Android, iOS, Hybrid App Development: Which One to Choose?
Have you decided to develop an app for your business but are unsure which operating system to use? App development can be a strong driver for any business. For instance, an app can help a company reach a wider audience. Moreover, it can assist businesses in providing their users with an optimal experience, offering a simple and intuitive way to perform certain operations.
An app can aid in promoting a brand, increasing brand visibility, and enhancing customer loyalty. It can help businesses offer more efficient and high-quality services. Finally, an app can help companies develop a revenue stream by increasing purchasing opportunities.
However, when it comes to creating mobile device applications, there are three main options: Android app development, iOS app development, or hybrid app development. Each of these options has different advantages and disadvantages.
Developing Android Apps, Advantages and Disadvantages
Android is the most popular mobile operating system in the world. It offers a wide variety of devices that can be used to download and use apps. Consequently, this means that brand exposure can be wider if Android apps are developed. Additionally, Android app development is slightly cheaper and faster compared to iOS app development.
One huge advantage offered by Android app development is the ability to achieve widespread distribution: Android is the most widely used operating system in the world, with billions of users using it for their daily activities. This means that once an Android app is developed, it can reach a vast user base and have greater visibility than other platforms.
Furthermore, Android provides a range of easy-to-use development tools for app development, allowing most developers, especially beginners, to create more easily.
Another advantage of developing apps with Android is that you can customize the user interface of Android apps as you see fit. This allows you to provide a unique user experience to your users.
However, it is also necessary to list some disadvantages of Android app development. One disadvantage is certainly the need to dedicate a significant amount of time to configuring the app on each different device. This is because, unlike iOS which supports only a limited number of devices, Android supports a wide range of devices worldwide. It should also be noted that there are over 5000 device models and versions of Android on the market: this means that you will need to perform a series of tests to ensure that the app works correctly on all devices.
Advantages and disadvantages of developing iOS apps
Developing iOS apps has many advantages and disadvantages that are important to consider before starting a project. Apple is known for the quality of its products, so developing an iOS app ensures that a high-quality product is delivered. Additionally, iOS apps generally have faster loading times compared to Android apps. However, developing iOS apps is more expensive and time-consuming, as the app needs to be released on Apple’s App Store.
One of the main advantages is that iOS apps are designed to work on a specific platform. This means that most iOS apps will work seamlessly on all Apple devices without having to make further modifications. Additionally, Apple has a large user population, so there is a great opportunity to reach many people with an iOS app.
On the other hand, one of the main disadvantages of developing iOS apps is that they must comply with Apple’s criteria and pass the App Store review, which can be a complex and lengthy process. This restriction also means that iOS apps may end up being more expensive to produce than other mobile operating systems. Additionally, Apple has a significant amount of restrictions on app privacy, which can limit the flexibility of app development.
Developing Hybrid Apps, Pros and Cons
By creating a hybrid app, it’s possible to maximize the functionality of both the most widespread operating systems. Hybrid apps are generally quicker to develop than native apps, as they use a unified codebase. However, hybrid apps are less responsive than native apps, so they can be slower to load.
One of the major advantages of developing a hybrid app is that it’s easier to program. Since it’s based on web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, all major programming languages are included. Having a simpler development infrastructure allows for a faster app creation process compared to native apps. Given the chance to share code and access the same libraries, a hybrid development team can save time and resources.
Another major advantage of developing a hybrid app is that it’s cheaper than developing a native app. Since it’s based on web technologies, there are fewer skills to acquire and fewer libraries to maintain. This means fewer hours for the development team, resulting in lower development costs.
On the other hand, there are some downsides to consider. First of all, developing hybrid apps presents some significant disadvantages that teams must adequately consider before embarking on a project:
- Performance tends to be inferior compared to native apps as the code running on an iOS device may not necessarily function as expected on an Android device, and vice versa;
- The hybrid app ecosystem is still relatively young, so development teams are more likely to encounter some difficulties implementing the latest features and newest technologies;
- Certain features of the operating system are not available when using hybrid apps. On the other hand, native apps utilize a set of libraries that allow for the best use of all the native properties of the system;
- Given that hybrid apps often need to be adapted to work with the latest version of an operating system, they may require more time to be updated;
- As hybrid apps are developed with an approach designed to adapt well in all cases, teams often face limitations when it comes to customizing the interface.