Would An iOS App be a Better Solution for A Startup?
Mobile app development is the top priority of entrepreneurs, who are looking to start their new business. Mobile apps are one of the strongest medium to stay connected with your users. It helps a business survive the cut-throat competition prevailing these days, by creating a unique brand identity online and engaging more users.
However, getting a mobile app developed is not as easy as it may sound. It requires a lot of in-depth market research and comprehensive competitor analysis to launch a successful mobile app in the market. But this is not it. Many of our clients find, choosing the right platform for their app development, quite difficult. Most of them are often confused about which operating system they should target first, whether they should opt for Android app development, or hire an iOS app development company, for their first-ever business app.
So, let us break it down for you. Here in this blog, we are going to discuss, in detail, why getting an iOS app developed first, is a better option for your start-up. But before that, have a look at some statistics.
Android vs. iOS
According to Statista, the number of smartphone users, globally, have surpassed the mark of 3.5 billion and is estimated to reach around 3.8 billion, in the year 2021. Talking demographically, countries like China, India, and the United States have the largest number of smartphone users. Now coming to mobile apps, in the year 2018, global mobile app revenues amounted to over 365 billion U.S. dollars and are estimated to be over 935 billion U.S. dollars in 2023. This revenue is via purchased downloads, subscriptions, and in-app advertising.
Approximately 204 billion mobile apps were downloaded in 2019. Also, as of early 2020, Apple’s App Store was the second-largest app store, after Google Play, with almost 1.85 million available apps for iOS users, and this number is constantly increasing. Apple holds around 13.9% of the total smartphone market share. Since its launch in 2007, the iPhone has gained immense popularity among the users, worldwide.
Before we directly jump into knowing the reasons for choosing an iOS app as the first app for your start-up, let us first understand what all goes into planning the road map of an online business.
Validating your idea
Will users like my product/service? Is my idea feasible? These are the two questions, which mostly all start-ups have, before starting with something and of course, it is okay to self-analyze and validate your idea before investing money into it.
These days, there are already too many apps available in the market and launching the same app, is happening a lot more than it should. So, to make your app successful and likable, it is very important to have a unique selling point and create the app in a similar way, the way you have thought about how it would be better and different from the rest. You must be very clear about your target audience, as only then you will be able to decide which OS platform to target first. However, targeting the iOS platform first will allow you to earn a good RoI and your first loyal customers, through which you can plan to expand and generalize your target user group in the future by getting an Android app developed.
Analyzing the risks
No business comes without a risk. However, analyzing them beforehand can make you prepare for the unforeseen upcoming. The same goes for app development also. There are a lot of risks involved and consulting a professional app development company or app developers for your project could be a good option. Most of these development companies have a separate risk management teams that can work for you.
For your app to be available on App Store, it must clear all the guidelines set and Apple has really strict policies for this. So, your app has to be created keeping all those policies in mind. Also, due to these strict policies a lot many apps are rejected and do not reach the App Store. This accounts for less competition for your app, while you target users that trust mobile apps that are published and available on App Store.
Finalizing the Scope
App scalability and target audience are the two things, which need to be decided at this stage. Also, each country has its own policies for the kind of app they allow. So, it’s better to know your target location so that you can take care of all those things, beforehand.
Now that you know who your users will be and what will be their location, it’s time to decide for the app layout and design. Being a start-up, you must up game the visual aspects of your iOS app as this is the first thing which users notice. Choosing the right app designing team and the right technologies are really important for building attractive and scalable app.
Strategizing
This is the section where an entrepreneur must invest a lot of time. Being a start-up, it is very important for your app to reach the maximum number of people, and for this, you will require a really strong app marketing strategy.
As per statistics, iOS apps are known to generate higher revenues as compared to the Android one, so here you have an opportunity to market your app well and get higher ROI. The less competition in the App Store will also automatically put you on top of the charts, if there is no other app available in the category.
Development Path
Of course, app development path and quality can either break or make an app. An app must be designed and developed keeping users in mind. There are many languages available in the market like Objective-C and Swift, for native iOS app development, and React Native and Flutter, for cross-platform app development. You must invest a lot of time in researching for the right technology, which meets all your project’s requirements. Also, choosing the right mobile app development team is also an essential step, as they are the ones who will be responsible for turning your vision into reality.
All these above points are crucial in deciding the future of your app and being an entrepreneur, you must focus on each point very precisely.
Reasons to choose iOS App development
As discussed above, iOS is the second most popular OS in the world, so having an online presence there, will definitely increase your chances to introduce your business to a large number of users. Many established brands, like Instagram, have chosen to launch their mobile app on the iOS platform first. Apart from the popularity, there are several other reasons which make iOS better than Android, for start-ups:
· Target audience
· Higher revenue
· App security
· Data protection
· Fragmentation
· Enhanced user experience
· User loyalty
· Market exposure and revenue
Let us discuss these in detail
1) Target Audience
Choosing the right platform mainly depends on the type of business and the kind of users you are willing to target. If we talk about iOS devices, they are more common in affluent and developed countries, as they are a bit on the pricier side as compared to Android devices. So, if your business wants to target users that have good purchasing power, then you should focus on getting an iOS app developed for your business. Studies show that iPhone users are more likely to spend more money on innovative apps to satisfy their needs as compared to Android users.
2) Higher Revenue
Making money is one of the top priorities for start-ups. Since people owning an iPhone have higher purchasing power, they are more likely to be willingly pay for the apps they like, allowing you to earn higher revenues with app downloads. This is one of the main reasons why entrepreneurs are drawn more towards iOS app development.
3) App Security
Apple is known for its security and so does its App Store. For an app to get listed there, one must follow some strict rules and quality control measures laid by Apple itself. These strict methods give a more helpful and steady environment for developers. These guidelines help app developers to make app development, designing, and marketing strategies. Also, Apple comes with its own credibility. Users do not give even a second thought while downloading the app.
4) Data Protection
Going further on emphasizing over Apple’s security, iOS platforms are highly safe for those apps that manage sensitive data of users. This data needs to be protected from hackers and other malicious actions. Apple follows a strict approval process for all the mobile apps, which does not allow any suspicious/compromised apps from getting to the store and interfering with users’ personal information.
5) Fragmentation
Fragmentation refers to free memory broken into small pieces, to which any process cannot be allocated, due to insufficient space. But when it comes to Apple devices, fragmentation is not an issue. It has full control over its both hardware and software. The release of Apple devices and the new iOS version are in sync. This lessens fragmentation problems in iOS compared to Android. Fragmentation issues can increase the cost of app development and decrease the revenue margin of app development companies.
6) Enhanced user experience
Mobile apps are known to offer a better user experience than websites. They are a great way to engage and attract a large number of users, that too from different geographical locations. iOS apps offer an outstanding user experience. iOS developers leave no stone unturned to integrate amazing features and technologies into these apps. They keep elements of UI/UX designed in perfect sync with the iPhone’s environment and design language, which make apps look attractive and appealing. Users love using applications that have easy navigation and interactive graphics.
7) User Loyalty
Apple has a very loyal user base. An iPhone user always prefers buying an iPhone rather than going for an Android smartphone. But when it comes to Android phones, although it has a large user base, users are usually less active and loyal. So launching an app among loyal users is always a better option.
8) Market Exposure and Revenue
Apple’s presence in the international market is remarkably strong. The USA is one of the largest consumers of iOS devices after China. As of 2019, it has approximately 57.42% of iOS users. So, if you are planning to target the international market, you should hire app developer that have proven capability of developing scalable iOS apps. Also, the Apple App Store brings in more revenue to the entrepreneurs as compared to the Google Play Store.
Conclusion
Having a mobile app can benefit your business in a lot of ways. It is advisable to target both, Android and iOS platforms for your app launch, as this is where almost all users are, however, starting with the iOS platform could be a better idea for many reasons as we listed above. Higher revenues, a loyal user base, better user experience was some of the top reasons to why getting an iOS app developed, is a better solution for a start-up. This is the right time to grab all the opportunities and kick-start with your app development project.
We hope we were able to clear all your doubts and helped you in making the decision. However, if you still have any confusion or queries related to iOS app development, you may contact us for further discussion in the comments below, or contact us on the website mentioned in the author bio, and we will be happy to help you.
