The mobile app development business is transforming. You will be able to operate mobile applications on many platforms as microprocessing technologies progress. Apps designed for mobile devices, for example, will perform flawlessly on desktop computers in the future years. Furthermore, mobile apps created using Flutter or React Native will run on Android phones, iPhones, Macs, and PCs. But, before we go any further, let’s look at some mobile app usage data to see how consumers spend their time on their phones and what potential there is for your mobile application development.
The need for mobile app development is also increasing. In 2020, the mobile app industry’s revenue will have raised $581.9 billion. If current trends continue, industry sales will reach almost $1 trillion in 2023, and by 2026, the market will have grown by more than 18.4 % to $407.31 billion.
Apps use 88 % of mobile time. Mobile app development is exploding in all directions, looking for guidance or taking a cab, making bank transactions or translating from a foreign language, interacting with loved ones, and sharing images on social media. It is one of the most common software development techniques; the number of mobile devices outnumbers the number of personal computers, and this trend is expected to continue.
What is Mobile App Development?
Creating mobile apps that operate on mobile devices is known as mobile app development. These programs can be pre-installed or automatically downloaded later by the user. They exploit the device’s network capabilities to access computational resources remotely. As a result, the mobile app development method needs the creation of software that can be loaded on the device, the activation of the server-side for data access via APIs, and the testing of the application on target devices.
To create scalable mobile apps, consider screen sizes, hardware requirements, and a variety of other components of the app development process. With the number of employees in the mobile app development business expanding, entrepreneurs, firms, and developers must adequately describe and recognize the process.
Platforms for Mobile App Development
Apple Inc iOS and Google’s Android are the two most powerful mobile app platforms. iOS is Apple’s exclusive mobile operating system designed mainly for iPhones. On the other hand, Android app development runs on Android, built by various OEMs, including Google.
While the two have many similarities, various software development kits (SDKs) are utilized for different platforms. Apple only uses iOS for its own devices, but Google has made Android open to other firms that match specific criteria. So far, developers have created approximately 1.5 million applications for both platforms.
Alternatives to Creating Mobile Apps
There are four approaches to mobile app development:
- Construct Native Mobile Applications
- Create Native Cross-Platform Mobile Applications
- Construct Hybrid Mobile Applications
- Construct Progressive Web Applications
No matter the strategy you use, there are pros and cons to developing an application. You may accomplish the required user experience, access computational resources, and create native functionality for your application by selecting a method that meets your plan.
Alternatives for App Development Comparison
| Native Mobile App | Cross-platform App | Hybrid Mobile App | Progressive Web App |
| Native apps are created with the tools and SDKs provided by owners such as Apple and Google. These programmes are designed to operate locally on the platform of your choosing. | Cross-platform mobile apps may be created in a variety of programming languages and then built independently for each device. | Hybrid apps are created utilising cutting-edge web technologies such as JavaScript, CSS, and HTML, and then packaged as mobile apps for the appropriate platforms. Hybrid Apps vary from Cross-Platform Apps in that they use web containers and the browser runtime. | Progressive Web Apps do not necessitate the creation of native or cross-platform applications. They avoid installing apps from app stores as well as traditional app distribution mechanisms. They operate within the browser. |
| The best runtime performance is provided by native applications. |
A single code base serves as the foundation for various platforms. | The codebase is shared between online and mobile apps. | Apps may be accessed via the web as well as mobile devices. |
| Using platform-specific SDKs, you may directly access the platform’s data. | Even across platforms, a cohesive user experience may be provided. | Mobile applications may be created using web development technologies. | There is no need to install the app. Uses the network connection to run a browser on a URL. |
| The price of developing and maintaining multiple codes for each platform is too expensive. | Because native libraries are not available, reliance is placed on third-party open-source libraries. | The performance is not native because they are designed mostly with web development technologies. | There is little to no support for native devices. Uses the browser’s capability to run. |
Why Should You Develop Native Apps?
When you wish to access the platform’s native features, choosing native app development is preferable. Native apps may use the device’s hardware capabilities like GPS, camera, and microphone, allowing faster activation of functions.
Push notifications are far more straightforward to implement in native programming. Push notifications, for example, should be sent through the iOS Server (APNS) and Google’s Cloud Messaging Platform. Because the code is compiled in the local language, native apps have fewer errors.
Why Should You Develop Cross-Platform Apps?
The market is split between iOS and Android. Your potential consumer might be on one of the platforms or both. Building separate applications for both platforms necessitates a significant expenditure, which few businesses have. Furthermore, creating native platforms might make it more challenging to provide the same level of speed and functionality as your program requires.
It is better to Select cross-platform development if you want to match the user experience over both platforms, have a single development team publishing for all platforms, and don’t have the funds or time to construct and manage two different apps.
Why Should You Choose Progressive Web App Development?
Progressive Web Applications (PWAs) are created using specific web languages such as Javascript, HTML5, CSS, etc. These applications are only available through your device’s browser. So, design a PWA if your users will have continuous network access and can solve their problems using the browser alone, without requiring any native device features such as a camera, machine learning module, GPS, gyroscope, etc.
Using a systematic mobile app development approach, let’s learn all the mobile app development processes to build your next excellent app.
Step by Step Guide to Modern Mobile App Developing
To create an application, you need a step-by-step approach that will allow you to create mobile apps rapidly. There are three critical steps:
- Recognize the requirement
- Create the Product
- Test the product.
Developing a Strategy
The first step is to develop a complete Terms of Reference (TOR). User personas, user stories (User Story), a Customer Journey Map, mobile app features, business processes, and the significant scenarios that should be executed are usually included. The TOR is created by the customer or a development company based on the customer’s specifications. It is feasible to precisely predict the time and cost of app development after preparing the ToR.
The Customer Journey Map depicts how a person utilizes the mobile app in each user story. It describes the user’s journey, including switching between screens and pressing buttons. The diagram shows you how to technically integrate the utility’s features on your phone.
Build UX/UI Design
The designer produces fixed and interactive models of the application at this stage. So you can preview how the app will appear and behave and the features that will be included. Everything depends on the client’s goals, desires, and feedback for the mobile app’s design to satisfy the criteria correctly.
What is UX Design?
The interaction between the components of an application is fundamental to UX design. You can examine how the app functions in different variants of the client scenario at this point. This is the registration order, the personal account view, and the checkout and payment order.
What is UI Design?
The look of the program is a component of UI design. The designer chooses the color palette and works on the interface. If the organization has a style and corporate colors, they create the design.
Customers will occasionally bring in a ready-made design. If no design exists, the UI/UX is constructed from scratch. Consequently, there is a screen map, an application design, an appealing UI, and a user-friendly UX.
Designing a Mobile App
Designing entails far more than simply understanding how to utilize design tools. You may learn to create your mobile application or hire someone. Above all, design is about knowing the product from the inside out, including its skills, features, and functions. Always keep the end-user in mind when designing. The following is the design process that we use at IT Curves.
- Creating a User Flow/Diagram for each screen
- Making Wireframes
- Design Patterns, Colour Palettes, and Elements
- Making mockups
- Making an interactive prototype and asking questions that can be tested
- Based on user input, make final adjustments to the mockup.
The active development of designing a mobile app the design is completed, and the mobile app prototype is authorized. In complicated projects, it is commonly recommended to utilize a minimal viable product (MVP), which aids in assessing the future application by the client and users and in continuing planning the development.
Start working on your app
The following are three crucial features of app development:
- Architectural design
- Stack of technology
- Milestones in development
The majority of mobile app development projects are made up of three parts:
- Server technology for mobile backends
- API stands for application programming interface (APIs)
- Front-end programming
The development team creates code to achieve the desired application behavior and connects the application programs to the server component if one is available. The service code is developed in two stages:
- Frontend
- Backend
The front is responsible for designing and implementing the application’s client-side components, such as the interface and business logic. The backend establishes the service’s server component, which is in charge of data transport.
The server should be constructed so that data interaction between it and the front is as easy as possible. We now have a mobile application development that can be tested after this round. Java and Kotlin are used for Android app development, whereas Objective-C and Swift are used for iOS app development and the newest frameworks and libraries. React Native and NativeScript are used in cross-platform solutions.
Development of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)
Mobile apps have progressed to the point where they continuously contact servers. Few programs work without access to the internet, which implies they rely on the backend, a web service, or APIs. APIs may be given by corporations such as Amazon, Google, Facebook, and others or built internally by mobile app development teams.
Most mobile API development is done with RestAPI and is also one of the most accessible options for anyone developing mobile apps. It allows users to quickly connect and interact with a global cloud data server. Making requests across the network, on the other hand, might cause severe issues if done incorrectly.
Bug-Fixing & Testing
The application’s full version must be tested when the development has been completed. To prepare for a complete release, mobile app testing entails finding and eradicating any bugs and faults in the app.
A mobile application viewer is a specific software for testing. The way the application appears and functions when viewed is how it will appear and work after publishing. That is why it is critical to discover bugs and wrongly displayed parts at this stage so that they may be fixed before release.
The most typical error companies make underestimating the testing stage and rushing to launch the project. Application problems will have to be rectified eventually, but this way is more expensive. Testing an application is done at all phases of development. They examine the interface’s usability, security, performance, and responsiveness.
Deployment & Maintenance
The deployment of a mobile app is sometimes referred to as the launch of a mobile app. Deploying mobile apps may be time-consuming, especially if the program is complex and requires extensive testing.
Mobile App Deployment Best Practices
Once the user has installed the program, you should focus on reducing uninstalls, providing the most incredible user experience, staying ahead of the competition, and reaping the most financial rewards in the long run. Updating your mobile application regularly can help you establish a long-term brand image in the eyes of your consumers. Here is a list of long-term app development best practices.
Keep an eye on the performance of your mobile app.
Keep a watch out for different loading kinds, delays, and responsiveness concerns. This will assist you in remaining prepared for your analytics report. Analyze your retention and churn statistics, as well as your usage habits.
Keep your user interface up to date.
This is another method for keeping your mobile application up to date. Customers align themselves with shifting fashions, trends, habits, and other app features that require continual upgrading. If you keep your app interface consistent, your clients may eventually favor other rival applications with identical functionality.
Ensure that your app is compatible.
Ensure that your app is compatible with the most recent software and hardware changes. Every year, a new version of the mobile operating system is introduced. Consider how many mobile devices can be upgraded to the most recent version of that operating system and thus your app.
Fixing bugs can help you gain customers.
No software program is ever released without being thoroughly tested. However, bugs are an intrinsic aspect of mobile app development. Fixing bugs may demonstrate your trust and attention to your consumers and mobile phones.
Update your app regularly with new features.
This may be accomplished by analyzing how consumers engage with your software. You may learn what works and what doesn’t for your users with the aid of the information you receive.
Conclusion
It is not easy to create a mobile app. The app has become a user-friendly and appreciated app by millions, and enhancements and new features are continually being introduced. So be prepared to put in much effort before the app is live.
We are prepared to create mobile apps to satisfy the demands of your company. Our staff will be there for you every mobile development and deployment step. So, if you have any queries or ideas for project execution, please get in touch with us. We are always willing to assist.
