Why native mobile development have edge on cross platform development?

Native Apps

Native apps are built using platform-specific programming languages. For Android, it’s Java, Windows uses C#, VB.NET or C/C++, and Objective-C or Swift is used to program iOS apps. These apps are built from scratch with the intention of operating solely on their designated platform.

Pros

• User Interface (UI) – The look and feel, as well as the overall usability of an app, can determine the success of the product. Because native apps seamlessly integrate with the platforms for which they are created, users navigate a familiar interface. This contributes to an overall positive user experience and encourages repeated use.
• Performance (UX) – Native app development is optimal for apps that require a lot of interaction and extensive data processing due to heavy amounts of media, such as images, videos or animation. Native apps generally perform better because their native code speaks directly to the operating system’s unique hardware and software functions with little to no lag time. Additionally, using native code for complex apps will minimize the risk of the app freezing or crashing since it’s built specifically for a certain platform.
• Better Positioning – Because native apps typically rank better among users, they will often have greater visibility in app stores. Native apps usually have higher recommendations due to their high performance and user-friendly interfaces.
• Platform Integration – Native apps generally function flawlessly on their specific platforms. This makes their features more customizable to user preferences and gives the feeling that the app is truly an integrated part of their preferred device.

Cons

• Time-Consuming – Developing native applications for more than one platform can greatly extend the development process. The same code will not be usable for different platforms, and developers will need to spend extra time converting, or even rewriting code.
• More Skillful Developers Required – To develop native apps for multiple platforms, businesses may need to invest in hiring additional, specialist developers. Depending on the platforms the company is targeting, a total of 2 developers may be needed for one application. For example, one would be the Android application developer, while the other works on the iOS platform. 
• Expensive – The cost of increasing the number of developers needed for each platform, combined with extending the length of the development process for the project could mean doubling or even tripling the overall budget.

Cross-Platform

Cross-platform apps are developed with code that is later customized to fit the OS when an app is launched. This all-in-one solution allows a single application to run on multiple platforms and is a very popular approach for businesses and developers who want to save time and money.

Pros

• Time-saver – Unlike developing for native apps, cross-platform app development uses a single code across multiple platforms, which saves companies from having to prolong the project due to code rewrites and platform customizations.
• Affordable – Businesses can cut costs and have fewer developers per project. Saving time by having a “write once, run anywhere” code leads to an efficient development process and expedited deployment.
• Profit Maximization – Aside from cutting costs, cross-platform apps maximize profits through exposure across multiple markets targeted at platforms and users.
• Easy to Launch and Update – The initial launch, as well as subsequent updates and changes to the app, can be rolled out simultaneously and affect multiple platforms.

Cons

• Performance Delay - Cross-platform apps do not integrate with their platforms as flawlessly as native apps do. As such, these apps tend to freeze or lag because the non-native code cannot seamlessly communicate with the device’s hardware or software functions.
• Alien – Apps with shared code do not always integrate flawlessly into platforms and usually cannot adopt previous customizations the user has made to the device. The results leave users with an app that is not able to take full advantage of the platform, which hampers the ability to use certain features on a device, such as preset gestures, the camera, and even the microphone.

For native apps, they have been leading in terms of user interface, speed, performance, and reliability. On the other hands, cross-platform apps are leading in terms of the marketplace, mobile app development cost, and reusability. However, it all depends on the business and its needs. If they have the budget it is good to go with native otherwise cross platform is a cheaper option for SMBs.