Why do Android apps lag behind iOS for features?

Kenai · 26 Sep 2017 at 17:56

It's always happened and I've just noticed it again prompting the thread.

This particular example is for the Ordnance Survey app, they've advertised on Facebook as it's just won an award however in response to a few moaning comments they've been saying things like "only our iOS version allows Z, Android will get it soon".

It's far from the first time I've seen this and it won't be the last I'm sure. I'm still waiting for Vitality to release an Android app that was 'coming soon' when I took out health insurance, whilst the iOS version has been out for over a year or two now.

Why is this? Android has the significantly bigger market share, is it harder to develop for due to fragmented hardware? Do Android users supposedly spend less on apps?

I could understand different bugs etc. but I can't really see why whole features can be included in one version but not another.

Is there a proper reason for this I suppose is what I'm wondering or just corporate assumptions about the different markets and their users.

Woden · 26 Sep 2017 at 18:17

Generally, iOS users seem to be more willing to put their hands in their pockets. That's probably led to more iOS developers, so cheaper.

Raymond Lin · 26 Sep 2017 at 18:46

I've noticed why Barclays and Amex apps lack the finger print login in?

Cleisthenes · 26 Sep 2017 at 18:55

They only has to develop one app for iOS, whereas they have to essentially develop hundreds for android. It's pretty self explanatory isn't it?

Raymond Lin · 26 Sep 2017 at 19:14

Cleisthenes said:
They only has to develop one app for iOS, whereas they have to essentially develop hundreds for android. It's pretty self explanatory isn't it?

Surely it's the OS they are developing for, which is just 1. Sure there are lots of phones but the OS is the same underpinning. If the phone maker can't make the hardware to run the OS, that's their problem but why can't the software developer make the app that runs on stock android, like the finger print login in feature.

tom_e · 26 Sep 2017 at 19:18

Fragmentation in terms of android versions and available hardware, also as has already been said Apple uses spend many times more money on apps than Android users so it makes financial sense to develop the easy cookie cutter version that will actually make money.

muon · 26 Sep 2017 at 22:32

Raymond Lin said:
I've noticed why Barclays and Amex apps lack the finger print login in?

I don't think many android phones had finger print log in until recently.

Also I imagine banks insist on device level security testing.

It does annoy me everyone doesn't use finger print log in though.

Raymond Lin · 26 Sep 2017 at 22:36

muon said:
I don't think many android phones had finger print log in until recently.

Also I imagine banks insist on device level security testing.

It does annoy me everyone doesn't use finger print log in though.

Honestly, it's quirks like this actually making my switch to Android a bit sour at the moment, this is one of the "con" of the system, there simply has not workaround because the workaround is having to remember a ton of passwords.

muon · 26 Sep 2017 at 22:44

Raymond Lin said:
Honestly, it's quirks like this actually making my switch to Android a bit sour at the moment, this is one of the "con" of the system, there simply has not workaround because the workaround is having to remember a ton of passwords.

Android remembers most passwords for you? Do you have smart lock enabled? Obviously it doesn't do that for banking apps.

Cryfreeman · 26 Sep 2017 at 22:47

Having both android and IOS phones I see this with a few apps. Happens the other way sometimes, why can’t I have Facebook in landscape and stop messenger notifications until my alarm on iOS

Raymond Lin · 26 Sep 2017 at 22:52

muon said:
Android remembers most passwords for you? Do you have smart lock enabled? Obviously it doesn't do that for banking apps.

I don't think it remembers it for banking apps, it remembers forums.

Also, I tried to set shortcuts like on iOS when I press rrr three times it brings up my email address. Saves so much time logging into various places…I tried to do this in stock android, it doesn't work.

muon · 26 Sep 2017 at 22:53

It works for nearly everything in much the same way it does for google chrome on desktops.

As for short cuts to phrases you just need a keyboard that supports that.

Does the stock ios keyboard do that?

Cryfreeman · 26 Sep 2017 at 22:56

Raymond Lin said:
I don't think it remembers it for banking apps, it remembers forums.

Also, I tried to set shortcuts like on iOS when I press rrr three times it brings up my email address. Saves so much time logging into various places…I tried to do this in stock android, it doesn't work.

?? Guess Samsung differs here as the keyboard predicts an email address after the first 3 letters(more or less)

Raymond Lin · 26 Sep 2017 at 23:00

muon said:
It works for nearly everything in much the same way it does for google chrome on desktops.

As for short cuts to phrases you just need a keyboard that supports that.

Does the stock ios keyboard do that?

I added it into Personal Dictionary in Settings…surely that should override everything else in the phone.

TheVoice · 26 Sep 2017 at 23:04

Raymond Lin said:
Surely it's the OS they are developing for, which is just 1.

No, it's the various different versions of the OS along with the various different configurations that each manufacturer uses, along with having to plan for compatibility with devices, drivers etc.

Raymond Lin · 26 Sep 2017 at 23:06

TheVoice said:
No, it's the various different versions of the OS along with the various different configurations that each manufacturer uses, along with having to plan for compatibility with devices, drivers etc.

There are various different builds if iOS too and I've had fingerprint log in for all of them since Touch ID was introduced.

As for different configuration each manufacture uses…sod them, build it for the stock and if they can't implement them, it's that manufacturer's loses, at least the feature is there for some, as opposed to be missing for all.

tigerstyle · 27 Sep 2017 at 01:01

Raymond Lin said:
As for different configuration each manufacture uses…sod them, build it for the stock and if they can't implement them, it's that manufacturer's loses, at least the feature is there for some, as opposed to be missing for all.

But it is the user not the manufacturer that then misses out, user rage gets pointed at app developer, and then they get the flak, not what anyone wants really. Headache for app developers to ensure apps work across the board granted.

mrk · 27 Sep 2017 at 10:41

It's not a problem with Android, it's a problem with the developer of that app being lazy and focusing their time to develop the iOS version more thoroughly. This doesn't happen with all apps, but it's clear the platform bias from devs when it does happen.

In 2017, Android allows for all of those features mentioned to work, but it's down to the developer to put them in.

Raymond Lin · 27 Sep 2017 at 12:50

mrk said:
It's not a problem with Android, it's a problem with the developer of that app being lazy and focusing their time to develop the iOS version more thoroughly. This doesn't happen with all apps, but it's clear the platform bias from devs when it does happen.

In 2017, Android allows for all of those features mentioned to work, but it's down to the developer to put them in.

If it happens on Android on multiple apps by different developers and doesn't happen on iOS, it becomes a theme and a problem for Android. It may not be a problem FROM Android, but it is certainly a problem FOR Android.

Broken Hope · 27 Sep 2017 at 12:50

Raymond Lin said:
There are various different builds if iOS too and I've had fingerprint log in for all of them since Touch ID was introduced.

As for different configuration each manufacture uses…sod them, build it for the stock and if they can't implement them, it's that manufacturer's loses, at least the feature is there for some, as opposed to be missing for all.

Look at the adoption rate of iOS versions, iOS 11 is already on over 25% of devices in the space of a week, only like 15% of Android phones are on Nougat which is over a year old.

It must be a nightmare on Android, having to constantly target older API’s and OS versions.

Least on iOS you can generally just target iOS 10+ and be compatible with almost all devices.