Cross-platform development (also known as cross-device or cross-network development) is the process of creating an app that works on more than one type of device. Keeping up with this latest tech trend? Then you must know about cross-platform development. Cross-platform apps make it easier for developers to create software for multiple operating systems and devices. The result? A more user-friendly experience for your customers. If you’re new to the world of cross-platform development, here’s everything you need to know.
What is Cross-Platform Development?
Cross-platform development is an app-creation strategy that allows a company to create different versions of its product for different devices. This strategy may seem like a no-brainer in the app industry. After all, why create an app for one platform if you can create it for many? But, cross-platform development isn’t just about expanding your reach. It’s also about using the best tool for the job. Cross-platform apps let you create software that can work on multiple operating systems and devices. This lets you build software that’s more user-friendly and convenient for your customers. If your business depends on knowing the inventory levels of each product you stock, then you need a cross-platform app that tracks inventory across all your devices. If you have employees who use their own devices and often need to access company data, then a cross-platform app is golden.
Why Create Cross-Platform Apps?
As a business, you want to reach as many people as possible. But, creating a single app for multiple platforms means that you may miss out on a portion of your current customer base. By creating a cross-platform app development, you give yourself the opportunity to expand your customer base and increase your reach by reaching new people who use a different platform. Being able to create an app for multiple devices allows you to create apps that are more user-friendly and convenient for your customers. If your business depends on knowing the inventory levels of each product you stock, then a cross-platform app can allow you to track inventory across all your devices. If you have employees who use their own devices and often need to access company data, then a cross-platform app is golden.
Popular Types of Cross-Platform Apps
- Health and Fitness Apps - How many people care about their investments, but still want to stay fit and healthy? Cross-platform health and fitness apps are especially popular among millennials. These apps let you track your nutrition, exercise, and sleep patterns. They can also show you how your daily habits compare to people who have similar interests.
- Travel Apps - If you’re someone who travels a lot, then a cross-platform travel app can save you a lot of time, money, and headaches. These apps allow you to book flights, hotels, and car rentals, check flight times, update your profile based on your preferences, and more, all from one app.
- Shop Apps - If you run a business that specializes in selling goods, then you definitely need a cross-platform app that allows you to manage inventory and prices across all your devices.
- Business and Organization Apps - If you work in a company and use different devices, a cross-platform app can help you stay connected to all the important data, documents, and people associated with your organization.
How to Start with Cross-Platform Development?
If you’re interested in cross-platform development, then you can get started by talking with your IT department. They’re likely aware of the latest tech trends, and they can help you explore cross-platform development as an option for expanding your reach. Next, you’ll want to investigate the technology that powers your app. It’s important to know the technology that powers your app, as it can have a huge impact on the experience your customers will have with your app. If you’re creating a simple app, then you don’t need to worry about which operating system your app will run on. However, if you’re creating a more advanced app, then you want to make sure it will run on all the different platforms you plan to support. You can search for the technology your app will run on. You can find this information by looking at your app’s architecture.
Wrapping Up
Cross-platform development is a smart app-creation strategy that allows a company to create different versions of its product for different devices. Creating an app that functions on several platforms is an instance of multi-platform mobile development. Multi-platform mobile apps can be created by utilizing cross-platform methodology. Some or even all of the source code can be shared in cross-platform apps.
If you want to start a digital startup the first question is the cost of app development.Nowadays there is a lot of sense to launch an app startup, as the vast majority of the population utilize different mobile apps as part of their routine activities.The following quotations for app development cost and timeline were provided by the most reliable mobile app industry studies:The median app development cost is about $171,450 (at a rate of $150/hour), which represents 1,143 development hours.
The total app price could even increase to $727,500 in the case of complex functionality implementation (Clutch Survey, 2015)Average minimum app development project is between $5,000 to $10,000.
The typical cost to create an app is likely to be far higher (Clutch Survey, 2017)Enterprise mobile app development cost is an average of $140,000 (VDC Research, 2017)Available app cost calculators state a price range from $267,000 to $360,000 for complex, multi-feature mobile appsConcerning the app development timeline: over 80% of mobile apps take 3+ months to develop; 40% of apps are built in 6+ months (Outsystems Survey, 2018-19)In general, the app development cost is influenced by your app idea with business and functional necessities.There is a lot of information on this topic and here you will be provided with a detailed explanation of everything that makes up the cost of creating an app, read about how to manage your app development budget effectively and reduce app costs.
