As smartphones become the most important link in the business chain, the significance of mobile apps cannot be overemphasized. In fact, the focus has shifted from the web to the mobile in the last few years. However, as businesses invest in mobile app development service, the biggest challenge they face relates to mobile device fragmentation. With this comes the need to build app solutions that are able to reach out to the audience across different devices, browsers, and operating systems.

Android and iOS, for instance, are the most popular mobile platforms and businesses want to cover them and probably more, with their mobility solutions. As the big question is how to reach out to the audience across diverse platforms, mobility experts come up with different types of apps for different needs. Native, hybrid and HTML5 are the options that are available for businesses. Before choosing the one that is apt for you, here is all that you need to know about all three of them.

Native Apps
Native apps are specifically created for a given platform with the development tools and languages which are supported by that respective platform. A majority of businesses put their money in Android and iPhone app development, while Windows and Blackberry are some other platforms. The key technologies used for developing then include Swift, Objective-C, Android SDK, iOS SDK, Java, CSS, HTML, and C++.

Features
These apps offer high usability and an extensive support for platform-specific features. Overall, they present exceptional user experiences, with unique elements such as multi-touch, fast graphics, and fluid animation.

Pros and Cons
While they excel in terms of performance and features, the biggest hitch in them is that they are confined to a single platform and do not run on the others. This makes native app development an expensive option, though it is suitable for those who are willing to pay extra for getting high quality and performance.

HTML5 Apps
An HTML5 app is a better alternative for those looking for an economical option without compromising on app quality. Basically, the app is a web page (or a series of them) that are designed to run on mobile devices. Being device-independent, they can be opened on any device using the mobile web browser. An HTML5 app is a classic instance of cross-platform development.

Features
HTML5 apps need not be downloaded and stored on the device as the content can be accessed directly from the web.

Pros and Cons
These apps are faster to develop and cost less than the other app development options. Additionally, they are capable of reaching a wider audience base as they are cross-platform. On the downside, HTML5 apps may not be able to access all the native features of the device and also may not perform well when there are connectivity issues.

Hybrid Apps
The third option is that of hybrid apps. As the name suggests, these apps bring together the elements of native and web apps and are built using HTML5 and JavaScript technologies. The core is written as an HTML5 mobile app and a native wrapper is placed around it to enable it to access the native platform features. With this, a hybrid app combines the best of both, native and web apps.

Features
These apps are capable of running irrespective of the fact whether the device is connected or not. They can be integrated with web-based services and the device’s file system as well.

Pros and Cons
There are a number of pros and cons of availing hybrid mobile app development services. The development process is easy and cost-effective, which makes them ideal for businesses that require shorter release cycles. The main drawback is that they do not render high-end user experiences and cannot access the native features of the device.

Conclusion
Now that you know all about all the three app development options, you can easily compare them with each other as well as evaluate them with respect to your requirements. The idea is to find the option that serves your needs and fits into your budget. Having an expert application development partner is the best approach because they can assist you in choosing the apt app type and create a result-oriented solution for your needs. Mobiindia is a leading name in the mobile app development space and offers a complete range of mobility solutions for diverse business needs.