Applications are a little different than large integrated software packages that you find more frequently on laptops or PCs. Instead, most apps provide a limited set of functionality to perform specific tasks, play a game, and so on. This specificity in an app’s use case is partially what makes apps so popular as users can decide which functionality they want on their own device.
Applications can be split into two main categories:
Native apps: These are specifically built for certain mobile operating systems such as iOS or Android. Native apps typically need to pass through certain quality assurance tests in order to be admitted to the App Store or Google Play store (or third-party app stores, where available).
Web apps: These are browser-based and typically use HTML, CSS, and a backend programming language to function. Instead of being installed on a user’s device, web apps are accessed through the browser, and information is typically stored in a server-side database.
There are many different sub-categories of apps, although as Technopedia highlights, a few of the most popular include:
Gaming apps: Games are one of the most popular app types and “account for one-third of all app downloads and three-fourths of all consumer spending.”
Productivity apps: Productivity apps are designed to increase either personal or business efficiency by easing or automating various tasks.
Lifestyle & entertainment apps: These are an increasingly popular category and include various aspects of a person’s life such as social media, dating, watching videos, and so on.
Mobile commerce (M-commerce): These are apps used to purchase goods or services online such as Amazon, booking flights, and so on.
In the context of mobile marketing, regardless of which type of app you build, it’s essential to track how users are using your app, the performance of your marketing campaigns, and more.