HTML5 vs Native App Development
Historically seen as the poor cousin, HTML5-based apps are now exploding in popularity
The traditional method of developing mobile applications has always been standalone environments for iPhone, Android and maybe even Windows phones. Of course developing and supporting multiple OS over myriad devices is an expensive and ongoing process, but the argument went you had to go native if you wanted responsive apps harnessing powerful features like GPS and camera.
And for the longest time this was true. Even after the rise of multi-platform solutions like Adobe's PhoneGap, there remained a preconception that HTML apps were laggy and unreliable.
But what many well-paid platform-specific developers don't want you to know is that with Safari in iOS 8, HTML5-based apps can feel just as responsive as native apps. Furthermore, most "native" apps are in fact powered by HTML and JavaScript Web technologies under the hood!
These latest browser releases allow HTML5 to interact directly with GPU hardware acceleration and low-level functionality. Paired with "appy" front-ends like AngularJS or jQuery UI, there's no reason why customers should be paying four or five times the price for native-code apps these days.
Once again the future's here and - suprise surprise - it's the Internet.