When most developers are asked which the most lucrative mobile application software is, they’ll be quick to say iOS and probably throw in a quote about Steve Jobs. Sure enough, iOS is, in fact, one of the quickest growing software out there today. Despite the relatively higher price tag on its products, it has won the hearts of consumers everywhere. This has attracted many iOS developers.
Needless to say, if you want to get into the programming arena, iOS development is the way to go. For that, you need to know a few things. In this article, we shall go over all things you need to know about iOS mobile development and the resources you’ll need to get started.
Is Being an iOS Developer Right for You?
Much as Android still holds a significant amount of the global market share, Apple is rapidly gaining track, with now over 1 billion of their phones in use. All of them run on iOS. This means that there is a rising demand for iOS developers to create apps for the devices. As it stands, Apple store has a total of 1.96 million apps, which are predicted to generate up to $935 billion by 2023.
So back to the question, is being an iOS developer right for you? Well, if job opportunities are what you seek, then it’s a no-brainer. It is. The only condition, perhaps, is that you have to be conversant with the technology used in building these apps.
Technologies Used in iOS Development
As you may already know, before you can be qualified to get a job as an iOS developer, there are a couple of technologies to familiarize yourself with. First, is the programming languages used in creating iOS applications.
Currently, there are two main languages used by iOS developers: Swift and Objective-C.
Swift Programming Language
Released by apple back in 2014, Swift is a more general-purpose compiled coding language for iOS. It offers better security, performance and is safer than Objective-C. Using Swift, you can build apps running on iOS devices starting from iOS 7 onwards or OS X devices starting from OS X 10.9. This means you can use swift for developing everything from iOS, watchOS, macOS, Linux to tvOS.
Also, in the fall of 2019, Apple introduced a new framework for Swift, the SwiftUI. Since SwiftUI is built in Swift, it makes code easier to understand and write using swift. Using it, developers can build apps easily, using less code.
Objective-C Programming Language
Objective-C language is yet another fundamental language that iOS app developers use. While Swift now slowly taking over, Apple hasn’t yet updated its frameworks for writing in Swift, which means it is still imperative to familiarize yourself with Objective C. In fact, they are actually still making an update on Objective-C, so you can expect its life to extend.
Other than that, some freelance sites like Upwork recommend that you also learn frameworks like Apple’s Xcode IDE and APIs, Git source, Ios, CoreData, App Store.
Job Opportunities and Outlook
As it stands, there is a very real need for developers. Even though a majority of developers tend to hold a degree in computer science, a degree is not really necessary to move forward in the development realm. According to statistics, up to 87% of developers teach themselves new languages and frameworks without taking formal courses.
That is to say, with a portfolio of work to showcase your skill, you can easily get hired. An impressive portfolio in the tech field becomes more valuable than years of school or even experience working for a firm.
Salary Data for an iOS Developer
Depending on the website you check, annual salaries for iOS developers will vary. Generally, it ranges between about $66,000 and $165,000 per year (depending on your level of experience, of course). These salaries also vary with locations, whereby they tend to be higher in large tech hubs like New York City and San Francisco.
Learn More About Becoming an iOS Developer
Being an iOS mobile app developer is a rewarding venture. However, it is a continuous process. The more you program, the more you discover other languages and increase the quality of your apps. You have to be flexible and ready to adapt to newer iOS technologies.
iOS app developers build, test, and update cutting-edge, user-focused applications for iOS-powered devices. Learn Apple XCode IDE in the Mobile Application Development training program curriculum developed by WOZ.
