The world is interconnected like never before. Just as Airplanes made world a small place, travelling from London to New York in less than 8 hours. Similarly, advancements in science have made the world a global village, especially through enhancements in communication sector. No longer do we bank upon postal services that took its sweet time to deliver without realizing the essence of fast communication. Today, we can send out mails instantly from our homes, talk to transatlantic friends in a flash, video chat with family in minutes, all due to technological achievements by mankind.
Continuing the argument, nothing has bought humans closer than mobile phones. Over 4 billion people worldwide have access to mobile phones. Mobile phone is perhaps the ultimate portable communication network in the world today. Unlike computers, mobile phones are very handy and can be carried anywhere with you. The current phase in mobile technology belongs to the Smartphones. Over 400 million smartphones were shipped last year & mass production has drastically increased the affordability of these phones. Smartphones rely heavily upon apps that enthrall user experience into something fresh, something entertaining every day. The key to smartphone success lies in Mobile App Design & Development. App Development is very much a necessity these days. A lot of businesses is taking up mobile industry very seriously as it poses a credible 4 billion user market size, something which any truly globalized company would consider as a colossal audience to cater to.
Some basics for Mobile App Design and Development :
1. User in Focus : Mobile apps are to be used by mobile phone users & not developers. It is crucial to understand consumer perspectives & objectives in order to design an app that surrounds around the user. User interface is one of the most challenging tasks for any developer because users vary from different age groups to different learning ability. Apps need to be simple enough for most users but sophisticated enough for those who live their lives around their mobiles.
2. Multiple Platforms : Smartphones don’t belong to a single category. Gone are the days, when the only smartphone was the erstwhile Nokia 9500 Communicator. These days, the world is warming up to show down between various manufacturers claiming stake at majority market share. The most watched platforms today are Google’s Android & Apple’s iOS although Microsoft’s Windows phone is also achieving benchmark sales records with time. Mobile App Design & Development should be conceptualized considering open & closed source interface and thoroughly tested for bugs before being launched.
3. Multiple Hardware configurations : Smartphone industry is thriving upon the benefits of mass production. Manufacturers worldwide are in a hurdle race to conquer pinnacle position of the Smartphone world, giving a variety of features to become the undisputed champion. This has benefitted the user the most. The assortment of products with their unique features is mind boggling. Not only that Smartphones have become more affordable than before, users get to try the best of mobile hardware they could for the buck. The challenge it poses to developers is not every device is a clone anymore. Every device has their hardware settings that upstage the competitors. Hardware configuration is crucial to an apps successful performance & developers need to study the devices critically before undertaking any Mobile App Design and Development process.
