5 Myths About Mobile Apps for Business, Debunked

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Mobile apps are marking a new frontier in the digital mobile revolution. The penetration of smartphone devices alongside internet infiltration extends limitless opportunities for mobile users.

Already, the mobile app uptake is on the rise accounting for over six billion mobile app users globally. Because of the rising popularity of mobile apps, organizations are gradually upscaling their uptake and streamlining their operations through mobile apps.

Below we debunk five myths surrounding mobile apps for business:

1. Mobile apps fall way cheaper than web

There’s a popular myth that mobile apps are cheaper to develop and maintain than web applications. This myth is because mobile phones are physically smaller devices and have less computing power than computers. Unfortunately, most people don’t realize that mobile app development is as complex as software development. Indeed, software developers collaborate with many professionals – designers, analysts, programmers, and data architects – to develop mobile apps.

2. Cross-platform app conversion is faster and nominal

Most clients assume that converting an app from iOS to Android and vice versa is a simple process. Unfortunately, they fail to understand that cross-platform app conversion is a complex, time-consuming, and strenuous process involving code rewrites and re-programming. Cross-platform app conversion is not an automated process; the programmer has to code from scratch.

3. I don’t need an app

Most users presume that their phones contain all information and applications they need. Unfortunately, this is not true. Today, we live in a world that’s interconnected and where everything is digital. For instance, things like communication, shopping, social interactions, entertainment, news, and education are being conveyed via the web. That automatically means that users must adopt applications that support these diverse functions.

4. Apps crash or slow down your device

Software crashes are caused by many things, including bugs, hardware issues, and viruses. However, things like outdated codes, malicious attacks, and hardware failures can cause delays and crash your device. . Regardless of the cause, poor app performance isn’t always a result of a poorly-designed app. Sometimes, crashes and slowdowns can happen because you installed a malicious app. It’s advisable to be vigilant for malicious apps disguised as add-ons.

5. Mobile apps don’t need promotion

Individuals and organizations do the hard work of investing in a mobile app but fail to promote it. Like any other product – a shoe, an electronic, a commercial building, an entertainment hotspot, or a new brand – an app needs to be marketed and promoted vigorously.

Proper planning and promotion are a must-have because of the stiff competition. It’s not enough to invest in your app and post it on a platform like AppStore or PlayStore. It takes an intensive investment to promote your app to the relevant markets.

For instance, an app like TikTok leveraged digital marketing strategies and worked with brand activation agencies to promote itself. Influencer marketing and public campaigns like FightTheDarkness, GarBaithoIndia, and Chipotle: Boorito Challenge are some of the earlier promotion campaigns by TikTok. Your app also needs rigorous campaigns and promotion to reach the right audience.

You can contact NS804 for mobile app development and promotion solutions.

The 13 App Ideas That Could Change Your Business

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Mobile apps have transformed many things, among them user browsing experiences and online shopping patterns. Mobile apps have reinvented business communications allowing businesses to optimize on financial and operational performance.

In addition, mobile apps continue to accelerate digital retail practices, especially as online retailers view mobile apps as a frontier in mobile commerce. There’s no doubt that mobile applications have dominated businesses, from small enterprises to large establishments.

Mobile apps continue to push boundaries in business process developments. So, if you’re looking to build your first app, here are some app ideas that could change your business.

1. Scan and Shop App

The “scan and shop” app lets users scan items they find physically so that they can order them online. The scan and shop app allows users to physically translate their physical shopping experiences to online. The app allows you to scan items and track them back online by images. This approach allows customers to buy products easily from online stores. Scan and shop apps allow vendors to add more features to make the app experience interesting. Businesses looking to transform their online shopping experiences can invest in scan and shop apps.

2. Mall Navigation

Although the Covid-19 pandemic saw shrinking mall spaces following social distancing measures in public areas (stores and malls), digitization has the potential to debunk this anecdotal talk with mobile commerce. Mall navigation apps will secure the digital maps of all the physical malls in a specific area, allowing users to locate specific stores in malls.

These apps allow shoppers to physically locate a store and use navigation to physically visit and shop. This app can navigate directions and maps, check restaurants, stores, bathrooms and locate parking spaces. So, if you’re a business enterprise or an individual running a commercial building, a mall navigation app is a must-have.

3. Restaurant Booking

Among the most hit businesses by the pandemic was the hospitality industry, hotels and restaurants being the biggest culprits. Luckily, the pandemic revealed that apps could bridge gaps in customer service through graphical restaurant reservations.

Nowadays, couples, families, individuals, and groups can use mobile apps to book hotel reservations. To what’s known as the graphical restaurant reservation, this booking app gives you access to a restaurant’s physical layout and general appeal. Graphical restaurant apps allow you to select your preferred dining spaces (and tables) for a specific time.

4. Supermarket Checkout

Supermarket checkout apps let users compare prices in different product categories. In addition, these apps let you automatically scan products and make purchases using e-payment gateway integrations. Integrated e-payment options provide improved shopping capabilities and superior experiences for prospective customers. Businesses can use this app idea to bolster online retail experiences.

5. Health Check-up and Food Planner

Health is a priority today more than ever. That’s why health insurance has skyrocketed in the last decade with rising emphasis on disease prevention and management. The health check-up and food planner app checks your health on a daily basis and suggests the meals that you should consume to remain healthy.

Health check-up and food planner apps incorporate temperature measures, body mass indices, blood pressure, body weight, and calorie count metrics. Collectively, these metrics can be used to boost your dining experiences, especially if you run a fast-food, groceries, hotel, tours and travels business.

6. Voice Translation App

There’s no doubt that business is about communication and agreements. In the contract management process, a central part of negotiation is establishing clear communication that supports all procurement needs. Businesses engage in “buy-and-sell” processes that often involve communication between people of different cultures.

A voice translation app understands the rising globalization and multiculturalism. This app responds to differences in languages, especially between employees, customers, professionals, and associates of different cultures. A voice translation app is a superior tool if you’re looking to foster communication in a multicultural workforce environment.

7. AI-Based Picture Translation

We all have challenges translating road signs, pictures, images, and signatures – especially when traveling to another country or exploring a foreign culture. So, just like Google Translate or Lens, an AI-based picture translation app allows travelers to translate pictures, texts, images, and objects. AI-based picture translation apps would transform business experiences, especially enterprises looking forward to transforming and reinventing how they communicate to multicultural audiences.

8. Criminal Alert App

Businesses in warehousing, logistics, and procurement definitely need a guaranteed security solution. A criminal alert app is embedded in warehousing computers, personnel devices, and procurement endpoints to detect any anomalies in inventories. A criminal alert app is important for monitoring inventory inflows and outflows, and monitoring warehousing activities. This app provides end-to-end visibility to procurement processes, enabling store owners and warehouse floor supervisors to keep track of inventories.

9. Exam Study

Virtualization is changing traditional education with online distance learning opportunities. New learning platforms such as Coursehero, Coursera, Doordash, and Quizlet are at the center of traditional learning transformation. Already, schools are implementing software and adopting technologies to support this transformation. In responding to this shift, businesses in education and higher learning sectors may consider investing in these apps.

An exam study app is a virtual study app where students can meet virtually and revise for upcoming exams in a particular discipline. By using exam study apps, learning can be facilitated using discussions, study tools, and study materials. This app would definitely be a win for enterprises in research, academia, higher and Montessori curriculums.

10. Call Recording App

Cybersecurity is a rising issue in enterprise security especially with the uptake of digitization solutions in business processes. Unfortunately, despite the significance of cybersecurity in today’s online shopping, most customers still fall victims of phishing and spam calls.

Most businesses are investing and downloading call recording apps so that when they’re harassed by scammers, they can record, save and share the audio file with anyone. This app is critical for all enterprises that want to share scamming and phishing audio calls to internal personnel as a measure against cybercrime.

11. Tip Calculator

The tipping culture is forever changing and affecting businesses differently. This app has a calculator that allows faster entry of food bills when you’re dining with friends and family and you want to split the bill. The tip calculator calculates the total amount to tip. This app is a critical component for hotels, restaurants, and businesses in the hospitality sector where tipping is nigh.

12. Sell, Buy, Rent Apps

The sell, buy and rent app is just like the Facebook app but with added functionality. This app lets users hire products online, buy or sell. Apps like Airbnb, TripAdvisor, Expedia, Vrbo, and Plum Guide let you hire properties for a specified duration. However, a sell, buy, or rent app allows active customer-buyer engagements, facilitating property and goods transfer either through buying or renting out.

13. M-Commerce Apps

Mobile commerce, popularly referred to as M-Commerce, refers to shopping on a mobile device, especially a smartphone, tablet, or wearable. The future of m-commerce is bright with customers turning to mobile shopping solutions. This means that for forward-thinking organizations, a simple m-commerce app can put you ahead of competitors.

Mcommerce allows you to operate contactless ordering and delivery applications. This improves the entire customer service experience by using innovations such as virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and mixed reality. For instance, virtualization and mixed reality allows shoppers to try out new outfits before purchasing. That means that malls and fashion retailers must look at Mcommerce apps as the next frontier in retail fashion.

Contact NS804!

There’s no doubt that a superior digital retail strategy combines an intuitive, user-friendly digital store and a fully functional website. However, mobile apps are complementing digital retail strategies especially with the accelerated uptake of mobile solutions. Rising adoption of smartphones and infiltration of internet connectivity continue to define new shifts in mobile app adoption.

Contact NS804 to transform your business with intuitive mobile applications.

How To Grow Brand Awareness with An App

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Business leaders often want to find effective ways to increase brand awareness. You’re likely one of those business leaders looking at how technology can positively impact your brand. And since we live in an era with so many options, technology-wise, it may seem incredibly daunting to make the right choice. 

Now, you may be wondering if apps can help grow brand awareness. And the short answer is a resounding yes, especially if you’re thinking of mobile apps instead of desktop or web apps. However, haphazardly releasing a mobile app for your brand will likely yield negative results. Instead, it’s best to follow these handy tips to make your app development endeavors worthwhile.

1. Increase Brand Awareness With A Quality Native App

Sadly, the mobile app stores have too many cheaply done, low-effort, and redundant apps. Users will often download apps that pique their interests, try them out, and eventually delete them. And what’s worse, most of these apps won’t get downloaded again in the future.

Obviously, as someone that wants to grow brand awareness, you don’t want such an outcome. So, how do you go about developing a mobile app that will do your brand justice?

Start by creating a native app that will run smoothly on Android and iOS. And while it costs more to develop a native app versus a hybrid app, your users will appreciate the better performance your app will deliver. Another benefit of releasing a native app is it will have a native UI that corresponds with the target platform’s guidelines and specifications.

2. Focus On UI Design And Usability

Your app must have an attractive and easy-to-navigate UI, as you want it to appeal to users while not frustrating them. After all, an ugly and unintuitive UI makes it harder for users to navigate the app. And this is usually a tell-tale sign of a low-quality app, which will reflect poorly on your brand.

Then, ensure that the design language of your app is on-brand. So use color schemes, graphic design, images, fonts, logos, and patterns associated with your brand for your UI. Ultimately, you want users already familiar with your brand to ‘feel right at home’ once they run your app.

Also, you want users to quickly associate your app with your brand by having a cohesive design language. The cohesion must be so strong that when you release other apps, users will instantly make the connection by simply looking at a screenshot of your app on social media or in the app store.

3. Grow Brand Awareness And Increase Retention With Push Notifications

Push notifications are a powerful tool that every savvy brand should utilize. Users love having announcements and content delivered that’s tailor-made for them.

For example, you’ve created a food delivery app meant to serve customers of your pizza brand. But to engage these customers, you offer them discounts on pizzas they’ve bought before based on their prior purchase history. And to keep them hooked, you provide them with pizza eating and making tips and run contests at a regular cadence. 

The beauty of push notifications is that they’re relatively easy, cheap, and quick to set up. And if users know that they’ll be receiving discounts and handy tips via upcoming push notifications, they’re more likely to engage with your app and keep it installed on their smartphones.

In Conclusion

Increasing brand awareness can and should go hand-in-hand with creating quality native apps, implementing UI design with usability in mind, and using push notifications. Contact NS804 today to learn how we’ll help you develop phenomenal apps that will help grow your brand!

Do You Need A Custom App? Here Are 5 Signs That You Do

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Deciding if your company needs a custom app may seem like a no-brainer. Then you come across online articles that sing the praises of off-the-shelf solutions. And these articles may convince you that the cost savings and ease of implementation of these turnkey solutions will have you covered. 

But that’s not entirely true, especially if you need a solution that must address specific business processes unique to your organization. That doesn’t mean that you should never use turnkey solutions, but keep in mind that these have a one-size-fits-all approach. 

So, they may be good at addressing problems experienced by businesses in general. Yet they seldom solve problems exactly the way you want, as they pertain to your organization’s needs. Thus, there are many ways your business will benefit by going with a custom app, which we’ll cover in more detail below. 

1. A Custom App Will Address Unique Business Needs

Every organization is different, so why rely on generalist solutions? And that’s also a question you should be asking if you need to solve complex problems. 

Let’s assume for a minute that you need to develop a mobile app that must collect a lot of data. Not only that, you want the data made available in JSON, XML, and your in-house encrypted and proprietary file format. And you want to retrieve, store, and transmit these files seamlessly across all your existing systems. Systems that may be outdated but still serve your needs perfectly. 

Now that’s a cumbersome problem — but will you find turnkey solutions that will solve it? If you look hard enough, you may find several off-the-shelf solutions that may work. And you’ll likely need programmers to make these diverse solutions function correctly. 

But things will get messy, and you’d better hope your in-house programmers or outsourced team are up for the task. If competent, they’ll likely cobble together a workable solution, but one that’s a Frankenstein of a creation. But if that’s not the case, you’ll have sunk time and money into a failed project. 

However, you can avoid such an outcome by working with professional custom app developers, such as NS804. You can discuss and outline your needs and the specifications that the custom solution must meet. And you can rest assured that the finished app will have all the features you need while meeting and even surpassing your quality standards.

2. Scale Your Custom App Only When Necessary 

Developing a custom app gives you total freedom to decide its future. Perhaps, you’re happy with your app and have no plans to scale up for the foreseeable future. But if you go with an off-the-shelf solution, you may not have this luxury. And the reason being is that many turnkey vendors like to lock in customers to the way they do business. 

Many operate as a Software as a Service (SaaS) and rely on subscriptions with a tiered pricing model. So, you may miss out on features or receive additional features that you don’t need based on your tier. Worse still, vendors may remove mission-critical features or enforce version upgrades at the most inopportune times while offering no tangible benefits. 

And then, there’s no guarantee that these vendors will be around for the long haul. You may want to scale up your app two years down the line but find out that the turnkey vendor has gone out of business. Or they may abandon specific APIs and toolsets essential to the continuous development of your app. In some cases, they may break compatibility with earlier versions of their own solutions or even operating systems, such as Android and iOS.

In a nutshell, relying on off-the-shelf solutions presents many risks. And if you’re a startup, you shouldn’t be wasting money on solutions that bring too much or too little to the table. It’s better to work with a custom app developer to scale up your app only when necessary, as this will free up funds that can go into other areas of your business.

3. Enhanced Security That Surpasses That Of Turnkey Solutions

As a business leader, you want your mobile app to have the tightest security possible. That’s especially true if you need to pass around valuable company data or handle payments. But that’s only possible if you have a clear understanding of the underlying technologies and security protocols. 

That’s the beauty of custom app development, as you’ll know exactly what technologies power your app. And there won’t be any hidden surprises if the custom app developer and your in-house security team work closely. Furthermore, they can further tighten security immediately after encountering a vulnerability. Something that’s not always possible if you were to rely on turnkey solutions.

Apart from the additional control over your security, you’ll also enjoy the benefits of improved integration. There’s no guarantee that off-the-shelf solutions will integrate with your existing systems. And even if they do, it’s unlikely that this will result in an elegant and optimally secure process.

4. Unlock A Plethora Of Marketing Opportunities 

Your mobile app won’t only help promote your brand but also give you a direct marketing link to your users. And you may decide to initiate your marketing campaigns via well-planned push notification strategies. After all, push notifications are powerful at delivering value, driving sales, and enhancing brand loyalty.

But if you take the custom app route, you can optimize your direct marketing endeavors. And you can increase or widen your marketing pipeline according to your needs and do this at any time. Furthermore, you won’t deal with any limitations imposed by turnkey vendors or wait for them to introduce the marketing features that you need. 

Another reason why you want to have complete freedom over your direct marketing channels is that you want to build long-term relationships with your users. Thus, you don’t want a third-party vendor to become an intermediary that gains access to your users and their data. There’s always the risk that they turn out to be a bad actor or suffer from security vulnerabilities down the line. And it’s not just their reputation that will suffer, but yours too.

5. Deliver A Superior User Experience

Nobody knows your users better than you do, so you’re in a position to create an app they’ll find appealing. So the most sensible choice is to develop a custom app that will meet or surpass your users’ expectations.

You want to create an app that allows users to complete tasks with as few taps as possible. A quality app with a well-designed user interface (UI) will reflect positively on your brand. Moreover, this will build brand loyalty and help with retention, so getting repeat business will be much easier.

And you can also improve the perception of your organization by allowing users to connect via the app. Thus, allowing them to communicate, give feedback, and lodge complaints, directly and quickly. If users see that they can resolve issues inside the app without being inconvenienced, they’ll likely keep it installed on their phones and recommend it to others.

The Bottom Line

Developing a custom app is usually the right choice for most organizations. And that’s because the end product will be far superior to that made with turnkey solutions. It will be more secure, run smoother, have better custom marketing pipelines, offer scalability when necessary, and deliver a better user experience. Contact NS804 today to learn how we’ll help you create cutting-edge custom apps that will engage your users! 

The 6 Best Apps for Businesses

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The best apps for businesses make it easier to handle everyday office and work tasks, whether working from home, in the office, or on the go. Business owners must remain agile and scalable to respond to changing business needs and evolving consumer preferences.

The rising adoption of mobile phone by users combined with increased infiltration of internet connectivity has forced enterprises to adopt digital technologies, among them online shopping capabilities.

Digital solutions are proving to be quite innovative approaches to targeting new customers and retaining the existing ones. This is precisely why mobile app adoption by businesses is on an unprecedented rise. While mobile devices certainly play an everyday role in our businesses and activities, selecting the best app for businesses can be challenging.

That is because you may want to have business apps that do multiple things: collect, store, and transfer documents across different devices and through different communication channels like wireless, wired, and Bluetooth. In addition, you may want an app that handles your enterprise resource planning activities, and one that responds well with your social media followers, mostly online clients and prospects.

In this article, we discuss the most important apps for small and medium-sized businesses. The best mobile apps offer superior functionality while also driving value and growth.

So, what are the best apps for businesses?

1. Microsoft 365

Microsoft Office recently rebranded to Microsoft 365 and is the best suite for small businesses. Microsoft 365 suite entails different apps that are powered with diverse capabilities. The apps include intelligent capabilities like ideas for Microsoft, Excel, advanced security features, teamwork, and real-time collaboration. Microsoft 365 allows licensed users to deploy the software to five PCs and MACs, five mobile devices, and five tablets.

Microsoft 365 boasts superior connectivity and productivity across your enterprise. The software contributes to streamlined knowledge because information can be shared through cloud document management. There’s enhanced mobile access anywhere and anytime, leading to productivity due to round-the-clock work. Intelligent process automation, and social capabilities, are some of the features that make Microsoft 365 a must-have for businesses.

2. Wave

Financial management is a critical function of any venture. The ability to oversee and manage your finances from anywhere is critical, and Wave gives you billing, invoicing, and accounting software for doing business mobile. This mobile app is designed to help entrepreneurs sync bank accounts, balance books, and connect to their bank accounts anytime and anywhere. Accessing cash flows anytime and anywhere is quite indispensable for a successful venture. That is why small businesses are using Wave as a money management solution.

The main leading features of Wave include:

  • Wave allows businesses and individuals to create and send invoices to anyone and from anywhere. You receive notifications anytime an invoice is viewed, paid, or due.
  • Wave allows you to set up recurring billing for regular or returning clients. Payment information syncs with the account’s function.
  • Wave provides a receipt scanning feature which means that you don’t have to keep paperwork. Once you scan financial documents or information using the app, Wave automatically syncs it with the account.
  • Wave makes it possible to create accounting reports showing losses, profits, cash flow, and sales tax.

Wave provides customized money management and billing solutions, enabling businesses to stay at the top of their invoicing and accounting tasks.

3. RingCentral Office

RingCentral Office is the best selection for businesses looking for a perfect phone system. RingCentral Office not only comes with lots of features and capabilities; it is affordable too. This app offers a cloud-based phone system built around business services. So, it’s fine to use RingCentral Office on any endpoint with a browser: tablet, PC, smartphone, and Apple iPod.

RingCentral Office offers some basic plans that include: a phone system and call management and phone rental options for desks and conference calls. But, it’s the pricing tiers that give RingCentral Office an edge over other phone management apps out there. RingCentral Office app combines multiple features at a fair price.

RingCentral Office further provides a contact center as a service and unified communications as a service, which means that it offers the enterprise experience for small and medium-sized enterprises. In addition, the app can deliver a communication platform as a service. It gives you access to a developer’s networks. That means that you can use any APIs to customize and integrate your phone systems and other software in your business.

4. Avast Business Antivirus

With the increased adoption of digitized solutions comes the risk and threat of cyber-attacks. That is because attackers exploit the systems and networks that support critical business operations. One way to protect critical business systems is by using a trusted antivirus from a renowned developer and supplier.

Avast business antivirus delivers on its promise. This antivirus is an excellent endpoint suite that gives you various suites such as email protection, firewall, antispam, and antivirus for end-to-end security. When compared to the standard version, Avast business version provides Exchange and SharePoint protection and a plethora of tools for your servers. This software ranks as the best business software security solution for businesses.

5. Amazon Web Services

Amazon Web Services AWS is the world’s most adopted and renowned cloud platform. AWS has over 100 fully-featured services from different data centers. AWS offers strong computing power, database storage, and content delivery to help enterprises scale exponentially. Amazon Web Services runs applications and web servers in the cloud and thus hosts dynamic websites.

The benefit of Amazon Web Services is that it’s easy to use. This cloud platform allows vendors and application providers to securely and quickly host their apps, whether using a new SaaS-based app or an existing app. In addition, the AWS is flexible that enables you to select the operating system, database, and web programming platform. Amazon Web Services further boasts of its cost-effectiveness, security, reliability, and scalability.

6. Square

Square is a point-of-sale POS app that enables businesses to streamline their sales activities. Square is designed with superior functionality allowing you to ring up customers and close sales in minutes. Indeed, the best point-of-sale apps like Square can be customized to fit your business needs and industry requirements. Restaurants, for example, can use Square for table management and kitchen coordination activities. Retail stores, on the other hand, can use Square for its diverse retail management functions.

What’s crucial is that Square is easy-to-use and provides superior functionality and a clear interface. The Square company offers transparent and fair pricing. The app is mobile-friendly and works collaboratively with Androids, iPhones, and iPad. For small and medium-sized enterprises that don’t need advanced functionality, Square has a free trial plan.

NS804 – Developers of Best Mobile Apps

NS804 is an app development company with years of experience in app design, development, and maintenance. NS804 talented developers can help you design your app from inception to completion while enabling you to enjoy smooth, advanced functionality and scalability. NS804 development team optimizes your app’s functionality and delivers best-in-class app functionality.

NS804 can surely help you ace your next mobile app development project with a diverse specialty in android app development, IOS app development, app store optimization, UX/UI design, and minimum viable product MVP development. And with our cost app calculator, you get to know exactly how much it will cost to develop a new app from scratch.

Contact NS804 for the best mobile app development solutions.

The 5 Features a Business Needs in an App

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The adoption of mobile phones alongside high internet penetration rates dictates new developments in smartphone usage. Already, mobile apps are dictating new frontiers in web experiences by offering chatting, browsing, and payment services.

Mobile apps are transforming legacy communication patterns by providing digital avenues for communication. A classic example is the chat apps: WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram Direct, Line, Skype, and WeChat.

Research shows that mobile applications could generate up to $930 billion in revenues in 2023 alone. Already, shocking estimates show the power of mobile apps, reinforcing the talk of why it’s critical to get started with mobile apps. For instance, users spent over 3 trillion hours on mobile apps in 2021 alone.

The ever-changing face of mobile applications and the desirability of mobile apps to young demographics make it a target for tech-savvy enterprises. Most importantly, young developers are embracing application programming as a new frontier of mobile usability.

While apps are crucial in transforming legacy enterprises and shaping customer experiences, it’s critical to identify particular features that make apps desirable.

Important features a business needs in an app:

1. Usability

Usability is a critical consideration in any app development exercise. That means that developers must approach any mobile app development process with usability in mind. The app must be creative, simple, and easy to navigate. Most importantly, the app must focus on robustness and intuitiveness by incorporating the things people see in apps.

2. User-friendliness

Always aim for a user-friendly app design that’s simple to navigate and highly responsive. Navigation and responsiveness are the cornerstones of any successful app design work. Therefore, ensure that your business app is user-friendly and responds well to the evolving user needs.

Some tricks to make your app user-friendly include:

  • Focus on your target audience
  • Offer superior design
  • Prioritize user security
  • Optimize graphic and font size
  • Make wise use of push notification
  • Aim for intuitiveness

A user-friendly app is highly adopted and has higher retention rates.

3. Chat and call-back

Your business app must incorporate chat and call-back options. Business communication is forever changing, making mobile apps the go-to platform for business communications. Alongside emails, chatbots, and web portals, mobile apps offer a unique avenue for users, mostly clientele groups, to communicate and interact with brands.

4. Intuitive user interface

All apps must incorporate an intuitive interface, and proprietary, discretionary privacy. Users must own their information and privacy for apps to make meaningful sense to prospective users. The fact that enterprises are accelerating their app adoption efforts means that enterprises must find new ways to retain customers. One of these ways is by offering discretionary privacy solutions, including the possibility for privacy notifications in mobile apps.

5. Payment gateway

Payment gateway integration is a no-brainer for any business app. As a business owner, you are involved in the “money” business. That means that your services and products are sold or leased out to customers, making payment gateway integration altogether important. Therefore, a payment gateway is a critical feature of your business app.

NS804 – Aiming for Excellence!

Other vital tips for business apps include:

  • User experience is your ultimate objective
  • Always aim to deliver a superior typography
  • Aim for smooth edges, soft app elements, and creative color
  • The logo is the centerpiece of your brand positioning. Keep it first.
  • Remember to keep users updated. Users must not feel lost.
  • Be accommodative in scope. Let your app encompass many features and functionalities.
  • Aim for an interactive design. You can do this by testing, fixing, and testing once again.

At NS804, we guide businesses in mobile app development.

Contact NS804 to get started on your business app development journey.

9 Signs Your Business Is Ready for a Custom App

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Most enterprises see a paradigm shift in their success when they build a website and provide more information and tools for their customers. However, some businesses may even see more success if they create a mobile app.

The adoption of mobile apps has accelerated business development in several frontiers – customer service, employee performance, operational efficiency, and productivity. The rising adoption of mobile apps by enterprises is due to the increasing smartphone ownership and higher internet penetration rates.

But how can you determine whether your business is ripe for a custom mobile app? And once you decide whether you’re ready for an app, how do you figure out what to put in the app? Below, NS804 lends its expertise to discuss clear signs that your business is ready for a custom app.

1. Business Development

If your business is facing declines, it’s a clear indication that you’re not engaging with your customers right and adapting to new trends. Businesses must consider adopting an app but only if it adds substantial business value. Today, mobile apps are being used to increase employee performance and productivity by optimizing business processes to improve outcomes and productivity. The business app empowers workers, enabling them to stay connected and obtain real-time insight in and outside the office. Business apps increase engagement, boost loyalty, retention, leading to improvements in business process development.

2. Competition is Adopting Apps

When your competitors are increasingly adopting apps, it indicates that times are changing and so should you. Look around at your competitors and you’ll realize that they more likely have an app. Customers and normal folks are becoming connected, underscoring the importance of a mobile app for your business. However, before developing a custom app for your business, ensure that it links to your website, has push notifications, and supports contact information.

3. Slow, Manual Processes

Humans are slow being with a limited capacity to collect and store information. However, machines present classic opportunities to run several tasks simultaneously and store huge chunks of information datasets in one place. If a company lacks resources to automate manual processes, it’s a clear sign it needs a mobile app. In addition, if the business keeps relying on outdated, archaic machines, equipment, and systems, it’s a clear sign it’s lagging in technology adoption. Businesses and organizations that still rely on outdated systems show a desire and the need for a custom mobile app.

4. Customers Struggle Accessing Your Brand

If a mobile app would give your customers greater access to your brand, then you need to invest in a custom app solution. An app is created to provide customers access to a portal for personalized services, at any place and time. An app translates to greater communication between the business and its prospects. So, if your business struggles connecting with prospective clients and customers, it’s a fool-proof sign that you need a custom mobile app.

5. Customers Would Benefit from Offline Access

Mobile apps have the benefit of being accessible even without an internet connection. That ensures they are functional even in situations where there’s simply no internet connection. Offline access is an essential element in giving users a better experience, and ensuring that users download and use your app. So, if your customers benefit from accessing the tools that you offer, information, profiles, content, and shopping, it’s a sign that you’re ready for a custom app.

Here are some customers who may benefit from an app that’s available offline:

  • Customers who are using your app for traveling purposes, such as traveling itinerary or looking for directions to a remote camping location
  • Impatient users who don’t want to depend on slow and unreliable internet connections to reap fast apps
  • Consumers and users based in rural and regional locations would highly benefit from offline apps because these locations have poor internet connections.
  • If your app is precise and offers a few target features or specifications, offline accessibility would be an easy model to deploy to customers. This means that customers would access every feature in your app without an internet connection.
  • Consumers who want to access diverse content such as blogs, eBooks, videos, music, and podcasts in transit. Spotify is an ideal app that can be accessed offline. In addition to how much internet streaming for long hours, it would take, think about internet connectivity on highways. Offline access makes sense where there’s a demand for internet streaming for prolonged hours.

Your business is ready for a custom app if your customers would benefit from offline access!

6. Market Gap to Fill

There are over 10 million apps in the market right now. So, with a staggering amount of digital resources available to consumers, it’s crucial to think about what your app idea can do that other apps cannot do. If there’s a market gap your business could fill with a custom app, it’s a sign that your business needs an app.

Case in point, following the Covid-19 pandemic, Walmart reinforced its e-commerce capabilities with a robust app model. This transformation was intended to overhaul the traditional e-commerce experience with a more modern, high-tech retail experience.

Walmart mobile app for iPhone and Android lets users browse products, search and buy merchandise in different locations. Walmart has achieved massive cost savings and optimized retail opportunities amid a crisis. So, if there’s a market gap you can bridge, it’s an indicator that your business needs a custom mobile app.

7. Siloed Information

Today, data is being used to optimize business processes and to provide the best use. Connected IoT devices offer the possibility for collecting harnessed data, processing, and drawing insight from stored data. However, traditional organizations have information stored in central databases that are managed by authorized personnel.

If you find yourself relying on centralized data points, it’s an indicator that your enterprise has not evolved with time, and you’re still relying on siloed information. Mobile apps extend the possibility of collecting information from different sources and distributing this information to several users. The interoperability (interconnectedness) of devices and systems ensures easier and faster information transfer, promoting collaboration and improving productivity.

8. Fewer Sales Channels

This is one of the reasons companies give for integrating mobile apps into their business models. Undoubtedly, mobile apps provide additional sales channels that companies can use to bolster their revenues. Mobile apps simplify the task of buying or acquiring customers. For instance, if a mobile app offers the possibility of paying for products without ordering or going out to the store, it can become an efficient solution for the sales channel.

9. Inefficient Communication with Customers

Traditional communication applications like Skype, WhatsApp, and Hangouts have been nifty for companies. However, sometimes transferring important information like reports and files to multiple users and managing minutes can be difficult with traditional applications. Not only is internal communication solved by mobile apps, but communication with customers and prospects is also made agile and faster. For instance, the ticket system can respond to incidents to avoid communication problems.

NS804 – Accelerating Your Mobile App Adoption

At NS804, we believe that knowing the difference between “necessary” and “useful” will enable you to decide whether you need to hire an app development company to simplify your process, or whether you want to do it alone. Identifying signs like manual processes, system upgrades, inaccessible information, and inefficient procurement methods indicate that your business needs a custom app.

You can contact NS804 for inquiries and solutions in custom mobile app development solutions.

Remote Work And Apps: 5 Reasons Why You Need One

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The remote work revolution is well underway as we enter the post-COVID-19 era. Small businesses, massive enterprises, and government institutions realize that the old way of doing business is no longer feasible. With a shift towards environmental sustainability and more employees preferring to work from home — remote work is here to stay!

Furthermore, all organizations benefit from reducing their floor space, which inevitably reduces rental and energy costs. And as they streamline their operations, they can tap into a vast talent pool. With the right kinds of apps, it’s possible to work effectively with employees, contractors, and freelancers spread across the country or the globe. 

Below, we unveil why you need remote work apps and how your business can benefit from these.

1. Remote Work Apps Help Your Team Stay Organized

It may seem challenging to keep your team organized when they’re in different locations and time zones, right? That may have been a problem over a decade ago, but that’s no longer the case. Take Trello as an example, a web-based application ideal for managing projects and facilitating collaboration between team members.

The app’s easy-to-learn Kanban-style list-making features and intuitive Trello boards and cards help get everyone on the same page. And while it’s not suitable for massive projects, it’s ideal for smaller projects and organizations. Furthermore, Trello is also available as a mobile app for Android and iOS devices.

2. Video Conferencing Apps Keep Your Team Connected

All remote work teams need reliable video conferencing apps. After all, it’s necessary to have those face-to-face conversations and meetings at a regular cadence. Fortunately, there are many good video conferencing platforms available. One could even say that there are too many options in this space. 

Apps such as BlueJeans, Google Meet, GoToMeeting, Microsoft Teams, Skype, Slack, Webex by Cisco, and Whereby are only a few of the options available. On top of that, the privacy-respecting browser Brave has introduced Brave Talk, which is a viable video conferencing alternative.

3. Email Remains Essential For Remote Work 

No organization can run effectively without email. It’s the ultimate tool for communicating with on-site staff, remote workers, customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders. And considering the speed, reliability, and relative security offered by email protocols, it’s no wonder that email remains so popular today. 

And there are also many excellent email clients and platforms available such as Gmail, iOS Mail, K-9 Mail, Microsoft Outlook, ProtonMail, Spark, and TypeApp mail.

4. Cloud Storage Services Improve Workflow

As with email, no organization can function effectively without cloud storage and file-sharing services. If you’ve ever wondered why services such as Dropbox and Google Drive are so popular, it’s because there’s hardly an organization that doesn’t need to store and share digital files on the cloud. 

Moreover, these services make it incredibly easy and quick for remote work teams to share and update almost any type of file in real-time. And that helps keep teams in sync since they don’t have to wait long durations to access mission-critical files. 

5. The Code Repository Has Become Indispensable 

Tech companies and developers use code repositories daily. And that makes sense, as it’s an effective way to keep source code and the associated documentation safe. Furthermore, it simplifies the collaborative process between remote development teams and tracking any code changes.

But even non-tech companies that need to maintain and update code also need to use repositories. And in this area, there are several good options available such as Apache Subversion, BitBucket, GitHub, GitLab, and SourceForge.

In Conclusion

With the plethora of excellent remote work apps in the marketplace, there’s no reason for any organization to be left behind. And while most organizations will use web-based apps, Android and iOS versions are available for remote workers that rely on their mobile devices. Contact NS804 to learn how we’ll help you build powerful apps to empower remote work teams worldwide!

Best Android Apps To Install On Your Phone

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It’s never easy compiling a list of the best Android apps. After all, there are a plethora of excellent apps available for download on Google Play. But there are also many low-quality and gimmicky apps that are a complete waste of time. And then, some apps pose a serious cybersecurity risk, which you should avoid downloading in the first place.

Thus, the criteria for choosing apps to add to our list is straightforward. We focused on best-in-class apps that ooze quality, are snappy, and solve users’ problems effectively.

And we disqualified apps that have redundant features, lack regular updates, and suffer from ongoing issues. We also didn’t add any Google apps, as many come pre-installed with Android devices.

1. Brave Private Web Browser

Surfing the web has become increasingly risky recently. That’s because hackers use vulnerabilities found in browser extensions and websites to harm users. And given that the Android platform is often a target for these bad actors, most browsers don’t offer sufficient protection.

But that’s where Brave Private Web Browser comes in. It’s fast, lightweight, and secure and doesn’t overwhelm users with unnecessary features. And its built-in blockers are very effective at dealing with those pesky ads, cookies, and scripts.

2. GitHub

Every appreneur and software engineer should have the GitHub app installed on their Android phone. With many development teams working remotely, it’s essential to have a tool that allows them to collaborate while using the world’s most popular code repository.

GitHub makes it easy to merge and review pull requests, respond to comments, and provide feedback. It’s also lightweight and boasts a clutterless and intuitive user interface (UI).

3. Microsoft Office: Edit & Share

We couldn’t make a list of the best Android apps without including Microsoft’s flagship productivity app. Microsoft Office: Edit & Share is the swiss army knife of productivity tools, as it allows users to create documents, presentations, and spreadsheets. It’s also great for taking notes and viewing PDFs.

And as a testament to its power and versatility, this very article was written entirely in Microsoft Office on a mid-range Samsung Galaxy. It’s such an essential app that every executive, office worker, or student should have it installed.

4. Todoist: To-Do List & Tasks

Todoist: To-Do List & Tasks boasts over 20 million users and has received Google’s Editor’s Choice in 2020. And while there are many good to-do list apps in Google Play, few have an equivalent and comprehensive set of features.

Its clean and simple UI makes it easy for users to organize tasks, set reminders, and keep track of progress. Moreover, it integrates flawlessly with Amazon Alexa, Gmail, Google Calendar, and Slack. And it’s designed to run on a wide variety of devices, including the Wear OS Smartwatch. With so much going for it, it’s little wonder that it made our best Android apps list. 

5. Viber – Safe Chats And Calls

There are many good voice chat and messenger apps on Google Play, so this was a difficult choice. But we opted for Viber for several reasons. For one, it’s renowned for its rock-solid end-to-end encryption, giving users high levels of privacy and security.

Secondly, Viber users can make low-cost international costs and even communicate with those using landlines. It’s a feature that makes it stand out from most of its competitors and a good reason for businesses to use it. And thirdly, it boasts a large and vibrant community of users and includes excellent group chat capabilities. And it even syncs and transmits messages to the Wear OS Smartwatch.

The Bottom Line

Our list of the best Android apps is short but squarely focussed on the applications that can unlock the true potential of your smartphone. You’re carrying a powerful device in your pocket that’s an indispensable business machine, provided you install the right apps.

Contact NS804 to learn how we’ll help you create phenomenal Android apps to empower and engage your users.

2022 Mobile App Development Trends

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The global mobile app market is on a rising trajectory and will continue to boom in the years to come. According to Statista, global revenues from mobile applications will reach $613 billion before 2025, up from $316 billion in 2020.

With this development and projected growth comes plenty of opportunities for developers to optimize their app development efforts by delivering the best to the end-users. As 2022 unfolds, it’s critical to look at trends that will dominate the app development marketplace.

Why Cast Sight into the Future?

Software development personnel play a central role in driving revenues for their companies. Apps that fulfill a specific need, are unique in fulfilling particular goals, and extend a superior user experience will see the highest levels of adoption and retention. Simply, the more the users, the more the revenues.

You need to understand and adopt the latest trends in mobile app development to ensure your app ticks these boxes of usability, adoption, and retention. The better you translate these app trends into your app, the more users your app can attract.

2022 Mobile App Development Trends

2020 is undoubtedly the year that the more fringe applications will become more mainstream – artificial intelligence, 5G, augmented reality, virtual reality VR, and machine learning will see increased adoption to meet the evolving needs of the modern consumer.

As peoples’ lives become increasingly sophisticated, this complexity extends to how they shop, communicate, and access information. Below, we discuss crucial trends that will define the mobile app marketplace in 2022.

1. 5G Technology

5G technology is on track to becoming the gold standard for mobile communication, even though it’s not presently mainstream. The 5G technology market is poised to reach $620 billion by 2030. And with user-friendly benefits like low latency, faster data transfer, and increased performance speeds, the time for your app to support 5G is now. The 5G technology will change the way we build and use apps, efficiency and speed will substantially improve, and here are a few more things to expect:

  • 5G will be up 100 times faster than 4G
  • Latency will reduce from 50 milliseconds to 1 millisecond
  • With less latency, higher resolution, and superior performance – video apps will improve significantly.
  • Data transfer between devices will be faster and more fulfilling
  • 5G will allow developers to build superior features
  • Mobile payments will be more secure because of the faster processing of biometric data

Overall, 5G will make apps smoother, faster, and more efficient in their operation.

2. IoT and Cloud Technology

Mobile-connected endpoint devices and the internet of things (IoT) technology have been there for years, but their market is projected to grow to $1 trillion by 2023. The biggest drivers behind cloud and IoT adoption are security and increased concerns of business continuity processes. Indeed, with over $120 billion spent on IT security in 2019 alone, it’s easy to see why enterprises are looking for cloud and IoT as alternative security solutions. Cloud and IoT have other benefits including; improved efficiency, operational efficiency, and interoperability.

3. Blockchain Technology

Blockchain technology has emerged as a powerful force in protecting and safeguarding information, data, and resources. Blockchain is a digitally distributed and decentralized ledger located across a network. Blockchain is immutable, decentralized, and consensual, which means it can achieve faster settlements with enhanced security.

What makes blockchain a forerunner this year is that there has always been a security concern and misuse of data among app developers. Fortunately, blockchain solves security problems with its powerful characteristics – immutability, decentralization, and distribution.

Blockchain allows enterprises and organizations to create decentralized databases; which means that these databases do not need a company or a service provider to act as a gatekeeper. Blockchain solves a long-standing culture of data bureaucracy by bringing data control to the hands of users.

4. Augmented Reality AR and Virtual Reality VR

Pokémon Go was short-lived but it propelled the adoption of AR in mobile app development. Pokémon Go showed the world that we could use virtual reality to offer an immersive experience to viewers.

Today, there are several scenarios of brands using AR and VR to enhance user experience:

  • L’Oréal make-up app allows users to see their make-ups before purchase
  • IKEA uses augmented reality to let users see how furniture will look in their homes before purchasing
  • Lenskart lets buyers virtually experiment with glasses before purchasing them

This year, we will see AR and VR dominating the mobile app market in ways we can never imagine. The AR and VR market will rise from $25 billion in 2018 to $210 billion in 2022. Brands and businesses are expected to see a spike in VR and AR this year.

5. Artificial Intelligence AI and Machine Learning ML

In efforts to deliver personalized experiences to the end users, AI that utilizes predictive analytics algorithms will be an important element to consider. AI is important for speech recognition, navigation, and natural language processing. In addition, behavioral algorithms can improve security by analyzing user behavior and detecting fraud and information breaches.

6. PWAs and Instant Apps

Progressive web apps PWAs are becoming popular because they bridge the gap left by native web pages and apps. Benefits like faster loading time, reduced dependency on internet connections, and automatic updates make PWAs a darling to both consumers and brands.

In addition, instant apps are gaining popularity because they allow users to test the app before downloading it. While it appears that designing a simple app experience may reduce users’ app loyalty, it appears the opposite is true. Instant apps have a higher conversion rate and different testing requirements than native apps.

7. Mobile Commerce

Years ago, platforms like eBay and Amazon took precedence in the mobile commerce marketplace. But with exciting developments, the e-commerce trend has been phased out and substituted by mobile commerce.

As more shoppers prefer online shopping, retailers are adopting progressive web apps PWA (native apps) to improve user experiences. The mobile commerce marketplace is projected to hit $23 billion by the end of 2022 simply because many B2C and B2B companies have seen an increase in user engagement, revenue growth, and conversion rates after building an app for their business.

8. Wearable App Integration

According to Statista, there will be 1.1 billion wearables by 2022, and the most common connections made using connected wearable devices. Wearable app integration is another way to bring convenience to users, with users receiving updates, notifications, and messages about their health and wellbeing.

According to research, the ability to receive messages and notifications is the highest-ranking function of wearables in the United States. In the wearable market, fitness tracking has seen remarkable growth with the rise in health wellness among the general population. So, wearable app integration is likely to dominate most mobile applications as 2022 unfolds.

9. Beacon Technology

Since its inception in 2013, Beacons are gaining relevance among retailers and wholesalers alike. For consumers, Beacon transmitters connect and transmit data to connected devices, making interaction and location-based searching faster and more accurate. The convenience of mobile apps has accelerated the adoption of Beacon technology, making it a win-win for consumers and retailers. For businesses, beacon technology allows them to understand shopping habits – turning this data into a personalized shopping experience.

NS804 – Spearheading Your Mobile App Transformation

With the Covid-19 pandemic accelerating the need for consumers to move online, there is a new demand to deliver personalized and intuitive user experiences to customers. The 2022 mobile app development trends reflect this trajectory and increasingly focus on user satisfaction. Incorporating these trends in your mobile app roadmap will enable you to succeed now and beyond.