Why Mobile Application Development Is Important For Businesses
Mobile application development involves the creation of programs that are specifically tailored to mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. It differs from other forms of software and app development in that the software is fully actualized and optimized exclusively for mobile devices. For example, an iPhone has apps that are programmed exclusively for it rather than a generic web application. Now it used to be that apps were developed natively, which meant that they would only work on select devices. However, nowadays, the priority is to create apps that are more universal across all mobile devices which generally include iOS and Android.
Benefits of Mobile App Development: Mobile apps bring the customer and business to a much deeper level of connection. Depending on the app’s options and services, marketing efforts pertaining to geo-location as well as customer habits can be leveraged and taken into account. This information is invaluable to marketers as it was once difficult to capture in the early mobile development days. With apps now at the finger-tips of loyal customers, data became far more actionable and allowed marketers to help foster a more profound relationship with their consumers by effectively engaging with them through relevant notifications and updates.
Apps are where you ultimately want the user to end up in the marketing funnel after a consumer has visited a brand’s website and expressed interest in the product or services. Research has shown that most consumers’ attention is easily grabbed through targeted advertisements on a brand’s website and that the app is where most sales are actually made. This may seem odd at first, but apps have proven to be a quicker and easier way of navigating a business’s content and allows marketers to leverage actionable data reaching out to consumers. Another important aspect apps provide is maintaining customer engagement by promoting brand loyalty. This is done with a solid understanding of custom app development and open lines of communication.
Selecting the Right Platform: One of the very first decisions to make is which mobile operating system to use. It is important to take your time with this one big choice because it will set the course for how the development process will take place. So, the big question is: iOS or Android? These two giants occupy 99% of the available mobile operating system market. The more trendy and popular one at the moment is Android, but iOS still maintains its dominance over certain areas. There is no general right or wrong answer. It all depends on the app and individual developing it. One great piece of advice is that the most potential comes from releasing an app on both platforms, ultimately maximizing customer reach.
Tech for Developing: There are five main technologies for mobile app development: Swift, C++, Java, HTML5 and PHP. Swift is best for Apple projects and utilizes highlevel features that do not require much code. C++ takes on a compiler approach and has been a leader in setting the stage for the majority of programming languages. Java is the official Android object-oriented programming language with great open-source libraries. It is important to also note that HTML5 is a skeleton language that is the foundation for the front end and responsible for the surface layout of an app. Lastly, PHP is another object-oriented language that is effective with database purposes.
The Future: The future is looking bright with wearable smart devices accompanied by the Internet of Things (IoT), mobile payments, motion/location sensing, and improved user interface. While Android and iOS are still the giants in the field and native app development is preferred, enhancements to hybrid app development can allow for more universal apps that function just as well on both platforms and allow for a faster, more prolific spreading of mobile applications. This only just a glimpse of what is possible in the coming years as technology continues to advance.
All in all, software development solutions are what businesses need to be looking at as they focus on building and learning more about their customer base. The development of these apps can be costly when done in-house, and that is why it is important to secure a knowledgeable developer with industryspecific experience that can build mobile applications based on specified needs that integrate with a business’s current software programs. Companies like Chetu, a global provider of software development solutions and support services, can provide customized software solutions for any industry that help businesses not only develop and intuitive app, but also one that will work with their current business management systems, and ensure that ownership of the code and intellectual property belongs to the company on delivery of product. Future outlook is favorable for mobile developers and those that hire them.
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