Here’s what to know about an iOS developer’s needed skills, salary and how to become one. Following a set of instructions is a good way to see the steps involved in putting together an app, but to truly experience every stage of development, you’ll need to build your own original idea from the ground up. This will give you a chance to oversee not just the app’s assembly, but also the initial conceptualization process, market research, and compliance.

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If you’ve ever used an app on an Apple device, you have an iOS app developer to thank. These specialized software engineers design and develop mobile apps for devices that run on Apple’s iPhone Operating System (iOS). Let’s take a closer look at the career path, opportunities, and responsibilities of an iOS App Developer, along with some of the skills you’ll need to get started. Regardless of the specific workplace setting, iOS developers spend a significant amount of time writing code, debugging applications, and testing new features on iOS devices.

You must get inside the mind of the end-user of the app to understand how they will interact with it. If you’re interested in a career in mobile development but aren’t sure which operating system is right here for you, here are some of the main differences between being an iOS Developer and an Android Developer. IOS Developers create apps for use with a wide variety of Apple devices, including the iPhone, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and iPad. That’s tough because it can be challenging to hire them, especially given today’s competitive labor market. Ultimately, an iOS developer’s goal is to build a fully functional, reliable, and visually appealing native app that meets user needs. Objective-C is an object-oriented language built with the C programming language.

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Xcode is the official IDE for iOS development, providing a graphical interface for creating and debugging apps, as well as a code editor and simulator. Swift is the primary language for iOS development, an object-oriented language that supports multiple paradigms. The iOS SDK is a collection of frameworks and libraries that provide core functionality for apps. CocoaPods is a dependency manager for Swift and Objective-C projects, allowing developers to install and update third-party libraries. And SwiftUI is a framework that allows developers to create user interfaces using a declarative syntax and live preview feature.

• The full compensation package for an iOS developer depends on a variety of factors, including but not limited to the candidate’s experience and geographic location.
• Additionally, iOS apps are distributed through the feature-rich App Store and tied to Apple’s code signing and encryption protocols.
• Developers must use Swift or Objective-C within Apple’s SDK, test on iOS simulators or real devices, and follow the feature-rich App Store submission guidelines for iOS mobile app distribution.
• This course is designed like an in-person coding bootcamp to give you the most amount of content and help with the least amount of cost.

Android features give users more flexibility to customize widgets on their home screens, and developers more openness to design how the app looks and feels. IOS features focus on giving users a consistent and easy-to-navigate interface through its strict design guidelines, which developers cannot oversee. This is one of the limitations of iPhone vs Android, for users who want greater customization and flexibility. As such, knowing who your user is and what preferences they have is crucial for selecting the right OS.

iOS Development vs. Android Development

An iOS developer will tend to have a bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering or similar technical field. An iOS developer tends to be part of a product or engineering team within a company, and may report to a senior iOS developer or senior software developer. The special WWDC 2025 event includes the opening keynote, in which the company will announce iOS 19 and its other new software, and the Platforms State of the Union. You’ll only need to enroll if you’d like to distribute apps, access beta software, and integrate with capabilities such as Siri, Apple Pay, and iCloud. Believe it or not, Android dominates with a 71.24% global market share, making it ideal if you’re targeting a wider, more diverse audience, particularly in emerging markets.

• An iOS developer tends to be part of a product or engineering team within a company, and may report to a senior iOS developer or senior software developer.
• Ask questions and discuss development topics with Apple engineers and other developers.
• You will start by learning the basics of iOS app development using the Swift programming language and Xcode, Apple’s development environment.
• A Developer may ship an app, but it’s never really done; even a perfect app (if there is such a thing!) requires periodic updates to keep up with changes to iOS itself.

To have your organization’s name appear as the seller, your organization must be recognized as a legal entity and you must be enrolled as an organization. If you are a sole proprietor/single-person business, you must join as an individual and your legal name will appear as the seller. If you have enrolled as an individual and need to convert your individual account to an organization account, please contact us. The Apple Developer Enterprise Program requires separate identity verification.

How do iOS Developers collaborate with other teams within a company?

That being said, the development of an iOS product typically involves the following stages. Operating system adoption is much higher on Apple devices than Android, so you can focus your time on creating and perfecting iOS apps rather than making tedious compatibility tweaks to your app. Chances are, if you’re considering a career in iOS development, you’re already a committed Apple user. Also, the iOS ecosystem is known for being limiting, but the strict rules and regulations governing which apps make it to the App Store actually constitute great guidelines as you develop, especially for beginners.

Revitalize your career plans with Udacity’s online development and engineering certifications. If you’re enrolling using the Apple Developer app, membership is provided on an annual basis as an auto-renewable subscription that renews until cancelled. Many of Apple’s x.5 updates are released around the middle of the month, so the week of May 12 is a solid guess, though the week of May 19 is also a possibility. Ready to take the first step towards turning your software dreams into reality? Our team of experts is eager to hear your ideas and provide tailored solutions to meet your unique needs.

Major reasons for Android’s what is an ios developer global dominance include its affordability for developing countries like India and extensive device ecosystem, giving users of all income groups access to smartphones within their means. IOS, on the other hand, is limited to the Apple ecosystem only and is accessible to users who can afford expensive Apple devices. The iOS platform is Apple’s unified software framework designed to power and support mobile devices, native applications, and services.

Senior-Level

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the demand for iOS developers is expected to rise 17 percent from 2023 to 2033. This statistic translates into about 451,200 new job opportunities in the US alone 6. For freelance iOS developers or those working remotely, the workplace may be more flexible and diverse. Many iOS developers choose to work from home or coworking spaces, taking advantage of flexible schedules and the ability to create their ideal work environment. After your purchase has been processed, you’ll receive a confirmation email.

Productivity applications

Introduced in 2007 with the first iPhone, iOS is the foundation of Apple’s mobile platform, delivering performance, privacy, and user experience through a tightly integrated hardware-software architecture. They should also possess knowledge of UI and UX design principles and be able to build app interfaces that are user-friendly. They may have experience leading a team of developers and collaborating with cross-functional teams to define, design, and ship new features. They also need to have a deep understanding of Apple’s hardware capabilities, to ensure that the applications they develop are optimized for Apple devices.

To check the status of your enrollment, sign in to your account on the developer website with the Apple Account you used to enroll. If you haven’t received a membership confirmation within 24 hours of your purchase, contact us. We work closely with you to understand your goals, target audience, and budget, recommending the best approach to achieve your objectives. We can also provide a comprehensive app assessment to help you determine the best path forward. According to CIO’s 2018 State of the CIO survey, 59 percent of CIOs reported problems with skills shortage, with 15 percent specifically reporting a shortage related to mobile development talent.

If you’re a fan of the simple, sleek, and user-friendly approach Apple takes to designing its products, you’ll appreciate its easy-to-use iOS development tools. But app development is important enough that iOS Developers do a lot of cross-disciplinary collaboration with marketing, sales, product, and customer service teams. Many iOS Developers come to the field after pursuing an undergraduate degree in computer science, software engineering, or mathematics, but that’s not true of all iOS Developers. Matt Watson is a serial tech entrepreneur who has started four companies and had a nine-figure exit.