How to choose an ally for your app project?

Mobile app development has become an integral aspect of every business these days.

With startups across the globe wanting to excel these days, selecting the ideal development partner has become very significant. Hence, before doing research on the net for web and mobile app development companies, these critical aspects deserve your attention.

A peek into crucial stats

As per Statista, as of Q2 2020, Android users chose between 2.7 million apps, presenting Google as the major hub with a large number of mobile apps. Being not too far behind, Apple’s app store remains firm at second spot with roughly 1.82 million apps for iOS.


This clearly showcases the increased demand for mobile apps. Also, as per App Annie, an average mobile user takes recourse to nine apps every day and approximately 30% in a month. We devote 3 hours daily on our mobiles, out of which 90% of the time goes to apps. This proves that apps have become a significant part of our daily lives.

However, mobile apps have to win users’ hearts and minds by providing them a higher ROI (Return On Investment).


  • There are two demurs that make business owners wary:
  • Who happens to be the ideal developer for your project?
  • What will be the expenditure of Mobile app development?

As the financial aspect differs subject to the initial needs, technology stack, business requirements and awaited results, we want to assist you in analyzing the method of selecting the company that helps your business reach greater heights.

THINGS TO LOOK INTO PRIOR TO SELECTING AN APP DEVELOPMENT COMPANY?

  • The ideal quality you want in your partner
  • The money you wish to invest on the project
  • The deadline and timeline of the project,
  • The planning of working – “The Agile Methodology” to accomplish the project,
  • The technical help required from the firm,
  • The level of customer involvement.

While fixing the budget with the development company, you have to make sure that there are certain aspects that shape the cost to develop a mobile app.

These factors happen to be architecture and team strength, the platform for project development and whether a need to merge your app with third-party solutions will arise or not. In order to develop a mobile app, the majority of firms seek $25,000 for a normal app and $1,00,000 for a complex and tough app. However, a good app company will provide you with a project estimation free of cost instead of asking for a budget.


The cost and the size of the project also specify whether you need a firm or a freelancer. Of course, if it is a complex project then a seasoned and bigger team with requisite skills are required.


PLACE TO FIND AN IDEAL MOBILE APP DEVELOPMENT PARTNER

SEEK REFERRALS AND SUGGESTIONS

The appropriate app development company has to be your loyal partner. Therefore ensure that you work with talented and experienced professionals, make the right use of your professional network and don’t be reluctant to seek referrals and recommendations.


Talk to your friends and trusted business partners to get their experience and contacts for the respective firm. This is an ideal knowledge source but keep in mind that each project is different, so seek the details.


SIMPLY, GOOGLE IT!

This is an ideal process. Assuming that you have searched for the ideal mobile app development company in India, go through the websites of the firms thoroughly, closely watch their portfolio, verify their experience and referrals and then write down the companies you find appropriate.

TAKE HELP FROM B2B AND B2C PLATFORMS

The IT companies such as Clutch, Linkedin etc happen to be very trustworthy sources to find the right fit for your project. These websites provide a list of IT service providers. There are also other platforms where you can find freelancers, like UpWork. Verify the reviews of each firm and freelancers as well, check their portfolio, certification and awards won by them.

ASPECTS TO CONSIDER WHILE SELECTING AN APP DEVELOPMENT COMPANY

TECHNICAL PROFICIENCY

There happen to be various procedures of developing mobile apps however, only a few platforms to build them. Every app development journey varies from the other and needs a unique skill set and technology stacks. You have the liberty to select from Native app development to cross-platform app development, based on your requirements. Therefore, to develop your own app, choose the partner with caution. Moreover, a mobile app development company is not just a service provider, but it offers consultation. In case you are in a limbo over the next step in your app development process, choose a company having good consultancy skills. Also see if it gives you seasoned designers, quality assurance specialists, and growth consultants.

TEAM STRENGTH AND MARKET SIZE

It is imperative to get an insight into the market capture of the company you are thinking of selecting as a partner for your project. Assess or seek their team size of designers, developers, testers, UX/UI professionals, QA experts working currently in the company.


Further, get clarity over their hiring plans – do they wish to expand or simply trying to save a ship from sinking.


EXPOSURE & PROFILE MATTER A LOT

Never have any reservation with regard to asking crucial questions about their recent projects. Kindly go through their portfolio and observe reviews and clients testimonials for the app built in the respective app stores. Also, ask the firm about their experiences.


Have they worked on similar projects earlier?

How did they tackle technical complexities in past projects?

Do they possess work experience regarding your business domain?

BE CLEAR ON THE ASPECT OF PRICING

The cost of the project is very critical, but it should not be the only criteria. Never fall for a chap option as it won’t serve any purpose for you. It is better to avoid a company during the initial stage itself than fixing problems with the app after the launch. 


Quality should be given high priority while choosing the app development company for your project. Quality goes a long way in expediting the development process and making it affordable going forward. So, do not forget to validate the payment methods and terms while talking about the project’s details. What is the method of calculating the price? Will it be a total payment upfront or scattered in installment.

CLEAR CUT COMMUNICATION

Clear and good communication is very essential for your mobile app development project to succeed. You should be in the know of each and every thing in the development process. For this to happen, you should seek the medium of communication while choosing your partner.


For example, you should have total project information constantly to monitor the progress efficiently. Talk to them regarding the tools they utilize to handle the way a project is moving: Asana, Slack, Jira etc. Also while choosing a firm, observe closely the regularity with which a firm responds to your queries, messages and phone calls.

TEAM STRENGTH

What really turns a project successful is team efforts and diligence. The skill matrix and personalities are very significant, to build a successful mobile app. Also, you should have a great rapport with your technological ally to leverage development procedures. Hence, don’t be reluctant to talk to the company’s representative and create good relations with them. The environment of the project’s team creates a durable impact in ensuring the success as well.

CLIENT’S TESTIMONIALS

Always seek references and client testimonials from prospective partners. The ideal development companies provide you with anything without any request from your side. If the firm does not have a letter of recommendation or client testimonials to showcase, then simply move away from them. Also, cross check the materials given and look for some references on your own.

ACHIEVEMENTS & REFERRALS

Experience has to be one of the criteria to factor in for you to choose an ideal company. Experience is usually showcased by various awards for top projects the company has undertaken, recognitions in the media, or the result of R&D projects published on platforms such as Dribble and Github. Mobile app development is not an easy task and it needs accuracy and experience, a holistic knowledge of the target audience, and, of course, creativity. These skill sets can be obtained with experience. Recent projects give a clear view of the way a trusted company plans and operates. If they have a solid profile of big, ambitious projects then the same reflects positively on their qualities.

QUALITY AND MAINTENANCE ARE VITAL

Do not forget the fact that launching your mobile app in the app store is simply the beginning. It is just the beginning of a long procedure of regularly launching updates, handling bugs and including new features to turn your app useful and keep it ahead of the competitors.


This means it’s a must to select the apt and skilled resources with a clear cut policy that follows app maintenance and support to the core. Prior to moving ahead, assess these policies:

The cost according to each new app launch

After the launch, long-term and ongoing assistance

Handling bugs and charging accordingly

To Conclude

It is in your best interest to jot down all aspects of the best mobile app development procedure to ensure every condition is met. By doing this you can eliminate the hiccups to a great extent and focus on the important facets of your mobile app and take the right call quickly. It must have been clear to you by now that the best app development company is the one having technical exposure, great communication skills, good portfolio of successful projects and the burning desire to excel. Finally, in order to achieve desired results from the app it is critical to hire app developers carefully. A wrong move can hurt you financially and spoils the growth of your company. So, it is ideal to get good developers on board for your app project to prosper.

The future of cloud computing apps in the face of challenges

mobile app development company

The high penetration of smartphones and internet connection has facilitated app developers and consumers to save data and communicate with the same in several ways. The provision of unlimited storage and the infinite processing capacity via cloud has proved to be a boon for techies as well as non technical personnels. Despite many companies moving to the cloud computing domain there are some who are shying away from incorporating the cloud in their mobile app development process. Native apps had been the rule till now, but the latest innovations in app development have put focus on mobile cloud computing.

According to Cisco’s research, the popularity of mobile cloud apps is bound to peak in 2019. As per their Global Cloud Index, the company said that cloud apps would accelerate 92 percent of the worldwide mobile data traffic by the conclusion of the year.

With cloud technology increasing its footprints globally, companies can only succeed by integrating cloud computing with mobile apps.

As the majority of the mobile cloud computing or MCC conversations get cramped with technical jargon, we start by dealing with the critical terms in the mobile cloud apps universe.

What do you mean by Cloud Computing?

The concept of cloud computing is constantly evolving in line with its characteristics, offerings, service, and deployment models. Basically, cloud computing can be defined as an on-demand network access to a host of resources sans any communications with the service provider.

In simple terms, cloud computing assures swift and convenient availability of a portion of important resources to clients who have to pay according to the usage. The shared resources such as mobile apps, software, and other services are offered to smartphone and desktop users according to demand.

Also, cloud computing permits users to maneuver their calculating ability based on their needs for a particular task at a certain time. Users will not have to think about the processing power or storage and derive the desired results devoid of compromising upon the quality.

Cloud Mobile App

This happens to be a mobile application functioning and accessed via the cloud. Despite cloud apps and services having native attributes, a huge chunk of the processing happens on a remote cloud server.

Some well-known examples of cloud mobile apps are Dropbox, Asana, and Apple’s iCloud services.

How Cloud Computing impacts Mobile Apps?

The integration of cloud computing in mobile apps has facilitated developers to include innovative features in apps that would have been inconceivable a few years ago. Let us see in what ways cloud computing has impacted mobile apps.

1. Gels with every platform

Cloud computing technology brought down the requirement for creating separate apps for diverse OS platforms. Dissimilar to native apps, cloud mobile apps have high compatibility across several platforms, which cuts down development cost as well as time.

Cloud computing technology also enables developers to create a single app and launch it in one go across platforms such as Android and iOS. As the app is available on the cloud in place of a platform, users won’t have any access issues provided they have a good internet connection.

2. Cut down expenses

The development expenditure regarding a native mobile app differs as per the features, design, and whole complexity of the app. But it is not exactly a cost-effective affair.

Cloud apps, however, cut down the app development expenditure as you have to develop just a single app for various platforms. The usage of a sole codebase can be perfect for small businesses or startups who work on tight budgets and they can’t spend huge on a native mobile app for Android and iOS. Several inexperienced developers have the tendency to ignore the ongoing maintenance cost linked with the app. In order for an app to operate smoothly, it requires maintenance and updation to cut down bugs.

3. High scope for scalability

Scalability pertains to capacity of an application to expand its abity and functionalities to satisfy ever-evolving users’ demand.

With regard to native and hybrid apps, the scalability comes at a premium. It can be a bit too expensive even for well-established companies. However with cloud apps, the users will not have the need to instal new features to their device or update their apps regularly to effect changes to the app. This can be done on native apps as well, but the cost and complexity will be on the higher side than cloud mobile apps.

Additionally, the users would also come across several hitches if the developer has not tested the new features thoroughly for bugs. This would prompt users to either uninstall your app, shift to your competitor’s app, or worse, give a poor rating across app stores and social media platforms.

4. Storage Space in Smartphone not required

The data pertaining to a cloud-oriented app is found on a cloud server that is placed remotely and accessed easily via a device aided by an internet connection. Cloud apps also cut down the installation procedures as they operate from a browser.

So with cloud apps, you do not have to scratch your head for storage capacity on the smartphone. In case of a low storage space on a smartphone, the user will not have to make space on the phone to access a cloud-oriented app. Their operation is akin to web-based apps and accessed straight from the central server.

Problems plaguing Cloud Computing in Mobile Apps

The concept of cloud computing in mobile apps revolves around a mobile application in the cloud services by a cloud service provider and then giving it to the end-users having an internet connection. There are some challenges obstructing the usability of cloud-based apps. Here are some significant challenges:

1. Information Security

Security is a huge problem regarding cloud apps as they store and process users’ data. App developing entities have to collaborate with third-party cloud service providers to make sure that all the policies pertaining to user authentication, access control, and general communications security are complied with, and steps have been taken to enforce them.

2. Unstable Internet Access

To access a cloud app without any hiccups, users require a stable internet connection. But the sad reality is that the same is lacking at many places across the world.

Despite the internet services providers offering 4G/LTE services to deal with the connectivity issues, the problem still persists. Without good internet connection cloud services cannot be leveraged to the optimum.

3. Resource gap in Mobile Devices

Despite mobile devices offering the feature of mobility, the same comes at the expense of inferior processing power, memory, and network bandwidth. The gap in resources regarding smartphones is a major stumbling block in adopting cloud-based apps. The divide between desktops and mobile devices has to be narrowed down considerably to smoothly operate high powered cloud-based applications on smartphones.

Finally

The usage of cloud computing in mobile apps is going to get higher in the long run. Advantages such as expandability, compatibility, and commercial viability, give a significant edge to cloud-based mobile apps. But, technology is still taking baby steps.

So, the course it will take in future will only become apparent once companies tackle issues such as data security, confidentiality, and privacy.

How Machine Learning Can Help Revamping Mobile App

How Machine Learning Can Help Revamping Mobile App

The era of generic service is diminishing . Customer now a days are more willing to get custom tailored offers as per their specific demand . In fact in recent studies it has been proven that almost 50 % of customers switch their brands if company is not able to meet their specific sets of needs and almost 57% shares their data with companies that send personalised offers .

It is because of digital transformation and technological advancement that has opened up many new doors for vendors which aids in attracting and retaining of customers . But there is a huge difference in fact and reality , in short you will never be able to  fulfil needs of your targeted audience with mobile app that does not contain any advance technology . Machine Learning (ML) is one such cognitive technology that has ability to create algorithms and understand human in a way that can assist them in completion of tasks and even entertain them .

So Machine Learning (ML) is technology which can be implanted in mobile app to make it more user friendly , thereby giving more user experience , customer loyalty and thereby aids in building consistent omnichannel experience .

Let’s now look at how machine learning can enrich your experience : 

Personalised Experience 

With machine learning you can redirect machine to learn and adopt continuously . It has algorithms which redirects analysis of various sources of information which can either be acquired from social media , credit ratings and more which later on given pop recommendation to customers devices .
In addition to above Machine Learning can help you classify users interest , collect information of users and can also guide you how your app should look alike . Machine Learning can be used to learn :

  • Who your customers are 
  • What they want 
  • What are their affordability power 
  • What are their hobbies , interest and pain points 
  • What they are specking about your products 

On the basis of all the information collected above , machine learning can actually help you in structuring as well as classifying your customer into groups . As a result you can deliver content relevant to them on the basis of information collected and hence convey the impression that your app is really talking to them .

Advance Search 

Machine learning helps you building search more intuitive and less burdensome for your customers as they will deliver results on the basis of their most recent searches . Machine learning algorithms helps learning from customers queries and thereby showcase the result which most matters to them . Due to its cognitive in nature , it helps grouping articles , videos , FAQs and documents to provider smarter result and immediate answers to their solutions .
Once the data is collected , machine learning utilised that data to helps customers perform searches , search histories and typical actions with ease . In addition to it , you can also upgrade your mobile app with voice search and spelling corrections .
Reddit is making use of ML which aids them in improving overall search performance for hundred of millions of community members .

User Behaviour Prediction 

Marketers get detailed data about user behaviour by analysis of data collected on the basis of age , gender , location , search request , frequency of app usage and so on . Marketers then make use of data collected to facilitate customers as per their interest as well as increasing overall effectiveness of your app and your marketing efforts . For instance say on the basis of data collected , you have found that females under age of 30 are more using your app in comparison with male , then you may either find ways to attache male audience or move your target entirely on women audience .
Machine learning can also facilitate you with even creating of individual recommendation to boost customer engagement as well as time spent on your app . Have you even been browsing on Amazon ? If yes then you must have experience that Amazon suggest on the basis of machine learning algorithms about your likes and dislikes . In addition to it , almost 80 % of TV shows watched on Netflix are the result of their suggestion system based on machine learning algorithms .

Showing Advertisement On The Basis Of Interest 

One of the hardest part to deal with when it comes to advertisement is showcasing right ads to right audience . Thanks to Machine Learning technology which aids advertisers to showcase advertisement  to right people more accurately .
With Machine learning you can even avoid showcasing advertisement in respect to items that has just been brought by customer and thereby showcasing ads to customers who are more likely interest inn buying products or services . This technology will not only helps you saving your time and money , but will also help you with improving brand’s reputation .
Coca Cola is great example for making use of this technology on social media advertisement . Company make use of image recognition technology for identification of people who have posted their product images . This has helped Coca Cola know about the situation when customers talk about their product and what can be the best way to showcase them advertisement . Ads designed by way of machine learning algorithms has greater changes of getting clicks in respect to other targeted ads .

Security Improvement 

Video , audio and voice recognition makes it easier for customers to add on extra layer of security to their mobile apps by secure app authentication . It is smart decision for any kind of mobile app .
Machine learning algorithms can also help you in detecting and banning suspicious activities . Traditional technology on one hand can only help you with knowing of threat , machine learning mythology can help you protect your customers with identification of previously unidentified malware attacks on real time basis .
Banking and financial companies are also making use of machine learning to inspect previous transactions of customers , borrowing history which helps in determining their credit rating .

Also Read : What Is Machine Learning & Its Applications ? 

User Engagement 

Machine learning has superpower which offers solid customer support and range of specific features and entertainment which given customer a reason to use your app on day to day basis .

Support 

Both Amazon and Facebook is making use of Machine Learning technology for user engagement in a way to handle their request intelligently . Machine learning technology has capability of analysing large sets of data and make decision in real time .
Some people have habit of not making calls or writing long emails until and unless somebody responds . Many companies now a days are implementing machine learning to build conversational UX or Virtual assistant often known as AI chatbots .

Entertainment 

Beyond AI chatbots which can handle customer request even at 3 am , thereby are various other machine learning entertainment tools for customers . Take for instance say , Erwin is bot that lives in Facebook messenger which helps users to solve complicated puzzle by sending them clue if they struck somewhere .
Snapchat is using AR and ML to let customers revamp their pictures using funny filters . Their face is detected by camera and AR helps adding filters on their face .

Valuable Features 

Machine learning also supports real time speech translation . So if your target is on international customers as well , then ML can facilitate you with making successful communication within your app without any need of third party online translators .
We can take example of Airbnb wherein more than 60 % of their booking are done by users in different languages . They are making use of cloud translations API which helps them translating listing , reviews and even conversion between its users . Azar , a chat app is using Cloud Speech API as well as cloud Translation API to translate audio between matches .
Another great example of machine learning application is Realtor.com , which is real estate listing which use Vision API to facilitate people to take pictures for sales sign and get immediate information about property .

Conclusion 

Machine learning has great super power to play with , which has ability transform your mobile app development with new technologies .