March 11, 2015
It’s about time we address the big, green elephant in the dev room – Android. We know, we know, most people prefer iOS to Droid when it comes to developing an app, however, building for both is worth it when you consider what you’ll miss by skipping over Android.
Additional cost and time are typically the two factors swaying companies and developers away from creating Droid-friendly versions of their apps. The funny thing is, the initial cost is far outweighed by the potential monetary gain from Android users across the globe. On top of this, the amount you lose by ignoring Apple’s slightly less flashy sister is significant when you break it down to the numbers.
So at the risk of sounding like an agency full of fan girls and guys, we’re going out on a limb to say it’s important to develop for both operating systems. Not only does Android offer awesome opportunities for additional app exposure like Android Car, Android TV, and Android Wear – it also introduces your brand to an incredibly large and active audience of device users who exist outside of iOS bounds. Don’t just take our word for it, check out the cold hard stats below to find out why your app needs a little Android in its life!
1. Android’s Smartphone Market Share is 84.4%
That’s a lot of Droid users… Do you really want to turn away their business?
2. Nearly half of Android apps are opened 11 or more times
Only a third (34%) of iOS apps are opened 11 or more times. Android has surpassed iOS in app engagement by increasing to 45%.
3. Android tablets account for 36.5% of their market
Tablets count too! You could be missing out on 36.5% of your target market on tablets by avoiding Android.
4. Google and Facebook make more money from mobile advertising than any of their competitors
This is a big deal. It means that Google knows how to engage its users with relevant content to make some money for its advertisers. Google = Guardian of Droid.
5. Google comprises of 75% of all app downloads
Not only are Droid users in the market, they’re downloading apps too! These app-loving users might just be interested in downloading your app too.
6. Android native browser users are responsible for 20.3% of mobile traffic
When you skip over Android, you skip over 20.3% of potential mobile traffic.
7. 76.1 million Americans use Android apps While 62.6 use iPhone apps
Wow! That’s a whole lot of people using apps that aren’t yours…sure you want to limit your potential to 62.6 million Americans when you could potentially reach 138.7 million?
8. Android takes 52% of the U.S. smartphone market share
Maybe your app is only nationally targeted in the U.S. Maybe the stat in #1 doesn’t seem relevant to you. Wrong! Still relevant. You’re missing over half of your potential consumers by developing for iOS only.
9. Web browsing on 4-inch screens or larger has grown by 132% and Smaller screen viewership has dropped 11%
If you’re even familiar with Android, you know they’re big on big screens. Funny thing? Apparently so are consumers!
10. Google reported that its monthly active Android users paid $5 billion in 2014
Ok, ok, Apple’s reports were higher here. Still, that’s a lot of cash to miss out on in favor of saving a little on your monthly development budget.
Taking the time to speak the language
To be fair, the iOS app store is an extremely lucrative marketplace for your app. Its users boast the largest annual spend despite the fact that they’re fewer in numbers. We understand if you still want to start with an iOS app to get the ball rolling, but a solid Droid strategy is worth factoring into the next month’s budget. The large and engaged audience depicted through these stats is certainly worth capitalizing upon. Developing an Android version of your app may take a little more time and money, but offers a huge potential payoff in terms of reach and app engagement.
Info Resources
Statista
Localytics
Forbes
Expanded Ramblings
Comscore
Yahoo Tech
Fortune
