Cloud technology, if you are not familiar with this term, let me explain this to you in short. Cloud technology refers to the network of server based space that is used to store data and keep it safe. Cloud space is used for mobile apps, websites, games, software, web applications, and more.

With time, the technology evolved and devices grew to achieve hardware capabilities that are much improved compared to the past. Relatively, the freedom of developing better quality content evolved as well. Now, mobile apps can offer stunning visuals and high-quality graphical environments.

A few examples of such apps are COD: Mobile and Netflix, among others. These internet-based mobile apps keep releasing new updates to add new features into the already existing mobile game. Now, as you know these apps are server-based, so the cloud storage space is used to save the majority of the data that supports their features.

Benefits of using cloud technology to develop apps

Before we proceed further, if you are wondering how cloud technology can benefit you generally apart from reducing the cost, let’s have a look at a few benefits.

1. Accessibility to more features

Cloud technology can provide you enough space to add new features. With new trends, you can make changes to your apps and release these updates virtually. With evolving market needs and trends, keeping the app updated might boost the popularity of the mobile app.

• Freedom to modify mobile apps remotely

Cloud storage allows you to access the database of your mobile apps from anywhere and anytime. With the data accessible from anywhere with the help of the internet, you can make changes anytime and resolve lags even before anyone notices them. This advantage plays a crucial role in influencing the satisfaction level of users of the mobile app as glitchy apps that are not fixed for too long can leave a negative impact.

• Expanded target market area

As the app data is virtually released, you can even target user groups existing in other countries. For instance, if you are a developer from the USA and you know that India is a great market for mobile apps that can serve the insurance market, you can join the race to build one of the best insurance apps even without having to travel there and release your app virtually with the help of cloud technologies. This factor allows you to save your transportation costs, yet make profits globally.

• Easier integration of AI or machine learning

AI is a concept that requires internet access to update itself with the latest trends and information. Therefore, using machine learning in the app without a cloud platform can create hurdles in the smooth running of the feature. However, a situation vice versa can help you in integrating the AI to perform activities such as faster customer resolutions easier. Moreover, with the help of the internet, AI can also upgrade its knowledge and modify its data saved in the cloud storage automatically accordingly.

Now, as we understood how cloud storage helps the app development process, in short, let’s have a look at its role in reducing the development cost.

1. Reduced or low cost of storage hardware

The cloud storage services such as Outlook, Google, Hostgator, etc, are based on subscription plans that vary according to their features. These features include factors such as the size of the storage space, allowed downloading speed, and more. However, compared to physical storage devices, these subscription plans are cheaper and more accessible.

• The reduced app maintenance cost on the hybrid mobile app

The hybrid mobile app development culture is getting trendy in the current app development market due to its compatibility with multiple devices and reduced maintenance cost. According to a report published by Statista, React native development framework had a user share of 42% in 2019 and 2020. Hybrid mobile app development does not only reduce the maintenance cost but makes it easier to resolve glitches or lags as well.

Moreover, resources used in tasks such as to improve react native performance, or app testing are lesser compared to mobile apps of native nature. That indirectly influences the overall app cost, of course.

• Reduced expenses on mobile app security

The cloud storage services follow proper security protocols that save developers from spending extra on the security of the app data. Moreover, a few cloud services also provide backup services along with multiple data centers so that even if one data is compromised, the other keeps your app data safe and saves you from restarting from the scratch. A few years back, one of the major expenses developers faced was caused by hacks and data stealing.

• Synchronization between the website and app saves money

As mentioned above, the app development concept based on cloud spacing includes the culture of developing scalable apps. From scalable apps, we mean apps that a user can use on multiple devices including smartphones, tablets, or laptops. These apps are not platform-specific. Therefore, you can build one app for Android or Apple devices and release them on their respective app stores.

“I don’t need a hard disk in my computer if I can get to the server faster… carrying around these non-connected computers is byzantine by comparison.”

– Steve Jobs, Co-founder, ex- CEO, and Chairman of Apple Inc.

The adoption of cloud technology is boosting due to the conveniences it provides to both developers and users. Moreover, it is also increasing the possibility of developing enterprise-quality apps for even individual developers and new entrepreneurs. As the current market shows, cloud computing has helped mobile apps in serving multiple sectors such as healthcare, IT, security, finances, and education among others. There’s no stopping the popularity of this technology even in the future. The reason is simple, its features and the freedom it provides to its users. However, with such increasing popularity of the cloud storage space, data security has to get advanced as well. As modern hackers are not focusing on only breaking into devices, but on servers as well. Therefore, the requirement of security protocols that can make sure that the data stored on servers is safe, is increasing as well.