Cross Platform Vs. Native Mobile App Development – What Works Best?

“Is there an app for that?” may be an annoying question to some, but most smartphone users have learned to ask it. They expect your business – not matter how small or big it is – to have an app that enables them to interact with your services or products through their mobiles. Mobile application development has become mandatory for most businesses.

When you are considering developing an app, you realize that there are many players in the market: Apple, Android, BlackBerry and Windows being the most significant. Further research will reveal that more than nine out of ten of your customers are either using iOS devices or Android devices.

You have two options: you can either create separate mobile apps for all these (or the two major) platforms using different SDKs and development languages, or you could use cross platform technologies to write a single code that works for all the platforms. At the first glance, the idea of writing only one code seems enticing, but we need to dig deeper and understand all the implications of this choice. Let’s see how the choice or cross-platform or native mobile app development affects the development process and the quality of the app.

Coding and Code Maintenance

There is one huge advantage of using cross-platform technology – a single set of code can be used for all the platforms. On the other hand, coding native apps for particular platforms requires you to follow the specification of that particular operating system. Also, if you need to make any change or addition to the app, a single code makes your work a lot easier as a single change can be automatically implemented on all platforms.

But native apps have one major advantage: you can update your app with the latest platform-specific features when a new version of any OS is launched. The same may not be always possible with cross-platform technologies. At times there is another problem with cross-platform technologies: they do not support some features at all. You can get your hands only on a subset of the features and functionalities that native apps have.

Another trouble with cross-platform tools is the imperfections in code rendering – the tools translate the code written in scripting languages into the right code for different native codes. Many times, the translation is not perfect and this creates imperfection in the app itself.

Development Expertise

Cross-platform tools are a blessing for expert web developer who want to build their own app. Most of such tools utilize scripting languages like HTML, CSS and JavaScript, it becomes easier for web app developers to use their existing skills to create simple applications for smartphones.

But as most mobile app developers are experts in developing for particular platforms, it is extremely difficult for find professional developers who have enough knowledge of cross-platform technologies to create high-quality apps. Consequently, for enterprises and businesses that are expecting a lot from an app, cross-platform development may simply not be a viable option.

Cost of Development

If you want to develop an app that works with all the mobile platforms, but doesn’t cost too much, cross-platform is the only alternative. Building native apps for iOS, Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone can burn a hole in your pocket. Cross-platforms solutions can let you create apps for 3-4 platforms in one shot.

However, if you simply want to target iOS and Android, the cost of development doesn’t remain such a big factor. The amount of tweaking that needs to be done to create a code that works with both the (very different) operating systems will drive the cost up. It may be easier to create separate native apps for both Android and iOS.

To Wrap it Up

Cross-platform technologies are constantly evolving, but they will always have to play catch up with native SDKs. But there are certain situations where it is a better idea to create cross-platform apps. You need to asks a few questions: What are the platform requirements? What features and functionalities does the app need to have? What kind of performance is expected from the apps? Can a cross-platform app overcome design constraints?

Once you are clear about all the requirements and purposes of the application, it becomes easier to find an answer to the question. If it is possible to build the kind of app your want using cross-platform technologies – with significant time and cost advantages – then a cross-platform app is surely a better option. Otherwise, it is better to stick to native mobile application development.