Put Down the iPhone
Why you should switch to Android if you work on a cross-platform app.
If you’re an iPhone user who works on a cross-platform mobile app, you should put down the iPhone for a few months and try using an Android device, exclusively.
Before I jump into explaining why, let’s first recap on why your app should be cross-platform if it isn’t already (and you have the resources to support it, of course). Anyone who works in the mobile apps space is aware of Android’s market-share over iOS. According to recent ComScore numbers, Android currently holds a 51.5% market-share over iOS’s 41.8% in the US. Internationally, that gap is much wider, depending on the country. If Facebook’s absolutely monstrous acquisition of WhatsApp has taught us anything, it’s that there’s opportunity in paying attention to your international users. The way to reach these people is through Android. If your app is already cross-platform, you’re already in a good position to scale globally. But if you’re an iPhone lifer, you’re going to have to switch to Android at some point to do the app right. Believe me, as someone who has been a hardcore Apple devotee for many years now, I know how difficult that sounds.
I do product management for Aviary in New York City, where I’ve worked on both iOS and Android apps. I also designed and co-developed an iPhone app for Immaculate Infatuation, and we’re now in the process of building an Android app to support user demand. A couple months ago, I wanted to allow myself to focus exclusively on Android. I felt that by carrying around an iPhone, I didn’t really know what it meant to work on an Android app the right way. So in December, I finally bought an Android device, swapped in my SIM card, and put my iPhone in my nightstand. I’ve hardly used it since. Since then, I’ve learned a ton, and the benefits of making the switch have become very apparent. Here’s why you should make the switch, too:
Focus
First of all, I’m here to tell you that you can’t be both an iPhone user and an Android user at the same time. Sorry, it just doesn’t work. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve talked to who work on cross-platform apps that have tried carrying both an iPhone and an Android device simultaneously. The iPhone is their main device, and they carry the Android so they can essentially experiment with it on the subway or when they have some downtime. This exercise is weak and a complete waste of time. It typically lasts a maximum of 3 weeks, after which, the Android device gets left at home. With this method, you’re eventually going to fall back to the crutch of iOS and use your iPhone exclusively. Don’t do it. Suck it up and go all-in.
You’re Not Really Doing It Right
If you’re deep in the iOS mindset, your Android app is going to feel like it was built through the lens of an iOS app. Things like UX, UI, notifications, customization, pricing, and even how you structure your release cycles should all be different for each platform. Spend only two weeks as a real Android user and you’ll quickly understand exactly why Android users are so price-sensitive, or how notifications are a much more passive experience (and how if you abuse them, your users will be much less forgiving). There are a lot of small learnings like these that will pile up quickly once Android has your undivided attention.
Speed
Once you allow yourself to become a real user, you start to pay attention to the benefits of the Android platform and how Google makes it really easy to build quickly. Things like built-in Beta Testing, Alphas, Staged Rollouts, and Developer Console Statistics make it really easy to ship often, get feedback from your most loyal users, learn, and iterate. I can’t begin to tell you how great these tools are and how silly they make iTunes Connect’s offerings look. Many startups choose to do everything on iOS first, then port learnings to Android later, but with the speed at which you can move on Android, it’s becoming more and more compelling to do the reverse. Switching to Android will not only teach you something about a new platform, but it will also teach you something about rapid development.
There are plenty of other benefits, but hopefully the ones I’ve listed here have you considering the switch. Don’t worry, you can always go back for the iPhone 6. If you’re ready to make the jump, first thing you’ll want to do is buy an Android device. I went with the Nexus 5, and I love it. Then you’ll want to follow Eric Schmidt’s transition guide, which was surprisingly very helpful. If I haven’t convinced you, hopefully you’ll come around soon. The bottom line is, if you work on a cross-platform app in any capacity — from product management, to QA, UX, UI, or even marketing — but you use an iPhone as your main device, your Android app is going to suffer. Sorry, but that’s the truth.
