Essential Do’s and Don’ts of Mobile App Development

Smartphones and tablets have changed the way we live and communicate with others.  Take a look at any mobile app store like BlackBerry World or Play Store and you will see thousands of apps in every category you can imagine. These apps are either free or can be purchased by spending only a few dollars. Mobile app development is a very profitable business and companies are investing millions of dollars in it to either promote their brand name or earn money by selling the apps.

However, developing mobile apps is not a simple task at all. If you are a developer, you have to work on multiple OS platforms, use different coding standards and, more importantly, make the apps flexible enough to fit small screen smartphones, hybrid phablets and large screen tablets.

Application development is a critical process and should be handled by professionals only. If you want to build a mobile app and make money, here are some of the things you should and shouldn’t do to achieve success.

Essential Do’s and Don’ts of Mobile Application Development

Do’s

Consider user experience – Mobile devices are completely different from desktop computers and users have specific expectations from an app. For example, it must be touch friendly, should be run by low-end processors, provide the required information only and show information real fast. No matter what smartphone model a user has, he should be able to utilize all the features and get a satisfactory experience.

Use the sensors intelligently – Smartphones come with lots of features such as 3G, GPS, mail etc. You should use these in-built features to make your app even more exciting. For example, if you are developing a news app, it should be able to detect the user’s location with the help of GPS and offer local news. You can also incorporate the mailing facility so that if someone likes an article, he can share it via mail with anyone.

Mesh services that people love – Besides the default apps, you can also use the features of popular third party apps to enhance the usability factor. For example, most people install Facebook in their phones and tablets and you can incorporate “share via Facebook” option in your application.

Empower users – Let the users control your app and choose options that suit their requirements. For example, adding the offline reading mode in a news app is a really good idea. It helps users save data charges.

Provide real time data – Let’s assume that you are building a cricket score or weather application. People expect that such apps will offer them minute-by-minute information. Hence, make sure that your app provides timely information.

Don’ts

 Aimless creation – Mobile app development is the latest trend, but don’t just do it because all other companies are investing money in this business. If you don’t have a proper concept and clear idea, it is a waste of time and money.

Copying – You can always take inspiration from popular apps in your target category, but don’t copy their user interface or features. There is no point in creating a duplicate app. Firstly, users won’t like it and secondly, your brand name will lose its appeal.

Ignoring security – Your app users may share their address, bank details etc. with you and if the app is not secure, they will pay for the consequences. Therefore, keep your app safe from hackers and make sure that users’ data can be viewed by only proper authority, nobody else.

Must Read: Go Step-by-Step to Ensure Success for iPhone App Development

I hope i have shared the essential do’s and don’ts of mobile app development every developer should abide by. If you have anything to contribute to this topic, please use the comment form below to add to the discussion. Remember to subscribe to my RSS feed.