Weighted Evaluation Framework for Cross-Platform App Development Approaches

Cross-platform app development is very challenging, although only two platforms with significant market share (iOS and Android) remain. While device fragmentation – multiple, only partly compatible versions of a platform – has been complicating matters already, the need to target different device classes is a new emergence. Smartphones and tablets are relatively similar but app-enabled devices such as TVs and even cars typically have differing capabilities. To facilitate usage of cross-platform app development approaches, we present work on an evaluation framework. Our framework provides a set of up-to-date evaluation criteria. Unlike prior work on this topic, it offers weighted assessment …

Towards the definitive evaluation framework for cross-platform app development approaches

Abstract Mobile app development is hindered by device fragmentation and vendor-specific modifications. Boundaries between devices blur with PC-tablet hybrids on the one side and wearables on the other. Future apps need to support a host of app-enabled devices with differing capabilities, along with their software ecosystems. Prior work on cross-platform app development concerned concepts and prototypes, and compared approaches that target smartphones. To aid choosing an appropriate framework and to support the scientific assessment of approaches, an up-to-date comparison framework is needed. Extending work on a holistic, weighted set of assessment criteria, we propose what could become the …

Refining a Reference Architecture for Model-Driven Business Apps

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A Taxonomy for App-Enabled Devices: Mastering the Mobile Device Jungle

While the term application is known for a long time, what we now refer to as mobile apps has facilitated task-oriented, interoperable software. The term was initially only used for smartphones and tablets, but desktop software now is also referred to as apps. More important than the wording, however, is the trend towards app-enablement of many further kinds of devices such as smart TVs and wearables. App-enabled devices usually share some characteristics and developing apps is often similar. However, many complexities must be mastered: Device fragmentation and cross-platform app development already are challenging when only considering smartphones. When trying to grasp the field as a whole,…

An Empirical Investigation of Performance Overhead in Cross-Platform Mobile Development Frameworks

AbstractThe heterogeneity of the leading mobile platforms in terms of user interfaces, user experience, programming language, and ecosystem have made cross-platform development frameworks popular. These aid the creation of mobile applications – apps – that can be executed across the target platforms (typically Android and iOS) with minimal to no platform-specific code. Due to the cost- and time-saving possibilities introduced through adopting such a framework, researchers and practitioners alike have taken an interest in the underlying technologies. Examining the body of knowledge, we, nonetheless, frequently encounter discussions on the drawbacks of these frameworks, especially with regard…

Conquering the Mobile Device Jungle: Towards a Taxonomy for App-enabled Devices

How Cross-Platform Technology Can Facilitate Easier Creation of Business Apps

Applications for mobile devices – apps – have seen unprecedented growth in importance. Ever better apps keep propelling the proliferation of mobile computing. App development is rather easy, particularly if it is based on Web technology. However, implementing apps that are user friendly and useful in the long-run is cumbersome. Thereby, it typically is expensive for corporate developers. Nonetheless, business apps are embraced by enterprises. To overcome the overhead of developing separately for multiple platforms and to mitigate the problems of device fragmentation, cross-platform development approaches are employed. While many such approaches exist, few have found widespread usage. In thi…