The mobile app market is growing, so it’s a great time to enter it with a fresh application. When you’re just launching your startup, you likely have a limited budget. So the question is which platform is best for starting your business in the mobile app sphere. Today, we’ll tell you why iOS is the best choice. So why iOS app development?

Compatibility

One of the most important advantages of iOS development is compatibility. Compared to Android devices, which are many and run various operating system versions, iOS devices are more uniform. This leads to faster and simpler development. Developers can focus on making the app, not on ensuring compatibility for multiple devices. For this reason, iOS development usually costs less than Android development. This can be the deciding factor for new entrepreneurs.

That’s why development for iOS devices is highly valued in business and enterprise. For startups and other businesses that launch their applications on Apple’s App Store, successful execution is fundamental. If an app is executed correctly, it can significantly increase brand awareness.

User experience

Additionally, iOS apps tend to have a better user experience than Android apps. The first reason for this is the number of device models. There aren’t many models of iPhones and iPads, so it’s easy for developers to make an app that has a good UX on each device.

On the other hand, Android is an open platform, and there are many smartphone brands that use it, from Samsung to UleFone. An app that looks good on one device may be ill-adapted to another.

Source: Statista – OS versions running on iOS and Android devices

It’s also easy for UX designers to build an app for iOS because 85% of users run the latest version of the operating system. The majority of Android users run earlier operating system versions, so it takes more time to design an Android app for each of these versions.

Apps designed for the iPhone provide a disparate UX. Apple continues to provide a unique UI/UX experience that attracts users and developers. Each iPhone application has a unique user interface and access to a unique functionality, and users of iOS devices like to try new applications.

Soft launch for iOS

Another benefit of developing an iOS app is the soft launch. A soft launch on iOS gives better results than a soft launch on Android, as iOS has higher retention and monetization rates. iOS games and apps are often released through a soft launch in one region that has an audience similar to the target audience of the app.

A soft launch gives developers an opportunity to conduct tests, receive feedback from a real-world audience, and fix bugs before the global release. All these factors allow developers to achieve success and receive more revenue from apps.

Also, you can track the return on investment (ROI) and the retention rate for your iOS app. ROI is a very important metric for an application if you plan to earn money with it.
There are main things you should do during a soft launch:

1. Server stability tests. You should conduct tests to be sure your app will work well for a large number of users. You can start stability tests when you have at least 1000 people in your audience.

2. Retention tests. These are needed to understand if your app attracts users. You can track their activities to understand what they think about the application and how often they use it. At this stage, you need to have an audience of around 3,000 to 5,000 users.

3. Monetization tests. The next step is to test your monetization model. You should find an audience similar to your target audience. This means they should use your app the same way your target audience will. For example, if you’re about to release your app in the US, you might conduct monetization tests in Canada or Australia. You should have in the neighborhood of 10,000 users in your audience to conduct monetization tests.

High security & quality

In terms of the number of apps developed for each platform, Android is the winner. According to Statista, as of 2019, the Google Play Store has 2.1 million apps available for download. The Apple App Store has only 1.8 million apps. But iOS offers more quality apps in the categories of apps and games for children, media sharing apps, real estate apps.

The iOS App Store has stricter requirements for applications than the Google Play Store. For this reason, iOS users trust the applications they see in the App Store. If your application has access to this market, you can be sure it will catch attention.

iOS is more secure because of the stronger requirements for applications released on the App Store. Also, iOS offers security against viruses, so users don’t need third-party antivirus apps. For these reasons, iOS apps are more trusted by users, allowing you to find a larger audience for testing your app before release and to get more revenue from your app after it’s launched. This is one more reason why you should make your business app for iOS.

Loyal audience

Source: Statista – Smartphone brand retention rates in the US in 2017

According to the image above, we can conclude that Apple has a more loyal audience than other brands. Apps for iOS also have more loyal audiences. This is why the iOS platform will give you dedicated users, as iOS users don’t tend to switch to other platforms.

Revenue

According to App Annie, iOS apps will make $60 billion in 2021, while Android apps will make only $42 billion. This means that iOS apps have an audience that pays more. More iOS users buy extra content and explore applications than do Android users. This is why developing an app for iOS can bring you more revenue.

Conclusion

Apps for iOS tend to show the highest profit and return on investment. When choosing a platform for developing, It’s also important to remember the audience you want to reach: their location, age, interests, etc. You should conduct detailed research of your audience to make the right choice. For example, if you want to enter the US market, you should develop for iOS, but if your goal is a German audience, you should develop for Android.