Tag Archive for: User experience

Avoid These 10 Mistakes When Developing Your First Mobile App

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Mobile apps have transformed how we communicate, interact, shop, and exchange information. From online food shopping to e-ticking, mobile apps have changed how enterprises do business. These pocket-sized tools have transformed how consumers access information, defining consumer shopping habits, and purchase preferences.

Developing your first app is exciting; the prospect and thoughts of bringing your ideas to life is thrilling to most entrepreneurs. However, this process comes with its fair share of challenges. It requires meticulous planning, expert execution, and continuous improvement.

This article walks you through ten mistakes to avoid when developing your first app, equipping you with the knowledge, expertise, and skills required to know what sets an excellent app apart.

 

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1. Lack of a clear purpose

The first step to developing a successful app is defining your purpose. Most successful apps are reputable for solving common problems. Think about Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, and LinkedIn, and you realize just how robust and excellent these apps are at solving a diverse set of problems.

Remember that at the heart of mobile app development lies a clear-cut purpose and the audience in mind. Defining a clear purpose acts as the North Star that guides your app’s design, development, and functionality. Without this clarity, you risk developing an app that lacks a clear direction, leading to confusion and ultimately affecting user experience.

2. Failure to do market research

In the ever-evolving field of mobile app development, the popular phrase ‘knowledge is power’ takes center stage. One mistake a budding mobile app developer can make is failing to conduct market research and missing out on the crucial insights that this research provides.

It’s important to acknowledge that when it comes to mobile app development, market research is not just a formality; it’s a source of informed decision-making at every stage of the process. By skipping market research, you’re venturing into an unknown area without a map. Market research provides a clear roadmap on what to do and avoid in building a successful app.

3. Neglecting user experience

The user experience is the engine that powers your app. Think of it as the fuel in the engine. Neglecting your user experience is similar to building a mansion on a shaky foundation. The success of your app hinges on more than just its primary features; it’s about crafting an engaging, intuitive, and seamless user experience that leaves a lasting impression. Neglecting this critical aspect of mobile app development is akin to alienating users and squandering your app’s immense potential.

When developing your first app, remember the user design underlines its success and adoption. Developing your app means understanding your users’ needs, preferences, and options and optimizing opportunities that fulfill these needs. When users find value in your app, they’re likely to recommend it to others, creating an expansive platform for adoption. Apps that emphasize user-centered design forge lasting relationships with their prospects, fostering trust and loyalty with their audiences.

4. Ignoring platform and device compartibility

Optimizing your app for iOS, Android, and other operating systems is critical in a world where users have diverse devices and several OS preferences. Each platform – Android, IOS, and others – has its interface conventions, design guidelines, and user expectations. Therefore, by tailoring your app’s experience with each of these operating platforms, you’re demonstrating your commitment to building native experiences that resonate with diverse users.

It’s important to note that ensuring consistent operation across multiple platforms is non-negotiable. Inconsistent performance leads to frustration, disgruntlement, and abandonment. To tackle this challenge, adopt the following practices:

  • Responsive design. Implement responsive design principles that adapt your app’s layout and functionality to different screen orientations.
  • Performance testing. Conduct performance testing by testing your app on different devices to identify performance bottlenecks.
  • Adaptive UI. Design a UI that gracefully adapts to different screen sizes, ensuring people have a positive user experience.
  • Platform-specific customization. Embrace platform-specific customization to leverage unique features and design principles of each platform.
  • Regular updates. Continuously update your app to accommodate changes in user feedback, OS updates, and device specifications.

The importance of customizing your app cannot be overstated in an era where users span many platforms and operating systems.

5. Overloading your app with features

As a first-time app developer, you may be tempted to overload your app with features to make it all-encompassing. However, falling to this temptation and overloading your app with features can be a major pitfall, resulting in a compromised user experience and overall app failure. You must strike a balance between comprehensive offerings and a clean, user-centric interface.

Other than attempting to be a jack-of-all-trades, successful app developers focus on a limited set of app features, optimizing basic functionalities without compromising user experience. By offering basic features, you’re prioritizing a seamless user journey, thus improving the likelihood of app adoption.

In developing a successful app, remember that quality triumphs over quantity. The inclination to overload your app can be counterproductive, harmonizing your app’s user experience with a limited set of features.

6. Poor performance and speed

In this fast-paced world where instant gratification is the norm, delays and sluggish performance can spell disaster even for the most creative apps. The importance of developing an app with faster loading times and smooth performance cannot be overstated.

A smooth and flawless experience combined with faster loading times is the holy grail of a successful mobile app. Users have become increasingly accustomed to fast-performance applications and expect nothing less. An app that loads quickly and responds faster to customer requests will build trust and foster loyalty. The attributes of speed, efficiency, and responsiveness contribute to positive responses and organic growth through word-of-mouth referrals.

Here are tips for optimizing app performance:

  • Efficient coding. Write clean and precise code that minimizes resource consumption and increases efficiency.
  • Image compression. Compress images to reduce loading times without affecting image quality.
  • Caching. Utilize caching to store frequently used data, reducing the need for frequent data retrieval activities.
  •  Minimize animations. Minimize animations that can affect your app’s loading speed.
  • Asynchronous loading. Load content asynchronously to ensure the interface remains responsive even when retrieving data.
  • Performance testing. Regularly test your app’s performance on different devices and on varying network conditions to identify bottlenecks.
  • Optimize network requests. Reduce the number of network requests and use techniques such as data prefetching to enhance user experience.
  • Update management. Implement update management to ensure your app remains compatible with new OS updates and different device capabilities.

The term ‘time is of the essence’ holds profound significance in app development. So, optimize your app for speed and efficiency when developing your first app.

 

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7. Neglecting quality assurance and user testing

In mobile app development, user testing and quality assurance cannot be overstated. Transcending from app inception to a polished app requires a rigorous process of refining, testing, and addressing potential problems or issues. Neglecting user testing and quality assurance can impair your app’s performance, tarnishing your brand and business reputation.

Quality assurance ensures your app responds to the latest testing requirements, optimizing for better performance and new updates. Most importantly, quality assurance helps to highlight issues that can be addressed later in the development stage. Constant testing and evaluation help to expose loopholes that can uncover hidden problems in your app performance.

8. Inadequate marketing

Marketing your app is key to providing visibility and educating users about its features and applications. Building an app without marketing is akin to buying a security dog and locking it in, you won’t utilize its potential. So, marketing your app provides visibility, educating consumers on the potential benefits of adopting it. Most importantly, developers who take the time to market their apps enjoy better adoption, retention, and usability due to word-of-mouth referrals. Word-of-mouth referrals lead to increased organic search.

Here’s how you can effectively market your app:

  • Social media. Leverage social media channels to increase brand visibility, interact with other users, and create a community around your app’s brand.
  • App store optimization. Optimize your app for the app store by including catchy graphics, informative descriptions, and relevant keywords.
  •  Influencer collaboration. Leverage influencer collaboration with influencers in your niche to gain brand visibility and engage their audience.
  • Content marketing. Create informative and engaging content that relates to your app niche. Your content marketing must include keyword research, on-page optimization, and back-linking capabilities.
  • Email marketing. Utilize email campaigns to ensure your app gets the traction it deserves on digital platforms.
  • Press releases. Craft informative and quality press releases and distribute them to media houses to generate buzz and coverage for your app.

Developing your app is only half the work done and half the battle won, marketing it to the relevant audience is a key step to winning the war. So, ensure you actively engage with the relevant outreach platforms for better brand visibility.

9. Ignoring user feedback

In mobile app development, the voice of the user is the beacon that guides your app to success. Ignoring feedback can lead to grave mistakes earlier on in the development process and impair your app’s adoption. User feedback provides informative insights, empowering you to develop an app that answers genuine questions. It’s only by infusing your users’ feedback that you can obtain genuine feedback about its performance and overall usability. The insights obtained by users act as a foundation for improvement, empowering you to do more by solving deep-seated problems and issues.

Here are specific channels you can use to collect user feedback:

  • In-app feedback. Encourage users to leave personal feedback regarding their experiences, preferences, and needs.
  •  App store reviews. Collect user feedback from Google and Android app store platforms, engaging with positive and negative reviews to demonstrate responsibility and responsiveness.
  • Social media engagement. Optimize social media channels to collect user reviews, answer questions, and address deep-seated concerns.
  • User surveys. Conduct user surveys to gather insights about personal experiences and pain points.

Once feedback is collected, it’s crucial to analyze the feedback to identify recurring themes. Most importantly, communicate with your prospects, notifying them about new improvements based on their feedback; be transparent about the changes you’re making and inform them why. Finally, embrace continuous iteration, regularly analyzing feedback and implementing changes based on feedback.

10. Not planning for maintenance and updates

Most renowned operating systems come with updates at every turn. For instance, Microsoft recently launched Windows 11, reinforcing its commitment to remaining ahead of new technological advancements. With Windows 11, users enjoy advanced features – gaming graphics, cloud storage, seamless design, and better functionality. Android and Apple are also considering new transformations in their operating systems. Already, iOS 17 is making the iPhone more personal and intuitive as reported by Apple Inc., highlighting the importance of updates in remaining relevant.

Neglecting updates can have dire consequences, leading to users neglecting your app due to outdated features and flawed functionality. A lack of updates sends the impression that your app is under-utilized and negatively supported, eroding user trust and engagement. This, in turn, leads to dwindling user numbers, reduced user adoption, and a decline in your app’s standing in the market.

Here’s how to create a roadmap for continuous improvement:

  • Continuous evaluation. Continuously evaluate your app, regularly assessing user feedback, performance metrics, and industry trends.
  • Feature addition. Strategically identifying new improvements and adding features based on evolving user needs.
  • Release schedule. Creating a release schedule highlighting when you will add new features.
  • Bug fixes. Constantly optimize your app by fixing bugs to ensure your app remains reliable and efficient.
  • Refine user experience. Continuously refine your app based on user feedback, constantly making intuitive changes based on collected user feedback.
  • User-requested features. Constantly listen to users and incorporate their feedback. Implement features that resonate with your users’ needs and use preferences.

In developing your first mobile app, remember that the true measure of success lies not only in the initial inception and creation but also in constant improvement. Your app must be ever-green, addressing new needs as demand requires. So, if you’re running an enterprise or seeking to create your brand, aim for constant improvements to ensure your app evolves with new trends.

NS804 – Turbocharge Your Journey Towards Your First Mobile App

In the journey of mobile app development, planning and execution are key. However, many opportunities and challenges emerge in designing, developing, implementing, and maintaining an app. Working with a trusted mobile app developer helps you to avoid most of these mistakes. You get to optimize the best practices in mobile app development, taking advantage of market knowledge and expertise from outsourced professionals.

So, whether you’re looking to create your first app for your brand or want to kick-start your e-commerce operations with a robust app, look no further. NS804 provides lasting solutions in mobile app design, development, and implementation.

Reach out to us for time-to-value mobile app development services.

What We Learned From Building The PreVue Dating App

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At NS804, we love developing apps like PreVue that positively impact users. PreVue is a dating app that breaks the mold of what users have come to expect from online dating and modern dating applications. Nowadays, popular options include the likes of Bumble, OkCupid, Tinder, and many others. And while these have revolutionized modern dating by allowing users to meet those outside of their ethnic backgrounds, social circles, and even geographic locations — they’ve also introduced a lot of problems. 

The founder & CEO of PreVue — Lucanus J. Grady — briefly described these problems in his mission statement: “Dating app profiles had become just this fabrication to attract a quantity of candidates like it was a game. And it’s just hard, right? So I just kept thinking, there must be a better way! How do we filter out all the nonsense, cut through the heavily-doctored pictures, the wordy biographies, and just the genuine lack of honesty?”

Grady’s assessment regarding the current state of the modern dating app holds true, and there’s a real need for a fresh approach. Fortunately, Grady did approach things differently when formulating PreVue, a video-based dating platform. With PreVue, users take a short 22-second video without filters, showing off their true selves. The nuances in their facial expressions and mannerisms provide a far more authentic picture of who they are than edited photos, biographies, or text messages. 

We helped bring PreVue to life and feel privileged to have worked closely with Grady on his innovative dating app concept. Our partnership on this exciting project has been a relatively smooth process. However, we did learn several important lessons that we’ll discuss in greater detail below.

 

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Modern Dating In Crisis

Now, you may think that there are already too many dating apps flooding the marketplace — and that’s true. But have you asked yourself if these apps help or hinder users from dating successfully? And if you’ve been out of the dating pool for a while now, you may be shocked to learn that the modern dating scene isn’t very healthy, to put it lightly.

While apps such as Tinder make it incredibly easy for users to find matches in their area, that doesn’t mean these are quality matches. If anything, Tinder and many similar dating apps facilitate hook-up culture, where sexual encounters are at the forefront, and long-lasting relationships come last. Gen Z and Millenials in the younger age range may only be looking for short-term relationships or ‘situationships.’ And that’s perfectly fine for some but completely wrong for those wanting deep and meaningful relationships. 

Furthermore, things don’t look rosy for most American men under 30 who remain single. According to a study by the Pew Research Center, approximately 63% of men in this age bracket find themselves single compared to 34% of women. And if that wasn’t bad enough, fewer single American men are looking to date now than before the Covid pandemic (42% now versus 49% in 2019).

Things get worse still, as an overabundance of online pornography and OnlyFans models grab male attention and interest at a disturbingly high rate. And while we hope this trend will change at some point, it’s definitely an ominous sign that we can’t afford to ignore. From a societal and economic standpoint, it isn’t good if young men forgo dating and relationships, as this will lead to a demographic decline in the foreseeable future. 

How Does PreVue Solve Notable Problems?

The best and most successful apps solve problems that users often encounter. And as we’ve already covered in significant detail, modern dating is in crisis mode with plenty of problems. Moreover, the creator of PreVue, Lucanus J. Grady, has experienced the pain points of modern dating apps firsthand. With most dating apps, it’s too easy for users to enhance their looks via filters and present a false self through their biographies. 

And that’s why he set out to offer an alternative that allows users to date with intention, where they can see, hear, and get the vibe from a potential candidate before taking things further. Thus, it’s difficult for users on the PreVue platform to present themselves inauthentically, as the short form 22-second videos are great at conveying subtle changes in facial expressions and voices that accurately reveal the candidate’s appearance, emotions, and desirability. 

But another reason why video is such a powerful medium is that it’s become the number one way to distribute and consume content today. Platforms such as Instagram and TikTok have carved a path for creating and sharing short-form videos effectively, and it’s time that dating apps catch up! 

How Does PreVue Work? 

PreVue offers users a dead simple onboarding process that’s as frictionless as possible. This dating app only requires the most applicable information from the user, their location, and their dating preferences. Then, it’s time to film the 22-second-long video with no filters or uploads permitted. Once done, the user may access the portal with all candidates that match their criteria. Furthermore, PreVue will match users based on what they said and even the backgrounds in their videos. 

PreVue officially launched in Boston, MA, due to the city’s vibrant and ethnically diverse culture. This works well, as dating with intention is something that the people of Boston want in a dating app. And it’s a great success thus far, with over 7,000 downloads and 1,200 active users over the past two months. 

While it’s still early days, users have responded positively to PreVue. Many are happy with how much more natural matches feel compared to other dating apps in the marketplace. It’s also easier for users to initiate conversations due to how PreVue manages profiles, and there’s a refreshing lack of spam accounts and creepy users. 

And similarly to other dating apps in the marketplace, there’s a free version of PreVue available. However, users can opt for in-app purchases, such as PreVue Premier 1 Month at $19.99, Unlimited Connections 24h at $6.99, and Video Chat 1h at $2.99. 

What Surprised Us About The Target Demographic Of PreVue?

PreVue successfully eradicated issues commonly found in other dating apps, such as catfishing. And so far, it seems that users are having more meaningful interactions in PreVue than with other alternatives, which was one of the primary goals of this project all along.

However, we initially anticipated that college users between the ages of 20 and 25 would make up our target audience. But we resonated more with the young professional demographic instead.

At first, this was surprising, but it makes sense since younger professionals are more likely to seek long-term partners for fulfilling relationships. And PreVue’s video-based approach facilitates the pursuit of these types of relationships, as users can easily screen out the chancers, players, and other disingenuous candidates.

 

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What Was The Development Process Like? 

The development process went smoothly, but we could have benefited from an entirely Agile approach. In hindsight, it would have been better if we released smaller feature sets since we’re now making changes on the fly based on user data and feedback we’ve obtained. 

That’s why at NS804, we always recommend that our clients scale back on their concepts to get their apps to market quicker. Users will always reveal what they want, and we can always pivot quickly based on user feedback. 

However, we did proceed with simple and clean code that was modular and flexible from the early stages of the project. If there’s one thing that every developer should know is that planning proper architecture saves a ton of time.  

Our development team includes four members, two founders, a marketing team, and a public relations (PR) team. While the development team may seem small, it’s actually the right size for this project and managed to complete it successfully. The build process took 12 months, which included a very long BETA to ensure we gathered enough feedback to launch the best product possible. But without the BETA and the additional scope, it would have taken around eight months. 

Which Programming Languages Did We Use During Development? 

NS804 is fundamentally a native mobile app developer. That means we use programming languages, frameworks, tools, and APIs for creating native apps for Android and iOS. We could choose hybrid mobile app development tools like Flutter or React Native to reduce development time and cost. However, that would result in lower-quality apps lacking the native look, feel, and performance users have come to expect. 

And given that PreVue is a dating app that must deliver video content regularly and consistently, we had to go native since performance is imperative. Thus, we chose Swift for developing the iOS version and Kotlin for the Android version.

Both Swift and Kotlin are modern, high-level, and statically typed languages that are easier to debug and maintain than the languages they’re gradually replacing, namely, Objective-C and Java. A side benefit of using Swift and Kotlin is that they integrate flawlessly with the latest user interface (UI) toolkits, such as SwiftUI and Jetpack Compose UI. And that allows us to create attractive and responsive UIs that look and feel native on a wide variety of modern mobile devices.   

We also used the Structured Query Language (SQL) for our back-end relational database. And Node.js, as it’s an efficient and powerful runtime environment for creating servers, modular applications, and even video streaming apps such as Netflix. It’s written using the JavaScript (JS) programming language, which has played a pivotal role in front-end web development.

How Crash Reporting And User Journeys Helped Us?

While we did not have any bugs reported, we did implement crash monitoring and user journeys built into the app. So we know if any issues arise before users report these to us, which allows us to take a proactive approach and fix these issues. 

The user journeys allow us to see where users may drop off during the process. And this allows us to refine and tailor our offering that will best suit end-user needs. The ultimate goal of the user journey is to determine the optimal path within the app that will enhance the user experience (UX). Ideally, users must reach their goals quickly and easily without being stumped by an unintuitive UI or other questionable design choices.

Due to our user-centric approach to design, we’ve regularly updated the UI to meet users’ needs. To date, our users benefit from a clean, slick, modern, and highly intuitive UI. And this allows them to engage with our dating app in a fun way without breaking their flow since the screen isn’t cluttered with text and any design elements that cause confusion.

What’s Next For PreVue?

PreVue has made a notable impact in a short space of time, and the future bodes well for our dating app. As we’ve already witnessed, there’s a real need for a platform that makes the dating experience much more honest and meaningful.

So, what have we got planned for PreVue moving forward? Currently, it’s only available in Boston and Washington DC. But we will open availability to new markets and expand our international footprint. Furthermore, we’ll use Machine Learning (ML) to enhance our existing matching algorithm. We started with a basic algorithm designed for maximum matches while the user base scales. 

It will be a learning experience as we use tools that improve the matching process over time. Our goal is to ensure that PreVue users will only have candidates appear in their feeds that align perfectly with what they’re looking for in potential partners. 

And speaking of partners, Lucanus J. Grady shared a few thoughts about his experience working with us: “Top Tier communication. Excellent relationship with the CEO. Always extremely knowledgeable and eager to help. Has provided assistance outside of the scope of responsibility and is an intangible member of our team. The company and its founder are now personal friends due to NS804’s core ethos and incredible professionalism.”

The Bottom Line

Working on PreVue, coupled with our close and fruitful relationship with our client, has made the development process an enjoyable and eye-opening journey. Furthermore, it’s a privilege to work with talented people that have all contributed to a dating app that conforms with our client’s visionary approach. Contact https://www.ns804.com/ today to learn how we’ll help you create phenomenal and trailblazing dating apps!  

3 Reasons Why Mobile App Developers Should Explore User Testing

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User testing is a crucial step in the mobile app development process. And yet, many appreneurs and developers largely ignore it due to inexperience or time constraints. But that’s a mistake and potentially damaging to the reputation of any developer that releases untested apps in the marketplace. 

And that’s because untested apps often suffer from performance, security, and usability issues. Thus, users will have a subpar experience causing them to leave negative reviews, uninstall these apps, and not recommend them to others. 

Furthermore, user testing makes life much easier for developers in the long term. Since it’s necessary to maintain and update an app during its entire lifecycle, it’s essential to identify bugs and other issues and fix them before rolling out the next version. Regular troubleshooting and user testing early on lead to high-quality apps that delight users. Below, we delve into this matter in more detail.

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User Testing Helps Developers With Quality Assurance

Many developers may have hang-ups with user testing because they don’t know where to start. Moreover, they may not know whether to run internal tests with company employees or open or closed beta tests with early adopters. And if they go with internal testers, how many will they need?

If the developer must release an app early, it’s better to run an internal test with the help of in-house staff and trusted users. Google recommends up to 100 internal testers per app, which the developer will invite via email and manage through the Google Play Console. 

The Google Play Console also makes it easy to run open and closed testing tracks. A closed testing track allows the developer to reach more targeted users for feedback. And an open testing track makes the app available to the largest pool of users, but the app and store listing must be visible in Google Play. In all cases, users will give the developer invaluable feedback about the overall quality of their app and what they’ll need to fix.

Understanding The User’s Journey

User testing reveals much about how users interact with an app. Savvy developers implement analytics and visualizations to better understand the user’s journey. And this entails how users launch the app for the first time to how they navigate through the app’s menus and pages. Thus, with the user feedback they receive, developers will be in a better position to make improvements in all their current and future apps. 

User Testing Increases App Success

All appreneurs and developers want their apps to succeed, but that only happens if they don’t skimp on any important steps during the development process. User testing is one of those essential steps that shouldn’t go ignored for the following reasons: 

  • Smoother development process: User testing results in more helpful user feedback, which allows developers to quash bugs and technical issues early and often. This makes it easier to maintain apps and attain higher quality levels. 
  • Better user experience: Higher-quality apps keep users engaged for longer periods. Thus, app stickiness improves, resulting in users returning to these apps regularly rather than abandoning them, which is, unfortunately, the case for most apps. 
  • Increase in word-of-mouth referrals: Satisfied users are more willing to recommend high-quality apps to family members, friends, and their followers on social media. They’re also more likely to leave positive app store reviews and ratings. 

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The Bottom Line

Appreneurs and developers ignore user testing at their peril since that often leads to low-quality apps. Users expect a rock-solid experience from their apps and have no qualms about uninstalling buggy apps and leaving negative reviews. Contact NS804 today to learn how we’ll help you create outstanding apps with quality at the forefront. 

Why Charlotte App Developers Should Care About UI/UX Design

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Mobile app development is taking a new turn as individuals and enterprises seek to revamp their digital outreach. The significance of mobile apps cannot be overstated. Mobile apps allow enterprises to access new customers, particularly tech-savvy consumers.

This is precisely why it’s important to care about the user interface and user experience. The user interface affects how customers view and interact with your mobile application. On the other hand, the user experience impacts the experience your customers receive when interacting with your app.

So, why should Charlotte app developers care about UX/UI design?

Below we take a closer look at the significance or criticality of UX/UI design.

 

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1. Simplicity and usability

A product’s simple information presentation and its overall ease of use define its relevance and adoption. The UI/UX design ensures that customers can easily interact with an app. It also ensures that customers’ problems can be solved with ease. Charlotte app developers should care about UI/UX design because it enables customers to use the app in a meaningful way.

2. Accessibility and availability

The user interface and user experience affect how accessible and available your app is to your customers. An app that has a complex design means that it’s not accessible to a large demographic of users, particularly young people, old people, and those with disabilities. So, your app’s overall design defines how accessible it is to different demographics of users.

3. Customer-centricity

How your app is designed affects how it responds to your customers’ needs. Hard, complex applications deter potential users and affect how your customers interact with your brand. However, a simple, well-designed app with a clear interface is easily adaptable, meaning that customers will respond to your brand and message better. Therefore, an app’s overall design impacts its customer-centricity, providing better and more enhanced interaction solutions to your perceived customers.

4. Customer retention

Documented statistics show that businesses lose about 10% to 15% of customers every year due to poor customer retention. Indeed, the average customer retention rate across all industries is about 75.5%. So, how can businesses attract and at the same time retain their clients? Well, the answer is simple: customer engagement. The user interface and user experience play a pivotal role in engaging your customers. So, if you’re an enterprise that is struggling with customer retention, your UI/UX design can help solve this glaring challenge through customer engagement.

5. Trust

Trust emanates from transparency and accountability. Your app can communicate a lot about your brand, thus helping to build meaningful engagement with your target market. An easy-to-use and navigable app platform assures your customers that you are a trusted dealer and that your products and services can be trusted. This is precisely why Charlotte app developers should care about UX/UI design.

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Why Charlotte Developers Must Take UI/UX Design Seriously

Here are a few reasons UI/UX design helps Charlotte businesses:

  • Creates a positive impression on a business or product.
  • Attracts and retains a customer because of usability.
  •  Ensures customer trust through a seamless design.
  •  Enables businesses to convert prospective customers into loyal customers.
  • Ultimately, it improves a product’s usability and responsiveness.

In short, the relationship between a product’s digital success and UX/UI literacy is closely intertwined.

Contact NS804 to discover more about user experience and user interface design.

 

Videos – A Notable Trailblazer in Online Dating

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The mobile app revolution has taken the world by storm – from e-commerce apps that embrace realistic virtual and augmented reality shopping capabilities to video-based dating apps.

Recent developments in mobile apps show that the digital world will embrace a paradigm shift, making apps the next big thing after the internet. Already, the metaverse defined the limits of virtual spaces, signaling a new awakening in how we use and interact with the internet.

Today, video-based dating apps have defined a new frontier, eliminating the barriers set in previous dating apps. Traditionally, the online dating scene was a scam zone characterized by fake profiles and unrealistic characters.

However, today, this is about to change with new video-based, next-generation apps like PreVue Dating.

Here’s what we should expect with video-based, next-generation dating apps:

1. More authenticity

Documented evidence shows that there are many benefits to using a dating app with a video as opposed to one with just images. The first advantage is more authenticity. Videos allow users to showcase their personality, tone, and body language in ways that mere pictures cannot.

Videos give users a more personalized and accurate presentation of themselves, which helps create trust and increase the likelihood of a successful match. So, new dating apps that embrace the video-based capability will ensure more users and personalized experiences than dating apps without this new capability.

 

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2. Better communication

Truth be told: videos provide better communication and more personalized interaction than mere images or pictures. Precisely, videos allow users to exchange information and talk more realistically, ensuring that users can hear and respond to one another in real time. This capability can lead to more meaningful communication and deeper connections which is a critical element in online dating.

3. Improved safety

Videos can help improve the safety of users by allowing users to verify that those they are talking to are the people they’re claiming to be. Videos can also help users feel more comfortable meeting in person as they’ve already seen and talked to each other via video.

Let’s consider the following statistics:

  • One in every seven dating profiles may be fake
  • Of all 3.5 million profiles created every month, 500,000 may be fake
  • Romance scams resulted in losses of over $1.3 billion in the US in 2022
  • Canadian romance scam victims lost over $50 million in 2021
  • Australians lost at least $568 million in online dating scams in 2021
  • Social media remains a fundamental attack vector in online dating scams

So, video-based dating sites are gradually providing safety nets to most users in online dating sites.

4. User experience

There’s no denying that video-based dating apps are realistic and provide a better user experience. A dating app with a video feature can provide a more meaningful conversation and deeper connections and interactions. Users can share videos of themselves and others, making the app more meaningful and entertaining.

Already, a Forbes publication showed that video communication is being optimized to further physical distance and allow for social distancing – in both work and dating spheres.

So, when you combine this capability with the risk of physical communication in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, you realize that video-based communication is gaining momentum in bridging glaring gaps in physical communication.

5. Mutual attraction

Sharing videos with interesting captions on social media is nothing new. Facebook first launched its video function in 2007. YouTube began in 2005. And Snap Chat exploded after adding a 10-second video capability to its platform. TikTok is currently the new frontier in marketing, and it utilizes live and recorded videos of users.

There’s no denying that the short-form video model became a striking feature of most online applications – and this trend will grow. Despite this development, it has taken a few years for dating apps to adopt this feature.

But why the delay?

The prevailing theory is that it’s scary to show more online. Everyone has great photos and excellent captions depicting their ‘best angle’ and ‘their good side’ which provides psychological protection.

However, with platforms such as PreVue Dating taking video-form elements in their models, it shows just how videos are harder to fake and how the dating landscape is changing.

Videos indisputably allow users a better gauge of mutual attraction. And as users become more discretionary, videos will gain more momentum in the dating world, signaling a new normal to most users of online dating sites.

6. Increased confidence

Most people turn to online dating because it’s more confidential. Indeed, most online dating users prefer to first match with interested potential matches before meeting them in person. This ultimately provides psychological protection in case things do not go as planned.

The truth is – videos allow users to showcase their personality, tone, interests, and attitudes which can increase their confidence. This may be particularly helpful to those users nervous about meeting new people or people who may struggle with making the first impression.

7. Time-saving

Videos can be a more efficient way to get to know someone without wasting time. Instead of spending hours, days, or sometimes weeks getting to know someone, videos allow users to get a taste of someone’s interests and personality in minutes. Video-based capabilities help users establish compatibility without wasting time exchanging messages and texts.

8. Screening tool

One exhilarating aspect of videos in dating is that they can act as screening tools. Users can screen those they’re interested in before committing to a date or a meet-up. Screening can help reduce the number of mismatches and increase the chances of a successful date.

9. Hobbies and interests

Videos can help users showcase their interests and hobbies in a more meaningful way than written descriptions and images. By showcasing interests and hobbies in a more interactive and meaningful way, videos can help potential matches get a better understanding of what they have in common.

10. Better visibility

Adding a video on one’s dating profile provides better visibility and enables users to stand out from the crowd. This capability is especially important at a time when dating platforms are flooded by fake profiles. Adding a video boosts the number of potential matches, providing a more fulfilling and interactive online dating experience.

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PreVue Dating – A Path to Online Engagement

Online dating apps have been doing a lot of experimentation and innovation in videos. Some of these platforms allow basic features such as pulling and posting a video from your phone. Others offer full-blown video-chatting functionality. Dating apps have adopted various and varying rules and moderation capabilities to improve match quality and dating experiences.

NS804 has worked closely with online dating app players to identify proven strategies for online dating experiences. And with the wake of PreVue Dating, it’s becoming clear that video dating will be a frontier in online dating. However, it’s important to note that as video becomes a trend in online dating, users will have to adopt several safety guidelines.

Some of the main safety cornerstones for videos in online dating include:

  • Platform guidelines. Online dating platforms must be overtly clear about what’s appropriate content.
  • Community feedback. The online dating community must drive the common good with reporting buttons that flag and moderate content.
  • Human moderation. Human moderation is a critical element in reducing technology gaps and human errors. For instance, Facebook has approximately 15,000 reviewers hunting inappropriate content and fake news.
  • AI moderation. Many dating apps take appropriate precautions to protect their women users. AI-powered private detectors scan images for inappropriate content.
  • Privacy functionality. Controls when and how users use the video functionality feature. Some apps, for instance, allow chat users to blur their screens until they feel comfortable.

Contact NS804 to bring video-based capabilities to your online dating platform.

Are You an Appreneur? What Today’s Mobile App Developers Need to Know

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Appreneur is a new concept that refers to individuals and businesses involved in developing apps. Appreneur is responsible for developing mobile applications from inception to completion. Today, more than ever, apps are revolving at a high rate, requiring that app developers keep up with new trends and changes.

So, here are a few things that today’s appreneurs need to know:

1. Coding skills

Appreneurs must be conversant with multiple programming languages. Strong coding and development skills in many languages are a requirement for appreneurs seeking to target a diverse market.

2. Android foundations

Android foundations are a requirement for developers seeking new markets. That’s why appreneurs must hire people with strong skills in either Java or Kotlin. Strong programming and development skills in multiple programming languages let you develop diverse types of apps, thus targeting a larger market than companies with limited programming languages.

 

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3. Touchless interface

One key emerging trend in mobile applications is the touchless interface. Indeed, Gartner predicts that 50% of mobile applications will have at least one touchless experience by 2023.

Today, most users are already familiar with touchless user interfaces. For instance, using biometrics as a double authentication factor will surge in new and upcoming mobile applications. Finance and payment apps will require users to identify themselves with touchless interfaces, providing an enhanced and superior user experience.

4. Virtual and augmented reality

If you’re in the fashion industry, you already know about virtual outfits. Virtualization allows consumers to see exactly how their clothing will turn out immediately after they wear it. So, fashion houses use virtual and augmented reality to improve shopping behavior.

In 2023 and beyond, virtual reality will revolutionize the clothing and fashion industry, opening new markets for appreneurs seeking to leverage this niche. So, appreneurs must embed virtual and augmented capabilities in their apps.

5. Audio-focused social media

Camera and video-focused apps may be the next big thing. However, the traditional audio-based format is getting attention in the social space. One classic example is Clubhouse, an audio-focused social media conversational platform with over 10 million users.

Appreneurs must be privy to this new evolution in audio and video-focused applications. Appreneurs must design apps that answer the most pressing questions like video and camera. They must ensure these new capabilities are well-captured in mobile applications.

6. User-friendliness

The technology adoption model (TAM) identifies that users adopt new technologies for two main reasons: ease of use and perceived usefulness. Appreneurs must be able to create code that’s easy to use while also designing the user interface in a friendly manner.

App adoption and use will directly affect how users interact and use these new forms of technology. In addition, the elderly, children, and disabled populations will rely on user-friendly apps instead of complex and sophisticated applications.

SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION WITH AN APP DEVELOPMENT EXPERT TO GET A CUSTOMIZED QUOTE!

NS804 – Leverage a Unified App Development Platform

NS804 is a leading and trusted developer of mobile applications. Whether you’re seeking an Android app for a small enterprise or an IOS app for a large organization, NS804 provides solutions tailored to your needs. In addition, NS804 has experience developing hybrid apps that help answer all your digital marketing questions.

Contact NS804 today to take advantage of a unified platform.

What Makes a Good UI Design

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The user experience is the most common front-end, interactive feature in any app, website, or dashboard. The user interface supports all human-computer interactions.

The user interface provides a navigational platform to control software. Think of a user interface as an application programming interface that links users and a computing system, the back-end.

Although a user interface can take many forms, it accomplishes two fundamental purposes:

  • conveying information from users to machines
  • conveying data from machines to users.

The most important features of a great user interface design are:

1. Simplicity

Simplicity is the centerpiece of any navigation. Easy navigation depends on a highly simplistic user interface. So, the user interface design must be succinct: it must communicate the most with the least. The designer must ensure less navigation and fewer mouse clicks to accomplish any app or website task. It’s important to add new features only if they’re essential and bring substantial value to the application.

2. Consistency

Your user interface must deliver consistent browsing and search results. Consistency achieves stability and eliminates ambiguity and information chaos. Designers should apply size, typeface, and style conventions to screen components to improve readability and learning.

3. Intuitiveness

Intuitiveness is the most important detail of a great UI design. Intuitiveness means that users can easily learn your interface and quickly pick it up. Intuitiveness implies the ability to get accustomed to your app’s interface, element spacing, and overall layout. Intuitiveness means something that can be understood easily and applied with ease.

4. Familiarity

Familiarity is a critical feature of a great UI design. While many designers aim to create intuitive designs, few stop to ask themselves what does an intuitive design mean? Well, intuitiveness means making things understandable and easy to remember. Creating a great user interface concerns familiarity. Designers must aim to create apps that deliver personalized user experiences. Aiming for familiarity will reinforce your app design.

5. Responsiveness

A great user experience must be responsive to users’ needs. Today, most website visits come from mobile endpoints, which is surprising given that it’s convenient to leverage an Android or an iPhone. You encourage users to visit your website frequently and stay longer by having a mobile-responsive interface. Responsiveness is about reducing the latency time and offering a rewarding experience.

6. Clarity

Clarity is an important element in the user interface design process. Clarity signifies that you know what you’re doing and that the interface or platform your users leverage is trustworthy. Achieving clarity in user interface design involves consistency, truth, and simplicity in your messaging. If you aim for consistency, it’ll be simple for users. In addition, if you eliminate ambiguity and incorporate only relevant elements, your interface will be rewarding.

7. Attractiveness

Attraction is about aesthetic appeal. Attraction concerns making elements and layout appealing for prospective and existing users. Attractiveness aims to make the site enjoyable and thrilling to navigate. You can make your site or app efficient, simple, easy to use, and concise – but it will only do well by making it attractive. Your clients or prospective users will not only use a stirring interface; they will look forward to using it once again.

Contact NS804 to achieve a great UI design.

What Makes a Good UI Design? 7 Features

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The user experience is the most common front-end, interactive feature in any app, website, or dashboard. The user interface supports all human-computer interactions.

The user interface provides a navigational platform to control software. Think of a user interface as an application programming interface that links users and a computing system, the back-end.

Although a user interface can take many forms, it accomplishes two fundamental purposes:

  • conveying information from users to machines
  • conveying data from machines to users.

The most important features of a great user interface design are:

1. Simplicity

Simplicity is the centerpiece of any navigation. Easy navigation depends on a highly simplistic user interface. So, the user interface design must be succinct: it must communicate the most with the least. The designer must ensure less navigation and fewer mouse clicks to accomplish any app or website task. It’s important to add new features only if they’re essential and bring substantial value to the application.

2. Consistency

Your user interface must deliver consistent browsing and search results. Consistency achieves stability and eliminates ambiguity and information chaos. Designers should apply size, typeface, and style conventions to screen components to improve readability and learning.

3. Intuitiveness

Intuitiveness is the most important detail of a great UI design. Intuitiveness means that users can easily learn your interface and quickly pick it up. Intuitiveness implies the ability to get accustomed to your app’s interface, element spacing, and overall layout. Intuitiveness means something that can be understood easily and applied with ease.

4. Familiarity

Familiarity is a critical feature of a great UI design. While many designers aim to create intuitive designs, few stop to ask themselves what does an intuitive design mean? Well, intuitiveness means making things understandable and easy to remember. Creating a great user interface concerns familiarity. Designers must aim to create apps that deliver personalized user experiences. Aiming for familiarity will reinforce your app design.

5. Responsiveness

A great user experience must be responsive to users’ needs. Today, most website visits come from mobile endpoints, which is surprising given that it’s convenient to leverage an Android or an iPhone. You encourage users to visit your website frequently and stay longer by having a mobile-responsive interface. Responsiveness is about reducing the latency time and offering a rewarding experience.

6. Clarity

Clarity is an important element in the user interface design process. Clarity signifies that you know what you’re doing and that the interface or platform your users leverage is trustworthy. Achieving clarity in user interface design involves consistency, truth, and simplicity in your messaging. If you aim for consistency, it’ll be simple for users. In addition, if you eliminate ambiguity and incorporate only relevant elements, your interface will be rewarding.

7. Attractiveness

Attraction is about aesthetic appeal. Attraction concerns making elements and layout appealing for prospective and existing users. Attractiveness aims to make the site enjoyable and thrilling to navigate. You can make your site or app efficient, simple, easy to use, and concise – but it will only do well by making it attractive. Your clients or prospective users will not only use a stirring interface; they will look forward to using it once again.

Contact NS804 to achieve a great UI design.

 

Mobile UX Best Practices For User Retention

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User experience denotes the ability of any virtual object or material to be accessible, understandable, and easy to use. When a user logins into your mobile app or website, what features do they find that compel them to “come back?” Think about how long it takes for a user to return to Twitter after trying out a new application when there are millions of mobile apps out there.

Keeping the user retention up can be a daunting task, especially today when a sea of applications battles up in popular app stores. Yet, there are practices and steps that you can leverage to stay at the top of the game.

Our colleagues at NS804 share the best practices for mobile UX user retention to help keep your users engaged through a superior UX design. Apart from the discrete functions, the overall app’s design makes or breaks it. Keeping the right mix of customer experience, features, and support can go a long way when user retention is low.

1. Fluid User Experience

Completing actions from start to end is an optimal solution for any app. The linear app flow estimates the time needed to conduct any activity, providing a clear view of what the app has to offer. With a clear-cut direction – users will not feel lost swiping through multiple screens. One action in every screen will simplify the process, keeping unnecessary complexity out of the equation.

2. Attractive First Impression

For users to visit your app for the second time, you need a great first impression. The first few screens must be simple, succinct, and appealing, tucked in one package. The overall UX design in the first few pages should host all the core functions, clearly explained. It’s advisable to declutter irrelevant information to separate the wheat from the chaff.

3. Mix with Animation

Motion design is gradually taking the front seat in the app market, especially after the release of the iPhone X. With gesture-based techniques now becoming a spotlight, animated hints help users become aware of app functionality. Animation clarifies the relationship between AI elements while maintaining the overall app smoothness.

4. Use HD Images in Correct Order

App users value relevant content that matches the logical order and structure of UI elements. So, it’s advisable to maintain a set of high-quality images. App owners must set enhanced visuals that highlight certain elements and significant information. In our experience, contrasting colors work best sometimes when users are forced to take desirable actions.

5. Deliver Personalized Content

Conveying messages in a language best understood by users immensely helps to keep them around. App users are exposed to different content every day – from TikTok videos to fresh, sizzling tweets on emerging socio-economic issues. Some of the content the app users are engaged in is confusing to navigate through. That’s why it’s advisable to personalize app content with relevant emoticons and images and provide content that conforms to your target audience.

Note that emoticons also offer a great way for users to interact and rate certain aspects of your application. This informs you about any potential future improvements.

Contact NS804 to obtain useful insights on using UX best practices for user retention.

9 Things You’ll Only Get With Custom App Development

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Custom app development seems challenging, but it’s the best way to create amazing applications. While templates promise an easy and quick turnaround for mobile app developers, these seldom deliver optimal results. Businesses and professional developers don’t want to release apps that look and feel second-rate. Instead, they prefer to release apps that improve their reputation and enhance user engagement. We provide several reasons why you should custom develop your next app below.

1. Completely Custom Look Unlike Any Free Templates

When developing an app, it’s often a good idea to consider the options available to you. Do you build it entirely from scratch by taking the custom app development road? Or do you use free templates that will radically reduce initial cost and time factors? The latter may seem more enticing, but it’s not the wisest choice if you want your app to stand out.

Ideally, you want your app to be a showcase for your unique brand. You want your User Interface (UI) & User Experience (UX) to comply with the Visual Brand Language (VBL) that defines your company. Free cookie-cutter templates won’t do your brand justice, as the colors, shapes, and typography won’t match with your VBL. Thus, you’ll ultimately cheapen your brand and cause users to either question your design choices or disengage altogether.

But if you choose the custom development option, then you can make your app shine. Your application will fit your company’s existing product range, which reassures existing customers and makes it appealing to new users. Moreover, the development team won’t need to modify and shoehorn the boilerplate code and free templates. That gets messy, quickly! Instead, they’ll build the app from scratch and enjoy the benefits of a cleaner and more maintainable project.

2. Extend Specific Business Functions

Another benefit of developing a custom mobile app is that it’s easy to add or extend functionality. In particular, you’ll want to extend specific business functions that facilitate more efficient customer interactions. 

At first, you may decide to release a Minimal Viable Product (MVP) to test the waters. Then, once your app gains traction, you’ll want to add functionality that will bring users closer. These could include in-app purchases that allow users to buy products and services, a point system to build customer loyalty, and social media integration to allow users to share your company’s content in a fun way.

3. Give Users Something New

We can’t stress enough how important it’s to keep users engaged. Even after a successful launch, your app can quickly lose traction if users become bored. After all, they have tons of other cool and innovative apps to choose from in the App Store and Google Play. 

Make sure to keep your app fresh with regular updates and by adding new features that excite users. Always listen to feedback since users often request features that will enhance their experience. However, only add new functionality that fits your custom mobile app and business goals. For example, some users may request the addition of Augmented Reality (AR) functionality. But this won’t work well with your e-commerce app and unnecessarily drive up development costs.

4. Increased Compatibility

Mobile devices and systems continuously evolve, which means that appreneurs should keep up with the latest developments. If we take a quick look at the global mobile operating system market, Android’s leading with a 72.48% market share while iOS comes second at 26.91%. This bit of information may entice you to support the Android platform for your upcoming custom mobile app. 

But which Android OS should you support since there are so many versions? 

According to AppBrain, Android 10 leads with a 34.2% market share, Android 9.0 (Pie) at 23.1%, and Android 8.0-8.1 (Oreo) at 17.1%. By supporting these versions, you’ll inevitably increase compatibility with the most current devices and systems. It’s also worthwhile updating your older apps to run well on recent generations of operating systems.

5. Improved Security Features

In recent years, a plethora of high profile hacking cases has made the news. And with the COVID pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, more people are working from home than ever before, which has only increased the rate of hacking attacks. Thus, businesses and individuals have become increasingly sensitive to these types of incursions. 

There’s nothing worse for your reputation if hackers use your app as an attack vector to illegally access users’ mobile phones. That’s why the custom app development process should always encompass the most effective security features. Include two-factor authentication that users can enable, giving them extra protection and peace of mind.

6. The Latest Custom Mobile App Features

Take the time to simplify your UI & UX to make your app more accessible to a wider demographic. Furthermore, include customization features whereby users can easily change background images, colors, and fonts. Don’t forget to add a night mode to protect users that suffer from light sensitivity. And include an offline mode so they will continue using your app during Internet outages.

7. Make Changes When You Want

Your app won’t remain static. It’s a dynamic product that will undergo change during the development process and after its launch. However, templates and platforms often hinder these changes since they come with existing assets and code. Therefore, development teams have to waste valuable time modifying code and templates to suit their needs. 

But this isn’t a problem with a custom solution that’s more cohesive. Developers know how every piece of their application operates and to implement changes without introducing new bugs or breaking it altogether.

8. Match Your App And Business Goals 

Always consider your business goals when embarking on the development process. And ask yourself what you want to achieve with your upcoming app. Very likely, there’ll be an overlap between the direction of your app and your business goals. But you’ll only be able to achieve great results with a custom solution since it’s hard to find templates that will match your business goals down to a tee. Keep your vision focussed, and build your app in a way that makes it entirely your own.

9. Professional App Developers

It’s easy finding freelancers on various job boards and freelancing platforms to develop your app. But is that a good idea? Well, if you’re working on a hobby project and just want to test the waters, hiring a competent freelancer could be feasible. But if you’re developing an app for your business and expect professional results, then you’ll need to work with an agency.

Freelancers will often play up their list of credentials to attain work. And while some freelancers do good work, they seldom stick around to offer support after the project ends. This leads to problems, especially when you need to fix bugs after you’ve launched your app. You’ll find that the freelancer has moved on to the next project and isn’t available for fixing bugs. 

Agencies, on the other hand, are far more accountable to their clients. They have a reputation to uphold and must comply with various laws and regulatory bodies to stay in business. Any reputable agency won’t leave clients high and dry if they experience issues with a finished app upon or after release. They’ll offer their advice, expertise, and support during and after development. And if you’re seeking mobile app development in Virginia, then don’t hesitate to contact NS804 to assist you with your custom app development endeavors.