• mholiv@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    The problem with doing android dev work is that android users simply refuse to pay for useful apps. iOS users on the other hand are more open to it.

    As a developer it makes sense to prioritize iOS if you like money.

    • chiisana@lemmy.chiisana.net
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      4 months ago

      Why pay for apps when you can just sideload pirated version from dubious origin and pay with your privacy and crypto mine for the pirate distributing it?

      Oh, wait, I just said the quiet part alt store advocates doesn’t want to say out loud.

      ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

      • desktop_user
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        4 months ago

        why pay money for something when there exists an open source app that does the same thing (it hasn’t been updated in years)

    • bokster@lemmy.sdf.org
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      4 months ago

      That sounds like anecdotal evidence. Android is more popular in more than half of the world and a lot of apps are successful and generate income on both platforms.

      • mholiv@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        If you look at developer experience it’s absolutely is true. Android users just prefer free/ad supported/pirated software. If you’re an android user look at your own habits. What android applications have you purchased?

        You can search for statistics from any source online and you’ll get the same results. But in the end if you code for iOS you need to test and debug for fewer devices and you will make more money overall. There are wayyyy more android users but 70% of all mobile app spend is on iOS. Deving for iOS just makes sense if you like money.

        https://backlinko.com/iphone-vs-android-statistics#iphone-vs-android-app-spending

        • bokster@lemmy.sdf.org
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          4 months ago

          None of this account for differences in purchasing power and phone price.

          If you have an $150 Android device, I would of course expect you to spend way less on software than somebody with a $1500 iPhone.

          I’m not saying ‘develop for Android only’ but if your business relies on one ecosystem only, you’re at a higher risk and you’re leaving money on the table.

          • mholiv@lemmy.world
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            4 months ago

            You are 100% right.

            If you dev for only one you will be leaving money on the table. But for small / solo devs I can 100% see why focusing on iOS and those high paying customers makes sense if all you care about is money.

            Then once you have a customer base then you build out an android team/app.

            I’m not saying it should be this way. I’m just saying I understand why it is this way.

          • Jojo, Lady of the West
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            4 months ago

            an $150

            a $1500

            How do you pronounce these? An 'undred and fifty? I’m honestly curious, because I can’t feel like an fits on either. I wasn’t going to care enough to ask but then you put a on one thousand five hundred.

      • lepinkainen@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        Nope, not anecdotal. It’s actual industry fact.

        The phone you use combined with the country you’re in is a very good indicator on how likely you are to spend money in an app.

      • Balder@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        It’s not, iOS has something like almost 70% of the mobile apps income despite having 1/3 or users compared to Android.

        Also Android has this annoying problem where there pirate versions of an app will show up when it has in-app purchases or scammers will rip-off your app, rebrand it and place an overwhelming amount of ads to make a quick buck before the app is flagged and taken down. That’s not accounting for the stories of accounts simply being taken down without warning.