Mobile applications face unique challenges: platform fragmentation, store policies, device compatibility, and rapid OS evolution. Mobile TDD requires specialized assessment approaches.
Platform Considerations
Native vs. Cross-Platform
- Native (Swift/Kotlin): Best performance, highest maintenance cost
- React Native: Good compromise, single codebase
- Flutter: Growing ecosystem, Google backing
- Hybrid (Cordova/Ionic): Web-based, performance limitations
Key Assessment Areas
1. Code Quality
- Architecture patterns (MVVM, Clean Architecture)
- Dependency injection usage
- Unit and UI test coverage
- Memory management practices
2. App Store Compliance
- Privacy policy requirements
- Data collection disclosures
- In-app purchase compliance
- Content policy adherence
3. Performance
- App size and startup time
- Battery consumption
- Network efficiency
- Memory footprint
4. Device Compatibility
- OS version support range
- Device fragmentation handling
- Screen size adaptability
- Hardware feature dependencies
Key Takeaway: Mobile apps require ongoing investment to maintain store compliance and OS compatibility. Factor in this continuous maintenance when evaluating mobile-centric acquisitions.