App development has evolved a long way since its commencement. The most modern addition in the area of mobile app development is the ‘mobile cloud application’ or ‘cloud-based app.’. The benefits of mobile cloud computing solutions have grown more popular in the data storage industry, and also found extensive applications in many other sectors. In this article, we will see the mobile cloud application in more detail.
What is a Mobile Cloud App?
A mobile cloud app or cloud-based app is a program that is intended to be obtained by many types of computing devices across the internet. Conventionally, if you needed to install a new software program on your PC, you were required to purchase a disc and use it to install the program. After installing, you could manage the program on that computer.
Whereas a mobile cloud app is a software program. It can be obtained from various computers and smartphones as long as these devices are connected to the internet. The intent behind a mobile cloud application is to improve potency by increasing convenience for users. With a constant internet connection and a computing device, a user can reach the program anytime and anyplace.
Types of Cloud Services
Cloud-based mobile apps can be categorized into three various classifications. This group is essentially based on the variety in the architecture of the apps.
SaaS, Software as Service
The Software as a Service (SaaS) model is the most comprehensive and most advanced type of cloud-based service. Most cloud apps support the SaaS model and run on third-party hardware placed remotely. Using a SaaS cloud app, users do not have to pay money on storing the program on personal hard drives or purchase costly licenses for software updates. Rather, they can download the software program to the cloud drive and obtain it from there utilizing the internet. Some famous examples of SaaS solutions cover Gmail, Google Docs, and Google Drive.
IaaS, Infrastructure as a Service
With the IaaS solution, a third party allows the infrastructure and support in the cloud. The software designer gives applications, in-app support, and middleware. Middleware is the software within the app and the operating system, which is practiced to analyze programming and provide extensive characteristics to the OS functions. Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Compute Engine are some of the instances of the IaaS solution. All these solutions let developers obtain the same infrastructure that Google, Amazon, or Microsoft use in their products to handle spikes in practice.
PaaS, Platform as a Service
PaaS is a cloud-based solution that needs only the application code from the user’s side. It eliminates the need to oversee hardware and operating tasks such as software maintenance, equipment acquisition by letting businesses to outsource these jobs so that developers can concentrate on application development and application maintenance. The PaaS provider takes care of the hardware and holds the software up to date. Google App Engine and OpenShift are some of the well-known PaaS solutions.
Mobile Cloud Apps vs Native Apps
A native app in software development leads to an app that is generated for a distinct platform or mobile device. These apps are device-specific, so they can take hold of the most advanced technology that comes on mobile devices. The disadvantage of writing a native application is that developers have to produce multiple versions of the identical application if they want it to work on different operating systems. The cloud-based apps aren’t downloaded on a mobile device. Developers can write a single code, and whatever device with an internet connection will be capable to use it which is another benefit of mobile cloud computing.
Mobile Cloud Apps vs Web-based Apps
Mobile cloud apps and web-based apps are both comparable in the sense that they both run on servers outside of the mobile device. Both types of applications save data externally and are obtained with a browser via the internet. Nevertheless, a web-based app does not perpetually cover the scaling and security characteristics of a cloud-based app. The distinctions between the two types of applications are minimum, particularly in terms of how they work on a device, still, the scaling and security characteristics are an appended advantage of mobile cloud computing.
Top Challenges When Developing a Mobile Cloud Application
When contemplating a cloud-based solution, there are two paths that you can take. Your company can either become a cloud provider or can produce a program that runs on a third-party cloud solution. If you develop your cloud solution, you ought to deal with problems such as hardware, safety, and data processing thesis. In case you choose to build your app on a third-party cloud solution, you have to examine scalability, integration, and choosing the right cloud service provider. Most developers and service providers regularly face the following difficulties when advancing cloud-based solutions:
Security
Security is an important affair in cloud-based solutions for most IT professionals. Although there are various protocols and policies in place concerning user authentication and access, security persists challenging. Secure data encryption, management of reverse proxy, and SSL can help developers to enhance the security of their mobile cloud app.
Interoperability
Interoperability is another provocation for developers working in the cloud environment. Simply putting, the cloud-based app should be capable enough to run on multiple devices and integrate with other cloud services. Since cloud systems do not correspond completely with each other, developers don’t always get the opportunity to combine components from diverse cloud services.
Performance
The app performance and customer expertise will likely be changed if the number of servers is short. For optimal conversion rates, the custom UI should be ready to load in 3 seconds. Each extra second acquires a loss of traffic and rises the bounce rate.
Bottom line
Mobile cloud apps permit users to reach the software program with a computing device via the internet. They also present advantages like cost reduction and a new level of scaling possibilities. However, it is also complex in terms of API integration, security, and data architecture planning. That’s why it is recommended to work with trustworthy vendors. If you have thoughts about Mobile Cloud Application and the advantages of mobile cloud computing, feel free to contact Ewaan tech, the top mobile app development company in Saudi Arabia.