Android is an open source platform that offers speed, flexibility, and performance. Over the years it has occupied a large share of the OS market. As of December 2018, Android had a 75.16% market share, ahead of iOS having a 21.98% share.
Image Source: Statcounter
To cater to the advanced needs of these Android smartphone users, Android mobile apps play a crucial role. Google Play Store is flooded with various types of Android applications, with their downloads surging continuously. The below graph shows the number of available apps in the Google Play Store from December 2009 to December 2018.
Image Source: Statista
Looking at the growing popularity of these apps and numerous other factors, developers are preferring Android for application development. This post throws light on the 6 key reasons to select an Android platform for developing apps.
- Open source:
The Android platform is open source and freely available, eliminating software licensing cost. Due to this, developers can use Android code to bring customizations in the OS. Android developers can even interact with the community members in case of any issues. Updates are received regularly. The platform gives full liberty to developers to use their creativity. - Market Share:
Android enjoys a higher market share than other operating systems, having a substantial number of devices running on this OS. It has a large potential market of users. This increases the chances of potential downloads, leading to business profitability. If you wish to develop a mobile application, the best option is to target that platform that has the highest number of users and gives access to a large audience. - Easy entry:
Android gives the benefit of easy entry. To develop an Android app, you need to register yourself as a developer, build the app, and submit the APK to the Android mobile application development platform. iOS, on the other hand, involves more number of steps for getting approval from Apple. To register as a developer on Play Store, you just need to pay a one time fee of $25, whereas Apple requires a yearly subscription fee of $99. Android apps get approved and deployed in the Google Play Store quicker than the App Store, which takes a few weeks time. The app can also be updated as many times as the developer wants it to be, based on the users’ feedback. - Distribution channels:
Other than the Google Play Store, developers also get an option to submit their Android apps on third-party app stores, allowing them to increase their business outreach. You can also have your own sales and distribution channel and publish your Android app there. As a developer, you can reach your potential customers the way you want to with your Android app in order to convert them into your customers. - Tools and technologies:
Android platform is easier to learn and have expertise in for developers. They need to have knowledge of Java, which most of them are familiar with. The language is easy to adapt and learn and is user-friendly. In the case of iOS, developers have to specially learn Objective-C or Swift, which are Apple’s development language. Java has a rich aggregation of libraries, and the OS has well-documented SDKs, making the development process simpler. Just with a few efforts and skills, developers can build a business application easily. - Customization:
Android offers better customization than iOS. It has plenty of customization options with a customizable user-interface. Developers can build tailored Android apps and add features that fit their requirements and enhances business value. Android is a powerful platform that can integrate various modifications at any point of the application development cycle and even in future.
Concluding words:
Android’s popularity shows no signs of receding. For businesses wanting to maximize their chances of success, targeting the Android platform can be the best bet.
MintTM is a leading Android app development company providing comprehensive services to help businesses improve their ROI. Contact us at [email protected], tell us what you have in your mind, and we’ll get started with the Android app development right away! We will even customize the app as per your business needs.
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