App Entrepreneurs Archives - Page 4 of 7

Posted on October 25, 2017 by rbsupadminnextjssite

Due to fanatical use of mobiles among city dwellers, mobile has become a powerful instrument for customer engagement, sales and business growth. In the era where every smallest need is satisfied online, businesses (start-ups or established) must understand that the best way to reach out to customers and push brand recognition is to go mobile.

Although mobile app development is a Midas-touch strategy, a good number of enterprises hesitate to give it a go. Hence, they must understand the process of mobile app development and all the cost-effective ways to keep the cost to optimal level. To start with the facts pertaining to app development cost.

Here are the most comprehensive list of effective tips to help you reduce app development cost:

1. DevOps

Speed of the process ultimately has a lot to do with the overall cost of mobile app development. More efficient mobile app development services helps a company to economize their resources. With the new approach called DevOps, a good number of IT companies have joined the revolution to synchronize and juxtapose together, its different departments: application development, system programmers, network and operation specialists.

When you break the walls and come united, the dream of achieving better and more through combined efforts come true. As diversity of IT disciplines group together to form one prolific project team of brilliant professionals, applications are rapidly deployed and resources are put to highest results. One can resort to RMAD (rapid mobile app development tool) which surprisingly supports drag-and-drop efforts to construct variety of high-scale functionalities without wasting time of writing code. The benefit you gain is abundant savings on development process in the long run.

2. Pre-Built Readymade Solutions

These solutions can practically add a significant value to mobile app development cost reduction as it helps avoid the need to create template from scratch. Pre-built templates provide ready structure where a few good modifications and changes can lead you to development of required functionality. For this mobile app developers turn to project-related third-party softwares that are readily available at affordable cost.

Today, through the dedicated efforts of global community of mobile app developers, many plug-ins are published online that address common business requirements. For instance, you can look for third party plug-in for push notification on Android or iOS. Google in this area assists developers with cloud services allowing them to ease their burden and utilize certain open-source frameworks to rapid-build mobile apps.

3. Avoiding Outsourcing mistakes

The word ‘Outsourcing’ has become more than familiar now in 21st century. In IT markets where cross-border collaborations are heavily practised and produce countless profit, outsourcing the development job to an IT hub could be a promising choice.

Some of the development companies offer hourly rate while the rest continue with fixed price model. What would work best for your depends on the type of business idea, volume of scope involved, product vision and resourcefulness of associated work flow.

In any case, the company you hire must be capable, certified and qualified enough to fulfil all the milestones and final goal of successful deployment. If it is hourly rate you choose, make sure they are bound to a stringent schedule and make no compromise on their deadlines, responsibilities, compliance standards, technical experience.

4. Agile Process of Iterations

Whatever fragment of developmental piece you make, make sure it is perfect, flawless and fulfils all the conditions. This is called the iterative approach for mobile app development, aka Agile methodology. In conventional development, each feature once made is tested before release, which might get tedious, exhausting and impractical. Instead, break it into well-planned strategic iterations. When you develop it in stages, you have a better chance to make necessary changes on time, saving resources and unexpected consequences.

This shapes up a stage-wise process where gradually achieved short segments of work achieves end goals by implementing possible fixes with assurance of test. Hence, opt for a split-project method and divide the entire job into easily manageable iterative cycles. The best part is that the development team can respond and adapt swiftly to the changing needs during the project without reconstituting it, which saves substantial time and money.

5. Custom add-ons for consumer apps

If it is customer-centric apps where cost is a concern, the solution is to incorporate handy add-ons that target both traffic and revenue. These tools significantly boost your app’s ROI and the weight of traffic to your mobile app.

One of the best options to acquire more number of users is to encourage them to share your content on social media. Social channels such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and online blogging tools create a massive platform for you to foster considerable mass of users.

As for ROI, you can capitalize on this terrific rush of regular app users and develop amazing in-app purchasing strategy.

These add-ons are preferable ways to compensate for the overall cost invested in development process thereby whittling it down to a fair extent.

6. MVP (Minimum Viable Product)

This is a repeated solution recommended by highly experienced mobile app development experts and service providers. Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is a prototype of your application in progress that contains its major attractions: functionality, design architecture and features. This is the extract of the entire product that helps you test your app’s future health, its impression on users and whether or not it looks viable in long term. One can develop it at a small cost to check if it has good traction and resilience, and it is a best (perhaps the only) way to liberate you from rebuilding the entire app in case it needs improvements.

MVP tells you whether or not your app idea will cause thrill among customers and make them pay for it. Upon seeing demand for your product, you can think of going ahead and developing secondary set of detailed features. This strategy not only controls development cost but also safeguards your future investment.

7. After-Deployment Support, Fixes and Enhancements

One of the simplistic myths about mobile app development is that it is often thought to be just one-time go. The cost and the journey of app development do not come to an end at the point of deployment. The real challenges often begin after that stage as users share their feedback and disapprove some unacceptable attributes of your mobile app.

To avoid the struggle and unnecessary involvement of further cost, it is a good approach to retain the development team who could respond quickly to feedbacks and implement immediately. This helps maintain the users’ loyalty and your business reputation as users are assured of constant updates and fresh enhancements in the app.

Final remarks:

If in a course of a few good years, mobile development has advanced in our life to this degree, you can imagine what more mobile apps will surprisingly transform.

If mobile affords a sumptuous opportunity to shape and retain your brand image, you can, without a hesitation think of going mobile. For this, there are certain cost effective solutions and engagement models where your business priorities perfectly fit into and the tips above can assist you when it comes to opting for budget-friendly mobile app development strategies.

Posted on October 13, 2017 by rbsupadminnextjssite

Let’s begin with an important question. Do you still wait to reach home and turn on TV to catch-up the latest scores, updates, news, TV shows? Or do you still rush to stores to do shopping, go to the bank to make transactions? Perhaps, we all hardly perform any of these actions and that’s because mobile apps can deliver all that you want on the go.

In this era of competitive business, all industries need to include latest technologies. As technology plays a vital role in promoting businesses, no matter whether you are associated with a start-up, medium/big sized enterprise, its important to promote business in a better way to get more reach. Therefore companies are looking to lift up their brand name and revenue graph by using mobile apps.

If you don’t advertise your business properly, then it would be difficult to survive in the market with tough competitors. With a highly-interactive mobile apps, you can always stay connected with clients and provide users, complete information about your services.

Posted on September 12, 2017 by rbsupadminnextjssite

Smart phone users spend more time on mobile apps than websites. Mobile apps are engaging, personalized, convenient, specific and easier to browse. Many functions can be performed within most apps with or without connecting to Internet services.

Following are some mobile apps advantages over websites:

Mobile apps can be accessed offline

Apps provide information in a faster manner by tapping on the icon of the app even in offline mode. Users can use basic functions and content without connecting to the internet. But when it comes to websites, users need live internet connection to load and access information. The speed of access is also dependant on the Internet speed.

Personalization

A mobile app allows users to set preferences based on their interest. Apps provide customized content to users depending on their preferences, searches and location. Websites provide large amount of information which is not personalized.

Any kind of personalization can help increase conversion rate.

Direct communication through mobile app notifications

In-app and push notifications play important role in communicating with users. In-app messages are received when a person is using an app while push notifications are received at any time. Short notifications are a good marketing tool that reaches directly to users and attract customer’s attention. While for emails, open rates are lesser and people ignore them without opening.

Use of mobile features

Apps use multimedia features such as camera, contact list, GPS etc, more efficiently. Such features can make user experience more fun, interactive and also reduce efforts. It reduces the time taken to perform a particular task and also boost conversions.

Brand presence and new marketing experience

Brands can launch their own apps exclusively for communicating directly with their users. By providing good features and user experience in their apps, brands can raise their value. It also offers the chance to collect and analyse behaviour and activity more effectively than a website.

Freedom in designing

Mobile apps allow you to customize its appearance, usage and layout while websites depend on browsers to perform primary functions. An app is more flexible and offer functions like swipe, drag, tap, hold and more. This kind of functionality provides a positive experience for users.

Increase conversion rate

Unlike websites, apps would always be in a phone once installed. It helps in providing a personalized experience, and can also send notifications to the user. This constant interaction and availability itself increases the chance of conversion.

Apps works faster than websites

A framework that supports mobile apps is more responsive and faster than websites based on JavaScript codes. Fast loading apps are more convenient than slow loading websites. Apps helps users to complete tasks much quickly.

Increased Security

Mobile apps easily integrate with existing security systems to ensure the high levels of security. Within mobile devices, you can safely access, modify and share data.

Improved Productivity and Reduced Cost

Mobile apps make communication easier and quicker. Apps increase productivity and this can create extra time to generate additional business and revenue. Mobile apps are effective at handling and manipulating complex data, producing charts, reports etc. Websites, on the other hand, are generally slow and difficult to optimize.

The benefits of a mobile app are far more extensive than that of mobile websites as they provide an easier, faster way for users to access information on a more secure platform.

Posted on July 26, 2017 by rbsupadminnextjssite

At some point after you launch your business, you feel the need to have a mobile app that can take your business to the next level. You may not have an in-house development team and therefore, you may have to depend on mobile app development companies for the task. However, a wrong choice can affect the reputation of your business, shatter your dreams of making it to the top in the market and you may end up wasting your valuable time and money.

How do you recognize a good mobile app development company?

Look for the following qualities in the company you choose:

• A well-maintained company profile

You get the first glance of your app development team through their website. There, you get an idea of the team’s expertise and their previous works that make it easy for you to make a choice.

• A good performance record

An app development company that performs well will surely produce good results. It must provide you with their launched apps so that you can take a look at them. A good app development company delivers beyond their customers’ expectations, leaving them happy and satisfied.

• Expertise

Experienced developers will have an idea about the different mobile app development methods. They should be able to come up with new and creative solutions to meet customers’ needs. Go through the qualification and experience record of the developers before you decide to hire them.

• Comes up with a plan before starting the process

Mobile app development requires extended research and planning before the actual process begins. It is to decide upon the different stages of the development process, time taken for each stage and, the different tools and techniques to be used. App development companies who know their job won’t proceed without making a plan.

• Considers users’ demands

The success of an app depends on how satisfied the end-users are after using it. Therefore, the developers must analyse the needs of their potential customers. A good mobile app development company will never skip this step as they are well aware that if the app meets the users’ demands, nothing can stop your business from being successful.

• Implements ways to keep users interested

No user will tolerate an app that takes time to load. They will feel bored and leave the app the next moment thus making you lose your potential customers. A good mobile app company ensures that the users have a good experience with the app by trying to reduce the loading time of the app and to keep the users occupied with animations and loading indicators while the app loads.

• Maintains the uniqueness and originality of the app

You can’t just copy another app and add it to the app store. There are many rules and regulations that app development teams have to follow before a mobile app reaches the play store. An efficient mobile app development company will be aware of the guidelines and sick to them to build an original app.

• Performs app testing before delivering it to the market

Many companies skip this step to keep up with the app launch date. But, it is necessary to ensure that there are no loopholes or defects in the app. Good mobile app development companies strictly perform the testing process to identify possible vulnerabilities and risks in a mobile app, and correct them before launching the app.

Study mobile app development companies in detail before you choose them. Take a look at their experience and previous works to ensure that it is the company you have been searching for.

Posted on April 18, 2017 by rbsupadminnextjssite

Mobile app market has grown tremendously as enterprises bring in innovative products and services for the users. However, malicious hackers are targeting on applications with sophisticated attacks. Therefore, security of mobile apps has become a top level concern for all stakeholders.

App market is huge, and in the coming years, there is considered to be almost 2 million smart phone users worldwide and by 2017, the app market will be worth $77 billion.

During a research conducted by HPE, almost 2000 mobile applications from over 600+ companies were tested. The results show that:

• Around 97% of tested apps access at least one private information from that application.
• 18% of applications sent user names and passwords over HTTP; 18% implemented SSL/HTTPS incorrectly.
• 75% of applications do not use correct encryption methods for the storage of data from the mobile device.
• 71% of applications failed to use binary hardening protections against cyber-attacks.

Recently, there has been a major shift in the app security where it is given more attention. App security is a big area. Therefore, it is important to know the trends available and you should also be aware of how well you can align them according to the need of the organization.

Common App Security Threats

The most common security threats in mobile applications are:

1) Threats in App Store Security: The type of platform chosen for the mobile application development does impact on security. Most of the apps might contain significant vulnerabilities, and nearly 90% have vulnerabilities.

In the case of iOS devices, Apple takes app security seriously and allows the users to access the level of the apps used. But Android devices, tend to have more app security issues than that of iOS due to Android’s wider range of device type, operating system and more App Store requirements.

2) Cross Devices Threats: aren’t the only place where secure information should be provided not only to mobile devices. Many stores allow users to download apps from desktop devices and later added to mobile devices and through this way, cross device threats occur.

3) IoT Devices: The aim of IoT devices is to collect user data and use that information to take ‘smart’ automation decisions. In the case of Android devices, IoT devices allow connections with many other operating systems making the security of the devices in risk and difficult to control.

4) Usage of Single Devices: Enterprise-level applications contain sensitive corporate information, which has to be kept secure in all possible ways. As most of the employees use a single device for all purposes, sensitive information can get mixed with personal information, thus, risking security.

5) Mobile Malware: Mobile phones are susceptible to Trojans, spyware and viruses. These can steal confidential data.

6) Unauthorized Access: Unauthorized users can access email accounts, applications, social media networks and many more details.

Best Practices to Protect Your Application

Let’s look at a few steps for mobile app security:

1) Secure App Code
Encryption is the best method to protect the app code. Stick on to modern, well assisted algorithms incorporated using API encryption.

• Source code test for checking vulnerabilities.
• App code should be transferable between the operating system and device.
• Runtime memory, file size, performance, data usage etc. should be noted while adding security.

2) Include Authorisation, Identification and Authentication

APIs, authorization and authentication adds security to login of an app. Make sure, that app APIs provides access only necessary parts of apps. This minimises vulnerability.

• Standard protocol OAuth2 is used to secure connections. Installing this protocol collects credentials and then, allows permission between the end user and client
• JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is ideal for encrypted data exchange
• OpenID Connect allows re-usage of same credentials within multiple domain

3) Apps should be Secured from Back end

Servers should have security measures to prevent unauthorized access and protect confidential data. APIs that access the servers should be verified before passing from the client to the database and app’s server.

• Containerization is a method to securely store the documents and data
• Penetration testing(testing a network/Web application to find vulnerabilities) should be done by consulting with a network security specialist to ensure data protection.
• Encryption using SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), VPN(Virtual Private Network) and TLS (Transport Layer Security) add app security.

4) Implement Mobile Encryption Policy

Some kind of apps release users data without permission. Here, data is protected on file-by-file basis.

• Key Management should be a priority.

5) Repeated Testing of App Software

This is the most crucial step in the case of mobile app development process. While testing your app, make sure that security is tested along with usability and functionality tests. Emulators for operating systems, devices and browsers lets you test how an app performs.

6) Solid API Security Strategy

A solid APIs are a main channel for functionality, content and data. Ensuring proper security of API is important. Main security methods in an API security stack is authentication, authorization and identification.

7) Increasing Code Complexity

Making your app more complex internally can make it difficult for the hackers to attack the app.

8) Protect Internal Resources

Resource that does not require public Internet access should be restricted using network segmentation and firewall rules. Compromising on administration or other resources can lead to extensive damage.

9) Avoiding Catching App data and Crash logs

Developers can configure Android and iOS devices by preventing HTTP caching. Also, avoid caching of page data and URL history for any app processes. In the case of crash logs, ensure that released apps are built without warnings and are tested to avoid crashes.

10) Implement ATS (App Transport Security)

Ensure secure connections between back-end server and app. When ATS is enabled, HTTP connections are forced to use HTTP and attempts to connect with devices using insecure HTTP will fail.

Many consumer and enterprise mobile app work on a single device; but, they appear to act independently with different functionalities. However, without proper security built in mobile applications, hidden integrations and data hacking might definitely happen.

Some of us think that cyber-attacks happen only to big co-operates ;however, the reality is that we all are potentially at risk even while doing something as simple as downloading a mobile app to your smart phone. Follow best practices and rely on security experts to keep your app safe from threats.

Posted on March 14, 2017 by rbsupadminnextjssite

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) along with the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (NAVIC) has developed a new mobile app which will enable the Indian fishermen to check international water borders.

According to Rakesh Sasibhushan, Chairman and Managing Director of Antrix Corporation Ltd, a commercial arm of ISRO, the NAVIC based mobile app would ensure safety and prevent the fisherman from accidentally wading into international waters.

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The NAVIC which has seven satellites in orbit is the Indian equivalent of GPS, which provides opportunities for Indian entrepreneurs to develop Indian specific-apps.

ISRO is also coming with a specific proposal that aims at the Indian Industry. This mobile app is also planned to be launched in regional languages to help fishermen to navigate to Potential Fishing Zone(PFZ).

Posted on March 7, 2017 by rbsupadminnextjssite

The Nigerian app ‘Sliide Airtime‘ has been titled as the World’s Most Creative Mobile App at the Global Mobile World Congress awards.

The application which is a unique airtime service for developing countries won the award leaving behind big budget apps from all over the world.

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It was launched in March 2016, to provide its customers an easy way to earn free airtime. It provides personalized stories, news, sponsored contents and adverts from both national and international publishers based on the users interest.

Almost 65% of the apps advertising revenue is used to buy mobile data from telco. This is then given to the users, who can earn airtime by completing tasks. The app is designed to solve problems for the millions of people living in Africa and other emerging markets.

Sliide has won Best African App at 2016, Most Effective Consumer Smart phone App at the Effective Mobile Marketing Awards in London, and won the Game-Changing Innovation category at the West Africa Com Awards.

The app which is available on the Google Play Store is now ready to launch at its second and third markets of South Africa and Pakistan.

Posted on February 14, 2017 by rbsupadminnextjssite

‘Suwadu’, a mobile application used by the Forest Department to monitor the daily movements and patterns of Anti-Poaching Watchers and illegal tourism inside the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR).

Earlier the use of Global Positioning System helped the department assess patrolling patterns of their forest staff. But Suwadu, a cost-effective app helps them to keep track of APWs and ensure that the entire park is under constant surveillance.

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With a simple push of a button, data’s are transmitted and logged into a server every three seconds, where the entire movement of APWs, time taken for patrol operations is examined by officials for review.

It also has a drop-down menu, where the geo-tagged photos of direct and indirect animal sightings, watering holes etc. can be clicked and will be downloaded to a cloud server.

The department has identified 150km of Lantana that needs to be removed immediately. The cleared areas will serve as pathways which will help the Forest Department in monitoring the area and also will serve as a quick escape route in case of a forest fire for animals.

Posted on February 7, 2017 by rbsupadminnextjssite

The “Tuanyuan”, or “Reunion” app developed by Alibaba Group Holding Ltd helps Chinese authorities recover hundreds of missing children last year.

The Ministry of Public Security said that 611 missing children were found in 2016 with the help from the reunion app. The app allows the police officers to share information and work together.

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According to the reports of Xinhua News Agency, the app sends push notifications, including photos, to users near the location where a child has disappeared. If the child is still not found, then notifications are sent to users farther from the location of the disappearance.

The updated version of the app in November 2016 helped it to expand its reach through association with other popular apps, such as Taobao, search engine Baidu, Tencent Holdings Ltd’s instant messaging software QQ and mobile ride-sharing platform Didi Chuxing.

China has a rampant child trafficking problem for which the government is taking measures to solve.

Posted on February 3, 2017 by rbsupadminnextjssite

Fraunhofer Development a German Engineering firm has developed a new app ‘HawkSpex’ that can directly look inside objects and display specific constituents.

The HawkSpex app uses the front camera on the smartphone to perform the action. The regular scan methods can be costly and interfere with the smart phone’s design.

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According to Prof. Udo Seiffert, Expert Group Manager at the Fraunhofer IFF, users don’t need anything to scan other than the camera already integrated with their smartphone.

Here the app uses the phone’s display, which successively illuminates the object with a series of different colors for fractions of a second. If the camera display illuminates the red light, the object can only display a red light.

Intelligent analysis algorithms within the app help to compensate limited computing performance as well as the limited performance of the camera and display in the smartphone.

The app will have high commercial potential which includes analysis of quality control of foods, the effectiveness of cosmetic products etc.

The first version of the app would be released for users by the end of 2017 after verification of the measurements.