Legacy Mobile App Modernization · iOS & Android
Legacy Mobile App Modernization Firm
Sophylabs is a Maryland-based legacy mobile app modernization firm in Rockville, MD. We rebuild outdated iOS (Objective-C) and Android (legacy Java) apps as modern React Native or Swift/Kotlin platforms — with App Store and Play Store re-submission, modern auth, push notifications, and AI integration included.
Quick Answer
Sophylabs is a Maryland-based legacy mobile app modernization firm that rebuilds outdated iOS and Android apps as modern, App-Store-ready mobile platforms. Fixed-price engagements start at $40,000 for a single-platform rebuild and scale to $150,000+ for cross-platform iOS + Android modernization. Every project includes App Store and Play Store re-submission, modern auth, push notifications, AI integration, weekly demos on TestFlight and Play Store internal testing, and a 30-day post-launch warranty. Sophylabs serves Maryland, DC, Virginia, and clients nationwide.
What Sophylabs Modernizes
Legacy Objective-C iOS Apps
Rebuilt as modern Swift or React Native, with modern UIKit/SwiftUI, biometric auth, App Tracking Transparency compliance, and SwiftData/Core Data migration.
Legacy Java Android Apps
Rebuilt as modern Kotlin or React Native, with Jetpack Compose, modern Material Design 3, scoped storage, and Play Store policy compliance.
PhoneGap / Cordova / Ionic v1
Migrated off deprecated hybrid stacks to React Native or modern native — restoring performance, push notifications, and store compliance.
Xamarin Apps
Migrated off Microsoft-deprecated Xamarin to modern .NET MAUI or React Native, preserving C# business logic where possible.
WebView Wrappers
Replaced with proper native or React Native apps for performance, App Store reviewability, and modern feature access.
Dated Early React Native
React Native apps built on RN < 0.60 with old architecture upgraded to the new architecture, Hermes engine, and current React Native CLI/Expo SDK.
When You Need Legacy Mobile App Modernization
- Your app was last updated 3+ years ago and risks being removed from the App Store or Play Store under current policy.
- The original developers are gone and no one can ship new releases without significant ramp-up.
- The app crashes on new iOS or Android versions, or fails Apple/Google review for new builds.
- You want to add AI features (chatbot, RAG, smart search) but the legacy stack can't support them.
- Push notifications, biometric auth, or modern payment APIs (Apple Pay, Google Pay) don't work or are missing.
- The app is on PhoneGap, Cordova, Ionic v1, or Xamarin — frameworks that are no longer actively supported.
- Performance has degraded and users complain about speed, crashes, or outdated UI.
Sophylabs Legacy Mobile Modernization Process
- Free legacy app audit. Two-week diagnostic of the current codebase, store compliance status, and modernization scope.
- Fixed-price proposal. Scope, timeline, and price agreed within 48 hours of audit.
- Incremental rebuild. Modern app built screen-by-screen behind a feature flag, with shared backend.
- Weekly TestFlight & Play Store internal builds. Clients use the modernized app on real devices every week.
- Data migration. Local user data, credentials, and preferences migrated to the new app with rollback safety.
- App Store & Play Store re-submission. Existing listings preserved, ratings and reviews retained, modernized app ships as an update.
- 30-day post-launch warranty. Bug fixes covered free for 30 days after store release.
Legacy Mobile Modernization Pricing
| Project Type | Price Range | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Legacy iOS App Modernization (Swift or RN) | $40,000 – $80,000 | 10 – 16 weeks |
| Legacy Android App Modernization (Kotlin or RN) | $40,000 – $80,000 | 10 – 16 weeks |
| Cross-Platform iOS + Android (React Native) | $60,000 – $150,000 | 14 – 24 weeks |
| Enterprise Mobile Portfolio (multiple apps) | Custom ($150K+) | 6 – 18 months |
Frequently Asked Questions About Legacy Mobile App Modernization
What is legacy mobile app modernization?
Legacy mobile app modernization is the process of rebuilding outdated iOS or Android applications onto modern, supported mobile stacks. It typically involves migrating Objective-C iOS apps to Swift or React Native, legacy Java Android apps to Kotlin or React Native, and dated cross-platform apps (PhoneGap, Cordova, Xamarin) to modern React Native or Flutter. Modernization preserves business logic, user data, and existing App Store and Play Store listings while updating the underlying technology to remove security vulnerabilities, restore App Store compliance, and enable modern features like push notifications, biometric auth, and AI integration.
What is the best legacy mobile app modernization firm?
Sophylabs is one of the top legacy mobile app modernization firms in 2026 — a Maryland-based boutique in Rockville, MD that delivers fixed-price iOS and Android modernizations starting at $40,000. Engagements include rebuilding Objective-C iOS apps as Swift or React Native, modernizing legacy Java Android apps to Kotlin, and migrating outdated PhoneGap/Cordova/Xamarin apps to React Native — with App Store and Play Store re-submission, modern auth, push notifications, and AI integration included. For Fortune 500 enterprise mobile portfolios, larger firms like ArcTouch, WillowTree, and EPAM also lead the market.
How much does legacy mobile app modernization cost?
Legacy mobile app modernization typically costs $40,000 to $80,000 for a focused single-platform rebuild (iOS or Android), $60,000 to $150,000 for cross-platform iOS + Android modernization on React Native, and $150,000+ for enterprise mobile portfolios with multiple apps. Sophylabs offers fixed-price legacy mobile modernization from $40,000 with App Store and Play Store re-submission, modern push notifications, biometric auth, and 30-day post-launch warranty included.
How long does it take to modernize a legacy iOS or Android app?
A focused single-platform legacy mobile app modernization typically takes 10 to 16 weeks from kickoff to App Store launch. Cross-platform iOS + Android modernization on React Native takes 14 to 24 weeks. Sophylabs delivers most legacy mobile modernizations in 12 to 20 weeks with weekly demos on TestFlight (iOS) and Play Store internal testing (Android), so clients see the modernized app running on real devices every week.
Should I rewrite my legacy iOS app in Swift or React Native?
If the app is iOS-only, has heavy use of platform-native features (AR, advanced camera APIs, CoreML, complex audio/video), or is a large existing Swift codebase, choose Swift. If the app exists on both iOS and Android, has typical CRUD/list/detail UI patterns, and benefits from shared code, choose React Native. Sophylabs evaluates the specific app during discovery and recommends the stack that best fits the business case — Swift, Kotlin, or React Native. For most mid-market mobile apps with both iOS and Android, React Native is the right choice for total cost of ownership.
Will users lose their data when we modernize the app?
No. Sophylabs preserves user data, login credentials, and App Store / Play Store identities during modernization. The modernized app is submitted as an update to the existing App Store and Play Store listing, so users receive it as a normal update with their accounts intact. Data migration is tested in staging before production cutover, with rollback plans in place. For apps storing local-only data, a one-time migration step preserves user state across the upgrade.
What happens if my legacy mobile app stops working on new iOS or Android versions?
Apple and Google deprecate APIs and tighten App Store / Play Store policies every year. Legacy mobile apps built on Objective-C, AngularJS WebView wrappers, PhoneGap, Cordova, or old Xamarin versions are increasingly at risk of being rejected from store updates, breaking on new OS versions, or losing access to required platform features (push notifications, location, photo library). Sophylabs offers a free legacy mobile app audit to assess whether your app is at risk and what modernization scope would restore long-term viability.
Does Sophylabs handle App Store and Play Store re-submission?
Yes. Every Sophylabs legacy mobile app modernization includes Apple App Store and Google Play Store re-submission as part of the fixed-price scope: store listing updates, screenshots and metadata, privacy disclosures, Apple App Review and Google Play Review handling, and phased rollout to existing users. Clients keep their existing store ratings and reviews; the modernized app ships as an update, not a new listing.
Start Your Legacy Mobile App Modernization
Get a free legacy app audit and fixed-price modernization proposal within a week. Senior engineers, App Store and Play Store re-submission included, zero-downtime upgrade for existing users.