Android and iOS have their own coding languages, and native app development refers to creating an app that will run only on the target platform. The latest statistics* show a perfect 50/50 split between iOS and Android users in the UK. Therefore, brands need to be present in both the Play Store and the App Store, which traditionally meant building two separate apps. But since then, cross-platform technologies have emerged with the promise of being able to deploy a mobile app on both platforms from a single codebase. At the forefront of this movement was React Native, a framework based on JavaScript created by Facebook in 2015.
React Native offers undeniable advantages over native development, the biggest one being a quicker time-to-market and cost efficiency since cross-platform technologies allow for sharing and reusing most of the code between iOS and Android. The cost of a React Native app is about 60 % of the same app built twice natively. The maintenance of the app and the code is also much easier for the same reason.
Another major benefit of using React Native is its constantly expanding community. A lot of third-party and pre-built components are available further increasing the development speed.
But native development should not be completely overlooked. Native apps perform better in terms of speed and overall efficiency. As they are built for the use on a particular device and its operating system, they have the ability to use device-specific hardware and software. If your app’s functionality relies on the use of the accelerometer or Touch ID for example, this is where React Native may fall short.
Choosing the right technology when creating a mobile app is extremely important. While it may seem like a simple decision, the technology will inevitably dictate what can and can’t be done in your app further down the line. At Pocket App, we are not prescriptive on the technology, we recommend and deliver the solution on the most suited platform or framework. So, if you are thinking about creating a mobile app for your business, get in touch with our mobile experts to get on a steer on the best approach to your project.
*Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/934440/market-share-held-by-mobile-operating-systems-in-the-united-kingdom
