Mobile technology is advancing at a rapid pace where organizations are trying to establish themselves to a wide range of global audiences and stay ahead of their competitors. Mobile apps are revolutionizing the e-commerce market in such a way that brands are developing intuitive apps on multiple-mobile platforms to tap into the international market.
Since businesses are facing tremendous competition through mobile-based commerce, it becomes vital for brands to build mobile apps to grow their businesses. Every business focus on developing a mobile app for gaining recognition among the audience and to increase their sales and revenue. However, many of them face difficulties in choosing the type of mobile app they need to develop for their brand since it is expensive and time-consuming.
Choosing the right type of mobile app for your brand is a fundamental decision and we are here to help you make informed decisions on mobile app development. With increasing popularity on cross-platform mobile apps, let’s find the importance and functionalities to understand these better.
What are Cross-Platform Mobile Apps?
Mobile apps are of two primary types namely, native and cross-platform apps. Native apps are built to suit either Android or iOS platforms and can run only on specific devices. Whereas cross-platform apps are designed to run on multiple mobile platforms as well as multiple devices without any hassles. Cross-platform mobile apps are also termed as hybrid apps as they can function on Windows, Android and iOS platforms.
Where Do Cross-Platform Mobile Apps Stand in the Current Market?
Cross-platform apps are becoming popular in recent years because of its diverse utilities, easy to design and visibility features. Statistics show that,
· Revenue generated through mobile platforms is expected to increase to $190 billion by 2022.
· 90% of mobile time is spent on apps
· 42% of consumers use a shopping app
· 1/3 of mobile developers use cross-platform technologies
· By 2022, 50% of all mobile apps will be cross-platform
If brands choose cross-platform mobile apps, they can benefit in multiple ways such as,
1. Cost-Effectiveness
Developing a mobile app is expensive for both native and hybrid apps. However, cross-platform apps give an extra cushion on the budget as the code is written only once and reused many times for multiple platforms. About 50-80% of codes can be reused, which gives the business a choice to use the same app as a native or hybrid app in the future.
2. Greater Reach
Native apps can be designed either for Android or iOS platforms only. This makes it difficult for brands to reach a greater audience. With cross-platform apps, businesses can widen their target audience by catering to the needs of consumers across multiple mobile platforms. They can make greater revenue from multiple platforms such as Windows, iOS, and Android without the need to build various apps for respective devices.
3. Timesaving
If a brand wants to provide services to multiple platforms, then constructing one cross-platform app instead of many native apps will save time and resources. Cross-platform apps take less time to build code, design, database and maintain across multiple platforms. Marketing time and costs significantly reduce through cross-platform mobile apps.
4. Universal Compatibility
Cross-platform mobile apps can produce identical UI designs and usability across multiple platforms which give your apps better acceptability. The same cross-platform brand app will be compatible with Windows, iOS and Android mobile platforms. Updates can be done automatically without any constant downloads of newer versions.
5. Easy Integration
With cloud-based computing technology becoming popular, developing a cross-platform mobile app is a breeze as it is totally compatible with various plugins integrated with the cloud settings. The UI design is functional and attractive with easy to install customizations allowing users to enjoy the app on any device.
As cross-platform apps hold an advantage over native apps with respect to cost, developing time and compatibility, it has become a growing trend among the users. By implementing cross-platform mobile apps to your business, stay ahead of the curve.