Mobile development is a recent trend in software development that focuses on the production of applications for mobile devices. The two platforms – Android and iOS – put in the title of the article seem the most promising for mobile app development.
Android is an operating system for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet computers based on Linux. It is developed by the Open Handset Alliance led by Google. The primary programming language for development is Java. Android first appeared in 2007.
Android`s Secrets
1. Mc`s Q3 report, published recently, notes that Android malware was the fastest-growing in the quarter, increasing by some 37 percent.
2. Very unstable on low-end devices. Often hangs and crashes. High-end devices also tend to freeze unexpectedly.
3. Inconsistent design among apps. Android Market goes for record numbers of apps and is rather too liberal in relation to the quality.
4. Platform updates come from phone manufacturers and not from Google. This way there are few if any platform updates for android-based devices.
5. Android is still at the start on the road of power consumption optimization. Get used to charge your smartphone every night.
iOS Platform Overview
iOS (formerly known as iPhone OS) is Apple`s mobile operating system for mobile devices. The version history of Apple iOS (formerly iPhone OS) began with the release of the iPhone on June 29, 2007. Originally developed for the iPhone, it has since been extended to support other Apple devices such as the iPod Touch and iPad. As of October 4, 2011, Apple’s iTunes App Store contains more than 500,000 iOS applications.
iOS Architecture
Implementation of iOS technology for software development can be viewed as a set of layers. The lower layers are fundamental services and technologies on which are all applications rely. The higher-level frameworks are there to provide object-oriented abstractions for lower-level constructs.
iOS`s Secrets
1. Memory is non-expandable. You can`t plug in an SD card or another external memory card equivalent. The price for high-volume phones significantly exceeds the price for flash memory of the same size.
2. Non-detachable battery. Apple does not allow users to remove the battery or have an extra one.
3. As of December 2011, the iPhone still has no support for the 4G connection protocol.
4. No file transfer over Bluetooth or USB Mass Storage mode. True, you can play music on your car audio via Bluetooth, but you can upload anything.
5. The main disadvantage for developers is that new apps get often rejected by the App Store. It is way easier to get published in other app stores.
