We all know that iPhones, iPod Touch, and iPad apps are one of the hottest and most downloaded items on the planet. These nifty little programs not only keep us entertained for hours at a time, but they can really help make life easier. I mean, how else do you accomplish all those tasks you have to accomplish in your everyday life?
To simplify things, we now know what an apps is. An app is a computer program designed to operate on a specific device like a cell phone, iPod touch, or tablet. They offer all kinds of handy features like text, email, calendar, maps, and browser.
As you can see, there are some very useful features found within these apps. But what makes it so popular? Why do so many people love them? The truth is, these apps can really make life a lot easier. Think about it, wouldn’t it be great if you could check your email on your smartphone from anywhere, just like your desktop computers? This is exactly what most apps do.
One of the main differences between these apps vs. applications is their general functions and how they are designed. Both are generally used for the same purpose, which is to provide consumers with a better experience. However, there are some major differences between the two. Let’s take a look at a few examples below.
If you are familiar with iPhones, you probably realize that they can function just like your desktop computer. If you want to check your email on your smartphone, then you simply press the send button while your device beeps. On the other hand, if you have an iPhone, then you open the email on the iPhone, and tap the icon that says “junk” before you can begin reading it. This is essentially how most apps vs. applications on a tablet or smartphone work.
The second difference is basically the platform and the software program that each of the devices uses. Almost every modern smartphone has both a mobile and tablet version of the operating system or software program. However, most tablet and hybrid models come with only one version of the software program, which is generally a customized version of Android or iOS. The programs are completely different from each other, which is why most tablet and hybrid models come with two different types of apps.
Most hybrid apps are web-based, while some may be in native code as well. For example, you may find an app called LinkedIn coming up when you run a Bing search, but that app will be in native code. The functionality is completely the same, which means that if you use the same app on both the iPhone and Android devices, then it is technically a web-based app. Therefore, if you want to sign in to your LinkedIn account from your Blackberry or Android tablet, you would have to download the app to each of the devices and transfer the code. Therefore, this functionality does not exist with either the native or web-based apps.
There is still another difference between apps that run on devices like iPhones and Android versus those that run on Windows Mobile and PCs. With Windows Mobile, you can only download apps from the Windows Store, while with all other device types, you can download apps from nearly any developer site that is approved by Microsoft. This means that apps written for Windows Mobile are in a separate licensing space than apps written for other platforms. Therefore, if you are a business that needs to restrict their app usage to a certain group of users, then it is better to download apps from app stores that are approved by Microsoft, especially if you are also a Microsoft customer.