There is little doubt that the global mobile app development market is experiencing immense success. The number of applications is constantly increasing, and people are spending more and more time on their phones.
Moreover, there’s been a steady growth of mobile app downloads over the last couple of years, and companies are taking note.
While many organizations started to implement mobile apps a long time ago, some are just at the beginning of their journey. Yet, regardless of the stage you’re in, there are lots of things to think about, and the development approach you’re going to go with is one of them.
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Of course, everything depends on your unique goals and business needs. However, given that most IT teams tend to prefer native mobile app development, we thought we’d give you an overview of what it is and the common benefits it brings.
What Is Native Mobile App Development?
A native mobile app is one that was developed for a certain operating system. Such an approach entails the use of platform-specific programming languages and consideration of the characteristics of each system. Thus, if you are looking to build an iOS app and an Android one, you’d have to do so separately and use different technology stacks.
For instance, a native iOS app will require Objective-C or Swift as programming languages, while an Android solution will rely on Java or Kotlin. Similarly, AppCode and Xcode toolsets might be used within a native iOS app development stack, but Eclipse or Android Studio for an Android application.
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As you may know, there are consumer and enterprise apps, and native development can be used for both. Some of the most well-known native mobile app examples include Twitter, DocuSign, and Magento 2 POS, which as you can see encompass consumer-facing apps as well as employee-facing ones.
So, if you’ve been asking yourself “What is native mobile application development?”, we hope it has become a little more clear. Now, let’s move on to some of the key advantages this approach can bring.
Benefits of Native Mobile App Development
The mobile app development process can at times seem long and arduous. However, all of the challenges fade when you start seeing the benefits of all that hard work.
In the context of mobile solutions, there are five main advantages of native development that usually cause the IT team and business leaders to choose this approach. Let’s take a closer look at each one.
1. Better Performance
First and foremost, native apps have better performance than cross-platform or hybrid solutions. Primarily, because the application interacts directly with native APIs and doesn’t depend on middleware.
Thus, by getting full hardware and operating system support, native apps end up being more responsive and highly efficient. Plus, the devices they’re loaded on actually store all the key data and help content load faster.
2. Advanced Customization
Since native applications make the most of the features within the operating system, they can be highly customized. With this approach, developers can access the GPS, camera, microphone, and other hardware to build a final product that is truly unique.
In short, thanks to developers not needing to combine the features of two operating systems, they have fewer limitations and can focus on creating a one-of-a-kind solution.
3. Enhanced User Experience
Every platform has its own UI/UX guidelines that developers ought to stick to. Hence, when creating a native mobile app, these standards are well adhered to, resulting in a look and feel that is consistent with the operating system.
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The consistency of native mobile apps also brings a much more intuitive and interactive user experience because people are familiar with the layouts typical for their operating system. So, whenever they use your application, they feel like it’s something they are used to.
4. Greater Security
Another reason to opt for native app development is the higher security level that it offers. With data protection concerns rising, software solutions across all industries should make users feel safe when sharing digital information.
You see, cross-platform and hybrid solutions may carry with them the vulnerabilities of each platform, the browser they work on, and the universal languages they employ. Of course, this isn’t always the case, just a possibility. However, definitely one to consider before starting your project.
As we’ve already mentioned, native apps are built for a specific platform. That way, the data is encrypted within a single infrastructure, which significantly reduces security-associated risks.
5. Fewer Bugs
Since building native apps incorporates using specific and different for each platform tools, it has fewer tech dependencies and decreases the possibility for bugs to arise. In the end, keeping two apps in two independent codebases is less difficult and error-prone than implementing two apps in the same codebase.
6. Improved Scalability
The architecture of native applications allows for acquiring more user traffic and supporting a higher load. Thus, there are more opportunities for scalability and your product’s future growth.
It’s easier for native apps to scale as you need since they effectively use existing hardware, provide a better performance, and reduce the risk of the app crashing during the increased traffic.
7. Easier Launch to the Market
Another advantage of native applications is the relatively easy process of launching the app to the app stores. Both App Store and Google Play have rules and standards to follow when you publish your solution to the market.
For cross-platform apps, it can entail more bottlenecks to cope with. On the other hand, when delivering native products, mobile developers use native tech stack and align the code from the first lines to the regulations and guidelines provided by each store.
8. Instant Updating
The last benefit of native mobile app development that’s worth mentioning is the ability to receive instant updates.
The truth is, with cross-platform applications, developers aren’t immediately able to implement new features. Given the frequency with which iOS and Android release updates, this can sometimes be a problem as the delays degrade the user experience.
With native apps, everything is much simpler. When Android and iOS roll out software upgrades, IT teams can immediately implement the latest features since they’ve got quick and easy access to new SDKs that help modify the application.
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Should You Choose Native Mobile App Development?
Before getting started with building a native application, it’s worth taking a pause and truly evaluating if it is the right approach for you. Since this strategy entails the use of different tools, APIs, environments, and interface designs, you’ll need to find experts for each of the platforms you require. Occasionally, this can get costly and somewhat more time-consuming.
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Additionally, you should think about whether outsourcing mobile app development is a better option for you rather than hiring an in-house team. Regardless of your choice, it’s important to carefully evaluate potential mobile app developers to determine if they are the right fit.
All in all, there are a few key considerations for you to think about prior to starting native app development:
- How quickly do you want your mobile app to be ready?
- What is your budget?
- Is top-notch performance imperative for you?
- How valuable are quick updates to you?
- Are greater customization capabilities important to you?
By answering these questions you’ll be able to determine how best to proceed. After all, there is a multitude of uses you might be building your app for.
Perhaps you want to create a consumer-facing solution like a dating app. Or, an employee-facing management tool to speed up processes. Whichever it may be, your requirements and strategies will differ.
If you are confident that native development is the right choice for you or would like to discuss your project requirements further — don’t hesitate to reach out to our team. Velvetech has years of expertise in building native and cross-platform applications that help organizations prosper in the mobile world. We’d be happy to collaborate.
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