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I realize this question can range very far so would love to hear any and all opinions on this. However, I'll be honest and say that I have been thinking of this in terms of most profitable. I know how this may sound either way but this is one of my main sticking points. I realize that I'm not guaranteed a single cent and success is never guaranteed but I'm going into this with the thought of making something out of it both financially and also for my own interest.

I know that iOS gets a lot of attention on this front but Android commands a lot more market share. However, I know there are drawbacks to Android too, whether it's in the actual development process and programming (though I've heard conflicting reports on this, such as how easy/difficult it is for to address screen res in different devices) or the app ecosystem being flooded. But iOS's app ecosystem has been described as too saturated and harder to compete in for that reason.

Since Windows Phone has fewer apps than both of those two, that might be the best place to start in order to be closer to the ground floor of the store and be noticed more? Less saturation = better chances of sales or differentiating? Something like the gold rush during the first years of the iOS App Store (not exactly but at least in concept)? Would it be that despite fewer users on the platform, there's more exposure due to less competition so that may translate to better success at sales? Plus, I know MS is in it for the long haul so I'm not too fearful of something like WebOS going away.

Obviously RIM isn't very popular nowadays but I read a recent article that says Blackberry actually has the apps that make the most money, any thoughts on that:

http://gigaom.com/mobile/which-mobile-oss-apps-make-most-money-surprise-its-blackberry/

Again, this is all I've heard or known about so if there's anything to add or correct here, please do.

In addition, this has actually affected my next personal phone upgrade. I'm eligible for a carrier discount now and I've had my eye on the iPhone 5. However, the Lumia 920 is the one I'm holding out for and I'm open to trying an Android but I'm not sure I can wait that long for any new Nexus or even the Razr HD. Even the new Lumia in November is making me antsy, I'm so close to just getting an iPhone 5. But when I say this has affected my phone choice, I'd want to be able to carry the apps I write with me so that I'm able to pull my phone out to show people without having to carry around a second device to do so. So that's why I'd like to make my personal phone match the main platform I'm developing for. Of course, I will likely expand to other platforms if I gain any decent success but the one I target now would serve well as my personal phone I carry around so that I can use it as a marketing tool, in a sense, showing people my apps if the opportunity presents itself.

So what's the best mobile platform to choose, and especially in regards to most lucrative? As said previously, this would influence my personal phone choice greatly. Thanks in advance and I hope this isn't taken the wrong way - I understand there are trade-offs and other factors that may balance this out but making some revenue is key among that. For some background, I have done software development and know programming language concepts so I'm not entirely new to it and I do get the notion of being familiar with these things so that I can translate this skill among a variety of languages but I'm currently just having difficulty choosing my first main mobile platform based on the criteria I've outlined above.

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too localized. The answers will be out of date in three months – Bryan Oakley Sep 28 '12 at 19:09
In addition to that, its rediculous to ask the 'best' platform in terms of profitability, as the biggest factor there is whether or not the apps he makes are worth buying. On average iOS may be more profitable, but that wouldnt mean much to someone with the best selling Android game. – GrandmasterB Sep 28 '12 at 19:24
Ad-generated: Android makes more. AppStore-genereated: iOS makes more. In terms of combined (making a free add-supported version and paid version), iOS has been making more for pretty much everyone I know over the last few years. – MrFox Sep 28 '12 at 20:54
@BryanOakley - See, I knew this might be one kind of answer I'd get and while you aren't wrong, it's not in scope of what I mean. The point of this is to find out what people in the community might consider right now and the likely trends, etc. It's obvious things can change and I don't expect any stackexchange member to possess a crystal ball. I'm only asking in the scope of current environment and projected thoughts of possible direction. suslik's answer is more in line with this, for example. – Kyle Loman Sep 28 '12 at 22:30
@GrandmasterB - Thx that's true but not what I really meant. In addition to my comment to Bryan, I could make an app using VB 6 that's worth buying but that won't reach anyone. Platform is important, especially focusing on one as the first you want to target. If a dev w/ a best selling Android game were answering, I think the answer would be the same since it's about which to choose that has the better odds or on an average basis. Not from an extreme end of the spectrum. As said in post, I know there are other factors but the question is about averages, and I guess you answered that - iOS :) – Kyle Loman Sep 28 '12 at 22:46

closed as off topic by Bernard, GlenH7, Oded♦, Bryan Oakley, Jim G. Sep 28 '12 at 19:17

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3 Answers

up vote 3 down vote

If you're talking about "gee I'd like to get into this business" but you don't already have a specific program with a proven track record in mind, then the only profitable option is to hang out a shingle and see who will pay you up front to develop their product. Anything else is a complete crap shoot - much more likely to produce disappointment than profits.

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+1 - certainly for the Android market, there's a huge number of apps in the market place, but the vast majority don't make money. I don't understand why people think there's easy money to be made from mobile development. It's a good time to establish a business in a new market, but you still need good business sense and an idea. – Steve314 Sep 28 '12 at 19:14
+1 for pay you up front. Don't fall for any "profit-sharing" agreements unless you 100% truly believe in the idea. – JoelFan Nov 26 '12 at 18:47
up vote 2 down vote

As a developer who develops on both iPhone and android I can confirm that all of my iOS applications have been more profitable.

I have never had HUGE issues with scaling apps against different screen sizes on android. If you write the code properly your views should scale properly. My frustrations with android is that you typically want to support back to roughly 2.2, as a result you are limited to what APIs you can use and will find yourself using a ton of 3rd party libraries and nasty hacks to replicate those of newer OSes.

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I've heard Android apps make more as ad supported rather than bought, whereas iOS users tend to buy. Is that your experience? – Steve314 Sep 28 '12 at 19:23
I actually have 1 android app that is paid and one that is free (ad supported). The ad supported one has thousands more users but generates less monthly. – endy Sep 29 '12 at 0:19
Interesting - thanks. – Steve314 Sep 29 '12 at 1:22
@endy - Thank you, which platform did you start on and when? And then when did you move/port to the other? Also, what do you think of Windows Phone platform and developing apps there? Same for RIM – Kyle Loman Oct 1 '12 at 18:03
I started on developing on iOS when iPhone OS3 came out. I put my first (substantial) app in the Appstore Roughly around iOS5 being released. Android Was about the same timeframe as iOS but everything was done roughly 4-6 months later. From what I have read it is likely that windows devices will be able to run android applications in the near future so Windows growth will only help android in developer base as people will write in java and deploy to 2 different OSes. I personally don't see RIM making a comeback. – endy Oct 1 '12 at 19:28
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up vote 2 down vote

So what's the best mobile platform to choose, and especially in regards to most lucrative?

Quick Answer: Windows mobile platform, of course. It is still evolving market that have potentials to new comers, which are not the case in iOS and Android.

Even though it is not as popular as iOS or Android, it is gaining a customer base and with support of Nokia and Samsung devices it has a huge potential for growth. It is going to be more lucrative by introduction of windows mobile 8. These might be a big push in terms of different level of User Experience to the customer base.

Just compare the marketplace apps. It is really hard to compete with established iOS and Android app marketplace. However, windows mobile apps are still have room for new additions.

ps: i have been using windows mango almost for a year now, and concept of people hub and easy intuitive integration made me love this phone.

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So you're assuming that people will get rid of their iphones and androids just because Microsoft has finally turned up in the phone market - even though they've actually been in the market since before either Apple or Google, and consistently failed. Personally, I think Windows 8 may end up worse than Vista - the OS that screwed up the desktop and laptop in a desperate and hopeless attempt to claim a slice of the mobile and tablet markets. – Steve314 Sep 28 '12 at 19:19
You never know, what will happen. Actually, MS is good at learning from his rivals and having patents from Motorola gives him chance to come back very strongly. In addition, Apple himself pays to Microsoft for patents. – ElYusubov Sep 28 '12 at 19:25
You never know isn't strong evidence of potentials to new comers. The platform could easily fail - and if it does, no matter how good your Windows 8 app, and no matter how well you market it, it won't make a profit. As for patents - yes, I imagine all the big companies are paying each other, or else making I-won't-sue-you-if-you-don't-sue-me agreements. I'm no Apple fan - more an Apple hater. But Apple and Google now own that market. – Steve314 Sep 28 '12 at 19:39
As for learning from rivals - most of Microsofts big successes were either originally bought out from other companies or else developed in conjunction with other companies. MS-DOS was bought in. Most or all of the Office apps were bought in. Sure, there's a history of copying Apple (and of course the Xerox Parc stuff) in addition to the IBM collaboration for Windows (which also led to IBMs OS/2) but the reason Windows became more successful was compatibility with DOS (and a chain going back to CP/M) rather than technical superiority. – Steve314 Sep 28 '12 at 19:47
Interesting fact - Windows 8 phones and tablets won't be compatible with existing Windows desktop apps. The phone and tablet version will not support desktop mode. So... not much to gain by switching from Android or iOS to Windows 8, really, is there? – Steve314 Sep 28 '12 at 19:51
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