Research Shows That Android Has Lost Developers To iOS
July 15, 2011
Flurry Analytics is a company that provides data to developers about how consumers are using their apps. Recently, Flurry released a report stating that Android has lost support from developers who have now turned to iOS.
Flurry tracked new project starts by looking at the number of platform specific SDKs that were downloaded by developers in order to build their app. In looking at the numbers in the first quarter of 2011, Android had 36 percent of the new project starts and iOS had 54 percent. By the second quarter, these numbers had shifted and Android had 28 percent and iOS had 57 percent.
Developers seem to be happy with Apple, which is apparent in these statistics. Flurry noted reasons why they believe that the Android numbers have dropped.
The launch of the Verizon iPhone in February 2011 has changed the carrier gap that existed. When Apple only allowed the iPhone on AT&T, they essentially gave permission to other carriers to push Android devices as an alternative. Now with Verizon offering the iPhone, this has been a game changer.
Another reason is the launch of the iPad 2. The consumer demand for the device is extremely high and Apple has been experiencing a backlog of devices. With the launch of several new tablet platforms including Android, developers are attracted to the top selling product,which is the iPad.
The Flurry report left out a couple of factors that I believe are important to look at when it comes to attracting developers. First, the App Store has seamless integration with iOS devices. Anyone who has an account either uses a credit or gift card on file, so it is easy to purchase an app.
The Android markets are very fragmented. There are several different Android markets available where users can purchase apps and it is hard to know which ones to trust.
There is also the potential for device specific problems with some apps on Android. With all the different devices available that run the Android OS, issues may arise that developers did not account for. With Apple, the devices are all consistent.
Developers know what they get with Apple; a clean, uniform and attractive way for consumers to purchase their apps, and devices that are stable.
The App Store is directly related to the sales of iOS devices. If the App Store stays strong, the sales of the iPhone and other iDevices will continue to grow. This makes it very important for Apple to maintain their great reputation with developers.
