Cloud-based Apps

App development has come a long way since its inception. The most recent innovation in the field of mobile app development is the ‘mobile cloud application’ or ‘cloud-based app.’ Cloud-based solutions have not only become increasingly popular in the data storage industry, but it has also found widespread applications in many other sectors. According to Cisco’s Global Cloud Index, cloud data centers will process more than 94 percent of workload and computing processes by 2021. Moreover, as per a report by Gartner, the total revenue of the cloud services market will reach $257.9 billion in 2020. The Software as a Service(SaaS) will remain the largest market segment as it is predicted to reach $104.7 billion in 2020, growing from $102.1 billion in 2019. In this blog, I have explained the phenomenon of cloud-based mobile apps. What does a cloud-based application mean? Who are the top players in the industry, and what challenges do cloud services currently face? Let’s first look at the definition of what a mobile cloud application is before we differentiate it from native apps and web-based apps. What is a Mobile Cloud App? A mobile cloud app or cloud-based app is a program that is designed to be accessed by many types of computing devices over the internet. Traditionally, if you wanted to install a new software program on your PC, you need to purchase a disc and use it to install the program. Once installed, you could use the program on that computer. A mobile cloud app, on the other hand, is a software program that can be accessed from multiple computers and smartphones as long as they are connected to the internet. The goal behind a mobile cloud application is to enhance productivity by increasing accessibility for users. With a stable internet connection and a computing device, a user can access the program anytime and anywhere. Types of Cloud Services Cloud-based mobile apps can be divided into three different categories. This classification is primarily based on the difference in the architecture of the apps. SaaS, Software as Service The Software as a Service (SaaS) model is the largest and most developed type of cloud-based service. Most cloud apps follow the SaaS model and run on third-party hardware located remotely. Using a SaaS cloud app, users do not have to spend money on storing the program on personal hard drives or buy expensive licenses for software updates. Instead, they can download the software program to the cloud drive and access it from there using the internet. Some prominent examples of SaaS solutions include Gmail, Google Docs, and Google Drive. IaaS, Infrastructure as a Service With the IaaS solution, a third party offers the infrastructure and support in the cloud. The software designer provides applications, in-app support, and middleware. Middleware is the software between the app and the operating system, which is used to simplify programming and provide extended features to the OS functions. Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Compute Engine are all examples of the IaaS solution. All these solutions allow developers to access the same infrastructure that Google, Amazon, or Microsoft use in their products to manage spikes in usage. PaaS, Platform as a Service PaaS is a cloud-based solution that requires only the application code from the user’s side. It eliminates the need to oversee hardware and operating tasks such as software maintenance, equipment procurement by enabling businesses to outsource these tasks so that developers can focus on application development and application support. The PaaS provider takes care of the hardware and keeps the software up to date. Google App Engine and OpenShift are well-known PaaS solutions. Mobile Cloud apps vs. Native Apps A native app in software development refers to an app that is developed for a particular platform or mobile device. These apps are device-specific, so they can take advantage of the latest technology that comes on mobile devices. The drawback of writing a native application is that developers have to create multiple versions of the same application if they want it to run on different operating systems. Since cloud-based apps aren’t downloaded on a mobile device, developers can write a single code, and any device with an internet connection will be able to use it. Mobile Cloud Apps vs. Web-based Apps Mobile cloud apps and web-based apps are both similar in the sense that they both run on servers external to the mobile device. Both types of application store data externally and are accessed with a browser via the internet. However, a web-based app does not always include the scaling and security features of a cloud-based app. The differences between the two types of applications are minimal, especially in terms of how they function on a device. It can be said that while all mobile cloud apps are web apps, not all web apps are mobile cloud apps. Top Challenges When Developing Mobile Cloud Application When considering a cloud-based solution, there are two routes that you can take. Your company can either become a cloud provider or can develop a program that runs on a third-party cloud solution. If you develop your cloud solution, you have to deal with issues such as hardware, security, and data processing logic. In case you choose to build your app on a third-party cloud solution, you have to consider scalability, integration, and selecting the right cloud service provider. Most developers and service providers usually face the following challenges when developing cloud-based solutions: Security Security is a significant concern in cloud-based solutions for most IT specialists. Although there are numerous protocols and policies in place regarding user authentication and access, security remains challenging. Secure data encryption, use of reverse proxy, and SSL can help developers to increase the security of their mobile cloud app. Interoperability Interoperability is another challenge for developers working in the cloud environment. Simply putting, the cloud-based app should be able to run on various devices and integrate with other cloud services. Since cloud systems do not communicate entirely with