A mobile app is interactive software designed for use on portable touchscreen devices such as tablets and smartphones. A mobile app (also known as a mobile client, or mobile program) can provide many features that allow users to interact with the company using mobile devices. The two main groups of mobile apps are Native Apps and Web-Based Apps.
Native apps offer advanced functionalities compared to web-based apps and require programming languages like Objective C (Cocoa Touch), Java, Python, Swift, and PHP. This requires developers who have extensive knowledge of these programming languages. As an alternative, companies may choose Web-based apps development which only need basic knowledge in HTML5 language making it easier for any programmer familiar with other web programming languages like Javascript, CSS to develop these apps.
Instant Rise in Mobile Users
It is important for companies looking to launch mobile apps to keep in mind the number of smartphone users worldwide by region and how this will affect their customers’ access to the app. According to Techcrunch, there are about 1.7 billion smartphone users globally in 2016 with Asia having the highest number at 472 million while North America has 243 million users. The high adoption rate of smartphones in both regions is because of the availability of cheaper devices that run on the Android Operating System (OS) which does not require any additional software required to install an app, unlike Apple’s iOS operating system where companies need to set up a website before installing its native app on iPhones or iPads.
However, despite market growth in the past years, a report by Gartner states that mobile apps will have negative growth of -6.0% from 2016 to 2020. This is because of high app abandonment rates and difficulties for users when installing new apps.
Importance of SEO
Search Engine Optimization or SEO for short is an important factor for companies looking to launch their own mobile app because it helps them rank higher in search engine results pages which therefore increase visibility to their products and services online, increasing traffic generation from SERPs. Because of the increasing number of smartphone users, many internet marketers have chosen this platform as part of their marketing strategies since most people use their smartphones while commuting or waiting at bus stops and other places where they could access the internet and look for information about local businesses and products.
Companies that want to capitalize on this opportunity should know what kind of mobile apps the market is looking for. As a starting point, companies may look at their own product or service and see if it would benefit from a mobile app. If the answer is yes, then they need to come up with an idea of how they can make this happen. Some questions they may include in their mind are: Is there already a competitor who has an app? How much will the development cost? Do we really need an app and not just a website? How many downloads do we expect within the first month and year after launch? What features should be included in our app?
Looking at these questions, companies will have an idea about whether or not they should have a mobile app and what kind of features it should have. Once this has been set, they can now discuss with potential developers to get quotes for their desired products using the answers from the questions above as a guide.
Factors of Development App
The cost of building an app can vary depending on several factors such as the number of screens included in the app, tasks needed to be done during the development process, features of the app, and if any hybrid or native codes are required.
Based on a study by Clutch.co, they found that web-based apps cost range is about $1,000-$20,000 per month depending on a number of screens included in the application while native applications can range from $2,000 to $25,000 per month. Many factors contribute to this large price difference between both types of mobile apps which includes custom UI/UX design compared to standard templates for web-based apps and advanced programming languages used to build native apps hence requiring expert knowledge. Some companies also have monthly fees equivalent to desktop software licenses fees with prices ranging from $1,000-$5,000 a month. A key consideration when choosing between web-based or native apps is the type of device to be used in which developers have to determine if their target audience only uses iPhones or Android devices.
Conclusion
Companies should always consider what kind of app they really need whether it’s a web-based or native app and the budget they have in mind before talking to potential developers. When choosing between web-based and native apps, it depends on their target devices. Lastly, companies should look for someone who has the knowledge and experience in building products using the method they prefer and fits their budget.
