Smartphones gained popularity with the introduction of the iPhone in 2007. Smartphone sales have increased exponentially since then. Worldwide smartphone sales increased by more than 50% between 2011 and 2013. According to the most recent reports, 64% of Americans own a smartphone. This number is almost twice as high as in the last decade.
Mobile app development is currently dominated by iPhone and Android devices. The latest figures for Android, with a market share of 87.6%, and iPhone, 11.7%, respectively, are the most recent.
Although Android and iPhone have similar functionality, their marketing campaigns are completely different., the total mobile OS market share will be the combination of iOS and Android.
Marketers heavily rely upon demographics like income, location, age, gender, and gender to create their campaigns. Here are some important points to remember when examining the demographics of Android and iPhone users.
iPhone users have a higher average income than Android users. This suggests that they are more likely to purchase apps or make in-app purchases.
iPhone users tend to be more likely than others to have managerial jobs. However, the majority of techies prefer Android app development devices.
Android users are more likely to be women than their male counterparts.
Nearly all ages prefer Android over iPhone.
Here's an interesting fact: Android users are likelier than iPhone users to drink hard liquor. iPhone users are also seen as more attractive than their Android counterparts.
Read this article to know ios vs android market share and learn more about iPhone vs. Android.
In 2020, Android OS and iOS will account for most of the mobile OS market share. Surprisingly, when comparing iPhone users to Android users, a few key differences set them apart.
To the untrained eye, the iOS vs. Android battle may appear like any other friendly fan fight. However, for marketers, the two operating systems provide distinct user profiles. This will be covered in greater depth later. Let's start with a global breakdown of iPhone and Android user percentages.
Comparison of the Percentages of Android users 2023 and iPhone users in 2023
Mobile operating system market share in the global market Statista.com provided the image.
In 2023, the Android operating system will be used by 89% of all smartphones worldwide. The current iPhone user base is only 15%. The main reason for the significant differences is the huge price difference between the two devices.
A low-spec Android smartphone will be five times cheaper than an entry-level iPhone. This is why Android is preferred by most citizens of low-income and developing countries.
Different Demographics between Android and iPhone
Marketers heavily rely upon demographics like income, location, gender, age, and gender to create their campaigns. Here are some important points to remember when analyzing iPhone and Android users' demographics.
- iPhone users have a higher average income than Android users. This suggests that they are more likely to purchase apps or make in-app purchases.
- iPhone users tend to be more likely than others to have managerial jobs. However, the majority of techies prefer Android devices.
- Android users are more likely to be women than their male counterparts.
- Nearly all ages prefer Android to iPhone.
Here's an interesting fact: Android users are more likely to consume hard liquor than iPhone users. iPhone users are also more attractive than Android users.
To learn more about iPhone vs. Android, read our article about Android vs. iOS Market Share.
Apple vs. Android OS-Level Differences
Because Apple created and manufactures iOS, they have an advantage in restricting their devices. Android stock is only available to Google Pixels, Motorola, and other Android One-certified manufacturers.
Original equipment manufacturers can customize other Android devices (OEMs). Motorola and Samsung devices will provide different user experiences despite using the same operating system.
The design philosophy of mobile apps for Android and Apple devices is completely different. Because of the location of the back buttons, iOS apps are less likely to use hamburger menus. On the other hand, Android apps extensively use hamburger menus.
App advertisers may be disappointed by iOS 14, due to launch this fall. The new iOS version will allow iPhone users to share an approximate location rather than a precise one. This is bad news for app developers and retailers that rely heavily on location-based advertising.
In 2019, Apple imposed strict limits on third-party ads and trackers in children's apps, requiring developers to remove or reject ads from the App Store. Users in iOS 14 can choose whether or not they want to be tracked by apps.
Advertisers may see this as a major setback because they use browsing history to deliver personalized ads. This is a significant step forward in the protection of user privacy. Developers, on the other hand, may have difficulty monetizing their creations.
iPhone vs. Android User's Personality Differences
The social, economic, and political differences between Android and iPhone users influence their purchasing power and spending habits. The average Android user is 29% less likely than the average iPhone user to save money but 26% more likely to spend it.
Most iPhone users are wealthy and will pay more for premium apps than Android users. App creators would earn more from ad revenue than iPhone users if they used in-app ads to monetize their apps. They will also be able to charge less for removing advertisements.
Retail app developers are heavily focused on mobile commerce. iPhone users are more likely to use their smartphone to purchase Android users. iOS users spend twice as much on technology as Android users.
iPhone users are happier in their jobs than Android users. In terms of their lives, iPhone users are 27% happier than Android users.
iOS vs Android Users - A Difference in the Approach to Tech
Ios vs Android: Statistics show that iPhone users are more likely than Android users to own a Mac. Most iPhone users first used the internet in 1992, whereas Android enthusiasts only discovered it after 2000.
Although iPhone users are early adopters of technology, they spend less time considering it before making a purchase decision than Android users, who want to buy the most features possible.
Did you know that Android users are more likely than iPhone users to enjoy science fiction? Android users are more likely than iOS users to prioritize design over features.
Which is more loyal? Android or iPhone user
Apple users are more loyal because they have high expectations of their iPhones. When you compare the satisfaction levels of iOS users with Android users, 62% are more satisfied than 48% of Android users.
iPhone users also view their iPhones as status symbols and are more concerned about how they will shape their public image. iPhone users also tend to be less humble and honest than others.
Android users are more fond of customization than iOS. This could be why Android users experiment with multiple manufacturers' devices while iOS users remain loyal to Apple.
Different Responses to Push Notifications
Android defaults to allowing app developers to send push notifications unless the user disables it. For iPhones, users will see a prompt to opt-in for push notifications shortly after installing the app.
Push notification opt-in rates on iPhones are lower than those on Android devices. If users opt out, they are gone forever unless you win their hearts back with a repermission campaign.
While iPhone users spend more time on their smartphones than Android users, push notification click-through rates (CTR) for Android are 10.7% and 4.9% for iOS. On average, an iPhone user takes 7 minutes to open a notification, whereas an Android user takes 48 minutes.
Our detailed article will explain why and when push notifications should be sent.
Differentiates in Retention, Engagement, Acquisition
The average cost of acquiring a user is based on the operating system and preferred actions.
Even though Android users are more likely to be indoors than iPhone users (by about an hour), they spend roughly the same amount of time with their devices. Despite having a larger global user base, iOS is more user-friendly than Android.
According to report, the cost of acquiring a user varies greatly depending on the user's needs and the operating system. The average cost of an iOS or Android installation is USD 1.75.
You would need to spend US$86.72 on iOS users and US$77.45 on Android users to purchase an in-app purchasable user. However, if you wish to acquire an Android user willing to make in-app purchases, the cost for the acquisition will be higher than that of iOS users.
Our guide to app user acquisition will show you the best ways to acquire users.
Consumer Spending and mCommerce
As I said earlier, there is a difference in the average iPhone app development user's purchase power compared to Android users.
The average iPhone app user makes $85,000 annually, which is 40% higher than an Android user's $61,000 annual income. Despite Android having more users than iOS, iPhone users still spend twice as much on their Android counterparts. An iOS user's average in-app purchase is four times more! iOS development is the best option for creating a mobile shopping app. Android users are fond of digital utility apps such as launchers, antivirus apps, and performance boosters. They will pay 5x more for them than iOS users.
Apple iPhone owners are more likely to purchase their phones regularly. These are crucial considerations for app developers who want to make money via in-app purchases or paid apps. Mobile ads are the primary source of revenue for Android apps.
Read More: The Ultimate Guide to Accelerate Android App Development
Loyalty to a Specific Platform
iOS users are more loyal than Google Android users and have greater spending power. As I mentioned briefly, Android users love the platform's flexibility and like personalizing their devices. However, iOS users prefer to keep their devices simple and spend more time trying different apps.
iPhone owners are very proud of their iPhones and will likely continue to use them over the years. While 48% of Android owners are satisfied is quite high, it is still lower than the 62% who feel the same way about their phone.
Who is More Engaged at the End of Each Day?
Which platform is most engaged overall if Android wins in push notifications while iOS takes the lead with in-app? This question can be answered with one simple metric: How much time do users spend on an app in a given month (aka Time in the App)? It is quite clear that there is a significant difference in app usage over a month, with Android barely beating iOS.
Although there are many possible reasons for the disparity in app usage, hard data supports one: the demographic makeup of both users. iPhone users are more outgoing than Android users. They view their phones as status symbols and may spend more time using their phones than chatting. iPhone users might be more inclined to material ownership than to the many features they have time to explore. Android users may be more interested in exploring the vast number of apps available in the Google Play Store (3.3 million as of december 2022), while iOS users will have to settle for 2.2 million.
Android is outperforming iOS in-app engagement. This proves that Android can delight end-users just as well as iOS. However, iOS's app experience is undoubtedly better. While the future will be interesting, Android is on the rise.
Methodology
Localytics is the most trusted analytics and marketing platform for web and mobile apps. It supports more than 1,000,000 devices and 28,000 apps. Localytics processes 50 billion data points monthly. We looked at how many times the user's opened messages in one day to determine push and in-app opening rates. The conversion rate is the percentage of users(percent market share) who converted within seven days. Engagement, or sessions per user, is the average number of sessions users complete within seven days.
The Ultimate Showdown: iPhone versus Android
1. Customization
One of the biggest differences between Android and iPhone smartphones is the ability to customize them. Android OS lets you change everything, from themes to launchers to icon packs to more.
Nova Launcher allows you to modify all aspects of the Android device's UI easily. iPhones can't be customized. The launchers and icons will not be changed by users. They will remain the same interface.
Android wins the round.
2.It's easy to use
Compared to Android, the iOS operating system is much more straightforward than Android. There is no app drawer to hide apps. Instead, you can arrange apps in columns and rows on home pages.
All iOS devices offer the same user experience. You won't notice any difference if your iPhone 6S is switched to an iPhone 14. The same applies to smartphones running stock Android. However, most original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) modify the OS to deliver different experiences.
While the Android settings are intuitive for experienced users, they may need to be clearer to first-timers due to the sheer number of options. Apple makes everything simple, even the settings.
iPhones win the round.
3. Google Assistant vs. Siri
Even though Siri, our first mobile encounter with artificial intelligence, was released five years before Google Assistant, Google's voice assistant outperforms it. Siri is far from an all-purpose voice assistant, but it can quickly answer questions.
Siri is not available when you are not connected to the internet. Google Assistant has limitations. Google Assistant has many advanced features, such as displaying locked device traffic, creating customized routines, accepting multiple commands simultaneously, and even remembering passwords or notes (when instructed to).
Android wins the round.
4. Affordability
The iPhone SE is the most affordable, while the iPhone 14 Pro Max starts at $999 and goes up to $1,399. To purchase an unopened iPhone, you must spend at least $500.
Regarding entry costs, Android smartphones are significantly less expensive than iPhones. An Android smartphone can be purchased for as little as USD 100, if not less. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 5G is a high-end Android phone that costs $2,000 in the United States.
Everyone can get an Android device, but not an iPhone.
Android wins the round.
5. Alternative App Stores
Android offers many alternative app stores which allow you to download APKs. This is a well-known fact. Many other stores are available for iOS, but jailbreaking your device may be necessary to install apps.
You can allow apps from unknown sources in Android. This, however, may make your device more vulnerable to malware. If you're looking for third-party apps that aren't available in the official app stores, Android is your best bet.
Android wins the round.
6. Battery Life
Android outperforms the iPhone in terms of system resource optimization and power. Google has introduced Adaptive Battery, an AI-powered Google feature. It tracks user behavior and preferences to optimize how the system distributes battery and other app resources.
Android phones have larger batteries than iPhones. Apple has recently adopted features first introduced in Android devices years ago, such as fast and wireless charging.
If you want more battery life and faster charging, Android is the better choice (Apple sells fast charging separately).
Android wins the round.
7. Regular Updates
This is the one area where iPhones will easily surpass Android smartphones. All devices supported by iOS 14 will receive the update whenever an update is available.
The Android OS version update is not guaranteed. You will almost certainly be subject to the OEM. You might get three versions in the best-case scenario.
Even when security patches are released, nearly 75% of Android devices do not receive security updates.
iOS wins the round.
Read More: What Makes Us The Best iPhone App Development Company?
8. Camera
The superior camera quality of iPhones has received widespread acclaim. The camera quality of iPhones and Android phones are difficult to compare because the quality of Android smartphones varies greatly depending on their manufacturer.
Google Pixel is a fantastic tool for capturing amazing images using minimal hardware (thanks to machine learning), but they are still considered inferior. While Samsung's high-end smartphones produce stunning images, many prefer Apple's color palette.
iOS wins the round.
Apple vs. the World
In the United States and Japan, the iPhone is a popular choice. In contrast, the most populous Asian countries prefer Android. This is primarily due to their low cost and widespread adoption by various manufacturers. It's the classic "Apple Inc vs. the rest of the manufacturers" scenario.
Apple products are expensive for luxury. This is no secret. Seeing how loyal customers wait in line for hours to get their products is amazing. Android is open-source, which means anyone can have a smartphone without spending a lot.
The Android and iOS operating systems will soon dominate the smartphone market. This gives marketers and developers peace of mind about which user groups to target.
If most of your target audience is iPhone users, you can rely on monetization methods such as the premium model and in-app purchases. In-app ads are a better option if you're primarily targeting Android users.
The Key Takeaway
Hybrid app development is the best path to take with both Apple's App Store and Google's Play Store. Most apps work well across both platforms, so it is easier to develop hybrid apps upfront than building for each app store over time.
You may be tempted to choose one platform over another, but keep these things in mind.
If your target audience is heavily focused on Android and you are focusing on personalizing Android user experience, it makes sense to develop for Android.
iOS is a good choice if your goals align with high consumer engagement, loyalty, and spending. Apple has also reduced approval times, so the time to market works to your advantage.
This data should have given you an insight into your current and future app audience. With the significant differences we have highlighted, you can now examine your engagement rates, your in-app behavior, and your success measurement to gain more insight into your user's actions.
