Tag: app development

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Why is it essential to invest in app maintenance and support ?

Why is it essential to invest in app maintenance and support ?

Several people who own an app business are oblivious to the significance of putting money in mobile app maintenance and support services. In case you wish to develop a new app or have, of late, launched one, you should know about the importance of app maintenance and support for future success. So, let us delve into the significance of app maintenance and support.

Mobile App Maintenance and Support

Mobile app maintenance and support pertains to the whole set of procedures adhered to for ensuring a smooth and hassle-free operation of any live mobile app. It comprises tracking, processing, fixing and upgrading the components it is made of to provide a superior end user experience. Statistics point out that close to 52 per cent of the apps get taken down by several users within the first three months of the launch. This happens due to improper app maintenance to improve the user experience. Despite having advanced features and functionalities there will always be a room for improvement. Hence, the app maintenance and assistance, which aid in pushing the new features to your current app or deal with the bugs.

Mobile Apps Needing Maintenance

In order to gauge the support and maintenance required in any app the understanding of the feature and complexity level of the same become imperative. For example, if you own a complex eCommerce app having millions of daily active users, you need a more proactive maintenance plan. So, based on the kind of your app, the amount of daily active users, and the complexity aspect, go for the pertinent maintenance plan from any efficient mobile app maintenance and support service provider.

Several Types of Mobile App Maintenance

i. Emergency Maintenance

This type of maintenance handles all the imminent problems and mistakes that surround the system and seek quick remedy. If a company gets into an unpredictable but important troublesome situation regarding their mobile app, they must avail emergency maintenance.

ii. Perfective Maintenance

With target users utilizing the app, some new or altered user needs unravel. Perfective maintenance factors in those feedbacks. It entails operational alterations in the source code, in order to offer active app users an incredible user experience,similar to their liking.

iii. Adaptive Maintenance

Over here maintenance is focussed upon updating the system to keep it relevant with the evolving hardware or software surrounding. Environment, in this sphere, pertains to the effects and working conditions, which affect the application’s system.

iv. Preventive Maintenance

This is primarily the intervention based on cutting down or doing away with the development of errors. It basically works on lessening the complications of the application and enhancing the knowledge and maintenance factor.

v. Corrective Maintenance

Finally, corrective maintenance refers to rectifying faults and leftover errors in the daily app operations. Residual errors pertain to mistakes in design, logic or coding. They are generally extracted from the bugs flagged by users.

Significance of App Maintenance Services

More than anything else one should be aware of the significance of mobile app maintenance services. In the current cut-throat scenario it has become essential to optimize the app’s performance, and retain current users, while trying to lure more users.

Mobile app maintenance can be a blessing in such a scenario as it ensures a superlative user experience.

i. Be relevant to changing technologies

With mobile and tablet manufacturers bringing fresh models of the hardware systems, the new devices do not have similar size specifications or features. For example, the advent of a face and fingerprint recognition altered screen sizes. An app that cannot gel with the evolving hardware and OS, turns irrelevant in the current context. A diligent and dedicated maintenance team becomes essential to get along with these changes from time to time and assists in retaining user loyalty.

ii. Enhance the UI

The look and feel of any app are essential in ensuring its growth in the market. The UI has to be appealing and functional, so as to keep the users attached to it. Having an organized maintenance plan, you can easily harness the best UI.

Iii. Gel with changing OS

Each year, it is not unusual to see an update in the iOS and Android platforms. Without updating your current apps they won’t function at all or properly. Such problems should not occur with your app as well. With a maintenance plan inclusive of thorough audits if the beta version of the update released is optimal for doing away with last-minute inconvenience to the users. Maintenance prompts the right intervention at the appropriate time.

iv. Remain in line with software library updates

App developers, as a usual practice, like to utilize the pre-coded software libraries to cut out several inactive coding work. This even implies that they must make sure that your app software is in sync with any updates in the relevant libraries. Maintenance plans have a useful role on this count and make sure continued optimality.

v. Handle downtimes with ease

Downtimes are usual and inevitable in most of the segment of information technology.

Even the big fish such as Amazon, Blackberry etc have suffered downtimes which have negatively impacted their revenue. By putting money in constant and prompt app maintenance aids in spotting such downtimes before it wreaks havoc. Getting organized maintenance plans implies that you’re assured of quick remedy to restore the normal functioning in case of such problems.

vi. Assure constant and strong safety

With hackers and cybercriminals having easy time in exploiting gaps in the digital arena, even the ideal security protocols and encryptions go out of fashion in quick time.

In case your app is having crucial information, it can easily have negative and uncontrollable implications. Regular app maintenance aids in maintaining high security. It ensures that the newest security protocols and measures are implemented to safeguard the app and its users from the threats emanating from cyberspace.

Price tag of App Maintenance and Support Services

It is totally wrong to assume that app maintenance can cost you badly. In fact, the real cost is less severe than the security threats and malfunctioning of apps. Chiefly, it’s the two aspects in conjunction that dictate the price for your app:

Complexity: The more complex the app happens to be the more holistic its maintenance becomes.

Frequency: Then it is the turn of frequency of intervention. Weekly or monthly maintenance can cost more than quarterly or half yearly maintenance.

As such, the expense can be dissected into the following elements –

  • Hosting expenses
  • Monitoring and crash analytics
  • App store optimization
  • Licenses
  • Regularity of including new content
  • Marketing costs
  • Emergency scenarios

Finally

So, it is critical to accept that the cost hinges heavily on how your app got initially built. If it hasn’t been engineered to expand, the maintenance cost can go up considerably as the app increases its user base. Generally, the companies that offer app development services also give the maintenance plans. You have the option to get the same team or go for another seasoned app maintenance service provider.

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Is Two-factor Authentication Process Really Foolproof ?

Is Two-factor Authentication Process Really Foolproof ?

There are people with high-tech security infrastructure to safeguard their online transactions. They are doing an incredible service for themselves. However, the majority of the people still operate under the severe risk of getting their online transactions hacked by Russian malware. Security is one of the critical factors for both users and app developers. Still we take chances. There are several sites and apps where you need to type in a code sent to you via SMS or email to verify that you are purchasing or changing your account details. Passwords are becoming longer and very complicated with certain sites demanding you to build one with special characters and numerical and users are being asked to add their mobile phone number to accounts as backup.

The latter one happens to be a part of an aspect called two-factor authentication, or 2FA for short, and it is what several tech companies use to secure their users from safety breaches. “The most frequently used 2FA uses an SMS code. While it is a good idea to have a common authentication device, phones have become the default device due to the fact that the majority own them. Password-secured accounts can easily be hacked, and, 2FA, in the best possible scenario, eliminates hackable passwords (“secret” “1234”) from the equation.

A THUMBS UP FOR TWO-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION

After getting attention post a famous hacking of journalist Mat Honan in 2012, 2FA was celebrated as the next weapon to protect users online. Two-factor authentication needs the user to come good on two out of three factors: Something you are aware of (PIN, password), something you possess (smartphone, ATM card, fob), or something that is yours (fingerprint or voice print).

Let’s see how this functions. We all are well-versed with using a password or PIN (something they know), one factor, and now people will get a one-time code via SMS on their mobile phone (another factor), to purchase some stuffs online, replace old password with a new one on a locked account, or transfer money, among several other things. Some people opt for a code-generating fob (second factor) to safely access a bank account or a work server through VPN from home. Based on what you perform online and which device you possess, you might use fingerprints or voiceprints (something you are) to obtain access to an account details or make payment for something with, Apple Pay or Google Wallet through your smartphone (something you have).

In the U.S., Twitter, Facebook, Google, Apple, Amazon, Bitcoin, Yahoo!, almost every email service provider, banks, insurance companies, and online services have executed some kind of 2FA. You might be working a bit harder to log in to your accounts, particularly verifying some purchases or when you cannot remember your complex password. This implies that itt has become tougher for a hacker to access your account, because if you are made to toil hard then imagine the burden on their shoulders.

CERTAIN 2FAS ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS

Not every 2FA’s are common. The one-time codes dispatched through SMS are quite common as this is the convenient way for a company to implement. Who wishes to hoard a code-generating fob to purchase something, say, on iTunes? Also, receiving a one-time code that makes its way straight to your mobile phone can be cumbersome at times, and how is a hacker going to intercept an SMS? Actually, it’s not very tough and it is quite common with high-profile cases more often than not.

In fact, it has occurred so frequently that the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) made up its mind in August 2016 to disallow any services that plug into government IT systems from using SMS-based 2FA codes. NIST requires people to utilize services such as Google Authenticator or USB dongles. Devolutions concludes that out of the most popular 2FA services, those dependent on a dongle offer a risk of loss. An online authenticator is an ideal alternative, and Authy seems to be the most attractive of those, which can be accessed on a desktop app as well as on mobile, and easy to merge with your phone’s authentication set ups. Looking at the non-dongle services, Authy spares you the migraine ie. if you lose your phone or buy a new one, it permits you to reinstate it without re-configuring all your accounts. Authy’s rival, Google Authenticator, doesn’t indulge in this habit. Developers have to achieve a parity among safety features, usability and pricing.

WHAT ABOUT BIOMETRICS?

We have been through a lot of discourses regarding the safety of biometrics such as fingerprints, voice prints, ear shape, iris scans, or face recognition software to safeguard your accounts. The admirers of biometrics feel this is apt, especially for high-profile users or those seeking robust security cover for the stuff they carry out online. However, the huge cause of concern is that the process involving fingerprints, or some other biometric, if compromised, it is impossible to alter the fingerprints and start again. This can be a good idea for a science fiction drama, but in reality a bit unfounded.

If these biometrics can be breached to access someone else’s iPhone or Motorola or not is a good topic but for another day. Apple and Google contain a Secure Enclave feature in their newer iPhone and Android OSs that enhances security while using fingerprint-oriented access, but if it is an “ultimate lock down.” or not can be debated at some other time. So, rest our case regarding biometrics as a safe option for now.

SECURITY HAS ITS LIMITS

There is nothing as total safety. The internet is based absolutely on the concept of openness, and any kind of hiccups with regard to connectivity can drive users crazy. The endeavor is to make it easy for users and extremely tough for hackers. Passwords are without doubt a potent tool if you opt for a tough password. Similarly, 2FA is also a powerful tool, however biometrics are more effective than SMS codes. Further, you might have noticed that the frequently used SMS codes for 2FA aren’t very adequate, despite the perception that it is secure. If this has triggered an alarm bell inside you, then use a safe method available and, critically, let the companies who operate the services and apps you are hooked onto understand that you expect nothing but the best from them.

USERS SHOULD PUT WITH INCONVENIENCE FOR THE SAKE OF SECURITY

The disadvantage of performing better is that it adds on to your list of works, and might result in frustration for users, who should ideally have had a good password to begin with. However it is not at all amusing to find a notification from a bank, email service, big-box chain, insurance, or other company telling that your personal or financial details have been compromised by cyberattack. Nobody likes the idea of changing the password or getting a new credit card. Also, the personal or financial details that were breached are still lying unsafe before a wicked hand. The 2FA is nothing but an extension of security cover offered by a company to safeguard their services. It might cause a bit of discomfort or pain or frustration to the users but the users should realize it is for their betterment.

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7 Ways To Bypass Mobile App Usability Problems

Bypass Mobile App Usability Problems

Introduction

In the contemporary scenario, digital experiences, especially mobile, are wholly entrenched in daily functions; With people being themselves oblivious of the difference between the digital world and actual world. Usability is integral to mobile app development and helps in enabling smooth user experiences. Navigation is not to be ignored in a mobile app as it can seriously dent the product’s user experience (UX). This article strives to offer an overview of mobile app usability and seven ideal practices to deal with general usability issues.

What do you mean by Mobile App Usability?

Usability is explained as the ability to evaluate the ease of use of a system. Usability leads to the efficacy, capability, and contentment which enables users to accomplish certain goals. Mobile app usability is a part of UX that builds the whole tie between a user and the product. Mobile app usability enables learnability. A successful app must be intuitive, and the user should be able to handle the same without much difficulty. In case a user experiences an issue, resolving the same should not consume too much of time. Mobile app onboarding helps guide users through a mobile app, improves usability, and recover from errors.

Principles Guiding Mobile App Usability

Several factors help in a mobile app’s usability that will have a bearing on the operational efficiency and help a user accomplish goals. A usable interface should ideally have three main results:

Mobile app usability helps the user to be at home with the user interface (UI)

Users should achieve anything with minimum fuss using the app

Apps have zero scope for error. In case of any malfunctions,everything regarding the same becomes immaterial.

10 usability heuristics regarding user interface design

Our team gave ten usability heuristics guiding user interface design,

1. The System Status has to be very clear

System components and forms should be highly visible to make user aware of the context. The system has to inform the users about what is happening via proper feedback.

2. Keep It Simple

The system should converse in the language that could be easily understood by users. No usage of any incomprehensible technical jargon. Keep it simple and make information appear in a natural and proper order.

3. Users can err but you can’t

Users at times resort to actions in an app that they never desired to. In case of a mistake on the part of the user, ensure an imminent “emergency exit” without any kind of explanation. Mobile apps must possess undo and redo functions.

4. Maintain Certain Consistency

Consistency happens to be a bedrock of an ideal UX design as it brings down confusion. Uniqueness has to be maintained in an app to make it distinct from other apps. However, regular components in an app should not be diluted, to make your mobile app’s appearance consistent. This comprises visual, functional and external consistencies. Typefaces, fonts, buttons, and labels have to be uniform. With consistency, users can use existing awareness while using your mobile app.

5. Keep Errors At Bay

It is better to avoid mistakes or glitches from cropping up. Do away with error-prone situations or examine them and provide users with a confirmation option prior to carrying out an action.

6. Recognition Not Recall

Make user’s to think less by having objects, actions, and options clear. The user should not be forced to memorize information from one part of the application to another. Instructions have to be easy, clear and very much accessible at all times.

7. Flexibility And Efficiency Of Use

The system should be equally accommodative to both fresh and experienced users. Also, Permit users to personalize regular actions.

8. No Unwanted Info

No irrelevant or rarely sought info please. Such unnecessary inclusion can dilute the impact of relevant information. Clutter is curse as far as design is concerned. Each extra button, image, and icon turns the screen ugly and the product’s user flow very complex. It’s a must to do away with anything that isn’t needed for the mobile app design. Always go for a simple and intuitive design.

9. Tackle Error Deftly

Error tackling leaves a lot of impact on UX. Inadequate error handling together with incomprehensible error messages lead to frustration and turns users away from an app. Always keep in mind that users are not tech-friendly to find out errors. So, tell users what’s wrong in simple language. Every error message has to show:

What caused error and why

What an user should do to fix the problem

10. Help And Documentation

It is a good idea to communicate with a system without documentation, at times it becomes necessary to offer documentation. Any such info has to be easily accessible, fixated on particular tasks and not be too large.

7 Ideal Practices Regarding Mobile App Usability

Factoring in Nielsen’s heuristic principles, the following happens to be seven best practices to deal with regular mobile app usability problems.

1. Attain Cross-platform Compatibility

A usual grouse with mobile users is an app that does not work for their model of smartphone. Android and iOS, for example, are two diametrically opposite platforms.

It is not possible to clone an iOS app for Android and vice versa. Every operating system follows totally different programming, design, and interface aspects. For example, navigation varies on each platform dramatically. So, you have to create an app to have a native feel so that users can communicate properly.

2. Provide Value Straight Away

In case you wish to retain new users for your app, you have to ensure that they spot the value in the beginning itself, ideally during the onboarding process. If you can’t make users remain with you initially, then you will lose them forever. Hence, it’s important to ensure that you provide imminent value. Good user on boarding brings down the rate pertaining to abandonment apart from accelerating long-term success metrics like user retention and lifetime.

3. Smooth Navigation

Poor navigation is a sin, so just avoid that in mobile apps. The user should face no problem while trying to find what they want, the navigation should be as smooth as possible. While concentrating on usability, ensure that your products or services are easy to find. Keep in mind complications can lead to abandoning your app.

4. Clear & Concise Content

It goes without saying that content has to be simple while designing apps for mobile. Also, the content has to be relevant to the users as it should help users achieve certain objectives or find something they want. Consumers require full information for purchase, and not having basic information can lead to a poor conversion rate.The content has to be in sync with mobile app style,it can’t be a simple cut, copy version from the web. Avoid cramming excessive content inside the app as it can annoy users to a large extent and force them to stay away from the app. So, follow the rule that minimal is sufficient and maximum can be chaotic.

5. Bring Down The Amount Of Steps

Steps involved in finishing an action have to be lesser and make sure that they don’t frustrate users. It is always better to cut down on the process and keep finding ways to ease the same further. Even an extra button, image, and icon can turn the screen and the product’s user flow is very complex. It’s in your best interest to have a few important content and interface components. Therefore adopt a simple and instinctive design. As for e-commerce or retail apps, checking out can be a bit tedious. You need to key in your residential address, email address, and give an affirmation that you chose the apt product all along using a small screen. This process can be simplified further by making an account through a Facebook login. Devising your app with a convenient checkout option will even prompt users to buy more in less time.

6. Decrease The Scope of Scrolling

Prioritizing Content helps greatly to the usability of an app. Users should access most of the information within their screen size. Scroll down option should be avoided as much as possible and used only in rare cases, however, side-scrolling can be done away with. If someone wants to scroll sideways, it usually makes valuable content invisible.

7. Give Due Importance To Landscape Orientation

While building a mobile app, most of the people don’t give importance to landscape orientation. A good mobile app should be accommodative towards both portrait and landscape to cater to all the demand, especially for an app having video content.

Avoid Testing At Your Own Peril

The vital thing to do to test usability is to utilize mobile A/B testing platforms. A/B testing permits you to collate two or more variations of a certain app design or layout. For instance, you can examine the potency of buttons and how they vary in boosting conversions. Which design layout converts more users? Rather than surmising what users want or desire in your mobile app, test to clarify these conjectures. Therefore to enhance mobile app usability, you cannot ignore testing.

Finally

The success of mobile apps depend on simply one major thing: way users view the product. The usability helps a user evaluate your app on the basis of the ease of use, utility, and efficiency and overall experience factors. Usability can turn a new user into a loyal one, long-term customer, and eventually swell your bottom line.