What to Include in Mobile App User Testing Processes

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Mobile apps have grown by leaps and bounds, providing limitless possibilities and affording capabilities like communication, productivity, entertainment – and beyond. With millions of apps in AppStore and PlayStore, developers face fierce competition to design apps that stand out, provide unique solutions to customers, and build evergreen applications that answer both the current problems and future challenges.

This is exactly where mobile app user testing comes into play.

Why User Testing?

In the highly competitive market of mobile apps, user testing is the linchpin in mobile app development that separates apps that succeed and those that fail. User testing helps developers determine how well an app resonates with the target audience, providing an operating benchmark for improving the features and creating superior apps. The mobile app user testing is the differentiating factor between an app’s conception and its overall usability.

The central purpose of user testing is to ensure that an app functions as intended and provides an intuitive user experience.

Here’s precisely why user testing is crucial:

  • User-centered design. Mobile app testing helps you understand and map your user needs in your development. In essence, testing identifies your users’ pain points, behavior, preferences, and options – and integrates these needs into the app.
  • Bug detection. While extensive pre-launch testing is crucial for identifying underlying errors in code, it’s nearly impossible to detect every usability issue without real-life testing. User testing uncovers these problems before they reach your target audience.
  • Improved retention. An intuitive, error-free, and user-friendly app is likely to attract more users, which leads to a competitive advantage in the app’s adoption and use. Apps that attract and retain users perform better in a dynamic competitive market than apps without retention rates.
  • Enhanced ratings. When your app is optimized for best use, it’s likely to feature better and more positively, increasing its likelihood of adoption and use. Conversely, negative reviews from poor customer experiences can affect your app’s success.
  • Cost-efficiency. Fixing your app’s underlying issues pre-launch is more cost-effective and less time-consuming than fixing the issues during the development stage. User testing helps to identify real usability issues before they reach the market, resulting in more cost savings in fixing errors and bugs.

So, whether you’re developing an Android app or an iOS app, mobile app user testing is a critical process of overall development. User testing is the linchpin of successful mobile app development.

So, in the next section of this article, we will discuss some factors, elements, or things to include in your mobile app user testing processes, providing you with correct, accurate, and relevant information to know when conducting user testing.

 

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1. Prepare for user testing

Before embarking on the user testing journey, it’s crucial to lay a solid foundation for the process, ensuring you have the right tools, the right infrastructure, and processes. The first step of this process is to define your goals, laying a foundation for what you seek to achieve after the process. While these goals and objectives differ depending on the different stages of the mobile app development, they should generally capture the following goals:

  • Usability assessment. This step determines the app’s ease of use and overall user-friendliness.
  • Functionality testing. To ensure all features and functionalities work as intended in harmony.
  • Performance evaluation. To assess how the app performs under different situations and circumstances.
  • User satisfaction. This testing gauges user feedback and satisfaction with the app’s functionality and usability.

Articulating these points upfront allows you to create a roadmap that guides your testing efforts and ensures you gather the relevant information to make the right decisions.

2. Set up the testing environment

Setting up the testing environment is a crucial step to ensure you achieve the best results. A well-prepared environment ensures you can assess how your app performs in different situations and ensure that it mimics real-life scenarios.

Here’s how to achieve the right testing environment:

  • Device diversity. Endpoint and mobile devices come in different shapes, sizes, and operating systems. So, choose a representative sample covering the most commonly used devices by your target audience.
  • Operating systems. Consider the different varieties of operating systems and testing on both new and old operating systems as users may have different challenges or constraints accessing newer versions.
  • Emulators and simulators. While mobile phones, tablets, and laptops are essential, use emulators and simulators to expand your testing coverage without acquiring every device.

It’s also crucial to ensure you have the right tools and technologies for the testing process. Here are some of the testing tools you can use for this process.

  • Testing tools. When it comes to testing tools, it’s advisable to invest in automated testing tools such as Espresso, Appium, and XCUITest. In addition, performance testing tools such as Firebase Performance Monitoring and Apache JMeter can help evaluate your app’s responsiveness and speed.
  • Remote testing services. You should consider remote testing services if your audience spans multiple geographic regions. These services provide you with remote access to global testers who can assess your app’s performance on their devices and operating environments.
  • Bug tracking and reporting. Implement a robust bug-tracking system that allows testers to detect and report issues immediately. Popular bug-tracking tools include Trello, Bugzilla, and Jira. Efficient bug tracking can help increase an app’s usability, performance, and responsiveness.

Having the right tools and technologies and selecting the best technologies and software allows you to establish the conditions needed to conduct meaningful and thorough mobile app user testing.

3. Conduct user testing

The process of conducting user tests is at the heart of mobile app development. This process involves giving real users your app to test its functionality, usability, responsiveness, and security.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of how to conduct user tests:

  • Usability testing. This process involves exploring how responsive and navigable your app is. It helps you identify navigation issues, responsiveness problems, and where users may face glitches. This type of testing ensures your app is easy to use and aligns with your users’ expectations.
  • Functionality testing. Functionality testing assesses how your app functions. It helps detect errors, bugs, and hitches that may prevent consumers or users from browsing seamlessly. Functionality testing ensures key aspects of your app operate as required.
  • Other testing types. Depending on your app’s scope and complexity, you may need to conduct other tests such as security tests, performance, and localization testing. Each test plays a fundamental role in ensuring your app functions as intended.

As you test your app, it’s crucial that you establish test detectors to guide you through the testing process. Guide testers include the following three elements;

First, provide testers with defined test scenarios that comprehensively cover your app’s functionality. The scenarios provided should align with real-life use cases or match the objectives set during the planning phase.

The second step of your testing is to communicate instructions clearly and concisely and explain the tasks testers should perform and the objectives they should attain. Avoid questions or biasing suggestions that may influence the tester’s behavior.

The third step is documentation. It’s vital to ensure the testers have relevant documentation such as boarding guides and manuals, which allows them to understand the app’s features and functionalities.

4. Gather user feedback

Once user testing is complete, the next step is to gather structured and unstructured feedback and observations from your testers. This section of the article discusses the steps that you should follow to draw better insights from collected feedback.

The first step is to analyze, organize, and categorize the responses by reviewing all the feedback given by the testers. Collect feedback and recommendations collected during the process, recording notes, comments, and recordings of user interactions.

Secondly, categorize the comments, notes, and responses into groups based on common issues and themes. This form of categorization helps identify patterns and prioritize relevant areas of improvement.

The final step is analyzing and categorizing both qualitative and quantitative data. The quantitative data include: response rates, success rates, and task completion rates and qualitative data include observations and user comments. Analyzing these two subsets of data provides an end-to-end understanding of user feedback, allowing you to know what areas to improve.

After gathering user feedback, it’s advisable to prioritize and document identified issues and bugs, which allows you to map usability problems. You can prioritize and document issues based on issue severity, create a detailed report with a priority list of issues; and finally assign a priority ranking to each issue, identifying how much of a priority each usability issue is in the whole process.

5. iterative testing and improvements

Iterative testing is the secret ingredient for successful mobile app creation. This section of the article discusses iterative testing, the process of developing an app, the importance of addressing issues promptly, and how to make improvements based on user feedback.

  • Continuous process. In testing your mobile app, it’s crucial to understand the iterative nature of mobile apps. Therefore, mobile app testing isn’t a one-step process; it has to be cynical, evolving with the emerging needs of users and consumers.
  • Feedback. Each testing cycle introduces a new set of feedback for the proceeding steps or stages of the testing. This feedback loop ensures that the app evolves and adapts to the ever-changing user needs, preferences, and values.
  • Agile methodology. Most developers use agile methodology by incorporating user testing as a fundamental step of the development process. Agile methodology promotes feedback, collaboration, and flexibility, accommodating different user feedback in the design process.

Iterative user testing and improvements help address issues promptly, helping you deal with user expectations. When developing your app, you will realize that users have many expectations about an app’s performance and responsiveness. Failing to address these issues promptly may lead to negative reviews and frustrations that impede your app’s adoption and market reputation.

Another reason to incorporate feedback and continuous improvement through the agile methodology is because of the competitive landscape. The tech industry is a highly competitive marketplace. Addressing issues can be a significant differentiator. Apps that address user feedback and incorporate feedback tend to retain new and existing users, providing the developer with a competitive edge.

Lastly, addressing issues is part and parcel of quality assurance. Timely response or simply responsiveness can go a long way in setting you apart in quality assurance, ensuring your apps and products meet the requisite benchmarks. By resolving bugs and usability issues promptly, you reduce the risk of app abandonment.

 

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6. Security and data privacy testing

The increasing sophistication of cyber-attacks and the growing prevalence of cyber incidents continue to compromise users’ data and the integrity of user information. As mobile apps become more interconnected with our everyday-use devices – laptops, wearables, tablets, and other endpoints, so is the need to protect these endpoints from potential abuse or intentional compromise.

As part of your mobile app user testing process, emphasize the importance of security and data privacy testing. We cannot over-stress the significance of protecting the integrity of consumer private information.

  • User trust. Users trust apps that are secure and protected. Loss of trust can lead to severe consequences including; reputational damage, loss of users, and lawsuits.
  • Legal compliance. Breach of trust can lead to legal liabilities, leading to hefty fines and penalties. Complying with established laws like the GDPR and HIPAA guidelines is crucial to ensure your app remains relevant.
  • Financial implications. Loss, breach, and potential breach of consumer private data may have far-reaching financial consequences, including loss of revenues, brand damage, and legal fines.

Security and data privacy testing ensure that developers provide and leverage the best-in-class security systems, including encryption, patching, and detection tools to create robust and highly secured applications.

NS804 – Your Trusted Provider of Mobile App Solutions

NS804 is a trusted provider of custom-built mobile app solutions for businesses of different sizes and shapes. Whether you’re a manufacturing shop floor, a retailer, an e-commerce store, or a hospitality facility, we can help you reclaim your digital victory with custom-built mobile apps that give you that digital presence.

NS804 secures the future of its applications with reliable and secure applications that meet the highest security and testing requirements. We work collaboratively with talented and competent teams of developers, security experts, quality assurance, and engineers to ensure we provide secure and trusted mobile app products.

Contact NS804 today for mobile app development solutions.

UI/UX Design: 8 Trends In Mobile Apps Happening Right Now

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The current UI/UX design trends are exciting because they represent the tastes of a maturing mobile market. Today’s users know what they want and what they find appealing. And seasoned app developers have a grasp of what kind of UI/UX design works and what is relevant. Thus, the quality bar is set high, but that doesn’t mean you can’t push it higher. If you plan on releasing an app in 2023 and beyond, read our handy list of design trends before forging ahead. 

1. Next-Gen Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) Are Ready For Prime Time

Apple and the Khronos Group have done much work on their graphics APIs. Several years ago, Apple introduced Metal, a proprietary low-level API for handling impressive 3D graphics and shaders. Likewise, the Khronos Group introduced Vulkan, a powerful third-party API for various operating systems, mobile devices, and consoles.

These APIs replace the aging OpenGL API on both iOS and Android. Apple has officially moved over to Metal since iOS 8, but it’s a gradual process on Android since many older devices don’t support Vulkan. Furthermore, Apple doesn’t support Vulkan, but developers can use the MoltenVK library to run their Vulkan code on Metal with reasonably good performance. 

But what does all this mean for you as a mobile developer or an appreneur? If any of your existing apps use OpenGL, it’s time to future-proof these with Metal on iOS and Vulkan on Android. You’ll substantially improve the visual quality and response times of your apps. And since 90 Hz and 120 Hz displays have become commonplace, users expect a snappy experience and next-gen UI/UX design to stay hooked. 

However, if your apps don’t require the raw horsepower of complex APIs like Metal and Vulkan, there are better alternatives. If you want to display simple shapes and 2D objects, Google has introduced Skia, and Apple has SpriteKit for these purposes. Skia and SpriteKit also conform to the new design language, look, and feel that Google and Apple expect developers to follow. So, if you want your apps to have a truly native UI/UX design on both platforms, use these two APIs for optimal results. 

 

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2. UI/UX Design Must Take A Sustainable Approach

Nowadays, you likely hear much about sustainability from environmentalists, intellectuals, influencers, policymakers, politicians, and even device manufacturers. That’s not surprising considering the considerable damage overconsumption does to the health of the planet and all its inhabitants. Damaged and disused smartphones, tablets, and laptops contribute to this problem via e-waste. 

The rapid technological evolution and lack of repairability of mobile devices have made them highly disposable. Sadly, this results in large landfills filled with toxic components, which also negatively impact the health of e-waste workers. Of course, this problem hasn’t gone unnoticed by some consumer-centric manufacturers that plan to shake up the smartphone market. 

A Dutch-based manufacturer recently announced the Fairphone 5, which boasts a five-year warranty and Android software updates until 2031. Furthermore, users can self-repair their phones — including the camera and battery — with an ordinary Phillips screwdriver. The goal is to prolong its lifespan, from something users often replace within two or three years to a phone that they could keep for five years or more. 

But will the mobile device giants like Apple, Samsung, and Huawei follow suit, or will it be business as usual? While it’s impossible to foretell what the big three will do, a small but crucial revolution in sustainability has begun. A growing number of users are holding onto their phones for longer, with Europeans replacing their devices every 40 months and Americans at around 24 months. 

That means you should plan your UI/UX design for devices that exceed their typical lifecycle of approximately two years. And when you update your user interface (UI), ensure it looks and works great on new and older devices. 

3. Elegance And Simplicity Dominate Recent UI/UX Design Trends

Mobile devices have matured, yet so have users. Users don’t want to see an overly busy and colorful UI, as it lacks sophistication and hurts usability. Instead, they prefer neutral color tones, well-spaced and thought-out UI components, and intuitive button placement. 

Even the choice of font plays a crucial role in winning over users. A clever way to impress your users is to use Blacker, Hermann, and Recoleta Serif fonts in your next app project. Not only do these Serif fonts look incredibly elegant, but they work well together with a range of background colors and textures. Moreover, users often recall words written with Serif fonts far better than with other fonts. So use Serif font for commands and menu options you want users to remember in the long term. 

But what if you want to use 3D elements for your next app? Several years ago, 3D elements enjoyed reasonable popularity and gradually fizzled out. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use any 3D design elements, especially if it suits your app. An augmented reality (AR) app, Archviz walkthrough, or mobile game may need 3D design to express core concepts or even for usability. 

4. Add A Splash Of Bright Neon Colors When Necessary 

While you should never make your app look like a colorful mess, that doesn’t mean that you should avoid color altogether. The recent resurgence of the cyberpunk subgenre has had a massive impact on the wider culture. One of the biggest video games in recent years, Cyberpunk 2077, introduced its unique neon-drenched design language that many find incredibly appealing. 

Let’s not forget about the recent Blade Runner 2049 movie and every Nicolas Winding Refn film that doesn’t go easy on the neon either. These cyberpunk-oriented examples teach us that bright colors and neon can make a scene or design element look truly stunning and memorable. Of course, a UI/UX designer with a trained eye for detail and knowledge of color theory will pull this off successfully. 

But you may be wondering when it’s most suitable to use bright or neon colors. If you’re developing an educational, design app, or mobile game, you could benefit from using bright or neon colors, provided you color match correctly. Avoid taking this route for any business, fintech, or utility app, as it will make your application look less like a serious candidate for its target audience. And if you must use bright or neon colors for such an app, use them sparingly. 

5. Every UI/UX Design Roadmap Should Encompass Foldables

Foldable smartphones are no longer niche and have gradually become commonplace for mainstream use. And even though foldables seem to be exclusively in the domain of the Android camp, speculation is rife that Apple will introduce their answer to the foldable phone soon. So whether you’re exclusively an Android or iOS developer or even a multiplatform developer, you can no longer ignore the foldable market. 

However, foldable phones bring several challenges to the table that you can’t ignore either. The differing display sizes of various models and extra screen real estate means that you have to carefully plan your UI in greater detail than before. Your UI/UX design team must lay out every step of the interaction process when wireframing. They’ll need to carve out the user’s journey from the welcome page to any interactions necessary on the secondary outer display. 

Also, your UI/UX design team must implement the correct gestures for navigating the larger screen. They must make the user’s journey as efficient and practical as possible so that users successfully navigate the app with as few gestures as possible. Furthermore, the team must refrain from adding unnecessary features just because there’s extra screen real estate. The last thing you want to do is make your app bloated, as this will increase its file size and possibly hurt its usability.

6. Design With Video Content In Mind

In 2023, you can’t ignore video, as it can profoundly impact the success of your app. While some may argue that not every app is suitable for video or needs to deliver this type of content, these naysayers may be missing the bigger picture. The truth is that video is a powerful medium you can integrate in just about any app today. 

Even a simple to-do list app can benefit by having short video tutorials to explain all its functions. It’s not necessary to film actors doing these tutorials, but use stylized motion graphics and animations instead. Any competent UI/UX designer could use a tool like Figma to design and animate stunning tutorials. If you don’t have the staff or tooling to do this, consider teaming up with an experienced studio, such as NS804, to handle this for you and other aspects of your app’s development. 

A side benefit of creating video content for your app is that you can also upload these videos to TikTok, YouTube, and Vimeo. These can act as marketing material for your app, as people who haven’t used your app yet may view them. If these tutorial videos do a great job explaining how to use your app, some viewers may download it and try it out. Those using a similar app or looking for a replacement may switch if your app seems more intuitive based on these tutorial videos and its actual usability.

7. Make UI And Transitions More Dynamic And Memorable 

The look and feel of your UI say much about the quality of your app. If your UI looks appealing while feeling snappy, it will inevitably win over many users. But many apps in the marketplace already meet this standard, so how can you make your app stand out? Start by creating a more dynamic UI and transitions using a tool like Figma. 

Figma or any similar UI tool will help you prototype and craft impressive motions for many of your UI components. Add movement in your UI to wow your users but ensure that it feels intuitive. For example, if your UI looks like it requires a diagonal gesture, then implement a diagonal-oriented movement to match the UI. Then, add a transition utilizing an animated diagonal split screen to move to the next page. All this will make your app more technically impressive and memorable.   

You may take things further by adding sound effects that trigger during inputs and transitions. Yet, it’s these minor details that will ultimately set your app apart from its competitors. 

Another UI design trend worth considering is using buttonless inputs and liquid swipes. It results in stunning-looking apps that feel next-gen. But it’s necessary to use large, bold text so users with disabilities can also navigate the app. Inclusive design should always be a core part of your upcoming app projects.

 

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8. Illustrations And Graphics Enhance UI/UX Design

While it’s possible to develop a visually appealing app with only text and background textures, this can also look bland. After all, users have become accustomed to receiving much visual stimulation from various sources like comic books, films, games, music festivals, and even modern storefronts. So, creating an app that may look boring to your potential users should never be on the agenda. 

There are several ways to spruce up your app, but we recommend you try stylish, visually bold graphics or illustrations. Most modern mobile graphic designs consist of organic-looking shapes and figures. You may need to hire a graphic designer to create these, but your UI/UX design team may also handle this task. 

If your app requires illustrations, this calls for someone with an entirely different skill set. If you’re a mobile game developer, you may already have hired one or more illustrators, so this shouldn’t be a problem. But if you don’t have an illustrator on your team, you may commission art from a freelancer on sites like ArtStation, Behance, and DeviantArt. 

A talented illustrator will create artwork that can act as a story-telling tool, help differentiate your app, and even conceive a visual style tailored to your brand. The latter will help you build brand awareness and is a good strategy if you plan to work with the same illustrator on a long-term basis.

The Bottom Line

UI/UX design is a necessary part of the app development process that often takes center stage. Ideally, you should have at least one talented UI/UX designer on your team, but if you don’t, consider working with a professional studio. Contact NS804 to learn how we’ll help you develop apps with excellent design and usability.

Android Mobile App Development Questions, Answered

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Android app development is the process of developing applications designed to run exclusively on Android devices – smartphones, tablets, laptops, computers, and smart TVs. Android operating system, developed by Google in 2008, is the most widely used OS globally, making it crucial for developers, tech enthusiasts, and business owners. Since its release in 2008, the Android operating system has received worldwide acclaim powering millions of devices across the world.

Android mobile app development involves writing code from scratch using reputable programming languages such as Kotlin and Java, designing attractive interfaces, managing data handling and retrieval, integrating various applications and APIs, and ensuring overall app performance and efficiency. The success of Android applications can be attributed to factors such as the availability of many devices at various price points and an open-source nature that encourages innovation.

This article explores some questions on Android mobile app development and their answers. In this post, we will look at various aspects of Android mobile app development, including architectural patterns, choice of programming language, testing, network, design considerations, and data management.

 

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By examining these concepts, readers will obtain valuable insights, empowering them to build robust, efficient, and feature-rich Android applications.

1. What’s the most frequently used programming language for Android applications?

The answer is Java. However, Kotlin has gained popularity and is now the most preferred language over Java. Developers prefer Kotlin to Java for a wide range of reasons: Kotlin is intuitive to use, easy to learn, and Kotlin code is considered safer and more concise than Java.

2. Do I need to learn Java to develop Android applications?

While Java used to be the primary programming language for Android applications, it is no longer an option. Kotlin is more modern, concise, and accurate, and is preferred for modern projects. However, understanding Java can still be beneficial, especially when you encounter legacy codes or libraries written by Java.

3. What’s the advantage of Kotlin over Java?

Understanding the nuance discrepancies between Java and Kotlin is crucial to making an informed decision about your programming language.

Here are the key advantages of Kotlin:

  • Concise syntax. Kotlin’s expressive syntax allows developers to write more concise code, reducing the chances of introducing errors.
  • Null safety. Kotlin type system introduces null safety, reducing the possibility of null pointer exceptions, a common source of bugs.
  • Interoperability. Kotlin can integrate or interoperate with Java, allowing developers to leverage Java-based libraries and legacy codes.
  • Readability. Kotlin’s type inference and expressive nature make the code maintainable and readable.

4. What is Android Studio, and do I need it in Android app development?

Android Studio is the official integrated development environment (IDE). By integrated development environment, it provides the tools, resources, and machinery required to simplify your code. The Android Studio has diverse programming languages, APIs, and other tools needed for beginners to excel.

5. What’s Google Android SDK?

A Google Android SDK is a toolset for developers to write codes in Android-enabled devices. The SDK contains a graphical interface that acts as an Android-driven handheld environment, allowing developers to test and debug their codes.

6. What are the main components of the Android architecture?

The main components of the Android architecture include:

  • Android applications
  • Android framework
  • Libraries
  • Linux Kernel

7. What are the minimum system requirements for Android app development?

To run Android Studio and design Android apps, you need a powerful computer with 8GB RAM, a recent operating system (Windows, Linux, MacOS), a quad-core CPU, and the relevant tools and technologies.

8. What is the Android API level, and why is it important to consider?

The Android API level refers to the version of the Android operating system that your app targets or supports. When developing an app, you will need to narrow down on special versions of Android available out there. We should consider the Android API level because different versions have different capabilities and features. Selecting the right API level ensures your device operates on as many Android devices as possible while taking advantage of new app features.

9. What’s the difference between fragments and activities?

Activities are represented as a single screen with a user interface. Fragments, on the other hand, are modular components within an activity that can be reused or combined in different activities and are especially useful for multi-pane and adaptable layouts.

10. How can I test my app on multiple devices?

The Android Studio provides tools, including an emulator, for simulating various Android devices. In addition, you can use normal Android devices by setting ‘developer mode’ and USB debugging them. You can connect the Android devices on your computer, and test or debug your app.

11. How can I publish my app in the Google Play store?

To publish your app in Google Play, you will first need to set up a development account. Then you will check your app’s store listings and graphics, set up your distribution options, and show compliance with Google Play Store’s policies. Once your app is ready, you can submit it to the Google Console and upload it for review.

12. Can you develop Android applications on platforms other than Windows, Linux, and MacOS?

Yes, you can use cloud-based environments and virtual machines to develop Android-based applications on environments not supported by Android Studio. However, the app’s experience and performance may vary. That’s why it’s advisable to create applications with supported operating systems.

13. How do you select the appropriate architecture pattern in Android app development?

Selecting an appropriate architecture pattern is crucial for maintaining a well-structured codebase. The common types of architectural patterns include:

  • Model-View-Controller (MVC). The model-view presenter is the oldest and most straightforward. It structures data into three main components: view (user interface), model (business and data logic), and controller, which mediates between the model and the view.
  • Model-View-Presenter (MVP). The model view presenter amplifies the performance of the model-view-controller by adding a component known as a ‘presenter’ that acts as an intermediary between the model and the view. The presenter handles user input and updates the view on a need-to-need basis.
  • Model-View-View-Model (MVVM). The model-view-view-model (MVVM) further simplifies the separation of concerns, introducing a view model that holds the application state and business logic, thus separating it from the view.

The choice of architectural pattern depends on the project’s complexity, the team’s expertise, and the app’s long-term maintainability.

14. How do I ensure my app handles multiple screen sizes and resolutions?

In the diverse Android ecosystem, supporting multiple resolutions and screen sizes is important in ensuring a consistent user experience across different devices. To ensure apps handle multiple screen sizes and resolutions, developers can implement the following strategies:

  • Responsive layouts. Use modern layouts (GridLayout, LinearLayout, Relative Layout) to ensure that screen sizes adjust to screens of various sizes and resolutions.
  • Density Independent Pixels (dp). Use density pixels as a unit for defining dimensions instead of pixels. Selecting dp ensures that elements scale appropriately across different screen densities.
  • Resource directories. Ensure you provide alternative resources like layouts and images in separate folders for different screen size densities and resolutions.
  • Vector graphics. Use scalable vector graphics (SVG) for images and icons as they can scale without losing quality.

15. How do I ensure that my app supports older versions?

Supporting older versions is crucial to ensure that you reach a broader audience.

Here’s how you can ensure that your newly developed Android app works even in older versions of the Android operating system.

  • Set the minimum SDK version. You should specify the minimum SDK version your app supports in the AndroidManifest.XML file.
  • Compatibility libraries. Use AndroidX libraries that offer backward compatibility in case of newer features.
  • Feature detection. Use the Build.VERSION.SDK_INT constant to detect a device’s API levels and apply the appropriate code paths.
  • Test. Test on various devices with varying Android versions to identify and fix compatibility issues.

It’s crucial to ensure that your app can access a broader audience by extending support for older versions of the Android operating system.

 

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16. What are the basic components of an Android app?

Android apps are built with basic components such as activities, content providers, services, and broadcast receivers. Activities represent the user interface. Services represent background tasks. broadcast receivers respond to system-wide announcements and content providers manage data-sharing between the app and different endpoint devices – smartphones, tablets, laptops, and smart TVs.

17. What’s an Android Emulator?

Android emulator is a tool by Android Studio simulating Android devices. Through this simulation, it allows the developer to test an app with different configurations and Android versions.

18. How can I optimize my app for better performance?

Performance optimization is crucial for a good user experience. Some tips include: minimizing network requests, efficient data structures, optimizing images, and using background threads for heavy, time-consuming tasks. Most importantly, it’s advisable to properly manage memory to prevent memory leaks.

19. How can I make my app more compatible with other devices?

Use the latest SDK version and select the minimum API target level. Test your app on different virtual devices with varying hardware specifications and different screen sizes.

20. Can you develop IOS apps using Kotlin or Android Studio?

No, Android Studio is exclusively designed for Android mobile applications. If you want to develop IOS mobile apps, you will need Apple’s development tools like Objective-C and XCode.

21. What are some popular libraries and frameworks in Android App Development?

Some popular libraries for Android app development include OkHttp for networking, Hilt for dependency injection, Room for database management, and Gson for parsing. However, it’s important to remember Android app development is an evolving frontier, therefore, it’s advisable to remain updated with the latest trends and technologies.

22. How do you select the best Android app developer?

Selecting the best Android developer depends on several factors such as cost, expertise, and reputation. Most developers offer a defined budget for mobile app development but this cost may differ depending on the diversity of features, operating environments (Android or IOS), and the complexity of the project.

Here’s how you select the best Android developer:

  • Define project requirements. Define the scope of your project, highlighting app features, app capabilities, operating requirements, and security considerations.
  •  Check experience and portfolio. Look for developers with a proven track record of developing superior mobile applications. Review their portfolio to see the quality and range of their work.
  • Technical expertise. Ensure that your expert or developer has sufficient technical expertise in areas like Java, and Kotlin, and understands Android SDK and other development toolkits and libraries.
  • Reviews and references. Request reviews from previous clients and check their portfolios for any reference materials. Online ratings and reviews on platforms such as LinkedIn or Upwork can provide valuable insight into the developer’s expertise.

Finding the right developer depends on project requirements and overall expectations as a client.

23. How do I know if I am ready for an Android app?

Whether running a small business or managing a large corporation, having an Android app is the best way to simplify those monotonous, mundane tasks such as invoicing, communicating, marketing, branding, and personnel management. An Android app streamlines tasks, enhancing the efficiency, scalability, and productivity of operations.

So, if you’re struggling with managing employees, managing your brand, or growing your revenue streams, it’s high time to consider an Android mobile app. An Android mobile app can provide valuable insights needed to reinforce your decision-making in areas like sales, marketing, advertising, and outreach. And if you’re experiencing HR planning and management issues, an HR app can do the job.

Turbocharge Your Digital Presence with Android App Development

NS804 empowers individuals and enterprises to do more with the power of a mobile app. With a robust, efficient, and feature-rich application, you can reach more customers, communicate with a broader audience, and build lasting brand partnerships and customer relationships.

Most importantly, we allow NS804 customers to experience our MVP product, allowing them to know what solutions they are getting by investing in our digital solutions.

Contact NS804 for superior Android app development solutions.

Why Charlotte App Developers Should Care About UI/UX Design

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Mobile app development is taking a new turn as individuals and enterprises seek to revamp their digital outreach. The significance of mobile apps cannot be overstated. Mobile apps allow enterprises to access new customers, particularly tech-savvy consumers.

This is precisely why it’s important to care about the user interface and user experience. The user interface affects how customers view and interact with your mobile application. On the other hand, the user experience impacts the experience your customers receive when interacting with your app.

So, why should Charlotte app developers care about UX/UI design?

Below we take a closer look at the significance or criticality of UX/UI design.

 

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1. Simplicity and usability

A product’s simple information presentation and its overall ease of use define its relevance and adoption. The UI/UX design ensures that customers can easily interact with an app. It also ensures that customers’ problems can be solved with ease. Charlotte app developers should care about UI/UX design because it enables customers to use the app in a meaningful way.

2. Accessibility and availability

The user interface and user experience affect how accessible and available your app is to your customers. An app that has a complex design means that it’s not accessible to a large demographic of users, particularly young people, old people, and those with disabilities. So, your app’s overall design defines how accessible it is to different demographics of users.

3. Customer-centricity

How your app is designed affects how it responds to your customers’ needs. Hard, complex applications deter potential users and affect how your customers interact with your brand. However, a simple, well-designed app with a clear interface is easily adaptable, meaning that customers will respond to your brand and message better. Therefore, an app’s overall design impacts its customer-centricity, providing better and more enhanced interaction solutions to your perceived customers.

4. Customer retention

Documented statistics show that businesses lose about 10% to 15% of customers every year due to poor customer retention. Indeed, the average customer retention rate across all industries is about 75.5%. So, how can businesses attract and at the same time retain their clients? Well, the answer is simple: customer engagement. The user interface and user experience play a pivotal role in engaging your customers. So, if you’re an enterprise that is struggling with customer retention, your UI/UX design can help solve this glaring challenge through customer engagement.

5. Trust

Trust emanates from transparency and accountability. Your app can communicate a lot about your brand, thus helping to build meaningful engagement with your target market. An easy-to-use and navigable app platform assures your customers that you are a trusted dealer and that your products and services can be trusted. This is precisely why Charlotte app developers should care about UX/UI design.

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Why Charlotte Developers Must Take UI/UX Design Seriously

Here are a few reasons UI/UX design helps Charlotte businesses:

  • Creates a positive impression on a business or product.
  • Attracts and retains a customer because of usability.
  •  Ensures customer trust through a seamless design.
  •  Enables businesses to convert prospective customers into loyal customers.
  • Ultimately, it improves a product’s usability and responsiveness.

In short, the relationship between a product’s digital success and UX/UI literacy is closely intertwined.

Contact NS804 to discover more about user experience and user interface design.

 

Videos – A Notable Trailblazer in Online Dating

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The mobile app revolution has taken the world by storm – from e-commerce apps that embrace realistic virtual and augmented reality shopping capabilities to video-based dating apps.

Recent developments in mobile apps show that the digital world will embrace a paradigm shift, making apps the next big thing after the internet. Already, the metaverse defined the limits of virtual spaces, signaling a new awakening in how we use and interact with the internet.

Today, video-based dating apps have defined a new frontier, eliminating the barriers set in previous dating apps. Traditionally, the online dating scene was a scam zone characterized by fake profiles and unrealistic characters.

However, today, this is about to change with new video-based, next-generation apps like PreVue Dating.

Here’s what we should expect with video-based, next-generation dating apps:

1. More authenticity

Documented evidence shows that there are many benefits to using a dating app with a video as opposed to one with just images. The first advantage is more authenticity. Videos allow users to showcase their personality, tone, and body language in ways that mere pictures cannot.

Videos give users a more personalized and accurate presentation of themselves, which helps create trust and increase the likelihood of a successful match. So, new dating apps that embrace the video-based capability will ensure more users and personalized experiences than dating apps without this new capability.

 

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2. Better communication

Truth be told: videos provide better communication and more personalized interaction than mere images or pictures. Precisely, videos allow users to exchange information and talk more realistically, ensuring that users can hear and respond to one another in real time. This capability can lead to more meaningful communication and deeper connections which is a critical element in online dating.

3. Improved safety

Videos can help improve the safety of users by allowing users to verify that those they are talking to are the people they’re claiming to be. Videos can also help users feel more comfortable meeting in person as they’ve already seen and talked to each other via video.

Let’s consider the following statistics:

  • One in every seven dating profiles may be fake
  • Of all 3.5 million profiles created every month, 500,000 may be fake
  • Romance scams resulted in losses of over $1.3 billion in the US in 2022
  • Canadian romance scam victims lost over $50 million in 2021
  • Australians lost at least $568 million in online dating scams in 2021
  • Social media remains a fundamental attack vector in online dating scams

So, video-based dating sites are gradually providing safety nets to most users in online dating sites.

4. User experience

There’s no denying that video-based dating apps are realistic and provide a better user experience. A dating app with a video feature can provide a more meaningful conversation and deeper connections and interactions. Users can share videos of themselves and others, making the app more meaningful and entertaining.

Already, a Forbes publication showed that video communication is being optimized to further physical distance and allow for social distancing – in both work and dating spheres.

So, when you combine this capability with the risk of physical communication in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, you realize that video-based communication is gaining momentum in bridging glaring gaps in physical communication.

5. Mutual attraction

Sharing videos with interesting captions on social media is nothing new. Facebook first launched its video function in 2007. YouTube began in 2005. And Snap Chat exploded after adding a 10-second video capability to its platform. TikTok is currently the new frontier in marketing, and it utilizes live and recorded videos of users.

There’s no denying that the short-form video model became a striking feature of most online applications – and this trend will grow. Despite this development, it has taken a few years for dating apps to adopt this feature.

But why the delay?

The prevailing theory is that it’s scary to show more online. Everyone has great photos and excellent captions depicting their ‘best angle’ and ‘their good side’ which provides psychological protection.

However, with platforms such as PreVue Dating taking video-form elements in their models, it shows just how videos are harder to fake and how the dating landscape is changing.

Videos indisputably allow users a better gauge of mutual attraction. And as users become more discretionary, videos will gain more momentum in the dating world, signaling a new normal to most users of online dating sites.

6. Increased confidence

Most people turn to online dating because it’s more confidential. Indeed, most online dating users prefer to first match with interested potential matches before meeting them in person. This ultimately provides psychological protection in case things do not go as planned.

The truth is – videos allow users to showcase their personality, tone, interests, and attitudes which can increase their confidence. This may be particularly helpful to those users nervous about meeting new people or people who may struggle with making the first impression.

7. Time-saving

Videos can be a more efficient way to get to know someone without wasting time. Instead of spending hours, days, or sometimes weeks getting to know someone, videos allow users to get a taste of someone’s interests and personality in minutes. Video-based capabilities help users establish compatibility without wasting time exchanging messages and texts.

8. Screening tool

One exhilarating aspect of videos in dating is that they can act as screening tools. Users can screen those they’re interested in before committing to a date or a meet-up. Screening can help reduce the number of mismatches and increase the chances of a successful date.

9. Hobbies and interests

Videos can help users showcase their interests and hobbies in a more meaningful way than written descriptions and images. By showcasing interests and hobbies in a more interactive and meaningful way, videos can help potential matches get a better understanding of what they have in common.

10. Better visibility

Adding a video on one’s dating profile provides better visibility and enables users to stand out from the crowd. This capability is especially important at a time when dating platforms are flooded by fake profiles. Adding a video boosts the number of potential matches, providing a more fulfilling and interactive online dating experience.

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PreVue Dating – A Path to Online Engagement

Online dating apps have been doing a lot of experimentation and innovation in videos. Some of these platforms allow basic features such as pulling and posting a video from your phone. Others offer full-blown video-chatting functionality. Dating apps have adopted various and varying rules and moderation capabilities to improve match quality and dating experiences.

NS804 has worked closely with online dating app players to identify proven strategies for online dating experiences. And with the wake of PreVue Dating, it’s becoming clear that video dating will be a frontier in online dating. However, it’s important to note that as video becomes a trend in online dating, users will have to adopt several safety guidelines.

Some of the main safety cornerstones for videos in online dating include:

  • Platform guidelines. Online dating platforms must be overtly clear about what’s appropriate content.
  • Community feedback. The online dating community must drive the common good with reporting buttons that flag and moderate content.
  • Human moderation. Human moderation is a critical element in reducing technology gaps and human errors. For instance, Facebook has approximately 15,000 reviewers hunting inappropriate content and fake news.
  • AI moderation. Many dating apps take appropriate precautions to protect their women users. AI-powered private detectors scan images for inappropriate content.
  • Privacy functionality. Controls when and how users use the video functionality feature. Some apps, for instance, allow chat users to blur their screens until they feel comfortable.

Contact NS804 to bring video-based capabilities to your online dating platform.

The Ultimate Guide For Android Mobile App Development Basics

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Mastering the Android platform as a developer always starts by comprehending the mobile app development basics. And that’s because the Android development ecosystem is incredibly dense and complex. Consider that it’s necessary to know two programming languages for this platform: Java and Kotlin. And while some programmers may scoff at the idea of familiarizing themselves with both languages, it’s a necessary step.

But why should programmers go to such lengths when it’s possible to develop Android apps if they only know one of these languages? That’s because it’s good practice to update apps regularly. And after a certain period, it’s essential to modernize apps, which may include moving from a dated programming language to a current one. Thus, developers planning to update Android apps should have the knowledge and skills to port these from the older Java code to the newer Kotlin codebase.

Sometimes, it’s necessary to know additional languages, such as C#, JavaScript, or even Python, for cross-platform development. And with such a large variety of programming languages, developers also have to deal with many integrated development environments (IDEs) and software development kits (SDKs).

Then, the types of apps developers make will impact tooling choices. For example, making a short-form video app like TikTok will require a different toolchain to a battle royale game such as Fortnite. And if developers wish to include networking features, considerations regarding backend and integration systems become paramount.

With so many considerations, Android development seems harrowing, especially for newcomers. That’s why we’ve compiled this handy guide to help aspiring and even seasoned developers understand Android mobile app development basics. 

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Android Mobile App Development Basics: Choosing The Right Development Environment

So you’ve taken the time to research the market and are now busy planning your mobile app strategy. However, you’ve yet to pick your development environment, which will play a crucial role in determining the overall development experience. It may even impact the success or failure of your upcoming app project, so research all the development environments thoroughly before settling on one.

But what do you even pick with so many Android development tools available? If you’re planning on making a native app, then Android Studio is a great choice. It’s Google’s official and recommended IDE and features the Jetpack Compose user interface (UI) designer, Android Emulator, and intelligent code editor. Also, you’ll need to download the Android SDK, NDK, and Java SE Development Kit (JDK).

But if you’re planning on making a cross-platform or hybrid app, you may want to consider another development environment. There’s Visual Studio with Xamarin for cross-platform apps with native performance. And then, there’s Flutter and React Native for making impressive-looking hybrid apps.

If you decide to make a mobile game, you’ll want to use a game engine such as Unity or Unreal Engine. Both engines provide their own asset content pipelines and tooling for creating animations, levels, and visual effects. However, Unity and Unreal recommend and offer a download pathway for the Visual Studio IDE for coding.

Gaining Programming Language Proficiency 

If you’ve picked Android Studio, you’ll need to gain proficiency in both Java and Kotlin. But if you’re a new developer, start with Kotlin since it’s a more modern language with a better and more streamlined syntax. If you already have experience in Java or any object-oriented language from the C family, it should only take several weeks to learn Kotlin.

But it’s also crucial to become proficient in JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) and Extensible Markup Language (XML). JSON is a file type based on an open standard used for parsing and storing data objects. XML can also parse, structure, and manage data but can’t perform computing calculations.

For the majority of Android app development scenarios, Java, Kotlin, JSON, and XML should suffice. But what if you already have C or C++ proficiency and want to develop Android mobile games? The good news is that Google offers the Android Game Development Kit (AGDK) for developers with C/C++ skills. It’s a comprehensive suite of libraries and tools with easy integrations for game engines, such as Unity. 

And on the subject of Unity, if you opt for this engine, you may want to use the C# programming language. If you already know Java or Kotlin, C# is easy to pick up and start making simple games within days. Moreover, Unity provides many in-depth tutorials and programming resources to help newcomers become proficient with C#, the game engine, and mobile app development basics.  

How To Structure A Basic Android App’s UI With Jetpack Compose

Google recommends that developers use the Jetpack Compose UI framework for making modern Android apps. And that’s because it simplifies the creation of UIs with dynamic animations, styles, and themes. Its composable functions make it easy to change states and add images, texts, lists, grids, and scrollable columns. 

A few neat features of Jetpack Compose, which should also excite UI/UX designers, are its Material Design and Material Theming. These allow designers to make their apps more accessible and attractive to a larger demographic of users. Designers can alter all aspects of an app’s UI, from its typography to its colors. 

And some of the more advanced features of Jetpack Compose allow smooth navigation between screens, navigation across multiple screens, and passing of data between screens. With the proliferation of foldable Android smartphones, designers must take advantage of the additional screen real estate as efficiently as possible. 

One way to do this is by creating an adaptive app featuring dynamic navigation. This approach allows the app’s UI to transform elegantly and fluidly for any screen size, orientation, form factor, and device type. Moreover, there’s no loss or degradation of usability of the app, regardless of these changing factors.

Understanding Persistent Data On Android

It’s necessary to read, store, and manipulate data between an app and a relational database, such as SQLite. And that’s because you’ll need to store all kinds of app and user data and do so securely. But setting up a database and dealing with so much data can be difficult, especially for those getting to grips with Android mobile app development basics.

However, one of the most useful Kotlin APIs for this purpose is Room, which is part of the Jetpack library. It acts as an abstraction layer for configuring SQLite databases and reading, manipulating, and querying stored data. 

Sometimes, it’s more sensible to store user data and preferences on the device instead of a relational database, especially if the app will predominantly operate offline. DataStore is yet another Jetpack tool but meant for smaller datasets, such as typed objects or key-value pairs. Another benefit of DataStore is that it performs asynchronous operations but can also perform synchronous operations. This helps deal with legacy codebases designed for handling data and disk I/O operations in a synchronous manner. 

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In Conclusion

The Android platform offers new and seasoned developers a rich and dynamic app development ecosystem that’s worth exploring. But before you embark on this journey, it’s best to internalize a few of the key points that we’ve covered in our guide about Android mobile app development basics. Contact NS804 to learn how we’ll help you create engaging Android apps using the best practices and industry-leading technologies.

Android Studios: Are There Any Experienced Mobile App Developers In Charlotte?

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If you’ve been feverishly searching for experienced Android studios in Charlotte, North Carolina — you’ve come to the right place! Not only is NS804 one of the leading lights of the mobile app development world in the Queen City, but we’ve also received many accolades. 

And while we pride ourselves on being one of the most prominent Android studios in this dynamic city, we’re experts at cross-platform native app development. That means that we know both Android and iOS platforms intimately and are renowned for creating engaging and performant apps for either platform.

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However, you may not be interested in iOS and only care about targeting Android for your upcoming project. Or you’re thinking of releasing an iOS version of your app at a later stage but want to focus on Android for now. Whatever scenarios you’re currently contemplating, we’re here to help you make the right choices and accomplish your goals.

But now you may be wondering what to expect from one of the most prolific mobile app developers in Charlotte. And if you’re embarking on your first app project, we understand you’ll have many questions. Also, we know there isn’t enough information available about what Android studios can offer their clients. 

So, to make things easy for you, we’ve prepared this in-depth article to demystify a matter that may seem obscure. Read on to learn more about what one of Charlotte’s most talented Android studios can do for you!

The Best Android Studios Go Native 

We’re now living in the era of powerful cross-platform development frameworks. These include the likes of Flutter, Ionic, and Reactive Native. While the latter framework promises native performance, it’s still fundamentally a hybrid development toolkit. Furthermore, it requires a significant degree of optimization to create performant apps. 

Now there’s nothing necessarily wrong with using these platforms, especially for startups on a tight budget. Cross-platform hybrid frameworks make app development cheaper and faster but not necessarily better. And by better, we mean that hybrid-developed apps seldom reach the quality and performance levels of native apps.

However, if you’re targeting a single platform, especially Android, there’s little to no reason to opt for hybrid app development. And the best part is that Google offers exceptional native development tools to create engaging Android apps. 

They offer the Android Studio integrated development environment (IDE) and several robust tools free of charge. Furthermore, these include well-written documentation, tutorials, and even training videos to help anyone commence their app development journey. 

Therefore, there’s no excuse not to take advantage of all these free resources. But if app development seems too complex or beyond your capabilities, consider partnering with NS804 to complete your Android project. Our deep knowledge and expertise of Google’s entire Android development stack put us in a position to deliver apps according to your exact specifications.

Creating The Perfect Android User Interface (UI)

There are considerable differences between the UIs and gesture navigation systems between Android and iOS. Yet many cross-platform mobile app developers attempt to make them similar when targeting both platforms. Unfortunately, this is a massive oversight that worsens the experience for users in the general sense. 

That’s why we continuously stress the importance of native app development, as it impacts the overall quality of an app. It’s not just about performance but also how the app looks and feels. That’s why it’s crucial to have an experienced UI/UX designer on the team with intimate knowledge of Android’s native UI. 

Moreover, this designer should feel at home with Jetpack Compose — the official Android UI development toolkit that integrates fluidly with several Kotlin application programming interfaces (APIs). And what makes Jetpack Compose so powerful is that it helps designers make engaging UIs for small and large screens. 

Let’s not forget that the Android ecosystem is larger and more varied than iOS. When targeting Android, you must consider the multiple screen sizes of smartphones, tablets, foldable devices, smartwatches, smart TVs, notebooks (Google Chromebooks and Windows 11 PCs), and vehicle dashboard systems (Android Auto). 

But the most experienced Android studios know how to create responsive UIs that work with any device flawlessly. They can foresee when and where issues may arise while working on an early wireframe UI or prototype. Then, implement the solutions to deal with any bottlenecks to avoid costly and time-consuming workarounds that may occur later on.

 

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Working With Firebase

Without any doubt, you’ll likely need a backend developer for your upcoming Android project. You may need to store client credentials on a database, authenticate users, or even keep track of scores on a leaderboard if you’re creating a mobile game. In most cases, you’ll use either an SQLite or NoSQL database and work closely with the backend developer.

But you may want a more elegant cloud-based solution that minimizes the need for a backend developer. In that case, you may opt for Google’s Firebase solution, which includes several powerful analytics tools. Therefore, you can spend most of your resources working on and improving your app without worrying as much about the backend elements. 

Another reason why you’d want to use Firebase is for its Crashlytics feature, as it’s a lightweight crash reporting tool. It will give you real-time reports with in-depth insights into the health of your app. And it’s possible to conduct A/B testing and remote configurations via Firebase, which means you’ll cut down on tools for these additional tasks. 

Of course, if you’ve partnered with one of the leading mobile app developers in Charlotte, you won’t have to go it alone. You can rely on NS804 to integrate Firebase into your app development toolchain.

Making Mobile Games For The Massive Android Market

In 2023, Android ranks as one of the largest and most important gaming platforms. It also overshadows iOS significantly, even though Apple Arcade has made great strides as a game subscription service. Nevertheless, Android dominates, with 75% of all smartphones and tablets in the world powered by this operating system (OS).  

Then, there are Android gaming smartphones available in the marketplace, such as the Asus ROG phones. And devices such as the Nvidia Shield Android TV Pro gives gamers a console-like experience at an affordable price. Moreover, Microsoft’s Windows 11 OS can run Android apps and games from the Amazon Appstore. Thus, there’s no shortage of devices capable of running Android games, making it a truly all-encompassing platform.

And the world’s most popular game engines and tools vendors have responded in kind. Construct, GameMaker, Godot, Unity, and Unreal Engine all offer Android export modules. And Unity takes things several steps further by having the capability to run and export to Chrome OS (Google Chromebooks). A key benefit of Chromebooks is that they can run Android, Linux, and Windows apps and games. 

Making games is hard enough, but supporting all these devices requires the expertise of a professional studio. While an Android game should run on all these devices without issues — this seldom happens. It’s not uncommon for mobile games to run great on specific devices and perform poorly on others. However, the most effective Android studios know how to optimize mobile games for a wide range of devices, even those not commonly used.

In Conclusion

There are several mobile app developers in Charlotte, yet NS804 stands apart due to experience and reputation. Furthermore, we’re one of the top Android studios in Charlotte but also have a notable presence in Denver and Richmond. Contact us today to learn how NS804 can help you create Android apps that engage users on Google Play and beyond!

Every Mobile App Development Strategy Should Have These 6 Things

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Today, the number of smartphone users surpasses 6 billion. Indeed, this number will increase by several hundred million in the coming years. Further statistics predict a drastic growth in interconnected devices, with a speculated 7.4 million households in the United States alone expected to have interconnected devices like smartphones, wearables, and tablets by 2025.

It’s not a surprise that most homes, offices, and commercial establishments have started responding to this growth, with most enterprises seeking to reinforce their brands with a mobile app. Soon, most people will shop entirely using mobile phones.

Already, online carts have taken over as the next frontier for shopping. More and more retail outlets are seeking to leverage online shopping trends. Today, there are more than 3 billion shoppers, a significant increase in the last few years. Indeed, reliable statistics show that today, 29% of the world’s population are digital buyers.

Although enterprises, mostly brick-and-mortar stores are turning digital, a successful transition demands a digital transformation strategy. They understand that developing a mobile app is not enough, a mobile app development activity must be accompanied by a development strategy that responds favorably to existing market needs and fulfills customer purchasing habits.

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Here are six things every mobile app development strategy must have;

1. Target audience

Although your business already has its target customers or market, your mobile app must also know who precisely to target. You cannot simply develop a mobile app without your customers in mind. Your customer-facing app must have an ideal user in mind.

And your mobile strategy must incorporate this particular element of any mobile app. Defining your user profile as part of your mobile app development strategy helps you to know their buying habits, their shopping patterns as well as their pain points.

Identifying your target users helps you to know what app your customers will not only find useful but equally irresistible. However, remember that if you’re developing an employee-facing app, you must identify which employees are interacting with the app. Ask yourself what features this app will incorporate to allow your employees to work away from their desks.

What type of an app will your employees find to be both a time-saver and a productivity booster? Identifying what precisely defines a great app in terms of user profiling is a key metric for any mobile app development strategy.

2. Market research

Scanning your market to identify your competitors, their advantages, prices, and products is a key element of your overall mobile app development strategy. Conduct a market scan to know what exactly to capture in your new digital solution.

Always remember that no action is without research and no research without action. With this mantra in mind, you’ll be able to develop an app that best answers your customers’ concerns and fills critical gaps in the market.

Perform thorough market research before your coders start laying down your app’s foundation. In addition, ensure you scrutinize your market before your mobile app development partner embarks on the process of coding.

The importance of conducting market research is to mitigate any risks. It helps you know what features your product needs to help satisfy customers’ needs. In addition, it helps you know what problem you’re solving and how to get there.

Here are the steps to conduct market research:

  • Define your opportunity and problem
  • Develop your marketing research plan
  • Collect relevant data
  • Analyze data and findings
  • Put your research into action

You can leverage many tools like Google trends, social mentions, and Attest, and answer your public to get a good grip on your market and your customers. Your primary goal should be solving glaring problems using your app.

3. Customer experience

Most people develop an app without customers in mind. Remember that your customers come first in any mobile app development strategy. They are the focal point of your mobile app development strategy.

Ensure that your mobile app has a superior customer experience and an intuitive interface. In addition, target to render a flawless user experience that expands your market reach by making the app easy and fast to use.

Customers should not struggle with primary features such as search, shopping, messaging, customer support, and offline capabilities. Ensure that you develop both a seamless interaction and a superior user interface and user experience.

Some steps to develop a superior interface include:

  • Keep your interface simple
  • Create consistency using simple UI elements
  • Be objective in page layout
  • Use colors and text strategically
  • Use typography for hierarchy and clarity
  • Think about potential defaults
  • Ensure the system communicates what’s happening

The mobile app must have intuitive navigation for a superior customer experience.

4. App development approach

Having a superior user experience is a key element. However, the mobile app development approach is of paramount importance. Ensure that your app is easy to use and can allure different classes and categories of users.

Your mobile app development approach comes first. You must select an experienced and seasoned team to do the job. Your mobile app development team will know what needs to be done, how, and why.

However, remember that you can either build the app yourself (in-house) or outsource the app development efforts. An analysis of over 200 studies found that 85 of these studies talk about outsourcing as an effective method to reduce costs.

The benefits of outsourcing mobile app development include;

  • Helps achieve a high level of security
  • There’s a smooth workflow
  • Round-the-clock services
  • Better productivity
  • Innovative ideas
  • Speeds up the development
  • Reduces costs
  • A talented pool of specialists

In addition, you access the latest tools and technologies, ensuring that you enjoy the best-in-class app development.

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5. Monetization scheme

Remember that the end goal of any mobile app is to monetize your products and offerings. Enterprises are rapidly endorsing mobile app development solutions to increase their revenues and profits.

Brick-and-mortar enterprises are seeking digitization to maximize the many opportunities that come with going digital. Therefore, your mobile app development strategy must have monetization in place to yield the best results.

That’s why it’s advisable before launching your mobile app, to do thorough marketing and advertising to ensure it’s well-known by those it targets to reach. Understanding the where and when of pay thresholds is a critical component of your mobile app development strategy.

A well-developed app strategy sets the correct benchmarks that will help you estimate and zero in on the targeted number of downloads. That’s why mobile app marketing can significantly and directly affect your revenues, allowing you to generate leads and close sales.

Framing your app’s monetization scheme and developing a monetization framework will ensure that your app effectively reaches out to new customers and generates the desired sales.

6. Data security

Last but not least, define your data security protocols. Data is the new engine because it helps enterprises understand customers’ shopping habits and make meaningful decisions from collected insights.

However, you cannot understand your app’s reach, overall potential, and future capabilities without basing these evaluation decisions on data. So, ensure that your app has the relevant features to collect and analyze data, including click-through rates, customer conversion rates, download rates, and purchase numbers.

Alongside data capabilities lies a fundamental question of data integrity and customer privacy. As you embark on your app development you must remember that privacy and confidentiality are at the center of successful app adoption and use.

Your app development strategy must capture the right protocol to protect data and ensure maximum privacy and confidentiality. Security is a fundamental consideration for your app.

Define how your data will be protected. How will customers know that their data is in safe hands? How will they be assured that their credit and financial information is protected?

NS804 – Bridging Gaps in Mobile App Development Strategy

At NS804, we are seasoned developers of superior mobile app solutions. Whether you’re looking for an Android app for a small enterprise or seeking a robust iOS app for a large multi-international, we have all it takes to design, develop, and maintain an app for businesses of different sizes and scale.

So, whether you need an Android, iOS, or hybrid app, whether it’s customer-facing or employee-facing, we have you covered.

Contact NS804 for questions and solutions on mobile app development strategy.

Mobile App Development Questions: 5 Things You Should Be Asking Before Partnering

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It may seem like a technical matter to ask a professional studio several crucial mobile app development questions. But this is the essential first step that will help you assess whether or not they would make a good development partner. After all, you have specific needs for your upcoming app project and want to know if the studio can complete your project according to spec.

The studio’s portfolio of completed projects will undoubtedly play a role in your decision-making process. Another aspect that will likely affect your decision is the studio’s reputation and accolades. 

For example, NS804 has consistently ranked as one of the top app developers (2018-2022) and B2B companies — according to Clutch. And according to the Manifest, we’re also one of the most reviewed app developers in Denver. Furthermore, we’ve gained the trust of prestigious brands such as Dominion Energy, Luck Stone, and Wells Fargo Advisors, to name a few.

While that may seem like we’re tooting our own horn, we intend to pinpoint what you should look for early on. Does the studio you’re talking to have the ability, reputation, and track record to complete your project satisfactorily? Or are you dealing with freelancers or a fly-by-night studio that may not see your project through to the end? We’re hoping it’s the former scenario and not the latter.

But even if it seems that you’ve found the studio right for you, don’t sign on the dotted line just yet. Ask them the following mobile app development questions before making your decision.

SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION WITH AN APP DEVELOPMENT EXPERT TO GET A CUSTOMIZED QUOTE!

1. Which Of Your Apps On The App Stores Can I Download?

It’s all well for the studio to show you their portfolio, but that’s not enough. And that’s because you’re never sure if those apps shown in the portfolio function properly. You’ll only see several screenshots with hardly a hint of app functionality. However, more savvy developers will use motion graphics or make demos available.

While that’s a significant improvement from static app screenshots, it’s wise to ask for more. And we recommend that you ask the studio to provide you with download links to their apps in both the App Store and Google Play. Then, take the time to download and install these apps to try them out. Put yourself in the position of a user to see if these apps make good on their promises.

Furthermore, we advise you to read user reviews, view the ratings, and check if these apps receive regular updates. If these apps receive mostly positive reviews with high ratings, it’s already a good sign. But it’s also crucial that these apps aren’t outdated and are still supported, as that shows that the studio is still involved in maintaining them. 

You may also ask to see the studio’s Android apps in other stores (if available), such as the Amazon Appstore, Huawei AppGallery, and Samsung Galaxy Store. Quite often, users will leave reviews and ratings at these stores too. And you can also cross-check to see if the apps on these stores are on the current versions as those on Google Play.

2. Do You Specialize In Native Mobile App Development? 

Undoubtedly, this is one of the most important mobile app development questions you should be asking. But why is native app development so important, especially with the growing popularity of cross-platform frameworks nowadays? While these cross-platform frameworks and tools make development easier when targeting Android, iOS, and other platforms, they come with a performance penalty. 

Whether we like it or not, native app development is the only way to create the most performant apps. That means the studio should use Apple’s development tools and the Swift or Objective-C programming languages for developing iOS apps. And Google’s development tools and the Kotlin or Java programming language for making Android apps. 

Another benefit of native app development is that the studio will follow the best practices and implement user interfaces (UIs) native to the target platforms. Ultimately, your users will appreciate the high performance of your app and that it looks and feels similar to other apps on their respective platforms.

3. Can You Help Me With My App’s Monetization Strategy? 

If you want to develop a B2B or internal business application, you probably don’t want to monetize it. But if you’re targeting ordinary iOS and Android users, you’ll want the studio to help you with your monetization strategy. 

Since this will impact an app’s success, you need to know if the studio has the relevant experience to advise you every step of the way. Moreover, it must know as early as the planning stage if you’ll need to implement ads, in-app purchases, pursue a subscription model, or release a paid app.  

But the studio should also have the foresight to propose monetization strategies as you scale your app. For example, you may release a freemium app early on, but once you gain enough users, you’ll need to choose the correct monetization model. 

The studio will have already determined that in-app purchases will be the best way to monetize your app instead of ads. Thus, you’ll have designed your app for this eventuality at an early stage. So you won’t have to waste valuable resources trying different strategies to figure out what works best.

4. Have You Developed Apps For Devices Besides Smartphones And Tablets? 

You likely want to target smartphones, tablets, and possibly desktops. Most studios have the experience to develop apps for these platforms, but little beyond this point. However, you should ask if the studio can bring your app to other platforms, such as Android Auto, smart watches, smart TVs, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR) devices.

These options will allow you to bring your app to a massive and diverse audience. And while it’s always challenging targeting multiple platforms concurrently, it’s worthwhile for the long-term sustainability of your app. Also, it’s not uncommon for apps to have a lackluster reception on one platform but enjoy phenomenal success on another.

Obviously, practice due diligence and investigate whether a target platform is feasible for your app. Budgetary bottlenecks may prevent you from pushing your app onto multiple platforms. But if the studio has the ability to port your app later on, you may adopt a staggered release schedule instead. This approach will allow you to stay within budget and limit the stress associated with multi-platform releases. 

USE OUR APP COST CALCULATOR TO ESTIMATE THE COST TO BUILD YOUR APP!

5. How Well-Rounded Is Your Team? 

Your list of mobile app development questions should always include questions about the studio’s staff. And you’ll want to know if they have a well-rounded team that can handle all aspects of app development. You don’t want to deal with a studio that will build your app but leave you high and dry when you require App Store Optimization (ASO).  

So, you’ll want to know if they have at least one Android developer, iOS developer, backend developer, mobile app tester, project manager, quality assurance engineer, and UI/UX designer on the team. If the studio is doing work for several clients, then they should have enough staff available to handle multiple projects. Be cautious of partnering with an understaffed studio, as it’s unlikely they’ll complete your project on time or at all.

Asking The Right Mobile App Development Questions Will Yield Favorable Results

Never be afraid to ask a succession of tough questions to any studio competing for your app project. Always remember that you’re in the driver’s seat and intend to partner with a studio that can deliver and not offer hollow promises. 

If you’re undecided or are unconvinced that the studios you’ve already contacted can bring your app to fruition, give NS804 a call today! With our long experience in app development and list of achievements, we’re sure we can develop the phenomenal app you’ve always wanted.  

What to Look for When Finding an iOS App Developer

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Apple’s iOS is one of the most complex operating systems, not only in terms of usability but equally in terms of design. So, finding an expert IOS developer should be on your priority list if you’re looking to develop an iOS app for personal or business purposes.

Here are some factors to look for when finding an iOS developer.

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1. In-depth Knowledge of Swift 3.0

Swift 3.0 is a powerful programming language for developing iOS apps, whether for Apple Watch, Apple TV, or Mac. Swift 3.0, an excellent programming language created to give developers total freedom and flexibility, has superb syntax and it’s easy to use. Swift 3.0 is considered an intuitive and robust language for developing different sorts of applications for Apple’s diverse platforms – MacOS, TVOS, and watchOS.

Swift is rich and reliable, thus allowing developers to develop feature-rich and vigorous mobile applications efficiently and quickly. So, when searching for an iOS developer, it’s advisable to look for one proficient with Swift 3.0 programming language.

2. XCode IDE

Another factor to consider when hiring an iOS developer is their knowledge and proficiency in XCode IDE. Versatility in XCode is one of the most important qualities to look out for when hiring a developer.

An integrated development environment (IDE) harbors the essential tools required for debugging, interpreting, and compiling codes to simplify the app development process from beginning to end.

So, a comprehensive knowledge of XCode IDE is essential for successful iOS development.

3. Core Data

Apple and iOS users are brand-centric. They trust and are fully loyal to Apple devices and iOS applications. Core Data is essentially a framework that simplifies the development of data-driven apps. Core data simplifies the management of model objects.

An in-depth knowledge of the Core Data framework relieves the developer of routine tasks associated with object lifecycle management. In addition, Core Data significantly reduces the amount of code a developer writes. iOS developers can save data for offline use, save temporary cache datasets, and undo functionality on a single device.

Comprehensive knowledge of Core Data management is a requisite when hiring an iOS developer.

4. Memory Management

Essentially, Apple’s devices are sensitive to storage. That primarily means that an iOS developer must have comprehensive knowledge of memory management. Apple devices’ short-term memories rely on integrated RAM to store and manage data.

Apple’s operating system, iOS, dynamically decides the amount of memory allocated to each application. Any superior or experienced IOS developer must know that an iOS app might stop functioning once the system reaches or exceeds the allotted storage limit. Thus, any experienced iOS developer must know how to fix memory issues when called upon to do so.

5. Unit Testing

Apple has a function that evaluates or assesses how well an app functions. Great ‘unit tests’ are fast, functional, and fully isolated. For instance, when you design a calculator app and want to test the effectiveness of a given function – division, addition, multiplication, or calculus function – you might want to create a unit test function to ensure each feature works as expected.

In addition to verifying the effectiveness of an app’s function, unit tests can help prevent bugs. The ‘unit test’ tests the functionality of a function by using inputs to ensure they generate the correct outputs.

So, it’s critical to contract or hire developers who’re well acquainted with these ‘unit test’ skills to sufficiently test an app’s overall functionality and performance.

Skills to Look Out for in an iOS App Developer

Critical skills and requirements to look out for when hiring an iOS app developer include:

  • Spatial reasoning ability. Spatial reasoning ability is required when hiring an iOS developer. Ensure that your developer has the mental capacity to understand objects at varying scales and manipulate them mentally.
  • UI and UX proficiency. User experience (UX) design experts specialize in the aesthetics of an app, including its overall appearance and feel. UX experts enhance an app’s overall feel, look, and navigation to improve the overall user experience. User interface (UI) experts specialize in the app’s overall usability and functionality. UI experts ensure that your app functions as expected without buffers or delays in processing inputs.

So, an in-depth knowledge of UI and UX elements is necessary when hiring an IOS developer.

SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION WITH AN APP DEVELOPMENT EXPERT TO GET A CUSTOMIZED QUOTE!

NS804 – Simplifying iOS Design and Deployment

Did you know that NS804 simplifies the process of designing, developing, and deploying iOS apps? At NS804, we pride ourselves in superior IOS development solutions tailored to your individual and business needs.