google play store vs apple store
Throughout history, pop culture has always presented us with a few choices that would split most people into two camps. These battles would go global and oftentimes, the side stuck with said a certain thing about you. You probably know a couple of them and have been on one side or another in some cases. Just a couple of examples would be Coke vs Pepsi, Xbox vs PlayStation, Nike vs Addidas, and so on.
In more recent times, we see another battle erupting at the heart of the tech market. To be more specific, we’re talking about iOS vs Android. The two leading mobile device operating systems have been brawling it out ever since they were released. But as some of you know, mobile platforms are very dependent on the quality of the app store built for them. That means that the marketplace can make or break the mobile OS, so it’s no wonder that many people want to know which platform is better and why.
In this article, we will shed some light on the subject and give you another perspective may be. No doubt that Apple’s iOS App Store has its strengths, but let’s see how Google’s Play Store manages to come out on top and in what departments.
App developers have an easier time on the Google Play Store
There are two sides to this argument. Let’s start off by looking at Apple’s App Store. The platform has made a name for itself as the provider of nothing but top quality. Since its release, the App Store has only allowed the top quality apps to pass and thus has gained a reputation for excellence. This is something that pleases the user community since they are far less likely to encounter bugs or problems with the iOS version of an app. However, from a developer’s point of view, it can get quite troubling to know that all the hard work you put into your app could be for nothing.
Because of these facts, iOS versions of apps do tend to be more popular and also get priority in the development queue over the Android counterpart. However, these are also the reasons why many app developers stick with Android. On Google’s side, developers have an incredibly lower chance of getting rejected. Also, on Android, you will see a far wider selection of applications, without taking anything away from Apple’s collection. Apps that significantly alter the aspect or functionality of the entire operating system are available on the Play Store whereas the iOS marketplace lacks in that department.
Google Play Apps are seen as easier than App Store apps
After putting in the work to create an app, then getting past the admission part, developers start worrying about how many people actually see their app in the store, or how visible it is to those searching for it. It is a top concern for developers that when people search for their app, they would get a direct result that will score their app more hits.
This isn’t always the case, unfortunately, and that’s to do with how each marketplace handles search queries. Let’s take a look at Apple’s model. In the App Store, developers get a special box when submitting their app. There, they put down all the keywords for their app, and if someone is to find it in the store, they would have to search for one of those keywords. Needless to say, that reduces the total number of people that find, discover, or stumble upon your app by quite a lot.
Google on the other hand has its store set up so that when a user is searching for something, it will match the search query with app names, app descriptions, and pretty much everything else related to apps. This maximizes the chances of you finding what you were looking for because it checks every piece of text on the platform to find something matching what you searched for. This is why many app developers choose Android as their development platform because they have a guaranteed larger discovery rate right off the bat.
Google Play Store tells you more about the app
If it’s a popular app, it’s probably available on both Apple’s App Store and the Google Play Store. You can check out one of your favorite apps on both the App Store and the Play Store to see just how different the two app pages are. If you don’t have mobile devices on both platforms, you can always access the pages from your computer.
On the App Store, you have a very minimalistic approach to the app description, with just some screenshots and bits of information scattered across two columns. The only critique is from app reviews which are displayed on the page as a sort of encouraging factor for users that want to try out the app.
The Play Store offers just one column, and you just scroll down to gradually learn everything there is about the app. You have screenshots as well as video (which is very important because it gives you the best pre-install notion of the app). Also, you get information about how other users are finding the app and you can filter comments so that you see them by the phone model comment leavers are using. You can even sort them to see the ones from your friends, so you can get a more personal endorsement from the app.
Finances are less stressful on Android’s store
Money is a very important factor when it comes to mobile apps. Even though some of the mare free, it is no secret or surprise that all app developers submit their creations in the hopes of getting some monetary gains or at least recognition that would boost their careers and thus lead to fruitful jobs.
When it comes to Play Store apps, these are a lot cheaper and oftentimes free, in comparison to Apple’s platform. This is because iOS developers charge more as a direct result of the App Store being so demanding. Also, having apps of guaranteed superior quality helps justify the inflated price tag. The atmosphere is much looser on the Play Store, and users have a much better time shopping for apps.
Handling complaints is easier
Apple is in direct control of their store, meaning that if something happens and a client is demanding a refund or some answers, app developers can only tell them to “talk to Apple” about it. On the Play Store, developers handle their own apps and can distribute compensations or solutions to problems as they see fit.
Conclusion
Having all these factors into consideration, we are not saying that Apple’s app store is bad or that it doesn’t stand a chance against Google’s. However, as you can see, the latter has some pretty powerful arguments as to why many deem it better for developers from both an environment and a business perspective.
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