6 Benefits of Android App Development for Business

Reaching customers through mobile apps is an excellent way to expand your business digitally.

For instance, if you own a restaurant, a mobile app allows customers to make reservations or order food online.

That being said, you may wonder which mobile platform is better to release your company's app on, is it iOS or Android?

Based on our 12+ years of experience in mobile app development, Android users are the perfect audience you should target first.

Let's explore some of the reasons why Android app development can help your business scale even faster.

Advantages of Android App Development

Here are the top reasons your business needs an Android app:

1. Wide Market Reach

“How many users can my app reach?” This is probably the biggest question when choosing a mobile operating system for your app.

While some believe that iOS dominates the market, the data reveals the opposite.

According to Statista, Android had over 70% of the market share during the first quarter of 2023 while iOS only owned around 27%.

That's why, creating an app for the Android community will allow you to capture more audience.

A major reason for Android's dominance is its high compatibility, which we will explain in the next section.

2. Compatibility with Various Devices

Android is adopted by thousands of devices across many manufacturers.

Think of Samsung, OnePlus, and Asus.

Furthermore, Android devices are available in various budget ranges.

You can find the operating system on flagship phones that cost more than £773 and budget-friendly options starting from as little as £77.

In contrast, iOS is only native to Apple products, whose price usually starts at around £541.

The difference in price ranges proves to be one of Android's advantages.

More mobile phone users in developing countries prefer Android devices, which are available for a lot less than Apple products.

In India, for example, Android has a 94% market share.

iOS follows second with only around 4% market share.

By taking Android's domination into account, your business's app can gain more exposure.

3. Open-source Ecosystem

Whether you want to develop a simple e-commerce app or a complex learning platform, Android has you covered.

It is possible thanks to Android's open-source nature, which allows Android developers to use a wide array of third-party frameworks and APIs.

The availability of frameworks helps to incorporate various features into your app.

For instance, accessing users' device cameras and files.

Meanwhile, third-party APIs help you to integrate other services into your app.

This opens the possibility for functions like embedding maps and weather information.

In contrast, Apple's closed ecosystem means less flexibility for customisation.

4. Excellent App Security

Being an open-source ecosystem does not make Android's apps less secure than iOS.

The operating system uses SELinux (Security-Enhanced Linux) to improve access control.

That means any app process will be denied without explicit permissions.

Users can control those permissions through their device settings to prevent unauthorised access of their hardware components or data.

Android also offers many security tools for developers.

For example, the app signing tool makes sure that only the developer of an app is allowed to update its code.

While building apps, developers can access native libraries for security features like authentication and encryption to shield against data breach attempts.

5. Faster Deployment

Submitting your app for Google Play's approval usually takes less time and requirements than Apple's App Store.

Though both app marketplaces state that developers can expect up to a week for a review process, many individuals in online forums claim that Google Play's approval can be as quick as one day.

6. Cost-effective Production

The cost of registering as an Android developer is only £19 for a once-in-a-lifetime fee.

Meanwhile, the Apple Development Program costs £76 annually.

Imagine how much you have to spend for a team of developers every year if you want to build iOS apps.

Android app development costs less because of the variety of free tools it offers.

If that is not enough, you can also expand the development flexibility using free open-source frameworks like Flutter.

Big companies, including eBay and The New York Times, use it to build their app.

Conclusion

If you're building your first mobile app, Android offers a lot more benefits than iOS.

The open-source operating system has a bigger market share and supports different phone brands, meaning your app will get exposed to more potential users.

So, are you ready to build your Android mobile app? If so, contact Intelivita today and tell us our requirements, so we can create the right plan for success!