Android Dramatically Extends Lead With Open Source Developers

For years, Android has trailed iOS in terms of developers. In 2012, that changed dramatically, with the open-source operating system taking a significant lead over iOS in terms of related mobile open-source projects. What does this mean for the mobile wars?

Despite Google Android's long market-share rise against Apple iOS, developers continued to stick with iOS as their first deployment target. While Android offered superior volume, that volume was fragmented between different versions of the OS and disparate hardware. Meanwhile, Apple offered better development tools plus clearer, more profitable revenue options. Even open-source developers tended to congregate on highly proprietary iOS.

Something changed in 2012, however, and Android-related open-source development exploded.