Differences between app development for Android and iOS
Difference between app development for Android and iOS
Today, mobile phones are the dominant form of internet access, displacing other devices such as computers, laptops and tablets. Faced with this situation, companies have to adapt new habits and come into this market, creating platforms for basic mobile operating systems. Because of this, app development for Android and iOS is becoming increasingly popular, as it can reach more users.
In Spain, more than 90% of internet users use smartphones, while around 70% use laptops. – Statistician.
Building mobile applications is part of software development solutions and works on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. This includes the entire process of developing, developing, designing, testing and maintaining said software.
For its development, you can work using different technologies and procedures, some exclusive to Android, iOS and others mixed for multiplatform applications. Going deeper into it, in this article we are going to analyze the differences between mobile development for each operating system and how they affect the process.
App programming languages for Android and iOS
When we talk about mobile application development languages, we always refer to native and hybrid development . While the native uses specific tools and languages for each operating system, the hybrid uses standard web technologies and different frameworks valid for both platforms simultaneously.
Native
For Android development, technologies such as Kotlin and Java are mainly used, although other languages such as C++ are sometimes used with the NDK. In the case of iOS, mobile applications are mostly developed with Swift or Objective-C . Requiring two teams, two codes and usually, about double the budget.
Hybrid
In the case of hybrid development it is different, the same code can be used for Android and iOS so the resources used are smaller. This is due to the use of HTML, CSS and JavaScript, along with frameworks such as Ionic, React Native or Flutter , suitable for both operating systems.
Plurality of devices
Android
The Android device ecosystem is broad and diverse , with numerous manufacturers, each with multiple screens, resolutions, hardware, and even brands. We have Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi, Motorola, BQ, etc. Therefore, the development and testing of apps can be more complex, since we must take into account that the experience is more varied.
iOS
However, for Apple it is the opposite, the company has strict control over the hardware and software of all its devices. There is only “one company” behind it, facilitating custom development services for them and with much less segmentation than Android.
Integrated development environments (IDE)
IDEs are software applications that provide sets of tools for writing, compiling, and testing programs in a single place. Allowing project management and improving code, among other features.
On the one hand, we have Android Studio , which, as its name suggests, is the main IDE for Android applications and is based on IntelliJ IDEA. It has extensive documentation and online resources , which can sometimes be extensive due to the variety of options and APIs available.
Among some of the benefits it offers are syntax tools, automatic completion and code refactoring for cleanliness, as well as layout editors.
On the other hand, there is Xcode for iOS , which provides custom software developer with a complete set of tools to create apps for Apple devices, such as iOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS. In addition to similar functionalities to the previous IDE, its documentation is more concise since it is only focused on Apple.
App distribution for Android and iOS
To install applications on Android devices, access the Google Play Store or APK files . However, the distribution of iOS apps is exclusive to the Apple App Store .
Going to stores
But how do apps get to stores? To publish apps on the Google Play Store or the App Store, a rigorous upload procedure must be followed . This is a series of revisions that help provide greater security and quality to users.
Regarding Android , it is somewhat simpler, it is automatically reviewed to look for security problems or content policies. As long as there are no significant problems, apps can be published within a few hours , although Google may make subsequent revisions.
However, for Apple, applications must be sent through App Store Connect and the review that is carried out is manual. The time varies, but can take between several business days to weeks , without forgetting that subsequent studies can also be carried out.
Platform updates
Technologies never stop evolving, user needs are changing and new IT trends constantly emerge. In order not to be left behind, any app for Android and iOS throughout its long existence must be updated .
In the case of Android , as a consequence of the plurality of devices and the fragmentation of its ecosystem, it may take longer. Applying continuous updates on different Android versions and devices can be more tedious than on iOS , where everything is more centralized.
App life cycle for Android and iOS
Android
Generally, on Android, an app goes through various states depending on the activities carried out by users.
Create - The activity has been created, but is not visible to the user.
Start – Now visible to the user, but in the background.
Resume – is in the foreground and can be interacted with by the user.
Pause – The activity is partially visible.
Stop – Holds the resources, but is no longer visible.
Destroy – activity destroyed and removed from memory.
These states can change due to different events such as user navigation, phone calls, changes in device orientation, etc. To control them, programmers must implement methodologies in the app's activities to be able to respond well to these changes.
iOS
However, Apple simplified the life cycle using two concepts:
AppDelegate – A central object that manages platform-wide lifecycle events such as start, end, and state transitions.
ViewControllers : They manage the UI and integrate with the lifecycle by simplifying the handling of events such as view loading, appearing on screen, etc.
With these systems the iOS life cycle can seem more predictable and easier to manage than iOS.
Which is better?
In this article we have only reflected some of the main differences between custom software product development for Android and iOS. The choice between one or the other should not be made only by technical factors, the target audience, availability, app functionalities, etc. must also be taken into account. If you don't know where to start, need advice or want to create a mobile application, we can help you .