iPhone vs. Android Apps
I’m a Mac but I bought an Android. Although I’ve been a dedicated Macintosh computer user for the last 15 years or so, I was hesitant to purchase an iPhone. Mostly, it was due to the service cost per month. The other reason was I was skeptical of its usability as an internet device. Apple is a company well known and respected for quality control and consistency between its products. Unfortunately, the internet is not a place for that. There’s a lot of chaos out there. Google, on the other hand, is the internet and has built a wealth of online tools that integrate with the internet, not a personal computer. So, even though I work on a Mac around the clock, I use Google to store my contacts, calendar, instant messages, and some documents. This is why I was sold on the Android when it was released.
Developing applications to work on these two leading mobile devices is split between two programming languages – java and cocoa. One is more widely used than the other, but the lesser is still building more apps. This is due to market demand. The iPhone has a larger user base than the Android, but it has also been around longer. With a new operating system known as Cupcake and a new version of the mobile device currently in the developer’s hands, it is possible the Android will be catching up soon.
Despite the large user group on the iPhone, Android users tend to keep their apps longer and use them more. This is reportedly due to the amount of apps available to each – more apps means greater opportunity to pick and choose. Fewer apps lead to tolerance of what needs to be improved and working around its faults.
But wait, if Java is a well know programming language and there is demand for more apps on the second most popular mobile device, why isn’t anyone cashing in? They are. Some Android developers are pulling over $25k per month on one little app. They aren’t as seamless as the iPhone apps (coca touch has a beautiful interface) but they sure don’t have the same level of competition.
So, if you want your company to reach its audience through a mobile device and possibly make some money from it, consider the Android. It’s more likely that you will get attention from your target market and connect with your audience before your competitors do and java programmers may be more affordable that specialized cocoa programmers.
More on Android vs. iPhone apps.
UPDATE: Around 1:30am on Wednesday July 8th, my husband launched his first Android app called Pic Paint. Within 6 hours of its release, 350 users had downloaded the app and left feedback. The number doubled a few hours later. Check out the stats here http://www.cyrket.com/asset/-4624803818843473487. If you have an Android, download the app, try it out, and leave some comments. Hope you like the app’s icon….
