Verivo bolsters mobile platform tool with HTML5 support

Enterprise mobility firm Verivo has upgraded its app development platform to include support for HTML5 to allow mid-tier and large enterprises to build content-rich applications.

"The addition of HTML5 support means IT admins will be able to imbed graphics-rich components, such as graphs and videos into their apps, alongside native code," explained Steve Levy, CEO of Verivo.

Verivo already allows businesses to design and build cross-platform apps that can be deployed across iOS, Android and BlackBerry devices.

With IDC predicting the use of HTML5 is about to skyrocket, the inclusion of this functionality is unsurprising. The analyst firm has found that 79 per cent of mobile app developers plan to integrate HTML5 into their apps during 2012. By 2015, over 80 per cent of all mobile apps are expected to be partly based on the standard.

"Verivo is also going to be deploying a Web Client which will runs apps built on our platform in any HTML5 compliant browser," Levy told IT Pro.

Through its AppStudio platform, Verivo already allows businesses to design and build cross-platform apps that can be deployed across iOS, Android and BlackBerry devices.

The drag and drop nature of AppStudio means businesses can create apps quickly in-house. There is no need for previous coding experience and apps can be deployed through the firm's dedicated enterprise app store or through public channels such as the Apple App Store, for example.

"Our platform doesn't provide standalone apps like Angry Birds. We allow apps to take information from back-end systems, present this data to users, allow them to manipulate it and then push it back to the system," he continued.

Other features of AppStudio include the ability to make instantaneous changes to an app after it has been deployed. Once a component has been upgraded in the AppStudio, the change takes effect the next time the user accesses the app or resets it.

Apps also have the ability to cache data when there is no internet connection and then automatically sync when the connection is restored.

"All of these capabilities require a back-end server. The server connects into your active directory, back-end data sources, and provides the logs and audit trails," he said.

"We offer per server CPU pricing structure. The minimum configuration is 50,000 per year, so it's not for individuals users. However, when compared to building individual apps for platforms [it does] mean there is a quick ROI."

Verivo is typically targeting firms that need to make apps workflow apps such as financial and retail institutions.