Mobile applications for Android run not only on smartphones but also on many other devices such as smartwatches, tablets, and TV sets.
Android apps have a highly customizable user interface, which facilitates managing apps and provides a better user experience.
Thanks to Google Play, entering the market and spreading the application among users from all over the world is a fast, low cost, and simple process.
In addition to Google Play, Android applications are also distributed in other stores. It is also possible to distribute the application to a closed group of users (e.g. company employees).
The organizers of the unique French Touch event - a holiday celebrating Polish-French friendship, asked us to build a mobile application that works on both Android and iOS. The French Touch Gala, during which famous Polish and French artists, musicians, and dancers perform on the stage of the Grand Theater of the National Opera, has been enjoying great popularity for several years and attracts a large audience. The organizers had an Android version of the application, built by the previous provider, which, however, did not fully meet their expectations. Our specialists tackled this task and efficiently built two versions of the mobile application.
Thanks to the French Touch application, the participants of this amazing event had access to current information, schedule, tickets, and promotional offers of the event partners. The mobile application Impicode provided not only looks beautiful but is also intuitive and easy to use.
I appreciate the ImpiCode commitment, friendly attitude, and excellent understanding of our needs. They are not only great partners but also experienced developers. I want to highlight that ImpiCode has done a great job.
Consistently since 2010, Android is one of the most popular operating systems for mobile devices. The goal of its creators was to build a system that would compete with the previous popular system - Symbian. When the task was completed, the results exceeded the expectations of its creators. Since 2012, the share of Android smartphones has consistently accounted for over 70% of the global smartphone market. In some years, this share was even over 80%.
Android's popularity was positively influenced by the alliance concluded by Google with several well-known software companies, building mobile devices, and with some mobile operators. Companies are collaborating in system development and most mobile device manufacturers have decided to abandon other operating systems and switch to Android.
A very important factor contributing to the popularity of Android is the variety of devices on which this system runs, and their wide range of prices. The variety of devices and their costs are especially important in developing countries where people cannot afford an Apple smartphone. Android devices are very popular in African countries, India, and China.
It is worth mentioning that Android is highly compatible with third-party devices. An example is the Huawei smartphone, which works perfectly and works in conjunction with Samsung's smartwatch and Google Home speaker. The Android ecosystem is much wider and richer than the iOS ecosystem. As a result, Android attracts users who do not want to be “captive” one-brand consumers.
Android devices have the largest share in the global market. Since Android’s inception, its share of the mobile devices market has increased consistently. Currently, mobile devices with Android account for 72.92% of all mobile devices in the world. If you want to create an app for users from all over the world, choosing Android will be a good idea. However, if your target group are customers from a specific continent or country, it is wise to search for data presenting the market shares of devices with a given system in a specific market. The visible advantage of Android over other systems can be seen in Asia, Eastern Europe, and South America. Citizens of African countries are also more likely to use devices with Android than iOS.
The largest supplier of Android smartphones is Samsung, with a market share of 38%. Huawei is in second place holding its position of 11%. The top five also includes companies such as Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo.
Source: StatCounter
According to a collaborative study of employees and students at Lincoln, Lancaster, and Hertfordshire Universities, men constitute the majority of Android users. Moreover, research shows that Android users are older and less emotional than iOS users, and they attach less importance to social status and material wealth. Additionally, they are characterized by greater humility and honesty.
The origins of the Android system date back to October 2003 in the United States when Android Inc. was founded. The founders of the company were Andy Rubin, Rich Miner, Nick Sears, and Chris White. All men had the necessary knowledge, competencies, and experience in creating mobile solutions. The first idea of the Californian company was not a mobile operating system at all, but special software for digital cameras. However, the company quickly noticed that the market importance of digital cameras was constantly decreasing, so they switched to developing mobile software that was, at that time, strong competition for the then-popular Symbian.
In 2005, the company was acquired by Google, and the three founders of Android Inc. became employees of this technology giant. The team led by Rubin was constantly working on an operating system for mobile devices based on the Linux kernel. The first smartphone which used Android was a prototype called Sooner. The first Android version released was the Android 0.5 Milestone 3. Android has come a long way and has changed much since then. An interesting fact is that Google is not the only company that manages the development of this system. The alliance of the tech giants including companies such as ASUS, HTC, Dell, Intel, LG, and Samsung also work on Android.
Before deciding to build a mobile application for Android, thoroughly analyze the features of this platform and the applications that use it. Below are the most important.
Android is a free and open-source operating system that facilitates modification and adding new features to the application. Open platforms are primarily intended to encourage developers to innovate and to share their successful solutions that improve the functioning of the application. Additionally, developers have access to free source code that they can download and use in other applications.
Profits are one of the main goals of many mobile applications. It’s significant to know how to choose the right monetization method for a given solution. The most common ways to earn money from Android mobile apps are paid ads and in-app purchases. Android platform users are not willing to pay to download an application. It is more profitable to allow the use of the application for free and introduce fees for having a premium account or purchasing add-ons. Additionally, applications that enjoy many users can earn money by displaying advertisements.
Thanks to the Google Play platform, the distribution of Android mobile applications is very simple, fast, and cheap. All you need to do is make a one-time deposit of twenty-five dollars, and all store users around the world will have access to the application. The publishing process in the store is very smooth and fast. Additionally, in Google Play, a developer can decide whether the application is free, sold at a fixed price, or has in-app purchases. App publishers can change prices at any time. Google Play handles all transactions automatically. In addition to Google Play, Android mobile applications can also be published in third-party stores.
Mobile applications are mainly associated with smartphones, but some applications are more suitable for tablets than phones. Even though the market of tablet users is currently not as large as smartphones, it is still significant and should not be undervalued in business models. Tablet users are happy to download and use the applications on their devices.
Before building an Android mobile application, first consider which version of the software, most of the customers are using. Of course, the mobile application should be compatible with the latest version of the operating system, but many Android device users have older versions of the platform. For this reason, it is wise to create an application that is compatible with both newer and older versions of Android.
Creating an Android version first, and then iOS, is determined by such segments of the business model as the market and consumer profile. Android dominates the global market of mobile devices, so it is a good choice for an application targeted at users from around the world. The Android application should be built firstly in the countries of Central and South America, Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe. In these countries, most users have mobile devices with Android, not iOS. Developing an application that runs on Android enables reaching the largest possible audience.
If the business strategy of the app includes push notifications to keep clients informed of new products and promotions, the Android platform should be the first choice. Research shows that the number of people opening such notifications is twice as high for Android users as for iOS users. The use of push notifications is a great marketing strategy that contributes to increased sales.
Developing an application for Android in the first place may also be determined by the Cost Per Install (CPI). The Average Android CPI is half the iOS CPI. Besides, if the application intends to earn money primarily by displaying ads, it should be built first on Android, which has more users than iOS. Due to a large number of users, applications are a good channel of promotion for many products and services.
If you want to find out about creating mobile applications for Android or need support in your project, write to us via the contact form.
