With the popularity of mobile devices and smartphones, the time people spend on mobile devices can even surpass desktops and laptops. This makes browsers and mobile apps become the most number of internet hits. With such a large number of users, mobile devices also possess a huge application store no less than computer devices. Mobile application development serves several of our needs from playing games, watching movies, listening to music, working in the office, updating news, etc.
So have you ever been curious about mobile application development? How do they work? Are they classified, or are they simply “mobile apps”?
Let’s find the answers to those questions through this article!
Table of Contents
History of mobile application development
The world technology era was born with the remarkable development of programming technology. The desk phone has become a potential smartphone market. Thanks to smartphones, trading has become easier and easier today. The arrival of smartphones brought with it millions of mobile applications from which to develop. Aimed at the needs and desires of users, the application is born to lay the foundation for business development.
A list of mobile application development benefits
For businesses
There are specific and multi-purpose business applications depending on the areas of activity. Business owners appreciate popular, full-featured tools that make it easier for them to manage their business and optimize their workflow. For example, they choose mobile application development advantages as following:
- Operate with office documents.
- Provide assistance with tax and legal information.
- Schedule works and tasks.
- Accounting management and human resources.
- Synthesis of business news and events.
For marketing
Any company needs customers and partners to set up responses. Find out what customers need by turning them into users of your company’s mobile app. Even if it’s simple promotional apps, it’s possible to advertise new products. Provide your company’s marketers with the following usable tools:
- Developing content for blogs and community posts.
- Working with social networks.
- Processing images and videos.
- Data collection and analysis.
- Tracking brand mentions.
- Sending newsletters through messaging apps and other communication channels.
For users
An application becomes popular when it comes to functions that are useful and essential to people. The company can promote its brand through a non-profit app, so the app itself can become a marketing tool. Just give the world something that’s needed and get widespread recognition. The following types of applications help the company become an assistant in the user’s personal life:
- Educational applications, applications for proficiency in skills or language learning.
- Checking personality and behavior.
- Converter, measure, calculate, monitor.
- Applications for motivating, diet and sports.
- Personal financial management and home accounting system.
- Work management and shopping plans.
Types of mobile application development
There are 4 types of mobile application. If you get the right mobile application development technologies, you will save time, effort, and finances.
- Native app.
- Web app.
- Hybrid app.
- Progressive Web App.
Native app
Mobile operating systems such as Android and iOS provide a series of software development tools to build applications unique to any device, such as the SDK software development kit. These apps are known as Native apps.
Native apps have the fastest processing speed with the highest reliability. They often adhere to platform-specific design principles, thereby getting a more consistent user interface than Web apps and Hybrid apps. Due to its tight integration with the operating system, Native apps have direct access to almost any device component (cameras, sensors, hardware-backed key stores, etc.).
Web app
Web apps are web pages designed to look like Native apps. These applications are typically written in HTML, CSS, and JS and run in the mobile device browser. For example, with Facebook, there is a Native app on both Android and iOS, and if you want to use the browser, you can visit m.facebook.com.
Web apps are designed to run on multiple mobile operating systems, helping to reduce development costs, maintenance, upgrades, and so on. Besides, Web apps run slower than Native apps.
Hybrid app
The hybrid app is an application that combines the advantages and disadvantages of both Web apps and Native apps. Hybrid apps can be put on the app store to install and run like Native apps, but most of the app’s processes rely on web technology. Part of the application runs on an embedded browser, the web-based operations are run on the webview and display the results in the application window.
The hybrid app accesses the device functionality through a web-to-native abstraction layer. Depending on the framework used, the Hybrid app can be developed for each platform, while retaining the basic code that is cross-platform interactive.
Progressive Web App
Progressive Web Apps (PWA) work similarly to a website but differs in that it can be used without a network connection and has the ability to access mobile hardware – 2 features of the Native app. PWAs combine different standards of modern browsers to enhance the user experience.
PWA can be used on both Android and iOS platforms, but not all functions are supported, for example, as on iOS, PWA from version 11.3 will be supported.
Mobile application development tools
Adobe PhoneGap
This is one of the cross-platform frameworks owned by Adobe. It mainly uses languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Also allows access to the PhoneGap framework, which is intended to streamline the application development process, including debugging tools and options.
Besides, if you want to build live programs, Adobe PhoneGap also provides a cloud solution, supports complex text commands, independent access to third parties.
In addition, its structure allows the adoption of plugins, extending device APIs, applying integrated billing through the App Store and Google Play.
Appcelerator
It is a cross-platform application development tool that makes software run smoother by simplifying the whole process.
Appcelerator allows building mobile, tablet, and desktop applications through many different languages such as HTML, PHP, JavaScript.
Only with the JavaScript codebase can users build native apps. In addition, it also provides web content in the native application, so that the code is not wrapped around the web container.
Moreover, thanks to the schemaless data warehouse, the data models do not need setup and are fully integrated for the continuous delivery and reception system.
React Native
This is considered the best cross-platform application development tool today. It allows programmers to build software using the JavaScript programming language.
The highlight of React Native is that it can work as an image editing and video processing tool without depending on other APIs. In addition, it also has the ability to write modules in many different programming languages such as C, Java, and Swift.
Besides, React Native also has a huge community, React native identity, and the best JavaScript library in UI design.
Xamarin
This is one of the tools used to develop cross-platform applications with just one .NET code, can also build software for Android, tvOS, iOS, watchOS, macOS, etc.
In addition, Xamarin is also considered the most vibrant part of the .NET ecosystem, used by millions of developers around the world and sharing more than 75% of programmer’s code across many different platforms.
Mobile application development cost
- Application development is mainly based on the quality of features, complexity, and platform, operating system.
- Apps with a back-end system will be higher priced.
- Simple App development on a platform started at 25 million VND.
- A more complicated application can cost millions but can push up to over 500 million VND (for example, an application to new technology).
- It will also vary based on who created it (e.g. foreign, domestic, or freelancer company).
- Don’t forget to budget for your own updates, marketing, salary, and other fees.
Programming languages for mobile application development
There are many different languages used to program mobile apps.
When it comes to mobile application development, knowing programming languages is fundamental. Using a new appropriate programming language helps the process of building mobile applications smoothly, meeting the real needs and requirements of users.
The programming language used for Android
Mobile application development java
Known as one of the most popular languages, most used today when developing mobile apps for the Android operating system. With an extremely strong developer community, developing for many years, mobile application development with java helps each person to be supported, enthusiastic, professional advice on expertise when needed. This will definitely help the process of writing apps go smoothly and work effectively on mobile devices after completion.
The outstanding advantage when using the Java language in building Android apps is that we can freely create the app we want. However, the creation has a certain limit, in the range of professional knowledge, personal understanding of this programming language. So, before starting, please consult and learn carefully to be proactive and more effective when using Java in mobile application programming.
Kotlin programming language
Currently, this language is officially supported by Google to meet the needs of each person in the process of writing apps according to actual requirements.
Using Kotlin has the main task, the most important thing is to solve some problems that arise when using Java, thereby helping the Android application design process smoothly and bring the best results. Then, the ownership of applications for mobile devices on the Android operating system becomes as effective as each person desires.
Programming language for iOS
Swift programming language
For mobile applications developed on the iOS operating system, Swift is considered the best programming language of mobile application development for beginners. This is a language that was introduced in 2014. Currently, the Swift programming language is used in an open-source form, effectively accessible and favored by many reputable mobile developers. For individuals and units who want to start a business with an iOS app, Swift is the smartest and most conventional choice.
Currently, the Swift language is added by Apple with many useful and great features such as simple syntax, and effective programming error, etc. Swift, the ability to effectively perfect the application, to respond well to the goal of programming mobile apps for the iOS operating system, is conducted as desired.
Objective-C programming language
The first programming language used, which was considered essential for the early development of the iOS operating system, was Objective-C. Therefore, although the Swift language is increasingly popular, Objective-C is still meaningful, important, and trusted in many different projects. Sometimes, the parallel use of both languages helps the iOS application development process achieve the most ideal results.
Ecommerce mobile application development
Ecommerce is becoming more and more popular. Therefore, an eCommerce mobile application development is created as an online marketplace that is set up to serve part or all of the process of buying and selling goods or providing services, from introducing goods to concluding contracts, providing services, making payments, and also providing after-sales services.
Approach to effective users
Access and process information directly and quickly between businesses and suppliers, between businesses and customers. The number of buyers, sellers, and suppliers participating is very large, making it easy to do business in a digital market.
Convenient for participants on the e-commerce platform
All processes of buying, selling, transaction, negotiating, and payment are completed online on the Internet without having to travel.
As well as a very powerful tool to sell and advertise goods, it saves a lot of costs such as cutting down on demand for stores, selling space, material warehouse, simplifying the comparison process, and product selection.
High returns for eCommerce developers
The E-commerce platform is a service business organization acting as an intermediary. Traders will register their business on the app, from which the platforms will charge a % fee of the product sale price and the form of running ads.
Final words
It won’t take too long for mobile application development to become the standard of practice in business, especially the marketing, consumer goods, cars, and food companies to communicate with customers. Mobile App will be applied, especially in Western and Asian countries, with high usage of smartphones.
