App Development Platforms: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

In 2022 mobile applications are on the rise, and many business owners are slowly discovering the benefits of having a mobile app. Still, the mobile app development process can be pretty complex and even more complicated for those with no prior app development knowledge.

So, in order to fully leverage the power of mobile apps for business, business owners should first learn more about the app development platforms that will help them build an app bespoke to their business profile and goals.  Mobile app development platforms will allow you to build your application fast, explore all the benefits of having one, and finally make you understand why investing in an app is a smart business move in 2022. 

But first-What is an app development platform? What are the benefits of app development platforms? Read more and find out all the answers.

What Is An App Development Platform?

When it comes to building a mobile app, there’s no getting around MADPs- mobile application development platforms. These platforms are actually software that allows businesses to build, test, and sometimes even deploy mobile apps. It is a collection of app development tools, services, and technologies that enables business owners to design, develop, test, deploy, and maintain their mobile apps across different platforms, networks, and devices. That’s why MADPs are also referred to as cross-platform mobile app development.

Mobile application development is complex because an app has to be compatible with all devices and mobile platforms to gain success. So, designing one app sometimes includes creating many codebases to ensure that compatibility. However, developers have to maintain only one codebase with a mobile application development platform, making MADPs a great high-tech-low-cost solution for many businesses. 

The Benefits Of Using A Mobile App Platform

According to the newest research, as much as 42% of developers worldwide are using some type of cross-platform or framework to develop applications. The reason is apparent- it makes their job so much easier by having to write just one code instead of a code for each device, platform, or network. 

However, business owners should know that app development platforms have other benefits that directly impact their brand's relationship with its user.

Here are the main benefits of app development platforms for businesses:

1. Helps Your Brand Stay Consistent

Keeping your business application consistent across all platforms will make your consumers' life more manageable. Instead of being greeted with a new user interface every time they switch devices, they'll be welcomed to an environment they're already familiar with. Mobile app development platforms can help you stay consistent with the UI and UX of your business application.

2. You can Market Faster

Since there's no need for developers to create a different application for each platform, they can quickly build and publish your business app and market them on app stores simultaneously. In terms of business, this means you can reach all your potential customers and consumers at once, be they Android, iOS, or Windows users.

3. Easy Implementation

One of the features most application development platforms have is the ability to convert any type of code into a different one. That means that a developer can write the code in HTML and later convert it to other platforms. In terms of business, this lowers the cost of building a mobile application. Instead of hiring a full-stack developer, you only need a developer proficient in one programming language.

4. MADP Makes Maintenance Easier

The mobile industry is forever evolving and constantly updating, so bugs are inevitable in making the mobile application run perfectly. However, multiple codes mean bugs and fixes become a hassle, and managing a business application for all devices and platforms becomes very difficult.

Mobile application development platforms allow you to fix bugs on just one codebase and make instant improvements for all devices. You also won't have to run as many tests, and the deployment will be quick and easy, making the support part streamlined and hassle-free.

What Is The Best Mobile App Development Platform?

The three types of mobile app development platforms- Native, Hybrid, and Mobile Web- can all be used to build a successful business mobile app that will attract consumers and increase revenue. However, knowing which one to use is a different matter entirely. Depending on the type of business, products, target audience, and budget, business owners should carefully select the platform with the most potential to ensure success.

Native Mobile Apps

Native mobile apps are built for a specific mobile platform, like Android and iOS. The developers building native mobile applications usually use Objective-C or Swift for iOS and Java for Android to build the app's code.

When To Use It: 

• If you are making an operating system-specific business app, building native apps will utilize the device's hardware like GPS, Bluetooth, or Camera better. 
• Gaming apps are also better when made native because those apps will have the best performance, thus providing the best user experience.

When Not To Use It:

• If you're developing a cross-platform app, bear in mind that you'll have trouble finding one developer who knows many different programming languages. Even if you do, expect their rates to be higher than most and considerably affect your budget.
• Furthermore, native apps require APIs to control the content, so you'll need to have a technician on board skilled at developing APIs. Be warned that developing API is troublesome and costly.
• You'll probably want to stay away from building native mobile apps if you're on a tight budget but want to build a cross-platform mobile app. Native mobile development and maintenance are both very costly.
• If you are developing a blog mobile app or news site, you won't get much out of a native mobile app. The native mobile app leverages the device's capabilities like camera features or gesture to increase user experience. If the only thing your mobile app is offering is information and content, there's no need for you to create a native app.

Hybrid Mobile Apps

One part native, one part web- hybrid apps are web content in the form of a local repository. The code is usually written in web languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

When To Use It:

• If you are creating a cross-platform business mobile app, hybrid apps may be your best choice. This is because they can be ported to multiple platforms and save considerable time and money while doing so.
• When your mobile app development budget is on the low side, it's good to build a hybrid app because it doesn't require resources with specific programming requirements. By using third-party libraries, the native code can be wrapped over the existing layer making development affordable while still getting the benefits of reaching more users.
• If your app requires it, the hybrid will give you many opportunities for monetization for in-app purchases and advertising.
• Hybrid mobile apps are easy to build now there are so many great tools with cloud IDE, CLI, debugger, and remote online building tool all in one.

When Not To Use It:

• If your business app requires you to alter the platform's hardware features, hybrid may not be the best solution for you. Changing the code may result in getting rid of some features to make your app work, and you'll never be sure if those changes will only cause more bugs or not.
• Do you want a fast mobile app? Well, then, you should reconsider making a hybrid mobile app. Unfortunately, hybrid mobile app rendering may include some additional time lag so the data is not processed as fast as it is in native data, which gives hybrid apps only moderate performance.

Mobile Web Apps

Mobile web apps are not really applications but more like a website with functions similar to a native app. They run through the web browser, but they are designed for a mobile app by single-time coding.

When To Use It:

• Only one code is needed to make a Mobile Web Application before you deploy it to multiple platforms at the same time. They are an excellent choice for multi-platform usage.
• Also, if your mobile application offers more content than functions, like, for example, a news app, a mobile web app would be the best pick for you.
• And because your web apps are not bound by app stores, there are no rules when it comes to mobile web app development. This gives your app the benefit of introducing web app updates quickly, with your users seeing them within the app instantly. 

When Not to Use Them

• Suppose you are developing a business app that requires high-quality graphics or low latency for something like online gaming, online trading, and VOIP services. In that case, you're not going to get the level of performance you need with a mobile web app. That's because the mobile web depends on the internet speed.
• The drawback of mobile web apps is that they should be developed across different devices and fit the content to any resolution. In addition, the added coding increases the overall mobile app dev expenses.
• Finally, mobile web apps can offer only a subscription-based monetization model and have little to no monetary benefits.

As you can see there’s no one perfect application development platform and by using the correct one you’ll be able to build an app that not only caters to the users, but also fits your business goal, model, and budgeting. So, before you dive deeper into mobile app platforms, make sure to determine the target audience of the app and what you want to achieve with your business mobile app. Furthermore, make sure you check out all the top trends in app development like 5G and VR because they may impact which type of mobile app you need to build. 

What Are The Drawbacks Of Using An App Development Platform?

As the title says, while there’s ‘’the Good’’, there’s also ‘’The Bad’’ and ‘’The Ugly’’ of the mobile app development platforms. The drawbacks are something business owners must learn about in order to avoid spending more money than necessary, but also ensure a hassle-free mobile applications dev process. 

There are several drawbacks to using MADPs and creating a cross-platform app:

• Low Functionality and Performance

Since cross-platforms are not built for just one specific platform, you may not be able to leverage the functionalities of all smartphones to their fullest potential. For example, developers could be having a hard time trying to make use of the different devices' cameras and microphones. 

Also, native apps use at least half less CPU power than any corresponding cross-platform app. The same goes for memory usage- native apps are far less demanding on the hardware. And on top of it all, these types of applications require an additional layer of rendering which often impacts the speed and overall performance of the app.

Moreover, when you build an app with a cross-platform framework, the more complex apps are at a higher risk of issues running on one of the platforms. Cross-platform frameworks also have delayed access to the latest Android and iOS updates. In order to bypass the bugs and errors, you need to have high-quality code at the base of the development and proper testing.

• Limited Customization Options

Cross-platforms aren't as flexible in UX components as native mobile apps. In other words, cross-platform apps are limited in terms of layout, and this can badly impact the user experience.

• Inefficient code

The main advantage of MADPs can also become its major flaw- almost every developer can use them to create a mobile application for a business. However, this risks developing inefficient code, which, when translated for other platforms, just doesn't perform well.

For business owners having a mobile business app that doesn't work could mean losing money instead of earning. In addition, having an in-house app development team can cost thousands, and freelancing developers are sometimes hard to reach and manage.

Knowing how to hire the right app development company you can trust can be your saving grace. App development companies can offer much more than having a developer build your app through MADP. With such a company, your mobile app idea can be developed to the fullest because most of these companies offer more than just their developers. Besides building an efficient code, they also provide market analysis, marketing strategies, and target audience research. They can help you determine your mobile app's goals and milestones while coming up with a user-friendly interface, impeccable design, and ensuring your application includes all necessary features. 

Why You Should Hire Quantox to Make Your App Idea A Reality?

To its clients, Quantox provides more than just mobile business applications. We give our clients a choice to take advantage of all the benefits of having an app that will improve their brand's performance. By taking on a cumbersome development process, writing immaculate code, and creating efficient mobile applications, our clients are free to focus on product innovations. In addition, our expert developers always focus on end-user experience and conversion, which allows us to take your idea to a whole new level. Let's Talk about your new business application!

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