Imagine that you have decided to develop an application. You want to run on both platforms, but realize that for financial or other reasons, you can't handle both at once. Therefore, you have a choice - Android or iOS. In this article, we will consider why an Android application development company is a better choice for a business that develops the first app.

Why you should not develop an application on two platforms at once

Building an app on two platforms at once is risky. Development on each of them requires investing resources in the team, working tools, research, and building processes. However, there is no guarantee that your investment will pay off.

The product idea may turn out to be unsuccessful - the target audience does not have a need or there is already a strong player on the market with a similar application. In order not to spend twice as much time and money, it is worth testing the idea on users of the same operating system. When you are convinced of the demand for your product, you can think about developing on a second platform.

In this case, you should not choose the first platform at random. Perhaps the product idea is in demand and competitive, but your target audience uses a different operating system. In this case, your budget may not be enough for new development.

In order not to end up in one of these situations, when choosing a platform, you need to rely on some important criteria.

Platform selection criteria

To choose a platform for developing an application, you need to consider criteria such as the target audience, monetization strategies, as well as the budget for the development of the project, and the timing of its implementation.

For example, Android is more suitable for developing a fitness application for young people, where they can watch free workouts, and iOS is more suitable for creating an investment service for US residents.

Let's look at each criterion in more detail to understand which ideas are more suitable for Android, and for which iOS.

1. The target audience.

According to Statcounter, 72% of mobile operating system users in the world are on Android, and 27% on iOS. But this is not the main factor by which it is worth choosing a platform, as there are other criteria. It is necessary to study how people spend money, where they live, what their needs are, as well as age and gender differences.

To choose a platform, it is worth examining the information on the audience of the operating system and comparing it with data on the audience of the product. Then the choice will become more obvious. 

2. Financial opportunities.

If the earnings of a business depend on the cash receipts of consumers, then it is necessary to study their financial capabilities. Let's turn to financial reports to understand which platform users spend more.

According to SensorTower, in the first quarter of 2022, global consumer spending on the App Store reached $21.8 billion, compared to $10.7 billion for Google Play. iOS users spend more, which means they are more affluent than Android app users. This information is also confirmed by the fact that smartphones on Android are more accessible than those on iOS.

For example, the most affordable iPhone (iPhone SE) costs $399, while the new iPhone 13 Pro starts at $999. Whereas an Android smartphone can be purchased for as little as $100.

The numbers show that iOS users are willing to pay more than Android users. So if you're developing a product where people have to spend money, iOS is probably better for you.

It is important to determine the financial capabilities of the audience right away since the geography, needs, and monetization strategy will depend on this parameter. Let's move on to the geolocation of users.

3. Geography.

Platform users are unevenly distributed across the globe. On some continents, Android lovers predominate, on others, iOS. Therefore, it is important to know where the target audience of the product is geographically located. This will help you select the operating system more accurately.

In marketing, it is customary to divide countries around the world into three categories according to the level of solvency of the population: 

• Tier 1 (high-income countries); 

• Tier 2 (middle-income countries); 

• Tier 3 (low-income countries).

For example, Australia, the USA, China, and European countries belong to the countries of the first category. This means that there is a high cost of traffic and the standard of living of the population. It turns out that residents of Western Europe, Australia, and North America use iOS more often. And users from Asia, Africa, and Latin America - Android.

4. Age and gender.

If the target audience of your product is predominantly middle-aged men, then you should pay attention to Android. And an app for young girls is more likely to do well on iOS. But it is not necessary to make the final choice only on the basis of this criterion, since the statistics do not show a large advantage in one direction.

5. Needs.

Determining needs is the most difficult part of audience analysis, as you are unlikely to see accurate information for your segment. To do this, you need to analyze reports and studies to find at least some clues.

For example, iPhone customers are often specialists, managers, and salespeople. Android users usually work in computer, technical and medical fields. Also, according to statistics, Android users are more likely to own cars compared to iOS.

Wrapping up

You should not make an application for two platforms at once unless there is a serious reason for this. It is better to evaluate your needs, the future concept of the application, and development costs, and only then make a choice. You can always add a second platform, and if you make two at once, you can lose a large amount if the product fails. If you are interested in developing an application for Android devices, Intellectsoft will help you realize your idea. The company has been developing solutions for Android and iOS since 2007 and knows very well how to create a product that will attract the attention of users and create brand trust.