What is Hybrid app development?

Hybrid mobile app are created in the same way as websites. Both use a combination of technologies such as CSS, HTML and JavaScript. Nevertheless, rather than targeting a mobile browser, hybrid apps target a WebView hosted inside a native container. This allows them to do things such as access the hardware capacities of a mobile device. Hybrid apps could be found in the app stores. With them, one could play games, engage friends via social media, and take pictures, track health and a whole lot more.

WHAT EXACTLY ARE HBYRID APPS?

At core, hybrid apps are websites packaged into a native wrapper. They feel and look like a native application, but outside of the basic frame of the app, they’re fueled by the website of a company. A hybrid app basically is a web app built with the use of HTML5 and JavaScript, wrapped in native container that loads most of the information on a page as a user navigates through the app.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF HBYRID APPS?

ADVANTAGES:

1. Access to device data. Hybrid applications, similar to native apps could access data that devices pick up through functionality, like GPS and camera, but push notifications and address book information as well. Connecting with this functionality offers hybrid applications much more freedom to the kind of things they could do.

2. Easy scaling. The apps are also much easier to scale to different platforms and operating systems. The reason for this is that web technology is nearly 100 percent similar across various platforms and operating systems, to the could cod be reused simply without rebuilding the entire application from scratch.

3. Offline working. Due to their native infrastructure, hybrid apps could work offline. Although, while offline, obviously data could not be updated, users could still load the application and access data that’s previously loaded, unlike web applications. Data made while offline, whether captured through surveys, forms or any other way, could be stored on the device and sent to servers the moment a user connects to the internet.

4. More resources. Using web technology for application content makes hybrid application development much easier. Web technology knowledge far outstrips native coding, thus, there are a lot more resources and people available to deliver it. At the same time, costs and resources needed to code with web technologies are remarkably lower compared to native ones, so organizations could save money and time as well.

DISADVANTAGES:

1. Glitches. Another issue about hybrid and web apps is the way they render or load content. For instant, it is glitch, by loading various element of the app at different times. This is in contrast to the more polished and smoother native application user experience. Nonetheless, there are a lot of resources and solutions to fix the glitches.

2. Slower performance. Due to the content being based on web technology, hybrid applications could be slower to load compared to native apps. However, there are ways of managing this so it performs at its best.

3. Native vs. web components. A challenge to hybrid application developers is to make decisions wherein which components of applications must be native and which should be web-based. Obviously, this depends on every single application and its use, thus it’s something that every development team would have to individually decide.

4 Visual and interactive components. While visual and interactive components like 3D animations and games are available in hybrid applications, they still perform better on fully native applications. Nevertheless, hybrid apps performance is improving on a daily basis and getting closer to that of native applications.

THE MOST COST-EFFECTIVE WAY OF CREATING OPTIMAL MOBILE APPLICATIONS

Web applications and native applications seem to be very familiar, but they’re based on an entirely different infrastructure, both of which have their pros and their drawbacks. Hybrid applications now are letting developers take advantage of the benefits of both applications. While hybrid apps still pose some issues, developers are more and more coming up solutions to overcome them. Presently, the great benefits of hybrid apps make them the most cost effective ways to build optimal mobile applications and the differences in performance in comparison to native apps that are not that significant to warrant the extra efforts and cost.

WHY ENTERPRISE APPLICATIONS SHOULD BE HYBRID

There is an overflowing of databases on the internet regarding the merits and faults of native and web applications. Obviously, some favor the former while others favor the latter. While these applications are built on considerably different forms of technology, most people have no idea about the difference between them. To add to the confusion of the mix, there are things like hybrid apps that combine the elements of native and web technologies.

Ultimately, both technologies have their pros and cons. Nevertheless, it appears like hybrid would become the norm, at least in the enterprise level. As mentioned earlier, hybrid apps combine the power of both native and web apps. A hybrid app is like a native application with a browser embedded within. By combining the technologies, hybrid applications could take advantage of tall the native features of a native application, accessing data from other applications, ability to be downloaded form an app store, and offline working, while the actual content depends on HTML rendered in a browser.

Obviously, a hybrid app is a good choice if lacking in sufficient fund. Furthermore, even if the application will not be more customer-centered, hybrid application is good.

Technology trends that transform the Insurance industry

Confronted with a highly volatile, fast-paced environment, rapidly evolving customer needs, new regulatory initiatives and a host of disruptive and innovative technologies, few insurance firms have the luxury to sit back and ponder on longer-term technology trends and their implications in the field. In effect, market pressures have forced every insurer to be a digital insurer. Both property and casualty and life insurance providers now are using digital technologies to boost the customer experience, optimally manage risk and improve profitability. Some organizations are doing this on an ad hoc basis, while some carry out a bigger strategic plan.

Insurance brokers and agents are undergoing a main major shift on what the customers and clients expect these days. By the year 2017, ‘digital natives’ would dominate the workplace, which has a great implication for agents and brokers who wants to engage with customers and grow their business. With the maturing of the millennial generation and entering into its peak buying power, more automated and digital ways of doing business would be a fundamental part of daily workflows. With the fast growth of cloud-based technology and mobile users to social media interaction, a study on tech trends for insurance agents explains that agents have finally realized the need to be more efficient, nimble and accessible to serve the customers of today.

Insurance companies that are agile, flexible and could offer advanced technology to build the kind of business processes that the clients’ at present demand are the ones that pose a threat to the traditional, maybe even bigger insurance organizations. The first step for an insurance firm to stay ahead of the changes and challenges in the years to come begins with the deployment of the right technology within the document management workflows as well as day-to-day business processes. Insurers should embrace technology trends that transform the industry to create a user-friendly, more automated processes.

Embracing a cloud-based and on premise infrastructure is important. A couple of years ago, 84 percent of insurance firms were operating in the cloud. Additionally, more than half of these firms reported that cloud has minimized the amount of work. Today, as the insurance field adopts a more simplified workflow, people could expect a remarkable increase in the use of technology that could be operated through hybrid cloud and on premise, ultimately ensuring flexibility for the clientele and robust adherence to the ever-changing government regulations within the environment.

Automating business processes where necessary is another technology trend that insurance firms should do. The key to moving towards a more digital landscape and boosting customer service is by automating workflows where necessary. With the excessive utilization of social media growing, and on numerous channels, clients expect ultimate personalization and interaction from their insurance brokers and agents. As a matter of fact, a survey ways that online and cross-channel customer experience would get the most attention this year. Although the standard face-to-face interaction is less common between insurance companies and clients, still, relationships are just as important, if not every more important than in the past. Thus, insurance providers need more time to interact with their clientele and less time on sorting papers, scrolling through documents and remaining on top of processing claims. This is the reason why workflows automation would be paramount to moving the digital transformation forward.

Insurance firms should choose programs and systems with the customers in mind. This year is dubbed as the ‘age of the customer’, wherein the customer experience is at the center of the digital movement. Meaning that technologies as well as new digital processes could not be implemented with an admin-first mindset. Today’s customers expect an intelligent, uncomplicated process from insurance providers. Although this could signal several internal processes disruption for the agent, the end result should be to make the programs easier to use for the clients, not just the IT team. Keeping the clientele on top of the mind this year would be the key to a successful digital transition.

Now is the time for insurers to adopt more digital practices to stay ahead of the competition. Rather than just adding value to the sector, technology underpins its very evolution and growth. The use of mobile devices, social media, GPS and CCTV footage have all hugely impacted the way claims are processed and policies are assessed. The value and analysis of ‘big data’ gleaned through client interactions has become more than ever important, as insurers are looking to maximize profits and efficiencies while keeping the customers happy. Now, technology enables insurers to move from the traditional broker scenario to a direct-to-market approach, cutting out middlemen and going straight to the client.