Tag Archive for: Enterprise App Development

How To Choose The Best Tech Stack For Your App

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One of the most important choices you can make as a developer is opting for the right tech stack. The right technologies allow you to complete your apps on time and within budget. However, the wrong choices will derail your projects and make you miss milestones. Below, we reveal several of the best tools for developing compelling enterprise apps and when to use them.

1. Understanding The Different Types Of Mobile App Development

Mobile app development is a complex beast that requires foresight. And the reason for this is that both Android and iOS are fundamentally different. Each platform has its own unique Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), development tools, and submission guidelines. Thus, targeting both platforms presents a plethora of challenges to even the most seasoned developers. 

So before embarking on a mobile app project, it’s essential to choose the right tech stack for the job. And what a tech stack brings to the table is a suite of tools, which usually consist of a database, back-end and front-end tools, frameworks, and programming languages. In the case of game studios, they’ll often use an off-the-shelf engine, such as Unity or Unreal, that handles cross-platform development.

However, when choosing a tech stack, it’s also critical to understand the different types of apps you can develop:

  • Native Apps – These applications offer the best app store distribution, performance, and user experience. Developers will use programming languages and tools that specifically target Android or iOS.
  • Cross-Platform Apps – Apps made for Android, iOS, and even the desktop offer reasonably good performance and a user experience. However, these will still lag in terms of speed and performance to their native counterparts.  
  • Hybrid Apps – These rely on web-based technologies and utilize a native app shell to run on mobile and desktop devices. They make it possible for web developers to target multiple platforms but at a significant integration, performance, and speed penalty.

2. Choosing The Right Tech Stack 

Before choosing a development solution, carefully consider whether you’ll be making a native, cross-platform, or hybrid app. Then, take a hard look at your team’s capabilities and available resources. 

For example, you may want to develop a native app to provide customers with the best possible user experience. But you don’t have enough team members, or they’re not skilled enough to handle native development for both Android and iOS. Your team may have proficiency in Apple’s Xcode and the Swift programming language but lack experience in Android Studio and Java or Kotlin.

Now, you could seek the services of native development specialists, such as NS804, to bring about the desired result. But if that’s not an option, you could use a cross-platform suite, such as Flutter, React Native, or Xamarin. However, your team’s success with these tools will largely depend on how proficient they are with their respective programming languages, namely: Dart, JavaScript/TypeScript, and C#.

If you’re still uncertain of which cross-platform tech stack to choose, then consider the following aspects. Flutter is a good option for fast development and comes with a wealth of widgets. But it’s still a relatively new tool with limited functionality and libraries. Alternatively, there’s React Native, which offers excellent mobile UI and modern features yet won’t deliver a native-like look or performance.

Then, there’s Xamarin that’s capable of accessing native APIs and providing near-native performance. On the downside, it’s not the most popular cross-platform solution, and since it’s part of Microsoft’s .NET stack, developers must understand its complex framework and runtime.

Finally, there are hybrid app technologies such as Apache Cordova and Ionic Framework. These are the perfect solutions for budget-conscious developers proficient in JavaScript, CSS, and HTML but willing to sacrifice performance and a native-like experience. 

3. Using The Right Tools For Making Enterprise Apps

If you’re developing enterprise apps, you’ll need to use tools that are best in class. Quite often, these are the very same tools provided or recommended by the platform holders. In Apple’s case, they want developers to use their Xcode Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for creating apps for all their devices. And in Google’s case, they prefer that developers use Android Studio and associated software development kit (SDK).

Furthermore, Apple’s Swift is a powerful statically typed programming language ideal for modern application development. And since it’s a type-safe language, the result is cleaner and safer code that’s less prone to runtime crashes. Also, Swift handles memory exceptionally well thanks to its Automatic Reference Counting (ARC) memory management. What this means is that it’s an excellent language for developing performant and secure enterprise apps.

And in the Android camp, Google has been encouraging developers to switch over to Kotlin from Java. While Java has been a stalwart programming language in the enterprise space since the mid-90s, it’s verbose with a steep learning curve. Kotlin, on the other hand, offers developers similar features to Java, but it’s easier to learn and allows for both object-oriented and functional programming. With such flexibility and power, developers can release polished enterprise apps far quicker than before.

You’ll likely need a database for your application, and there are several good options available. Both Android and iOS developers can implement the SQLite relational database to manage data. But if you’re seeking a more modern and scalable solution, then consider Realm. What makes Realm so compelling is that it integrates seamlessly with React Native and Xamarin. And if you prefer to work with Google’s tech stack, you may want to take advantage of Firebase.

4. When To Build An MVP

Building complex enterprise apps presents developers with plenty of risks and high development costs. There’s no knowing if it will achieve significant download numbers, engage users, and perform adequately. 

So, the only way we’ll know if a project holds promise is if we test the market without investing heavily in a finished product. Instead, we focus our efforts on a minimum viable product (MVP), which includes the bare minimum functionality of the app we envision. Once the MVP gains traction with users, then we can proceed to scale. 

5. Consider How Your Tech Stack Affects The Cost Of Development  

The type of tech stack you use will affect the cost of development considerably. If you’re embarking on native development, you’ll need to have developers on your team capable of programming for both Android and iOS. Furthermore, you’ll need to maintain two codebases, which will only increase your development costs.

Don’t forget to account for the cost of your development tools. After all, it’s easy to forget about this with so many open-source and free options available nowadays. Many IDEs are available for free and primarily aimed at indie developers, open-source projects, and students. 

But if you’re a professional developer or a company, you’ll need to purchase a license, either as a subscription or a one-off cost. Similarly, there are different pricing tiers for other tools, such as automated testing suites, back-end cloud services, and databases.

The Bottom Line

Choosing the right tech stack for your app will allow you to complete it on time and within budget. In an ideal world, you’d opt for tools that facilitate native app development. But if that’s not feasible, consider the alternatives or work with a professional developer. Contact us today to learn how NS804 can help you develop amazing apps with the best-in-class technologies.

How Custom App Development Improves App Security

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Do you need to address security issues, or are you concerned about the spate of data breaches as of late? If that’s the case, then you should consider custom app development as it’s one of the best ways to improve your app’s security.

1. Why App Security Matters To End Users

As an appreneur, you take software development seriously and care about the end-user experience. Whether you’re targeting the consumer or enterprise market, you need to be at the top of your game. Meaning, that you shouldn’t only focus on the quality of your applications but also their security. After all, few things can hurt your reputation more than playing fast and loose with user data. And such a scenario can unfold if you don’t lock down security on every custom mobile app you develop.

However, it’s not just reputational damage that you need to worry about, but also legal ramifications for non-compliance. Nowadays, app developers and companies must comply with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The United States has its own regulatory framework, namely, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). And developers dealing with payment systems need to familiarize themselves with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS).

2. How Does App Security Benefit Business Goals

Even the most prestigious and trusted brands can overlook security flaws in their apps. Recent examples include the baked-in apps found in the Galaxy S10+ and possibly other Samsung devices. 

Fortunately, Samsung was made aware of these vulnerabilities and has released security patches in recent updates. It was prudent for Samsung to respond quickly with fixes, as this mitigated significant security risks. Moreover, the company’s strong presence in the smartphone market means that its business goals are affected by how it deals with app security. 

3. How Does Custom App Development Improve Security

In many cases, it’s wiser to develop a custom mobile app if security is a prime concern. Hackers and other bad actors often target applications and websites that have known vulnerabilities. However, a custom solution designed and developed from the ground up with tight security features will deter those with malicious intent. Furthermore, by maintaining your app and regularly rolling out updates and security patches, you provide users with a near hack-proof product.

4. How Can You Improve Custom Mobile App Security

No matter how nice and shiny your new app seems, there’s always room for improvement. And one of the areas you should focus on is tightening up its security. Thus, your custom app development endeavors should include cryptography, obfuscating source code, performing security checks, reducing sensitive data storage, and securing your backend.

5. Why Security Should Be An App Marketing Point

Users have become increasingly concerned about their security, privacy, and how tech companies and other entities use their data. And with stories about data breaches and ransomware making it into the news cycle regularly, it’s not surprising that users feel this way. However, this presents a golden opportunity for the savvy development team to market their latest custom mobile app. By putting security at the forefront and delivering a product that lives up to this promise, it’s possible to win over many new users.

In Conclusion

Custom app development should always be a consideration, especially when prioritizing security. Contact us today to learn how NS804 can help you develop high-quality and secure apps.

SaaS Mobile Apps Vs Custom App Development

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Weighing the benefits of SaaS mobile apps vs custom app development is worthwhile for several reasons. With rapid digitalization underway, every enterprise should consider what type of apps they need. They also need to look at costs, customization, integration, time to implementation, and scalability, to name a few. 

Both SaaS and custom apps offer very similar benefits, which makes the decision-making process difficult. While a SaaS solution may be perfect for certain types of businesses, it may not be right for your enterprise. Below, we pinpoint the differences between SaaS and custom apps and what you should consider before coming to a decision. 

1. What Are SaaS Mobile Apps?

Most of us know what mobile apps are and know how indispensable they’ve become. But what exactly is SaaS (Software as a Service), and why does it matter? Well, if you’ve used a modern cloud service, you’ve likely made use of a SaaS. Dropbox, Google Docs, and Netflix are good examples of popular SaaS offerings that users find valuable. 

And since these services are cloud-based, users don’t have to download and install large executables and packages. Thus, they avoid installation errors and the possibility of their devices becoming infected with malware and viruses. Another side benefit is that users don’t have to worry about updates, as these are done in the cloud. So, enterprises that hire employees that aren’t too technical can hit the ground running.

SaaS mobile apps offer all these benefits to users who mainly or only use smartphones for their daily business activities. As long as they have a reliable connection, they should enjoy uninterrupted service most of the time. However, many SaaS offerings have offline modes allowing users to continue using these services without breaking their workflow.

2. Top SaaS Mobile App Benefits

You may be deliberating whether to develop a SaaS or a custom mobile app. We understand that it’s not always a clear-cut decision if the app should fulfill many vital business functions. Therefore, we’ve listed a few of the benefits that you should be aware of when developing SaaS mobile apps: 

  • Fast Implementation – If you’re leading a startup or need to deploy services rapidly, then a SaaS is the way to go. A SaaS allows you to bring all your ideas to the market far quicker than taking the custom app development route.
  • Simple Customization – SaaS apps are far easier and quicker to customize than custom apps. Furthermore, features are likely to fit your enterprise’s needs since SaaS apps are updated at more regular intervals.
  • Integration With Other Apps – Your enterprise probably relies on several third-party applications to function smoothly. A SaaS allows you to quickly and cheaply integrate all these apps since you can access its built-in APIs (application programming interfaces). For a custom app, you’d need to handle all integrations during development and incur additional costs if you integrate them later on.
  • Easy To Scale – Small enterprises with approximately 50 employees use between 25-50 SaaS apps. And larger enterprises with over 250 employees utilize more than 100 SaaS offerings. Furthermore, almost 85% of small enterprises have invested in SaaS solutions. The adoption of SaaS is partly due to how easy it’s to scale for enterprises of various sizes.

3. How Does Custom App Development Differ?

Developing a custom mobile app is a more elaborate process than creating a SaaS solution. The developer will have to consider the costs associated with back-end hosting, setting up a developer account, operating system updates, handle user feedback, support new devices, and offer maintenance and support. Of course, some of these costs apply to SaaS mobile apps but to a lesser extent. 

But what truly sets a custom mobile app apart is that it makes use of a smartphone’s unique features. For example, a developer can add functionality that takes advantage of the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 S Pen. It wouldn’t make sense to add this functionality in a SaaS since it’s meant to work on a wide variety of devices.

4. Top Benefits of Custom App Development

As we’ve already revealed, SaaS mobile apps offer a wide variety of benefits that you ought to consider. The lower costs and quick implementations certainly benefit startups and enterprises operating on a tight budget. However, it would be a mistake to forge ahead without looking at what custom app development brings to the table.

  • Full Customization – Both SaaS and custom apps can be customized. But a custom app offers deeper customization since the developer can access more of a device’s APIs, hardware, and operating system.
  • Fits Your Needs Perfectly – Your enterprise’s unique needs can’t always be addressed by a SaaS. For example, storing data on the cloud presents certain security risks that you’d like to avoid. But your custom mobile app allows you to store and encrypt data on the device or offline.
  • Takes Advantage Of Device Features – Today’s smartphones come with innovative features that set them apart from competitors. And users choose a specific brand and model because they find its unique features desirable or valuable. Thus, you can make your app stand out if you take advantage of a device’s unique features and grow your audience.
  • Changes With Your Business – SaaS apps often become monolithic as they grow and mature. When an enterprise’s needs change, it becomes a monumental task to implement changes in such apps.  But that’s not the case with custom apps since they don’t require any significant platform changes to adapt to your business.

5. Which Development Strategy Is Best For Your Needs?

Last but not least, you must consider your development strategy that best fits your enterprise’s needs. Developing apps is challenging and is fraught with risk, that’s why it’s important to make the right decisions. We recommend that you look at your costs, time to implement, and customization factors in more detail. 

  • Costs – Consider all the costs of developing a custom mobile app versus that of a SaaS. Additional features, higher complexity, and sleeker visual elements will inevitably increase costs. And the longer it takes to develop your app, the more expensive it becomes.
  • Time To Implement – One of the key benefits of SaaS is how rapidly an enterprise can deploy and implement services. In most cases, a SaaS is the smarter choice for startups and smaller enterprises that don’t have the luxury of time.
  • Customization – Smartphones have become more advanced and sport features, which were inconceivable a few years ago. Furthermore, user expectations have risen, and enterprises may want to take advantage of features unique to specific devices. In such scenarios, it’s necessary to develop apps with deep customization in mind. That’s only possible with custom app development because the developer works directly on the hardware and not the cloud.

In Conclusion

SaaS solutions have gained traction in recent years as more enterprises embrace the cloud. And many smaller enterprises have invested heavily in SaaS apps, and this trend’s bound to continue. But for enterprises requiring high levels of customization and the ability to take advantage of a device’s unique features, only custom apps will do. Contact us today to learn how NS804 can develop powerful enterprise apps that will boost your business.

Managing Remote Teams and Avoiding Burnout

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Avoiding Burnout is Key While Managing Remote Teams

Burnout is a very real thing. Not only in business or in one’s career, but in all areas of life. Burnout at the gym, too much socialization, too much food, and of course – too much work. After all, there is some truth to that age old adage about all work and no play. In the current state of things, remote teams are becoming a standard across almost every industry and marketplace. With that, it’s important for organizations and managers to find ways to provide remote teams with downtime while still remaining efficient and productive.

The way of the world is changing. Every year we’re inching toward a more digital landscape. More integrated technology. More virtual interaction, and of course, more remote work teams. Understanding that this isn’t just a phase, but a larger societal transition will help managers. With this knowledge, leaders are more able to create successful strategies for managing remote workers and staff. There are many benefits to a workforce that predominantly works from home.

For instance, a stronger sense of work-life-balance has been achieved by many workers who used to feel they were lacking in this area. Additionally, teams have shown higher rates of efficiency in certain areas as time-wasting and energy-draining activities are removed from daily schedules.

What Causes Burnout For Remote Teams

There are many factors that contribute to a remote teams burnout. Just like with any other form of a burnout, it doesn’t necessarily stem from a single source. Rather, it’s a combination of elements that lead to an exhaustion. One of the culprits of remote team burnout is video-conferencing. With the transition to remote teams popular video conferencing applications, like Zoom, saw a major surge in usage. From amount of users to amount of time on video-calls, the application soared. So much so that it actually topped the app charts for the first time in a historic moment.

With all this newfound attention, though, it wasn’t before long that some digging was done. The way most video-conferencing applications work is by framing the users face in a very close-up angle. As such, over the period of the video-call users are up-close and personal with one another. Our brains process this type of face-to-face interaction as an extremely intimate exchange. Usually, we only see close loved-ones in this framing. Hence, why so many people feel drained after engaging over a video-conference.

Beyond this phenomenon, though, there are other factors that cause remote teams to burnout as well. Without the interpersonal exchanges that are normally associated with physical office-spaces, it’s harder now to form personal relationships with our coworkers and colleagues. Add onto all of this that those who are fortunate enough to remain working full time from home; now have the pressure of completing their deadlines without the resources of an office, and almost acting as their own oversight.

Incorporating Employee Incentives

Just because employees are working from home doesn’t mean that your organization can’t offer them incentives for strong performance. In fact, in this economic and social climate, showing your employees that you care goes a long way. There are many ways to incorporate employee incentives into remote teams. As the world was already moving toward a more digital age, some teams were already operating on an almost entirely remote basis. Because of that, certain enterprise apps that already exist on the market are specifically designed for employee incentives.

This is great for current managers for a variety of reasons. First of all, that means there are already options for those looking. Simply do a bit of research, pick the provider that seems most suitable and start the incentive process.

However, for managers and organizations that are looking for a bit more specification and customization with their incentive programs, these options still offer value. In one direction, this information and these preexisting options for a remote teams incentive program provides insight into incentive-functionality that works. In other words, companies looking to build a custom enterprise app to handle the incentives for their remote teams, can look to see how the current incentive softwares operate and function, rather than trying to reinvent the wheel.

Types of Incentive Programs

Just like in a physical office, the realm of possibilities for incentives is far and wide. Therefore, the way that employees earn and spend incentive points can also vary widely from organization to organization. In some programs employees simply earn points based solely on performance. Prizes and incentives have various price-points and the more points that one saves, the better incentives they can earn.

Beyond that though, there are also systems that integrate co-worker and colleague recognition. In these incentive type programs, users can also award points to one-another for exceptional work or high achievement in a certain area.

Not only do the ways in which employees earn and receive points vary, but the types of incentives can also vary. While travel destinations used to be extremely popular choices, with the state of the pandemic, travel, while still exciting and fun, can be quite a bit more dangerous these days. Other popular choices include high-ticket items for the household, new electronics, and various other options. No matter the choice, one thing is certain. In these trying times, it’s essential to boost your employee morale, especially in remote teams. Using incentives is a great way to relieve team pressure, and actively work to prevent burnout.

Improve Efficiency Through Enterprise Apps

A main component to effectively running a remote team that remains productive is equipping your staff with the right tools. Regardless of trade, one of the very first lessons to learn is that without the proper tools – nothing gets done. In the context of managing remote teams, this means providing your team with the proper enterprise applications. Implementing the proper corporate applications allows your remote team access to important data, instant communication, and other vital features.

Similar to the discussion on incentive based programs, there are already a plethora of enterprise apps available to businesses. However enterprise applications already on the market tend to be one-size-fits-all. This is important to note because of the variations in workflows and operations from business to business.

As such, when determining whether your remote teams would benefit from an enterprise application that already exists, or a custom enterprise application, you should take a complete and comprehensive look at your team and their specific needs. If you’re already considering investing in an enterprise application, however, it might as well fit your custom needs for the organization. Build an enterprise application that fits your needs completely with the experts at NS804. NS804 is the mobile app developer of the everyday person and businessman.

A Quick Summary

Remote teams are going to be a part of the normal working landscape for the foreseeable future. As such, there’s really no more time to waste in preparing your business or organization for a more predominantly remote economy. Having a sustainable and happy workforce is an important part of that.

Help your teams avoid burnout by equipping them with the right tools to conduct their work, rewarding them with incentives, and making sure to plan off-work bonding events that can bring the team together like D&D. For more information on the future of remote team management, or anything else mobile app development – continue browsing NS804’s library.

Creating An Enterprise App That Focuses On Security And Compliance

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Building an enterprise app that’s secure and compliant should be the priority of every serious developer. Users need enterprise mobile apps that won’t leak sensitive information or be at the mercy of hackers. We’ll briefly touch upon why security and compliance should never be an afterthought.

1. Why Security Matters In An Enterprise App?

Nowadays, many enterprises use collaboration apps that allow their employees and remote teams to get work done. A few examples include Google Docs, Slack, and Trello, which are cloud-based SaaS (Software as a Service) offerings. Furthermore, these apps make life easier for IT managers since they no longer need to maintain and manage their own servers.

While a typical enterprise app offers convenience, it’s not entirely secure. Hackers love to target small or large enterprises through their collaboration apps. For example, a savvy hacker can launch a phishing attack via an enterprise’s messaging app instead of relying on email. And since employees trust communications within the company’s messaging app, they’ll likely click an URL or download files containing malware or malicious code.

The malware may contain a keylogger, which records user keystrokes such as login passwords and sends them back to the hacker. Thus, the entirety or part of the company’s online infrastructure will be compromised. The hacker can now steal valuable company information, install viruses, launch a ransomware attack, and that’s only the beginning. That’s why all applications, including enterprise mobile apps, should have enhanced security features from the get-go.

2. How To Ensure Enterprise Mobile Apps Are Compliant?

With 38% of iOS mobile apps and 43% of Android applications having high-risk vulnerabilities, it’s time for developers to take security seriously. The most common problem is insecure data storage, which puts correspondence, financial data, passwords, and personal information at risk.   

So how should you tackle enterprise app development with security in mind? You’ll need to focus on the client-side since 60% of vulnerabilities are found on the client, and 56% can be exploited without administration rights. 

Look at your insecure interprocess communication (IPC) and reduce its usage. And don’t use third-party keyboards in your enterprise mobile apps, as these can leak sensitive information, such as user passwords. Finally, mask sensitive on-screen information with a custom background image or filter.

3. Why Should You Use A Professional App Development Company?

Don’t make the mistake of trying to build your enterprise app for free. While there are many app builders and resources to help you make an application, you won’t get the desired result. You may not complete your app, or if you do, it may cost you more than anticipated. 

Whether we like it or not, enterprise app development is a serious endeavor. You’ll need to work with a professional app development company that will deliver an app that functions properly and meets all safety criteria. Contact us today to learn how NS804 can help you build secure enterprise mobile apps.

How To Create A Better iOS Ecommerce App

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Developing an iOS eCommerce app that keeps users engaged takes time and work. But to achieve desirable results, it’s best to work with an experienced iOS development agency. And if you follow these handy pointers, you’ll increase your chances of releasing an app that truly shines. 

1. Why You Should Study The Competition

For many enthusiasts and tech industry insiders, the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is a yearly highlight. Developers, in particular, follow this conference to keep updated about the latest developments concerning the iOS app platform. And the media wait with bated breath to hear announcements from keynote speakers, such as Tim Cook and Craig Federighi. These announcements clarify the direction of Apple and how that affects developers in the foreseeable future.

While developers can learn much about the Apple ecosystem by following WWDC, it’s not enough. They must continue researching and studying the market segment they are targeting. If an iOS development agency plans on entering the eCommerce space, then it should study its competitors. After all, this market segment is highly competitive, and developers must do their homework to find success. And with eCommerce app use growing by 36% between April and July 2020, competition will only get tighter.

2. How To Optimize For The iOS App Platform

Apple wants developers to release polished applications that showcase the iOS app platform to existing and potential users. That’s why it’s crucial to optimize your app by closely following Apple’s guidelines.

Your app needs to be lightweight and responsive for the best user experience. Therefore, you should implement the most efficient file and video formats and reduce the size of updates. Then, take things further by leveraging app thinning and utilizing on-demand resources by shipping these as separate asset packs.

However, your work doesn’t end there, as you’ll also need to do App Store Optimization (ASO). Ensure that your store page has the following: app name, subtitle, the app’s URL, all relevant keywords, ratings, reviews, listing CTR, and the category of your app. Furthermore, you should insert high-quality images and videos, an apt description, and design an eye-catching icon. 

3. What Ecommerce App Features Are Most Important

Keep users engaged by providing them with the features they want and a seamless experience. So, ensure that your eCommerce app has the following features: 

  • Hassle-free customization
  • Simple onboarding process
  • Intuitive and responsive design
  • A frictionless process from registration through to checkout 
  • Analytics measuring all applicable user behavior 
  • Push notifications for promotions and call to action (CTA) 
  • Engaging and relevant content

4. Why You Should Hire An iOS Development Agency

It may seem tempting to hire a freelancer to develop your upcoming eCommerce app to save on development costs. However, that may not be the wisest choice, especially with what an iOS development agency brings to the table. An agency is more accountable, likely to stick to deadlines, work within the budget, provide maintenance and support, and stay on top of trends.

5. How To Keep Users Coming Back

You’ve invested heavily into your new eCommerce app and hope that users will keep coming back. But to ensure this happens, your user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) should be excellent. Moreover, prepare a minimum viable product (MVP) and conduct regular testing to determine whether or not your app’s engaging users. And update your app regularly with features that delight your users and help keep it in the spotlight. 

In Conclusion

When targeting the iOS app platform, it’s best to go in prepared with a clear strategy. Start by studying the competition, then optimize your app and add the most important features. And don’t forget to implement great UI/UX design and regularly roll out updates. But to create an outstanding app, work with an experienced iOS development agency, such as NS804 today.

What Are The Top Enterprise App Development Challenges In 2021?

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Developing an enterprise app in 2021 presents several challenges that you need to know. App security vulnerabilities have become a cause of concern, and delivering a great user experience (UX) has become paramount. We take a deep dive into what enterprise app development looks like in the foreseeable future.

1. How To Decide The Enterprise App Type

When embarking on enterprise app development, you should carefully consider what tasks your application should handle. Start by looking at what processes require improvements at your company. Then, determine if these processes affect the entire company or are limited to a specific department. Moreover, pinpoint any tasks that your upcoming app should address, such as facilitating communication or stocktaking, as examples.

And even having already implemented several solutions, continue taking a holistic view of your company. As we enter a period of rapid digitalization, companies will need to enhance their business processes or be left behind. Thus, it’s wise to take a hard look at whether you’ve already implemented the following systems successfully: 

  • Automated billing and payment process
  • Business Continuity Planning (BCP)
  • Business Intelligence (BI)
  • Call center and customer support
  • Content management 
  • Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
  • Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) 
  • Enterprise Management Systems (EMS) 
  • HR management
  • Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) 
  • Social media management

All these systems should work flawlessly with each other and improve staff productivity. Also, upgrade outdated systems as quickly as these often cause bottlenecks and security vulnerabilities.

2. How To Ensure A Worthwhile ROI

Ideally, your enterprise app should make completing specific tasks far easier and quicker than before. And do so consistently and effectively so that it pays for itself in the long run. But how do you go about developing an app that does indeed deliver ROI? Well, you should ensure that your enterprise app development efforts produce a solution that offers several benefits.

Firstly, your app should improve productivity and empower staff by ensuring they have access to the most up-to-date data. By implementing business intelligence (BI) together with a robust cloud solution, staff members can complete mission-critical tasks at all times, even when out of the office. Secondly, your app should reduce running costs and speed up all relevant business processes. Thirdly, it should give your company a competitive edge by improving the customer experience and help you stay ahead of market trends.

3. Why The Enterprise App UI Matters So Much

When people think of enterprise apps, they picture dull and ugly-looking WinForms applications. Fortunately, that period in business computing is steadily coming to a close. Businesses no longer rely on desktop-only solutions, especially with the growing popularity of cloud-based web apps. Moreover, Windows desktops are no longer the only game in town, with Apple Macs and Linux desktops gaining traction. Not to forget about Android and iOS devices, which have gradually become powerful productivity tools in many organizations.

With this gradual shift, there has been a steady revolution in User Interface (UI) design. And with the increased use of mobile devices in enterprises, it’s crucial to deliver an optimal User Experience (UX). After all, a well-implemented UI/UX goes a long way in improving conversion and retainment rates. Company staff can fulfill their duties effectively while customers can complete registrations, purchases, and bookings in a frictionless manner.

Thus, it’s paramount that you always consider the UI/UX when embarking on enterprise app development. In many cases, errors and flaws could be due to the interface instead of any underlying issues. Utilize user testing and web analytics, and give this data to your designers to initiate improvements where necessary. Furthermore, a great UI/UX will help boost search engine rank, enhance customer loyalty, and promote your self-service channels.

4. How Can You Keep Enterprise Apps Secure

Your enterprise app shouldn’t only look good, but it must also be secure. And the security of your app should be a top priority, especially if you’re developing for smartphones. According to a report by the Synopsys Cybersecurity Research Center (CyRC), approximately 63% of Android apps contain open source components that contain security vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities expose sensitive data and utilize an excessive amount of device permissions.

What’s even more concerning about these findings is that 94% of these vulnerabilities have security patches available. And most developers are ignoring or failing to secure the components they use to build their apps. Therefore, whether you’re developing a mobile, web, or hybrid app, you must regularly conduct vulnerability tests. For example, if you’re developing a mobile app, make sure to test for the following:

  • Client-side injection
  • Dangerous third-party code
  • Data storage issues
  • Detecting insecure communication
  • Exposed authentication
  • Failure to encrypt data over a web service
  • Server-side control failures
  • The exploitation of the device’s permissions and operating system (OS)

5. Why You Should Invest In Regular App Updates

It’s vital to look at your enterprise app as an ongoing project and not a one-off. Why this is so important is because your app will become outdated after some time. So you’ll need to roll out updates at regular intervals to introduce new features and patch up security vulnerabilities. And every update presents a golden opportunity to receive employee feedback to see how they’re finding the latest iteration of your app. 

6. How Should You Manage Your App’s Data

Users have become increasingly concerned about how their data is collected and used. And given the growing number of security breaches as of late, this is a valid concern. That’s why you should pay more attention to how you manage your app’s data. Ideally, you want to limit the amount of data usage and bandwidth of your app, as long as it doesn’t impact productivity negatively. But you should also encrypt this data, as you don’t want malicious parties to gain access to sensitive information.

Furthermore, analyze how your app stores data, especially in mobile devices with limited storage space. Ensure that the app isn’t storing unnecessary or unwanted data, which can rapidly eat up the available storage. And limit the number of app permissions, as it’s seldom necessary to share information with too many apps.

7. How Much Does Enterprise App Development Cost?

Applications vary in complexity, and that directly correlates with the cost of development. Succinctly, a simple app costs approximately $ 37,500, an app with medium complexity costs up to $ 150,000, and a highly complex app can reach $ 750,000. A low-cost app developer, such as a freelancer, may charge between $ 85 – $ 105 per hour. While this may seem reasonable, do check if this also includes back-end integrations, graphic design, cross-platform support, and additional features.

In most cases, a freelancer or cheaper developer won’t be able to deliver all of these. That means that you’ll have to hire an additional graphic designer, developer, and back-end expert to complete your project, which will drive up costs more than expected. However, if you work with an experienced agency, you can have your app developed on time and within budget.

The Bottom Line

Enterprise app development is a long and complex process that requires the expertise of seasoned professionals. Ideally, you’ll be working with an agency that understands the needs of your company. Contact us today to learn how NS804 can help you create an enterprise app that takes your business to the next level.

Is It Still Possible To Develop Innovative Enterprise Apps?

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Creating innovative enterprise apps seems like a monumental task. And you’re not wrong if that’s what you’re thinking? However, all the best apps have something in common, which involves solving a pain point exceptionally well. So yes, it’s still possible to develop innovative apps for enterprises, provided you spot a gap in the market.

1. Innovative Enterprise Apps Help Deliver Business Value

With behemoths such as Microsoft, Salesforce, and SAP, delivering high-quality enterprise apps, it’s easy to become intimidated by these strong competitors. But as an appreneur or lean startup, you can make a dent in the market by developing innovative enterprise apps. After all, there’s bound to be a gap in the market that the big players aren’t servicing yet. 

Some of the most indispensable apps that businesses use are those that facilitate communication internally and externally. And this has become even more important in the COVID-19 era, as more company staff work remotely. But even in a post-pandemic age, businesses will still seek out the most effective communication solutions. Thus, there will be many opportunities to innovate on the cloud but also with business mobile apps.

2. Four Things Your Enterprise App Should Have

With a plethora of excellent enterprise apps in the marketplace, user expectations have risen considerably. The days when business applications would only run on desktops and thin clients are long gone. Business mobile apps have grown in popularity as company staff make greater use of smartphones. And apps with complex, inconsistent, and unresponsive user interfaces (UI) are also being shunned in the enterprise space.

The most successful enterprise apps all have these four elements: good visual design, full integration with a company’s systems, compatibility across devices, and robust offline capabilities. Company staff and remote workers love using apps that encapsulate all these elements since they facilitate productivity.

3. Identify A Gap In The Market

Before commencing with development, you’ll need to discover what pain point your app is trying to solve. What problem are you regularly experiencing, which can be solved by a well-conceived application? And does this problem also affect people within an enterprise environment? If you can provide an answer to both questions, then you may have discovered a gap in the market.

However, don’t rush into development without conducting a market opportunity analysis beforehand. It will help you identify customer needs, competitors, and risks that you may face. Thus, you’ll be more informed and better positioned to deliver an innovative enterprise app to users.

3. Business Mobile Apps Are Driving Forth Innovation

While the desktop is the undisputed stalwart of enterprise environments, smartphones have also penetrated this space in recent years. Today, company staff use an average of four apps per day for their work. These business mobile apps keep staff engaged and enhance their well-being and productivity. 

From executives through to sales staff, they now have mission-critical information available to them at all times. Mobile apps diminish the need to be in the office or a specific location to access a PC, saving staff valuable time.

4. Work With An Experienced Developer 

Innovative enterprise apps, such as Flock, Trello, and SurveyMonkey have radically transformed the workflow of modern businesses. These apps came into existence because there was a real need for them. Moreover, the developers behind these apps identified the pain points users were experiencing and responded with powerful and intuitive solutions. 

If you have an app in mind that’s potentially world-changing, then talk to us. As an experienced developer of enterprise and mobile apps, NS804 can help you create the app you’ve always wanted to make.

Why Custom Enterprise Development is Soaring

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The Digitalization of The Economy & Enterprise Development

In the last year, our world saw a massive acceleration into a more digitalized state. This was largely due to the global pandemic that swept the world. However, the wave of digitalization was well on its way long before the COVID-19 pandemic. Regardless, in today’s world, the economy has shifted to an almost entirely virtual experience. To meet this large appetite of the consumers for instant gratification and virtual service, companies have turned to custom enterprise development for a wide variety of solutions.

Developing a custom enterprise application for your organization leads to a wide variety of benefits.

How Businesses are Utilizing Custom Enterprise Apps

Companies are already making great use of custom enterprise apps and enterprise development. One of the main functions for which many organizations employ a custom enterprise application is communication. Communication is one of the most important aspects of any organization. Without strong communication channels, it’s fairly difficult to accomplish large-scale projects that require robust teamwork, cooperation, and strategy.

Furthermore, this is extrapolated when you consider the remote work atmosphere that many organizations have embraced following the COVID-19 pandemic. While working from home has proven beneficial for both organizations and staff members, it goes without saying that communication efforts saw strain as companies dealt with the transition from office work to remote staff.

The Benefits Of Enterprise Apps

There are many benefits to developing a custom enterprise application that streamlines business operations and creates internal efficiencies throughout the organization. From bolstering communication channels to fostering stronger collaboration sessions between remote employees, custom enterprise development offers firms a wide variety of solutions.

The Lifetime Value of a Custom Enterprise App

Investing in the enterprise development of a custom application is a big decision. However, when you consider the lifetime value that an application of this nature offers your firm, it really becomes a no-brainer.

For more information on custom enterprise applications, or anything else related to app development, keep browsing NS804.

Top Reasons To Consider Enterprise App Development

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Reasons To Consider Developing a Custom Enterprise App

Organizations and businesses are constantly advancing and evolving. As are the industries in which they operate. That means in order to stay competitive and relevant, management and leadership also need to evolve. This often means embracing new technology. Although new technology is an important aspect of running an organization, it isn’t always easy or intuitive. However, the more practice we get, the easier it becomes. Therefore, having an in-house custom enterprise app that evolves and scales with your company will keep your firm modern and offer you an edge against the competition; no matter what that may look like.

There are many reasons to consider developing a custom enterprise app that will benefit your firm and help create a comprehensive strategy for your organization. Not to mention, each and every organization is slightly different. There’s truly no one-size-fits-all solution.

The Differences Between an Enterprise App and Other Apps

Before getting into the various functions and capabilities that a custom enterprise app brings to your firm, it’s integral to understand what exactly an enterprise application is. In the wide world of app development, there are three main categories of applications. Firstly, there are mobile apps. These are arguably the most well-known and popular, at least among users. Think of any game that you can play on your phone, and that’s a mobile application.

Next, however, are web apps. Web applications have technically been along quite a bit longer than mobile applications, as they were born along with the internet come the turn of the century. Yet, they’ve evolved right alongside the internet, and are still widely used today in a huge spectrum of ways. Finally, there are enterprise applications.

Mid to large-sized organizations commonly have a need for a custom enterprise application. This is because a custom enterprise application brings so much utility to an organization. Companies use enterprise applications to streamline operations, create efficiency within their organization, and better facilitate inter-company communications.

The Current Standard

While larger organizations were the main customers for enterprise applications, they’ve become more accessible as technology has advanced. This is creating a more diverse and colorful marketplace as smaller organizations are joining the game and finding ways to make use of custom enterprise applications themselves.

This rising trend doesn’t seem to be going away, especially as the world becomes more and more digital. In fact, it’s quite the opposite in that many companies have embraced enterprise applications as an industry standard. This results in more and more companies reaching out to developers and firms with custom enterprise application needs, ultimately elevating the floor of the entire marketplace.

A Brief Overview

A custom enterprise application can build an enormous amount of value into an organization. From creating robust communication channels that are reliable and efficient, to streamlining business operations entirely custom enterprise applications offer a wide variety of solutions.

For more information on the value of enterprise applications, or when is the right time to develop one for your organization, continue browsing NS804. NS804 is the proud application developer of the everyday appreneur.