Developers building web apps with Lovable’s AI platform can now ship them as genuine iOS and Android apps using Despia Native. This isn’t a progressive web app wrapper—it’s a complete native mobile solution with hardware acceleration, App Store distribution, and device-level features like biometric authentication and push notifications.
The Native Mobile Gap
While Lovable excels at generating React web applications through natural language prompts, it outputs standard HTML/CSS/JavaScript designed for browsers. These web apps can’t access native device features or compile into the binary formats (IPA for iOS, APK for Android) required by app stores. Several solutions emerged to bridge this gap—Capacitor wrappers, web-to-app converters like Median, and separate React Native builders like Natively—but each required significant technical setup or rebuilding the app from scratch.
How Despia Works
Despia bridges web and native development by wrapping Lovable projects in a native runtime environment. After publishing your Lovable app and grabbing its URL, you create a Despia project, paste the link, and connect your Apple Developer ($99/year) and Google Play Console ($25 one-time) accounts. The platform handles compilation, native API integration, and store submission through cloud-based Apple Silicon build servers.
| Feature | Progressive Web App | Despia Native App |
|---|---|---|
| App Store Listing | No official presence | Full iOS and Android stores |
| Native APIs | Limited browser capabilities | 25+ device features via SDK |
| Performance | Browser rendering engine | GPU-accelerated native UI |
| Offline Support | Service worker dependent | True native offline packaging |
| Update Distribution | Browser refresh only | Over-the-air instant updates |
Native Features with One Line of Code
The despia-native npm package provides TypeScript-safe access to device capabilities. Developers can add haptic feedback (despia('vibrate://')), biometric authentication (despia('bioauth://')), or in-app purchases through RevenueCat integration. Push notifications work via OneSignal, while features like contact access, camera integration, and background location services require just single-line function calls.
The SDK also provides CSS variables for device-specific layouts like safe area insets, enabling proper spacing around notches and home indicators without manual calculations. All native functionality runs through URL scheme commands that the runtime interprets and executes natively.
Instant Updates Without Resubmission
Perhaps Despia’s most compelling feature is its over-the-air update system. When you modify your Lovable project and hit publish, changes propagate instantly to all installed apps — iOS, Android, TestFlight builds, and Android betas — without requiring new App Store submissions or user downloads. This bypasses Apple’s typical 24-48 hour review process for content updates while remaining compliant with store policies.
MCP Support for AI-Native Development
In December 2025, Despia added support for Model Context Protocol (MCP), the open standard introduced by Anthropic for connecting AI systems to external tools and data sources. This integration means Lovable’s AI now natively understands how to implement Despia features without developers needing to reference documentation or manually translate instructions. Developers can simply prompt “add biometric login” and Lovable generates properly structured code using the Despia SDK, eliminating the guesswork and hallucinations common when AI models work from incomplete context.
The Development Workflow
- Build your app in Lovable using natural language prompts
- Publish the Lovable project and copy its production URL
- Create a Despia project and paste the Lovable URL
- Connect Apple Developer and Google Play accounts
- Install
npm install despia-nativein your Lovable project - Add native features through Lovable prompts or direct SDK calls
- Build and test via TestFlight (iOS) or direct APK download (Android)
- Submit to App Store and Google Play through one-click publishing
The entire setup takes roughly an hour for first-time users. Subsequent updates require only publishing changes in Lovable—no rebuilding or resubmission needed for content modifications.
Cost and Source Code Access
Despia operates on a one-time payment model starting at $249 for either iOS or Android deployment. This includes 200 minutes of Apple Silicon build time, full source code export, lifetime updates, and unlimited over-the-air deployments. The pricing contrasts with subscription-based alternatives that charge annually plus additional fees for build services and plugin integrations.
Developers retain complete ownership of their code. Projects can be exported at any time and deployed through alternative methods, ensuring no vendor lock-in. The exported code is standard React wrapped in native runtime bridging—readable, maintainable, and modifiable outside Despia’s platform if needed.
