Google champions Java as the primary programming language for mobile development. But is this really the case? Many IT consulting companies provide their clients with other options and for a good reason — better performance.

If you focus on a segment of the market that buys a new flagship phone every year, you can afford to turn a blind eye on application performance. But, that segment is limited, and most organizations want a wider reach. For the best performance, it’s necessary to fully control your applications and get the most out of limited hardware.

C++ for mobile development is an excellent solution for cross-platform development since it gives you a higher level of control over performance. Some of the advantages of C++ include:

  • Small memory footprint
  • No garbage collection
  • No warm-up time
  • Lower development costs

It’s no wonder C++ is used in many popular applications such as mobile games (Clash of Clans), messengers (Skype, Telegram), navigation (Maps Me), and file-sharing services (Dropbox) to name a few. Using C++ allows greater scalability for your app from the very beginning and provides high-speed performance, which is crucial when competing for your customer’s loyalty.

 

TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING, AND ORGANIZATIONS ARE FIGHTING TO KEEP UP

Many companies are now entering the world of IoT, wearable devices, and mobile technologies. They are preparing their popular desktop applications for use on these mediums. It means they need a reliable solution that provides consistency and integrity for a wide range of different platforms. C++ helps teams save budget with cross-platform development because it eliminates the need for a separate team for each platform.

Coherent Solutions’ C++ experts Anton Cheplukov and Andrey Malitsky describe a case that shows the value of developing cross-platform applications with the programming language.

Our client set a goal to implement a solution that was both unconventional and compelling. As a leader in machines and tools, they wanted to provide their customers with high-quality mobile and desktop applications. These tools would help them control and manage milling machines.

CREATING A USER-FRIENDLY APPLICATION THAT MET CLIENT REQUIREMENTS

The main goals for that application were to:

  • Create a single user-friendly study environment for machine operators
  • Facilitate the management of milling machines and collaboration within the workshop
  • Simplify the machine operators’ work — making it easier to train new hires and bring workers’ collaboration to the next level

When collecting requirements from our client, it became clear that application reliability and security were vital to creating the right solution. Mobile apps had to work stably on different devices despite system capabilities and the OS version. Lastly, development needed to stay on budget and the proposed timeline. During consultations with the client, we discovered that C++ would be ideal for their project.

Implementing C++ in this project paid off many times over. It’s not just about using low-level programming that is nearer the metal. Thanks to the flexible architecture, we managed to create a significant scalability margin for our mobile and desktop apps. It’s difficult to say how much more time and money our client would have spent using common solutions.

The advantage of our application was the conversion of traditional G&M codes for milling machines into video content. With all the video formats that exist on mobile devices, this was no easy task. We needed to help operators collaborate and share videos within the workshop despite device models, OS versions, and differing video codecs. With C++ mobile development, we were able to solve issues that seemed like bottlenecks, on time, and on budget. Now the machine operator’s work is much easier since they can visualize all of the operations in real-time with the convenience of a mobile screen.

It’s clear that C++ what the right choice for this project, but is it the right choice for you?

 

THE ADVANTAGES OF C++ ARE CLEAR

C++ cross-platform development allows for better communication and interaction between different types of equipment: milling machines, desktop computers, and mobile devices.  Additionally, if clients need to add functionality in the future, like wearable devices, C++ allows them to expand their solutions efficiently.

When you are choosing a technology solution for your mobile app, it’s clear that the right programming language can make all the difference. But, the answer isn’t always the most popular solution. If you’re ready to start a new mobile development project, our experts can help you discover the right path forward. Set up a free consultation.