The propagation of apps over
the past few years has made it necessary for any business genre no matter how
big or small to offer apps. Building these apps is now easier than ever, but
which options – HTML 5 or a native app – suit your needs best? When we
are approached for building a mobile application, the first question
in the context is "How much will it cost?" which comes down to what
kind of mobile application you want us to build.
Predominantly there are three
kinds of mobile applications:
- Native applications
- HTML5 applications
- Hybrid applications
Two years ago, if there was a
statement like "HTML5 is as good as Native" we could would
have laughed it out. But as of today, HTML5 has come a long way in its
evolution, and has become a part of mainstream digital publishing space.
At the same time, it cannot also be said
that HTML5 has outdone native. They have their own set of advantages and
disadvantages. So, let us have a brief look on their pros and cons.
Native Applications
Native apps are perfect for those who want
complete control over the finished product. This type of app development gives
you the complete freedom of app customization. A native application is
installed directly on your phone. They are usually designed and built
specifically for your device and they can make better use of your device's
hardware capabilities (GPS, microphones, accelerometers, etc.). Native apps are downloaded from
the marketplace of choice for particular platform, iOS devices use the Apple App
Store, and Android devices mainly access Google Play for their app downloads.
Now let us dig deeper into the pros of using a native app.
Native apps will allow you to
take the advantage of device specific features like GPS, camera, notifications,
contact list, touch screen gestures and much more.
§ You can access native apps when
you have a weak network connectivity or in offline mode.
§ The UI of a native app remains
consistent with the platform it has been built for, which makes easier for
users to access the application.
§ Native apps give a more
personalized experience.
§ Through Native Apps, users can
cache their previous visits. This allows them to access your app at any
particular time, whether or not they have network coverage.
§ Provides advanced security
options(Data encryption)
§ Native apps can be logically
integrated with the backend systems like ERP, SAP, CRM and others for real-time
data access in business. There are certain drawbacks in using Native Apps, the
biggest downside being cost. Developing a Native App is great for customizable
control, but with it comes the increased expense of coding. Now we'll have a
look on the cons of using Native App.
§ Each and every developed Native
App has to pass the Mobile App stores approval. Even the updates need
approvals (iTunes/Google Play). This may sometimes lead to delayed time to
deliver in market.
§ To develop and distribute
native apps, a specific amount of fees is to be paid to the respective mobile app
stores including payment of a specific percentage of the sales revenue.
§ High or increased development
cost to support cross-platform.
§ It becomes difficult for
developers to provide support as different mobile devices use
different platforms.
§ Since it is not cross-platform,
it would limit target audience, hence market exposure.
HTML5 Applications
HTML5 apps are built on the web
technologies like HTML5, JavaScript and CSS. They are used to create platform-independent
applications that work perfectly on multiple devices, platforms and operating
systems through a web browser.
HTML5 apps is the solution to
most of the disadvantages of Native Apps. I have already mentioned that it is
cross-platform apart from that, it is comparatively economical. Let us have a
look on the pros of using HTML5 Apps.
§ Single application ready to
perform on all platforms, regardless of the operating system, hardware or
network.
§ Ease of access and maintains
delivery timeliness, so faster time to market.
§ Reduced development costs.
§ Since they work on web
browsers, so they are always on the current version, hence "NO
UPDATES" required.
§ No app store approval process.
One biggest disadvantage in
developing HTML5 Apps is that we cannot maintain a customized UI in accordance
to the device. No we'll discuss all the possible cons in using HTML5 Apps.
§ Unlike Native Apps, HTML5 Apps
cannot work on offline mode i.e.; limited in-browser caching access.
§ HTML5 Apps have a standard UI
which works the same for all the browsers, devices or operating systems.
§ HTML5 applications runs on a
web browser, which makes the speed of the app a little sluggish sometimes
depending the speed and the bandwidth of the network.
§ User experience may not be as
rich as expected for Native Apps.
§ HTML5 Apps have limited access
to device sensors.
Conclusively, choosing between these two
variants completely depends on the Business Requirement. There are possible
situations where choosing HTML5 apps will be the right choice for your business
while in other cases choosing Native apps will make more sense. It all depends
on what you expect out of your application, your time frame and your budget. Sometimes
a hybrid application can be very handy and can suits your business needs so
before opting one you should contact best website
designer and developer & Mobile application developer
so that you can choose what is right for your business.
For more information, please visit: www.programmingyan.com
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