What is Mobile App Development? | A Complete Guide

Statistics show that between 2016 and 2020, the annual number of mobile app downloads worldwide increased from 14.68 billion to 21.8 billion. As far as the smartphone trends go, mobile app development is expected to continue to grow rapidly and become a core business in many industries. This article will provide an overview of mobile app development and if it is necessary for your business.

What is Mobile App Development?

Mobile app development is the process of creating software for smartphones, tablets, and mobile devices. The overall process includes writing code and designing the app so you can take advantage of the unique features of mobile devices. For example, a gaming app on a smartphone can take advantage of the accelerometer in iOS devices or the temperature sensor on any smartwatch.

According to research by Globenewswire, the global mobile app market is projected to reach 434.33 billion dollars in 2028 (including user spending and advertising).

Native App Development

There are many different types of mobile app development, but the most common one is Native app development. This method means that if you want to create an app for both iOS and Android, then the app will be developed separately for each platform with the use of completely different technology stacks. This approach has many benefits but the best one is that your apps can run on more devices, support all available features of the platform, and have better performance overall. 

Advantages of Native App Development

• Top performance
• 100% support of OS features
• Access to hardware-related features
• Clear app update path and supported toolset
• Highly reliable, secure, & responsive
• Platform-specific UI implementation

Cross-Platform App Development

A cross-platform mobile application simply means developing apps that run on different platforms. But, unlike native development, this method creates a separate application for each mobile platform. In other words, you will deliver your cross-platform app development on multiple platforms with the use of languages (JavaScript, NET, or C#) and tools different from native toolsets offered by Google and Apple.

Advantages of Cross-Platform Development

• Uniformity across all platforms
• Effective for budget control or low funding
• Publishing can be at once for all platforms
• Source code can be reusable
• High demographic coverage
• Fast time to market
• Implementation is simple

Progressive Web Apps: PWAs

Progressive web apps (PWAs) are actually not mobile apps but are web with similar appearance and function to any native app. PWAs have been specifically designed with an adaptable and user-friendly interface for mobile users. So, your users can simply skip the download step. Even though progressive web apps are not common among users and developers, they are becoming more widespread and will likely gain more features and capabilities later on.

Advantages of Progressive Web Apps (PWAs)

• Easy app maintenance
• Single codebase
• Mobile-friendly UI
• Works on and offline
• No need for app stores to host/download

As a project owner, you might wonder which mobile development approach will benefit your business the most. Well, many mobile app development companies will say native development, but it actually depends on the project. The most effective mobile development approach is the one that can satisfy all your requirements and optimize both development time and production costs.

Have a Mobile app idea? Talk with our experienced consultants and we will help you to create the customized mobile apps you desire.

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Best Mobile App Development Frameworks in 2022

Using the right mobile app development platform can speed up and simplifies your app development process greatly. Below are the top mobile app development frameworks that support both Android and iOS users.

1. React Native is an open-source UI software framework created by Facebook or Meta. React Native is used to developing applications for Android, iOS, macOS, Web, Windows, and UWP. The advantages of React Native include:

• Reusable elements for optimal performance
• Best deployment features
• Easy of maintenance
• Compatibility with many third-party extensions

2. Flutter is an open-source UI software development kit created by Google. It is used to develop cross-platform applications for Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows, and webs from a single codebase. The advantages of Flutter include:

• Fast development
• Cross-platform
• Appealing and engaging visuals
• Similar performance to native
• Provide strong widget support

3. Xamarin is an open-source platform for building modern and performant applications for iOS, Android, and Windows with .NET software framework. The advantages of Xamarin include:

• Rapid advancement
• Appearance and touch of a native app
• Compatibility with a variety of devices
• Google Emulator Manager
• Versatile backend infrastructure
• Diagnostic tools

4. Ionic is a complete open-source SDK for hybrid mobile app development created in 2013. The advantages of Ionic include:

• Suitable for many platforms
• Consistent user interface
• Optimal performance
• Flexible for users

5. Swiftic is a do-it-yourself app creation platform that allows anyone to quickly and easily create custom mobile apps for all iOS or Android devices, with minimal cost and no coding necessary. The advantages of Swiftic include:

• Interaction and navigation are simple.
• Strong integration with other parties

Conclusion

Now you have been introduced to a complete guide to mobile app development in 2022. From just now, you should have a strong overview of the mobile app market, the decision stage of mobile app development, the pre-development stage, and the stages related to the development phase and release.

Developing a mobile app is not a task that can be completed in a day or two, but one that takes months. A professional mobile app development company knows that every step of the app development strategy must be effectively executed in order for the project to be successful.

If you have long-term revenue goals from your business application, feel free to contact Newwave Solutions to get the best results for your investment. We are an offshore development company in Vietnam specializing in mobile app development for both iOS and Android. Newwave Solutions’ main programming languages for mobile app development include iOS App Development (React Native, Ionic, Flutter, Xamarin, Xcode), Android app development (Java, Python, Kotlin, C#), and Cross-Platform app development.

Contact us today to get started developing your business mobile app. You can also get free consulting from our experienced developers.