Native vs HTML5 Which is Better?

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Today we’re going to jump into once, and for all – which type of app is best. Native, or HTML5. One would think that facebook abandoning HTML5 would have been indicator enough to other developers that it may not be the path worth pursuing, but we’ll go ahead an entertain our die hard HTML5 fan boys for the sake of this article.

So, if we simply look at the numbers, and how apps have grown since last year. There are currently over 775,000 native apps available in Apple’s app store, with Google Play having somewhere similar. If you add the 100K from Blackberry, and the 135K from Microsoft then we’re left with 1,785,000 native apps across the four stores.

When it comes to HTML5 however..it’s not always the easiest thing to tell how many there are out there. For this, we saught out the data from Appcelerator, which ran a survey in 2012 with 3,600 developers to find that only 6% (or 216) of them had HTML5 Applications. With that being said, it is more than evident that the volume favors native apps with downloads up 11% in Q1 over 2012’s Q4.

If that isn’t enough to get you thinking..

Let’s take a look at 9 different ways we can compare the two, and decide best of majority wins.

1) User Experience #Nativewins

In March 2013, 85% of mobile consumers said they preferred mobile apps over mobile websites. Largely in part due to the richer experience users get with native apps. Features like VR, NFC, and passport simply aren’t available in HTML. While HTML has 30-50 native device capabilities available, native developers have access to 6-7,000.

2) Performance #Nativewins

Regardless of your signal, native is always fast. Opening a native app opens instantly, while an HTML app can sometimes take a while, and THIS drives people CRAZY.

3) Developer Monetization #Nativewins

A recent report form Canalys showed that app developers’ combined revenue in Q1 was $2.2 billion. On the contrary, the monetization for developers building HTML5 apps is close to nothing. That being said, money motivated app developers would need to have some massive financial incentives if they’re to jump ship anytime soon.

 

4) Cross platform development costs #HTMLwins

This particular point leans in HTML’s favor. The saying, “write once, run anywhere,” is certainly true, but only to a degree. One still has to factor in the costs for going native for multiple OS’s.

Note: Solutions like Appcelerator will help reduce those costs substantially.

5) Fragmentation challenges #Tie

If you think it’s a challenge to develop apps for multiple platforms (and for different versions of those platforms), developing apps for one HTML5 is far from the case. With at least 15 mobile browsers in existence, each available in different versions and each supporting different levels of HTML. There-in also lies a fragmentation challenge. Looking at things this way, things are so close, we’ll call it a tie.

 

6) Availability of Talent #HTMLwins

There are millions of HTML developers out there who will look at HTML5 and say, ‘Walah, I can now make mobile apps.’ Objective-C and Java on the other hand, are much harder to learn, and people who know them are harder to come by and also cost more to retain.

7) Updates and Distribution Control #HTMLwins

Mobile is all about constantly tweaking, testing, and improving. Because HTML5 apps don’t reside on the device, they can be instantly updated. Whereas, when updating a native app you have to resubmit the newest version, and it’s certainly not published instanteously. That being said, HTML5 comes out ahead with for being able to update more immediately.

 

8) Quick access to new OS innovations #Nativewins

Both Apple and Google push an average of 1-3 updates a year that offer major new capabilities. In contrast, it takes years for the HTML consortium to establish new standards. At the rate OEM’s and technology is changing, there’s no way HTML5 can really compete on this end.

9) Security #Nativewins

Security and privacy are people’s two biggest concerns when it comes to mobile. And, frankly, there is no way that anyone would say HTML is more secure than a native app.

This is because of a few things..

• With HTML5’s being open to all to see, and work around it’s also open to anyone to tinker with.
• A native app however, has the security of data being stored on the device. With HTML, the browser is typically not secure and thus exposes the data it’s accessing within its caches.
• URL security vulnerabilities; these are unique to HTML apps and beloved by hackers. Native apps on the other hand, don’t have them, so hackers can’t get into native apps as easily.

With all that being said, it gives you someting to think about. Especially the last point which alone could lend itself above the other #HTMLwins. Overall, native wins 5-3. Going back to the #’s alone, the world has already spoken on which type of apps they prefer.

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