What is the definition of mobile app development, then? This is the set of activities and processes involved with writing mobile software. The mobile app development team is the process of developing apps for various devices, including tablets, smartphones, and smartwatches. Web developers must also consider the mobile compatibility of their systems and ensure that their websites look great on mobile devices.
When you start trying to use all of the modern smartphone features, like GPS, Bluetooth and near-field communications, difficulties begin. The features of modern smartphones offer new possibilities for app developers but also make the process more complex.
To compete in this market, app developers must fit as many features as possible into mobile hardware that is less powerful than desktop computers. How can you make the process of mobile app creation more efficient?
Before you Start, What Should We Know?
Why Mobile Applications Fail
Even though mobile apps are a growing market, they still fail to reach their intended audience. At least 80%. How can you maximize your chance of success, and why is this so?
Lack Of Unique Value Proposition
Many SMEs, startups and small businesses fail to create innovative ideas when launching their apps and instead copy the pictures of competitors. Your application will be lost amongst the multitude of tools that are similar if it does not offer unique value to customers. We will cover how to create mobile applications step by step in the sections below.
Bad User Experience
Intechnic's latest survey shows that 80% abandon an application if it is challenging to use after just three attempts. Users are often unhappy with their mobile application experience due to long page loading times, inefficient navigation, and difficulty accessing features, along with a lengthy registration process.
Failing to Solve Real-World User Problems
Many businesses do not define the concrete problem that users face, and therefore, they cannot provide a solution. Your app will not be successful if you create an application that works well and offers a good user experience but does not solve the unique problem users are facing.
There is No Clear Strategy for Monetization
Despite doing extensive research, defining users' needs, and building an app to solve the issue, businesses still need help to earn money. It's all because of the absence of a comprehensive strategy for monetization. You might be able to attract some users by simply launching an app, but it will not monetize. In the following section, we will discuss monetization in greater detail.
Why Create an App?
Why should you develop mobile apps, given the risks and complications? What are some of the positives that outweigh the negatives in phone app development?
Additional Sales
What are the ways that an app can generate new revenue streams for you? Apps allow customers to purchase products or services without having to visit a physical store. A company can also earn money by advertising and promoting products. If your app is successful, you may also be able to sell extra services or subscriptions. You can also sell data that is not identifiable to an individual user.
Reduced Service Costs
If you include chats or provide at least basic information, an application can function as both a technical and call center. Your customers can get some information about your products without having to call your business. The app will improve the user's experience, and it is a cheaper alternative to having an internal team.
Reduced Marketing Costs
The traditional marketing strategy is excellent but requires a significant investment. Installing push notifications in your app can be used to advertise a product launch or an event.
Creating a Bond with Customers
Users can give feedback via your app. You can form better relationships with your clients and customers by using mobile applications. Apps are a hugely popular trend across all industries and businesses.
Statista's study shows that 230 billion mobile apps will be downloaded by 2021. This makes the industry of mobile apps the largest. Businesses can reach their target audience globally and increase brand awareness with mobile app development.
Due to the massive popularity of mobile applications, entrepreneurs are investing in mobile app agencies to achieve their business objectives. App professionals will help you make huge profits by understanding your needs and helping to develop the app. This blog gives you reasons to choose one of the best creative agencies. Let's take a closer look.
There are 8 Reasons why you Should Hire a Mobile App Development Company
#1. One-Stop Shop for Mobile App Development
A mobile app development company offers benefits no other firm can. Companies can assist you in the entire mobile app development cycle. They have a wide range of skills that span multiple technologies, verticals and business knowledge. They include business analysis and consulting, idea evaluation and development, testing and long-term maintenance.
It's all wrapped up in the package of a professional contract-based relationship. You can also ask for their assistance in determining the most effective monetization strategies even before you release your app. Are these benefits available from an independent app developer? No.
#2. Cost-Effective Mobile App Development
Do you want to hire an independent mobile app developer for your project? It is impossible to know precisely what you will be paying and how long you'll have to pay. Hiring an internal mobile app team can also lead to higher costs for infrastructure and training.
Hire a mobile application development company to avoid these situations and keep your budget in check. Outsourcing your needs to a professional company ensures that you will only be charged for the services they provide. You can also choose between a variety of billing models, such as fixed cost, hourly etc. Only the contract terms will determine the invoice. The overhead costs will therefore be much lower.
#3. All the Technical Knowledge you Require in One Place
You can't always be sure what tools are being used by freelancers when it comes to mobile apps. It is almost impossible to get the iOS and Android apps developed at the same place, let alone the industry experience that would allow them to stay up-to-date with the latest mobile app trends.
This is not the case for mobile app companies. You can get all of the expertise you require under one roof, whether you're looking for Android app development or ios application development.
In addition, companies that develop mobile apps must maintain an up-to-date standard for services, which requires them to have the latest tools, software, licenses and certificates. This will save you from legal problems. They are also aware that the clientele is more extensive, so they know what can go wrong and keep up with the latest developments.
#4. Workflows That are Hassle-Free
Companies that specialize in mobile app development offer a workflow of the highest standard, which ensures that your queries are resolved within a short time. You can easily reach the project manager whenever needed and access detailed project reports by establishing well-tested communication methods. Moreover, it is easy to find solutions for disapproval.
#5. Round-the-Clock Team Availability
It can be risky to hire freelance app developers. It may happen that they cannot work on your project during a critical time because of personal commitments or health problems. They may also be overloaded with work and, therefore, not attend to your project.
This is not the case for mobile app companies. If one developer resigns or becomes ill, there is always someone who can replace them. You can also contact them at any time to ask for support or maintenance.
#6. All the Legal Obligations Handled
Digital mediums offer a variety of advantages for businesses. It doesn't mean, however, that your business is free of all issues. It would help if you never overlooked the possibility of fraud and legal matters.
One more reason to choose mobile app developers over any other alternative. You can avoid legal pitfalls by working with reputable organizations. They are legal entities and can offer stability, peace of mind and a transparent contract.
They'll also help you to get all your documents in order from the very beginning. You don't need to endure a long and painful process.
#7. Your Project is Important for Them Because it Adds to Their Portfolio
Read More: Reasons to Choose a Professional Mobile App Development Company
Companies that develop mobile apps have to maintain a good reputation. They will proudly display your project as part of their portfolio. Positive feedback will also speak volumes about their service.
You have another excellent reason to choose them. Nobody will play with their reputation to deliver low-quality work. This will not only affect their portfolio, but they are also aware of the fact that clients who feel unsatisfied can leave negative reviews on multiple sites.
#8. High-end Security and Reliability
Mobile app developers can't move. While independent contractors may be able to pack up and relocate, this is not the case. Imagine an entire company packing up and moving. So you can serve the customer with reliability.
In addition to the many benefits that come with hiring a company for mobile app development, they are also very aware of their security standards. They ensure the data of their clients and applications are protected.
Choose The Best Tech Partner To Develop Your Mobile Application
Consider collaborating with an external technical partner if your team is lacking in specific skills and knowledge for iOS or Android app development. How do you select a mobile app company that will fully understand your requirements? What can you do to ensure that an app developer understands your needs and delivers the best possible results?
Start with you and what you want. Define your goals and expectations for the app. Choose the platform for which you'll be developing and make a list with requirements.
Then, create a list of questions that will help you determine if the firm is suited to your company culture as well as their experience level. Do thorough research on the agency and collect all the relevant information:
- Could you read about the cases on their website? Download and test the apps they've developed. You can also collect feedback on the App Store, Google Play and other platforms.
- Also, ask about their experience in converting users of the application into revenue. Is your app developer familiar with the purpose of the application and the company behind it? App development companies need to be aware of standard monetization methods and willing and capable of considering them.
- You can check their portfolios to find out what type of businesses they like. You might find that an iOS or Android agency does not have the experience to understand your business.
- Ask about their app development processes. Check out the documentation, find out what frameworks they use and if they adhere to coding standards.
Mobile App Development Process
We'll break the long process of mobile app creation into seven main steps. How do you create a mobile application?
Researchers
This is the first stage in developing an application idea and refining it into a concrete concept. The market research stage includes demographic research, behavior analysis and determining the benefits to end-users.
Wireframing
The wireframe is the blueprint for the app that helps you to understand the look, feel and how all of its functionalities will be combined.
Prototyping
It is essential to make a quick prototype without wasting energy or resources. This is an early version of the application you will be creating. It allows for the collection of the initial feedback from users and the assessment of the feasibility.
UX/UI Design
UX/UI design focuses on the end-user experience. To have more options, create several different methods, layouts and buttons. This will increase your odds of coming up with an original design.
You can Develop
Top mobile app developers choose agile methodologies that break the app-development process down into more manageable and smaller stages. Sprints are called this and include planning, designing and developing an app, testing its usability, releasing it and gathering feedback.
Testing
It is more costly to fix a bug the later you are in the development process. Start testing early to prevent unnecessary delays and costs. Usability, security and stress are the most commonly tested cases.
Deployment
It is the final step, but your job does not stop here. You must then collect user feedback, implement any new functionalities or delete some existing ones based on the comments.
What is the Difference Between a Prototype and a Proof-of-Concept?
What is the difference between MVP and Proof of Concept, which we discussed earlier? What are the differences between these two and their benefits?
It is crucial to note that PoCs, prototypes and MVPs are different things. These are all different ways to test your idea, and they are designed for other purposes.
Proof of Concept
PoC tests whether an application can be developed. The developers test the technical assumptions to determine if an application that has these specific functionalities and capabilities can be built. Here are three leading indicators that can help you decide whether your project needs a PoC:
A High-Risk Feature
A PoC can help assess the feasibility of a new feature with a high risk that has never been implemented before.
A New Type of Product
PoC is a must if you're creating a new product. To assess the potential of an application, it is essential to test its novel features.
New Technologies and Their Implementation
These technologies, such as AI, AR, and IoT, are still relatively new. You should test these technologies before you decide to base your main feature around them.
Prototype
The prototype shows the possible way to build an application or feature. A prototype is a sort of draft for the future app. It allows the user to visualize and feel it. A prototype is an affordable and quick way to evaluate the product.
You can create a prototype on paper or a board. A low-fidelity interactive prototyping method involves building a wireframe and applying the paper prototype.
You can focus your attention on the design, color, and image using prototyping software. You can then proceed to a high-fidelity prototype, which involves building the entire UI. It is also possible to test it with a testable user interface. It's the closest thing you can come to the final product with prototyping.
The Following are Examples of the use of MVP
The minimum viable product (MVP) is a miniature, simplified version of the final product. It contains essential features. MVPs are a simple product type that helps you to evaluate the user experience as well as its capability to achieve your business objectives.
You will test your assumptions with the team as part of MVP. Look at the applications of your competitors for ideas, but remember that you'll have to be better.
When you're building a new UI, the importance of an MVP increases. MVPs are also a vital part of the agile method, where you can release new products after each iteration. This reduces the time to market.
What is the Cost of Developing a Mobile App From Scratch?
It is impossible to give a definitive answer as the cost of mobile application development depends on so many factors. There is no correct answer here as it depends on a multitude of factors. What is the price of app development? Please take a look at some of the most famous apps to see how much they cost.
WhatsApp has several basic features, including registration, contact information, notifications, conversations, geolocation and video calls.
The development of all the features above takes between 800 and 900 hours. The remaining duties, such as UX/UI Design, Project Management and Quality Assurance, will require 400-500 hours.
The application can be completed in 1200-1400 hours. The cost of one hour varies by country: US is about $120; UK is $60; Eastern Europe is $35-$45. App design and development will therefore cost between $168,000 to $144,000 in the US and only $42,000-$63,000 in Eastern Europe.
Uber
If you're interested in creating an Uber-like app, what can you do? Registration, payment, information about cards, notifications, ride history, tracking and notifications are all client-side features.
The completion of this part will require approximately 500 hours. Count the features on the driver's side, such as booking history and replying to requests - another 300 hours - and add in the admin dashboard and UX/UI designs - an additional 250 hours. The Uber-like application will take 1,050 building hours and cost $126,000. In the US, it'll be $36,750-$47,250.
What are the Best Ways to Develop Custom Apps?
Outsourcing
A cost comparison has already been made. The trend of outsourcing to Eastern Europe or Asia is due to this significant difference. These countries have lower living costs, which allows them to offer more affordable app development services. Outsourcing not only saves you money but also allows you to access a wider pool of talented people.
You can delegate your entire iOS or Android application development to a mobile app agency and focus on other business objectives.
The Following are Examples of the Use of MVP
Your success is determined by Proof of Concept (POC), prototyping and MVP. MVP reduces the fear of not developing enough features, which makes app design much more efficient.
App developers who are at the top of their game will focus on only functional elements to create an MVP and not be distracted by extraneous features.
You can also detect bugs faster by using minor releases each time. You have no chance of competing in the market if you don't test your ideas for technical feasibility, get user feedback and learn from your mistakes.
Tests of Security
Cyber attacks can easily target mobile apps. Do not think that your app will be impenetrable. From the time your app is in development to when it goes live, many mobile app security (MAST)tools are available. DataDomes' article on mobile app security tools includes a list of applications that you should consider.
These apps are simple to install and don't disrupt the architecture. They also work autonomously. As part of your journey, offer real-time security to customers.
Avoid bugging, slowing down, malware and data theft. Your app can be improved to provide a safer experience for users.
Conclusion
Your work does not end when you have released the app. Keep track of the significant metrics, such as funnel analytics, user behavior, demographics and social sharing. This data can help you assess the effectiveness of your app and make adjustments to it.
Second, there is intense competition in the market for mobile applications. This is the reason why innovation is so important. It is essential to create new functionalities and features, implement and test them as well as gather user feedback. Due to the saturation of the market and ever-changing platform guidelines, this is a constant process.
Finally, you should market your app to your intended audience to achieve your business objectives. You will lose your application in a sea of other applications if you do not promote it.
The software has years of expertise in developing iOS and Android applications. We have supported many companies with the development of enterprise mobile apps, so we know first-hand which technologies will best help you achieve your goals. You will be guided through the entire discovery process, and we can build an application or upgrade your existing app. We have the most talented mobile app developers in our team, who can solve all technical problems.
