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Gone are the days when the smartest thing about our phones was their ability to take pictures.
Today’s tech offerings include a range of highly evolved features from folding and touch screens to facial recognition and GPS tracking resulting in a fully personalised minicomputer that sits comfortably in the palm of your hand.
The 21st century population has welcomed this revolution with outstretched hands, as carrying a smartphone in your pocket has made life easier than ever.
The invention of mobile apps in 2007 (launched alongside the iPhone) escalated and broadened the scope of the mobile tech market in a way that was unprecedented.
In the following 16years mobile apps have grown in their own right into a USD155 billion-dollar industry (2019) and with the ever-rapid improvements made in this space, the technology has also diversified resulting in three different types of apps on offer; the web, hybrid and native apps.
Below we’ll break these down in further detail and why one may be more suited to your business over another.
With the app industry changing constantly, it is crucial for the business sectors to keep an eye on the changing technologies to be constantly offering a premium customer experience.
Let's dig in and understand more about Web, Hybrid and Native Applications.
Firstly, What Is An App?
An app or an application is software that can be run on your computer and easily downloaded onto your smartphone or a tablet. It is generally customisable with pre-programmed two-way communication.
Business compatible apps such as accounting, booking or design apps can help to run the business more efficiently while reducing costs. They can also increase the productivity of the organisation as well as extend the reach of your business.
Native Apps:
These apps are penned down in a particular programming language for only a specific operating system. Most smartphones either have iOS or Android Operating system.
Native apps are built to run on one specific operating system so to release an app to both Andriod and IOS stores; you will need to build two apps.
These apps also cannot be used for other operating systems. Being native to the software these apps run faster and are built to get the most out of your smartphone features such as Sensors, Camera and contacts.
You can easily spot native apps on Google Play store and on the Microsoft Store as well.
Benefits Of Native Applications:
They have an innovative and interactive user experience (UI/UX).
Faster configuration & fewer compatibility issues.
Better usage of specific functions in the OS.
Faster Performance.
Disadvantages of Native Apps:
1. Needs a particular codebase for adding up new features.
Utilizes programming languages such as java and swift that are super tough to learn.
Building these applications can be super tough.
These apps have longer release cycles which can be irritating.
Examples Of Native Applications:
Angry Birds Game.
Notes.
Mobile Calculator.
Technology Used
● Kotlin ● Python ● Swift ● C++ ● React ● Objective-C
Web Apps
Web apps are the type of apps that can be easily accessed via an internet browser.
Your phone doesn't require any installation procedure or storage space for using this application. Users can be easily confused between web apps and native apps as they have almost similar features.
One major and the most important difference between these two is that native apps can be used in both online as well as offline modes which is not the case with web apps where you will need to have a proper internet connection for web apps.
Benefits Of Web Apps
Lower business cost.
No installation required.
This app is always updated due to the internet.
Provides great reachability as it can be accessed from anywhere.
Disadvantages of Web Apps:
You cannot use them when you're offline.
There are a lot of security risks.
Takes a lot of time for the development of this application.
Limited functions as compared to other apps.
Examples Of Web Apps:
Child Fund International.
Financial Times.
Technology Used:
● Ruby ● CSS ● HTML5 ● JavaScript
Hybrid Apps
This is a combination of both native and web apps. This uses programming languages such as JavaScript, HTML, CSS and works efficiently across different devices on different operating systems.
These apps are curated on a single platform and are then distributed across different app stores such as Apple Store and Google Play store.
They can be most conveniently used when you are required to curate apps with not that high of a performance.
Benefits Of Hybrid Apps:
Easily buildable.
You can easily access it offline.
Easy to understand new features.
Disadvantages of Hybrid Apps:
More expensive than web applications.
Less interactive.
It is a very complex application with functions that slows down the application.
Examples of Hybrid Apps:
● Twitter. ● Facebook. ● LinkedIn. ● Yelp.
Technology Used:
● Ionic
● Objective C ● HTML5 ● Swift
How To Select The App For You
If you're someone who's curating an app, then you'll be required to make a verdict on which type of app you'll be going to create.
There are a range of factors to consider before making your decision. Some of them are:
1. If You Require the Application ASAP:
If you don't have much time then your most practical option is a web application.
It won't only speed up the overall development time but would also mean that your users would have immediate access to it via the internet.
2. If You Possess Limited Resources:
If you don't have much money and time, you should consider a hybrid app or a web application.
This gives you a great opportunity to test your app in the market and get an overview about its functionality. Hence, you can then decide to build a premium version of it.
3. The Application must Be Stable & Fast:
If performance is a primary consideration then you are best to invest in a native application.
This would give you everything, right from speed and stability to all the advanced customisation features that can boost your apps success.
Conclusion:
At the end of the day, the ‘right app’ is a relative term.
It takes consistency, commitment and passion to make an app and ultimately a business successful.
Finding the right development team is also crucial to the outcome for your App. The right team will help you to assess your needs and decide on the right app for you.
Using the app to track the metrics for the growth of your brand will give you an insight into both the projected revenue for the business and the app.
You know what's right and wrong for your company and as long as you make your decision based on you and your customers' needs and preferences you won't go astray.
Do you have an idea for an app? Have a go at our App Cost Calculator to start the journey. GET IN TOUCH WITH OUR LOCAL APP DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT AND APP MARKETING TEAM TO FIND OUT HOW WE CAN HELP YOUR BUSINESS WITH A NEW APP or GIVE OUR LOCAL TEAM A CALL 1300 ANY APP