Mobile App Development

Illustration credit: Vecteezy

What is a Mobile App?

An application, or ‘App’ as the term most of us know it , is by definition, any type of computer programme, which might come as a slight surprise as its most often associated with the software you download to your mobile device. The rise and rise of smartphones and tablets has provided the perfect platform for apps to take off in a huge way. With generally small file sizes, a new app can be downloaded at the tap of a homescreen and running in the palm of your hand within seconds.

Why create a Mobile App?

As it stands today, the mobile ‘App’ market is completely unrecognisable from its birth around a decade ago. What was once a handful of basic applications is now a thriving, complex market with offerings in the millions, and it’s growing by the day. To illustrate, in 2015 the worldwide mobile app revenues amounted to $69.7 billion and it is projected this will grow to a staggering $188.8 billion dollars by 2020 through revenues via app stores and in-app advertising*. The evolution of the mobile app market is nothing short of amazing, today mobile apps play not only a part, but an increasingly invaluable part of our everyday lives. If you made a list of the things you do on a daily basis, chances are you’ll find an app for most of them.

* Ref: https://www.statista.com/statistics/269025/worldwide-mobile-app-revenue-forecast/

When it comes to incorporating mobile apps into different sectors, size really doesn’t matter, there is always a way technology can be used to help change the way we interact with the world in which we live. And therein lies the beauty of the app; it’s ability to find a place in almost every aspect of life and its irresistible appeal to the masses.  After all, who doesn’t want to make life easier?

Take money, there’s no escaping the importance of that one. The way technology and apps have changed (and continue to change) the way we interact and manage our money is unavoidable but wholly impressive. Most banks now have their own banking app that allows you to pay bills and transfer your money at the tap of a screen, making it easier and quicker than ever to manage your assets. The healthcare sector is also seeing some exciting advances;  think real life version of a ‘triquater’ from Star trek! Apps are built to tap into the phones hardware and software, and as smart phones become ‘smarter’ it is predicted that in the not too distant future they will be feeding information about your health and wellbeing back to your doctor, via an app!

The biggest sector by far to take advantage of ‘apps’ is the gaming world. Long gone are the days of being tied to a tv or computer screen at home, now every handheld mobile device is a games console, opening up the market to a much larger audience. So, potential financial reward of creating a useful app aside,  there is also a huge potential here to remove conventional processes that are costly to operate; reducing overheads and helping expose the brand to new audiences.

How do you make money from an App?

Downloading an app is a fairly straightforward affair, first port of call is an App Store; Apple and Google being the major players (but there are many to choose from depending on your platform). As with any online store, you purchase the app and it downloads to your device. Some charge an upfront (one-off) fee, and may then charge for updates. Others are free to download and use, but support advertising called ‘In-App Advertising’ within the app. The gaming industry has adopted a slightly different revenue stream by charging for extras within the game itself, these are call ‘In-App Purchases’. With what can seem a boundless global audience at your fingertips it is very easy to see the attraction of creating apps, get it right, and the financial reward can be absolutely huge.

How do you go about developing a mobile app?

It all starts with an idea, and a good one at that. With far less competition in the early days of mobile app development, being successful was that bit easier for anyone with a concept and the technology to bring it to life. Launching an app today is a completely different story and like any good business idea, its originality that will get you ahead of your competitors. Are you looking to create an app to sell, or one to support/replace a current business process? Either way, with competition at its highest it really does pay to seek professional advice from a Mobile App Developer or an App Development Company.  A lot of web design companies offer app development services, but a specialist app development company will often have the knowledge and experience that web designers struggle to match. You may want to consider their services first.

 

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