Overview
Today is the scenario of global digital transformation that calls for staying updated with the latest digital trends and continuous business updates based on these new trends. Given the current digital market evolving rapidly, mobile application development has been at the forefront of every business. Apple iOS and Google Android are widely used operating systems and they also dominate the industry. Hence, there is a high demand for cross-platform mobile app development.
With the growing popularity of smartphones, people are more interested in using mobile applications for their day-to-day tasks such as online grocery, chat, news, meal orders, online bill payment, etc. Such applications are developed across platforms of operating systems available. As a matter of fact, a report by Statista estimates 299 billion app downloads in 2023 worldwide, which is 52 billion more than in 2020. So, this means there will be a tremendous increase in global revenue from mobile applications' paid downloads and in-app advertisements.
Mobile Application Development Is Integral To Any Business
Yes, as of today, mobile app development is integral to businesses, it is equally essential to understand and consider the development technology for the apps. As companies now focus on user-centric designs, developers are more serious about cross-platform development. The reason is simple, end users want apps to run on any device, but for developers, it is more from a framework and language perspective.
You may ask, what exactly is cross-platform mobile app development? Let us understand this.
As mentioned, there are two types of mobile applications- iOS and Android. For the development of these applications, the development team either uses native development where there is a set of code for Android or a different set of code for iOS mobile applications. This also calls for a different set of dedicated teams. If not native, the development team might go for hybrid development, which is a messy combination of mobile and web.
This is where cross-platform application development has been everyone's favorite. A platform for app development or cross-platform mobile development leverages the capabilities of both Android and iOS. With cross-platform mobile development, you get into a single mobile application development process for Android and iOS, as it works on the code-shareability model. This approach assists developers in writing code once and reusing the same for different platforms. If your business needs multi-platform functionality, cross-platform mobile application development is your choice.
Now, let's check some benefits to answer the question of why to choose cross-platform app development.
Benefits of Cross-Platform Application Development That Differentiates It From Native Development
1. Faster time to market
Cross-platform development has improved mobile application development speed. For example, if you have a product idea that needs faster development and launch, the cross-platform allows you to do that on time. Writing one code base for Android and iOS lets the team focus on a product launch or marketing faster than native apps, where different codes have to be written and take time to market.
2. Better user experience and interface
No matter how many businesses benefit the app may provide, it is of no use if it does not provide a rich user experience and intuitive interface for seamless navigation. Cross-platform mobile development allows consistent UX across all screens. In cross-platform development, the designs are built according to the OS guidelines. Though this may look complicated, it is convenient, provided the development team has expertise.
3. Code Reusability
One of the key features/ benefits of cross-platform development is the code reusability for different platforms instead of writing separate code bases. This saves time and resources along with the cost. For native app development, you need one developer for Android and also an iOS developer. This platform for app development itself can create different versions of your features, but in cross-platform, it's just one resource managing all the efforts.
4. Wider market/ audience reach
Cross-platform development allows you to build applications that reach a global audience, as these apps work on Android and iOS. That means you can target both users simultaneously. In fact, many businesses first launch their applications on one platform too quickly and then make iterations while supporting the app for the second platform. This process of platform for mobile app development often takes time which turns out to be less reach. Cross-platform application development helps overcome this issue.
5. Lower costs
One of the most important factors to consider while developing a mobile application development is the cost. A platform for mobile app development, while native applications cost more as there is a need to create code for iOS & Android, cross-platform application development is 30% more cost-effective as it does not require separate code creation and resources.
6. Faster Development
You might feel this is repetitive, but it is one of the most significant benefits of cross-platform mobile app development. Since cross-platform development allows for the management of everything within a single project. This mobile platform development significantly reduces development time.
7. Maintenance
Cross-platform applications allow more convenience in discovering vulnerabilities and reduce maintenance expenses. In a native platform for mobile app development, there is a need to maintain the two operating systems separately.
8. Platform consistency
There is a difference in design terms between Android and iOS. Hence there is a need to develop some functions for each of them individually to maintain the design aspect. However, cross-platform app development manages the user interface differences by default, building a solid brand identity with quick efforts.
Why is Cross Platform the most trending technology?
Cross-platform development is in trend these days because of the technological advancements in the mobile app world. Another reason is the core development tools like – HTML5, JavaScript, and CSS3, which are open source, easy to master, and cost-effective. A platform for mobile app development, native codes are robust but not cross-platform, thus diminishing your app's reach and impacting revenue. However, some say that these core technologies have disadvantages, but their ability to be consistent across all platforms reverses the backlash.
Various Cross-Platform App Development Technologies And Tools
React Native App Development
One of the well-known comprehensive frameworks for cross-platform app development. It is the most extensively used non-web framework based on React.JS and utilizes Javascript to provide a native feel. The best part of React Native is that it allows for a native app-like experience.
React Native App Development has various advantages. React Native developers use JavaScript to build a mobile app. This mobile platform development or the JavaScript codebase can be reused for developing Android and iOS apps which saves a lot of time.
React Native has a large community of developers who are always working on improving the framework. This helps to keep the React Native codebase up-to-date. React Native app development also allows for hot reloading which means that changes made to the code are reflected immediately in the app without having to rebuild the app. This makes it very easy to make changes and iterate quickly. React Native also has a good performance as it uses native components rather than web components. Therefore, React Native is a good choice for cross-platform mobile development.
Ionic App Development
One of the most impressive cross-platform frameworks is Ionic. Its main components are Angular Js and Apache Cordova, which assist in creating unique & user-centric interfaces. As a matter of fact, Ionic App Development has many advantages. Ionic app developers are very experienced in cross-platform mobile app development. Ionic app developers know how to use Ionic Framework to its full potential and they can create amazing apps with it. This cross-platform development has various benefits. Majorly Ionic developers are also very affordable and you can get them for a fraction of the cost of what you would pay for an experienced native app developer. Overall, Ionic App Development is a great option for anyone looking to develop a cross-platform mobile app.
Xamarin App Development
React and Ionic are not the only options if you have a revolutionary product idea. Cross-platform mobile app development with Xamarin is just the right choice for your idea. Xamarin App developers are well versed and have a good command of #C & .Net. This open-source framework gained momentum when Microsoft acquired it. Xamarin differs from other open source frameworks as it offers two ways- Xamarin.Native and Xamarin.Forms to compile mobile applications.
Xamarin app development has advantages for Xamarin App developers because it allows them to create Cross-Platform Mobile Apps. The trending Xamarin uses the MonoCross framework to develop iOS, Android, and Windows Phone apps from a single C# codebase. Xamarin development also provides developers with access to native APIs and UI tools for each platform, so they can create truly native apps. Furthermore, in cross-platform development, Xamarin's development tools allow developers to test and deploy their apps on multiple devices without having to re-compile the code for each device. This platform for mobile app development makes Xamarin a great choice for developers who want to create cross-platform mobile apps.
Flutter App Development
Released in 2018, Flutter is the most loved cross-platform development framework. It allows developers to build faster and more dynamic applications. Faster in development, Flutter is easy to learn and can be easily compiled with other systems.
Flutter app development has a lot of advantages. First of all, Flutter app developers can easily create cross-platform mobile apps. This means that they can develop an app for both iOS and Android devices with just one codebase. This is a huge advantage because it saves a lot of time and effort. In addition, Flutter apps are very fast and responsive. They are also very smooth and sleek, which gives them a professional look and feel. Moreover, Flutter app development is very reliable and stable. They are less likely to crash and they can handle a large number of users without any problems. Finally, Flutter applications are very easy to deploy and update. You can simply push new updates to your users without having to go through the App Store or Google Play Store.
Along with the above cross-platform app development frameworks, there are other names too in the market, such as
- Adobe PhoneGap
- Sencha Touch
- Node JS
- Native Script
Limitations of Cross-Platform Development
Given the many advantages of cross-platform application development, it is necessary to analyze if it has certain limitations like every other technology. Here we enlist a few for you to ponder upon:
- Sluggish performance in intricate projects
- Smartphone features building takes time and effort
- Sometimes doesn't support offline data
- Poor interaction with native apps
- Restricted access to OS functionality
The Concluding View
If you are looking for a fast and cost-effective solution for your business, cross-platform mobile application development is your choice. Also, If you're looking for mobile app developers who can create cross-platform mobile apps, connect with Emorphis Technologies. We have a team of experienced developers who are skilled in using a variety of different tools and frameworks to provide high-quality mobile app development services. Whether you're looking for native iOS or Android app development, or you want a cross-platform app that can run on both platforms, we can help. We also have experience developing mobile apps for various verticals like Telemedicine app development, Telehealth app development, fintech app development, and IoT app development.
If you are still confused about when to choose cross-platform development, connect with Emorphis Technologies and our experienced cross-platform mobile application development team will guide you to the most suitable and appropriate option for your business.
Further, you can read about How to Market your Mobile App?
