The iOS-first default was built on real data from around 2014 to 2019. Revenue per user was higher, early adopters skewed iOS, and Android fragmentation made QA genuinely painful. Some of that is still true. Less of it than people assume.
What changed on the Android side
Google Play now processes app updates faster than the App Store in most categories. Android 12 and above covers a large enough share of active devices that fragmentation is a manageable problem rather than a project risk. Jetpack Compose reduced the gap in UI development speed considerably.
Where the audience argument breaks down
If your product targets markets outside North America and Western Europe, Android-first is not a contrarian choice. It is the statistically correct one. A developer building for Southeast Asian, Latin American, or African markets who defaults to iOS-first is optimizing for the wrong user base from day one.
The revenue argument needs updating too
Subscription revenue on Android has grown steadily. The gap with iOS exists but is narrower than it was. For apps outside games and productivity, the difference often does not justify the strategic choice of ignoring 70% of the global device market during your initial build.
- Android emulator tooling has improved enough for reliable early-stage testing
- Play Store review times average faster than App Store for initial submissions
- Material Design 3 components are well-documented and reduce early design decisions
iOS-first made sense as a rule of thumb. It should be a deliberate choice now, not a default.