Selecting a Front-End Solution

What are the possibilities?Let’s look at the four most popular solutions for reaching

mobile audiences

Native App Hybrid App Mobile Web Responsive Web

Platform’s native language and SDK (i.e., Objective-C and iOS SDK)

HTML/CSS/JS with cross-platform SDK (i.e., PhoneGap) HTML/CSS/JS HTML/CSS/JS

Installed from an App Store Installed from an App Store Hosted on your servers Hosted on your servers

Accessed from home screen Accessed from home screen Accessed from browser Accessed from browser

One mobile platform Several popular mobile platforms Most mobile devices Most devices

How do we evaluate a solution?We use 11 different criteria to determine which

development solution best meets your project’s needs

Performance

Native App App is optimized for a specific platform

Hybrid App App is optimized for mobile devices

Mobile Web App is optimized for mobile devices

Responsive Web App is optimized for a broad range of devices

Graphics and Animation

Native App App takes full advantage of GPU and is able to leverage other capabilities, like 3D graphics and native UI libraries

Hybrid App Graphics capabilities vary with platform, but generally able to create smooth animations

Mobile Web Graphics capabilities vary with platform, but generally able to create smooth animations

Responsive Web Greatest variation in capabilities; not all platforms may be able to run animations and fallbacks must be used for most graphical features

Audio and Video

Native App Only one rendition of each media file is needed for playback and the device’s native media recording capabilities can be fully utilized

Hybrid App Multiple renditions of each media file may be needed for playback; recording capabilities can be accessed through an abstraction layer

Mobile Web Multiple renditions of each media file may be needed for playback; cannot rely on access to recording

Responsive Web Multiple renditions and players are needed for playback; cannot rely on access to recording

Platform Integration

Native AppAll hardware features can be accessed; notifications fully supported;

connections can be made with most core programs (contacts, calendar, messages, etc.)

Hybrid App A limited number of hardware features can be accessed; notifications and some core programs can be accessed through an abstraction layer

Mobile Web A very limited number of hardware features can be accessed; no access to notifications or core programs

Responsive Web Unreliable access to hardware features; no access to notifications or core programs

Offline Capabilities

Native App Many local storage options; able to store large amount of data; able to access app without connectivity

Hybrid App Many local storage options; able to store large amount of data; able to access app without connectivity

Mobile WebSeveral local storage options; able to store moderate amount of data; able to be accessed without connectivity if user has saved to home

screen

Responsive Web Limited local storage options; able to store small amount of data; offline access support varies between platforms

Reach

Native App Restricted to a single device platform and compiled for a minimum version of that platform

Hybrid App Restricted to several popular platforms and compiled for minimum versions of those platforms

Mobile Web Accessible from most mobile device browsers

Responsive Web Accessible from any device with a browser

Discoverability

Native App Findable through App Store only

Hybrid App Findable through App Store only

Mobile Web Findable through any external link; external links may point users to inappropriate rendition (i.e., sending mobile user to desktop)

Responsive Web Findable through any external link; external links always lead to a site that renders appropriately for the device

Social

Native App Social API integration through libraries; difficult to share content that exists only within the app

Hybrid App Social API integration through libraries; difficult to share content that exists only within the app

Mobile Web Social API integration through public REST APIs; shared content may not be appropriate to be viewed on all devices

Responsive Web Social API integration through public REST APIs; shared content is appropriate to be viewed on any device

Development Time

Native App Each platform’s app must be developed separately, though services may be shared

Hybrid App All code is shared between mobile platforms

Mobile Web All code is shared between mobile platforms

Responsive Web All code is shared between all platforms

Updates and Maintenance

Native App Updates must be installed by user and multiple versions of app must coexist; updates may release at different times for different platforms

Hybrid AppUpdates must be installed by user and multiple versions of app must

coexist; code base is shared, but updates may release at different times for different platforms

Mobile Web Updates are simultaneous across mobile user base but are distinct efforts from updates to other experiences

Responsive Web Updates are simultaneous across user base and uniform between experiences

Third Party Dependencies

Native AppApp must go through approval process, is hosted by an App Store, and

may be promoted, demoted or removed at the platform owner’s discretion

Hybrid AppApp must go through approval process, is hosted by an App Store, and

may be promoted, demoted or removed at the platform owner’s discretion

Mobile Web App is hosted and released independently of platform owner

Responsive Web App is hosted and released independently of platform owner

Choosing the solutionBy weighting these criteria according to importance, we

can identify the right solution for your project

Native Hybrid Mobile Web Responsive Web

Performance 4 2 2 1

Graphics/Animation 4 2 2 1

Audio/Video 4 3 2 1

Platform Integration 4 3 2 1

Offline Capabilities 4 4 2 1

Reach 1 2 3 4

Discoverability 1 1 3 4

Social 2 2 3 4

Development Time 1 3 3 4

Updates/Maintenance 0 1 3 4

3rd Party Dependencies 0 0 4 4

Questions?Follow-up questions can also be directed to tarun@mutualmobile.com

Learn more about how we think at mutualmobile.com/resources