The Decline Of Mobile Development

Mobile development on Android and iOS is described as increasingly difficult because each OS update adds requirements, pushes developers through more abstraction, and makes maintenance take time away from feature work. The page says this complexity raises costs and frustrates developers.

It also argues that long build times, difficult testing, and repeated app update mandates make native mobile less appealing than the web. The author presents Google and Apple as controlling app distribution and monetization, and says many developers are moving to web development for faster feedback and a more enjoyable workflow.

Reading notes

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• Android and iOS development is becoming harder, and developers are leaving because of frustration and annoyance.
• OS updates add new requirements, often framed as security and privacy, and developers must keep supporting old and new phones.
• That support makes codebases more complicated, with many if/then checks for different SDKs.
• Time spent keeping apps current reduces time for feature development and increases mobile development and maintenance costs.
• The page contrasts mobile with the web, saying browser platforms rarely require updates under threat of consequences.
• The author criticizes layered abstraction and “recommended” design patterns that make screens harder to understand.
• He says many developers see this complexity as a necessary evil, even when they dislike it.
• He questions whether use-case layers and similar abstractions are needed for simple tasks like updating a text field.
• He says engineers often overcomplicate software because clever implementation feels satisfying, while he prefers KISS.
• Long build times and difficult testing are presented as additional reasons mobile native developers switch to the web.
• Google and Apple are said to keep making it harder to ship and maintain quality mobile apps while marketing each release as something great.
• The page claims there has been little real innovation in mobile for more than ten years.
• It mentions app update deadlines that can lead to app restrictions, including limits on use and distribution.
• The author says mobile stops feeling exciting when developers spend more time fighting the platform than building.
• He describes web development as offering faster feedback loops and more sane testing.
• Google and Apple are portrayed as using their power to enforce rules, including in-app purchase models that take a 30% cut.
• The author says he expects to return to web development full time and that many developers are doing the same.