With the increasing popularity of Android-operated smartphones and tablets, it has become imperative to have cloud storage facilities. The internal storage capacity of mobile devices is quite limited due to their sizes; accordingly the importance of cloud storage services is being felt by most people. To cater to this demand several cloud storage services have come into existence which provide free storage to the customers. These services help store all kinds of files, photos, movies, music as well as videos for free and these can be accessed anywhere anytime on the go. The service providers ensure that the data is perfectly safe; the chances of stolen or crashed hard disk are literally zero. Here are some apps that have become the top picks for many Android users around the world.Google Drive- Google Drive is a top choice for Android-users for its easy familiarity as well as ease of use. The service is integrated with Google+ accounts along with other services. The services are merged such that 15GB storage is included across Google Docs, Gmail, Google+, Google photos as well as Google Drive. It can support virtually all kinds of files that include Microsoft Office docs and PDFs. Dropbox- This is the most popular choice for most people since it is the first app for Cloud storing. Anything and everything may be uploaded as well as accessed by the users without any issues. Not only can you use free cloud storage of 2GB but if you can refer it to friends then 16GB additional free storage can be earned as well. If you want more, then even the charges are quite nominal. Box- The popularity of Dropbox is limited to individuals; Box’s popularity rests among enterprise and business users. Personal users may get 5GB free storage to store all kinds of files. Beyond that a fee of $10 per year must be paid which enables you to have storage space of 25GB. The functionality as well as navigation is really easy to adopt. The uploading, downloading, sharing, editing and commenting on the files is quite simple. In case of changes in shared documents you get a notification through its widget. Cubby- Through this app, users get a space for storing of important documents, movies and pictures. The cubby folders may be made as well as managed so that they stay in sync with all the devices that you use. The online storing space is of 5GB. A backup Cubby version can be kept on your desktop with the original data still remaining where it really belongs. SugarSync- Space-wise it is not too different from the other apps with 5GB being offered for free. But what makes it stand apart is that it is extremely fast as well as simple. Also there are more methods for payment and you can invite friends so that they can use your files. It also has connections with social networks. The clarity as well as simplicity makes it easy to locate files. Ubuntu One- 5GB of storage granted originally by the app can be easily increased to 20GB by referrals. It is used for storing of photos over years. This very reliable app can be used by just creating an account from the web version or the application itself. The setting may be made such that photos in other apps like Instagram can be added to its library. An additional feature is its online music player which helps download music to listen on cloud service or on your device. These are some of the most popular Android cloud apps for data storing. Besides these, there are many other useful ones such as SkyDrive, Crucial, IDrive, etc. Most of the ones mentioned here are multifunctional and can be used to store almost anything to be accessed anywhere. If you are planning to hire service of Android application development company, you must evaluate them to see if they are sufficiently agile or not! We provide Android application development services. If you would like to talk to one of our expert Android developers, please get in touch with us at Mindfire Solutions.
According to Emarketer.com, “The global smartphone audience surpassed the 1 billion mark in 2012 and will total 1.75 billion in 2014. eMarketer expects smartphone adoption to continue on a fast-paced trajectory through 2017. Nearly two-fifths of all mobile phone users—close to one-quarter of the worldwide population—will use a smartphone at least monthly in 2014.” The rapidly growing smartphone adoption has resulted in the surge in mobile application development.According to a number of recent reports, Android has already captured 78% share of global smartphone market. So no wonder, both enterprises and developers want to build mobile apps by targeting the mobile platform with largest market share to get higher returns. However, there are also a number of factors that contribute towards the surge in Android application development, in addition to the market share of the Google’s mobile operating system. Factors Contributing Towards the Surge in Android App Development Wide Distribution Channels: Unlike Apple, Google does not exercise tight control over mobile app distribution. So process of getting mobile apps becomes more open and versatile. An enterprise also has option to distribute Android apps by creating subsidiary distribution channels. Further, the business can decide the most appropriate way to publish its Android applications. Open Source Nature: Unlike iOS and Windows Phone, Android is open source and free. Thus, the low entry barriers encourage many companies to invest in Android app development. The open source nature of the mobile platform further reduces the cost of development tools and licensing. A small enterprise or freelance mobile app developer can launch Android apps without investing a substantial amount of money. The affordable nature of development requires businesses to incur only development and marketing expenses. Easy Development: To create Android mobile apps, the developer needs to be familiar with Java. As Java is accessible to developers across the world, it becomes easier for companies to hire experienced developers. Also, the comprehensive Android platform documentation makes it easier for Java programmers to develop mobile applications. So the developers can invest their existing skills to shorten the development time and make the process versatile. Strong Inter-Platform Integration: The Android app developers also have option to access a strong inter-platform integration framework. The framework makes it easier for them to promote the apps across multiple platforms. They can even refer to the Android SDK to understand how to use the robust development architecture to develop and promote apps across multiple platforms. Also, the feature makes it easier for programmers to create apps that deliver tightly-knit user experience. Reduced Development Cost: To beat competition, it has becomes essential for each business to keep mobile app development cost under control. Many enterprises even opt for open source platforms like Android to avoid paying hefty licensing fees. The open source nature of Android further makes it hugely popular among handset manufacturers and wireless service providers. So the developers have option to avail these features and services to make the app deliver richer user experience. Open Source Development: Many businesses even prefer developing mobile apps using open source technologies to reduce development costs. The developers have option to use a variety of open source tools and frameworks to create applications by targeting Android. In addition to curtailing the app development cost, these open source tools further make it easier for developers to bring down the development time drastically. Higher ROI: Many companies prefer developing Android apps to get higher returns. As the mobile platform is open source, they are not required to pay heft licensing fees and royalty. Also, a company can create feature-rich and interactive apps by hiring an experienced Java programmer. The reduced cost of development results in higher ROI. Likewise, the app can also be marketed by targeting the huge base of Android users to earn huge profit without investing a huge sum of money. A constant increase is also noted in the number of open source developers launching Android apps. The trend will indicates the use of open source technologies to curtail Android mobile applicator development cost. The reduced development cost will further encourage many businesses invest in Android app development projects. If you are planning to hire service of Android development company India, you must evaluate them to see if they are sufficiently agile or not! We provide Android apps development services. If you would like to talk to one of our certified Android application developers, please get in touch with us at Mindfire Solutions.
Smartphones have become an integral part of our lives. In fact, it is hard to imagine our lives without a healthy dose of smartphone applications. There are many people who do not have iPhones but the number of Android app users is certainly high. So the attention of most businesses has been on the development of Android apps instead of iPhone apps. Besides, the development of such apps is easy as well as cost-effective. But to take full advantage of this, it must be ensured that the perfect developer has been hired. There are many essential features and elements to be considered while doing this. Here are some must-have factors that you must give some attention to while hiring an Android developer.Good knowledge- Android has released several versions and each of the versions has a different set of capabilities as well as APIs. The developer hired must have a thorough knowledge of them so that he or she can handle each of them. Here, even you have a major role to play as you have to decide which platform should be targeted. Experience- After knowledge come the experience factor. For every field, experience counts a great deal. If the developer has developed a few applications then he or she would have a clear idea about the requirements and what will ensure a successful app. It is best to go for experienced people instead of novices; after all it will be the ultimate app for your business so it makes no sense for you to pay and then experiment with your brand image or business. Portfolio- Portfolio is the best way to verify their credentials as well as check out their work- whether they are apt enough or will be able to fulfil your requirements or not. Genuine candidates will provide a list of developed apps. You will also be to gauge the quality of their work through this. Client list- After checking out their work, the next step would be to check out their client list and have a chat with them. This way you will be able to get a sneak peek in to their claims, the actual work done as well as their behaviour. The ex-clients will be able to inform whether the projects delivered were up to their standard or not as well as whether the project had been delivered within the deadlines or had been crossed. Charges- After analyzing the standard as well as quality of work from all angles, it is time to come to the financial factor. Generally with application development, there can be no fixed charges. Each app requires varied costs. The key here is to maintain a balance. In fact, most times since nothing can be fixed in such development work, the cost should preferably be on an hourly basis instead of fixed. Mostly, while starting the work 50% of estimated cost must be paid in advance. Some may request full payment in advance, but in those cases be very careful. Additionally, the project must be reviewed and approved before the final payment is made. Communication- Whatever language you may be speaking, you must ensure that the communication between you and your to-be hired developer is excellent. The chosen language must be spoken well on both sides. If in the initial stages the communication is not perfect then later on the same thing will definitely be continued. Other services- It always helps if your hired Android developer can provide you with extra services such as publishing, distribution, creation of promotional materials, etc. If you can select the apt Android developer then your business may be on the verge of a profitable relationship which will benefit you in the long run. It may be a challenging proposition, but make sure that the above mentioned factors are kept in mind while hiring. These will enable you to make a decision that will be prove to be highly beneficiala. To get maximum benefits of android apps, you may consider hiring services of a custom android development company. We provide Android mobile application development services. If you would like to hire Android application developers from us, we would be glad to assist you at Mindfire Solutions.
Android smartphones have managed to dazzle mobile users all across the world. The popularity of these phones has surged which has resulted in increasing demand among customers. The development of Android apps is really easy; just the Android software development kit has to be used which is easily downloadable from the developer website. This operating system has copious possibilities and developers can make use of it to develop applications which can be sold in mobile app stores. In fact, Android app development is preferred by most developers due to many factors. Some of the factors have been discussed here. Great graphic support- The platform has great built-in support for 3D as well as 2D graphics which help business organizations attract the most number of users to the mobile applications by leaving a great impression on their minds. On top of that developers can expand applications with many features easily. Low barrier entry- Android needs very low investment since its entry is low barrier. Unlike other platforms, the SDK or Software Development Kit is provided to the developers for free; this helps minimize the development as well as licensing costs. In fact, development costs come in three instalments- application development, buying testing devices as well as deploying the app or royalty fees in short. This ensures that the ROI is high. Varied distribution mechanisms- Compared to other platforms, distribution of Android applications can be done in many varied ways. Any third-party app store such as Android Market of Google can be used but a separate distribution channel can be created as well. After building it, it can be published anywhere anyhow. The third party stores may impose their rules but you can easily reach end-users by the variety of options available from several stores. Easy adoption for even new companies- Building these applications is very easy even if the developer is unfamiliar with it; all he needs is a working knowledge of Java and he can easily build a great app. This is because they are based on Java and has a huge set of libraries. The current market boasts of a number of efficient Java programmers; on top of that they are aided by the excellent documentation of Android platform. Great syndication- Development of Android applications can be done through many techniques. Android syndication program allows the spreading of varied applications to different retailers. Several solutions allow the building of advanced versions of the apps. Open source- The platform is open source which prohibits the need for spending a large amount of money to get license for working on it. The license is free and the platform can be used without any restrictions. Medium as well as small sized companies especially find this platform to be a blessing in disguise which helps them boost the business on a global basis. The platform can be easily customized according to individual requirements so that the final app suites the business needs. Inter-application integration- This platform is perfect for inter-process as well as inter-application architectures. You can perfectly integrate a number of applications and cross promote them effortlessly. When compared to other platforms which just offer background processes Android allows the development of trust relationships between the applications so that users get a better knit experience. Easy marketing- A huge number of fans allows easier marketing since there is no need for creation of niche messages for catering to particular sects of people. The app maybe marketed through various kinds of media as well as generalized messages that can reach the masses. According to recently published data, 700 million activations in this platform have been created in 2013 and according to predictions by 2014’s end the figure will cross the 1 billion mark. This only shows the extreme popularity of its apps; so it is best to take full advantage of the opportunities that Android offers to its developers. To get maximum benefits of android apps, you may consider hiring services of a custom android development company. We provide Android app development services. If you would like to hire Android application developers from us, we would be glad to assist you at Mindfire Solutions.
Swift, the innovative programming language of Apple is the result of four years of hard work as well as dedication of developers. It is touted to replace Objective-C so that it becomes the main language for the development of apps on OSX as well as iOS platforms. Swift boasts of incorporating features from several modern languages such as Haskell, C# and Python so that the end result proves to be appealing to young developers. There is full binary compatibility between the language and the current Objective-C libraries; it also works well with Cocoa frameworks. Some distinctive features of the language are given here.Accessibility- New programmers found it really hard to master the notorious Objective-C which is a far-cry from Swift. The coding is easy as well as interactive with expressive but concise syntax. APIs are easily legible as well as maintainable. The code is cleaner with fewer tendencies for mistakes. Headers are eliminated by modules which provide namespaces. Memory can be managed automatically with no need for typing of semi-colons. Functions- With functions almost every imaginable feature can be incorporated such as default types, optional types, optional arguments, named arguments, varargs along with awkward parameters which may be altered from the function’s inside. Functions may be used as substitutes for types as well as variables. Safe designing- With Swift, if the code is unsafe then the entire class will be eliminated. Before the variables are used they are initialized, memory management is done automatically with integers as well as arrays checked for overflow. The safe patterns are minutely tuned. It is really easy to understand and handle cases with nil objects properly. The compiler can stop bugs that are type-related so that certain sites are optimized. The use of vtable dispatch makes a faster running code. All these make the building of apps not only easy but safe as well. Interactive playgrounds- With playgrounds, writing of Swift code becomes fun as well as simple. Just by typing a single line of code you will get the result immediately. In case, the running of a code is over time like through loops, its progress may be observed in timeline assistant which displays each step with details as well as precision. Playgrounds help in designing of new algorithm and creating new tests which can be verified before they are promoted in the test suite; you can also experiment with APIs so that the coding skills can be honed. String templating- The templating system of the language becomes sleek with escaped open parenthesis which is then followed by an expression for evaluation. A closed parenthesis is what follows it after. This functionality is in fact offered by just a few keystrokes. This feature is reminiscent of templating system of JSP as well as Cold Fusion. Extensions- Extensions are quite similar to prototypes in C# or Javascript extension since an existing class can be retrofit with new properties or methods. Switch statement- The zero default fall through makes switch statement really powerful. This statement can help developers switch on several kinds of conditions that include list of elements, enums, ranges, Boolean expression, etc. Generics- The feature named by Apple as Generics is a really powerful one that allows the creation of functions which perform generic tasks that may work for several variable types. The programmer can now have a piece of generic code that performs same operation no matter what the type of variable is passed to it; the function is not limited to accept a single variable type. Since the language has been unleashed recently, the features are still very new to most developers. But since Apple has worked very hard to ensure that developers find everything smooth and easy, adopting it should not pose much problem. Overall, the new methods and tools incorporated in the language certainly allow easy performance of actions with more concise, shorter codes. To get maximum benefits of mobile apps, you may consider hiring services of a certified iPhone app development company. We provide iPhone app development services. Companies hire iPhone developer India from us at Mindfire Solutions. If you are ready to take on challenges, contact us today.
With mobiles as well as smartphones becoming an indispensible part of our lives, so has the concept of mobile apps. This software application is so designed that it can function on hand-held devices such as mobiles, smartphones, tablets, etc. Most of these devices operate on platforms like iOS, Android and Windows OS.There are two ways to provide several business solutions through the devices- mobile applications as well as WAP or mobile browser. However, according to the recent surveys, it has been seen that most users prefer using native apps instead of the browser. In fact, it is also been seen that each day users spend 2 hours 42 minutes on their smartphones with 2 hours 19 minutes been spent on the applications. The web usage has drastically dropped to 22 minutes. Some of the reasons for which this usage has increased are given here.
- Apps work offline; there is no need for active data connection unlike WAP sites.
- An app provides a much better as well as more powerful experience when compared to the others; it is free from the worries like data connection speed, sizes of various mobile screens and limited storage space.
- Close connectivity is maintained with users through notifications on the release of updated versions. Also since such apps make users stick to the applications, it results in high levels of engagement.
Now most developers when developing mobile applications have to decide which one of the three platforms they have to cater to. These days, the trend is more towards Android. Some reasons for this trend are given here. Open source- One huge reason for the extreme popularity of Android is that the platform is open source. Thus neither its development can be restricted nor any changes can be introduced that may prove to hamper your interests. Developers can fully access the functionality of the phone including receiving or sending texts, handling phones calls or using cameras. All the brand new technologies can be introduced by several developers working on it. More users meaning more market share- Each day, thousands of people buy Android phones which are cost-effective and easily accessible. In fact, the number of users is increasing steadily. This means that with more users, when developers address the platform they can tap a larger market share. If the market is larger, then more people can be reached; more people will buy and use your applications and products. Developers may be sure that whatever product they have developed will not remain unused if the platform for which it has been developed loses popularity and Android will not be losing its popularity so soon. In fact, it will only rise due to the cost effectiveness. The amazing price points will only lead to the growth of the market share of Android. Cheaper app submission- From the developer’s point of view, submitting apps to Android Market is definitely cheaper. The cost for submission to Android Market is just a onetime $25 fee while for the iOS platform it will set you back by an annual fee of $99. Multiple stores- Android gives you easy access to several app stores; this means you can submit to various markets including China, Korea, etc. Easy development procedure- By virtue of AppsGeyser you can easily make full native apps within a matter of minutes. This removes a lot of headache from the point of view of the developers. Mobile apps, especially Android apps are big steps when the innovation angle is being considered. Android acts as the perfect ground for testing so that their apps can be honed as well as refined. In fact even the app store of Amazon is based on Android which makes it easier for developers to submit things to Amazon. If you are planning to hire service of Android development services company India, you must evaluate them to see if they are sufficiently agile or not! We provide Android mobile app development services. If you would like to talk to one of our certified Android developers, please get in touch with us at Mindfire Solutions.
The term ‘mobile app development’ can be defined as development of applications or apps (as they are called), which are actually nothing but some additional or add-on features in a particular handheld or mobile device. The end users can easily download these apps and use them in various mobile platforms that are available in the market. While some of these applications are free, others are paid.
At present, the market is agog with various Android applications that are available. It is mainly because of the reliability as well as usability of these applications along with efficacy, that they come up with. Let us discuss some of the Android development trends that are expected to come up in the near as well as ‘not-so-near’ future.
A majority of these applications is available on open source systems. This means that the developers building these Android applications do not need to pay for downloading. Naturally, these applications are extremely cost effective from the users’ point of view. Hence, choosing these apps pay off immensely.
Let us discuss some of the emerging trends of Android App development that are going to set the market ablaze in the future.
Advertising
No one can deny the fact that the art of advertising makes a world of difference when it comes to marketing products or service. Particularly, at present advertising techniques hold the key for any business, so far as surviving the cut-throat competition in the market is concerned. Experts are of the opinion that the advertising fraternity is going to directly depend upon the development of Android apps. Probably, in response to that opinion of the experts, more and more advertising Android apps are coming up.
To be frank, emergence of advertising techniques via Android apps has transformed the very concept or style of advertisement or marketing. An increasing number of Android applications are being designed keeping in mind the advertising functionality, thus opening up new facets of competition in the market. The future of these advertising apps looks extremely bright with new products with additional value added features likely to come up in the days to come.
Location-based services
Experts are of the opinion that location-based services are likely to become more popular in the days to come as they show more promise along with potential. Functionality of this type of applications generally focuses on bringing together the people who have common platform of interest. Naturally, location-based services are extremely useful for social media sites. With the popularity of social media sites increasing in leaps and bounds, Android apps designed to deliver this type of services are more likely to come up and become more important in near future.
Cloud-based Services
This particular class of services has got a certain extent of similarity with the ones that are location-based. These applications help the end users to share resources between various devices used. Hence, they are extremely useful in the business fraternity. Apps that deliver cloud-based services provide constant connectivity. It helps various devices to access data from mobile based internet and share the information with other devices. Thus, applications which are designed to provide cloud-based services hold a lot of prospects and are likely to emerge in the near future.
Entertainment-related services
We can never ignore the fact that Android apps are already having a significant influence in entertainment based services. Various types of educational games are being designed as well as developed and they are becoming immensely popular these days. Now experts are of the opinion that more of these Android applications are going to come up in the near future. Again, these applications are also likely to help in the promotion of business. They also help businesses to enjoy profit through various types of educational games.
Various business sectors such as advertisement, banking, cloud-based services, marketing, and promotion of products and so on are benefited immensely from the emergence of Android applications. A majority of businesses is now opting for these apps with a view to make the most use of them. Under the circumstances, new forms of apps are coming up every now and then and the trend is likely to continue in the near future as well. To get maximum benefits of android apps, you may consider hiring services of a custom android development company.
We provide android widget development services. All of our developers have cleared industry certifications in Android apps. If you would like to hire android developers from us, we would be glad to assist you at Mindfire Solutions.
According to a number of recent reports, Android continues to storm the smartphone market across the world. During Q4 2013, the market share of the mobile operating system climbed in every major market. The rapidly growing popularity and market share of the mobile platform will encourage many businesses to invest in Android application development. But each business must know a number of important facts about Android to take more realistic reports.
Important Facts about Android Every Business Should Know
The OS was not Originally Google’s Idea
Nowadays, Android is popularly referred across the world as Google’s OS. But the hugely popular mobile operating system was the brainchild of Andy Rubin. Rubin founded Android Inc in October 2013 with the intention of providing an innovative mobile operating system to users. The company was acquired by Google in 2005. After acquisition, the team led by Rubin developed a new mobile operating system based on Linux kernel. Google was responsible for marketing the platform to handset makers and mobile carriers.
Latest Update
The beta version of Android was released on 5th November 2007. Since its inception, Google has released several versions of the OS including Android 1.5 Cupcake, Android 1.6 Donut, Android 2.0 Eclair, Android 2.2–2.2.3 Froyo, Android 2.3–2.3.2 Gingerbread, Android 3.0 Honeycomb, Android 4.0–4.0.2 Ice Cream Sandwich, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, and Android 4.4 KitKat. The most recent version of the operating system is Android 4.4 KitKat that is developed with API level 19 support.
Number of Apps and Downloads
According to AppBrain.com, more than 1,184,000 Android apps are recently available at the Google Play Store. However, 21% of these applications are marked as low quality apps, whereas the remaining 79% are considered to be regular apps. The Google Play Store also has over 971,000 free apps, against more than 214,000 paid apps. The download number of the free apps also exceeds that of paid apps by a substantial margin.
Android Applications
The Android apps and games also contribute towards the growing popularity of the OS. As many reports have highlighted, 4 out of 5 people access Facebook for Android. The Instagram app for Android also got over six millions downloads just in six days of its release. However, 25% of the apps available at the Google Play Store accesses users’ personal information. Google Maps and Google Translator apps are also used by millions of users on a daily basis for both personal and professional purposes.
Provides Loads of Options to Customize Smartphones
In comparison to other mobile operating systems, Android provides more customization options to users. Each user has option to choose from loads of themes and wallpapers without paying any charges. Some users even love to apply iOS and Windows Phone themes on their Android devices. Unlike iOS, Android allows users to share content through any installed app with sharing capabilities. At the same time, the users also have options to replace the default Android keypad with any third-party alternatives.
Not the First Choice of Many Application Developers
Despite being hugely popular among users and handset makers, Android is not the first choice of mobile application developers. Each app developer wants to target the mobile operating system that gets higher ROI. Many reports have highlighted that Android is more popular among men due to its apps and functionality. But most people prefer using free apps. Also, the number of free apps at the Google Play Store exceeds the number of paid apps by a large margin. That is why; mobile app developers prefer building iOS apps to get more revenue and returns.
Despite its consistently growing popularity across major markets, Android is, nowadays, coming under real pressure. Businesses have been developing Android applications in order to lure the huge Android customer base. But, the market share of the platform is expected to be impacted due to the emergence of new mobile operating systems during next few months. So Google’s OS must be updated more frequently to retain its huge popularity and market share.
We provide Android application development services. We have expert mobile apps development team with 100% certification ratio. To hire Android developer from us, please reach out to us at Mindfire Solutions.
Mobile development has come a long way and still surprising users with its smart features and functions. Looks like technology promises to introduce new and more innovative products at a rapid pace, there by creating room for many developers to make huge mistakes which could harm their product or even their entire business. After all programmers are humans and humans are prone to making errors.
Designing a mobile app is very challenging. One has to keep in mind lot of things in order to develop a mobile app. First of all should have easy layout so that users find it easy to use the app in their Smartphones. Usability is an important factor for an android app development. The more it is handy and easy to use, more number of customers will be attracted. Easy navigation, displaying neat messages and laying out useful rules of how to use an app is very important so that it will keep the users glued of using any app for a longer time.
There are various reasons why a company may want to create an app. For example, some businesses use apps as an extension of their business. Others may want to develop an app as a main product or service. Whatever the reason, here are twelve critical app development mistakes every small business owner should avoid. They are as follows:
1. Varied Users Varied Smartphones – Apps should meet compatibility: It is not that android users are being favored, but at the same time one should ask the developer to create apps which matches with the existing features of several mobile phones. For example an Apple's iPhone has allowed certain apps which can be freely downloaded from Blackberry and Android. An android app developer needs to choose the best software which can be suitable for even the mobile used by common men and not only for expensive models.
2. Users advise is needed at each step of building an app: Interaction with user-flows is very important while developing critical business applications. The decisions made at the design stage can ultimately determine an app's success or failure. Every business app should meet its requirement.
3. Inadequate knowledge of mobile development: Understand the software development tools, without having an in-depth understanding & knowledge about the Android SDK and similar other tools, one will not be able to create even a simple mobile app leave alone a powerful android application. There are tons of resources available on the web, which offer complete guidance for developing a mobile application for Android devices. The very first version of an app should use an easy-to-operate, intuitive, user interface. The UI should preferably be such that the user learns to use it quickly, without having to refer to the user manual. The UI needs to be simple and precise and well-laid-out.
Every users with any age group should be able to enjoy the basic features of their mobile device. Hence, most users are not looking for a UI that is over-the-top and very difficult to understand. Users prefer apps where every aspect, including each screen, each button and each function is well defined and rendered on screen in such a way as to make their lives simple for them.
4. Non consistent user interfaces: There are many ground-breaking apps with complicated UIs and multi-touch gestures, which have become the craze amongst the latest generation of mobile device users. In case one wants to develop such an app, it would be a good idea to also include a detailed requirements and how to section in an app. An app must have UI consistent and homogeneous through all the future versions of app, so that end users need not be adjusting to different types of UIs in the coming app updates. They should be confusing and where they can easily leave the apps in no time.
5. Fail to understand the needs of common users may fail your business: As a developer must understand what an app should do, its unique functions and in what particular way one wants to serve its business users. Simply building an app that tries to take advantage of all these multiple functions will not help an app in any way. At least the very first version of an app should only focus to meet the immediate needs of the user or the company that one is developing the app for. Focus sharply on target audience while initially creating an app. Adding more features in the upcoming versions of the app, like constantly updating an app. This itself will make it more popular among the users.
6. Not Focusing on Security: Security is very important for any business application irrespective of whether one is developing an android or iphone app. An enterprise app provides users access to sensitive business information, couple this with the fact that mobile devices can get lost easily or stolen and a mobile app needs to stand up to the most stringent standards of scrutiny. App usability and security must be the main focus of attention while developing an app for enterprise. All passwords should be encrypted form.
7. Overthinking the Development: Mobile apps need to be designed in a simple way. While developing a mobile app, it needs to be developed in precisely the same way that one develops any other app. The stages of app development remain the same, if you over think, you are liable to make mistakes. If you focus on the app’s objectives and take it through a development life cycle whose sole purpose is to cater to these objectives, one will have a great app on your hands.
8. Neglecting social media: Integrating Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, etc. in an app is important today. Social media enhances power to spread the word about an app. Any money spent here is money one can save in marketing. Social recognition is very important for any successful business app be it for small mid-size or large business owners.
9. Unclear on app monetization: An app is a basic need for any business application today. A business owner should have a clear idea about how an app is going to help business make money, then only make a decision to create an app. Will it be free app with an ad-based model, or will it be a paid app? Will free app be made available with an in-app purchase? One should be aware of the monetization before one gets started.
10. Neglecting app testing: Applications be it desktop or mobile should be tested thoroughly. Always a tester should look into users perspective and test the application. Every developer should do a unit testing, before he sends it to quality analyst, to troubleshoot and resolve most bugs.
11. Minimizing the value of marketing: An app should be appealing, there are almost a million other apps available on the market and how your app should stand unique. This is where marketing comes into play. You shouldn’t expect your brilliant app to do well without marketing. Your job does not end with creating that beautiful app. You must market it as well or you will end up losing your investment.
12. Failing the dumb user test: Test an app through a dumbest person one knows and watch how they use it. An app should be ridiculously easy and intuitive in order to succeed in the market. Tons of app features are useless if users do not know how to use them. To aid with usability, add a starting instructions overlay on how to use the app. This can educate users on how to use the app. Short videos and help section are useful too.
The above critical mistakes are very important and every good programmer should be aware of it and keep these things in mind and try to deliver a good designed, easy app. Designing a beautiful app is as important as designing a useful app. Keeping all required functionalities in mind one must design a successful business app. To get maximum benefits of Android apps, you may consider hiring services of a Android development company India.
We provide Android application development services. If you would like like an Android developer for hire, please get in touch with Mindfire Solutions.
Within a very short span of time, Ice Cream Sandwich has become one of the widely used versions of Android. The Android 4.0 comes with a number of innovative features that help developers to build, debug and test their mobile apps without putting any extra time and effort. The new features further enable programmers to create robust enterprise apps according to the most recent trends in various industries including finance, travel, healthcare and entertainment. If you are new to build apps for Android Ice Cream Sandwich, it is time to have a look at some of these most prominent features.
New Android 4.0 Features that Simplify Mobile Application Development
1. A Single UI for Both Tablets and Phones: Unlike Android 3.0, Ice Cream Sandwich provides a unified user interface for both tablets and phones. The unified interface makes the operating system found on a large number of devices. Thus, the developers now have option to build apps that will run on a wide variety of devices. At the same time, the UI makes it easier for programmers to engage users through refined animations, clearer pictures, better readability and higher resolution.
2. An Open API for All Social Networking Platforms: Android 4.0 also comes with an open API that supports all social media providers. The programmers can use the API to allow social media providers to plug themselves in. Also, they have option to invite members or share content with others without mentioning specific social platforms. The API can be used to enable users to share content and stay connected with friends across all social networking platforms.
3. Secure Exchange of Information between Devices: Ice Cream Sandwich also includes Android Beam that is developed based on a near field communication technology called NDEF Push. The feature enables users to securely exchange a variety of information across two Android devices in close proximity (about 4 centimeters). Thus, the developers can facilitate exchange of web pages, videos, contacts and similar application-related information securely without writing any extra code.
4. Customizable Widgets: Android 4.0 further comes with widgets that are highly customizable and adjustable. The widgets enable developers to interact with several applications at a time without launching those. For instance, the information about the apps can be collected directly for the home screen. Also, users can play music or check their emails from the home screen. They also have option to respond to an incoming call, without unlocking the device, by sending a text message or through any customized action.
5. Quick and Easy Notifications: Often programmers have to write lengthy codes to display notification to users without affecting their experience negatively. The updated version of Android allows users to swipe and clear the notification off the home screen, without dismissing the notifications individually. They can simply choose the desired action from the settings menu to manage messages and notifications. Thus, the developers can optimize notification handling without writing additional code.
6. Enhanced Web Browsing Experience: The speed of the web browsers often affects the performance of mobile websites. Android 4.0 comes with enhanced browser speed. Also, the users now have option to open up to 16 tabs in a single window. They can further read the web pages offline, along with saving the pages by using the Request Desktop Site option. The optimized browsing experience will make it easier for programmers to popularize mobile websites without putting any additional effort.
7. Support for Additional Media Types: The Ice Cream Sandwich further supports a set of additional media types and containers. The support enable developers to access the media formats of their choice. For instance, WebP content and streaming VP8 content is supported through the media framework. At the same time, the framework further supports HTTP Live streaming protocol version 3, and ADTS-contained AAC content encoding.
Along with a set of fresh and practical features, Google has further designed Android 4.0 with enhanced responsiveness and slicker look. The developers can avail these features to create more powerful applications, while customizing the existing widgets and apps by using new fonts, styles and UI components. To get maximum benefits of Android apps, you may consider hiring services of a Android application development company.
We provide Android application development services. If you would like like an Android app developer for hire, please get in touch with Mindfire Solutions.
Mobile ecosystem believes in general that apps for iOS should be developed first by developers. This is due to the fact that Apple has an advantage since it had moved first in the market. However, with time, the circumstances are changing and now developing apps on iOS has become a risky business due to increased competition. On the other hand the Android market is steadily growing with growing demand for apps but with low competition and less risks. You will get an environment that is more agile, helping you test and perfect the app design. Here are some of the reasons for your business to invest in building Android apps.
Growing market- Many people may think that the market is quite small since smartphones are used in minority when compared to worldwide usage of mobile phones. However, rate of usage is growing at an incredible pace due to its hardware independence as well as affordability. Almost 50% of the market share of the US is dominated by Android while the iOS holds just 32%. In the US, Android activations are at 60% while iOS boasts of only 29%.
Upcoming potential- This platform is an upcoming one with a lot of potentials. The general public might not appreciate it but the savvy ones realize its potential. This can be held in sharp contrast with the platform of iOS which may be desirable but it is extremely expensive. According to research, in iOS, apps find it quite hard to position themselves in top 100. However, Google Play is increasing in market size. This may be attributed to the fact that alternate paths are provided by the platform for app discovery, making it very easy for new entrants in the market.
Open source- Android's feature of being open source offers it a huge advantage over other platforms. This signifies that its development cannot be restricted by any industry player or changes that might go against interests cannot be introduced. There is full access to functionality of the phone such as using camera, handling phone calls or receiving or sending SMS. This also offers another advantage in the form that various developers working on it can introduce all latest revolutionary technologies.
Apps distribution- Developing for this platform is preferred by a lot of people since android market is used for the distribution of apps. They get reviewed as well as approved extremely fast which is in sharp contrast to the Apple store where there is a long waiting period before being approved. In fact constant updates and enhanced functionality will ensure that the application gets noticed. The distribution is also quite easy with a one time fee to be paid instead of yearly sums of money to be paid.
Customized home screen- Android phone's home screen can be customized by the user and useful applications can be used whenever they want. The possible areas for creation of such applications are broadened as well. The developers may not think that it is too important but customized home screen may offer many practical applications, enhancing the user experience offered by it.
Java- Objective C invented by Apple is used to build anything for Apple product. But for development of Android app you need knowledge about Android API for Java along with Java. This powerful language has been practiced for a long time, resulting in a lot of materials and books which may guide and help you grasp the concept better. The Java programming experience will also benefit you in many other fields.
The richness as well as diversity of Android app ecosystem has resulted in a marked change in the lives of the users. Some serve many while some serve just few but in every case the transformative power is immense as they act as informative portals. So businesses should jump on the bandwagon and take advantage of improved monetization, low customer acquisition costs and largest smartphone market among other benefits and start developing the appropriate applications meant for this platform. You can hire developers from top Android application development company in India who can help you build Android apps within allocated budgets and time schedules.
We provide Android application development services. If you need to hire Android app developer from us, we would be glad to assist you at Mindfire Solutions.
The success or failure in modern businesses is truly governed by various aspects of internet based technology. When we speak of internet-based technology aspects, the contribution of social media (SM) and android cannot be ignored in promotion of trade. Now, combining the two applications into one provides the businesses an altogether unparalleled edge over their competitors as this makes trades more productive as well as efficient through effectively marketing the products or services on these SM tools. However, that depends upon the way the combination of the two is used in promotion of the business along with opening up newer avenues of possibilities.
For instance, the best and the latest Android apps improve the SM campaign, thereby giving business promotion campaign through social media a shot in its arm. Let us look into some tangible examples.
Twitter is an excellent SM tool when it comes to business promotion. It helps you to connect as well as express the mission and vision of your business, understand the market dynamics as well as evaluate the demands and pulse of your prospective as well as existing clientèle. It helps you to upload photos and videos as well as comments left by your existing customers. All these, needless to say, help in business promotion.
Now when you combine that with Android application, the advantage simply doubles. This helps you to store photos in direct messages, send as well as receive images via DMs. Besides, you will also be able to receive notifications from the network. Also, you will be able to access Retweets or Favorites from your clients. Then also you can be selective about whom to follow or not. It also offers you the option of selecting notifications from people that you will like to follow by making them your 'most favourites' along with receiving notifications whenever they tweet.
Combination of Android apps and social media has particularly helped the small or the not-so-small trades to change. They have helped these businesses to reach a much wider spectrum of customers and grow with ease. Local trades are now able to utilize these high tech Android apps for connecting customers on a round-the-clock basis. Smartphones, on the other hand have helped these local trades to cater to those market sectors hitherto untouched.
The growth of mobile marketing can be attributed to the tremendous development of mobile app technology. This has been the chief driving force behind development of SM marketing. This has helped trades to reach out to a wider spectrum of customers. When that merges with Android Apps, the result turns out to be astounding. These smart phone appliances help businesses to tap new market sectors.
On the other hand, the top apps of Android have changed the way the customers look for local trades and the product or service they offer. They can easily get information about the sales figures of these businesses, the amount of discounts or deals available, the way they are available and so on.
Businesses find it difficult to grow in case the customers face any problem in locating them with ease. Naturally, all the businesses these days try to be enlisted on search engines and the Android search applications offer them a notably higher chance of attracting more eyeballs and getting more people interested in the product or service they offer.
With the help of this seamless combination of applications a modern business – both the established as well as the ones that are relatively newer, find it easier to enlist themselves on the search engines and attract newer sections of customers. This helps them to grow tremendously at the end of the day. You can hire developers from top android app development companies in India who can help you build mobile apps within allocated budgets and time schedules.
We provide android app development services. If you would like to talk to one of our certified android app developers, please get in touch with us at Mindfire Solutions.
Android phones in this day are in high demand, because they are smart as the name suggests and come along with a wide range of functionalities too. Customers want state of the art as well as user friendly apps for their phones, along with apps that turn their humble androids into wonderful multimedia machines as well. This is why developers from across the globe are engaging scripts which can bring about such desires for real. A new kid on the block, Orange script has made its mark into the app development world for android already.
Advantages
1) With orange script in use, developers say they face no hurdles or challenges using it, since it is similar to that of Java. Hence, those who are well versed with the former, can play around with orange script well.
2) Better programming options are available using orange scripting. This is the way of the future, say experts, especially when developing apps for smartphones is concerned.
3) It gels well with languages such as C, C++, runs on Dalvik virtual machines too and is now developing strong connections across various databases as well.
4) Dynamic typing, programming as well as prototype based object oriented programming would be featured with the help of this scripting. This would help task programming and function writing with efficacy as well as efficiency, in a smooth streamlined manner.
5) Open source is what orange scripting would be available as, which now would help leverage Java and its programming ways with more effects. This means, the scripting now would be one of the most important parameters to work with, especially at the initial stages of software or app development.
Groovy it is
Orange scripting is called the groovy kid on the block, is very subject as well as object oriented, helps with better scripting language. It also works well with java libraries and coding. The preview format is out, but additional work is being done on it to make it super compatible. As a developer, one can completely take advantage of the use of orange scripting for functionality, XML parsing along with a wide range of APIs. Apart from that, developers now can think of using the script for the following;
- Dynamic typing
- Object oriented programming
- Functional programming
Is it another option?
Sources from the coding world say, yes it is. It is like Java but would soon give it a run for its money, especially now that the preview is being worked upon. For those who use Java, C, C++, using orange scripting would be feasible. Moreover, since the familiarity is almost the same, one doesn’t have to start from scratch to make it to the learning curve.
In future, developers would be able to use orange script for diverse coding needs of android app development process. The preview format as discussed is out already. Also, there are tests being done on the same. Additions are being made to what the preview holds for developers, and in time the best output would be brought around too. With the help of the Dalvik virtual machine, this scripting is going to be featured for android platforms. The programs would thus run that way, and at present the preview shown or released, talks about database development along with concentration on making the preview a hit.
Now that the orange scripting craze is almost taking a stand over the ways of Java Script, developers across the globe now have a way to leverage what they have in the libraries. They now can have the best functionalities offered, such as Restful APIs along with XML parsing, to name a few. The advantages of this scripting can be discussed from various points of views and opinions. Since the preview shows that dynamic typing and prototyped based work can be done, along with fully functional programming too, one has to wait and watch what additions would be brought in to the preview being shown.
We provide android mobile app development services. If you would like to talk to one of our certified android developers, please get in touch with us at Mindfire Solutions.
