Which is better, career wise? iOS or Android application development?

5 points·greenlinux··10 comments

This is an intriguing question for me. I am a web developer by profession. I am convinced that I need to learn at least one mobile platform to keep up with the times.

I have an old Android flagship phone. I never considered iPhones because they are too expensive in our country. But the majority opinion I see in sites like HN and Reddit lean towards iOS. They say that you can earn more on iOS.

I would like to develop in Android because that is the phone that I have. But I am also enticed by the monetary advantages that developing in iOS brings.

I already have a macbook. Is that enough to develop in iOS? Or do I need an iPhone to truly test apps?

Well nothing beats testing something out better than on the physical device it's designed for.

I've always thought the contrary — native apps are here for some time, until they get replaced with HTML5 apps almost completely, so no need to bother.

Java is much more ubiquitous than Swift/ObjectiveC. I don't know that I would consider a career writing Java "better" though.

Going from iOS to Android is easier than going from Android to iOS. Learn iOS first.

Personally I do Windows, Android and iOS. Xamarin allows me to use and share C# code for all 3.

I'm a web dev working with C# and like other people in this thread I've felt the need to learn something mobile. I looked at React Native, Ionic, and native Android, but I still haven't taken the leap into concentrating on something in particular. With the recent developments with Xamarin, I think that might be the direction I take. I really hope Xamarin can gain a lot of momentum and popularity.

Both.

I believe you will have to do both as you progress in your career.

you should develop for both platforms

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