“Custom Software for custom needs.”
Mobile development is the process of developing software applications to run on mobile devices. These apps usually need network connection to run on individual remote devices. For that reason developers create installable software bundles (code, asset…), implement backend services and test them on target devices. Then these apps can be installed via various platforms.
In today’s day and age, investing in a mobile app started to become almost mandatory for businesses. It is no secret that the average consumer prefers mobile apps over other alternatives. eMarketer found that the average time spent on apps is significantly higher than the time spent on the web browsers. Here are some statistics to put things into perspective:
- Mobile apps are expected to generate over $935 billion in revenue by 2023.
- 21% of Millennials open an app 50+ times per day.
- In 2021, consumers downloaded 230 billion mobile apps.
- For the average consumer, 88% of mobile time is spent on apps.
These numbers keep going up and up as a result of our technology-driven era. While mobile development is usually more expensive, there are some distinctive advantages to mobile apps that makes the investment more valuable. Although different needs call for different solutions, our team is always ready to advise you on your specific situation. That said, here are some advantages of mobile apps you might want to consider:
- Direct to Customer Marketing Channel
- Enhanced Customer Experience
- Better Conversion Rate
- Brand Recognition
- Better Efficiency and Increased Revenues
- Customer Loyalty
- Saving Time
There is more than one approach to building mobile apps. They all have different advantages and disadvantages. The 4 main ones are as follows:
| Native Applications | Cross-Platform Applications | Hybrid Applications | Progressive Web Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native apps are specific to a platform and can only run on a specific operating system, like iOS or Android. They are written in the programming language and frameworks provided by the platform owner. This makes them costlier, since you would have to write new code for every single OS, but the performance and user experience is hard to top, since there is direct access to device APIs. |
Cross-Platform apps are naturally suitable to run on multiple platforms with just one code. They are still compiled into a native application running directly on the operating system of the device, but can be written in different programming languages and frameworks. That does make them a more affordable option compared to native apps while still providing high-quality performance. |
The “hybrid” here refers to a mix of native mobile apps and web applications. They are built with web technologies (JavaScript, CSS, HTML5…) but are bundled as a package that can be installed like a mobile app. The app itself looks more like a web app. They are easier and faster to create, and you get two birds with one stone (web and mobile app) but achieving consistent quality performance might be tricky. |
Progressive “web apps” are, simply put, web apps. But the user experience is very similar to one of mobile apps. They can work offline, run a background process, or get linked to device homescreens. They consume less data, perform better, and increase engagement rates. One app is all you need for both web and mobile use. No installation needed, which makes it faster. But the capabilities of the app are dependent fully on the browser in question and might not support as many features. |
Software Development Lifecycle Process
Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) refers to the steps involved in the development of software at each phase. Teams have detailed plans for building, deploying and maintaining software from start to finish. Establishing, managing and sticking to a well-thought SDLC plan is important to deliver high-quality products that fit customer requirements.
Our preferred Agile SDLC model makes management much easier. The flexible Agile development method follows our general ideology of breaking lengthy requirements into smaller work segments. In recent years, many development teams jumped on the Agile wagon due to the advantages.
Most noticeable advantages of Agile is having a faster time to market, avoiding silos with cross-functional setups and being able to easily manage changing requirements at all times. Since those aspects are often the most crucial points regarding the product, the Agile method proves to be exceptionally beneficial.
1. Requirement Gathering Analysis, Project Plan, Approval
At the first step, we gather all the necessary information from you to make sure our final product will meet all your requirements. There is no room for ambiguities, we will make sure that everything we talk about in the meeting is enough to paint a clear picture in everybody’s minds.
After we gather all requirements, we analyze the situation, discuss if it is feasible and set up another meeting in case of need for further discussion. Then we prepare an understandable but detailed document for every member of the team, which will also be approved by you as well.
2. System Study and Design
After all members of the team have a good understanding of the requirements and the project in general, we set out to design the application architecture. The approach and framework of the mobile app will be discussed in detail. We believe software development should have a cumulative effect, so we take advantage of already existing projects. We use prototypes where deemed necessary to examine the UI/UX flow of the app, the frontend is critical for user experience.
3. Code Development, Unit Testing and Implementation
The third step is put into action the moment our developers get the design document. We start the coding process and install all components during this phase. Of course, we hold regular meetings/check-ins to ensure loyalty to the first phase.
4. Integrated Testing
Once the coding phase is complete, we start testing right away. This is key to make sure your deployment is actually consistent and your software is high quality. The requirements document we write at the beginning of the process is still used by testers.
We prefer integrated testing, which is done by grouping multiple application modules and testing them together. This helps to detect the defect in the communication, interface, and data flow among different modules, which makes a lot of sense with our software development technique.
5. UAP Testing
We put great value in the testing process and top the integrated testing with UAP (User Acceptance Testing). This testing method brings you, the end-user, in the process as a player. You test the app, or a replica, for real-world scenarios and accept only if you deem it fit to the standards discussed at the first step of the life cycle.
Deployment can actually occur at different stages of the life cycle depending on preferences. We could either test the code after it goes live, or we could create a replica and test it on an equal environment, and then it could go live.
Deployment stage is also important for app store optimization (ASO). ASO is a process to enhance the app’s visibility. There are various strategies to further ASO, including conducting user-oriented keyword research, creating easy-to-understand descriptions, choosing a logo/name with high marketing potential, creating how-to videos for easy use, and such.
6. Maintenance and Support
Updates, bugs, additional features, etc. Your app will need maintenance and support no matter what. You can benefit from our custom software development service and continuously improve your software. This is crucial to make sure the software you paid for is actually useful in the long run. Mobile apps follow trends and staying relevant is half the battle.
Front-End and Back-End
The mobile front-end is the visual and interactive part of the application the user experiences. As technology improved, applications started getting more and more dynamic. Today, we can frequently update the UI and content with data received over the network from queries to data sources. The front-end should be able to keep the user satisfied. To achieve that, the back-end should be able to support such changes and updates. The front-end is integrated with the back-end, back-end services provide data to be consumed through the mobile front-end, new data, such as product information for e-commerce apps, or flight info for travel apps. The communication between front-end and back-end relies on APIs.
Running a back-end infrastructure is not the same thing as developing a back-end for a mobile application. This is where cloud service providers come into play. Such services can handle hard work and heavy lifting of managing back-end capabilities while providing scalability, security, and reliability. This improves developer productivity and efficiency. Our engineers are cloud experts, you can check our PlusClouds case study.
We have dedicated back-end and front-end engineers on our team, providing space for all members to specialize on their expertise.
The main software mobile development attributes we strive to deliver are;
- Let’s build your app from scratch.
- Let’s upgrade your application with up-to-date technology and ideas.
- Let us provide staff who can support you with your own solutions.