Building a mobile app has become a top priority for many companies. However, it’s often difficult to choose a development approach as the lines between the various options are becoming increasingly blurred. In our recent post, A Guide to Mobile

 App Development: Web vs Native vs Hybrid, we broke down the three options and outlined the pros and cons for each. This article will dive deeper into Native Mobile App Development and the benefits of choosing this particular development approach.

What is Native Mobile App Development?

Native mobile app development involves building apps for specific mobile operating systems. Users can then access them from dedicated app stores (such as the App Store or Google Play). If you intend to build an application for iOS, app developers will use programming languages Objective-C or Swift. In contrast, developing for Android calls for the programming languages Java or Kotlin.

Both Apple and Google provide app developers with their own development tools, interface elements, and software development kits (SDKs). Most companies will invest in native mobile app development because of the benefits offered in comparison to other types of apps such as hybrid or web. As mobile software is becoming a necessity, it’s important for companies to be well-informed about the pros and cons of each app development approach. Here are the key benefits of native mobile app development:

5 Benefits of Native Mobile App Development

1. Native Apps Have The Best Performance

With native mobile app development, the app is created and optimized for a specific platform. As a result, the app demonstrates an extremely high level of performance. Native apps are very fast and responsive because they are built for a specific operating system and are compiled using the platform’s core programming language and APIs. As a result, the app is much more efficient. The device stores the app which allows the software to leverage the device’s processing speed. As users navigate through a native mobile app, the contents and visual elements are already stored on their phone. This results in quick load times.

2. Native Apps Are More Secure

Web apps rely on different browsers and underlying technologies such as JavaScript, HTML5, and CSS. Developing a native mobile app is a great way to guarantee your users reliable data protection.

3. Native Apps Are More Interactive And Intuitive

Native mobile apps run more smoothly, especially when it comes to user input and output. These types of apps inherit their devices’ OS interfaces, which makes them look and feel like an integrated part of the device.

The biggest benefit to native mobile apps is the superior user experience. Because native apps are created for a specific operating system, they can stick to guidelines that enhance and align the user experience with the operating system. As a result, the flow of the app is more natural. Adhering to specific guidelines eliminates the learning curve and allows users to interact with apps using actions and gestures they’re already familiar with. 

4. Native Apps Allow Developers to Access the Full Feature Set of Devices

Since native apps are developed for their particular platform, they take full advantage of the software and the operating systems’ features. These apps can directly access the hardware of the device, such as the GPS, camera, microphone, etc. That means they offer faster execution, which ultimately results in better user experience.

Push notifications are another huge advantage to choosing native app development. Push notifications go through the iOS server (APNS) which means you need your app bundle ID. The same goes for Google’s Cloud Messaging (GCM).

5. Native App Development Tends to Have Fewer Bugs During Development

It’s much more difficult to maintain two different applications in one codebase than it is two applications in two codebases. With native app development, you have fewer dependencies for bugs to occur. This is because you’re not relying on a cross-platform tool such as Xamarin or Cordova. Hybrid apps access hardware through a bridge which often slows development down and can amount to a frustrating user experience.

This problem is prominent when new versions of Android and iOS are released. Native app developers have access to new SDKs. This means they can start building their applications with the most recent features. Because of this lead time, users of native applications have access to new platform features the moment they update the operating system. 

With hybrid app development, developers are dependent on a cross-platform development tool such as Xamarin or Cordova. Every time new features are released in the UI kit, you need to wait for the tool to support it. When you develop a hybrid app, there’s an added layer that you don’t have control over which can increase the chances of bugs occurring. Bugs are a huge concern for hybrid app development when working with the latest features that have been released for a particular operating system. This is an essential and often overlooked part of generating loyalty among users.

Other Native Mobile App Development Considerations

Although the initial cost may be higher with native mobile app development, you’ll save time and money in the long run by doing it well the first time. With a great user experience, better performance, and the ability to leverage device features, you’re able to offer your users a more personalized and rewarding experience in the long-term. The combination of native mobile app advantages will result in higher conversion rates and will ultimately boost customer loyalty.

Related: The Definitive Guide to Mobile App Development Costs [Infographic]

The Ultimate User Experience

Technical and functionality shortcomings aside, non-native apps cannot compete with the responsiveness and user experience of the native approach. If a business intends their app to be a central tool for interacting with customers and stakeholders, it must deliver an excellent user experience that supports mobile app retention. Dissatisfaction, even in the slightest, can lead to poor retention rates and high uninstallation.

Native app development gives developers considerably more control over the user experience. What’s more, it allows them to design their apps for easy support. We believe it’s best to stick with native and not sacrifice the design elements that are unique to each platform.

Final Thoughts

While the discussion to differentiate the three mobile app development approaches will continue, it’s important to remember that you shouldn’t choose an approach for the technology, but rather, choose based on your app’s functionality. If you choose an approach that doesn’t allow your app to utilize device features, for example, then you’ll end up wasting a lot of time and money when you decide to add these features later. To decide which development approach to take, ask yourself these key questions:

1. How important is the performance of your app?
2. Does your app need to include any device-specific features?
3. Do you want your app to support multiple platforms and devices?
4. What is your mobile app development budget?

Keep Reading:

• 4 Essential Success Criteria For  Mobile Product Development
• Mobile App Design: Designing For A Web App Vs. Native App
• [Infographic] A Guide to Mobile App Development: Web vs Native vs Hybrid

What do you do once you decide that developing an app is the right solution your brand needs to resolve a core business problem? Well, when you begin planning your technical requirements, you need to decide what platform you want to develop on, but how do you decide which platform is right for your product?

With iOS and Android owning 97 percent of the global mobile market share, the ideal approach to mobile app development is to build and launch for both platforms. However that’s not always possible – constraints like time, budget, and resources can prevent you from developing for both OSs at once. Instead, you may want to consider launching on one platform first and then introduce a second platform at a later date.

Each platform has distinct advantages, so it’s important to do enough research to understand which OS properly aligns with achieving your product goals.

Haven’t set your product goals? Learn more about how a Design & Discovery workshop establishes a user-focused product vision and measurable success criteria to boost ROI. Talk to a mobile expert, today.

This article is a comparative guide examining both iOS and Android in four key areas: audience, monetization, project timeline, and budget to help you decide whether iOS or Android is the right choice for your product.

Audience

Right away, the differences in the users iOS and Android attract are noticeable. To choose your ideal OS, you need to define what end goal your app aims to achieve and which audience is important to your business model.

Android has the greatest global market share sitting at around two-thirds and gets more app downloads than iOS. Sensor Tower reports that the Google Play Store pulled in approximately 75.7 billion first-time app installs worldwide in 2018. Comparatively, the App Store only drove 29.6 billion. While Android might rake in more downloads, iOS users tend to exhibit higher engagement rates and spend more on apps and in-app purchases.

Also, Android witnesses a lot of popularity in lower-income and developing countries, while iOS users tend to live in North America and Western Europe. iOS users are also typically younger with higher incomes and more education.

Monetization

Your monetization strategy plays a large role in determining which platform to develop for first. Each OS lends itself well to opposing monetization strategies. From a revenue standpoint, it’s a well-known fact that iOS apps make more money. Even though Apple has fewer users and generates fewer app downloads, the App Store brings in much more revenue. At the end of 2018, Apple’s App Store generated about 88% more revenue than the Google Play Store. If intend to monetize through a subscription model or in-app purchases, iOS is the more lucrative platform. On the other hand, Android apps tend to monetize successfully with an ad-based model.  

Despite iOS’s significant lead in revenue, the Google Play Store did see an increase of 27.3 percent in consumer spend year-over-year.

Project Timeline

How quickly do you want to get your app to market? Your timeline can play a huge part in determining what platform is best to develop for first. Developing for Android generally takes more time due to longer release cycles and device fragmentation. Building an app that is compatible with multiple Android devices generally takes more time: there are thousands of Android devices which have a variety of screen sizes and OS versions running.

Even though Apple owns all the hardware and software, and there are far fewer iOS devices than Android devices, iOS devices are becoming less standardized than they have been in the past. Since the introduction of the iPhone X series, developers now have more screen sizes and UI constraints to work around.

While building for iOS can sometimes be quicker, it can also take longer for the App Store to approve your product with the strict regulations and quality expectations in place. In contrast, Android apps typically take a day or two to get approved and updates can be pushed within a matter of hours.

Budget

The cost of mobile app development comes down to the scope and complexity of the project; the larger and more complex a project is, the more it is going to cost. There is nothing inherent to either iOS or Android development that makes one more expensive than the other.

With that said, if you are aiming to cover a large number of devices and OS versions, apps will require more time and resources, and thus incur higher costs. If the scope is more aligned with supporting an equal number of devices and OS versions on iOS and Android, the cost of development will be similar.

Making The Decision

Ultimately, your decision to build for iOS or Android first is going to come down to what works for your business.  

If your target user is North American, higher income, and you plan to monetize from in-app purchases, you likely want to go with iOS first. If you’re aiming for a broader, global market and plan to monetize through advertising, Android may be the better bet.

Is there another option?

In some cases, a web app can be the best option for your business. Web apps are essentially websites that look like native apps, but they don’t take up any storage on a user’s device. A major advantage of web apps is you can develop one app for both iOS and Android platforms as long as it can run in a web browser like Chrome, Safari, or Firefox. Web apps are an inexpensive option compared to native development, they’re easy to build and relatively easy to maintain. However, in most cases, web apps are far less interactive and intuitive than native apps and cannot leverage device hardware or utilities.

Again, choosing the right platform for your mobile app depends on the app content you intend to create and overall business goals. It comes down to looking at your target market, as well as core user demographics and choosing the option that best fits your business.

Can’t decide whether you should choose native development or web development? Read our Guide to Mobile App Development: Web vs. Native vs. Hybrid to learn more about what approach best suits your mobile strategy.

How well do you know your target users? What types of apps are they likely to download? What is their willingness to pay for apps and make in-app purchases? The answer to these questions will vary depending on which mobile OS your users prefer. Understanding how behaviors differ between Android and iOS users will help you to identify which user group is the most suitable for your product and business goals, and ultimately help you choose which platform is right for your mobile app development project.

By looking at your users’ choice of smartphone, you already gain some useful knowledge from statistical data alone. For example, iOS users typically have a higher income and more education than Android users. This information in itself may influence your decisions about the product’s monetization strategy. If your monetization strategy relies heavily on in-app purchases, an iOS app may be the most profitable platform; however, if you plan to monetize through ad placements, Android might be your best choice.  Remember, the primary objective of any mobile app is to provide users with a solution to a specific problem they collectively face. If you don’t have a solid understanding of how user behavior changes between OSs, you’ll find it difficult to develop an app that addresses the specific needs of your target user group.

Do you need help transforming your business strategy into a product strategy? Are you sure you’re making the right platform choice? Talk to one of our mobile experts about how a Design & Discovery Session helps identify which platform your audience is using. Start a conversation.

With both Android and iOS accounting for over 97 percent of the mobile market share worldwide, brands that are looking to develop an app will have to seriously consider both platforms, but in most cases, pick one or the other due to project constraints like time and budget. Below are some differences between Android and iOS user behavior to help make choosing a platform easier.

Device Compatibilities

There are some key differences between Android and iOS devices that impact the user experience and influence the reasons you might choose one over the other.

For example, Apple is known to uphold a strict set of regulations for app submissions to the App Store, whereas Android developers have a lot more freedom when it comes to developing apps and submitting them to the Play Store. While an iOS app may take longer to develop and pass the verification process, a more consistent, secure and intuitive app experience is generally the result – something loyal iOS users praise about the OS. Android users, on the other hand, will vouch for the customizability and freedom their devices allow, which enables them to truly tailor their phone to their needs and desires.

User Demographics

Currently, Android holds the largest global market share at over two thirds. This is mainly due to the popularity of the Android OS among lower-income and developing countries. iOS, on the other hand, is more prominent in North America, UK, and Japan among those with higher income levels, and education. Studies also suggest that iOS users generally have higher app engagement and tend to spend more money per app.

A survey by Slickdeals points out that iOS users make an annual income of $53,231 USD compared to $37,040 USD for Android users. The survey also shows that iOS users tend to spend more, particularly on items relating to self-image such as clothing and cosmetics. This can relate to the fact that iOS devices are slightly more popular amongst women and Android devices are slightly more popular amongst men.

In a 2018 mobile gaming apps report by Liftoff, the data shows that in-app purchase conversion rates for women were 26 percent higher than for men. Insights on location, income, and purchasing decisions can directly impact engagement actions like in-app purchases and subscription enrollment, which you should consider when planning your monetization strategy. These demographic differences also have influence over which types of apps a user is likely to download altogether.

Consumer Spending Behaviour

Figuring out how each OS user is likely to pay for an app or pay for in-app purchases is critical. While global app revenue grew by 23 percent in 2018, there is indeed a gap between how much an Android user will spend on an app and how much an iOS user will spend on an app.

According to app analytics firm, Sensor Tower, Apple’s App Store generated $46.6 billion USD, while the Google Play Store made only half of Apple’s profit at $24.8 billion USD – a difference of 88 percent by the end of 2018

The typical iOS user is also more likely to spend more on clothing and cosmetics than their Android counterparts which reflects on the types of apps they prefer. These insights are very valuable to brands looking to develop retail apps or generate revenue from paid apps. In contrast, Android apps rely on mobile advertising as the main source of revenue.

App Retention and Engagement

Android and iOS users tend to use their devices in terms of viewing and engaging with content very differently. iOS users earn themselves the title of “power users” due to simply engaging with more content on their devices for a longer period of time.

According to a survey by Slickdeals, iOS users on average spend 4 hours and 54 minutes per day on their phone, whereas Android users spend 3 hours and 42 minutes. iOS users also have a faster open speed when it comes to notifications. According to a report by Leanplum, Android users take an average of 48 minutes to open notifications while iOS users take roughly seven minutes.

With that said, Android does have a greater number of media users and a larger audience. Android users tend to prefer utility, performance, productivity, and anti-virus apps. Android users are five times more likely to spend money than iOS users on apps that fall into any of those categories.   

The performance of certain goals like registration, reservation, purchase, in-app purchase, and subscription vary between iOS and Android. In terms of user engagement metrics, iOS surpasses Android in all of these categories, except for registration, in which Android only has a minor advantage.

Which Platform Should You Choose?

When deciding what platform is best for your mobile app, a key question to ask is: what is the goal and purpose of your application? Is the sheer volume of users the main identifier of success for your app, or is your focus on driving engagement? Choosing the appropriate platform will depend on the goal you’re trying to achieve and how you plan to monetize your mobile app.

The perfect scenario would be to develop your app for both Android and iOS to attain the widest and most diverse user base; however, this is not always feasible. While each platform offers unique advantages and characteristics, understanding the differences between the users of each OS can help you make informed decisions about where to focus your efforts to achieve the most business value.