3 types of mobile applications: the advantages and disadvantages you should be aware of
Technology moves forward at a quick pace, and this implies growth for the world of apps, which in turn generates changes within companies and industries. This has led many companies to be alert in staying afloat and reach the shore in the best conditions possible.
Regardless of the nature of their business, many companies include the implementation of applications in their strategic plan, in the understanding that most of the access takes place from mobile devices. However, there are also numerous companies not aware of the types of applications available and ignore their features and are not capable of making decisions when it comes to implementations.
This is why GeneXus decided to list both the advantages and disadvantages of the three types of applications available: Native, WebApps responsive design, or optimized WebApps.
Anibal Gonda, the technology evangelist of GeneXus, started by explaining that: “Native applications run within our device’s operating system, while WebApps run on the browser inside the device. Both options are valid and have advantages as shown below. But there are also cases, to the extent possible, where the best option is having both apps for our business”.
1 – Native Applications are those developed for a given operating system on a mobile device. They are created exclusively for mobile telephones, and necessarily include one for iOS, another one for Android, and a third one for Windows Phone.
“There are cases where an app must necessarily be native, like, for example, when everything depends on device’s functionalities; when the business calls for the app to continue functioning even without Internet connection, known also as offline apps,” Gonda continued to explain. Although this type of apps has proven good performance and user experience, because they are native, they require development for different platforms. In order to lower costs and increase productivity, there are tools to generate in multiplatform, in mobile environment. This means that, based on one code, it is possible to generate for the other mobile platforms.
2- In the case of Web App or Mobile Friendly Webs, the development required is easier, and the management is done from a computer. Developers do not use different programming languages. On the contrary, they develop them in renowned languages such as Java Script or HTML.
In such a scenario, we could specify two types of WebApps: Web Responsive Design Apps, and Optimized Web Apps. In the case of responsive apps, since we use specific frameworks this allows for the app to respond to different screen sizes based on a single code and the response is the best for the user experience. Optimized apps are totally different from the one we have on desktop, which is programmed so that it is viewed as optimized in relation to its usability.
In sum, there are several factors that must be analyzed when choosing between Native Apps and Web Friendly Apps. They are: costs, upgrades, performance, user experience, maintenance, SEO, time to market, etc. In some cases, the best is to have the two options.
Many companies and developers have their applications as multiplatform. This means that they have apps running on the various operating systems of mobile devices (Android, iOS, Windows Phone, BlackBerry); and they also adapt their web app to the mobile nature by opting for the two ways described. Given this scenario, Aníbal Gonda expressed that “We must have the mobile strategy of our business, and the future is certain for the tools that aid in generating multi-platform software, be it in the mobile or in the web environments. Because with the possibility of developing on one operating system to later generate it on others, we are reducing time and costs, and we can achieve optimum time to market in all stores, among other benefits.”
At http://www.genexus.com/success-stories/success-stories?en we can find many of the apps that are introduced to the market every day, or intra-company apps, some native and others Mobile Friendly Web Apps. They evidence a great variety of styles and industries, but they all have one thing in common: their multi-platform nature.
This is why GeneXus decided to list both the advantages and disadvantages of the three types of applications available: Native, WebApps responsive design, or optimized WebApps.
Anibal Gonda, the technology evangelist of GeneXus, started by explaining that: “Native applications run within our device’s operating system, while WebApps run on the browser inside the device. Both options are valid and have advantages as shown below. But there are also cases, to the extent possible, where the best option is having both apps for our business”.
1 – Native Applications are those developed for a given operating system on a mobile device. They are created exclusively for mobile telephones, and necessarily include one for iOS, another one for Android, and a third one for Windows Phone.
| ADVANTAGES | DISADVANTAGES |
| Full access to the device, in software and hardware | Different programming languages and skills depending on operating system. |
| Enhanced user experience |
High costs and lengthy development Periods |
| Vision from app stores, and integration with wearables |
No SEO, it would not have a good Positioning in Google search in case of lacking optimized web for mobile. |
“There are cases where an app must necessarily be native, like, for example, when everything depends on device’s functionalities; when the business calls for the app to continue functioning even without Internet connection, known also as offline apps,” Gonda continued to explain. Although this type of apps has proven good performance and user experience, because they are native, they require development for different platforms. In order to lower costs and increase productivity, there are tools to generate in multiplatform, in mobile environment. This means that, based on one code, it is possible to generate for the other mobile platforms.
2- In the case of Web App or Mobile Friendly Webs, the development required is easier, and the management is done from a computer. Developers do not use different programming languages. On the contrary, they develop them in renowned languages such as Java Script or HTML.
| ADVANTAGES | DISADVANTAGES |
| Reusable programming code |
Internet connection absolutely necessary |
| Simpler development at lower cost |
Limited access to the device’s hardware |
| No need for installation |
Since no installation is required, it is not visible at stores |
In such a scenario, we could specify two types of WebApps: Web Responsive Design Apps, and Optimized Web Apps. In the case of responsive apps, since we use specific frameworks this allows for the app to respond to different screen sizes based on a single code and the response is the best for the user experience. Optimized apps are totally different from the one we have on desktop, which is programmed so that it is viewed as optimized in relation to its usability.
In sum, there are several factors that must be analyzed when choosing between Native Apps and Web Friendly Apps. They are: costs, upgrades, performance, user experience, maintenance, SEO, time to market, etc. In some cases, the best is to have the two options.
Many companies and developers have their applications as multiplatform. This means that they have apps running on the various operating systems of mobile devices (Android, iOS, Windows Phone, BlackBerry); and they also adapt their web app to the mobile nature by opting for the two ways described. Given this scenario, Aníbal Gonda expressed that “We must have the mobile strategy of our business, and the future is certain for the tools that aid in generating multi-platform software, be it in the mobile or in the web environments. Because with the possibility of developing on one operating system to later generate it on others, we are reducing time and costs, and we can achieve optimum time to market in all stores, among other benefits.”
At http://www.genexus.com/success-stories/success-stories?en we can find many of the apps that are introduced to the market every day, or intra-company apps, some native and others Mobile Friendly Web Apps. They evidence a great variety of styles and industries, but they all have one thing in common: their multi-platform nature.