05 March, 2021

Improve team communication in the business through mobile apps.

in Blog with Comments Off by isolvemobility

Improve team communication in the business through mobile apps.

The spread of COVID-19 has led to unprecedented measures, first by governments and then businesses, trying to limit the spread of the corona virus. In addition to restricting travel and cancelling large events across South Africa and the world, countless people were actively encouraged to work from home.

Working remotely under these circumstances meant adapting to a new environment, with the result; a growing number of companies needing to rethink their ways of working and communicating.

In order to continue working efficiently and creating value under these new circumstances, organizations need to understand, accept, and support their employees’ specific situations and needs.

One factor that can influence all of these things is your employee’s mobile apps.

Why is team communication important?

It’s no secret, teams that communicate well complete projects quicker and more efficiently than others. Research shows that three people working together is more effective than one person. When communication is effective team members understand their roles and what needs to be done.

According to a survey by Salesforce, 86% of people attribute workplace failures to lack of collaboration. When working with a remote team, having the right hardware – such as an interactive whiteboard alternative for example, and effective communication applications are of utmost importance.

Now consider the fact that 83% of the world’s workforce is mobile and does not use company email. These workers don’t work primarily at a desk or computer, either––leaving ample room for miscommunication, and missed communication.

Yet it can be safely assumed to have their phones on them at all times.

Whether your company has 50 employees or 5,000, a focused internal communication strategy is a key ingredient for success. From frontline workers to management, a team communication app provides equal access to information, which builds teamwork and drives productivity.

Overall, team chat apps are used by organisations for three key reasons — they save time, encourage collaboration, and increase productivity. Team communication apps allow you to keep all your businesses’ communications in one place which makes it easier for everyone to keep open team communication going, to stay on top of work, check progress and share files.

As a communicator, that means that every time you forgo utilizing employee communications apps on mobile devices as a part of your strategy, you’re throwing your resources in with a declining trend and forcing your employees to change habits.

Your time and budgets aren’t endless — so why not use them to take advantage of a growing opportunity?

What are team-based messaging applications?

To start, let’s look at a definition of team-based messaging applications.

Team based messaging applications is software that can be used on any electronic device – mobile phone, laptop, tablet, or interactive display – that focus on instant messaging and voice and video call, but with the crucial element that they are centred on team chat.

This means that IM groups and remote conferencing can all feature in these team-based messaging applications.

Why should you use mobile applications to improve workplace communication?

As a centrepiece of our modern lives, mobile devices have made personal and business communication easier than ever. Communicating with friends or even potential new clients hundreds of kilometres way is as simple as sending a text or chatting via video apps like Snapchat and FaceTime.

Here are a few keyways that an internal mobile app will overhaul and enhance a company’s communication in the workplace.

1. Real time communication

Time is a company’s most valuable resource. When a company needs to communicate effectively, time is of the essence. It can also be said that adequate time is the hardest resource to obtain.

With a mobile messaging app, communication is significantly improved in real time, by providing information in an easily accessible manner. Team members can send short snippets of information back and forth without clogging up their inboxes. For example, thanks to push notifications, which can be either user-specific or companywide, all employees will be aware of the latest updates and important news.

Examples of real-time information that apps help distribute in a more efficient way include:

Essential company news and updates
Company safety and security announcement
Parking and shuttle bus information
Corporate directories
Workforce-Wide Unified Communications
And more

2. More Efficient Workflows

Consider Domino’s Pizza for example with over 14,000 storefronts worldwide. Human Resource used to handle all communication to managers and frontline staff, such as food delivery information and scheduling via email, which proved time-consuming.

By utilising Beekeeper, an internal communication platform and app Domino’s delegated much its communication through this, allowing HR to focus on other people management priorities.

3. Task Management Features

A work messaging app should provide more than text messaging does. Sharing information through a team communication app empowers employees with the ability to answer customer questions, set up a recurring to-do list, and track progress towards long-term targets, develop new task lists and assign action items to co-workers and tag them so they get an instant notification, making it easy to track the overall progress in any project.

This improves employee experience, leading to better customer service and ultimately, better customer loyalty.

4. Employee feedback and engagement.

With an internal app, companies may wish to include modules that can be added for special events or communication initiatives. For example, a mobile app is a great way to collect employee feedback and/or have them take surveys. In this way, apps can be used to collect valuable information, not just disseminate “need to know” info.

This valuable feedback allows a company to improve policies and procedures to keep employee engagement a priority.

5. Centralised information resource

Keeping track of company data and correspondence is overwhelming when internal communication is spread out across an information highway of email, paper, and verbal correspondence.

A team app can centralize internal communication and information such as schedules and pay slips, or general company news, in a user-friendly, secure team communication app and portal where employees can access it easily.

6. Eliminate the Hierarchy Gap

Without an internal communications strategy, the relationship between management and their frontline workforce suffers. The vast majority of mobile workers say they hear from the corporate office only a few times a year, and only when big announcements are made.

A team communication app provides multiple paths, such as activity streams, chatbots, and group chats, to ensure your entire workforce has access to the same information.

When a previously non-digitized segment of the workforce is suddenly given access to information they can access at will, they feel more like a valued member of the team. Studies have repeatedly demonstrated that satisfied employees engage more with their colleagues and work harder.

7. Automatic Reporting Features

Who wants to go through stacks of unorganised data to get the reports they need?

The best work messaging apps automatically records individual and team performance and generates the necessary numbers and customisable reports, about your most important goals that anyone can easily understand.

Intuitive business applications let team members customise what types of reports they receive and determine how often they receive them. Leaders can automatically get emails that outline the progress towards individual team members’ tasks and departmental targets providing them with the ability to make good business decisions, anytime, anywhere by providing insights regarding how to reach those goals.

When choosing a team communication app what should you look for?

There is an ever-growing number of team communication apps to choose from — and for good reason.
Real-time communication is an essential business tool for collaboration, team productivity and knowledge sharing, especially as workforces become more dispersed across cities and even countries.

How do you choose?

Companies should choose software that meets their individual needs. To help you find the right app for your team, we’ve put together 5 five key factors to consider when evaluating your options.

1. Ease of Use

Ease of use on mobile is particularly important for frontline workers who rely on mobile devices on the job and don’t have the time to deal with complicated apps. Also consider the various age-groups of your employees, each comes with their own technology comfort levels and work habits.

Navigating these differences means finding an app that is familiar and easy to use. Without high adoption, you won’t be able to leverage the true value of real-time communication.

2. Multiple Modes of Communication

Not every app supports every mode of communication. There are intranets, video conferencing apps, employee alert systems; instant messaging apps, the list goes on.

The problem? Teams need to communicate in a variety of modes and it’s frustrating when you have to juggle multiple apps, especially if you are on the road or client facing.

When choosing a team communication app or software product look for one that combines multiple modes of communication into one platform.

3. Powerful Group Capabilities

An effective team communication app will allow you and your employees to organize conversations into manageable groups, based on task, departments, and job functions.

Groups allow you to keep conversations focused on a specific topic with all the right people. Typically, each team or department will have its own group, as well as groups for specific projects and events as well as a few fun social groups.

Key group features to look for are the ability to:

Create open groups that anyone can join, as well as closed groups.
Provide access to the company directory to generate groups that match your company structure/functions.
Mute conversations that aren’t critical.
Share files and start conference calls between groups.
Search for old conversations and files, on all the groups.
All users to create short-term ad-hoc conversations.

4. Administration

It’s crucial for your team communication app to provide central administration so you can easily manage groups, provision users, and set data management policies.

Administrative power is a significant differentiator between enterprise apps and consumer apps.

With proper administration, you have control over your data, can ensure the platform is configured to meet your needs and most importantly, you can immediately remove all access to the app and its data when employees leave the company.

5. Workflow Integrations

The best team communication apps must allow you to communicate in the context of work being done. Integrations into key workflow systems must allow for a seamless experience that doesn’t require users to bounce between platforms while collaborating.

6. Pay attention to privacy options

Collaborating with teams doesn’t mean all conversations and files should be public.

Sometimes, you’ll want team members to have private conversations or work on sensitive projects. Make sure you look at privacy options before you choose a service.

7. Opt for the cloud

Cloud-based technology has many advantages.

Most notably are version control headaches, by allowing you to see recent edits and activity. All information is stored online so everyone can be on the same page, no matter where they are.

8. integrations and compatibility

Integrations are key. Compatibility is also important.

Look for tools that seamlessly integrate with other apps or backend software. For example, your tools should support all the file types your team normally uses.

Conclusion

Remote working arrangements or work-from-home have been common in many organizations for years, aided by constantly growing and improving technical tools. However, the COVID-19 crisis has fast-tracked the number of teams working virtually. Still, the transference from workplace management to virtual management can be tricky.

Managing virtual teams is fundamentally different from regular work teams. It needs planning, coordination, and intentional management.

And while remote communication can be tricky, with the right tools, it becomes a piece-of-cake!

28 May, 2020

What is the future of mobile app development and communication?

in Blog with Comments Off by isolvemobility

What is the future of mobile app development and communication?

Fifty years ago, the communication tools we rely on today were only science fiction. Today, on even the most basic smartphone you can make calls, watch video’s, listen to music, surf the Web, play games, run applications and accomplish more than most speculative science fiction writers dared to dream.

We’ve become accustomed to using our smartphones for everything from listening to music, taking pictures, reading news and posting on social media to shopping and making financial transactions. For many people, smartphones have taken the place of once common everyday implements like tape measures, flashlights and wristwatches.

But with technological progress moving at breakneck speed these days, it’s strange to think that the smartphone, and how we communicate as we know it has a limited life expectancy.

So, what’s next?

Smartphones and mobile devices will look different

In the short term, we’ll likely see basic cell phones slowly fade away. As smartphones become more common and less expensive, more people will adopt them. In the future your smartphones will also look and serve you in a much different way than it does now.

Which leads to the big question; what’s going to replace the smartphone? Advances in technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality, artificial intelligence, flexible frames, holographic displays and wearable electronics will spawn a new generation of devices that could change our everyday existence even more than the smartphone did.

It’s a pretty safe bet to say that they won’t be palm-sized rectangles with glass screens — or any screen at all, for that matter. And they may not even be a single gadget. Some futurologists predict that the smartphone will give way to personal area networks — clusters of tiny gadgets concealed in beads in a necklace or built into eyeglasses or contact lenses.

The fact is clear, the transition we’re about to experience is that we’re going to go from accessing the internet to living in the internet.

5G Technology

It’s been nearly a decade in the making, but 5G is finally becoming a reality in South Africa. Vodacom started rolling out its 5G network to Johannesburg, Cape Town and Pretoria in early May 2020.

5G is the 5th generation of mobile networks, a significant evolution of today’s 4G LTE networks. 5G has been designed to meet the need for faster connections, greater capacity due to the very large growth in data and connectivity of today’s modern society, the internet of things with billions of connected devices, and tomorrow’s innovations.

So, what will 5G enable? There are three major categories of use case for 5G:

A basic app an application with simple functionality that requires approximately 350-700 hours on development.
A medium complexity app takes from 700 to 1,000 hours.
A sophisticated app, with a backend and api integrations in most cases, exceeds 1,200 hours on development.

Cost:

Massive machine to machine communications – also called the Internet of Things (IoT) 5G, has the potential to impact various industries and revolutionise modern industrial processes and applications including agriculture, automotive, healthcare manufacturing and business communications.
Ultra-reliable low latency communications – Low latency communications also opens up a new world where remote medical care, procedures, and treatment are all possible. It will allow for the mission critical control of devices, industrial robotics, vehicle to vehicle communications and safety systems, autonomous driving and safer transport networks in real-time.
Enhanced mobile broadband – providing significantly faster data speeds and greater capacity keeping the world connected.
New revenue streams – It has been observed that the 5G network has the possibility to unlock up to $12.3 trillion of revenue, crosswise a broad range of telecom industries.
Creating new growth and jobs – It is predictable that by the year 2035, the output from the global value chain of 5G (network operators) will be superior to what the entire mobile value chain is at present.

What will the benefits be?

For communities – 5G will enable the connection of billions of devices for our smart cities, smart schools and smart homes, smart and safer vehicles, enhance health care and education, and provide a safer and more efficient place to live.
For businesses and industry – 5G and IoT will pave the way for cost savings, better customer experience and long-term growth, as a result off a wealth of data allowing them to gain insights into their operations like never before. Businesses will operate and make key decisions driven by data, innovate in agriculture, smart farms and manufacturing.
New and emerging technologies – Virtual and augmented reality will be accessible by everyone, providing shared and connected experiences that were not possible before.

Although 5G will undoubtedly change the way we interact with each other and consume media, the change won’t happen overnight. It will be a few years before 5G is up and running smoothly across the whole of South Africa.

Trends that will define the Future of Mobile Application Development

Technology has always been a step ahead of expectations but what can’t be predicted is where the change will come from.

It is an undeniable fact that data is the future of mobile communications. While most of today’s services are already based on this premise, even voice calling, as we know it today, is guaranteed to become obsolete in the coming years. This means that no matter what people do on their device, businesses will need to create an app for that.

Moreover, since this transformation brings convenience for users and a whole set of benefits for businesses, to capitalize on these opportunities, executives must take bold action to transform their businesses.

So, what can we expect?

1. Artificial intelligence (AI)

Artificial intelligence has penetrated our mobile world, and everyday we are seeing more advancements in mobile AI. You may be familiar with some of these:

Alexa
Siri
Cortana
Google Assistant

Not only can and will AI software help developers and marketers learn more about the user, ultimately, they will use this technology to extract insights about your users for attaining the output you desire.

2. Wearable Devices

Wearable devices connected with smartphones will open up new opportunities for vendors, app developers, and accessory makers.

These gadgets will communicate with mobile applications to deliver information in new ways, it also means that the smartphone will become the hub of a personal-area network consisting of wearable gadgets such as on-body healthcare sensors, smart jewellery, smart watches, display devices and a variety of sensors embedded in clothes and shoes.

This in turn will enable a wide range of products and services in areas such as sport, fitness, fashion, hobbies and healthcare.

Take Fitbit as an example. All the movements of a person wearing it can be tracked through an app. Users can check their heart rates and how many miles they walked in a day, among other things.

By syncing with mobile devices, these apps can be used socially as well. People can compare their progress with their friends and make it a competition.

3. The Internet of Things (IoT) and mobile connect smart devices

Gartner says there will be 26 billion connected devices by 2020 which includes several hundred smart objects that will all form part of the Internet of Things and will communicate through an App on a smartphone or tablet.

These domestic smart objects, such as LED light bulbs, toys, domestic appliances, sports equipment, medical devices and controllable power sockets etc. will all be remote controlled by smartphones and tablets, displaying and analyzing information, interfacing with social networks to monitor “things” that can tweet or post, paying for subscription services, ordering replacement consumables and updating object firmware.

4. M-Commerce

M-Commerce is here to stay, and most if not all technology and financial analysts believe positive trend in mobile purchases will continue over the next few years as more and more consumers adapt to m-commerce.

Increasing popularity of Tap and Go, SnapScan and other mobile payment gateways will facilitate purchases using the mobile phones instead of debit or credit cards. This will require developers to build a mobile application that can process transactions without the need of physical debit/credit cards or cash.

Coupled with wearables that can process payments m-commerce will take a different shape. Beyond data collection and predictive analytics, wearables will also play a key role in the future of mobile payments and customer loyalty.

5. Motion and location sensing and tracking

Knowing an individual’s location to within a few meters is useful for providing highly relevant contextual information and services such as games, vehicle navigation, and fitness apps, not to mention for security and emergency medical assistance services.

Most mobile phones have location sensor capabilities which use multiple positioning methods to provide different granularities of location data. In the future technologies such as smart lighting will also become important. Precise indoor location sensing, combined with mobile applications, will enable a new generation of extremely personalized services and information.

A very topical example would be the Covid-19 pandemic, and how the Chinese government is using tracking apps to try and keep the spread of Covid-19 in check while the country moves toward lifting the lockdown.

For the full explanation on how they are doing it please see here.

6. Innovative mobile user experience design

Remember when everyone was going crazy about Pokemon Go? The entire premise of that game was based on augmented reality on a mobile device.
We found some mind-blowing statistics about the game and how successful it was:

over 800 million downloads
more than 5 million daily active users
$1.2 billion total revenue

Those numbers speak for themselves. Based on the success of apps such as Pokemon Go, Snapchat, and Instagram, more businesses have been trying to incorporate augmented reality into their mobile technology.

On the other end of the spectrum you will find virtual reality, which is not quite the same as augmented reality. You’ll need more than just a smartphone to experience virtual reality.

Typically, a helmet or some type of goggles gets used simultaneously with your mobile device. This technology may even come with a joystick or controller.

It is a given that effective display of data and content on your mobile user interface will gain increased importance for a sound user experience. This means that all organizations will have to master new skills and work with new partners to meet growing user expectations

7. Enterprise mobile management and mobility

Enterprise mobile management (EMM) is a set of people, processes, and technology using mobile computing for streamlining businesses. The main dimensions of EMM are security, application management, workflows and financial management.

We predict; the market for Enterprise Ready apps and mobile services will grow hugely in a few years to come. Such tools will mature, grow in scope and eventually address a wide range of mobile management needs across all popular Operating Systems on smartphones, tablets, and PCs.

The skills required in building enterprise apps are in greater demand than ever now compelling businesses to take mobility seriously. Businesses should keep an eye on these trends to align their mobile application development strategies.

In Summary

Though the future of telecommunication and mobile app development sounds very progressive, and certainly is impressive, these are still just a few changes that we predict will occur in the future, in a few years to come.

Next-generation personal communication devices may also change us in other ways that we haven’t yet envisioned. As with the smartphone, we’ll just have to start using them to find out.

One thing you can be sure of is that the app development industry will keep on growing always, and every time it grows, takes a new leap, it will open more opportunities, more development, and a brighter future for one and all.

27 February, 2020

Qualities of a mobile app development company

in App Development, Blog with Comments Off by isolvemobility

Qualities of a Mobile App Development Company

Are you planning to build a mobile application for your business? Do you want to get it done from the best team of professionals? Are you thinking to hire a mobile application development company? If all the answers are positive, you are reading the right post.

In a world where developers can now be found everywhere and most of them always claim to be the best mobile app developers, identifying the actual top mobile app developers in Johannesburg and Pretoria or South Africa for that matter is a tough task.

One of the biggest challenges’ businesses face is not knowing how to choose the right app development company – one that really understands your project and empowers you to build a successful app.

It is important not to rush the process of hiring an app development company, instead spend an adequate amount of time to thoroughly consider all your options. Spending the effort upfront to comprehensively consider your development options can save you a lot of headaches, time and money further down the road.

But what qualities should you look to find in an exceptional developer? Let’s find out.

There’s a reason everyone runs to Eat Out, Zomato and TripAdvisor before going to a restaurant:

“We trust other people’s feedback and opinions”

Just like restaurants, the best app agencies always have a few past clients who will rant and rave about their work and abilities. Good app development companies have proven track records and their clients give positive testimonials about them.

Any app agency worth their salt will have case studies and examples of apps they’ve developed. Take a look through each agency’s portfolio to see if they’ve worked with brands in your space. Chances are, if they’ve built quality apps for other entrepreneurs, they’ll do the same for you.

Look at dedicated websites like Clutch, GoodFirms, Toptal, and App Futura which contain profiles of app developers, including their portfolios and, most importantly, reviews of their past work.

Be sure to read their reviews on Google My Business and LinkedIn but also reach out to clients of the agencies you’re looking into and ask what it was like working with them.

After narrowing down prospective app agencies based on websites and reviews, you’ll want to begin reaching out to the companies that made the cut.

Working with an app agency requires constant communication, so you’ll want to pay close attention to how accessible these agencies are. If a mobile app developer cannot communicate well, the project may not make it very far, poor communication will lead to delays, misunderstood requirements, rework and bugs

Do they make the effort to develop a working relationship? Do they get back to you in no time, or are you left waiting for weeks? Do they respond politely and eagerly, or do they act as though you’re pestering them? Chances are, if they’re not responsive and easy to reach at the outset, they won’t be when you need them most.

Mobile app development involves several stages, from planning to actual code writing, then to after-care service. Every department has a part to play. The quality of the service that is delivered is dependent on the level of teamwork in the company.

Being able to work in a team environment is paramount to an application’s success in the market. The apps need to work well across all functions as well as look good. This requires many different skillsets across the board.

During your initial discussion with a prospective app agency, ask questions about the structure of the company and the people behind the scenes. Every app agency should have quality individuals in each of these roles:

Project Manager/Strategist– Every team or project needs a visionary at the top responsible for capturing and executing the vision of the app. This person must have a solid technical background, extensive knowledge of the targeted industry, great managerial skills, and a keen sense of responsibility.

Designers – The designers should be adept at planning navigational functions and creating visuals. They should be open and receptive to feedback and changes.

Developers – The developers should be experienced in a variety of platforms, such as Java or C++ for Android and Objective-C or Swift for iOS.

Quality Assurance Experts – Not to be overlooked, QA experts – the ones who test the entire end product – should be capable of pointing out areas for improvement and suggesting ways to go about it.

Sales and Marketing Professionals – The sales and marketing professionals turn the product into profit and make sure all of the effort that went into creating it doesn’t go for naught.

UI/UX skills are highly necessary in order to be one of the top app development companies in South Africa.

Regardless of your app idea, chances are there are dozens, if not hundreds, of similar apps available in the different stores. Having a powerful UI/UX skills is necessary to help you stand out from the fray.

It is not enough that an app works well, if a mobile app developer is not very creative, their work will not wow the end user. The more a developer can catch the eye of the user, the more successful the app will be.

With hundreds of mobile applications being churned out daily, a mobile application developer has to exhibit a clear understanding of the industry, especially the market needs.

It may sound like a no-brainer, but a good app development company should be able to get your idea, as well as take the extra step of analysing the needs of your potential customers and market. They try to understand what the users will be interested in and they go all out to bring that expectation to mobile reality. An app that meets users demand is an app that will sure help a business to be successful.

Mobile app developers that have multiple programming languages in their tool belt as well as knowledge of cross-platform development, are the qualities you should be looking for in a top app development company.

There are several programming languages that can be used for mobile app development; Java, Objective C, Swift, PHP, Python etc. Each of these languages has its pros and cons and have areas where they can be best applied. Good app development companies are knowledgeable, and are proficient, in a wide range of programming languages. This proficiency will help a company to stand out and deliver better quality mobile applications.

Similarly, before hiring the mobile app development company, it’s good to make sure that they are an expert in the platform you want the app for. It can be android or IOS, but they should be well-versed on the technology for which you want the app to be developed for only then you will get a quality article. Because the developing process of both the platforms is different, this question must be asked. Same goes for the cross-platform app which means developing an app for both the platforms.

The most successful app agencies have a process, a formal series of steps they follow as they design and build apps.

It is utmost necessary that your app is scalable and flexible enough in design and coding aspects. The app development process must be able to adopt the changes, suggestions, and feedback laid down by the project team which is in coherence with brand and services.

Before signing a deal with an app agency, understand whether they have a process, and how frequently they update you about the process of development. Avoid agencies that don’t have a process as that can be an indication that the steps between idea and reality are going to be messy.

Ask about the estimated project timeline. More importantly, ask about their availability as most companies will be working on multiple projects at a time.

How many projects are they currently working on? How long do they think the project will take? When can they deliver your project by? It is important to confirm that there are dedicated resources available to work on your project.

This way, you can ensure that the company can efficiently respond to any iterations or unforseen challenges of your project.

One of the key qualities that differentiate an average mobile app development company and a top company is the quality of after-care service that each offers.

There is a good chance that after your app is launched in the marketplace you will have to, from time to time, release updates, fix bugs or add new features/functionality. For this reason, it is important to understand a company’s policy around app maintenance and support.

For example, ask whether app maintenance is charged at an hourly rate or a monthly fee for ongoing support. Be sure to determine what the policies are for:

The cost per each new app release

How they specifically handle bug fixes

Their post-launch support

You will want to work with an app agency that’s committed to your success – one that will remain responsive and willing to make changes to improve the app’s functionality and aesthetics after initial launch. In your initial discussion, ask whether the agency is interested in working with you beyond the initial launch, and in what ways they might help.

In this article we described five attributes to seek when looking for a mobile app developer. Creativity, ability in cross platform development, multiple language experience, being a team player and an excellent communicator are top qualities for a mobile app developer.

Much like a hiring manager reads between the lines when interviewing job candidates, you’ll be doing the same when effectively interviewing app agencies. You can learn a lot by looking at an app agency’s website, portfolio, and online reviews. You can also learn a lot by asking an agency about their company structure, history, and team. Also, be sure to ask other app developers who have used a particular agency’s services for insights into what the process was like. The more digging you do, the better informed you’ll be, and the more likely you’ll be to choose the right agency to build your app.

23 September, 2019

What is the Cost of App Development in Johannesburg or Cape Town South Africa

in Blog with Comments Off by isolvemobility

Introduction to App development in South Africa

That’s probably the most common question we get asked, but not an exactly an easy one to answer.

Seeing that you’ve landed on this page, we can safely assume you are in looking to build a mobile application. And for obvious reasons you are curious to know the total cost of app development in Johannesburg.

iSolve Mobility has been designing and developing native mobile apps and web apps for Android and iOS for a while now, and from our wealth of experience working with a range of different clients, from innovative and established businesses, to disruptive start-ups, we’ve learned a thing or two about what goes into creating a mobile app.

Needless to say, the cost of software development varies widely.

Why is the app building process expensive?

On average, it takes 5-20 people about 3-6 months to develop an app. Skilled designers, developers and business analysts need to have the right tools for the job and experience to back it up.

That takes years to acquire, and because of it, a typical cost for iOS developer with 5+ years can be R2,000 per day and more. It also depends on the platforms you choose. If you want to have both iOS and Android, you will need more people and a larger budget and a great team to bring it all up together.

Here’s a quick guideline on how much your app idea is going to cost and time it will require.

Time:

A basic app an application with simple functionality that requires approximately 350-700 hours on development.
A medium complexity app takes from 700 to 1,000 hours.
A sophisticated app, with a backend and api integrations in most cases, exceeds 1,200 hours on development.

Cost:

Low to medium complexity: A quality low to medium complexity mobile app built in South Africa will cost between R225,000 and R650,000. A start-up looking to develop an app with a basic feature set for a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is likely to cost between R0 and R225,000;
High complexity: businesses wanting to streamline internal processes or integrate with other systems should expect to pay between R450,00 and R1,250,000 for an app.

What influences the cost of app development?

The cost of app development doesn’t only hinge on development time and hourly rates. It depends on a number of factors, including technical complexity of the product, size and experience of the app development team, choice of platforms and post-release support expenses.

We eight factors we have identified that influence how much it costs to build an app:

number of platforms (iPhone, Android, Web)
type of app you are building
number of screens
app design
app integrations
backend development requirements<
number and complexity of the app features
post release expenses

1. Number of platforms

This has a huge impact on how much your app will cost to build, as well as the time required.

Will you require iPhone app development, Android app development, both or will you create a web app?

An additional decision you will also have to make when building your app is whether to develop your app hybrid or native. What is the difference?

Native app development:

Faster and more reliable by its design, specific technology and language for each platform. Best in class security for a mobile application, the best performance, a highly responsive user interface, and access to all native APIs.

Hybrid app development

A faster development process, great apps built using web technologies like HTML, CSS and JavaScript. The hybrid app development route is cost effective and faster.

Generally speaking, if you choose a native app it will have to be built across two different platforms (iOS and Android), which will incur greater costs. It is important to know, every time you add a new platform, it will typically increase the cost.

2. Identify what type of app you’re building

Different types of apps are priced at varying levels. Is your app:

Simple App

This type of app focused on providing collective information to the audience. These are apps whose development requires no API integration, no back-end, or standard UI components.

Dynamic App

Dynamic App is the complex and advances application which needs WIFI/data connection for its proper functioning. It provides real-time information, by accessing the database.

Database App

Database App allows the user access to search, edit, delete and manage the data. This type of app directly connects to the database to retrieve data and present it to the user. These types of apps require custom UI features, API integration, back-end server, etc.

Games

Games are a highly complex app which will provide 3D visualisation to the user. This type of app features audio/video processing, real-time synchronisation, an offline data cache and complex backend.

3. Number of screens

It may sound simple, but every screen on your mobile app requires design and development. Just like any website design, the more pages or screens your app has the more it will cost. One way to reduce the cost of your app build is by reviewing your app features and therefore the number of screens you require.

4. App design

It’s not just developers that are needed to build your app, app designers are also required.

When it comes to mobile apps, Visual design and UX (user experience) design go hand in hand with your app’s functionality and usability and can make or break your app, no matter how good the idea is.

Designers will not only plan out the visual design of your app, logos, icons, wireframes, and branding, designers are required to make sure the app is user-friendly. Customised design is harder and complex to implement than a standard design. Also, it is time-consuming because it requires deep research.

As a result, app design is an integral part of the cost to make an app.

5.Backend development requirements

Apps that require back-end development and servers will almost always cost more.

Any dynamic mobile application that requires data synchronization across platforms, in addition to the ability to send alerts, push notifications, geolocation, user/login management and integration to third party systems will require a backend.

Backend development is the nuts and bolts that makes the app functional. A backend is essentially an API which facilitates the transfer of data between your app and a cloud hosted database.

6. App integrations

“Application integration is the merging and optimization of data and workflows between two disparate software applications, often a new cloud application with a legacy on-premise application.”

Source: Informatica.com

If you require your app to integrate with other systems, then the type of integration will be a big influence on app cost. Will it be a proprietary integration or an integration to a well-documented publicly available API?

Also, what will the nature of the integration be? Is it a simple integration, where your app may send data to the other system, or a more complex integration that may involve the data flowing both ways? Will the other system require changes to their API to facilitate the integration? Or if that’s not possible, will you need to make changes your side?

7. Number and complexity of app features

The number and complexity of your app’s features will impact the app cost. The more complex the feature the higher the cost will be.

Every time you add a new feature – for example, a sign-up form, a map interface, payments, video uploads, push notifications – there will be an additional cost. This is because for each new feature an interface will need to be designed and the rules/business logic associated with the features created.

There are countless ways a feature can be implemented. An example is a photo upload feature. A base option would be requiring a user to access the photo on their photos folder. Another, more expensive option would be to allow the app access to the camera. Both achieve the same outcome but have different levels of developer effort.

We suggest clients consider what they really need for a minimum viable product, and decided how far do you need to go in version one and what can be prioritised for future releases?

8. Post-release expenses

The average app development budget does not solely consist out of design and development.

You should also take into account the money that goes into growing the product. Just like with any business, an app needs regular updates, customer support, backend server maintenance, cloud hosting, and even legal support, not to mention marketing and sales, which have a huge impact on the product’s success.

Who is building your app?

Depending on the project requirements, your budget and location aside, there are different types of developers as well.

You could hire:

an independent contractor
a small to medium sized development agency
big corporations

Depending on what you decide, the price will change. There are reasons behind the pricing structure of these different development options.

For example, an independent developer could be your least expensive option. If you’re only looking to spend about R50,000 to R100,000 on your app, you could probably find an independent contractor who is willing to take on that job.

If you’re going to hire a development agency, the size of the agency will also impact the price. An app development team typically includes a business analyst, a solution architect, one or more developers (depending on the platform), a project manager, a quality assurance specialist, and a UI/UX designer.

App Development Cost Breakdown

It’s really important to note that these costing brackets for app development are guidelines only, as every app and piece of custom software developed is unique, and the process involved in accurately costing a project is, pretty complex due to the number of unknowns.

Very Low Complexity

R0-R22,5000

2-3 months

1-5 Screens
Singly functionality
Few simulations users

Logo design
branding
Basic User Analytics
Lead Capturing to Email
Responsive

Low Complexity

R225000 – R450000

3-4 months

5-10 Screens
Singly functionality
Responsive
Low user base

Email service
Basic user registration
Social media integration
Reset password functionality

Medium Complexity

R450000 – R675 000

4-5 months

10-15 Screens
Singly functionality
User functionality
Simple admin functionality
Low user base
Likely to be an internal business application
Limited admin functionality
10-20 active simultaneous user

User login
Database integration
API integration

High Complexity

R675000 – R1125000

4-6 months

15-25 Screens
Admin application
User application
Basic SaaS application
10-100 active simultaneous user

Requires backend and administration portal
Database
SMS Services
Prepared to scale
Push notifications
Web services
Reporting functionality
Data visualisation
Basic multi tenancy

Very High Complexity

R1125000+

6 months

30+ Screens
Full admin functionality
Partner functionality
Full SaaS functionality
Highly scalable
Large user base
Thousands of active simultaneous users

Various user roles and applications
Payment gateways
3rd party API integrations
Large user base
Various devices
Machine learning:

Forgiving search
Health monitoring system
Support features
High availability
Performance optimisations for various devices (images and content)
Advanced user analytics (user engagement tracking)
CDN integration
Location data
Login system
Advanced multi tenancy

Final Thoughts

Lots of different factors impact this cost of app development in Johannesburg. It depends on who builds your app, how it gets built, and what you want your app to do.

As you can see from this guide, building an app isn’t cheap. R50,000 won’t get you much. But if you’ve got R100,000 or more to spend, you can definitely get started and build something that’s functional.

One crucial piece of advice is to pick a good team. A good developer won’t do design; a good designer won’t know how to write code. Make sure there is a reliable team of fully skilled people to undertake your project and run things professionally.

If you’re looking for an experienced and creative team to solve your business challenge with state-of-the-art software, drop us a line at info@isolvemobility.co.za

04 July, 2019

What to Build First: An Android or iOS App?

in App Development, Blog with Comments Off by isolvemobility

Four and a half billion people. That’s the global digital population in April 2019 according to Statista.com of which almost 3 billion active mobile social users. This is a market you can’t ignore.

If you still don’t have a mobile app for your business, then it’s high time to get one. But which platform should you focus on for your project? iOS or Android development; the battle is ongoing and probably will never conclude.

If you look at the global mobile app market, the numbers are staggering:

[Source: App Annie]

Many companies struggle to decide what platform they should use to develop their app. There are many factors to consider; while apps developed on the iOS platform consistently earns more revenue compared to Android, Android has a much larger global market share. However there is more to the story, and we need to dig deeper to understand what is better iOS or Android.

Demographics

One of the first questions you should ask is who is your target audience and where do they live?

The primary consideration is where your first app adopters will be located. If your customers are outside of the U.S., Europe, or Australasia, it’s possible that Android should be your first priority as it dominates sales volumes of smartphones in Asia, Africa, and South America.

Knowing this will help you prioritize your development requirements and possibly save some money in the meantime as well.

When looking at the worldwide statistics for sales, Android has a clear lead over iOS in terms of market share. Android currently holds the largest global platform share with around 75% which mostly comes from developing countries and lower income areas compared to iOS’s 23% from developer nations.

Demographics tells us a lot about Android and iOS users. This is where we need to start the discussion.

iOS users are typically younger, with a higher level of education, greater engagement and earn more money, so they spend more per app. Amusingly, iPhone users were also found to be vainer — taking 12 selfies every day, which is five more than Android users take.

Android users are less extroverted than iPhone users, and they are perceived to have greater levels of honesty and humility. In a survey, by Slickdeals, Android users were reported as self-admittedly the more frugal in their spending habits, with Android users being 25 percent more likely to strongly agree that they think they are a frugal person, and being 19 percent more likely to say they look for deals and discounts “often.”

iPhone Users
37% more likely to have a graduate degree
29% more likely to be older women (35+)
14% more likely to be extroverted
67% more likely to make over $200K and enjoy spending it
More likely to be in Media/Marketing/Business
39% more likely to be high-maintenance
50% more likely to have visited more than 5 countries
[Source]

Android Users
80% more likely to have only a high school diploma
More likely to be younger men (34 and younger)
12% more likely to be introverted
24% more likely to earn $100K or less
More likely to be in IT/Energy/Utilities
12% more likely to be pet lovers
71% more likely to have never traveled abroad

Users approach to technology

The second point to consider would be the adoption of new technology. According to a poll conducted by Hunch.com, iOS users are more likely to be early adopters.

On the other side of the spectrum, Android users seem to be late adopters which means they are less likely to own mobile devices that will allow apps to utilise rich new technology and features to deliver an improved user experience and functionality.

Given the fragmentation of handheld mobile devices running Android as an operating system, the issue becomes even more compound.

Revenue Models

Another factor one needs to consider when deciding on the platform is app monetisation. The capability of a mobile app to generate profit (if that is your business goal) depends on a number of things, including the platform on which it has been created. If you are thinking that just because Android has a bigger market share it also generates larger revenue, you should think again.

According to a report from Sensor Tower, the App Store earned nearly 93% more than Google Play in quarter 3 of 2018, the largest gap since at least 2014.

The firm states that approximately 66% of the $18.2 billion in mobile app revenue generated in Q3 2018 came from Apple’s App Store. The store made $12 billion in the quarter, up 23.3% from the $9.7 billion it made during the same period last year.

If app monetisation is one of your goals, there are some key platform differences to be aware of.

Android users tend to be less willing to pay for apps than iOS users, so free apps with in-app ads are more common.
While Android has a higher percentage of ad-supported apps, the iOS development platform relies predominantly on purchases.
Apple users are more likely to make in-app purchases and spend more on them.
Apple users are more likely to pay for apps, except in one category — utility apps. Android outperforms when it comes to utility apps.
Shopping apps generate the most revenue.

The takeaway: If you want to monetize your app without ads, whether through subscriptions, freemium models, or in-app purchases, then Apple may be your best bet. The same applies to e-commerce apps.

Development Speed and Complexity

Getting your app fast to market is always a primary concern when building the app.

Although Android apps are mostly developed in Java (preferred by most app developers) and related languages, while iOS apps, on the other hand, are normally developed in Apple’s Objective-C language, it still can take 2-3 times longer for Android app development vs. iOS app development.

Why? It has to do with the system release cycles and something known as Android fragmentation.

Simply put, Android runs on a huge number of devices, that come in all shapes and sizes as well as with huge differences in performance level and screen sizes. Because of the limited type and number of devices, iOS development is easier as compared to the development of Android apps.

Add to this the fact that there are lots of active versions of this operating system at the same time. To build an app that is compatible with all of these devices is quite a challenging and complex task. Thus, it’s crucial to consider timeframes before you outsource app development.

The differences in SDK’s, IDE’s and API’s is another conversation by itself.

Release & Approval Cycles

iPhone users upgrade a lot more often than Android users.

For example, over 76% of all iOS users have adopted the latest version of iOS 12.3. Pie for Android was released in August 2018, and currently, a little over 10% of all users have adopted it.

Because Android is locked down by telecom carriers and Original equipment manufacturer or OEM’s, releasing new updates to Android becomes more difficult resulting in the adoption of the latest OS versions being usually slower than with iOS.

For developers, there is a benefit to being able to focus on supporting the newest versions of an operating system. With iOS higher adoption rates, developers can stop supporting older versions and devices sooner, reduce testing, incorporate newer API’s and reduce their development cycle times. If only about 10% of the users have adopted it, then the developer has to support older devices, do more testing and this way increase the development cycle time.

As most app developers can attest, Android is the favourite when it comes to the release and approval process. Why? Because with iOS, the release and approval process is typically between 2-3 weeks, and even longer, if the app is rejected. Android apps typically take a day or two to get approved and updates can be pushed within a matter of hours.

The bottom line: The Google Play Store submission is less expensive and less strict when it comes to publishing.

Pros and Cons

Evaluating all pros and cons for Android app development and iOS app development is another factor that can help you define which OS to be the first. Here is a brief overview of the key advantages and disadvantages of both from a development and marketing perspective:

Android Pros

Wider international coverage, including emerging markets.
Simpler to launch with Android; guidelines provided are easier to follow, rather than strict requirements from Apple.
Getting your app on Google Play is less time consuming.
No restrictions imposed on alpha or beta app launch when writing apps for Android.
With Android you are able to submit your app to Google Play and Amazon.
Various hardware integration and customization possibilities.
Deeper market penetration

Android Cons

Development and testing usually take a lot of time due to the large number of Android versions and devices.
It’s impossible to target all device users at once and tailor the app to all screen sizes.
New app features are only supported by newer OS versions.
2-3 higher the development cost
High device fragmentation

iOS Pros

The iOS platform offers a quicker and more stable development process.
iOS users are more likely to purchase apps as well as make in-app purchases.
Standardised UI makes interface development less time consuming.
The audience is more valuable
Tools are more advanced and stable
Provides more publicity and press opportunities
Many influencers on iOS

iOS Cons

Apple’s approval takes a lot of time (7 days on average).
With so many restrictions imposed, it is difficult to customize an app.
No possibility to release a beta app since only fully-functional apps are accepted.
Fewer opportunities to stand out from the pack because of app standardization.
Smaller overall install base

Choosing your app development platform: iOS of Android

There are many aspects to consider when choosing a platform for app development.

By now you may have guessed that in general, from a financial standpoint as well as a time perspective iOS is a better choice, but from a market penetration stance Android is better.

The Bottom line: both Android and iOS are extremely successful which is why it’s smart to invest in both iOS and Android app development.

But ultimately, your decision to build for iOS or Android first is going to come down to what works for your business:

The type of app you are building
Monetization model
The market you’re aiming
User demographics
Project timeframe and budget

If your company is a start-up and your capital is limited, then iOS is the best place to begin because not only is it cheaper iOS also brings influencers and PR with it. Chances are, you’ll get much more clicks for your app built on iOS.

If your audience is mostly located in emerging markets, then it makes sense to start with Android since they tend to visit app stores more often.

06 June, 2019

The future of progressive web apps

in Blog with Comments Off by isolvemobility

The future of progressive web apps

In past few years, the use of mobiles has risen to the point where people now spend twice as much time on mobile devices as they do on desktop, and in many African countries mobile phones are the only devices they use.

When native apps first came to market, people couldn’t get enough of them. It changed the way people interact with their mobile devices, each other and with companies. The recent trend, however, shows that people are turning away from apps.

This should come as no surprise, and come July 1st, 2019, Google mobile-first indexing will now be the default index used by Googlebot for all new websites.

Even though users are downloading less apps, they are still an integral part of many users daily live and many brand’s digital marketing efforts. You’d be hard-pressed to find a company that hasn’t thought about developing an app. Given the tremendous benefit and impact that an app can have, why are so many companies not investing in app development?

The answer shouldn’t come as a surprise: cost. It can be an incredibly costly gamble if users don’t take to it.

The price of mobile app development is undoubtedly the main underlying reason why many companies, especially small businesses, are not investing in the app game, but it isn’t the only factor.

The Business Case

The need for businesses to target customers on mobile devices is no longer a discussion point. The question is no longer if they should do it but how and what is the cost?

As a business you have 3 choices if you want to appeal to mobile-based customer:

Build a responsive website,
Develop a native app, or
Create a progressive web app (PWA).

Mobile websites are quick and easy to access, but they tend to be less focussed on great user experiences. Native apps provide great user experience, but they are costly, can be expensive to maintain and require a user to download it. Meaning as a brand you need to generate quite a considerable buy-in from consumers first. Sitting right in the middle are PWA’s. First introduced in 2015 it combines the best elements of mobile sites and native apps while mitigating their disadvantages.

What is a Progressive Web App (PWA)?

Have you ever seen an “Add to Home Screen” banner, or “Install this web app to our phone”, while browsing a website on your mobile device? When you click the button, the “application” installs itself quietly in the background, while you continue with what you were doing. When you open this application, you can navigate and browse with the same experience as you were doing on your browser, but now right in your mobile phone.

This is what is called a Progressive Web Application or PWA.

A PWA lets you install the application from the browser window itself, is available on your phone like a native app, and works offline, just like a native app. The only difference is you did not have to download and install it from an app store.

The term Progressive Web App was coined by Alex Russell and Frances Berrima and simply put the are:

“Websites that look and feel like apps, with a wide range of functionality available at low cost and in easy-to-update formats.”

Here are some of the key characteristics that makes them different from traditional web apps and defines a PWA:

Most PWA’s work on all modern smartphones, irrespective of operating system.
They are discoverable by search engines.
They work offline.
They generally load faster than mobile websites and can be installed on your home screen.
Importantly, there’s no need to visit an app store. Users can download PWAs directly from their web browser.
Most PWA’s work on all modern smartphones, irrespective of operating system.

How is Progressive Web App different from Regular Web App?

There are several differences and advantages to using a PWA or a native app, we will explore these in more depth in our next blog post.

Following is a short overview of what a Native App is:

A Native App

A regular web app, in simpler terms, is a website that is designed to be accessible on all the mobile devices. It is designed using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Ruby, etc, and is downloaded from an app store. They offer various native-device features and functionalities, such as access to camera, contacts and photos that PWA do not.

What is the future of PWA or Progressive Web Apps?

Since being introduced in 2015, PWAs have slowly been gaining popularity. But with Google, Apple and Microsoft, the three main phone operating systems, all driving the transition to PWAs due to their inherent flexibility, PWAs are set to become the best way to stay ahead of the curve in the mobile industry.

Results have been quite impressive; users of Pinterest’s PWA spend 40% more time on the site compared to the previous mobile website. Lancôme saw an 84% decrease in time until the page is interactive, leading to a 17% increase in conversions and a 53% increase in mobile sessions on iOS with their PWA.

What makes 2019 so important when it comes to progressive web apps? Here are our top reasons for optimism:

Microsoft and Google have since early 2018 been backing PWAs heavily.
Apple has finally accepted PWAs.
More and more companies are shifting towards PWAs and are seeing success.
PWA’s are no longer a proof of concept or a side project, as more and more web developers are now engaged in progressive web apps development.
Progressive Web Apps are a mobile-first approach
Progressive Web Apps (PWA) create mobile web experiences that are closer to those delivered by native apps.
How Progressive Web Apps improve browsing experience. They offer user a fast and streamlined site, a better user experience, increased customer engagement and offline access

In Summary

Progressive Web Apps are the future of web development without any doubt.

If you’ve been holding off on developing a responsive website or a native mobile app, you are at a unique turning point. Many established businesses have already started the transition from native web apps to PWA’s to effectively replaces a company’s mobile site, its native app and maybe even its desktop site.

In other words, it’s a mobile-first approach to connecting with your customers.

In the future, e-commerce sites, restaurants, and media sources will transition from native app to Progressive Web App.

10 April, 2019

Mobile Phone Apps vs Mobile Optimized Websites – which is better?

in App Development, Blog with Comments Off by isolvemobility

Mobile Phone Apps vs Mobile Optimized Websites – which is better?

It is increasingly evident that companies are becoming more aware of the fact they need to embrace a mobile strategy. Not only has the constantly growing number of mobile devices and the number of mobile-only internet users overtaken desktop, but app usage has also surpassed desktop usage.

As a result of this shift, companies are re-thinking their mobile strategies.

The major question that most companies seem to be grappling with is whether a mobile app or a mobile website is the right way to go. Many will argue that you don’t need a mobile app, you just need a website that looks good and functions well on mobile devices. Others will argue that mobile apps have benefits that a responsive website cannot offer. However, when digging a little deeper, there are a myriad of factors that need to be considered before deciding.

When it comes to mobile app vs mobile website, it can be difficult to determine where to focus your efforts. Why? Because we are talking about two different mediums that allow customers to connected and interact with your company in very different ways and for very different purposes.

In this post, we are not going to tell you which one is better. Instead, we will make you understand the huge difference between these two and the final decision will be yours as to which one you want for your business.
Before going further into this discussion, you should understand that these two elements serve slightly different purposes. Now, let’s get started.

1. Mobile App Vs. Mobile Web: What’s the Difference?

Before you can evaluate the benefits of a mobile website vs. an app it’s important to understand the key differences between the two.

Both mobile apps and mobile websites are accessed via a handheld mobile device such as a phone or tablet. It is also important to know both mobile apps and mobile websites can be accessed on iOS and Android devices (Includes smartphone and tablet users).

A mobile website is similar to any other website in that it consists of browser-based HTML pages and can display text content, data, images, and video. They can also access mobile-specific features such as click-to-call or location-based mapping.

The obvious difference between a standard website and a mobile website is the latter is designed for the smaller handheld display and touch-screen interface. Increasingly, responsive websites are becoming the new standard for website design. A responsive website is not only mobile-friendly, but that can scale to any sized device – from desktop down to tablet and handheld smartphones.

Mobile apps, on the other hand, are applications that are downloaded and installed on a user’s mobile device, rather than being rendered within a browser. Users need to visit device-specific portals such as Apple’s App Store, Android Market, or Blackberry App World in order to find and download apps for a given operating system.

An app can pull content and data from the Internet, similar to a website, or it can download the content so that it can be accessed without an Internet connection. We’ll dive into the pros and cons for each, so you can make a more informed decision when establishing the smartest mobile strategy for your brand.

2. Which is better?

When it comes to deciding whether to build a native app or a mobile website, and which one is better the most appropriate option will all depend on your company or business goals. So, you are the deciding factor here.

If you are developing an interactive game for argument sake an app is probably going to be your best option. But if your goal is to offer mobile-friendly content to the widest audience possible then a mobile website would be the best option. However, in some scenarios, you may want to have both a mobile website and an application, but this will all depend on your business goals.
It is also extremely important to consider:

What industry are you working in?
What is your available time and resources?

Every industry has its own peculiarities, and it can be so, that only apps can afford to achieve success you need. In general, consumers tend to use mobile web for utility-directed tasks like searching, booking, and purchasing products. When entertainment and communications come into play, mobile apps are, for the most part, a far more favoured alternative.
In addition, it is also important to be clear on your answers to the below.

#1 Do you want to reach more users?
#2 How often do users interact with your brand a day?
#3 Do you need to access phone native features?
#4 Do you care about speed?
#5 Is your product complex? – E.g. You have data reports to show
#6 How often is your user going to use your product offline?
#7 What is the size of your budget?
#8 Does your product involve navigation or location-based elements? (GPS)
#9 Do you think you’ll be improving = updating your app very often?
#10 Does your competitor have an app?

Generally speaking, a mobile website should be considered your first step in developing a mobile web presence, whereas an app is useful for developing an application for a very specific purpose that cannot be effectively accomplished via a web browser. But before we move on to the differences between mobile websites and mobile apps, it’s important to point out a caveat: A responsive designed website is not the same as a mobile website.

Quick overview of difference

	Responsive Design Website	Separate Mobile Website
Cost	Easier/cheaper to maintain	More maintenance; requires bi-directional annotation between desktop and mobile versions
Site speed	Large pages are slow to load on mobile devices	Quick page loads on mobile platforms
User experience	Pleasing both mobile and desktop users with same interface means not focusing exclusively on the needs of either	User experience customized to the benefits and limitations of mobile devices; content customized to mobile users
SEO	Single website/URL; content is optimized across all platforms	Multiple URLs; each will need its own SEO.

3. A quick overview

Before delving deeper into the benefits of each, below is a short comparison.

	Mobile Website	Mobile App
Audience Reach	Viewable by anyone with a mobile browser	Viewable by individuals with the appropriate device
User Experience	Limited by bandwidth, technologies and site performance but improving	Capable of very robust user experiences
Graphics and effects	Limited by bandwidth and technology, but improving	Superior. Graphics may be stored locally. Effects and animations are limited only by device computing power and memory
Access to hardware functionality	Limited. Device geo location can be utilized	Unlimited access. Camera, accelerometer, microphone, GPS, etc
Ease of development	Developed with standard web development tools and technologies	When built for distinct operating systems and devices (native code), unique programming languages and software development kits are required. Cross-platform solutions are available for deploying to various app stores
Development resources	Build once and deploy for all devices	Built for individual devices and operating systems. May require multiple developers with different proficiencies
Development cost	Typically, but not always, less expensive than app development	Typically, but not always, more expensive especially when multiple devices or operating systems are targeted
Ease and speed of implementation	Publish as a website. Immediate availability	May require a submission process. Users must download and install prior to use
Distribution	Viewable with any mobile browser. No distribution required	Download and installation required
Installation	No Installation required. Web based	Downloaded and installed from website or marketplace
Updates and maintenance	Easily updated and changes are immediate with a browser refresh	iTunes requires a submission process. May require multiple development resources if updates are required for multiple devices and operating systems
Paid app vs free app	Difficult. Plus, solutions lack purchasing ease and confidence associated with iTunes App Store and Android Marketplace	Easy to charge for apps, using the available app marketplaces
Search optimization (SEO)	Can be found through a standard search. Primary website can redirect to a mobile-optimized version when mobile is detected	Typically found through an app store search or linked to from a website
Internet or data connectivity	Required	Can be used offline

4. Mobile App Pros

Despite the many inherent benefits of mobile websites, the use of apps is still soaring in popularity. Why so? Generally speaking if you want any of the following benefits, an app makes sense:

A. Mobile apps provide a superior user experience.

A mobile app takes user experience to a whole new level by combining content, navigation, and integrated mobile device functionality (sound, video, images, location, etc) in a way that optimizes the user’s experience. A native app engages the user beyond the capabilities of a display-only mobile website and provide a more personal, efficient, and responsive overall experience through allowing the user to personalise their experience.

The superior user experience is one reason that mobile device users spend 86 percent of their time interacting with mobile apps compared to just 14 percent using mobile browsers.

B. Mobile apps give you a direct communication channel to your customers.

Once a mobile app has been downloaded to as user’s device, it’s always there, reminding them of your brand even when they aren’t actively engaging with it.

With an app the information you most want your customers to have is right there at their fingertips a tap away. When paired with push notifications information about products, prices, sales, promotions—whatever you want, as a brand you are provided with a level of direct interaction most marketers dream about.

C. Personalisation & customer engagement.

Personalization is about offering individualised communication to users based on their interests, location, usage behaviour, and more. With mobile apps, it’s easy to offer users a personalized experience.

Mobile apps can let users set up their preferences when they originally download the app, and customize it to suit their needs, providing them with more interactive ways to engage with your content.

Rather than looking at the exact same text and images as a website, by prompting users to allow geography-specific content such as special promotions or deals at a particular store location apps can integrate features which allow users to interact with certain components of the app thereby becoming more immersed in your brans.

D. Mobile apps have functionality even when they are offline.

A major advantage of apps over mobile websites, is the fact: customers can access information on your app even if they aren’t connected to the Internet.

You can create maps, how to guides, videos, menus, maps, podcasts, games, and more —there’s no real limit to the offline information you can put into your app.

Mobile apps can run without internet connection. Although many apps require an active internet connection to perform most of their tasks, they can still offer content and functionality to users while not connected to the web.

E. Branding Opportunities

The major advantage mobile apps have over mobile websites is free prime real estate on your customer’s device. Even when users are not actively using a mobile app, they are still reminded of your brand daily, simply because your app icon acts as an advertisement for your brand.

Even though a mobile app exists as an entirely separate entity from a company’s website, it can offer new branding opportunities to users. This means that companies can experiment with new branding tactics and styles with a mobile app.

F. Complex Calculations or Reporting with Visualization

If you need something that will take data and allow you to manipulate it with complex calculations, charts or reports (think financial or scientific tools) an app will help you do that very effectively.

g. Leverage Device Capabilities

Mobile web browsers are getting increasingly good at accessing certain mobile-specific functions such as click-to-call, SMS, device libraries and GPS functions. However, if you need to access a user’s camera or processing power only a native app can interface with the device’s features and hardware, such as the camera, GPS location, and so on.

Having access to the device’s capabilities is particularly important for retail apps as they significantly enhance the customer experience. If there’s a single truth to shopping, it’s that the customer experience matters. Here are just a few of the possibilities only apps offer:

Push notifications
Tap-to-call/email
Device vibration/ alerts
Camera
Instant and automatic updates

5. Mobile Website Pros

If your goals are primarily related to marketing or public communications, a mobile/responsive website is almost always going to make sense as a practical first step in your mobile marketing strategy.

This is because a mobile website has a number of distinct advantages which are more aligned with top of the funnel activities, such as growing and nurturing a steady stream of new leads, in addition to benefits such as broader accessibility, compatibility and cost-effectiveness.

Let’s take a look at what makes a mobile website a good investment for small business owners:

A. Broader Audience Reach

Because a mobile website is accessible across most platforms and mobile devices it can be easily shared. It’s easy for users to share a URL for your mobile site in an email or text, and it is easy for publishers to direct customers to a mobile website in the same way. It is not as easy to share an app or content within an app.

Unlike a mobile app, which must be downloaded and installed on a mobile device, any customer can access your mobile website whenever they want from whatever device they are using at the time.

B. You only need one version.

Because mobile websites are accessible across all device, you only need to create one version for Android and iOS. With mobile apps, you need to decide which operating system you’ll use, or else develop two versions, one for iOS and one for Android. In this regard, mobile websites are much simpler to develop and maintain.

C. Cost-Effective

Complexity aside, a responsive mobile site is generally more cost-effective to develop than a mobile app. This holds true if you want your app to have a presence on more than one platform.

D. Support and Maintenance

It is usually also less expensive and less labour-intensive to update and maintain a mobile website. Properly supporting and maintaining an app (upgrades, testing, compatibility issues and ongoing development) is more much more expensive and involved than supporting a website over time.

E. You can instantly update your mobile website.

Unlike apps it’s very simple to update the content, appearance, and functionality of a mobile website. Once you make the changes and hit “publish,” the changes are instantly available to anyone who visits the site. For any Small business website designer in Cape Town or anywhere for that matter, this is the preferred route.Mobile apps, on the other hand, require users to download and install updates once you push them out.
F. SEO & Brand Visibility

Although Google is now indexing app content and including apps in some search results, it is generally much more common for mobile websites to show up in search results than for a query to return a mobile app.

Having a mobile-friendly site means you are more likely to rank better, which results in greater brand visibility and higher website traffic.

6. How to make the Final Call

The final call should solely depend on your business goals.

If your mobile goals are primarily marketing-driven, or if your aim is to deliver content and establish a broad mobile presence that can be easily maintained, shared between users, and found on search then a mobile website is your best bet.

On the other hand, if your goal is to provide a user experience that feels more like a gaming interface or a computer program than a website, or if you need access to a user’s phone storage and native functions, then an app is probably going to be required.

It’s also important to remember that a mobile/responsive website and a native app are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Plenty of organizations have both a mobile-friendly public website for their general web presence, as well as a downloadable native app to accommodate more specific requirements. In the end, it’s all about choosing the right tool for the job.

14 March, 2019

Using Apps to improve your business process

in Blog with Comments Off by isolvemobility

How many times have you checked your smartphone today? 25 times? 50 or more? Do you even notice you’re doing it anymore?

The proliferation of mobile devices has transformed us into an app-driven society. Not only individuals but also many South African businesses are firmly embracing this trend, with the average small business’s owner using 18 apps to run their company every single day.

Running a business means handling endless tasks. Staying organized, focused and sane through it all can be a challenge for any size business owner.

By using a variety of billing & invoicing, project management, CRM, marketing and productivity apps to improve your business processes, it's easy to create one centralized place where you and your team can get things done.

If you think that mobile apps are solely for big name brands like ABSA, Takealot and OUTsurance, you are wrong. More and more small and midsize businesses are following the mobile trend, understanding that an effective mobile strategy involves more than just a mobile-friendly website.

Businesses today want to provide their clients with a flawless experience – every time, and the only way to do this is to embrace technology and though mobile apps. Many companies are already leveraging the power of mobile apps to improve their business processes, making their operations convenient, efficient and profitable. Using mobile apps, these businesses are augmenting their capabilities, exploring novel possibilities and transforming everything about the way their businesses operate.

But still you may wonder - do business apps really deliver what they promise? Or are they just another expense that, in the end, can’t really be justified by their ROI or deliver on improving your business processes?

Business processes

You probably use dozens of business processes every day, without even realising that it is a process.

For example, you may go through the same steps each time you order a part from your supplier, capture a new and prospective clients information, resolve a customer complaint or provide a quote to a client.

You've likely come across the results of inefficient processes, too. Dissatisfied customers, overworked colleagues, missed deadlines, and increased costs are just some of the problems that dysfunctional processes can create.

That's why it's so important to improve processes when they are not working well. In this article, we'll look at the benefits associated with improving your business processes through the use of business apps.

What is a Business Process?

A business process is a collection of linked or related, structured activities or tasks performed by people or equipment; which in a specific order produce a service or product for a particular customer or customers. A business process can also be defined as a set of activities and tasks that, once completed, will accomplish an organizational goal.

Business processes are mainly classified as two types:

External process and

Internal process,

Internal business processes occur at all organizational levels, and can generally be categorized into management processes, operational processes and supporting business processes.

Processes can also be formal or informal.

External Business Process

One of the best examples of how globalization, increased on the go connectivity and a mobile app can help you enhance business process is a banking app. There are many banking apps used extensively, no matter what part of the world you are in.

Using such apps, South African customers can purchase airtime, pay bills, order products online, check statements, make payments, and do a lot many banking activities by simply tapping on your smartphone or tablet using your fingertips.

If we talk about the business-specific impact of such banking apps, it’s remarkable. Consider SnapScan for example; a quick, easy payments app for you and your customers that allow customers to pay you wherever you are. With SnapScan, they can pay their bill from the table, at the coffee counter or at the usual point of sale.

The business benefits? Improved payment efficiency, which means you can serve more people in less time. Not only does it increasing your operational efficiency, but if your bank account is linked to Sageone accounting software for example, at the mere click of a button you can import all your sales into your accounts.

The more comfort and convenience you can offer to your customers and prospects by using external apps to compliment or augment your internal business processes, the more they will be attracted to your business. This also helps increasing retention value and find new customers. If not for sale, apps can also be used as a marketing and promotional tool.

For example, a restaurant owner can create an app that allows its customers order food via app through their smartphone or tablet. Similarly, those in the hotel industry can create an app and let their customers book accommodation using their handheld devices.

Internal Business Process

There are three types of internal business processes; they are:

Management Processes: The processes that govern the operation of a system.

Operational Processes: The processes that constitute the core business of the organization and create the primary value stream.

Supporting Processes: The processes that support the core processes. Examples include accounting and technical support.

Examples of internal business processes include:

Invoicing

Shipping products

Receiving orders

Updating personnel data

Determining marketing and other budgets

Processes can be either formal or informal

Formal processes – also known as procedures – are documented and have well-established steps. For example, you might have procedures for receiving and cataloguing goods to your store invoices, or for establishing relationships with new clients.

Informal processes - are often ones that you have created yourself and have not written them down. For example, you might have your own set of questions when communicating with a prospective client or making notes.

The Importance of Efficient Processes

All business processes have one thing in common: they're all designed to streamline the way that you and your team work.

When everyone follows a well-tested set of steps, there are fewer errors and delays, there is less duplicated effort, and staff and customers feel more satisfied.

Processes that don't work can lead to numerous problems. For example:

Customers may complain about poor product quality or bad service.

Colleagues get frustrated.

Work may be duplicated, or not done.

Costs increase.

Resources are wasted.

Bottlenecks can develop, causing you to miss deadlines.

How does apps affect each of the 3 different levels of business processes?

1.Operational Processes

As the name suggests, an operational process is a primary or basic process through which any company delivers services/ products to its clients. It is an integral part of any organization and need to be paid close attention to, as it directly affects the deliverables to the clients.It is a process that relies on efficiency and accuracy, and by improving this process it has a direct effect on the output of the enterprise.

By connecting your people to your operational systems, not only can you streamline tasks to Improve Efficiency, you can also make workflows more efficient, effective, and adaptable to changes in the business environment.

But how exactly are they able to accomplish this? We’ve compiled a list of several very concrete ways in which business mobile apps can improve your company’s operational efficiency.

B. Efficiency

We humans are fundamentally flawed. Whether we like to admit it or not, we all have our strengths and weaknesses.

Consider absent minded-ness; being preoccupied to the extent of being unaware of one’s immediate surroundings. Abstracted, daydreaming, inattentive, oblivious, forgetful. We are all guilty of this at human trait, especially when we are at work.

Mind-wandering is an under recognized influence on work performance, which can lead to mistakes and inefficiencies in any business process.

Efficiency in performing a process or a job function is dependent upon an individual’s ability to access and/or provide information timeously and accurately to management, co-workers or to clients to achieve and realise set company objectives. By using apps such as Evernote, Microsoft Office for Mobile, Hours, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Anylist and many more apps workers are able to Ensure Efficiency through the use of Productivity Apps.

By using apps, you can help reduce mistakes and miscommunication, a very common occurrence in many organizations, resulting in making an organization’s workflow more efficient, effective, and adaptable to changes in the business environment.

C. Productivity

Not only can apps increase efficiency but also productivity.

Consider, for example, you’re on a sales call at a prospective client. If you have mobile apps to manage sales and inventory, you can close the sale right away. But if you have to check stocks, availability, pricing, etc back at the office before closing the sale, you could lose the sale altogether.

Customer information stored in filing cabinets can take too much valuable time to locate. Even saving it on a desktop requires that employees be at their desks in order to access it. Keeping all that information in the cloud, and instantly accessible from any location through an app, streamlines any task requiring customer data.

Enterprise mobility solutions also save time by making processes easier for employees. Rather than writing or even typing data onto a form, apps can provide drop down menus and check boxes to simplify the process. They can speed up the processes of sales prospecting, of providing job quotes, of crew deployment, of invoicing. And all that extra time can now be used for revenue-creating purposes, rather than administrative tasks.

Adaptability means as a business you are able manage situations outside of the ordinary, like custom orders and rush sales. The ability to do these things means you’re able to offer better service to customers. And when you offer better service to customers, you gain an advantage over your competitors.

But it’s not just the sales department that benefits from mobile business apps. Manufacturers, field service workers, quality assurance supervisors— can all benefit from mobility, especially in the form of mobile business processes. Having processes, forms and data on hand-held devices means data gets into your system faster, workers are more efficient, and tasks are more convenient. It’s a win-win-win.

D. Connectivity

Many workers — such as nurses, first responders, field service technicians, or delivery drivers — depend on reliable mobile access in real-time to critical information at the point of interaction.

When it comes to modern-day business, enterprise mobility is not a luxury anymore but a competitive advantage. Enterprise Mobility allows employees of any business organization to work remotely and to fulfil business tasks and activities using mobile devices, mobile applications, and cloud-based solutions.

Critical issues may crop up in a business environment anytime, without prior notices or hints. Enterprise mobile applications allow the employees to resolve such issues on an urgent basis irrespective of their presence and availability at the office location.

Real-time interactions are also made possible with the clients that result in better customer engagement and satisfaction.

E. Mobility solutions reduce overhead costs.

Paper is slow and expensive. Even just storing paper - printing and filing - is much slower than storing files digitally. Digital files are also more environmentally and health and safety friendly than paper, which is a growing concern, especially when you’re dealing with a lot of files which could be a fire hazard.

In addition, storing paper requires a lot of space, it can be lost or damaged. Storing data digitally is also much easier, and if you’re storing files on a cloud server (or your own server), the data is much more accessible than paper files.

Think about all the paper you’re still using in your business, especially paper forms – and the time it takes to fill them out before having to capture the details electronically again? Imagine if you could take all those paper forms and not just digitize them but think about all the paper you’re still using in your business, especially paper forms – and the time it takes to fill them out before having to capture the details electronically again? Imagine if you could take all those paper forms and not just digitize them but make them accessible on mobile devices. Imagine how much easier that would make things like quality assurance, inventory management and logistics.

f. More accurate data

Why do businesses have bad data? There are many reasons, but the biggest one is simply human error. Humans are fallible, after all: sometimes we don’t pay 100% attention, or we forget details before we have a chance to write them down.

Mobility can help reduce human error. Why? Because users can enter information right away, when it’s still fresh in their minds, right from a mobile device. This reduces the likelihood of human error, meaning your data will be cleaner and more reliable than it was before.

Why does good data matter?

When you have good, reliable data in your system, you’re equipped to make better decisions about your business and align processes to achieve desired goals. If the data is accurate, it will provide you honest insight into your business. If the data isn’t accurate, you’ll be basing your decisions on a shaky foundation.

Mobility might not take humans out of the data collection process altogether, but it can definitely reduce human-caused errors by streamlining business processes for better decisions.

By implementing the use of mobility solutions to streamline your processes, your business can realize a significant ROI in operational efficiency, cost reduction, and time savings.

2.Supporting Processes:

Support processes are the processes which do not deliver the final product/ service to the client, but it creates an environment that is suitable for the primary processes to function smoothly.

These processes do not directly generate value to the customer. Having said that, the support processes are also vital for the enterprise. The processes like management processes, accounting processes, and human resource processes facilitate the working of an organization.

Enhancing these processes means making the fundamentally and strategically strong. Although the support processes, do not add value to the client directly, they help in developing a solid working environment.

Examples of such apps are:

Evernote

CRM apps such as Salesforce

Accounting software such as Sageone

Scanninc

Snapchat

3.Management Processes

Similar to support processes, the Management processes do not add value to the end customer. These processes are more oriented to monitoring and analysing the business activities.

These processes deal in up scaling the business, introducing new verticals and bringing innovation to the firm. Management processes are goal oriented and aim at designing and achieving tangible as well as intangible targets. Management processes help in making the enterprise a brand and by standing out and providing its clients with value in intangible terms.

Once the understanding of processes is clear, identifying the process which is to be optimized to achieve the set target becomes very clear.

Examples of areas where mobile apps can support Management Processes include:

On the go reporting

Realtime reports

Tracking

Realtime data analysis

Summary

The rise in mobility coincides with the ability to use applications to streamline workflow processes.

By leveraging and deploying either custom or existing mobile applications that can be integrated into existing operational processes and systems, it offers organisations an opportunity to streamline this process and stay ahead of application demands.

Many organisations today are facing a battle to keep up with the demand for mobile applications in a timely and budget friendly manner. Mobile applications can take an average of five months to a year to develop and cost an average of between R50,000 and R250,000 per application.

Is it not time you talk to iSolve Mobility about your next Business Application?

14 January, 2019

Mobile App Development Resources Guide

in Blog with Comments Off by isolvemobility

Introduction

“How to build an app”

“What programming language do I need to learn?”

These are common questions asked everyday by beginners who are eager to learn how to code and develop iOS or Android apps. No doubt you’ve already googled something along those lines and read enough articles/answers that all say the same thing.

You have probably come across various articles such as; https://thinkmobiles.com/blog/best-app-development-software/ a very good starting point if you are looking at a DIY solution. However, if you plan to master the art of the app development, then you should read on.

In today’s fast paced world, the mobile app market is expanding by leaps and bounds. Providing seamless, yet engaging experience on mobile is now more important than ever, and it gives a true competitive advantage to businesses that get it right.

Consequently, as mobile app designers and developers we are always looking for the right tool that will make our designs, functionality and usability worthwhile for the end user. Developing a valuable mobile app requires top notch skill, creativity, and of course the right tools.

While it’s still essential to sketch your wireframes and products prototype on paper, and to be particular about the approach being followed for mobile app development, app designing software is making it easier and less tedious to share finished or unfinished jobs with clients, developers, and designers.

Here’s the situation: you’re a developer and have all the necessary tools to code an amazing app. But you’re a bit stuck as far as the design, and with so many design tools everywhere nowadays, it can be challenging to choose the best tool for your particular type of app.

Without the mastery of industry-standard design tools like Adobe Photoshop, how do you design a mobile app that reflects your inner genius? How do you make an app that is both visually stunning and easy for users to navigate?

Good news is, we’ve distilled 50 tools mobile app developers prefer to use. We’re confident that you’ll find the right tool with the functionality you need from this list.

9 Best Cross-Platform Mobile App Development Tools

There are a large number of tutorials and learning material on the net to learn iOS app development and Android App Development. For the purpose of this article we will be focussing on (WORA), the concept of write once, run anywhere app development platforms and resources.

With WORA a developer writes code once on one platform, and runs it on multiple platforms, with the explicit aim being to save time and effort on the part of the developer. As a developer one is able to reuse the code and can design apps that can work efficiently on multiple platforms, including Android, iOS, Windows, and many more.

Codename One

Codename One is a framework that supports popular IDEs like NetBeans, Eclipse, and IntelliJ IDEA. Suitable for rapid application development, it allows a developer to write code in Java, as well as test and verify the application with Codename One’s simulator devices and test automation tools.

One of the main features of its build server is that a developer can build native iOS apps as well as native Windows apps without a Mac machine or Windows PC. We recommended using this platform for developing iOS apps.

A large drawback of Codename's graphic UI is its outdated visual themes, as well as the fact that all the event handlers are stored in a single file, which makes the development more cumbersome. We do not recommend using it for large projects.

Appcelerator

Deploying a JavaScript codebase, Appcelerator makes it possible for coders to create cross-platform apps with speed. Being a platform that is both extensible and open, make it a perfect tool for taking future growth into consideration. As a developer one can create apps for platforms like iOS, Android, and BlackBerry; it even supports HTML5 and hybrid apps. Appcelerator has an open-source SDK and supports more than 5,000 devices and OS APIs, Eclipse-based IDE Studio, and the MVC framework Alloy.

The only disadvantage is the slow response of its support team, especially the developer community.

Monocross

Monocross is the perfect platform for building interactive and interesting apps for smartphones and tablets. What makes this open source, cross-platform framework so amazing, apart from the fact that it supports C#, Microsoft, .NET, and the Mono framework, is that it gives the developer full access to the native device APIs while still coding in C#.

The two main drawbacks of Monocross are; the lack of enough resources to learn about the framework and document and support for the framework are few in number on the internet.

NativeScript

NativeScript is another wonderful open source platform for building cross-platform compatible mobile apps. The framework provides native APIs in JavaScript, and it provides support for Angular.js 2 and TypeScript. The great thing about it is that, as a developer you can easily reuse the available plug-in npm directly in NativeScript projects.

As with Kony and Monocross, the resources are not extensive; and it is difficult to find useful examples and documentation on each of its features.

RhoMobile

The RhoMobile framework offers application tools to developers for developing multi-platform, native mobile and enterprise applications.

RhoStudio comes along with a free Eclipse plug-in; it allows developers to generate, develop, debug, and test applications, even in the absence of other hardware or an emulator. Here, a developer can easily access an offline data with Rho Connects.

Cons: One of the biggest disadvantages with RhoMobile is Its RhoElements RFID plug-in is not freely available for Windows Mobile/CE.

Xamarin

Xamarin has made it possible for the developers to design native apps for multiple platforms using only C# code base. The tool allows developers to use the same IDE, language, and APIs everywhere. Xamarin cross-platform development has been adopted by big names like Microsoft, Foursquare, IBM, and Dow Jones. If a developer wants to use Ruby or C#, then it is one of the most suitable development platforms for them. Xamarin platform allows the developer to share code, which means an app can be created in less time and at decreased cost.

Design tools

Whether you're designing your app for iOS, Android, both or another platform entirely, as a mobile app designer are always looking for the right tool that will make their designs worthwhile for the end user. Developing a valuable mobile app requires top notch skill, creativity, and of course the right tools.

While it’s still recommended that you sketch your wireframes and products prototype on paper, app designing software and resource are making it easier less tedious and easy to share finished or unfinished jobs with clients, developers, and designers.

But with so many design tools everywhere nowadays, it can be challenging to choose the best tool for your particular type of app. Here we’ve brought together a list of brilliant tools to help you get from concept to finished app faster. It is segmented into General tools and then specific tools for Android and IOS.

General Tools

Wireframing Tools

Wireframing is an essential stage when going through the process of designing a mobile app. It involves creating a bare minimum product that essentially represents the skeleton of the design of your app, and it allows you to think about structure as separate from the final design elements.

It also makes it possible for you to effectively get your concept across to any relevant parties – collaborators, designers, or investors – without you personally needing any design experience to accurately express these ideas.

With more wireframe tools to choose from than ever, we selected the pick of the bunch for App Development.

Android and/or iOS sketch paper

For those just starting out learning how to design a mobile app, sketch paper is a great way to go to learn how to use a specialty wireframing tool. For a reasonable price, you can purchase dot-grid papers that have iPhones and iPads printed on them, it is also ideal for storyboarding or showing the various states of how your app will look in use. The Android version of sketch paper has 8 phone models printed on it. However, unlike the iOS paper (which has a dot grid), this one has no lines at all.

Marvel

Marvel is a collaborative web application prototyping tool that makes it easy to turn your sketches into workable prototypes for iOS and Android.

It offers the ability to add basic design elements, and also link these designs together to create a workable flow. Marvel allows you to create realistic interactions such as hover, click, swipe, pinch and more. With tons of third party integrations such as Sketch, Photoshop, Illustrator, and even those on cloud storage like Dropbox or Google Drive, Marvel plays nice with many of the other tools you already use, and the collaborators on your team. Unlike other tools, Marvel is supper specific—design, prototype and collaborate. If this sounds like what you’re looking for, then Marvel could be the design tool for you.

InVision

InVision is a free web and mobile prototyping tool used by innovative companies like Adobe, Zappos, AT&T, Dell, and Sony, as well as fast-growth start-ups like Prezi, Soundcloud, and Evernote.

Thanks to its functionality that allows for simple commenting and collaboration on projects, it is the perfect prototyping tool for teams, Version control is another great feature, that sets it apart from many similar types of tools.

Using InVision won’t guarantee you their success, but you can’t deny the benefits of association!

Axure RP

Axure it a complete app design tool for professional designers, offering a free to use during a 30-day trial. It tries to give you all the functionalities you need to design your app from start to finish.

Axure allows for easy app prototyping thanks to highly functional designs and provides functionality for easy team collaboration. Apart from the prototyping, it allows you to also design wireframes, mock-ups, flowcharts, personas, idea boards, user journeys, diagramming and graphical documentations and even more.

The interesting thing is, if you are a code freak and will like to do some coding, it allows you to code, and also allows you to add ready to use components and libraries to help you create even better design seamlessly.

Proto.io

Proto.io has a lot of features, and it’s easy to use, as no coding is required.

For mobile app developers looking to create a realistic and functional prototype that “feels real” this may be music to your ears.

They supply users with multiple UI libraries, 3rd party integrations (with partners like Dropbox or Google Drive, allowing you to synchronize files easily to help you simplify your workflow), and even user testing to ensure the user experience is seamless upon launch. More importantly, you can seamlessly import your UI components from Sketch or Photoshop.

A basic 15-day free trial allows you access to limited features. Starting at $24/month you can upgrade to a fully-functional account with multiple projects and features.

Android Patterns

There is no better way to familiarize yourself with the in’s and outs of design for an Android. It may surprise you to know that it is significantly less rigid, and remarkably different to that of iOS app design standards.

Using Android Patterns is a great crash course in Android Design ( in addition to reading through the Google Play store’s submission materials, like this launch checklist), as it contains a library of Android interaction patterns arranged by app type and include actions such as navigation, notifications, and screen interactions.

While these patterns can be helpful they should be taken as a guide, but not absolute rules.

Origami

Origami Studio is a complex standalone interface design tool with great functionalities Originally developed by Facebooks it is now available for free.

Highlights include the ability to preview your app prototype, and see live changes as you work on it, by connecting to the Origami app on your iOS or Android device, coping and pasting layers from Sketch, and more.

Another cool functionality is the ability to record your prototype and quickly send it to anyone from the Origami app, even clients.

Flinto

Does it look like all odds are against you on the best tools in the market because you’re not on Mac?

Maybe you want to collaborate with your team and everyone is using Mac and now you’re thinking of getting a Mac because you want to be able to use Sketch?

Well, Flinto has a web and Mac version, you can easily import your Sketch and Photoshop designs and join your team. You’ll never feel like you’re left out.

It’s super-fast, mirrors iPhone and Android transition animations, it supports prototype previewing, and sharing the installation link is simple — just send a link to whoever you want to from the app.

FramerJS

With FramerJS you can create powerful wireframes and prototypes. It is however not a tool that you can start using straight after visiting the website, you will need to spend some time training in the use of it. Training is provided for free.

Framer, is one of the few mobile app design tools where you’re limited only by your imagination. It is flexible and interactive and allows you to code or use their visual editor if you’re just a visual designer. The benefit of FramerJS visual editor is it auto-generates the corresponding code at the backend, allowing you to re-use it if you like to play around with the code, if you are a coder.

It boasts an easy workflow, previewing of your prototypes, and can easily import designs from Sketch, Figma, and Photoshop and collaborate with your team members.

Zeplin

Zeplin allows you to upload your wireframes and visual designs from Photoshop and Sketch and add them to your project folder, before automatically generating accurate specs, assets and code snippets from designs—tailored for the platform you’re developing for. No more getting lost in design files.

Developers also don’t have to wait until designers finish the design before getting the specs, as developers can be introduced early enough to the process. Building a product specification document and reiterating it every other time can really be tedious—with Zeplin you don’t ever have to do that, as iterations can be done at the same time—thereby reducing the number of iterations for a project.

UXPin

Zeplin is the ultimate collaboration tool created for app designers and developers. It goes far beyond design and workflow management, by cutting meeting times in half and ensuring that designs are implemented perfectly, however complex. Designed to keep everyone on the same page, everyone in the team can access up to date design resources and get notified of changes.Zeplin allows you to upload your wireframes and visual designs from Photoshop and Sketch and add them to your project folder, before automatically generating accurate specs, assets and code snippets from designs—tailored for the platform you’re developing for. No more getting lost in design files.Developers also don’t have to wait until designers finish the design before getting the specs, as developers can be introduced early enough to the process. Building a product specification document and reiterating it every other time can really be tedious—with Zeplin you don’t ever have to do that, as iterations can be done at the same time—thereby reducing the number of iterations for a project.

InVision App

InVision App is a design protocol tool that transforms static designs into clickable prototypes that support gestures, transitions and animations.

You load in your static mock-ups, then define which areas you want to be interactive, and what they should do. For example, make a menu item clickable, so that it transitions to another page.

Clients can click on any part of your design in order to communicate to you what they like and dislike. This feedback can then be transformed into a to-do list.

InVision App is free to use for one project. Three projects costs $15 per month and unlimited projects costs $25 per month.

Cool Mockups

Cool Mockups offers a huge collection of premium mock-up designs for iPhones, iPads, and MacBook’s and a couple of free designs.

Designs are available individually with prices starting at only $5 for a single PSD file, or as collections which offer much better value. For example, you can purchase a collection of 29 MacBook and iPad mock-ups for only $11.

All designs are Photoshop files that can be saved as a flat screenshot or an image to a smart object layer, which is then automatically inserted into the 3D scene.

Mokk.me

Still in Beta Mokk.me is a free tool that allows you to easily create mobile web application mock-ups for iPhone, Android, and WebOS you can share, test on multiple platforms, and reuse the HTML, UI CSS and JS, and add behaviour with jQuery to build your production solution.

The interface is intuitive and easy to use, with a simple drag and drop of fields and elements into the mobile interface. Everything can be moved around, configured, or deleted; whether it be text, images, forms, buttons, or maps.

NinjaMock

NinjaMock is a collaborative online service that lets you create wireframe designs for iOS, Android, Windows, and browsers in a few minutes. Mock-ups can be saved in PNG, HTML or PDF format and the document emailed or just printed out for a meeting.

A visual editor gives you all the controls you need for creating your mock-up, while the vector editor lets you create things by freehand. NinjaMock enables you to easily collect feedback on your wireframe design from anyone, and you can keep track of your communication directly within the project.

The service is free for those of you who want to create three projects for non-commercial use. Unlimited projects costs $10 per month.

Fluid UI

Used by the very best product designers in the world Fluid UI assist you in visualizing the flow of your mobile app interface. As with other tools mock-ups can be tested on iOS and Android and shared with clients, however what sets it apart from other tools is the huge collection of 3,500 mobile, tablet, desktop, and wearable widgets that it offers.

The service is free to use for one project and ten pages. The Lite plan costs $12 per month and allows one project, an unlimited number of pages, and ten uploads.

Upgrading to the standard plan at $29 per month allows ten projects and unlimited projects and pages. It also offers additional tools such as project cloning, exports and printing. Their top plan costs $49 per month and has no restrictions on projects or pages.

POP App

Marvels POP (Prototyping on paper) App is a service that helps you transform your pen and paper ideas into an interactive iPhone or Android prototype by assisting you to present, explain, and share your app ideas.

Mock-ups can be viewed in any device and it integrates perfectly with services such as Dropbox.

The free plan allows for two projects and one member, while the basic plan costs $10 per month if paid yearly and offers ten projects and three members. Upgrading to their pro plan at $25 per month allows unlimited projects and team members.

Sketch

Sketch is a lightweight MacBook based UI/UX design tool built for modern app designers.

It is very similar to Adobe Photoshop, but it’s built mainly for app prototyping offering powerful features, an intuitive interface and an expansive plugin ecosystem, Sketch lets you create your best work — from your earliest ideas, through to final designs.

The download size is about 20 megabytes, it doesn’t use too much system resources, and it exports assets very fast. If you want to edit photos, you’ll have to combine this app with other tools like Photoshop or Adobe illustrator and can’t animate with it. However, it’s a great choice for most app designers.

App Development Pretoria

in App Development with Comments Off by isolvemobility

Now is the time to invest in App development in Pretoria

Mobile apps are taking over, not only in areas of social media and telecommunications, but also in business, shopping, and commerce. Investing in mobile app development for your South African and even international business is essential for its growth.

The average time to develop an App in Pretoria, Cape Town and Johannesburg or anywhere in South Africa for that matter can take anywhere from 6 months to a year or even longer to complete. Duration of development depends on the complexity of the mobile app.

Choosing the right mobile application development partner is clearly an important decision, getting it wrong can be an expensive exercise!

With this in mind, wouldn’t it make sense to undertake your app development in Pretoria, with a team that is known for delivering on time, every time?

At iSolve Mobility, we are a team of committed developers and we really love what we do. Working with a variety of different clients, helping them to develop their ideas and bring an incredible app to life, is an exciting journey. Developing cost effective, bug-free apps for start-ups and large companies alike, within a reasonable time frame is what we are specialists in.

Our dedicated team of professional app developers have over 100 successful projects under their belt and know exactly what it takes to create an app that people are going to love to use. Our team of expert app developers develop beautiful, effective and highly impactful apps which perform perfectly for users and businesses alike. Our wealth of business knowledge, attention to detail and experience means that when you are looking for a company to handle your app development in Pretoria, to build and develop an app that offers a seamless user experience with the functions that you need to deliver – from online chat through to e-commerce. What’s more, we have the skills to make sure even the most technical and function-heavy apps look absolutely beautiful – yet get delivered on time.

Why should you invest in mobile app development?

As more and more South Africans are increasingly accessing the internet via their mobile devices, owning an app that could be sitting in the palm of every client’s hand, is important. Why you might ask? Here are eight reasons why.

Reach a Local or Global Audience

In the digital age, nearly everyone has internet access, and with most internet traffic coming from mobile devices, owning a Mobile application allows you to promote market expansion and increasing opportunities for business growth.

Accessibility

Having a responsive website for your business is good but investing in mobile app development will let you virtually put your business in their pocket lets customers to access all they need about your business in one tap, anywhere and anytime.

On-the-go advertising

Whether they’re at home, commuting, or at work, a mobile application reinforces your business and brand, making consumers more likely to come to you for purchases.

Brand Recognition

Mobile app development in Pretoria can do wonders for brand promotion. A great, well-developed, user-friendly mobile app will leave a lasting impression on customers and help build a reputable brand.

Increased Customer Engagement

Mobile apps give consumers a seamless, all-in-one experience with your business, putting your business right in the palm of their hand. This efficient communication helps greatly in improving the relationship between consumer and business.

Better customer service

A well-developed mobile app provides customers with everything they need to know about your product, as well as a quick method of communication with staff. Consumers will be able to make mobile transactions, get notified about offers and announcements, view product reviews, and so much more, all without entering a single store.

Increased sales and mobile transactions

With the advent of services like SnapScan, and Pay you online commerce is growing popular. Investing in mobile app development in South Africa is therefore essential for better sales.

Easier Market Research

Market research is essential to businesses. Mobile apps are a quick and effective way to collect consumer data and consumer preferences. This will help you present them with content that they’re interested in, giving them a user experience tailored to their needs.

iSolve Mobility is a pretoria based app developer that has a firm understanding of the application design and development process and can help you maximise the opportunities this new exciting media has to offer your business.

To know more, visit our app development service page.

App development in Pretoria doesn’t get better than this!

At iSolve Mobility, we know that no two businesses are the same. With our strong expertise in digital solutions, we’re able to create bug-free apps that are easy to navigate, and which has all of the information that you could possibly want to share with your clients. We design, develop and launch mobile applications for all platforms, including iPhone, Android, Windows, and Blackberry. With your entrepreneurial idea and our technical expertise, we can build a great mobile application regardless of the operating system that they use.

So you are considering getting an app for your company, but you are not yet fully convinced about the power of the app. Let us be the first to tell you that your app is going to change the way that you do business, and it is going to change the way that your clients talk to you.

Interested in our Pretoria based Mobile App Development services?

Whether you have a new app project that you would like to progress with, an existing app that needs bringing up to date, or assistance with conceptualising and planning for the mobile technology that your business needs, we are here to assist.

If you are ready to take charge of your marketing, you need to invest in an app. Contact iSolve Mobility for a no-obligation chat and to get the app development process going!

Ready to change the way you market your company? Contact iSolve Mobility today and enjoy the benefits of working with the best app development in Pretoria!

Improve team communication in the business through mobile apps.

Why is team communication important?

What are team-based messaging applications?

Why should you use mobile applications to improve workplace communication?

1. Real time communication

2. More Efficient Workflows

3. Task Management Features

4. Employee feedback and engagement.

5. Centralised information resource

6. Eliminate the Hierarchy Gap

7. Automatic Reporting Features

When choosing a team communication app what should you look for?

1. Ease of Use

2. Multiple Modes of Communication

3. Powerful Group Capabilities

4. Administration

5. Workflow Integrations

6. Pay attention to privacy options

7. Opt for the cloud

8. integrations and compatibility

Conclusion

What is the future of mobile app development and communication?

Smartphones and mobile devices will look different

5G Technology

Trends that will define the Future of Mobile Application Development

1. Artificial intelligence (AI)

2. Wearable Devices

3. The Internet of Things (IoT) and mobile connect smart devices

4. M-Commerce

5. Motion and location sensing and tracking

6. Innovative mobile user experience design

7. Enterprise mobile management and mobility

In Summary

Qualities of a Mobile App Development Company

1. A top-notch website

2. A proven track-record

“We trust other people’s feedback and opinions”

3. Quick and effective communication

4. Teamwork and company structure

5. Creativity and User Experience

6. Understanding client and the market needs

7. Knowledge of cross-platform development and programming

8. Look for an end-to-end process

9. Timeline

10. After-care service and maintenance:

Conclusion

Introduction to App development in South Africa

Why is the app building process expensive?

What influences the cost of app development?

1. Number of platforms

2. Identify what type of app you’re building

3. Number of screens

4. App design

5.Backend development requirements

6. App integrations

7. Number and complexity of app features

8. Post-release expenses

Who is building your app?

App Development Cost Breakdown

R0-R22,5000

R225000 – R450000

R450000 – R675 000

R675000 – R1125000

R1125000+

Final Thoughts

Demographics

Users approach to technology

Revenue Models

Development Speed and Complexity

Release & Approval Cycles

Pros and Cons

Choosing your app development platform: iOS of Android

The future of progressive web apps

The Business Case

What is a Progressive Web App (PWA)?

How is Progressive Web App different from Regular Web App?

A Native App

What is the future of PWA or Progressive Web Apps?

In Summary

Mobile Phone Apps vs Mobile Optimized Websites – which is better?