Without apps, a smartphone is similar to an outdated Nokia or Motorola that can only be used for calls and text messages. These phones lack touch screens, relying instead on the traditional buttons. Such archaic features are not compatible with the needs of the 21st century. On the other hand, apps are now an essential part of our daily lives, with the average user spending nearly 5 hours a day in them. Moreover, in 2021, users downloaded 230 billion new apps, a 5% year-over-year increase.

This high demand has driven businesses to launch apps quickly and cost-effectively, leading to the development of cross-platform solutions. However, despite being a cheaper option, these apps lack the performance, stability, UX, and crash protection of native mobile applications. Native app development may be more expensive, but it also offers higher quality, better customer loyalty, and a better user experience. In this article, we will explore the benefits of native mobile app development in more detail.

Native App Development: What Is It?

Native app development refers to the process of building a separate app for each operating system, such as Android and iOS. It is typically more expensive than cross-platform or web approaches, but it can be a beneficial investment in the long term. The main benefit of this type of development is that it allows for full compliance with the guidelines of a specific operating system, resulting in higher stability, better performance, and easier scalability. Additionally, native apps require less maintenance and fix post-release.

In contrast, cross-platform development is an affordable and fast option, as it allows you to build one application that covers both Android and iOS platforms. However, it comes with potential performance issues, UX flaws, and update complexities due to the lack of integration with the particular operating system.

Finally, progressive web apps (PWAs) are web applications with an enhanced user experience that makes them similar to mobile apps. Users don’t have to download them because they are run in a browser, but they can still install them on the home screen if necessary, receive notifications, and run the app offline. From the tech standpoint, PWAs are fast and easy to maintain.

Tools & Technologies

Despite the fact that there are many operating systems, our focus is creating mobile apps for iOS and Android. They have effectively managed to capture a majority of the market, leading to a 99% market share.

When constructing a native app, a developer utilizes a specific programming language exclusive to either iOS or Android. To put it simply, the expert speaks a language the system is able to comprehend. Now, let’s explore the tech stack for native app development a bit further.

Android-Specific Programming

Developers use two coding languages to create high-end native Android apps: Java and Kotlin. Java has been the main technology for Android development until 2019, and its APIs are designed to be called primarily from Java. There is a strong community support and a rich ecosystem of tools and libraries available for Java. Google has declared Kotlin as the preferred language for Android development since 2019. Kotlin is an evolution of Java and is 100% interoperable with the language. Both Java and Kotlin can be used together in an Android application, with elements of both languages included.

iOS-Specific Programming

In 2014, a new programming language, Swift, was introduced which revolutionized the way iOS developers created applications. This language offers superior security and performance, as well as a range of powerful tools that make iOS apps more expressive. As a result, Swift has become the language of preference, replacing Objective-C as the main coding language for iOS developers.

Benefits of Native App Development

1. Seamless Performance and Fast Operating Speed: Native apps are coded specifically for a certain platform, allowing them to take advantage of platform-specific elements and APIs that already take into account the peculiarities of branded devices, resulting in better performance.
2. Great UI/UX: Native applications integrate seamlessly into their devices’ OS interfaces, making them look and feel like an extension of the device, creating an intuitive interface that is simple to use.
3. Better Security and Reliability: Native apps are well-protected by several layers of an operating system and rely on official trustworthy APIs, reducing the app’s overall vulnerability. In addition, developers can offer embedded certification and in-app multifactor authentication, making it a secure way to store sensitive data.
4. Up-to-Date SDK: Native application development implies higher flexibility in terms of available features, as both Apple and Google constantly update their SDKs. This allows developers to minimize the number of bugs and ensures enhanced stability.
5. Easy to Launch in the App Stores: As a native app has to follow the regulations of either Google Play or Apple’s App Store, the launch process is much faster and easier.
6. Hardware Features: Native apps have full access to the device’s hardware features, allowing developers to take advantage of a camera, GPS, or microphone to add advanced functionality.
7. Access to a Pool of Expertise: Native app development allows you to find a professional developer with years of experience and deep expertise in the specific mobile operating system. This helps to reduce errors and speed up the development process.
8. Scalability: Native apps are easier to scale because they focus on either Android or iOS users. This allows for more efficient use of existing hardware and more opportunities to split the data flow, making it easier to accommodate more traffic.
9. Advanced Customization: Native app development gives developers the freedom to create highly customized applications. There are plenty of flexible tools and solutions available to use, allowing for more advanced customization than cross-platform frameworks.

Is It Worth Going Native?

Do the potential benefits of native mobile app development outweigh the costs? If you are considering this option, you may be wondering if the quality and performance of a native app are worth the investments needed. With features such as stunning design, high-resolution graphics, rapid operating speed, and a rich feature set, a native mobile application can provide you with a competitive advantage. However, you may need help to determine if the advantages of a native application will be worth the cost in the long run. If you would like assistance with this decision, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are eager to hear from you.