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AngularJS and Ionic for App Development: The Ultimate Combination

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As mobile apps have already transformed our work habits and browsing patterns, the ways of app development has also been through a lot fresh changes. Of late, there are a lot of cutting-edge tools, frameworks and platforms that have eased the task of developers. Designers can now create incredibly useful and high-end mobile apps easily. Consequently, it provides plenty of user-centric and helpful app to organizations as well as businesses to improve their overall business presence through their mobile app. Ionic is a new entry in the range of hybrid mobile app development platforms. Basically, it is a front-end SDK that is built on top of the most useful AngularJS – a very popular JavaScript library. Whilst native apps still need separate codes written for individual platforms across mobiles like Windows, Android and iOS, hybrid applications offer an added advantage. It requires lesser efforts of development and reduces maintenance costs too. In addition, Ionic applications also provides companies and developers an array of benefits one single development code across several mobile platforms with the help of the most popular JavaScript framework called AngularJS. There are several features of this winning combination of AngularJS and Ionic, which includes: One App Many Platforms Technology has advanced and experts have come up with new ways to create interactive and customizable mobile apps for excellent user experience. Until recently, there were over 4 million developers worldwide having used Ionic for building more than 2 million apps. In fact, it is the most comprehensive SDK available for HTML5 mobile app development framework. It offers plenty of advantages than most native apps. With built in Sass and AngularJS optimization, Ionic also offers an entire library of optimized HTML, JS and CSS tools and components for mobile. It reduces code writing for several platforms. So, one single app can actually run on all mobile platforms like Android, Windows and iOS, without any additional efforts or development time. Ionic Benefits and Features You cannot just ignore Ionic! It is the best platform for debugging, UI, build and performance. In fact, Ionic is one platform with over a dozens of useful components and extensible options. In addition, the quality of each of these components is exceptional and offers seamless interaction. With the latest version, application layout now depends on the type of device and the platform, Ionic, follows certain guidelines on receptive platforms for perfect element display. It also follows the intricacies of transition, platform-specific behavior and transition styling. Component Creation with Ionic Most app developers complain about the efforts needed to create splash screens and icons for most hybrid apps. It is vital to consider individual parameters like height, density, width, type of device, and host. Moreover, to complete the job successfully, icons with multiple splash screens should be created. Ionic makes this job relatively easier; you need to create 2 simple files with .png, .ai, or .psd extension within the main resource directory, state the template, and sorted! AngularJS and Ionic – The Deadly Combination Experts opine that AngularJS and Ionic is one of the best matches that could have ever existed. It is a winning combo for developing one of the finest and robust SDK apt for building powerful and rich mobile apps for several app stores, which includes Google Play, Apple Store and Windows. Ionic comprises a few dozens of components extending to different functionalities. JavaScript portions of the hybrid mobile apps can be built with the help of AngularJS, and Ionic is built using Angular 1.0. Likewise Ionic 2 works together with AngularJS 2.0. Major Advantages of Choosing Ionic and Angular JS Combo Ionic, when combined with AngularJS, is a recipe for remarkable transition in the field of mobile app development. Using AngularJS front-end JavaScript framework makes it possible to build fast and scalable applications, offering various services like analytics and push notifications. There are a plenty of advantages of Ionic and AngularJS as a combination as Ionic adds to the widely preferable Angular JS features. Ionic provides one of the finest ready-made components for mobiles with extensible and beautiful themes with beautiful typography adapting to different platforms. There are plenty of JavaScript components and default CSS tools like Form Inputs, Buttons, Navigation, Sliding Menus, Tabs, Buttons, and Prompts etc. These styles are simple, functional and really stylish. Ionic has been perfectly modeled for standard development SDKs. It emphasizes more on the native apps running inside Cordova or PhoneGap to deploy apps natively. Likewise, AngularJS is easier to use while interacting with external data sources and backend services. One of the major advantages of using Ionic is the most potent CLI function that helps developers to build, create, test as well as deploy an app onto any platform using a single command. Some amazing features such as Live Reload and Logging also enhance experience. In fact, one of the potential advantages of using Ionic is to assist the existing web developers to build mobile apps conveniently and easily, and with a lot of agility. In this way, it saves money and time for businesses owners as well as companies in identifying mobile-savvy developers. Undoubtedly, hybrid mobile app development is all set to lead the mobile app development market, and even dominate it, to become better in years to come. Blog Source- https://www.mindinventory.com/blog/angularjs-ionic-for-app-development/

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5 Things to Keep in Mind Before You Update Your Mobile App

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App development is an integral part of any business. Businesses that do not focus on app updates eventually trickle into anonymity. It is an established fact that most apps go through a life cycle that involves numerous updates. While popular mobile apps need to be updated more regularly, apps that haven’t been very successful at capturing the attention of a large audience can easily make do with monthly updates. The process of app update is a challenging one. Fixing bugs, making changes in design, checking app functionality, updating codes — these are tasks that require both time and dedication. Businesses and app developers, in particular, should give due consideration to app updates. In this article, we will try to answer the bigger question that is, how to approach app updates? Does frequency matter? Yes, the frequency at which you update your app actually matters. Updating your app regularly will help both your team as well as your users. As mentioned before, a well-performing app must be updated at least once a week. However, if you already have a lot on your platter and are unable to squeeze an app update, you must try to update the app at least once every month. There are various parameters businesses must keep in mind while they are undergoing this process. If you have a business that is affected by seasonal changes, your app must reflect this. Similarly, before beginning with the process of an app update, businesses must ensure that they have enough content to feed to their users. Most businesses underestimate the value of content. Good content enhances both engagement and retention. If you wish to make your app successful, you must find new ways to make your app more interesting and user-friendly. Should you work out a balance? Yes, it is extremely important for businesses to wok out a balance between smaller and larger updates. App updates are most often driven by feature releases. Businesses might choose to do an app update when they either have a large update or a smaller one. Larger updates are slightly more difficult to handle. Sometimes, these may even involve months of work. In such a case, the question is — how should businesses achieve a balance? The answer is simple — try to fit in features that can be accommodated in a two-week development cycle. Features that take about two weeks of development actually take about a month to go live. This is essentially because the process of app updates does not only involve development but also testing. However, in some cases, businesses may feel compelled to induce features that are quite complex. When this happens, businesses can tackle the problem at hand by first doing smaller updates and planning for the larger one in advance. While some app developers are working on the smaller update, businesses should allocate more resources to the larger update. This way, an app update would undergo two releases — first, a smaller one followed by the larger one for which work has been going on for months. Understanding release cycles is important Every mobile app undergoes different kinds of release cycles. Businesses can benefit greatly by understanding these release cycles. After an app is released, the first update should focus solely on fixing bugs. Even though you have devoted hours to testing the app, it is quite likely that there will be certain bugs that bypassed your scanner system. By making bug fixing the agenda of their first update, businesses can make their apps more user-friendly. This will also increase your app store ratings. The next release should also focus on fixing bugs and making your app look more refined and user-friendly. The idea is to do app updates that do not require complicated tasks and hence, can be done at short intervals. Once your app has become fairly popular, reviews and feedback will start to drop in through various channels such as social media, app store, etc. The release that an app developer makes now would depend on the kind of feedback received from users. It would involve working on design, fixing bugs, releasing new features, etc. From here on, businesses must start to achieve a balance between smaller and larger updates. Keep the competition in mind While it is a good idea to create an internal schedule and mechanism about how you want to do things, it is also important to keep an eye on your competition. As a business, you should see the kind of changes your competitors are coming up with and try to make your own app better than everyone else’s. Try to compete with the very best — let your benchmarks be those who are already at the top of their game. This will not be easy. As your app grows older and as the frequency and complexity of updates increases, you may feel the need to hire more resources. This would involve hiring more product managers, quality assurance experts, designers and developers. However, the important thing to remember is — do not do bad updates after coming in pressure. In this day and age, when users have become tech experts, businesses have more to loose on account of a bad update than a late update. Your app update should target your user base If you want your app to do well, you must do app updates that target your core market and user base. Your development methodology should align with the market expectation of the industry in which you operate. For instance, users who use mobile apps prefer their apps to be updated regularly. On the contrary, enterprise marketing apps, do not need to be updated so often. Take a cue from what your users are saying about your app, what they need and what they seek from a good app and try to give them just that. Conclusion Apps should be updated at regular intervals. If you have a small team, you should aim for monthly updates. On the

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Some Questions That Startups Should Answer While Creating an App

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There is a saying: “If you don’t risk anything, you risk even more” and it applies perfectly to those who want to enter the mobile app development industry, but they’re too afraid of the failure. It’s true that everyone wants to become popular over night, but the struggle to get into the top 10 percent of app stores is giving them nightmares and sometimes, they even wonder if it was worth the effort to build a great application. Young entrepreneurs are big dreamers and they’re ready to face all challenges, but they want to be sure that they’re heading in the right direction. Some Questions That Startups Need to Answer Before Starting App Development No matter if they’re planning to release an application for Android or iOS, the goal is to reach out to their customers by any means. But first, here are some questions that every startup needs to answer before proceeding with app development. What’s Your Motivation To Build An App? Let’s say that years ago, when you’ve bought your first smartphone, the first thing you did was to download an application or a game that you’ve heard about. It was love at first… use and you decided to learn to code, hoping that one day, your application will be installed on millions of devices. This was your motivation: fame and money and you were ready to do anything to accomplish your goals. How Do You Know Your App Idea Will Not Be Stolen? Some of us can’t help but share our plans. It’s not a big deal when talking to a trustworthy friend, but when it comes to business, it’s better to keep your mouth shut and not give any details about the steps you’re about to take. Especially if you have developer friends who lack inspiration! However, if you still want to ask an opinion on what key features to add, it’s better to make the other person sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement first, just to make sure that your app idea is safe. What Platform To Choose? The Google Play store houses more applications than the Apple’s App store, and most developers prefer to build an Android app because they can add features that are not supported by iOS and because there audience consists of a variety of social classes. iOS apps are created mostly for premium users, who don’t mind spending a few dollars on them. But, it takes more time and it costs more to create an Android app and if it doesn’t generate interest, developers lose their investment and admit defeat. What Makes Your App Special? The market for mobile apps is flooded and your application will compete against other millions of different types of apps. It’s easy to enter the market, but how will you convince strangers to give your app a try, if they don’t know anything about it? It’s very simple! Your app will stand out if it has the right features that help users in their daily lives, no matter if they’re looking for a decent game that will break their routine, or an application that will simply their work. Also, you should take into consideration that target markets differ from one area to another and it’s best to focus on those with a larger number of users. Find out what users want and make their experience as pleasant as possible. Have You Thought About The Price Of Your App? If you’re building an app just for fun and it will be free to download, then you can say good bye to your plans to get rich. Unless you’ll introduce in-app purchases and customers will pay good money to unlock more features. Don’t extort them, don’t get greedy and set a fair price. But, if the price for your app is a one time fee, then depending on how complex your app is, you will charge your customers between a few cents and 100 dollars. How Much Will It Cost You To Build An App? Large app companies invest up to 1 million dollars to create those apps that get into the top 5 of Google’s Play store or Apple’s App store. To build a savvy app, you would spend between $150,000 to $450,000, while small companies with 2 or 3 employees usually invest between $50,000 to $100,000, but these sums depend on each targeted platform. Conclusion There is no way to prevent failure and it’s not sure if your work that took you 4 to 6 months will be in vain or not. The secret is to persevere, collaborate with the greatest minds and wait for the results to appear over time. Blog Source- https://www.mindinventory.com/blog/some-questions-that-startups-should-answer-while-creating-an-app/

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Best Ways to Avoid Security Issues in App Development

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In today’s world, we’re no longer safe from identity theft and hacking. When you’re developing an app, you need to be aware of this fact and try to give the best security options there are for your user. They might not appreciate it, but if you would have a security breach you’d definitely hear about it. So, keep on reading on these security problems you need to fix before releasing the app to the world. Do not rely on the operating system’s security Each operating system has its different standards of security, with different values that they like to stick to. For example, Apple likes to give their users only tested applications. They like to give this guaranteed screening of apps to their users, this being a core value in their company. However, you should do the testing yourself, because, even though they’re trying very hard to protect their devices, there is still malware that gets more advanced by each day that passes. If you’re thinking about starting your app on Android, you need to know that they have more of a ‘free will’ sort of value. That means that they allow most apps to get on the Google Play Store, and leave users to decide on their own which app is better than the others. They do that through reviews and they let other users know what they personally think of the app. Anyway, the idea is that you should do your own testing, even though operating systems usually offer you this option as well. You should test out the GPS, the camera or any sensors the user needs when he/she is navigating an app. If you’re releasing the app to Apple’s operating systems, you should turn off the NSLog, so that hackers cannot easily access your app. A bonus for your customers is that it also makes the app work faster. Do not trust in other people when they write code We don’t mean your hired company that is working on the development of the app, but code that is available in the industry so you can build upon it to build the app. A lot of hackers are looking more and more into identity theft, and infiltrating in an app’s security is one great way of stealing info from phones. That’s why they might build code in hope that someone will buy it and they’ll be able to get the info they want. We’re not saying you shouldn’t buy code, but verify the code for phishing schemes as well as do some research on the person you’re buying from. Make sure your server is safe All apps need some sort of info from their users, and all of that data needs to be stored in a safe environment. That’s why most app developers use a server which they connect to. So, connect to a server that is secure via SSL certificates. You can even make sure they use encryption when handling data so that your users feel safe when using your app. You should test out the app with a more advanced When testing your application, you might want to consider an EMM sort of testing (enterprise mobility management) which allows better security that other testing available on the market. They will start the testing by making your app fail proofed for jailbroken or rooted devices. This sort of phones is very dangerous for your application, because it gives easy access to malware. The EMM will help you figure out what you can do when the app gets on this sort of phone and protect it against bugs. This is not the only thing EMM can do for you, it can also help you figure out which server is most fit for you, considering your security needs, as well as figure out what other issues you are vulnerable to. If EMM isn’t the right fit for you, make sure you make your research what is the best fit of security for your app, depending on the features you need to include on it. There are a lot of worthy security testing that will help you get the best out of your app without putting your user’s data in jeopardy. Conclusion Security is a very important issue when developing an app. You should take in account all security testing there is and do the testing yourself. If you use code from other people, make sure you did research on the seller’s past, because they might be a hacker trying to obtain sensitive information. Blog Source- https://www.mindinventory.com/blog/best-ways-to-avoid-security-issues-in-app-development/

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Amazing App Ideas to Have Success Creating Them

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You’ve spent several years learning programming languages and now it’s time to put your app ideas into practice, but you’re not sure what kind of applications will make you rich. Don’t worry, you won’t fail to achieve your goals if you start on the right foot and you won’t invest money in vain. First of all, you should know that your application will make a great impression if it will have an appealing design and if don’t want to build it from scratch, and then you should get inspired from the iPhone app and Android app templates. If you don’t have time to install and try out different types of applications, maybe these suggestions will help you go in the right direction. App To Find The Nearest Taxi Rank We recommend you PHONE-A-TAXI, an app that uses GPS technology and which detects if there are any taxi drivers in the area who also subscribed to the service. Then, the user will know what taxi company to call and won’t need to wait too long for the car to arrive. Why would you build a similar app? Well, even if it would be free for customers, it will charge taxi firms to be “visible” on the map. Recipe Directory App For Amateur Chefs Surprise your partner with a recipe you’ve never tried before, using ingredients you have in the kitchen. Enter their names in the app – for ex. potatoes, chicken, tomatoes, carrots etc., and you will get a list of recipes containing them. As an app developer, you’ll make money if you’ll charge chefs to download the app or upload the directory with recipes. App To Hunt Wanted Convicts This is an unusual idea, but did you know that there’s a bounty hunter app that shows a list of criminals who are wanted in a certain area for various illegalities or even murder. If you have enough courage and want to help the police catch wanted convicts, press the alert button after recognizing the person based on the photograph that’s displayed by the application. The police will know where to go, as the app will show the convicts’ GPS position. You could make money with a similar app if the user who will be rewarded by the police will give you a portion of the money he/she earned if the information they give leads to the people being arrested. First Aid App Nobody wants to suffer accidents or to have to give first aid to injured strangers or friends. In these cases, until the arrival of paramedics, it’s better to take action and treat superficial wounds, and an application that will offer guidance on how to do that is very helpful. This type of app will be appreciated by bikers, hikers or sports enthusiasts who spend a lot of time in the nature, away from civilization, and they won’t mind spending a few bucks to purchase the app. Dating App Yes, we all know about Tinder and other websites for single men and women who are searching for their soul mates. Love is in the air and if it has a physical location, then the application will track it (using GPS coordinates) and will tell the user where she/he can find another person who is using the app. Users who will create an account will upload their photos and give a few details about them, so others will know what they look like and if it’s worth going to the bar they’re having a drink. This type of app will charge a small monthly subscription fee and it will generate money for its creator. App To Offer Wine Suggestions Wine lovers drink regularly – before, during or after a meal. The taste is more intense if the wine is paired with the right food and you could create an application that would recommend users what type of wine they should drink based on their meals. This app would target middle/upper class people who will be charged a subscription fee. App To Count Calories Yes, there are plenty applications that come pre-loaded with smartwatches or fitness bands and they’re improving users’ health life by tracking the number of steps they take in a day, or how many stairs they climb etc. But not many applications tell users how many calories they eat and this is where your application steps in and recommends users a daily intake, alerting them if they’re eating more calories than they should. They will enter names of the food they’ve eaten during the day and the application will count the calorie intake. So, whoever wants to stay fit will pay to download an application that will stop them from eating too much. Blog Source- https://www.mindinventory.com/blog/amazing-app-ideas-to-have-success-creating-them/

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Best Practices for Push Notifications to Get the Best Results

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Developing an app doesn’t end at launching it on the App Store. There are a lot of updates you have to do, and you always have to maintain your relationship with the users. A great way through which you can do that is to send your user push notifications. These will give helpful information to your user, either if they’re tips on how to use the app, reminders about a game they forgot they were playing or just funny messages to make them not forget they have your app installed. However, sending these push notifications are very tricky because they might annoy the user sometimes. You have to think about a lot of things: how often do you send out push notifications, are you making them personalized for each user, or general for everyone? We decided to help you out a bit with this process, and give you four essential tips on how you should go about push notifications. Give them the option to decide when and what notifications they receive This might seem lazy, but it’s actually a very good idea for both your app and your user. He/she will feel like a part of the process of creating the push notifications, and when they will see a sign from you, they will smile a little bit thinking that they decided they wanted that notification. So, create yourself a control panel in which you let the user easily choose what content they prefer and give them a week’s calendar so they can choose which days they want push notifications from you, and in which days they don’t want to be bothered. Trust us, they’ll enjoy it. If you don’t trust us, trust Starbucks – they use a preference center in which they let the user decide what they want to receive, and things are going pretty well for them, don’t you think? Have you heard of conversion? It is everything you need Conversion is a marketing term that specialists use to refer to customers that do exactly what you wanted them to do. This means that you need to have some actions in mind that you would like your user to do: start a new game, click on something, buy something, check out something – all can be achieved through push notifications. With those actions in mind, you need to create an engaging push notification – after all, people are not stupid, they will click on something only if they feel they want to. So, think about how your push notifications will look. Sending a simple message might work, but in today’s world apps already include emojis, photos, videos, anything that is relevant to the action you want the use to make. Location can be used in very smart ways when it comes to push notifications If your app gathers info about the location of the users, you can use it to send smart and helpful push notifications. For example, if your app delivers news, it is nice to send out specific area news, that the user might be very interested in. If you’re a restaurant, whenever he/she is in the area, you can send him/her a reminder that they’re close to you and they could pay you a visit. There are tons of ways to use location as a way to get close to your users, and they will definitely appreciate your effort to deliver notifications that they would actually need. Conversion is essential for your success, but not enough. You also need KPIs If you don’t know what KPIs are, the term comes from Key Performance Indicators, and they help you out with your long-term marketing strategy. Conversion rates will give you some info in the beginning, which will help with the marketing at that moment, but after a while, that’s just not enough. You need to look at KPIs like long-term conversion, revenue, engagement and more. All of these will help you better understand how your app works in the hand of your targeted user, and use that information to give them better push notifications. Conclusion Push notifications are actually a lot of fun to create, but don’t forget about the ‘science’ behind it: you need to check out who your user is, what he/she likes, what kind of language they would prefer, and more importantly, what is useful to them. When giving out push notifications you’re looking to not nag the user, but actually be helpful to them. Don’t forget to give him/her the option to decide what sort of notifications they want to receive, as well as the days when they don’t want to receive any push notification. Blog Source- https://www.mindinventory.com/blog/best-practices-for-push-notifications/

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Wireframes and How They Affect The Mobile App Development Industry

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Just like any other “construction” that is structured into multiple layers and phases, a mobile application has a plan layout, a blueprint of sorts. This blueprint comes in the form of wireframes, and they pretty much set the tone and direction of the app, regardless of what changes may come up to the original visualization in the process. You will find mobile app developers that could go on and on about the importance of wireframes, and how massive their impact is on the overall development of a mobile app. Wireframes represent the core and fundamental tool of an app developer, which is used for any given screen. They are in a way, offering a visual of the app before there is no visual of the app. With wireframes, developers can get the basic ideas about an app before content is introduced. Wireframes do not focus on giving does involved foresight on the app’s aesthetics or button placement necessarily, but are more engaged in laying down the structure of the app from a functionality point of view. What this means is that wireframes make sure everyone involved in the project known what each screen will be capable of doing. It is thanks to wireframes that developers are able to fully understand what type and amount of coding needs to go into each particular screen, and how they will be wired together in the final assembly, after it goes through all the other different phases that are included in mobile app development, after wireframing. Versatility Wireframes are not only a structural pylon from which all other development elements branch out, and can have multiple pertinent uses. Just as a developer uses wireframes to setup what the app’s functions will be, so can it be used as a safety measure. An example of this would be a situation in which the customer for which the application is being created decides a specific element or function of the app should be removed or replaced. In this case, the developer must start taking the necessary steps for doing so, and by doing that he might cause a chain of other conditions to apply. To fix those conditions or to avoid them completely, the developer must go through the app’s mainframe and re-track their steps through each loop and crossing that took place during development, and the more complex the app is, the harder it gets. Wireframes can act as a guide that severely ease the job in this situation, allowing steps to be efficiently tracked back to their inception, while also giving valuable information about which route has to be taken for each action. If any bugs or problems appear on the way, they can also be substantially easier to remove thanks to journal-type mapping properties of wireframes. Sharing progress in real time As briefly mentioned earlier, wireframes enhance the communication between multiple parties tenfold, meaning that one member of the development team can use wireframes to swiftly get his ideas and work progress across in a manner that allows the other team members to be kept in loop. For a successful app development, a crisp and clear communication policy must be instated. If there is no synergy between what the mobile app developer does and the work that the UI designer puts in. If these two aren’t synchronized there could be massive negative repercussions not only in aesthetics, but also functionality. The client must also be kept informed, and through wireframes, they can always know where the team is at. Draw lines, save dimes It is incredible how simple the actual process of wireframe drawing can be in contrast to how efficient and valuable of an asset it can become. With wireframes, you also have a powerful marketing opportunity at your disposal, which can show customers how the app development looked like, right from the beginning. You most likely have witnessed wireframes being used in marketing before, but have not realized what you were seeing. Wireframes can be used to effortlessly display how the main ideas behind an app came to life and how the process took the team to uncharted territory while maintaining the core principles that they set out with. Conclusion In conclusion, it is pointless to argue the shear value that wireframes bring to the table when creating a mobile app, as it proves that with mobile apps, just like pretty much anything else in life, a strong foundation is the first step to a grand conclusion. Blog Source- https://www.mindinventory.com/blog/wireframes-and-how-they-affect-the-mobile-app-development-industry/

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How Mobile Application Can Boost Your Business?

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Mobile applications are enjoying an outstanding popularity. The high level of success isn’t granted just by the nature of apps themselves, but also by the fact that apps run on smartphones, and smartphone business is in full bloom. If you take into consideration that the vast majority of people that use a mobile phone are using a smartphone, when not that long ago people would be in awe over a mobile phone that had a VGA rear camera, or a flip phone, it’s easy to see how aggressive this climb to the top has been for smartphones.. And mobile apps only add to the hype, bringing in massive amounts of hits, depending of course on how popular the app is, and what purpose it serves. There are a few market places for apps online, one of which is Apple App Store, where people can download and use applications developed for Apple’s own operating system, iOS. The iOS market share is pretty substantial, as it is in a constant battle with Google Play Store, and even the most pessimistic would have to agree that it is at the very least in the top two market places. Put all these elements together and you got yourself an incredible opportunity in the form of a fresh new platform that everyone is connected to. Mobile apps and business Mobile apps have the potential of boosting any business or venture from its current state, despite how much recognition it has manage to garner up until now. So whether you’re an up and coming operation or a top dog in your branch, you can use the services provided by a mobile app to boost not only the image of your company, but also the internal performance and overall efficiency. Mobile apps can serve as gateways towards new potential customers and for companies that have yet to make one, an unexplored realm of possibility. Mobile apps for the customers Making an app for your customers means making an app that will help them. What that means is that this app should help you better understand your clientele and stay stronger connected to the people you are selling to. On the other hand, what the customer should get out of this experience is a facilitated access point towards your goods and services, and a reverse opportunity of getting to know you better. Mobile apps can be both a treat for already loyal customers but also a way of saying Hello to new customers that haven’t found your venture yet. With this app, people can see all the different variations of services that you are offering, as well as prices, limited time offers and special deals. If you want them to buy something, then making sure they know about it is the first step. Mobile apps for the employees Mobile apps can be a great way to bolster your business on the outside with the customers, but also from within. Your employees can also be treated to a company app that allows them to complete various tasks a lot easier, increasing their productivity and efficiency in the workplace, which in the end translates as a win for you. The right reasons Creating a mobile app for your business is a smart idea considering the times we live in, but you must tread cautiously. Mobile app users will sniff a bad app from a mile away, and if they decide to kick yours to the curve, you might not get a second chance to impress the same crowd with a second app. You need to make sure that you know exactly what your app is going to do, and more importantly, you need to make sure that you are creating something your customers really need. Don’t just throw together an obsolete app with your business credentials on it and hope for the best. If you are going to be successful in bringing in new customers, as well as improving your relations with the existing ones, you need to make sure your app stands for something. Conclusion That being said, the sky is the limit when talking about the benefits of mobile applications in the workplace. As we continue to witness the endless popularity of smartphones and mobile apps, you can rest assured that the right app representing your venture will rack up major rewards. Blog Source- https://www.mindinventory.com/blog/how-mobile-application-can-boost-your-business/

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Most Notable Differences Between iOS and Android While Creating Apps

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Apps have reached a point where they are seamlessly integrated in our daily routines. Younger generations grow up with apps and can’t imagine a time where people didn’t have smart devices full of apps. There is no boundary when it comes to app categories, as they range from casual gaming to high end business assistants. Mobile applications tend to cater to the needs of all demographics with a wide spread across several platforms. Of course, there will always be fans on each side of a debate involving Android and iOS, but from the perspective of a developer, petty fan wars aren’t of much help when trying to decide which platform would better serve and suit a venture. In this article, we’re going to explore the various differences between developing an app for iOS and one for Google’s Android. Market Places Multiple platforms mean multiple market places where apps can be listed and sold in accordance with the guidelines imposed by each particular market administrator. Currently, the largest app market is the Google Play Store, where apps for the Google operating system Android are officially sold. Android blankets a vast majority of market shares, taking the lead for the popular search engine developer. However, that being said, there is still tough competition coming Google’s way. Another tremendously popular platform is Apple’s iOS, which differentiates itself from Google’s through a number of aspects, such as guaranteed extra security when compared with an Android handset, due to its tighter policy on software alteration. While other platforms are available, with their own app stores in place, it is generally acknowledged that Google Android and Apple iOS are the market leaders, and no matter how the scale tips between the two of them, they are the two best options. Development A developer must take into consideration how an app behaves and what its characteristics are from a customer point of view, but also adapt to what they’re most comfortable working with, and beyond that, what they actually know how to use. When it comes to app platforms, Android and iOS are very different constructs. Developing apps for each of them requires knowledge pertaining to a specific programming language. Android apps are creating using Java, while iOS apps are made using Objective-C. There are pros and cons for both languages, so an important detail to factor in is which better complements your style. It is considered that Java is a newer and much easier to use language, which can also help developers branch out into PC software development. The fact that it’s easy to learn makes it a developer favorite. Objective-C on the other hand is an older programming language that most consider to be more time consuming when it comes to actual coding. However, others argue the superiority of Obejctive-C, saying that it feels like the iOS coding language is cleaner. IDE IDE stands for Integrated Development Environment, and if coding languages represent the app’s recipe, the IDE represents the bakery where the magic happens. There multiple IDEs out there, but there are two in particular that are relevant to the topic, namely XCode and Android Studio. While there several other IDEs out there, Apple and Google respectively have declared these two as the recommended solutions in terms of IDEs for developers to use when creating apps for each individual platform. Obviously, Android Studio is used by Android whereas iOS uses XCode. Google has replaced its previous IDE with Android Studio in hopes of improving all affected stats. Apple on the other hand stuck with XCode for a longer time and instead just supplemented updates to keep it relevant. Testing the app Apple’s coding platform and affiliated tools make it so that developers can more easily and effectively test apps through their development. Apple developers even get to work with UI testing feature which allows for even more control over the work in the progress. Google on the other has been rated as much lower when it comes to testing. Their setup makes it so that developers have a harder time testing than iOS developers. Requirements With the risk of sounding repetitive with the excessive use of the word “platform”, it’s inevitable that we must hear at once again, because developing apps for iOS or Android truly is a matter of platforms. Developers that want to create apps which will eventually end up in Apple’s AppStore must use a Mac computer. There is no other way about it, as Mac computers are the only ones that support iOS app development. Android on the other hand is supported on more platforms. This means that an Android app creator can choose between working on a Windows PC, a Mac PC, or even Linux. This gives Android an important edge as Macs aren’t that accessible for everyone. App design Developing apps for either platform is an opportunity to express yourself and be original. However, there are still guidelines to what your app design should include or not include, depending on the platform you choose. These app design guidelines are firm parts of each platform’s policy, both Google and Apple wanting developers to create apps in a certain style. This helps create a unified space and bring more unity between different apps on the same platform. If you want your app on the App Store or Play Store, you must take these guidelines very seriously. Google is overall way more specific than Apple when communicating their desires to the developer community. They even put a toolkit at their disposal that makes working with Material Design (Google’s UI philosophy) a lot easier. Apple on the other hand is not as specific, although it still requires its apps to be of a certain standard. In recent times, Apple has also transitioned towards a flatter design scheme, but Google manages to do a better job. Submission cost There is also money involved. Not as in receiving money, which everyone takes into consideration as an important factor before venturing into app development,

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The Pros and Cons of Hiring Mobile App Developers from Overseas

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Mobile app development can be a tricky process. Not in terms of actually getting the job done, as today there are lots of trained professionals which can supply high quality services, but more in terms of actually finding the right app developer to do so. When thinking about hiring someone, regardless of the job’s nature, the employer will extend the search radius from inside out, meaning that first he will look locally, then district-wise, followed by going national and in the end even international. Depending on what kind of company we’re talking about, every employer can choose to skip some of these steps and go straight to their desired search criteria. This brings us to the question at hand, namely how much can you benefit from hiring mobile app developers from abroad? The Language Barrier When talking about relations between people from different countries, the language barrier is always something to consider. Fortunately, we live in an era where English media has propagated to such extent that the chances for a random person you meet to know the English language are very high. It might not be the case for everyone, but knowing English has transcended from being something that looked really good on your resume, to something that is actually expected of you, if you want to be taken seriously, especially in an international environment. Employing someone that speaks another language could seem like a hassle, but it could be something pretty great for your business. Depending on what nationalities we’re talking about, maybe it will influence you to broaden up the reaches of your app and develop it for that particular language as well, despite not being initially on your to-do list. But hey, back then you didn’t have a native speaker on your team. The situation can also be quite daunting when the language barrier actually exists. Like a lot of other domains where multiple people are working on the same thing, a certain level of communication is required, to make sure that all parties are in sync. If your new employee has no idea what you’re saying, he’ll probably have a hard time understanding your demands and applying them. This is an example of how outsourcing could backfire. Still, these kinds of problems can be easily spotted and avoided when conducting an interview. There you can see if they have the required language qualifications. Cultural Infusion Another country also means another culture. This could come in handy especially if you are planning to develop an app that’s targeting that country as well. A local can help you better develop an app that would be well received by his people. It’s not a matter of good vs bad, but rather of preferences and what the people over there like more. Even if you don’t intend to develop an app for that country, giving your app an international kick could differentiate it from the rest of the pack. While app development is not something to generally assume is completely different in other countries, there might be some small details tied to another nation’s thinking process that could benefit your business as well. Different Markets, Different Prices A very important aspect to take into consideration is the financial one. If the salary or fee you offer isn’t good enough to attract local talent of sufficient skill, you might find it easier to outsource since each country has its own economy. Different economies and markets also involve different standards and prices that are considered norm. A developer from another country where the standard monetary compensations are lower than in your country might be delighted to be onboard your project, for the same pay that a local wouldn’t look at twice. On the same note, depending on the involved countries, there will be additional taxes that need to be paid, such as VAT (Value Added Tax), which can be both larger or smaller than your country’s equivalent. Time Zones One definite issue with outsourcing is the involvement of time zones. If your foreign employee or associate lives enough time zones away, you could find yourself staying up until very late at night, or waking up at the early hours of the day so you can have a meeting with said employee. Or it could be the other way around, but either way, one party will more than likely dislike the time zone issue quite a bit. Conclusion There are both positive and negative aspects tied to outsourcing. The only thing remaining is for you to weigh all the pros and cons and see how beneficial it can be for you. In this article we have gone over the pros and have managed to prove that hiring foreigners can add good things to the table. Remember that all the issues that could appear are situational and not guaranteed. It’s up to you to make sure your potential employee’s country of residence doesn’t put a strain on your operation more than it helps it. Blog Source- https://www.mindinventory.com/blog/the-pros-and-cons-of-hiring-mobile-app-developers-from-overseas/

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