We think that businesses today do not ask whether they should target their customers via native mobile app. But the main question today is HOW?
Today every business can choose from one of the three options to reach out to their customers;
- Build a responsive website
- Develop a native application
- Build a progressive web application
While a website is a different domain, our discussion will focus on a native app and a progressive web application. Native mobile applications tend to provide the best user experience powered by the mobile’s inherent capabilities. However, you have to persuade your customers first to download the application. On the other hand, a progressive web application is easy to access, can match the user experience of a native application, and is cost-efficient.
Read on to know more about how and why progressive web apps (PWA) are gaining prominence coming from a leading PWA development company.
What are Progressive Web Applications?
Mobile has become a game-changer today for businesses. With the prediction of mobile users reaching 7.6 billion by 2027, it shouldn’t be debated whether you need to bring your business to the mobile or not
Progressive web applications are formed like a website, but it is delivered through an application. The functions and features of a PWA resemble a native mobile application, including the gestures, navigation, buttons, transitions, etc.
Users won’t have to download a PWA from the app store or play store as it functions extremely well in a self-contained web browser. Where service workers help a PWA load instantly, pre-caching allows it to stay updated at all times.
What are Native Applications?
Native applications are developed for a specific platform; it can be Android, iOS, Windows, etc. A progressive web app development company can build both applications, but with a native app, they will take more time and resources, leading to higher costs. However, with a native application, we can leverage the device and platform-specific capabilities to enhance the user experience and build better-performing applications.
How Progressive Web App Can Take Over Native Mobile Applications?
Based on the differences between the PWAs and native applications on both sides, developers, and users, we can say that the former can replace the latter. Following are some points of key differences that can help justify our claim.
Cost
The first thing any business would look at is the cost of building an application. But they should consider it as an investment. However, the investment required to build a native app is more than a PWA.
With a native app, we need to develop different applications for every platform. So, there will be a different app for iOS and Android devices. PWAs are platform-independent. Since they operate through the app-based browser integrated into the application, the same codebase can be used for any platform.
Hence, the cost to build a PWA is less than a native application.
Ease of Access
For a native app, the consumers have to seriously buy in to the app and then download it, which itself requires some work. Comparing this to a PWA, where the users only have to click on a link and start using the app, it seems much simpler and faster. At the same time, uninstalling a native application requires the same considerations on the part of the users.
Discoverability
For a business, their discoverability is a critical component in achieving success. Every second, 63,000 searches are conducted on Google. A business’s target should come in the top results against their target keyword.
To come in the search results, indexing is important and native applications cannot be indexed. However, the progressive web applications, due to their proximity to a website, can be indexed.
Hence, a PWA is easy to discover. For an application to be discovered, the users must search for the same with related keywords in an application store. And here, the businesses need to work on app store optimization. The ASO strategies are targeted to increase the in-store search rankings.
Based on these aspects, we can say that in the future, every business will want to work with a PWA development company. A PWA can help businesses scale their operations on-demand and address a large cohort of users at the same time while spending relatively less on the development.
Are there Some Areas where a PWA must Learn from a Native App?
Yes, even though PWAs are high in demand and will continue to grow, there are a few things, which if implemented, can bring further growth.
Security
A progressive web application is more secure than a normal web app but less secure than a native application. A native app has more options for building the required security protocols and layers. A progressive web application runs under HTTPS, which prevents tampering with the client and server.
However, this is it. In a native application, we can build a two-factor authentication system and use certificate pinning for more secure communication.
A native application must also pass the security check put forth by app stores, which further increases the amount of trust users put in a native application.
Performance
We can go on and on about a PWAs ability to perform faster and better, but it cannot match the performance quality and efficiency of a native application. Web app development company can leverage its design team to create bespoke designs for the app, but a native mobile app development company can also do the same.
But a native application can use the device-specific hardware and firmware to improve the performance and speed, giving the users a better experience.
When we can introduce similar functions and features in PWA, they can perform even better leading to higher performance and popularity.
Conclusion
Progressive web applications are well on their way to get higher popularity based on their performance and capabilities. This separates the instances where each of these applications can be used and will bring tremendous benefits to the businesses. Contact a progressive web app development company for better insights to identify the particular use cases where you can use a native app or a PWA.
