Pros and Cons of Native Apps vs. Web-based Apps

Video

David Krebs, from VDC Research, explains the benefits of native apps offers with today’s modern devices.

Video Script

What are the pros and cons of native apps versus browser or web apps? So, when organizations are going through the process of migrating legacy apps to modern applications, they have a number of decisions to make in terms of application design or application development. The big debate we see in the mobile space is, do I design and develop natively, or do I go with more of a browser-based or hybrid approach. That debate will continue for the foreseeable future. If I boiled it down, at the end of the day, native will always provide a superior user experience. I think we ended that debate if there was still any concern or any consideration. If I’m designing or I need to design an application where user experience is absolutely paramount, if it’s a customer facing application, for example, native is the way to go.  

Native also offers additional benefits. We talked before about modern devices, its not just about taking an application or workflow and just smashing it on to a modern device, its also about leveraging the capabilities of that device. We’re looking at the number of sensors that we have in the device, the location capabilities, just the vast array of performance features that I didn’t have in older devices. So, being able to access those, through a native approach is also superior, so accessing device-side capabilities.