Technology Gazette Site

We all know that e-commerce on its own is a technologically advanced phenomenon that has completely transformed the way human beings shop now. eCommerce has been around for a while now, so it is not surprising that it, too, has experienced some significant change over the past few years. After all, for any technology to continue being relevant, it must evolve and adapt to the world around us. And e-commerce did, with mobile apps. Yes, e-commerce is no longer an endeavor that you access via bulky desktops. The industry may not have completely given up on desktops entirely, but this much is clear: E-commerce mobile apps are in vogue.
Why? Because that is where the majority of customers are, if not all, of them. The number of smartphone and mobile device users in the world speaks volumes of our usage and reliance on them. So, e-commerce saw the opportunity and took it with both hands. And it has not regretted that switch because just look at the many benefits online retailers have reaped since then. First things first, you instantly gain access to a much bigger group of potential customers, who can then be engaged and wooed with modern solutions such as push notifications, custom deals, and so much more. But if you want to win over customers and continue commanding their loyalty, the first step is to design a captivating mobile app. Here are some tips to help you get that right.

1. Keep the UI simple: App users’ first experience of the brand’s mobile app is critical because it helps decide if they will continue using it or abandon it. Hence, it is imperative to ensure that their first impression is not marred by a cluttered, difficult to use user interface. Be sure to adapt the UI design in a manner that helps users feel welcomed and also encourages them to continue engaging and using the app. And don’t forget to account for the screen size that varies from device to device.
2. Fuss-free login and logout: The next step is getting the users to sign in or log in. Now, if you bungle it up, suffice it to say that you will have a hard time getting customers to keep using the app. So, pay close attention to this bit, especially the first few steps of the process. In addition to that, make sure that the entire process does not take too long; so, instead of asking users for ALL of their information, enable sign up or log in via social media to help them save time.
3. Payment support: Any e-commerce business worth its sale MUST necessarily support not one or two, but multiple modern modes of payments. That is just the only way to survive in a market where customers expect ease and simplicity from every business they engage with.

Mobile app development for e-commerce may seem like a complicated endeavor, but it is not. Just follow some best practices, such as the ones listed above, and you will do just fine.

For the longest time, apps primarily existed as native apps, meaning users had to download the app on their devices to use it. However, we all know that the progression of time has driven the exponential growth of technology, which, in turn, has given the world with countless invaluable resources, including cloud technology. Moreover, there isn’t anything in the world that has been able to truly leverage the potential of cloud computing quite as mobile apps have. Today, cloud-based mobile applications are benefiting both parties: The companies that make them and the people who use these apps.

Among other things, cloud mobile apps have enhanced the security of data involved in the process and also made it easier to access this data. Suffice it to say that the cloud technology in the context of mobile apps and their development has transformed the entire process. And not only that radically cloud computing has also revolutionized how companies do business and go about their general operations. For those who are still not convinced, here are some more reasons why you need to use cloud mobile apps for your business.

1. Low cost: Anyone who is even vaguely familiar with the world of app development and its basic concepts, would know that native mobile app development isn’t exactly the most affordable option in the market. Plus, if you want to target both iOS and Android, you will be required to build two apps. There’s no such issue with cloud mobile apps, i.e. once the app is created, it works on both of them wholly. What makes things even better is that the development cost of cloud-based mobile apps is significantly lower.

2. Time savings: The development timeline is a critical part of the project, and you will end up saving much time with a mobile cloud app as compared to when you set out to build a native app. Also, you won’t have to make it twice if you want to target a second platform.

3. Smooth database integration: Any business owner will tell you that the ability to integrate their app with their databases is Moreover, vital to ensure seamless operations. Integration with databases can prove to be quite a task if you are working with a native app. However, this process is considerably less complicated when it comes to cloud mobile apps. Why? Because of the simple fact that data is synced via a cloud-based server.

4. No installation required: This is one of the basic facts about cloud mobile apps — they don’t need to be installed on the user’s device. Instead, users who wish to engage with a cloud mobile app needs a mobile browser, where they’ll be able to see the app’s interface and use it.

So, be it custom applications for iPhone or one for an Android device, the future is on the cloud. Their inherent benefits apart, the need and demand for cloud mobile apps are being further fortified with the advent of IoT.

To create an excellent mobile app requires years of expertise, skills and experience to understand the development paradigm. The best way to reach faster go to market is to outsource and hire a developer. But the problem arises while finding the right fit from the crowd of app developers. Sometimes it becomes very confusing and tedious to find the right one. Don’t worry, here are the five check list points which you need to follow for finding the ideal developer for your cross-platform app development.

1. Understand the Development Experience – Mobile developers have worked on creating different types of apps and have gained various experience, like some are good in building eCommerce mobile apps, some are good in creating gaming apps. First you need to evaluate whether the developer you are shortlisting has experience in building apps for multiple categories or just a few. That way you can evaluate the skills.

2. Document your Mobile App Requirements – Communication is a key skill played here. The more you understand your app, it would be better for the developers to understand and code. If you are not clear then the developers will not be able to deliver the desired app. You clearly need to define the scope and project requirements before passing the information to the developer. Many businesses are afraid of revealing their project details because they do not want their ideas to be used somewhere else and want to protect their IP. Simply sign an NDA document and then communicate all the details of the project.

3. Look for an Offshore Development Company – To estimate the final cost for your app becomes quite complex in a long run, making it a risky situation for managing your development budgets. To minimize the financial risk, it is a good idea to look for an offshore company offering fleet of developers to manage your app features. Different countries have different offshore development cost. Instead of hiring a native mobile app developer, offshoring is a good idea to get it built at affordable prices.

4. Proficiency in Developing Cross Platform Apps – Today there are multiple mobile platforms, making it cost intensive to develop native app for each mobile platform. To target all the mobile platforms, your app should be cross platform which can be built by using Xamarin or PhoneGap development. To develop cross-platform apps you can either hire a PhoneGap programmer that leverages HTML5, or a Xamarin developer to create apps with C#.

5. Post-Deployment Support – You must opt for post deployment services offered by developers to manage the last minute hiccups. This ensures proper protection at every stage right from development to design to post deployment support and maintenance. Simply ask the developer to be ready to work on releasing updates and fixing bugs after the launch of the app.

There are numerous mobile app developers available for hire from leading app development companies. You simply need to follow the above-mentioned five steps with the skills and development rates ranging from per hour to per month. Lastly, do not forget to document a contract and list the milestones, deliverables and deadlines before selecting a developer. We hope you achieved some clarity by the above checklist. We’d love to read your additional suggestions and opinions for hiring the best developer in the comments section below.

The increasing usage of mobile apps has opened up many opportunities for enterprises. But along with the opportunities come inherent security risks that the enterprises should never overlook or underestimate. Gartner predicts that "By 2017, 75% of mobile security breaches will result from mobile app misconfiguration.

Considering the consequences of security attacks, developers must take right measures to defend their applications against them. As no mobile device or operating system offers complete safety, a single mistake can result in critical data leakage, which can even bring down a business in no time. So, go through the following tips to prepare your mobile app for the evolving mobile app threats on the horizon.

Bugs and vulnerabilities within your mobile app’s source code may lead to a security attack. With the help of malicious code, attackers often repackage the ‘Popular Apps’ into ‘Rogue Apps’ and then publish them. This can ultimately infect a million devices at any given time. This is why encrypting your app source code is important. If your application is built on a language which is easy to read, obfuscate it to make it difficult for attackers to read or interpret. However, encrypting it will assure that your source code remains inaccessible. In case of iOS, Apple already provides built-in encryption for building custom iOS application. But you can even implement other available encryption techniques in iOS to encrypt the user data.

If you are developing an app to work on multiple mobile operating systems, make sure you understand security features and restrictions specific to each platform. Consider various use case scenarios, password support, encryption support, and geo-location support for each operating system to control and distribute your app on the chosen platforms appropriately.

When an application accesses the confidential data of an enterprise, the unstructured information is usually stored in the device storage. Use mobile data encryption to effectively secure the data in the storage with SQLite Database Encryption Modules or file-level encryption across multiple mobile operating systems.

Most of the backend APIs (Application Programming Interface) assume that an app which has been written to access it can only interact with it. But to safeguard the app against malicious attacks, backend servers must have security measures in place. However, as API authentication and transport mechanisms differ from platform-to-platform, you must ensure that all the APIs are verified on the basis of the operating systems you choose to code for.

Before deploying your application, test it against the randomly generated security scenarios. You can even take help of a hacker to identify the security backdoors within your application. Microsoft and Google put up Hackathons where hundreds and thousands of hackers participate and find out the security issues in an application for a prize money. But if you develop apps independently, you must go through the documentation in detail and if required seek help from an outsider to find out the hidden backdoors within your app.

Implementing these tips can secure your app against mobile malware and lead to end-user satisfaction driving better business prospects for you. What techniques do you implement to secure your mobile app? Share with us using the comment box below.

A global mobile health marketing report states that the mHealth app services market which was worth $4 billion approximately in 2014 is now expected to increase to $26 billion by 2017.

Existing fitness apps include a traditional bunch of features like activity tracking, diet and nutrition control, workout and exercise maintenance, etc. But will every new fitness app comprise of similar features?

Entrepreneurs / Startups who are looking to create useful fitness apps and add value to its customers need to pay extra attention in making the app slightly different. And to do that, you first need to define your direction and learn from other similar fitness apps. However, building cross platform mobile apps is the brilliant way to deliver apps faster than ever. So, let’s take a look at some features you can include while developing an engaging fitness app:

Health and fitness apps are about individualism. This is why most users ask for a personal account. You can enable various login options such as logging in via email or social networking sites – Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram. A personal account stores user’s data and progress on a single device. This offers users the convenience to switch between devices and easily track all the activities. Also, linking to social networking sites can combine some social media functions and allow users to share their result with their friends alongside.

Making your fitness app compatible with as many trackers as possible is really important. The wearable manufacturers and mobile platforms enable developers to link the wearable and mobile apps. Google Fit and Apple's Healthkit are the perfect examples of this. They even allow developers to use their SDKs and APIs while developing fitness apps.

Geolocation feature enables a developer to create walking routes for a user, track the current position, and record workouts. You can check Strava which is an excellent fitness app offering route recording to its users. However, other than some great fitness app building tools provided by Apple and Google, TomTom is a navigation and tracking hardware service provider. It offers great navigation and real-time mapping services along with APIs for you to use. Another interesting service is Nokia’s Mobile SDKs which provides a set of interfaces to create high-end native apps powered by flexible and reliable mapping platform. Sounds perfect, right?

Developing a fitness app with these features will not only help you create a great fitness app but also revolutionize the fitness world and make you a bit wealthier. Got any awesome feature ideas for building great fitness apps? Please drop them in the comments below.