Android Application
What Is Android Application?
Android is a Linux based operating system it is designed primarily for touch screen mobile devices such as smart phones and tablet computers. The operating system have developed a lot in last 15 years starting from black and white phones to recent smart phones or mini computers. One of the most widely used mobile OS these days is android. The android is software that was founded in Palo Alto of California in 2003.
The android is a powerful operating system and it supports large number of applications in Smartphones. These applications are more comfortable and advanced for the users. The hardware that supports android software is based on ARM architecture platform. The android is an open source operating system means that it’s free and any one can use it. The android has got millions of apps available that can help you managing your life one or other way and it is available low cost in market at that reasons android is very popular.
Types of apps
NATIVE | HYBRID | WEB | |
DEVELOPMENT COST | Usually higher than hybrid or web, if apps are developed for multiple platforms | Commonly low cost, but require high skills for hybrid tools | The lowest cost due to single code base |
PERFORMANCE | Native code has wide access to device functionality, while content, structure and visual elements are also stored in device memory ready for instant use. | Apps content is only a wrapper on the used device while most of data should be loaded from a server. | Performance is inextricably linked due to browser work and network connection |
DISTRIBUTION | App stores allow some of marketing benefits (such as rankings and feature placements) while they have their own requirements and restrictions | There are no store restriction to launch, but there is also no app store benefits | |
MONETIZATION | Both apps may content in-app purchases, ads, and app purchase itself. However, app stores take fee (around 30%) from all purchase actions, also there is initial fee to deploy an app in the app store | Monetization may be mostly provided via advertisements or subscriptions. | |
TRENDS | According to Flurry analysis, users spend up to 86% of their mobile time using native or hybrid apps (still 54% if exceed games from rating) | Only up to 14% of time users spend on mobile websites | |
DEVICE FEATURES | Native platform code has wide access to any device APIs | Some APIs benefits are close to hybrid apps, however there are still some that can be used of low level features (such as gyroscope or accelerometer) | Only some of device APIs may be used (such as geolocation) |
USER INTERFACE | Apps developed with highly familiar and original UI to native OS | Even best apps can’t give to a user fully native experience due to cross-platform UI and UX design, but meanwhile they can achieve a fair native look | |
CODE PORTABILITY | Commonly code for one platform can’t be used for another | Most of hybrid codebase tools can be ported to major platforms | Browser and performance is only a case |
MAINTENANCE / UPDATE | Maintenance of app will be as much higher, as much platforms it is developed for | As far as there is only one codebase to be maintained or updated all actions are much more easy and fast | |
RECOMMENDED FOR | Applictions that will be developed for single platforms | Applications that need to be distributed as multi-platform | Appplications with limited funds, resources or terms |
| Apps with wide requirements due to capabilities of hybrid or web | Those apps that will be developed for App Stores | Apps that do not require App Stores | |
| Anything that require highly optimization level for stable work | Developed with HTML, CSS, Javascript etc | ||
| Apps that need best native UI or best graphic animation | |||
Categories of Apps
There are 33 categories of apps in Google Play and 24 categories in Apple’s App Store. And there are just 7 app categories that have managed to reach more than 3% of users, according to Statistica research.
This clearly indicates what purposes are people using mobile apps for. They tend to do business, communicate, entertain and play games, educate themselves, and relax, of course.