Troubleshooting Play Store Downloading

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Android is one of the most popular operating systems with over a billion users spanning over 100 countries. In 2021, Google Play users downloaded 111.3 billion apps from 78 billion in 2018. Play Store, Google’s leading app marketplace, continues to enjoy a significant reputation among mobile app users, especially owing to its ability to offer free and paid apps.

So, if you’re a play store user and are stuck when downloading an app or your Google Play Services keeps stopping, here’s a basic troubleshooting guide.

1. When you can’t open the Play Store on your phone

If your app can’t load or crashes when it opens, check whether you have a strong network connection. You can also check your storage space and whether there are any Android system updates.

2. Troubleshoot problems with only one app

In most cases, you’ll be dealing with one app at a time. So, when faced with an app bug or problem, uninstall and reinstall the app. Firstly, check whether the app is available for your device, then install it. A simple uninstalling and reinstalling will do the magic.

3. Force close the Google Play

Sometimes force closing the Google Play Store app is all you need to get an app up and running. You can force close your Google Play App by swiping away on the multitasking app switcher. You can also do this through the settings.

  • Open app settings app
  • Go to apps
  • See all apps
  • Tap on Google Play Store
  • Hit Force Stop
  • Okay

Force closing the Google Play App is an effective troubleshooting technique if your Google Play Services keep stopping.

4. Turn on Airplane Mode

Turning the airplane mode on and off can get an Android app up and running. This is not a complicated process and it’s safe. So, next time your Google Play Services keep stopping, try turning on airplane mode.

5. Restart your router

You’ve fixed a Wi-Fi issue once or twice by simply restarting your router. While it may not make sense, give it a try and you may fix an app issue if your Google Play Services keep stopping. Restarting your router gives your phone a refreshed internet connection, allowing all apps to download and operate seamlessly.

6. Restart your phone

Something as simple as rebooting your phone may do magic. Restarting your phone may solve some serious smartphone problems and may only take a minute or two. So, next time you’re facing a serious app issue when play store downloading, try rebooting your phone and installing and reinstalling the app. This trick will automatically fix the problem.

NS804 – Fixing Play Store Downloading Problems

NS804 provides custom mobile app development solutions for both Android and IOS. We strongly believe that one of the most common problems with apps is poor design and poor implementation. That’s why NS804 is interested in individual developers, aspiring app owners, and businesses to deliver trusted app solutions.

So, if you own an app and you’re experiencing a problem, look no further. At NS804, we provide custom mobile app fixes, allowing your app to answer your customers’ most pressing challenges.

Contact NS804 for time-to-value Android mobile app development solutions.

App Developers Richmond, VA

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Richmond, Virginia, is a thriving and vibrant capital. Richmond is considered one of the oldest US capitals – Patrick Henry, one of America’s Founding Fathers declared in Richmond, ‘Give me death or give me liberty.’

Downtown Richmond has a remarkable collection of hotels, restaurants, museums, recreational areas, and real estate. All these businesses are gradually undergoing a massive shift towards digitization, especially in mobile app adoption.

So, if you live in Richmond or you’re running a business in either uptown or downtown Virginia, you’ll want to outsource the services of a mobile app developer.

The adoption of mobile apps has been a significant driver of Richmond’s economic transformation. The uptake of mobile apps by retail giants like Target, Mod&Soul, and Burlington continues to predict future trends in mobile app adoption.

So, if you’re looking for mobile app developers in Richmond, worry no more. NS804 has remained committed to providing superior mobile app development solutions – not only in Charlotte Colorado, but also in Richmond, Virginia.

NS804 serves businesses of all sizes and types and provides services tailored to your needs.

What to Expect from App Developers Richmond?

Here’s what to expect when you hire NS804 as your trusted app developer in Richmond:

1. Expertise

NS804 has committed itself to provide quality and reliable mobile app development solutions. Our team handles your project from conception to completion, following details and adhering to standard design procedures.

2. Versatility

NS804 mobile app developers have vast experience developing both IOS and android apps. We work with start-ups and middle-sized enterprises to identify their business needs and build apps that are targeted to their business needs. One of the things we pride ourselves in is the ability to provide cross-functional apps that serve both IOS and android.

3. Minimum Viable Product MVP

A minimum viable product is a prototype of the actual app. An MVP allows the buyer or client to test the performance and functionality of the app before the full product is developed. This prototype helps to identify gaps in operation and areas of improvement.

NS804 provides minimum viable products to its clients. NS804 app developer provides an MVP calculator to help clients determine how much they will pay to have the MVP developed. However, this step is critical because a prototype of the actual app will help you identify and fill gaps in performance, efficiency, and productivity.

4. Strategy

NS804 is a custom strategy provider. When you hire them as your preferred app developers in Richmond, they will sit down with you to identify what makes your business successful. From there, NS804 will scope a strategy on what your app needs to accomplish to suit your business.

5. Customer-centeredness

App development is a sophisticated process that requires careful planning and expert execution. App developers work with various programming languages and look at the interoperability of platforms in creating the best apps. So, to achieve superior results in app development, NS804 values the input of its clients. During the development process, the client’s input is critical. We capture details that the client wants to be included in the app and develop a product that best answers your questions.

Why App Developers Richmond?

Richmond is a thriving capital with immense growth potential. The presence of reputable shopping stores, malls, real estate, hotels, properties, and impressive infrastructure makes Richmond a destination for consumers and tourists.

Integrating mobile app solutions into your enterprise is a great way to keep clients engaged, whether inside or outside Richmond. Aim to create lasting relationships with your clients, whether they’re inside or outside Richmond.

App developers Richmond will help you connect with your customers with custom mobile app development solutions.

Contact NS804 if you’re looking for mobile app developers in Richmond.

 

10 Mobile App Development Questions, Answered

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Mobile app development strategy is now a priority for most businesses. That’s because of the rapid uptake of mobile apps that has transformed the mobile app landscape.

However, for most businesses, small and large, successfully bringing an app to the market demands substantial research and strategic planning. So, there are several questions to consider when you begin the mobile app development journey.

Understanding these ten questions will help you identify the best mobile app development strategy for your enterprise.

1. Is a mobile website sound enough?

Your business objectives will guide your decision to design a mobile app or a mobile website. For instance, if your objective is to offer mobile-friendly content to a wide range of people, a mobile website can be an ideal choice.

Mobile websites present a great way to put valuable content in the hands of your target audience. Unfortunately, mobile website users have exceedingly high expectations of functionality and quality that sometimes these websites cannot deliver.

2. How feasible is my idea?

Most small and medium-sized enterprises struggle with this question. They wonder about the feasibility of their app idea, often struggling to understand whether they should put huge budgets on app development and maintenance.

Well, the best way to know whether your idea is feasible is to test it. You have to design a prototype, take it to your target market, and see whether there’s something valuable in it.

There’s no way to know whether your app idea will succeed if you haven’t taken it to the field of real prospects or at least seen how apps of similar nature have performed before.

3. Who is my target audience?

Most businesses and individuals fail to know who exactly is their target audience when developing an app. Always know your app’s end users before kick starting the app development process.

To know your target audience, conduct a comprehensive study of your app’s user demographics. Focus the research on identifying the users’ buying habits, age, challenges, and locality. In addition, research on how much time they spend on devices, their preferences, and interests.

4. What’s my mobile app category?

Knowing your mobile app category will significantly help you cut your mobile app development costs. While knowing your app’s category is a no-brainer, your app should be designed in such a way that it can fit into any categories available in both Apple Store and Play Store.

Knowing your app category will reduce your competitive research time. In addition, knowing the primary and secondary categories will help you narrow down the most appropriate or potential clients for your app.

5. How can I validate my app idea?

This is a question that’s asked by most mobile app developers. Individuals and businesses that want to integrate mobile apps into their digital strategy wonder how they can actualize their dreams and validate their ideas.

The answer to this simple question is: you can validate your idea by using a prototype, a Proof of Concept, or a minimum viable product. Alongside validating your idea, a Minimum Viable Product allows for client and stakeholder participation, eliciting new ideas and revealing new areas of improvement.

The prototype or minimum viable product ensures that the entire team contributes to the project through the product life cycle stages. So, if you want to increase the chances of your app’s launch and eventual success, using a proof of concept POC or a minimum viable product may help you attain that goal.

6. How will my app make money?

This is a question most individuals struggle to answer. So, making money with your app depends wholly on your app monetization strategy. Selecting the right monetization strategy or a combination of strategies will help optimize your app’s performance and usage.

As you seek to monetize your app, look for a model that will generate income without compromising on your app’s overall performance and functionality. For example, the subscription monetization model works based on music and video subscriptions, while the in-app purchase model is perfect for products and free-to-play games.

Carefully consider how you monetize based on your market research, user base, and product. Doing this will not only guarantee profitability but will substantially increase your success.

The most common app monetization strategies include:

  • Subscription
  • Freemium
  • In-App purchases
  • Pay per download
  • Advertising base

It’s important to note that regardless of your app’s monetization strategy, it’s not an afterthought. Your initial plans must capture your app’s idea and its monetization strategy.

The last thing any individual or business wants is to invest in a product that has no long-term returns on investment. So, carefully define your app’s monetization strategy straight from the beginning.

7. Hybrid, native, or web?

Selecting web, native, or hybrid can make or break your app’s mobile strategy. In addition, deciding to build your app as either a native, hybrid or web involves many factors for consideration.

Benefits of Native Apps

  • Deliver the best performance
  • They’re interactive, intuitive, and smooth
  • Allows developers to access the full feature set
  • A superior user experience
  • Approved by its operating system, ensuring compatibility, quality, and security.

Advantages of Web Apps

  • Web apps are relatively easy to maintain
  • They’re less expensive upfront
  • Do not have to follow standard OS protocols
  • Web apps can survive in all operating systems and platforms
  • Updates are not done from a centralized store – web apps update themselves automatically when the app loads

Advantages of Hybrid Apps

  • Only one codebase is needed for hybrid apps
  • Hybrid apps have access to a device’s internal API
  • Hybrid apps don’t need a web browser

The initial cost of a native app may be higher. However, you’ll save money and time in the long run.

8. Should I outsource my mobile app development?

Many companies have many items to consider when starting with mobile app development. One of these questions is who’s going to build the product.

Outsourcing mobile app development comes with flexibility, experience, and expertise, alongside an in-depth knowledge of new trends in technology.

9. Are there similar apps in the industry?

Competition holds a special place, not just in developing a new mobile app; but also in determining or predicting the future of that specific app. The first step in the competitive analysis is to know whether there are any competitor apps in the market.

Obtaining this information will not only help you know what elements or items your app must have, but will give you insights on what you should consider in the future to remain sustainable.

10. How do I protect my app idea?

One of the most commonly asked app development questions is how to protect your app idea. Well, the truth is that you have control of your app until it’s launched in the market. However, once launched, competitors will copy whatever attributes they see fit. And some competitors may duplicate the entire app idea.

So, while you’re at the ideation towards conceptualization stage, you can protect your app idea by signing a non-disclosure agreement NDA with the app development companies you’re involved with.

At the end of the day, the best way to protect your app idea is to work on it before your competitors do. And working on it means constantly adding new features and looking for new ways to improve the app’s overall functionality.

NS804 – Masters in App Design, Development and Deployment!

NS804 is a leading and trusted provider of mobile app development. With vast experience in app design, development, and deployment, NS804 has helped thousands of clients meet their app development goals.

NS804 offers expertise from inception to completion, helping you transcend the app development journey.

Contact NS804 for timely mobile app design, development, and deployment.

These are The 14 Things Customers Want in an App

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Designing a mobile app is not enough. Your mobile app must be able to communicate and interact with customers in meaningful ways. Think of a mobile app as a chatbot that talks to customers, responds to their questions, and executes commands.

So, your mobile app must go beyond physical appeal and encompass deep functionality and usability.

This post looks at several things your customers want in your app.

1. Rich experience

You must offer a unique customer experience for your app to capture the right audience and to be downloaded everywhere. Without thinking carefully about your target audience and their needs, you may duplicate a mobile browsing experience in an e-commerce app.

So, ensure you do thorough research to identify how to offer the best user experience. Look at ways to do things differently and offer unique and rewarding experiences.

2. Intuitive and easy navigation

Your app must be navigable to catch the right audience and retain them. Creating an intuitive and navigable app means incorporating simplicity, eliminating clutter, and being selective about the most crucial features you want to include in the front interface.

Documented research shows the number one reason users gave for deleting an app was that they didn’t use it. But if you find users using your app regularly, that doesn’t guarantee that your app is safe from being deleted.

14% of app users admitted to deleting an app they found hard to use. The overall usability and intuitive navigation are key features users look for in mobile apps. And mobile developers must always be on the lookout for how to deliver superior mobile experiences.

3. Simple check-out

Nothing is more strenuous to online shoppers than the check-out process. Users find check-out processes poorly designed and difficult to navigate. Sometimes, check-out processes threaten to compromise users’ personal and financial information, especially when credit card information is not well-processed or the debit card is debited twice.

So, ensure that you seal all the check-out loopholes and make the check-out process easy and seamless. Indeed, reputable online shopping stores ensure that customers only key in their credit card information once during their first purchase.

The system automatically recognizes this credit card information anytime the user makes future purchases. So, ensure that your customers do not have to key in their credit card details anytime they purchase from your app.

4. Personalized experiences

Everywhere you go, online stores and business organizations strive to make their online customer shopping experiences more personal. So, it should be no surprise that personalization is a critical element of mobile shopping.

In an e-marketing survey, more personalized mobile and mobile app experiences were the leading user expectation for the future. And to stand out in the mobile app space, businesses must put personalization at the center of their mobile app development strategy.

5. Simplicity

You can do many things to your mobile app as part of your mobile app development efforts. However, unless those cool things align with the needs and wants of your target audience, you may end up doing more wrong than good.

So, cramming your mobile app with features that are not important for the end users may end up compromising overall usability and functionality. We all know that users crave intuitive app navigation, which means simplicity is vital in maintaining this simple and navigable capability.

You must make a simple, usable design a key guiding factor of your design.

6. Demo

Although your customers will not tell you, giving demos of products and services in your app will do more good than bad. Often, demos provide solid proof that a product exists and works as demonstrated.

So, ensure that your app can support product demos.

7. Tracking

If your website doesn’t provide order tracking capabilities, ensure that your mobile app has this functionality. Greater transparency and quick shipments are critical for your customers. So, your mobile app must have an order or product tracking feature that allows them to keep track of their products wherever they are.

8. Returns

All customers yearn for a convenient and flexible experience anytime they buy – before, during, and even after buying. Companies like Zappos incorporate easy returns within the app.

9. Reviews

Customer reviews are the epitome of proof, especially in online shopping. Social proof is a great way to boost sales, especially if your customers offer honest, unique, and transparent reviews about your products and services.

So, your customers want social proof that your products are authentic and credible. This certainty comes from giving positive and accurate reviews and integrating these reviews into your mobile apps.

10. Support

If you will offer discounts, demos, and returns in your app, support is not optional – it’s mandatory. Giving support means including direct lines to live chats and customer service to ensure your clients’ experiences remain perfect and untarnished.

The emergence of customer support systems has provided immense capabilities to address most of the recurring customer service issues. However, it’s important to note that offering live support through chats or even phone calls is a good way of keeping in touch with your customers – and ensuring they get the best customer service.

11. Security

Online and data security is a critical element and requirement for every online user. Every user needs online security anytime they want to use a new app. It’s advisable to take verified and prior measures to protect your app from malware attacks and hackers who may want to steal your customers’ information.

Remember that when you’re launching your app and when your app is taking off, hacker attempts and malware attacks may scare away potential users – and fail a promising app.

12. Image resolution

This attribute of a mobile app is overlooked, although it is a critical element of any design work. All your images must be crystal clear and with the perfect resolution.

A good image resolution is equally as important as easy and simple navigation. Proper picture display keeps the audience engaged. The quality graphics and fine detailing on your app help bring users closer to your app, making their stay worthwhile

13. Flexibility

All customers want to use your app in virtually all operating systems – be it ios or android. So, ensure that your app can operate in all operating systems and eliminate any restrictions.

That’s because there are many operating systems available for smartphones. So, make your app available on most of these operating systems to maximize your app’s output.

Always remember the different screen sizes and resolutions of different smartphone devices before uploading your app to keep your audience satisfied and engaged.

14. Notifications and updates

Last but not least, your app must contain notifications and updates. Notifications act as information networks that update customers on payment information, new products, demos, offers, and other important information.

In addition, notifications and updates help keep your app more relevant and fresh to your customers. You can keep your target audience engaged and notified of new features using notifications like SMSs, email, and social media.

You will keep your audience engaged and satisfied if you add revisions to your app.

NS804 – Keeping Customers Engaged by Acing Your App’s Performance!

NS804 is the leading provider of custom mobile app design and development. NS804 provides design and development solutions tailored to your unique business needs.

So, whether you’re a start-up, a medium-sized enterprise, or a large corporation, you can rest assured that NS804 will provide superior mobile app design solutions that answer your customers’ more pressing questions.

Contact NS804 for time-to-value mobile app design and development solutions.

What Can Your App Metrics Tell You About Your Customers?

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App metrics will help you succeed as an appreneur or even as an enterprise releasing one or more apps. After all, it’s never a good idea to push out an app without monitoring its key performance indicators (KPIs). And that’s because you’ll be missing out on crucial information that impacts your app in its entirety.

Just think for a minute that you’ve spent a lot of time and money on a food ordering app. Many users download it, but you receive very few orders. Having failed to add mobile app metrics, you’re left bewildered as to why this occurs. To top it off, you’re left guessing about what needs to improve, apart from a few negative user reviews.

The hard truth is that you should never have to guess what’s wrong with your app. Instead, you should know how it performs during its entire lifecycle. And app metrics will also help you learn more about your customers, which we’ll discuss in more detail below.

Learn More About Customer Device Specs

You should add metrics that monitor your app’s performance and user experience (UX) from the get-go. But why is this so important when your app runs fine on your test devices? Your test devices only offer a limited view due to the massive variety of devices available, especially in the Android space. It’s a technical impossibility to test your app on the thousands of different Android smartphones, tablets, and TVs that your users may own.

However, your mobile app metrics will let you know how your application performs after the user installs it. You’ll gain access to valuable data, such as the user’s device operating system (OS), screen resolution, load times, and crash reports. Moreover, you’ll have a granular view of this data to allow you to pinpoint issues and fix them. Occasionally, you may detect these issues before most of your users do.

Mobile App Metrics Reveal Customer Engagement KPIs

Is your app engaging users, or are they uninstalling it in droves? Believe it or not, that’s one of the most important questions you should be asking. But it’s also one that you should be getting answers for immediately. And that’s because engagement rates directly impact your app’s revenue, so never leave this to chance.

Your customer engagement KPIs should reveal the following: average number of screens per visit, session length, stickiness ratio, retention rate, and churn rate. Furthermore, you should have detailed data on daily, weekly, and monthly engagement per active user. 

Monitor Customer Spending Habits

Your app’s supposed to make you money, so you need to know if your customers are actually making purchases. Also, integrate the necessary application programming interfaces (APIs) to facilitate and monitor all payment methods. Nowadays, users like to make payments using Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal — and several other payment services.

But what customer revenue metrics should you monitor? You’ll need to look at the following: average revenue per user (ARPU), number of purchases, time to first purchase, customer lifetime value (CLV), conversion rate, and cost per install (CPI).

In Conclusion

Mobile app metrics, when properly implemented, reveal much about your customers. And the data you collect and analyze will help you to pinpoint issues that impact your app negatively. Thus, allowing you to make fixes and roll out updates that actually make sense. Contact NS804 today to learn how we’ll help you integrate app metrics to unlock the true potential of your applications!

How to Make an App User Friendly

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Mobile applications continue to be critical tools for our everyday lives. Many factors must be considered when creating an app including; services provided, layout, design, features, and user experience.

Development of mobile apps requires a lot of effort and ingenuity with each app designed to solve a particular problem. However, what makes an app stand out is the user experience which can make a significant difference in making an app successful and stand out from the rest.

There is growing competition for app developers to create quality popular apps. With so many apps out there, users have a wide array to choose from. This makes app retention crucial by not only making the experience awesome but also being functional by solving the user’s problem.

So how do you make your app user-friendly in a highly saturated space? Well, making an app user-friendly requires some elements to collectively work together to achieve this goal.

1. Keep it Simple

The most important tip for making an app user-friendly is simply making it simple. The end user is likely to stay on an app that is simple and easy to navigate. Instagram and Tik Tok are some of the most popular apps which is because of the basic functionality that makes them easy to use.

A basic design must hook users who are not particularly tech-savvy and appeal to those with short attention spans. The average user is usually not interested in all the features of an app. Most users are focused on functionality and convenience when using the app.

They want to navigate the app seamlessly without feeling overwhelmed with information or complex features. An easy-to-use app means a new user can jump straight into the app with zero familiarity yet be able to navigate with ease.

Keeping it simple with an easy-to-understand layout and design creates a pleasant experience.

2. Understand the Target Market

The user interface and experience are based on user demands and behavior. User demands are typically the issues, difficulties, or obstacles that users are trying to address with the app.

User behavior on the other hand is the general pattern of characteristics that the target market shows while attempting to solve the issues.

For instance, younger users heavily rely on apps for on-demand services, whereas elderly users enjoy the personal touch of phone conversations. To make an app user-friendly, it is essential to comprehend the subtleties of user wants and behavior.

Making an app with the preferences of your target users as the top priority will ensure that you are creating something they will enjoy and use repeatedly.

3. Make it Safe and Secure

People are becoming more aware of the threat of hackers and the potential dangers of information getting leaked to the wrong hands. Users want the assurance that the data shared on apps are secure and will not be accessed or used illegally. This is especially true for apps that collect sensitive data like credit card information, medical data, or bank details.

For such apps, the consideration of security cannot be overlooked. Any app with security breaches is going to have a negative outlook with users who will avoid it completely.

Therefore, you should take all necessary steps to ensure that users of your application do not suffer any security breaches. Many apps employ a Facebook or Google sign-in as a method of contracting out their security procedures to a trusted vendor.

The first thing users notice once they launch an app is a design, color, and layout. A basic color scheme is appealing and user-friendly as opposed to a clash of various bright colors. The design should be attractive yet simple without being overbearing for the users.

The layout should be clean without too much going on to convey an application with extraordinary visual appeal. All in all, the design and layout should be simple with icons and paths that make it easy for users to navigate the app.

NS804 – Making Your App User-Friendly

NS804 is a trusted provider of superior mobile app solutions. We help individual businesses and large companies navigate the difficult process of developing an intuitive and user-friendly app. At NS804, we work together with clients to identify their different business needs and deliver mobile app solutions that address these issues.

Contact NS804 for superior, user-friendly mobile apps.

App Commerce Trends of the Future

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The mobile app industry is thriving due to the high uptake of smartphone technology. The increased consumption of smartphone devices alongside higher internet penetration rates leads to a corresponding growth in mobile apps.

According to published statistics, there are 6.3 billion smartphone users globally. And if you factor in the 1.14 billion tablet users globally which are growing exponentially at a rate of 26%, you realize just how reputable and promising the mobile app market is.

In 2022 alone e-commerce sales are slated to exceed $430 billion. The e-commerce sector is growing as retailers respond to consumers’ increased uptake of smartphone devices and mobile apps.

So, retailers that want to maintain a competitive advantage must watch out for new trends that will define and shape the mobile app landscape.

Let’s take a look at some app commerce trends of the future.

1. Shopping via mobile apps

Credible statistics show that 72% of e-commerce sales happen on mobile devices, with 85% of customers opting for mobile apps for their day-to-day shopping. Evidence has shown that the continued adoption and the rising preference for mobile app shopping are due to the speed these apps function. Already, consumers are finding mobile apps speedier, agile, robust, and ultimately convenient.

2. One-click purchasing

One-click is a term first postulated by the world’s leading retail giant Amazon to mean ‘making all purchases with one click. One-click purchasing allows consumers to buy all products from a store without necessarily having to key in their personal or purchasing information.

You only have to click and all information keyed in including:

  • Billing address
  • Shipping address
  • Credit card number
  • Email address
  • Card verification number
  • Customer name

Retail outlets that use one-click purchase options allow customers to complete all purchases using data from previous purchases. So, you don’t have to key in all the personal and credit card information anytime you make a purchase.

Point to note: Although the one-click app commerce trend is a convenient option with many benefits, the biggest question is security. Consumers must remember that the one-click drift relies on an intermediary getaway payment system.

This intermediary getaway is PCI-certified, so your information is safe and secure. So, you don’t have to worry because there are sufficient security configurations to protect your personal and credit card information.

3. Social commerce

Customers are converging on social networking channels now more than ever before. Your customers, too, are always on social media – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and many more. So, it’s easier for your product (or service) to catch their eyes on social media sites than on your website.

One of 2022 leading mobile commerce trends is using social media for mobile commerce. Brands and businesses are increasingly converting their social media following into actual sales by reinventing how they communicate to this social audience.

While many e-commerce enterprises have tried and succeeded, most enterprises find that converting social traffic into product sales is a conundrum. Navigating from a social media conversation or post to product sales appears an uphill task that requires remediation processes.

Luckily, the social commerce trend has come to solve this challenge.

4. Augmented reality

Augmented reality is one of the latest kids on the block in technology and user experience. Augmented reality continues to elevate the mobile commerce market by giving it a complete sensory experience.

Augmented reality allows users or viewers to virtually try on, personalize, and even fit products at the convenience of their homes or offices. In addition, consumers can augment the real world using real products while seated back at home.

The four key strategic benefits of augmented reality in shaping app commerce include:

  • Unique customer experiences. The first benefit of augmented reality in transforming mobile commerce is that it provides the best customer experience by blending both the physical and virtual worlds.
  • Eliminates cognitive overload. Have you ever tried repairing something by referring to a manual? Well, the process can be tedious and mind-boggling, especially considering that you have to refer to technical drawings or specifications to arrive at the desired outcome. Augmented reality presents information in easy-to-process digital snippets, sparing the user from processing complex pieces of information or data.
  • Heightens user engagement. When augmented reality first became popular, it was confined to gaming and entertainment. However, today, augmented reality has extended its use to many other applications that add tangible business value.
  • Competitive differentiation. It’s critical to differentiate yourself in a market where every seller offers the same products or a homogenous line of products at the same price band. Augmented reality lets mobile apps set themselves apart with creative campaigns and attractive snippets. The 360-degree visual and sensory experience offered by augmented reality sets most apps aside from their competitors.

There’s no denying that recent developments have revealed something exciting about us as humans. As a human race, we spend more time immersing ourselves in screens.

And so with time, our realities become deeply integrated or ingrained with digital experiences. Indeed, we tend to see a product as superior or inferior based on its ability to indulge or conform to our digital experiences.

As a result, building your app by considering this aspect of human nature may help you achieve the desired results, especially when embedding augmented reality in your m-commerce app.

5. M-Commerce

Aside from e-commerce, there’s a corresponding growth in m-commerce. M-commerce refers to buying using smartphone or tablet devices. M-commerce has grown because of the growth and uptake of smartphone devices or endpoints.

As a result, with 6.3 billion smartphone users globally, it’s now possible to understand why mobile commerce is the new frontier in a world with a web of heavily interconnected endpoints – mobile phones, laptops, tablets, computers, and even wearables.

6. Voice shopping

Voice apps like Alexa and Siri have been growing over the last decade, thanks to massive improvements in artificial intelligence and machine learning. In addition, how voice search is used and applied in different contexts has changed drastically.

Today, home appliances are utilizing voice search in day-to-day tasks like changing channels using remotes, switching lights, and controlling entry points like gates, doors, and entrances.

People also use voice search to check weather conditions and to tell their audio systems to stream music.

However, today, voice search has gradually penetrated the e-commerce market. Indeed, credible research shows that the voice market is expected to reach $40 billion by 2023, up from $2 billion less than half a decade ago. This growth represents a 1000% increase in just four years.

So, it’s possible to see that voice search and personalization, in general, are critical trends in the mobile commerce market.

7. Mobile chatbots

Chatbots have existed for decades. And perhaps you’ve ever interacted with a chatbot at some point in your life. In fact, we are already interacting with chatbots anytime we order from our favorite restaurants or even speak with an agent for a TV or cable company.

And while chatbots have become a common scenario in our day-to-day lives, these bots have not fully penetrated the mobile commerce market. However, this is likely to change in 2022 and beyond.

Just think about all the benefits of chatbots. Imagine if you can integrate chatbots with mobile apps to help improve the customers’ shopping experience.

So, in 2022, e-commerce stores will be embedding chatbot features in smartphone apps. This new trend will revolutionize e-commerce, making bots the center of focus in consumer interactions and customer support in general.

NS804 – Futuristic Approach to Mobile App Commerce

NS804 is a leading provider of mobile app solutions. NS804 provides mobile app design and development solutions – from inception to completion.

Today, NS804 believes that the mobile commerce market is changing, and businesses must adopt new trends in app adoption and use.

So, at NS804, we believe the best way for businesses and brands to grow and evolve is by adopting a futuristic mindset to app commerce.

Contact NS804 for mobile app design and development solutions.

 

10 Reasons Why Your Restaurant Needs a Mobile App

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The ability to view, click, and order is on the rise. The ‘click’ trend is slowly taking a toll on almost every enterprise – from retailers to hoteliers. Today, restaurants are looking for ways to differentiate themselves, thanks to new mobile capabilities like online ordering and delivery.

The hotel industry has experienced a boom over the last decade due to a corresponding growth and uptake of technology. For instance, mobile apps are helping restaurants grow their brands in almost unimaginable ways.

In addition, e-commerce capabilities enable hotels to access fresh produce, thus powering up vital operations in traditional hotels and restaurants – from sourcing products to delivering them to consumers.

Reasons Your Restaurant Needs an App

So, whether running a small food kiosk at the corner of a busy city or handling multiple hotel chains across different geographies, having an app is mandatory.

So, here are ten reasons your restaurant needs a mobile app.

1. Online slot reservation

Today, mobile apps connect clients to their desired restaurants and provide adequate information to make a reservation. Restaurants are leveraging online forms to enable clients and customers to make reservation requests.

In addition, smartphone apps allow your customers to book reservations and identify whether there’s a slot or not. So, instead of traveling miles only to miss a seat, restaurants can inform potential guests of any available seats.

2. Digital menu card

Do you know that most customers wouldn’t mind accessing the menu digitally, especially when it’s easily accessible and with a good interface? Well, if you don’t know, consider making your digital menu card as appealing and attractive as possible.

Today, most restaurants (like Foodlitter) allow customers to place orders using digital menu cards. This capability enables users to make their orders online without much hassle and with just a few clicks on their phones.

Digital menu cards provide end-users with immense accessibility and a convenient experience. And while many restaurants have menus in their mobile apps, few have digital menus uploaded to these apps.

So, your restaurant needs a mobile app to enable digital menu capabilities.

3. Ordering online

Mobile apps are indispensable for restaurants that offer online ordering and online delivery options. For instance, fast-food chains like Mcdonald’s, Subway, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, and Checkers provide online ordering capabilities, filling hunger bites when they occur.

What mobile apps do is that they eliminate the role of mediator in booking orders and online reservations. So, you can directly go to your app and place an order. And immediately, you’ll receive a call confirming your order details and delivery information – location, address, phone number, recipient(s), and more.

4. Location-based deals

The location-based feature is a relatively new app feature but incredibly satisfying to restaurants that want to close fast deals.

For instance, Apple’s iBeacon uses this particular feature. This feature sends a push notification to a customer near your restaurant.

With this feature, you can tempt your customers by offering unbeatable deals on mouth-watering delicacies they can’t refuse.

5. Customer-friendliness

Perhaps the leading reason behind the adoption of mobile apps is that mobile apps are customer-friendly. Mobile apps offer a superior customer experience making apps a darling to many people.

Online ordering has enabled most restaurants to handle their peak hours efficiently. Online ordering reduces the pressure and queue, assisting restaurants with orders even when customers are seated at home or in offices.

And thanks to online ordering, most people nowadays can avoid the pain of standing in long queues waiting for meals. And with the option of ordering their meals online, they can easily order meals when they’re in traffic or when picking up their children from school.

So, there’s no denying that the customer-friendly nature of mobile apps in online ordering has been a feat to its adoption.

6. Customer outreach

Mobile apps provide ways to connect to new customers. By using mobile apps, restaurants can advise their offerings and reach out to new and existing customers.

And while there’s no proven way to connect to customers, you can always use mobile apps because they’re cheap, customized to customer needs, and less spammy. Mobile apps offer soft push notifications that don’t appear as a bother to consumers.

So, mobile apps remain indispensable in creating targeted communication with customers.

7. Brand positioning

You cannot undermine the power of apps in building a compelling brand image. Mobile apps exist on consumer devices, are easily accessible, and can be customized to address consumer needs using purchase patterns, purchasing behavior, and other operative metrics.

So, restaurants are slowly understanding the potential of mobile apps in building a good brand and image. Mobile apps act as your restaurant’s beacon outside. For instance, if a customer is not ordering directly from your restaurant but has your app installed, they can receive push notifications which ultimately build your brand.

8. Social media presence

No matter what sector your business operates in, it’s critical to have your presence on social channels such as Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and WhatsApp.

Declaring your presence in social channels is one way of going with the trends and ensuring you gain a competitive advantage. And provided you give it an effective online marketing campaign, your social media presence will surely attract a large following.

So, restaurants use mobile apps to strengthen their social media presence. Mobile apps can be integrated with social channels and portfolios, reinforcing a brand’s overall digital strategy.

9. Online promotions

There’s no denying that mobile apps have helped restaurants improve their online promotion approaches in numerous ways. For instance, through online promotion programs like ‘check-in’ features, clients or consumers can notify their friends and family about specific restaurants they’re dining in.

The check-in promotion feature helps friends, family, and workmates connect and meet in specific restaurants or locations.

So, if you’re running a restaurant and considering a mobile app, ensure it encompasses the ‘check-in’ feature to enable your restaurant’s clientele to tag in their friends and allies anytime they wish.

You can also use mobile app push notifications to notify customers about new offers and specials. That helps to improve your communication and ultimately increases your chances of improving your ROI on specials.

So, restaurants are now using mobile apps as leverage to improve the return on investment, especially on special treats.

10. Loyalty programs

Loyalty programs provide a win-win situation for the business and the customer. The programs help restaurants target and retain new customers while extending value to clients.

According to a study, 86% of consumers are likely to purchase from you if you provide discounts or offers periodically. To do this, you can give your clients discounts on every 10th or 5th visit, which will help enhance retention.

NS804 – Transforming Your Restaurant’s Digital Posture with an App!

NS804 is a trusted provider of superior and quality mobile apps. We have helped businesses across various sectors – hotels, restaurants, banks, insurance, healthcare, and education – design the best apps that answer their clients’ questions.

At NS804, we can help you identify your restaurant’s needs and design an app that best answers your clients’ questions.

So, do you own a restaurant, and would you like to transform its operations using a mobile app? Well, don’t worry, we have a solution for you!

Contact NS804 for mobile app development solutions – whether you’re running a restaurant or planning to own one.

How Do Free Apps Make Money

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The mobile app market is highly lucrative. In 2021, the mobile app market was estimated to be worth $187.58 billion and is projected to reach $207.53 billion by 2022. According to PRNewswire, the mobile app market witnessed year-over-year growth of 20.45% in 2021 – a clear indication of its potential as an industry.

So, the mobile app market is a productive and high-income sector worth considering. Today, more than ever, people are turning to mobile apps for almost everything – shopping, communicating, gaming, social interactions, chatting, and even trading.

But how do these apps make money given that 97% of Google Android apps were downloaded for free in July 2022? How do free apps make money if most people download these apps for free?

Freemium vs. Free Trial Apps

The free app market is broadly segmented into freemium apps and free trial apps. Freemium apps allow users to access an assorted list of features for free, but the free trial apps let users interact and access the full functionality of all apps for a limited period.

According to reports, freemium apps have an app conversion rate of 30% while free trial apps may attract up to 50% conversion rates. Either way, these apps end up making handsome incomes for their developers and even founders.

So, here’s how publishers monetize free apps.

1. Paid ads

Interestingly, paid ads are among the leading income-generation strategies today. The same is true for most things, including mobile apps. Free mobile apps leverage paid ads in the following ways:

  • CPM – The app developer is paid a certain amount of money for app impressions
  • CPC – Revenue is generated based on the number of clicks achieved in an ad
  • CPV – Revenue is determined by the number of views per app user
  • CPA – This revenue is gained when users directly install the app on their devices or when they purchase products or services directly using links attached or embedded in the app.

So, it’s advisable to subscribe to some paid ads if you’re not charging your app users. However, always remember that when you take the advertising route, you don’t downplay the user experience with excessive ads.

Excessive ads may greatly impair the user experience, thus being counterproductive to your app monetization strategy.

2. Subscriptions

Subscription is the most cost-effective and straightforward way of monetizing an app. Think of any free app, do you pay to access additional features or do you access all features for a limited period? Either way, you end up wanting to pay for a subscription.

An obvious and straightforward approach by app publishers is to give the apps free of charge and then charge subscriptions for users to continue using the service. That means you only get to access the app’s full functionality after you’ve secured a paid subscription.

Tinder, Disney, Pandora, Netflix, Hulu, Twitch, ESPN, and HBO Max are some of the most popular paid app subscriptions globally.

3. Direct selling

Selling merchandise is a proven way of monetizing your app. Most app publishers build or design free versions to sell products such as clothing, apparel, toys, and accessories.

Most of these products are sold through email marketing or sold directly using the app. So, if you’re considering an innovative way to push your new clothing or toy brand, look no further, a free app can be a hidden ingredient to a potent cocktail.

Contact NS804 for inquiries on app costs and app development solutions.

Mobile App Design Process: How To Get Started

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The mobile app development and design process can become complex if you rely on disparate teams or freelancers to create your app. But if you work with an experienced development studio, such as NS804, it’s a streamlined process. At least, that’s the case on your end. Even so, it’s still crucial to understand what this entails to best plan your next move.

And whatever you do, you’ll need to consider your mobile app design process from the get-go and in its entirety. Don’t write a single line of code or start hiring developers without doing the following first!

Start By Asking The Hard Questions

You may have formed a mental picture in your mind’s eye of what your app will look like and how it should function. Moreover, you may be using a popular app that’s left a good impression and want to emulate its better qualities.

But is it wise to invest time and money in an app based on the above criteria? The short answer is a clear no!

Instead, you need to identify what problem your app aims to solve. You can start by asking yourself what problem you’ve faced in your daily life and how an app could solve it effectively.

But don’t stop there. Ask a series of questions that will help you identify all the possible pain points users may encounter and how your tentative app will solve all of these. And while this seems simple, it’s the first and most vital step in the mobile app design process, so don’t ignore it.

Design Your App

Now, it’s time to design your app, but it will likely take the form of wireframes, a series of 2D diagrams that act as a blueprint. And you’ll ignore elements such as colors, fonts, graphics, and styling for now.

However, you may need to build a more elaborate prototype if requested by stakeholders before they greenlight the app’s development. If that’s the case, you’ll likely spend more time on the prototype’s user interface (UI) and user experience (UX).

But you also need to understand that app design never ends, as it’s an iterative process. Thus, you’ll do this near the beginning of the mobile app design process and whenever you give your app a UI/UX refresh.

Conduct Market Research And Competitive Analysis

At this point, you have a vague idea of what form your app will take. But you’re still unsure if there’s a market for your app. And even if there is, you don’t yet know what will make it appealing to users. Furthermore, your brand positioning strategy and business considerations will impact the direction of your app.

So, you’ll need to conduct market research and competitive analysis that help answer the following questions:

  • What pain points are users regularly experiencing?
  • Does my app address these pain points?
  • What will make my app appealing to these users?
  • What market am I entering? (e.g., entertainment, productivity, social)
  • How competitive is the market segment that I’m entering?
  • What are the top performing apps in my category?
  • What makes my app better than these top performers?
  • What sets my app apart from those released by competitors? (not necessarily top performers)

And you can take things a step further by building user personas and asking the following questions:

  • What type of person will use my app?
  • Where does this person live?
  • What are the demographics of this person?
  • What pain points does this person regularly experience?
  • What are this person’s likes and dislikes?

The Bottom Line

Whether you’re an appreneur or an organization releasing your first or hundredth app, you always start with the mobile app design process. And that’s because you need to know how your app will look and function early on.

Furthermore, you need to know whether your app truly addresses users’ needs and if there’s a sizable market that will make it feasible. Contact NS804 to learn how we’ll help you create best-in-class apps by following tried and true practices!