Building a Mobile App? Here are Your Options

It’s become a necessity for a business to own a mobile app these days. Customers expect it of them and not having one can hurt a business’ reputation. If you’re thinking of building a mobile app, there are a lot of options available. You can choose to create a native app, a web app or a hybrid app. You can also decide to develop in-house or outsource the development to a company.

So which option is the best and how should you develop your app? Here's a simple explanation of all your choices:

Three Main App Types
    You can either choose to build native/cross-platform, web or a hybrid application. Each type has its perks and drawbacks:

Native/cross-platform apps:

• Native development refers to building a product for a single platform – like Android or iOS. Cross-platform, on the other hand, relates to making a product that works on some platforms. Native apps are expensive to build but perform better than cross-platform ones. 

Web apps:

• Web apps are cost-effective and work on some platforms, including desktops and mobile devices. Using a framework like .NET, you can build them quickly. The drawback is that they don’t work offline. 

Hybrid apps:

• Hybrid apps are web apps that are built with a native platform structure that lets them access all the perks of a single OS. They combine the best of both worlds (and also the worst).

In-House vs. Outsourcing

So how do you build an application? Here are some options:

In-house development: You can create an in-house team and attempt to plan, develop and market the product yourself. You’ll get full control over the project, but experts estimate that developing in-house can cost up to four times more and take three times as long as getting someone experienced to do it for you.

Outsourcing: If you outsource the project, you don’t have to pay for infrastructure. You also get full long-term support for the project – including development, marketing, upgrades, and testing/troubleshooting.

What kind of application should you build and how should you develop it? It depends on your requirements and long-term goals. Our Openwave Computing Pvt Limited recommend you consult with us for best results.