Introduction
Android powers about 3 of every phone, that is currently being operated in the world, and why not? With most low priced smartphones on offer being Android, it completely makes sense. There are multiple reasons to choose to conquer Play Store as your first target if you are planning a startup, and this is what we are going to talk about in this blog.
Targeting Android promises a higher return on investment, and that too, much faster. This is all thanks to the user base Android has, even though it can’t match iOS in terms of purchases, it can definitely be called much better in terms of reach. If your business model doesn’t involve offering in-app purchases or pricing your app other than free, Android should already be your top choice, no questions asked. But things aren’t so simple after all, are they?
Your top choice should be capturing both markets, iOS, and Android, as they are where almost every mobile user is. But for startups, getting two apps developed would be going too overboard, especially concerning funds, and Android app development services are known to be more feasible. Also, targeting both platforms would take much more time than targeting one, and early market entry is a very important factor in deciding the fate of startups.
We will take things slow, and try to tell you all about Android development, and finally why it could be a top choice for most startups.
Let’s begin with what goes into planning the app and how it would help you determine if Android is the platform you should target.
Here’s a list of everything that goes into planning a mobile app.
• Validation
• Risk analysis
• Scope finalization
• Business strategy
• Target audience
Let’s begin with how each of the above play its part in what goes into planning an app.
1. Validation
Why would you want to start a business in times when there is something that solves the problem already? It’s your idea and your faith in it. Validation is the process of ensuring what’s in your head, would work out in real life, and users would actually in one way or the other, benefitted by it.
After that what matters is the mobile app development cost, the app should be feasible and give you a good return on investment. It would mostly be a numbers game early on, and you should consider Android as the first platform if you can’t afford 2 apps, you can start with the other one after the cash flow starts.
2. Risk Analysis
Analyzing risks is a very important thing to do before planning an app, as it could make or break it. There are risks in everything, and so is the reason why all top mobile app development companies have special teams for risk management. If you aren’t planning on outsourcing, we suggest gather intellects from your organization, and a few developers, to analyze risks.
Entering the Android market possess certainly lower risks compared to iOS, as Apple’s strict policies could render your app useless if it doesn’t fit their norms. The same could happen with Android too, but at least you could reach users for downloading your app’s APK from the website if they trust you enough. Here’s everything you need to know about app maintenance, as it is going to a major part of fixing your risk management and mitigation strategy.
3. Scope finalization
Scope finalization involves planning everything about who your users would be, and the scale of your app. How, when, where, are all decided at this point, and planning the app platform comes under this too. You would be deciding the users that you need to target, so you would apparently have to circle it down to types of users you want using your app.
Also, the location you focus would be an added benefit to your business, as competing the global market would be certainly difficult. Along with it, many different countries have different policies towards what kind of apps they allow in their countries. Ensuring you know your targets, will help you get an edge over a lot of your competitors, plan the platform in that way.
4. Business Strategy
This is the point which deals with revenue generation and would be highly affected by your choice of the operating system. Choosing Android would technically mean lower per-user revenue, at least according to these statistics.
Like we said in the above point validation, it’s the choice between types of users, number of users, and how much money you want to make directly by selling the app or through IAP.
5. Target audience
Age, location, annual income, all come under target audience, over and above the points mentioned, they are divided by Android and iOS. You would find people with high incomes abiding by iOS, as Apple devices are considered premium, making a greater number of users prefer Android. You would think planning to sell to more people would be a better idea, but actually, revenue for IAP generated on AppStore is much higher than the Play Store.
Planning the target audience properly is the key to success in this uber-competitive market, so make sure you work hard for it. One thing that would affect your startup upon choosing one of either platform is the fact that it also cuts down the possible word of mouth publicity. But there would still be higher chances of that with Android, than with iOS, if your target audience is Android users.
Think all the points through, to make the right choice.
All these combined are necessary to decide what kind of app do you actually want, as there are prevailing technologies like React Native, through which you can get Native like Cross-platform apps for both Android and iOS if you are willing to compromise on performance and optimization.
Top reasons to choose Android App development for your Startup
Deciding the technology while planning will give you an edge over competitors, as they often miss out on it in the beginning. But we still haven’t answered why targeting Android should be a top choice for Startups.
So, let us now begin with the top reasons to choose Android.
• Raw power
• Free/Open-Source
• APKs can be downloaded outside of Play Store
• Ease of finding Android app developers
• Fewer design complications
• The wider and larger user base
• Early market entry
• Easier and faster App approval
1. Raw power
With a Native Android app, you can unleash full capabilities of all those flagship devices, which sports over 12gigs of RAM. Cross-platform apps and Hybrid apps might promise you a good interface, but to take things to the top, Native remains the only option. However, it may also be a double-edged sword, as the devices vary a lot, you will find those running with RAMs in megabytes.
With Android extensive testing would be required to ensure all your users are satisfied, another option would be setting limitations to who can download the app, for example, the minimum requirement being Android 8.0 and 4GBs of RAM. Don’t go around testing every single device out there, as it would simply be impossible, rather choose your target audience, and try to create the best app for them.
2. Free/Open-Source
All the necessary tools and SDKs you need to develop an Android app are free, the others are fairly priced, so that won’t be a very real problem. One thing to note is, you will need Apple devices to create apps for the AppStore, and that can be a lot of overhead cost for a startup. But with Android, you might have to test a lot more devices than that, if you want everything to be perfect. Making a great app would be easier in Android while making a perfect, but a costly, app would be easier in iOS.
Also, the price to pay to get your app on the Play Store is 25$, compared to a 100$ for the AppStore, while it isn’t a lot to consider, it could be for someone betting everything on their startup. Apart from these prices, Android app development cost varies on a lot more factors, but in our experience of 10 years, it would turn out to lower in a lot more cases when compared to iOS app development cost.
3. APKs can be downloaded outside of Play Store
It’s an exclusive feature you get with Android apps, as Google allows the installation of apps from third party sources. You could place multiple download links around the web, for your Android app, while you can’t do the same for iOS.
Also, this would mean better marketing platforms for an Android app, than for an iOS app. But in case you are planning for a paid app, this could act out of your favor, as someone could download it, and upload it for lesser money or for free, anywhere on the internet.
4. Ease of finding Android app developers
Even though it depends more on the demographics, you will find more developers for Android than for iOS. In a country like India, you would simply find about double the Android developers, when compared to iOS. If you plan to hire Android programmer from an Asian country, you will find them in abundance, for comparably low prices, especially considering their experience and quality of work.
If you plan to hire an Android development company, it would be almost the same case, low prices for all in one solution. If you are planning for a quick launch, we suggest going with Android, as the numbers are more, and you can get components developed from more Android developers at the very same time.
5. Fewer design complications
iOS is a fairly risky business if you have no idea how an average iOS user thinks, as they are much more focused on design elements than an average Android user. This is simply because of the minimalistic design that Apple has always followed with iOS, the users are highly used to it, along with things like the Apple environment.
For example, if you are planning for a productivity app, the users won’t like it if they can’t pick up their work on their iPad or their Mac, and that’s a tough thing to do as a startup. The same wouldn’t be the case with Android, and people would be already used to that.
Android users are much simpler and accepting, and the reach makes it a very feasible platform when it comes to designing the app. The users are used to various devices, their personal widgets, so you won’t have any rules or design complications to abide by. You can do everything your way, and the user will probably love it if you do it well.
6. The wider and larger user base
As we have discussed above, a wider user base is one of the most prominent advantages you will have when you choose Android as the landing platform for your app. Android accounted for about 75% market dominance in the past 12 months, which directly means that 3/4th of the world uses Android, compared to 1/4th using iOS devices. Many young and old generation people prefer Android, be it the simplicity to use, or the fancy devices on offer.
With a variety of users to target, Android should be your top choice if your product isn’t especially focused on those with a higher pay scale or those who have more paying capacity. Even if that is the case, the wiser choice would be targeting both the platforms, since it only means more reach. The choices to make as a startup could be tough, especially when it comes to native mobile app development, choose the platform depending on all aspects and not one or the other.
7. Early market entry
Deploying more developers to work on your app means you can get it developed much earlier than an iOS or cross-platform app, allowing you an early market entry. Also, it would be a wise choice to target just one platform, if your business depends on an idea that requires an early market entry. While technologies like React Native can reduce app development cost, you would still have an edge over competitors splitting their focus into two platforms with Android app development and can plan to conquer one platform, with much more ease.
8. Easier and faster App approval
For many niches and app types, Apple is known to be highly strict, and on rejecting the apps that violate even the slightest of their policies. The case isn’t very much safe with Android, and you always have the option to make users download your app through your website, without ever publishing it on the Play Store. With iOS, the only way would be to change the whole app, with Android you get slightly fewer complications and whole new possibilities of publishing the app on your own website.
The Other Options
Android would be the best option for many businesses, but that by all means, that may not necessarily be the case. Below you will find all the other options you have, all having different benefits associated with them.
We won’t be comparing simple mobile sites as they simply don’t solve the purpose here, considering that you need an app in the first place. Rest of it, we will try to give you a detailed comparison, so that you can make the best choice while getting your app developed.
- iOS
- PWAs
- Cross-Platform apps
- Hybrid Apps
Let’s begin and give you a brief about them.
iOS
In case of choosing one, recommended when your business niche demands users that are used to simplistic ways and environment of iOS. In case you are making two apps, you would need an experienced iOS app development company, to make sure the app fits what the potential users are already used to. Choosing this option isn’t very highly recommended for startups, as the cost would be much higher than developing an Android app, but if the RoI is satisfactory, go ahead by all means.
PWAs
Progressive web apps could be called the newest kid around the block. Some say they are better than native apps in many ways, but that would simply be comparing two very different things. PWAs are aimed at lightness and availability on both desktops and mobiles. They should be considered if you can make do without a Native app in the first place. If you choose this option, you won’t be able to publish your app on the respective stores, all while you can’t make use of device sensors and device hardware capabilities.
Cross-Platform apps
Cross-platform apps are based on JavaScript and use Native components, to give the app a true Native like feel. All this, with over 80% code reusability for creating both iOS and Android apps, hitting both the markets at once. As a mobile app development company, it is also currently our most demanded service. It is highly recommended for people wanting apps that aren’t to performance-focused, as targeting both platforms would be cheaper and easier.
Hybrid Apps
These apps are based on WebView’s, they render a webpage on the device’s native browser engine. But they too, come with everything that makes them capable of being download as a true app. They can be called much inferior to cross-platform apps when it comes to performance but comes with a fully reusable codebase. If your app is just a small part of what you are trying to offer, you can bet on this technology to ensure a presence on both application stores and grow your business’s reach.
Conclusion
All businesses that exist offline and those just starting up, need to focus on online business strategies. If your business requires and can do with a mobile app, it is something that can be way more beneficial for building customer relations when compared to websites. Android is unquestionably one of the biggest platforms to reach out to and planning an Android app for your startup could take it new heights.
We hope we were able to give you clarity on why Android should be your top choice as a platform to target, and the benefits that it offers. If you are still confused, you should think about consulting a good mobile app development solution provider, they can guide you with what would be best, according to your budget. Make sure you think well before finalizing the technology, and targeting the platform, as they are essential for your business to grow to new heights.
