--- title: Get an Expert's Guide to Mobile App Software Development description: Use our expert guide to mobile app software development and reach the billions of mobile web browser users with advanced, HTML5 functionality. image: https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/hs-fs/file-16029612-png/images/screen_shot_2013-01-18_at_2.38.09_pm.png --- ![Mobile App Software Development](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/hs-fs/file-16029612-png/images/screen_shot_2013-01-18_at_2.38.09_pm.png) # Get an Expert's Guide to Mobile App Software Development Table of Contents ## SAP Mobility Applications In a recent SAP Mobility Conference, I ran across an interesting data point-in 2013 alone, about 1 Billion [Mobile Devices](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/free-website-seo-audit-grader-serp-sem-amp) will be sold.  Half of all U.S. adults own a Smart Phone or about 150 million people.  Of these, 28% consider a Smart Phone as their primary way of accessing the web.  In fact, while PC sales have declined significantly in recent times, the global demand for mobile devices continues to race ahead.  ## SAP Sybase Mobile Applications Of course, mobility is a huge focus area for SAP [software development](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/enterprise-services/sap-industry-solutions/sap-project-management) efforts.  Witness both the acquisition of Sybase and already extensive list of [mobile enabled business processes](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/hubspot-salesforce-consulting-request), such as the SAP DSD app or Direct Store Delivery.  Other mobile enabled, mission critical SAP apps already out there include executive dashboards delivered on devices, such as the iPAD and SAP Mobile CRM, where the sales force can check on inventory availability right in the store and potentially close the deal.  The challenge is building apps that work on all platforms! ## Which Browsers Are Compatible With Which App   Today, in addition to the huge number mobile devices, there are numerous mobile browsers, including: ![Mobile App Browser Market Share](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/hs-fs/file-16029612-png/images/screen_shot_2013-01-18_at_2.38.09_pm.png?width=390&name=screen_shot_2013-01-18_at_2.38.09_pm.png)   Mobile Safari- 63.84% Android- 18.87% Opera Mini- 12.05% IE- 5.8% Firefox- .02% Others- 4.62%         ## You Must Test Compatibility Of Every System   What should jump out from the above is that if you are developing an app or even delivering a marketing message, you will have to test every App on many systems or else you will miss a large number of potential users. ## Grade Your Target Browsers Looked at another way, you probably have limited resources with unlimited needs, and will need a way to focus your efforts to get the biggest bang for the buck.  If you [grade your browsers](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/inbound-marketing/4-ingredients-for-a-successful-direct-marketing-mix-recipe) by their ability to support HTML5 and provide support to the following client side APIs, you get a very clear picture of which browser should be your focus for development. ![Mobile App Client Side API](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/hs-fs/file-16031039-png/images/screen_shot_2013-01-18_at_2.44.49_pm.png?width=499&height=202&name=screen_shot_2013-01-18_at_2.44.49_pm.png) This is not to say you can’t deliver to every platform.  There are vendors out there that can deliver Apps that are automatically and robustly tested on all platforms simultaneously.  Typically, to do this, they have spent many years developing specialized, globally deployable, mobile technologies ## Graceful Degradation An approach to development called “Graceful Degradation” is a good approach to quickly get an app to the market, then work backwards toward full compatibility with all mobile browsers.  What is it?  The idea behind graceful degradation is to first build for the latest and greatest mobile browser, then add “polyfills” or handlers for less capable devices. ## Don't Let Old Browser Limitations Limit Your Development Options Stated another way, you must not let the limitations of older browsers limit what you build today.  At the same time, you need to provide fallback functionality for older browser so no one is left in the cold.  Otherwise, you may lose money you don’t even know about. What about the world between worlds?  You know, the old reliable desktop and the new shiny Smart Phone.  When it comes to business processes, it takes a bit of imagination to determine how best to model an enterprise business process that works (because it either begins or ends) on the mobile and desktop devices.  For instance, many people today are researching a product in-store using a QR Code ![QR Code About SAP BW Consulting](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/hs-fs/file-16536322-png/images/about_us_20121122641-resized-161.png?width=53&height=53&name=about_us_20121122641-resized-161.png), then going home to order it on their desktop (or they can order it from their Smart Phone).  In this scenario, you need to talk to marketing, sales, and fulfillment, and possibly numerous layers of suppliers, to make a process like this work seamlessly.  Speaking from experience, I would advise you to also keep in mind the demographics of your target audience of users.  Older people frequently need slightly larger, er hmm, text to take advantage of any mobile application. Want to learn more? Just click the button below to get it. [![Get Your Expert's Guide to Mobile Application Development](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/118735/c9a51de9-6d78-4bf4-9120-91680c327459.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/118735/c9a51de9-6d78-4bf4-9120-91680c327459) ### Are you mobilizing for the future? Topics from this blog: [iOS](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/topic/ios) [Chrome](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/topic/chrome) [Mobile App](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/topic/mobile-app) [Android Apps](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/topic/android-apps) ### Download SAP BW Mindmap Learn what SAP Business Warehouse is and what it does in under five minutes [![Get this Mindmap](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/118735/8db2ad37-8211-47a3-86ae-09b6b2bb297b.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/118735/8db2ad37-8211-47a3-86ae-09b6b2bb297b) [mailto:someone@yoursite.com](mailto:someone@yoursite.com) ### Lonnie D. Ayers, PMP About the Author: Lonnie Ayers is a Hubspot Certified Inbound Marketing consultant, with additional certifications in Hubspot Content Optimization, Hubspot Contextual Marketing, and is a Hubspot Certified Partner. Specialized in demand generation and sales execution, especially in the SAP, Oracle and Microsoft Partner space, he has unique insight into the tough challenges Service Providers face with generating leads and closing sales using the latest digital tools. With 15 years of SAP Program Management experience, and dozens of complex sales engagements under his belt, he helps partners develop and communicate their unique sales proposition. Frequently sought as a public speaker in various events, he is available for both inhouse engagements and ** remote coaching. ** ![Balanced Scorecard Consultant](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/hubfs/social-suggested-images/Balanced%20Scorecard%20Certified%20Graduate.jpg) He also recently released a book **"How to Dominate Any Market - Turbocharging Your Digital Marketing and Sales Results",** which is available on [ Amazon.](https://www.amazon.com/Dominate-Turbocharging-Digital-Marketing-Results/dp/1728357950/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&qid=1589182458&refinements=p_27%3ALonnie+D.+Ayers&s=books&sr=1-1&text=Lonnie+D.+Ayers)**** [View All Articles by Lonnie D. Ayers, PMP](https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/author/lonnie-d-ayers-pmp) ## The SAP Blog Subscribe to our blog and receive SAP BW Updates, demand generation, inbound marketing, sales enablement, technology and revenue generation insights and ideas delivered right to your email. [mailto:someone@yoursite.com](mailto:someone@yoursite.com) ![SAP](https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/viewthroughconversion/960101754/?value=0&guid=ON&script=0) ![](https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=199270410761059&ev=PageView&noscript=1) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/blog/get-an-expert-s-guide-to-mobile-app-software-development#blogposting", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "about" : [ { "@type" : "Thing", "name" : "Expert", "sameAs" : "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expert" }, { "@type" : "Thing", "name" : "Tutorial", "sameAs" : "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tutorial" }, { "@type" : "Thing", "name" : "Mobile app", "sameAs" : "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_app" }, { "@type" : "Thing", "name" : "Software development", "sameAs" : "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_development" }, { "@type" : "Thing", "name" : "Internet", "sameAs" : "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet" }, { "@type" : "Thing", "name" : "Web browser", "sameAs" : "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_browser" }, { "@type" : "Thing", "name" : "End user", "sameAs" : "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/End_user" }, { "@type" : "Thing", "name" : "HTML5", "sameAs" : "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTML5" }, { "@type" : "Thing", "name" : "Application software", "sameAs" : "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Application_software" }, { "@type" : "Thing", "name" : "Software", "sameAs" : "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software" } ], "author" : { "@id" : "https://www.sapbwconsulting.com/about-lonnie-ayers#person" }, "description" : "Discover expert strategies for mobile application development. 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