When Aziom jumped into creating a mobile route accounting system back in 2012 all other developers were creating native applications. Web Apps were not even considered because the browsers had limited functionality. Today’s browser are better connected to the hardware than ever and new features are being added with almost every release.
While we have had a 6 year head start, new app developers now have a quandary; create a native app or web app. A recent poll of developers showed a 50/50 split, with web apps continually gaining ground. Although not in the near future, some say Web Apps will completely replace Native Apps.
This brings us to the point of performance. The consensus is that Native is faster. Technically yes, but the difference blurs and can even favor a Web App depending on the purpose and design.
Games are better Native. Graphics, motion and sensors require fast, dedicated processing that an intermediary browser can not achieve.
Mostly text, business based Web Apps can run as fast as required and can even out perform a native app if the design is better. For instance, I have seen a business app require three (3) enter taps to accept one number.
Both choices have pros and cons but I prefer to be on a platform accelerating in popularity.