I can't seem to find much on this, so I thought I'd ask the question. I personally use a Samsung Galaxy Nexus and was a previous owner of a Galaxy S1. I also sport an Apple Macbook Pro and I love the computer.
There's been a constant "reminder" from various articles how developing for iOS appeals to the developer more than doing so for Android.
This topic has spawned countless of times, and with the recent intro of Instagram to Android, that topic has been re-written once more to show why iOS is "dominant" among developers compared to Android. Article HERE.
Thing is, with all this talk about developing for iOS being better, I find myself asking "if that were true, then why do developers still develop for Android? If that were true, Instagram wouldn't even bother coming to Android...especially since it's free."
So what would make developers for Instagram want to make an app for Android when according to these articles:
Developing on Android is "harder" because it has to adapt to countless hardwares
Android developers make less than iOS developers
Do you develop for both iOS and Android? What's your take? What actually entices you to want to work on the Android platform?
It would be nice if a developer who works on both platforms can give some insights. Please no fanboy or anti-apple talk here...I am sure many of you Android users like me, would have had your friends who are iPhone users bring up such a topic on how they've read that developing for iOS is better, and you can't explain to them why people still make apps for Android cause there's little material online to covers that topic. I'm genuinely curious to know from a developer's perspective
Developers want to get their program out to as many people as possible so they develop for platforms where the customers are at. The two biggest phone operating systems right now are iOS and Android.
Developers choose iOS first because their is a lot less device diversity with iOS devices so developing an app is probably easier. It has also been shown that there is more money to be made selling iOS apps than Android apps which could be due to the fact that people who are on a tight budget may see an Android device as a better deal or may have a carrier that doesn't even sell the iPhone. Piracy is an issue on both platforms but it could be argued that Android is easier to pirate on since apks can be sideloaded without rooting where as iPhones have to be jailbroken. But sideloading apks is used for legit reasons as well, like testing betas, nightlies and other apps that aren't distributed through App Stores.
Android apps have to account for multiple screen resolutions, ratios, and densities. Most regular apps scale just fine. Games seem to be where there are the most issues and I really wish Google would address the issues. It seems each GPU type needs its own support (PowerVR, Nvidia, Adreno, etc). I really wish Google would implement something like DirectX so games can be played on any GPU with enough power. iOS has the advantage here because only a single GPU type is used, PowerVR I believe, so all games can be optimized for it. Couple that with the fact that iOS tends to bring in more money and this is why the game developers usually favor it over Android.
Thanks for the insight. I figured gaming would be difficult for developers but didn't understand why, I just naturally assumed that "if the app seems more complicated, it naturally equates to more complications making it run on various hardwares".
Am I right to say then that when tech reviewers write about how Developers favor iOS to Android, it's mostly pertaining to gaming?
What about non-gaming apps? Is reaching as many people as possible the only incentive to go Android? Take Whatsapp, or Instagram that recently came out...it's free on Android, it also has to deal with multiple hardwares (though now I'm assuming it's actually not as tough as it sounds to accomplish if the app's fairly simple)...is there an incentive for developers to create an Android App...cause the guys at Instagram or Whatsapp could have gone "Well there's nothing here for me, I'll just stick to iOS"...because from what I see, it looks like opening it to the Android market meant having to stress their servers with a sudden influx of users, which mean spending more money to maintain them so it doesn't slow down too much...it seems like a lose-lose situation from where I'm standing. =\
I guess for some apps, google ads are what keeps them going...like Draw Something. I do wonder though how Whatsapp and Instagram manages its upkeep when it doesnt have ads...and if the answer is that they use the money earned from iOS to manage their expansion, is it really worth it if the goal is just branding purposes.
If there is a market to reach developers will develop. Web developers had to put up with the terrible non standard supporting ie6 for years. It was a real pain to develop for but had a large user base that couldnt just be ignored. Android is the same way, developers go where they can reach the consumer. Luckily android its nowhere near as bad as ie6 was.
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spunker88 said:
If there is a market to reach developers will develop. Web developers had to put up with the terrible non standard supporting ie6 for years. It was a real pain to develop for but had a large user base that couldnt just be ignored. Android is the same way, developers go where they can reach the consumer. Luckily android its nowhere near as bad as ie6 was.
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Thanks for the input! From your take, it seems like developers make apps for Android not because they want to, but they have to.
Do you or any of the developers reading this, can testify that there are some ups to developing on Android as compared to iOS.
Please use the Q&A Forum for questions &
Read the Forum Rules Ref Posting
Moving to Q&A
lufc said:
Please use the Q&A Forum for questions &
Read the Forum Rules Ref Posting
Moving to Q&A
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Hi, sorry the topic may be [Q] but it's meant to generate comments and thoughts pertaining to the Android platform as per the sub header for Android General
Could it please be sent back to Android General? The Q&A section seems to be a place for people to post technical questions they need help solving.
Anyway, anyone else able to share their thoughts? Do you develop for both iOS and Android? It seems so far that people prefer to develop for iOS and lesser for Android, but they do it cause they have to as a means of reaching to the masses, but not really because they want to.
Anyone beg to differ? Do you have a reason why you actually prefer developing for Android over iOS?
Hi,
I'm a web developer, and when I decided to try mobile development, I made the choice to develop only for Android, for various reasons, but mainly because I'm not a fan of the Apple ecosystem.
This is not fanboyism here, I'm not bashing Apple, they make great products. But I prefer a fragmented ecosystem, with various companies, various devices, various app markets, etc. because this is a great source of opportunities. I also like the fact that android is open-source, leaving the availability to study the source code and hack around.
As for the difficulty to develop for various devices, I'd say that I'm used to it, being a web developer. Web devs are used to cope with various browsers (some of them being pretty old) and different screen sizes. See for example the mediaqueri.es site (cannot post link since I'm a new user)
thibaultj said:
Hi,
I'm a web developer, and when I decided to try mobile development, I made the choice to develop only for Android, for various reasons, but mainly because I'm not a fan of the Apple ecosystem.
This is not fanboyism here, I'm not bashing Apple, they make great products. But I prefer a fragmented ecosystem, with various companies, various devices, various app markets, etc. because this is a great source of opportunities. I also like the fact that android is open-source, leaving the availability to study the source code and hack around.
As for the difficulty to develop for various devices, I'd say that I'm used to it, being a web developer. Web devs are used to cope with various browsers (some of them being pretty old) and different screen sizes. See for example the mediaqueri.es site (cannot post link since I'm a new user)
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Click to collapse
Thanks for your 2 cents! Am I right to assume that in fact, having to deal with different hardwares and screen sizes are actually a norm among developers before iOS came along? In other words, yes, Apple is right to say criticize that other platforms are harder to work with compared to iOS but that's because iOS is the exception among developing platforms where it's system is easier to work with?
spunker88 said:
I really wish Google would implement something like DirectX so games can be played on any GPU with enough power.
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Click to collapse
But Android and iOS already have something like DirectX - OpenGL ES 1.1 and 2.0.
The_R said:
But Android and iOS already have something like DirectX - OpenGL ES 1.1 and 2.0.
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Click to collapse
Thanks for the additional input...if there always is a direct standard like Open GL in both iOS and Android, what's the difficult part about manufacturing games for Android?
iOS required Apple computer to install their development environment. And You must pay 99$ per year for being the official iOS developer..
ayen1234 said:
iOS required Apple computer to install their development environment. And You must pay 99$ per year for being the official iOS developer..
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I'd actually say that it is worth it.
yeahyeahright said:
Thanks for the additional input...if there always is a direct standard like Open GL in both iOS and Android, what's the difficult part about manufacturing games for Android?
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Click to collapse
I think its large number of the types of Android devices. It really isn't as simple as just supporting different screen sizes. Doing that is actually a really simple task using OpenGL.
With my own games I've experienced that what generally works on my test device won't necessarily work the same way on someone else's. For example, some devices support textures of any size while some devices have a constraint of the texture size being a power of 2. On many of my games which need multitouch, I've experienced that it doesn't always work the same on all devices either. On some it is downright broken while on other it just works fine.
There are many such other issues which you'd be aware of only after experiencing them.
The reason for this is the different hardware and the different software implementations that each phone manufacturer brings in. Even if the game "works" on a wide range of devices, there is always a different feel that you get when playing on a different device because of the hardware variations. You might get a good frame rate on a high end phone but have you tried playing it on a low end one? I've seen games from even the big publishers working fine on a high end phone but it just is completely glitchy on a low end one.
Now for a small developer with limited resources it can get really hard to test on and support as many devices as possible. This is one of the main reasons I feel that it can get really hard to develop games on Android. It just requires more effort if the developer wants to guarantee a good experience on a wide range of devices.
The other factor as stated before is that the iOS platform is more uniform. And moreover there are more people who are apparently willing to pay for your game on iOS than on Android. With one of my own games I've experienced that I've made more money in the last 10 days by selling it on the iOS App store than on Android in the last one year with ad revenues.
I actually started developing games on Android initially and one of the really big disappointments for me has been that I am not able to sell my games on the market(now Google Play) because Google checkout for merchants is only available in a few countries. This was the main reason for me to consider moving over to iOS. I think I could sell on a different market like the Amazon App store if I really wanted though.
Inspite of all that I'd say that Android is a great platform.
Wow thanks a lot for the insight! It's great to understand it from a developer's POV, especially one who works on both platforms.
I realise people do comment a lot about Android users less committed to pay for an app, I wonder why...I don't think it's due to their budget, my guess is that their afraid it may not work well on their devices...to that I think Google could really push hard and promote it's 15 minutes refund policy which I think a lot of users are not aware of....I use the 15 minute window a lot and it helps me to decide if something is worth my time buying or not.
I guess the "openness" of Android has allowed phone manufacturers to get really creative with their products (Touchwiz, Sense, Dual Screens, Qwerty Keypads etc) but at the same time, makes it harder for a developer to create stuff, probably even harder than creating stuff on a Windows Desktop.
Do any of you think that having "game settings" like you get on a Windows PC will help change this experience? Either one where the user gets to tweak the graphics (low, med, high) and performance, or perhaps one where the game will adjust graphics to the "recommended setting based on your hardware"? Is this even possible on Android or it's more complicated than you'd get on Windows?
yeahyeahright said:
Do any of you think that having "game settings" like you get on a Windows PC will help change this experience? Either one where the user gets to tweak the graphics (low, med, high) and performance, or perhaps one where the game will adjust graphics to the "recommended setting based on your hardware"? Is this even possible on Android or it's more complicated than you'd get on Windows?
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Yeah, I have actually seen a few games that do that, and it does help. But it also requires some extra time and effort on the developer's part.
In some of my games too, I've added some simple settings in order to change the control schemes, so that if one of them doesn't work for you, you could choose the other one. Graphically, though, my games are really simple.
yeahyeahright said:
Thanks for your 2 cents! Am I right to assume that in fact, having to deal with different hardwares and screen sizes are actually a norm among developers before iOS came along? In other words, yes, Apple is right to say criticize that other platforms are harder to work with compared to iOS but that's because iOS is the exception among developing platforms where it's system is easier to work with?
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Having to deal with different hardwares started to be a thing of the past, with the explosion of web apps. One platform for all, what a dream! Then came smartphones and tablets, and developing for a native platfrom became cool again.
Anyway, building for the web is still the only way to reach anyone with an internet access. The only problem with web apps is that it's harder to monetize. But the web's decentralized architecture is not a bug, it's a feature. That is what guarantees it's freedom and independance. You don't have such guarantees on a centralized market managed by a single company, whose first goal is profit.
Well, this post was slightly off-topic, sorry about that.
Thanks both of you for the really good insight. I guess Android is great as a supposedly "open" phone os, it certainly has a lot of hurdles to clear in order to please and entice developers the way iOS does, I'm not certain it can get there, but I do think they do make an effort, like the just upgraded emulator which shows Google's commitment to better developed apps (talk about timing!).
I'm certainly happy with my Android phone and from what I've read about the negative results developers gain from working on Android than on iOS, I take my hat off to those that stick around on this platform and try to make things happen. *clap*
=)
I choose Android for one reason. It's much cheaper. Only 25$ one time. iOS is 99$ every year
Ok Im sure I am not the first one with this question/Idea. I am interested in starting up a small dev company for android Apps. I have several ideas but the biggest is a game I feel like if I dont get out then it will make my head explode. My question is what should I expect when it comes to hiring developers? I need to know what to expect for salary and workstation costs, ect. I am not against people working from home, even not in the same state as long as they can meet programming goals. I have very, very little programming knowledge, I am more into the story board part of games then the actual code but I am learning. I recently enrolled to finish my computer science degree and I have been spending several hours a day in both the guide built by tjdwowh as well as a guide on youtube with 200+ videos to help me learn. Recap:
What should I expect to pay devs to help build various apps?
What type of devs should I be looking for?
-Code
-animation/graphic design
How long should I expect it to take to build a game?
-best example from the app store would be the mass effect 3: infiltrator game that costs $6.99.
What type of machines should I provide for people to work from or should I expect them to have their own
I already have a degree in business and computer engineering but should I wait to finish my Science degree before starting the company.
I heard this site is great for general help all the way to advanced so thanks ahead of time for any and all help, I GREATLY appreciate it.
At least 67cents per hour
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Batman189 said:
What should I expect to pay devs to help build various apps?
What type of devs should I be looking for?
-Code
-animation/graphic design
How long should I expect it to take to build a game?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Some answers.
Typical monthly salary in Russia (capital cities) for Android programmer is about 2500 usd, for iOS programmer is 3000 usd.
This is very average digits, in province cities prices are a little bit less then mentioned. I mean here, experienced programmers,
almost on project tech lead positions.
In Europe countries prices are higher.
Definately, coding and creating design, is absolutely diffirent activity, and it is better to have a professionals for these both parts
of mobile project.
Game development time is very depends on game design document, team experinece, tools used, and many other factors.
Minimum estimation can be considered as 1 month. Maximum is unlimited for gigantic projects.
Mobile games are a huge hit amongst people from all ages. The most common problem faced by mobile game app developers is that there is very little provision to make profit and this is the reason why most of the newbie end up running out of the competition. Making a strong provision for continuous cash flow ensures long term stability and sustenance.
Developing a game in itself is an arduous task; it requires imagination, planning and execution. A normal sort of an idea will never let you develop a permanent or long term user base; you need to cull out something unique and captivating. Selecting the correct OS, getting hold of an interesting design and UI and bringing in several other factors help you create a successful gaming app. Now the ultimate question which pops out here is that “how are you going to make a profit out of your product?”
Well it’s a fact that none of us work just for the sake of working; we all expect a reward in the form of profit. Monetization becomes the last but most important part of developing a game based application. Let us take you through some of the best ideas to monetize your app and get in a good turnover.
Made for the user: The first question you ask yourself when developing a game is about the target audience. Basically what you are developing is meant for your end users and not for you. The apt genre and target audience go hand in hand and then only you can ensure a long term user base. A popular game will automatically bring a larger crowd and hence create opportunities to earn.
Surprise your users: Who doesn’t love surprises? If you are continuously offering something novel to your users with regular updates then you can assure yourself with a strong user base. People will keep on coming back and take keen interest in getting the app updated because of the surprise element.
Bonus on referrals: Well this has become quite a bit common and effective too. You can put in some incentive for your users so that they refer your game app to their friends and family. This will again bring a lot of genuine installs and create a large user base pretty much quickly.
Effectiveness of the Freemium Model: Freemium has become quite a common internet term these days, it basically means providing basic things for free and the premium ones can be used at a price. The first three points have already given you an idea to create a large user base, now offering a freemium model will let you have monetary conversions. A good game will pull in some of the fans to purchase the premium offerings.
In-app purchases are a must: Since we are talking about monetization, the word ‘purchase’ holds a lot of importance. You must provide for in-app purchases to ensure that at least some people from your user base are purchasing something or the other. It might be a third party app or product, but, in this way you can build up on a good section of commission based earnings.
Discounts! Somebody who has always wanted to purchase something but couldn’t do it because of a higher price would definitely understand the importance of discounts. Offering a discount on the most sought after products in your range will keep on encouraging a lot many users to spend money.
Removal of limitations: Your game is an absolute hit, people love it but then there are some annoying hindrances like advertisements, zero lives, turns or even energy. Now you can bank on this opportunity and get such limitations removed for a paltry sum of money. Most of the users would spend.
Social Gaming: It is a human habit, when we are with our social groups we tend to spend more. Now if your game app gives an opportunity to function socially then people can be lured to spend more. If their friends are scoring high, then they will definitely want to beat them at any cost! Sounds clever?!
Merchandises: Lastly, once a game is quite famous, users do want to get hold of merchandises and accessories from the same game. Angry birds is a classic example, people buy mugs, apparels, footwear and other accessories just for the sake of love for their favorite game.
These are some of the most important methods of channelizing funds to your bank accounts. Gaming is a great sector to invest in, but the shortage of funds tends to shallow down the foundation of growth. Some of these strategies definitely will help monetizing funds.
If you believe that you have developed a good game then you should contact me now to start promoting your app around the word!
Hey Guys,
We are small startup based on mobile games development, we would like to start monetizing via one of provided monetization platforms and their networks.
Some of our games will include rewarded video.
We are planning to get tones of views so important point for us is fill rate and completions.
Does their some big differences between supersonic and fyber? Which one should we use ?
Hi,
I work for ironSource Mobile, a leading advertising platform. We are experts at monetizing non-paying users.
Current publishers using our products include EA Sports, Zynga, Nordeus, GREE, LOVOO, Fingersoft, among other.
Our solutions generate substantial revenue for publishers by allowing users to earn your virtual currency in exchange for watching videos and completing targeted advertising offers from our top tier global advertisers.
I would love to learn more about your monetization strategy and talk further more about working together, as I'm confident we can help you increase your revenue significantly.
Feel free to reach out at [email protected]
albertos001 said:
Hey Guys,
We are small startup based on mobile games development, we would like to start monetizing via one of provided monetization platforms and their networks.
Some of our games will include rewarded video.
We are planning to get tones of views so important point for us is fill rate and completions.
Does their some big differences between supersonic and fyber? Which one should we use ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Full Disclosure, I work with Appodeal, a programmatic mediation tool for developers.
Let me just say you need to broaden your considerations. Overall, Fyber, Ironsource (and MoPub), while popular, offer vastly similar technologies, relying on predictive algorithms based on historical data to ensure performance is optimized, and require ADDITIONAL integrations to support mediated partners.
With Appodeal, we do things a bit differently. Rather than relying on historical (an potentially irrelevant) data, our solution forces advertisers to compete, in real time, in bidding war for your ad request.
Also, everything is available under a single SDK/Account/Platform/Payment, so you're not managing separate adapters and accounts to actually mediate, as is the case with our competitors.
Overall, Appodeal technology can produce a 15% increase in revenues over other mediation providers, and we can save you more time with simpler integration and automated ad serving.
Feel free to hit me up via email, [email protected], or via Skype, christopher_jam, if you would like to know more. Happy to do provide a demo of the platform. Would be great to have the chance to check out some of your apps and recommend some user friendly ad strategies.
No matter what, best of luck!
Cheers,
Chris