This past decade has been about new ideas, startups, and a mobile app revolution which has seen many new names coming to the fore with the more traditional ones trying hard to keep their share. Today, everybody has an app idea and new apps are springing every day.
This is historically the best time to invest in new ideas. And this has understandably allowed common folks, with little to no exposure to the tech world, to get their ideas turned into mobile apps. Trends suggest that investing in an app idea in current times will do you more good than harm. However, not every app idea works and we have seen several promising app ideas fail on the battleground.
An app can “not work” for several reasons – the most common ones being- poor market research, below-average quality of the app, inadequate marketing tactics, wrong decisions made in terms of the technology stack, platforms, and features sets.
In this piece, I’d like to focus on the last point – why is it important to choose a fitting technology stack for your app idea and how it can mean the difference between a ground-breaking app and a disappointment. I’ll use one of my close friend’s experiences to drive home the point.
Being halted before his alpha launch for his business venture, he turned up at my doorstep. “I think this app process is driving me insane. How am I ever going to decide between Native and Hybrid? Mobile app development company is the only way now”, he said, marching off again. His frustrations are obvious and justified. Seeing how the mobile world is now consuming huge chunks of internet traffic, mobile app development has become an indispensable part of your organization’s digital presence. This development phase can really make or break your game, depending on whether you choose the correct and matching approach.
The types of approach that my friend was confused about are a part of the battle called “The Hybrid App” approach v/s “The Native App” approach. Native apps are the ones that are written in a programming language specific to the platform they’re being developed for. The main advantage is that they are capable of interacting and leveraging the operating system features and different software that are installed on that platform. Also, they are enhanced to work offline.
On the other hand, Hybrid apps are an amalgamated progeny of Native and Web apps. They have slyly inherited the most important genes and qualities from both sides, like the power to leverage the native features and applications of the devices from the Native apps, while simultaneously possessing the “easy-to-develop” and browser like functionalities from the Web apps. But, Native apps do not provide such flexible solutions when it comes to the proposing iOS/Android app development.
With the growing advent of technological advancements, Hybrid apps have surpassed the older prejudices now. They can look and feel like a Native app and are able to function like them on many levels, even though on the outside they are driven by the organization’s website and web structure.
These glowing features have made the Hybrid app a celebrity today in the world of mobile app development. The numbers, themselves are shouting proof of their VIP status. Gartner, Inc. predicted that more than 50 percent of mobile apps deployed by 2016 will be hybrid, the prophecy that came true early this year. Cross-platform development tools used in the development of Hybrid apps like PhoneGap/Cordova saw a jaw-dropping 90% increase in their demand from 2012 to 2015.
So does this imply we have a clear cut winner here – The Hybrid app approach? Well, although the track seems clear, the hunt goes on. Although being blessed with multi-faceted qualities, Hybrid apps are not always the answer. Developers and enterprises, all are quite significantly aware of the fact that there’s no “one-size-fits-all” solution for their aid when it comes to the process of mobile app development. And under such conditions, every possible option gains a bright appeal. So how should one handle this tough decision of making resonant choices that can easily go awry at any step? It basically boils down to the needs and goals of your mobile app development process. If a particular approach can accommodate your desired business work style, simultaneously striking on each and every goal, be it customer engagement or acquisition, respecting the bounds of the timeline and resources at stake, it’s a match.
Here, are 5 “When” that can accelerate your consideration for the Hybrid approach:
- When constrained by budget
One of the primal factor that definitely plays it’s ‘A’ game every time. When hands are tied on spending the nickels precariously, the Hybrid app development “route” is a smarter bet, as it requires almost one-third of the budget requirements compared to their counterparts. Also, since they have portability features, overhead maintenance costs are also lower for a hybrid app. It’s a win-win when it comes to the judicious use of financial resources for the Hybrid apps.
2. When constrained with an early/upcoming launch date
An upcoming launch date can be very taxing on the app development journey. Under the stress of time-related issues for the app, Hybrid apps can serve as the medicine. Since the same code can serve as a bedrock for multiple platforms, the time lag of developing a unique app for every platform vanishes, reducing the baking period of the app in the oven. Due to these easily scalable options on various platforms for Hybrid apps, choosing them over Native apps automatically increases the development speed.
3. When targeting a wider audience
One guest that you will always find on a Windows, iOS, or Android App development party is a Hybrid app. The single code base used during development facilitates the reuse of the code and thus, seamlessly works on multiple platforms, increasing the reach of the app. Further, updates on different platforms can be managed easily unlike the routine hassling and juggling between different versions of the same native app.
4. When considering the ease and flexibility of development
Hybrid apps are developed using cross-compatible web technologies like HTML5, JavaScript, and CSS, which are widely used and nowadays preferred by most developers. Due to these features, the debugging process also feels quite lightweight and manageable to the developers, increasing their comfort level with the Hybrid app. Even if you employ any hybrid mobile application development company, you are most likely to hear the same thing from their developers as well.
5. When the above conditions balance the need for providing the best user experience
Although nowadays users are almost unable to distinguish between a well-developed Hybrid app and a Native app, the latter one has slight precedence when it comes to user experience. If you are sure that the above conditions are important enough for necessary compliance, and the app can suffice with the current standard of user experience, Hybrid apps are automatically worthy of a shot.
Having so many positives in the favor of Hybrid app development can surely influence your decisions. Although there are a few pointers that must not be overlooked. When it comes to optimum user experience, Native apps are always ahead with a larger stride. Having access to limited functionalities and being dependent on the mercy of the operating system and its compatibility, sometimes Hybrid apps are not a good choice.
There are cases when expectations are based on high performances with rendering, cool animations, and heavy visual content, rather than a timely completion and limited budget. For complex ideas, Native applications are the better good choice. The native application doesn’t have any constraint with any of the native features that a device can provide. Also, one can achieve almost every functionality that relates to the mobility domain. Native apps are much faster and can function in offline modes, which provides them an upper edge over the Hybrid apps under certain scenarios.
Conclusion
Thus, to summarize, every approach has badges pinned to their chests that co-exist with small holes in their pants. It completely depends on the needs of the business idea and on the condition and stages the app development process is in. Considering long-term scenarios, coupled with a highly optimized and swift app, built specifically for a sect of audience keeping performance in mind, do not hesitate to invest in a Native app. Otherwise, Hybrid app development services are a nice ally for a swifter and flexible approach, with incentives of allowing one to explore varied audiences and markets while putting forth its presence everywhere quickly in a cost-effective manner.