EVOLUTION – Android or iOS mobile apps for business? Do You Really Need It? This Will Help You Decide!

Android and iOS is a mobile operating system designed to develop mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Both Platforms are used to build devices that make life easier. Many years ago, there were various mobile operating systems on the market. But today, there are only two major operating systems. i.e., Android & iOS.  According to a study, the Android market share is 73% and for iOS is 27%. 

The first choice of buying a smartphone is not easy. Users switch to Android or iOS, depending on the features offered. Therefore, the developers should focus on developing the best android and iOS software with high-quality features. Android application designers use Google’s material design guidelines, but iOS designers use Apple’s human interface guidelines.

According to a study, 97% of malware, viruses, worms, etc., are for Android, and 0% attack on the iPhone. When it comes to security, the only viable choice is the iPhone. Mobile users like to have frequent updates that support both new and old devices; iOS has a huge advantage over Android in delivering software updates. But androids are best in hardware features such as a big screen, battery life, and physical keyboard.

Most of us choose android phones because they are more affordable than the iPhone. Many mobile phone companies are in the market to buy a phone, but most smartphones operate under two major operating systems: Android or iOS. These operating systems have been around for over a decade.

THE BACKGROUND-Android & iOS

What is Android & iOS, and how does it work?

Android

Android is an open-source and Linux-based operating system developed by Android. Inc software company in California before acquired by Google in 2005. According to research, 71% of devices run on Android. This is because of the affordability and its open-source nature. The device specification of entry-level smartphones is built with 2 GB or less RAM and has expandable memory via external sources. The first version of android 1.0 was released in 2008 that is the HTC Dream. The Latest version is android 12, preview released on February 18, 2021.

Usually, android applications are developed in the Java programming language, and the source code is accessible to anyone. Initially, developers download tools such as Android Studio and Android SDK, and for creating applications, they depend on the third-party development environment Eclipse. In 2013, Google introduced a proprietary tool Android Studio that expands the range of available features. To develop an android app, no need to hire experienced technical developers. Even amateur developers can create first-class applications on Android. 

iOS: (iPhone Operating System)

iOS is a Unix-based operating system developed by Apple Inc. for iPhone, iPad, and other Apple devices. It is the second-largest operating system used worldwide after Android. In 2005, Steve Jobs started planning to shrink the Mac and enlarge the iPod to introduce the iPhone. The first version of iOS was released in June 2007; it was named as iPhone operating system and as iOS in June 2010. It initiates a significant change from flip phones to touch screen phones. Building iOS applications, developers need to know programming languages such as Objective-C, C++, C, and Swift. iOS developers create apps on the proprietary Xcode tool, but it is only compatible with macOS.

With the iPhone software development kit, the iOS mobile app creator builds applications. It blends many functions such as camera, media player, messaging & internet browser in a single device; then upgraded with video chat and a voice-enabled personal assistant (Siri).

Initially, the iOS application store opened with 500 applications. Later on, increased to 1 million apps and is expected to reach 5 million apps by 2020. The latest version is iOS 14, released in June 2020. In iOS, a protective shell covers all the apps. Without users’ permission, one app cannot communicate with another app. There is no direct communication like as in Android OS devices.

How choosing the platform will get you on today’s show

Developers’ first thing to see is the reason to pick Android over iOS. Apple iOS and Google’s Android are leading the global market; even newer platforms have arrived. Before developing the application, decide the platform which determines the failure or success of a business. According to research, android application development governs more than 86% of the market share. In the future, more businesses will depend on android application development. But there are merits and demerits in both platforms.

Significant factors in deciding the platforms are:

• End users
• Advanced features
• Complexity in development
• Task completion time
• Income of the application
• Maintenance cost

Got stuck with android & iOS development? Tips to find, which is easy!

Android is an open-source ecosystem, but iOS is a closed ecosystem. iOS and Android apps cannot work together because the code for native iOS apps won’t support Android phones and vise versa. For example, Instagram runs on both, but the developer has to work with different codes for each platform. 

With the closed ecosystem, more restrictions on creating applications, but the developer has more control over the apps. Buying a device is expensive because it works in a closed ecosystem. Indeed, developing an iOS app is more expensive than an Android.

With the open-source ecosystem, developers are allowed to do modifications and innovations. It is less secure and has fewer controls, however, with larger capabilities.

The primary goal of the developers is to make money and engage the target audience. According to the research, 25% of iOS users download free apps, and 75% download paid apps. But in Android, 57% of users download free apps, and 43% download paid apps. If the developers are going to charge for downloads, choose the Apple play store; Otherwise, choose Google Play Store. When the developer focuses on more downloads, Android is the best platform to choose. The fundamental strategy is to charge for app upgrades. 

When choosing operating systems, developers should consider the compatibility of existing software with current updated software versions. Most Apple users run their devices on the current version, but Android has not updated on the most recent OS. Only 20% of Android users operate on the current version. 

Most Apple users prefer to use iPads because they are user-friendly. Android & iOS mobile app builders should also consider tablets when creating apps. Creating an app for both iOS and Android at the same time is risky and expensive. The programming language is different for both platforms. Mobile app developers state that the iOS app is easier to create because Swift requires less coding than Java. The development environment of iOS is time-consuming & inability to run a few simulators simultaneously compared to Android Studio.

Want to hear about JavaScript

JavaScript is the most widely used programming language; initially, it is created to develop web pages; later on, used in other environments as well. It is a unique browser technology because it is fully integrated with HTML & CSS. It acts as a third layer of standard web technologies; the first two layers are HTML & CSS. Initially, it was named “LiveScript”; at that time, Java was very famous; hence decided to change it to JavaScript three months later. JavaScript became the standard language with its ECMAScript (European Computer Manufacturer’s Association); it was completely different from Java.

Developers prefer to use JavaScript because it is versatile and robust in creating web and mobile applications. JavaScript does not meet everyone’s requirements, so many new languages have been introduced; they are converted to JavaScript before running in the browser. JavaScript includes tons of frameworks and libraries used to reduce the time in software development. 

React JS

Let’s have a sneak peek at how the JavaScript framework and libraries are the developer’s best friend; This includes React JS front-end JavaScript library for web development. To overcome the issue of code maintenance, in 2011, React JS was developed by Facebook and was designed to create an interactive user interface. With React JS, developers design the application’s declarative views and JS updates & return the correct components when data changes. Without using the existing code, developers can create new features in React.

React is used to maintain bits of code and reuse them while working on a huge project. So it is component-based. It improves application performance by using virtual DOM (Document Object Model). Over the past eight years, it has made significant improvements in its application creation and development.

sterlo

In the emerging low code platform, sterlo is the one that helps the technical and non-technical developers to create Android & iOS mobile applications without using a single line of code. Unlike other low-code platforms, sterlo can be used to build a full-fledged business application. One can develop an application that works on different platforms using our low code app creator tool.  sterlo major goal is to make digital transformation easier for businesses and turn everyone into developers. 

Transform your job with a one-of-a-kind solution!

In today’s environment, a company needs to have a perfect technology partner to thrive. Use sterlo as your Technology Partner to quickly meet your business needs.