As an entrepreneur, deciding between Native and Cross-Platform mobile app development is crucial, irrespective of whether your app is a game or a customer management system. This decision impacts not only the potential platforms—iOS or Android—but also the scope of your project, whether it’s a full-scale deployment or a minimum viable product (MVP).
Industry giants like Google and Airbnb have opted for Cross-Platform technology, whereas Pinterest, Spotify, and WhatsApp have leveraged Native development. Understanding the pros and cons of each method will guide you to the best choice for your specific needs.
Mobile Market Trends – A Snapshot from 2023
In 2023, the number of app downloads worldwide was 257 billion downloads!
https://www.statista.com/statistics/271644/worldwide-free-and-paid-mobile-app-store-downloads/
Messaging and social apps are the most popular, followed by shopping apps https://www.statista.com/statistics/1252652/top-apps-categories-by-global-usage-reach/
The most popular uses are for messaging, social media, listening to music and playing games.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1265453/app-activities-worldwide-by-platform
The expected revenue from mobile apps is steadily increasing every year. In 2020 the revenues were 400 billion dollars and it is expected to soar to 670 billion dollars by 2027.
https://www.statista.com/forecasts/1262892/mobile-app-revenue-worldwide-by-segment
It can be seen that the application market continues to develop at full speed and brings with it many business opportunities. Now, we will review the different development technologies.
Native application development
Native apps are developed specifically for one platform using languages and tools designed for that ecosystem—Swift and Objective-C for iOS, Kotlin, and Java for Android. This approach ensures optimal performance and security but comes with higher costs and longer development times due to the need to develop and maintain separate codebases for each platform. This means that the development code cannot be selected for use on the other platform.
Advantages of Native development
- Excellent and up-to-date user experience (UI)- The application’s use has a fairly short learning curve due to the intuitive feeling of users already used to navigating and using their mobile screens.
- Maintaining better performance
- Fewer bugs
- Strong support from the app store
- Full utilization of device features
- High level of security—Native apps generally have a higher level of security, especially on Apple devices, compared to applications built for the Web environment, which is prone to the security holes typical of this environment.
Disadvantages of Native development
- Increased development time
- Higher costs due to the need to develop each platform separately
- No code reusability – despite the identical functionality of the application on both operating systems, the code for each platform is written in different languages and, therefore cannot be used between platforms.
- Future maintenance and version updates—As mentioned, it is necessary to maintain two platforms, so the Ongoing maintenance and updates can be resource-intensive.
Native technology development tools
| Android | IOS | |
| Programming language | Kotlin, Java | Swift, Objective-C |
| Development platform | Android Studio | XCode |
| User interface | IntelliJ IDEA | AppCode |
| Software development kit | Android SDK | IOS SDK |
Exploring Cross-Platform App Development
Unlike Native development, the tools and languages used here are designed to be compatible with both platforms.
A single Codebase builds one application suitable for IOS and Android using a common code base. Cross-platform development tools provide an intermediary layer that translates the code into the designated language of each operating system.
Many startups prefer to develop using a platform since the shorter development time makes it possible to reach the market faster. Still, the disadvantages of such development must also be kept in mind.
Advantages of Cross-Platform Development
- Faster development cycle and reduced costs
- Lower development costs since you develop once for both platforms.
- Broader audience reach through both Google Play and the App Store
- Future maintenance and version updates – it’s easier to maintain one code, hence simplified maintenance and updates
Disadvantages of Cross-Platform Development
- Inferior user experience and performance-The application may not be able to take advantage of all the functionality of the device and the design may also suffer from problems between platforms.
- Potential for increased bugs
- Limited use of all mobile device features and possible problems using device functions such as camera, GPS, and microphone.
Cross Platform technology development tools
- React Native
- Flutter
- Xamarin
- Ionic
- Apache Cordova
In Conclusion
Choosing the optimal mobile app development strategy involves several critical factors tailored to your project’s unique requirements. If prioritizing a superior user experience, robust performance, and full hardware functionality is crucial, Native app development emerges as the ideal choice. However, if you are constrained by budget and time, opting for Cross-Platform development could accelerate your market entry, leveraging its quicker development cycles and cost efficiency.
The availability and expertise of your development team also play pivotal roles; with Cross-Platform developers more readily available, this could influence your decision if rapid scaling and diverse developer availability are priorities. Remember, the choice between Native and Cross-Platform development isn’t always cut-and-dry—specific business needs and project goals will often dictate the most suitable technology path to follow.
By considering these aspects, businesses can align their app development strategy with their operational objectives and market demands, ensuring a tailored approach that maximizes both performance and efficiency.
