The fast-paced business world has made it compulsory for all enterprises to transact over the mobile phone or the tablet. Regardless of whether you are using the popular Android platform or the versatile iOS, you will agree that nicely designed apps are the way to go. Previously, business enterprises stressed so much in building websites that are mobile friendly.
However, today’s competitive climate has made people discover that they can go a step further and create an app that is exclusively tailored to a particular purpose. At this point, mobile app development in Singapore is a massive industry that is generating massive revenues and is set to go a step further in terms of design prospects.
Thought you knew everything about mobile app development? Well, here is a quick look at the secrets you never knew about, or you just didn’t take them seriously.
• No one reads instructions
Do you remember the last time you read the “terms and conditions” part of any software before installing or using it? Your guess is as good as mine. The developers know that people rarely read instructions however brief these instructions are. A developer knows that in order for you to get more out of any app, it is important for you to understand how it works and other pertinent aspects of the app. To go about this, they have placed themselves at your end as an app user. The user interface is made as intuitive as possible. Graphics used in the app are such that the user gets an idea of how the app works just by a quick glimpse. Various elements are involved in the app so that the user is kept engaged continuously.
• Design for the device
Often, it is peoples’ (especially newbie app developers) pre-conceived notion that an app is just developed immediately an idea hits you. An app is not developed by utilizing only the idea of a single person. Mobile app development is a systematic process where expert opinions are sought from many people including the users. This is why apps are developed inside out. In essence, this means that the app is developed for the device where the strengths and limitations are put into consideration.
From a technical point of view, apps that are developed idea-first are quick to develop but later on pose challenges. Regular fixes will have to be put in place in an attempt to make the app work on the device. This is the explanation why you will discover that some apps have updates or bug fixes now and then which to say the least, is very annoying.
• Draw on real-life
Handheld devices have become our way of life. Even in meetings, few people have the patience to hold off the urge to tap their devices just to check on it. The trick used by most app developers is to make their creations intuitive and consequently, psychologically satisfying. It starts with the developers having to sit down and come up with a concept. In most cases, very simple concepts are used. Then, these experts shift their focus to creatively executing the idea. A line of code is written that clearly draws inspiration from the real life. A good example is that app where your device “screen cracks”.
• Keep it simple
A basic rule of the thumb in mobile app development is to keep things as simple as possible. Experts that come up with mobile apps start with simple concepts and slowly build up on them to create sophisticated applications. This is a concept that is beneficial to all parties because less code is required. Less code translates to less sophistication and less space.
It is always a game between simplicity and complexity. With simplicity, things that are not needed are not touched while focusing efforts on few critical areas. At the end of the day, it is all about simplicity.
• Serve one purpose and do it to perfection
Realistically speaking, there is nothing like a “perfect app”. App developers know this too well and have embraced the idea of perfecting their work instead of creating perfect codes. Efficient apps are simple and are mainly developed to achieve a single purpose. Additionally, they are made such that they are functional and help their users to achieve specific goals.
When you think about it, we always prefer apps that are fast, quick easy and get the job done. Right? That is exactly how users get hooked to certain apps.
• Give incentives
Apps in the gaming world have exploited this feature to its fullest. What you did not know is that incentives come in various ways. One way is by being promoted to the next level while playing a game. Perhaps even receiving “extra lives” in those games where you are supposedly killed. For businesses, it is a different case; the primary objective of these apps is to deliver information quickly and easily at the palm of your hands. Their selling point is through online interactions, either with the company executives or with other community users. A simple notification such as “So and so also viewed this product” can prove to be extremely eye-catching.
• Quality, visibility, and stability
The quality aspect to many app users is a highly subjective matter. As such, it is open to interpretation because some people can infer quality to mean colourful, yet to others it means fast. It is simply about finding a unique angle that touches the end users at the point of their needs. Proficient app developers know that an app that gives you fast access to information is king.
Apps that have quality, visibility and stability are a force to reckon with. This is because these three fundamental aspects were traditionally fulfilled by websites. Right now, people prefer to use apps as they offer these three core things in addition to other components like storing personal data.
• Offline experience
Mobile app developments get even better as they offer you the ability to access all your files offline. In other words, this is convenience at its best. Offline access is slightly cheaper where there is no Wi-Fi as compared to using cellular data. Handheld devices have a massive memory capacity that allows you to store several megabytes of data for later use.
Unlike the websites, data accessed via mobile devices flows seamlessly almost like an internet connection is present.
There you have it. The secrets of mobile app development have been unfurled. When you download an app, a keen look at the operations such opening, running, and exiting the app will always revolve around the principles mentioned above.