Mobile is for business. Every firm with a web app must now consider the visibility and sales they are losing by not having a mobile version. Every new business or software product is faced with this same concern. Responsive design only gets us so far before it’s time to build a native app for several platforms. How do we build business apps for Android, iOS, and Windows phones and tablets? Learn about the key considerations when scaling up your company’s mobile presence.

1. Building Mobile AppsBuilding Mobile Apps
for Businessfor Business
Dan Hermes
Mobile Consultant
Lexicon Systems
Website: www.lexiconsystemsinc.com
Email: dan@lexiconsystemsinc.com
Phone: 781-526-0738
Twitter: @lexiconsystems
Blog: www.itshopkeeping.com

2. TakeawaysTakeaways
Responsive Design is fast and cheap
◦ Good for websites
◦ OK for some lightweight apps
Most serious mobile apps are native
Cross-platform is often necessary
Choose your toolset carefully

3. SponsorSponsor

4. Why mobile?Why mobile?
Americans used smartphone and tablet apps
more than PCs to access the Internet.
Source: CNN, January 2014 / corroborated by Marissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo
(Google isn’t telling.)
80-90% of U.S. adults now own a mobile
phone. 50-60% of those are smartphones.
Sources: various (Pew)
¼ to ½ of online searches take place on a
mobile device
Sources: various

5. And what about tablets?And what about tablets?
When we were an agrarian nation, all cars were
trucks. But as people moved more towards urban
centers, people started to get into cars. I think
PCs are going to be like trucks. Fewer people will
need them. And this transformation is going to
make some people uneasy... because the PC has
taken us a long way.
Steve Jobs, 2010

6. Post-PC Era: 2015
Mobile Phones > first world population
◦ 1.9B devices
Tablets > PC sales
◦ 320M tablets vs. 316M PCs worldwide
Android devices > 3x Windows
◦ 1.3B Android devices vs. 373M Windows
Ultramobile > 20% of PC sales
◦ MacBook Air, Surface Pro, etc.
◦ 62M in 2015
Source: Gartner 2015 Device Shipment Projections (June 2014)

7. The UpshotThe Upshot
Data Consumers (Conclusive)
◦ Mobile phones and tablets
Data Producers (Jury is still out)
◦ PCs and Ultrabooks
◦ Some tablets and phones
◦ The future of business machines
 Android vs. Windows
◦ Many unknowns here

8. What Do Data Consumers Need?What Do Data Consumers Need?

9. Responsive DesignResponsive Design
Images courtesy of Beacon Technologies and Arcplan

10. Responsive Design #FAILResponsive Design #FAIL
Image courtesy of moxy ox

11. Responsive Design #WINResponsive Design #WIN
Image courtesy of moxy ox

12. Responsive Design #WINResponsive Design #WIN

13. Responsive Design #WINResponsive Design #WIN

14. The Responsive ExperienceThe Responsive Experience
Image courtesy of responsivedesign.ca

15. Responsive Design isResponsive Design is
recommended whenrecommended when
the app is SIMPLE and
user expectation is LOW
What is a website?
a simple app

16. Mobile Web Toolset OptionsMobile Web Toolset Options
HTML5, CSS, JavaScript
and
C#/ASP.NET
Java
PHP

17. Limitations of Responsive WebLimitations of Responsive Web
AppsApps
Reduced Functionality
Unfamiliar Interface
Poor Performance
Decreased User Experience
THE REAL RISK?

19. Responsive Web App #FAILResponsive Web App #FAIL
Older Facebook app written in HTML5

20. Solution#1Solution#1
1. Escape Hatch / Full Screen Button
◦ Goes to full-screen web app
◦ May or may not be useable
◦ Doesn’t address experience
or performance

21. Solution#2: Native Mobile AppSolution#2: Native Mobile App
Go Where the People Are
◦ App Store Stats
Better Performance
Optimal User Experience

22. PCR EssentialsPCR Essentials
On iTunes and Play Store
Android version by our team
Written in Xamarin

30. DineBostonDineBoston

31. DineBostonDineBoston
VIDEO

32. Mobile App TypesMobile App Types
Mobile Web /Responsive
◦ Browser-based
Native
◦ iOS, Android, OR Windows
Hybrid
◦ Web app wrapped in a native app
Cross-platform
◦ iOS, Android, AND Windows

33. Mobile App Tools/ResourcesMobile App Tools/Resources
Mobile Web/Responsive
◦ HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript,
(C#, Java, PHP, etc.)
Native
◦ Objective-C, Java, or C#
Hybrid
◦ PhoneGap, Titanium
Cross-platform
◦ Xamarin (C#)

34. Smartphone OS Market ShareSmartphone OS Market Share
(Q1 2014)(Q1 2014)
Android – 81%
iOS – 15%
Windows Phone – 3%
What does this mean?
Source: International Data Corporation (IDC)
Single platform apps are risky

35. Hybrid AppsHybrid Apps
Web app wrapped in a native app
◦ PhoneGap
◦ Appcelerator Titanium
Yes, it’s in the app stores
No, it’s not really a native app

36. Cross-platform AppsCross-platform Apps
◦ Shared Code
 Code reuse
◦ One technology stack
 Instead of several
◦ Native app quality
◦ Native app performance
◦ Native phone functionality (location, camera, etc.)

37. Cross-platform DevelopmentCross-platform Development

38. Cross-platform AppsCross-platform Apps
High-performance
Great user experience
Fully native executable
Reusable code
Just one dev team

39. Gartner Strongly RecommendsGartner Strongly Recommends
XamarinXamarin
“Xamarin's architectural approach provides
completely native UIs with better performance than
other cross-platform techniques... Xamarin uses
multifaceted technology built by a cohesive team
with a solid long-term track record.”
-Gartner, August 2013
Recognized as Mobile “Visionary” in
2013 Magic Quadrant for MADP

40. Xamarin Customers Include…Xamarin Customers Include…

41. Xamarin pre-3.0Xamarin pre-3.0
Layouts XAMLUIKit

42. Xamarin 3.0 with Xamarin.FormsXamarin 3.0 with Xamarin.Forms

44. TakeawaysTakeaways
Responsive Design is fast and cheap
◦ Good for websites
◦ OK for some lightweight apps
Most serious mobile apps are native
Cross-platform is often necessary
Choose your toolset carefully
Need high-performance cross-platform
business apps?

45. Building Mobile AppsBuilding Mobile Apps
for Businessfor Business
Do you want to know more?
Do you need an app built?
Dan Hermes
Mobile Consultant
Lexicon Systems
www.lexiconsystemsinc.com
dan@lexiconsystemsinc.com
(781)526-0738
Twitter: @lexiconsystems
Blog: www.itshopkeeping.com
Jonathan LaMaster
Director of Sales
Lexicon Systems
jonathan@lexiconsystemsinc.com
(617)833-5816