The demand for mobile app development teams is increasing year after year. An app that is well structured, whether native iOS, Android, cross-platform, hybrid or native, will boost your digital engagement and lead to increased bottom-line results, such as unwavering customer loyalty.
Many small and large companies are reaping the benefits of mobile, but some have yet to develop the correct strategy. You've found the perfect place if you want to create a new mobile application for your company or enhance an existing one. This blog will cover the most important aspects of developing mobile apps, such as the app creation process, the platforms available, the cost, and tips on avoiding mistakes and achieving success. We'll get right to it.
What is Mobile Application Development (MAD)?
The mobile application development process involves creating software that runs on a device such as a smartphone or digital assistant and uses a network to access remote computing resources. The development method involves installing software packages, testing the target device, and implementing back-end service.
Mobile app development, in short, is the process of successfully designing, developing and launching mobile apps. Businesses across all industries increasingly recognize the importance of developing a mobile business app to meet customer expectations better.
They also want to provide convenient, real-time ways for users to access and conduct information and transact. By 2023, the number of downloads of mobile apps is expected to reach 299 billion. An app that is well structured will help you to maximize the advantages of the device, OS and mobile application. Considering the mobile device limitations and balancing functionality with cost during development is important.
Top Mobile Application Development Platforms
As a software package, mobile application platforms combine all the necessary tools to create your app. The developer does not have to juggle different programs to accomplish various development tasks. It eliminates risks and prevents loss of data. Using a single software package to complete the entire development process - from planning to UI/UX and testing - saves you time and money. The mobile application platforms are different based on the OS they support. The following is a comparison of top-rated mobile application development platforms.
1. Android
Google sponsors the Android OS, designed for touchscreen devices like smartphones and tablets. Android has a 44.46% mobile OS market share in the United States as of July 2022. Android OS's biggest benefit is its open source, which can be customized and distributed for free by anyone. Android OS allows multiple applications to run simultaneously on a mobile device. It also offers great flexibility in customizing the UI to achieve the desired results.
2. iOS
iOS is not compatible with other hardware, unlike Android, which can be used on various devices. This includes the iPhone and iPad. The iOS Software Development Kit allows developers to develop mobile apps and distribute them through Apple Inc.'s App Store.
3. Hybrid
A hybrid mobile app combines native programming and web development capabilities into a single program. Developers can create applications that run on multiple platforms. The code for a hybrid application can be written in HTML, CSS and JavaScript and then embedded into an application wrapper native to the forum. This gives the application the same power as a real native app. Organizations that want to reach large audiences quickly use hybrid mobile platforms. They don't need to develop two separate applications but can build a similar application for every OS.
Mobile Application Development Approaches
Companies around the world use the top four approaches to mobile app development.
1. Native Mobile Applications
Native apps for mobile devices are developed with the SDKs, frameworks and programming languages provided by each platform. They are built to work natively with the device's OS, such as iOS and Android. Native mobile apps, designed to run on specific OSes or platforms, are more efficient, and reliable and have offline functionality.
2. Hybrid Mobile Applications
These hybrid mobile apps are created using web standards such as JavaScript or HTML5. They combine elements from both web and native applications. Gmail, Twitter and Amazon are some of the most popular apps in the world. Hybrid apps are good examples. To combine web technologies with native apps, developers can use APIs and plugins. Hybrid apps can be developed faster and are easier to maintain.
3. Apps that run on multiple platforms
Cross-platform applications are compatible with different platforms, such as Android, iOS and Windows, using one code base. It's possible to write a cross-platform application using a variety of programming frameworks and languages. Still, the app is compiled to run like any native program running on the OS. Cross-platform applications are easy to create and maintain.
4. Progressive Web Applications
Progressive Web Applications (PWAs), an alternative to the traditional development of mobile apps, avoid app stores and installation. They are faster, cheaper and more secure. The PWAs are browser-based, but they act just like native applications. PWAs give users an app-like experience using browser features such as adding links to their device's home screen, performing background processes, or working offline.
Every mobile app development method has advantages and disadvantages. Choose a mobile application development method that suits your strategy and business goals. The right choice will help you build native features for your app and achieve the desired user experience.
Top Mobile App Development Technologies
The term mobile app development services refer to all the tools, programming languages and frameworks used to develop applications for smartphones, tablets and connected portable devices. You need to be familiar with all the technologies used in your app.
React Native is one of the most popular mobile app development technologies in 2022. It offers an advanced JavaScript library that allows you to build native interfaces on iOS and Android, with a codebase that can be used across platforms. This allows for rapid iteration and the creation of native-looking apps.
Mobile app frameworks and development tools are expanding every day. It would help to consider the following factors when choosing the development technology for your mobile application: platform support, development speed, development cost, security risks, app efficiency, after-launch updates, etc.
Mobile Application Development Process
It is essential to examine the development of mobile applications step by step, especially with all the statistics and trends supporting the importance of mobile business apps in 2023.
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Each app starts with an idea. Your app will only be successful if the concept benefits your users (app users). Make sure that you include in your analysis the motivations and behaviors of your customers.
App Front End and Back End
The front-end and the back-end of an application are interrelated. The mobile front end is the interactive and visual part of a mobile app that the user can interact with. The back-end, or server-side rendering, stores, processes and secures the data. Front-end developers are responsible for web design, UI and UX development, and front-end programming.
The back-end developer creates the services that process business logic and accesses the cloud, file servers, database and other services on the server side to render the application. One person can perform the roles of both a front-end and a back-end developer for applications that do not interact with a web server. Suppose you want to develop an application that requires internet connectivity and server interaction. In that case, it is best to hire different developers.
Testing Mobile Applications from End to End
You must always test your mobile app before you start the sprint. You can ensure your mobile app's success by following these nine simple steps:
- Step 1: A programmer must create a list of test cases.
- Step 2: Decide whether you want to run the test manually or automatically.
- Step 3: Define test cases for different functionalities.
- Step 4: Begin exploratory testing since it requires no initial investment.
- Step 6: After identifying patterns and frequency of results, automate the predictable ones.
- Step 6: Start sprinting with usability testing and beta-testing
- Step 7: Assess the performance of your entire system.
- Step 8: Conduct security and compliance testing to handle exceptions and unexpected situations.
- Step 10: Launch the app to the App Store and resolve any problems.
The following steps in mobile app testing will ensure that the software performs as it should.
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Top Mobile App Development Frameworks
Flutter
Released in 2017, Flutter was developed by the tech giant Google. It is well-known for its ability to transform the entire app development cycle and for its assistance in building, testing and deploying applications for various platforms, such as mobile, web etc. It is possible to achieve this by using a single codebase.
Features:
- Code reusability
- Flexible UI
- Fast app development
- Offers Native performance
- Offers built-in material design
- Supports widgets with a strong grip
React Native
React Native, an open-source UI framework created by Meta in 2015, is well known for helping developers build native apps that don't compromise user experience. Developers are provided with a set of core native platform compatibilities. It also helps to reduce the loading time of an app without compromising its quality or functionality.
Features:
- Compatible third-party plugins
- Declarative API for Predictive User Interface
- Supports Android & iOS
- Reusable components to optimize performance
- Offers best deployment features
- Maintainable
Ionic
Ionic, released in 2013 by Drifty, is the leader in cross-platform app development. Also, it is well-known for its innovative aid in creating advanced web applications. A complete SDK allows developers to easily build flexible UIs with a shared codebase across different platforms.
Features:
- Cross-platform app development
- Optimized Performance
- Uniform UI
- Quick development time
- Intuitive UI components
Xamarin
Xamarin is an open-source platform that allows developers to create native cross-platform applications with a native-like user interface. It's also known for its ease of integration with backend components, services, etc. Thanks to the tools and libraries available to extend the .NET Developer, it is also recommended that you build different types of apps seamlessly. It is a huge benefit for a dot net development company.
Features:
- Diagnostic Tools
- Android SDK manager
- Google emulator manager
- Flexible backend infrastructure
- App loader
- Storyboards
Apache Cordova
Apache Cordova is ranked fifth among the top ten most popular frameworks for mobile app development. It wraps the HTML/JavaScript application into a native container, making it easier to access device features of different platforms. It is easy to write code that targets multiple phones and tablets.
Features:
- Reusability codes
- Easy-to-work plugins
- Robust Backend
Native Script
NativeScript is known to liberate the development process of developers. It does this by allowing them to use the platform APIs directly. It has been popular among developers since its creation in 2014. This will enable them to use CSS and JavaScript to give users a native-like experience.
Features
- Templates and plugins
- Support for backend systems is robust
- Easy to adapt
- Native UI without WebView
- Direct access to Android and iOS APIs
Corona SDK
Corona is a popular cross-platform framework released in 2009 and used by developers to create apps and games on mobile devices. Corona is known to help developers build cross-platform applications and also avoid paying for extra functionality.
Features:
- Plugs in a wide variety
- Excellent visuals
- Performance optimization
- Realtime testing
- Lua based platform
- Multi-Plugins to meet all your needs
- Strong API Support
Sencha
Sencha Touch is a JavaScript user-interface library that helps developers create, test and develop data-intensive web applications using the tools available on different platforms. It allows developers to build data-intensive apps and develop user interfaces with the feel and look of native apps.
Features:
- Flexible Layout System
- Visual data representation
- It holds hundreds of user extensions
- Analytical power
PhoneGap
PhoneGap, an open-source framework developed by Adobe in JavaScript and Java, is a programming language that allows developers to create applications that run smoothly on iOS and Android. It is easy to develop apps and provides developers with a container that bridges the native API to the web view.
Features:
- Open Source
- The codebase for single code
- Strong Backend
- Flexibility
- Compatible with all platforms
- App management tools from third-party vendors
Onsen UI
Onsen UI, an open-source UI Framework written in JavaScript, helps developers build mobile apps using technologies such as CSS and HTML5. It also offers tabs, side menus, etc., to help developers build HTML5 hybrid web and mobile apps.
Features:
- Open-source software is free.
- Easy to use
- Compatible with jQuery
It would be best if you had some questions now that you know about these popular frameworks. One of the most important is: Which one is best to use? Know it all. They play a major role in the development of mobile apps. The relevance of these frameworks will remain the same, regardless of any changes. It would be best if you kept in mind a few tips before using one of these frameworks to build your app.
Swiftic
Swiftic is a great framework for developing mobile apps on the iOS platform. The interface is easy to navigate. Swiftic offers a 30-day money-back option on all plans. It also provides a 6-month success guarantee. You can get six months of service for free if you are still waiting for results.
Some of the most important features include:
- Get a push notification about interesting news
- A loyalty card can help you become a loyal customer
- Create your mobile store
- Coupons in the app
- Scratch cards are a great way to win prizes
- Easy Communication
- Menus & Ordering
- Customer Engagement
- App Promotion
- Social & Media Feeds
- App Publication Assistance
- Advanced Analytics
- Third-party integration
JQuery Mobile
JQuery Mobile is an HTML5-based user interface system. This touch-optimised web can create highly responsive apps for desktops, smartphones and tablets. ThemeRoller is a feature of JQuery Mobile that offers highly customizable themes. This top mobile app framework allows you to build highly customized websites.
JQuery has several features:
- Built on JQuery Core
- Lightweight Size
- Configured using HTML5
- Automatic Initialization
- The Powerful Theming Framework
- Simple API
Mobile Angular UI
Mobile Angular UI combines HTML5, Bootstrap, and AngularJS. Mobile Angular UI is easy to learn if you are familiar with Twitter Bootstrap or Angular JS. This mobile UI framework provides the basic mobile development elements that Bootstrap 3 lacks. These components include overlays, switches and sidebars. Mobile Angular UI primarily comprises fastclick.js, overthrow.js, and other libraries.
Mobile Angular UI includes:
- Create HTML5 hybrid desktop and mobile apps
- No jQuery dependencies
- Create fully responsive interfaces using a small CSS file
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Mobile App Development Trends
According to a new report, the mobile app development platform market will reach $44,3 trillion in 2027. The mobile app development processes today are influenced by various factors, including technological advancements, consumer demand, and other factors. The top 5 mobile app trends for 2022 are listed below.
1. Native Mobile Applications
The 5G network will revolutionize the creation and use of mobile apps. The total number of smartphone 5G connections is expected to triple that of 2021 by the end of 2022.
The 5G network will dramatically improve mobile app performance and allow developers to include new features with no risk of compromised performance. The 5G network is predicted to increase traffic and efficiency while reducing latency by 10x.
2. Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality
In 2022, the use of AR in mobile applications will continue to grow. The number of AR mobile users is expected to reach 1,73 billion by 2024. Retailers, healthcare professionals, educational institutions and workforce management teams are among the many industries that use AR to enhance mobile experiences.
VR, like AR, is transforming the mobile app industry today. VR, for example, can be used to connect mobile phones, wearables, and apps to improve the content and user experience of fully-functional apps. Design News reports that 29% of manufacturers have reported improved productivity and efficiency after implementing AR/VR technologies into their organizations.
3. Low-code App Development
Low-code apps are becoming more popular today due to the increasing move of mobile and web apps towards containerization and Microservices. Low-code platforms will build over 75% of apps in 2021, reducing time to market while addressing the lack of developers. Mobile development using low-code media allows companies to roll out their apps rapidly. They can also reduce the complexity of products and quickly adapt to changes in the market.
4. Mobile Commerce
In recent years, mobile has become the preferred method for shopping online due to the increased use of digital devices. E-commerce is simply shopping on a mobile phone. The retail industry is undergoing a digital revolution that could be the biggest ever, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. This has led to online sales for almost all products we purchase in physical stores. The millennials and Gen Zers have huge spending power, allowing them to shop on their phones a lot. Customers want to buy seamlessly without leaving the platform they are using.
They also prefer to avoid having to enter payment information each time you try to use your app. Add "Buy Now' buttons to social media and introduce "one-click check out" in your mobile app to gain a competitive advantage. Insider Intelligence reports that e-commerce in the United States will increase by $553.28 Billion in 2024.
This is a rise of $128.4 Billion in 2019. Retail has now reached the point where a mobile application is essential for businesses to remain competitive. Anyone selling online, whether a single individual or a business, is trying to emulate the success of giant e-commerce companies like Amazon. In 2022, you should prioritize a mobile commerce application.
5. Predictive Analysis
Predictive Analytics is an innovative trend that uses machine learning, AI and data mining to forecast events. Netflix uses predictive analytics, for instance, to suggest TV shows and films based on the content users have previously watched. Based on the data you provide, predictive analytics can predict the development cycle length for your mobile application or how much testing is required before launching your MVP.
It can also estimate expected errors or bugs in your pipeline of tests. These features will help you to accelerate your mobile application development. They also minimize development risks, increase ROI, and ensure quality before delivering your app.
What Custom Mobile Apps Can Do for Your Business
Apps that are custom-made for mobile devices address the needs of an audience rather than those of many people. The functionality and features of custom mobile apps are only available in simple, off-the-shelf solutions. Customized applications have the following advantages over pre-packaged solutions:
Improved Data Security
Off-the-shelf mobile apps do not offer the same protection from cyber attacks as custom apps. Your confidential information will be protected when you use a custom-built mobile app. Hack-proofing your application is done using a unique code and encryption. By automating manual tasks, increasing the productivity of employees, lowering costs for integration, and adapting quickly to new processes or changes, custom mobile app development can reduce your TCO.
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), one of our prominent customers, reported an 80% increase in productivity and a 67% faster ticket resolution rate after Cyber Infrastructure Inc. helped them implement a mobile-based smart ticketing system.
How Much Does It Cost To Develop A Mobile App?
The cost of developing an app depends on several factors. Renting an office, hiring employees, and meeting software and hardware requirements are all costs associated with building an internal team. Price also depends on other factors, such as the size of the group, platforms and devices supported, etc. Several factors determine the cost of your application.
1. The App Features
What are you expecting the app to do? What features would you include? What functionalities are you planning to include? More features and functionality will cost you more. List the features and functionality you want to have in your app. This will affect its cost.
2. There Are Different Devices And Platforms
No matter what type of app you create, make sure that it is compatible with older and newer versions of the OS on the device you choose. You will require a better user interface and design if your app contains more screens. The cost of development also depends on which OS or platform you choose.
3. Native Or Cross-Platform Development
Native and cross-platform methods of development have pros and cons. This is especially true in terms of the cost. The cross-platform approach gives you a mobile app with a consistent look and feel on all OS. It is also highly reusable across multiple OS. Native apps, however, offer 100% hardware support and allow you to use the built-in capabilities of the user's phone without sacrificing the unique design.
Developing native mobile apps is more expensive than hybrid or cross-platform apps due to their exceptional features such as personalization, performance and speed. Cross-platform is the best option if you want to develop a mobile application quickly and at a minimal cost. The cost of creating a mobile application varies from case to case.
4. In-house or Outsourced Development
The ballpark estimation will also depend on whether or not you plan to build your app internally or outsource it to an app development company. Renting an office, hiring employees, and meeting software and hardware requirements are all costs associated with building an internal team.
Outsourcing your mobile app work can give you a competitive edge and cost-effectiveness. Before hiring an agency, consider the location, their technical expertise and experience in your industry, past projects, the size of each project, how quickly they can turn around a new app, and any references clients have provided. Before hiring a third-party developer, you should define your app's scope, complexity, and back-end scalability.
7 Mobile App Development Tips for Acquisition & Retention
Were you aware that the iOS Store was only introduced in 2008? The store had 500 or so apps at the time. In 2020, iOS users can choose from over 1.8 million apps. Google Play Store is even more popular than Apple Store. In 2020, Android users will have the option of selecting from over 2.5 million apps.
These products are used by people all the time. In the second quarter of 2023, an estimated 38.8 million apps were downloaded from iOS and Android stores. Apps are downloaded for a variety of reasons. These include entertainment, gaming, personal productivity and business, health and wellness, socializing, and making it easier to perform functions like editing photos or watching videos.
Apps are becoming more popular among consumers and business users. Developing your own can make sense for any company. Apps allow you to market your business more effectively, improve customer experience, simplify processes, and connect remote workers or users. This can all have a positive impact on your bottom line.
1. Solve Customer or Business Issues
It is best to offer something people need or desire to encourage them to use an app. Do some research on the market before you begin to develop or design a mobile application:
- How can an app help your clients, customers or employees?
- What are the most important features and functions your end users would like to see in an application?
- How can you achieve your business objectives with an app that helps solve a client or customer problem?
It's much easier to develop a solid solution for customers when you know the true why of your app. This makes it easier to explain what the answer is and how they can benefit from it. Marketing any product requires this. This can help drive app conversions and ensure that people who find your app in the store will be more inclined to download it.
2. Make People Want To Join By Creating Feelings Of Exclusivity
You want to avoid alienating your audience, but creating anticipation for your app can increase sales. It works best with products that are aimed at consumers. You want your app to be in the hands of employees and business partners as soon as possible. Exclusiveness can be a powerful tool for consumer apps. It will help create a mentality of fads that encourage app downloads. This environment can be made in several ways:
- First, Make the App Only Available to Beta Testers: Ask them to promote it to others and create excitement. You may see a surge of interest when you make the app available to all.
- Add Referral Features to Your App: For example, you could require that people be invited to join the app by someone else before they can sign up. You could also reward existing users for bringing in new customers.
- As a Reward for Customer Loyalty, Offer the App: While this will generate fewer sales than other methods, it will help retain your users. Customers who are loyal to your company and see it as an added benefit will be more inclined to download the app regularly than people who randomly choose it from the store.
The Clubhouse is a great app that uses this method of driving purchases. Drop-in audio chat was the most popular iOS app of early 2020 due to its exclusiveness. The app was exclusive to iOS, and users had to be invited to the service by an existing user.
3. You Can Use Freemium Models To Get People In The Door
Consider a freemium app if you are building a premium paid-for product. This will encourage people to test your product. The freemium model usually offers limited functionality or ads to use the app. It is important to design the app in a way that provides just enough functionality to make people pay to get the premium version.
4. Cross-Promotion In Other Apps Is Possible
Consider cross-promotion opportunities if you are developing multiple apps. Mobile gaming is a strong area. Cross-selling is a common practice among mobile app developers. They include ads for similar games and in-app incentives for downloading and using other apps by the same brand.
5. You Can Use App Store Optimization to Improve Your Ranking
To drive strong app acquisitions, it is important that users can find your application. App store optimization will help your product appear high on the search engine results page when users use relevant keywords. A good ASO addresses your app store listing and other aspects. You can get expert help with app store optimization when you hire Cyber Infrastructure Inc. to develop mobile apps.
6. Create Great User Experiences
After you have done all the hard work getting people to install your app, they must stay. The best way to retain app users is by providing an excellent mobile app experience. This includes but is not limited to:
- Ensure the app Offers a Pleasing Visual Experience: The UX design must consider factors such as color, background, font size, accessibility, and ease of navigation.
- Create Easy-To-Use Functions: Include tutorials that help users quickly understand how to operate the app.
- Follow the Platform Guidelines: Pay attention to the iOS and Android requirements. Make sure your solution meets the operating system requirements. This will ensure that all components function well on any platform.
- Concentrating on your Audience: Remember that you have business and customer-facing goals for your app. Design should reflect this. Your app's interface will likely look different if your target audience is an advanced mobile gamer.
7. Check All Functions Well
Testing is important both during development and afterwards. Test all features before launching the app in the store:
- Menus and Links: Make certain that every click, swipe or tap leads you to the correct place.
- Interactive Elements and Forms: Make sure people can enter data and interact as expected.
- CTAs: Make sure that all your CTAs work smoothly, regardless of whether you're using a swipe or a click.
You can increase the chances of success by creating quality apps for your app that address business and personal issues. Working with professionals such as Cyber Infrastructure Inc. can increase your odds of success. Contact us to learn more about our mobile app development services that will benefit your business.
Conclusion
Mobile is clearly the way to go as we move into the second half of 2023. Investing in a mobile application is the best way to align your business with your target audience. Your mobile app strategy, if you're an established enterprise with a mobile app active in the market, should focus on improving it and delivering more value to your customers.
Fingent is a leader in the mobile app industry. Our experts will help you position your app to be successful, from conception through launch. By leveraging the mobile app tips and guidelines above, you can get an edge on your competition, reduce costs, increase your brand visibility and engage customers in new and exciting ways.
