Everyone wants to have the next hot app for mobile devices. If your company is exploring entering the mobile arena (or you want to know if what you've already done was the right choice), one of the first decisions to make is whether it should be developed for mobile native applications, mobile web applications, or both.
Native Apps vs. Web Apps
Native apps are designed and developed for specific mobile operating systems, such as Symbian, Android, Blackberry, and iOS. Each operating system is used on specific mobile devices (both smartphones and tablets) and can install native apps directly onto a device. The apps run using the mobile device's operating system. The application itself, along with all associated data, is stored on your mobile device. Native apps are available through mobile marketplaces or can be downloaded from the web. Native apps include enhanced smartphone or tablet functionality above the standard features, games, barcode scanners, QR scanners and maps, among thousands of other apps.
Mobile web apps are designed and developed to function within a web browser on your mobile device and are not device-specific. Any mobile device that has a web browser can view and interact with web apps, and they do not need to be installed onto a device. Part of the application can be housed on your mobile device if necessary. Normally the associated data is stored on a web server that is accessed through your smartphone. Some examples of mobile web apps include a sales tracking app for your sales team/management, a mobile portal for customers to review projects/orders, inventory access for internal staff/sales team, and access to any type of data monitoring.
The line between native apps and mobile web apps is becoming increasingly blurred. Some mobile web apps run within a dedicated browser and are launched from the home screen, so they appear to be a native app, and some native apps are now connecting to the web for storage and/or some type of interaction.
Deciding Factors
Given that the difference between native apps and web apps can be significant, but sometimes hard to distinguish, it is important to consider the use and audience of an application prior to formulating a plan to take your business mobile.
Memory Space: Because native apps are installed on your mobile device, most of the resources they use (text, images, video, audio, data storage) will also be stored on your mobile device, eating up a small portion of your device's memory space. The more native apps you install, the less space you will have available, and it's possible you would eventually run out of memory space. On the other hand, web apps live on a remote server and you interact with them through a browser. Like native apps, web apps also contain text, images, video, and audio, but because they are pulled from a remote source, the mobile device's browser will limit how much of your device's memory space is taken up by web resources. With mobile apps, you could conceivably visit an unlimited number of web apps without ever running out of memory space.
Application Speed: Native apps tend to perform faster precisely because they are pulling most of the resources directly from your mobile device, whereas web apps may perform slower as they must download content to your mobile device before you can view it. This difference depends heavily on the type of application being run because web transfer speeds are often only slightly longer. If your application includes videos or images that require long download times through the web, then a native app might be preferred. If your application does not include large images, videos, or audio files, then you could reasonably choose either native apps or web apps.
Connectivity: By nature, native apps have most of their resources stored directly on a device, but they can also pull data or content through a device's network connection. Conversely, web apps have most of their resources stored on a remote server, but they can also store data or content directly on a device. This difference seems to be a toss-up, given that both have the capability of functioning offline when there is no network connection available.
Interface: Each mobile operating system has its own standards for how user interfaces are arranged and displayed (colors, sizes). Native apps adhere to the standards of a mobile operating system, while web apps can have any design or style desired. Both are formatted to take advantage of the limited screen size and the normal functionality of mobile devices.
Features: Native apps can leverage built-in capabilities of a mobile device, such as a camera, geolocation, motion and orientation. These features are not automatically available to web apps. However, frameworks are emerging which allow web apps to tap into a mobile device's built-in features.
The debate of native apps versus web apps is significant because the mobile device landscape is constantly changing as new products are released, new features are introduced and new technologies are discovered. The devices themselves are constantly being enhanced and upgraded, allowing for more flexibility and functionality through both native apps and web apps. In addition, mobile and web technologies are continuing to keep pace with the hardware by providing the tools and frameworks to allow the peak functionality of the mobile devices.
For most businesses, providing customers with information and having accessibility to internal data are the top priorities. That tends to point toward web apps as the solution. Customers, regardless of their specific mobile device, would be able to access information and your internal staff would have access to data tied to your business processes. This is not to say that mobile web apps are always better. Carefully consider the mobile application you are planning to build, its purpose, its target audience and how it will be best used.
Current Issue - April 2024