions that allow malicious apps to capture sensitive information from Android devices, operators of harmful apps are increasingly refining their tactics.

iOS App Development Pros

Performance

iOS mobile app development is in such high demand because these applications always perform extremely well. This platform is fast, reliable, and easy-to-use, and often has fewer bugs, especially in the final build.

Creating an Apple ecosystem

This is both a pro and a con. The good thing about the Apple ecosystem is that it works with this family of operating systems and allows developers to build for a whole ecosystem of devices, rather than for targeted phones only.

The downside? The secluded network often makes transferring things between operating systems virtually impossible.

Sleek and flawless UI/UX

When it comes to look and style, Apple is (arguably) king. The same can be said for development. Apple provides developers with detailed guidelines for the creation of a user interface for their apps. While it may be limiting to some, this approach generally ensures an exceptional user experience.

The Downsides of iOS

You need to use Mac compatible software

For native iOS development, developers need software, such as XCode, that only runs on Mac. This can be extremely limiting for a number of reasons and often requires you to have more than one Apple product in your home to complete testing.

App release

The Apple App Store is typically more demanding than Google Play. Even if your app doesn’t break any rules, it can still be rejected if it’s not relevant or useful enough.

If you don’t want to deal with any of that, give us a call. Our world class developers will be able to provide exactly what you need, in half the time. Reach out online today!