Mobile application developers' platform choice model

Abstract

When it comes to developing native apps, mobile app developers have multiple platforms from which to make a choice. Focusing on the two most popular mobile platforms, iOS and Android, in this paper we present a model of factors that influence a developer's platform choice. It was built using inputs from a Delphi study with expert developers. We then administered a survey based on the model to 137 app developers. Results indicate, surprisingly, that while openness of a platform, or the lack of it, continues to influence developers' choice, it does not sufficiently distinguish Android and iOS developers. On the contrary, the toolkits available to support app development and the infrastructure and license costs involved in developing apps seem to be more important to developers in making their platform choice, as was expected returns. © 2016 IEEE.