Mobile applications are software programs created by app development companies for devices like smartphones, tablets, or any other wearable gadget. These applications have functions that enhance user experiences while using any smart device. Although some devices come with built-in mobile apps that are added by the makers of the device, for other situations a user is supposed to visit the app store and download the mobile application as per requirement. In this article, we will try to understand the evolution of app development and how it has evolved in 2020. This will help us understand the evolution of the mobile app development industry better.

History of Mobile Applications:

The company IBM developed the first-ever smartphone called Simon in 1994 that had around 10 built-in applications. For naming a few, some of these were Address Book, Calendar, Calculator, etc. In the beginning, when the applications were still in their initial stages, it was all about making the fundamental functions like gaming and entertainment accessible. These functions were extremely popular since they made life simple during that time. Eventually, the patterns of engaging people changed and they began expecting much more from mobile applications which is how a breakthrough in the industry came into existence.

Operating System and Platforms:

The app development companies mostly create an application for the operating system in which the app runs. For example; mobile applications that run on App devices get support from Apple’s operating system, but not Google’s Android. In simple terms, what runs on Apple devices cannot run on any Android phone, and vice versa. Very often, developers create a version for every app, for example, a mobile application in the Apple Store typically will have its Android version in the Google Play Store. Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android are two of the most dominant platforms that are present in the smartphone market. Where one rules Apple’s line of gadgets, the other equipment manufacturers use the Android operating system for building gadgets.

The difference between Native Mobile Applications, Hybrid Apps, and Web Apps:

Native Applications:

The native applications get complete support from the app stores and all the marketplaces. They are easier to locate in the catalog of app stores. In addition to being easy to operate, they are also built-in with many features like security, support, convenience, and efficiency. They offer maximum usage in the system’s hardware that gives enhanced and rich user experience.

Hybrid Applications:

A hybrid application enables a person to develop one codebase for both the platforms. It embeds certain features and designs that do not get support on devices that might lead to ongoing modifications. Some significant drawbacks of Hybrid apps are that they are not fast-performing. Another problem is the debugging of these applications. With the low expertise of some of the developers in targeted platforms, looking out the exact cause of the problem can create a problem.

Web Applications:

The mobile web applications created by app development companies have only a limited scope as far as accessing the device features are concerned. Web applications that support multiple mobile browsers raise the cost of development and maintenance. These factors are an important matter of concern, particularly when you are a small business owner. Additionally, an internet connection is a must for running a web application or using a web app simply becomes difficult. Some of the significant points that must be considered before making a final decision about which type of app development should you hire the app development company.

• The relevance of speed and performance to you
• How many features do you wish to include in your application
• Do you wish for your application to be enabled with internet
• In case you would want your application to support multiple mobile platforms and devices
• What is the level of expansion that your budget allows

The New Age of App Development – Innovations and Technology:

The present time is being defined by four major aspects when it comes to app development. These concepts are:

• Chatbots in Apps: In the present time, an increasing number of industries are turning to machine learning and mobile commerce. Hence, an increase in Chatbots is slated for increase. From standalone applications to the Chatbots assisted mobile app interfaces, this is one of the most promising technologies.Persistent developments in technology have led to opening doors to the customer handling process. A Chabot can be used to make conversations with customers, filter a large amount of data within minutes, recommend products to engage customers, and can be used for customer service as well.
• Image Recognition: Image recognition is another technological advance that is used by app development companies in the present time for building applications. Some of the technological operations used in image recognition are object recognition, facial recognition, gesture recognition, industrial recognition, visual geo-location and driving assistance.The important two steps used while building a competent image recognition technology in apps are fixing the hardware processing power and data cleaning.
• Voice Search Recognition: Simple and intuitive in nature, voice search is a lot more natural, quicker, and easily usable with the hands-free mode. It allows avoiding typo errors and can be used to streamline operations with higher output.Voice recognition through mobile applications makes the process of interpreting one’s voice very easy. A perfect example of this is voice-based mobile applications used while road navigation.
• Augmented Reality: The inclusion of augmented reality into applications, particularly in mobile applications enable a much better customer experience. The best benefit for enterprises in augmented reality development for smartphones and tablets is the fact hardware is available and the usage is intuitive and understanding.

Conclusion:

If we take factors like cost, time, and intricacy in consideration for the creation of mobile applications then many companies may not have the resources for hiring an in-house software development team to make this possible. Instead, hiring the best mobile app development company for this incredibly intuitive process makes the entire thing very simple. Therefore, businesses must focus on doing the same in case they want maximum benefits out of their applications.