2013
Mobile Application Development Platforms Buyers Guide
A Compilation and Capabilities Summary of the Top 36 Solution Providers in Mobile Application Development Platforms
Released by Solutions Review 1/1/2013
INTRODUCTION: Mobile Applications are certainly big business. Companies like Rovio Entertainment are seeing huge revenues generated from B2C entertainment apps like its flagship game, Angry Birds. Mobile apps, however, are no longer just a consumer entertainment play, with new business and enterprise apps able to generate increasing efficiencies within companies. In other words, apps are becoming a part of running a business. Critical business functions such as work and order processing are now being carried out on mobile devices with enterprise mobile apps.
Whether you know it or not, you will eventually have at least one business or enterprise app, which means that you will need to start wrapping your head around how best to build and implement them.
One of the key challenges facing mobile app developers and companies looking to implement mobile business/enterprise “Critical business apps is the multiplicity of devices and environments the apps functions such as need to work in, as well as the number of languages you can work and order write the apps in. Coding can be done in several languages, ranging from Java, Javascript and HTML5 to more environment processing are now specific languages like Objective-C, generally for iOS and C#, being carried out generally for Windows to the heavy duty C++ to WYSIWYG on mobile devices (what you see is what you get) languages. Environments that with enterprise Apps operate in include Apple’s iOS, Google’s Android, Microsoft’s Windows mobile 7 and 8, RIM’s Blackberry family of mobile apps.” OS’s, and Nokia’s/Accenture’s Symbian OS.
On top of that you have many different devices within and across environments. So many different languages and environments across so many different devices means that Apps have trouble working across many different devices and OS’s without significant trade-offs in performance. For example, an app written in Objective-C with great functionality for iOS, usually referred to as a native-architecture app, won’t work in Android, whereas an app written in HTML5 as a web architecture will work on both iOS and Android, but can have performance and other issues such as less functionality. You will need to understand, utilize and take this into account when planning your business and/or enterprise app development strategy.
One method of developing apps is to hire a development company to write a specific app, and have them help you deal with the challenges above. This artisanal approach to app development, however, faces increasing competition from more industrial development platforms. A Mobile Application Development Platform (MADP) can enable both non-technical and technical employees at your company to build, test, distribute, manage and update business and enterprise apps far more rapidly then a development company can while enabling you increased control.
The MADP space is currently undergoing an explosion of growth in the number of solutions and types of solutions. For example, there are free, open-source community-based platforms like JQuery and Dojo. However, these usually require serious coding skills that won’t come cheap, either in-sourced or outsourced.
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Additionally, dedicated support can be spotty, meaning you’re on your own if something isn’t working correctly. There are a whole host of other services you’ll be missing out on as well. The support, services and much easier app creation come with the paid MADP solutions. Examples include Kony Solutions’ KonyOne platform and Antenna Software’s AMPchroma, and offer your business the benefits listed above and more. If you’re going to heavily invest in business and enterprise apps, then you need to seriously consider investing in a paid MADP solution. On the other hand, enterprise level solutions will come with enterprise level prices. If you don’t have a lot of money to throw around or you won’t be investing much in business or enterprise apps, less-expensive but more skills-intensive or outsourced solutions may be appropriate. We are considering adding a solutions directory for outsourced development solutions.
Finally, we at Solutions Review have noticed an interesting geographical spread of solutions providers. A little less than half of the solutions listed in our directory are from the US, and a little less than half are from European countries along with 2 Latin American Solutions and 5 open source platforms. This means that if you need support for your app development platform in Slovenian, you can get that support in Slovenian, courtesy of Resco, SRO.’s MADP solution, or Swedish with MoSync or Spanish with GeneXus.
In order to help you start the process of sorting all this out, below are 10 questions, five for yourself, and five for a prospective solutions provider to your mobile app development needs. It will help you walk through why you want the app, what it’s supposed to do for you, your own resources and needs, as well as the solution providers offerings, services and staying power.
Michael Jamison Editor Solutions Review [email protected] (339) 927-9232
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5 Questions You Should Ask Yourself Before Selecting a Mobile Application Development Platform Solution
QUESTION #1 What do you plan on using the Apps for and what features are most important for you? Before you take action, you need to decide what that action is. All too often developers and platform providers are approached by companies who want apps, but don’t know what they want to do with them. Are you planning on using it to generate revenue? Enhance your brand? Streamline internal procedures? Depending on your answer to this question, the requirements for your App will vary in sophistication and cost.
QUESTION #2 How technically savvy is your organization and its IT department, and what level of technical support or maintenance might you require from a solutions provider? There are many platforms and tools that require a higher level of technical sophistication for their use. Many open-source platforms are like this. If your “There are many organization does not have a resident coder, you will need a tool platforms and or platform with a simple user interface. Another alternative is to hire an application developer to simply create the App for you. tools that Additionally, if you lack the requisite technical sophistication, require a higher fixing and maintaining the App on your own will be difficult, and level of technical you will need to make sure your solutions provider offers these services. Of course, if your IT department is chock-full of tech sophistication talent, you can save yourself some cash by selecting a solution for their use.” without maintenance services.
QUESTION #3 Will your planned Apps be used on only one OS, or across multiple OS’s? Think back to what you’ll be using the App for. Is it for internal, company approved devices only? Or is it meant for use by consumers, on any and every type of device imaginable? For internal Apps used on only company devices, it may make sense to limit devices to one allowed OS environment and therefore design an App using native architecture that can operate on only that OS. If you are looking to reach across multiple device types, then you will want an architecture (web-based for simpler, wrapper or hybrid for more complex) that will allow your App to do just that. If your App strategy includes the need for both, you should consider investing in a Mobile Application Development Platform that gives you that capability.
QUESTION #4 Are you planning on using Apps in just one or a few specialized places, or do you plan on integrating Apps more broadly into your business strategy? If your desired App strategy looks to use Apps in only a few areas of your business, you could consider hiring a developer to create the App. If the planned App won’t be technically sophisticated, then you can consider using one of the simpler development tools available. On the other hand, if you plan on using multiple Apps for a variety of purposes, consider some of the Enterprise level Mobile Application Development Platform solutions out there today.
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QUESTION #5 What is the security need for the apps you are planning on implementing? This is one area that many Mobile Application Developers and Platforms have not put as much attention into as they should. If your proposed App is a simple branding tool, then that probably won’t matter. However, if the App allows access to sensitive data, critical infrastructure or impacts compliance and legal, then you need to seriously consider the security features in a solution. Another alternative is finding a mobile security specific solution that would layer onto your mobile ecosystem. The last thing you need is someone hijacking your business from a stolen or hacked mobile device.
And 5 Questions You Should Ask Your Potential Mobile Application Developer or Development Platform Provider Before Selecting a Solution
QUESTION #6 What OS’s/Environments does your App or Platform support? If the people that will be using the app have devices on iOS, then obviously you need a developer or platform that supports iOS. Also, apps can be created that work across multiple environments, so if your business needs include a single app that must work across several environments, be sure to ask if the developer or platform solution can do that, and what if any trade-offs there are for their product’s functionality to do so. For example, a simple mobile-web based app will work in many devices and environments, but won’t necessarily give users much functionality with any specific device’s built-in gadgets. More sophisticated architectures like Wrappers and Hybrids can help, but still face the same trade-off and incur a significant increase in architecture complexity.
QUESTION #7 What Architectures do you offer and/or support? Hinted at above in relation to environments the app, developer or platform supports, the various architectures for creating apps give several trade offs for you to consider. Apps with a native architecture will usually offer the greatest functionality for a particular device, but will be limited to use on just that device or environment, limiting its reach. At the other end of the spectrum is mobile-web architecture, which can be used on any device with a web-browser, but won’t be able to access many of the new nifty features on today’s and tomorrow’s gadgets. The recent introduction into the market of breakthroughs in HTML5 allows some features to work with a web architecture, but not enough to compete with native in functionality. Wrapper and hybrid architectures seek to balance the benefits and drawbacks of native and web by combining native and web into a single app. Wrapper and hybrid apps still do not offer the same levels of performance, security, or interface richness that a native infrastructure can, but can often offer greater functionality than mobile-web architectures.
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QUESTION #8 Does your product require a technically savvy person to run it? That Open Source Platform might look tasty… but if you don’t have the IT resources to take advantage of it, then your App project won’t be going anywhere fast. Make sure to ask what technical skills will be needed to utilize the platform fully as well as maintain and update what you’ve built. Then, compare the answer to the IT resources that are available for the project. Also ask if they offer training services for the product if it is more complicated than what your IT resources allow.
QUESTION #9 What services and maintenance options do you offer along with your App/tool/platform? There are many platforms and tools that require a higher level of technical sophistication for their use. Many open-source platforms are like this. If your organization does not have a resident coder, you will need a tool or platform with a simple user interface. Another alternative is to hire an application developer to simply create the App for you. Additionally, if you lack the requisite technical sophistication, fixing and maintaining the App on your own will be difficult, and you will need to make sure your solutions provider offers these services. Of course, if your IT department is chock-full of tech talent, you can save yourself some cash by selecting a solution without maintenance services.
QUESTION #10 How financially stable is your company? The field of Mobile Application Development is in a state of rapid change currently, with many companies are entering and exiting the market. You should seek to avoid the scenario where you purchase a company’s solution, only to have that company go out of business, leaving you with a solution that won’t get updated, maintained, or serviced unless you’re willing to spend money on IT talent to do that yourself. And if you’re not in the Mobile Application Development business, then chances are you aren’t going to want to in-source that work. Save yourself the pain, and vet your potential partner’s finances and future business prospects ahead of time.
Below is a list and Summary Information on 36 of the Top Mobile Application Development Platform Solution Providers. If you have any questions regarding this list of the topic of Mobile Application Development, please feel free to contact:
Michael Jamison Editor Solutions Review [email protected] (339) 927-9232
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Mobile Application Development Platform Solution Providers 5app ______8 Adobe Air ______8 Antenna Software ______9 Appcelerator ______9 AppFurnace ______10 Application Craft ______10 appMobi ______11 Brightcove ______11 Canappi ______12 Codename One ______12 Convertigo ______13 Corona SDK ______13 Dojo ______14 DragonRAD______14 FeedHenry______15 GeneXus______15 Gideros Mobile ______16 IBM Worklight______16 July Systems ______17 jQuery Mobile______17 Kony ______18 Marmalade ______18 MobileFrame ______19 MoSync ______19 Motorola Solutions______20 NME ______20 PhoneGap ______21 Digia Qt ______21 RareWire ______22 Resco sro______22 SAP ______23 Sencha ______23 Service2Media ______22 Tigzzi ______22 TotalCross ______23 Verivo ______23 Page | 7
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FROM THE “5app is a mobile application software toolkit vendor which has COMPANY: designed an environment for the rapid application development of robust, real-time, enterprise-scale, mobile business applications with built-in workflow, geo-location reporting and full data reliability. Developers use the 5app Factory to create multi- 5app Ltd platform apps that guarantee transactions over the inherently Dirac Crescent unreliable mobile data network.” Bristol and Bath Science Park Emersons Green “5app makes it easy to build cross-platform mobile apps that Bristol BS16 7FR communicate reliably with a back-end system. You use our web- United Kingdom based Factory to create a configuration for our Engine that Tel: +44 (0) 3333 445533 contains HTML, CSS and Javascript. The user downloads the Engine for their mobile and it renders your configuration while moving www.fiveapp.com data via our reliable communications library.”
LANGUAGE: HTML5, JavaScript, CSS
ARCHITECTURE: Hybrid
OS SUPPORTED: Android, Blackberry, iOS, Windows
FROM THE “The Adobe® AIR® runtime enables developers to package the COMPANY: same code into native apps for iPhone, iPad, Kindle Fire, Nook Tablet, and other Android™ devices, reaching the mobile app stores for over 500 million devices.” Adobe Systems Incorporated “Use native code to take advantage of the same platform- and 345 Park Avenue device-specific native capabilities and APIs available to native apps, San Jose, CA 95110-2704 with easy integration into AIR applications.” United States “Develop applications for Android™, BlackBerry® Tablet OS, and Tel: +1 408-536-6000 iOS operating systems as well as televisions that leverage www.adobe.com/products/air hardware and software capabilities like geo-location, accelerometers, cameras, screen orientation, and virtual keyboards.”
LANGUAGE: Action Script, HTML, JavaScript, CSS
ARCHITECTURE: Native, Adobe PhoneGap Build, Web
OS SUPPORTED: Android, Blackberry, iOS, Windows
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FROM THE “Antenna Software helps enterprises build, run, and manage COMPANY: mobile apps. The Antenna Mobility Platform, AMPchroma, is the mobile bedrock that handles the complex aspects of mobile that most businesses don’t want to worry about, like security, integration, and management. AMPchroma reduces costs, speeds Antenna Software, Inc. deployment, and minimizes risk so that businesses can safely 111 Town Square Place embrace the tremendous opportunities of mobility.” Jersey City, NJ 07310 “Antenna gives companies the ability to create, control, measure, United States adapt and future proof their mobile business strategies through AMPchroma – a fully integrated cloud based mobility suite for the Tel: +1 888 723-2832 development of native and hybrid apps, websites, storefronts and www.antennasoftware.com much more.”
LANGUAGE: HTML5, JavaScript, CSS
ARCHITECTURE: Native, Hybrid, Mixed Mode, Web
OS SUPPORTED: Android, Blackberry, iOS, Windows
FROM THE “Appcelerator’s next-generation Titanium platform is the only COMPANY: mobile application platform built on an open-source application development kit that combines the power of multi-platform development, a modular-based architecture, and ready-built cloud connections.” Appcelerator, Inc. “Titanium is a combination of open source and patented 440 N. Bernardo Avenue technologies used by hundreds of thousands of developers worldwide. Appcelerator offers a commercial subscription for Mountain View, CA 94043 enterprise grade version of Titanium as well as usage based United States services for its cloud platform.” Tel: +1 650-200-4255 “Create rich native iOS, Android, hybrid, and mobile web apps from www.appcelerator.com a single JavaScript-based SDK. Titanium empowers you to choose the right way to reach your end users on android, iOS, hybrid, and any other device.”
LANGUAGE: JavaScript-based platform with an integrated Eclipse-based IDE
ARCHITECTURE: Native, Hybrid, Web
OS SUPPORTED: Android, Blackberry, iOS, Windows
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FROM THE “AppFurnace is a set of online tools that help you to create all kinds COMPANY: of apps without having to be a programming genius. You can produce simple interfaces, location-aware apps and extend beyond our in-built functionality with your own JavaScript and make your app the way you want it. Build your app once, publish for iPhone & Calvium Ltd. Android.” Pervasive Media Studio “When you make an app in AppFurnace the result is a blend of Watershed mobile HTML5, PhoneGap and extra native code that we have Bristol crafted to make your app stand out, such as great audio playback BS1 5TX and QR reading.” United Kingdom “Calvium is a software services company founded by ex-HP Labs Tel: +44 (0) 117 370 8875 engineers with a passion for making technology accessible to the www.appfurnace.com creative industries.”
LANGUAGE: HTML5, JavaScript, CSS
ARCHITECTURE: Hybrid
OS SUPPORTED: Android, iOS
FROM THE “Application Craft makes mobile, tablet and desktop app creation COMPANY: easy with our 100% cloud-based mobile development platform. The
platform was designed to help developers of all skill levels to build full-featured web and native apps once and deploy across multiple Application Craft UK Ltd. platforms including iPhone, iPad, Android, Facebook, and the 29 Wood St, Stratford-Upon- various browsers.” Avon CV37 6JG “You can choose from our Cloud based platform or AC Enterprise, which you can install anywhere. There is absolutely no faster, United Kingdom easier way of getting fully functional prototypes up and running. www.applicationcraft.com And mobile or desktop front-ends for your web services or database are a doddle. But you should see some of the full-strength solutions our users have built!”
LANGUAGE: HTML5, JavaScript, CSS
ARCHITECTURE: Native, Hybrid, Web
OS SUPPORTED: Android, Blackberry, iOS, Windows
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FROM THE “appMobi has created a complete ecosystem to support cross COMPANY: platform mobile app development and deployment using HTML5.
appMobi augments HTML5′s strength by providing functions that HTML5 lacks – device and OS interface, user authentication, in-app appMobi purchasing, rich media push messaging, gamification, social 35-37 East Orange Street networking, live app updates.” Suite 202 Lancaster, PA 17602 “With over 50,000 active developers creating mobile and desktop United States apps using HTML5, appMobi is a market leader in HTML5 tools and services. appMobi’s technology allows mobile app developers to Tel: +1 717-666-3151 support HTML5 and native app platforms with just one code base, www.appmobi.com and to deploy and service their apps on multiple platforms, including the Open Web.”
LANGUAGE: HTML5, JavaScript, CSS
ARCHITECTURE: Hybrid, Web
OS SUPPORTED: Android, iOS, Windows, OpenWeb
FROM THE “Brightcove’s App Cloud is a complete platform enabling COMPANY: developers and business people to work together at every stage of app development and growth. Build apps with HTML5 and JavaScript and deliver cross-platform apps that access native APIs Brightcove, Inc. and are distributed through the Apple and Android app stores without having to learn platform-specific languages.” 290 Congress Street 4th Floor “Connect to existing content services and repositories using RSS, JSON, or XML, then let built-in content optimization, image Boston MA 02210 transcoding, and intelligent caching deliver a great user United States experience.” Tel: +1 617-500-4947 “Give non-technical stakeholders easy self-service tools for tracking www.brightcove.com analytics, managing push notification campaigns, and updating content flows.”
LANGUAGE: HTML5, JavaScript, CSS
ARCHITECTURE: Native, Hybrid, Web
OS SUPPORTED: Android, iOS
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FROM THE “Canappi enables entrepreneurs, developers and businesses to COMPANY: rapidly build cross-platform mobile applications. We do this by combining the latest development of Model Driven Engineering, Metamodel Oriented Programming, with the massive scalability of cloud computing to deliver a new generation of development tools.” Convergence Modeling, LLC. “That may sound complex, or fancy, but unlike a lot of mobile 16310 NE 12th CT application development platforms, Canappi is simple to use.” Suite A2 “Canappi is built by passionate pragmatic people which goal is to Bellevue, WA 98008 simplify the software development process. Innovation and United States Competition have produced great but fragmented mobile technologies and platforms which make it hard to build even the www.canappi.com simplest apps.”
LANGUAGE: Canappi’s mdsl programming language which generates code for applications.
ARCHITECTURE: Native, Hybrid
OS SUPPORTED: Android, iOS
FROM THE “Easily create amazing mobile/tablet apps in Java™ for all COMPANY: platforms. True native apps, with deep native customization on iPhone/iPad, Android, RIM (Blackberry), Windows Phone & more.”
“Codename One is a set of tools for mobile application Codename One is an Open development that derive a great deal of its architecture from Java. Source Project with the The goal of the Codename One project is to take the complex and purpose of making mobile fragmented task of mobile device programming and unify it under device development a single set of tools, APIs and services.” possible & practical for all developers. “The Codename One Designer allows developers to create mobile applications using drag and drop visual tools featuring live preview www.codenameone.com of changes within the tool and on devices.”
LANGUAGE: Java
ARCHITECTURE: Native
OS SUPPORTED: Android, Blackberry, iOS, Windows
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FROM THE “With Convertigo, you can embrace mobility across your entire COMPANY: organization with a single, highly adaptable method of integration that not only works for near-term initiatives, but also any other data integration needs as well.”
“Convertigo offers a core technology platform that can instantly Convertigo extract and process data from any enterprise data source or 8 boulevard Dubreuil 91400 application. Convertigo features a unique technology able to to perform dynamic and transactional HTML parsing from any Orsay existing web site or application. Convertigo can also connect to Paris, France mainframe legacy applications." Tel: +33 (0) 1 69 18 79 00 “This means we can offer mobile enablement of any existing www.convertigo.com legacy Web or Mainframe application.”
LANGUAGE: HTML5, JavaScript, CSS
ARCHITECTURE: Native, Web
OS SUPPORTED: Android, Blackberry, iOS
FROM THE “Corona Labs’ flagship product, the award-winning Corona SDK, COMPANY: democratizes app development by empowering developers, from independents to large studios, to create cross-platform applications, games and eBooks for iOS™, Android™, Kindle Fire®, Corona Labs Inc. and NOOK™” 1900 Embarcadero Rd. “Corona is built on mobile and industry standards including OpenGL, OpenAL, Google Maps, Box2D physics, Facebook Suite 207 Connect, Game Center, in-app purchases and much more. Using Palo Alto, CA 94303 Corona, you’ll enjoy access to the same stack, architecture and United States services used by the most sophisticated mobile development studios, without having to employ a team of engineers to www.coronalabs.com maintain your platform.”
LANGUAGE: Lua
ARCHITECTURE: Native, Hybrid, Web
OS SUPPORTED: Android, iOS
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FROM THE “Dojo Mobile is a world class HTML5 mobile JavaScript framework COMPANY: that enables rapid development of mobile web applications with a native look and feel on modern webkit-enabled mobile devices such as iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android and RIM smartphones and tablets.” The Dojo Toolkit Open Source “Dojo scales with your development process, using web Project is an HTML5 mobile standards as its platform. From simple websites to large packaged JavaScript framework that enterprise applications whether desktop or mobile, Dojo will enables development of meet your needs.” mobile web applications. www.dojotoolkit.org “The core of Dojo has been completely refactored as a set of lightweight independent modules that can be used via the new Dojo lightweight (3.8kb) AMD loader.”
LANGUAGE: HTML5, JavaScript, CSS
ARCHITECTURE: Hybrid, Web
OS SUPPORTED: Android, Blackberry, iOS, Windows
FROM THE “The DragonRAD cross-platform SDK allows you to build your COMPANY: enterprise mobile applications in a single development environment and simultaneously deploy to BlackBerry, Android, and Windows Mobile device.” Seregon Solutions “Using the DragonRAD cross-platform SDK, you can connect to your back-end enterprise systems to build powerful mobile 105 Schneider Rd, Suite 117 applications faster and with less coding and maintenance. Our Ottawa, Ontario K2K 1Y3 SDK allows you to build a broad range of complex enterprise Canada applications in a familiar drag & drop environment without the need to learn native coding languages typically required for cross- Tel: +1 877- 536-1116 platform development.” www.dragonrad.com DragonRAD is provided by Seregon Solutions Inc., a provider of mobile enterprise application platform software.
LANGUAGE: “Code-less” drag and drop environment, Lua
ARCHITECTURE: Native, but can deploy single app across multiple platforms.
OS SUPPORTED: Android, Blackberry, iOS, Windows
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FROM THE “FeedHenry’s Mobile Application Platform-as-a-Service supports COMPANY: the development, integration, deployment and management of
secure mobile apps that can be deployed to multiple smartphones and tablets.” FeedHenry Ltd. “From on-device features to secure backend integration and Arclabs Research & subsequent app management, organizations can build, integrate, Innovation Centre deploy and manage complex apps quickly and securely – all from Carriganore, Waterford one cloud platform.” Ireland “Using HTML5, JavaScript, CSS and the FeedHenry AppStudio Tel: +353 51 275106 toolkits and templates, developers can quickly build native, HTML5 and hybrid apps and deploy these instantly to multiple www.feedhenry.com smartphones and tablets.”
LANGUAGE: HTML5, JavaScript, CSS
ARCHITECTURE: Native, Hybrid, Web
OS SUPPORTED: Android, Blackberry, iOS, Windows
FROM THE “GeneXus is the first intelligent tool for automatically creating, COMPANY: developing and maintaining multi-platform, mission critical applications. More than 6,500 customers worldwide use the
GeneXus Technologies to create and integrate mission-critical applications that adapt easily to relentless business change.” Artech Consultores S.R.L. Av. Italia 6201. “GeneXus Tilo is the next evolutionary step for the GeneXus Parque Tecnológico del LATU, Application Development Suite, coming in 2013, bringing along a Edificio Los Pinos full set of new capabilities that range from Windows 8 App Planta Alta. generation, to improvements in UI and UX for Web and Mobile Montevideo, CP 11500 Applications, among other new functionalities and enhancements.” Uraguay Tel: +598 2601-2082 GeneXus is provided by Artech based in Montevideo, Uruguay, www.genexus.com with offices in the USA, Mexico, Brazil and Japan.
LANGUAGE: “Knowledge Representation and Declarative Modeling for development, then code is automatically generated for each platform.”
ARCHITECTURE: Native, but can deploy single app across multiple platforms.
OS SUPPORTED: Android, Blackberry, iOS, Windows
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FROM THE “Gideros helps you build apps and games on iPhone, iPad and COMPANY: Android easily, with a Flash-like programming interface using a multi-platform development environment and IDE.”
“Gideros Studio allows developers to write their code for iOS and Android efficiently, writing once and running on many. Gideros Gideros Mobile Studio is a full-featured mobile application development with a Dumankaya 72 34742 focus on graphical application and game programming. With İstanbul Turkey Gideros Studio, now it’s possible to build a proof of concept demo of your application in a very short time.” Tel: +90 533-566-87-27 “You can test your application idea in your desired platform (either www.giderosmobile.com iOS or Android) by simply clicking play button, thanks to very simple, Actionscript-like functions.”
LANGUAGE: HTML5, JavaScript, CSS
ARCHITECTURE: Native
OS SUPPORTED: Android, iOS
FROM THE “IBM Worklight provides an open, comprehensive and advanced COMPANY: mobile application platform for smartphones and tablets, helping organizations of all sizes to efficiently develop, connect, run and
manage HTML5, hybrid and native applications.” IBM “Leveraging standards-based technologies and tools, the platform 1 New Orchard Road ships with a comprehensive development environment, mobile- optimized middleware, and an integrated management, and Armonk, NY 10504 analytics console, supported by a variety of security mechanisms.” United States IBM Worklight enables the creation of rich, cross-platform apps Tel: +1 877-426-3774 without the use of code translation, proprietary interpreters or www.ibm.com/mobile- unpopular scripting languages, while reducing the time to market, solutions/worklight cost and complexity of development and enabling a better user experiences across a variety of mobile devices.”
LANGUAGE: HTML5, JavaScript, CSS
ARCHITECTURE: Native, Hybrid, Web
OS SUPPORTED: Android, Blackberry, iOS, Windows
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FROM THE “July Systems is the leading provider of cross platform mobile COMPANY: solutions to businesses worldwide. We enable businesses to build, run and manage their mobile services across all devices, quickly
and efficiently. Our cloud-based platform gives businesses the ability to leverage mobility and create high impact experiences – July Systems, Inc. enabling their customers to interact instantly and frequently on 772 Bryant Street any mobile device.” San Francisco, CA 94107 “Mi Platform delivers this innovation by combining a rich set of out United States of the box modules that enable rapid creation of rich mobile Tel: +1 415-543-5859 applications, breadth of tools and development environment that allow easy updates and change management and a cloud based www.julysystems.com run-time environment for maximum operational efficiency.”
LANGUAGE: Java, HTML, Groovy, FreeMarker, Java Script
ARCHITECTURE: Native, Hybrid, Web
OS SUPPORTED: Android, Blackberry, iOS, Windows
FROM THE “jQuery Mobile is a touch-optimized Web Framework for COMPANY: Smartphones & Tablets. A unified, HTML5-based user interface system for all popular mobile device platforms, built on the jQuery and jQuery UI foundation. Its lightweight code is built with progressive enhancement, and has a flexible, easily themeable jQuery Mobile is part of the design.” open source jQuery Project supporting development of “jQuery mobile framework takes the "write less, do more" mantra the jQuery Core, jQuery UI, to the next level: Instead of writing unique apps for each mobile and jQuery Mobile projects jquerymobile.com device or OS, the jQuery mobile framework allows you to design a single highly-branded web site or application that will work on all popular smartphone, tablet, and desktop platforms.”
LANGUAGE: HTML5, JavaScript, CSS
ARCHITECTURE: Hybrid, Web
OS SUPPORTED: Android, Blackberry, iOS, Windows
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FROM THE “Kony delivers a suite of customizable, pre-built apps and the COMPANY: KonyOne™ Platform, which gives businesses the confidence and control to quickly build apps once and deploy everywhere. We also deliver a comprehensive mobile application management (MAM) solution for provisioning, deploying, managing and analyzing your Kony, Inc. apps.” 7380 West Sand Lake Road “Our apps and development platform give enterprises the Orlando, Florida 32819 efficiency and flexibility of the broadest possible device and OS United States compatibility. Across all channels (including smartphones, feature phones, tablets, kiosks and desktops), across all major operating Tel: +1 407-730-5669 systems and across multiple deployment modes (including HTML5 www.kony.com and mobile web, hybrid, native, and mixed-mode).”
LANGUAGE: HTML5, JavaScript, CSS
ARCHITECTURE: Native, Hybrid, Web, Mixed mode
OS SUPPORTED: Android, Blackberry, iOS, Windows
FROM THE “The Marmalade SDK delivers maximum performance. Whether COMPANY: you choose to code natively (C++) or take a hybrid (HTML5-native) approach, with Marmalade you’ll have the option to deploy to all of the leading mobile, tablet and desktop platforms including iOS, Android, BlackBerry, Windows and Mac. Ideaworks 3D Ltd. “Web developers can use HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript, together 31 St Petersburgh Place, with the standard PhoneGap APIs, to target both iOS and Android Bayswater, simultaneously. Marmalade is based on a patented 'single-binary' London W2 4LA architecture that removes virtually all dependencies on the OS platform SDKs and toolchains. United Kingdom So you can make your own choice of development system www.madewithmarmalade.com (Windows or Mac) and IDE, and can target all supported platforms from within that choice.”
LANGUAGE: C, C++
ARCHITECTURE: Native, Hybrid
OS SUPPORTED: Android, Blackberry, iOS, Windows
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FROM THE “Our code-free enterprise mobility platform enables businesses to COMPANY: easily create, deploy and administer sophisticated custom mobile applications. This allows electronic data collection and managed workflow to be seamlessly integrated from the field to backend MobileFrame LLC systems, providing mobile workers with real-time access to the data they need and ensuring that backend systems remain fully 101 Blossom Hill Rd. up-to-date with the latest field data. Los Gatos, CA 95032 MobileFrame's patented Smart ArchitectureTM integrates United States intelligent networking with a thick client so mobile workers can Tel: +1 408-885-1200 perform their duties regardless of whether a network connection is available. When the system detects an available network www.mobileframe.com connection it automatically synchronizes.”
LANGUAGE: Graphical Drag and Drop, also supports C, C++, C#, Asp.NET, HTML, JavaScript
ARCHITECTURE: Native, Hybrid
OS SUPPORTED: Android, Blackberry, iOS, Windows
FROM THE “The open-source MoSync Software Development Kit (SDK) is a COMPANY: rich cross-platform mobile application development environment that makes it easy to develop apps for all major mobile platforms
from a single code base. The SDK enables mobile developers to build and compile apps for up to nine different platforms at once, MoSync AB, using C/C++ or HTML5/JavaScript, or a combination of both to Saltmätargatan 8, create hybrid apps.” 113 59 Stockholm, “The MoSync SDK allows you to create fully-featured mobile apps Sweden that take advantage of the powerful features offered by the majority of modern smartphones and feature phones. Using a Phone: +46 (0)8 20 77 45 single set of APIs, you can get access to graphics, communications, www.mosync.com location, contacts, camera, sensors and many other native device features.”
LANGUAGE: C, C++, Lua, HTML5, CSS, JavaScript
ARCHITECTURE: Native, Hybrid
OS SUPPORTED: Android, Blackberry, iOS, Windows
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Solutions Review | 500 West Cummings Park | Woburn, Massachusetts 01801
FROM THE “With RhoMobile Suite, comprised of RhoConnect, RhoStudio and COMPANY: RhoElements, device type, operating system and screen size doesn't matter. RhoMobile applications simply work on whatever mobile devices are in use in your business — including the Motorola, Inc. enterprise-class devices your users bring from home.” 1297 East Algonquin Road “RhoMobile applications are OS-agnostic, able to support Schaumburg, IL 60196 enterprise- and consumer-class operating systems including United States Windows, Apple iOS, Android and BlackBerry. You have complete control over how applications behave on different devices. With Tel: +1 800-668-6765 RhoMobile Suite, you are finally free from OS design constraints, www.motorola.com able to create business applications that are every bit as elegant looking and intuitive as their consumer counterparts.”
LANGUAGE: Ruby with HTML5
ARCHITECTURE: Native, Hybrid, Web
OS SUPPORTED: Android, Blackberry, iOS, Windows
FROM THE “NME is a free, open-source framework that enables development COMPANY: for iOS, Android, webOS, BlackBerry, Windows, Mac, Linux and Flash Player from a single codebase. Unlike most cross-platform frameworks, NME applications are not written in a low-level language (like C or C++) and does not require a virtual machine or NME is a free, open-source runtime in order to run on a target platform” framework that enables “The API for NME is very similar to the Flash API, making it possible development of mobile applications. to target both Flash Player and native targets using a common (and haxenme.org familiar) set of classes. NME applications written in haxe, an incredible cross-platform programming language.”
LANGUAGE: Haxe (similar to Actionscript and Java)
ARCHITECTURE: Native
OS SUPPORTED: Android, Blackberry, iOS, Windows
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Solutions Review | 500 West Cummings Park | Woburn, Massachusetts 01801
FROM THE “PhoneGap is an open source solution for building cross-platform COMPANY: mobile apps with standards-based Web technologies like HTML, JavaScript, CSS. PhoneGap has been downloaded over 1 million times and is being used by over 400,000 developers.”
“A PhoneGap application may only use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. However, you can make use of network protocols PhoneGap is an open source framework for quickly (XmlHTTPRequest, Web Sockets, etc) to easily communicate with building cross-platform backend services written in any language. This allows your mobile apps. PhoneGap app to remotely access existing business processes while the device is connected to the Internet.” www.phonegap.com
LANGUAGE: HTML5, JavaScript, CSS
ARCHITECTURE: Hybrid, Web
OS SUPPORTED: Android, Blackberry, iOS, Windows
FROM THE “Qt is a cross-platform application and UI development framework COMPANY: that is ideal for small-screen mobile device development and is the de-facto development framework for Symbian phones.”
“Qt is a full development framework with tools designed to streamline the creation of applications and user interfaces for Digia Oyj desktop, embedded and mobile platforms.” Valimotie 21, 00380 “With Qt, you can reuse code efficiently to target multiple Helsinki, Finland platforms with one code base. The modular C++ class library and Tel. +358 10 313 3000 developer tools easily enable developers to create applications for one platform and easily build and run to deploy on another http://qt.digia.com/ platform.”
LANGUAGE: C++
ARCHITECTURE: Native, Hybrid
OS SUPPORTED: Symbian, Nokia
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Solutions Review | 500 West Cummings Park | Woburn, Massachusetts 01801
FROM THE “No need to hire expensive iOS or Android Developers. We offer COMPANY: full feature online build and collaboration tools free, saving you thousands on costly development. With the App Creation Studio, trust your in-house web designers and HTML developers to handle your mobile projects.” RareWire, LLC 1627 Main St. “Don't be limited by the cookie cutter designs of other tools. Harness our App Creation Studio to build and launch a host of 12th Floor Apps built with the flexibility of WIRE XML. We offer true native Kansas City, MO 64108 Apps using the skills and tools you're already familiar with.” United States “The App Creation Studio and it's WIRE XML language is powerful Tel: +1 888-789-8422 and efficient, enabling your team to construct, manage and update your Apps in a fraction of the time it takes competing platforms. www.rarewire.com This saves your team valuable resources.”
LANGUAGE: HTML5, JavaScript, CSS
ARCHITECTURE: Native
OS SUPPORTED: Android, iOS
FROM THE “Resco Mobile CRM Studio is a sophisticated developer platform COMPANY: integrated with Microsoft Visual Studio. Experienced .NET developer can leverage the familiar development environment and C# programming language to perform almost any required customization or change. The main advantage of the Studio is the Resco, sro. cross-platform development — the developer works with only one Zahradnicka 74, mobile project. When needed, the mobile project is re-compiled 82108 Bratislava, for targeted mobile platform (iPad, iPad2, Android).” Slovakia (EU) “Resco Mobile CRM Studio includes Data and UI designers that substantially simplify the development process. Moreover, a set of Tel +421-2-2090 2019 cross-platform UI components and controls is part of the Studio. resco.net They guarantee the UI on all mobile platforms is very similar, yet with native look of each OS.”
LANGUAGE: C#
ARCHITECTURE: Native
OS SUPPORTED: Android, iOS, Windows
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Solutions Review | 500 West Cummings Park | Woburn, Massachusetts 01801
FROM THE “Quickly build and deploy mobile apps that keep your workforce COMPANY: and customers connected and engaged – with the SAP Mobile Platform. This industry-leading mobile application development platform can help make your mobile strategy a reality – faster – with packaged and custom-developed apps for any device.” SAP AG “Rely on a proven, future-proof mobile application development Dietmar-Hopp-Allee 16 platform from a company you can trust. Deliver innovative (früher: Neurottstraße) business and consumer apps built with existing developer skills and 69190 Walldorf tools.” Germany “Reduce costs with a single, multi-purpose development platform Tel: +49 (0)6227 / 7-47474 – on-premise or in the cloud. Tap into a community of resources www.sap.com and connections to speed application development.”
LANGUAGE: HTML5, JavaScript, CSS
ARCHITECTURE: Native, Hybrid, Web
OS SUPPORTED: Android, Blackberry, iOS, Windows
FROM THE “With more than two million developers worldwide, Sencha is the COMPANY: leading provider of open-source web application frameworks and tools to major enterprises and independent developers. Thousands of enterprise customers – including over 50% of the Fortune 100—rely on Sencha technologies to power some of their Sencha, Inc. most critical internal and external business applications.” 1700 Seaport Boulevard “Sencha Complete gives developers access to the best Redwood City, CA 94063 combination of technology, tools, and support for developing United States multi-platform web apps based on HTML5. Combining Sencha Ext JS and Sencha Touch — the industry's leading JavaScript Tel: +1 650-299-9550 frameworks — with Sencha Architect and other developer tools, www.sencha.com Sencha Complete will help you build multi-platform, multi-device business apps that will delight your end users.”
LANGUAGE: HTML5, Javascript and CSS
ARCHITECTURE: Hybrid, Web
OS SUPPORTED: Android, Blackberry, iOS, Windows
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Solutions Review | 500 West Cummings Park | Woburn, Massachusetts 01801
FROM THE “With the Service2Media App Lifecycle Platform™ cross platform COMPANY: mobile development is no longer the headache it used to be. It offers a rich library of capabilities pre-optimized to suit multiple environments.” Service2Media “The App Lifecycle Platform™ proposition is based on the core 1627 Main St. M2Active Platform Technology. M2Active Tooling ‘on the desk’ consists of the M2Active Integrated Development Environment PO Box 767 (IDE) and the M2Active Software Development Kit (SDK).” 7500 AT Enschede The Netherlands “Once the App has been built for multiple operating systems (OS), e.g. for iOS, Android and BlackBerry, the App can be deployed to Tel: +31 88 010 2900 the associated App stores.” www.service2media.com
LANGUAGE: HTML, Lua, JavaScript
ARCHITECTURE: Native, Hybrid, Web
OS SUPPORTED: Android, Blackberry, iOS, Windows
FROM THE “Build real HTML5, jQuery Mobile mobile apps and hybrid apps for COMPANY: Android, iOS and Windows Phone (with Apache Cordova/PhoneGap). As the builder is running in the cloud, there is nothing to install or download so it’s very easy to build your app.
“Build Windows 8 Apps for Tablets and Desktop. With the same Exadel, Inc. powerful drag and drop visual builder, you can now build Windows 1340 Treat Blvd. 8 apps for tablets or desktop with capabilities such as Snap View, Suite 375 Search Charm, Share Charm, and Live Tile.” Walnut Creek, CA 94597 “Quickly build beautiful UIs with popular jQuery Mobile United States components and HTML5 components inside a visual editor. Simply Tel: +1 925-602-5555 drag and drop the components to build the UI - what you see is what you get in your app.” www.tiggzi.com
LANGUAGE: Web-based, visual editor, HTML5, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery Mobile
ARCHITECTURE: Native, Hybrid, Web
OS SUPPORTED: Android, Blackberry, iOS, Windows
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Solutions Review | 500 West Cummings Park | Woburn, Massachusetts 01801
FROM THE “TotalCross (totally cross-platform) is a mobile development COMPANY: platform for PDA and smartphones. Using the Java language it makes possible to develop portable applications to deploy in a wide range of market smartphones without any adaptation in the source code (“write once run anywhere” concept) since TotalCross SuperWaba virtual machine has been installed.” Rua do Carmo 38, “New features were also added to the TotalCross SDK, including sala 507/508 – Centro network connectivity management support, component editing Rio de Janeiro with masks, applications without graphical interface, line and bar RJ – 20011-020 graphs, preemptive threads, SSL support and native Brasil implementation of the most used encryption algorithms, an Tel: +55 21 2239-6695 unlimited sized anti-aliases fonts and support for screen rotation on devices like the Tungsten TX, Qtec, iPhone etc.” www.superwaba.com
LANGUAGE: Java
ARCHITECTURE: Native
OS SUPPORTED: Android, Blackberry, iOS, Windows
FROM THE “Verivo Software provides an enterprise mobility platform that COMPANY: allows you to centrally build, deploy, manage and update mobile apps simultaneously across multiple devices.”
“It’s no longer necessary to hire a team of mobile app developers and designers to write code for each operating system, each Verivo, Inc. mobile device and every update. Now you can build, deploy and 1000 Winter Street manage your own fully-customized, cross-device, hybrid and native Waltham, MA 02451 apps from one central framework.” United States “With Verivo’s AppStudio, our drag-and-drop integrated Tel: +1 781-795-8200 development environment (IDE), you can build mobile apps five times faster and integrate data from unlimited systems and www.verivo.com sources.”
LANGUAGE: HTML5, CSS, JavaScript
ARCHITECTURE: Native, Hybrid
OS SUPPORTED: Android, Blackberry, iOS, Windows
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Solutions Review | 500 West Cummings Park | Woburn, Massachusetts 01801