With nearly 90% of the digital time being spent on apps, there’s no questioning whether you should launch an app for your business. An average user spends close to 4 hours on their phones switching from one app to another. While several apps are designed for leisure and entertainment purposes, others help be more productive in their day, follow a healthier lifestyle or even get their tasks completed on time. Regardless of the purpose, an app is inevitable for any business today.
However, the more important question businesses need to ask themselves is what should they prefer for their next project - native app development or cross platform app development?
In one of our previous posts, we explored in detail about cross platform app development and in this, we delve into native app development to give you an extensive overview of what it is, how beneficial it is to both customers and developers and more.
Let’s get started.
Native App Development - A Quick Introduction
Like you know, there are two predominant mobile operating systems in the market - Android and iOS. As far as mobile app development is concerned, each platform has its own set of stringent development protocols, guidelines and requirements.
Native app development is all about sticking to such requirements and developing an exclusive app for one particular platform. Taking this approach ensures the app is customized to the capabilities of the operating system and better leverages the functionalities of the platform and the device it operates in.
Apps designed and developed for iOS cannot be downloaded and used by Android users and vice versa. Native app development services offers superior experiences to consumers and lets them take advantage of several device-centric features.
How Different Is Native App Development From Cross Platform App Development?
Cross platform app development is a concept that is completely opposite to native app development. While native app development requires distinct mobile app development processes for individual operating systems, cross platform apps are built or developed just once.
Yes, coding is done once and developers tweak them and push them to different platforms. Cross platform apps are comparatively easier to develop and require less investments.
With that said, their quality and performance are no way close to what native apps offer. Developers around the world have one goal when developing cross platform apps - to give native-like app experiences to their customers.
Programming Languages Used In Native App Development
Remember we mentioned native app development involves distinct protocols? Well, separate programming languages is one such mandate. Android apps are developed on Kotlin or Java and iOS apps are developed on Swift or Objective C.
Advantages Of Native App Development
Native apps deliver tons of benefits to consumers in terms of experiences and functionalities. To understand their benefits better, here’s a quick compilation.
Seamless Performance
Native mobile app development is all about optimizing the app for one particular operating system or platform. They make the best use of a device’s hardware and its allied OS support. Besides, since they are written in platform-specific programming languages, they offer the most superior performance and experience to users.
Besides, elements in native apps such as visual components are downloaded and stored in device memory. This ensures data retrieval happens locally, further making an app fast and smooth.
Ultimate UI And UX
Guidelines on how user experience should look and feel are dictated by specific platforms. Developers have to adhere to them to meet the standards. These guidelines are finalized for optimum user experience and flawless user interface. So, when developers follow the guidelines, they involuntarily develop apps that are aesthetically and functionally brilliant.
This also translates to the fact that users can get to know an app soon, intuitively perform actions without tutorials or assistance and have a satisfying app experience.
Marketplace Support
Continuing on the previous pointer, native app development receives unhinged support from respective marketplaces like Apple App Store and Google Play Store. One of the primary reasons for this is because native mobile application development are by default developed with preset guidelines as the driving force. This ensures all compliances and regulations are met. All that the marketplaces have to do is approve the apps and offer extended support to developers.
Leverage The Potential Of Device Features
This is perhaps the biggest advantage of native app development. Apps specifically designed for one particular platform can access a device’s features, tools and hardware and deliver exceptional performances.
For instance, if your native app is about delivering AR experiences, the output is super-smooth as interactions happen directly among apps, components (like the camera) and functionalities without the intervention of plugins or 3rd party tools. This also allows developers to creatively address real-world concerns and offer offbeat and immersive solutions to customers.
Airtight Security
Customers are keen on data security today and native app development ensures this is taken care of in the most seamless ways possible. Native apps are more airtight in terms of security than their cross platform counterparts. Firstly, apps are developed in native programming languages, which ensures the preliminary layer of data and app protection.
Secondly, the apps are not reliant on browsers or 3rd party plugins to exchange data. So, any chances of intrusions or breach are eliminated. Finally, developers also ensure another layer of encryption is added to keep their app as secure as possible.
Easy Roll Out Of Updates
A successful app launch doesn’t make a business or a project successful. Companies have to ensure perennial support to their customers and this is where a concept like app maintenance comes into play. From security loopholes to performance issues, developers need to consistently work on releasing patches and feature upgrades to their apps.
With native app development, rolling out updates is swift and hassle free. Through push notifications or simply over the air, updates can be rolled out to users. This ensures native app users get access to updates first before hybrid app owners.
Native App Development Limitations And Challenges
Something as profound as native app development is bound to have limitations. Challenges are what make the entire mobile app development process sweet and exciting. From our personal experience, we have compiled a few native app development cost challenges with which you would agree.
Let’s check them out.
- Native apps are more expensive to develop than cross platform apps. This is because they have to be developed twice - once for Android and another for iOS. So, you end up recruiting two separate development teams for your project. Like we mentioned, app maintenance is also distinct for the two platforms and comes with their own set of expenses.
- Your time to market might go for a toss if you don’t plan your native app development process. Because it involves twice the development time, you should work with teams simultaneously.
- Native app development demands highly skilled developers, who are proficient at their respective platforms and their programming languages. You cannot afford to recruit freshers and train them on developing native apps. Experts are required at any given point of time.
- Native apps have most of their resources downloaded and stored in the user’s device. So, this means they take up more space than cross platform apps and have a lengthier downloading time.
Native App Development Tools Chart
Choosing The Most Ideal Native App Development Company
Like we mentioned, you need a team of highly-skilled developers to design, build and launch a native app. Recruiting and assembling a dream team not only involves factors like time and effort but money as well. That’s why we recommend getting in touch with a premier native app development company like us for all your app development needs.
We have an incredible portfolio of native app development. Our handpicked team of professionals such as project managers and developers ensure your app is designed to become a game changer tomorrow. We deploy software development methodologies like Agile and DevOps to deliver high-quality apps in minimal time.
Our collaboration is transparent and everything you’re looking for in a mobile app development company. Right now, you are standing at this point where you could be the proud owner of an exceptional app tomorrow. It all boils down to one decision you make today - decision on collaborating with the right app development company.
We recommend joining hands with us for superior results. We are eager to listen to your ideas. Reach out to us today.