The reason why mobile applications are in demand right now is that you can do whatever you want with them no matter where you are and keep them in your pocket for later use. For business owners who want to earn more and stay ahead of their competitors, they only need Android app development services to achieve these targets.
Both iOS and Android operating systems are popular and have millions of users all around the globe, which changed the trend of building App for one platform only. Nowadays, everyone wants to build two apps, one for Android and the other for iOS. One way of getting it is done by developing two apps, while the other way is iphone to Android conversion.
Why should you Convert iOS to Android App?
The steps and costs to convert an iOS App to Android are crucial, but first, you need to understand that why you should convert iOS App to Android App. Around the globe, Android users make up more than 70% of smartphone users, so conversion means that you will be able to reach a wider audience at the same cost.
By using an Android app converter, you will be able to save some money as you don’t need to hire an Android app developer anymore. Just replicate your old iphone application and create an Android application with the same design and structure. Even if you invest a little in the conversion, the chances are that you will get a fast return on your investments due to high conversion rates.
Monetizing both the iOS and the Android versions means that you will get high profits and be successful. Competitors in the majority of niches nowadays prefer apps for both operating systems to gain an advantage over you, and you can tackle this situation by simply creating apps for both operating systems. Furthermore, the ratio of your profilt will be higher your application is designed to run on both devices.
How Does the Conversion Work?
In simple words, you can’t download and run an iOS app on your Android smartphone or vice versa, so either developing apps for both operating systems or converting apps from one operating system to another are the options left.
The Android system uses a Java Virtual Machine is known as Bytecode, while the iOS uses the compiled code with different data access, approach, screen settings, and life cycle. Without proper authorization, you can’t install an app on your iPhone, while Android allows you to download and install apps from unknown sources.
To get things done without any problems, use web-based libraries and frameworks that are available in a large number of hybrid frameworks nowadays. In the mobile app development process, the developer will keep a few things the same, but the majority of features will be developed from scratch.
Challenges of converting iOS App to Android App
The process to convert an iOS app to an Android app is complex than it looks are. Below are some key challenges that will help you in understanding the complexity of the whole process.
- Different Architecture
- The number of versions of the Android operating system available today makes it difficult for developers to create an app for both operating systems. This is the main architectural difference between both operating systems, and it is very difficult to get rid of this difference. Developers select a limited number of Android devices to developing an app and hope for the best.
- Design Features
- The user interface of the device running on iOS and Android operating systems are different from each other, and developers follow a different set of rules to create UI for each operating system. Lists, tabs, widgets, buttons, data, and time sectors are some of the most common differences between designs of applications of both operating systems.
- There is a chance that you need to completely redesign both wireframes and mockups to make them Android-looking, but the ultimate decision is yours. The decision is yours whether you want to keep the visual design of both versions of App the same or choose a different design for each version.
- Libraries, Frameworks, and Code
- When it comes to developing a mobile application, libraries are the most important asset, and both Android and iOS use different libraries and programming languages. Android uses Java and Kotlin, while iOS uses Swift language. Objective-C is the only programming language that works with both operating systems.
- If you convert the iOS App to the Android version using the Objective C language, you don’t need to write the entire code and can complete the whole conversion in a short period.
- Testing
- When it comes to testing the converted App, the number of tests largely depends on the number of Android devices that you want to support. Testing is crucial in improving the quality and performance of the App. The extensive testing will pay off in the long run if everything goes according to the plan.
- Troubleshooting
- When you convert iOS App to Android App, the chances of errors and connectivity-related issues increase, meaning that you will need to troubleshoot them first before releasing the App. Testing also kicks in with troubleshooting as you will be able to identify any problems and share them with the development team to remove them.
How to Convert iOS App to Android App?
Now that you are aware of all the challenges that you will face in your journey to convert an iOS app to an Android app, it is time to answer the question of how to convert iOS to Android. Here are the steps that you can follow to effortlessly convert the App.
- Create a Plan
- Assess the situation and Implement the plan
- Test the App and release it
- Create a Plan
- The first step in converting an iOS app to an Android app is to create a plan about how to accomplish this task. Take your budget, dream app features, architecture, workflow, design of the App, and other facts into consideration to create the plan accordingly. Allocate the time to the project while taking the time to remove any errors into consideration.
- Assess the Situation and Implement the Plan
- Now that you have the complete iOS mobile app development plan in your mind, it is time to execute the plan. The first step is to remove any technical issues with the existing code, libraries, and other third-party services before writing new code. You should always choose the development process that fits your budget and time frame.
- The whole process may take more than thirty days to complete, and keep your patience in due time to get the desired results. The time to complete the process may increase or decrease depending on the type of App that you are trying to convert. If the interface and features of the new App require some development, the time, as well as the cost of the development, will increase.
- Test the App and Release it
- Testing the quality of the newly converted App before releasing it for public use can be done using emulators, or you can use a real Android device to take the testing to a whole neve level. Now that you have tested your App and removed any errors or bugs. It is finally time to release the converted App.
- Submit the Android App to the Google Play Store and wait for confirmation that your App is finally available for the public. As compared to the eligibility criteria of Apple Store, the criteria of Google play store are less strict, and you will be able to make it if the quality of your App is good.
Stages of Converting iOS App to Android App
Design, architecture, and coding are the three main aspects of the conversion of an iOS app to an Android app, and you should keep them in your mind during the conversion. Here are the three stages of converting the iOS App to an Android App.
- UI/UX/Design
- Architecture
- Coding
- UI/UX/Design
- Android and iOS have different environments, and you need to consider a large number of things when converting your App from one operating system to another to make it look compatible. Buttons, icons, size of the font, the color of font, lists, tabs, date, tine, navigation, and widgets are some of the most common user interface elements that are different in both operating systems. In some cases, you don’t have to reproduce new design elements and components as you can use the existing components.
- Architecture
- Most developers search for the latest version of the Android operating system and make their App compatible with it. You can only change the design of the App to make it compatible with other versions of the operating system, but it will take some extra time and money. Add and remove specific features according to the infrastructure and the architecture of the operating system.
- Coding
- The development team will try their best to reuse the existing code to reduce your cost and time, but if they can’t use it, they will have to rewrite the entire code. You can create cross platforms programs if you write the code from scratch, as you will be able to do everything according to your needs.
Cost of Converting the App
The cost of converting an iOS app to an Android App from project to project and other details, but the minimal cost is around three thousand dollars for a small app. The complexity of App, location, and the size of App affects the cost to convert ios App to Android online, and sometimes developing a new app is better than converting one.
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Conclusion
A proper plan to convert the App and a systemized approach to implement the plan will guarantee your success. You can hire experts to get things done in a professional manner but converting is best if you want to save some money while taking your business to a whole new level.