iPhone versus Android - Which should your business choose?

It is no surprise that businesses are scrambling to get into the mobile market.  They understand the importance of having their brand, products and services in the palms of millions of existing and potential clients and customers.  They also understand the benefits to their organization by offering tablet based applications for internal staff.

So a business knows they should get into the mobile space, but which platform?  We will focus on the two most popular platforms – Android and iOS (Apple).

Android versus iOS Demographic:

One key factor to consider is your target audience.  If your mobile application is not for your internal staff (which allows your organization to standardize on one device), then you need to know who is using which devices?  There is a different audience for each device.

An interesting and controversial study was conducted by Hunch (hunch.com, Android vs. iPhone: Battle of the Mobile Operating Systems) to profile iPhone versus Android mobile smartphone users.  This study may not be entirely scientific and the sample set was relatively small in relation to the total number of iPhone and Android users, but it does tell an interesting story.

iPhone users in general within the context of this study were more likely to be optimists, extroverts, self-described individuals and leaders who are willing to spend more money.  Android users in general within the context of this study were more likely to be pessimists, introverts, frugal and later adopters.   The study indicated a younger male audience and fewer women use Android. iPhone has an older male demographic than Android and more women.

Regardless of the validity of this study, it is for certain that there are different types of people who lean towards one phone or the other.  iPhone users are typically more loyal to the brand and are strong advocates for Apple.  Android users are more open to various brands. 

One sure way to identify your target audience is to ask them.  Create a survey for your clients and customers to answer your mobile questions before embarking on a mobile implementation.  The best approach is to go with both the iOS and Android, however, budget may be a factor or it may be your strategy to start with one brand first to see the response.  Then, a second, improved version of the mobile application or tablet application can be released in tandem with the other option in the future.

The Operating System:

The next thing you want to consider is the operating system.  There are advantages and drawbacks to the Android and iOS. 

The Android OS is more flexible with regard to external development efforts.  The operating system for Android is open-source.  This means that the operating system can be accessed by developers where the design and implementation details are known.  This allows more flexibility when building applications for an Android device.

The iOS is not open-source.  Its implementation is not accessible by developers.  Certain features are open, however the full operating system is a closed application.  This limits the types of applications that can be developed for the iOS.

So it may seem like Android is the choice when it comes to flexibility, however there are other factors.  As with every action, there is a reaction, so is there a con with every pro when considering development factors for mobile phones and tablets.  Android has an issue called “fragmentation”.  This refers to the issue of having different versions of the Android OS across different device brands.  You may have a different version on one brand, then another.  So the idea of having a single version working perfectly across varying mobile phone and tablet brands is not a reality.

Knowing what the capabilities are for each of the operating systems will be a contributing factor to which platform will best suite your mobile smartphone or tablet application or software.  Your mobile development team should have this understanding.

The Mobile Markets:

Distribution of your mobile application or tablet application is another big decision.  Knowing the mobile markets and their audience, rules and regulations is important.  The mobile markets are expanding quickly and have international reach.  The markets are the virtual stores where mobile applications are stored and are available for download and purchase. 

Apple’s app store has been around longer than the Android markets.  It is the largest market as of this writing which means there are more applications to choose from.  The Apple app store has more stringent rules for publishing apps to the store.  Arguably this fosters higher-quality applications than the Android market – but from the perspective of malware, testing and ethics – not necessarily the functional benefit or sophistication of the app.

Android’s marketplace is quickly gaining market-share from Apple.  As of February 2012, Android has over 450,000 apps, just behind Apple at over 500,000. (Ian Paul, PCWorld, Feb 27, 2012)      

One constant in the mobile space is change.  The technology is exponentially improving and the mobile wars are in full force and there seems to be no slow-down in the foreseeable future.  Do your research before deciding on a platform and implement strong focus-group testing to ensure your are allowing maximum return on your investment.