Android game development versus iOS game development: what should a developer choose?

Android game development versus iOS game development: what should a developer choose?

When it comes to choosing a smartphone, you generally have to choose between mobile devices that are compatible with two main platforms: iOS and Android. The other operating systems have not been included in the calculation, as they form a very tiny part of the equation. So, with the tremendous growth in the mobile game industry, the next developers are faced with the big question of choosing between iOS and Android game development. Both platforms have their pros and cons when it comes to game development. Let’s take a look at the differences between these two platforms in this regard.

1. Development

Android takes longer than iOS. One of the main reasons for this is the testing process. While iOS games need to be tested on a small number of devices (iPhones and iPads), Android games need to be tested on a wide variety of devices and this is time consuming. Again, after testing, when errors have been found and fixed, the test needs to be done again for all those devices. As a result, Android game development takes a considerable amount of time compared to iOS game development.

2. Devices compatible with the operating system

One has to consider the devices that support these platforms before making the decision of which platform to use for game development. If you are into Android game development, you should think about developing for the myriad of Android devices available on the market. There are many companies that make Android devices and all of these devices come with different specifications regarding the hardware used, screen size, screen resolution, etc. So when one develops a game for Android, you have to make sure that the game works on a multitude of devices.

Apple, on the other hand, produces a limited number of devices and therefore game development for iOS is not that complicated as it has to take into account a much smaller variety of devices compared to Android.

3. Income generation

A mobile application generates revenue in various ways, including in-app purchase, in-app purchase, advertising, subscription, etc. The App Store (the application distribution platform on iOS) has been found to generate more than double the revenue generated by Google Play (the application distribution platform on Android). This is because most of the apps and games available on the App Store are premium and users have to pay to download and use them. However, when it comes to the number of downloads, Google Play scores over iOS due to the option to download free apps and games, as well as the huge number of Android users. This does not mean that there are no premium games available on Google Play; however, they are much smaller compared to iOS. The revenue generation on Android apps is mainly due to app purchases, cost per install, ads, and by offering a paid version of apps with more features.

It is totally up to the developer how he wants to make money from the game. However, for a faster return on investment, iOS seems to be the ideal platform for game development.

4. Design

When it comes to games, the more real they look, the more immersive they offer the experience. And this is one area where Android excels over iOS. While games on iOS devices look flat and you feel like playing “just another 2D game on a flat surface,” Google’s UI elements provide seams, shadows, and borders, ensuring that the game has a smooth feel. more authentic look.

5. Investment

IOS games require one to use the XCode IDE with the iOS SDK. XCode IDE runs only on MacBooks and in order to develop an iOS game, one would need to buy a MacBook with a fairly high configuration, which will turn out to be an expensive affair.

Android games require one to download Android Studio and start coding the app. Android Studio is compatible with almost every device and you don’t need to shell out those big bucks as an initial investment.

So after analysis, it seems that iOS has a slight advantage over Android as a game development platform. However, it all depends on the developer as to which platform to choose. Today, cross-platform development tools are also available that allow game development for both Android and iOS on a single platform.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *