Developer Dollars: Apple iPhone vs. Google Android

As MSPs and VARs turn their attention to the mobile world, some solutions providers are wondering which platform to develop for first: Apple iOS (for iPhone and iPad) or Google Android? A recent Appcelerator developer survey provides some potential clues to help you prioritize your own mobile development efforts. Here are the details.

Quick refresher: Appcelerator offers an Appcelerator Titanium platform for developing mobile and desktop applications using existing web technologies. A recent survey of their developers explored perceptions about a range of mobile platforms.

Apple’s iOS nearly beat out every other platform in perceived security, reliability, best devices to build on, and level of interest for developing on, but there were some interesting points where Google beat out Apple.

As you can see, Google Android has been perceived by developers as the platform with the most capabilities for an OS, the most “open” and, the best “long term outlook.”

What does that mean, overall?

Appcelerator asserts:

Still, developer interest doesn’t guarantee Android’s long-term success. Google also needs to win the hearts and minds of service providers, hardware providers and end-customers.

Also of note: Appcelerator says 31% of developers find cross-platform releases the most painful part of any app development. But so far, it seems like a growing base of developers are embracing both Apple and Google Android.

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