Gaming programs skew mobile development preferences

The app creation process has largely favored mobile programs and native approaches rather than the Web alternative. While HTML5 development has been noted as a cross-platform fix for organizations that are on tighter budgets, app builders are still more comfortable using the languages that they are familiar with rather than the newer technology. Although native apps have beat out mobile Web in numerous recent reports, this doesn't tell the entire story of how programs are used and what types of software are being downloaded. By looking at these factors, a different perspective on the mobile program war emerges.

Mobile devices are quickly becoming a regular part of both personal and work functions, making it necessary for this hardware to have software for each purpose. Employers are often creating their own app stores to have a single platform of whitelisted programs to leverage on the job. However, this does not completely stop staff members from using their own software and other programs. According to a recent report by Distimo, on Apple's App Store and the Google Play store, gaming apps accounted for 41 percent of worldwide downloads in February alone. In fact, 90 percent of all Google Play revenue and 74 percent of Apple App Store profits came from these types of programs. Mobile users are increasingly installing software for entertainment value rather than work or productivity purposes, accounting for a large part of native development's popularity. By looking at the sector with this perspective and considering what Web components have to offer, HTML5 still has substantial potential for the future of development innovation.

Can Web processes rebound?
Only a few years ago, Web was the most powerful platform available - now, it's being overlooked for the fact that its coding processes like HTML5 are still not widely accepted among developers. FierceEnterpriseCommunications noted that more resources are going to app projects over Web development, leaving many mobile sites broken and under-utilized. This fact will also influence the decline of overall user experience on the Web, further pushing the preference for mobile apps. If organizations would simply spend more time on their Web efforts, they would be able to better meet user needs and create successful programs from HTML5.

"[I]t was the aim of HTML5's creators early on to enable applications functionality that would eventually be indistinguishable from mobile apps," according to FierceEnterpriseCommunications. "There remains a solid industry in both open source and commercial frameworks for building HTML and JavaScript functionality into the form of installable apps, including for the major distribution services such as the Apple App Store and Google Play Store."

Mobile and Web unite for best scenario
While many developers specialize in only one coding approach, there is no silver bullet when it comes to deploying an app with all of the necessary features. In many cases, organizations may turn to a hybrid approach to ensure that they deliver the functionality that users require. Re/code contributor Peter Kafka noted that it's possible to use the mobile app and Web at the same time, such as within programs that have links to Web stories in the app itself.

"On mobile, the difference between 'apps' and 'the Web' is easily conflated," Daring Fireball's John Gruber told the source. "When I'm using Tweetbot, for example, much of my time in the app is spent reading Web pages rendered in a Web browser. Surely that's true of mobile Facebook users, as well. What should that count as 'app or 'Web?'"

By using a hybrid approach to app development, businesses can potentially write the code once and deploy it across a variety of platforms, saving substantial time and money in the process. The native elements will allow users to use specific functions of their device without losing the overall quality of their software, boosting potential efficiency.