Mobile App Development

Mobile Applications: Evolution and Types

A mobile application (mobile app) is a software application specifically designed to run on mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets. While many associate mobile apps with web-based cell phones from the 21st century, their origins trace back to the 1980s.

History of Mobile Apps

• 1984: The Psion Organiser was introduced as the first practical pocket computer, featuring basic apps like a clock and calculator.
• 2007: Apple launched the iPhone, followed by the App Store in 2008, offering 500 apps, with 25% being free. Within the first 72 hours, over 10 million apps were downloaded.
• 2008: Google Play (formerly Android Market) was launched, marking the start of the modern mobile app era.
• 2020: Over 9 million mobile apps were produced, with 218 billion downloads. The most downloaded categories were chat apps (90.7%) and social networking apps (88.4%).

Types of Business Apps

If you’re considering developing mobile applications, you should be familiar with the three primary types:

1. Native Apps

   • Developed specifically for a particular platform (iOS or Android).
   • Offer rich user experiences and high performance, with direct access to device hardware (e.g., camera, GPS).

2. Progressive Web Apps (PWAs)

   • Web-based apps that run in a browser, accessible from any mobile device.
   • PWAs provide functionality similar to native apps, including push notifications and hardware access, without requiring installation.
   • They work well with low connectivity and offer a seamless experience on both mobile and desktop devices.

3. Hybrid Apps

   • A combination of native and web apps, where web-based functionality is embedded within a native shell.
   • Easier and cheaper to develop than native apps, with cross-platform capabilities.
   • Once installed, they can access native features via an embedded browser but may have some performance limitations compared to native apps.

Mobile App Distribution

For both hybrid and native apps, approval from app stores is required before they can be published:

• Apple’s App Store and Google Play are the two main platforms for mobile app distribution.
• Other platforms like Samsung and Amazon also offer app stores, but with fewer apps available.

Solution Corridor: Your Mobile App Development Partner

With Solution Corridor, you can develop mobile apps more efficiently using a low-code platform. Solution Corridor allows you to:

• Create Native Mobile Apps: Apps installed on devices that access sensors, operate offline, and provide a user interface tailored to the native experience.
• Create Responsive Web Apps: Web apps that adapt automatically to different devices and browsers without the need for installation.