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Mobile App Development 101: Get on the Road to Developing an App for your Business

If you have just begun your own company, or are looking to update your marketing, outreach or technological business plans, you may be asking yourself, how do I develop a mobile app?  If you have asked yourself this question, you have certainly taken the successful first step.  Mobile apps have become increasingly more important for businesses of all sizes, as smartphones and tablets are becoming the device of choice for browsing the web. Users commonly report that applications are much easier to use on these devices than an internet browser. So what is the next step to successful mobile application development?  A Long Island app developer will certainly knows the ins and outs, the complexities and the intricacies, and how to go about actually building you a mobile app; however, there are certain fundamentals all business owners should know before beginning the app development process.

Step 1: The Idea and Validation Phase
The first step is developing a solid idea that not only makes sense for your business, but also for the consumer. The purpose of the application from your business standpoint should be to help current customers, attract new business and hopefully make the business more profitable. Will your achieve these business goals? If your business has been successful, it is likely that people are looking for your services, and can more efficiently obtain them through a mobile app. Therefore, your goal should be to create an application that will make it even easier for people to access, need and want your services. If your company is new, or even still in the idea phase, you can use Google Keyword Planner to determine the interest in what you are trying to accomplish.

Step 2: The Look and Feature Phase
After you have an app idea that has been validated, it is time to decide what you want the app to look like and what features you would like to offer to consumers. This can be done either on paper, or if you are more technologically savvy, there are apps that can be used to help you determine the flow of your mobile app. Be as detailed as possible so that when you eventually hire a New York mobile app development company, the developer will have a good understanding of what you want. The turnaround time will be quicker and the costs will be lower. Design is incredibly important to the application development as it not only determines what the client sees, but how the client interacts with the app. It is not crucial to add in everything at this phase; features can always be added later on, either before or after launch. This mapping out process includes the flow of what a consumer will see when he or she navigates through the application. This also includes deciding what you do not need; do not include “fluff,” as this will distract consumers and add to the cost of development.

Step 3: Hire an App Developer on Long Island
Hiring a New York developer is a crucial step. Look for an app development company that has a proven record of designing aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly applications. You also want to ensure that the development team is established in the industry. Simple Google searches in the industry will ensure that you find a mobile app development company that “meshes” with your business goals and your app ideas. Check portfolios, read reviews and ask plenty of questions when consulting with the development company. Not all app developers are created equal and this decision should not be rushed as this company will ultimately determine the outcome of your business’ mobile app.

Step 4: The App is Done… Now What?
An app developer will put your product through a test phase to ensure all of the kinks are worked out prior to launch. Then, upon completion of the app, it will not just appear in the App Store on smartphones and tablets on its own. You must first create developer accounts for both Apple and Android. Both platforms charge minimal annual fees to offer your app to its consumers.  After sale of your application has begun, look for feedback and track analytics. Analytics will help you keep track of downloads and user engagement so you can begin to understand how customers are using your app and what, if anything, needs improvement. There are free tools, such as Flurry, that can help you keep track of the analytics. Keep an eye on user feedback and reviews, so you can put yourself in the mindset of the consumer to determine what will make your app more beneficial. Lastly, introduce new features if needed; you will know what is needed and/or not needed by tracking the analytics.

If you have an app idea or concept in mind and are ready to develop, or need the help of a New York mobile app design and development team, now is the time to begin. While these steps are not always followed in this precise order, they should help a business owner in the intimidating process of developing an app. The design and the development process of the app is the easy part in the trusted hands of your app developer. As long as you keep building your business and your consumer base, your app will be a success.

Blog post by Kristin @ mimvi.

via konstantinfo.com

Save Money! Design Your App

Having an app developed can sometimes be a little costly. This could become a burden when you have a tight budget. Luckily there are ways to help cut costs! One of these ways is to have a clear understanding of what you want entailed in your app. This includes creating a feature list, branding, and designing wireframes for your application.

Some of you may be great at design, some of you may hate it, but trust me when I say it saves time! You don’t have to be an all start designer to create wireframes and get your idea across. There are websites and apps that actually make this really easy too!

 

Prototyping

Invison

Get high-fidelity in under 5 minutes. Upload your design files and add animations, gestures, and transitions to transform your static screens into clickable, interactive prototypes.

 

Marvel

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Create screens directly in Marvel or add your images from Sketch or Photoshop. You can even sync designs from your cloud storage!

 

 

Pop

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Have an app idea? Draw it on paper and use POP to make it come to life on your iPhone & iPad!

 

Color Schemes: 

Coolors.co

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Create, save and share perfect palettes in seconds!

Paletton

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Logos:

Free Logo Design

 

 

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99designs

 

 

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Last, but not least do your homework. It is also crucial to find similar apps out there that have features that you want to include. This will help save time and help ensure that your app stands out!

RAW by 500px – An interview with the Team Lead Mobile

 

Every once in a while, we like to reach out to other companies who are doing some awesome things with mobile apps, and ask them about their journey through from idea to launch. This week we got to interview Akbar Nurlybayev, Team Lead Mobile @ RAW by 500px.

Description of app:

RAW by 500px brings a simple and powerful photo capture, editing, and licensing workflow to your phone. Take beautiful photos with the manual camera controls. Process your photos using the fast professional style editing controls. Create and manage model releases and license your photos on the Marketplace.

Screenshots:

  

Where did you come up with the idea for this app?

The idea for RAW by 500px came from our Growth team and our VP of Design Adam Shutsa. 500px was traditionally at the very end of the creative process — essentially, a platform to publish your best work. With the new app, the goal was to position 500px at the beginning of the creative process. But we didn’t want to build just another app. We wanted to innovate when it came to user experience and design, and we wanted to use the latest iOS10 technologies, including support for RAW images.

What problem is this app trying to solve?

Our photographers are essential to our community. Currently 500px lets them license their work through our Marketplace. We wanted to take that one step further, and within the new product, streamline the process of giving money back to photographers.

How big is your team? What are the positions/experience of each?

The team that built the RAW by 500px app consisted of two developers — and then three developers as we approached the launch date. Design was led by Adam and we had a dedicated product manager who prioritized work and made sure we stayed on course. We also had members of our “data guild” make sure the assumptions we made building certain features of the app were proven by data.

Did you develop this app in house or hire someone else?

To fully control the user experience and overall polish, and to retain intellectual property, the decision was made to build the app in-house.

How long did development take? What factors influenced the development time?

From first commit to the version 1.0 that we shipped to the AppStore, it took 64 days. Since we had a hard deadline, which was the launch of iOS10, we had to stay focused and prioritize things that made it to version 1.0. Having a dedicated product manager to steer course helped tremendously.

Did you have a beta tester process?

We did reach out and recruit members of our community to test out the app and build an initial set of filters. We actually shipped the app with some of these filters.

How are you spreading the word about the app?

We’ve used our social channels and reached out to our media partners. We’ve also asked our influencers to promote the app through their social channels.

What are your future goals and aspirations for this application?

RAW by 500px is our mobile and photographer facing side of our Photography on Demand. This means we will be adding in photography Assignments in the near future. In addition, we are iterating on capture and editing tools so that taking and editing photos will not only be easy but also enjoyable.

Why should people download this app in one sentence?

RAW by 500px brings a simple and powerful photo capture, editing, and licensing workflow to your phone.

Word of advice to people looking to have an app built?

Stay focused and have fun!

You can download the app on Apple’s App Store here!

Have an app that you want featured? Contact us at contact@DiscoverPioneer.com

9 apps to get you an A+ in class

Well it’s that time of year again. Time to hit the books, study and take care of homework. School can be pretty stressful at times, but luckily there are a few apps that can help ease the pain and get you to that A in class.

 

  1. Evernote

Let Evernote change the way you organize your personal and professional projects. Dive in: take notes, create to-do lists, and save things you find online into Evernote. We’ll sync everything between your phone, tablet, and computer automatically. Download here

 

 

2. Bubo – Time Management

Bubo, your personal task management assistant is finally here! With Bubo, you can easily add tasks that are on your ToDo list. Just give your task a name and a time limit, tap start, and Bubo will do the rest.
Bubo lets you know how much time is left, when you are expected to finish your tasks, and will even alert you when your time is up! Download here

 

3. MyScript Calculator

Easy, simple and intuitive, just write the mathematical expression on the screen then let MyScript technology perform its magic converting symbols and numbers to digital text and delivering the result in real time. Download Here

 

4. RefME – Citations made easy

RefME is the world’s leading and most accurate multi-platform tool for automating citations, reference lists and bibliographies in over 7,500 citation styles, including Harvard, MLA and APA. The RefME iOS app allows users to generate citations by scanning book or journal barcodes and sync them with RefME.com. Download here 

 

5. DuetDisplay

If you have an iPad or iPhone, this app will turn it into a second computer monitor for you no matter where you are! Built by ex-Apple Engineers, this application goes hand and hand with your Macbook or PC to increase productivity and give you the space you need. Download here

 

6. Pocket Schedule

Pocket Schedule is one of the best tools to track down all your courses, classes and assignments. Once you use the app you will want nothing else to make your school life easier. Download here

 

7. StudyBlue

No need to create a bulky stack of paper flashcards! Make flashcards on web and take them with you on your phone. Having your quality notes, flashcards, and study guides on your phone makes studying productive. Download here

 

8. Sleep Cycle

Getting good grades doesn’t just rely on studying and doing homework. It’s also pretty important to get a good night’s sleep. Luckily Sleep Cycle helps to make sure you are well rested. Sleep Cycle is an intelligent alarm clock that analyzes your sleep and wakes you in the lightest sleep phase – the natural way to wake up feeling rested and relaxed. Download here

 

9. Spotify – Student discount

Whether you need some music to help you focus or unwind, Spotify is perfect when it comes to finding hand curated playlists. Did you know that students get a discount too?!? Download here

 

Have an app you want featured? Shoot us an email at contact@DiscoverPioneer.com