10 Coolest Mobile App Development Platforms Of The 2020 Mobile 100

We round up the top platforms for the development of innovative business mobile apps.

App Development Platform Innovators

Our Mobile 100 project this week has covered everything from mobile devices and accessories, to device management and security, to mobile software. Businesses looking to arm their workforces with internal apps--or seeking to up their game around their customer-facing mobile strategy--will also be wise to invest in one of 2020's leading platforms for mobile app development. To give a sense of the top players right now, we've rounded up 10 of the coolest mobile app development platforms to know about.

IBM Mobile Foundation

Along with offering containerized mobile backend services that provide solutions including application lifecycle management, push notifications and security, the IBM Mobile Foundation platform stands out by enabling artificially intelligent cognitive services--such as text-to-speech and visual recognition--in mobile apps using IBM Watson APIs.

Mendix Platform

The Mendix Platform specializes in low-code and no-code techniques for mobile app development to enable speedy design, building, testing and deployment of apps. Key facets of the platform include visual development capabilities, an integrated development environment that is purpose-built for low-code and no-code and collaboration features for multiple people to work on apps simultaneously.

Microsoft Visual Studio

Microsoft's Visual Studio platform offers mobile app development with .NET, using the company's Xamarin solution. The solution enables developers to build cross-platform apps for iOS, Android and Windows, with access to APIs and capabilities such as Xamarin.Forms--a framework for building native apps from a shared codebase.

Oracle Mobile Hub

Oracle's Mobile Hub platform enables rapid creation of mobile apps from browsers using APIs and optimization of app experiences using pre-populated Oracle cloud software. The platform supports native and hybrid apps as well as no-code development.

Pega Infinity

The Pega Infinity portfolio includes tools and workflows for low-code mobile app development, along with capabilities such as reuse or extension of existing mobile apps and user-experience design solutions. Additional features include "mobile mashup" functionality for more-easily enhancing existing mobile apps.

Progress Kinvey

The Progress Kinvey platform enables simplified connections between mobile apps and enterprise systems--such as SAP, SQL Server and Salesforce--using no- and low-code microservices. Meanwhile, the platform supports development of apps based on NativeScript, allowing developers to use their existing skills in JavaScript for building native Android and iOS apps.

Salesforce Lightning Platform

As part of Salesforce's Lightning Platform, the Lightning App Builder enables simplified app building using a library of configurable components and drag-and-drop functionality. Complex processes can also be turned into apps more easily using Salesforce's Process Builder solution.

SAP Cloud Platform

Using SAP Cloud Platform Mobile Services, enterprise mobile apps can be developed and configured using key business data. The platform's mobile services include integration with SAP products, low-code development tools and access to data from on-premise or cloud sources.

ServiceNow - Now Platform

With the Now Platform from ServiceNow, solutions for mobile app development include Mobile Studio, which offers a no-code interface allowing non-developers to create native mobile apps. The solution also offers layout templates and re-usable design elements to speed up the process of app development.

Temenos Quantum

Formerly Kony Quantum, the Temenos Quantum platform offers low-code mobile app creation featuring capabilities such as reuse of components, simplified integration of data and design tools--along with support for adding "next-generation experiences" including AI-powered chatbots and augmented reality.