Hybridising Mobile Devices
In recent times, the usage of mobile phones has witnessed an enormous growth. As per the estimates by GlobalWebIndex, 80% of internet users are now users of smartphones. Yahoo’s Flurry Analytics has reported that consumption of mobile media is majorly attributed to apps, accounting for 90% of the total consumption. This proliferated adoption of mobiles has been observed among both consumers and organizations. Red Hat, a leading enterprise software provider, recently conducted a survey and disclosed that around half of the organizations believe having a mobile app would boost their efficiency and productivity.
Developing mobile applications is posing a tough challenge for several organizations – whether to design complicated native apps for each primary platform or to opt for a basic web app that functions across any mobile browser? Although both options have their respective benefits, there is always a trade-off between improved user experience and functionality and the development cost when using hybrid or cross-platform programs. When it comes to developing a native app, transferring the source code to different platforms is not feasible, whereas developing a web app is less time-consuming and cost-effective. With a single set of code, web apps can be accessed across multiple platforms; however, they are not accessible on app stores for Android or iOS, and do not feature the complete range of device capabilities.
The solution to this puzzle lies in hybrid app development, which provides a midway between native app and web app.
Many individuals are curious about the definition of “Hybrid Apps”.
To cater to the requirements of users on diverse platforms, developers have begun developing hybrid apps that mix the best characteristics of native apps and web apps. Such hybrid apps can be created using conventional coding languages such as HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript, and they can be deployed across multiple mobile platforms by embedding them within a native container for Android or iOS. This allows the hybrid app to access the device’s hardware functionalities and it can be downloaded from app stores as it runs within a native container. Leading frameworks like Apache Cordova, Titanium, PhoneGap and Ionic are utilized for wrapping the hybrid app in a native container.
Benefits of Utilizing Hybrid Apps
Hybrid apps offer numerous advantages when compared to native applications.
Cost-Effective:
Developing a fully-functional mobile application does not have to be expensive for any business. Those with a tighter budget can opt for a hybrid app, which is a more cost-effective alternative.Platform Independence:
Hybrid app development entails a one-time coding investment. Unlike native apps that require separate coding for each mobile platform, a hybrid app can be deployed simultaneously on all platforms.Rapid Development:
In today’s business landscape, it is crucial for companies to remain flexible in their decision-making and adapt quickly to emerging technologies. Hybrid app design offers a clear edge over traditional approaches by enabling faster development and deployment times through writing only one set of code.High-Quality:
Hybrid apps offer top-notch features and a superior user experience by being less complex, faster, and more economical to design.
Drawbacks of Hybrid App Design
Despite the numerous advantages of building hybrid apps, it’s essential to keep in mind that there are certain potential drawbacks. These apps may sometimes suffer from poor performance, and some users may be unable to access certain device information. Additionally, since hybrid apps are developed to be compatible with a broad spectrum of mobile operating systems, there is a possibility of design issues cropping up.
The Future of Mobile Device Development
Hybrid mobile apps are gaining popularity in the realm of mobile development owing to their ability to provide businesses with a variety of advantages like lower costs, portability across multiple platforms, access to hardware capabilities, superior quality, and faster development times. This renders them a cost-effective and efficient choice as opposed to native apps. As a result, it is expected that the development and implementation of hybrid mobile devices will continue to grow in the future.
