Each developer must focus on several factors to make his mobile app successful and profitable. In addition to concentrating on the app’s look, feel, features, and performance, he also needs to target the right mobile platform. However, the choice of mobile operating systems differs from one programmer to another. Some developers prefer building apps for the most popular mobile operating system, whereas others target multiple mobile operating systems.
Regarding worldwide market share, iOS, Android, and Windows Phone were the three most popular mobile operating systems 2015. However, each mobile platform has a huge difference in its worldwide market share. Likewise, each mobile operating system differs in features and functionality. That is why it becomes essential for mobile app developers to understand some of the most important differences between iOS, Android, and Windows Phone.
IOS vs. Android vs. Windows Phone
History
Apple introduced the iPhone OS in June 2008. In June 2010, Apple renamed the iPhone OS to iOS and made the mobile operating system support the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. Google released the first commercial version of Android in September 2008. Microsoft launched the Windows Phone in October 2010. So, Windows Phone is comparatively younger than the other two mobile platforms. However, the three mobile operating systems are being updated regularly. Apple, Google, and Microsoft have already made pre-release beta versions of iOS 9, Android M, and Windows 10 Mobile for programmers.
Worldwide Market Share
As a long list of reports has highlighted, Android is currently the market’s most popular mobile operating system. According to the latest data published by the International Data Company (IDC), Android dominates the worldwide mobile OS market with a share of 78%. On the other hand, Apple’s worldwide mobile OS market share is 18.3%, and Windows Phone’s is 2.7%. The popularity and market share of each mobile OS keeps fluctuating. However, Android still has a much higher worldwide market share than Android and Windows Phone.
Design and User Interface
Since its initial launch in 2008, the look and feel of iOS have remained almost unchanged. However,t Google and Microsoft have redesigned their mobile operating systems several times. Lollipop 5.0 had a more worldly design and used animations to engage users. Likewise, the latest version of Windows Phone came with a home screen that is completely redesigned as a tiled interface. The tiled interface lets users use apps simply by swiping the screen to the left. They can further check the live tiles to get basic information about the apps without opening them.
Home Screen
A user can easily identify the mobile operating system used by a specific device by looking at its home screen. Both iOS and Android make apps appear on the home screen. The mobile platforms allow users to access the frequently used apps directly from the home screen. However, Windows Phone displays the apps in a vertical list. Also, it does not allow the most important apps to be placed at the bottom of the home screen.
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Quick Settings
The control panel of an iOS device includes a higher number of quick-access settings. Users can visit the control panel to make changes to their settings without hassle, but neither Android nor Windows Phonese has a higher number of quick-access settings in their control panels. However, these two mobile operating systems allow the complete list of notifications to be accessed directly from the notification screen, making it easier for users to change the settings quickly.
Options to Run Multiple Apps
While previewing iOS 9 at WWDC 2015, Apple revealed the new multitasking feature of the iPad Air 2. The feature will enable users to split the screen of their iPad Air and run multiple apps simultaneously. Apple further allows users to split the iPad screen in several ways. However, the multitasking feature and options will vary from one iPad model to another. Google is rumored to be working on a similar multitasking feature that will be included in the upcoming Android M., But Microsoft has not included any multitasking features in Windows 10 Mobile.
Licensing Requirements
Unlike iOS and Windows Phone, Android is open and sold by mobile device manufacturers who use it without paying licensing fees or royalties. Google further allows hardware manufacturers to customize the mobile operating system according to their requirements. Thus, hardware manufacturers can run their devices on Android as designed by Google or make the devices look different by using a customized mobile platform version.
Support for Programming Languages
Developers must use different programming languages when building iOS, Android, or Windows Phone applications. A large percentage of iOS apps are written in Objective-C. However, Apple announced a new programming language called Swift for iOS app development last year. So, app developers are required to write new iOS apps for Swift. Java is the official programming language for developing Android apps. However, the developers can use the Android Native Development Kit (NDK) to write apps in C or C++. While creating a Windows Phone app, programmers must write code in C# or VB.NET and generate the user interface (UI) using XAML.
Level of Versatility
Despite having a lower market share than Android and iOS, Windows Phone is more versatile than these popular mobile platforms. While using a tablet powered by Windows Phone, the user can convert the device into a full-blown desktop machine. He can add a mouse, keyboard, and external monitor to the tablet like a conventional desktop computer. The feature makes Windows Phone more versatile than other mobile operating systems.
