App development for iOS & Android

Practically any business idea can turn into a successful project – from online payments and travel bookings to customer systems and many more. Maybe you don’t know what kind of software would be best for your mobile strategy? Or maybe you are a lot further in the process and need to talk about specific technical issues? Regardless of what phase you are in, we can deliver apps that will create value for both your business and your users.

We specialize in developing mobile apps for both iOS & Android as native apps (in other words, apps tailored to one particular platform) and as hybrid apps (the same app covers both platforms). So whether your app is for iOS or Android, you are in good hands with us.

What is a native app?

A native app is developed for a specific platform on the basis of a technology that is unique for that platform. This means that you can take advantage of the possibilities and functionalities available in that platform’s operating system that are not necessarily available on competing platforms. 

At the same time, there will be direct access to hardware features such as GPS and fingerprint scanners, etc., and so-called native APIs, which differ from platform to platform. In a context where there is a need for a lot of CPU power (if the display needs to be updated often or if there is a lot of heavy multimedia and graphics), then direct access will give better performance. This allows for the best user experience to be created, one that is tailored to the individual platform and has the greatest security and the highest level of performance. 

  • Both iOS and Android (hereafter: Native Apps) technologies are mature and stable. Native Apps are 100% safe for live launch.  

  • Native Apps offer rich standard component libraries. This enables programmers to reduce the time spent on developing custom solutions. The components are stable and bug-free. 

  • While developing in Native Apps, 2 skill sets are required. While this might implode initial App development costs, it mitigates the maintenance and update costs in the long run (this may vary depending on the complexity of the App). 

  • Native Apps are easily upgraded to the new iOS and Android version releases. 

  • Additional hardware functionality is easy to implement. Apps can exploit the hardware capabilities to 100%. 

What is a hybrid app?

Also known as a cross-platform app, a hybrid app makes it possible for you to optimize your investment and make your product available faster, to a wider audience. By taking advantage of cross-platform technologies such as HTML5, jQuery Mobile, Ionic, and Cordova, our software developers can make your app instantly available for users on any of the larger platforms: iOS, Windows, Android, and Blackberry. Compared to developing a native app for each platform, hybrid apps will give considerable cost savings – up to 40% – both in relation to the cost of development and maintenance as well as development time and a shorter time-to-market.

  • React Native platform is still in the Beta version. It is still a relatively new platform, contains bugs, and is not 100% tested. 

  • The number of ready-made components (e.g. toggle button, fill forms, navigation displaysis very limited. Although it is expected to increase drastically (in 2020)this does not guarantee the quality and the programmers have to custom develop new components diminishing the cost/time benefit of a single platform. 

  • While developing in React Native, one might still need to write a minimal amount of native code. This, in turn, affects support and maintenance costs, as up to 3 different skill sets may be needed for the development and upkeeping of the system. 

  • React Native is more prone to prompt issues (e.g. disappearing UI components, unexpected color changes) with new iOS and Android version releases. 

  • When developing a long-term solution: i.e adding new hardware capability, React Native apps are slower and may struggle with high-performance requirements. 

What kind of mobile app fits your business needs the most?

At a time when everything is moving fast, and users are in the centre, companies are always on the lookout for ways to shorten production time, achieve higher performance, and improve the user experience.

For low-functionality and initial-cost-oriented app development, react native might be an attractive option. React native features lower initial setup costs and the code is 70% reusable for both Android and iOS. This choice should be made with an important factor in mind: low future hardware addition capability in the long-term. 

For state-of-the-art app development featuring mid to high hardware utilization, smooth UI, and high performance – native apps is the way to go. While more expensive in the initial development phase, the solution is more stable, easier to maintain, and stands the test of time (namely, the upgrades iOS and Android versions). It is the preferred choice for solutions with future vision of app development with additional features in the pipeline.