How to decide which mobile platform to develop for first?

When developing a mobile application, after coming up with idea for the app, the next decision to make is on which mobile platform to first develop this application. Several factors need to be considered, such as which mobile platform is most popular with the target audience, which platform the developers have the most experience with and what features and functions the application needs to have and which platform has the capacity for these. It is best to find a platform, whether it be Apple, Android or Blackberry, that accommodates for all these factors.

Figures show that 67% of developers are using Android technology and 59% are using iPhone (iOS) technology. This is likely due to the fact that 110 million iPhone and 110 million Android device have been sold up to the end of 2010, and on these devices there have been hundreds of thousands of apps published. Although these figures show that 145 million Blackberry devices have been sold, the number of apps published for the devices are significantly lower.

It is ideal to start developing an app for the iPhone and other Apple products, as its uses are accustomed to buy and using apps, and, if the developers choose to make the app a paid app, this may also lead to the app generating profit for its company. Android will soon be catching up to the iPhone in its app publications, especially because of its ability to accommodate for all types of apps with few restrictions unlike the iPhone. Android’s fewer restrictions also means that if you are wanting to create an experimental application, it will be easier to publish it on Android. However for now, iPhone leads the way in app sales.

It is advised to check out the competition, see what apps are available, how similar they are to your company’s creation, where these apps fall (in the interface or client usability for example) and which platform they decided to use. In this research, if possible, ask potential customers what they expect for an app and what device they’d prefer the app to be developed for. It is in this way that your company can step out of its own ‘bubble’ and see the potential customers that your app can have.

Ultimately, the most advisable platform to start developing an app on will be a platform the developers are familiar with and that suits the needs of both the company and the client. As iPhones have a well established App Store and hundreds of millions of loyal users how are at ease with apps, iPhone apps are the best place to start your app development.

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