Gadget Blog

Don’t believe the experts, mobile application creation is harder than you’d expect. There are several explanations for this:

1. Too many devices to support: The first decision to make is which mobile platforms to support. Should you limit yourself to the iPhone or should you target a broader set of handhelds? The choice of platform has a huge influence what your app is capable of doing.
2. Very different app models: Limiting yourself to a single platform isn’t enough, often you’ll still have to choose between different app models. On the BlackBerry platform, for example, you have to decide between developing a full-fledged BlackBerry application or a more generic Java Micro Edition (Java ME) application.
3. Long-term learning curves: Creating a mobile application often requires learning a different programming language (like C#) and/or a new set of programming tools (like proprietary tools). Since the market is so fractured, software developers often have a hard time finding good development tips.
4. Confusing data storage choices: Unless you’re creating an online-only app, you’ll want to persist data locally, and there are so many options for doing this. Complex data requirements may necessitate a proper mobile database. Less complex applications may get away with simple data persistence options, but syncing that data with external data sources can be quite harder in those cases.
5. Consumer versus enterprise focus: While Apple has shown that there is a lot of money to be made serving the consumer market, there is still a lot of demand for business-focused applications. The two markets are completely different, however, and you simply cannot target both of them with the same app.
6. Not insignificant startup expenses: Handheld app creation is not cheap. Labor are in demand and cost a lot, and there are real costs in terms of hardware and network charges.

If it’s so hard, why create handheld apps? The benefits outweigh the difficulties. The ROI of a mobile enterprise application can be tremendous, especially for apps aimed at field personnel. The demand for mobile consumer apps means there’s lots of money for companies able to satisfy that demand.

You’ll save yourself a lot of headaches if you do your homework. If you want to write a good enterprise application you’ll need to invest in great mobile enterprise tools. For consumers, you’ll still need great development tools, but you’ll also need a lot of flash and a simple user interface.

Success with mobile application development requires a lot of thought and planning.