New research is showing that even though there are more Android activations (550,000 vs. 450,000 for iOS), the legendary iPhone still kicks Android’s but when it comes to apps revenue. This is mainly because developers still prefer iOS over Android any day when it comes to new app development and implementation.

There are a variety of reasons for such a behavior. The iPhone comes in only 1 screen size (3.5 inches) so it’s much more easier to build out pixel perfect graphics that don’t need to be scaled up or down (like for Android). And since the iPhone is revamped only once a year, it’s easier to build apps that are optimized to run for one particular hardware/software configuration. The talent pool of engineers who have expertise in iOS development far outnumbers the engineers who are specialized in Android development. So the entry barriers are lower too. And lastly, the largest pool of casual gamers are women in their mid-30’s (yup), and this particular demographic absolutely adores the iPhone. Android needs to work much harder to get some love from this demographic.

Developer support for Android has waned as well, dropping from 33 percent of all new projects to roughly 25 percent of new projects.

One key difference is also believed to be the fact that every iPhone requires that users enter their credit card information for iTunes, creating a more friction-free way to pay. By contrast, Android phones have no such requirement, though they are looking to encourage such information with Google Checkout.

In the end, it looks like Android’s dominance might still hit the ground further once Microsoft launches its newest phones in an exclusive partnership with the worlds largest phone manufacturer Nokia. Things are just about to get more interesting in the smartphone world.

Aabid is a frequent contributor to PocketFullOfApps. He works for Mindspark Interactive as a Games Producer. You can follow him on Twitter @aabidsiddique for the latest news and updates.