How to Convert an iOS App into an Android App? (2024)

Mobile devices are all the rage right now. They can fit in your pocket as you travel and you can carry them everywhere you go. All the technology in the world is now available in the palm of your hands. All you need is mobile app development to stay relevant as a business and reach your target audience.

• Reasons for Converting an iOS App to Android
• Understanding the Mobile App Portability
• Challenges of Porting iOS App to Android App
• Convert An iPhone App to Android App
• Cost of Converting An iOS App to Android
• Conclusion

For this, you will also need to decide on a platform to develop your application. The two most popular choices being iOS and Android. They both have their own merits and users in millions. You can make this decision based on resources, popularity in your local area, or circ*mstances. Earlier, the developers had a limited choice of building a single platform at a time. Developers used to focus on creating for either Android or iOS, but not both. This way an owner could market to a particular set of users.

In developed nations, most users preferred using an iPhone over a Google device. This is the reason many businesses started creating apps for iOS users. But as the market for Android increases, owners look to switch from iOS to Android to target the other set of audiences. This post mentions all the challenges and steps to migrate an app from iOS to Android. It also mentions the cost estimate of making this conversion and guides you to building a new application from scratch. Once you are familiar with the fundamentals, it is easy to switch and expand your business to reach more users.

Before we begin, let us try to understand the primary reasons most of the iOS applications need conversion to Android. It will help you gain insight into the market trends and enable you to sell to Android users. Here are some core benefits in brief:

• Wider Market Reach: You can target Android users that make up for 72% share of the global mobile market. This way you can reach out to more people and sell to a wider audience.
• More Features: You can leverage the many features that Android provides its users over the iPhone to appease your target audience. This includes the back navigation button, Android intents, Android wear, widgets, and push notifications.
• Save on Resources: You can avoid the cost of hiring Android app development services to create something new. By converting the iOS to Android app, you are using the same basic design and structure. This will save you a lot of effort, time, and money by replicating your old iPhone application.
• Get High ROI: Through conversion, you can market to a global audience of both iOS and Android users. You get access to millions of new users who will guarantee a high and fast return on your investments.
• Make More Money: When you are running apps on both platforms, you can benefit by monetizing both to get high profits. You can charge users for in-app purchases, downloads to make more money and be successful.

There are lots of differences between Android and iOS apps. To market to both iPhone and Google phone users, you need to convert an iOS app to Android. One cannot simply run iOS apps on Android devices or vice versa. You also need to keep in mind that both platforms have different operating systems. The native Android or iOS mobile app development requires unique parameters. This includes navigation, interface design, and programming languages. It is a complex process that needs proper time and planning.

While Android systems use the Java virtual machine (JVM) called ByteCode, iOS uses the compiled code. Both even have different screen settings, life cycle, and data access approach. You also need proper authorization to sell your application on the Apple App Store. You cannot install an app directly on your iPhone. No tool can guarantee a safe and accurate transfer of your app from one platform to another. You will need to hire Android App developers with expertise in both platforms to build something new for you. You may keep a few features, but developers will have to create most of them from scratch. It is the only way to reach your company’s business requirements and match the level of performance of your old iOS app.

The only exception is if your app is not cross-platform compatible. You need to access the range of web-based libraries and frameworks that a hybrid framework offers.

Listed below are some aspects you need to consider when converting an iPhone App to Android. These are some key differences that will help you understand that the transfer process is quite more complex than it looks.

1. Architecture Difference

The most annoying thing about Android is that there are too many versions of the operating system. New ones are coming out every few months. It is difficult to keep up with the changes and select one that covers all the functionalities. Features available in one version may not be there in another older version. This includes functionalities such as navigation, notification, file management, and compatibility of other apps in the mobile device.

To solve this problem, you need to draw a line between older and newer versions of the OS. You can choose a select up to 10 devices that you want to target and choose the operating system version accordingly. For instance, choosing KitKat 4.4 version (and newer) will cover over 90% of all mobile devices.

2. Design Features

This is one of the more important steps for porting iOS apps to Android to be successful. The UI of both the devices are completely different and have their own set of design rules. This applies to the shape, size, and concept of the app. Apple uses human interface guidelines, while Android is more into Material design standards. So, you need to consider designing the app according to the new platform. This will reduce the confusion the users may have when using your app and will make the transaction easier. It will also avoid chances of any bad ratings on Google Play.

The most common point of difference between the two major mobile OS design includes buttons, lists, tabs, widgets, navigation elements, data, and time sectors. You need to redesign the wireframes and mockups to give them the “Android look”. It all depends on your decisions. You can choose to keep a single design for both platforms like Instagram or customize it according to the platform.

3. Libraries, Frameworks, and Code

There are always some rules and libraries for mobile app development. You need to check the compatibility of those tools before converting an iOS app to an Android app. If they are not, you need to figure out proper alternatives. Most developers use Java and/or Kotlin to create Android apps while iPhone apps need Swift language. In such cases, you cannot use the code from one platform into another.

It is only possible where both the platforms are working in Objective-C. This is the only language that is compatible with both the OS and helps with iOS to Android conversion. If not, you need to rewrite the entire code. This can take a lot of time depending on the app’s complexity, design, architecture, etc.

4. Testing

The number of tests you will need to run depends completely on the number of Android devices that you wish to support. So, the higher the number of supporting devices, the more tests you will have to run. But do not panic, as the time you allocate for such tasks will improve the app’s quality and will pay off in the long run.

5. Optimization and Troubleshooting

There may be chances of errors and connectivity issues when you are converting an iOS app to Android. You should work on them and make sure that porting from one platform to another is a smooth transaction for users. You can also take it as an opportunity to improve performance, battery consumption, etc.

After considering all the factors, you need to decide on a strategy to convert to an Android platform. You can follow the steps that we mention here that can help you with the mobile app portability. They are a standard and proven practice to convert iPhone apps into Android ones.

1. Create A Proper Plan

Mark out the areas that you have a rational idea about: the budget, designs, features, architecture, and workflow. You need to implement the plan and follow it precisely to adhere to timelines. You should also think about the problems and errors that can arise because of porting. You need to address them and create an Android app that meets your business requirements and user expectations.

2. Assessment and Implementation

Execute the plan by removing all the technical issues with code, libraries, and third-party services. Next, decide on a technology stack to start the mobile app development process. Choose one that fits your budget and time allocations.

Most of the time, converting an iOS app to an Android app means creating a single Android app. It may take longer than a month to complete the process. You must be patient and create realistic expectations for creating an application. The timeframe also depends on the type of app you are creating. If there are features and material design alteration for the Android-specific user interface, it may take longer. You will also need to set up monetization and the back-end of the application that will take time.

3. Testing the App and Releasing

There are lots of ways to check for quality after converting an iOS app to Android. You can use the emulation tools for testing or work with a real Android device. This will help you work out the kinks before you release them. It also depends on the Android app development services experts you hire to do the job. They can go through different mobile app testing like load testing, beta testing, validation, and user experience testing. Once you are sure of the application’s stability, you can submit it to the Google Play Store. This is much easier than compared to Apple Store’s eligibility criterion. Google is less strict and can release an app of any quality.

The minimal price for a small project is $3000. It completely depends on the complexity, location, and size of the app. You should keep a budget of anything between $5000 to $20,000 for developing an application in a western country.

To sum it all up, you need to have a proper plan before deciding to convert an iOS app to Android. You need a systemized approach to create a solution almost identical to its previous version. You can hire a reliable Android app development services expert to get the popularity, functionality, performance, and accessibility that you need.

ALSO READ:

How To Create A Dating App? (Features, Cost, Time, and Lots More)

How To Converts iOS App to Android App? (Steps, Cost, and Challenges)

6 Things To Consider Before Developing A Messaging App

Build Your Own Uber App in 2021: A Comprehensive Guide

Develop A Food Delivery Application (It’s Features, Cost, and Functionality)