Stephen Foster's Blog

This is why iOS mobile apps are always relied upon

Did you know every 30 days as many as 197 million users around the globe visit Amazon.com using their mobile devices? Well, that’s huge. And when you find more mobile phones being used by the users more than their toothbrushes, it is quite evident that a mobile application is likely to boost your business ROI. And that is exactly what iOS mobile application development brings to the forefront of any iOS app project endeavor.

Amazon is making a phenomenal move by engaging people to buy the smallest of items readily available in the brick-and-mortar stores. It provides them items at their doorstep, making online shopping easy and hassle-free process at heavy discounted prices. The app here is totally customer-centric. And then we have Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and whatnot.

And all of these and many other apps in iOS have gained massive popularity pertaining to the following characteristics that define these applications –

a. Unmatched User Interface – It takes a user only a couple of seconds to decide whether to use the app or simply stop using it only to never come back. And that is very much decided by how beautiful, sophisticated and user-friendly the UI is. An app that users can use at zero dimes usually suffer high churn rates. Just when the user finds it hard to operate an app in comparison to its competitor applications, users would prefer spending no precious seconds in further exploration.

A good UI in an iOS app indeed takes into account the ease of navigation, providing help whenever and wherever user asks for.

b. Performance is being monitored – It is! At all times! How fast is your app loading? It is quick in delivering the expected functionality? Hope it didn’t crash or freeze or just shut down temporarily? Well, that’s something which happens within an application when it fails to load in no time.

A larger, complex iOS application is advanced and hence takes a couple of seconds more than the usual loading time (5 seconds) of any application. However, the complex ones display an ongoing activity of their contacts. Apps having the minimal loading time, less than 5 seconds are usually the ones user would prefer. Furthermore, they should be consistent in their functionality and exemplify best-in-breed performance.

c. Understanding the expectations of users from your app – We love to discuss great Apps. For example, Amazon uses customer’s browsing history and handpicks products he/she might like. For customer coming back for one product after a period of time, Amazon suggests subscription to make higher savings. The option of EMI at no cost absolutely keeps customers engaged with Amazon for future purchases. Moreover, an item being delivered at doorstep is just the icing on the cake.

It is very much like Amazon has totally understood what its customers want, proactively offering a seamless and unsurpassed customer experience in every facet. iOS mobile apps are known to comprehend customers and their expectations.

Apart from these a great customer support is integral to a great iOS app. What are your views on a great iOS app? Share with us in the comments below.

Things to Consider in Custom Software Development

Or you may call it a bespoke software development wherein development professionals create or build software in accordance with the requirements of an organization. A bespoke software or a custom software will have all the functionalities a particular section of users would want. In a nutshell, it is more like optimizing the in-house process of a business.

A custom software development may include catering to a large tailor-made project or a small one. Also, a custom software is usually considered as the one that suggests your technological expertise and creativity in efficiently dealing with old business problems.

With it comes the opportunity where the developers can suggest and make changes to the existing software to blend the product in line with requirements. If you’re emphasizing on developing the custom software, it showcases your expertise in converting a business idea into a fully functional and robust solution. Furthermore, investing your money into custom software development demands reliability and vision to accomplish more.

A custom software development is not only a reliable idea, it is highly achievable and unique too. The fact pertains to its capability of servicing a specific class or section of users. This type is usually made to have compatibility with specific platforms. There should be no scope of redundancy and a software that is already existing in the market only to be created again will certainly disappear in the course of time.

It is flexible – Custom software are highly flexible, allowing for the company to mould and adapt to changes. Furthermore, these custom products are proud to display the top-notch security they allow for its users to work without any integrity concerns.

The best part of custom software development services is that they build a tailored software that has the utility for the organization who created it as well as for the other companies who are willing to buy its license.

While you’re deciding on to hire custom software development services, it is imperative to keep the following points in consideration –

● Follow a proactive approach and discuss your budget – Custom software development can drain your money faster than you can think. After thorough research should you decide on finalizing the amount for investment. You may never know people may trick you into sinking your money into your project idea or to get you to avail your services they may even minimize the investment cost only to compromise with the quality of services to be offered. An in-depth research of the minutest of details involved in the project could help follow a proactive approach.

● Transparency leads to satisfaction – Indeed! Wouldn’t it be great if you just got the clear and exact blueprint of your project underway. That would certainly help you in better decision-making about the budget and technology platform to opt.

Moreover, it will also impact the final product’s functionality as a whole.

Custom software development went full-blown years ago. It called for professional expertise, technology hands-on, etc for it to work as anticipated. Another trend that is now gaining traction and is becoming a common practice is outsourcing custom software development. It indeed has benefits of access to lacking in-house expertise, low budget, zero hassle of employing people and more. Now is the time to realize business vision into a full-fledged functionality software product offering.

Trends to look forward to in Custom API Development in 2019

API has been customizing since its evolution. The amount and type of data we processed a couple of decades ago is much different from what we find today. This is why APIs are witnessing a sharp rise in advancement in their development. Every year, experts survey custom API trends that re-define the company process of development.

And here is a glimpse of how Custom API Development will really look like in 2019 –

a. Design is the epicenter of a product – At least professionals are starting to know just how important it is to include in the product features! With excessive client pressure of delivery, there is a dearth of time for APIs. It is thus imperative to start a research spike or sprint cycle with API first to have sufficient time to differentiate actual results with present design.

It is advisable to do well not to overlook the API design by following a strategic iceberg model and modernizing API architecture. The model is basically designed to offer scalability and ease of use in design which is very much how professionals can reach API consumers.

b. End-to-end experience – For every touch point in the business, does your API caters to the requirements of partners, employees, as well as customers has unmatched potential for a seamless user experience? And what would be the satisfaction level for end users in order to retain them?

This is certainly a must-have when it comes to delivering a quality end-to-end experience.

c. Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence – By the full utilization of APIs from predictive analysis, a concoction of visuals, embedded, big data, web, network, text, and mobile information have evolved to a full extent. This boosts faster and effective responses, very much like partnering of Elastic Beam with Axway to benefit from AI API.

d. Technology that drives the ecosystem – API backing the network ecosystems must follow the agile approach in bringing together financial services, commerce, entertainment, and retail. This tying up allows API bundled products.

e. Secure systems dynamically – To deliver security to systems, have you closely monitored the development cycle as well as the API? That would be necessary to ensure security vulnerabilities or any data breaches.

Weave an intelligent strategy where you have paid attention to dynamic authorization, identity integration connectors, behavioral security, decentralization, and capabilities of token mediation.

f. APIOps – It entails development experience of API developers which is essential in leveraging the features for the full-fledged development life cycle of API.

g. Works just as per the specifications – For a strong API, specifications need an extra bit of attention. From enterprises to start-ups, documentation, framework, and tooling compatible with gRPC are on the rise.

Custom API Development calls for an unsurpassable API strategy to finally obtain value for money.