Before coming to mobile developers, customers go to the Internet. There they look for information that gives them a general idea of how the creation of the app is going on.
But not all the data that is found on the Web is relevant, therefore, delusions are born. In this article we destroy myths about choosing a platform for creating a mobile application and try to help you to understand which to choose: iOS or Android?
Myth №1. IOS audience is solvent, and Android users don’t earn enough to spend on apps.
Let’s say right away that such a statement is completely incorrect. Android smartphones are still available to most of the world’s population, but elite models have emerged among them. Their prices exceed the cost of Apple devices. At the same time, there is a lot of “ordinary” audience on iOS: someone takes an iPhone off the other hands, someone receives an outdated model as a gift from their grandchildren – they give the devices to grandparents to be in touch with them.
Yes, statistically, Apple operating system users still spend more money on programs than Google product fans. In 2020, the difference between iOS and Android was $ 8.7 billion: the first audience spent $ 19 billion, and their opponent only $ 10.3 billion.
But Android customers are getting used to paying for apps. In 2019, they left $ 7.7 billion on Google Play, and in 2020 this amount increased by $ 2.6 billion.
Reality: there are more sales on iOS, but this is not a reason to give up sales on the alternative system.
Myth №2. An iOS app is easier to monetize.
Earlier there were many free applications on Android that made money only by advertising, while on iOS, on the contrary, there were a lot of things that could be downloaded only for money. Now the market has caught up – there are paid apps on Google OS, and there are ads on Apple as well.
But the most popular on both falseworks is the shareware model: the user does not pay for downloading, but subscribes or buys something in the application itself. On Google Play, this model helps fight against piracy, and the AppStore helps to attract a mass user.
Reality: App monetization depends on the product, not the scaffold.
Myth №3. Android has more different devices, so it takes longer and more expensive to develop for this platform
The Android lineup is really wider: smartphones for this scaffold are produced by Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei, Sony and others, and for iOS – only by Apple. Yes, in this case, you need to take into account more different aspects (variety of devices and skins from manufacturers, sizes and quality of screens), but at the same time, there are projects that can be done faster and cheaper due to ready-made built-in libraries, simple fragments, design solutions.
Reality: the price and development time depends on the complexity of the project, and not on the trestle for which the mobile application is being developed.
Myth №4. When choosing between iOS and Android, you need to build on the interface that the platform offers to users
Once upon a time it could be so. The design of the Android interface was different from that of iOS: it had a lot of volumetric details, shadows, and “falling through” elements. The design referred to the experience of using “push-button” phones. But this decision has lost its relevance.
The system interface is unified. In the latest innovations, both software footholds have many native elements. If you really want to, you can implement non-native elements on any base. Only in one case it will be long, expensive and pointless.
Reality: Both variants are gravitating towards native design.
Myth №5. Apple program need to be updated more often than Android
It is bad practice to update the program only when the platform version is updated. After all, updates need to be done not because the store forces it, but if we want to make the product more convenient for people: fix bugs, add new functionality, increase performance. So each one OS needs the same amount of regular updates.
Reality: An app needs to be updated regularly no matter what trestle it runs on.
Myth №6. You need to start with the platform on which the application has fewer competitors
This is not the case, because the program should have competitors anyway. And that’s not a bad thing: competition helps businesses to grow, find the best solutions, and create a product that meets the needs of users. On the one hand, yes, you can attract Android users by making a clone of the popular iOS app. But in the same situation, you can develop a unique product and compete for users on iOS.It is more difficult, but the one who does not take risks does not end up in stores.
Reality: there is competition on both bases, so there is no need to be afraid of it.
When is it really better to start with one base?
Each project is individual, and even typical products are sometimes difficult to fit into general rules. There are two situations when a project needs to be done only for single base:
1. When there is not enough money
In this case, the choice of scaffold should come from the target audience of the application: you need to start with the platform on which there are more potential users. And after the app on the first platform starts making a profit, start developing for the second one.
2. When you want to test a hypothesis
If you have an idea for creation and want to check how the market will react to it, then you better choose the development of the MVP version.
MVP is an application with a basic set of features. It satisfies the basic needs of the user and helps to understand how much the product is in demand. Work on MVP is faster, and development costs are much lower, so this option is ideal for startups.
Mobile development is expensive. If we consider a situation where there is very little money for an app (by market standards, from 200 thousand rubles to a million), then we need to do an MVP on a cross-platform – this is the simplest thing that can be in the world of mobile development.
What to do if users like the MVP version?
Even a clumsy cross-platform MVP is a possibility. The product gets the first users who download it, test it and leave reviews. Having received real statistics, it is much easier to decide on a further development plan, which will show whether you need to develop the program further.
If the MVP is successful and you understand that the product is in demand, you should close the cross-platform project and switch to native development. Even from scratch, it will cost less than expanding functionality and supporting a cross-platform application.