If a sweep of iOS developers during WWDC 2011 is anything to go by, that's a trend that will soon be just as prevalent on mobile.
According to Piper Jaffray's WWDC Developer Survey Summary, which wrapped up 47 iOS developers present at the event, 47 percent of studios working on Apple's platform also develop for Android.
Naturally, that means that a fair number 36 percent in all still operate solely on iOS, but it's a rate that represents a major jump from similar studies carried out in previous years.
Playing with platforms
Back in July 2010, AppStoreHQ concluded that 3 percent of iOS developers had released a title on Android.
Placed side by side, that means there's been a more than fifteen-fold increase in the number of iOS studios also operating on Google's platform.
Android is some way ahead of its rivals in this particular battle, too. Piper Jaffray's numbers state 36 percent of iOS developers also work on BlackBerry, ahead of Windows Phone 7 on 13 percent, webOS on 7 percent, and Symbian on 4 percent.
It's a rundown that suggests only Android is in a position to supersede iOS at the top of the development tree, though Google still has some work to do.
Swings and roundabouts
Of the 22 studios working on both iOS and Android, every single one said they prefer Apple's OS when it comes to both ease of development and monetisation.
"We believe our survey shows that Apple's strong developer base is one of its greatest assets in mobile and differentiates iOS from the early days of the Mac, suggesting iOS is better positioned than Mac OS to maintain and grow market share," said Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster.
Apple also came out on top in terms of potential for future growth though Android ran its rival close on that score while developers branded Apple's strict limitations as the single biggest problem with iOS.
[source: Apple Insider]
