Hundreds, if not thousands, of new game apps, are released every day, and iOS and Android are the most popular mobile operating systems worldwide. What is the difference between iOS and Android mobile app game development? Both have their lovers and haters among users. From the developer’s perspective, here are the differences between iOS and Android game development.
Difference between Android and iOS Game App Development
Table of Content:
1. Coding
The programming languages Java and Objective-C, which are commonly used for game app development, are now used to develop the game that you’re used to seeing on your device. Objective-C is associated with iOS game development, while Java is associated with Android game development. You could argue a few years ago that Java was far easier to learn and apply than the old and harsh Objective-C, and then you’ll have to write about twice as much code to achieve the same result. To a large extent, this is correct; however, some developers consider it to be a far cleaner language.
There is one more language that is used in the game development of iOS game apps, and it is now open source called Swift is nearly on par with Java for the ease of learning and deployment. To be more specific, understanding Java used to open the door to developing for other operating systems like Windows and Linux. Now, with Swift’s open-source status and support for Linux tools, it’s easy to broaden your developer choices.
2. Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
The Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for mobile app game development tools includes Visual Basic, Microsoft Visual Studio, Delphi, NetBeans, and many others. The integrated development environment (IDE) is a platform where developers can apply their programming language skills to work and start developing. Google and Apple recommended the latest versions of Android Studio and XCode as game development tools for Android and iOS game app development.
Many developers have experienced improvements in the development process since Google switched to Android Studio with IntelliJ IDEA. While Apple keeps releasing new versions of XCode, the latest of which is XCode 13.
3. Operating System
Despite the fact that Google has switched to a more efficient environment, Android Studio is currently the least developed mobile app game development tool among the major IDEs. Android Studio, according to Strategy Analytics, falls short in all five categories, which includes languages, platforms, testing, editing, and gaming. It achieved just only 13, whereas XCode got 22 in total.
If you’re new to IT, you need to be aware that a developer who wants to create iOS apps can only do so on a Mac computer. In the meanwhile, Android apps may be created on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
4. Design
Here are some obvious differences in the design of Android and iOS apps.
General: Apple used to use a style where icons, buttons, and other elements looked almost real, but now the company prefers a more simple and minimalistic design. Google, on the other hand, is acting in a reverse way. They aspire to delicacy and naturalness with their new Material Design concept.
Title: The title in Android apps is usually at the top left of the screen, but the title in iOS apps is centred.
Icon: Each platform has 2 distinct styles for icons which Android icons have thick strokes, whereas iOS icons are much thinner
Button: Unlike the Android app’s style, iOS apps require all the applications to be simple in style. So the buttons shouldn’t throw a shadow or be massive and embossed and the button letters are capitalized.
Navigation: This is regarded as the most significant difference between Android and iOS. The navigation pattern on Android is a drawer menu, whereas the pattern on iOS is a tab bar. The navigation on Android may be highly obstructive, as it appears as a paper sheet that takes up a lot of screen space.
5. Entrance Fee
You need to pay some fee to upload your game app to a digital distribution platform. The difference is you must pay a $25 fee to register as a developer on the Google Play Store and you need to pay up to $99.00 for your game apps to be shown around the world. In the conclusion, you need $25 and a PC to begin developing Android game apps, and $99 annual fee and a not-so-cheap Mac to begin developing iOS game apps.
6. Game App Review
Because Google isn’t as strict as Apple, a developer should have no trouble overcoming this challenge. Your game apps will normally pass the evaluation within a day or two. As a result, the next day after you publish it, you’ll be able to witness your work on Google Play Store. In this regard, the Apple App Store is stricter. They have up to 3 weeks to test and examine your game apps. The good news is that if your game app passes the examination, it is almost perfect. However, it’s critical to think about this period while you’re planning because it’s what depends on other people, not on you or your company. The initial examination can take up to 3 weeks, and if you are rejected, you will need time to correct your errors and attempt again.
7. Distribution Platforms
Google Play Store, according to Android developers, is more flexible since users may download game apps in a matter of hours, whereas the Apple App Store allows users to get new versions of a product over a period of several weeks. The advantages of being an Android developer may update a game app every two hours after receiving user feedback, whereas iOS users must wait two weeks for developers to fix problems. Because of Apple’s strict and ruthless rules, it’s quite unlikely that the game apps would be riddled with bugs when it’s released on the App Store. As a result, the Google Play Store is as flexible as its reviews.
8. Market Share
In a number of sales, Google, according to IDC, is several steps ahead of the competition. It’s common knowledge that Apple’s products target the wealthier and more affluent, but Android is seen as a more democratic brand with a low-cost device range. Android appears to be a promising market for developers looking to gain popularity with their game apps. So, before you start working on a new game app, you should research your target audience and their interests.
9. Profitability
Even if Android succeeds in terms of sales, that doesn’t mean the company will profit richly from Android OS users. Google has made significant gains in new markets such as Indonesia, Vietnam, and India, whilst Apple has done the same in China. As a result, the Asian apps economy has a significant impact on both the Apple Store and Google Play. Given that, with the exception of China, all of the aforementioned countries are considered developing, it is clear that people will not be willing to spend a lot of money on game apps. App Annie, an analytic company, advises Google to focus on older and wealthier markets, such as the United States and Europe because they still account for a significant part of the company’s revenue.
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