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Mobile Application Development
Now, what is mobile application development? We can understand it as creating software designed to run on mobile devices. The goal is to create a solution that takes advantage of the unique hardware and features of smartphones or tablets.
For example, smartphones are equippe with GPS, cameras, near field communication (NFC), Bluetooth, sensors, etc. Developers use these features to create location-based services, facial recognition, and code readers, among many other features. The most popular mobile applications are based on some of these possibilities to get the most out of them.
Ways to Create a Mobile App
There are different ways to create mobile applications. For example, a dedicated software development team can opt for hybrid development (using frameworks like Ionic or Flutter ) or native development. However, keep in mind that the more complex the application, the more work it will take to transfer it to the mobile device.
Although not always, the most optimal way will be to develop the application specifically for the mobile environment, a native application. With this way of working, you will take advantage of all the benefits offered by smartphones and tablets. Mainly because its development considers the limitations and, in addition, the cost is optimized with the functionality of the product that the company has commissioned.
One of the most controversial issues about the hardware on mobile devices is its functionality on iOS and Android. This complication is because iOS apps can only run on iPhones and iPads. In contrast, Android apps can run on a smartphone and tablet with different hardware and even different operating system versions.
Types of Mobile Applications
Mobile applications are very varied. We can find them of any type and utility. Next, we will mention some types to understand the trends of the current panorama.
Business or Productivity Applications
These applications occupy a large part of the market due to their great utility. They can help us book tickets, send emails, or keep track of our progress at work. Applications such as Trello, Slack, or Todoist stand out.
Mobile Trading Apps
These types offer customer access to products and an easy and secure payment method for an optimal shopping experience. Among the most prominent, we find eBay or Amazon.
Entertainment Apps
These applications allow users to share video content and images, chat, search for events, or view content online. Here we can find applications such as Instagram, Netflix, or YouTube.
Utility Apps
Sometimes they go unnoticed, but we use them almost without realizing it. The most popular apps are barcode scanners, trackers, and healthcare apps.
Game Apps
It is one of the most popular categories in mobile technology. Companies invest more and more in creating games and their mobile versions because it is a very profitable market. We can highlight Candy Crush Saga or Angry Birds among the most successful games.
We have seen what mobile application development is. Now, we can understand a little more about the digital context surrounding us and mobile application developers’ importance.
What is the Development of Mobile Applications for Companies?
In this age of mobile technology and constant activity, people who work in the field expect the level of connection offered by their smartphones to be the same as that of their colleagues working at a desk. The goal of developing enterprise mobile applications is to enable such connectivity. In comparison, they meet a large enterprise’s reliability and also, security requirements.
Companies want their applications to be available on mobile devices without incurring excessive development time. As a result, there are a variety of development strategies for building mobile apps, from prepackaged and mobile solutions that require no code to ultimately custom solutions and development platforms built into mobile devices.
Approaches to Mobile App Development
Packaged Mobile Apps
Packaged apps are short-term solutions to getting a mobile app project. However, the functionality of such an application will be limited and may not be sufficient to connect to complex enterprise systems that require a license. Companies may still need to develop custom code to add the mobile functionality and integration capabilities they need.
Integrated Mobile Services for Developers
In the case of the mobile services approach for developers, mobile technology is considered part of an integrated infrastructure for developing applications in the cloud. Under this approach, developers can use reusable mobile services across many applications and platforms. As a result, instead of adding yet another platform for development, companies can extend the ones they already have for mobile use cases.
Advantages of Using Mobile Services for Developers
Enterprise-grade security
By protecting applications at the service level, it is possible to extend business applications to mobile devices and maintain high-security standards. In addition, data is protected at every level, from the platform to the device, even if the device is ever lost.
Faster Time to Market
Developers can work with the environments, platforms, and also, frameworks of their choice, improving productivity levels. They can also deploy resources as required and independently build, test, and deploy mobile apps.
Lower Operating Costs
Companies with a cloud-native platform can deploy applications on private or public cloud or on-premises infrastructure. Installation, upgrades, and lifecycle management can be managed consistently across any infrastructure. This flexibility allows reducing costs.
Conclusion
Enterprise mobile technology development is the practice of building and deploying reliable, portable, and scalable mobile applications to help large enterprises engage with customers, partners, and employees.