Android is a great platform for enjoying games on, with the many great devices to play on, the great controllers available, and the sheer number of games to choose from which includes various genres like racing, arcade, online casino etc. that are available. But even with so many games, if you compare to iOS, there are some notable omissions. Some games just never release on Android or are very delayed. While buying an Android device means that you’re going to get some great games no matter how you shake it, you’re bound to miss out on some gems. So, why do so many games get delayed or just never arrive on Android?
Android’s Piracy Problem
The piracy on Android train continues to roll on, with developers continually favoring iOS as a result. And there doesn’t appear to be much being done on Google’s end to quell the piracy fears, either. Android apps are distributed in an APK (Android application package) file. Hackers can crack these APKs, bypassing security checks that look to see whether the user bought the game. Unlike the locked down iPhone, where it is much harder to work around the core software, Android is open source and code accessible. Hackers then distribute the apps on select sites and torrent listings. Users then “sideload” the cracked APKs onto their devices by asking Android to allow installation from unknown sources. If people aren’t buying premium apps, developers won’t make money charging premium prices. While the Google Play store led on global app downloads in the third quarter of 2017, with 90 percent more than iOS, iOS store revenue beat out Google Play by 80 percent, according to a verge report.
Positioning of iPhone and Android devices
iPhones are positioned as ‘premium’ smartphones on the other hand, Android has a host of smartphones targeting the lower end of the buyer-spectrum, while all the flagship iPhones have been successful, many low-end Android phones have failed in the last few quarters. This clearly shows that iOS, due to its strong brand positioning, is a ‘safer’ platform for developers to create apps for.
Money
Nobody gets into business for charity and app development business is no different to it. The apple app store is the only host for apps for the IOS market. That keeps a tight control on security. Through app store, most of the apps being sold are through purchases and in-purchases. The IOS market is not driven by advertisements. A developer can see direct revenue for his work through the feedback of serious buyers. This market is not driven by advertisements for revenue.
Support
With Android being open source it is practically impossible for app developer to ensure quality for all devices where with Apple it is easily possible. During the building and mobile app testing phases, developers have to check whether their software is optimized for every popular Android device. A lot of time-consuming research needs to go into this. In contrast, an iOS app needs to be optimized for the latest iPhones, iPads and iPod Touch. This makes the job of coders as well as UI/UX designers a lot easier.
