For many years we have been able to enjoy all kinds of applications on our mobile phones. Operating systems such as Android or iOS have marked a before and after in the industry to offer us a wide variety of developments, whether they are applications or games with which we can enjoy making the most of our mobile phone. But, what is an app and how does it work?
In this article we are going to explain everything you need to know about the applications that you have installed on your phone so that you do not have any more doubts about it.
Apps are here to stay
Today anyone with a mobile device will have more than one app installed natively. Whether it is because you have an Android phone or an Apple iPhone model, a tablet with any of the operating systems available on the market or any other technological device with a screen, it will surely have applications installed natively as well as an Apps store so that you can install more developments to your liking depending on your needs.
Whether to know the weather in your city, read the latest news of the day, make payments in the most comfortable way. enjoy the funniest games for Android and iOS, or communicate with other people through instant messaging applications such as WhatsApp or Telegram, the repertoire of options is immense.
Options you will not lack Precisely when it comes to getting the most out of that pocket computer you have, it reports a mobile phone. A few years ago the number of applications available was negligible, but with the arrival of iOS and Android, things changed considerably so that we now have at our disposal a huge catalog with all kinds of apps and games with which to have a great time
What is a mobile app?
We are going to start at the beginning, explaining what a mobile application is. We are talking about programs that have been designed to be executed in a particular operating system.
It may be a application for Android phones or tablets, an app designed for Android TV, a development created for smart watches or activity bracelets... The variety is immeasurable.
The purpose of these applications is satisfy some need, it may be an app that allows us to access information or services, a platform that allows us to send messages to our contacts for free, a program to be able to access Facebook, Instagram and other social networks in the most comfortable way... Or even funny fart applications to have a laugh with your friends.
Lastly, we want to differentiate the term program application. In the case of application we refer to almost any device that is not a computer, while when installing a development on a computer these are not called applications, but programs.
An application is installed on your operating system, not on your mobile
a very important detail and that many do not know has to do with the operation of the applications. You must bear in mind that the app that you have downloaded on your phone has not really been installed on it, but rather it is in the operating system that allows you to use your device.
For example, a few years ago it was possible to install Windows Phone on some Android terminals. In this case, if you install WhatsApp on your mobile device, for example, on the one hand, you will need the application for Windows Phone and, on the other hand, you will need the version for Android since each application is compatible with a different system. operative.
The first applications began to appear in the late 90s, With applications as popular as the snake, Available in the vast majority of phones from the Finnish firm Nokia, or the emblematic Tetris.
At that time, apps performed a very basic function, but today things have changed and we can squeeze our equipment thanks to the applications that are currently available.
How mobile apps work
Now that you know what is an app and how does it work in an operating system We are going to explain the next part of our tutorial. In this way, you will be able to learn in more detail how applications for mobile phones and other devices work.
Say an app is developed and published on the app stores of all major operating systems. Android has its own store which is Google Play while Apple has the App Store for its range of iPhone phones and iPad tablets.
In addition, today's mobile phones often come with some pre-installed applications so you can use them as soon as you take your smartphone out of the box. To say that when you install an application it will ask you for a series of accesses that it must have in order to function correctly.
E.g. It is common for an instant messaging service like WhatsApp to invite you to share your contact data in order to create a list with all the people who have this application installed on their mobile phone or any other compatible electronic device.
Finally say that there are some applications that you can install for free and others that, on the other hand, are paid. There really is a price to pay in all of them, since 99% of the free applications that you will be able to find in Google Play or in the App Store have advertising, in addition to collecting personal data from the users who have downloaded it to do future market analysis.
Keep in mind that it is very important that all the applications that you have installed on your phone are updated to the latest version available in the ecosystem. mainly because these firmware improvements what they do is solve stability and security problems detected. So now that you know what an app is and how it works, we invite you to always keep them updated to avoid unnecessary headaches.