ACSIJ Advances in Computer Science: an International Journal, Vol. 3, Issue 1, No.

7 , January 2014
ISSN : 2322-5157
www.ACSIJ.org

Developing mobile educational apps: development strategies,

tools and business models
Serena Pastore
1
Astronomical Observatory of Padova, INAF
Padova, 35122, ITALY
[email protected]

with the several market analysis companies [2]. Mobile

Abstract actors involved in the mobile ecosystem (Fig. 1) includes
The mobile world is a growing and evolving market in all its devices manufacturers (e.g., Nokia, Samsung, RIM
aspects from hardware, networks, operating systems and Blackberry), software platforms providers (e.g. Apple;
applications. Mobile applications or apps are becoming the new Google, Microsoft), applications developers and mobile
frontier of software development, since actual digital users use
operators that in each country (e.g., in Italy Vodafone,
mobile devices as an everyday object. Therefore also in an
educational environment, apps could be adopted in order to take
TIM, 3G) provide Internet connectivity. A single mobile
advantage of mobile devices diffusions. Developing an app device is composed by specific hardware and software
should not be a decision linked to the trends, but must follow platform that deals with the peculiarities of these systems.
specific strategies in choosing target devices, mobile platforms, Mobile devices should follow the user's mobility
and distribution channels that in these contexts usually go (therefore mobile devices are generally of reduced size
through e-commerce sites called stores (e.g., Apple Store, and weight, such that they can be transported easily).
Google Play, Windows Phone store). Furthermore the design of Their hardware components manifest limited processing
an educational mobile app requires a careful analysis on the power and memory, little screen dimension, but a variable
methodologies to be adopted and the available tools especially if
numbers of other hardware such as cameras, network
the aim is to build a successful and useful app. Very often there
is a tradeoff between the costs associated with the development
adaptors (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth), sensors like GPS (Global
that requires a lot of technical and programming skills. The Positioning systems) receivers, accelerometer, compass,
economic return is neither high nor guaranteed considering the proximity sensor, ambient light sensor (ALS), and gyros.
business models offered by the major stores. The paper deals
with the approaches to apps development analyzing
methodologies, distribution channels and business models in
order to define the key points and strategies to be adopted in an
educational context.
Keywords: Mobile apps development, cross-platforms mobile
tools, native apps, e-commerce, hybrid apps, Sencha Touch,
Apache Cordova

1. Introduction
The mobile world is a growing and evolving market
in every its facets. Mobile devices [1] intended as
electronic devices created for specific functions (e.g.,
voice like cell phones and smartphones, reading books as Fig. 1 Actors of the mobile ecosystem
e-book reader, and more general activity such as laptops
or tablets) have undergone exponential growth in recent Software applications on such devices or mobile apps as
years, especially with the introduction in the market of they are universally called, are the new frontier of
mobile devices connected to the Internet network as software considering the mobile devices diffusion and
smartphones and tablets. Even if such market includes the should follow the rules of such ecosystem. Developing an
different categories of mobile devices, tablets and app of every category, even in an educational environment,
smartphones seem to be the top categories in accordance should be the result of a careful analysis of mobile
platforms, tools and methodologies to be adopted. There

27

Copyright (c) 2014 Advances in Computer Science: an International Journal. All Rights Reserved.
ACSIJ Advances in Computer Science: an International Journal, Vol. 3, Issue 1, No.7 , January 2014
ISSN : 2322-5157
www.ACSIJ.org

are a lot of hardware manufactures (e.g., Apple, Samsung, mobile platform and are therefore capable of interfacing
Nokia, LG, HTG, Asus) and this fragmentation also completely with the hardware’s device. But since they are
breads in mobile software platforms (e.g., iOS, Android, dedicated to mobile devices equipped with specific
Symbian, and Windows Phone) that directly deal with operating system, they are targeted to a single platform.
hardware and help to take advantage of the device's Web apps use web technologies (HTML5, JavaScript,
performance. An app is usually targeted to few software CSS3 [4]) and are multi-platform, since they can be
platforms, since developing for all existing platforms is executed from any mobile device equipped with a web
really expensive and requires high technical skills. The browser. However such app could not take advantage of
paper deals with the approaches to apps development all hardware capabilities, since interacts with the
focusing on methodologies, tools and distribution hardware by means of an intermediate software layer and
channels to analyze peculiarities and issues of the specific Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). A
different methods. From methodologies point of view, compromise between the pro and cons of the two methods
apps are divided into native and web apps [3] meaning the are the hybrid apps that use special frameworks mainly
use of different technologies. Moreover a compromise based on JavaScript technology to convert web apps into
between the pro and cons of the two methods are the native apps [5].
hybrid apps that use special frameworks to convert web Usually apps could be preinstalled in the device and
apps into native apps. There are different aspects that thus imposed by the mobile software reference platform or
should be taken into consideration when choosing a could be installed by the user or, as in the case of web app,
specific platform or methodology, and the paper would imply a request to an Internet server machine. Convince a
like to analyze them in order to figure out which is the user to download and use an app depends a lot on both its
best approach for educational apps. The first section utility and its quality and how it is distributed.
analyzes apps’ features focusing on types and the As regards apps distribution, even if some app can be
structure of their market. The second section distinguishes delivered through specific websites or e-mail, the main
the choices in the development methodologies and tools, distribution channel is an e-commerce site called store [6]
while the third section examines the tools needed for the owned by major hardware and software mobile providers.
development of each kind of app. It will finally give an Each store imposes specific policies for apps distribution
evaluation of the various types of development taking into and different business models. In this context, a developer
account also the distribution channels of the store should decide if developing for one or more mobile
normally used by users to search for an app. platforms, since this decision affects the choices on
methodologies, technologies, tools and distribution
channels.
2. Mobile apps features and the business
models 2.1 Mobile devices and platforms

App design (Fig. 2), starting from the concept idea Each mobile device has different technical features in
and requirement analysis, mainly differs in the stages terms of available memory, computing power, screen
concerning the development and the final delivery. resolution, operating system (OS) and the
hardware/software platform that determine the quality and
performance. Even if actually the market seems to be
occupied by few dominant players (Apple and Samsung),
there are many other manufacturers of hardware and
software that are trying to earn their slice market. Many
companies producing mainly software such as Microsoft
and Google have made agreements with hardware
manufacturers to provide their own systems. Other
companies like Apple or RIM Blackberry provide both the
hardware and the software. Each manufacturer tries to
keep pace with new technologies, thereby spreading out
Fig. 2 Apps’ development and deployment steps ever newer models of the two main categories of devices
(i.e., smartphones and tablets) trying to anticipate
As regards development, apps can be divided into competitors to increase their market value.
native or web apps meaning the use of different Among the leading manufacturers of mobile
programming technologies and thus different tools and hardware, Nokia has been at the top of the sale of mobile
frameworks. Native apps use the languages of the specific

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Copyright (c) 2014 Advances in Computer Science: an International Journal. All Rights Reserved.
ACSIJ Advances in Computer Science: an International Journal, Vol. 3, Issue 1, No.7 , January 2014
ISSN : 2322-5157
www.ACSIJ.org

phones for many years, offering devices running the

SymbianOS operating system. But with the arrival of
smartphones, Nokia has lagged behind its competitors
Apple and Samsung. It currently offers mobile phones
that still have the Symbian OS operating system, but also
the smartphones Lumia series that for now, thanks to an
agreement with the supplier of Microsoft software are
equipped with the Microsoft operating system Windows
Phone. Samsung has been for many years very successful
in selling low-end phones and smartphones. Samsung
uses as software platforms the BadaOS of his property
(even if it will be probably replaced with the TizenOS [5],
an open operating system developed in collaboration with
Intel) in most of mobile devices. It uses the Android
Fig. 3 Time spent on iOS and Android device (April 2013)
operating system in the smartphone Galaxy series which
are those that have decreed its success.
You see as the percentage of time spent on iOS and
Sony-Ericsson has equipped its devices with
Android devices in the use of apps is greater than the time
Windows Phone and Android in the latest Xperia
spent in web browsing. This clearly indicates the
products, while Research in Motion (RIM) is linked to its
importance of an app.
successful BlackBerry product, now equipped with the
Very often the factors that influence a user in
operating BlackBerry OS system version 10 as other
downloading an app, apart from the choice of the category,
mobile devices provided by such company. LG instead
are the price, a clear description of the purpose of the
equips its mobile devices with Android.
sample images, and the vote given by the users. Rarely a
iOS and Android actually are predominant in the
developer can affect the price in an important way,
market of mobile OS, but other OS (e.g., Windows Phone,
considering the fact that users prefer to download free
Blackberry [5]) could, however, have their market and
apps, but it can affect the other elements. The description
could be the target platform for a developer. An app
and pictures showing the app in action are very important,
provider very often has to optimize the software for a
since they are the way in which a user can understand
specific platform or device. In order to obtain the best
how an app behaves. Once the user has downloaded the
performance and thus to maximize the mobile experience,
application, he/she will expect that the app responds to
he/she should know the devices’ various mobile platforms.
his/her needs. A simple and intuitive application is the
An app depends strongly on the mobile context, then on
best method to be appreciated by a user. If the apps is
the type of hardware device, the software platform and the
delivered by the reference store, there are other factors
network used for data transmission. Then apps final
that many influence the choice. Each store in fact
delivery is usually done by means of stores. The user
implements an evaluation method based on a vote that the
searches on a store the app and, when selected, it is
user needs to do. A developer must keep in mind that app’
automatically installed on the device. There is no way to
future updates should be able to improve the user
test the app before downloading and this makes it difficult
experience and remedy the possible negative criticism.
for the user to select the application on the basis of the
Focusing on store distribution channel, each store
available information. Considering the spread of such
offers different business models to take a revenue from
devices, Fig. 3 displays mobile users’ main activities.
apps, and studies demonstrate that this is the preferred
channel to search for an app. Recent study by Canalys
analyst firm on the main store (Apple's AppStore, Google
Play, Windows Phone and Blackberry Store World) [7]
shows a constant growth in apps sales during the first
quarter of 2013. Between the stores, Apple store records
the highest turnover of three-quarters of the total value of
the market (74%), while Google Play is the first
framework for number of app downloads (51%). The
other stores are more detached, but still remain the point
of reference for users and developers of related ecosystems.

29

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ACSIJ Advances in Computer Science: an International Journal, Vol. 3, Issue 1, No.7 , January 2014
ISSN : 2322-5157
www.ACSIJ.org

2.2 Apps business models on mobile stores Phone whose base price apps and apps divided into
Store can be selected by consumable or durable);
On a store, app are usually downloaded according a country - ad-funded apps (free
license that is set by the developers. However each store, apps with ads made by
inserted code thanks to
as the Table 1 shows, offers a specific program to sell the
Microsoft Advertising
app ranging from free/paid app for download to the others
service
business models (e.g., in-app purchase and in-app Blackberry Free and paid -7-day, 30-day
advertising). The first distinction is about free apps and World (purchase before subscription (trial period
paid apps. Then as regards the ways to monetize an app, downloading) after than users pay a fee
the two main models are pay per download or premium to renew their
offering and in app purchases (IAP). Pay for download subscription)
method was the first model adopted especially in the App Other analysis however have shown (e.g., by Distimo
Store with different values of fees required (e.g., most [8]) that the in-app purchases in the fremium model
apps requires a little fee of $0.99 or $1.99). Each user generate the majority of revenue in the app stores. Finally
pays the app before downloading and installing into the the in-app advertising model uses the store advertising
device. The in-app purchases (IAPs) is a model that lets a platform or service and consists in inserting specific
user to download an app both for free (in this case the advertising lines to the app code in order to take a revenue
model is known as freemium) or paid, and requires a from such publicity. According to recent statistics ads
payment if the user want to enable some added features or through mobile or mobile advertising is increasing, even
functionalities, make some upgrades or have game if this model should necessary be different from the
advancement (e.g., enabling levels in a game). Another traditional model of ads that dominates the Web sites. In
source of revenue could be the in-app advertising or in- many cases, getting an advertising message when
app ads. download an app for free, seems to be a price that users
are willing to pay for having no costs. As the Table 1
Table 1: Business models for apps selling in the different stores describes, there are different models of advertising such as
Fixed tires (e.g. Pay Additional models affiliate marketing that promotes other mobile apps in
for download) order to earn commissions when the app is purchased and
App Store Fixed tires: free, - In app purchases (offer downloaded.
$0.99, $1.99, $2.99, additional digital content,
… Exchange rate functionality, services or
In any case the best strategy for marketing and app
fixed and controlled subscription within the success (Fig. 4) depends on several factors, including the
by Apple. Price can paid or free apps); buying habits of the target audience and the type of
be changed anytime - iAd rich media ads application. For example according several analysts,
Fremium model (exploiting the Apple’s Apple users are more used to pay for their apps and so
generates 72% of digital advertising paid apps are normally. In other contexts, the fremium
total revenues of platform and adds an ass model seems to prevail, since the app is offered for free
paid apps to receive 70% of the net and you only pay for enhanced functionalities. However,
ad revenue generated) considering the number of free apps and the low revenue
- volume purchase
program (a specific
from advertising network, most developer use other
program for business and channels to make money from creating mobile software.
education institution to
purchase apps in volume)
Google Free (no charge to -in app products and
Play download) and subscriptions (e.g., one-
priced (user charged time purchases and auto-
before download) renewing subscription
from inside the app,
freemium);
- ad-supported model (ads Fig. 4 Good practice for app design, marketing vs. milestones for app success
apps with the use of
AdMob integration or A recent report [9] shows as the major revenue comes
distribution for free and from other sources that app store sales and advertising
selling in-app products or such as e-commerce licensing and commissioned app-
advertising) making. Probably the top revenue-generating apps on the
Window Free and paid app - in-app product (e.g., trial

30

Copyright (c) 2014 Advances in Computer Science: an International Journal. All Rights Reserved.
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ISSN : 2322-5157
www.ACSIJ.org

store belong to the game category or in some cases to 3. Strategies on apps development
some mobile messaging app.
App development project is not a simple action and
2.3 Apps category requires critical decisions on strategies to be adopted
considering the scope and the target. Usually apps
There are categories of apps that seems to be more manifest some peculiarities: even if developed with the
appealing in a mobile context. For example the research same techniques used by other type of application
company Nielsen describes as in Brazil and in Italy, users software, they should be light, essential and easy to use
prefer to surf the Internet with the mobile device rather considering the features of mobile devices. Even if a
than downloading apps, while in countries like Australia, mobile app could be distributed via a website or e-mail,
India, South Korea and Turkey the use of apps and web the main channel is the reference store of the mobile
browsing is comparable. Mobile apps and websites for software platform. Since each store is proprietary, it
mobile devices should be different things referring to two imposes rigid policies on content and quality of the app
different activities, but sometimes many apps are influencing its development. Furthermore there is a cost
developed as versions of mobile optimized websites or just variable to each store related to the store’s developer
links to websites. In any case, mobile websites are program registration.
designed to work on any mobile browser, while generally The focus is so on the mobile players and on the different
the apps are designed for one or a few mobile platforms. aspects of app’s development that range from the scope,
Focusing on apps, statistics on major stores shows as the the software tools needed and the business model.
games represent a great percentage of used apps, even if,
as the Fig. 5 shows, maps (Google Maps) and social 3.1 Tools needed for mobile apps development
network apps are in the top positions (Facebook,
YouTube, Google+, WeChat, Twitter) followed by Considering the development methods, the choice of
messaging apps (e.g. Skype, Whatsapp). developing a native, web or hybrid apps includes the
choice of the tools and the frameworks. Table 2
summarizes the different tools available for native, web
and hybrid apps using several mobile platforms.

Table 2: Tools and frameworks for mobile development

Mobile Development tools for native, web and hybrid
software app
platform
iOS App lifetime cycle: Develop, test, distribute
maintain;
Native app develop tools: Xcode (Knowledge of
Objective-C).
Native .IPA file to deploy on the device or on the
store;
Web app develop tools: Web frameworks
Javascript libraries (e.g., jQuery mobile, Zepto)
Knowledge of HTML5, CCS3, Javascript.
Fig. 5 Statistics on the activities performed by users of smartphones at least
once a month in various countries (source: Nielsen survey, February 2013) Hybrid app tools: Phonegap, Titanium
AppCelerator, RhoMobile suite by Motorola and
In some way software platforms discriminates also the Rhodes open source Ruby-based framework to
build native apps, eMobc
apps categories considering that mobile apps are
Android App lifetime cycle: Setup, develop, debug&test,
preinstalled on the device. If a developer needs to mediate distribute
between the actual usages of the app and its cost, these Native app develop tools: Android development
analysis are very important. kit (ADT) or Android Studio (knowledge of
In the Italian context, for example, a report about mobile Java) – packaged as apk file
users behavior [10] shows as mobile users have on Web app develop tools: Web frameworks and
average 27 apps installed on the device, but about half use Javascript libraries.
every month and every day. Of these most of them are free Hybrid app tools: Phonegap, Titanium Appc,
apps, and only 6 % of users have mainly paid app. RhoMobile suite, eMobc
Windows App lifetime cycle: design, develop, distribute

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ISSN : 2322-5157
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Phone Native app develop tools: Windows Phone SDK Javascript libraries built-in for mobile web apps (e.g.,
(along with Visual Studio) jQuery mobile, Zepto.js). Focusing on mobile framework,
Knowledge of C#, C++, Visual Basic. Packaged some of this framework are simple JavaScript libraries
as XAP file. offering the developer a set of useful built-in functions.
Web app develop tools: Web frameworks and
Javascript libraries. Table 3: Tools and frameworks for mobile development
Hybrid app tools: Phonegap, Titanium Framework Software available
AppCelerator, RhoMobile suite HTML5 Iio Engine -Open source lightweight
Blackberry App lifetime cycle: design, develop, distribute framework framework for creating HTML5 applications
OS Native app develop tools: Momentic IDE with JS and canvas. SDK + debugging system
(Blackberry 10 Native SDK) + cross-platform deployment engine
Web app develop tools: Web frameworks and LimeJS -HTML5 game framework for
Javascript libraries. building games that work on touch screens
Hybrid app tools: Phonegap, Titanium and desktop browser. Created with the
AppCelerator, RhoMobile suite Closure library by Google.
52 framework -HTML5-CSS3 based
For native apps development, each mobile software framework
platform provides a custom software development kit Kendo UI – inclusive HTML5/JS framework
(SDK) that consists in a set of tools allowing you to for modern web and mobile app development
design, develop, build and manage the process of app JS mobile Zepto.js – jS framework for mobile webkit
libraries browser compatible iQuery
development. Most of them enable you to create a package
jQuery mobile – touch optimized web
version of the app suited to be published on the target
framework built on top of jQuery
store. Generally in each SDK there are compilers to M-project – mobile HTML5 JS framework to
translate the source code in the mobile platform reference build mobile apps easy and fast
language (e.g., Objective-C for iOS, Java for Android, C# Xui – a super micro tiny DOM library for
or C++ for Windows Phone, C/C++/Qt for Blackberry 10) authoring html5 mobile web apps
into an executable, the standard libraries with public Sencha Touch – HTML5 mobile app to
interfaces and other tools such as the visual editors and develop app that look and feel native on iOS
the simulators in order to help the development. The and Android
development environment takes advantages of the mobile HTML5- Zoey -Lightweight framework for developing
operating system and the software component related to CSS3 mobile mobile apps Built on Zepto.js, support modern
framework browsers (iOS 4.x and Android 4.x)
runtime environments (e.g., the Android Dalvik Virtual
Jo -Open source mobile application
machine or the Windows WinRT runtime environment) framework working on iOS, Android,
and the applications frameworks (e.g., Windows Symbian, Safari, Chrome and dashboard
Silverlight, Apple Cocoa Touch). Mobile native apps are widgets. Compatible with PhoneGap
designed for a target mobile platform by using native Lungo.js -Mobile framework that includes
programming languages and because of that they have features of HTML5, CSS3 and Javascript
access to all features of the device ensuring optimum (iOS, Android, Blackberyy, WebOs).
performance. Distribution also on stores
Normally they require the installation into the device, a Junior Front-end framework for building
local execution and not necessary they need an Internet HTML5 mobile apps that look and behave
native (uses Zepto.js and integration with
connection (except for social network or messaging apps). backbone.js views + routers)
The main distribution channel is the store. eMobc – open source framework for
Mobile web app are developed in accordance with the generation of web, mobile and native iOS and
HTML5 framework that understand the language of style Android apps using XML
CSS3 and Javascript programming language implemented The inclusion in the source code of the app is simple and
using different dialects. There are different HTML5, consists, as the Fig. 6 shows for the case of the Zoey
CSS3 and Javascript frameworks that simplify the framework, in putting in the scripts and the built-in style
development process and speed up the coding. sheets inside the specific tags of the HTML5 code (e.g.,
Table 3 shows an example list of frameworks that could the script and the link tags).
be used to develop web apps. We tried to made a
distinction between tools that are used to create web
applications for desktop (i.e., 52 framework) from those
optimized for a mobile environment (e.g., Zoey), from the

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ISSN : 2322-5157
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3.1.1 Sencha Touch

Sencha Touch is a Model View Controller (MVC) JS

framework that appears to be more complex than a single
library as seen before. Its use requires to download the
Sencha Touch SDK and Sencha Cmd that install other
software like Ant, Ruby, Sass and Compass. Sencha cmd
is necessary to generate the app, since it gives a set of
command line tools that allows to create the skeleton for
the application available through a web address. The
skeleton is composed by some directories (e.g., app that
contains the models, views, controllers and stores) and
files useful for the app. The app.js file is the entry point of
Fig. 6 Tools and frameworks for mobile development the app. It contains the launch function where the
application logic is inserted. The app is so made by an
The same figure shows an example of a web page coded index.html file and the Javascript file that contains the
as single o multi-web page that uses the JQuery mobile source code of the app. Sencha touch comes with a set of
framework by including the Javascript library (jquery- components, objects, functions and code ready to use. A
mobile.js) and the style sheet (jquery-mobile.css) in the Sencha touch app is web-based, but the framework offers
header section of the web page. Once included, the a way to include JS commands (by using native API with
various functions coded in the library and the instructions Ext.device function) in order to be translated into native
inside the style sheet could be called directly in the body functions (e.g., orientation, notification) when the app is
of the page. Other frameworks are more complex and also compiled. The options to be set in order to transform the
include a developing environment and the command line app into native are configured in the packager.json file.
tools. Moreover they could be targeted to some platforms An example of the structure of a Sencha touch app is
or development languages as the Fig. 7 shows. shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 7 A comparison between mobile frameworks and

functionalities. Fig. 8 Tools and frameworks for mobile development

For example Sencha company offers a set of products that After the writing of the code, following main components
allow to design (Sencha Architect), develop (Sencha Ext of an app (views, controllers and data), an app could be
JS, Sencha GXT, and Sencha Touch) and deploy (Sencha packaged for a native provision. The app packaging
Space) apps for mobile and desktop. Of these products, process is similar for iOS or Android devices. Each
Sencha releases some of these software with an open platforms differs by the configuration file. iOS requires
source license as the case of Sencha Touch that is the the registration to the Apple iOS provisioning profiles
framework dedicated to develop HTML5 Mobile app for portal in order to obtain a certificate, identity devices and
iOS, Android and Blackberry. Since we focus on an open an App ID. Also Android requires a certificate to sign the
source framework that could allow to develop a mobile application by using the Android SDK Manager. For
app, we examine, from the technical skill required, three Blackberry and Windows Phone App, Sencha touch in the
products that are Sencha Touch, Phonegap/Apache last version (2.3) introduces tools and an API for working
Cordova and Appcelerator Titanium. with Cordova and Phonegap in order that these
frameworks could package the app for the use on these
devices. In any case, developing with Sencha Touch

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requires a set of actions that are not as simple as it seems. requires technical skills and the knowledge of the target
Probably using the entire Sencha ecosystem allows an mobile platforms and their development kits.
easily coding by means of visual tools, but the other
frameworks are quite expensive. If we focus on the open 3.1.3 Appcelerator Titanium
source version, technical skills are required.
Appcelerator company provides two main products: the
3.1.2 Phonegap vs. Cordova Appcelerator platform designed to enterprise that provides
a single open, cloud-based platform to deliver native
Abobe Phonegap is built on top of Apache Cordova that is cross-platform apps and Titanium designed to developers
a platform providing API for building native mobile to create cloud-connected native apps.
applications using the HTML5 framework. The difference Titanium is a development environment that includes an
is on how their packaging tools are implemented. open source SDK to support various devices and mobile
Phonegap provides a remote building interface at Adobe operating systems APIs, an integrated development
Phonegap Build that emulates an app for a single platform environment (Titanium Studio), an MVC framework
in the cloud. (Alloy) and cloud services to deliver apps.
Phonegap requires the installation of the Nodejs Titanium products are provided as free, but it is required
framework in order to install all the packages needed for the registration to the site. Titanium Studio (Fig. 10) is a
the app creation. Then it is required the presence on the complete product that requires technical skills in order to
local system of the different SDKs. be used. The software is installed on the local machine,
As the Fig. 9 shows, the creation and the execution of an but require the signing to the platform in order to work.
app by means of the Phonegap command line tool,
requires the sign up to the Phonegap Build portal and thus
of an Adobe ID account.

Fig. 9 Steps required for Phonegap/Cordova installation

Fig. 10 Titanium Studio

Cordova packaging tools allow to build apps on a local
computer. In any case it is necessary to have a certificate 3.2 A comparison between some strategies and tools
and AppID for each platform for the market in which a
developer what to distribute the app. Apache Cordova A comparison between native, web and hybrid apps based
requires the installation of Node.js (the JS platform used on some criteria rated on a scale of 0 to 5 is shown in Fig.
to build network applications), that is used to install 11. Native apps, HTML5 apps, Phonegap apps and
locally the Cordova software. When installation is Titanium apps are compared according the following
completed, the Cordova tools allow to create the main criteria: the features of the app, the user experience and
structure of the app inside a specific directory. When it is the performance, the monetization, the distribution, the
necessary to add platforms that are needed to build the updates, the cost, the platforms fragmentation and
project for the target mobile platform (e.g., iOS, android, security.
wp8, blackberry). The ability to run the commands
depends on whether the local machine support each SDK
(e.g., a Windows-based machine lacks of the iOS SDK).
The cordova command allows to build the app for the
target platform (i.e., using the build option), and to test
the app on an emulator or a device (i.e., using the emulate
option). Also in this case, the development of an app

34

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ISSN : 2322-5157
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Some research (e.g., Canalys) reveals how Google Play is

the store that has achieved the highest number of
download (51% of total downloads carried out on the App
Store, Google Play, Windows Phone and BlackBerry
Store), but the App Store is the one that receives the most
revenue getting 74% of the total profits of the four
analyzed store. Even if the download of apps is
expanding, the gain does not increase in proportion, since
the percentage of free download is approximately 90% of
all installed apps. Native app has thus a low score
compared to other solutions whereas in the first case the
strategy is imposed by the store.
Different scores are related to the updates that solve bugs
or made apps’ improvements. The web app has the
highest score given that the update is automatic, a
Phonegap app has an average score considered that is
encoded with web technologies. Conversely a native app
and a Titanium app have a low score considering that the
updates imply the user having to re-download the app or
must wait since also updates are subjected to the store’s
Fig. 11 Evaluation of methods of analysis for application development
features.
approval process.
The costs are related to the number of platforms to be
As far as apps features, native (score 5) and hybrid (score achieved and the type of target device. The costs
4) apps offer the possibility to access to the various associated with the web app are lower (high score)
resources of the device directly or via plugins or modules considered the large number of developers with
provided by cross-platform tools. HTML5-based web app knowledge of web technologies and thus their
instead (score 1), despite the rapid evolution of the competition. The other type of app have a cost that
technology, have not yet reached the same level as the depends on the knowledge of the tools and the cross-
other and do not allow to exploit the full capabilities of platform software. The creation of an app supported by
the device on which they operate. more than two platforms involves a high cost when
Focusing on the user experience and the performance, developing a native app. But also in the web-based
since the performance evaluation is done according to the approach, there is a requirement for the app depending
graphics and the load time of an app, native apps have the the different versions of the mobile browsers installed in
highest score (5), followed by hybrid app Titanium (4), the mobile devices.
while the others methods have the minimum score. Note The platform’s fragmentation means that different
that a poor performance lead to app failure, since user versions of the mobile operating system may or may not
wants an app that runs fast and with high performance. enable a functionality. The fragmentation has few
Such features till now are possible only on native apps. disadvantages in web-based app, app average in hybrid
The user experience of the app Titanium is very close to app and many issues in native apps. Since there may be
that of a native app, while a Phonegap app or a web app several versions of the same operating system (e.g.
may have performance issues related, for example, to the Android) active on different devices, development must
time of loading a page, maybe because of the number of take into account the different hardware configurations
files relating to external style sheets or scripts to load. which every manufacturer adopts. A native app created
The gain is undoubtedly linked to the method of for the latest version of the operating system may not
distribution in the store and that is why hybrid native apps work on systems that are equipped with the previous
and have maximum score than HTML5 -based app. The versions.
app store distribution lead to a greater visibility with a big Also a web app manifests a fragmentation problem that
chance of being purchased and create a revenue for concerns the mobile web browser each of which has
developers, although the competition is very high. The various versions and different engines that may or may
web app is distributed via the website and therefore is less not implement the language-specific content. In this case,
visible since it is related to its availability through the the developers are obliged to test a web-based app on
search engines. different devices and browsers. A Phonegap app is able to
manage this fragmentation since it supports multiple

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Copyright (c) 2014 Advances in Computer Science: an International Journal. All Rights Reserved.
ACSIJ Advances in Computer Science: an International Journal, Vol. 3, Issue 1, No.7 , January 2014
ISSN : 2322-5157
www.ACSIJ.org

software platforms at the same time. Conversely, the [4] M. Pilgrim, HTML5: Up and running, O’Reilly, 2010
extension of a product created with the Titanium [5] S. Pastore, Mobile platforms and apps cross-platforms
framework to all these operating systems would be development tools, Int. Journal of Engineering Research and
Application www. ijera.com. ISSN : 2248-9622, Vol. 3,
extremely expensive.
Issue 6, Nov-Dec 2013, pp.521-531.
Finally, the security aspect presents a high score for a [6] T. Pierce, Appreneur: secrets to success in the App store,
native and a Titanium app and a low score for a Phonegap Apress, 2013
app or a web-based app. The source code of a web-based [7] T. Ferguson, App store revenue, downloads continue upward
app is easily recoverable and there are several ways to trajectory – Canalys, Apr. 2013, at url: Mobilewordllive.com
attack the security of a web app. On the other hand there [8] H. Koekkoek, Publication: how the most successful apps
are techniques to secure a web app. HTML5 provides the monetize their user bade, Distimo.com publication, March.
ability to cache data within the browser, and considering 2013.
that the app manage data on the device, these data should [9] C. O’Connor, Evolution of the app business model,
Boston.com Aug, 2013
be adequately protected and encrypted. The app can use
[10] L. Lazzarin, Il Mobile Internet italiano vola a 1,25 miliardi,
the native API of its operating systems to encrypt the Content e app a 620 milion, wireless4innovation magazine,
stored data, but this is not possible to implement such Jun 2013.
technology with web languages.
As widely stated, the programmer is placed in front of a
series of choices. The final decisions about the tools to be Serena Pastore Researcher/technologist from 2007 in ICT at the
adopted are a compromise between the features and the Italian National Institute of Astrophysics (INAF) and University
teaching professor in some Italian University. Current research
skills needed. interest are on Internet and web standards focusing on the mobile
environment, distributed network paradigms (grid and cloud), open
source products.
4. Conclusions
Developing a mobile app is not simple as it appears and
requires a carefully analysis on the mobile ecosystem and
some decisions about the strategies in the development.
The choice of a cross-platform tool that allows to
distribute an app on more than one mobile operation
system is a choice that requires technical knowledge and
skills comparable to those required in the development of
a native app. This is particularly true when we focus on
open source tools. Solutions like Sencha Touch or
Cordova could really help to develop various version of
the same app targeted to different mobile platforms, but
require time and cost. Moreover the mobile world is an
evolving and interesting market, but the revenue for an
app developer is not so sure. Even in a research
environment where we work, it is necessary to make an
analysis between the costs related to the development and
distribution of an app and the return in term of user
satisfaction and knowledge of our activities.

References
[1] F. Sheares, Power management in mobile devices, newness,
Elsevier, 2008.
[2] L. Columbus, 2013 Roundup of Samrtphone and Tablet
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3-roundup-of-mobility-forecasts-and-market-estimates/
[3] S. Pastore, The role of open web standards for website
development adhering to the one web vision. International
Journal of Engineering and Technology (IJET), Vol.2,
No.11. November 2012. ISSN 2049-3444.

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Copyright (c) 2014 Advances in Computer Science: an International Journal. All Rights Reserved.