In today's digital world, mobile apps play a crucial role. An own app offers companies the opportunity to establish a direct connection with their customers, increase customer loyalty to the company and improve their own brand image. In this article, we look at what differences there are to consider between iOS and Android apps.

Basics:

iOS is the operating system behind Apple devices such as iPhones and iPads. The first version of iOS was released in 2007 and has been regularly updated with new features and bug fixes ever since. iOS apps are written in Objective-C or Swift, which are compiled into machine code before they can run on an iPhone or iPad. iOS apps are installed through Apple's App Store.

Android is a mobile operating system developed by Google. It is based on the Linux kernel and is open source. Android apps are written in Java or Kotlin. Android apps can be installed via the Google Play Store, which currently contains over 2.6 million apps.

Differences in development between iOS and Android apps:

The code languages used:

iOS apps were written in Objective-C for a long time. Today, however, Swift and SwiftUI have replaced Objective-C. Android apps were programmed in code language Java until Kotlin was set by Google as the language for Android development. Since different languages are used for the two operating systems, individual programmers often specialize in one of the two or are proficient in two different programming languages.

Usability (UX):

The way users interact with an operating system can affect how they feel about your product or service. This is especially true for mobile devices. It's important that UX designers consider which operating system is being targeted or for which devices the app is being developed when designing their interfaces, so that the app is intuitive and easy to use on all devices.

What are the features of iOS app development?

iOS offers stricter controls over the apps published in the App Store. Third-party developers are not allowed. This can minimize the risk of information and data theft, as well as hacking for the end user. Worldwide, fewer people use iPhones than Android devices. As a result, there is less competition in the Apple App Store because a smaller target group can be reached. Even though the number of users is quantitatively smaller, they are statistically the target group that is much more willing to buy. The commitment to spend money on apps is significantly higher among iPhone users than among Android users, which is partly due to the high prevalence of iPhones in industrialized countries and in the business sector.

What are the characteristics of Android app development?

Android is the most widely used mobile operating system in the world, with more than 2 billion active users. Thus, an Android app can reach countless people all over the world. It is also the most versatile platform for developers because it supports many different devices and screen sizes. Moreover, Android offers more customization options than iOS.

Conclusion

When considering app development, it's important to factor different factors into your decision. These include the type of app, the target audience, and the budget you have available.

For the choice between iOS and Android, it depends on which device the app will be used on and what the goals of your own app are. If it is clear that it must work exclusively on an iPad, for example, it is enough to develop an iOS app. In B2C, however, the market growth is often interesting, then there is no way around the development of both operating systems.

Once you have made a decision about which platform is best for your project, there are probably other questions for you to consider: How long will development take? What experience and project members should I bring to the table? How much will it cost to have my app developed?

We're happy to help you find answers to these questions. Book a free consultation appointment: https://denovo.at/meet

Expert tip from Christof Stromberger, Managing Partner of Denovo:

"If the development of an iOS and an Android app is planned, we always recommend starting the developments with a time gap of one, but better two sprints, so that challenges that arise during the development of the first app can be avoided during the second app."