Did you know that the projected number of smartphone subscriptions are around 7.6 billion by 2027? That’s nearly equal to the total number of the world’s population. Even though the penetration rate of smartphones is lesser, it is also expected to grow. What one can infer from this is that the world is going to be more mobile devices driven for a long time. An average American spends around 4 hours a day on his mobile phone and attention is the currency that most businesses are after these days.
What a smart business would do is climb on the wheels and get a piece of their attention while it’s still possible. But, there are also users who still want to use their desktops and laptops for their activities. And don’t you want their attention? The best to achieve a balance between both is to develop a web application that is dynamic and responsive for all screen types, sizes, and resolutions.
Of course, if your service/product is more mobile audience-driven, you can develop native applications for the same. But, we can also see those tech giants like Facebook, and Instagram, do offer web application solutions while being mobile targeted and driven. Ultimately, the decision lies with the business, but as an expert mobile web app development services provider, I would suggest going for a mobile web application.
Following are some tips to consider before developing your mobile web application,
Requirement Planning – Mobile Web Application
Every development project involves requirements planning. However, there are certain things that you plan and ensure especially when you are developing mobile web applications. It is important that you analyze all the core and secondary functionalities and make sure that they are feasible in your mobile web application. It is futile to realize that one or more of your core requirements aren’t supported in mobile web applications once you’ve started the project.
It is also important to understand that developing a web application for a desktop browser is entirely different from developing one for a mobile browser. There are HTML5, CSS3, and API functions and properties that aren’t supported in most mobile browsers these days. Additionally, the screen sizes, resolutions, and lifetime of mobile devices are different and constantly evolving. It is a complicating factor and developers must consider these ever-changing requirements and develop mobile web applications that meet these demands.
Another thing to consider is the different operating systems that mobile devices come with. The most widely used are Android and iOS. Even if you are developing just for these operating systems, you have to consider which HTML5, CSS, and API functionalities work and which don’t. Based on all these factors, decide and finalize your application functionality requirements.
Optimizing Performance
What’s your nightmare as a mobile web app developer? I would say listening to your customer saying, “This application is very slow” would make me sweat like a pig in the middle of the night. It is tough to get back customers after one bad experience with your mobile web application. Also, you have considered situations that are not ideal. Customers don’t always access your application through high-speed WiFi networks.
Hence, it is important to reduce and optimize each byte to enhance your user wait time and experience. Following are some things that you can consider optimizing to improve your mobile web application performance,
Image Optimization – One of the biggest issues web-based applications face is the image load time. Optimize them using online tools or plugins that you can use.
Code Optimization – Your Javascript and CSS files can be heavy on your server and affect your load times. Compress them for improved performance.
Utilizing CDN – CDN or Content Delivery Networks can improve your download performance, allow multiple users at the same time with zero errors, and provide accurate analytics. Generally, media-heavy web apps can use CDN to optimize their speed.
Database Optimization – Mobile browsers don’t cache and accept cookies like desktop browsers. This might increase the load time substantially. Use server-side caching and optimize your database for faster usage, performance, and security.
Using Responsive Frameworks
One of the easiest ways to develop mobile web applications is to utilize responsive frameworks. Some of the most popular responsive frameworks are Bootstrap, Foundation, etc. The function of these responsive frameworks is to simplify and streamline web-based desktop applications into mobile web applications. The frameworks encapsulate the most common layouts in UI into a performance-optimized mobile web application. These frameworks are free to use, open-source, and therefore highly customizable.
Some of the advantages of using responsive frameworks are,
Extensible – Using frameworks like bootstrap can make your mobile web application adaptable to different screen sizes and resolutions.
Compatible – It works will all kinds of browsers and hence you don’t have to separately optimize.
Auto-Sizing – The frameworks have a pre-defined set of grid sizes and hence fits in all browser shapes and sizes.
Hire Mobile Web Application Development Companies
While analyzing the functionality requirement, you might also have a fair idea of which technologies you would use to develop your mobile web application. If your in-house development team isn’t compatible with the technology or the functionality needed, it is always better to hire the best web development companies out there. You can outsource your entire work to external agencies, or hire additional resources that can support your in-house team.
If you have worked previously with such companies and have a good rapport, it is always better to hire them. Or go for people who come with references from your closest business partners. It is always better to hire people whom you know. If this is your first, do your research and conduct your interviews before hiring mobile web app development companies. Try finding companies that offer flexible engagement models and expert developers.
Developing a mobile web application is no small feature. Make sure you plan, execute, and work effectively. Time to market is another crucial thing to consider. Start working today on your plans and hit the market as soon as possible. Mobile devices are here to stay and it is best to get started now and capitalize on them.
