With the advent of the mass-marketed smartphone, the iPhone, in 2007, small-functionality native apps were a logical functionality solution. Small, compact pieces of software providing everything from weather reports to mobile games were available at a tap of our screen for 99 cents (or free) from an online store.
Android-based mobile devices followed Apple’s example, and the native app reigned supreme for several years, providing a more tailored experience that appeared much safer than the terrifying primordial, virus-riddled soup of web-based applications.