Mobile Cloud App Vs Native App – Know the Difference!
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Today, smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices have become the preferred devices for personal computing, information gathering, and entertainment. We see millions of applications have been created and introduced to the world. There has been a constant debate about which mobile apps are better – mobile cloud applications or native apps. What side of cloud application development are you on? In this article, let us look at the differences between native apps and mobile cloud apps.
What is a Native App?
A native app is built for a particular device and its operating system. The data that is linked to the native app is also stored on the device, but it can also be stored remotely and accessed by the native mobile app. The native apps are device-specific hardware and software so they can take advantage of the latest technology available on mobile devices like GPS and cameras.
What is a Mobile Cloud App?
Mobile cloud apps are very similar to web-based applications. These apps run on servers that are external to the mobile device and the mobile cloud apps require the use of the browser on the mobile device to display and use the app UI. Generally, the cloud application development experts transfer the data between the mobile cloud app and the mobile device is commonly done using JSON-over-HTTP.
Mobile cloud apps may not be required to be downloaded or installed on mobile devices. Users can view the mobile cloud app in the browser window on the remote device. The Internet is the basic requirement for running mobile cloud devices.
The Difference
Well, it’s like comparing apples and oranges.
- The mobile cloud app requires a mobile cloud service and the native app requires a mobile device
- Mobile cloud apps are emulated while native apps are not
- Native apps provide notifications whereas mobile cloud apps do not support notifications natively
- Native apps have direct access to the on-device features like camera, sound, GPS, or locator, whereas, the mobile cloud app may have access to some of the features through APIs that can reach down to the device itself
- Native apps are faster as they use the mobile’s inbuilt processor and memory, while cloud mobile apps use internet connection speed. The mobile cloud apps view the UI through a mobile device browser and therefore have a lower speed.
- Native apps require porting and adaptation across all devices, screen sizes, and different OS versions, whereas deploying mobile cloud apps across devices, screen sizes and OS is straightforward
- Native apps are developed using their own development platforms for iOS and Android such as Java(Android), Objective-C(iOS), and Visual C++ (Windows Mobile), whereas, the mobile cloud apps are written in HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript along with server-side languages and web application frameworks such as PHP, Rails or Python.
- The native app developers are also provided with the ability to play with the notification feature on the screen, but mobile cloud application development experts can access a limited amount of mobile device’s native features and information.
Here is a quick 7-factor comparison between Mobile Cloud App and Native Mobile App:
In the end, it all depends on the requirements. But, if you are looking for advanced features, mobile cloud apps are better in various ways.
- Native mobile apps require a higher budget for development and maintenance.
- If you are looking for better cross-platform compatibility, mobile cloud apps are the better choice.
- If you need a business app that can use a lot of on-device features, native apps are the appropriate choice.
- When security is the concern, native apps are the creators of big risks when the devices are misplaced. Mobile cloud app data is stored in the mobile cloud instead of the mobile device.
Need help with choosing the right platform? Let us help you decide. Talk to our cloud application development experts today!
Dev Information Technology Ltd. is a mobile cloud application development company that delivers digital transformation with mobile apps that enable you to do business – anytime, anywhere.