Is the Android Tax still a thing in 2026 or am I missing something?

So my story starts with trying to improve my Spanish with an app I invested in recently. I got Premium, and then was shocked to find out that the iOS version is packed with features that are simply missing on Android. e.g. missing 2 of their most advanced AI tuttors on Android because they are first released on iOS and only later will be on android. It feels completely unfair to pay the same premium price for what is essentially an inferior product. On top of the missing features, the Android version feels less stable. I actually found a bug in one of the tutors that makes the lessons difficult to complete. Apparently, this specific issue does not even exist on the iOS version. This isn't just a Praktika thing, either. Even Google’s own Gmail app still struggles with basic things on Android, while it works perfectly on iOS. Then you have Instagram, where the camera optimization and new "Edits" features always feel like they were built for iPhone first and ported to us as an afterthought.

Why is this still happening in 2026? Android has massive global market share and the hardware in our pockets is incredible now. Why do developers continue to neglect the Android versions of their apps years after the platform has matured? Is it a technical hurdle, or are we just an afterthought for these dev teams?

TL;DR: I paid for Praktika app premium but the Android version is missing features that iOS has. Why are developers still neglecting Android in 2026?

P.S. Mods if any of the posting rules are in breach please let me know, I have been part of this community for years and I plan on staying for many more.

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