In this digital era, there’s rarely anyone out there without a mobile phone. A phone with a touchscreen, music player, and camera has become the lifeline of people across the world. From mobiles with monochrome displays to digitally advanced smartphones with multiple types of mobile applications, the era of mobile phones has come a long way. Today, we can do a whole lot of activities on it, be it reading the news, playing games, shopping or watching movies through different types of mobile apps. Still, many of us are unaware of basic types of mobile apps. Continue reading the blog to explore the types of mobile apps and find out their merits and demerits.
Different Types of Mobile Apps
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Every now and then a new app is launched in the market. Businesses should closely understand the types of mobile apps along with their technologies to offer better experiences to customers. A recent report suggested that numerous organizations prefer messaging platforms over Native mobile apps. To understand what these apps are and how their dynamics function, let’s deal with each type of app in detail.
1. Native Apps:
The apps that are written in a specific programming language to function on a particular operating system are known as Native apps. Commonly smartphones have an Android operating system and if it is an Apple device then it has iOS. So, the native apps developed for any of these operating systems can be used on that specific one only. It can’t be used for any other operating system as these apps are developed for that specific OS. Usually, Eclipse and Java languages are used to develop Android apps and Xcode, and Objective-C are used for iOS apps. Because the native device’s UI is used to build these types of mobile apps, they offer high performance and better user experience.
Benefits of Native Apps:
1. Simple codes are used to build the native apps so it ensures faster performance.
2. These apps are developed specifically for devices and their operating system which ensures better usage of the device’s and operating system’s functionalities.
3. Native apps have interactive UI/UX.
4. They are faster to configure and have very few compatibility issues.
Demerits of Native Apps
1. Developing these types of mobile apps can be time-consuming.
2. Usually, Native apps have longer release cycles to ensure stability.
3. OS-specific programming languages are tough.
4. Native apps need a separate codebase whenever there is a need to include new features.
2. Hybrid Apps
As the name suggests Hybrid apps are the combination of the best of both web apps and Native apps. These are some of the different types of mobile applications that are popularly used. Usually, these apps are written using CSS web technologies, Javascript and HTML. Due to this, they function effectively on different types of operating systems. They are first built on a single platform then they are distributed across different app stores just like Native apps. If you are wondering what is the difference between hybrid apps and native apps then you should know that the biggest difference is their performance. If you don’t need high-performance full-device access apps then hybrid apps are best. However, Native apps are always a better option when you need high-performance apps.
Merits of Hybrid Apps:
1. In comparison to other types of mobile applications, Hybrid apps are easy to build.
2. The use of shareable codes makes them cheaper to develop.
3. Since a single code base is used in Hybrid apps, it is easy to push new features into it.
4. Hybrid apps can be used offline.
Demerits of Hybrid Apps:
1. Many complex Hybrid apps come with multiple functions that slow it down.
2. Hybrid apps are costlier than web apps.
3. When compared to native apps, Hybrid apps are less interactive.
4. One of the biggest disadvantages is that these apps can’t perform tasks specific to operating systems.
3. Web Apps
Among different types of apps, web apps are most commonly used. Mobile web apps or web apps are apps that can be accessed directly from an internet browser window. To use such apps you don’t need to install them nor do you need any storage space. Often the responsiveness and functionality of web apps may seem like native apps as they have almost the same features and responsive nature. But the major difference between these two is that native apps can function in both online and offline modes, however, web apps need an active internet connection to function.
Merits of Web Apps:
1. There is no need to install web apps as they can be accessed from the browser’s window.
2. As it can be accessed easily without any installation and storage space it gains better reach.
3. Building and using web apps reduces business costs to a huge extent.
4. Web apps don’t require updating and always remain up to date.
Demerits of Web Apps
1. The biggest disadvantage is that it can’t be used in offline mode.
2. In comparison to Native apps, web apps have limited functionalities.
3. The time required to develop web apps is longer.
4. Often web apps are prone to numerous security risks.
4. Progressive Web Apps
Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) are the extensions of the website that can be used as apps. Among different types of applications, these are the ones that are most commonly used on computer systems or mobile devices. These web apps use APIs and functionalities of web browsers which offer a native app-like experience to the users. It is just like a single web page that offers a web application-like experience. In fact, they run fast irrespective of your operating system and type of device.
Merits of Progressive Web Apps:
1. Progressive web apps use very little data in comparison to all other types of mobile applications.
2. Every time these types of mobile apps are used they automatically get updated like web pages.
3. No installation is required as they can be used as simple web pages. However, users have the choice to install the extension if they want to.
4. They can be shared easily with the use of URLs.
Demerits of Progressive Web Apps:
1. Progressive web Apps are limited to using only some features of hardware and operating systems.
2. At times these apps may pose certain hardware integration problems.
3. Often full support is not available in default browsers.
4. PWAs Lack the use of the latest hardware advancements.
Conclusion
Well, now you have a complete overview of what are different types of mobile apps. Each type of mobile app has their own set of benefits and demerits. We’ve discussed them in detail in this blog already. On the basis of your business’s requirements, you can decide the type of application you want to build. You should also consider their features, purpose and cost-effectiveness to determine the one that you need and make the best selection.