Tag Archive for: Mobile App Development

Mobile App Usage in COVID-19 and Beyond

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Amidst this global COVID-19 pandemic economies everywhere are struggling. While countries and governments play a continual game of tug-of-war in an attempt to find the right balance between prioritizing public health, and re-opening markets; entrepreneurs and innovators alike are already looking toward the future of business. With remote-working likely to become the norm, an already bustling market-sector, the mobile app industry, are sure to be even more crucial in the day-to-day operations of businesses domestically and globally.

In the industries that are managing to continue operation during the pandemic, remote-working is already being integrated on a wide-scale effort. News anchors and radio-hosts are broadcasting from home, late-night hosts are delivering their entire shows from home, and musicians are holding virtual concerts. In these hard times people are proving resilient all across the world, adjusting to the new normals and banning together virtually to share hope.

The Future of Mobile App and In-App Spending

While many industries are feeling absolutely gutted by COVID-19, mobile apps and in-app spending are actually showing to be quite sturdy. According to Sensor Tower, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of the in-app-purchase market was projected at 15.7% prior to stay-at-home orders, and other COVID-19 related impacts. However, the adjusted CAGR between now and 2024 is less than one percent lower at 15%, pointing toward an amount of $171 billion spent in apps and app-stores by 2024, which is double that of 2019.

According to the same report, mobile games will surprisingly see an immediate benefit from the pandemic over the next 9 months or so, with a startling 33% projected growth rate vs. as shallow as 10% growth in years past. The gaming industry, and more specifically the e-sports industry, was already becoming a major player in the global-market with e-sport world championships for games like League of Legends reaching an audience of 100 million in 2019.

As physical sports shut down across the globe, besides the NFL which is still planning for a full season, e-sports are even gaining popularity on betting-apps like FanDuel and DraftKings, adding to their fanbase, increasing their reach, and ultimately helping e-sports ‘step out of the shadows’. With Twitch seeing an increased viewership of 10-12% and Italy seeing a 70% increase in live-stream gaming; the e-sports industry remains a strong sector of the mobile-app market.

With consumer in-app and in-game spending remaining consistent, and an expected influx of mobile-app adoption in businesses and communities worldwide, plus the innate human-interaction available through gaming together: the mobile app industry is one of the few that looks to remain steady for years to come.

Developing Apps Amidst the Crisis

As the world rapidly shifts and adjusts to the volatile global environment, it might seem like the wrong time to pursue a venture like mobile app development, but looking at the data, TechCrunch estimates that first-time app downloads will be up 22% from 2019, reaching 140.3 billion in 2020. Mobile games are seeing a direct boost, with a year-to-year growth rate of 30% between 2019 and 2020 compared to 10.4% between 2018 and 2019. The growth should continue for years to come, as mobile games are projected to account for 41% of new installs by 2024.

Entrepreneurs are always the pioneers, and the future of business is the newest frontier. No one really knows what the world is going to look like after COVID-19, but a lot of companies never want to be blindsided like this again; meaning there’s a high demand for reliable mobile-apps that allow for businesses to operate as normal in a fully-remote environment. In the wake of COVID-19, remote-work will very likely be the norm; and getting an early jump on things is what being an early-adopter, entrepreneur, or market-influencer is all about.

Beyond companies and corporations, artists, performers, freelancers, entertainers, athletes, and independent-contractors across every market and every industry will need mobile-tools that enable their continued practice on a remote or semi-remote basis.

The Mobile App Market Stays Strong

The mobile app market is staying strong during the COVID-19 pandemic, and actually offers a lot of opportunity during these unprecedented times and economic uncertainty. There is never truly a ‘right time’ to pursue a new venture, and sometimes the idea itself is as valuable as the end product. NS804 recognizes that not every individual is equipped with the skills necessary to take an idea for an app all the way to fruition. In fact, it’s a very common reason app ideas are never pursued in the first place.

Creating accessible, consumer-friendly mobile app development is NS804’s specialty. Beginning as a game-development company before expanding into social, event, and business app development – the goal of NS804 is to allow anyone with a great app idea access to the help they need to see it become a reality.

What Will Make the Users Happy? Five Key Elements of Great UX Design

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As a mobile app developer, your goal, like everybody else, is to create the best app without spending too much of your time, effort, and money. The same goes for users who expect their apps to be responsive, quick, and efficient.

Thanks to the free market, competition has soared. The increasingly cutthroat market is unforgiving to companies that churn out boring and shoddy apps. To keep your head above the water, you need to pass the bare minimum requirements. One of these is having a highly responsive UX or user interface.

An intuitive UX is the backbone of any app. It focuses on structuring an app’s components and elements appropriately to enhance the user flow. If your app doesn’t prioritize the end-user experience, it won’t last for long.

The problem is that user needs and expectations have drastically changed during the past decade. The need of the hour is for app designers to anticipate these changes to stay ahead of the curve. Let’s cover the five basic elements that make up great UX design.

1. Simplify the User Journey

Users engage withmobile apps with a specific goal in mind, which they want to achieve in the shortest time possible. Apps that have a good UX simplify a user’s journey by saving their time.

Here’s the rule of thumb: if it can be simplified, then it should. The idea is to reduce the number of steps users must take to perform their intended action.

Apps with a good UX do this by presenting information in a clutter-free dashboard that provides a smooth navigational flow. Some of the key things to keep in mind include:

  • Linear design: Linear design gives users an idea about the time it will take to complete their task. It gives users the ability to complete one action at a time, which is important for consistency.
  • Progressive disclosure: This strategy manages the complexity of user information by only showing the vital pieces of information to users when they need it. The idea is to reduce the overflow of information on their screens.
  • Anticipatory design: This fairly new UX pattern seeks to create a delightful user experience by eliminating needless choices and responding to user needs one step before they express those needs.
  • Visually-rich content: Visually-rich content can captivate users, simplify navigation, and inspire users to explore further.

2. Organize Content

Try to organize the content so that it appeals to users. Your goal should be to ensure that nothing gets in the way of the user’s exposure to your app’s content. This means eliminating unnecessary distractions and any visual clutter, shining the spotlight on the essence of the message you want to convey. Visual cues such as contrasting colors for CTA links are good at guiding users from point A to point B.

Try to eliminate irrelevant information that only seems to get in the way. This allows users to effortlessly pick up on useful information.

3. Personalize the App

Personalizing an app can be a time-consuming task that is also overwhelming, but one that ultimately pays off. Recent trends are shifting from generic experiences to personalized experiences because the latter save time and get more user attention. Researchers from McKinsey found that businesses that deliver personalized experiences can boost their sales by more than 10%.

Advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning make this a walk in the park. Most companies do this by asking their customers to take style quizzes so they can obtain more information about their lifestyle and preferences.

4. Biometric Authentication

Many mobile apps are adopting biometric authentication because it minimizes the risk of getting hacked and makes it convenient for users to verify their identity. Moreover, biometric technology is becoming increasingly available because devices can recognize a person’s identity based on particular characteristics.

Instead of having a laundry list of passwords for different apps, biometrics allows users to verify their identity with fingerprints and even voice or facial recognition.

5. Minimize Data Input

Another important area of app UX is to minimize the amount of user input required. Most users have an attention span of less than 8 seconds, which leaves a very short window for designers. The more data a person must enter into an app, the more likely they are to abandon the app and move on.

It’s no big deal to fill out a form with three or four fields on a desktop, but expecting the same on a mobile app turns users away. Most apps do this by giving users the option to use one of their existing accounts (such as a Google, Twitter, or Facebook account) instead of signing up from scratch. The only thing users now must do is to tap on authorize access for a new registration.

Do keep in mind that some users are a little skeptical about linking their accounts and would rather take the time to fill out the form.

Are you ready to develop your app? We offer UX/UI design and development services with expertise in native apps for Android and iOS. Reach out to us on our website here!