What is a Social app?

We are familiar with social apps, what with many of them being a constant presence in our lives, for the last few years. Nothing more needs to be said about their role in helping us keep in touch with our loved ones and improving communication these days. So what is a social app exactly?

A social app is a software or application that is built with interactive and communication tools, based on the nuances of the internet. Nowadays, the communication tools have grown to include a wide range of multimedia including audio, video, GIFs and what more. They have invaded our hearts, becoming a part of our daily life.

Now all these technical definitions to describe what is a social app, is actually unnecessary these days. Think Messenger, WhatsApp or Hangout and you have social apps decoded. However, these applications still have a lot of unexploited potential, which we are yet to tap. With the way we have grown accustomed to a life that is highly dependent on our Smart phones; these apps are expected to survive every unforeseen market storms.

Be it an iPhone, Android or Blackberry, it is impossible to imagine it without a social media app. Can you ever imagine going back to previous years, when we managed to convey every emotion through a restricted 160 character text? We have come a long way from there but there is more to go.

If you are nurturing an app idea in your mind, social apps would be a great field, given our increased affinity towards anything instant. Instant messaging with a dose of innovation in transferring multimedia files and liberal on access or usage could fetch you a lot of clients. But be sure to include irresistible features that would make it impossible to turn their back on. 

It would also do your innovative self a lot of good to evaluate the top social apps in market today. Take a leaf out of their strategy but never imitate, people appreciate fresh content, always. Time and technology has gone through many loops since some of the best social apps were released, and the opportunities to develop something new are pretty ripe. 

The Smartphone technology is on a constant growth and so is the scope for our social app ideas. Let’s face it, however busy our schedule is, we do spare a few minutes to go through at least one of our social apps every day. With the right amount of innovation, dedication and skill, it could be yours in a little while!

Native app development process

Every app has a story of a thorough and well thought planning process behind it. The native app development process is no different. An app idea needs a certain level of imagination to decide the scope of the app, its functionalities and features. A clear understanding of the issues that are to be addressed and resolved by the app needs to be ascertained before initiating the development process.

The planning process should also include a clear understanding of the target audience for the app. This would help in enhancing the quality of the app. The mobile platform on which the native app is created should be decided as well. Revenue model is another factor that needs to be thought about before starting the development process.

The planning process is followed by the design process. The design process should be planned in accordance with the preferences of the target audience. An attractive user interface can do a world of good for the app. The phase involves establishing the process flows and wireframes as well. Once the designing process is completed, a prototype is developed to check the feasibility of the app. 

The prototype is a simulation which includes all features of the app including the associated user interfaces, pages and navigation architecture. The design process is followed by the development process. Here the app is brought to life with codes. Native apps developed for iOS platform is coded in objective C or Swift while those developed for Android are created with Java programming language.

The development phase also ensures that all the pre-mentioned functionalities are met. This is the of native app development process which involves the integration of added functionalities like GPS, social media, databases and so on. The next phase includes various stages of testing to ensure that all requirements are met and that the app is bug free.

Quality assurance is one of the major factors of the testing phase. An app that has been thoroughly tested is highly known to flourish in the market. This phase is the final step in ensuring that the app is ready for release. Release of the app is equally important as any other phase of development, so is marketing.

Since native apps are designed and developed based on the specifications of the corresponding platform, the review process is deemed easier than in the other apps. Once this is completed the apps can be easily downloaded and installed in the devices. 

Mobile apps – need of the time??

Well, if you are still wondering why all this fuss about mobile apps and their need in business, you are still not aware how tilted the world has become to this piece of technology. The number of smart phone users has crossed all billions that it has become a common commodity in almost all households.

We are known to spend a considerable amount of our time daily with these devices. What better way to reach the billions around the globe than utilising this widely acceptable platform. Mobile apps prove to be a many in one package to boost your sales while providing an apt platform to put your brand out there.

The present day has been acknowledged as the mobile era, it is not going to change anytime soon. Hence investing in a mobile app is going to do you more good than any other method of marketing, provided it is done well. The technology is on a path of evolution. Things are going to grow from here. A mobile app can be considered as a step ahead to survive in the future markets.

Mobile apps can help you a long way in ensuring customer satisfaction. It is offers an easy access platform to collect customer feedbacks and fulfil their needs. This drives innovation giving way to new and advanced products and services. Having a website for your business is not enough nowadays to gain the popularity that you wish for.

A mobile app helps in strengthening your brand image, bringing you closer to the potential customers. They can also play a pivotal role in increasing the traffic to your websites. Customers are often on look out for quality products even if they cost a penny more. Mobile apps provide the perfect opportunity to connect with these customers.

There is nothing to worry about investing in a mobile app, as you can monetise them now as well. If the burden of having to invest in a mobile app is too much for you, you can think of employing an appropriate revenue model for the app. In-app advertising can fetch a lot of money, if you are able to promote the app well, so that it reaches a considerable audience.

An important aspect of mobile apps is the presence and reach it offers your business. It puts your business out there to provide a seamless and faster experience for customers. The quality of app influences the success of the app. So make sure you employ the best to meet the requirements.

The good things about native apps….

The debate on the pros and cons of native apps has continued over the years. Native apps are those which are specifically designed to work on a particular platform. While many paint them as obstinate and high maintenance, the quality of the best made native apps remains unrivalled. The good things about native apps are numerous.

The best thing about native app is its quality. While quality is a broad idea, native apps have the strong support of the platform’s native tools and functionality, making them faster and more efficient. The quality check installed by platforms like iOS, ensures only the best quality apps gets released from their stores.

Aspect ratio is another factor where native apps excel. Imagine how good it is to have an app look the same, with the same quality irrespective of the device it is accessed on. While other types of apps, might require painful tradeoffs to get this accomplished, native apps can achieve this easily with the robust Java or obj C coding.

With our increasing affinity to everything ‘instant’, speed is something the users crave. No one wants to use slow applications these days, especially when you have a large array of options to select from. Anything beyond 1 second is considered slow these days! Native apps have got exclusive hardware resource access on its side and hence an unrivalled speed factor!

The good things about native apps are far from over. Native apps have the back of a powerful IDE for their development. With the help of specialised development environments such as Android Studio and Xcode, they have a great option of hardware features and tools at their disposal. These tools help in tuning, tracing and analysing the highest performance, providing quality user experience.

Feeling at home is a comfort zone unlike any. The look and feel of native apps has a tinge of familiarity without being monotonous, that is, if you have a good design team. The familiar look helps in easier usage and user interactions. The user interaction experience of native apps is one of the best, thanks to its ability to make maximum use of the resources available.

Native apps find itself easier to immerse into the new features, what with its unlimited access to the system functionalities. With various new features and technologies on the verge of transforming existing technologies, this benefit of native apps has got a lot of importance. It’s safe to safe the good things about native apps do not end here.

Build your native app today!