Mobile App Development Platforms: Transitioning from No App to Your First App



With the demand for mobile applications skyrocketing, organizations are increasingly relying on mobile development platforms to get onto the digital stage. This article discusses the considerations pertaining to the selection of the right app development platform.
From being a staple for only large organizations like Walmart and Bank of America, mobile applications have now shaken up the SME community. Startups and midsize businesses that seldom considered the possibility of developing their own apps are now warming up to the concept to achieve the business success they once found difficult to even imagine. The constant advancement in mobile technology has been a clear leveler, creating equal opportunities for enterprises of all sizes across sectors.
Think about it. The beauty spa in your locality, the travel agency around the corner or grocery shop down the lane, all have the opportunity to cash in on mobile applications and serve you better. And they can do so without much sweat thanks to mobile application development platforms (MADP) that have simplified and expedited the process of app creation for developers and operations people alike.

That being said, it is not easy to decide on the MADP to build your app, especially if it is your first application! The following considerations could prove worthwhile to select the suitable platform for your project:

Put Pen to Paper

Try sketching out the design concepts that you intend to operationalize before thinking about your choice of MADP. Get your ideas down on a paper and identify the most important features that your app ought to have. Continue fine-tuning this list until you’ve arrived at a comprehensive app design fit to be converted into a seamless solution for end users.
The question surrounding mobile development platforms then arises for transforming the sketch into a working prototype, which can preferably be released to select customers for beta testing. This is the optimal way to check if anything is missing in your app or how it can be streamlined further.

Discover Hidden Costs

A MADP involves hidden costs, especially in terms of upgrades and maintenance. An in-depth analysis of both short-term and long-term costs is thus necessary to determine the feasibility of the platform.

Assessing Revenue Scope

Before investing in a MADP, conduct thorough research about which mobile OS your target customers use most widely. Your customers are more likely to spend if your app is compatible with this mobile OS and delivers a seamless experience.
The safe route then is to opt for a MADP that supports both Android and iOS since the former currently dominates market share while the latter leads in revenue generation.
This step should tell you where not to invest and take you closer to making that MADP choice.

Pinning Down the Right Technology Resource

A simple rule of thumb here is to select a MADP that harnesses the widest range of technological resources offered by Google, Apple, and other mobile technology players. With this approach, you will have the liberty to build native apps or cross-platform apps as strategically feasible. If you are a development agency, MADP will ensure that your Android app developers can use Google open source tools and experiment with app features, while those developing iOS apps can leverage the Apple equivalents. Automatically, you can ramp up the quality of your business app.

Cross-Platform Mobile Application Development

If you have tight budgets but desire to achieve broad market reach, cross-platform applications are the answer. You will have one app that can run on multiple operating systems. All you really need to do is identify MADPs that facilitate cross-platform app production from a single code base. Your MADP must also have a resource library and pre-coded elements that render seamless cross-platform functionality to your apps.
Long story short, MADP is all set to become a standard component of your business in the future. It’s up to you to decide whether you want to jump on the bandwagon now or wait further before utilizing these business opportunities.

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