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PREFACE
Welcome to mobile application development!
It‟s no secret that the world has gone mobile. We‟re living in an era where our
smartphones are within an arm‟s reach at all times, day or night. Smartphones
are now necessities in life. We do a lot of transactions using it. Therefore, our
dependencies with mobile apps are increasing getting higher.
Just a thought of developing mobile apps can be exciting. Creating something
that you can run on your smart devices can tickle the very core of our
imagination. The potential use cases for mobile apps are seemingly endless.
From small business apps to ecommerce apps, fitness apps, internal employee
communication apps, religious apps, and more—there‟s an app for anything
you can imagine. After all, a simple mobile app that you may develop can be
the next big thing.
On the other hand, mobile application development is also becoming a core
skill in the information technology field. Businesses are increasingly looking to
mobile apps to enhance their relationships with their customers and improve
their internal processes. They need individuals skilled in developing the mobile
apps that support these initiatives.
This learning module is intended as an introduction to mobile application
development. It covers the Part One of the courseware.
After you successfully complete this module, you will have the basic skills to
develop an Android app. It is intended to beginning developers like yourself.
I hope you will have much fun learning this module as I have in developing it.
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LESSON ONE
INTRODUCTION
In this lesson, you will be introduced to the world of mobile application
development. We will discuss the reasons why you should include mobile app
development in your repertoire.
You will also learn the types of mobile applications and their pros and cons. A
good understanding of this will give you an insight of which approach of the
development you will push through later in your career. Finally, you will learn the
historical timeline of the mobile application development.
Upon the completion of this lesson, you should be able to:
1. define mobile application development;
2. discuss three types of mobile application; and
3. accurately describe the historical development of
mobile application development.
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What is Mobile Application Development?
Smartphones have revolutionized the way we do business at a faster rate than we
anticipated. Be it booking a travel ticket or arranging accommodation, ordering food
or buying groceries and paying bills, mobile applications help us do the task
conveniently and efficiently. Subsequently, the popularity of mobile apps is
increasing at a swift pace.
Mobile application development is the process of making or creating a mobile
application to run on various mobile devices, such as personal digital
assistants, enterprise digital assistants or mobile phones. These applications can
be pre-installed on phones during manufacturing platforms, or delivered as web
applications using server-side or client-side processing (e.g., JavaScript) to provide
an "application-like" experience within a Web browser.
These type of software applications run on mobile operating system. Apple‟s mobile
operating system is called iOS, Google‟s mobile platform is Android, RIM has
Blackberry and Windows has Windows Mobile. Each platform has its own rules,
regulations and requirements to make a mobile application. For instance, iOS mobile
apps require the use of objective C, whereas Android mobile applications use Java.
The creation of mobile applications has much of its roots in traditional software
development. The end result, however, is software intended to utilize the unique
features and hardware of mobile devices. Modern smartphones are equipped with
Bluetooth, NFC, gyroscopic sensors, GPS and cameras. They can be used for virtual
or augmented reality, barcode scanning, and more. Mobile apps should utilize the
full range of smartphone features.
Type of Mobile Apps
Like desktop software, mobile apps are designed using a wide range of programming
languages and frameworks. While the most popular operating systems, iOS and
Android, have done an excellent job of standardizing the types of mobile app
development available to programmers, apps can still vary. There are three types of
mobile applications.
The word "mobile" was intially used in the 1980s to
describe computers that you could take with you and
use while you were on-the-go.
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Native Application
These are mobile applications designed for a specific operating system or platform.
They are encoded using several programming languages such as Java, Kotlin, Python,
Swift, C ++, or React.
Advantages of Native App
In a nutshell, native apps provide the best usability, features and overall
mobile experience since they are tailored especially for a specific platform.
Below are some advantages with native apps:
They offer the fastest as well as the most reliable and most
responsive experience to users. When a user starts the native app,
it will launch immediately, and when a user utilise it, it will provide
a fast performance.
The native platform gives users the fastest graphics and also
provides fluid animation, which native apps can make full use of
for gaming, photos and sounds.
Native apps are able to tap into the wider functionality and built-in
components of the device and integrate them seamlessly into the
apps.
Native app developers can make use of the platform‟s push-
notifications, alerting users every time there is an update or a new
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piece of content. This key method of engagement continually
brings the users back for more.
The native platform is familiar to its users, and when the familiarity
is added to all the native features that they expect, the mobile app
becomes easy to use, which plays a big part when users decide to
download an app.
The main disadvantage of a native app is that it will not work with other types
of devices that use a different operating system. This limits the audience that
the native app is marketable to, and to build multiple versions of the app
across various operating systems is labour intensive and costly.
Web Applications
They are very sensitive in design, as they can work in any web browser on a mobile
device. Web applications are not standalone applications, and users must download
and install them. They have been developed using programming languages such as
JavaScript, Ruby, CSS, and HTML5.
Advantages of Web App
Web apps became popular when people realised that they can obtain native-
like functionality in their web browser. Today, the distinction between web
apps and regular web pages are becoming increasingly blurry. Other
advantages of web apps are:
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Web apps are able to run reasonably well on any mobile web browser,
from full-featured browsers available in iPhones and Android devices
to the mid-range browsers on Blackberry phones.
This type of app is ideal when the purpose is simply to make content
or functionality available on mobile devices.
The apps use a single common code base, which makes it easy to
update and maintain. Also, updates and modifications are made
directly to the web server without any user intervention.
Mobile web apps utilise „open web‟ technologies, meaning they are
less costly to develop.
In terms of disadvantages, web apps seem to have more limitations compared
to native apps. Web apps generally always require an Internet connection, and
they are designed to suit every platform, which means they will not look or
behave as polished as a fully native app. Web apps are also limited in their
usage or implementation of the device‟s features.
For developers, web apps have difficulties in building a loyal user-base and
miss out on generating traffic and downloads. This is because web apps are
only distributed through the web and are not available in any app store. There
is also no icon of the web app on the user‟s device to function as a constant
reminder, leading to a lack of engagement with the end users.
Hybrid Applications
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These mobile applications are a mixture of both native and web applications. Hybrid
applications use a combination of different web technologies and different native
APIs. They are built using languages like Ionic, HTML5, and Swift.
Advantages of Hybrid App
Considered to have the best of both worlds, hybrid apps are gaining
popularity due to these advantages and more:
Hybrid apps are built only once with a single code base but can be
deployed multiple times across all platforms. This makes hybrid apps
extremely cost effective, reducing development costs and effort.
Compared to native apps, hybrid apps are faster and easier to develop
as they use a single coding language.
Unlike a web app, a hybrid app can fully utilise all the features that are
available in a mobile device, and unlike a native app, a hybrid app
bypasses any need for version downloads as maintaining the content
is as simple as updating a website.
When connected to the Internet, hybrid apps offer the full variety of
features and content but retain offline capabilities even when the
Internet is not available.
Hybrid apps have increased visibility and traffic due to its availability
in app stores and search engines.
While hybrid apps are generally easier to build and maintain, they may not
have the same richness of features as fully native apps. The performance of
hybrid apps may also not run as smoothly or as fast as native apps.
Each type of mobile apps has its own strengths and weaknesses but the mobile apps
are all ways to cater the needs of the individual mobile user. However, it is
interesting to note that some of the most successful mobile apps often make full use
of the mobile device‟s features.
App development process
Regardless of the type of project you want to bring to life, the app development
process has six key steps. Breaking the project down into these simple steps will help
you develop your app quickly and efficiently.
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Idea: When brainstorming app ideas, put
some research into answering a few
questions about it. What problem does this
app solve? Who is the target audience? Why
are these features important? Do your
competitors have similar apps.
Design: Next you'll design a user interface
(UI) and user experience (UX) to navigate
the user through the app and make it easy
to follow.
Development: During this stage you'll write
the code for your app, develop the code
and start preliminary testing.
Testing: By testing your app, you'll
determine its quality, any malfunctions and
what you can improve.
Launch: Once your app is bug-free and
ready to go, you can publish it on
marketplaces like the Apple App Store and
Google Play.
Marketing: Create a marketing strategy to get users to download your app and give
you feedback on how to improve user engagement.
History of Mobile Application Development
In 1973, Motorola‟s John F. Mitchell and Dr. Martin Cooper made the
world‟s first hand-held mobile phone sans the apps then. However, it
was only in 1983 that the first mobile phone hit the market. DynaTAC
8000x became the first marketed mobile phone, with a selling price of
$3,995 then. There was no the Internet, digital cameras, or personal
computers, but there was the cell phone. It weighed 2.5 pounds, and had a single-
line, text-only LED screen.
In early 1990s, many hand-held computers (known, too, as personal
digital assistants or PDAs) rose to fame after maker Psion introduced
EPOC, an operating system (OS). This system let users work with
spreadsheets, databases, word processors, and diaries.
In 1993, the International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)
announced the debut of its first smartphone, a hand-held,
touchscreen mobile phone, called IBM Simon. Released in August
1994, this gadget featured a clock, a calendar, and a calculator that
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came under an apps group.
Palm OS (also known as Garnet OS) is a discontinued mobile
operating system initially developed by Palm, Inc., for personal
digital assistants (PDAs) in 1996. Palm OS was designed for ease
of use with a touchscreen-based graphical user interface. It is
provided with a suite of basic applications for personal
information management. Later versions of the OS have been
extended to support smartphones. Several other licensees have
manufactured devices powered by Palm OS.
In 1997, the Nokia 6110 included a built-in version of the basic arcade
game “Snake,” which many consider the first mobile app.
In 2002, the BlackBerry smartphone marked a great triumph in the
field as it unified the modern feature of wireless email. With its
trademark QWERTY keyboard, BlackBerry became an instant
darling of world leaders, corporate honchos, and the rich and
famous alike.
In 2007, the technology giant Apple introduced the iPhone. The advent of
iPhone and its own operating system, the iOS, signaled the onset of
today‟s famous apps that run by way of touchscreen. In 2008, Apple also
launched its App Store, where iPhone users can go to take mobile apps.
Between 2008 and 2010, Google and Microsoft
launched their own mobile OSs (Android OS and
Windows Phone), which gained worldwide fame,
too, after iOS did well in sales.
Today, the world has around 138 million app downloads and 19 billion software
makers and is still continue growing.
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By definition, mobile application development is the process of making or creating a
mobile application to run on various mobile devices, such as personal digital
assistants, enterprise digital assistants or mobile phones.
There are three types of mobile applications. These are:
Native Application. These are mobile applications designed for a specific
operating system or platform. They are encoded using several
programming languages such as Java, Kotlin, Python, Swift, C ++, or
React.
Web Applications. They are very sensitive in design, as they can work in
any web browser on a mobile device. Web applications are not
standalone applications, and users must download and install them. They
have been developed using programming languages such as JavaScript,
Ruby, CSS, and HTML5.
Hybrid Applications. These mobile applications are a mixture of both
native and web applications. Hybrid applications use a combination of
different web technologies and different native APIs. They are built using
languages like Ionic, HTML5, and Swift.
Since its invention in 1973, the mobile phone has gone through a lot of development.
Along with that was also the progress of applications that run on these devices.
Today, there are millions of mobile applications that are available for download and it
continues to grow.
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Let us see how much you have learned from this lesson. Answer the following
questions. You can send your answers thru PM via our group chat, or you can send it
to my email address.
TEST 1. Essay: Based on your understanding, discuss the following items using your
own words. Each item is 10 points.
1. Using your own words, define what is mobile application development?
2. What are the three types of mobile applications? Cite the advantages and
disadvantages of each type?
3. Which from these types would you prefer to learn? Why?
TEST 2. Identification: Identify the pictures below and write a short
description.
1. ________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
4. ________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
5. ________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
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Using your smartphone, try to determine its operating system, the platform version
and its version code. Write the steps in doing it.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Innovins Technlogies. (2018, June 13). The History and Evolution of Mobile Apps.
Retrieved from http://www.innovins.com/the-history-and-evolution-of-mobile-apps/
Margaret Rouse. (2019, March 13). mobile application development. Retrieved from
https://searchapparchitecture.techtarget.com/definition/mobile-application-
development
Matt Strain. (2015, February 13). 1983 to today: a history of mobile apps. Retrieved
from https://www.theguardian.com/media-network/2015/feb/13/history-mobile-
apps-future-interactive-timeline
Pinar Guler. (2019, November 21). Types of Apps: Different Categories of Mobile
Applications. Retrieved from https://www.mobileaction.co/blog/app-business/types-
of-apps/
Sean Peek. (2020, February 03). What Is Mobile App Development?
Retrieved from https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/5155-mobile-app-
development.html
Techliance Blog. (2020, February 14). Mobile Development: Overview and Future of
Mobile Apps. Retrieved from https://techliance.com/blog/mobile-development/
The History of Mobile App Development. (2017, June 29). Retrieved from
https://www.ciit.edu.ph/history-mobile-app-development/
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