The Future of Enterprise Mobile App Development

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Enterprise mobile app is a sophisticated software system designed, deployed, and maintained to deal with routine business operations. The app is developed according to the company’s global strategy and makes certain app functions available on mobile devices to streamline business tasks and enterprise operations.

Enterprise mobile app development focuses on developing apps for employees to address their immediate needs and streamline business processes. Thus, these apps serve their core purpose in making your company’s operations results-oriented and focused. The app performs several other crucial but mundane tasks, including tracking sales, invoicing, and inventory tracking.

The future of enterprise mobile app development is bright. Today, enterprise mobile apps are experiencing an upsurge with the rapid adoption of mobile strategies by companies. Small, medium-sized, and large organizations alike are adopting high-end mobile strategies to optimize offline and online marketplaces.

Organizations are also using mobile applications to manage their employees and routine operations remotely. Enterprise mobile app development has become an integral part of every business – from designing and deploying marketing campaigns to managing routine operations. Mobile apps are further leveraged to engage small communities in social platforms to create brand visibility and strengthen brand value.

So, what indicators mark the future of enterprise mobile app development? Let’s dive right in.

  1.   Transaction control and additional payment features

Transaction control and additional payment features are especially valuable for retailers involved with e-commerce payment systems. Having an enterprise mobile app focused exclusively on money management can help you cut spending and improve your money management. The evolving role of enterprise mobile apps in routine money management tasks has made it a frontrunner in the contemporary business landscape.

  1.   Improved data management

Enterprise mobile apps help enterprises to improve their operations related to data processing, analysis, adjustment, and data verification. Routine data management can have a big difference in the overall business efficiency and can positively improve the bottom line. Mobile applications also record users’ data such as product interaction information (likes, loves, impressions, etc), user attitudes, and comments. This data provides actionable insight and improves business decision-making on different fronts like product design, marketing, pricing, and product positioning.

  1.   Eliminating paperwork and the human factor

Human error is to blame for 90% of the workplace and occupational hazards, can cost money, interrupt workplace productivity and create a loss of time. Knowing the different sources of human error can help you learn how best to prevent them. Enterprise mobile applications reduce the amount of paperwork and automate routine tasks. In addition, these apps enable employees and workers to focus on complex problems and mission-critical enterprise operations.

A New Dawn for Enterprise Mobile App Development

Enterprise mobile applications are doing wonders in the contemporary business domain and across various sectors: manufacturing, retail, finance, telecommunication, and logistics. With automation, transaction control, improved data management, and supply chain control, enterprises cannot help but leverage the revamped capabilities of these apps. In addition, enterprise mobile apps are automating employee onboarding and certification processes, and client support.

With NS804, we guide you through deploying the best-of-class enterprise mobile app that responds accordingly to your business and market needs. NS804 expertise and experience in mobile app development help businesses transcend contemporary operational challenges, including invoicing, customer relationship management, accounting, and enterprise resource planning.

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

What You Need Before Developing An Android App

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Developing an android app requires a deep understanding of design and programming. When approaching a new technology or project, it’s advisable to break it down into pieces. If you’re an experienced website developer, many of the techniques (and tools) involved in Android app development will be synonymous with things you already know.

Building mobile apps requires the mastery of more nuanced concepts. Mobile devices have simpler processors, smaller screens, and in the case of android devices, different manufacturers. Developers should keep their codes flexible and account for various user-interface scenarios. So, what does it take to become a qualified or expert android developer?

Here’s what you need before developing your android app.

  1.   Java

Java is the best programming language that underscores Android mobile app development. For those who have gained their programming experiences from languages like Ruby and JavaScript, there can be a learning curve when using the Java programming language for the first time. Like Ruby and JavaScript, Java is object-oriented; but it’s stricter about processing different data types. Developers need to be careful with their codes by defining the different data types, using, and allocating scarce memory resources.

  1.   XML Understanding

XML is a language that defines a set of rules for encoding documents in a format that is human-readable and machine-readable. XML was created as a standard approach to encode data for internet-based mobile applications. The XML is a structured mark-up language that shares many features with HTML including; angled brackets, tag types, and the deep nesting of elements. In short, XML allows information to be conveyed between devices in a manner that can be understood easily.

  1.   Android Software Development Kit SDK

The software development kit SDK may conjure up images of a briefcase packed up with all sorts of spy tools. But in essence, it’s a fancy name for a set of pre-packaged codes. Android SDK is a module of Java code that extends developers access to mobile devices functions and capabilities like accelerometer and camera. One key element of the Android SDK is a library called Gradle. So, let’s say you want to integrate a social media platform like Facebook with your application. To do this, you’d download a code library from Facebook, then tell Gradle you’re using this code so that when your application compiles, your code remains well-organized.

  1.   Android Studio

The integrated development environment for Android developers is the Android Studio. Android Studio is designed on top of the well-respected IntelliJ IDE and comes with great out-of-the-box support for many of the most common software development kits.

Android studio also entails many features and capabilities that developers expect of a fully-fledged IDE environment. For instance, the code completion feature makes auto-complete suggestions as you type. Code debuggers help you review your code to identify sources of error.

  1.   APIs

As an android developer, you will want to interact with many other services. For instance, you may want your users to access a calendar or events sessions from a third-party service provider – or even check the stock market. An android app development company usually offers APIs and will show you exactly how to query them for data in a consistent, secure way. While you’re free to interact with an existing API, Google makes it easy to connect to their APIs using android apps. For instance, you can use Google APIs to monitor the geo-location of your users.

  1.   Database

If your app handles huge amounts of data, most likely the data won’t stay on the device for long. Instead, your app will most likely interact with a database living outside your phone. Cloud services like Parse and Firebase provide simple APIs to host data in the cloud and make it available across different devices. These cloud platforms provide Java libraries to plug in your app, making it easy to cache data on the user’s device.

This synching of data between remote database and local storage is vital if you want your users to use the app while they’re offline. So, before developing an Android app, ensure to have adequate storage. That is achieved by outsourcing cloud services that provide a simple API to secure your app’s data.

How To Become a Better Android Developer?

Becoming an Android developer is easy but being an expert developer who stands from the crowd is difficult. It takes a great deal of passion, dedication, and perseverance to become great at design and programming. So, what do you need to become a better Android developer?

  • Get familiar with android framework internals. It’s advisable to get familiar with Android’s actual framework code. Many developers are afraid of delving right into the Android framework internals. Luckily, it’s amazing how much you can discover how things work.
  • Get over the fear of missing out. Android is quite big. You cannot learn it end-to-end in a month or three months. The more you learn, the more you understand how much you don’t know. As a beginner, it’s perfectly normal to feel that you’re missing out on learning crucial information.
  • Start reading more code. Most developers don’t take the time to read what other developers are writing. Instead, they spend more time writing the codes they already know. The best way to become an Android developer is to read the excellent codes of more experienced developers.
  • Learn more languages. It’s crucial that you learn more programming languages. You need to keep yourself updated with the industry’s happenings rather than confining your thinking to the Android space. Learning more languages and opening your mind to new possibilities will inspire new ideas, open up your perspective, and help you improve your Android development skills significantly.
  • Learn Java design patterns. Learning Java design patterns is crucial in your Android development career. Whenever you’re stuck in solving programming problems, design patterns can be lifesavers. You also need to be on the same page with other designers and programmers so that when they’re talking about using a Decorator, Factory, or Façade pattern, you instantly know what they mean.
  • Contribute to open source. If you have developed a plugin, library, or any other useful piece of code, consider open-sourcing it. There’s much to learn in the process of maintaining your projects or contributing to open source projects. Contributing to open-source is an excellent crash course in open-source development that will exponentially increase your value as a developer.
  • Make your IDE work for you. Start spending more time understanding the integrated design environment you are using: Android studio. The IDE can do much more than you think. There are many cool features hidden in the IDE that most developers don’t even consider. Make it a habit to discover new and better ways of making your tools work for you, thereby improving your productivity and workflow.

 NS804 – Kick-starting Your Android App Development 

Android app development comes with many benefits. Firstly, android app development features higher returns on investments with lower costs; the availability of the Android software development toolkit provides cost savings to individual developers. In addition, Android app development comes with faster deployment cycles, offering a competitive advantage to companies willing to have a quicker go-to-market for new ideas. Other benefits include targeting multiple platforms, versatility, scalability, security, and easy customization.

Contact NS804 for timely android app development solutions.

Android or iOS Development – Which Costs More?

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A report by Top Design Firm states that almost two-thirds of enterprises that developed a mobile app for less than $30,000 (63%) were exclusively for android applications, compared to 41% of companies that developed IOS apps. Top Design Firms surveyed managers and small businesses to determine the cost of developing both the IOS and android applications. The data shows that it is cost-effective and way cheaper to develop for Android than IOS. In addition, it was cheaper to outsource the app development services than to conduct in-house development.

The exact cost of android or IOS app development varies significantly based on each enterprise location and needs. Dawei Lei who’s the outsourcing director for Aloa.com states that developing for android provides massive cost savings while IOS apps have better inclusion in the App Store.

Below we examine why android and IOS app development costs differ and their respective cost drivers.

IOS Development

Apple’s flagship and iconic mobile operating system has inherent benefits. Granted, due to its reputation in the US and across Europe, your business can leverage returns on investment in these regions. The spending habits of this demographic guarantees a higher ROI.

Premium value

With IOS development, you take a bite of that juicy apple and enjoy a western audience. And while you’ll enjoy the value and thrill of a reputable brand, you’ll also be expected to spend substantially more on this inner circle. IOS apps can be written in Objective-C or Swift which both come at a premium cost. In some cases, IOS mobile app development costs can reach 15% more than their java counterparts.

Top minds

In every mobile app development exercise, skills are a must, together with tight app development requirements and considerable restrictions on what you can or cannot add to the IOS environment. Developers will need specialized software such as XCode. Not only does this app come at a premium, it runs exclusively on Mac. App software is such that if you’re looking to develop for iPhones, you will need another piece of technology to support this addition. So, IOS apps are considered well-crafted by highly skilled specialists.

Skilled but manageable condition

IOS has strict operating conditions but is possible to manage. As a first-time developer, you can face redevelopment costs when carrying out app launches due to errors in the production criteria. Missed production criteria can be due to Apple App Store’s tendency to reject applications deemed unusable or irrelevant. The benefit is that there is a limit to the number of software updates. With IOS irregular updates, it’s possible to gain traction with your creations and develop an app that’s relevant for a long time. Apple tends to reject support for old software, meaning that new apps must respond to the emerging needs of new users – nothing archaic!

Limited customization

IOS can present limitations in terms of how many updates it can support and how many features it can add. IOS can also present issues on the ability to customize an application’s interface. In this case, it’s impossible to apply additional features if they need interaction with third-party software. Ultimately, these unwanted limitations can be beneficial, which can shorten development time considerably.

What will you get with IOS app development?

  • Exploring western and US markets – If your business has a special interest in European and the US markets, IOS apps will be a clear winner here.
  • Monetization based on direct charges – IOS device users statistically spend substantially more than android users. If you’re planning to create a paid app or to monetize your app through in-app purchases – IOS is ultimately the winner. App Store’s revenue is much higher than Google Pay even though Google Play triumphs twice in app downloads.

Android Development

Android is the most popular mobile application and it spans the whole world, in any language. Among its most popular markets in Australia, Africa, and Asia. Android allows you to explore a wealth of opportunities worldwide, with flexibility and convenience in the world’s genuinely affordable OS.

Universally affordable

New mobile applications are developed using Kotlin, with Java still famous for carrying out long-running development projects. However, even long-running projects are migrating to Kotlin as transitions are difficult to undertake. With Kotlin, developers are expected to pay a one-time fee of $25.

Average expertise

Expertise is needed in android-supported applications, but without diving into complex projects. The versatility of working with android is thanks to the wide availability of free-to-use information, which keeps cost to a minimum. Google offers an extensive knowledge base to developers, including interactive materials, practical exercises, and the entire training modules for every level of developer.

Highly flexible

Kotlin and Java are versatile programming languages supported by Linux, Windows, and Mac OS. This allows developers to execute Android apps regardless of their machine’s OS. However, as there is a wide range of Android endpoints in circulation, you can encounter compatibility issues for specific technical functions. For example, apps designed with fingerprint scanners may not be featured in the device of end-users.

It’s important to note that this flexibility presents serious issues to some legacy systems. With Android offering support for software versions ranging back to 2012, your application may need adjustments to work with a long list of problematic software versions. This way, the cost of app development may go up as the need for continuous development arises.

Easy customization

Android extends a world of personalization to programs, thanks to market ubiquity. Android changes are due to the multitude of devices using Android. The drawbacks of this are a diverse set of specifications across multiple handset brands. With different screen sizes from different manufacturers, developers must support a list of consumer segments.

What will you get with android app development?

  • Dominates Africa, Australia, and Asia – Android holders outnumber IOS holders worldwide, heavily dominating in Asia, Africa, and Australia.
  • Monetization is based on advertising – Android users have a lesser will to pay for mobile applications, partly because of overall income levels and payability. If you plan to design a free app and you want to monetize your application by advertising – Android is a solution here.

Android vs. IOS – Final Cost Verdict

While IOS offers a sleek development environment replete with rules of engagement, it has far less customization. Precisely, the skill set required raises development expenditure. However, later development stages can lead to lower expenses in the medium term, as the development environment is less prone to complications.

Android app development presents lower entry barriers, unlimited personalization options, and a wealth of development information. These factors are what keep the costs down especially in the immediate term. Where expenses diverge from the IOS, they can emerge in later development phases, involving re-development and testing to attain its substantial user segment.

Ultimately, both operating systems work out to be effectively the same. Each aspect accounts for the labor and time costs involved in developing the application. When looking to optimize costs, consider outlining your app’s objectives early and budgeting your time well. You may not be able to change your IOS or android app but your approach needs to be more proactive and profitable.

 

How to Monetize An App

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There are many routes you can take in mobile app monetization. In this post, we are going to discuss several mobile app monetization strategies and their potential impact on app engagement and growth.

  1.   Paid and free app versions model

One reputable app monetization strategy is to offer both the paid and free versions of your mobile application. With this monetization model, app developers will either limit some of the app’s features in the free application to encourage and compel the free app users to upgrade to the paid version of the app; or even monetize the free app with in-app advertising.

The benefits of this particular monetization strategy are two-fold. On one hand, it provides users with a free option to experience and experiment with the app’s basic functionality at no cost. On the other, it gives the app developer the user base much required for potential monetization via in-app advertising or app upgrades.

  1.   Free app with an in-app purchase model

Another app monetization strategy is in-app purchases. The app and all its basic features are free. However, if the user wants to upgrade in the app faster, for instance, gaining more lives in a gaming application, or enjoying certain premium features in a dating app, they can subscribe to the pay-to-play model.

In some cases, users can still access premium features and functionality without paying a dime. If they’re patient enough to wait for certain features to be unlocked or interact with the app long enough, they can use the app for free. In other cases, such free options may not be available, and the app developers would only make particular things for free, and others would be only attainable through in-app purchases.

  1.   Email lists

Using an email monetization strategy tie-in with your mobile app is a fantastic way to gain engagement from your users, which leads to more money and sales. Why? Well, because people hardly change their email addresses. That makes an email marketing strategy an effective model to ensure people see your content and engage with it. Regular emails also keep you at the forefront of a customer’s mind, making them more likely to purchase from your business.

The average life of a Facebook post is a few hours; a tweet’s lifespan is only over an hour, and an email has an average lifespan of ten days. And the best way to gather all email addresses is to add an email subscription form to your app.

  1.   Free app with a subscription model

Some programmers and developers decide to design free apps with a subscription model. With this strategy, the app is free to download with limited access to certain services and products. This model requires users to opt into a subscription plan to enjoy the full benefits. This app monetization strategy is common among service-oriented apps or content-centric apps such as news apps (Washington Post, New York Times, Gannett, Weather Channel, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, and The Athletic). The free app with a subscription model makes your app easily discoverable in the app stores when users search for related content. This model is a great monetization strategy to build an initial user base and cultivate this into paid app subscriptions.

  1.   Partnership model

If an app is popular among a certain population, businesses may approach the developer for strategic partnership. This partnership comes through sponsorship opportunities to put brands, products, and services in the eyes of app users.

So, when you’re planning for the next app to build, think about the target user base the app may appeal to and the type of brands or companies that might be interested in your app’s user base. If the user base is large enough, monetization through partnership, brand sponsorship, and acquisition could be a great option.

  1.   Paid app model

In some cases, developers will make their apps available only in the paid version. Usually, these apps offer unique value that’s hard to find anywhere. This strategy is most common among productivity apps.

If you take this route, the mobile app you create must offer exceptional value and unique functionality that meets certain user needs. Otherwise, you may find a hard time building the user base to generate revenue for your new app.

  1.   Transactional apps

If you own an invoicing or a financial app, one easy way to monetize it is to charge a service or transaction fee. As digital marketplaces expand and continue to grow, this strategy has also grown in its application. There are several ways the transactional model can be useful than just in the financial apps where customers are charged for making a transaction.

This model has potential advantages in any e-commerce app (product and service marketplaces alike). Common apps that use this model include wholesale and retail marketplaces, hotel booking apps, travel apps, and e-learning marketplaces. So, if you opt for the service fee strategy, ensure to charge a reasonable percentage of the entire transaction. Alternatively, you can set a flat rate that favors most consumers. Either way, you stand to monetize your app most effectively.

  1.   Creating strong code

Perhaps the most important but often overlooked app monetization strategy is creating a strong code. If you develop your unique code from scratch and it proves to be successful, businesses and brands may approach you and offer to reskin your app for their purposes.

By licensing your app to other developers, you can make money without disturbing or disrupting your users’ experiences. For instance, the popular mobile game Temple Run was re-skinned to Temple Run Oz as a film. Other games that have been re-skinned to films include: Die Hard Arcade, Bionic Commando, Tecmo Cup Soccer Game, and Black Belt US.

Another thing to consider with code-sharing is your own app’s endgame. After your brand or business has gotten enough value from the app and is preparing to delve into the next stage, you can sell it as a whole to a new buyer who is willing to use your existing framework to create their app. Luckily, there are many ways of doing this, like using Apptopia which is a popular site for buying and selling mobile apps.

In addition, white labeling your app is analogous to selling it as a whole – without selling off your IP. The only problem here is that there will inevitably be multiple versions of your code in the marketplace. Regardless, you will be sure to make money by saving other developers from having to develop the code from scratch. All it takes is for your app to be initially constructed out of a strong, desirable source code.

NS804 – Honing Your App Monetization Strategy

Creating an awesome mobile app for your brand is not the endgame. Although customers can interact with the app and learn more about your business, there’s something else you can do to make your app work for you: monetize it. Before you monetize, you need to find a monetization strategy that works best for you. To access superior mobile app development solutions, feel free to visit NS804 for inquiries.

Free Mobile App Development Tools

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The app development space is growing at an exponential pace, thanks in part to a growing number of phone ownership and rising internet penetration. Today, the app development market is one of the largest globally with an average release of 5092 apps on the Google App Store and 6140 apps on the Google Play Store.

Artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things IoT are some of the technologies that are being incorporated in most apps. A virtual assistant is one such improvement in mobile applications. Looking closely, you realize that WhatsApp, TikTok, and Instagram apps are topping the chart of leading apps with the most downloads. Amazon Prime and Netflix lead the entertainment app market, and Candy Crush is at the apex of the gaming app development market.

It’s with no doubt that mobile applications have schematically modified human life. Quick navigation and exceptional UI through mobile applications have become a trademark. The projected number of mobile phone users is expected to cross the 7 billion mark by 2025. This growth will automatically bring a shift in app downloads. So, in this context, it becomes important and valuable to understand the best app development solutions prevailing in the market, with the current and future app development trends.

In this post, we delve into the top free mobile app development tools.

  1. PhoneGap

PhoneGap is a popular mobile app development application that allows you to create a hybrid of software. With PhoneGap, the user or developer doesn’t necessarily need to know mobile programming languages. Instead, they can kick-start with languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for app creation. PhoneGap allows you to create apps that will work on multiple platforms with a single codebase to reach the largest audience.

Features

  • Allows you to view and manage any changes in the app using PhoneGap
  • Easily integrates with various library integrations for easy app development
  • Operates on multiple platforms: iPhone, Windows, and Android

Pros

  • Rapid code testing and faster code deployment
  • A single codebase for multiple platforms

Cons

  • It lacks a user interface widget
  1. Outsystems

Outsystems is a comprehensive full-stack app development platform. By using connected, high-productivity, and AI-supported tools, developers can create and deploy a wide range of applications – from consumer applications to mission-critical business applications – faster, better, and for the future.

Features

  • It has a remarkable acceleration because no code or minimum code is required.
  • Easy integrations with other platforms
  • Easy to learn as it contains free training and learning material for everyone

Pros

  • The responsiveness of the member community allows for faster and efficient learning experiences
  • All members are open to sharing ideas, and these ideas are taken into consideration in further improving the platform

Cons

  • More explanation needed for some tools or widgets
  • No synchronization between consumer and producer modules, so users have to manage dependency frequently.
  • Better training material or documentation in forging components
  1. Flutter

Flutter is an open-source app development software that is best suited for hybrid apps. It’s one of the newest members in the mobile development market, and it’s written in C, C++, and Skia Graphics Engine. Flutter is a Google UI toolkit that allows users to create applications for web, mobile, and desktop from a single codebase. In addition, you don’t have to restart your application when testing your project. The application offers the Hot Reload functionality which makes the entire development exercise optimized and stress-free.

Features

  • Offers fully customizable widgets to render faster development of native apps
  • Incorporates critical platform differences like scrolling, navigation, fonts, and icons
  • Creates plugins using channels that can easily be used by every developer

Pros

  • Builds native apps in just minutes
  • Expressive and flexible user interface

Cons

  • Contains not-so-rich library collections
  1. Ionic

Ionic is one of the best free, open-source mobile applications for developing hybrid apps. It allows developers and users to build apps for various platforms including web, iOS, and Android using a single codebase. What’s more, Ionic offers intuitive UI components, thus accelerating the app development process. This app can be deployed almost everywhere. Ionic boasts of over 120 predefined elements, native device features, and a large community of members.

Features

  • Written in JavaScript, this application is covered by the MIT license
  • Includes mobile components, interactive paradigms, typography, and an extensive base theme
  • Allows Cordova based app building

Pros

  • Ease of learning and contains popular technologies
  • Wide range of library integrations

Cons

  • There’s no hot reloading capability
  1. Buddy

Buddy is an open-source mobile app development application that allows for seamless, change-set-based code deployment. Thanks to a plethora of dedicated, pre-configured services and actions, app automation has never been easier than now. Therefore, if you’re looking for a tool that will build, sign, test, and publish your android or web app effortlessly and in a single click, then Buddy is the ideal choice.

Features

  • Intuitive and clean UX/UI
  • Over 100 actions
  • A wide integration including Azure, Google, Amazon Web Services, and WordPress integrations.

Pros

  • It contains dedicated android actions: Ionic, Reacts Native, and Flutter
  • It supports all popular languages and task managers
  1. Kobiton

Kobiton mobile app development software makes the continuous testing, IOS, and mobile app development exercise a reality. This app also prevents bugs before pushing codes to test, thus perfecting your website or mobile app with functional, performance, and visual test automation. It also helps developers to resolve issues before the production release, and rapidly deploy tests with seamless CD/CI integrations.

Features

  • Allows you to test on real devices in the cloud
  • Cloudify all your local devices for remote access
  • It integrates with Jenkins, CircleCI, Travis CI, and so on.

Pros

  • Scriptless or scripted automated functional, performance, and visual testing
  • Commercial scalability with unlimited user policy
  • Access to real devices in your integrated development environment for rapid debugging.
  1. Xamarin

Xamarin is an open-source mobile app development application founded by Microsoft in 2011. It’s a set of tools that enable developers to build apps for various OS like Windows, Android, and IOS, all in one programming language. One of the reasons that Xamarin is quite reputable is because it uses the C# programming language. Besides using the Xamarin Test Cloud, you can automatically test applications on around 200 real mobile devices.

Features

  • Easy integration with modern back-end services, native APIs, and components
  • Enables you to build stunning cross-platform user interfaces
  • Extends a real-time testing module to monitor and catch app errors when they occur

Pros

  • Full technical support by Microsoft
  • Flexible with .NET and C#

Cons

  • Not build for game development
  1. Buildfire

Another best in this category of best open-source mobile app development software is Buildfire. Buildfire offers a robust set of tools to build applications for web, android, or IOS. This software is well-known for its high-end custom app development capabilities, as well as its easy, intuitive DIY platform. In addition, Buildfire supports more than 10,000 applications and it’s flexible enough to scale as your enterprise grows. Users and developers cannot ignore the simple and functional drag-and-drop user interface, as it makes it easier to build the app faster.

Features

  • Offers an interactive and intuitive app builder where no coding is needed.
  • Allows users to build custom functionality with their developer SDK
  • Can be integrated with any third-party API or pre-built integrations

Pros

  • Has an excellent social networking feature
  • Includes advanced development features

Cons

  • Does not have a reliable customer support service

NS804 – Your Partner in Mobile App Development

Every app development software has its uniqueness and demerits. To understand a software better and to pick the one that perfectly fits your needs, consider the following elements:

  • Privacy and security.
  • Reseller options
  • Push notifications
  • Customer discounts and loyalty programs
  • Instant messaging
  • Geo-targeting
  • Social media integration
  • Third-party integration
  • Analytics and reporting
  • Admin control
  • Customer service

Now that you know the best open-source app development software, it is time to kick-start your app development journey. We always encourage you to contact or consult the experts anytime you’re stuck in your app development exercise. You can also contact NS804 for questions concerning mobile app development.

Why Mobile App Development

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Mobile devices have evolved from just a means of communication into highly versatile business tools. As technology advances by the day, so do users get addicted to their mobile devices and spend more time on these devices. According to a 2017 survey by a media marketing and analytics firm, an average American spends around 3 hours every day on mobile devices.

When the above estimate compounds over a month, it adds up to half the total time they spend on a full-time job during the same period. It’s emerging that the core functionality of mobile devices, other than making phone calls, is to run a whole suite of applications that serve unimaginable purposes.

Enterprises from all corners of the world offering a ridiculous range of services and products have begun transitioning from the physical world of printing leaflets, hanging billboards, and printing advertisements, to the mobile and digital realm. Most people think their businesses do not need a mobile app to sell products to their loyal customers simply because that’s been the case in the past.

However, if you want to prepare for the future and start seeing the benefits of going digital, you’ll need a mobile app. Are you still not convinced? Here are the top reasons how your business will reap by creating a mobile app for your customers.

Benefits of Mobile App Development

  1. Strengthens Customer Engagement

This is one of the most important benefits of mobile app development for individuals, brands, and businesses. A mobile app provides a direct marketing channel between your business and your customers, allowing effective communication. With a mobile app, you can communicate and send in-app and push notifications to as many clients as possible. If your notifications contain valuable and relevant information, customers will be attached and become loyal and opt for your offerings whenever they need them.

  1. Direct Communication

One of the reasons your business needs an app is to improve direct communication with your customers. With instant access to a wide array of information, business mobile application development has opened doors to a direct and clear communication channel between enterprises and customers. The information gathered from customers from these apps is invaluable, with buyer personas and shopping behaviors being incorporated to help with marketing strategies.

  1. Brand Awareness

One of the most crucial things a mobile app offers your customers is awareness of and communication with your brand. With a mobile app, you can foster regular interaction with your target market, thus fostering trust. The more your audience trusts your brand and your enterprise, the more likely they’ll be to listen to your sales pitches and commit to your products. In the same manner as calendars, disturbing fridge magnets, and other random memorabilia, mobile apps strengthen your brand and educate your customers.

  1. Marketing Channel

Custom mobile app development allows information and notifications to be sent to clients in an instant. If the information is relevant to the target market, for instance, containing information about exclusive offers and deals, it can help you market to loyal clients who value the app. The fact that information and notifications can be sent instantly implies that you can communicate to your clients anytime, thus fostering brand loyalty through targeted communication.

  1. Customer Connections

Customer service is no longer about face-to-face interactions between customers and smiling associates. Since 6.378 billion people currently have high-powered smartphone devices at an arm’s reach at all times, the ultimate game-changer in customer relationship management is mobile apps. Mobile phone ownership has escalated to 80.76% of the world’s population, meaning that businesses are restructuring how they approach customer service.

  1. Business Profitability

Apps increase sales by alerting customers about products and services they were not previously aware of and keeping connections with prospects while ultimately driving sales and increasing revenues. In a report by Flurry, revenues collected from mobile apps were estimated to be $25 billion by 2013. A study published by the research firm Deloitte found out that customers use shopping apps before and after shopping trips. Twenty-two of surveyed respondents acknowledged that they spent more money on shopping trips because of the information supplied by retailers via mobile applications. When business apps are integrated with social media applications like Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook, the amplifier effect can reach new clients.

  1. Attracting Customers

Integrating mobile applications in your existing applications allows you to meet and connect with customers on channels they already use. Mobile users spend a substantial amount of time on social networking sites, so interfacing your company’s mobile application with existing social networking channels has the potential to reach out to a large audience. By creating a mobile application for your business, you can control the environment of how the user learns and interacts with your product.

  1. Customer Service

Providing relevant content and empowering your customers to engage with your firm via mobile apps can free you labor to focus on other mission-critical activities. Since companies expect customers to be able to interact with products, it’s crucial to ensure that your organization’s mobile apps allow them to engage in ways they expect. Giving customers easy-to-find information and answers enables them to trace the information they require at their own time. While many businesses already have self-service features embedded in their websites, these same features do not translate to mobile devices. For these features to be seamless across mobile and web platforms, it’s necessary to develop custom mobile apps.

  1. Transforming Retail Experience

Mobile applications transform the retail experience, enabling retailers to remain ahead of customer expectations by delivering superior customer experiences. In addition, mobile apps drive the digital process and digital model that would ultimately cut down on storage costs and increase profitability. For instance, Walmart has bolstered its retail experience following the Covid-19 pandemic by offering seamless mobile shopping experiences. Customers presently identify this shift as a superior retail solution to the otherwise time-consuming and strenuous on-premise shopping. There are many retail stores built mainly on mobile applications. Transitioning from physical, on-store shopping reduces the overhead costs associated with typical brick-and-mortar retailers.

  1. Unique Payment Services

Mobile applications come with different features that match various sectors and industries. For example, if you’re in the service industry – healthcare, beauty, spa, salon, or online food retail – your app can be helpful for your target audience to book an appointment. The push notifications can be vital to update them on their appointment. There’s no doubt that mobile payment has become a powerful and popular means of making payments nowadays. Both small and large enterprises can integrate payment options in mobile applications that would be possible to receive payments from credit cards and debit cards. Mobile integrated payment platforms are fast, secure, and user-friendly.

Mobile Apps – The Next Frontier in Online Shopping

If these benefits have not yet solidified the importance of a mobile app, there are still more reasons to consider adopting a mobile app strategy to encourage more customer satisfaction and engagement. With mobile app development, you achieve the following for your business and your brand:

  • Inform prospects of new products, services, and exclusive deals
  • Stand out from your competitors who are yet to adopt mobile solutions
  • Reach out to younger and mobile-oriented demographics
  • Synch users’ social media accounts and emails

And if you structure your mobile integration carefully, you receive a ton of analytics on exactly how users interact with your app. These analytics range from how much time a user spends looking at your app to the amount of money you make from each online purchase. You can contact NS804 for any questions about mobile app development.

Intro to Android App Development

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Android is a reputable computing platform that is based on the popular Linux operating system. The initial android version hit the market in 2008 in the form of a mobile phone platform, at a time when the most popular mobile phone was a Blackberry, when Apple was making waves across different sectors.

For over ten years since it was first released, Android has effectively earned the most popular operating system by several measures. Despite the flashy brand and unmatched capabilities of the popular iPhone platform, Android global shipments meaningfully outpace Apple’s offerings – a clear indication of the potential of Android in the OS market.

Learning Android app development may seem like a daunting undertaking, but it can bring a world of possibilities, especially if done well and diligently. You can create the next “hit app” that will change the way we interact or work. By learning android app development, you could gain some skills that could land you a great job, or develop a tool that you can use to improve your workflow.

So, let’s jump right in on how you can develop an Android app.

  1. Download the tools you need for android app development

Firstly, you need to create your development environment. This is to ensure your desktop and workstation set-up support your android app development goals. For that, you will require Android SDK and Android Studio. Luckily, the two come packaged as a single download, and you can always access it anytime.

Android Studio is an integrated development environment IDE. This is essentially a platform where you can enter your code (primarily Kotlin or Java). It’s where you access all the necessary tools for development. Android Studio allows you to access APIs and libraries from the Android SDK, thereby giving you unlimited access to native development functions of the Android OS.

  1. Start a new project

Once you have successfully installed Android Studio on your desktop, now it’s time to initiate a new project. While this is a straightforward process, you will need to make some serious decisions that will impact your android app development journey going forward.

Go to File>New>New Project you will select a Project Template. The template defines the UI elements and the code present in your application when it loads.

  1. Kotlin vs. Java

One of the critical decisions you’re going to make as an android app developer is whether you will learn Java or Kotlin. Both languages are officially supported by Android and Google Studio, but they have some distinct variations. Google has supported Java for the longest time. It’s what developers have been leveraging to craft Android apps for decades.

  1. Minimum SDK

Additionally, you will need to consider your minimum SDK. This refers to the lowest version of Android that you want your app to support. The lower the SDK, the highest number of audiences or users that your app will target. Kindly keep in mind that there is a relatively lower adoption rate for the latest Android versions, so sticking to the latest Android version will prevent many users from trying your android creation.

  1. Familiarize yourself with the files

You’ll be baffled by the large number of files when you try android development. When you load Android Studio, you will be surprised at just how many different types of files there are. There are different files, multiple code layers, folders, and many more. This new realization would be miles away from the single blank file you’re used to working with QBasic or Python.

  1. Test your app

The first thing to do when familiarizing yourself with any new programming language is to create an application that says, “Hello World.” Thankfully, this is an easy step in any development exercise. If you look at the XML, you’ll notice a small label that reads: Hello World!

Learning Android App Development

When embarking on your first android app development project, remember that the key is not to learn all of Android app development but to set your sights on a realistic first app development project. You will keep learning as you add new features and as you try new things. Having a goal will keep your learning process focused and structured. And before you know it, you’re an expert.

Android App Development Without Programming

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Android app development can be challenging, especially for developers with limited experience in Java or Kotlin. However, it’s not all doom and gloom, as it’s possible to create phenomenal apps with no coding. Below, we unveil several handy tools that will let you complete your apps quickly and easily. 

1. Choosing An App Builder For Your Next Project

Perhaps you’re a novice developer or don’t have team members proficient in programming languages, such as Java or Kotlin. But you have a ton of great app ideas that you want to see come to fruition. So what do you do? Well, you could seek the services of a professional development studio to help you complete your project. But if that’s not an option, then you could consider using an app builder.

Nowadays, there are a plethora of app builders available that make Android app development a breeze. They make it easy for cash-strapped or non-technical appreneurs to create apps without typing a single line of code. Here’s a list of several popular solutions for developing Android apps on the fly:

  • AppMachine – Slick and powerful, AppMachine utilizes several pre-coded building blocks that help simplify the development process. More advanced users can integrate JavaScript and web services that further extend the features of this app builder.
  • Appy Pie – It’s a cloud-based development suite that allows non-technical developers to create chatbots, mobile apps, and websites. The company has introduced Android App Maker, a drag and drop solution integrating analytics without requiring Google SDK kits.
  • GoodBarber – GoodBarber offers either a content management system (CMS) or shopping app solutions. Using its drag and drop interface, non-technical developers can easily target Android, iOS, and the web.

2. No Coding Solutions For Mobile Game Developers

If you’re a mobile game developer, then you’re spoiled for choice as far as game engines and tools are concerned. And that’s due to the rise of indie and mobile gaming over the past decade. Thus, creating fertile ground for a variety of developer-friendly solutions that democratize game development.

While it’s possible to develop rudimentary games using an app builder, it’s not the wisest choice. And the reason for this is that modern game engines come with all the necessary tools geared almost exclusively for game development purposes. Here’s a shortlist of commercial game engines that allow you to complete projects with no coding at all:

  • Construct 3 – An easy-to-use web-based game development suite that’s ideal for making 2D arcade-style games. It uses a visual scripting system consisting of an event sheet with optional JavaScript integration.
  • GameMaker Studio 2 – It’s the grandaddy of user-friendly game engines, which helped bring game development to masses of hobbyists. Nowadays, it’s a professional suite renowned for its proprietary Drag and Drop™ system that facilitates rapid development.
  • Unity – Boasting an excellent editor and powerful tools, Unity has become the world’s most popular game engine. Developers gain access to several indispensable tools, such as Bolt, a node-based visual scripting asset.
  • Unreal Engine – As the most powerful tool on this list, it is the best choice for projects requiring high-fidelity visuals. Thus, the engine is incredibly complex but features its proprietary Blueprint visual scripting system, allowing designers and non-technical staff to create gameplay systems quickly.

3. Take Your Android App Development Endeavors To The Next Level

While app builders and off-the-shelf game engines make life easier, they may not always be the right choice for you. App builders are often limited and not suitable for more complex or specialized projects. Likewise, many popular game engines have certain limitations and are only suitable for specific game genres. Therefore, carefully consider whether your Android app will benefit from a more custom-made approach. 

If that’s the case, then it’s best to seek the services of a professional studio that specializes in Android app development. Contact us today to learn how NS804 can help take your upcoming project to the next level!

Best Language to Develop IOS Apps

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IOS apps are highly renowned, respected, and secure because of the long-standing brand equity of the Apple brand. However, developing a functional, comprehensive, and responsive IOS app is a big deal that needs careful analysis and planning.

App developers and consumers must consider essential elements before starting on their IOS app projects. Firstly, define the main purpose. Then, conduct detailed market research and finally, prepare a detailed plan for your IOS app development. In addition, it’s crucial to take into account the app’s compatibility with other IOS devices. Also, evaluate your internal business capabilities before developing the application.

After you’ve satisfied the above requirements, it’s now time to decide your IOS app development language. But why is language selection important? Well, if your app is successful at its nascent stages, you will want to expand with a new feature set and introduce other devices. Selecting the best language for your IOS app development is crucial for your success.

   1. Swift

Swift is a programming language for developing iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS solutions. Apple created Swift language in 2014 as the immediate successor of Objective-C. Swift integrates with platforms like Cocoa Touch, Cocoa, and the extensive code designed in Objective-C for all Apple products.

The advantage of Swift is that it’s available as an open-source project. It has good scalability, interoperability, is easy to use, and provides regular updates. In addition, Swift provides a faster development process, it’s stable, and provides safety and superior development performance.

   2. Objective-C

Objective-C is a project created as an extension of the C programming language with objective-oriented features and capabilities. In addition, Objective-C is a general-purpose language used for programming Apple operating systems like iOS, OS X, and application programming interfaces: Cocoa Touch and Cocoa. According to a trusted popularity report, Objective-C ranks 20th, falling only three positions below Swift, and it’s used by 4.1% of developers worldwide.

   3. C#

Another programming langugage is C# which is an object-oriented, high-level, general-purpose language created by Microsoft as an upgrade to Java language. The C# language integrates with the .net platform that is both a runtime environment and a framework. Since C# was developed, it has always been applied to write Windows applications. In addition, since the .net came to Mac and Linux systems, it’s possible to create native applications with this language for virtually every platform including IOS.

Swift – The Final Verdict

Swift’s all-in-one solution and its diverse reach on multiple iOS applications – macOS, tvOS, and watchOS – make it a perfect fit for developing iOS applications. Other than having great scalability, Swift is easy-to-use, interoperable, integrated, and provides regular updates. Swift automatic memory counting capability, faster development process, stability, and superior performance makes it a best-in-class programming software for IOS applications. For more inquiries about app development language selection, contact NS804 for time-to-value solutions in all your app development processes.

How to Create a Social Media App & How Much It Costs

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Social media apps have changed how we convey information and communicate with each other. Now more than ever, people spend much time online, scrolling news feeds on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. That is not to mention other social media apps that target a specific niche of users and can even motivate users to develop something similar.

The popularity of most social media apps is the freedom they extend to users. Users can share their thoughts, dreams, goals, and achievements with the whole world. Therefore, that is precisely why the social media app development market is one of the leading trends in IT today. People want to exchange ideas, share, and chat with other like-minded users.

So, if you want to know how to create a social media app, continue reading this post.

Types of Social Media Apps

If you’re thinking of starting a social media app, it’s first important to know what type of social media your idea belongs to. First, you need to define your target audience, identify competitors, and offer your targeted users more appropriate functionality in their overall user experience.

Let’s define the specific types of social media apps:

1. Social Networks

The primary aim of this type is to connect people with shared interests and who pursue different goals. For example, LinkedIn helps users find professional opportunities and build professional connections. Facebook offers a lot of thematic groups and more than 2 billion users to connect and befriend.

 

2. Media Sharing Networks

From its name, you can tell that these networks allow users to share different content. Users can share live videos, photos, and images. These days, the margin between social networks and media sharing networks is narrowing because such apps as Facebook are allowing users to share live videos and images.

 

3. Discussion Forums

These social media networks are gaining popularity because they allow users to learn from experts and share opinions on different topics. For example, discussion forums allow users to find the right information on specific topics. In addition, it’s possible to start a discussion, ask questions, and get responses from experts and knowledgeable users. The leading discussion forums include Quora and Reddit.

 

4. Consumer Review Networks

The primary objective of these social networking sites is to let users share reviews, opinions, and thoughts about products, locations, services, brands, and more. Consumer review networks can bring customers to the brand in case of positive reviews. In addition, company owners and stakeholders can get genuine client feedback and improve their products. Examples; Yelp and TripAdvisor.

 

5. Content Sharing Networks

Also called bookmarking apps, content sharing networks allow users to save and organize links to various online resources or websites. Users can save links in different folders according to topics. These platforms host more exciting features. For instance, Pinterest lets users upload their photos. In other content-sharing networks, users can download pictures they like. Most users choose these content-sharing networks to look through creative images and draw inspiration. Examples include Flipboard and Pinterest.

 

6. Blogging and Publishing Networks

Blogging is not as easy as it sounds. First, you must possess creative writing skills to keep your users engaged on a topic. Bloggers need applications that will enable them to pen their ideas from any device. It’s generally not difficult for you to build a social media app like this. YouTube and Facebook are the market leaders in this domain. But over the last few years, several other platforms have gained popularity like WhatsApp, Wix, Bubble, Squarespace, Microsoft Expression Web, and Medium.

Social Media App Development Cost

There are many websites offering clones of the Instagram app. These are templates with a few options for customization. So, it can be tempting to choose one of these and try to save money. However, utilizing them can breach privacy and security. In addition, you will still be required to develop a backend.

The truth is that a social media application development from scratch stands out because of its compelling brand, design, and functionality. But just like any other functional application, it takes time and money to develop. So, how long does it take, and how much will it cost you?

Let’s take a closer look.

Social Media App Development Timeframe

The one-platform version of a social media app may take upwards of 2000 hours to develop, including UI and UX design, app development (client-side and server-side), and accompanying activities like deployment, testing, and project management. In addition, if you want to create a promotional landing page for your app, it may require another 100-200 hours.

Social Media App Development Costs

The cost of a social media app depends on how much you choose to pay your developers. You usually have three main options as outlined below:

  • Freelancers – From $15 per hour.
  • In-house development team – From $90 per hour.
  • Outsourced development team – From $50 per hour.

The problem with freelancers is the difficulty and necessity to coordinate their efforts and the possible lack of expertise which is especially difficult to notice if you’re unaware of the complexities and intricacies of web development. On the other hand, hiring a local development team is way too expensive – it means spending far too much on simple fixtures.

Therefore, the way to go is to outsource a development team. The outsourcing option is a great way to tap into the expertise of a local in-house development team at just a fraction of the cost. For an Instagram-like social media application, you can take the below rough calculations:

Application development: Android/IOS – $25,000

Client-side app development – $13,000

Server-side app development – $25,000

UX/UI design – $9,000

Total Cost: $72,000

Social Media App Features and Their Costs

So, to calculate the cost of a social media app, you need to consider the required features since they affect the cost significantly. In addition, these features must perfectly fulfill the expectations of your target users and seek to solve their problems. There are two main features you must consider: the minimum viable product MVP and advanced features.

Must-have or minimum viable product features stand for basic functionality to satisfy users’ needs and offer them the appropriate user experience. It’s common for developers to launch the MVP version of the social media app, then gain feedback before investing more money in the idea itself. The MVP allows understanding what specific features need improvement. It’s only after this basic understanding that you can add more features.

Basic MVP Features to Build a Social Media App

With an MVP, you have better chances to get investments since a working app earns more trust from stakeholders. To give you a hint, we’ve singled out some MVP features.

  • Search
  • User profile
  • Sign-up feature
  • Chat
  • Newsfeed
  • Push notifications
  • Add post

Advanced Features

  • AR filters
  • Editing
  • Location-based content
  • Post-release marketing

Social Media App Development Trends

Social media is changeable. New app designs come and go. Therefore, the following elements can prove to be a game-changer in the coming years and something to add to your next social media app development project.

  • Interactive content. 91% of social media users are striving for interactive media content. Key aspects of interactive content include 360-degree video, AR/VR, games, quizzes, and many more.
  • Video content. Video is one of the most interactive content forms, and it’s gaining more popularity. Whether it’s short videos like on TikTok and Instagram Live or long videos like on YouTube, the social media video apps are defining the future.
  • Social commerce. Social commerce is becoming the primary way of retailing, whether online or offline. Shortly, this trend will intensify with the advent of an increasing number of social networks offering new sales features.
  • Leveraging social networks to serve customers. This change took place slowly as brands began noticing customers were contacting them through social networks. It’s simply the easiest way to get in touch with some social media users.

Contact NS804 for more inquiries about social media app development costs.