How are Mobile Apps Made?
What mobile apps do you use? I’m sure if you start thinking about it, multiple apps start flooding your brain. Mobile apps play a critical role in our society as they enable us to access a diverse selection from essentially anywhere. A mobile app or application is software that is solely designed for mobile device use- like on smartphones, tablets, laptops, and more. Mobile app development is a detailed process that provides us with a myriad of apps.
Much like any project, a mobile app has to start with an idea. Whether the idea is big or small, spontaneous or brainstormed, the idea needs to be polished. After thorough research, setting goals, and defining the audience, one can develop the app. The two main types of app development are native development and cross-platform development. Native development is when the developer uses the original programming languages and tools of the mobile operating system (OS): IOS or Android. When using native development, one needs to follow the necessary procedures of each OS, which can include registering as an approved developer and more. Cross-platform development is when the developer creates an application that can work in several mobile operating systems at once. Both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages regarding usage and development. Next, for all apps, the development of the user interface (UI) will begin. The UI is where the user will interact with the app. Buttons and dropdowns are examples of how the user can interact with the app. After developing a UI, the actual coding process of the app occurs. After coding, the app undergoes testing.
Furthermore, throughout the entire process, one should always consider the user experience, the most crucial part. When the developer views the app from a user’s perspective or periodically tests the app with others, the developer will provide an enriching and reliable user experience. Other considerations that developers take into account are memory, bandwidth, and battery life constraints. While PCs have a considerable amount of storage, mobile devices do not. Therefore, loading numerous high-resolution images will cause problems for the user. Finally, after the app is released, listen to user feedback. If a user cannot fully navigate the app, the vision is not complete. A developer should use this user feedback to make changes to the application as necessary. Additionally, mobile apps need constant support and maintenance, such as debugging, adding extra features, or more.
Overall, mobile app development is a thorough process that generally has very successful returns. Considering 204 billion apps were downloaded in 2019 (source: techcrunch.com) and the revenue generated through downloads and in-app ads, the mobile application industry is undeniably profitable and a fast-growing corner of the IT industry.
