Why Developing Handheld Apps Is Difficult

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Saturday, February 28th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed

All the experts agree that handheld app development is harder than you’d expect. There are many explanations for this:

Multiple devices to support: One of the first decisions to make is which mobile platforms to support. Is it better to limit yourself to the latest devices or should you target a broader set of devices? The device you choose has a huge influence what your application can or cannot do.
Radically different application models: Limiting yourself to a single device isn’t enough, often you’ll still have to choose between different application models. On the BlackBerry platform, for example, you must decide between developing a full-fledged BlackBerry application or a more portable Java ME application.
Long-term learning curves: Developing a mobile application can require learning a new programming language (like Objective C) and/or a new set of programming tools (like Visual Studio). Since the market is so fractured, programmers often have a difficult time finding good development tips.
Confusing data storage options: Except if you’re creating an browser-based app, you’ll want to store data locally, and there are many options for doing this. Complex data requirements may necessitate a proper embedded database. Less complex applications may get away with simple data persistence options, but syncing that data with external databases can be quite more complex in those cases.
Consumer versus large business 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. These markets are completely different, however, and you can’t really target both of them with the same app.
Not insignificant startup costs: Handheld application development is expensive. Labor are hard to find and charge accordingly, and there are non-trivial expenses in terms of hardware and carrier charges.

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

Handheld app creation is a lot easier if you do your homework. To write a great business app you’ll need to invest in great mobile enterprise tools. For consumers, you’ll still need good development tools, but you’ll also need a lot of flash and a simple user interface.

To be successful at handheld app development requires a lot of thought and planning.

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