The mobile application development industry has been growing exponentially. As of March 2017, there are 5 million apps available on Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store combined. This number is further growing since the number of Smartphone users has also been increasing. In 2020, the number of users is predicted to be 2.87 billion. In addition, the revenue generated by mobile applications is expected to increase to a massive 189 billion US dollars, according to a report by Statista.
- Native applications
- Mobile web applications
- Hybrid platform
Hybrid mobile applications use a combination of technologies like HTML, CSS and JavaScript, focussing on a web - view inside the native container. Hybrid apps can access the capabilities of the device such as camera, contacts, location, etc. Some popular examples of mobile applications that use hybrid framework are Instagram, Yelp, Basecamp, etc. The hybrid platform reduces the need to recreate the mobile app for various mobile operating systems such as iOS, Android, Windows, etc. Hence, it is commonly preferred for multiple and cross-platform requirements.
- Maintenance of Hybrid applications is much simpler than native applications.
- The development cost for hybrid applications is comparatively cheaper. Also, the time taken to develop and market the app is much faster
- Existing statistics and analytics can be easily collected. Moreover, no sensitive data is stored on the device, thus increasing security against hackers and potential malware.
- Another major positive effect of using Hybrid mobile apps is that new features and enhancements can be easily introduced.
- Cross-platform Hybrid apps are slow -This is because of using outdated version of software
- It reduces development time by 50% - The hybrid apps can be developed to suit various platforms, but not all. The app will need to be further optimized for various screen sizes.
- It cannot compete with native apps - With the advancement in current development tools, it can be well developed to work as effectively.
In conclusion, the success of your application is based on choosing the correct platform. While choosing to develop an app, it is very important to keep the end goal of the app in mind. You should also pre-determine the requirement of future extensions and additional features. For a secure and cost - effective solution to develop your mobile application, Hybrid platforms can be a great choice!
