The true cost of mobile enterprise apps can be high

The use of mobile apps is on the rise, but enterprise mobile applications can be expensive to develop, manage and maintain, according to UXC Connect’s Denise Carson.

Carson, who is practice manager for enterprise mobility and wireless, said there is “absolutely no doubt” that the use of mobile apps in business will continue to increase.

But in this context, CIOs must address the high total cost of ownership of enterprise mobile applications, she said.

“CIOs need to think about how they are going to establish an agile and cost-effective approach to application architecture, development and management across multiple device types and platforms,” Carson said.

One factor contributing to the high cost is the fragmented nature of the mobile market, not only in terms of operating systems but also the increasing range of devices, from smartphones to tablets to wearables.

“While very simple apps are relatively cheap to develop, producing more complex enterprise applications is by no means an inexpensive exercise and is the primary reason why many companies are slow when it comes to the deployment of mobile enterprise applications,” Carson said.

Research suggests that a single enterprise app development can cost in the range of $50,000 to $150,000, and take around three months to complete, she said.

“Despite this, without the apps organisations will have a mobile workforce that is restricted. Custom mobile apps, as well as those in the app stores, create an ecosystem of tools that employees can access at any time, improving productivity and providing the tools to get the job done.”

Pictured: UXC Connect Practice Manager for Enterprise Mobility and Wireless Denise Carson.