Porting to Android is not as scary as it may seem. On the other hand, defining the best platform is hard. People still argue about the advantages of different mobile platforms and they never seem to stop. One thing is clear. If you want to develop a great mobile application, iOS is the best bet to get started. Only after you come up with an award-winning product, you can convert iPhone app to Android.
iOS platform has proved to be a good idea for a start. It lets you generate more revenues from the App Store. If your product is running well in the market, you can think of some ways to port iPhone app to Android in order to bear more fruit from Google Play as well. It is always great to have an Android version by your side.
If you still have doubts whether to convert app from iOS to Android or not, we have here some crucial reasons that will persuade you. Some developers think that Google products always render low ROI. Others are scared of Android market fragmentation. Whatever your doubts are, check the list of reasons why converting may be a good idea.
5 Reasons to Port iOS to Android
Every startup seeks for higher margins and better positions in the market. Converting an app may not only let you enter a new niche but also reduce the cost of the app development as well as benefit from some great features delivered by Google. Such porting will let you do the following:
- Enter a new marketplace – no doubt, iOS is a leading platform among users from major Western countries including the USA, Canada, UK, and Australia. However, those are not the only target markets which let to generate higher revenues. Android is facing a rapid growth in Western Europe and Asian market including South Korea and China. Porting app from iOS to Android will result in a stronger app representation in those countries.
- Android fragmentation is easier than it may seem – most developers are afraid of this particular issue. However, platform’s fragmentation appears to be not as scary as you expect. Developers may benefit from a wide selection of tools delivered by Google. They make it easy to specify various available UI layouts for different dimensions and resolutions.
- Reduce the cost of the app development – converting your app will let you reduce the costs if compared with building a native application from scratch. Building a good Android application will cost you actually the same as developing a product for iOS.
- Make money from Google Play – although the App Store can generate twice higher revenue compared to the Google Play, Google market still has a great potential from business perspectives. It is certainly worth of paying attention. According to Opera Media report, Google’s platform generates higher ad revenues compared to iOS (45.8% and 45.4% respectively).
- Benefit from more features delivered by Android – Google brings more great features for your app if compared with iOS. Developers get an access to a selection of widgets, intents, push notification options and more.
Despite all the benefits, the process of converting is a challenge. Developers should consider some crucial issues before process gets serious.
Things to Consider When Porting Your App
Before you start the process of porting your app, you need to have a closer look at the existing application for iOS. The idea is to have a clear vision of all requirements for the future Android product including:
- Design;
- Functionality;
- Core components;
- Target audience;
- Monetization tools.
You will hardly be able to compose a detailed analysis without any of the above-mentioned things. Let’s have a closer look at all those issues.
Specific UX/UI Design
There is a huge difference between doing design for iOS and Android. Practically 90% of all UI/UX components you implement in your iOS app are not included in your native development kit. In other words, you need to build them by yourself. However, Google delivers a set of native UI/UX components for a specific design implementation. They include a selection of modules and controls necessary for porting your application.
QA Testing
This stage is actually the same for both platforms. Although functional testing hardly differs, specific testing requires consideration of various OS and screen resolutions that come with every Google device. For this reason, you need to plan a step-by-step specific testing depending on screen size, resolutions and types of Google devices.
How to Port an iOS App to Android?
Conducting a clear plan of the process is the first thing you need to do. You need to figure out how your existing app works and what the possible problems and monetization opportunities are. We offer the following steps to implement when porting the application:
Step 1 – Analysis
The first thing you need to do is to check how your existing app actually works. The most crucial points include functionality, design and other aspects that will let you figure out the future process flow.
Step 2 – Identify the Problems
Before you start converting your app, you need to ensure it runs flawlessly. Make sure your product does not contain any bugs or other issues. If you have a clear picture of any issues and problems related to an existing app, you will be able to work out efficient solutions.
Step 3 – Think of Optimization Tools
A better performance is the key to success. Previous steps should help you to think of some efficient optimization opportunities and ways of achieving a better application performance. The optimization process may rely on data, the size of the app, loading time, battery life and more.
Step 4 – Understanding the Technology
Understating the structure of the code is vital. Although iOS developers opt for some typical technologies including xCode, Objective-C and some others, you need to understand the framework, all implemented UI components and architecture. This phase is crucial. Otherwise, you will not be able to establish the right approach to port your product from iOS to Android.
Step 5 – Compatibility of Frameworks and Third Party Libraries
Every time you try to convert your app, you will have to deal with third-party libraries and frameworks. For this reason, it is necessary to check their compatibility with Android platform. If it does not support any of the chosen issues, you need to think of a better alternative or equivalent.
Step 6 – Backend Stack
Some developers underestimate this stage, as the backend technology stack rarely makes any difference. On the other hand, it will let you define the most appropriate architecture and framework for your application. If you choose them right, the converting process will be less complex and time-consuming.
Summary
Now, let’s summarize some of the core steps and features you need to consider if you want to port the iOS application to Android.
- Analysis – keep an eye on every issue of your existing application. Check if it works properly;
- Feasibility – check if Android supports all features you are planning to implement;
- Design – think of the right specific design for Android and think of a unique navigation style;
- Implementation – use the right frameworks and architecture for your app considering all possible resolutions, types of devices and OS;
- Testing – use emulators and real devices to check if your new Android app is running flawlessly. Enable efficient functional testing;
- Submission – get your new app to the Google Play and use various promotions and marketing campaigns to get a better recognition.
This is actually all you need to know about how to convert your application from iPhone to Android. If you find any of the above-mentioned challenging, you can opt for professional development teams. Our development team is always ready to give you a hand with app development or optimization processes. Contact us for more info!