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android app

How to Reserve an App Name

“Can I reserve an app name so that nobody else could use it?” – one of the most popular questions that come to mind when you start developing an app. And that’s a fair one! After all, you don’t want to end up creating a logo for your superfast calculator app called Uber only to find out later that name is taken. So is there a way to prevent this from happening? Yes! Let’s start with the obvious: search App Store to make sure nobody else has the same name! The short answer is that with Apple you can reserve the name so that others won’t use it. To do this you will need to: With Android everything is simpler! You cannot reserve a name but you can have multiple apps with the same name. So no need to reserve the name – you can definitely use it. Whether or not you want to have the same name as other apps is another question… In addition to reserving a spot in the app store you want to check and reserve:

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Important Factors that Determine the Cost of Developing an Android App

There is no denying that the budget estimate is indeed one of the most pivotal factors for most of the customers out there, whether, he is buying a product or availing any particular service from a company. The customers, nowadays, have become smarter and they always make it a point to research the market before making the purchase or offering a particular project. And if they are planning to launch an Android app for their business, they tend to take some additional measures and estimate the cost of developing the app. However, one would say that it is actually very difficult to provide an appropriate or exact cost of app development whether it is Android or iOS. The cost of developing a mobile app depends on a number of variable factors. Apart from that, one is also aware that the number of mobile apps has incredibly increased over the last few years and we have new and exciting apps coming up now and then. Therefore, the competition level has also significantly enhanced as N numbers of companies are offering their services. Talking of the figures, there are about 3.5 million Android apps in Google Play Store as per the current stats of December 2017.  It was 2.8 million in March 2017. So, you can notice the vast difference in numbers in just nine months of the same year. So, let’s discuss few vital determinants that play a decisive role in determining the cost of an Android app. One more important point to note here is that the charges keep on changing with the passage of time. Thus, you need to calculate the cost according to the current market rate accordingly. Hire a Freelancer or a Mobile App Development Company There have been a number of past discussions and debates over this topic on whether the client should hire freelance app developer or should approach an app development company. Well, honestly speaking, both have their pros and cons but if you were to ask an expert, then it is highly recommended that you should hire the services of an app development company. By consulting the company, you get to communicate with an entire team and come across a wide spectrum of ideas. Plus, the biggest advantage is that they are professional app developers, who have extensive experience of working on various projects. You just have to explain them your requirements and get the app developed within the stipulated deadline. Of course, hiring a freelancer would cost less, but it is better not compromise with the project and want your business to remain on the top. The Development Team Working on the Project The cost of developing an Android app also primarily depends on the development team working on the project. The number of team members assisting on a project will actually depend on the size of the project. For instance, if you are developing an eCommerce app similar to Amazon or Flipkart, or a gaming app, there will be more people compared to a simple app such as a weather app, calculator etc. If we talk about the composition of the team, then it usually comprises of a project leader or manager who guides the entire team, an android app developer, a UI designer, a UX designer, a backend and a frontend developer, a tester or quality assurance engineer. However, in many projects, both UI and UX designs are tackled by the same person. Moreover, the numbers of Android app developers may increase based on the project requirements. Cost of Development Depends on the Team Location If you have some idea about the charging procedure of the app development companies, you would know that most of the firms charge their clients on the hourly basis. Let’s explain this by an example. Suppose you are planning to develop a restaurant searching app like Zomato, you would have to pay around $18,000 to $20,000. If the app development is complicated and requires more time, then the cost would also hike. Another significant aspect that needs to be considered is the change of trends that take place in Android app development. Obviously, the app developers always try to implement the latest development trends of the prevailing year. But the most important factor certainly is the region or the country where the app is being developed. Strictly speaking, the prices in countries like the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and other European regions and Australia are comparatively much higher than in sub-continent countries such as India where it usually costs around $20 to $50 per hour. However, in the US the average is about $100 to $200 per hour. Taking the Technical Aspects into Account So, if we talk about the technical aspects there are a number of things that have to be taken into account. This would basically mean whether the Android app developer is including the third party integrations, the advanced AR or VR techniques, backend development or whether the app requires an essential admin panel. Some app needs third-party integrations such as implementing the payment gateway through Braintree or PayPal. If you are selling product or service then you need to incorporate payment features and also add a chatbot which allows users to communicate in real-time. Most of the apps also have social media buttons for Facebook, Twitter or Google+ besides the basic features. For Android apps like Uber or UberEATS you have to also provide geolocation feature to track the cab or food. This is also added into the costing of the app. If it is a gaming app, the Augmented or the Virtual Reality also becomes crucial for some app to offer the real look. You need to calculate the cost of developing a backend server if your app demands so. This allows API to exchange data between the device and database. Most of the apps like Uber or Paytm needs a necessary admin panel from where the entire app is controlled and managed. In addition, there are

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Converting iOS App to Android and Vice Versa: The Step by Step Guidance

Beyond any doubt in mind, the Android and the iOS platforms are indeed the two most successful and extensively used Operating Systems in the recent times. Both the OS are a great competitor of each other and you can choose either of the two platforms or even both to develop a useful mobile application. It may be that you have first developed an Android app and you want to convert the same into an iOS app or vice-versa to get more visibility and flow of traffic. It is a known fact that Android has the biggest market share in the mobile app development industry. So, obviously, you don’t want to miss out the large piece of cake by not switching from iOS to Android. Similarly, if you want to get a more sophisticated customer and robust security features, then you can move on to iOS. But the question is how to convert from one platform to another and how challenging is the job for an app developer. First, we will focus on how to convert an iOS app to Android app. Convert an iOS App to Android Well, this is not an easy task to begin with. You have to take into account a number of factors such as app porting. It means that you can port your items from one platform to another. This is easy in Android because of the Java language that is friendlier. In the recent years, some of the Android apps have been also allowed on Windows by Microsoft taking a few easy steps. Android is known for its flexibility. You can add more features as per the demands of the market and even customize it as well. It provides extended functionality. Even the Google Play Store is very supportive in this regard. It means that you don’t have to wait for too long after the conversion of app from iOS to Android. The bugs can also get removed very easily without much effort. Now when you go for the conversion, you have to mainly consider on these aspects: Developing the App Architecture So, initially the work has to get started with deciding what should be the minimum level of version, which can support the app. For example, if you are choosing Android 4.4 KitKat, then you get coverage of 90.5% of the mobile devices. But you have to choose the version according to the features and so an analysis is important. You also need to review the architecture of the along with its features and functionalities. Please study and analyze the difference between the Android and iOS platforms thoroughly. You can precisely modify and work on a few features including the push notifications, specifications about the switching of content, establishing better interaction between the other apps and touch 3D etc. The Design of the App You must know that there is a great difference between the designing of both the popular platforms. In android apps, you usually come across material design, while iOS has flat designs. Even there is a difference in the patterns used as well. So, the app designer has to redesign the Android app while converting it. Taking about the icon, Android has its own icon library while it makes use of the Roboto as its standard font. The content navigation is mainly found towards the bottom and it has two types of button; the flat and floating button. In addition, you can also find other elements and tools such as Switch, Text fields, RadioButton, Bottom Sheets etc. Another important factor to note is the metric differences that would basically involve the screen resolutions and 48 DP rule dominance in UI design, etc. the comparison of the font size becomes a pivotal job and the ratio that needs to be maintained is .075. The Framework and Code Library of Android The app developers mainly have to make use of the external elements and libraries while creating the apps. But when you are converting iOS to Android, it’s important to go through the app compatibility of the elements and if they aren’t compatible, then choose frameworks. You know well that iOS get developed in Swift language, while Android makes use of the Java or Kotlin. It is not possible to recompile the first code into the second. But both the platforms use and support C code and it can be ported with certain conditions. Thus, when converting, the app needs to be written an entire different language and you have to take into account the app architecture, the app library and so on. The Testing of the App After you have done with the conversion of the app from iOS to Android, it’s time to go for quality assurance and app testing before making it live on the Play Store. You have to check that your apps remain bug free and there is absolutely no problem in its smooth operation. It also needs to be seen that it is offering an optimal UI and UX to the end user. Android has more devices than iOS and you also have to consider the screen resolutions and OS versions. It can be said that migrating from iOS to Android needs proper planning and strategy that should be well executed. You have to access the entire project and minutely understand each of its details before implementation and then finally go for the app testing. Converting Android App to iOS In the second round of discussion, we will now concentrate on how to convert the android apps to iOS apps. It should be noted that although android dominates the market by numbers, but when it comes to revenue generation, iOS is the boss. Moreover, the users are more loyal to iOS apps. It basically involves five steps that can be discussed below. The Navigation Factor If you are aware of both Android and iOS device functionality, you should know that the biggest difference lies in the main button or the Home button. The iPhones have

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Top Security Measures for Android Application Development

In a world where people lead a digital lifestyle, security of mobile application is one of the most prominent concerns. From transfer of funds to investments, people use mobile apps for a wide range of purposes. Even business houses have integrated personalized apps to strengthen their marketing mix and customer support. However, malware attacks and ransomware continue to be a threat to the users. A study reveals that over 35% of the communications that mobile devices send are unencrypted. This indicates that over a third of data transmitted by mobile device is exposed to threat. Particularly, after the first quarter of 2017, ransomware attacks have significantly increased. Besides, a rapid generation of malware in China indicates that soon the mobile devices might face over 20 million dangers. It is for this reason that reputed Android app developers carry out safety tests regularly, to keep the applications foolproof. Best Practices for Android App Security With the alarming frequency and size of loopholes for data security, it is important for business firms to keep their Android apps secure. In this article, you will come across some security features, which can help you bridge the security gaps. Keep the Native Code Secure In order to keep the native code secure, Android app developers should use Android SDK for mobile app development, rather than Android NDK. When you collaborate with one of the developers, make sure that the experts use Android SDK. When the native code is integrated during the development process, the app receives the data over the network. This can also come from files or an IPC, which might be exposed to security factors. Therefore, you should keep the native code secure by using Android SDK during the development process. High-level Authentication Most of the developers now count on multi-factor authentication. The sensitive information remains secure through a robust session management and a disconnected system. You should prioritize the importance of setting up the advanced authentication mechanism, using tools like JSON web tokens or OAuth 2.0. This ensures an additional security in the Android apps. The integrated and secure access gateway makes sure that corporate resources can be accessed by only authorized applications and compliant devices. Code Obfuscation During the android app development process, the source code needs to be protected. Therefore, the developers should make it unintelligible for both the decompiler and humans. During the compilation, the entire operation needs to be preserved. The process of obfuscation gives a code that is impenetrable. It leverages the degree of confidentiality for the intellectual assets and prevents reverse engineering. In the process, it enhances the security of the Android application. Encrypt the Data Security in mobile apps involves keeping all kinds of information stored in the device secure. It encompasses the data that is transited between the back-end server and the application as well as the source code. Excluding certificate pinning confirms the application’s back-end web service. Encrypting the data is one of the most effective security practices for android mobile app security. This will keep important information from being stolen by hackers. Securing the Server These days, the server remains vulnerable to the hackers. They often try to attack the API of the server. This indicates that you need to keep the server and API secure to keep away attacks. You may add a firewall for web applications or conduct code reviews that will help you combat this challenge. Protect Transit Data It is important to keep your transit data protected. You need to be proactive with your defense mechanism. For instance, detection of jailbreak must be advanced and the access control needs to be status-based. Besides, devices that have been declared non-compliant should not be able to get access to corporate data. If you happen to lose a device, or it gets stolen, the entire application containing business data should be deleted. This ensures that your valuable data does not go to the wrong hands. Selective removal of data enables the IT department or users to wipe off the company data in the devices. Detection of Code Tamper During the app development process, it is recommended to integrate anti-tamper mechanisms. The security checklist should include signature verification, anti-virus and activity logs. This will help you monitor the infected or vulnerable libraries that are added to the source code of your application. Regular Testing and Updating A statistic reveals that the majority of Android devices use an Android version that are old by at least two years. This indicates that more than three quarters of the devices are at risk. You should know that hackers exploit the weaknesses and vulnerabilities in software. When the developer bridges the security breach, the hackers detect other weaknesses. It is not possible for Google to keep down the development of these threats. However, the Android OS is updated from time to time to combat these threats. Another mechanism used in server-side checks is penetration testing. Confidentiality and Security As a part of the AES (Advanced Encryption Standard), the encryption key should be of at least 128 bits. Reputed app developers use the pinning certificate and the hash key to further bolster the security. It encompasses the returning of the complete request, which appears as a hashed string along with a secret key. This string is compared by the server with the request that it receives, verifying any modification or change in the process. Data Storage on Client Side In case your device is stolen or lost, the information stored in it is exposed to threats. Besides, the device may not be secure, as some users jailbreak or root their smartphones to enjoy additional software and features. In the process, they lose an important layer of security. Therefore, you should store sensitive data on the server side or client side to prevent permanent loss of data. Strong Input Validations Data validation, also referred to as input validation, is the practice through which an input that the user supplies is tested. This prevents any data that is

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