Mobile Platform Tech Debt, Why and How Enterprises Should Budget for App Upgrades
In today’s rapidly evolving mobile landscape, keeping mobile apps up to date is crucial for enterprises to remain competitive, secure, and compliant. Many organizations struggle with tech debt—the consequences of delaying necessary upgrades—which can lead to app inefficiencies, security vulnerabilities, and higher costs in the long run. But do enterprises provision their budget for mobile platform app upgrades? If so, how do they make those decisions?
Factors Driving Mobile App Upgrades
When it comes to mobile app upgrades, several factors compel businesses to invest in upgrading their apps. These upgrades are often necessary to ensure compatibility with newer operating system versions, compliance with security protocols, and enhanced user experience.
Here are some key drivers for mobile platform upgrades:
1. Forced Upgrades
Many enterprises face forced upgrades, driven by changes in mobile platforms, especially Android. These upgrades often come with major platform updates, new privacy regulations, or system-level changes that apps must comply with to avoid performance issues or security vulnerabilities.
Examples of Forced Upgrades:
Broad File System Access: Apps relying on broad access to the file system must upgrade to support Android’s new Scoped Storage model.
Background Location Tracking: Apps using location tracking services need to upgrade to manage these permissions more efficiently.
Service Types: Failure to specify the correct foreground service type can result in app crashes, making an upgrade necessary.
App Bundles and Dynamic Delivery: Developers need to upgrade to support Android App Bundles and leverage Dynamic Delivery for more efficient app performance.
Sensitive Permissions: Apps must upgrade to comply with new privacy regulations and permissions, especially when handling sensitive data.
Android 12+ Features: Apps targeting Android 12 should upgrade to ensure they meet the platform’s new UX standards, such as consistent splash screen behavior.
Exact Alarms Permission: Apps relying on exact alarms must request new permissions explicitly, necessitating an upgrade.
2. How to Approach Mobile Platform Upgrades
Planning and executing mobile app upgrades should be a strategic process. Enterprises must assess the implications of each platform update and identify key features that will affect their applications.
Here’s a matrix summarizing Android features that may compel an app upgrade:
| Android Version | Feature | Description |
| Android 10+ | Scoped Storage | Limits broad access to files, directing apps to use private directories or MediaStore API. |
| Android 10+ | Background Location Access | Introduced ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION permission for background location access. |
| Android 9+ | Foreground Service Types | Requires specifying the foreground service type (e.g., location, mediaPlayback). |
| Android 10+ | App Bundle and Dynamic Delivery | Introduced Android App Bundle for packaging apps, enabling Dynamic Delivery. |
| Android 11+ | Privacy Changes | Includes one-time permissions, auto-reset of permissions for unused apps. |
| Android 12+ | Mandatory Play Feature Delivery | Requires apps using multiple features to declare them in the playFeatureDelivery block. |
| Android 12 | Splash Screen API | Introduced a standard API for consistent splash screens across apps. |
| Android 13 | Exact Alarms Permission | Introduces USE_EXACT_ALARM permission for apps needing exact alarms. |
3. Impact of Delaying Mobile App Upgrades
Failing to stay on top of mobile platform upgrades can significantly impact enterprise applications. Here’s a breakdown of some of the most common consequences:
File Access Logic Refactoring: When file system access is restricted, apps may need to refactor file access logic to comply with new standards, such as Scoped Storage.
Background Location Access: Enterprises must ensure apps properly request and justify background location access to comply with privacy updates.
Foreground Service Compliance: Apps that do not declare the appropriate foreground service type risk being blocked or crashing.
App Bundles: Switching to App Bundles may require code changes and a rebuild, but the long-term benefits in performance and flexibility are worth the investment.
Permission Handling: New permission requests and state changes, such as the one-time permissions introduced in Android 11, require apps to be continuously updated to handle these effectively.
Feature Modules: Apps must structure features properly, and adjust their build configurations, particularly with Android 12’s mandatory Play Feature Delivery.
Splash Screen Behavior: To align with UX standards, apps need to implement new splash screen APIs introduced in Android 12.
Exact Alarms Permission: Apps relying on exact alarms must explicitly request and handle the new USE_EXACT_ALARM permission.
Why Enterprises Must Prioritize Mobile App Upgrades
As mobile platforms evolve, enterprises must adapt to these changes by regularly upgrading their mobile apps. The key is to approach these upgrades proactively—provisioning budgets, scheduling development time, and implementing changes early to avoid accumulating tech debt. Failure to keep apps updated can lead to performance issues, increased costs, and, ultimately, a diminished user experience.
At NextGen Technologies, we specialize in helping enterprises manage and upgrade their mobile platforms efficiently. We guide businesses through every stage of the upgrade process, ensuring smooth transitions and long-term success.
