IOS platform competitors take note: Fledgling indie iOS dev Chris Eidhof has posted a smart list of the main reasons why a new developer finds Apple’s mobile operating system such an attractive prospect. Eidhof, who is in the process of developing his first software for Apple devices, broke down the appeal of iOS using six main points.
- High-end platform. Customers will pay more for apps because the devices they appear on are seen as high-end.
- Closed environment. Customers are more willing to trust apps (and spend money on and in them) because Apple has vetted them.
- Possibilities for innovation. Apple’s APIs and the benefits of a phone-based platform have only begun to be fully utilized.
- Harder than web development. Eidhof’s logic is that because the barrier to entry is higher for iOS development, fewer people will attempt it, so it’s easier to stand out.
- Great libraries. Apple’s readymade frameworks are great, with Eidhof citing animation as a perfect example.
- Quality in the DNA. Mac and iOS developers tend to strive to live up to the “culture of quality” that surrounds Apple software and devices, and Apple’s defaults help devs start out at a much higher level to begin with.
Eidhof goes into much greater detail about each individual point, so be sure to check out his post in full. I’d also add that iOS is still way ahead of Android (and therefore all other mobile platforms, too) when it comes to actual money made by developers. Android does appear to be slowly gaining favor, and it seems to hold some appeal for developers who want more flexibility with what their apps can access. But for now iOS is still top dog, and competing market channels that can offer devs a raw deal like Amazon’s Appstore won’t help Android’s situation. Do you think Eidhof is right about why iOS is winning in terms of attracting high-quality developers, or is there something else behind it?
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