The Battle Continues: iOS vs Android App Development
We are living in 2017 where everything is accessible online. From banking to shopping, from online ticketing to ordering food, mobile applications has made our life easier than ever. Today, we cannot imagine our life without smartphones. Considering the demand of innovative apps and usage of mobile phones, most startups are coming up with their own mobile applications. If you are also planning to launch your business app this year, then you need to take several important decisions. One of the most confusion decisions is to decide between Android and iOS/iPhone app development. Both platforms have their own strengths and limitations. Both comes with different elements and options. Then, how will you choose the right one?
iOS Development
In iOS case, you need to create your applications with the Xcode IDE and iOS SDK. However, Xcode is compatible with several programming languages but most developers today choose Swift. Created by Apple, Swift is a programming language used to build iOS applications. Based on Objective-C, it is possibly less prone to errors. You can use Xcode with Objective-C, Javascript, and Python. It also works with Cocoa Touch which is an API used to build iOS UI elements. Remember, Xcode only runs on Macs. If you are going to create an iOS application, you will need to buy a powerful Mac and iPhone or iPad. It would be a first investment, you’ll have to make before you start developing the app.
Android Development
In the case of Android app development, things are obviously very different. Here, you will need an IDE that works with an Android Studio. However, you are going to code in Java and concurrently using the Android SDK. Unlikely iOS app development; you don’t need any specific device for using Android Studio. You can create an Android application on any kind or operating systems such as Windows, Linux or Mac OS X.
So, which process is more straightforward and accessible? Though, neither is an appealing experience for a beginner. Both Objective-C and Swift are object oriented and have a similar structure. Both have their strengths and flaws.
Publishing and Restrictions
For beginners, Android provides access to system’s internal working that allows you build the things you can’t create on iOS. It includes all procedures of launchers, customization apps, and more. When it comes to publishing the app, Android apparently wins from the developer’s point of view. Simply signup and upload your APK at a one-off payment of $25. After a couple of hours, your app will be available in the store and users can download it.
For iTunes, you have to pay an annual fee of $99. Then, you can submit your app for the review that would be tested by real users. It may take a couple of days, and your submission may also be rejected.
