Wonder if you should develop separate apps for iOS and Android? We know how time-consuming and costly native mobile development may be. In this article, you will discover why cross-platform mobile development is a great alternative.
What Is Cross-Platform App Development?
Cross-platform mobile app development is focused on writing code that can be deployed across multiple platforms. This approach saves developers time as they don’t have to create and maintain separate codebases for Android and iOS.
In this case, you use a single programming language and toolset. You can develop a cross-platform app with the help of JavaScript, Dart, or C#. The available tech stack also includes such frameworks as Flutter, React Native, Cordova, Ionic, Xamarin, and other tools, depending on the chosen programming language.
Cross-platform development frameworks leverage the technology called “native bridging.” It enables integrating OS-specific components and APIs into shared code. Later you can deploy this code across different platforms.
You are likely to find some cross-platform apps on your smartphone. The list of most popular ones includes Airbnb, LinkedIn, Skype, Instagram, and Facebook. LinkedIn and Skype use Microsoft’s Xamarin cross-platform development framework. Airbnb and, partially, Facebook and Instagram employ React Native, created and maintained by Meta.
Build Cross-Platform Mobile App with S-PRO
Are you interested in adopting a cross-platform development approach for your project? Let S-PRO help you. We can develop a cross-platform mobile app of any complexity from scratch or maintain an existing one.
Our mobile development services also cover:
- Mobile product discovery
- Technical specifications development
- Mobile development consulting
- Software Requirements Specification (SRS) preparation
- App architecture development
- MVP creation and testing
- App prototyping and design
- All types of mobile testing
- Post-release support and maintenance.
With S-PRO, you will get a polished mobile app at a reasonable cost and within an agreed time frame.
Save Time and Money with Cross-Platform Mobile App Development
How does cross-platform development help to cut costs? There are several factors:
- Development team: you won’t need to hire two groups of specialists for iOS and Android development. A team of cross-platform developers, usually proficient in Javascript or C#, will take care of your app.
- Maintenance costs: a single codebase requires less effort in maintenance than two separate codebases.
- Testing time and effort: with cross-platform development, you won’t need to create and run platform-specific tests. However, you should still keep an eye out for some OS- or device-specific bugs.
- Tools and frameworks: there is no need to use (and purchase) two sets of platform-specific development tools. ReactNative and Flutter, the leading cross-platform development tools, are open-source and free.
The Cross-Platform Development Advantages: End-Users’ and Businesses’ Perspectives
Building a cross-platform app is not only about saving the development budget. Here are some other advantages for businesses and end-users:
- Shorter time-to-market: cross-platform development allows businesses to launch mobile apps faster than their competitors who stick to native apps. Thus, they can get an advantageous position in the market.
- Reasonable price: since cross-platform mobile app development allows businesses to save costs, they may set lower purchase or subscription prices for end users. Such an approach will grant them a competitive advantage and help gain customers’ loyalty.
- Consistent user experience: once developers change the codebase, updates may be released for all platforms immediately. As a result, both Android and iOS users will enjoy new features, bug fixes, and security updates simultaneously.
- Wider audience: businesses can target a larger audience and grow faster by creating an app that works across multiple platforms rather than focusing on one platform.
Conclusion: Why Cross-Platform Mobile Development is Indispensable for Your Business
To sum up, cross-platform apps are faster and cheaper to develop than platform-specific ones. Therefore, they provide businesses with a swift and cost-efficient way to reach broader audiences and are easier to maintain and update.
Now that you know why cross-platform mobile development is trending, you may wonder how to reap its benefits. S-PRO offers cross-platform mobile development services that help businesses to stay competitive in the fast-evolving mobile app market. We value long-term partnership and cooperation and would gladly support your application after the initial release.
Fill in the form, and our specialist will contact you within a day.
