Cross-platform mobile development tools enable developers to write applications, using a variety of languages that run on multiple mobile operating systems with minimal code changes. The report points out that enterprises are still struggling with quickly building mobile apps, driving demand for cross-platform tools.
As IT departments are challenged to fulfill line-of-business managers' requests for apps, application development is becoming more distributed with less control centred in the IT department. This shift is requiring unique strategies to target both the IT managers and line of business developers. Vendors are evolving business models and distribution strategies to better reach and serve diverse buyers and influencers across the enterprise.
The market is forecast to grow from US$3.2 billion in 2013 to US$3.6 billion in 2014, a 14% growth rate. Although growth is robust, this is a significant decrease from the 97% growth rates in 2013. Contributing factors include:
- More native apps – Developers are still struggling with the limitations of cross platform development. The performance of web technologies and access to device level functionality are cited by developers as significant challenges, pushing them toward native app development.
- Few new mobile developers – The percentage of mobile developers with less than a year of experience is decreasing, indicating the rate at which new developers entering the field is decelerating.
- Diminishing productivity returns – Developers are reporting less efficiency gains when using cross platform mobile development tools compared to previous years. The drop is eroding the perceived value of tools.
- Expenditure per developer – The investment made on mobile development tools on a per developer basis has dropped over the past 14 months.
From a geographic perspective, the large and increasingly technical populations in the Asia Pacific region present the greatest opportunity for mobile development tools vendors.
Cross-platform development tool vendors are also expanding their portfolio of offerings. Vendors can no longer focus on a single development approach but need to embrace various tools and services to support users with a range of skills.
As vendors embrace multiple approaches they are also bringing to market a variety of auxiliary services to support their clients in building, supporting, managing, and improving their cross-platform apps. These services include analytics, testing services, back-end services, model view controller (MVC) and model/view/viewmodel (MVVM) frameworks, and enterprise mobility management services.
Acceptance of cloud based tools is also growing. Vendors began offering cloud service a few years ago and enterprises initially were hesitant to risk managing data and software in the cloud. As the general cloud trend takes hold across the enterprise, progressive companies are embracing the cloud model for cross-platform mobile development tools and services.
New entrants and open source frameworks are also emerging providing lighter frameworks built from scratch for mobile app development. Ionic Framework is one tool that is gaining significant traction in the market.
Acceptance of cloud based tools is also growing. Vendors began offering cloud service a few years ago and enterprises initially were hesitant to risk managing data and software in the cloud. As the general cloud trend takes hold across the enterprise, progressive companies are embracing the cloud model for cross-platform mobile development tools and services.
New entrants and open source frameworks are also emerging providing lighter frameworks built from scratch for mobile app development. Ionic Framework is one tool that is gaining significant traction in the market.
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