Unlike before, creating mobile apps does not have to be device specific today. In fact they can be quick and easy to create for multiple platforms using PhoneGap- an open source framework that allows you to use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to create mobile apps for multiple platforms.

This cross platform technology solution is changing the way we build mobile applications and has eliminated the need to create different apps for different platforms, such as iOS, Android and Windows. Today we are able to build mobile apps quickly than ever before using our present web development skills. No doubt, the benefits of this framework are numerous, yet you need to consider a few things before you launch in to PhoneGap, as described below:

• Reduced Project Costs: Since you are able to utilize skills you already have in-house (HTML, CSS and JavaScript) using PhoneGap rather than having to hire developers with platform specific skills, such as Objective-C and Java, your project costs reduce automatically.

• Access to Multiple Devices for Testing: Since developing for cross platform has become a lot easier now, developers will need access to multiple devices for testing. These days a number of initiatives are present to make physical device testing easier for developers.

• Can be Inefficient When Working for Native Applications: This cross platform mobile app development tool can perform inefficiently when compared to other programs based on native languages. To put it in other words, though PhoneGap allows apps that are compatible for cross platform mobile development, but for hybrid apps the method of app development aims for vast compatibility and the created app does not perform as well as others.

• Does Not Support All Built-In Features: PhoneGap does not support all built-in phone features on the Blackberry platform or access to the storage on Bada.

• Need to Develop for the Brand: An app that is styled using iOS conventions will not look as engaging on an Android device and vice-versa. Therefore, rather than styling to a device, you should focus on styling to your brand.

• PhoneGap Apps can Look Generic: Though PhoneGap apps are compatible for multiple platforms; they can look a bit generic rather than like an iPhone app or an Android app. To make apps feel more native you can use a tool called Steroids to provide “Core Native UI with JavaScript”.