Mobile apps have become the backbone of our society, with features and tools that help improve our day-to-day lives in just a few taps. This has opened up a world of opportunities for businesses to enhance their internal workflow further and even provide a better experience for their customers.
As we continue to revolutionise how our world works, a solid mobile app has become paramount to a business’s success. After all, there are now over five billion smartphone users worldwide, according to Statista. And with that, there is a growing demand for users to have a more effortless, smoother experience that they can conveniently access through their smartphones.
However, creating your own mobile app for your business can be daunting, and deciding whether to opt for Apple or Android is no easy feat, especially since they jointly account for 99% of the worldwide mobile operating system market. You might find yourself at a crossroads with questions such as 'which platform is best suited for my business?', 'is Apple the smart choice?' or 'is Android my best bet?'. You may even have considered developing two apps, one for iOS and another one for Android.
Native apps and Cross-Platform apps are constantly evolving, each with their own list of benefits. With Native app development, the developer builds the app specifically for the operating system. As a result, the Native app is consistent with the UI components of the particular device, while also delivering seamless performance. However, Native apps are only the best option if you are targeting Apple or Android users in isolation.
If you’re looking to cater to both, developing two Native apps for the two different platforms entails a strenuous, high-cost mobile app development process. On the other hand, choosing only one platform will significantly shave off your target market, limiting your audience reach.
But what if we told you that you could develop your app on both platforms without the hefty price and lengthy process? With Cross-Platform app development, you don’t have to pick one over the other. This emerging mobile app development trend allows developers to create and deploy mobile assets that work on both iOS and Android without the hassle of recoding for each platform.
Android is an affordable option when it comes to mobile app development, plus it costs less to put your app on the Google Play Store compared to Apple's App Store. However, while Android users downloaded 70% of all apps, 66% of all purchases were made by Apple users. This means that, though Android may have a larger audience, Apple users are more willing to pay for in-app purchases. By deploying your app using a cross-platform app framework, you ensure that you are catering to a wider audience that not only downloads your app but also makes purchases. Bottomline, a Cross-Platform mobile app equals more users and more revenue.
This brings us to Cross-Platform app development.
Now that we have established that to maximise your app's exposure, you’ll need to cater to both platforms, let's tap into the power of Cross-Platform apps. Multiplatform mobile development allows you to build a single app that runs smoothly on more than one platform. These apps can share the same source code, so unlike Native apps, the developer does not have to recode for each platform. Let’s expand on how your business can benefit from this approach.
1. REDUCED DEVELOPMENT COSTSDeveloping cross-platform mobile apps is a cost-effective approach to leveraging your business potential across multiple platforms. Thanks to the reusable codes employed to develop the app, combined with an agile app development process, the cost of having your app available to both Apple and Android users decreases substantially.
2. FASTER DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
Since a single source code is used for multiple platforms, you'll save substantial time and effort on developing your business app. Without any compromise on the quality of the final product, this process develops feature-rich apps without the lengthy process.
3. EASIER MAINTENANCE AND DEPLOYMENT
Cross-Platform apps are not just easy to deploy but also maintain. Since these apps are compatible across multiple platforms, updates to the app are instantly synced on all platforms and devices. So, should you run into bugs in the future, which is a common occurrence for all apps, you’ll only need to fix them once, saving you the extra cost and time to rectify those pesky bugs across multiple Native platforms.
4. SEAMLESS CLOUD INTEGRATION
One of the many wonders of Cross-Platform apps is their capacity to interface with various plugins and easily integrate them into cloud settings. This further enhances the app’s scalability and functionality. And did you know that Cloud Computing not only makes scaling easier and faster but it is also more affordable, without the hassle of manual upgrades? This solution increases storage capacity and is supported by fast and powerful infrastructure, allowing you to seamlessly grow your business. Learn more about Cloud Computing in this blog!
5. CONSISTENT UX & UI DESIGN
Lastly, there would not be success without a stellar UI design. Having various development projects for multiple platforms is extremely hard to synchronise. With Cross-Platform development, both developers and designers are able to build a uniform design with consistent UX. This ensures your app looks good no matter the device!
At Lateral, we take the time to learn about your unique needs so our app developers can help solve your business problems with a perfectly tailored app. We ensure that we develop nothing but the best apps for businesses.
We are a team of developers for iOS, Android, Windows, and Web applications, including Cross-Platform web app development. With our highly skilled team and more than 30 years of industry experience, we can recommend the best platform for your goals and specific needs. That’s why we have recognised credentials:
Ready to turn your app into a reality? Get in touch now!