How Developers With iOS Background Can Start The Android Development?

If you are part of the iOS development and wish to design an Android app, then get ready to enter the Wild West. In Android development, things are fragmented, dangerous and complex. Well, creating an Android app is not that tough. The majority of your domain knowledge and skills can be easily applied to the new platform without any hassle. There are also chances that you might enjoy building Android apps more than iOS apps.

If you are planning to switch from iOS to Android, here's the list of some exclusive iOS components that are laid out in Android.

Android Development: More Similar to iOS Than You Think

If you are good with Objective-C, Swift and worry about learning all new code starting from the square one, relax there is nothing like that in Android development. Well, Android is written in Java and OOP (object oriented programming) which is just like the Objective-C and Swift. After working with codes like OOP in the iPhone development you have already wrapped your mind across the concepts such as objects, encapsulation, polymorphism, and inheritance.

Every iOS app developer is fully aware of the self, subclasses/superclasses, overriding methods and delegates of the iOS architecture. In case you still face any issue then you can take help of the online articles, tutorials etc.

Xcode vs. Android Studio

Xcode: This is the IDE which every app developer love and hate in equal measure. While Xcode has made lots of improvements in the past couple of years. You will find some features that you wish you had in the Xcode. The speed and performance offered by Android Studio are way better than the Xcode.

Android Studio: The best thing about this Android application developmentsoftware is that it helps in reducing boilerplate code for subclasses with pre-population of overriding methods, Import statements, new method generation, and is smarter with offering fixes for compiler errors. Otherwise, for the most part, Xcode and Android Studio will provide the same amount of support in developing your app.

Dealing with Different Screen Sizes

From past several years, iOS developers are designing apps for only one screen size i.e. 320x480px. But on the Android, the developers have to come up with adaptive app designs as the mobile devices have different screen sizes. When the iPhone 5 was launched, iOS app makers were still stuck on the small screens while Android had been iterating and improving their app making tools so that can not only develop for multiple screens but also for the multiple screen densities.

This brings us to the modern day where Apple devices have large screens and are now in the same boat as Android. But Apple still doesn't have the right tools to develop adaptive apps whereas Android is ruling the roost.

Addressing Android SDK Fragmentation and API Support

One of the biggest fears is Android fragmentation. It will be good you should discuss and analyse how low you wish to set your minimum SDK (Software Development Kit). While the same question is posed to iOS developers as well. Android OS versions go back in a long way and the older versions are still in use. So if you wish to reach as many as users you can, it will be good if you come up with an app which functions on the old SDKs as well.

Some Latest Trends Surfacing In The App Development Sector

The increasing use of mobile devices (smartphones and tablets) has boosted the demand for mobile apps. Day by day the demand for mobile apps is rising due to which several app developers have shown up in the market. The constantly growing demand for apps has also increased the value of app marketing that led to the development of fantastic app marketing strategies.

Given below are few trends that are currently surfacing in the Mobile App Development sector. It will be good if you do a bit of a market research and then hire someone for your project. In this blog, you will read about few app market trends that have changed the way apps were developed. So here's the list:

Cloud-Driven

In last 2-3 years, Cloud Technology has seen rapid development. Earlier, it was only used by big enterprises but soon this tech came into the app development market. People nowadays are using multiple devices and this has compelled developers to focus more on the ability to integrate as well as sync them in one so users can enjoy uninterrupted app experience.

App Security

This has always been the major concern for the mobile app developers. Hackers continue to exploit the loopholes in the app and misuse the personal information of the users. App developers are trying their best to develop a secure app which can keep all sorts of hack attempts at bay.

Beacon and Location-Based Wi-Fi Services

Thanks to the Beacon technology, now there's hardly any difference left in the online and offline service apps. Apple has successfully managed to integrate this tech into their iOS. These days, cell phone users are consuming mobile internet and these location-based WiFI services come in handy for large data usage.

Wearable Tech

Thanks to Apple Inc the wearable tech finally became a reality. Now you can literally wear technology in your hands. The year 2016 marks the growth these wearable devices. In a very less time, millions of people have adopted this tech and the app developers are now focusing on developing those apps which are compatible with these smart watches and fitness bands.

M-commerce, Banking and Mobile Payments

As per the latest statistics, most of the transactions and sales nowadays are taking place via mobile devices. It is projected that in the coming years the mCommerce will grow at least 3-4 times and soon it will outdate the use of credit & debit cards. Apple Pay and Google Wallet would gain higher importance.

Big Data and App Analytics

In the next few years, the Mobile app developers will be rolling out mobile apps that can keep a track of their performance. Developers would now concentrate more on the big data and analytics. Therefore, their primary focus will be on data collection methods which would surely help them fulfil their client's expectations.

The Growth of Enterprise Apps

Enterprise apps have seen a constant growth. At present one-third of the companies are stressing on mobile app development so as to deploy these apps across different business firms. This will surely help in B2B application exchanges.

In- App Advertising and Purchasing

The in-app advertising serves a perfect revenue generation option for the freemium apps. If your app offers superb user-experience and is user-friendly then you can quickly pump out profits from these ad formats.

Some Latest App Development Trends Surfacing In The Market

Whether it's about shopping, ordering food, checking the bank balance, hiring a cab or any other routine activity, the mobile apps are capable enough to efficiently carry out all these tasks. The mobile devices (smartphones and tablets) have emerged as a real friend in need and are also playing a crucial role in simplifying our daily tasks and changing your outlook towards information. It is not wrong to say that mobile technology is growing at the lighting fast speed and apps have become an integral part of this mobile ecosystem.

The popularity of smartphones has also led to the demand for functional and feature-rich mobile apps. Nowadays, you can quickly locate reliable Mobile app developers who can carry out all sorts of app development process. To stay ahead of your market rivals, you need to have good knowledge about the latest trends surfacing the market. In this blog, you will read about few mobile app trends that are famous these days.

Cloud Technology:

Booming cloud technology is expected to play a pivotal role in the app development revolution. Today the app developers are focusing on integrating and synchronising apps which can function on various devices. This cloud approach will assist developers to construct functionalities can be used on several mobile devices which have similar data and features.

Security In Apps:

Most of the app developers still worry about the security of their apps. Recent survey reports have mentioned that 75% of mobile apps fail even the basic security tests. Hackers tend to continue with the trend of finding loopholes in the app and then exploit the personal information of the users. App security is a big challenge for Mobile App Development companies, and they are working day & night to overcome this issue.

Location Based and Beacon Internet (Wi-Fi) Services:

Beacon tech has literally blurred the bottom line differences between the online and offline. This technology has already been adopted in the iOS and it's expected that Android systems will also use this tech in future. Today almost all the industries are enjoying benefits of such innovative services and are able to pump out a good amount of revenues.

Wearable Tech:

Thanks to the Apple, wearable tech became a reality. In a very less time, the wearable tech became the hottest topic of the electronics industry. There is so much boom of this technology right now that several big fashion brands have also adopted these wearable techs. Apart from that the encouragement of developing cross-device apps that can be operated over a cellular device as well as the wearable device or any third party device. This trend will open up an unlimited scope for new apps, breaking the limitations of traditional health and fitness apps.

Mobile Banking, Payments and M-Commerce:

Recent market surveys have shown that almost 25% of the commercial sales done using either the smartphone or a tablet device. Data analysts say that this trend will continue to grow in the coming years and more consumers will be adopting these mCommerce solutions. From transferring money to making purchases a mobile phone is becoming as common as credit or debit cards. Developers are now coming up with secure shopping apps which make sure that all the personal & financial information of the clients is kept secret. 

Standard Mobile App Testing Guide For Beginners

The most fool-proof way to test the app is to run it on every single device out there. This is impossible because of the heterogeneous smartphone market that features Android and Apple devices. So, testing the app has to be done in a smart way and cover the largest possible device domain of the market. You want the app to look good, feel good and be an instant hit. Testing the app precisely helps you achieve this goal.

Remember, mobile application development is not complete without testing the final product. You need to check the interface consistency of the app as well as backward incompatibility. What works fine on Android 7.0 or 6.0 may not work as good on earlier versions like 4.1. If the app has to be supported in a particular version but fails to do so, speak to the developer about it.

If the version to be tested is v2.1 of your app, you do not need to kill your time unnecessarily on every use case scenario. If the app developers deploy beta versions of the apps on a regular basis, you need to check for bug fixes and resolution testing. Quickly go through the basic features of the app, that is through smoke testing and see for any glitches.

However, if it is the version 3.0 by mobile apps developer you are testing for, smoke testing is not preferred. Here, you should go for regression testing and check each and every step. Make sure that new features are well integrated with the old ones. Previous bugs should not pop up again and the app should behave the way it is supposed to be.

Do not hesitate in reporting the minor of bugs to the app developers time and again. The more the bugs are reported in the testing phase, the more the quality of the app is enhanced. This ensures that the final app released is perfect, or close to one. When there is a complex app mobile that needs to be tested, going through the use cases is a good practice to check for bugs. Instead of reviewing the app every single time, you can consult the application documentation.

Make use of regular testing on the app and let the scripts speak for the test devices you you are using for app testing. Always use the use case scenarios which you have written down and code some useful scripts. This will spare you a lot of time and efforts from testing, especially the repetitive parts of the app.

Supremacy Of Custom Android App Development

The android platform being a versatile mobile operating system, has been going places since it was launched in 2008. The app development framework has been specifically designed for touch-screen devices and gadgets such as android smartphones and tablets. Moreover, the platform is readily used for other high-end android appliances like televisions, gaming consoles, cameras, android watches and so on.

 

For this reason, custom android app development has gained immense popularity across the globe. The android framework has proved to be a cost-effective and prominent technology for mobile devices. It provides a secure environment along with the openness with the support of Google. Hence, Android is an unmatched and all-in-one mobile operating system.

Custom Android mobile app development now has a wide spectrum of services. All the major categories such as internet, multimedia, E-Commerce, travel, and so on cherish the features of android. The flourishing market of android based apps is rising day by day because people are more leaned towards android smartphones. The ease of access and the cost factor is simply unmatched to any other mobile platform.

As the android is open-source, companies can hire android app developers to reach out unlimited possibilities. This makes it possible for the third party app developers to venture the open-source of android and create robust apps. Thus, there are no major restrictions with android development. As a result, more and more android apps are being launched on the Play Store every day.

Android software development kit, or SDK comes with a huge range of libraries to amplify the potential of an application. The Software Development Kit also provides all the necessary resources to create unique and interactive apps for enthusiasts around the world. The android platform takes a step further in the creation of an app by custom development. Some of the key fields where custom android development has revolutionized the way people perform their activities are:

• Messaging
• Multi-touch
• Voice based features
• Web browser
• Multitasking
• Tethering
• Video calling
• Streaming media support
• Bluetooth
• Screen capture
• Hardware support
• Connectivity
• Media support

So, it is apt to say that custom android app development has what it takes to expand the frontiers of a business manifold. The android technology offers a plethora of opportunities, from easing out the complex business processes to management of the same. As an owner of a business person, one can leverage the versatility of android to get the un-matchable tools for the success of the business.

Today, there are several offshore app development firms which offer custom android development at reasonable prices. However, it is important that the company or developers who are handed over the project are experienced and technically sound. A perfect android based app requires a perfect blend of ingenuity and out of the box thinking.

How To Choose The Best Road To App Development?

A customized business app is a powerful tool that enables a firm to provide and promote their products and services to the customers. Any business can make a good impression on its audience if their customized mobile app offers a wonderful online experience. In short, a premium mobile app plays a crucial role in the prosperity of any business.

There are three mobile app development techniques: Native, web, and hybrid or cross-platform to build a mobile app. A lot of factors should be considered while choosing a particular app development process. This includes planning for long-term app maintenance, the security aspects and so on.

To build a native mobile app, the developers have to use the coding languages of the particular mobile operating system. This means Objective-C or Swift for iOS apps and Java for Android. So, the app development is performed in an exclusive ecosystem and follows the particular technical specifications of the operating system.

In brief, a native mobile app enables the best of user experience, security, and functionality to the app users. The only limitation to it is that if developers go for the native app development, then they have to create an app only for a particular operating system.

Today, many mobile app developers are focusing on building web based apps. These apps can be deployed across various channels. As compared to the native apps, web apps support multiple platforms. This saves a lot of time and money and these apps are easy to maintain. Yet, the web based apps are comparatively slower, and are known to be less stable. The functions of the app also get limited in the absence of a data connection.

Finally, the cross-platform mobile app development is the talk of the town. As compared to the other development processes, this method helps the developers to build an app for multiple platforms. There are many cross-platform app building tools available such as:

• PhoneGap
• Configure.IT
• AppMakr

The best part is that these tools are code-free and even non-technical people can be a part of the app development process. Cross-platform frameworks help businesses to create native mobile apps for more than one operating system. So, developers and app admins can save a lot of time and money.

The right approach for app development depends on the kind of end users, objectives, business models and various constraints. Mobile apps have dominated the world and people want these apps to run on their glasses, watches and similar gadgets apart from smartphones and tablets.

In brief, the best and reliable solution according to the latest trend is a cross-platform app development. Such development will give flexibility and scalability to the app, which the users demand the most.