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Mobile Application Development- A Sizable Opportunity
The technology is undergoing an overwhelming change at a faster pace thus resulting in thriving change in demand for mobile application development to build business apps instead of consumer-facing apps. In the today’s world of high-tech, the mobile apps have become such an entity that they are compelling more and more mobile users to switch from old traditional handsets to smart phones.
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The mobile app development market is huge and offers great scope for mobile app developers and companies to win beyond their expectations. The mobile developers often work with multiple technologies, highly distributed surroundings and computing networks often built on a hybrid base combining legacy systems with newer ones. However, with the new mobile devices and operating systems it is difficult to choose and advice the most efficient type of mobile app development methodology. Speaking of platforms, the most popular response is iPhone followed by iPad. The android platform is identified as the third most preferred mobile platform, following closely by HTML5 mobile web apps.
As smart-phones and tablets are an inseparable part of the everyday life of so many people, businesses can only take advantage of this fact. Almost every person who owns a mobile device has an app, so why not businesses benefit from this. Bespoke apps can definitely increase brand recognition. We can see what happens when some people like a given app and begin to share their impression of it with others – the application goes viral, and the company reaps the benefits, and of course, its revenues increase. Apps help to establish a stronger relationship with clients, especially if you offer some attractive discounts in it.
Mobile Application Development, a sizable opportunity. As smart phones are growing day by day, a lot more people access the data on the go, rather than the desktops or laptops. Thus mobile application development has become a huge opportunity. Almost every business inclined, associated with any kind of services, is finding mobile application development, a must. A mobile app – android app or iphone app, is finding way because of ease of use and accessibility. At Innovins we have the best mobile app developers in Mumbai.
Mobile Application Development, a Sizable Opportunity because of the following reason:
1.Increasing market share
Growing addiction over smart-phones has increased opportunities for IT industries to provide mobile apps for various applications to the users. Mobile applications are termed as software which runs on smart-phones, tablets, and other devices such as internet TV and home automation devices. IOS and android are the major platforms for which most of the mobile apps is been developed by software developers. The market of mobile application is based on fastest growth in IoT market as it allows snatching more information which is used to optimize and improve the application characteristic used by end-consumers. Globally the market for Mobile App Development market is foreseen to grow at the rate of more than 14.5% from 2016 to 2022. At Innovins we have the best mobile app developer in Mumbai.
2.Flexibility
Google Play and app store provides a flexible search capability, making it easier for users to search for apps of interest. Marketers can easily approach to tools that renders keyword insight which lets them optimize app titles, descriptions and even helps prioritize product characteristics. Overall, Google and apple Play’s search capabilities level the playing field, allowing less well-known apps and brands additional opportunities to reach expected users. We are the top most ranking Mobile app developing companies in Mumbai.
3.Low Acquisition Cost
Just building the right app is not enough, you also need to promote and market your app. Many research reports show that it is significantly cheaper to acquire a new customer on Google Play and App store. Studies says that Android is able to deliver 12 percent more advertising inventory while decreasing inventory cost upto 40 percent than other technology. We are the top most ranking Mobile app developing company in Mumbai.
4.Secure Payment Systems
As any club owner knows, having the right security guy outside is important to ensure the safety of guests without scaring them off or ruining their night by being too aggressive. The same is true for online retailers. The trick is building a partnership with a platform that strikes the right balance between security and a clean, smooth user experience. Security is of predominant importance. Mobile apps provides a secure environment that follows all the industry security standards and guidelines. We are the top most ranking Mobile app development company in Mumbai.
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7 Useful Mobile App Metrics To Study User Behavior
For a mobile app to be a success, not just clicks or ratings or measuring app downloads is enough, but it’s crucial that the app’s main value proposition is well interpreted by the users. There is no one-miracle-metric to measure engagement though, the intention of the app, outcomes, and goals should be well clear to determine the right metrics for your mobile app. We are the top most ranking Mobile app developing company in Mumbai.
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As brands are starting to develop their mobile presence and hope to meet user needs, creating an engaging user experience is becoming a obligatory for them. Building apps and looking to provide the mobile platform to get more users for your business is good but the success of app publishing would be determined by the user engagement and activity of your app. The number of apps on Play Store and iTunes are enumerable and that would keep on growing. Most of the developers don’t even bother to look for their app’s performance after publishing it which is not correct. Studying the users behaviour for success of any app is must. We are the top most ranking Mobile app developing companies in Mumbai.
Let us see 7 Useful Mobile App Metrics To Study User Behavior:
1.Number of Uses During the Initial Day or Week
It’s helpful to track the number of times a user opens a mobile app during the first 24 hours or first week after its installation. The more sessions during which a user engages with an app, the more likely that user is to become a loyal user. Hence, tracking the number of times users open an app during a nominative period—and constantly optimizing the experience to improve that number—lets you forecast an app’s retention rate, stickiness, and eventual revenue.
2.Number Of Uninstalls
Keeping the track of number of uninstalls is equally important as the track of number of installs. This factor serves as a warning bell for any mobile app developer if the rate per uninstall exceeds the overall figure of uninstalls of the application. At Innovins we have the best mobile app developer in Mumbai.
3.Average Revenue per User
The main purpose of launching any app is the revenue of-course and keeping the track of the is very essential. An app’s average revenue per user (ARPU) is the total revenue the app generates within a given time period, divided by the total number of active users for the same period. Benchmarks for ARPU vary greatly by category, by country, and by revenue model.
4.Number of Users
The number of people who use a mobile app may differ importantly from the number of installations. For example, the same user may download Skype on both a mobile phone and a tablet. More interestingly, gauging the number of users over time lets you calculate an apps retention rate.
5.Measuring The Effectiveness Of Tv And Other Ads
Marketing has become a part of success of any brand. Even if such a metric to measure the outcome of TV ads on application survival has not been popularized yet, such an effect can be easily measured by comparative analysis on the number of organic installs received 5 minutes before, during and a short while after telecasting the TV advertisement. At Innovins we have the best mobile app developers in Mumbai.
6.Retention
The percentage of users that return to your app in last 30 days defines retention of the app. In fact, stickiness and retention go together to see how habitual users are to your app. By making some key changes to your on boarding flow after analyzing the behavior of both who retain and who not, you can in the end increase the retention rate. Retention, or “cohort,” tracking highlights your most valuable- and engaged- users, building better targeting possibilities and customization of the app experience. It is seen that apps retain only 40% of their initial users after a period of 30 days, on an average. As the costs for install are improving, it’s better to concentrate on retaining rather than acquiring.
7.Quantitative Analysis Methods, Break-Even Metrics
The revenue generated from the application is calculated on the basis of the user’s lifetime value forming marketing metric to define the ROI in marketing and advertising.
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Key Questions to Ask When Hiring a Mobile App Developer
If your company, business or enterprise doesn’t have a mobile app yet, then you are severely missing a great possibility to connect new customers and tap into new revenue streams. Mobile phones and tablets are where today’s consumers live. If you’d like a mobile app that lets customers buy your products, or simply access products reviews, videos or coupons, you’ll need to hire an experienced developer you trust to custom build it.
Whether you’re a corporate executive with a large budget, or an entrepreneur looking to launch your startup, there’s a lot of time, money, and pride at stake in developing a mobile app, so finding the right app developer is extremely essential.
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But if you’re a non-technical person or are new to the app development world, hunting out that right developer to build your mobile app can be a near-impossible task. We are the top most ranking Mobile app developing company in Mumbai.
Some of your concerns may include:
- How do you analyzewhich developers are better than others?
- With what languages, technologies, and platforms should quality developers be skillful?
- How can you judge which developers will interact well, and which will hardly act with you during the development process?
So with all the above concerns asking few important questions will help you get a better service even if you are looking to develop a mobile app and hiring app developers from any part of the world, following questions, you must ask your developer.
Key Questions to Ask When Hiring a Mobile App Developer
1.Instances Of Mobile Apps, You’ve Developed
Professional app developers will give you with a list of apps they are personally responsible for creating or at least played a major role in developing, complete with links to each in Apple’s iOS App Store, BlackBerry App World or Google Play, Google’s Android app store. It’s very important to identify developers experience as that will directly imply on your app development and how he/she is going to implement required features plus functionalities. That way you can begin to benchmark whether or not they have the skills, experience, and vision to produce the type of mobile app you’re looking for. We are the top most ranking Mobile app developing companies in Mumbai.
2.List Of Your Current And Past Clients
Existing clients’ references can unquestionably help you in knowing about the capability and proactive-ness about your app developer. Checking references also gives you an possibility to ask how reliable, responsive and results-oriented candidates are. For instance, you might ask whether they delivered on deadline and within budget, and how well they work under pressure. If the app developer does not elaborate much of an interest to show the links and does not reply back as you need, then you must be sure that he/she is not the right choice for you or not that experienced in handling or building an app that brings in financial to your company.
3.Some Are Beginners But They Claim To Be Experts
Most developers that lack the necessary skill and experience can claim to be experts when they’re not — just to get the job. Keep in mind that there are developers like this, and one of the ways to sort them out is through their portfolio. Request for apps which they have developed for businesses. You should be able to access and even download some of the apps and test their functionality before taking action to either hire or go look for a seasoned developer.
4.Existing Hardware For Testing
Availability of hardware is important for testing the app in real time. “If you’re telling me that you can build an app for an iPhone, then you should have an iPhone, you should be playing with the apps that you are building and also playing with other people’s apps on a very daily basis.”
5.Developer’s Knowledge About App Monetization
If your essential goal is to generate revenue with your app, the developer needs to know exactly how to build in attribute that will allow you to make money. You could opt for a pay-per-download revenue model, charging, say, between 99 cents and $4.99, depending on how many features your app offers. At Innovins we have the best mobile app developer in Mumbai.
6.Communication During App Development And Review
The quality of your app often depends on how clearly and often you communicate your app design and functionality demand throughout the development process. Does your app developer prefer to chat in person or via phone, Skype, instant message? Check this point in detail.
7.Ownership Of App Source Code
One of the most crucial questions, as you must seek 100% ownership of the mobile app source code while hiring devoted app developers. To be sure you own all the rights to the app you commissioned, you and the app developer should sign a written “copyright assignment” or “work made for hire” contract. The document should launch confidentiality and state that you own the app’s design, source code and all of its content. At Innovins we have the best mobile app developers in Mumbai.
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Mobile App Developers Are Moving with Android First Approach
The mobile applications development industry is flourishing fast, and because of its flexible device compatibility, the PC will soon be seen as a dinosaur, enabling you to perform most of your tasks on the go: since 2014 mobile apps have been taking over the desktop software and symbolize the biggest change since the start of the internet.
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We spend an normal time of 3 hrs per day on smart-phones with this year few countries have topped the world with an average of 4.7 hours per day if you consider you are awake only 15hours a day, this represents a fair amount of your life spent with a device…and most of it is spent on a few apps only such as social media and shopping. If you think you are “addicted” to your apps, ZeroDesktop has created an Android app called “QualityTime”, monitoring your smartphone activities and displaying where you spend most of your time enabling you to cut down on the culprit app, a bit like going on a diet! One of the main reasons for Android taken the front seat could be the factors like user-friendly, flexibility and being an open-source. We are the top most ranking Mobile app developing company in Mumbai.
At present most of the Mobile App Developers Are Moving with Android First Approach as they consider it to be more demanding and a source of more monetization.
Mobile App Development Company
The change is important, as iOS which runs on the iPhone and iPad has well-kept pulling power among devices with the enticement of having higher-income users that can just spend more. It’s often been the case where only if an app does well on iOS, will the developer build an Android version, but that takes months if not years to happen. We are the top most ranking Mobile app developing companies in Mumbai.
One of Apple’s biggest attraction for customers has been its App Store, which is just better stocked than any other platform on the market. However, with Google controlling more than 80% of the smart-phone market and Apple maintaining approximately a 10% share, devs are progressively looking at Android as the first platform to build apps.
According to director of a leading social networking website, app developers are slowly happening to feel that they’re losing monetary system by working on the smaller iOS platform first. On the other hand devs also know that monetization is soon catching up on Android, making it more influential with a larger user base.
Money isn’t the only reason developers have chosen iOS over Android in the past. With the crazily high adoption rate of ever new iOS update Apple rolls out, it’s easier for developers to build just one version of their software to cater to all iOS users. That isn’t the case with Android, given its highly fragmented nature, where they’re forced to take into account a range of screen sizes and even assorted versions of Android. At Innovins we have the best mobile app developer in Mumbai.
Yet, there are a few perquisites for developing on Android that iOS doesn’t offer, and may never offer. The Russian app developers develop on Android first because of a big audience, and it maybe being easier to develop. They liked the fact that they could submit a new version of the app every day.
Successful Mobile App Development
Though billions of smart phones are available in the market, users look forward to using new applications to meet their demands. So the app development companies have to use improved development opportunities to build booming apps in a fastest way. Multiple platforms for development and non-coding applications development tools are acquirable in the market, which reduces the time and effort taken for the initial release of the application. At Innovins we have the best mobile app developers in Mumbai.
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Mobile App Development Vs. Responsive Web Design
If you’re planning to establish a mobile presence for your business or organization one of the first thought process that will likely come to mind is whether you want to create a mobile application for users to download (app) or a mobile website, or perhaps both. Mobile websites and apps can look very similar at first-glance, and deciding which is most suited to your needs will depend upon a number of components, including target audiences, available budget, intended purpose and required characteristic. We are the top most ranking Mobile app developing companies in Mumbai.
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Let’s see Mobile App Development Vs. Responsive Web Design
Mobile App or Responsive Web?
There are a couple key differences between responsive web design and mobile apps.
Responsive mobile design generally means that your site is designed specifically for mobile use. It will often be housed under a different URL and will attribute subsets of your desktop content that are suitable for mobile viewing. These pages will adapt to whatever screen size the user desires. We are the top most ranking Mobile app developing company in Mumbai.
Mobile apps, on the other hand, are specific applications customized to each Operating System (OS) that feature unique designs and codebases. In our mobile-crazed world, native mobile apps are becoming a popular choice for many sites that want to offer users a top-shelf experience.
We have compared two strategies for you to help and decide which will be the most suitable path for you.
Depending on the comparison criteria above, you can choose the most suitable and effective strategy to create a mobile presence for your website. At Innovins we have the best mobile app developer in Mumbai.
In Conclusion
As mobile use continues to grow worldwide, the “app vs web” question will remain a very real thought for organizations seeking to establish a mobile presence. If your mobile goals are mainly marketing-driven, or if your objective is to deliver content and establish a broad mobile presence that can be easily maintained, shared between users, and found on search engines, then the a mobile-friendly responsive website is the logical choice.
On the other hand, if your motto is to provide a user experience that feels more like a gaming interface or a computer program than a website, or if you need access to a user’s phone storage and native functions, then an app is probably going to be required. At Innovins we have the best mobile app developers in Mumbai.
It’s also important to remember that a mobile/responsive website and a native app are not needfully mutually exclusive. Ample of organizations have both a mobile-friendly public website for their general web presence, as well as a downloadable native app to adapt more particular requirements. In the end, it’s all about choosing the right tool for the job.
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The Best Mobile Marketing Strategy For Your App
The development of mobile apps continues to roll on. As apps move away from being standalone platforms and are integrated into comprehensive mobile strategies, many companies are re-thinking the reasons they started their mobile development journey in the first place.
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Did you know that there are over a million mobile apps in the app stores stores? With so many mobile apps out there, app-developers really need to have a strong marketing strategy to make sure their app is a success and is used by their customers. So what can you do to market your app, and ensure that users are finding and utilizing your unique app? We are the top most ranking Mobile app developing company in Mumbai.
Let us see The Best Mobile Marketing Strategy For Your App:
1.Early Releases and Regular Releases
This is a really crucial to do if you want to keep a loyal user base. Release features and upgrades to your app often. Word of mouth is the foremost way to market your app, hands down, so don’t be scared to tell your customers about it!
2.Create A Unique Mobile Offering
What do you understand by that? It means targeting a particular group of people or customers, or it could mean offering characteristic that no other app offers. In some instances, it could mean both. Make sure your app has something to offer that your competitor’s mobile solutions do not, and you’ll guarantee a user base. Make your mobile offering unique to your customers. We are the top most ranking Mobile app developing companies in Mumbai.
3.Expert Reviews
Every business sector has influential online analyst who hold a lot of rock with your potential customers. If you’re confident in your app’s quality and effectiveness, getting a optimistic online post from these individuals can strengthen your credibility amongst your target audience. At Innovins we have the best mobile app developer in Mumbai.
4.Optimize for the App Store
This one is really crucial. Just like search engines, you want to be able to be found when users look for apps like yours. You want to be the topmost result. You do this by applying the right keywords, titles and descriptions. Be careful your app comes up when related search topics are searched for. App store optimization is super essential, because without it, users may not ever know you exist.
5.Make Your App Fascinating
For small businesses, the name of the game is achieving functionality into your mobile app that your customers will actually profit from. Avoid creating an app just to have a signboard of your company in the app store and instead create an app that will show real utility to your customers.
6.Improve Your App
Your app should be easy to understand so that customers doesn’t switch to some other application. Every app needs tweaking, and you need to keep on top of any issues and negative user feedback to ensure word-of-mouth marketing remains positive. At Innovins we have the best mobile app developers in Mumbai.
7.Share Across Social Media
Marketing on social media has became a cake walk. Engaging in social media and using calls to action is also a really smart idea when marketing your app. Concentrate on letting your present audiences know that you’ve developed a mobile app with real useful functionality or content and they will surely check it out. They will also share the app on social media sites like twitter and Facebook to help further downloads for your business.
All of these things can bring big profits for your app and can help you achieve mobile success.
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Building your First Android App -Tutorial
There are a lot of ideas in the world. People have them every day, but most of these ideas are never executed. Innovation requires knowledge, action, and devotion that most people aren’t ready to commit to their ideas. Apps are a hot new frontier for ideas to flourish in, and for tinkerers and experimenters, Android is the platform of choice as the openness enables pretty much any idea to work. So how do you elevate yourself above those crowds of ideas that never go anywhere?
There are multiple avenues to turning an app idea into reality. The two basic options are to either build it yourself or to work with a development team.
Let’s take a look at the pros and cons and break down the basics of these two options.
Doing it yourself
This route requires a lot of learning. Android app development involves knowledge in many areas like coding the app, designing the UX, and sometimes requires supplemental technologies, such as web design or server architecture. Learning all of these skills will take a lot of time and effort, but if you have the patience and drive, then the skills you pick up will be valuable. Don’t expect to make anything too complex on your first go around though!
To offer a very barebones Android tutorial: apps are coded in Java, so that’s the language you’ll need to learn. There are tons of great learning resources out there online, or perhaps you’ll find something offered at local community colleges. This will be the first big hurdle to overcome, but once you are familiar with the language and are comfortable coding in it, you are ready to crack open the Android SDK. Many startups & entrepreneurs have built successful android apps powered by SDI.
Preparing the app is done through the Android Studio, which is available to Google Play developers. The Android SDK is very well documented, and there is a big community behind it which will be more than happy to help you when you get stuck. You’ll find plenty of detailed Android app tutorials to get you started with the basics. Android apps have a widespread reach in various sectors.
You’ll also find from Google a very comprehensive breakdown of design, which you should follow when creating the UI. You’ll probably need to pick up Photoshop or a free equivalent like GIMP 2 to do your design work and image manipulation. If you don’t know how to use those, it’s probably worth looking for some online classes or tutorials, because they aren’t exactly intuitive. It takes a lot of time to build these skills, but with the resources available online, it is often free to develop them as long as you are willing to put in some effort and eventually call yourself an independent android app maker.
Work with a team
Where doing it yourself costs time, working with a team will instead cost money. Funding either comes out of pocket, or from investors, and is used hire an android app development company to complete the project. The clear advantage here is that you get to work with people who are experts in the field, which means you’ll be free to pursue ideas and concepts that are as deep and as complex as you can imagine. Find out more how to build an app in 3 easy steps today and start your startup.
The downside is, of course, that you have to pay them. Pricing will vary greatly from company to company, so you’ll spend a while finding a good fit before the project can move forward. You can look for a portfolio of work to help gauge the potential expertise of a company as well.
Beginners Guide: How to Make an Android app
So you’ve got an app idea that you want to bring into the world? Here’s how to go about making that dream come true.
Concept
First things first: you need to write out what the app is and what it does. Start with a mission statement, like: “this app will assist users in finding and rating local dog parks.” A simple, to-the-point description of your goal goes a long way in helping you communicate the app’s purpose, as well as focusing your ideas around the central functionality.
Next you’ll want to detail the user experience that you envision: what elements does the user navigate when using the app? You’ll outline the “flow” of the user experience, each step along the path to achieving a goal, which screens lead to which other screens, and what information is displayed.
Design
The latest version of Android (Lollipop) introduced a new set of design standards called Material Design. This is mainly a flat design, but includes a shallow 3D layering for elements, giving the appearance of sheets of paper. App makers should take a look at Google’s Material Design documentation to see what that all means.
If you don’t have experience doing design and making assets in Photoshop (or other image manipulation tools) you will probably want to hire someone to help do the design for the app. It is imperative that the app look good and be clearly understandable at a glance if you want it to succeed.
However you go about creating these assets, you’ll need to have each screen’s content ready to go when programming the app.
Programming
Android apps are generally coded in Java through the Android SDK provided by Google. Google Play developer accounts are $25, this is a single-time payment which grants you access to everything you’ll need to build and publish an app on Google Play. This includes a very large knowledge-base and a good community of helpful app-makers who can help you out.
If you’re interested in reading a very comprehensive guide to the app development process, mainly aimed at aspiring coders, then Google provides a valuable “Building Your First App” guide that you can explore.
If you intend to hand off the programming duties to someone else, then you’ll still need to make your own dev account for submitting the app to Google Play. Your developer will use your design documents to create the app as you specify, and you can test each new build to make sure everything is proceeding on the right track.
Publish
Publishing is incredibly easy on Android. Once the app is finished, tested, and ready to go live, you simply log into your developer account and go to the Publish section to set up the launch of your app. Either you or your programmer will need to export the app as an APK (that’s a single file which houses the entire app. It’s what people download when they want to install your app).
You’ll need to provide the app’s official name, content rating, country’s for distribution, upload the APK, as well as the app’s icon & screenshots, choose a category and write a description which will display on the app store. There are a lot of options to fill in when it comes to how your app is listed, and it is important to use them if you want to maximize your visibility. If you are a startup ready to take the next step forward find out why startups and android app development go hand in hand.
Once all that information is given, you just have to accept the Terms & Conditions and click Publish. After a few minutes it will be live for the world to discover and download! Easy.
Consumer Android App Development for the Smart Business
Looking at the widespread popularity of mobile apps, it’s no surprise that business owners have been asking themselves how mobile apps might help their business. The solutions they’ve come up with vary as widely as the businesses themselves, and some are more successful at leveraging consumer mobile technology than others. Let’s take a look at a few great examples of consumer android apps to see how smart businesses can leverage mobility.
For these examples, we are going to focus on Android for two reasons:
- Android has a wider audience around the globe, and;
- Android is more open in a few areas, allowing greater flexibility
Banking
Here’s a super-popular example to help set the stage: Chase Mobile is the premier banking app on the market. It offers a plethora of features for bank and credit card users to manage their accounts on the go. Simply packaging many common customer needs into a mobile app produced an incredibly valuable experience for users.
The benefit to Chase is that the resulting app is so good that it serves as one of the prime selling points for attracting new customers. People join Chase just to get the benefits of using their mobile app, and users remain loyal to the bank because leaving would mean giving up the stellar mobile service they rely on.
Brick and Mortar Retail
There are many different examples in this category, all providing basically similar services, through different retailers may serve wildly different audiences. For example, the Safeway official Android app offers consumers a way to make lists, view promotions and sales, and find locations. All of these services are meant to get people through the doors, because Safeway makes its money on people buying groceries. Similarly, the Best Buy offers a selection of features suited to it’s wares, again focused on bringing people into the store. Browse products, locate stores, find deals, etc. These apps serve to provide simple, but convenient services to customers, while serving as a great marketing tool for the retail stores.
mCommerce
Some retail businesses go a different route with mobile devices. Rather than bring people into your existing store, the app can serve as a mobile storefront. Online sellers already have infrastructure for shipping products, but brick-and-mortar stores can easily adapt to such an arrangement. An app serves as a capable tool for closing sales by enabling customer orders no matter where the customer happens to be when the need strikes them. This immediacy is a big advantage over other sales (whether online or in-store). The Amazon Shopping app is the undisputed leader when it comes to mCommerce, but you don’t have to be a behemoth like Amazon to succeed with a similar strategy.
Other Services
Common business sectors like transportation, insurance, dining, etc. can all benefit from successful mobile app development by extending services to users on the go!
To break down those examples:
- Taxi companies of all sizes can make it easier to schedule rides or calculate fares, bringing them above the competition. For example, the Taxi Cab app was built by Innovins for a local Silicon Valley company.
- Progressive has a popular app for managing insurance, which improves customer satisfaction and loyalty, much like Chase Banking.
- Countless restaurants have apps for making reservations, ordering for pick-up/delivery or simply browsing a convenient menu while you plan your night.
The key is to find the services your customers want and offer them in a more convenient, mobile package. Here’s an example that’s a bit outside of the box, which reveals how flexible apps can be for consumers:
DAMECO is an app that streamlines real estate appraisals. When financing or refinancing a home, the borrower must apply for a loan, which means the lender needs to get a report on the property from a licensed residential appraiser; but in order to ensure impartiality during this process, it’s illegal for the lender to have any communication with the appraiser—which is where appraisal management steps in to act as an intermediary. DAMECO realized that there was an opportunity here to steam line that process by moving it onto a digital platform through a mobile app. Take a look at our stunning portfolio of leading apps that can give you ideas for your business.
Android Wear 2.0: new standalone devices
Smartwatches were hailed, at one point in time, as the next big thing when it came to mobile technology. The industry took the nostalgia from the era of Dick Tracy talking into his watch and catapulted it to the modern age of technology. Everyone is now comfortable interacting with their smartphones, tablets and other hypermobile devices, but for the main part smartwatches have been treated more as a novelty rather than as the powerful and revolutionary devices that they really are. This is especially true when it came to the smartwatches that were being powered by Google’s Android operating system.
Google created the Android Wear OS for smartwatches.Just like it did with its smartphones, Google has allowed third party manufacturers to create and develop devices that will then run Android Wear. Sounds great in theory, and everyone else thought so. However, as devices were released new challenges faced Google and its smartwatch manufacturers like Samsung. There were two main gripes regarding Android Wear devices. The first was that there really weren’t any apps that were specifically built for Android Wear devices. The smartphone and tablet versions of the app merely sent a notification to the smartwatch in most instances. The second was that in order for the Android Wear device to function, even moderately, the smartphone needed to be in close proximity. Even though the devices look and functioned great, it was not as interactive as a smartphone and the overall user experience was much lower than expected. Google has pressed forward, and with their latest update of the Android Wear OS (appropriately named 2.0), has sought to bridge the gap in user experience and functionality.
It seemed that there was a cumulative sigh of relief from both Android Wear users and the industry when Google finally released the much anticipated update to its Android Wear OS. Android Wear 2.0 is chock full of features, some of which users have been clamoring for, while others are innovative designs. The people have spoken and Google listened, the new Android Wear 2.0 smartwatches no longer need to be tethered to a smartphone to be all that it can be, so mobile app developers should be aware of this too. These will be standalone Android devices and can function just as well away from a smartphone as it does when it is close by. Want to go on a lightweight run without strapping on or holding your smartphone? No problem, the new Android Wear 2.0 devices will provide you with the majority of your needs, from logging and tracking our run to giving you the ability to answer messages.
Native apps are now available for Android Wear devices. In fact, they can be downloaded from Google Play directly onto the smartwatch, just as you would install any other mobile app. No need to go through a smartphone or laptop middleman to load the app into the watch. From the outset the following apps were available to download: Foursquare, Runkeeper, Runtastic, Uber, Google Fit, Google Maps, Google Messenger, Google Play Music, and Android Pay. Admittedly, this is a small list… for now. The truth is that the Android Wear market is subset of the smartphone market, so as of now it is understandable to see why mobile app developers would shy away from developing smartwatch specific versions of their apps. Mobile app development companies must first ask themselves if there is enough of an audience of user base there for them to invest the resources and effort to coding for Android Wear. But also remember that the Android Wear market is still young, in its infancy really. As it grows and the adoption rate increases, expect more and more mobile app developers to code smartwatch versions of their apps.
Google has also upped the interactivity factor. Users can now utilize an on-screen keyboard, in the event that they want to reply by hand to some message that they receive. If smashing their fingers on a tiny keyboard is too much of a hassle for them, users can now write directly on the face of the watch and have the letters recognized and put into words. Google knew that handwriting and typing on a small keyboard would get tiring and old quick, and has therefore included the Smart Reply feature. This feature learns your writing habits and conversation patterns, and would suggest the next word while you are typing or scrawling letters.
For those who want to forego manual writing or typing, or even touching their smartwatch to scan the web, Google has included their powerful and revolutionary Google Assistant voice-operated quasi-AI. The user need merely utter “OK Google”, and the voice-activated Google Assistant awakens and is ready to handle your queries, questions and requests. Ask it to open your calendar, emails, search for the weather or even execute tasks like send messages.
“Complications” is the name that Google has given its feature which seems to have the most potential. One can think of Complications as an app shortcut or glanceable information that resides right on the watches face. This new feature allows Watch Face designers to create face designs that will have spaces that can display apps or notifications. Mobile app Developers, on the other hand, are given the opportunity to have parts of their apps to appear in these spaces, as complications. This increases both the interaction that the user would have with their watch (as they swipe left and right to access different watch faces, and access apps and information through the complication), and the overall user experience. Complications help immerse a user in the use of both the apps and the device itself.
Now this sounds all well and good, but unfortunately the majority of smartwatches in the field (which accounts for both ones available in the marketplace and ones already in possession of the users) are not able to take full advantage of the features described for Android Wear 2.0. These devices simply do not have the firmware built into them to access the features. LG has stepped up to the plate and their latest offerings; the LG Watch Sportand LG Watch Style, will be the first devices to run on the new Android Wear 2.0 OS. But, the bright side is that things can only go up from here. Expect the other Android Wear device manufacturers to follow suit, so be on the lookout for new releases by Asus, Huawei, Lenovo, Tag Heuer and Fossil throughout the coming months.
Surprisingly, Samsung who initially championed all things Android has fallen off the map when it comes to a device brandishing the Android Wear 2.0 OS. The reason for this is slightly political. It seems that Samsung has prioritized the development and promotion of its own smartwatch OS, the Tizen system. So, while they may eventually get around to releasing a new Samsung Gear powered by Android Wear 2.0, the reality is that a device with their proprietary OS will be released first.
Finally, while it is a good thing that some mobile app development companies have embraced the idea of Android Wear 2.0 and have adapted their apps to run natively on these devices, the vast majority of the market has yet to catch on. However, the mobile app developers of popular messaging platforms, Pulse SMS 2.0 and Telegram, are leading the way by producing versions of their popular apps specifically for Android Wear 2.0 devices. That means that users are able to get as much functionality out of these apps from their smartwatches as they do from their smartphones or tablets. Undoubtedly, more app developers will follow suit. It is after all, a new market and a new way to get their work in front of users. The future is bright for Android Wear, its OS and the devices it runs on.
