Native apps – all you need to know about them

A native app is an application that runs on a device built specifically for it rather than the host device. It can be for phones, tablets, or computers.

Native apps are designed mainly for a single platform and can make full use of all of the device's functions, such as the camera, GPS, accelerometer, compass, contact list, and so on. They can also use gestures (either standard operating-system gestures or new, app-defined gestures). Native apps can also function offline and utilize the device's notification system.

Native apps are increasingly becoming the go-to option for businesses and consumers alike. The benefits of native apps include improved user experience and better user engagement

Why do businesses need native apps?

Native apps come with many advantages, such as increased speed, security, and performance over HTML5 apps. They also require less maintenance since they are easier to develop and manage. Lastly, they allow the business to stay on top of their marketing strategy by providing real-time data insights into the app usage among users.

Native apps are more effective than their web counterparts for two main reasons. Firstly, they are generally faster and easier to use. Secondly, native apps can make better use of various device-related attributes such as the network connection, device storage, and device processing power.

The advantages of native apps

With the rise of native apps and the decline in mobile web traffic, digital marketing professionals need to rethink their strategies. The term native apps refer to mobile applications developed for a specific platform or device.

Nowadays, most organizations use native apps as part of their marketing strategy. This can be attributed to the availability of cost-effective tools that enable app creation and testing, such as Xamarin and React Native.

Native apps offer more extraordinary user experiences and greater engagement than mobile web applications because they are set up to run efficiently on a specific platform or device.

If you want to provide your consumers with the most incredible experience possible in terms of the feel and aesthetics of your app, native app development might be an excellent choice. Here's why:

- Speed - Native apps are faster since they are built specifically for the platform. Many parts are pre-installed. The user data is retrieved from the web rather than the complete program, and they are quick since they employ the device's built-in characteristics.

- Native apps run offline - Even if there is no internet connection, native apps operate. So, if you're stranded somewhere with little or no service, like on a flight, underground tube, or metro, you may use native apps.

- Aspect ratios are maintained in native apps - The width-to-height ratio of different displays is known as the aspect ratio. It is a crucial aspect in determining the image's quality. When the size and form of the device are changed, many apps fold and begin to work incorrectly. Native apps give you more control over the app's orientation, size, and quality. While preparing a native app, developers have access to layout features. A native app maintains the aspect ratio on its own when the screen size is configured, regardless of whatever screen it runs on. Constraint Layout and Auto Layout are Android and iOS that assist preserve aspect ratios on their respective devices. In addition to maintaining aspect ratios, these capabilities also give varying DPI (dots per inch) for each screen, ensuring that the visual quality is maintained.

- Native apps provide consumers with complete functionality - Because a native app runs on the device's operating system, it can take advantage of all of the features accessible to it. The native app may become something that seamlessly blends into the user's everyday habits, whether it's an address book, GPS functionality, or even pushes alerts.

- They are simple to distribute - When users want to download an app, they know where to go. Many device makers also collaborate with native app developers to add specific apps during the device's initial boot-up. Because the obstacles to entry have significantly been removed, commercialization and distribution goals have become much easier to achieve.

Native apps vs. non-native apps

Native apps are customized and optimized to work on a specific device. Native apps tend to be more stable than non-native ones because they are developed in the same environment as their operating system and have less code written in languages that may not be 100% compatible with it.

Native apps are built to operate on the device they are installed on. When you build native mobile apps, the source code (which is human-readable) is transformed to binary code (which is machine-readable) and then executed.

The source code for non-native apps is not directly compiled into binary code. The source code is instead kept within the program itself. When the program starts up, it reads the code from the stored source code files and executes it.

Non-native mobile apps are written in higher-level programming languages / frameworks (e.g. JavaScript, CSS, HTML5, Python,.net, etc.) and cannot directly access all of the proprietary operating system functions and hardware components — they need an additional layer/framework in between to use all of the bespoke OS controls built and designed by Google and Apple for the Android and iOS ecosystems, respectively.

Why native apps are a better choice for mobile marketing

Native apps are a better choice for mobile marketing because they allow you to reach out to your audience.

Today, native apps have surpassed websites as the most popular form of digital platform. When you want to reach out to your audience and make them experience the value of your product, it makes sense to develop a native app that is tailored for their needs.

Native apps give you a more personal experience when interacting with an individual than websites, usually built for broad audiences.

MCRO has a dedicated team of devops and infrastructure architects. We build state-of-the-art iOS and Android apps for a variety of industries and business domains. Be it native or cross-platform apps, we use the latest technologies to build innovative mobile solutions that provide real business value.
Contact us for more information!