The popularity of Android applications is huge as this OS occupies more than 80% of the whole mobile market. Such a wide-spreading caused a massive demand on those developers, and a lot of beginners saturated this programming market. However, finding and employing the most suitable Android engineer is not the easiest task as it’s hard to define the best fit from the dozens of similar CVs. We in Orange Sputnik use Staff Augmentation approach to help our customer to hire the most appropriate software developer. Every client gets the best possible programmer twice faster compared to seeking himself. At the same time, we take care of all the supporting staff and stuff for sufficient remote work: cosy office facilities, payroll, taxes, and even retention practices. On practice, a startupper receives a dedicated team member, while pays much fewer for the same quality and avoids numerous distracting details related to finding and employing Android developer.
Android mobile app developers:
What these programmers do, Why needed,
and Where to find the best fit?
- What are the responsibilities of Android mobile app programmers?
Those programmers develop applications for the variety of Android-driven devices, including smartphones, tablets, TV boxes, and other gadgets with interactive interface. App creators for Google Play Market not only write appropriate code, but also test, adjust, and update it when new features or technical changes should be implemented for a better work of the Android OS. - Why are Android developers for Google Play Market currently in demand?
As more than 80% of the mobile devices are Android-driven, a lot of software products should be made by those programmers. A huge variety of such devices requires more knowledge in terms of compatibility, as different gadgets can perform diverse functionality, so everything should be planned and coded appropriately. - Can Eastern Europe be the place for finding the best remote Android coders?
Absolutely. Countries in East Europe have pretty vast talent pools, which simplifies the process of hiring the most appropriate Android developer. As salaries rates in those countries are much lower than in the rest of the EU or NA, it can be a good fit for startups and small businesses and save limited budget.
Located in Ukraine
Being located in Ukraine and having 5+ years of experience in staff augmentation, Orange Sputnik creates the most suitable conditions to hire developers for startups and IT businesses from abroad.
One of the most stable trends over the past decades is the desire of the person to be more agile, and quick development of portative devices made this transformation overwhelming. The appearance of smartphones was a turning point as these gadgets made it possible to replace PCs and laptops. Google has already changed their searching preferences to mobile-first indexing, while more than 90% of internet consumers use their mobile phones to be online. In addition to those factors, more than half of digital world retail now is made via smartphones, and this number only increases.
So, people have entered a mobile era, which led to the spreading of mobile operating systems and using gadgets more often. Currently, there are three types of mobile platforms, which have their advantages and drawbacks, but now look like the basis if one decided to cover the whole mobile app market:
- Android (supported by Google)
- iOS (maintained by Apple)
- Windows Mobile (sponsored by Microsoft)
There are three major methods of developing mobile applications:
- Native
- Hybrid
- Cross-Platform
Native mobile development is about creating code for each mobile OS separately, which gives the best functionality possibilities and quality of the app, while increases cost and time on producing an application. On the contrary, Hybrid and Cross-Platform approaches allow writing one code for all operating systems and then adjust it via specific methods. Such a way of creating mobile apps is faster and cheaper but leads to some functionality and compatibility limitations (a more detailed explanation is available in the article about mobile development).
However, a young entrepreneur should know that the best user experience and user interface (UX/UI) can be achieved only by applying Native development type. Also, every startupper has to remember that the whole IT software development is moving to smoother performance and avoiding bottlenecks of digital solutions. That is why a lot of famous startups and platforms switched their developing approach from Hybrid and Cross-Platform to Native. All these confirm that the demand for Native programmers will only increase.
As there are, actually, two programming languages for creating Android mobile apps, a young entrepreneur may ask which one to choose for his or her project. There is no definite answer to this question, but there are some facts and arguments that influence the discussion:
- Java is an older language with a huge community and a bigger number of libraries and ready decisions.
- Java is a reliable way to develop mobile applications for Android as it is compatible with all the platforms and operating systems.
- Kotlin was designed to have direct and backwards compatibility with Java, while also can be fastly connected with JavaScript.
- Kotlin is a shorter and easier language to learn, has fewer pitfalls and lead to a smaller number of errors.
In terms of Android programming, Kotlin is an upgraded version of Java and is simpler, faster, easier, and has full compatibility with older Java-based applications. However, the final answer on the question “which language is better: Java or Kotlin?” is not so definite. It depends more on the starting point of the project. If one has a team of Java developers with suitable experience or many Java-based apps, there is no need to switch the process and people to the new language. Nevertheless, if a startupper makes first steps in mobile business and tries to create a new app from scratch, it is better to find Kotlin developer for such needs.
Like every software developer, an Android programmer should know a lot of aspects except creating a code for mobile applications. We’ve explored dozens of CVs and job postings to create a list of the most in-demand requirements for Android engineers, and it looks like the following:
- Knowledge of pure Android languages (Java, Kotlin)
- Experience in creating APIs (JSON, REST), network calls, and web protocols
- Cloud technologies like AWS (including VPC, S3, RDS, KMS, CloudWatch, IAM, Systems Manager, Route53, Lambda, etc.)
- Understanding of UI and UX principles and their functioning
- Databases (depending on app specifics)
- Ability to deal with older versions of Android apps and those built via Cross-Platform and Hybrid methods
- Basics of functioning QA, project management, business analytics, and visual designing for better cooperation with other members of an application creation process
Google Play Market, there are plenty of universal frameworks that can help in this process. Moreover, those multi-platform approaches are also becoming better. Some tools even don’t require hiring a programmer for creating an Android app. By using Hybrid and Cross-Platform tools, one can deliver mobile applications faster, and it will be cheaper. The most often used frameworks for creating reliable Android mobile applications are listed below (without any rating references):
- React Native
- Xamarin
- Apps Builder
- Apache Cordova
- Appcelerator Titanium
- Dojo Mobile
- Sencha Touch
- jQuery Mobile
- Native Script
- Flutter
- PhoneGap
- Ionic
- Visual Studio
Before finding and hiring a creator of Google Play Market applications, an employer has to be aware of the recent trends. It will not only help to prepare an interview with the potential Android developer but also give a wider understanding of the mobile app potential and can even lead to new ideas in business. For instance, if the IT sector is switching to cloud technologies, a startupper can adjust a business project and include additional storage approaches or exchange methods. If a new language gaining momentum due to several important reasons, maybe it’s time to add a new programmer to the team and avoid gaps shortening in future?
We selected top-5 trends that are tightly related to Android mobile development and can influence your preferences before employing an appropriate programmer:
- AI, Machine Learning, and IoT. Actually, that is a common trend for the whole IT sector. In the case of Android, Artificial Intelligence is supported via Google and seems to be the most perspective OS to implement the most recent analytical knowledge. It can be seen in the IoT implementations like the Raspberry Pi platform, which use advanced technologies both on the hardware and software sides.
- Kotlin attacks. Even though Java is the basics of every Android application, Kotlin’s development tempo is vast. This comparatively new language has plenty of advantages in front of his older competitor and still adding new features like multiplatform tools. How can Java answer, or is it an inevitable extinction?
- Android Jetpack. One of the benefits in Android developing is the regular help from inside and not only community initiatives. Thus, Jetpack Compose is designed to make code smaller and with fewer bugs, while the whole UI process should be more straightforward. Add to this a Navigation component, which has to simplify and standardise the entire structure and navigation graph, and you’ll receive better Android apps just because of auto functions.
- AMP and Instant apps. Accelerated Mobile Pages is the outcome of the current online trends - mobile devices are used more often to go online and accomplish a purchase. Another important technical aspect is using instant apps that do not require installation, which helps to attract users without additional steps. Those improvements are invisibly making Android more comfortable to use.
- It is Google, baby. World’s biggest search engine shows how to deal with big data, extract trends, and apply all these on practice. Google Assistants and Chatbots help to use Android apps more intuitive, while Android Enterprise suggests a set of improvements on the workplaces. It seems that Google finally uses all its knowledge base with enough efficiency as has the most widespread OS, which is still proliferating.
In fact, preparation for interviewing an Android developer began a few subtitles above, right after explaining requirements to such kind programmers. It means that a startupper or a young entrepreneur has to define the following aspects before finding a needed specialist:
- budget and time, as it can switch your choice from Native to Hybrid or Cross-Platform coding methods
- what should be the functions of a future mobile application, as it can influence a level of required Android creator or his set of related technical skills
- acquaint oneself with Android trends, and maybe you will find something interesting that has to be added to the project or implemented on the software level
- make a list of soft skills; although this aspect seems to be a secondary one but influences a working process even more than salary rates in practice
- learn to say ‘no’ and asking awkward questions (if you play HR’s role for the first time)
It is important to mention that a list of technical questions also should be prepared separately. Usually, it can look somewhat similar to the list of requirements to the Android developer discussed above. If one wants to dig deeper into the understanding of language and structure, such a startupper may ask in more details the following:
- data types, basic statements
- classes, collections, maps, and lists
- multithreading, threads
- architecture patterns, activities
- about particular frameworks, databases, libraries, UI/UX, cloud technologies
All in all, the interviewing process can have a clear plan and list of questions, but the conversation with a potential coder for Google Play Market can unexpectedly turn after a specific answer. Thus, active participation of the candidate on GitHub, Stackoverflow, or Meetup can lead to the review of his or her real work, and more specific ones can replace prepared questions. So, one has to be friendly and in a positive mood during the interview, as hiring is always about human relations and emotions.
Even though it is one of the most frequent requests in IT, there is no definite answer. Some rather simple applications can cost a few thousand dollars, while complex ones with multiple functions can cost hundreds of thousand dollars. However, before making some evaluations, a startupper has to understand that there are a lot of factors that influence the price of an Android app.
There are plenty of aspects that influence the price of the Android app, but they can be sorted into three general groups:
- Specifics of the required app (the number of needed functions, backend and frontend features)
- Planned time-to-market parameter (if an app should appear in Google Play Market faster, more developers should be hired, and their level should be higher)
- Size of the team and its professionality (bigger projects require project manager, UI/UX designers, QA, and so on; a better a worker, a higher will be his or her salary)
It is almost impossible to state a precise number for Android app cost, so we will focus on the developing part only.
| Project difficulty | Time (hours) | Cost of the programmer (per hour) | Price for developing part only |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy (calculator) | less than 150 | $10 | $1500 |
| Standard (data-driven) | 250 - 450 | $15-20 | $3,750-9,000 |
| Difficult (social network) | 500 - 800 | $25-30 | $12,500-24,000 |
| Super-complex (e-commerce) | up to 1500 | $35 | $52,500 |
According to data gathered by Orange Sputnik, we’ve divided the difficulty of the needed Android-driven program in accordance with the experience of the programmer. For instance, easy applications for Google Play Market can be made by juniors, while the most complex one we allegedly gave to the most experienced coder with an appropriate price. Time parameter was also suggested with reference to the app complexity. Approximate results for creating a software part of an Android application are presented in the table above.
We understand that cover all the aspects of creating an Android mobile application is impossible in one single article, especially if a startupper also needs to know recent Google Play Market trends or how to hire the best programmer. So, if one still has some question, managers of Orange Sputnik are always ready to help you.
Being a popular direction in software development, mobile programming allows earning more than average numbers. Of course, the situation among iOS, Android, and Windows Mobile can vary in particular countries, but it’s OK as can be related to numerous factors. On average, developers of all primary OSs make similar money, as a simple market rule of supply/demand is working. If Android is needed more, it means that there are more suchlike coders but not that they receive higher wages.
The general situation with creating Android mobile apps is rather similar to iOS, where Western Europe, Northern America, and Australia are the most expensive places for software developing. South America and Eastern Europe are the places with a lower level of life, so if one is looking for a remote Android developer, doing appropriate research in those regions is a must.
If you look in more detail and focus on countries, the situation may seem a bit different. However, one has to understand that minimum and maximum rates mentioned in the chart above show only salary bandwidth, while the graph below demonstrates average numbers. Among the most profitable places to live and create applications for Google Play Market traditionally are the US, UK, Switzerland and Israel. On the contrary, a startupper has a much bigger chance to find a cheaper Android developer in the East European countries like Ukraine.
As Orange Sputnik operates from Ukraine and has more than eight years of experience on this market, we can talk in more details about it. Moreover, we have plenty of statistics to make our own charts with salary rates for Ukrainian Android app developers. We’ve divided data into four experience frames to present in more details the variety of the cheapest variants that any European client can find. Monthly rates distribution is presented in the following chart:
It is essential to mention that Ukrainian software developers are a good fit due to several reasons:
- They are close to the rest of the EU, which eliminates the time gap and makes remote cooperation really comfortable.
- They usually have a high proficiency level and appropriate knowledge of the English language, which increases efficiency.
- They are available via Staff Augmentation cooperation (which allows reducing a hiring time, infrastructure investments, and distracting details like paying taxes and retention practices)
A young entrepreneur also has to understand the difference among freelancers, outsourcing, and staff augmentation. Thus, reliable freelancers are usually busy for months, while cheap and attractive variants are more a lottery. Outsourcing assumes giving a part of the software developing work to the company, but when it comes to fixing mistakes or changing something after some time, it is almost impossible to find the engineer who created a code and can make changes fast. Staff augmentation is like having a remote dedicated member, where you have full control over the programmer and can implement new ideas or change something really fast. At the same time, the price for such a developer is usually twice lower than in Europe.
Orange Sputnik is always open to suggest the best Dedicated Software Developers for your business. The vast talent pool of Remote Developers and our 10+ years experience ensure the best match precisely for your needs.
Today Orange Sputnik operates offices in Sofia and Utrecht.
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