Mobile Application Development – Definition, Types, Importance, and More
Table of Contents
Mobile Application Development Definition
Mobile application development is the recognized procedures and processes involved when creating software for small wireless computing devices, such as tablets and smartphones. Like web application development, mobile application development processes root in traditional software development.
Types of Mobile Application Development
The exponential admiration of smartphones and tablets has run to software formation in line with mobile application development. The two operating systems, iOS, and Android have set the pace to standardize different mobile app development types for programmers.
These different types of mobile application development include:
1. Native Applications
Native apps design for specific device platforms, be it Android or iOS. They are transferred or installed through an app store and retrieved through an icon on the device. Native apps design to take full advantage of device features like GPS, camera, contact lists, and more. When you reason for a mobile app, the primary one that originates to mind is probably a native app. Examples:
Social media apps: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest
Games: Pokémon Go, Candy Crush
Navigation programs: Waze
2. Web or HTML5 Applications
Based on worldwide and standardized web technologies such as HTML5, JavaScript, and CSS, web applications implement websites that look and feel like native requests. They work and run in a browser characteristically written in HTML5.
These applications only take advantage of the GPS and camera functions of one device.
Examples: AliExpress, OLX, and Twitter Lite.
3. Hybrid Applications
Hybrid JavaScript, HTML, and CSS requests are a mixture of innate and web apps. They are obtained from an app store and benefit from the device’s features, like a native app. Like the web application, it is opened from a browser and is HTML-based.
Simply put, hybrid apps install like a native app but operate like a web app.
Examples:
- Search engine streaming like JustWatch;
- Social networks like Instagram and Untapped;
- Cryptocurrency apps like Crypto change.
Behind each mobile application that you love is the mobile application development late it. Behindhand, the more than 1.5 million applications available in all app stores, countless research, and time invested in developing the best mobile application to offer an improved user experience.
Importance of Mobile Application Development in the Business World
Mobile applications focused on business and productivity are becoming more and more critical every day and currently constitute an excellent opportunity to achieve the digitization of SMEs. People increasingly prefer to use their phones and tablets at work for convenience reasons to perform complex tasks while attending to other matters.
For example, with a business app, you can take care of your company’s logistics, send emails, or take a look at the progress of the staff. They are ideal apps to maximize productivity and minimize costs thanks to easy management and automation of processes.
Rocket Labs puts at your fingertips a team of software development and competitive technological solutions to maximize the productivity of your business. Now that you know what application development is, you cannot pass up its benefits to grow your company.
Mobile Application Development for Android
We start with the operating system with the largest market share and with the most mobile apps developed. And also with more number of applications in the stores. A quick look at the OS features and how to configure Android mobile app development.
1. Basic Characteristics
Attending to Google itself, creator of Android, the technical characteristics of this operating system and that configure it are the following:
- It is an Open Source operating system. This means that you can adapt it to your needs. There are, therefore, many more developers and much more documentation for professionals.
Kernel-based on the Linux Kernel. - Adaptable to many screens and resolutions. Excellent to be able to adapt to the infinite number of terminals that exist in the market.
- It uses SQLite for data storage.
- WebKit-based web browser included.
- Support for HTML, HTML5, Adobe Flash Player, etc.
- It includes a device emulator, memory debugging tools, and software performance analysis.
- Google Talk from its HoneyComb version to make video calls.
- Real application multitasking.
2. Terminals and Mobile Devices
Most non-Apple smartphones and tablets run on one of the versions of the Android operating system. From KitKat through Lollipop and the most recent Marshmallow. The most popular devices that use Android are the following:
- Nexus
- Samsung
- Sony
- Huawei
- Etc.
When developing mobile apps for this operating system, we must take into account all these devices. Each one may have different dimensions. We will have to adjust our mobile app development to the standard. Only in this way will we ensure that the app is visible and usable.
3. Tools Needed
The easiest and most direct way to start developing mobile apps for Android is by downloading the Android SDK and the Eclipse IDE (see Resources). Android development can do Android from Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, or Linux, given its open-source nature.
The Android applications run in a Java application framework object-oriented on the core Java libraries in a Dalvik virtual machine with just-in-time compilation.
The libraries written in C language include an administrator GUI (surface manager), a framework OpenCore, a relational database SQLite, a programming interface API graphical OpenGL ES 2.0 3D rendering engine WebKit, an engine SGL, SSL, and a standard C Bionic library. However, there are also other options to create Android applications without resorting to Java.
Android emulator: It highly recommends to have an Android emulator nearby if we dedicate ourselves to developing mobile apps for this operating system. With it, we can see the progress we are making in development, errors, corrections.
4. Cost to Developer
I am taking into account the base cost for an Android developer who is going to start working.
Android Developer License: $ 25. This fee is paid once in a lifetime.
Standard mobile device: Nexus 6 (new free 459 euros)
Computer to be able to develop: 300 euros on average. Although any computer works.
Approximate total cost: 869 euros
Mobile Application Development for iOS
The operating scheme that takes the silver is the one shaped by Steve Jobs at Apple. Though it was born before Android and had more market share, iOS has lost power and users.
1. Basic Characteristics
The second in the race for the mobile market continues to fight to gain a foothold. Some information about the mobile OS of Cupertino:
- It is a mobile operating system from the multinational Apple Inc.
- iOS is an irregular Mac OS X, which is the operating system for Apple-branded computers and, like it, is based on Unix.
- It does not permit the installation of iOS on third-party hardware.
- Although it is a private and select operating system for its devices, Apple releases its SDK to improve app developers.
- Real application multitasking.
- It is necessary to Jailbreak to be able to install third-party applications
Versions before iOS 8 do not let the use of the Java Platform and Adobe Flash. Instead, iOS uses HTML5 as another to Flash. However, as of iOS 8, Adobe Flash is already allowed, but users of an iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad with a version before iOS 8 lift out of this update. You must take it into account for the cases of the development of apps for iOS.
2. Terminals and Mobile Devices
Only Apple mobile devices can run the iOS operating system. These include the iPhone, iPad, and various versions of the iPod.
- iPhone 4, 5, 6, etc.
- iPad, iPad Mini
- iPod nano, iPod shuffle
3. Tools Needed
The Software Development Kit or SDK is obtainable to third parties and designers since March 2008, thus allowing developers to make applications for the iPhone and iPod Touch, as well as test them on the iPhone simulator » Although it is only possible to use the app in the devices after paying the iPhone Developer Program fee.
Xcode is the program used in the iPhone SDK. These applications, like those for Mac OS X, are written in Objective-C.
Developers can put a price above the minimum (0.99 dollars) to their applications to distribute and sell them in the App Store, from where they will receive 70% of the money that the application enters.
On the other hand, the developer can launch the application for free, and thus they would not get or pay anything except for the member/developer fee. Project management tools like monday.com are super easy to use and look great – it’s easy to stay organized with all the different color-based features and tasks.
4. Cost to Developer
The cost of mobile app development is not limited to the time invested by the programmer, but we must bear in mind that to find a job and be hired for mobile application development, we must have a team to carry it out. This is what we need and its final cost:
- IOS developer license: 99 euros per year.
- Standard mobile device: iPhone (new free 639 euros)
- Computer to develop: You need to use a Mac computer, the lowest range is Mac mini (new 549 euros)
- Approximate total cost: 1,287 initial euros
Ultimately, the final cost of mobile app development for Android and iOS is generally very similar in the developer’s eyes. The possible differences will reside in the excess or lack of demand. Given a large number of Android developers, the final price may be more competitive. There will always be a developer who lowers the cost a little more, while in the case of iOS development, it will always be more stable.
Conclusion
Mobile development is more than just making mobile apps. Any development for any type of mobile expedient is known as mobile development. This is a bit of a hypothetical explanation, but it means that mobile development comprises developing apps for any sharp objects such as phones, smartwatches, or other wearable devices that run any OS (Operating System). But that is a significant share of it. And also, web developers must reflect on how their apps will use and accessible on mobile devices.
Also Read: Japan’s Gambling Industry: Then and Now
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