If you have a secure tablet or smartphone, you have downloaded a large number of applications and have been able to enjoy the advantages they offer; however, do you really know what applications are and what are they for? In this article you will learn what are they, what are they for and how do mobile applications work and what types are there?
What are mobile applications and what are they for?
Mobile applications are programs created to be run on the operating systems of smartphones, tablets or smart watches. Apps are an indispensable tool that have been created to facilitate the daily tasks of users and to get the most out of mobile devices.
The first mobile applications began to emerge in the late 90s when analog phones began to use applications such as calendar, games, call log, personalization tools, calendar, stopwatch, among others. Although they were very basic functions, they demonstrated an enormous technological advance.
However, the applications that are used today have changed the way of communicating, entertaining and performing many daily tasks, there are even applications to take care of the health of your heart .
There are also unusual apps like apps to find dog walkers and even apps to save on electricity bills . These apps have made mobile devices increasingly essential, which is why millions of applications are downloaded daily from app stores.
There are applications of all kinds that are useful for the creative, work, educational, entertainment or communication fields. The applications allow the user to access specific content whenever necessary, without the need to access the internet; so you save time and get things done faster.
The applications most used by users are: WhatsApp, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, Messenger, Snapchat, Google Maps, Spotify, Instagram, Telegram, Gmail, Uber, Outlook, Skype, Google Drive, Cabify, Amazon. Food delivery apps like Rappi and other apps like these are also widely used .
How do mobile apps work and what types are there?
- After having developed an application, it is published in the application stores : Google Play (Android), App Store (iOS), Amazon Appstore and Microsoft’s Windows Phone Store.
- Find the app you need in the store of your preference.
- Install this app on your device. To download an app, you need to be connected to the internet and have a smartphone or tablet.
- Once installed, it will fulfill the function for which it was created; be it entertain, provide a service, be communicated or informed.
You must bear in mind that not all applications are compatible with the operating systems of some mobile devices.
Types of Mobile Applications
There are currently three types of app:
- Native App
They are those applications that have been developed for a specific operating system (iOS, Android, Windows); For an app to be available on all operating systems, an app must be created for each operating system. These types of applications can only be found in app stores, such as the App Store or Google Play.
The greatest advantage of this type of app is that the user can access the mobile hardware such as an agenda, GPS, camera, among others. In addition, some of these apps do not need an internet connection when using them.
- Web App
It is also known as web apps, this type of application is executed through a browser (Safari, Google Chrome, Opera, Firefox); therefore you can access any web application regardless of the operating system you use. You only need to access your favorite browser through a URL.
Developing an app of this type is very cheap, but it does not work if you are not connected to the internet . You can use these apps on computers, tablets and smartphones that still have access to an internet browser.
- Hybrid App
This type of application is a combination of the previous two; then, we can say that they are applications developed with a Javascript, CSS or HTML programming language.
They are also multiplatform applications because they adapt to any operating system, therefore, they can be used on the PC and on mobile devices because you can use them from the browser or download them in an app store. An example of hybrid applications is Facebook and Instagram that can be used on the PC .
Currently most of the people with a smartphone have an app installed on their devices; And the applications are practical for daily activities and for a better functioning of the mobile or tablet.
