Android vs Apple – which is better for your target market?
Android or Apple? When launching a mobile app, your choice of platform can impact reach, revenue and development costs. Explore the key differences and why launching on both platforms might be the smartest move.
Android vs Apple is a debate that has raged over many an online forum or dinner table. From a user’s point of view, each platform has its own strengths and weaknesses. But what from the perspective of a business looking to launch a mobile app? Which platform should you be spending your time and money on?
Whether you’re a small startup or a large corporation, investing in a mobile app can yield numerous benefits:
- Market share
The number of users on each platform could influence your decision, depending on where your target market is located.
Looking at the global market share as of 2021, Android is clearly in the lead with 73% of mobile users running Google’s operating system. However, in the USA and Japan, the positions are reversed with Apple possessing around 60% of the market share in these territories. In the UK, the split is around 50/50, while in SA, Android definitely takes the lead again.
- Consumer spending
Apple products tend to be more expensive than those running Android. While Apple targets more affluent consumers, Android phones can be found at every price point. This is reflected in the app stores, with Apple users tending to spend more on apps than Android users. In 2020, the Apple App Store generated 87.3% more in consumer spending than the Google Play Store.
- The app market
Once your app has been developed, it needs to be submitted to your chosen platform’s app store. The Google Play Store admissions process is not as strict as Apple’s so there is less risk of your app being rejected there. It is cheaper to get an app onto the Play Store initially, but each store takes a similar cut once the app is generating revenue.
- Why not both?
Perhaps the best option is not to choose at all, and instead launch your app in both app stores. At Netgen, we like to use React Native for the large majority of the mobile apps we develop. Using React Native means you only need to create one codebase and the program then compiles it to Java for Android and Swift for iOS.
Android vs Apple? Choose Netgen
Whether you choose to launch on Android, Apple or both, the experts at Netgen can develop your app. As we use React Native, our experienced developers can focus on delivering the app you want, regardless of which platform you launch it on. Contact us for more information.
