5 Popular Apps Built with Cross-Platform Technology

Introduction

When I say launching an app faster, with fewer development efforts at the backend, which automatically means less development and maintenance cost, which development technology comes to your mind? It’s cross-platform app development. Over 50% of business owners have invested in building at least one application using cross-platform technology.

The demand for cross-platform app development is growing as cross-platform frameworks have more than one benefit, not only for developers but for businesses as well. There is a pool of cross-platform tools, languages, and frameworks. It may confuse you which framework or tool would be the most suitable for developing your application.

Top 5 popular apps built with cross-platform technology

1. Instagram

Several features of Instagram are built using React Native over other cross-platform technologies.

Features

• Instagram’s interface of post promotion as ads.
• The interactive parts of Instagram stories and feeds.
• The direct messaging feature also includes multimedia sharing.
• The explore section of Instagram and comments and like sections.

Significance for the social media industry

1. React Native has empowered Instagram’s development team to roll out new updates and innovative features quickly, which helps Instagram stay competitive in the social media landscape.

2. React Native’s hot reloading and faster iteration cycle have allowed Instagram to run tests and roll out updates according to user feedback, this helps them to focus on innovation.

3. Instagram can provide a smooth user experience to both iOS and Android users, driving user engagement.

Why React Native is used in Instagram

• It offers Native performance, allowing Instagram to handle complex operations effectively.
• The supportive environment of React Native allows Instagram to scale easily.
• Instagram benefited from Meta’s existing ecosystem.

2. Google Ads

Not every, but a few significant features of Google Ads are built using Flutter.

Features

• Campaign management Interface.
• Updates like campaign performance, budget limit, and account issues.
• Dashboards and reports.
• Responsive UI for Tablets and Mobile.
• Multi-account support and editing tools.

Significance for the Marketing industry

1. Flutter’s high-performance capabilities have empowered marketers to get real-time data as soon as they enter inputs.

2. Flutter handles complex data visualization, creating a way to develop other marketing apps for better analytics.

3. The marketing industry is pumped up to try out new features using Flutter, getting inspired by innovative features of Google Ads.

Why Flutter is used in Google Ads

• Flutter uses Native ARM code that offers high performance and smooth animation, allowing Google Ads to access real-time data analysis.
• Flutter, developed by Google, has a strong support system that makes Google Ads future-proof.

3. Microsoft Office

Microsoft Office has been built with Xamarin.

Features

• Creating, and editing, documents in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, are facilitated with Xamarin.
• Offline functionality and updates synchronization while online.
• Cloud features like SharePoint, and OneDrive.
• Device-specific features like scanning documents using a phone camera or using local storage.

Significance for the Human Resources industry

1. Xamarin’s cross-platform capabilities boost mobile usage, productivity, and remote work capabilities
2. The seamless integration with other office apps allows for streamlined, uninterrupted workflow.

Why Xamarin is used in Microsoft Office

• Developed by Microsoft, Xamarin seamlessly integrates with Microsoft’s other tools like Azure DevOps, Visual Studio, and Microsoft 365 for using C# and .NET everywhere.
• NOTE: Microsoft has stopped supporting Xamarin from 1st May 2024, instead has started using .NET MAUI.

4. Myntra

Another popular cross-platform framework, Ionic, is used to build Myntra.

Features

• Responsive menus, navigation bars
• Product lists with advanced filtering options
• Real-time notifications, AI-driven recommendations
• Smooth checkout process
• Order history, offline usability, responsive search bar
• Safe authentication

Significance for the Shopping industry

• Ionic has rapid development capabilities that allow Myntra to quickly adapt to new market demands, seasonal trends, or changed customer behavior.
• The Ionic-built PWAs provide an app-like user experience while browsing through the web. This way, customers access the Myntra platform without downloading it.
• Ionic offers seamless integration with analytics tools, helping in providing detailed reports on customer behavior, so that personalized product recommendations can be sent to consumers.

Why Ionic is used in Myntra

• Ionic has a rich library of prebuilt UI elements, easily customizable. This boosted the development process of Myntra by allowing it to test new features quickly.
• Ionic Capacitor empowers Myntra to integrate native device features like camera, geolocation, and voice, for a better shopping experience.
• Ionic uses WebView for rendering Myntra so that the application seamlessly handles high-traffic

5. India Post Payment Bank (IPPB)

This app is built using Cordova and PhoneGap.

Features

• Forms, buttons, menus
• User registration, login, account management
• Funds transfer between IPPBA and other banks
• Bill payment and mobile recharge
• Finding nearby ATMs and branches

Significance for the Banking industry

1. QR code scanning and services like geo-location, and push notifications for real-time updates regarding transactions are crucial for the banking industry.
2. Cordova and PhoneGap have flexible plugin architecture that integrates 3rd party features like UPI, and new and innovative payment methods.
3. The IPPB application is lightweight because of Cordova and PhoneGap, necessary for reaching a wider audience even on lower-end devices.

Why Cordova and PhoneGap is used in IPPB

• These framework-based apps are comparatively lightweight and run on lower-end devices.
• Cordova can easily leverage existing web functionalities and transform them into viable mobile devices.

Top Cross-Platform Frameworks to Build Your Business App Fast

1. Flutter

Flutter is an open-source UI software development kit created by Google, aimed at building visually attractive and highly customizable apps. This cross-platform tool is ideal for businesses looking to achieve excellent user experience in both Android and iOS without investing a fortune in app development.

Examples: Alibaba, Google Ads, Reflectly

Technical Details: Flutter is based on Dart language, which helps in writing high-performing applications. It offers a variety of extensible widgets that follow the Material Design guidelines (Android) as well as Cupertino-styled widgets(iOS).

Business Case: If you own a retail or an online platform like Alibaba, Flutter would be the right choice to make your shopping experience more smooth and interactive. For a seamless brand experience across these channels and gaining brand recognition, Flutter can be a good choice.

2. React Native

React Native is a very robust framework that uses JavaScript and React to help developers create high-quality iOS apps for the platform. It is ideal for an app that needs a lot of user interaction and access to native device facilities such as GPS, camera or push notifications.

Examples: Facebook, Instagram, Uber Eats, Bloomberg

Technical Details: React Native makes use of a JavaScript bridge to communicate with native components, which can impact performance. However, it enables developers to write certain modules in native code for features that need better performance.

Business Case: In the case of businesses like news outlets or social networking platforms, React Native fits the best. For example, Bloomberg leverages React Native to deliver high-velocity financial news with real-time data so users always have the latest and most relevant information at their fingertips.

3. Xamarin

Xamarin is a robust framework created by Microsoft that has unique features such as C# language. If your business uses Microsoft Suite daily, it is the best fit being well-suited for enterprise-level applications focussed on high performance and security.

Examples: Alaska Airlines, Microsoft News, American Cancer Society

Technical Details: Xamarin compiles code into native iOS and Android binaries for that sweet, near-native performance. It also integrates with Microsoft cloud and enterprise services like Azure, Active Directory, etc.

Business Case: If you operate a large corporation or a healthcare provider that has heavily relied on the Microsoft ecosystem, then Xamarin can be your buddy in building secure as well as high-performance apps that can integrate with existing systems. The American Cancer Society’s app uses this for managing volunteer networks effectively.

4. Ionic

Ionic is an open-source framework for building cross-platform mobile applications using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It is great for businesses that need to build applications fast, without needing knowledge of (specifically) deep native development but still demand a consistent look-and-feel across different platforms.

Examples: MarketWatch, Sworkit, JustWatch

Technical Details: To allow access to the camera, GPS or other native device features Ionic uses a combination of either Apache Cordova or Capacitor. This enables Ionic apps to access device-specific features without sacrificing their web-oriented nature. Ionic also provides a set of UI components that can mimic the native look and feel of iOS & Android respectively.

Business Case: Ionic is a good choice for firms that require cost-effective app development such as small and medium-sized businesses, startups, etc. Even the top companies rely on them, for example, Sworkit created a full cross-platform app using Ionic to target their users without needing an iOS and Android team separately.

Partner with The Best to Power Your Business App!

Small or big, from retail to healthcare and finance to tech, businesses can draw maximum benefits by working with reliable mobile application development companies in Noida. The mobile app development partner, familiar with the specific needs of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can advise low-budget solutions such as Ionic for faster market entry.

In the case of larger corporations where performance, visual appeal, and how seamlessly the application can integrate with a large variety of systems is also important- experienced developers might suggest going big on Flutter or Xamarin. At the same time, React Native shines in applications that require user interaction — such as a media outlet or social platforms (mentioning a few among many).

A top mobile app development company can offer you professional solutions that pick the right technology to help your business thrive and scale in the future with changing needs. You can leverage their expertise for a powerful, scalable, and user-friendly mobile app experience enhancing brand presence, that helps in achieving strategic goals.

FAQs

1. What are cross-platform apps?

Cross-platform apps are basically applications that can run on iOS, Android, Windows, or any other operating system without deploying multiple codebases for different devices. Progressive web apps, native cross-platform apps, and hybrid apps are a few types of cross-platform applications.

2. What is the most used cross-platform framework?

Different cross-platform frameworks can be used for different purposes or their unique quality. However, these are basically used for faster development and faster deployment within a low budget and with a promise of ease of use. A few popularly in-demand frameworks are — React Native, Flutter, Ionic, .NET MAUI, Cordova, Xamarin, etc.

3. Which companies are using Flutter?

A few popular businesses have built their apps relying on Flutter, the in-demand apps are — Google Ads, Google Pay, eBay Motors, iRobot, Rive, Hamilton, Niki.AI, and SpaceX, among many others.

Conclusion

When you are doing business your main motive should be attracting all possible customer segments leaving no stones unturned. In this age, if you create an app that doesn’t run on Android and iOS or both, then this is a great disadvantage. Therefore, choose a framework that helps launch an app that covers both platforms.

Looking for what kind of app to create can be a hassle for people who lack adequate technological knowledge. Here, through this blog, I have tried to give you an idea regarding what type of cross-platform technology is suitable for a specific type of business. Therefore, if you have gained a basic idea now, gear yourself up and choose the suitable tech stack for effective app development without wasting time.

As mentioned before, more than 50% of businesses have already utilized these frameworks to reboot their services. So are you waiting to fall behind in this competitive digital landscape?