Choosing a Mobile Development Platform for your App

In this article we are going to look at the available technologies and their characteristics in terms of usefulness for addressing specific business problems. We strive to help you choose the best development platform for your mobile app, be it Android App Development, iOS Development or a hybrid app.

Planning

App development consists of several stages. The first stage is working out the goals and specifications. These goals are specific to an app and should be aligned to the business plan. Examples of these goals include marketing, engineering and a combination of both. As the tasks become more evident, our development team can look into the best way to implement this, taking into account the pros and cons of all the options.

Native applications

Native mobile application development is done for appropriate mobile platforms. They work quickly, holistically and utilize the platforms’ full functionality, including Bluetooth, NFC, and any other features that are present, such as temperature, pressure and humidity sensors. However, since both iOS (iPhone, iPad, iPod) and Android occupy a very top share of the mobile native applications market, it is often important to develop the app version for both platforms which increases the time and price of development. However, native applications are characterized by high functionality, reliability and performance.

Pros of native applications

• Access to the full range and flexibility of native SDKs.
• Native application’s logic is natural for the platform it is designated for.
• Easiest and most seamless integration of the advanced features appearing upon the platform’s growth.
• Designs made to follow the specific logic of the operation system

Cons of native applications

• Higher development cost.
• Different designs can slow down development.
• More frequent updates are needed

Hybrid Applications

Hybrid development is programming using HTML5 and Javascript to create an app that is used across several different platforms. Essentially this option is a cheaper, faster solution than creating two native applications.

Pros of hybrid applications

• Can be used on several different platforms with one implementation, saves on time and cost
• Updates are easier as only one code base to be updated

Cons of hybrid applications

• UX isn’t specific for a device
• Lack’s functionality of native applications
• Slower performance

Android vs iOS for developers

Android is a much more liberal environment for developers. Android development environments exist for all major operating systems. Access to the Google Plat Market is granted by a one-time payment of £25 and apps have far fewer rules.

In contrast iOS development is limited to Mac OS, which requires the purchase of an expensive workstation/laptop or the usage of a virtual machine which can be extremely slow. Developer account licensing under Mac OS/iOS costs about £100 per person yearly and the approval process is extensive for all uploaded apps.

In terms of the languages, all of them have strengths, weaknesses and it’s usually down to the personal preference of a developer.

Android vs iOS for Businesses

The Apple ecosystem, has a more affluent audience, is more stable, has a consistent backward compatibility and a higher average application ROI compared to the Android ecosystem. Furthermore, the distinctive features of the Java language are the cause of the notably lower performance and rougher operation of the applications written with its use. However world-wide, there are many times more Android than iOS users, Android has several features unavailable on iPhones and is more relaxed with what you are allowed to do with your apps.

Conclusion

As you can see, each mobile application development method has its advantages and disadvantages. As we explained at the start of the article, the main choosing factors always should be the specific business tasks, which the application is intended to solve. Contact us today and we can work out which would be best for you.