“Open versus closed is a smokescreen” said Steve Jobs, The real difference between iOS and Android is, he said, “integrated versus fragmented.” The real question Jobs said is “ What is best for the customer?” Among the mobile development companies, Google with Android’s open platform offers more flexibility, While Apple through its iOS offers a more secured and fluid experience within the closed walled garden ecosystem. Generally the closed platform environment is always much slicker and offers a more fluid experience but also comes with its own set of limitations. Although both, iOS and Android are essentially Linux based OS for smart-phones yet they have polar identities. Apple with a firm focus on user experience has followed a closed approach. Apple with its closed system builds all the hardware and client software. It allows only limited access to third party developers for file and iOS SDK apart from a stringent Apple App store review process. Whereas Android source code is released by Google under the Apache License, This permissive licensing allows the software to be freely modified and distributed by device manufacturers, wireless carriers and enthusiast developers. Most of the Android devices ship with a combination of open source and proprietary software. Thus Android runs on different versions of Android depending on carrier and manufacturer from the leading players like Samsung and HTC.
Android is completely an open-source with an open app store, whereas Apple not only controls the hardware and codes behind the iPhone, it even wields a strong control on the quality and content of apps in the app store. The app store provides users with confidence that apps have been vetted and validated by Apple. It also offers a far more secured ecosystem and therefore immensely popular in the enterprise mobility space.
A recent report by visionMobile’s Develop Economics survey in Q3 2013 iOS and Android are the platform of choice with a combined mobile developer mindshare of over 85%. Further according to the report, looking at the selection criteria and selection platform iOS is the main platform of choice for respondents that want discovery, targeted reach and monetization, Whereas Android is preferred by developers that value open standards, ease of porting with effective speed and choice of development platform. The report also points to the fact that while across all apps the difference are quite subtle, it is enterprise apps where iOS has the upper hand.
Thus the closed ecosystem of Apple iOS in comparison to Google’s Android commands a strong dominance globally in consumer and enterprise mobility. In context to developers, the closed and controlled system allows them to develop high quality and secure apps. With a willing to buy user community the iOS platform is also the most lucrative among all leading mobile platforms.
Android is completely an open-source with an open app store, whereas Apple not only controls the hardware and codes behind the iPhone, it even wields a strong control on the quality and content of apps in the app store. The app store provides users with confidence that apps have been vetted and validated by Apple. It also offers a far more secured ecosystem and therefore immensely popular in the enterprise mobility space.
A recent report by visionMobile’s Develop Economics survey in Q3 2013 iOS and Android are the platform of choice with a combined mobile developer mindshare of over 85%. Further according to the report, looking at the selection criteria and selection platform iOS is the main platform of choice for respondents that want discovery, targeted reach and monetization, Whereas Android is preferred by developers that value open standards, ease of porting with effective speed and choice of development platform. The report also points to the fact that while across all apps the difference are quite subtle, it is enterprise apps where iOS has the upper hand.
Thus the closed ecosystem of Apple iOS in comparison to Google’s Android commands a strong dominance globally in consumer and enterprise mobility. In context to developers, the closed and controlled system allows them to develop high quality and secure apps. With a willing to buy user community the iOS platform is also the most lucrative among all leading mobile platforms.