Purpose
Apple® (iOS) and Android® (aOS) based smartphones are in use by 1.3 billion individuals at the start of 2014 and by 87% of physicians as part of their professional activity. In one quarter annum, 52.1% of US smartphone subscribers used aOS vs. 43.5% iOS. The number of total smartphone applications (apps) available on aOS and iOS are similar. Apps provide unique opportunities to optimize and predict outcomes of ophthalmology patients. Using a prototype application we built, the Ocular Trauma Score App (OTSA), we evaluate the ease of development, cost and time to distribution on both platforms. The Ocular Trauma Score (OTS) allows physicians to predict visual acuity outcomes based on initial exam parameters after eye trauma. Our OTSA provides a user-friendly interface to input data points based on exam findings in eye trauma patients in a template manner to calculate their OTS. Our null hypothesis is that there would not be identical development time between aOS and iOS for identical tasks.
Methods
We measured the total time and cost for development and distribution of OTSA on iOS and aOS. We utilized an Agile Development Process for code development of identical deliverables on aOS and iOS. We masked hours utilized to the developers.
Results
Although we found similar OTSA production time and effort on both iOS and aOS, distribution time and cost were different. For each sprint with an Agile Development Process, a time of 3-4 days was sufficient to complete code development for each platform. However, distribution cost required a yearly $99 USD developer fee for iOS, and only an initial $25 USD fee for aOS. OTSA also required a submission and approval process of 7-14 days for publication and updates on the iOS app store, but not for aOS. Functionality and usability were comparable between iOS and aOS.
Conclusions
Using OTSA as an example, we demonstrate that app development requires customization for each platform, and less expense and distribution time for aOS. Given current trends suggesting similar market share between iOS and aOS in the US, development for both platforms is necessary for widespread distribution. The evolution of ophthalmic smartphone and tablet based apps must keep pace with the increasing use of these devices by ophthalmologists in patient evaluation and management.
Keywords: 460 clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: health care delivery/economics/manpower •
465 clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: systems/equipment/techniques •
742 trauma