Mobile App Development Best Practices

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The rising adoption of mobile apps has been driven partly by changing consumer lifestyles. The accelerated uptake of mobile applications is due to the increased need by consumers to shop, bank, communicate, and socialize on social platforms. Thus, mobile apps will continue to have diverse applications in many users’ lives.

There’s no doubt that as the world continues to move faster, business people, from frontline staff to executives, will want to draw insight into their business processes. That’s why NS804 launched mobile app development for individuals and businesses, putting the power of AI-driven and search analytics in the hands of executives and employees.

The global mobile app market was estimated to be $154.05 billion in 2019, and it’s projected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 11% from 2020 to 2027. The demand for mobile apps will grow mainly due to internet infiltration, smartphone proliferation, and emerging technologies such as; artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the cloud.

Although the global app market is expected to grow, generating millions of revenues to companies and reaching out to millions of new users, experts predict that not all apps will meet the evolving demand for new apps. That is why 80% of apps developed nowadays fail.

Below, we look at mobile app development best practices:

Mobile App Development Best Practices

1. Unique Value Proposition

Many individuals and start-ups fail to establish an original idea for a mobile application and copy their competitors. Without a unique value proposition, your app is likely to fail and get lost in a myriad of apps out there.

2. User Experience

According to research by Intechnic, users abandon downloaded apps after three or fewer attempts if they find the app problematic. The reason users have a poor app experience is due to unintuitive navigation, long loading times, low latency, and a long registration process. It’s advisable to blend intuitive and useful experiences in the following ways:

  • Reduce the effort required by users to get what they want
  • Break large chunks into smaller manageable portions
  • Offload tasks by setting smart defaults
  • Allow users to save actions and re-engage later. Users expected to continue the browsing journey after leaving the app for a while
  • Focus on user goals but avoid overwhelming users with too many actions
  • Home the pinboard setup – ensure simple walkthroughs, faster email setups followed by onboarding.

A superior user experience leads to higher conversions and retention.

3. User Interface

Make app content the interface and remove unnecessary elements that do not support user tasks. Cards are considered great elements to display actionable content. And it’s advisable to keep the app interfaces light. Remember that the most successful apps are focused on a limited set of features. So, limit your feature set and prioritize what’s important, and cut off the clutter.

Another way of improving the user interface is by using a typeface that works perfectly well in different sizes to maintain usability, functionality, and readability in every endpoint. In addition, use adequate contrast for text because insufficient contrast makes the text blend with the app’s background. Strive for a minimum contrast of 4:5:1 for image text and body text to achieve sufficient contrast.

Other tips for making interfaces invisible include:

  • Use content prioritization to improve the UX and simplify the UI
  • Use direct and simple language for clarity
  • Use legible font size

The user interface is the browsing surface of any mobile application and the lifeblood of any user engagement and user retention.

4. Problem Solving

Most businesses fail to define a specific user problem and thus do not solve a specific demand. If you design an app that’s fully functional and provides a superior user experience but fails to solve a problem, your app cannot be successful. A well-defined problem may sound something like this, “I am a young professional who’s focused on my career and professional development. I work long hours and do not have time to prepare healthy meals. I want to eat better and to pursue a healthier lifestyle.”

5. Monetization Strategy

Businesses conduct thorough market and consumer research, define their goals, prioritize their strategies and build an app that solves users’ problems. However, they still fail to make money off their app development efforts. That is due to the lack of a good monetization strategy. By launching it, you might attract and retain users but still fail to monetize the app.

6. Prioritize Security

It may not seem like a pressing concern right now, especially at the nascent development stages. However, when you critically think about your app for a minute, you realize it will have tons of sensitive information and data. The app will hold information about the company and its stakeholders – customers, employees, suppliers, and partners.

Depending on what your app is used for, you could be collecting sensitive payment information such as credit cards. You’ll have access to information such as phone numbers, email addresses, and everything else provided. It’s your responsibility as the app owner to protect your data. That’s why you need to prioritize security from the onset.

Users may hesitate to provide you with their information if your app is insecure. If security gets breached, it will have far-reaching implications by damaging your brand and making it impossible to recover. One best practice for mobile app development is to use encryption like the two-factor authentication TFA to protect sensitive data.

7. Test and Test Again!

Tests need to be run throughout the app development process. Don’t wait until the end to test the app’s performance, that’s too late to notice any anomalies. It’s much harder to identify and solve problems if tests are not run periodically. One best way to test your app development is with beta testers.

You can try using online resources and tools from the Beta Family to put you in contact with superior testers. You can identify crashes, bugs, and even error reports with beta testers. If you cannot run diagnostic tests yourself, outsourced mobile app developers can assist you with your app development process to ensure a smooth and successful delivery.

8. Simple, Discoverable Navigation

Navigation should inspire users to interact and engage with the content. The navigation should be implemented in a way that supports the structure of the app without bringing attention to itself. The navigation should be accessible and discoverable without occupying too much screen space. Indeed, navigation should accommodate the needs of the app users.

To make navigation simple and discoverable, assign priority levels to common user tasks. Give prominence in the user interface to destinations and paths with frequent use and high priority levels. Ensure that navigation is available at all times, not just when users anticipate using the app. Minimize the user’s memory load by making features available and ready to use.

Other ways to make navigation simple include:

  • Communicate location using location indicators
  • Icon and graphics elements must help users understand menu options
  • Make interaction easy
  • Hidden navigation affects engagement, slows down exploration, and confuses users.
  • Reduce search efforts. For instance, if “search” is a primary function, it should be in front of people. You can display the “search” icon at the top or have a reference that activates search mode anytime and anywhere.

Simple navigation with labels and icons helps with user experience, interaction, and retention.

NS804 – Accelerating Your Mobile App Adoption

NS804 provides superior mobile app development solutions. As a partner from concept to completion, NS804 works with individuals, businesses, and market leaders to identify and optimize market opportunities with innovative app solutions. With specialties in IOS, android app development, minimum viable product MVP, and app optimization, NS804 can help you bridge any development gaps.

Contact NS804 for superior, best-in-class app development solutions.

Best Android Apps To Install On Your Phone

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It’s never easy compiling a list of the best Android apps. After all, there are a plethora of excellent apps available for download on Google Play. But there are also many low-quality and gimmicky apps that are a complete waste of time. And then, some apps pose a serious cybersecurity risk, which you should avoid downloading in the first place.

Thus, the criteria for choosing apps to add to our list is straightforward. We focused on best-in-class apps that ooze quality, are snappy, and solve users’ problems effectively.

And we disqualified apps that have redundant features, lack regular updates, and suffer from ongoing issues. We also didn’t add any Google apps, as many come pre-installed with Android devices.

1. Brave Private Web Browser

Surfing the web has become increasingly risky recently. That’s because hackers use vulnerabilities found in browser extensions and websites to harm users. And given that the Android platform is often a target for these bad actors, most browsers don’t offer sufficient protection.

But that’s where Brave Private Web Browser comes in. It’s fast, lightweight, and secure and doesn’t overwhelm users with unnecessary features. And its built-in blockers are very effective at dealing with those pesky ads, cookies, and scripts.

2. GitHub

Every appreneur and software engineer should have the GitHub app installed on their Android phone. With many development teams working remotely, it’s essential to have a tool that allows them to collaborate while using the world’s most popular code repository.

GitHub makes it easy to merge and review pull requests, respond to comments, and provide feedback. It’s also lightweight and boasts a clutterless and intuitive user interface (UI).

3. Microsoft Office: Edit & Share

We couldn’t make a list of the best Android apps without including Microsoft’s flagship productivity app. Microsoft Office: Edit & Share is the swiss army knife of productivity tools, as it allows users to create documents, presentations, and spreadsheets. It’s also great for taking notes and viewing PDFs.

And as a testament to its power and versatility, this very article was written entirely in Microsoft Office on a mid-range Samsung Galaxy. It’s such an essential app that every executive, office worker, or student should have it installed.

4. Todoist: To-Do List & Tasks

Todoist: To-Do List & Tasks boasts over 20 million users and has received Google’s Editor’s Choice in 2020. And while there are many good to-do list apps in Google Play, few have an equivalent and comprehensive set of features.

Its clean and simple UI makes it easy for users to organize tasks, set reminders, and keep track of progress. Moreover, it integrates flawlessly with Amazon Alexa, Gmail, Google Calendar, and Slack. And it’s designed to run on a wide variety of devices, including the Wear OS Smartwatch. With so much going for it, it’s little wonder that it made our best Android apps list. 

5. Viber – Safe Chats And Calls

There are many good voice chat and messenger apps on Google Play, so this was a difficult choice. But we opted for Viber for several reasons. For one, it’s renowned for its rock-solid end-to-end encryption, giving users high levels of privacy and security.

Secondly, Viber users can make low-cost international costs and even communicate with those using landlines. It’s a feature that makes it stand out from most of its competitors and a good reason for businesses to use it. And thirdly, it boasts a large and vibrant community of users and includes excellent group chat capabilities. And it even syncs and transmits messages to the Wear OS Smartwatch.

The Bottom Line

Our list of the best Android apps is short but squarely focussed on the applications that can unlock the true potential of your smartphone. You’re carrying a powerful device in your pocket that’s an indispensable business machine, provided you install the right apps.

Contact NS804 to learn how we’ll help you create phenomenal Android apps to empower and engage your users.

5 Questions to Ask Before Choosing an App Development Partner

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Choosing the right app development partner can make the difference between a stalled project and one that runs smoothly to completion. The right developer must understand your business needs, budget, and working methods. They must make the right customizations without sacrificing the quality of the product. Here are some important questions to ask before choosing an app development partner.

1. Ask for their Portfolio

Before settling on a development partner, it’s important to establish that they have the right experience working on projects like yours. Inquire about app projects they have handled before and the popularity of such apps. If possible, find those apps and review their UI/UX designs and performance. App development contracts are expensive to cancel because of the sunk costs you’ll have incurred. Pick the right partner.

2. Get a Quote

App development is an expensive undertaking. Software engineers in the US earn over $100 an hour. Therefore, you’ll need a development partner that can deliver projects within your budget range. Get a detailed breakdown of the round figure they provide. Ensure they include any costs that may arise after the initial launch. It’s best to have the development partner remain on board well beyond the launch to help you with subsequent versions of the app.

3. Ask About Communication Methods

The working methods of the development company need to be agreeable for you. It’s best when they can provide a lead through whom all communication passes. They should be able to give weekly reports on the progress of the project. Inquire about how the company has handled communication during previous projects and any challenges that might have arisen. If they offer genuine feedback, that’s a good sign. Similarly, your business should have picked a liaison to follow up on the project with the vendor’s lead.

4. Inquire On Security Measures

App security is a grave matter, especially for e-commerce apps. Therefore, ask about the security challenges that the developer expects and the measures they will put up. If your business needs a consultant, you can involve one in the process to help pick the best development partner.

Once the development phase is done, there needs to be thorough testing to establish that indeed any security issues have been addressed.

5. Get a Timeline of the Delivery Process

A major challenge for many app development projects is that they extend beyond the intended deadline. Ask the prospective developer to identify milestones for the projects and the deadline for each. This will help you hold them to account. Holding weekly stand-ups with the developers is helpful in ensuring that any delays are caught early. Reasonable extensions can be granted. Requesting milestones sends the message to the developer that the client is really invested in the project.

Hire a Top Mobile App Development Company

If your business is searching for an app development partner, NS804 is here to help. We have helped hundreds of businesses build successful apps. Our team will help you through the development process from inception to the delivery and maintenance of your app. Contact us today to get a free quote.

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2022 Mobile App Development Trends

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The global mobile app market is on a rising trajectory and will continue to boom in the years to come. According to Statista, global revenues from mobile applications will reach $613 billion before 2025, up from $316 billion in 2020.

With this development and projected growth comes plenty of opportunities for developers to optimize their app development efforts by delivering the best to the end-users. As 2022 unfolds, it’s critical to look at trends that will dominate the app development marketplace.

Why Cast Sight into the Future?

Software development personnel play a central role in driving revenues for their companies. Apps that fulfill a specific need, are unique in fulfilling particular goals, and extend a superior user experience will see the highest levels of adoption and retention. Simply, the more the users, the more the revenues.

You need to understand and adopt the latest trends in mobile app development to ensure your app ticks these boxes of usability, adoption, and retention. The better you translate these app trends into your app, the more users your app can attract.

2022 Mobile App Development Trends

2020 is undoubtedly the year that the more fringe applications will become more mainstream – artificial intelligence, 5G, augmented reality, virtual reality VR, and machine learning will see increased adoption to meet the evolving needs of the modern consumer.

As peoples’ lives become increasingly sophisticated, this complexity extends to how they shop, communicate, and access information. Below, we discuss crucial trends that will define the mobile app marketplace in 2022.

1. 5G Technology

5G technology is on track to becoming the gold standard for mobile communication, even though it’s not presently mainstream. The 5G technology market is poised to reach $620 billion by 2030. And with user-friendly benefits like low latency, faster data transfer, and increased performance speeds, the time for your app to support 5G is now. The 5G technology will change the way we build and use apps, efficiency and speed will substantially improve, and here are a few more things to expect:

  • 5G will be up 100 times faster than 4G
  • Latency will reduce from 50 milliseconds to 1 millisecond
  • With less latency, higher resolution, and superior performance – video apps will improve significantly.
  • Data transfer between devices will be faster and more fulfilling
  • 5G will allow developers to build superior features
  • Mobile payments will be more secure because of the faster processing of biometric data

Overall, 5G will make apps smoother, faster, and more efficient in their operation.

2. IoT and Cloud Technology

Mobile-connected endpoint devices and the internet of things (IoT) technology have been there for years, but their market is projected to grow to $1 trillion by 2023. The biggest drivers behind cloud and IoT adoption are security and increased concerns of business continuity processes. Indeed, with over $120 billion spent on IT security in 2019 alone, it’s easy to see why enterprises are looking for cloud and IoT as alternative security solutions. Cloud and IoT have other benefits including; improved efficiency, operational efficiency, and interoperability.

3. Blockchain Technology

Blockchain technology has emerged as a powerful force in protecting and safeguarding information, data, and resources. Blockchain is a digitally distributed and decentralized ledger located across a network. Blockchain is immutable, decentralized, and consensual, which means it can achieve faster settlements with enhanced security.

What makes blockchain a forerunner this year is that there has always been a security concern and misuse of data among app developers. Fortunately, blockchain solves security problems with its powerful characteristics – immutability, decentralization, and distribution.

Blockchain allows enterprises and organizations to create decentralized databases; which means that these databases do not need a company or a service provider to act as a gatekeeper. Blockchain solves a long-standing culture of data bureaucracy by bringing data control to the hands of users.

4. Augmented Reality AR and Virtual Reality VR

Pokémon Go was short-lived but it propelled the adoption of AR in mobile app development. Pokémon Go showed the world that we could use virtual reality to offer an immersive experience to viewers.

Today, there are several scenarios of brands using AR and VR to enhance user experience:

  • L’Oréal make-up app allows users to see their make-ups before purchase
  • IKEA uses augmented reality to let users see how furniture will look in their homes before purchasing
  • Lenskart lets buyers virtually experiment with glasses before purchasing them

This year, we will see AR and VR dominating the mobile app market in ways we can never imagine. The AR and VR market will rise from $25 billion in 2018 to $210 billion in 2022. Brands and businesses are expected to see a spike in VR and AR this year.

5. Artificial Intelligence AI and Machine Learning ML

In efforts to deliver personalized experiences to the end users, AI that utilizes predictive analytics algorithms will be an important element to consider. AI is important for speech recognition, navigation, and natural language processing. In addition, behavioral algorithms can improve security by analyzing user behavior and detecting fraud and information breaches.

6. PWAs and Instant Apps

Progressive web apps PWAs are becoming popular because they bridge the gap left by native web pages and apps. Benefits like faster loading time, reduced dependency on internet connections, and automatic updates make PWAs a darling to both consumers and brands.

In addition, instant apps are gaining popularity because they allow users to test the app before downloading it. While it appears that designing a simple app experience may reduce users’ app loyalty, it appears the opposite is true. Instant apps have a higher conversion rate and different testing requirements than native apps.

7. Mobile Commerce

Years ago, platforms like eBay and Amazon took precedence in the mobile commerce marketplace. But with exciting developments, the e-commerce trend has been phased out and substituted by mobile commerce.

As more shoppers prefer online shopping, retailers are adopting progressive web apps PWA (native apps) to improve user experiences. The mobile commerce marketplace is projected to hit $23 billion by the end of 2022 simply because many B2C and B2B companies have seen an increase in user engagement, revenue growth, and conversion rates after building an app for their business.

8. Wearable App Integration

According to Statista, there will be 1.1 billion wearables by 2022, and the most common connections made using connected wearable devices. Wearable app integration is another way to bring convenience to users, with users receiving updates, notifications, and messages about their health and wellbeing.

According to research, the ability to receive messages and notifications is the highest-ranking function of wearables in the United States. In the wearable market, fitness tracking has seen remarkable growth with the rise in health wellness among the general population. So, wearable app integration is likely to dominate most mobile applications as 2022 unfolds.

9. Beacon Technology

Since its inception in 2013, Beacons are gaining relevance among retailers and wholesalers alike. For consumers, Beacon transmitters connect and transmit data to connected devices, making interaction and location-based searching faster and more accurate. The convenience of mobile apps has accelerated the adoption of Beacon technology, making it a win-win for consumers and retailers. For businesses, beacon technology allows them to understand shopping habits – turning this data into a personalized shopping experience.

NS804 – Spearheading Your Mobile App Transformation

With the Covid-19 pandemic accelerating the need for consumers to move online, there is a new demand to deliver personalized and intuitive user experiences to customers. The 2022 mobile app development trends reflect this trajectory and increasingly focus on user satisfaction. Incorporating these trends in your mobile app roadmap will enable you to succeed now and beyond.

Best IOS Apps To Install on Your phone

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You just unwrapped a shiny iPhone. That’s probably the best feeling to welcome the New Year, and something to smile about.

The next step is to install some apps to get you started. While you could just install the apps you’re familiar with, this is a great time to try something new. It doesn’t matter whether you’re rocking a new iPhone SE or iPhone 13; here are some apps that are just better than what came pre-installed in your iPhone.

1. Spark Mail

Listen, Apple’s mail app is perfectly fine. Google’s Gmail is marginally better. Microsoft’s Outlook is a favorite of many for a reason. But Spark Mail is solid, simple, and easy to customize. This mailing app gives you the option of toggling on smart notifications. You don’t receive notifications you subscribed to years ago.

2. Facebook Messenger

Whatever your take is in the social network of record, Facebook’s Messenger is without equal. Messenger can be used in any endpoint device; you don’t need a phone number to use it. The app works on every platform, unlike iMessage. Facebook messenger has many cool features like video chatting, audio calling, and mobile payments.

3. Widgetsmith

Apple makes it easier for users to customize their phones with iPhone 14, offering easier methods and new widgets for custom application icons. One of the biggest names around when it comes to the iPhone is Widgetsmith, which lets users add quotes, texts, images, and more. Widgetsmith can be integrated with smart icon swaps, and you have a perfectly customized iPhone.

4. Libby

The pandemic has made it hard to access libraries and physical bookstores. But if you have a smartphone, you can get to the best thing: Libby, which lets you borrow audiobooks and eBooks from the local library. The app is a superior reading application to enjoy books without a dedicated endpoint like Kindle.

5. TikTok

TikTok has exploded to become the most downloaded app on the planet, with everything from comedy sketches, internet memes, and a fully-fledged musical. Without a doubt, it’s the most fun place on the internet. When you add in an algorithm that marginally displays videos perfectly suited to your tastes, you’ve got almost unlimited content to watch.

6. Tweetbot

Twitter is a horrible way to spend your time these days, but if you can’t tear yourself away from Twitter, you’ll want a Tweetbot that makes Twitter less boring and interesting. Tweetbot displays the tweets of those you follow in the order they tweeted. There are no promoted tweets or ads and powerful mute filters to block noise. Thanks to Twitter-friendly API tweaks, there are no notifications to ping you to return to the app.

7. Strava

If you want to stick to your resolutions and be more active and productive this year, no app does it better than Strava. You don’t need a smartwatch or a fitness tracker; Strava supports many activities, including staples like walking, biking, and running. Strava has third-party integrations, making it easy to use and a hub for your exercise goals. Alongside challenges that allow you to earn points on fitness gears, Strava has several safety features and many ways to measure your progress.

NS804 – Gearing Mobile App Development Efforts

If you’re searching for an app for your brand, or a business looking to reinforce your brand and market positioning, contact NS804 for iOS app development solutions.

Is the App Store the only distribution marketplace for my app?

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Once you have a minimum viable product, you want to get your app to users so that you start receiving feedback and improving gradually. The most obvious places to get your app listed is the Android’s Google Play Store and App Store for iOS. However, there are a few more mobile app distribution platforms that could increase the visibility for your app. Some of these stores will also take a smaller share of the revenue generated by your app.

Firefox Marketplace

The Firefox Marketplace is an official store for apps meant to be used by Firefox Operating System devices. If you are in the business of creating Open Web Apps, then the Firefox Marketplace is a great place to publish.

Amazon App Store

The Amazon Store allows developers to list apps meant for Android, iOS, and web platforms. Amazon gives your apps the chance to be seen by users from more than 200 countries. Creating a developer account on Amazon is free and allows you to use their APIs at no cost too. If your app is a paid app, Amazon pays you 70% of the revenue generated.

GETJAR

This is a platform that allows developers to create apps for different platforms including iOS, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, and Java. The platform also allows the publishing of those apps for a global audience. It’s quite a popular platform that gets more than 3 million app downloads every day.

Mobango

This platform is free to publish apps for iOS, Blackberry, Android, Java, Symbian, and Windows Mobile. The app allows you to pay to promote your app. You can increase visibility by paying to have your app featured in their premium section. Interestingly, the amount is only billed whenever the app gets a download. This allows you to track the impact of your marketing efforts. They provide a dashboard to track important metrics of your app’s visibility.

To learn more about app development and distribution, contact us through our website.

How to Achieve App Store Success: Tips and Tricks

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Even seasoned developers need a few tips and tricks to succeed in today’s crowded app marketplace. According to Statista, there are approximately 2.2 million mobile apps on the App Store and 3 million on Google Play. Now, let that sink in!

But if you go in prepared with a well-conceived plan, you can enjoy phenomenal success in 2022 and beyond. There’s no reason why the mobile apps you’ve worked so hard on should fail to find their audience. Below, we provide several helpful tips and tricks to make app store success a reality.

Have An App Store Optimization Checklist Handy

One of the most crucial tools at your disposal is the app store optimization checklist. And that’s because it will help you focus on the key processes that lead to success. Without this checklist, you’ll waste valuable time figuring out what works and what doesn’t. Here are the ten things your app store optimization checklist should contain:

  • App store SEO tools
  • Keyword research
  • Adding local keywords of the target market
  • Checking on competitors and their keywords
  • Creating engaging icons
  • Creating impactful videos
  • Capturing screenshots
  • Picking a catchy and distinctive app name
  • Updating app description
  • Encouraging user reviews

Tips And Tricks On Getting Featured On The App Stores

The above checklist will go a long way in securing some level of success. But if you want your mobile apps to steal the show, there’s only one way to do this — and that’s by getting featured on the App Store and Google Play. While this isn’t easy by any stretch, it’s more than worth the effort. 

First and foremost, you’ll need to create a high-quality app that’s meaningful to users. That’s an app that runs smoothly and takes advantage of the latest OS and mobile phone features. Furthermore, you’ll need to quash any bugs and closely follow the developer guidelines set by Apple and Google.

Then, put in the time and effort to localize your app for all target markets. Optimizing for local languages and cultures not only wins over new audiences but also increases your chances of getting featured in foreign app stores. 

More importantly, listen to your audience and update your app regularly, as this will improve your ratings and downloads. Both Apple and Google take performance metrics seriously and will usually only feature apps with 4.5 stars or higher.

Network And Build Relationships

For the majority of developers, getting featured is a long-term process. But it’s possible to speed things up by networking and building relationships with key people in Apple and Google. That’s why you should always budget for travel expenses and ticket costs to attend Apple’s WWDC. Currently, Google keeps its Android Dev Summit a free online virtual event.

Attending such events helps keep you informed about upcoming developments that will benefit your endeavors. But they also present opportunities to connect with the right people that can play a decisive role in your success. Familiarize these people with your company and the apps you develop and build a relationship based on your mutual interests in releasing amazing apps. 

If it’s not possible to attend these events, always reach out via LinkedIn and other social media channels. Better yet, try to locate the app store contact responsible for your local or target market.

The Bottom Line

The tips and tricks we’ve provided will help narrow the gap between an app fading into obscurity and one bound for success. It’s hard work creating mobile apps that connect with today’s audiences and breach those vaunted top app store rankings. Contact NS804 today to learn how we can help you develop apps that rank and succeed. 

Mobile App Design Do’s and Don’ts

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Mobile app design may seem easy, but it’s not. An inexperienced or overconfident developer may think they can cobble together the mobile UI at the last minute. But that results in a clunky and unintuitive mobile app that only offers a frustrating and poor user experience. That’s why many of the best app developers have at least one UI/UX designer on the team that focuses exclusively on design.

But what if you’re an appreneur or startup that’s new to mobile app development? Perhaps, you haven’t had the time or funding to hire an experienced UI/UX designer. Or you possess some design skills of your own but don’t quite know how to apply these to your mobile apps. Please don’t fret, as we’re about to reveal several handy tips to help you out!

Mobile App Design Must Do’s

Your app’s success largely depends on how well you go about creating a fantastic user experience. Therefore, it’s crucial to be detail-oriented and have a checklist of the following must-do tasks. 

1. Study The App Market And Latest Mobile UI Trends

The app market is very dynamic and changes constantly. And what was popular two years ago may no longer appeal to today’s audience. That’s why you should study the top trending apps in the marketplace carefully and consistently.

Start by using the storefronts themselves, and see what apps appear in the top spots. Google Play makes things even easier for you, as it shows an estimation of downloads of every app.

Then, download and try out several of the most successful apps to see what makes them tick. More importantly, pay close attention to their mobile UI to determine whether they offer a satisfactory user experience. And study all their UI elements, such as the app bar, checkboxes, buttons, menus, and other interactive touch targets. 

Spend time spotting notable design trends in all of these. See if they’re using rounded or square corners on checkboxes and menus. Moreover, see if they use flat shading, glass effects, gradients, shadows, or 3D UI elements. And take inspiration from any impressive mobile UI animations, motion design, and other visual effects.

2. Keep Your Mobile UI Clean And Functional

Given that the mobile app market is incredibly competitive, you may want to outdo your rivals. Perhaps, you’re developing a music-making app and plan to offer more features than BandLab or FL Studio Mobile. But the reason these apps are so successful is due to their ease-of-use and clean, uncluttered mobile UI.

And if we take a deeper look at FL Studio Mobile, we’ll find that it’s a significantly stripped-down iteration of the desktop version. The desktop version is a professional suite used by producers behind many hit songs. It’s also a fairly complex tool with a bit of a learning curve, especially for newcomers to digital music production. Furthermore, its UI may seem overwhelming to many and have them searching through the manual.

The developers behind FL Studio knew that this comprehensive production suite would never work on mobile. So they created a simple, inviting, and colorful UI without the bells and whistles found in the desktop version. 

Therefore, instead of offering users everything but the kitchen sink, give them only the bare essentials. A clean, minimalist mobile UI that allows users to quickly and intuitively create professional-sounding songs will win the day. You can always add more features later, specifically when users ask for these.

3. Reward User Input With The Appropriate Feedback

Your mobile app design should focus squarely on what users want. And nowadays, users prefer snappy and responsive apps that look visually stunning. They also need apps to immediately register their actions and provide visual cues that this has happened successfully. That’s why it’s crucial to have a well-implemented input and feedback mechanism with every app you ship.

So how do you about creating such a mechanism? Firstly, you should make your app as tap-friendly as possible. Ensure that all buttons and other touch targets on the screen are easily identifiable. The last thing you want is users repeatedly tapping on a checkbox or menu that doesn’t register their taps because it’s too small, not positioned correctly, or incorrectly conveys its intended use. 

And secondly, implement mobile UI animations and transition effects to show that the app has registered the tap. A button may display a blink effect soon after a finger tap, or a menu item may quickly slide sideways and fade after a swipe. And if you work with a UI/UX designer or an experienced app developer such as NS804, they’ll come up with many more imaginative ways to enhance your input and feedback mechanism.

Mobile App Design Don’ts

Creating amazing apps that will keep users engaged is very difficult but rewarding work. Yet even the most experienced developers can ship substandard apps if they make the following mistakes.

1. Implementing Poor User Flow 

There’s nothing worse than users trying out an app and then quickly giving up in frustration and subsequently uninstalling it from their phones.

So why is this such a common occurrence, and why are so many appreneurs and developers getting it wrong? A primary reason why this happens is due to poor user flow. Either most developers didn’t correctly map out the sequence of events that users will take after running the app for the first time, or they didn’t consider user flow at all.

Whether you’re developing an m-commerce store, mobile game, or social media app, you’ll need to create a frictionless user experience. Start by mapping out the user flow from the welcome screen through to every page users will access. You may use flow charts to create an intuitive user flow that won’t drive users to a dead page or take actions that will frustrate them.

2. Interrupting And Annoying Users

Don’t ever take your users for granted just because they seem to be enjoying your app. It’s all too easy to lose users the minute you interrupt them when there’s no reason to do so. The last thing that users want is to respond to a feedback survey when they’ve only been using your app for a short period or while trying to complete a task.

Keep in mind that most users are still evaluating your app during those initial hours of usage. Thus, you want to make a good impression by ditching annoying popups and surveys during this critical stage. Instead, give your users enough time to make a proper assessment of your app before asking for feedback, ratings, and reviews.

3. Using Complex Words And Terms Unnecessarily 

Most mobile app users are not computer scientists or programmers, so avoid using complex words and terms they don’t understand. For example, your latest app may have impressive artificial learning (AI) algorithms that track down hard-to-find ebooks. You may want users to know about these algorithms by adding their names somewhere within the app or mobile UI, but that’s unnecessary.

It’s better to allow these algorithms to do their work behind the scenes. Users will realize that you’ve created a great app by how well it tracks those ebooks. After all, they don’t care about the inner workings of your app or want to memorize technical terminology. If anything, you’ll likely lower user engagement or even lose users if your wording is too technical or if you rely on marketing catchphrases.

The Bottom Line

Most of the best apps closely follow solid mobile app design fundamentals. Much work goes into creating a mobile UI that not only looks great but is clean and intuitive. But it’s also crucial to follow the latest design trends that will make even the most renowned UI/UX designer look on in envy. Contact NS804 to learn how we’ll help you develop phenomenal apps that look and feel great!

6 Interaction Design Tips For Your Mobile App

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It’s easy to establish the quality and functionality of mobile apps. A clear sign of professional design work is when the usage is effortless and smooth that users don’t think twice when using it. But, if there are interactivity issues or problems, users will automatically recognize and won’t be pleased.

Mobile apps should be clear and smooth to be effectively used anywhere and anytime. The designer’s task is to create an intuitive and engaging interface that guides users within the app, helping them operate it without navigation or interactivity issues.

Below we look at essential interaction design tips for mobile apps:

1. Provide Simple Navigation

Simple navigation provides an obvious way to move between screens and find the desired items since users must navigate back and forth in the same window. App navigation design is like a GPS or a map that helps us navigate across places, and identify the specific features we’re looking for. A great navigation design makes you feel you are in control of where you’re going, letting you know where you’re headed and where you are at all times.

2. A Large Touch Surface

Ensure to create control areas or surfaces that are easier to touch by the thumb. Providing smaller touch areas may potentially annoy the user when s/he uses the app. The finger-friendly design provides ease of use, making it possible for users to hit their desired target icons with precision.

3. Eliminate Clutter

It’s unnecessary to display every icon and information on the app’s interface. Arrange and structure your content in a way that provides users with a comprehensive understanding of the features. Reduce clutter by keeping minimum content on the screen to enhance visibility and readability.

4. Display Large Texts

As a developer, keep in mind the small size of mobile screens and keep your app’s texts large and readable. One advantage of texting in the modern digital era is immediacy. Composing and conveying a text is easy and replying to a text is even easier. So, apps with large display texts provide convenience and easy readability.

5. Leverage Touch Controls

There’s no doubt that there are a lot of mobile app controls available in design. So, there’s no need to use web controls as they’re difficult to operate on mobile. Designers must keep interfaces sleek, smooth, and easy to use with mobile touch controls.

6. Leverage Simple Forms

Provide simpler forms where users can input details and information with ease and precision. Use form controls where there’s minimum typing. A simpler form saves users time, enables users to achieve easier navigation, and helps users to manage their information with ease.

Other interaction design tips for your mobile app include:

  • Take care of thumb position
  • Provide consistent user experience
  • Lead users towards the next step
  • Match interactions to your platform
  • Use clear simple icons
  • Apply recognition patterns
  • Add game mechanisms
  • Consider multiple holds

Luckily, with outsourced mobile app development, you can enjoy interactive designs for all your mobile app development projects. You can always contact NS804 for interactive mobile app design solutions.

How Much Does It Cost To Implement Real-Time Updates in Your App?

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Utilizing real-time updates in your personal or business application is no longer an option but a necessity. Most business applications are adopting real-time features such as: push notifications, instant messaging, real-time feed, and tracking live orders. The rising adoption of real-time notification occurs because real-time features deliver information to users in action-time incidences and scenarios.

There’s no doubt that real-time updates have made themselves available in mobile and app development in recent years. For instance, since 2015, instant messaging apps have witnessed a substantial uptake. Today, both established firms and upcoming start-ups are adopting real-time features to strengthen connectivity and power interactivity between users and their brands.

Companies and internet users can benefit immensely from real-time app updates, as both enjoy reliable and quick communication and information exchanges. That is the reason many sectors – healthcare, food and beverage, banking, insurance, technology, education, and retail – are witnessing a rise in real-time features in their apps.

How Businesses and Customers Benefit from Real-Time Updates

The history of real-time updates dates back to when stock market traders realized that it took a long time to update charts and close trade. Real-time updates were developed to update stocks and trades. Shortly, more sectors started embracing real-time updates to streamline internal communication and information exchanges. Real-time features soon migrated to reputable applications such as Uber, Airbnb, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Most apps are equipped with one or another form of real-time technology, thanks to earlier developments made in the stock market.

The following are just but a few advantages of real-time updates:

  • Apps with real-time updates can generate a higher degree of user engagement. Real-time technology helps apps to replicate real-world human behavior. For instance, users can handle multiple tasks simultaneously like, talking to friends while booking a ride in a cab-hauling app.
  • Through real-time updates, users can get connected more naturally. For instance, one can follow friends, share live locations, and message online using these applications.
  • Real-time features enable programmers and developers to focus more on the app’s core competencies. These core competencies include innovative features, upgraded user interfaces, and interactive user experience.
  • With the cloud delivery networks available, developers need not worry about maintenance and related expenses. When developers make real-time updates to users, they can rely on public clouds like the Amazon Web Services AWS.

Examples of real-time updates you can integrate into your app include:

  • Real-time feed
  • Push notifications
  • Integration of IoT devices
  • Multi-user collaboration
  • Live messaging
  • Live streaming
  • Live tracking order status

Here’s how your business and your customers can benefit from real-time updates

1. Real-time messaging

There’s no doubt that people love instant messaging. Messenger apps with multi-group messaging, media sharing, video, and voice calls are a classic replacement for the otherwise archaic, inconvenient SMS messaging. The prominence of instant messaging apps is evidenced by the rise of instant messaging platforms like Slack, Telegram, LINE, and Viber. According to Statista, there were 1.82 billion app users in 2017. This figure is expected to skyrocket to 2.48 billion by 2022.

2. Push notifications

Push notifications have become a necessity for most mobile and web applications. Notifications inform users about critical events, pull them to a brand or a product, and encourage users to use products more. For instance, 21% of users abandon your app after the first use. Thanks to push notifications, you can get users to return to your app by reminding them about its existence. The social app can encourage users to open it and download it by informing your users about recent news or events. However, be careful not to overuse notifications when choosing the right frequency for push notifications.

3. Real-time feeds

An in-app feed feature that updates immediately when new content is published is a necessity for all social networking applications. Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook allow users access to new content and updates without updating their feeds. The advantage is that your app becomes sticky with real-time feeds because users get the latest and most relevant information in real-time.

4. Live data streaming

Live streaming is widely used in many business sectors – from real estate to logistics and social networks. Live data streaming allows an app to create and deliver data to end-users, facilitating deep user engagement. Live streaming is considered the precursor of video streaming.

Developed in 2007 by Periscope, live streaming allows users to create videos and share the videos on platforms where other users can play the video content via smartphones or desktop computers. When Periscope made a market entry, video streaming went viral.

Later, the video-streaming feature was adopted by players such as YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and now TikTok. Indeed, the popular video streaming platform Twitch has been built around the same live streaming technology – allowing users to stream games and get paid for that.

One of the reasons companies are adopting live streaming as a real-time update is the possibility of connecting with audiences and building user engagement. In 2017, Livestream collaborated on market research with New York Magazine and found out that 80% of the respondents would rather watch a live video than read a website or a blog. For instance, Ustream App is a classic example of an app that uses live video streaming. The app blends augmented reality, 360-degree video capabilities, and virtual reality to transform live streaming experiences.

5. Order status updates

This feature is crucial for on-demand shipping and delivery companies as it helps bridge the trust gap. Users want to know that their orders (products or services) are safe and sound. Indeed, users are more than willing to track the progress of their orders for transparent customer relationships. Research shows that customers care about transparency and accountability in shipping and deliveries.

For instance, 82% of respondents indicated that retailers must constantly communicate at every stage of the delivery process. 45% of respondents track their order status using phones and SMS messaging, while 84% use email to stay updated. So, how can you improve user satisfaction? Well, provide customers with regular updates about their orders. That means providing them with a convenient and efficient way to track their orders via an app.

Other ways customers and businesses can benefit from real-time updates include:

  • Multi-user collaborations
  • Real-time data analytics
  • Control and integration of IoT devices

The internet of things represents a classic example of real-time functionality, whereby data from devices or sensors is conveyed instantly to the end-users.

The Cost of Installing Real-Time Updates on Your App?

It’s crucial to understand app development cost indicators to understand how much it costs to install real-time updates on your app. Well, several years ago, there was a key difference in app development cost between two main platforms – Android and iOS. However, today that difference is not significant. The only driving factor in the difference between app development costs is complexity.

Today, the major factor to consider when calculating the cost of installing real-time updates is the complexity, which can arbitrarily be segmented into – complex, medium, and simple. For instance, the price tag for a simple update ranges from $10,000 to 30,000. Medium-complex real-time updates range from $20,000 to 40,000, and complex real-time update installation cost between $40,000 to $60,000.

The complexity levels of real-time updates

Simple updates Medium updates Complex updates
 
Push notifications Real-time messaging Live data streaming
Real-time feeds Multi-user collaboration Integration of IoT devices
  Live to track of order feeds

Real-time updates installation costs

Simple complexity Medium complexity Complex complexity
$10,000 – $30,000 $20,000 – $40,000 $40,000- $60,000

It’s important to remember that the above numbers are just but a ballpark. They are supposed to offer you a birds-eye view of the prices you’re expected to pay for a real-time installation depending on the complexity, size, and scope of installation.

Maintenance Costs

Every app has an ongoing maintenance cost, no matter who designed or created it. Once an app is created, you have to track its performance, additional updates to install, and let users know of new updates or feeds. If your app leverages a server to store information like payment information and user records, you’ll have to pay to manage this storage.

Every app needs regular and ongoing maintenance and real-time updates to keep users engaged, happy, and coming back for more. In addition, depending on your app’s complexity, you can incur additional costs for emergency maintenance, servers, push notifications, processing, and many more.

So, how much does it cost to maintain an app, including installing real-time updates?

Well, the answer to this question depends wholly on how it was built. You can save significantly on upfront costs with a cheaper developer or programmer. However, if your app is not designed up to par, you’ll run significant expenses as your app grows and attracts more users. It’ll be expensive to install updates if your app didn’t meet the standard requisites of a conventional app.

A good estimation is to budget 20% of your initial app development cost for new real-time updates and installations. If your initial app development cost was $100,000, estimate $20,000 per year for updates and real-time installations.

However, if you outsource NS804 mobile app developers, you get to enjoy subsidized installations of real-time updates. However, be informed that different service providers offer varying costs depending on the app’s complexity, the scope of installation, and other factors.

Why are Real-Time Updates Important?

Real-time updates provide convenience, save time, and enhance user engagement. Investing in real-time updates prevents your app from being obsolete. For instance, in 2016, the Apple App store removed 50,000 apps from the App Store for being obsolete. With technology advancing at an unprecedented pace and with changing user habits, it’s becoming imperative for app developers to adopt real-time updates. Chances are that without real-time capabilities, your app will crash and burn.

If you’re still thinking about why you should install real-time updates, check out the following reasons:

  • Minimizes uninstalls. Apps with regular crashes and annoying bugs frustrate users, driving them away. Similarly, if your app doesn’t offer updated functionalities and information, users may find no reason to use it.
  • Better user experiences. You just don’t want users to download your app; you want them to use it. That is because developing long-term relationships with prospective users is the key to your app’s success. And to nurture lasting and valuable relationships with users, you’ll need to offer a unique user experience that comes with real-time updates.
  • Stay ahead of the competition. Millions of apps in the App Store and Google Store are competing for users’ attention. So, users cannot download and begin using all these apps. To beat the competition and stay at the top, you’ll need to ace your app with new updates, including: push notifications, live streaming, instant messaging, and feeds.
  • Safety from cyberattacks. With increases in mobile apps, there’s a corresponding increase in cyberattacks. So, it’s crucial to ensure the safety and security of your app to prevent exploitation and safeguard sensitive data and information.
  • Increases ROI. Real-time updates offer room for maximizing the returns on investment and decreasing the cost of acquiring new users. Once your app goes live, you’ll probably face crashes and bugs somewhere. Real-time updates provide a reliable communication channel when users face unprecedented service disruptions.

NS804 – Masters in Real-Time App Updates Installation

NS804 ensures that individuals and businesses get the best from their app development journey. With years of experience designing cutting-edge technology solutions, NS804 allows clients to estimate app development costs with an app development calculator. The significance of real-time updates cannot be undermined, with the growing emphasis on superior user experiences in customer relationship management. Real-time updates reinforce relationships by providing a reliable and constant channel of communication.

Contact NS804 for timely solutions in app development and real-time app update installations.