AlignMinds Technologies logo

Mobile App Dev Trends in 2024: Buckle Up, It’s a Rocket Ride!

Mobile App Dev

Hold onto your keyboards, developers! The mobile app space in 2024 is about to blast off. We are talking over 935 billion dollars in revenue expected to be generated by mobile apps this year – that’s a mountain of cash waiting to be mined with the right app.

Think about it – nearly 2 million apps are chilling in the App Store, and almost 3 million live on Google Play. And get this – users are hooked – nearly a quarter of Millennials can’t stay away from their apps, checking them over 50 times daily! The market? It’s on fire. We are looking at a 20% growth rate projected from 2021 to 2024. First-time app installs are expected to explode to a mind-blowing 183.7 billion this year. That’s a gold rush of users waiting for the next killer app. So, are you ready to catch up on the latest trends and ensure that your apps are not outdated? In this article, we are here to tell you about the latest trends that will transform how you build apps.

mobile app development

Let’s Get Started with the 11 Trends Shaping the Mobile App Dev:

AR: Think Beyond Pokemon Go! Remember the craze?

That was just a glimpse of what’s to come. Augmented reality (AR) lets you weave real-world magic into your apps. Imagine guiding users through a store with virtual arrows or letting them try on clothes virtually before they buy. The possibilities are limitless!

Security Gets an Overhaul: No More Data Breaches!

Hackers see your app as a goldmine of data. Scary, right? Here’s the harsh truth: traditional security just isn’t enough. In 2023, cybercriminals swiped $2.64 billion from mobile finance apps, and nearly half of data breaches involved stolen logins. Yikes!

That’s where you, the coding samurai, come in. Fingerprint scanning? Table stakes. Developers are like security ninjas, constantly battling with cutting-edge anti-spoofing tech to keep your app’s Fort Knox strong.

Beacons: Location-Based Magic!

Imagine tiny Bluetooth beacons scattered around, whispering sweet nothings (well, data) to smartphones. This tech unlocks a treasure trove of possibilities. Picture a museum app that blasts you with an audio guide as you approach a T-Rex exhibit, or a store sending discount alerts as you browse the shoe section. Beacons are a game-changer for personalized experiences that make users feel like VIPs.

Mobile Payments: Ditch the Bulky Brick (Your Wallet)!

NFC payments are taking the world by storm. Users can simply tap their phones for quick and secure transactions, leaving their bulky wallets at home. Features like Apple Tap to Pay are making it easier than ever for even small businesses to join the contactless payment revolution, without needing fancy terminals.

Instant Apps: Try Before You Buy!

App downloads can be a pain. Enter instant apps: bite-sized versions that let users access specific features without a full install. Perfect for trying things out or quick tasks.

Super Apps: All in One Place!

Think WeChat. These super-powered apps offer a whole ecosystem of services – messaging, social media, payments, and even gaming – all under one roof. The possibilities are staggering.

Super Apps

Cloud Power: Unleash the Beast!

Mobile devices are strong, but they can’t compete with the cloud’s processing muscle. Cloud computing lets apps offload tasks, store massive amounts of data, and scale effortlessly. This translates to smoother performance, lightning-fast updates, and a treasure trove of opportunities for data-driven features.

AI and Machine Learning: Built-in Smarts!

AI is revolutionizing the app landscape. From analyzing user data to personalizing experiences to powering features like image and speech recognition, AI is making apps smarter and more intuitive.

IoT: Connecting Everything!

The Internet of Things (IoT) is weaving a web of connected devices. Mobile apps can become the central hub for controlling and interacting with these devices, opening doors for smart homes, industrial automation, and a future where our physical and digital worlds seamlessly connect.

Cross-Platform Development: Reach Everyone!

Developing separate apps for iOS and Android is a thing of the past. Frameworks like Flutter and React Native are making it easier and cheaper to build cross-platform apps that work flawlessly on both major operating systems.

Microservices Architectures: Building Blocks of Success!

Microservices break down complex apps into smaller, independent modules. This means faster, more agile development and easier maintenance. Imagine a team of specialists working on individual features simultaneously, leading to a smoother development process and a rock-solid final product.

Conclusion

Mobile app development is a goldmine waiting to be tapped. Are you ready to be a mobile app architect and build the next game-changing app?

So, get ready to jump on board. Check out AlignMinds to see how our expertise and knowledge can help you build the next generation of mobile apps.

Mastering Java for Dynamic Front-End Development: Your Ultimate Guide

In an era where user experience is the key to digital success, building a responsive front end is not just a choice but a necessity. And what better language to power this evolution than the stalwart of the programming world – Java!

Did you know that, according to the 2023 report, the global developer community has reached approximately 27 million individuals? Within this vast group, nearly 8 million developers have honed their expertise in Java. Its versatility, reliability, and portability have made it a favourite for building robust and scalable applications. Now, imagine combining the power of Java with the artistry of creating responsive front-ends, and you’ve got a winning formula that can elevate your web development game to new heights.

Get ready for a deep dive into combining the strength of Java with the elegance of responsive design – because in the ever-evolving realm of front-end development with Java, adaptability is the key, and Java is your trusty ally on this exciting journey!

Definition and importance of responsive web design

 importance of responsive web design

Responsive web design is a crucial approach for any web development company in the US and beyond, to create websites that adapt seamlessly to various devices and screen sizes, enhancing UI/UX. It ensures optimal user experience, irrespective of whether the user is accessing the site on a desktop, tablet, or smartphone.

This adaptability is vital in the mobile-centric digital age, enhancing accessibility and user satisfaction.

Significance of combining Java with responsive design principles

Combining Java with responsive design principles is pivotal in contemporary software development for several reasons.

Java, as a robust and platform-independent programming language, seamlessly integrates with responsive design frameworks, ensuring cross-browser and cross-device compatibility. This synergy allows developers to create dynamic and interactive user interfaces that adapt fluidly to various screen sizes. Java’s server-side capabilities enhance data processing and communication, facilitating seamless interaction between the client and server. This amalgamation ensures optimal user experiences across diverse devices, fostering accessibility and inclusivity.

Moreover, Java’s scalability aligns with the dynamic nature of responsive design, accommodating evolving technological landscapes. Ultimately, the integration of Java with responsive design principles empowers developers to deliver agile, user-centric applications that cater to the diverse preferences of the modern digital audience.

Practical Guide: How to Build Responsive Front Ends with Java

1.Mobile-centric Java coding:

Mobile centric java development

Implementing a mobile-first approach in Java development involves prioritizing the design and functionality for smaller screens, leveraging Java’s responsive design capabilities. This ensures a seamless user experience on various devices by adapting layouts and features accordingly, enhancing accessibility and user engagement.

2.Java libraries for responsive typography: Utilizing Java-based libraries for responsive typography empowers developers to dynamically adjust font sizes and styles based on screen dimensions. Leveraging these libraries ensures consistent readability and aesthetics across diverse devices, contributing to an optimal user experience.

3.Java app image optimization: Optimizing images for various screen sizes in Java applications, especially in the context of UI/UX, is crucial for efficient data transfer and faster loading times. Employ Java techniques to dynamically serve appropriately sized images based on device specifications, enhancing performance and reducing bandwidth usage.

4.Java media queries for adaptation: Media query usage in Java enables the adaptation of styles based on device characteristics. Incorporate responsive design principles by employing Java-based media queries to tailor CSS styles and layouts, ensuring a visually appealing and functional interface across a spectrum of devices.

5.Enhance performance with Java’s lazy loading: Implementing Java-based lazy loading enhances performance by loading content only when needed. Optimize user experience by utilizing Java techniques to load images and resources asynchronously, reducing initial page load times and improving overall responsiveness.

6.Java frameworks for responsive tables/forms: Creating responsive tables and forms with Java frameworks ensures a consistent user interface across devices. Utilize Java frameworks to design tables and forms that automatically adjust their layouts based on screen size, providing an intuitive and user-friendly experience on both desktop and mobile platforms.

7.Java Touch Event Solutions: Java-based solutions for handling touch events and gestures enhance the interactivity of responsive front-ends. Implement touch event handling in Java to create touch-friendly interfaces, accommodating mobile and tablet users with intuitive gestures, taps, and swipes.

8.Debug responsive Java interfaces:

Responsive java interface

Testing and debugging responsive Java front-ends across devices is crucial for delivering a seamless user experience. Employ Java testing frameworks and debugging tools to simulate various device characteristics, screen sizes, and orientations, ensuring the responsiveness and functionality of the application on diverse platforms.

Elevate Your Presence: AlignMinds as Your Ultimate Web Development Partner

In the dynamic realm of web development, mastering responsive front-end development with Java is crucial, and this comprehensive guide to building them with Java has been your compass. As you embark on your coding journey, remember that innovation and expertise are key.

When it comes to crafting exceptional web solutions, AlignMinds stands tall as the best web development company in India, the Middle East, the US and other regions. With a proven track record of excellence, we blend creativity with technology to elevate your digital presence. Now, armed with knowledge and a reliable partner, go ahead and create web experiences that captivate and conquer.

Top Web Development Projects Ideas

WEB DEVELOPMENT IDEAS

If you’re starting with web development, this post will outline some of the top web development ideas that you can use to make your website stand out.

8 Best Web Development Project Ideas In 2023

Here in this section, we will discuss 8 best full stack web development project ideas that you can try in 2023:

1. Grocery Delivery Website or App

grocery delivery app

Grocery delivery apps as a top web development project idea gives users a wide range of products and services. They’re frequently integrated with an analytics API. Using free website builders enables adding eCommerce functionality and shipping options. Grocery delivery websites help users compare prices and make payments and save shopping lists. Food delivery apps offer features similar to real- time operations and social sign- ups and customizable payment options. Some offer cash- on- delivery, while others allow credit cards to pay for their orders. The first step in the development process is to set your process flow. This will include defining your target followership, relating the type of app you want to produce, determining the time it’ll take to develop, and assessing the ideal of your final design.

2. Mood-board Creator App

mood board creator app

A mood- board creator app is another web development project idea that saves time and money by helping you organize your ideas. This can be especially useful if you’re working with a customer. Creating a mood board can be delightful for sharing your ideas with guests and fellow creators. A mood board can help you find direction in your design process and help you exclude design crimes. Mood boards can come in numerous forms, but a standard format is a digital collage of images, plates and textures. They can also include words or descriptive expressions that capture the overall feeling of a particular design. Whether creating a brand, website, or mobile operation, mood boards can help you develop a sense of style. These can be simple visual plans or complex, organized collages.

3. Image-Sharing App

There’s a lot of talk about image sharing these days, so let’s look at some of the most extraordinary ways you can put your digital creations to good use. One thing’s for sure you’ll have a lot further data to work with in the coming times. One way to do this is by starting with native app development. For illustration, you could use Kotlin for Android, Swift for iOS, and JavaScript for the database. This will enable you to make a largely functional operation in no time at all. To get the most out of this operation, you ’ll need to be more sophisticated in your approach. In particular, you must concentrate on the big picture, i.e., your users and their requirements.

4. To-do List App

to-do list app

You can use the to- do list app as your web development project idea as your first design. If you’re starting with a full stack web development, these apps are a great way to organize and stay on track. The stylish to-do list apps are easy to use and allow you to produce tasks and assign them to others. A to- do list can keep you from getting distracted and make it easier to flash back effects. It also allows you to produce space for other studies. Plus, these apps are mobile-friendly, so they’re great for busy people on the go. When preparing your to- do list app, you’ll need to do some database CRUD operations. You’ll also need to allow users to produce and view timetable views, library systems, and comment on tasks.

5. Invoicing System For Freelancers

A sound invoicing system for freelancers is a game-changer for freelancers in terms of keeping pace with their payment obligations. It can simplify transferring checks and help you get paid promptly. The software should also allow you to track your time and charges to keep your billable hours in check. A tab system that allows you to shoot customized checks will make your billing process more manageable. Some of these systems offer a variety of precious features, similar to automatic payment options. It also offers a free invoicing option to automate introductory invoicing requirements.

6. Video Conferencing Website or Application

Videotape conferencing application is a great web development project idea to showcase your skills. To produce a videotape conferencing app, you need to consider your target followership and the features that will be most useful to them. It would help if you also add many features that will help you optimize your real- time connection. The most pivotal point of a videotape conferencing app is the audio and videotape quality. It is crucial as it can make a huge difference in the number of people that can participate in a call. Additionally, you can add a whiteboard. Some of the more advanced features include automatic adaptations to the video and audio bitrates, which are pivotal to the quality of your calls.

7. Content Management System

content management system

Web development involves designing and developing a website with numerous factors. These include your software, customer software, and a database to store data. Content operation systems help manage content. These systems allow users to produce, edit and publish blog posts. They also offer performance monitoring and reporting. A CMS is a more complicated one than a regular messaging app. A full Stack system should be suitable to make the system you need. Whether it’s an e-commerce website or a portfolio website, you will need to learn how to develop the right way.

8. Project Management Tool

Complete mound web development systems involve erecting a website with multiple factors and a database for data storehouse. To make a full stack web development, you need a lot of knowledge of different technologies. Fortunately, several software tools will help you with this. MeisterTask is a Kanban- grounded tool that helps you sort and organize your systems. It has a free version and paid version that includes many features like workflows, custom fields, and more. Wrike is an important design operation tool. It helps you set a timeline, organize tasks, and improve performance. You can also produce interactive maps. It’s available in a free version and a paid version with unlimited users.

Conclusion

Whether you ’re looking to start a new web development project or revamp your existing one, plenty of offers are available to help you get started. We hope our information gives you an idea of which one you should go for. Get in touch with us today to know how you can get any of these projects developed by the hand of our professionals.

Finding the Right Mobile App Development Services: Checklist

In 2020, global revenue from mobile apps crossed 318 billion U.S. dollars. This was a big jump from 60 billion U.S. dollars in 2019.

The mobile games segment topped the chart with a revenue of over 200 billion U.S. dollars. Social networking mobile apps created revenue of around 31 billion dollars and came second on the list.

Due to high earning potential and the chance to capture a huge market share, mobile apps are becoming popular in all segments. Statista reports that as of the first quarter of 2021, over 3.48 million mobile apps were available on the Google play store.

As mobile apps became popular, the demand for mobile app development services also saw a huge rise. Businesses and entrepreneurs recognized the importance of finding the right mobile app development services, so they can maximize the potential for growth and revenue.

However, as the demand for mobile application development services increased, the industry also saw significant growth. Countless mobile app development companies came into existence across the globe to tap on the opportunity.

As a result, finding the right app development companies from the plethora of options become a difficult task for most businesses.

The number of available apps in the Google Play Store from 2nd quarter 2015 to 1st quarter 2021. Courtesy: Statista.

Resources required for mobile app development

You may think the new-age businesses like mobile games and social media etc. are different from traditional businesses. Their business strategy and resource allocation are something new that traditional businesses can never relate to.

However, this is a false notion.

Just like a traditional business, any technology-oriented business also has the strategies set out almost similarly. The resources are invested in market research, competitors’ analysis, consumer behaviour study, planning of solutions, implementation of the solution, marketing, and post-purchase services. The major segments where a new-age business invests its resources are listed below.

Market Research

Before you start building your app, there are a few steps you must complete. The first one on the list is “market research”.

Try to find answers to questions like

  • Who is your target audience?
  • What are the problems they are facing?
  • How the solution you are going to develop will help them?
  • What are the current options in front of your target audience?
  • How can your solution help the audience better?

Business strategy

You have to strategize how the mobile app you are going to develop will help you as a business. For every business, profit and growth are the ultimate goals. So, any investment they make should bring them returns in terms of profit or growth.

At this step, a business should strategize whether the mobile app is part of their growth plan or a source of revenue. For example, a construction business can create a mobile app as a media consumption platform where they share the latest designs, DIY tutorials or general tips and guides on construction and design. Here the strategy is to help their brand name reach a larger audience, so it will be easier to sell to the same audience later.

On the other hand, a revenue-oriented solution will be a platform where a business connects with their customers and sell products and services directly to them. eCommerce websites are a suitable example of this.

The other things a business should decide include how are they planning to implement this strategy. Are they planning to generate revenue via ads, subscription offers, in-app purchases, one-time payments, upgrade plans or any other modes? If the strategy is to increase their brand reach, what types of content they can utilize? How frequently the content should be updated? Should the content be available in multiple languages?

Consumer study

To be honest, this one should be a part of all the stages of app development. The targeted audience will come into contact with a business in several instances. Each time, the interaction will provide more data about the targeted audience. As a business, you should leverage this information to improve your products and find better and efficient ways to reach the target audience.

In the preliminary stages, you can make use of direct surveys and market research to build a customer profile. Once the app is live, you can leverage the data from the inbuilt analytics or third-party tools. More information can be collected from customers directly once they have directly engaged with your business either during a business transaction or post-purchase.

The collected data can be used to improve existing products, introduce new products, improve your marketing efforts etc.

Building the app

The app can be built in house or by hiring external agencies who are experts in mobile app development.

While building an app in-house will offer you more control over the whole process, it may increase the cost of the process and may delay the launch of the app. You have to invest in technology, infrastructure, human resources and set methodologies and quality standards all by yourself. You also must take care of app deployment and post-deployment strategies. All these will build up cost and hiring the right resources and setting up infrastructure etc. will take time.

If you are hiring a mobile app development company, they already have the right resources and methodologies with them. So, the development cost and time may be less compared to developing an app in house.

If you have no prior experience in this field, has budget constraints or need to launch the app as early as possible, hiring an app development agency will be the right option.

App launch and post-deployment

Whether it is an iOS app or an Android app, your app should follow certain guidelines and quality standards to become eligible to be featured on respective app markets. For example, this is a guideline offered by Apple. And, this is one of the guidelines offered by Google. There are several such guidelines and tips available for both App Store and Play store.

However, submitting your app to the app store or play store won’t be enough. Even if the app store optimization is done right, the success of your app can’t be guaranteed at this stage.  You have to promote your newly launched app to your target audience and for that implementation of a well-planned marketing strategy is necessary.

You should also update your app periodically to meet new technology standards and keep it secure and bug-free.

Should you hire mobile app development services?

As you just read, mobile app development is a complex process of combining business strategies and technological innovation. It demands market and technology expertise. The resources needed for developing a mobile app is demanding and you should plan it carefully to not waste your investment.

Thus, unless you have prior experience in developing a mobile app, it is always better to hire mobile app development services so the result can be somewhat guaranteed. The good thing about hiring a mobile app development company is that the right one will have enough experience and expertise in the industry to help you out with the whole process starting from market research and product conceptualization to app launch and app marketing.

But the question is how do you find the right mobile app development services?

Finding the right mobile app development services

Definition of “right mobile app development services” may vary from one business to another. There are different factors that decide whether a mobile app development service is suitable or non-suitable for a business.

Price

First and foremost, the cost of hiring an app development service should be affordable. Unless the services are available at a price range you are able to meet, hiring becomes futile since the project will never be completed or you may lose ownership of the final product.

The best way to find affordable app development services is to hire globally. For example, the cost of developing mobile apps is comparatively less in south-east Asian countries like India or Eastern European countries. If you think hiring from these countries won’t handicap you in terms of communication and quality, this will be a wise decision to make in terms of investment.

Pricing model

Often app development agencies will have different pricing models. For example, some agencies charge you per project, some charge you based on services offered and some others may charge you based on resources. There are also app development agencies that offer you a flexible pricing model.

Experience

Hiring an experienced app development agency will be the right decision for most businesses as it will reduce risk.

When hiring a mobile app development company check whether they have any previous experience in developing similar mobile apps or a mobile app for the same market or industry. Check how the apps are performing in the market. If they have prior experience in developing a similar app, they might be familiar with the industry, business model and target market. So, they can leverage their experience in each stage of development such as user experience, choosing the technology platforms, payment integration, data security and legal compliance etc.

You must also check the performance and quality of the mobile apps they have developed by downloading a few of them and using them on a device. You can also check the ratings and feedbacks their previous customers have given them.

Expertise

Mobile app development is a complex process. It involves different stages and each stage demand expertise in certain disciplines.

For example, the first stage of app development can be identified as product conceptualization. This stage involves planning the product you are going to develop, what are its strength and how it will help you as a business and how it will help the targeted audience with their problems. Here, the expertise should be related to market research and business planning.

The next stage of app development deals with product design. It involves the process of transforming the product concept into design in terms of wireframes, icons, typography, and images. Here, creativity and design capabilities are the expertise called for.

In the next stages, experts are needed for

  • Finding the right technology platforms,
  • Maintaining coding standards,
  • Understanding quality parameters,
  • Following legal and security guidelines,
  • Meeting app store eligibility
  • Promote the mobile app
  • User analytics etc.

If your plan is to hire an agency to take care of the whole mobile app development process, you should check whether they have the expertise to manage each stage of the development cycle. Lack of expertise in even a single stage may negatively impact the success of your mobile app.

Location

If you are hiring from outside the country, you should be careful about communication and cultural differences.

If there is a big difference in time zone, it may negatively impact the communication since the team you hired may not be available at a time that is convenient for you. So before hiring, you must check whether support is available around the clock or during the time that is convenient to you and your team.

You should also check whether the team can communicate in a language you are comfortable with. Miscommunication will lead to misunderstandings. It will cause unnecessary delays in the development and may impact the functions of the final product negatively.

Quality standards

The quality of a mobile app is necessary due to several factors. First and foremost, the app should provide a good experience for the end-user. It should meet security standards to avoid any legal proceedings from authorities or the users who think the app has violated their basic rights. The quality should be kept in check to become eligible to be submitted to App Store and Play Store, the most popular app markets currently in the market.

So, while looking for mobile application development services, you should check whether the service provider has any understanding of these quality standards. Normally any professional app development agency will have a document that states the quality standards they follow, what are the measurements they take to ensure the mobile app quality and how they mitigate any issues that arise related to this matter and details of contact points who are responsible for monitoring and maintaining the quality of the product they develop.

Before hiring, you should check whether the agency can share any such documents. If no such documents are available, you should check what options are available to check what quality standards the agency follows.

Property rights and Disclosure

Have no doubts. If you are the one paying for the services, you should be the owner of the product idea and final product. A proper non-disclosure agreement should be signed between you and the app development agency in the preliminary stages of communication itself and the agency should respect the product as intellectual property of your business.

Security

Security standards are compulsory for any app product. The app should be safe and secure to use, it should be protected from unauthorized access and the data should be stored securely following all data policy and data security standards set up by security experts and legal authorities.

Any failure in this department will not only impact the business negatively but also cause additional costs in terms of fines and compensation and tarnish the image of the business in front of the public. It may even force the business to shut down its operation and the parties involved may have to undergo legal scrutiny.

Delivery management

Hiring mobile application development services doesn’t mean that you are handing over the whole process to the agency and left waiting until the final product is ready.

The agency should keep you updated periodically as the development progress and seek frequent feedback from you. You should not be left out as an external party but should be respected as part of the team. Regular meetings should be scheduled, and you should have ways and means to raise your concerns and share your feedback.

The delivery management standards and guidelines should be documented and shared with you in the preliminary stages of communication itself. As a client, you should also have the details of contact points at different levels so that if an issue arises, you can seek for remedy immediately.

Deployment

Deployment is the process of launching the final version of a mobile app and offering a way for the actual users to access it.

Generally, apps are deployed on app markets like App Store or Play Store depending on the technology and platforms. To be eligible for deployment, each app market has its own guidelines and quality standards. The app will be approved only after the review of the same. The agency should be familiar with all these guidelines and ensure that the app is deployed as preplanned. They should also take care of all the App Store Optimization(ASO) techniques that will help the app to reach more users.

Post-deployment services

Post-deployment services are mainly app maintenance services. It includes bug fixes, releases of the new versions, adding new functionalities and features, user analytics, data on acquisition etc.

Most companies charge based on hours or a monthly retainer fee for post-deployment services. But this will wholly depend on their business and pricing model. As a business, you should try to hire the best post-deployment services as they will have a direct impact on uptime and the user experience.

Conclusion

Finding mobile app development services is not difficult in this day and age. However, finding the “right” application development services may be difficult for most businesses as the definition of “best app development services” vary from one to another. As each business is unique, you should find an app development agency that understands your industry and business goal and share the same business values as yours.

AlignMinds has more than 12 years of experience in developing mobile apps for startups and enterprises alike. We have developed several trendsetting yet cost-effective solutions for multiple verticals throughout the years of our existence. If you are looking for an experienced mobile app development agency who is also an expert in this field, contact us now!

Why Choose Flutter for Your Next Mobile App Development Project?

Cross-platform applications are critical for any business enterprise and it is the most popular development trend in 2021. Recent studies and surveys say that Flutter is the most preferred choice for developing cross-platform applications as it speeds up the app development process and reduces the cost.

According to Statista, Flutter is the second most popular cross-platform technology in 2021 with a massive 532% growth over the last two years. Google confirms that half a million developers are using Flutter each month. This framework allows us to build high-performance, attractive, and customized solutions in a short span of time.

What is Flutter?

Flutter is an open-source mobile user interface software development kit from the world’s largest tech giant Google. It helps to develop cross-platform applications for Android, iOS, Linux, Mac, Windows, and the web from a single codebase. Flutter is the most advantageous framework in mobile application development.

Courtesy: Flutter.dev

Flutter combines the ease of application development with native performance while maintaining visual consistency across various platforms. Since it is open-source and completely free, Flutter is preferred by developers all over the globe. Also, it is amongst the top and most powerful frameworks as compared to various other languages. Flutter is set to dominate the market with its reduced code development time. This cross-platform application development framework reduces the development efforts without compromising on the user experience.

Why Flutter for mobile application development?

Mobile applications are becoming an integral part of our life today. The total number of mobile applications launched on Android has exceeded the 100K per month mark with another 30K iOS app releases. Since the post-pandemic period, app development services have become accessible even to small companies located in remote areas of the world, every business is launching new apps. Selecting the most suitable framework with improved performance is the most decisive factor in deciding the success of a mobile app.

Comparison of cross-platform technologies

Flutter from Google

Since Flutter uses Dart programming language instead of JavaScript, the app developers can see modifications in real-time. So, it is easy to avoid mistakes and build complex applications in comparatively less development time.

React Native

Just like Flutter, React Native is also an open-source framework for cross-platform mobile application development. However, it uses JavaScript and a small amount of native component APIs. Here a developer should strictly define the sequence of actions that describe how the application should work and turn the design into a real-world application.

Percentage of developers who are interested in continuing to use the same technology they are using. Flutter ranked 3rd while React Native stand at 10th position. Courtesy: insights.stackoverflow.com

Xamarin

Xamarin is another popular cross-platform application framework for iOS, Android, Windows, vOS, watchOS, and macOS. It uses C # and .NET. Since a variety of APIs is available, Xamarin developers can easily integrate many native hardware components into the solution which could, in turn, improve the user experience further. However, the user interface development is time-consuming.

Benefits of Flutter app development

Flutter helps with developing and maintaining mobile applications for both Android and iOS in a single code base. Let’s discuss the major advantages of using Flutter for application development.

Large community support

Flutter is an open-source project developed by Google. It is not only free, but the framework gets frequent updates and bug fixes. Google organizes meetup events and conferences to help companies learn how Flutter can help them to strengthen their businesses. Since they are open to collaboration, it is easy to create solutions and you can even modify the framework to suit your project requirement.

The total number of apps launched in various periods. Courtesy: Statista.com

Cost-effective and fast development

Code then compile is the common procedure followed by both Android and iOS developers. However, with Flutter, developers can check the results immediately after every modification in code and roll them back if necessary. Thus, the probability for bugs and errors is less in the case of Flutter app development. As a result, hiring a Flutter app developer makes it less time-consuming to launch your business apps into the market and utilizing minimum human resources.

Organizations using Flutter can quickly create well-tuned applications for their business and with an innovative UX design. Since Futter is using Dart programming language, debugging is also a comparatively easier process.

Web application capabilities

The Flutter framework has destroyed the traditional approach of developing separate solutions for web and mobile. With Flutter, you can build apps for iOS, Android, and the browser from the same codebase and offer the same experience to end-users.

Customized and attractive user interface

The layered architecture provides faster user interface rendering to produce personalized designs. It is also equipped with packages that contain custom widgets for both Android and iOS operating systems. Even a smaller development crew can build a beautiful mobile app using the Flutter framework.

Easy integration with the existing applications

Flutter offers a trouble-free integration facility with the existing business applications. You can try Flutter technology on an existing mobile application running on native code with least to nil compatibility issues.

Top 5 applications built with Flutter framework

Flutter is gaining popularity among developers and in the industry. This feature-rich developer-friendly framework has aided in the creation of many modern applications.

Google Ads

The mobile application for Google Ads allows you to manage the paid advertisement campaigns directly from your smartphone. The application’s feature includes campaign statistics and real-time updates on campaigns. This helps advertisers and marketers with real-time monitoring of campaigns and effectively manages them to meet their adverting goals.

Xianyu by Alibaba

Flutter helped the eCommerce giant Alibaba to come up with Xianyu. It is the online retail platform of Alibaba Group. This application is used by more than 50 million users to buy and sell various products.

Reflectly

This Flutter app allows users to create stories in a personal journal with artificial intelligence support. Reflectly adopted Flutter recently to overcome the issues faced with its React Native counterpart.

KlasterMe

KlasterMe is the first social media platform built with the help of Flutter framework. This application enables users to share creations with their friends. Users can build dedicated pages, add images, and create blog posts.

Hamilton Musical

Flutter framework supports the official application for Hamilton – the award-winning Broadway musicals. This application updates its fans with all music news and provides access to merchandise.

Lunching

Lunching is a Flutter app that facilitates the delivery of food online. Flutter helped Lunching with an easy and elegant design, smooth animations, and a rich user interface.

Factors to consider when hiring a Flutter developer for your project

Technical and professional expertise

A Flutter developer should familiarize themselves with the best practices in the industry. They should have a good understanding of common development methodologies, quality guidelines, cross-compatibility, and update themselves with the latest trends in the industry. Someone who has prior experience in working on similar projects or markets may have a visible advantage over other developers.

Geographical proximity

Traditionally, the best choice was always to hire someone from proximity. The common notion was it helps with avoiding conflicts that might arise from differences in time zone and culture. However, modern innovations have made remote working a viable possibility and it is time to make the best use of it.

Service cost

Flutter framework helps in bringing down the development cost. However, you should be careful about the development cost since it usually varies across the world. For example, developers from countries like India may charge less compared to someone or some agencies from USA. Also, you should be careful about the service model and how the agency will charge you.

Innovation and technology update

The domain of application development is very dynamic. Upgrading your technology can help you work better and more efficiently. The Flutter developer should be self-motivated and innovative. This not only helps them to have greater flexibility but also make them a great problem solver which is an essential characteristic for a developer.

How to hire a Flutter developer?

Agencies

Certified agencies provide full-time engagement and it is beneficial for long-term projects. You can rely on their expertise and professional skills.

Freelancers

You can easily find specialists offering services on various freelancing platforms like Upwork or Fiverr. Hiring Flutter developers from the same time zones can help with easy communication. However, it is better to focus on quality and affordability when hiring a Flutter developer.

Outsourcing

Outsourcing combines the benefits of both in-house hiring and freelancers. You can collaborate with Flutter application developers around the globe. There are also reputable outsourcing agencies you can partner with to discuss and implement your project. Such agencies will mostly have the right talent for your requirement since they are employed full-time in the agency, and they are hired only after professional evaluation. Also, such agencies will also have the infrastructure to support the app development process from start to end.

How to find the best Flutter app development company?

Work portfolio and customer retention

A successful company will showcase the previous work details on its website. You must be attentive to the details as it will show you what you can expect from that particular Flutter service provider. Give special attention to the scale of the work, nature of the work, the timeline of the project, the technologies used, and also check the final product by trying it out by downloading it from the app store or visiting their client’s website.

Expertise and cost-effectiveness

Make sure you find someone who can work within the set budget without compromising on the quality. If you are cost-conscious, it is better to hire someone from countries like India where you can find the right expertise for comparatively less cost.

Reviews and client testimonials

Most app development companies will have active profiles on platforms like Clutch and GoodFirms. Such platforms feature client reviews, ratings, and testimonials provided for their Flutter development services. By assessing their profile, understand whether the app developer was able to meet their client expectations and what are the strength and weaknesses of the agency.

Flutter for app development in 2021

Flutter is one of the most used technologies in the mobile app development industry in 2021. Flutter mobile application programmers can develop cross-platform apps that run seamlessly on several operating systems. Flutter framework poses minimal risks to you as a business and so it should be your first choice for cross-platform app development. If you need to know more about Flutter development, don’t hesitate to contact us!

e-Learning App Development: Learn How to Create Your Next App

Place and time. These are the two main barriers men have always despised. Ever since the adoption of technology, we as humans have been somewhat successful in breaking these barriers. 

In recent times, one of the industries that are seeing the fastest growth due to the elimination of these barriers with the help of technology in the education industry. Learningnews reports that the e-learning market will exceed USD 375 billion in 5 years. According to Global Market Insights, the e-Learning Market size is set to exceed USD 1 trillion by 2027.

The below graph shows the size of the global e-learning market in 2019 and 2026, by segment in million U.S. dollars

(Source: Statista)

According to the research,

“In 2019, the global online e-learning market was sized at approximately 101 billion U.S. dollars. During that same period, learning management system market generated roughly 18 billion U.S. dollars. By 2026, the total market for e-learning worldwide is forecasted to grow exponentially, reaching over 370 billion U.S. dollars”.

The reason for this exceptional growth is now people are looking to learn from the comfort of their home or they have very limited time that they can invest in learning and looking for something flexible so that they can learn whenever they have free time. Also, the pandemic has boosted the growth of the e-learning industry since people have no option to go out and there are restrictions put down by the government in so many countries. So many EdTech companies tapped into this opportunity and invested heavily in e-learning solutions to meet the demand.

What is e-learning?

Economic times defines e-learning as

A learning system based on formalised teaching but with the help of electronic resources is known as E-learning. While teaching can be based in or out of the classrooms, the use of computers and the Internet forms the major component of E-learning.

However, not just computers, students and teachers are using other devices like smartphones and tablets that support connectivity to participate in an e-learning system. In fact, smartphones have become one of the strong pillars of e-learning systems due to them being more affordable and mobile. Almost all e-learning systems have a native version for at least the major mobile platforms, Android and iOS.

What is an e-learning app?

An e-learning app is an application that is built specifically to impart knowledge, encourage creativity, and most importantly encourage healthy dialogues between teachers and students to simplify the process of learning.

As mentioned earlier the process of E-learning is performed through an application like a mobile app which can be easily downloaded through your Android and or iOS devices. It is a closed-end system ensuring effective privacy and security to both teachers and students ensuring a safe environment for all the participants. The interface used in the app is simple and easy to use making it a comfortable place for students to learn each topic.

How to create an e-learning app?

There is no doubt in anybody’s mind that the e-learning app is the future of learning, the pandemic has further solidified this observation. e-learning apps are a global phenomenon, and it is the right time to capitalize on the same. As per Reuters, the e-learning App industry is expected to touch $275 billion globally.

Now, the billion-dollar question of 2021 is how to develop an e-learning app, e-learning app development consist of five steps they are as follows:

1. Identify and develop the concept

The next step in how to create an e-learning app process is to further develop your concept. This stage can be defined with the help of six key product dimensions they are as follows:

Target audience

The first step in the process of developing an e-learning app is identifying the target market. The biggest question to be answered in this stage is who is your app catering to? For example, is it for elementary school students or for bachelors’ students, masters, STEM field, architect, or just a general portal that provides diverse educational material?

The right target group must be identified as it influences the e-learning app development process. If the target audience is elementary kids, then the fonts used in the app will have bright attractive colours and a lot of animation to capture the attention of the children.

Public vs Private

The next important factor to consider is will the app be available to the public or will the information be accessed only to a close group. For example, if your e-learning mobile app development is for an educational institution like school or college then it is important to make the app private.

Geographical scope

Is the app directed for specific geography like India or is it for a specific economic area like the EEA? such decisions will play a vital role while developing the app. Each country has its unique grading systems, class structures, and so on, which are very important considerations while developing an e-learning app.

Customizability

Is your product flexible enough to be customized as per the requirement of each organization?. Is it possible to add or delete certain functions in your app to suit the requirements of each customer or is it a non-flexible product targeted at a specific crowd? Clearly, an important topic to consider.

One way vs two-way communication

Does the e-learning app have two-way communication enablers like video telephony, videoconferencing, voice call, and so on? Two-way communication is especially useful for universities and schools that might require frequent student-teacher interactions. Does the market require one-way communications like lectures, pre-set audio files, slides, and so on? It is important to keep this aspect in mind while developing the e-learning platform.

Price

Price is arguably one of the most important dimensions while identifying the scope of the app. Will the app be paid or unpaid? and if it is paid how do you expect to get paid, is it a monthly subscription, or it is based on the modules, contents consumed, and so on. A perfect price strategy can determine the success of the product.

2. Competitor analysis/Feasibility study

The research phase is an important phase in the e-learning mobile app development process. In this phase, the individual concerned will have to do extensive research on the competitors. It is very important to be aware of the latest developments in the industry and to be updated about the same. Once thorough research is performed it is safe to move to the next stage, selecting a development partner.

3. Selecting a development partner: e-learning app development company

Selecting a development partner for developing your e-learning project is very essential to ensure timely delivery of the product. While selecting the e-learning app development company it is important to look at their past projects and judge based on their success. You could also contact their previous clients to know more about the quality and performance of the e-learning app development company. Associate with a company only after you are 100% satisfied with identifying who they are and what their capabilities are.

4. Promotion and advertisements

Even though this step cannot be counted as a core aspect of how to create an e-learning app, nevertheless it is a very important step. No product however good it may be will not survive without proper promotions and advertisements. It is important to engage with potential businesses across the spectrum through both conventional as well as new-gen advertisement platforms. Promotion and advertisements are a must-do in today’s dynamic environment to get the best ROI for your buck.

The essential character of e-learning app

e-Learning apps usually has a unique set of characters that makes the product flexible, dynamic, and user-friendly. Some of the most important characters of the e-learning app include the following:

1. User-friendly and intuitive interface

The e-learning website should be user-friendly, clear, and easy to operate. The functions in the dashboard should be marked clearly with clear fonts. There should be a logical flow of functions making the system predictable. All these factors enhance the functionality and the ease of operation of the product making it accessible to a wide array of audiences.

2. SCORM compliant

SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model) compliance enables learning software, e-learning material to be compatible with SCORM compliant LMS. It is the industry technical standard that ensures efficiency and standardization within the overall ecosystem. Hence if you are looking to develop e-learning solutions it is important to comply with internationally accepted standards to ensure competitiveness and future proof.

3. Easy dissemination of Information

The platform should offer easy upload and dissemination of information for its users. The users should be able to upload different document formats like pdf, words, jpg, along with video and audio formats depending upon the requirements. Furthermore, this information should be easily available to the selected group. The platform should have the capability to offer selective viewership of the information along with selective editing capabilities and view-only modes to ensure a seamless experience.

4. Scalability

e-Learning platforms need to be scalable, depending on the user requirements. The app should have the necessary infrastructure to handle heavy traffic as and when required seamlessly. Scalability is not limited to the number of people it can cater to but also functionality, this makes the app future-proof. Scalability plays a vital role in making the product versatile, efficient, and relevant in today’s world.

5. Integrability, documentation, and reporting

In most probable cases e-learning platforms are not sold as a separate unit rather it is sold along with a fully integrated CRM system. This ensures data is transferred from one system to another with minimum effort. Documentation function helps e-learning platforms to document day-to-day functions, results, grades of students, subjects’ wise information, and so on to create functional information that can help identify the performance of an individual. This information can be reported to the appropriate authorities, parents at ease with a well-connected and integrated e-learning app.

6. Learning automation

e-Learning apps should have significant automation of rudimentary and repetitive tasks that otherwise consume a lot of time. The users should have the capacity to send reminders, information to any number of people with a push of a button. These functions help bring flexibility and efficiency to the learning process helping instructors to fully devote their time to the core aspect that is teaching.

How much does it cost to develop an e-learning app?

The cost of creating an e-learning app depends on the specification and functionality of the app. The specification and functionality of the app can be further divided into four major parts they are as follows:

1. General specification and functionality

General specifications and functionalities for an e-learning app usually include things like user-friendly interface, push notification facility, multiple device sync facilities (for example mobile, laptop, tablet, and so on), multimedia content support capability, graphical designs, and so on.

2. Students and parent specification and functionality

Let us look at student specifications and functionality in the first paragraph. Some of the key specifications and functionality required for students include registration for a course or a specific optional subject, course information, course structures, assessment upload portal, assessment marks and exam marks portal, payment portal receipt generation, and downloading facility to name a few.

In the case of a parent, they should have the ability to develop a profile for themselves so that they could monitor the progress of their children, pay fees, and so on.

3. Teacher’s specification and functionality

Teacher’s Specification and Functionality include the following: Editing course materials, submitting and sending new documents, sending and receiving information with the class (including all audio, video, document formats), being able to mark assignments, send push button notifications, and so on.

4. Admin specification and functionality

Admins are in a way the most powerful person who uses the app as he enjoys the maximum power of the lot. He shall have full access to the e-learning software. He shall have access to creating his personal profile, he shall have the ability to monitor, and manage the activities in the platform. He will have the required authority to troubleshoot problems and help carry out activities as requested by other stakeholders.

How do I market my e-learning app?

Marketing is an art that helps suppliers identify potential buyers and sell their products at the best price possible. It doesn’t matter how good the product is, only with appropriate marketing tools can it reach potential buyers which in turn converts to a sale. Some of the most widely used app marketing techniques include the following:

1. Identify and reach your target customer

The first step is to identify who your target customer is and then identify ways and means to reach them. The most popular means to reach your potential customers is through the use of social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, and so on. You could also take the help of Google ads, online forums, to further accelerate your outreach. Offline media include newspapers, magazines, scientific journals, and so on to reach your target audience.

2. Educate your potential customers on e-learning benefits

For this purpose, you could create small animation videos describing your app and how to use them. Finally ending the video with the benefits associated with the app. Visual messages have the capacity to captivate the audience hence they can offer a better customer acquisition rate when compared to other mediums.

3. Live demo

Let say you are targeting schools with your product, a live demo in front of school staff, teachers, and decision-making authorities could give you a better conversion possibility. Do not forget to allow your target audience to use your system and when they understand the simplicity of the system, they would certainly give it a thumbs up. You could even demonstrate the key strengths of the system and how it can simplify the work of the stakeholders using it.

4. Remind them about you through your online presence

Make sure you sign them up with your newsletter. Send them regularly about the new products developed by your, the new offers available, new functions available, and about popular events. You could even offer free passes to those events through your newsletter. Engage with them through multiple platforms like social media, ads, promotional emails, and so on. This will help you cement your brand name in their head.

These tips can surely help you grow your sales and eventually help you to expand your business beyond geographies and product verticals. Please note that understanding these tips does not automatically guarantee success but a careful and well-planned execution of the same will generate the right result.

Conclusion

e-Learning apps help to eliminate the distance between students and teachers. An e-learning app also makes education accessible to more people due to the flexibility it offers. However, to be fully effective and meet its purpose, an e-learning app should have a set of certain qualities that should be planned and implemented correctly. Such features are easy to be identified and implemented if you have the help of an experienced app developer. AlignMinds has more than 12 years of experience in developing trendsetting yet cost-effective digital solutions for multiple verticals. If you are looking for some ideas for your next project, contact us now!

Ensuring Quality in Mobile Apps – Key Considerations

We are living in a world where mobile phones have become a part of our lives.

Mobile phones, nowadays are not only used for calling but are used for many activities as well. Ordering food, shopping of products using platforms such as Amazon, booking tickets for various activities such as travel, watching movies etc. are made easier by the introduction of mobile apps.

Courtesy: Statista.com

Moreover, surveys show that the usage of mobile phones is increasing over time. This has led to the development of mobile apps in many genres. Every business is considering turning into developing quality mobile apps after evaluating the huge usage of mobile phones. But only a few mobile app development companies are investing time and money to develop a quality mobile app.

If you ensure a high mobile app quality then you can witness the steady growth of your business. Users of your app will admire your venture for keeping up the quality standards.

Users do not compromise on the performance of a mobile app. If the mobile app did not work as intended, users will uninstall it and give it a lower rating in the app stores. This will have a negative impact on your business.

Let’s see what are the negative aspects of a mobile app that makes a user remove it from their mobile phone.

8 things users hate the most about low quality mobile apps

Here are some aspects that reduce a mobile app’s quality.

  • Customers hate it when mobile apps crash while using it.
  • Freezing is another aspect that reduces the quality of a mobile app.
  • Users uninstall apps that are slow to respond.
  • High battery usage and too many ads are not appreciated by the users.
  • Some users try to free up their internal storage by moving mobile apps to external storage. Inability to move an app to external storage also declines the overall mobile app quality.
  • Not responding to feedback is another problem that a user hates.
  • If the user experience is not up to the mark, he/she will uninstall it from their mobile phone.
  • Users don’t like it when a mobile app is asking for unnecessary permissions.

To ensure mobile app quality, the mobile app development company or developers face many challenges throughout the development cycle of an app.

Following a mobile app QA checklist is an important factor which determines the overall quality of an app.

But, what is QA?

QA and ensuring mobile app quality

Throughout the app development cycle, QA is the most important factor that determines the popularity of the app among users.

QA means quality assurance. QA is the systematic monitoring and a way to check and prevent any errors or defects while developing a product. Ensuring QA in every stage of development helps in delivering a product that meets customer expectations.

Your company should plan a mobile app QA checklist and should work accordingly to meet the goals. Ensuring QA during every stage of app development helps in avoiding issues such as crashing or freezing of the mobile app. This will help in gaining positive feedback from customers.

There are about six stages of mobile app development. Every stage should have its own mobile app QA checklist. This will ensure an excellent mobile app quality.

1. Ensure mobile app quality during product conceptualization

Maintaining mobile app QA checklist at the very first stage of development helps in delivering a perfect app to the user.

Product conceptualization is the initial stage of app development. It is the stage where your ideas and concepts about the mobile app are envisioned.

The requirements and the design features of the product are drafted in this stage. This stage of development helps you to get a better understanding of the possibilities of your product.

Understanding the priorities of the user helps in ensuring mobile app quality from start to end of the development cycle. Market research based on customer needs helps to identify the demand for a particular product, in this case- the mobile app. Planning app specifications based on this evaluation will help you efficiently in the development process.

Involving employees, who are also customers during product conceptualization helps you in accessing more ideas. Verifying practicability of the suggestions put forward is also a necessary part of ensuring mobile app quality. Documenting these suggestions helps to make the necessary changes during the development cycle.

Take into account the calculations based on the future course of your business while planning a mobile app. In the future, your business might venture into new fields. There is no need to develop another app if you have a mobile app that can cater to the needs of the near future.

Users will not tolerate any performance or quality issues in a mobile app. Hardware and OS (Operating System) also determines the mobile app quality. So while product conceptualization, consider these two factors. A best quality mobile app will exceed the expectations of the user and also should work in every condition.

Planning based on the user requirements and interactive features of the app is another important aspect that ensures mobile app quality during product conceptualization.

A mobile app should have all the functions that a customer needs. Users look into many aspects while downloading a mobile app. Some of this includes seamless login and registration, user-friendly interface and design, engaging content etc.

Choosing a platform, which is the most preferred by users, is also important. There are three types of platforms in which mobile apps are developed. They are web-based apps, Native apps and hybrid apps.

A web-based mobile app is easy to develop and is directly linked to the website of the firm. All the functions of the website are accessible using the mobile app. Native apps are exclusively developed for a single platform (Android or iOS etc.). A Hybrid app is an app which is the blend of the two types discussed above.

The design of an app is also a part of measuring mobile app quality. There are certain aspects that help in building an app with a striking design.

2. Ensure mobile app quality during the design stage

Apps help to simplify your business and tasks. A good app with a brilliant design catches the eyes and mind of the users.

Attractive app design is an indicator of mobile app quality. There are about four steps in the design stage of an app.

2.1 Wireframing

Wireframing design is the first step in creating design layouts.

Digital sketches of designs are called wireframing. Wireframing provides a clear outline of the styling, colour, graphics etc. that will be used in the app. Creating device-specific designs during wireframing will help in providing a better user experience.

2.2. Style guide

Style guides provide a set of guidelines which is useful while designing the content.

A style guide is used as a reference manual that helps in achieving an overall consistency of the mobile app. Style guide documents the font style, colour scheme etc. which is based on the interests of the firm.

2.3. Mockups

The design is rendered using style guides and wireframes.

This visual layout is called mockups or high-fidelity designs. This high-fidelity design resembles the final product. It is a computer-based interactive representation.

2.4. Prototypes

Prototypes help in testing the functionality and design features of the app.

A Prototype is used to demonstrate how an app works. It simulates real-time user experience. App prototyping shows the basic functions and design of an app.

Different mobile app platforms have different design guidelines. Android and Apple recommend some design guidelines that will help in ensuring the mobile app quality.

2.5. Android app: design guidelines

Android uses a design system called Material Design which is based on print design methods. Some of the design guidelines put forward by Android includes the following:

  • Organize the content using cards, lists and sheets
  • Notify users with the help of snack bars, banners and dialogues
  • Usage of a floating action button to perform tasks
  • Android also has an organized system to apply colour to promote consistency and accessible contrast.
  • Material Design provides 13 types of typography which include headlines, captions and body text.

For more information on Android app design guidelines, please visit the official page.

2.6. iOS app: design guidelines

For apps designed for iOS, Apple recommends the following to enhance your mobile app quality.

  • Use legible text at every size with precise and bright icons
  • Highlight content using suitable graphics, colour, fonts etc.
  • Keep the interface design light and casual with minimal use of drop shadows and gradients
  • Use distinct visual layers.
  • Use of transitions provides the users with a sense of depth while navigating through the content.

For more details on the same, please visit the official page of Apple.

The design stage of the app is followed by the development stage.

3. Ensure mobile app quality during the development stage

A properly planned and documented development stages of the application ensures overall mobile app quality.

In the development stage of a mobile app, the developer writes the codes. These codes are then tested by another team that looks into errors in the code. By continuous testing, the team makes the code bug free.

In the development phase, a good level of attention is necessary to develop a bug-free app. A prototype of the app built by the developer and proper documentation sees to it that nothing misses out during actual development

Planning and maintaining a “mobile app quality assurance checklist” from the very beginning of the development cycle is a very important aspect of this phase. It helps in checking mobile app quality during every phase of development.

In the development phase, a good level of attention is necessary to develop a bug-free app. A prototype of the app built by the developer and proper documentation sees to it that nothing misses out during actual development.

There are three important parts of mobile app development. This includes the following:

  • Back-end or server technology: Back-end is a process which involves writing codes for an app to operate. The end-user does not directly interact with the back-end features. There are three types of back-end technology – cloud server, custom server and Mobile Backend as a Service (MBaaS).
  • Application Programming Interface (API): API helps the app to communicate with the back end. APIs are used to increase the user experience and also help the users to interact with other applications.
  • Mobile app front-end: Front end is the user interface part where the customers see and interact with the app. It is also called client-side development.

A simple and easy to use app helps in building up the reputation of the company. Issues such as security breach, crashing, slow processes, failing transactions during purchase will decrease your reputation in the eyes of the users. You will eventually incur a loss in your business as a result of a low-quality app.

If there are any such issues mentioned above in the app, this will lead to high remediation costs and also increases maintenance and marketing costs.The development team should follow popular coding guidelines and can thus avoid committing any such faults.

A good level of attention given to every detail during testing can help in fixing errors easily and early. Avoiding bugs from the early stage of development can help in reducing the cost of bug fixing, patching and updates.

Apps use data such as images and videos commonly. To increase the performance of the apps, the development team can reduce the size of this data by compressing it without compromising on the mobile app quality.

Reducing the load time of the app by pre-fetching data is also a good measure to ensure mobile app quality. Load the data as per the need of the user. Breaking down the content and pre-fetching them helps in reducing the data loading time.

Today, the mobile phone makers use different methods such as sensors, gestures, voice etc. to provide the best user experience. The app development team can use these to the advantage of their app by providing certain features which other apps of the same genre lack.

The next stage involves continuous testing for fixing the mistakes in the app. There are many types of tests that help in enhancing mobile app quality.

4. Ensure mobile app quality while testing

Fixing bugs through frequent testing ensures a higher mobile app quality.

Documenting every test will help in maintaining an overall consistency in mobile app quality. Another factor that helps with ensuring mobile app quality is high accuracy test results. Using real devices will help in achieving high accuracy during testing.

Different platforms use different types of testing to maximise mobile app quality. So the testing team should choose the suitable tools for testing in different devices working on different operating systems. As updates are rolled out for various operating systems every year, test the app on different versions to reduce compatibility issues.

Testing an app on various screen resolutions and rectifying the errors help in improving the performance of the app. Consider the geo-location and carrier while testing the app to reduce crashes as some apps are available only through particular carriers in some locations.

Tests done on the basis of confidentiality, authentication, authorization, storage and web services will ensure the development of good quality apps. Tests should ensure that proper encryption protocols are followed by the app to secure the privacy of the user. Before giving data access to a third-party application, the app should communicate it with the user.

Tests should also ensure that proper encryption protocols are followed when data is stored locally on the phone.

Making and receiving calls- this is the main function of mobile phones. Apps should not interfere with the connectivity and performance of mobile phones.

There are three methods of testing an app which includes:

  • Manual
  • Automated
  • Cloud-based

4.1. Manual testing

Manual QA testing is done with the help of a qualified tester without the usage of any automated tools.

Manual testing consumes time and money as it is done by professional analysts and testers. As the end-user is a human, manual testing helps in determining how the customer uses the final product.

4.2. Automated testing

Automated tests are done with the help of automated tools and without human assistance.

In this method of testing, a test script is generated based on the targeted platform. It saves time as it is faster than manual testing. It also saves money as fewer manual tasks are required in automated testing.

4.3. Cloud-based testing

Cloud-based tests are based on cloud-based technologies.

While using this method of testing, the testers get access to a wide variety of devices through the internet. The testers can test the app simultaneously in different platforms, thus saving a lot of time. But, the chance of data breach is higher while using this type of testing.

There are various types of tests conducted to ensure maximum mobile app quality.

4.4. Mobile app QA checklist: Different testing types

Proper testing makes a mobile app perfect. Security, compatibility and usability are given prime importance while testing a mobile app.

Testing done on real devices helps in getting a more accurate result than using an emulator.

There are various types of tests done to ensure quality before the deployment of the app.

  • Smoke testing: Smoke testing is also known as ‘build verification testing’. It is one of the tests done to verify if the app is stable and to look into the working of the key functionalities of the app.
  • Cross-platform testing: Cross-platform testing helps to know how your app functions in multiple platforms. It looks into the consistency, user experience, performance issues etc.in different environments.
  • Functional testing: This test helps to know if the app is functioning as intended.
  • User interface testing: It is a test used to detect faults in the graphical user interface of the app. The user interacts with the app through this interface.
  • Accessibility testing: It is a test which gives an insight into how a person with disabilities such as poor vision and hearing can use or access the features of the app.
  • Performance testing: The test helps to know how the app performs under various workloads and looks into battery consumption, network performance, memory usage etc. There are different types of performance testing. This includes load testing, stress testing, endurance testing etc.
  • Usability testing: Usability testing ensures better customer comfort. Usability testing is usually done with the help of people who closely resemble the targeted users. This test helps in receiving real feedback before the launch of the app.
  • User experience testing: The test helps in improving user satisfaction. User experience testing helps to know how the app interacts with the user. The test also ensures that the original design and specs are also maintained after the development of the app.
  • Security testing: This test helps to identify the vulnerabilities of the app. The most important tests under this category include vulnerability tests and penetration tests. Stick to global level security standards while testing app security. High security of the app provides a good reputation for the company and ensures an overall mobile app quality.
  • Compatibility testing: A test to ensure that the app functions smoothly in a variety of devices, platforms, screen orientations etc.
  • Beta testing: Beta testing helps in getting feedback from a real user.

There are also tests that help in knowing the reliability, content localization, Wi-Fi and GPS integration etc. Multiple testing approaches and testing on different devices help with improving mobile app quality.

5. Ensure mobile app quality during the deployment stage

Users download their desired app from various application stores such as Google Play and App Store. The policies for deploying apps are different for each store. You should have a good understanding of these submission policies to reduce time and effort during the deployment of the app.

You need to work on creating an End User License Agreement (EULA) to protect your organization, intellectual property etc. and also design an icon for your app before deployment.

The vendor of the app store will review your submission to look if your app is following the guidelines or norms put up by them.

Here are some important points to consider before launching Android and iOS apps.

5.1. Important points to consider before launching an Android app

  • Localizing content: Plan to localize your app according to differences in geography and culture before deployment.
  • Simultaneous release: Plan your release simultaneously on different platforms to ensure a better reception among the users.
  • Follow all mobile app quality guidelines: Offer the best design, features and functions for your users.
  • Design details for Play store listing: Add a description of the app along with videos and screenshots in the app store listing. Also, attach the privacy policy of your app.
  • Plan the in-app products and subscriptions: Add details about in-app products and confirm the countries which can access these products and subscriptions.
  • Promoting the app: You can promote the app using Google Play badge.

For more best practises, please visit the official page of the Android launch checklist.

5.2. Important points to consider before launching an iOS app

Before submitting an iOS app, consider the following:

  • Safety: People should download an app with confidence. The app should not have any offensive or upsetting content. Implementing proper data security is another factor that makes an app safe and thus ensures an overall mobile app quality.
  • Performance: Apple divides this category into five important sections.
    • App completeness: Apple App Store will reject an app which has incomplete app bundles and binaries, the apps that crash or have other technical problems. You should submit a fully developed app with all metadata, fully functional URLs etc.
    • Beta testing: App store does not include trial or beta versions of your app. To beta test, you can use the TestFlight (beta testing app of Apple).
    • Accurate metadata: Metadata provided in descriptions and screenshots of the app should mirror the content of the app.
    • Hardware compatibility: Apple encourages developers to build an app that is equally accessible with iPads as well.
    • Software requirements: Apps should not interfere with volume and power buttons. Such an app will be rejected by the Apple App Store. Apps should not alter features or functionalities of other apps and hardware components.
  • Business: Apps that cheat users with expensive in-app products will be removed by the App Store. Ads should be displayed according to the app’s age rating.
  • Design: Develop designs that are simple, refined and innovative. Update your apps and give more functions to the users.
  • Legal: All legal requirements should be followed according to the location where the app is going to be launched. All apps should include their privacy policy in the App Store metadata.

For more detailed information, consider visiting the official site of Apple.

After you submit the app, there is a review process of Apple to check whether the app has met all the quality standards.

6. Ensure mobile app quality in the post-deployment stage

Mobile app analytics platforms help you to get a glance into the performance of the app.

Updating the app to meet new user requirements will help in increasing the app value. Proper maintenance is another factor that determines mobile app quality post-deployment.

Users will give feedback once they start using the application. Use such feedback to update the app as per the requirements of the users. Take feedback and suggestions into account while planning an update for the app.

Replying to all the queries of users will help in gaining positive feedback. The app developers should watch for operating system updates and should fix compatibility issues by bringing necessary changes to the app.

Users look for mobile apps with high quality while downloading and using an app. In order to give the customers a perfectly built app, you need an expert and experienced team to develop the app for you.

In other words, hiring qualified developers is also an important aspect of ensuring mobile app quality.

You can get in touch with expert mobile app developers through a search on the internet. According to the budget and other requirements, you can choose to hire

Hiring a dedicated development team is the best option if you are looking for cost-cutting strategies without compromising on the mobile app quality.

For startups,hiring a freelance mobile app developer is a good choice. Hire only established freelance mobile app developers rather than freshers for assuring mobile app quality.

Hire a mobile app development company if you do not want to compromise on the mobile app quality and if budget is not a problem.

Make sure that the team you hired that consists of mobile app developers, designers, project managers and QA testers are top-notch in their field of work. Give preferences to the ones who update themselves with the latest trends and technologies.

Hiring a dedicated development team is the best option if you are looking for cost-cutting strategies without compromising on the mobile app quality.

For startups,hiring a freelance mobile app developer is a good choice. Hire only established freelance mobile app developers rather than freshers for assuring mobile app quality.

Hire a mobile app development company if you do not want to compromise on the mobile app quality and if budget is not a problem.

Make sure that the team you hired that consists of mobile app developers, designers, project managers and QA testers are top-notch in their field of work. Give preferences to the ones who update themselves with the latest trends and technologies.

AlignMinds Technologies is an award-winning mobile app development company with a decade of success stories. We offer digital product engineering services that include strategy and design, web and mobile app development, DevOps and cybersecurity. We can help your businesses to get an edge in the competition through innovative solutions. Contact us now!

Hiring Mobile App Developer: Things to Consider Before Planning Your Perfect App

The internet has become a crucial part of our lives.

Today, there are 3.5 billion mobile users worldwide. The transition of feature phones into smartphones during the past years has led to higher internet usage. There are many​ ​surveys that show an insight into higher mobile usage compared to preceding years.

The following graph forecasts an increase in smartphone users by the year 2025 in India.

Courtesy:​ ​Statista.com

People mostly use smartphones for games, business and education along with communication. On average,​ ​a user in India spends about 4.3 hours on a smartphone daily.

This recent trend has led to the development of various mobile apps in many genres. Here is where a business firm thinks twice before developing an app. They find finding a good mobile app developer is rather hard.

Most businesses start planning a mobile app by looking into the interests of the user. The next phase usually involves hiring mobile app developers.

The future of the mobile app depends on whether you were able to hire the best mobile app developer and how much expertise he/she had in the field working on similar solutions.

Hiring a mobile app developer is not a troublesome task if you know how to approach it. Consider these points before hiring a mobile app developer.

  • How to hire a mobile application developer?
  • Which is better: freelance app developer, app development company or dedicated app development team?
  • The best place on the internet to hire a mobile app developer
  • Developing a mobile app: in-house developing team or offshore development team?
  • How much does it cost to hire a mobile app developer?

Let’s discuss these points in detail.

How to hire a mobile app developer?

As the number of apps launched on different platforms is increasing day by day, your app should have its own strong points. To ensure that your app stands out from the rest of the apps in the market, you should hire mobile app developers who are exceptional in their field of work.

How to hire a mobile app developer for your next project?

Usually, this is the first question that comes to the mind of anyone who is looking to develop a mobile app.

To hire mobile app developers, begin your search using the internet. You can also ask for help from your contacts from the industry. After finding the most experienced and the most reputed team of mobile app developers, compare the price range.

An analysis and comparison of the projects accomplished in the past will help in hiring the right mobile app developer for your project. The best way is to hire mobile app developers who have received awards and certifications.

Looking into the expertise in multiple fields of app development and search based on reviews by earlier customers will help you to hire mobile app developers who are exceptional in planning and developing a mobile app.

There are three types of mobile app developers.

This includes freelance mobile app developer, mobile app development company and dedicated app development team.

Which one is better?

Let’s analyse the pros and cons of hiring freelance mobile app developers, mobile app development company and dedicated app development team.

Hiring app development company vs freelancer vs a dedicated app development team

When it comes to finding a developer for your next mobile app, you usually have three options.

  • Hire a mobile app development company
  • Hire a freelance mobile app developer
  • Hire a dedicated team of mobile app developers

There are many mobile app development companies that offer exceptional development services. There are also fraudsters who take advantage of posing as a great mobile app development company, thus draining all your money.

Hiring mobile app development companies helps you in hiring staff with more skill, experience and expertise as they are appointed after an initial screening or tests. The mobile app development companies assist you in the full development of the app including testing and app deployment. A mobile app development company will also offer you a more professional approach and support.

There are also some disadvantages to hiring a mobile app development company. Communication barrier is one of the cons of hiring a mobile app development company. As you cannot interact directly with the team of developers, accessibility to the workflow is less. Rate of hiring mobile app development companies is higher if you are looking for developing a budget-friendly app.

A Freelance mobile app developer is a good option for startups. But hiring a freelance mobile app developer is not a good choice in the long run. ​The main disadvantage is he/she will have less exposure to new technologies and less expertise compared to app development companies. Also, a freelancer may not know all the aspects of mobile app development.

While hiring a dedicated app development team, one should look into the quality and commitment provided by the team.

Let’s take a closer look at each aspect of hiring a mobile app development company, freelance mobile developer and a dedicated app development team.

Hire mobile app development company

Mobile apps are now an unavoidable part of every business.

There are a lot of mobile app development companies that offer good services. But one should hire a mobile app development company, that is the best to succeed in the competition.

Before hiring a mobile app development company, you should have a thorough background check on the firm. This helps in knowing the track record of the app developer company.

Checking similar apps developed by the mobile app development company helps in knowing their expertise in the field and involvement in the project. This also helps in knowing the feedback and ratings from the users.

To hire mobile app developers, who are the best, you should emphasize on communication. Hire mobile app development company that briefs project updates on a daily or weekly basis. A good mobile app development company will arrange a project manager to communicate with the client on project updates.

Timely completion of the project is another important part of hiring mobile app developers. A right-minded mobile app development company respects project deadlines and will complete the project promptly.

To hire a mobile app development company offering the best work, a look into the data security norms will help you in choosing the right one. The mobile app development company should have strict laws on data security. Hiring app development companies without a single incident of a data breach is an added benefit.

The mobile app development company should have developers who are proficient in a variety of platforms such as Android and iOS. The firm should also have the best UI/UX team of designers. Choose the right one with unique creative skills.

Before hiring a mobile app development company, the client should have a detailed analysis of the commitment of the firm. You can contact past clients to get a detailed work review of the mobile app development company. Hiring a mobile app development company that supports the client in the entire process of planning and development including the launch of the mobile app is an admirable point to consider.

Hiring mobile app developers who give proper support and maintenance after the launch of the app is also an important part of this process.

Hire freelance mobile app developer

Hiring freelance mobile app developers is a tricky task.

There are many sites which offer help in hiring freelance mobile app developers. Top sites include DevTeam.Space, Upwork, Hired etc. Also, job portals like Jooble help you post vacancies for mobile app developers on their platforms and find the right talent.

Keep these points in mind before hiring freelance mobile app developers.

  • Request to present a portfolio of earlier works to know the skill level before hiring a freelancer.
  • There are people out there pretending to be a qualified mobile app developer, but in reality, he/she may be a fresher in the field. Only hire freelance mobile app developers after an initial screening.
  • Hire a freelance mobile app developer who is established rather than freshers. This will help you in securing fail-proof work.
  • Hire a freelance mobile app developer who is brilliant in mobile app planning, development and execution of ideas.
  • Hire a freelance mobile app developer who is trustworthy and works according to the needs of the client.
  • Hire mobile app developers who are flexible in their working hours.
  • Look out for good communication skills before hiring freelance mobile app developers.
  • Hire a freelance mobile app developer only after discussing the price and project deadlines. Some freelance mobile app developers work on different projects at the same time. This may increase the time for project completion.
  • Country of origin is another factor to look out for. ​Surveys​ ​suggest that some countries such as the USA and India have the highest number of android app developers in the year 2018. Rates also differ from one country to another while hiring a freelance mobile app developer.
  • Online interactions are another important part of hiring freelance mobile app developers. Identify the best freelancer available with the criteria set by you.
  • You can also choose between a group of freelancers or an individual according to the complexity of the project.
  • Conduct a thorough online and offline research before hiring a freelance mobile app developer to minimise risks such as data breach.

Hire dedicated mobile app development team

While hiring a dedicated mobile app development team, there is no need to set up a workspace as every necessary element is set up already. Give preferences to the dedicated app development team which has the most modern tech and innovations.

Hiring a dedicated mobile app development team who have the necessary skills to develop engaging digital solutions for the customers will help in getting positive feedback. The dedicated mobile app development team should consist of multi-talented individuals. The client should also have full control of the team.

Hire dedicated mobile app development team only if they have the proper infrastructure facilities which support uninterrupted internet, power supply and ​access to the latest technologies.

Hiring a dedicated mobile app development team can help in minimizing the risk involved in data security as you are in direct control of the team. Direct communication and involvement are other features of hiring dedicated app development teams. You should also make sure that strong encryption data protocols are followed before hiring a dedicated mobile app development team.

  • If you are looking for cost-cutting strategies while developing an app, you can definitely hire a dedicated mobile app development team. But you should ensure that it does not compromise the quality of the work and ​you have the resources and expertise to manage the team.
  • Hiring a dedicated mobile app development team will help you in getting a workforce that is better than hiring freelancers.
  • Consider experience and flexible hours of work while hiring from a different timezone.
  • Hiring a dedicated mobile app development team also helps you in analysing the skill set of each individual in the team. If anyone is not up to the mark, you can immediately have a replacement.
  • You can also hire a dedicated mobile app development team on an hourly/ weekly/ or monthly basis.

If you do not want to compromise on the quality of the product, you can hire a mobile app development company.

If you are just starting a business and need a mobile app for better reach, then hire a freelance mobile developer.

If you are looking for a minimum cost and best quality, hire a dedicated mobile app development team.

The next step of the hiring process involves finding the best place to hire a mobile app developer.

Let’s have a closer look.

The best place to hire mobile app developer

The best place to hire mobile app developers, of course, is through the internet. A thorough search on the internet helps you to hire a mobile app developer who is an expert in the field.

Search platforms such as google help in finding the best place to hire a mobile app developer. There are also B2B directories such as Clutch, AppFutura, TopDevelopers, GoodFirms which helps you to hire a mobile app developer.

Only hire mobile app developers from reliable sources such as mentioned above. Websites offering full details ​such as company profile, past work portfolio, reviews and ratings from past clients​ along with contact number and address is a reliable one.

Hire mobile app developer only and only if he/she understands and meets the requirements furnished by you. You can also search sites offering professional assistance which helps to hire mobile app developers from the best circle.

If you hire a mobile app developer using the internet, please double-check for reliability and quality.

You can opt for hiring an in-house development team or offshore development team for developing a mobile app.

Now, what is in-house mobile app development and offshore mobile app development?

Let’s have a closer look.

Developing a mobile app: in-house development team or offshore development team?

Hiring offshore mobile app developer

Offshore mobile app development in simple words is outsourcing mobile app development to other companies. Nearshore and onshore are terms associated with offshore mobile app development. It is based on the geographical location of the mobile app development company you are outsourcing with.

Nearshore mobile app developers are those from neighbouring countries. Onshore mobile app developers are the developers located in the same country as you.

Offshore mobile app developers are those from different countries mostly far away from your nation.

Hiring an offshore mobile app developer is one of the most feasible choices. The majority of the offshore mobile app development companies offer high-quality work at an affordable rate. ​Since they will be mostly from a different part of the world, they might have a different perspective in creating better solutions and add more value to the project you are planning.

Hiring an offshore mobile app developer helps you in cutting your cost as you do not need to hire mobile app developers including other staff and also do not need to spend on infrastructure.

Offshore mobile app developers have expertise in different areas of work so adding new elements to the project that was not discussed before is easy. There are also no problems when a staff resigns, as there will be a replacement.

Different nations have different economic structures. A good understanding of the currency differences helps you in developing a mobile app at the lowest cost. For example, if an American offshore mobile app developer can develop an app for around $100,000; a mobile app developer from India can develop the app for approximately $4000 which is due to the currency conversion rate and cost of living. Reduction in time and budget is the greatest advantage of hiring offshore mobile app developers.

There is a risk of piracy and copying codes in hiring an offshore mobile app developer. You should take extra care while hiring an offshore mobile app developer.

Hiring famous and established mobile app developers can help you in developing your perfect app and reducing risks. According to some ​surveys​, India is one of the best countries to hire an offshore mobile app developer.

Now, what is an in-house developing team?

Hiring in-house development team

If you already have a team of developers who is part of your organisation, the team is called an in-house development team. There are many advantages and disadvantages while depending on in-house development teams.

You are in direct control of an in-house development team. There may be no language and cultural barrier as​ the employees have already adapted to the work culture of your organisation​. You can have a deep involvement with the development of the project when you have ​an in-house development team.

You can communicate directly with the team and execute your ideas much more easily. The development process of the app is closely watched and evaluated by you. This helps in avoiding and rectifying errors as early as possible.

Sufficient training given to the team ensures that every member meets the requirements. There is also a very low risk of a data breach as you are directly involved in the project.

There are also some disadvantages of relying on an in-house development team for your app development.

The first one is the cost of creating an in-house development team. The cost of setting up a workspace and the necessary infrastructure is costlier ​compared to hiring ​an offshore development team.

To hire mobile app developers with the right talent, a lot of time and investment are ​needed. You would also want to pay allowances and bonuses on special occasions to the employees which will increase the cost of owning an in-house app development team.

Hiring staff and giving them necessary training will increase the time of mobile app development. Everyone in the team will not have the required expertise in the field. Training given to such employees will further increase the time of project completion ​or indirectly affect the cost.

According to the complexity of the app, the number of staff and infrastructure requirements may also increase. When a staff resigns, filling the position is a difficult task. This further increases the ​cost and time needed for completing the development of the app.

In the long run, hiring an in-house development team is a good choice. But if you want to consistently reduce costs and develop an app in a short time period, hiring an offshore development company is the best option.

How much does it cost to hire a mobile app developer?

Let’s assess this question in detail and find out how various steps of app development associates with the cost.

Every business is turning into developing mobile apps to widen their horizon. To plan, develop, and execute a perfect app, you should hire a mobile app developer who is a specialist in the field. The main thing to consider here is the cost to hire a mobile app developer.

There are mainly three factors that affect the cost of hiring a mobile app developer.

  • Mobile technology/platform
  • Location of the mobile app developer
  • App complexity

Mobile technology/platform

There are mainly three types of mobile applications.

This includes native, hybrid, and cross-platform mobile apps. To understand how much it costs to hire mobile app developers, let’s analyse these mobile apps in detail.

Courtesy: Clutch.co

The first one is the native mobile app. Developed for a particular platform, native apps maximise functionality and user experience. Developing native apps is more expensive than developing apps in the other two categories. Cross-platform apps are designed using JavaScript.

Cross-Platforms are useful for those looking for compatibility in various platforms. The cost of developing cross-platform mobile apps are less compared to native apps. Cross-platform apps offer limited functionality.

Native apps and cross-platform apps are combined with the help of CSS, HTML, or other web tech to develop hybrid apps. The main benefit of using hybrid apps is that it works on any platforms with slightly modified codes. The cost of developing a hybrid app is lower compared to native and cross-platform apps. As this is a new category of app, troubleshooting options are minimum compared to other categories.

If budget is not a problem and if you want to provide maximum user experience, go for native apps. Also use this category, if the app is having a complex structure.

To be compatible with various platforms and to gain a wide market, use cross-platform apps.

If yours is a startup company and is looking for a low budget app, hybrid apps will be your best bet.

Location of the mobile app developer

The next factor that determines the mobile app development cost is the location of the developer. Mobile app developers from the USA, Canada, Australia charge the highest rate. Whereas India, Ukraine, South East Asia charges the lowest rate to develop a mobile app.

Courtesy​: Goodfirms.co

App complexity

Another factor that determines the mobile app development cost is the app complexity. To develop a complex app you need to hire a mobile app developer who has the required expertise in the field of work. The cost of hiring experienced mobile app developers is higher than that of hiring a fresher.

App design and security, user experience are other factors determining the cost of mobile app development. User experience defines the success of a mobile app. A good app design helps in providing good user experience. Thus a good amount of money spent on the design helps you to get positive feedback from users. As an important feature, a significant part of the budget goes into strengthening the security of the app.

App deployment, maintenance, and updates are other factors that determine the cost of developing an app.

Time is also a factor determining the cost of development of a mobile app. If you want to launch an app very soon, then you need to hire more staff along with the necessary infrastructure to speed up the process.

How much does it cost to hire a mobile app developer?

Based on GoodFirms ​survey​, the average cost of hiring a mobile app developer is as follows:

Choosing a perfect mobile app development company helps in planning the perfect app. Hiring mobile app developers who have the experience and expertise in each and every stage of mobile app development helps you in establishing a successful mobile app.

AlignMinds Technologies is an award-winning app development company with a decade of success stories. We can help ​your ​businesses ​to get an edge in the competition and​ bring more glory and revenue through innovative solutions. ​Contact us now!

24 eCommerce App Requirements That Can Turn Your Business Into A Success

Every major company in the world is turning towards developing mobile apps for their eCommerce requirements.

The eCommerce apps help to conserve time and money by helping the customers to shop at their will at any instant. It helps in an easier lifestyle. It is not a simple task to be first in this never-ending competition. eCommerce apps help companies to deliver an enjoyable experience to the users.

Customers look out for eCommerce apps while using the services of a company. eCommerce apps help the company in broadening its perspective. They can use this app as a key to reach every section of the society. ​Here is the list of the most needed eCommerce app requirements to become the best of its kind.

1. Know your customers

The first eCommerce app requirement is to know your target audience.

The company should analyze the needs and outlook of its customers. Understanding the necessities of the customers are useful while planning eCommerce app requirements. Good interaction with the customers through surveys and social media also helps in the development of the best eCommerce app.

Digital marketing tactics help the company in broadening the number of customers. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and SEM (Search Engine Marketing) are part of digital marketing strategies that help in promoting a brand. Google AdWords is the most important and most used example of SEM.

Social Media Marketing and Email marketing are other examples of digital marketing.

2. Know your competitors

The company should analyze and have a close study of the competition in the eCommerce field. Providing more features than the competitors is not enough for an eCommerce company to grow. Offering great user experience and engaging content are also an essential part of growth.

The eCommerce app requirements should be based on the preferences of the customers. The innovations and ideas should suit the existing and potential customers and should not meet but exceed their expectations.

3. Customization of the eCommerce app

An eCommerce app should be simple and elegant.

The prime focus must be to meet customer requirements. ​Customization of the app based on the customers’ need and demand is an essential eCommerce app requirement.

Before planning eCommerce app requirements, the team should have an insight from the customers’ point of view. The app should​ help them with solving their problems and provide them with an outstanding experience.

4. A good feedback system

A feedback system is a very important eCommerce app requirement.

The company can get insights from the feedback system of the app. A good feedback system ensures the proper growth of the company. The feedback helps in implementing certain initiatives such as quick response and follow-ups based on customer queries. This also helps in improving the performance of the app.

Feedback collected directly through the app and while purchasing products helps the eCommerce company to know their limitations. Through the feedback of the customers, the app can guarantee a good user experience that builds loyalty and brand image of the company.

As a very essential eCommerce app requirement, the feedback system helps the business in gaining perfection in the quality of its services and customer relationship management.

5. Search options

Search platform with filters is one of the basic eCommerce app requirement.

A customized search bar with customer preferences is better than a basic one. The filters can also include the price range and ratings.

The search pattern of the customer can help in showing a personalized home screen or product section. A provision for comparing different products through the search bar can help the customers.

6. Reviews and Ratings

eCommerce giants like Amazon and Flipkart use a system of ratings and reviews to help the customers. Such rating systems are an important eCommerce app requirement.

The ratings and reviews are very much helpful in determining whether the product fits the customers’ needs.

They also help a new user to know the quality and capabilities of a particular product. A provision for the users to upload images and videos of the products increases the chances of knowing the product. The system should also check and discourage fake reviews and ratings.

7. Sign up using various platforms

A Good eCommerce app should help the users to sign up using their social media account. This enables the customers to sign in by using other platforms such as Gmail, Facebook etc. and make the entire process a hassle-free experience.

This is another eCommerce app requirement which most of the customers search for while downloading or using an app.

The registration process should be simple and trouble-free​. Customers can share their experience of using the app on social media​. This will, in turn, help the eCommerce app to gain popularity and new customers.

8. Providing a good User experience

User experience is a significant eCommerce app requirement.

Knowing the needs and requirements of a customer helps in offering the best user experience. It shows how a customer interacts with the app, thus letting an eCommerce company know what are their priorities and desires. User experience helps in enhancing the quality of the app based on customer interests.

Discounts and rewards make the customer happy. ​This along with engaging content and best user experience​ make the customers delighted.

9. Optimization for offline availability

Many customers get frustrated when the app does not work properly in low network areas. App optimization for weak signals is a relevant eCommerce app requirement.

The developers should make sure that the users do not get disappointed while using the app. Offline compatibility of the app helps the company in gaining positive feedback from the customers.

10. Product gallery

A dedicated tab in the eCommerce app showing various images and videos of products helps the customers to an extent.

But these images or videos should be an accurate copy of the original product. Images and videos should be clear so that the customers can get a good​ understanding of the product​.

11. Analytics incorporated into the app

Courtesy: Clutch 2019 E-Commerce survey

A chief eCommerce app requirement is, ​it should provide accurate insight into product preferences and sales.

These data will help in understanding what products are selling and develop new products that are similar to trending products. This helps the eCommerce company to have positive growth.

The analysis of the data helps in enhancing the usability and features of the eCommerce app. Thus data analysis driven renovations help in increasing the number of customers. This will escalate the revenue of the company.

Data analysis can be also used to decipher the interests of the people.

12. Notifications and wish list

Creating a wish list based on the interest of the users is an essential component of an eCommerce app. Notifications about products on wish lists help the users to get better deals on their favourite products.

Discounts given on the price or delivery of items in the wishlist makes customers happy.

Push notifications help in advertising new arrivals on the platform. Notifications based on the search criteria inform the users about the availability of their desired product. ​Alerts should be customizable for the users based on their convenience.

Customers should be able to know if the desired product is available in their area. If not, the eCommerce app should help them with enabling notifications so that when the product becomes available, the customers can place an order.

13. Compatibility in various platforms

Compatibility is another important eCommerce app requirement. It should be equally compatible with various platforms such as Android, Windows, iOS.

Keeping the same design and interfaces across different platforms helps in avoiding confusion among users​. A simple UI/UX design helps everyone with basic knowledge to use it conveniently.

14. Personalizing app usage

An option for personalising the app according to their taste and preferences will help an eCommerce app to win the heart of its users. Options like customising the theme and other features ​will give the eCommerce app a new dimension.

Full access over privacy settings is also a key eCommerce app requirement.

15. Usage of AI and AR

Using Artificial Intelligence (A. I) helps in minimizing human interaction. It creates a friendlier interface in the eCommerce app. AI customizes and ​revolutionizes ​the user experience by personalizing the content, according to the customer.

Besides, through AI, the eCommerce firm can check the customer choices by having a deeper understanding of the search patterns. This also helps in knowing the preferences and tastes of the user.

Augmented Reality (AR) ​offers the user a chance to see and feel the product, like in the real world, before owning it.

16. Payment options

The app should house maximum payment options to its users. Online payment, cash on delivery, e-wallet are popular among customers who use eCommerce apps.

Multi-currency payment options with high-level security are an essential part of an eCommerce app. Payment options for international users also help the app ​to rank as one of the most favoured one in the eCommerce section.

Security is the most important part of the payment feature. This eCommerce app requirement should be planned without any flaws.

17. A faster check-out and delivery

A good eCommerce app should value the time of the customer. So faster page navigation with a faster check-out is an additional eCommerce app requirement.

Details such as price and product specifications, accurate date of delivery help the customers to plan their purchase accordingly. If there are any delays in delivery, the app should communicate it with the customers with the help of notifications.

18. Special membership options and loyalty programs

An eCommerce app can provide special membership status to customers.

Customers with such special status can​ book and view products before they arrive on the platform. Loyalty programs catch the eye of the customers and this can generate more revenues if marketed well. Loyalty programs made available helps in increasing the number of users ​and building a long-lasting relationship with the brand.

These programs can also include discounts and reward points on specific items.

19. Discounts with flash sales

The eCommerce app can conduct flash sales with good discounts on a weekly or monthly basis. This eCommerce app requirement helps the brand in its promotions by making use of social media and other types of advertisements.

This helps in increasing the value of the app in the public’s eye. Flash sales also help in gaining ​more users for the app.

20. Using live chatbox

Enabling live chat helps the customers to interact directly with ​customer care in real-time.

Live chatbox make it much easier to clear the queries of the customer. ​Company representatives ​can respond and communicate with the customers through the chatbox and also help them ​with finding the best product for their need or solving any inconvenience they are facing on the platform. Live chatbox is a very essential eCommerce app requirement in this internet-connected world.

21. Returning products and raising questions

If the product does not satisfy the customer, there should be an option for returning it. Offering a refund or return option helps an eCommerce company to build trust in the eyes of their customers.

The customers should also be able to raise questions about their desired product ​or the purchase process​. ​The questions, if answered in a time-bound manner, will help the eCommerce business to win the trust of the customer.

22. Ease of access

Any kind of disability should not stop anyone from using the features of an eCommerce app. The design should ensure that everyone can use the app with ease.

The app can incorporate screen narrator and provide search options based on speech. A smartphone camera can help a disabled person to search by product images. This eCommerce app requirement gives an equal ​level of accessibility ​to every customer.

23. Frequency in updates

Frequent updates ​fix bugs ​and introduce additional features.

New updates should use only a small amount of storage space from the device. Planning is important while releasing new updates. Safety and security are of prime importance and steps taken to resolve such issues make the app safer.

eCommerce apps should regard the privacy concerns of the users with the utmost respect.

24. Ads and featured products

Ads bring revenue to the business through more sales ​and commissions​.

However, the presence of ads on the platform may irritate some users. ​The ads should not be too pushy to the viewers. Personalizing ads or an option to filter out sponsored products will help in solving this problem.

Personalised ads will help users to find their desired products more easily. It will help the eCommerce business to increase sales through better conversion. ​Personalised ads can be also displayed on the home screen of the app.

The most important factor determining the success of an eCommerce app is the team who develops it.

AlignMinds Technologies is an award-winning app development company with a decade of success stories. We can help ​your ​businesses ​to get an edge in the competition and​ bring more sales and revenue through innovative eCommerce solutions. Do you have an eCommerce app requirement? ​Contact us now

What Really Determines Mobile App Development Cost?

If COVID has benefited any industry, it is the tech industry.

Due to quarantine and self-distancing as a measure against the pandemic, the direct interaction between consumer and business has widened. As a result, there is a surge in demand for technology innovation and adoption in the market to fill this growing gap.

Even the ones that were called “traditional” have either digitalized their business or are in the early stages of technology adoption.

However, there are businesses and entrepreneurs who are not yet able to make the transition. One of the major reasons is the budget and availability of a reliable technology supplier. For most of them, the current situation was unforeseen, and they are sceptical about the ROE they may gain through the digitalisation of their business. Or, they have a limited fund available with them.

This article is written with an aim to help such businesses and entrepreneurs.

What is mobile app development?

To understand what mobile app development is, we should first understand what mobile apps are.

A mobile app is a set of mobile programmers with specific functions that are bundled together targeting a defined population with specific needs. These programmes tried to fulfil the needs of the defined population through

  • Delivering services directly through the app
  • Helping the population to request for the services and products through the platform
  • Helping businesses to connect with the population

In the first and last cases, there will be a single vendor whereas in the second case there may be more than ne vendor.

Mobile apps are rapidly becoming popular since the last decade. Industries like retail, telecommunications, banking, insurance, healthcare, and government have already leveraged the power of mobile apps to enable users to conduct transactions and access information in the most convenient way.

The number of mobiles apps are increasing day by day and the usage of mobile apps have seen a rapid increase in the past years.

(Source: https://www.statista.com/topics/1002/mobile-app-usage/ )

Number of mobile app downloads worldwide from 2016 to 2019 (Source: statista.com)

Number of apps available in leading app stores in 2020 (Source: statista.com)

These numbers are expected to increase many folds in coming years as technology is improving at a rapid pace and businesses are leveraging technology to offer a convenient medium for their customers to connect with them and get services and products from them.

Mobile app development cost

Due to the fact that customers are looking for more convenient ways to get services and products done and businesses are having a hard time with minimizing the gap between them and their targeted customer base, it has become almost a mandatory to use technology to your advantage.

However, one of the major hurdles in getting a mobile app for your business is the cost associated with the development of the app.

There are many factors that go to deciding the cost of developing a mobile app.

Factors affecting the app development cost

Geography

One of the major factors in deciding the mobile app development cost is the location of the app developer. Usually, service providers from first world countries charge a higher rate for their services. Whereas, app developers from south-east Asia and east Europe have a comparatively lower cost associated with their services.

Half of the mobile developing companies charge anything between $25 to $49 for each hour of work they do.  Developers in Asia keep their hourly charges to a maximum of $100.

Features and functionalities

The function and features of the proposed mobile app is another major factor that decides the cost of the mobile app. For example, to fulfil a function, the developer may have to choose various technologies, services and components and the integration them together to make the app suitable to successfully execute the function. As the function varies, these technologies and components will also vary, and the cost associated with them.

Platform

There are mainly two types of mobile apps: Native and hybrid.

Native: Developed for a particular platform, for example, Android. These apps will work only on this particular platform.

Hybrid apps: These are cross platforms apps that works on more than one platform.

The advantage of a hybrid app is that it will on more than one platform and there is no need to develop separate apps for different mobile platforms like iOS and Android. This will help in cutting down the development cost significantly since the resources needed now will be less.

If you are focusing only on one platform, for example, Android, the cost may be different compared to developing the same app for the iOS platform. It is mainly due to the workflow, resource allocation and quality standards that vary from platform to platforms.

Time

If you want the app to be deployed as fast as possible, the cost may go up. This is mainly because more resources need to be invested in the process to deliver the product as early as possible.

Experience and expertise of the development team

Experience and expertise do not come cheap. If the app developer is an expert in the field and has years of experience under the belt, she will be charging a relatively higher price for the services. The good thing is that such developers can provide quality products, based on the requirement and the nature of the market, within a short time possible.

Design and user experience

Design and user experience plays a vital role in deciding the success of a mobile app. An app with good design and offer great user experience will win attention and popularity easily in the market. However, coming up with a good design strategy and optimizing user experience requires expertise, time, and resources. A good design strategy and user experience are the results of in-depth market research, conceptualization, testing and evaluation. Therefore, developing a disruptive product always requires a good investment.

App security

Most of the mobile apps deal with at least one set of sensitive data like user information, financial transaction, documents, user locations and user behaviours. This information may be critical in the smooth functioning of the mobile app. But, what important is ensuring such data are stored securely and there is no data theft or unauthorized access. Since the value of data is usually decided by the sensitivity of the same, we will have to put extra security measures to protect such data. Security is one of the critical features of any digital solution.

App Deployment

App deployment is all of the activities that make a software system available for use. Usually, it means, the app is ready for use and is uploaded to app marketplaces like Play Store by Google (In case of Android apps) or App store by Apple (In case of iOS apps). App deployment itself is a service and there is usually a cost associated with it.

Maintenance and update

Apps demand maintenance and regular updates. Releases of security patches in regular intervals is a critical part of maintenance. Usually, the first version of the app is released with minimum features. More features will be added as updates based on user feedback and market demand. Also, as technology advances, there will be new methodologies that need to be integrated with the app to replace the outdated ones.

Maintenance and updates plan (Post-deployment plans) varies from developers to developers. Industry, technology, future versions planned etc are some other factors that decide the cost of Maintenance and update.

App development cost and app development methods

Waterfall and Agile are the promising app development methods in the industry.  In the case of waterfall method, documentation is required in advance before the process for development begins.  On the other hand, if you are going to use agile methodology, there is no requirement for process documentation before the development.  Using the waterfall technique, you will get a clear viewpoint on what you are getting and how much cost will it require.  Agile method is the most adopted as it comes with a more flexible structure.  You can adjust the products, functions, features and changes.  Through the agile app, you get your app on time and start getting your target audience faster than the waterfall method. 

Waterfall app development method goes right with a fixed fee structure.   You can decide the fixed charges you would like to have while developing the app, however, you may have to compromise with the quality of the app.

In the case of agile methodology, you will get what you pay for.  As mentioned above the method is flexible enough that you can count on the amount you invest in developing the app.  The developers will provide you with estimated rates of their work and you can track the time, efforts, and resources they put into the development process.

Conclusion

Android is the most popular mobile platform today. If you want to target the maximum population but have a limited budget, go for Android apps. 

The cost of developing an app depends on its functions, technology, app architecture, resources needed, planned stages, timeframe, security, and maintenance. Since App development is a dynamic process, there will be always an uncertainty associated with the cost until and unless all the requirements are finalized and there is a development plan in place. The inclusion or exclusion of even a single feature in your app will change its cost. However, never compromise on app quality due to expenditure.

If you have an idea that needs to be transformed into a mobile app, contact us now.

If you are wondering how much it will cost to turn your idea into a mobile app, contact us now and share your requirement! Our team of experts will get in touch with you soon!

Best App Development Companies in Kenya

  • Which is the best mobile app development company in Kenya?
  • Where could I get the best app developer in Kenya?
  • Who are the best mobile app consultants in Kenya?
  • What companies based in East Africa (particularly Kenya) are the best for developing custom mobile apps and websites?

What is common in these questions?

They are the same questions phrased differently!

Even though it looks like that may be true, these questions are asked by different people on Quora over a period.

These questions are asked by different people on Quora over a period.

There are so many similar questions that ask the same questions but phrased differently on the internet. The numbers are increasing day by day.

One of the reasons why such questions are asked more frequently is Kenya is rapidly becoming one of the technologically advanced markets in the world.

The number of people using smartphones and digital services is increasing in Kenya. As people are adopting technology to make their lives easier, businesses are investing more money on technology to keep up with the trend. As a result, the app industry is rapidly expanding in the country.

However, since Kenya is an emerging market, there is a gap in demand and supply when it comes to the app industry. While businesses are looking for technology solutions with top quality at an affordable price, there are not so many service providers who are able to meet this growing demand. This is just opposite to a developed market like the US which has already gone through several technology evolutions and the market is somewhat saturated with a good number of service providers.

Due to this wide gap between technology demand and technology supply, it is often difficult for a person or business to find the “right app developer” in emerging markets like Kenya. So, these questions are not without a cause.

Is that mean there are no good app developers in Kenya?

Absolutely not.

The Kenyan market is adopting technology at a fast pace. Due to the quality of the services provided and at the cost they were made available, there are several app developments companies who have already made their space in Kenya.

How to choose the best mobile app development company in Kenya?

There are many ways to find the best mobile app development companies.

Use Google

As always, Google is your best friend. Simply do a search on Google using keywords like “Best app development company in Kenya”. See what comes up.

Google has a sophisticated search approach that is developed to show only the best results.

Go to Business directories

There are several websites that list the businesses by industry and services offered. Websites like Clutch.co, Goodfirms.co etc features reviews from clients on the listed company profile. They also release curated lists of top app development companies based on the client ratings and reviews periodically.

App developers with good ratings and reviews may quote a higher price for their services. Unless you are looking for something cheap, always go for companies with top ratings since they are more likely to deliver quality and results.

Seek help from your business network

Investing in an app will cost you money. But, it will be the most beneficial step you can take for your business. The only thing is, you must make sure that the money is invested in the right team.

One of the most reliable sources to find the best app developers can be your professional network. Check whether anyone in your network has worked with any app developed company in the past. If yes, how was the experience and what was the result? Ask them questions like

  • What was the overall cost of developing the app?
  • What were the features offered at that price?
  • How long it took the development team to deliver the final product?
  • How was the communication between the teams?
  • How was the quality of the final product?
  • Did the app development company take care of deployment and maintenance?
  • Has the app helped your friend to achieve the same result she was expecting?
  • How did the market respond to the app?
  • What was the feedback from the actual users? Was it positive?

Find the creators of popular apps in your industry/market

In the past, as an app development company, we have partnered with some of the prominent organisations in Kenya to implement some of the cutting-edge solutions the market has ever seen.

Look at the examples below.

EMS2GO: Developing pick and delivery app for POSTA Kenya

Postal Corporation of Kenya (PCK) is the largest distribution name in Kenya. They vowed to deliver superior communication, distribution, and financial solutions to customers. As part of their mission, PCK wanted to develop a real-time pickup/delivery solution for their customers. AlignMinds developed a comprehensive pickup and delivery solution that consists of three components.

  • A consumer pickup and delivery app to help registered users to place and track orders real-time.
  • A driver app to help drivers and riders timely deliver the package to the right recipient.
  • A web backend that helps the staff of PCK to manage the system.

Visit the client’s website: https://www.posta.co.ke/ems2go/

Citizen Radio App for live streaming

Royal Media Services Limited is the largest media house in Eastern Africa with fourteen radio stations under their wing. They also own Kenya’s most popular TV channel, Citizen TV.

To meet the demand of their growing fanbase, RMS wanted to develop a mobile platform that will enable them to live stream all their radio programmes.

The mobile app AlignMinds developed, which are available for Android and iOS platforms, featured all the 14 radio channels of RMS and enable any smartphone user to enjoy their programmes live.

The app has been downloaded 100,000+ times in Play Store and a rating of 4.5 from 1206 users.

Google play store: Citizen Radio

Citizen TV

Citizen TV is the largest television news channels in eastern Africa. To widen their reach and penetrate even the remote areas in the countries, Citizen planned to develop a web news portal and a mobile app with live streaming to deliver unbiased news to maximum population.

To help Citizen with their business objective, AlignMinds Technologies developed a modern news portal with live TV and other friendly features like news page, article share, font customization etc.

The citizen mobile app which is available for Android, iOS and windows platform set a new trend in the news industry with its robust features that encourage users to spend more time on the platform. The app has been downloaded more than 1,000,000 times on Google Play and has an average rating of 4.1 from a total of 6,599 ratings.

News portal: https://citizentv.co.ke/

Mobile app: Citizen TV News app

Balton CP: Integrated digital portal

Balton CP has worked in Africa for more than 50 years with a mission to bring the highest quality products and state-of-the-art technology from around the globe to develop new services for the emerging African market. They are a leading player in the field of agribusiness, technology and innovation, energy and project management with their operations that span across Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, Ghana, and Nigeria.

AlignMinds developed an integrated digital portal with a central point of web management to help Balton CP to have distinct websites with independent web management for each of their subsidiaries and centralized management for the super admin.

Website: https://www.baltoncp.com/

Finding the developers behind the most popular apps in the market has its own advantages.

These apps became popular not by fluke. Only with a deep understanding of the market, right conceptualization, supervised development, and flawless deployment (Testing and maintenance) a solution can be turned into an awesome app.

To build something like this, the team must have the right talent, genuine passion, and good quality standard.

If you are searching for such an app development company in Kenya, you are in the right place.

We have implemented numerous projects for our Kenyan and international clients throughout the period of 10 years. We have done projects for POSTA Kenya, Royal Media Services, Citizen TV, Balton CP group and many other prominent players in the Kenyan Market. Contact us now!

Future of Application Development and the Role of Microservices Architecture

An era without software seems to have been a millennium ago. We are used to software like never before. Be it creating a meeting appointment or switching on your air conditioner before you get home, software is an integral part of our life.

What is the future of app development and what will be the role Microservices Architecture?

Traditional software development has been following a monolithic approach. Any change will require the whole system to be updated. For example, if you run an ERP software and you want to make a change to the purchase module only, you’ll have to upgrade the rest of the software as well. It’s a single code base with multiple modules bundled together. However, this approach brings in a lot of disadvantages

  • Over a period of time, this becomes complex and impossible to manage.
  • Developers find it difficult to understand.
  • Modules are tightly coupled, eliminating the possibility of reuse.
  • Increases the risk of failure.
  • Testing is slow due to the higher amount of regression to be performed.
  • IDEs and Web servers tend to get overloaded due to monolithic code.
  • A high degree of coordination is required to scale development.
  • Results in long term lock-in of technologies.
  • Difficult to scale the application.

The result is that it takes ages to develop and deploy even small releases or bug fixes causing huge expenses and missed market opportunities.

The smartphone revolution in the latter part of the last decade has placed cutting edge software in the hands of the consumers. People are using mobile apps for everything they do – shopping, health, entertainment, work and securing their home. Every enterprise out there is looking to woo the consumers and get a share of the pie. Global IT spend is expected to touch $4 Trillion in 2022 after factoring in the expected decline in 2020 due to COVID-19 situation.

In today’s dynamic and competitive market, it is all the more important for software providers to be able to quickly and continuously release product updates and bug fixes. And where the traditional methods fail to deliver, newer ideas like Microservices are taking centre stage.   

What are Microservices?

Microservices, by definition, is an architectural style in which the application is a collection of loosely coupled services. In Microservices architecture, a large application is divided into small modular services and have the following characteristics –

  • Services are technology agnostic and use light weight protocols to communicate.
  • Services are organised around specific business capabilities.
  • Services are small in size, autonomously maintainable and independently deployable.
  • Services are built and released with automated processes.

What are the advantages of Microservices?

The advantages of breaking an application into different smaller services are numerous.

1. Modularity and simpler development

Each Microservice is a small module. Hence it is easy to understand, develop and test.

2. Scalability

Microservices are implemented and deployed independently of each other. Since they are independent processes, they can be monitored and scaled independently.

3. Empowered teams and distributed development

Microservices can be developed, deployed and scaled in parallel by small autonomous teams. Each team is empowered to make architectural decisions. The architecture of each service evolves independently to achieve the best results.

Microservices architecture helps with building and deploying application faster.

4. Build and deploy faster

Microservices architecture employs continuous integration, continuous delivery and deployment. This significantly reduces time to market and human errors.

5. Isolation of services and reduced risk of failure

Since Microservices are modular and independent, there is a reduced risk of overall system failure. Isolated services are easier to debug and fix.

6. Freedom to try different technologies

Since Microservices are technology agnostic, each service could be implemented in a different technology, whichever is best suited to the business function being performed. Sometimes, the choice could be based on the knowledge levels of available developers. A service written in Node.js works harmoniously with one written in Go. The focus is on implementing the business capabilities and not technology.

7. No long-term lock-in of technologies

Microservices are sufficiently small and independent. Hence it is easy to implement a service in new technology and replace the old one when the technologies become obsolete. It is easy to upgrade without impacting the system.

Companies like Amazon, Netflix, eBay, Coca-Cola, PayPal, Walmart, Spotify and many more have refactored their applications into Microservices. We are seeing deeper integration of microservices offerings in Google Cloud, AWS and Azure. AWS Lambda is a great example of serverless microservices. Microservices style of architecture is gaining traction quickly as the preferred method of implementing applications throughout industrial verticals. Companies are embracing innovation to increase the efficiency of product teams and reduce development and deployment times. With its rapid adoption rate, it is predicted that Microservices will become the default architecture for applications in the years to come.

This article is written by Madhu M Peringote, Director of Technology at AlignMinds Technologies

Want Your MVP to be Successful? 5 Most Important Considerations

Erik Ries who wrote the bestseller The Lean Startup says that the best strategy to dive into the Product-Market fit is by rolling out a Minimum Viable Product(MVP) and continuously iterating the same based on user’s feedback. This is the exact opposite to what we do today which is to release with what we think is our final and perfect product to the public.

This is not a wise idea!

“If you are not embarrassed by your first release, you probably spent too much time on it”

Here are the 5 most important rules for building a successful Minimum Viable Product(MVP).

5 Most important rules of building a successful MVP

1. Learning must be your goal!

MVP is the version of a new product which allows the team to gather a maximum amount of validated learning about the customers with the least amount of time and money. Your concept must be genuine. If you cannot explain it clearly and simply, don’t expect that your customers will understand it.

The important point is that you must have a clear idea about what you want to learn from this feedback. What problem your MVP is going to be addressed? Are your customers really like your idea or not? What is the important feature you would like to have on your product to solve the problem which you are planning to address? The problem you are choosing to get answers is the most important thing and chose it smartly to validate the results in build, measure and learn product building ecosystem.

2. Do not waste too much money

The whole idea behind building a minimum viable product is that you get a chance to review and improve your product before you are pouring a lot of money into it. So, you don’t need to release a full-fledged version of your product and instead, please concentrate on the main problem you are planning to get resolved or your core idea. It must be a cheap and not time-consuming solution to get feedback from your customers. You can choose the best-suited one from the different types of MVP.

3. Choose your target customers wisely

You will face more difficulty in finding the right customers if your proposed solution is more innovative. It’s not necessary that your proposed solution must be for everyone! You can share your MVP with the same people from your professional network who find passion in new ideas, give honest and constructive feedback. I am sure that they will give you an impartial opinion about the questions you are asking and will be the entry point to a wider section of your targeted customers.

4. Test, test, test and more test

If your assumptions are not correct, then there is a great chance that your MVP is going to be a disaster. Avoid it at any cost. The best way to get it is to test our MVP more and more. Your thinking will not always be the same as what the customers are actually looking for. Instead of assumptions, it’s always better to find an answer and validate every hypothesis even if it looks good. The more feedback you get through testing, the more you are closer to your customers’ needs and goals.

5. Changes make your product fantastic

“ Everybody has ideas, however, what really matters is having ideas to solve real problems”
– Orkun Ozbatur

Our ideas and views are so dear to us so much so that we always have a tendency to avoid the actual feedback from the customers. Most of their feedback might not be in align our ideas. This is the prime reason that many products are ended up by using very fewer people apart from us. The thumb rule is that if your product needs to be successful in the market, it must be liked and used by the real customers not us. It’s anytime a good idea to develop one which the customers love and are ready to spend their hard-earned money on it.

This article is written by Manoj Pillai, Head of Delivery at AlignMinds Technologies

Sustainable Mobile App Development: 7 Factors You Should Take Care

Mobile application development has driven everyone into a state or period of uncontrolled excitement. As mobile phones are an important and obligatory part of daily life, 1000s of new mobile applications are released day by day both in Android and iOS. Yet only a handful will survive. It is not just the development of an application, moreover, it is a business. Let us have a brief study of the important points to remember for successful development and launching of the app.

It is always the vast idea that develops into a mobile application so each and every tiny point has to be focused on the good future of the app. As application development need to infect mobile phones all over the world, the development process has to be very systematic and should focus on various aspects. Here is the list of top 7 factors you should take care of during sustainable mobile app development.

  • Methodology
  • UI & User Experience
  • Functionality Testing
  • API Management
  • Mobile Content Management
  • Connectivity with Users
  • Promoting and Marketing the App

1. Methodologies

In the field of sustainable mobile app development or software engineering in general, methodologies mean a framework that is used by the development team to plan, structure and control the process of developing an information system. It is a process of splitting of development procedure into various phases with the aim of better planning and management.

Common methodologies include waterfall, prototyping, spiral development iterative, incremental development, rapid application development, extreme programming and several other types of agile methodology.

A variety of such frameworks have evolved over the years, each with its own recognized ups and downs. A particular methodology used to develop software is not necessarily suitable for use by all projects. Each of the available methodology frameworks is suitable to specific kinds of projects, each based on various technical, organizational, project and team considerations.

While going through various app development methodologies, it is seen that Agile development methodologies are more popular than other traditional development methodologies and I would like to describe the same over here.

2. Agile development methodology

Agile software development is a primary framework for undertaking software projects including mobile application. There are a number of agile development methodologies like Dynamic Systems Development Model (DSDM), Crystal Method and Scrum.

Most of the agile development methods try to minimize the risk by developing applications in short timeboxes, called ‘iterations’, which commonly last for one-four weeks. Each iteration is like a mini software project and includes all the tasks necessary to release the mini-increment of new functionality: planning, requirements analysis, design, coding, testing, and documentation. While each iteration will not include the functionalities to warrant releasing the product, an agile software project intends to be capable of releasing new product at the end of every iteration. At the end of each iteration, the project team re-evaluates project priorities.

Agile development methodology is a crucial factor in sustainable app development.

Agile development method mainly emphasizes on real-time communication, avoids written documents and prefer face-to-face communication. Most agile teams are located in a bullpen and include necessary manpower necessary to finish the application or software. At a minimum, this includes programmers and the people who define the project such as project managers, business analysts, or even actual customers. The bullpen may also include technical writers, interface designers, testers band management team. Agile methods also highlight working software as the primary measure of progress.

3. UI & User Experience

How to amplify user experience by improving accessibility, usability, and pleasure is what the user experience design tells.

Some of the main factors that influence the quality of user experience are listed below. These factors are also important in the case of sustainable mobile app development.

1. Visual design

The motive of visual design is to use elements like pics, symbols and colours to convey the message of application to users.

2. Information architecture

It is the fine art of organizing and structuring the information related to software product and services by supporting usability and findability.

3. Structuring, organization and labelling

Structuring is the process of relating building units of a mobile application to each other, where each building units contains basic information regarding them. Grouping these units into meaningful and well-defined manner is called organizing. Labelling is the process of using of appropriate wordings to assist easy navigation and findability.

As the mobile app is delivered to the hands of a wide range of users, user experience design plays a very important role as it enhances user satisfaction by improving usability, accessibility and pleasure provided in the interaction between a product and the user.

It is better to start by an MVP (minimum viable product) and test the same in a small circle nearly 500-1000 users depending on our mobile application. Before launching the final product, it is good to have feedback from MVP and small iterations will help to launch the final product.

As mobile app development is not a onetime process, it needs to continue upgradation and improvement. Even if it is a freelancer or a reputed company, a good relationship is very important until the releasing of the app.

Begin it with a brainstorming session of all your plans, ideas, and features and design the mockups of each screen. Mobile applications working on various platforms have different UI, so follow the particular UI guidelines for each platform. Share the demo app with maximum people so we can learn from the feedback and iterate the design till we are satisfied.

4. Functionality testing

Functional testing is a quality assurance (QA) method and a type of black-box testing which is based on various test cases on the specifications of the mobile application under test. Functions are tested by examining the output for various inputs and the thing is that the internal structure of the program is very rarely considered, not like in white-box testing. Functional testing explains what the system does and it tests a slice of the functionality of the whole application.

Don’t consider it as the final testing of the app and it is not the system testing of the same. Functional testing is different from system testing in such a way that functional testing verifies a program by checking it against design document(s) or specification(s), while system testing validates a program by checking it against the published user or system requirements.

Functional testing is of different types and is pointed below;

  • Smoke testing
  • Sanity testing
  • Regression testing
  • Usability testing

The procedure of Functional testing can be briefly concluded in six steps.

  • Realizing the functions that the software is expected to perform
  • Analyzing of input data based on the function’s specifications
  • Analyzing of output based on the function’s specifications
  • Executing all the test cases
  • Comparing actual outputs with the expected outputs
  • Check whether the application meets customer requirements.

5. API Management

API Management helps organizations publish APIs to external partner and internal developers to unlock the potential of their data and services. Businesses everywhere are looking to extend their operations as a digital platform, creating new channels, finding new customers and driving deeper engagement with existing ones. API Management provides the core competencies to ensure a successful API program through developer engagement, business insights, analytics, security and protection.

6. Connectivity with users, Promotion and Marketing the App

1. Customers are our press

End users are the backbone of any business and due to them, application developers enjoy continues rewards.

2. Leverage your mobile website

If we have a mobile website that attracts heavy traffic, it can be used for marketing and promotion of the app and also many other advantages in excess. These people are the ‘targeted group’ who will be happy to accept the app from birth. It is the one way to make the app spot to users.

3. Feature the App in an official blog

Writing a blog will be very useful to make the customers know about the whole story of the application. Tell them about the plus points and how it helps them make thing easier. Including pp links, videos and images will help to provide a good idea of the application.

4. Focus on emails

91% of people check their emails regularly. Take this chance by incorporating our app links into newsletters, customer service mails and it is better to use it in email signatures.

5. Consider alternative app stores

Do not depend only on google play store and app store for marketing our app, there are many other online market where we can upload our app. The study has revealed that if the app is submitted on other relatively less popular stores, it will increase expected downloads 200 percentage more compared to google play store.

There are few app stores that can be considered for marketing like,

  • GetJar
  • SlideMe
  • Opera Mobile Store
  • AppsLib
  • Amazon Appstore
  • AppBrain

6. SEO matters if you aim for sustainable mobile app development

Identify the best-targeted keywords that can rank for. Also, analyses which keyword your app is currently ranking on. Build some high-quality link accordingly to increase the rankings.

7. Join Entrepreneurs & Developers group on Social Medias

Let’s try to increase our visibility in communities like LinkedIn, Facebook, Google+ and various other Media to become better known among entrepreneurs, app developers and users. We can build a correlation among them by discussing features, bug fixes, future updates etc. It allows an opportunity to boost our apps without spending a cent. It is also important to know about App Store Optimization (ASO) which also work similarly based on search relevance, keyword relevancy and keyword density.

The mobile application market is exponentially evolving along with the invention of new technologies, so it is important and inevitable to follow the path of sustainable mobile app development in order to deliver productive outcomes to the end-users including businesses and costumers.

– Jerin Johny

Are you looking for a reputed mobile application development company to implement your next project? AlignMinds is an award-winning company with more than 10 years of success in the field. Contact us now!.

Rapid Mobile Application Development (RMAD): 5 Strategic Advantages

Rapid Mobile Application Development (RMAD) was introduced by the analyst firm Gartner which allows the business professionals to build and deliver cross-platform business apps quickly and easily increase efficiency and time. It is the mobile equivalent of Rapid Application Model (RAD) which is based on the concept that high-quality software can be built faster through much convenient process such as early prototyping, reusing the software components etc.

5 Advantages of Rapid Mobile Application Development Model (RMAD)

1. Speedy delivery of apps

Over the past 5 years, we have seen a drastic increase in the number of apps along with growing demand for quicker and more efficient apps. With the growing demands and building the apps in a short time, we have seen the failure rate has also increased throughout the creation, deployment and management of mobile applications.

Most of the companies increased spending time and resources for the development of the mobile applications, however in many cases after spending a lot of time and resources for building an app, there is no guarantee that it will be used by more users. In addition to this, new technologies are introduced at a lightning speed, forcing business to introduce them to remain in the market.

Under these circumstances, many of the companies have come forward with Rapid Mobile App Development.

2. No code or development with little code

The main problem of the app development was the time taken and the resources needed for the creation of the app.

Rapid Mobile App Development eliminates most if not all coding when comes to the creation of an app. This codeless platform makes it possible for everyone, whether they have experience with coding or not, to build an app in a simple platform. Thus, the severity involved in creating an app that would have taken months for completion has been reduced to mere minutes. That’s why the name RMAD, in which a non-developer can also create and deploy the app quickly and in a short time.

3. Organizational Benefits

Once a company knows how to handle different projects created with RMAD platforms they can truly experience some of the best benefits. It is said that about 94 per cent of the project either fail or the budget may be high, behind schedule or behind expectation. RMAD can help IT departments to meet their required quality and meet the project deadlines.

Also, it creates a common language between the IT department executives which increases the co-operation among the employees which can boost the company in their process.

4. Better Software development

One of the benefits of RMAD is better software development since it can make use of the readily available software components. The prototype development which starts in the early phase acts as a framework and the same can be set up on existing projects or parts of the projects. This reduces the time for the creation of the app from scratch which reduces the cost and time.

Rapid Mobile Application Development allows the developers to follow the Rapid prototyping model, in which a prototype is created with minimum requirement analysis and once the actual requirements are clearly understood the prototype is discarded and actual system is developed with a clear understanding.

5. Management of apps created in RMAD

We have seen above that RMDB increases productivity and build the apps quicker than earlier. If an organization uses the RMDB to create few apps, managing the whole apps is not a big challenge, but if a company creates numerous apps with a short time, suddenly they get piled up and it will be very difficult to manage. Business who use RMDB should keep in mind about this problem, and the solution for this is an enterprise mobile application management platform.

With this platform, a business can easily manage and keep track of all their apps, who should use and when it should be used. With these benefits, it will lead more people to use the apps and will have better investment in return.

 – Ebin J Sebastian

Are you looking for a reputed mobile application development company to implement your next project? AlignMinds is an award-winning company with more than 10 years of success in the field. Contact us now!.

What Are The Advantages of Kotlin Over Java?

Kotlin vs Java has been one of the hot topics of debate for the last few years.

Ever since Kotlin was released in February 2016 programmers have been having doubts about which language to use for Android development.

Java has been around for a very long time. It is being used by millions of programmers worldwide but had some minor drawbacks. Then Google introduces a new language specifically for android which is said to be better than Java.

Last year, Kotlin has been made a ‘first class’ language for Android development by Google in addition to existing support for Java and C++. The impact of Google’s decisions for adopting Kotlin can be seen from GitHub’s findings.

The number of GitHub notes and contributors using Kotlin for projects has more than doubled over the last couple of years.

I’ve been making android apps using Java for about 4 years now and, I learned Kotlin just three months ago. While making an app in Kotlin, I quickly understood that there are many advantages of using Kotlin over Java.

Advantages of Kotlin over Java

1. Readability

Comparing to Java, Kotlin has more readable and precise code which makes it easier to understand the program. After a small learning curve, a Java developer can easily understand how to write Kotlin very quickly.

After learning Kotlin I observed that it needed much less code than Java as shown below

Java

Kotlin

As we can see, Kotlin reduces boilerplate as compared to java. Now, boilerplate refers to those codes which must repeat lots and lots of times and which do not serve any purpose to the functionality of the application. Kotlin has been designed in a way that it eliminates the need for boilerplate code.

Kotlin requires fewer lines of code as compared to java.

In Java, we must create references for views using findViewById. In Kotlin, that is taken care of automatically, therefore, reducing the lines of code drastically. That makes it easier for a beginner to learn Kotlin.

2. Null-Safe

Null pointer exceptions also referred to as “The billion-dollar mistake”, is one of the most common errors that cause apps to crash if you are using Java.

Kotlin is null-safe by default. It does not allow variables to be assigned with a null value. But in Java, we can assign null values to variables and, it may lead to null pointer exception that may crash the application.

3. Using Getters and Setters

In Java, we have to use getter and setter functions for receiving data from variables in the modal classes. Model classes are just used for holding data. We can use the getters and setters for accessing the data from model classes.

In Kotlin we don’t need all those getter and setter functions. We can access all the data’s using the variable name itself. See the example below.

This modal class in Kotlin only has to define the variables instead of also defining the getter and setter methods. While comparing the above two images, we can clearly see that Kotlin uses less code as compared to java.

4. Interoperability

Kotlin language is interoperable. This means that both Java and Kotlin are somewhat similar and we can use java commands and Java libraries in a Kotlin project.

Since Java is still being used by most programmers, Kotlin has been made to be interoperable. It can be used with existing Java classes and won’t cause any errors. The compiler will allow the code containing the Java and Kotlin classes to work flawlessly.

Because of this feature, developers can transition from Java to Android with ease.

5. Immutability

An immutable object is an object whose state cannot be changed once it is created.

In Kotlin variables are defined using val or var to help developers easily understand which values can be reassigned.

Using val in our code makes it super clean and will be able to safely assume that the properties will never be changed and that they will not be null. The benefit is that it allows you to just get on with the project at hand.

Conclusion

I can confidently say, Kotlin language is far better than Java for Android development as it takes care of the drawbacks Java has. Moreover, the transition from Java to Kotlin is easy and anyone who is interested in programming can make good progress within a short span of time.

– Benedict Thomas

Broadcast Announcements & Broadcast Receiver in Android

Android Broadcast Receiver is a component that responds to the system’s wide broadcast announcements. It can be registered for various system or application events. Whenever those events occur the system notifies all the registered broadcast receivers and then the desired action is being done. Broadcast originates from the system as well as applications. Like the alarm notification, low battery notification etc. are the example of broadcast originating from the system. While getting the push notifications for desired application describes the example for broadcast originating from the application. 

How to make BroadcastReceiver works for the system broadcasted intents?

There are mainly two steps to make BroadcastReceiver works for the system broadcasted intents

  • Creating a Broadcast Receiver
  • Register Broadcast Receiver

1. Creating a Broadcast Receiver

public class MyBroadcastReceiver extends BroadcastReceiver {public MyBroadcastReceiver () { }@Overridepublic void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {

This method is called when this BroadcastReceiver receives an Intent broadcast.

Toast.makeText(context, “Action: ” + intent.getAction(), Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();}}

Consider a receiver class named as MyBroadcastReceiver implemented as the subclass of BroadcastReceiever class which overrides the onReceive() method. Whenever an event occurs Android calls the onReceive() method on all registered broadcast receivers. In the above code, the Intent object is passed with all the additional information required and also you have got the Context object in order to do other tasks like maybe start a service (context.startService(new Intent(this, TestService.class))

Register the Broadcast Receiver

There are two ways to register the broadcast receiver:

  • Static way (in manifest file).
  • Dynamic way (in code).

Static way

In static way, the broadcast receiver is registered in an android application via AndroidManifest.xml file.  Consider, here we are going to register MyBroadcstReceiver for system-generated event ACTION_BATTERY_LOW which is fired by the system once the android system encounters the battery low.

<applicationandroid:icon=”@drawable/ic_launcher”android:label=
”@string/app_name”android:theme=”@style/AppTheme”><receiverandroid:name=”MyBroadcastReceiver”><intent-filter><actionandroid:name=”android.intent.action.BATTERY_LOW”></action></intent-filter></receiver></application>

Now, whenever your android device will encounter battery low problem it will trigger the BroadcastReceiver, MyBroadcastReceiver and the desired action mentioned inside onReceive() method will be executed. Like, if you look into your android device you gets a dialogue message warning you that the battery is low so put it in charge.

Some other important system events are as follows:

Event Constant Description
android.intent.action.BATTERY_CHANGED Sticky broadcast containing the charging state, level, and other information about the battery.
android.intent.action.BATTERY_LOW Indicates low battery condition on the device.
android.intent.action.BATTERY_OKAY Indicates the battery is now okay after being low.
android.intent.action.BOOT_COMPLETED
This is broadcasted once, after the system has finished booting.
android.intent.action.BUG_REPORT Show activity for reporting a bug.
android.intent.action.CALL Perform a call to someone specified by the data.
android.intent.action.CALL_BUTTON The user pressed the “call” button to go to the dialer or other appropriate UI for placing a call.
android.intent.action.DATE_CHANGED The date has changed.
android.intent.action.REBOOT Have the device reboot.

Dynamic way

In dynamic way, we use Context.registerReceiver() method. Dynamically registered broadcast receivers can be unregistered using Context.unregisterReceiver() method.

BroadcastReceivermReceiver=newMyBroadcastReceiver();
registerReceiver(this.myReceiver,newIntentFilter(“MyBroadcast”));

IntentFilter object that specifies which event/intent our receiver will listen to. In this case, it’s broadcast. This action name is used while sending a broadcast that will be handled by this receiver.

@Overrideprotected void onPause() {unregisterReceiver(mReceiver);super.onPause(); }

Once the component that had made the registerReceiver() call is destroyed sendBroadcast() will also stop working, hence the receiver won’t receive anymore be it an event generated from an app or the system. Whereas with the previous method where we registered via the manifest file, this is not the case.

Dynamically registered receivers are called on the UI thread. Dynamically registered receivers block any UI handling and thus the onReceive() method should be as fast as possible. The application may become sluggish of an “Application Not Responding” error is the worst.

Which Method to Use When for Registration

The type of preference among the two approaches is determined by the motive. Suppose you want to do some changes right on the screen (home screen, launcher, status bar, etc.) By showing up some notification or some indicator in the status bar by listening to system-wide events or maybe those sent by other apps, then it makes sense to use statically registered broadcast receivers. Whereas based on similar events you want to do changes right in your app when the user is using it or maybe it’s put in the background, then it makes sense to use dynamically registered receivers which last till the registering components are destroyed.

In fact, there are certain events like Intent.ACTION_TIME_TICK that cannot be registered in the manifest but only via registerReceiver() to prevent battery drainage.

Broadcasting Custom Intents

If one wants that the application itself should generate and send custom intents then one will have to create and send those intents by using the sendBroadcast() method inside the activity class. If one uses the sendStickyBroadcast(Intent) method, the Intent is sticky, meaning the Intent you are sending stays around after the broadcast is complete.

public void broadcastIntent(View view){Intent intent = new Intent();intent.setAction(“com.example.broadcastreceiverdemo“);
sendBroadcast(intent);}

This intent com.example.broadcastreceiverdemo can also be registered in a similar way as we have registered system-generated intent.

<applicationandroid:icon=”@drawable/ic_launcher”android:label=
”@string/app_name”android:theme=”@style/AppTheme”><receiver android:name=”MyReceiver”><intent-filter><action android:name=” com.example.broadcastreceiverdemo“></action></intent-filter></receiver></application>

You can see a working example by visiting this link.

– Deepika Bisht

What is Key to an Effective Mobile Device Management (MDM) Strategy?

There are too many devices and applications flooding in the market by different businesses. These businesses need to transmit and access a huge amount of data every day across multiple devices. With the advancement in device technology, we have to make sure that the data transmitted and accessed do not fall into wrong hands.

In order to overcome this fear, most of the companies are using a Mobile Device Management software that helps to keep the data under vigilance. So, in general, Mobile device Management helps organizations to keep control of the various connected devices to avoid any possible security issue and improve better productivity.

Mobile Device Management software are tools that are used for deploying, monitoring, securing and managing the smartphones, tablets and laptops in the workplace that are involved in the distribution of application data and configuration settings.

With the advent of this tool, the main authority of an organization has now complete control over the devices that are connected to the network.

Mobile Device Management applications are either implemented as in-house deployed and managed applications or externally deployed via “SaaS” (cloud-based) or online hosted models.

Some of the Mobile Device Management tools are carrier-specific. Carrier hosted MDM application control only devices offered by the carrier. Most of them are Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) versions of MDM applications that are modified with specific carrier features.

In general, the main aim of MDM is to optimize the functionality and security of mobile devices. One of the popularly increasing approaches in MDM is the “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) approach which allows the employees to bring mobile devices of their choice with access to internal networks. These devices are remotely managed with minimum disruption to the employees.

Advantages of Mobile Device Management

Nowadays, Mobile Device Management tools are growing in number. By optimizing the mobile devices, security risks, and the support costs are lowered along with protecting the data and the configuration settings.

With the help of an efficient Mobile device management tool, users can trace the connected devices and can send messages to different devices simultaneously without any additional charges.

Whether it’s a company-owned or personal device, Mobile Device Management solutions can control and protect the data and configuration settings of any mobile device. With the arrival of MDM tools, it encourages more productivity by making the employees of an organization work any time and any place securely.

Some tips that have to be kept in mind while creating an MDM strategy.

  • Always make sure what device the workers use, whether it’s a corporate-issued device or bring your own devices (BYOD) issued by the company.
  • Make sure the chosen device can handle the security level as per your business requirement.
  • Device usage policies and Security related issues should be communicated with the employees from the beginning. Make sure the device has remote wiping capabilities and remote alert facilities if an unauthorized user tries to access the device.
  • Always give the employee clear information about what applications is permissible on the employee device.
  • Implement strong passwords to keep the data safe.

Smartphones and mobile devices nowadays are very similar to desktops and notebooks regarding communication power, data storage and accessibility. MDM applications can be used to control these devices together and preventing the data to reach the wrong hand. Since there are too many devices in the market along with with a lot a greater number of applications, the MDM is becoming a mandatory addition to the IT infrastructure.

–  Ebin J Sebastian