Technique for Optimizing & Reducing the APK size of Android App

Today everyone hates running their phones out of space or having trouble while uploading their app on the App Store. So what is the problem behind this! Is your phone running low on memory or slow enough to execute the upload process? No! The real problem is with the application of larger sizes.

Certainly, Size has been affected by increasing the mobile storage space to 256 GB, mobile app size is also increasing as App Developers are starting to add the latest features to the app to meet the growing and changing needs and needs of the market. Furthermore, with the practice of supporting your apps on different screen sizes, the app size increases. As a result, the increasing number of features added to the app, the SDK, changes to higher resolution images, better graphics which makes the SDK size larger.

With all these facts, it becomes a situation for users, as if they cannot proceed with heavy apps on their screen, nor get rid of them. In addition, they remain in a love-and-hate relationship with these apps. On one hand, rich graphics, hassle-free navigation, a bundle of advanced features steal users’ hearts. On the other hand, these apps are crushing the huge size of their mobile storage space. According to the latest survey report, 74.4% of the world’s people use Android devices and 70% of users consider the size of the app before installing it on their device.

Effectiveness of APK size on Installation Conversion Rate

The Android package (APK) size server plays a major role in establishing the conversion rate. According to various studies and survey reports, it has been concluded that smaller APK sizes depend on higher conversion rates and conversely reflect translation. As most Mobile App Development companies are shifting their focus towards venturing into new emerging markets by adding some advanced features and functionalities to their app. But at the same time, it is important to be aware of increasing the size of your app.

App size is the Biggest Issue in the Mobile App Development Domain

If we look at Google’s figures and consider it, 84.8% of people using Android in 2020 are expected to jump to 85.7% in 2024 compared to 15.2% of iOS users in 2020. The global user base is 2.7 billion with access to 2.8 million applications in the Google Play Store. Adding to this, the SDK size and installation conversion rate are intimately correlated. According to Google, if the app size is more than 150 MB, installation is likely to be less than 30%. For every 6 MP expansion in application size, the installation conversion will be reduced by 1%.

Since the above data shows that the size of the APK badly affects the installation conversion rate, all Android app developers should be serious about this matter because 70% of the users are actually on the app’s size before installing it. Let’s consider. So while hiring a mobile app developer for your next project, keep in mind that there is no benefit to having an app that has no users.

Before we dig deeper to understand how to reduce the size of Android app during the development life cycle, it is worth understanding how the app size increases.

App size continues to grow & is becoming a cautious issue for Android developers

Indeed, modern day apps are stealing the show by adding an excellent level of correct management facility to everything from taps on your screen. But uncertainty, these apps are severely shaped for these three reasons:

Increasing number of feature sets.
Fast growing UX expectations.
Support for multiple platforms and different screen sizes.

Apart from affecting the storage capacity and memory of mobile devices, the most disappointing part about heavy apps is also the increase in data consumption. And this is the reason that is inspiring the users to uninstall the app. So, whether you are a leading brand trying to deliver an excellent user experience through an app, you need to emphasize on making smaller apps. Don’t worry, Google always has a way of dealing with these issues. It provides tools to develop to troubleshoot the problem. So let’s discuss how to reduce and reduce the size of Android apps.

Tips to reduce Android app size throughout development lifecycle

Optimize & Compress of Image Files

Browsing an app with high-resolution graphics is quite inspiring and interesting. But, be aware, heavy-sized images can slow down your app and increase the size of your app. So what to do if you want to optimize and reduce the image size without diluting the image resolution?

Basically, Images use two formats, either .jpeg or .png files. So whether you are going to compress the file on your own or hire an Android app developer for the same, there are many tools available for such conversions. Tools such as Guetzli and packjpg are recommended for .jpg file compression, while pngcrush and zopflipng support .png files.

Few More Option for Optimize & Reduce the Image Size

Designers can apply vector graphics to create simple resolution-independent images that do not have much space. It is available in Android as readily available objects that make it easier by allowing you to generate sharp and screen-size images under a 100-byte file. This can be a great idea for smaller size applications to reduce the size of the image

By adding this, developers can use the Draw 9-Patch tool or the WYSIWYG image editor, allowing you to create bitmap images and auto-resize to fit different screen sizes of different devices. To crunch the size of .png images, you can take advantage of the aapt tool, which is available in Res / drawable and allows you to shade the shape.

Eradication of Unutilized Process, Codes, Classes and Virtue

When developing a mobile app, it is common to have unusable code and resources in an unusable system. These codes are generated automatically and are not useful for the app at all, but they simply expand the app’s size rapidly. Since they do not add any value to your app, it makes sense to track them down and remove unnecessary code from your app immediately. And for this, you can benefit by using some tools and techniques, which we are talking about below:

RB Code Shrinker Tool

When it comes to reducing or shrinking app size, most software development companies usually leverage the knowledge of this tool. Code shrinking allows you to reduce the size of your APK by automatically removing unused code and resources from the system.

Eliminate your Code with ProGuard

Since R8 is comparatively new and still in a growing state, you may prefer to use ProGuard to remove unused classes, methods, fields, and attributes from your code until it becomes stable. Can. However, be careful when using ProGuard because sometimes it removes the code that your app needs to function. So you always have to test the functionality of your app first to publish it.

Scan your Codes with Android Lint

Lint is a static code scanning tool that cannot identify the necessary resources anywhere in your code. But the major issue with the use of lint is that it only identifies unused resources, and cannot remove these resources. So you will need to check its report and extract all the identified resources manually.

Elimination of Dead Codes

As the size of the APK file is directly in sync with the loading speed of the app, it devours the storage of your device, making it clear that it is powered by power. And will only add bulk to any unused and inactive code for your app. By removing extra and dead code, you can speed up your application without affecting the functionality of the app. By adding this, eliminating these codes helps you to upgrade the quality of the source code and reduce the need to maintain code size. Therefore, the scope of bugs in your application is prevented and allows you to introduce bug-free healthy apps.

Limitation the use of Resources from Libraries

It is common to use external libraries when developing Android applications to enhance the user experience and increase versatility in the app. And basic are Google Play services used primarily to recover auto translation of app text and Android support libraries that are used to enhance the user experience on dated devices.

Basically, the problem is that most of these libraries are designed for servers or desktops, so they come with heavy methods and objects and do not serve any purpose for your application. To reduce the size of the application, you can edit files and keep the parts that your app needs to function. But to make changes, you will need access to the modification. But the simple solution to this problem is to either hire an app developer or use a mobile-friendly library for specific functionalities.

Use Android Size Analyzer Plugin

If you want to find out what exactly is in your app, you can either hire an App Development Company or take advantage of the Android Analyzer plugin to analyze every element of your app. It tries to help you with a lot of data about the size of the Android package. In fact, it is one of the easiest ways to determine and implement methods that will cause app size reduction and allow you to activate your app.

Use Android Pleasure Size with APK Analyzer, you can:

Understand the structure of DEX files.
See the correct size of files in the APK.
By accelerated view of the ending version of the files in the APK.
Compare two APKs simultaneously.

Now there are three ways to access this plugin during project development:

It is necessary to first drag an APK into Android Studio’s editor window.
Switch to project perspective in project window
First select the Build Analyze APK in the menu bar, and only then select your APK.

Conclusion

Hopefully, with this blog, you have an idea that large-sized applications fail to stand out in the market despite giving users unique features. Whether you are developing an application for your core business or for additional services, it is always necessary to have a user-friendly application that meets the growing needs of the market.

And, optimizing and reducing app size is the only way to make your app user friendly. Thus, following the techniques described above will definitely help you reduce the size of the app and make it successful. But if you still have any doubts or difficulty coming down, you can hire Android app developers to build an application with the ideal size.

Our experts can guide you with the best solutions, new trends and techniques that enable you to stand out in a competitive market. For more information, you can contact our portfolio and us for detailed discussion and accurate estimates.

April 6, 2021April 6, 2021

Legal Issues To Consider : Mobile App Development 2021

Everyone’s dream choice while having mobile app development is to have technical giant app which user feels attractive to use and hence will succeed . However have you wondered why it is equally important to consider legal aspects of the app even during initial stage of app development ?

It is because each of the mobile app development life cycle may attract legal issues for you and in order to get yourself secured , you must take care of legal part in your app development as well . In this article , we will guide you about critical legal issues which might deviate your mind if not properly handled with care.

NDA ( Non Disclosure Agreement )

NDA or non-disclosure agreement is legally valid document under which parties bind themselves to not to disclose / share confidential information with any other person . That is the reason why we always encourage our clients to sign NDA even before sharing any of their business idea with us .
We can say NDA is one among few steps available to protect your product concept . You may challenge the agreement in courts if any party breaches its terms and condition . But wait , NDA is not just simple documents , rather it must include points which make it more informative are some of them are :

Definition of Confidential Information : It is proven to be beneficial for parties to specify all confidential information which may or may not be limited to financial data , know-how , show-how , operating , marketing or trade data . In addition to it it should also include information concerning to products , its ideas , solution and other confidential information .
Obligation of other party: Obligation of other party needs to be defined in advance including confidentiality clause as well as obligations involved in accordance to with other party can disclose information to its staff .
Choice of laws : While signing of any NDA , always try to write jurisdiction under which you will feel comfortable to contract .
Penalties : You should also write about the penalties it involved in case of breach of contract . It may be in monetary terms or fix sum of money .
Term : As per general rules of law , any NDA is valid for the term of 2, 3 or 5 years . Hence it is your sole choice for the information you want to protect . As the case may be , you may get involved in contract .
Obligation to return : You must include obligation to return information in case you want to or willing to switch to any other party .

Independent Contract Agreement

Contract agreement is concerned about points which you should mention before starting of with software development company . This agreement should be draft in a way that if will help you in guiding the process of cooperation in its entire duration of contract and what if situation in case of doubt and conflicts. That is the reason it is proven beneficial to write step by step how collaboration will move . For instance say it is worth mentioning which methodology your app developer will follow , eg agile methodology . In brief it should include the following :

Methodology of cooperation : It should include how cooperation will work to come up with result which is favourable to both the parties . It will also mention tools which you will be used , preferred methods of communication as well as procedure for arranging meetings .
Force majeure : In case of unpredicted pandemic situation or force majeure which might occur due to unavoidable circumstances then you must define the outcomes and mutual binding of it .
Exit plan : It is another beneficial points as it defined the exits plans if plan does not go according to plan has been specified in agreement and bth parties want to withdraw before the planned duration . It is worth including information about who will be owner of existing code , what will be payment due dates and penalties and so on.

Privacy Policy & Protection Of Data

Wondering what legal requirements you have to meet in connection with your data protection at personalised level ?
Protecting of your’s user personal data is one of the primary thing to focus on which is Las common cause to attract legal obligations . This requirements various from country to country . For instance say if you are planning to launch your app in European markets , you must adhere to GDPR compliances , while in case of USA , you need to take care of Children’s online privacy protection act.
This requirements also depends on in which industry your app is focus on . For instance Healthcare sector app must have HIPPA compliant . Since it is complex task and may require lawyer interference to draft proper agreement in app development process . In case of any data leaks , it will be app owner who will be held responsible for the same , hence it should be taken care with utmost priority .
Tips to fulfil personal data obligation :

Collect only limited amount of user data which is meant for your app only
Don’t ever try to sell or use data for the purpose other than for which you have collected data for
Make sure that your data is being seen by your authorised person only who make necessary use of it
Always showcase users that their data is protected with them and is in safe hands
Try to maintain documents of data received or you have so that if asked can be provided by you immediately.

Terms & Condition

Terms and condition as in case of privacy policy varies from country to country . You must specify following points while writing terms and condition in contract :

It is beneficial to include basic information about your company in general terms and condition
Conditions of service provision : In terms and condition define in advance your app working , its registration conditions as well as when agreement is concludes and terminated between both parties . Apart from it also mention your use of app as well as tech slacks about languages used along with conditions in which users account will be blocked
End user license agreement : This is concerned with binding users with your terms and condition while using your mobile app
Complaint processing : In terms and condition , try to include the process to handle and hear complaints as well as ways in which customer can contact you in case of need .
Limitation of liability : Define your liability in advance and make it clear to users . It will help you building trust among your users .

App Store Requirements

What is the use of mobile app if it has not been published on App Store or Google play store ? No body is going to download the same and all your investment will go into veins . That is the reason why your app should comply with all guidelines from Google and Apple to publish your app on their stores . All these policies focus on personal data protection as well as intellectual property rights .

Conclusion

Any mobile app development is complex project and involves various process . It is always beneficial to considerer all aspects involved in development of app which includes legal factors at initial starting . This will aid you to carry on your app to reach larger marketplace without facing any hurdle which may become obstacle in your success journey if not taken care of .

December 24, 2019December 24, 2019

Top Trends To Follow In 2020 & Beyond

We all know that how mobile app industry has changed the world for us , and no where it is going to slow down in 2020 . Mobile app industry is expected to grow as $ 188.9 billion as global revenue .

In this technological changing world , we are experiencing continuous changes in mobile app development world . In this article , we will take into consideration top 10 mobile app development trends that will be big hit in 2020 .

Top 10 Mobile App Trends In 2020

1. Blockchain In Mobile Apps

Blockchain is one of the most emerging technology in recent times specially in the field of finance and trade . Blockchain helps streamline of data management with increased efficiency in transaction process . With help of blockchain , mobile app developers can design decentralised mobile app , often known as DApp .
The technology has already been used popularly in finance and banking transaction to carry on the monetary transaction . Blockchain is now one of the emerging technology to offer customer trustable and safety transaction during baking .

2. IoT Integration In Mobile Apps

IoT is already doing miracle in multiple sectors for connecting remote control or apps with internet . Internet of things has already touched multiple industries like transportation , eCommerce , healthcare etc and is now rapidly moving towards development of more wearable devices to ease down our life .
IoT has convenience many parts of our life by providing technological advance solution and thereby developers are getting influenced towards keeping app more IoT friendly .

3. Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning For Smarter Apps

AI has potential to change the future of mobile app development industry . AI when integrated with mobile apps can help making the app smarter , and in the meanwhile it also saves time , effort and app development cost for mobile app development .
We can expect the following trends in 2020 in mobile app development :

AI automated DevOps though AIOps
Automated machine learning
AI enabled chips
Interoperability among neural networks .

4. Payment Gateway & Mobile Wallet Integration

The trend and people is moving towards more and more cashless payments as well as mobile wallets . Integration of mobile wallets like PayPal , Google Wallet , Amazon Pay and payment gateway providers provides safer encryption and will surely be great hit for upcoming years .

5. Wearable Devices

The launch of various like of wearable devices like smart watch , fitness bands and trackers has changed the way we interact with smart device . Possible trends in 2020 may be rise in fitness trackers which will ultimately lead to decrease in dependancy of smartphone .

Conclusion

The mobile app industry has totally reshaped the business for years and future in 2020 and beyond is also on high phase . Every organisation is seeking integration of latest technology in their mobile app to get maximum output and growth in business . Going with above , mobile app development technologies to garner maximum growth .
It is always beneficial to choose right mobile app development strategy to assure success and incorporate latest trends in mobile apps .