Mobile Application Development Explained

Just like Web application development, mobile application development has its roots in more traditional software development. One critical difference, however, is that Mobile apps are often written by app development companies like GoodCore Software to take complete advantage of the unique features a particular mobile device offers. For instance, a gaming app might be written to take advantage of the iPhone's accelerometer or a mobile health app might be written to take advantage of a smartwatch's temperature sensor.

In the early years of mobile apps, the only way to ensure an app had optimum performance on any given devices or computers was to develop the app natively for a particular device. This meant that at a very low level, new code had to be written specifically for each particular device's processor. Today, a majority of mobile application development efforts focus on building apps that are device-agnostic.

Native mobile apps vs. progressive web apps

In past years, if an app needed to be cross-platform and run on multiple operating systems, there was little -- if any -- code that could be re-used from the initial development project. Essentially, each device required its own mobile app development project with its own code base. Modern cross-platform tools use common languages such as C# and JavaScript to share code across projects; more importantly, they integrate well with application lifecycle management tools, such as Jenkins. This allows developers to use a single code base for Apple iOS, Google Android and progressive web apps (PWAs). A progressive web app is a website that looks and behaves as if it is a mobile app.

PWAs are built to take advantage of native mobile device features, without requiring the end user to visit an app store, make a purchase and download software locally. Instead, a PWA can be located with a search engine query and accessed immediately through a browser, thereby eliminating the need for e-commerce merchants to develop native apps for multiple mobile operating systems. Just like YouTube videos, PWA content is downloaded progressively, which provides the end user with a better user experience than a traditional website that uses responsive design. Progressive web apps may also be referred to as instant mobile apps.

8 Steps to Understanding The Mobile App Development Lifecycle

Throughout all the app projects we’ve worked on, one consistent trend I noticed is that mobile app development is like a black box especially if you don’t know how to code.

If you’re considering building a mobile app for your small to medium-sized business, you need to know exactly what it takes to execute. According to a recent study, about one in five SMBs have currently built a mobile app and about that many plan to launch one in 2020.

Mobile use statistics tell a very compelling story for businesses still on the fence:

• Mobile apps account for over half of all time spent consuming digital media.-> Smartphone users spend about 90 percent of their mobile time on apps. -> 85 percent of consumers prefer native mobile apps over a mobile website.-> Mobile apps account for 42 percent of all mobile sales for Fortune 500 companies.-> Revenue from mobile apps is expected to reach nearly $60 billion in the U.S. in 2016.-> The average consumer has about 30 apps installed on his device and spends about 35 hours a month using them.

Of course, even with all the evidence in favor of building an app, the decision to move forward isn’t one to be taken lightly. With about 1.5 million apps each in Google Play and Apple’s App Store, it’s important to understand the mobile app development process and how your app will fit with both your market niche and your marketing goals. With that said, here’s a look at the app development lifecycle and the objectives and challenges along the way.

Discovery, Market Research, And Mobile App Development Tech-stack.

You may already have a few good mobile app ideas for your business, and that’s a good place to start. But before you move into the design and development phase, your first step should be a deep dive into research—into your own business and target audience, as well as that of your competitors. You’ll need answers to the following questions:

• What do you want your mobile app to accomplish? Where does it fit in your mobile marketing plans? -> Who is your target audience? -> How do you want your customers to use your app? -> What platform (or platforms) will you use? -> Which mobile app development language and framework should you use?-> What are your competitors doing? Do they have apps? If so, what features do they offer? -> What is your overall app development budget? -> What is your timeline for development? When will you launch your app? -> How will you market and promote your app?

If you haven’t done so already, put together your app development team with members from relevant departments (executive leadership, marketing and/or sales, product development, IT, etc.) and hash out the information you gathered during the research and discovery phases. Informed feedback in these early stages will pave the way for a smoother development process.

Mobile app developer at GoodCore by day, struggling musician by night. Survives on restoration videos and bad pop music.