Choose app platforms around the people who will use the product and the tasks it needs to support. Building for both iPhone and Android may be appropriate, but it should follow a clear understanding of your audience and resources.
Know the devices in use
An internal app for company-managed devices can have different requirements from a public customer app. Establish whether staff use supplied phones, personal devices or a mixture. For customers, use available audience evidence rather than assuming everyone uses the same platform as you. Also consider tablets and operating system versions. Agree which devices the first release will support, including how future changes will be handled.
What affects the decision?
- Your audience’s actual devices.
- Required camera, location or other device features.
- Accessibility and interface expectations.
- Development, testing and ongoing support resources.
- Whether the platforms need to launch together.
The approach to building the app is a separate decision. Supporting both platforms does not automatically mean two completely unrelated products, but each still needs suitable testing and release work.
Questions and answers
Can we launch one platform first?
Yes, when that suits the audience and business plan. Make the limitation clear and decide how people on other devices will access the service.
Will the two versions look identical?
They can share branding and functionality while using appropriate platform conventions. Consistency should not make familiar controls harder to use.
Does supporting both double the cost?
There is no universal multiplier. Shared code, integrations and design can affect the estimate, while testing and platform-specific work remain important.
What should be in the specification?
List supported platforms, device types, essential features and release priorities. Avoid leaving these choices until development is already underway.
Talk to Digital Solutions
Explore our mobile app development services and previous projects. Tell us what you need to improve and we can help define a practical next step.