iOS developer interest pulls ahead of Android by 16% says IDC

This week a May survey done by Appcelerator and IDC on developer interest for both iOS and Android has been released showing a significant lead being gained by Apple's mobile OS over Google's equivalent. Developer interest in iOS for the enterprise grew to 50% while Android grew 37% over the month of May here in 2012. This is a boost from last year's survey done in the third quarter which showed both platforms to be tied up for developer interest at 44%.

This information comes from a platform interest survey of 3,632 Appcelerator application developers between the dates of May 11th and May 18th, 2012. Windows, BlackBerry OS, and WebOS were also included in the survey during this quarter (Q2 2012) and Q3 of 2011, each of them racking up less than 8% interest from developers. The best of the three was Windows Phone with a 7% share, this a 1% boost over Q3 of last year. This analysis notes that "Android's perceived weakness in the enterprise is a key Microsoft opportunity" while developers far and away believe iOS will win over all for enterprise in 2012.

This analysis also included questions on consumer app development as well as business app development with iOS once again winning out in both categories. For business apps it's Apple's 53.3% of the market for developer interest with Android grabbing 35.5%. For consumer apps, its 53.6% for Apple's mobile OS and 37.9% for Google's mobile OS.

In a longer list of developers "very interested" in developing for a variety of platforms, you'll find that back in January of 2010, the iPhone was up on top with Android smartphones in second, the iPad bringing up the third place of the three. Down near the bottom of the chart the group also recorded BlackBerry Phones and Windows Phone 7.5, both of them grabbing less than 25% interest. Once June of 2010 rolled around and the Android tablet was formally introduced, it was both Apple's iPad and the iPhone that were up on top with more than 80%, Android phones right behind the iPad with just above 80% as well, Android tablets coming in at just over 60%.

These numbers remain extremely similar through July of 2012, with Android phones having made a leap along with Android tablets early in the year and the iPad and the iPhone slowly converging in on just below 90% interest from developers.

[via Appcelerator]