Android Developer vs. iOS Developer

We have over five billion mobile users across the world today. So, no one can afford to ignore the mobile market. If your business does not have an efficient mobile application, it may be the right time you develop one. From the onset, you may need to consider whether to work with Android developers or iOS developers. Read on for more to be able to make an informed decision.

Android and iOS Programming Languages

To make the best decision, consider whether you can use the appropriate languages. Android app developers use Java and related languages like Kotlin. However, most of them prefer Java due to its efficiency and safety. iOS app developers, on the other hand, mostly rely on Apple’s Objective-C language. Software development experts with some experience in C and C++ consider it easier to learn this language.

Multitasking Features

Apple’s development is stable and has specific tools and limitations. The android operating system is versatile and allows developers to develop dynamic apps for multitasking and almost any other purpose. The multitasking feature is beneficial, but many novice developers who are not well equipped with the concept find it confusing.

Development Cost

Developers take more time to build Android apps than iOS apps. The fact that Android is too fragmented, and there is a large variety of devices is responsible for this difference in time. Android developers require between 30 and 40% more time executing the same amount of work. Note that iOS developers create applications for just a single platform and spend limited time to have the job done. The number of target devices, tools, and development platforms is some of the elements that directly impact the financial cost of app development. As a developer, you can expect Android apps to cost you more due to many devices and platforms. However, you can take advantage of its development platform, Android Studio, which can work on any of your modern PCs. Apple’s Xcode only operates on Mac systems.

Tools for Developing Apps

Due to the uniqueness of Apple and Android platforms, app developers use unique types of tools. In case you intend to build Android apps, you should have access to and use the following tools:

Android Jetpack: This is a pre-built Android components
Firebase: An efficient app development platform
Android SDK: The app development kit is connected with the development platform

The iOS development tools that you need include:

XCode: This is the integrated iOS development environment
Swift Playgrounds: The best Swift development environment
IOS SDK: App development kit that is integrated with the Cocoa Touch user interface framework
TestFlight: Used to test apps and gather valuable feedback online before the release of the app

When considering whether to opt for iOS or Android development, you don’t need to be puzzled like other software engineers often do. Even though the two systems have different development approaches, they have several architectural similarities. The marketing and design strategy is also different, but you can choose whether to become an Android developer or iOS developer depending on your needs and skillset.

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