Android vs iOS – Where should app developers spend their time?
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It was Christmas in June for me this week. I received my backordered iPad 3G (yes, I waited for a few weeks, I wasn’t completely sold on the iPad initially) and my backordered Droid Incredible (I tossed my Blackberry after ten plus years with RIM) within a couple of days of each other.
After I played with each device for a couple of days, I started to form some entrepreneurial opinions in terms of how I might think about the iOS versus Android as an app developer and app marketer.
- Both Android and the iPad need more apps! After scanning through the games which were available in the Android Marketplace, I was pretty disappointed. Most of the titles and genres I was familiar using with my iPod Touch for the past couple years had no viable alternative in the Android Marketplace. As for the iPad, there were very few apps available in the utility categories I count on. For example, I was only able to quickly locate one free Twitter app specifically built for the iPad, versus on the iPhone/iPod Touch, where there are many free Twitter apps.
- Android makes me think about the user interface to navigate, the iOS makes me feel stupid. In Android, I have encountered several different user interface challenges which would cause me to not want to hand the device over to my four year old daughter to play with. With the iPad, as with other iOS devices, my four year old has no trouble. The result? The iOS makes me feel stupid after awhile. I like a technology that is a little rough around the edges and makes me think. At times, the iOS is too simple for me. With that said, the iOS is the best mobile operating system for the mass market right now. This week on MediaPost, Jeff Litvack, GM of global product development at The Associated Press, said he’s not seeing the same level of engagement on Android devices as he is on Apple devices. I think this is directly related to the UI not being completely dummy proof, and the lack of apps on Android.
- The Android OS is lacking a robust ecosystem of tool providers for app developers when compared against the iOS- Whether it is leader board functionality, in-app cross promotion networks like W3i, etc, Android fundamentally does not seem to have as many robust tool providers bringing functionality to the app developers. This is very apparent when you engage with apps in Android. This will likely change as Android’s market share grows, as I know many top tool providers on the iOS are planning to enter the Android market soon. Apple’s unpredictable policies are causing a lot of tool providers to look for other viable options. Microsoft and RIM should take note.
Rob Weber, Vice President of Business Development and Co-Founder, W3i, LLC
Rob is an Internet marketing pioneer with over ten, profitable years evolving W3i in the consumer application industry.
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July 20th, 2010 at 3:26 pm
In fairness to Android, iOS, as it’s now called, had several years to build up a developer base and a store of apps. It also had several years when it was the only truly smart smart-phone on the market.
I think Android is going to give it a run for its money. Right now, only one phone runs iOS. Since May, it seems like I’ve seen a new Android phone hit the market. Also, Android is maturing rapidly, and each release is a significant upgrade. As more devices that run Android, it’s going to be irresistible to app developers.
On the flip side, Android still faces challenges. Each phone maker is creating a different UI. When Google releases an Android update, it make take the phone maker months to update the UI so the phone can be upgraded to the next version of Android. (Sometimes, they never upgrade the UI.) Rumor has it that a future release of Android will completely separate the UI from the OS, allowing users to download the Android upgrade immediately from the Android Market, even though it may take the phone makers a while before their UI takes full advantage of the upgrades new features.
So, Android lacks the guiding hand of Apple, but it also offers a potentially wider market and app makers are restricted by the often capricious whims of those who guard access to Apple’s App Store.
Despite being a lifelong Mac users (and even an Apple shareholder), after much soul searching, I’ve decided to go with Android. I agree. I like the rough edges. It feels exciting and offers more potential.
January 3rd, 2011 at 4:33 pm
I have a Iphone 3GS and a Motorola Milestone.
Since I get the IPhone, it had three upgrades. The Motorola none. It seems it’s going to be Android 2.1 forever.
Can you say there’s no need for an upgrade? I don’t think so: it crashes, reboots, is unresponsive in many ways, a lot of problems.
How can someone say Android is a better choice?