App development is a complex process prone to errors. In addition to coding, testing, and publishing to app stores, developing mobile apps include establishing backend services (such as data access through an API) and testing.

Mobile app developers in Dublin use several frameworks and technologies to build successful applications. This includes Swift, React Native, Ionic, Xamarin and other popular app frameworks.

One of the major benefits of mobile app development involves driving loyalty. You can trace buyers' history and offer them discounts, vouchers, and freebies that help retain them. You can create a loyalty app that helps users connect directly with your business, enhancing customer engagement and satisfaction.

The growing demand for mobile apps is visible in numbers —

1. People spend nearly 90% of all time using a mobile application in the mobile internet space.
2. It is estimated that by 2026 the market will be worth US$792.70m, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.69% from 2022-2026.
3. The Google Play Store sees a monthly average of 70,000+ new app releases for Android.

If you are looking to create an app, it is best to hire dedicated app developers who are well-versed and experienced.

Points to consider while creating a mobile app

Creating a mobile app for business requires developers and designers to go beyond the technology factor and drive innovation. This requires some groundwork from your end to help plan a mobile application better.

Such an approach will need business acumen and expertise which benefits the business owner, app developer, and service provider. Here are some key things to consider while creating mobile applications.

App development platform

First, decide on the platform for which you want to create mobile applications. There are a few things to consider when choosing between Android and iOS. Therefore, it is best to conduct market research that helps you identify the best platform for your mobile app offering.

During the third quarter of 2019, Statista reported that the Google Play Store included 2.47 million applications, while the Apple App Store featured about 1.8 million. Considering this, Google Play becomes the app store with the most available apps. But then, you must recognise the niche of reaching out to apple users.

You can take a quick look at the revenue and market share that Android and iOS have captured. Ensure coding an in-depth analysis before choosing any particular platform to gauge ROI.

Moreover, do more than just rely on the existing studies and research for choosing a platform. Instead, carry out first-hand research, A/B testing, and analysis of competitors.

Types of Apps

There are three major mobile app development types, each with pros and cons. When picking a development strategy, try assessing the intended user experience, the app's computing resources, data processing capabilities, the development budget, time objectives, and maintenance resources.

Native Applications

Native mobile apps run directly on the device's operating system, such as iOS or Android, and are created in the programming language and frameworks made available by the platform owner.

Cross-Platform Applications

Cross-platform applications are compiled and built in various languages and frameworks. Developers create apps that run on multiple platforms using a common source code. This means the mobile app can be released faster without compromising quality—the number of people who can use it increases since it works with many mobile platforms.

Hybrid-Web Applications

Hybrid mobile applications come across as app installation bundles. They are created using standard web technologies — CSS, JavaScript, and HTML5. Hybrid web apps rely much on web containers to serve as a runtime for the browser and a bridge to native device APIs through Apache Cordova.

Progressive Web Applications

You won't need an app platform to publish advanced web applications. Also, it does not require users to install applications as they behave more like native apps over the web.

Consider native vs hybrid applications as the major decision when choosing the type of mobile application. Both have pros and cons, including technicality, functionality, cost, and time. Choosing a native, hybrid, or web app affects development and maintenance.

Budget

Consider the amount of time and type of talent you'd need to create an app. This will form the basis for the mobile app development budget. Also, include the mobile app marketing and sales costs in your budget.

Once you have things in perspective, plan a realistic budget that will provide you with sufficient resources to attract the audience and gain exposure. Even if your app is pathbreaking, it only guarantees success if it reaches a larger audience.

One survey indicates that an app development project costs around €5,500 and €10,500. However, the average cost of creating a mobile may shoot up if you have any specific, advanced requirements. Referring to more such surveys and scouting various developers worldwide would help create a realistic mobile app budget.

Security

Large quantities of sensitive information are currently stored on people's mobile devices. This means mobile phones are a veritable treasure mine of information that many would do everything to get, right from precise location to favourite spots and even bank accounts and passwords. Therefore, mobile data security is more important than ever from the perspective of both consumers and developers.

Although security has vastly improved in recent years, it remains a hotly contested issue for a good reason. Ensure source code encryption, run penetration testing, secure back-end servers and more.

App development process

Mobile app development undergoes a step-by-step process. Here, we will discuss the app development process step by step to begin the journey. While each stage is necessary, the process as a whole is designed to help you save money and start making a profit as soon as feasible.

Research and plan

The first step in the mobile app development process involves conducting thorough research and planning for the application. An improved product strategy is a direct result you yield from the research. It's a big time and money saver if you want to develop mobile apps and helps keep expenses down.

To start, here are four key areas of research to consider —

Know your audience

Collect as much information as possible about the app's target audience. This includes knowing their challenges, needs, routines, personality quirks, aspirations, technological proficiency, etc. Here, think of creating user personas for mobile applications.

Analyse competition

Before starting the app development process, checking out the competition in your field is always a good idea. Market research helps you know who else is offering solutions your application offers.

Analyse how they are faring, whether they are profitable, the tools they use, the scope of scalability, etc. Try learning strong points and scope of improvement that help drive staying areas for development that gives your app an edge over the competitors.

Performing such an analysis helps comprehend the market better and identify openings for gaining the upper hand in the business.

Industry

When following the app development process step by step, Every business functions differently in managing payments, compliance, and product offerings. Therefore, examine sector-specific information and draw on relevant prior knowledge when applicable. This research will have far-reaching implications for future design and technology choices.

Business and technology

Begin with documenting the IT infrastructure, business processes and policies that affect mobile app development. Later, choose the best-suitable technology stack and design mobile experiences that match your business needs.

Interview and research findings guide requirement analysis, technology choice, and product development strategies.

Consider the available resources that help gauge business gaps and find a value proposition that adds value.

UI/UX

Your mobile applications must be well-polished and easy to use. This is where you'd define the need of mobile app developers and if you are short of resources, outsource the task.

Hiring dedicated mobile app developers helps keep users interested in using software by designing intuitive user interfaces that drive more interactions.

Here’s what UI/UX will include—

Wireframing and app design

Wireframes are fundamental building blocks of a mobile app that work as a prototype for design. It helps determine the design aspects of an app — UI, structure, app layout, user flow, and information architecture.

Regardless of your field of expertise or the type of digital product you're developing, designing a wireframe is a crucial step.

Based on wireframes, mobile app designers prepare style guides which work as “living documents”. This will outline the branding guidelines and navigation icon specifications for an app's whole lifecycle.

Usually, the design will include

1. Choosing text includes iconography, font face, size, colour, etc.
2. Colour theme throughout the application
3. Drive consistent brand message through design, colour, and text uniformity

Creating workflow using design tools

Designers can use various app designing tools like Figma, Axure RP, InVision, Proto.io, and more.

Such tools help simplify managing a big chunk of tasks and help developers pick up the designs easily. It also makes developers aware of style guides, offering visual direction indicators in particular formatting style that shortens the development time.

Create mockups

UI designers utilise mockups to get input from users, stakeholders, and team members on the overall design approach. Here, wireframe sketches are transformed into vibrant mockups. These mockups will help you see the app's appearance on mobile devices.

Creating a new app requires mood boards, design components and colour scheme examples.

Development

During development, you write the app's "final" code. You utilise wireframe input to make final moves.

This is the crucial step in a mobile app development process where developers choose from agile and waterfall methods. Here’s a quick overview of both methodologies.

Here, developers work to integrate an analytics engine into your app while drafting events for all possible UI actions. This help determines how an app will guide the user flow. Once you publish the app, this will provide invaluable user insights that help you understand your customer's expectations and refine your app further.

The development phase is primarily divided into two parts– frontend and Backend.

Frontend development

Frontend includes everything that users see and interact with. Therefore, this phase of the mobile app development will have developers creating a Minimum Viable Product (MVP)

The MVP helps you understand the difference between what your product offers and what end users expect. Also, this is helpful to attract investors as this is a demo version of your app yet to be launched in an app store.

The front-end MVP will include all the UI elements, interactive icons, design, and the entire look and feel of the app.

Backend development

Backend development is a crucial step in the mobile app development process since it’s the backbone of your application. The backend should provide scalability and simple app administration after launch. This phase will involve heavy coding that covers language, database, wireframe, APIs, etc.

The team begins implementing the application's styles and functionality and writes code that triggers actions like completing a purchase, submitting a form, making a payment, etc.

Testing

This is the final stage in the app development process, where QA testers check for any app vulnerabilities and issues. It often involves documenting bugs, creating resources for users, running app tests, etc.

At this stage in the application's life cycle, changes are subject to strict governance and are extensively recorded before being released to users.

The major types of QA tests are

Functional testing

This test ensures app functions work as they should, making it an easy-to-use experience.

UI testing

The QA team runs this test to validate GUI (Graphic User Interface).

Performance testing

This is to test the mobile app's performance through various tests — volume testing, stress testing, concurrency testing, stability testing, etc.

Compatibility testing

With many new mobile devices being rolled out frequently, this test checks whether the app is compatible with such devices.

Security testing

Security testing involves running multiple security checks to ensure that the app’s data is secure.

Usability testing

This one checks whether the user inputs are executed how they are intended. It tests the app's user-friendliness and whether it is intuitive enough for users.

App Development Approach

The approach you take for mobile app development defines the journey. Functions are designed, coded, tested, and released during development.

The "waterfall" method is quite conservative in terms of work assignment but modern-day developers often prefer agile methodology.

Let’s discuss both.

Waterfall method

The term "waterfall" describes a method where a certain order of steps must be followed. All the requirements are collected beforehand and are documented before beginning the design, development, testing, deployment, and delivery phases. There is only a way to go on to the next stage once the current one is finished.

Agile

The agile technique involves a project team that starts the design, development, testing, and deployment phases after determining the broad strokes of what needs to be accomplished. Post the app release, the development team takes in user input and determines what should be changed in the next version.

Cost of app development

When you want to estimate the app development cost, it is crucial to analyse your mobile app requirements. Your app idea and its subsequent offerings form the base.

The estimated price of creating a mobile app ranges from €50,000 to €150,000 and may go up to $500,000.

Remember that all costs are approximate since many variables, like app type, functionality, complexity, vendor choice, and development strategy, might affect this estimate.

Let’s discuss some of these.

App development cost breakdown

Mobile app development process has many aspects that determine the cost. It is important to remember the features you pick for low-cost mobile app development. Because the cost of app development will increase based on its complexity, features, and technology.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the same.

App login & sign-on

Gathering user data requires them to sign up and further log in to the app. Depending on the complexity and way of signing up (socials, emails, phone numbers, etc.) you will need to consider the following. The hourly cost would vary depending on the developers’ experience, geographic location, and expertise.

In-app features

Next in the mobile app cost breakdown is the feature list you create. The more the features, the higher the cost.

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Integrating app hardware

You may also need the help of hardware to run mobile applications. For instance, multiple mobile devices for testing, integrating with AR/VR cameras for such kinds of apps, etc. Here are some of the areas that need investment for such apps.

Here’s a list of build times for common hardware integrations:

Cost for Native app development & Hybrid app development

The cost of native and hybrid app development differs since both use different techniques and tools. Here, you can choose whether to opt for a flutter or another cross-platform solution to develop an app for iOS and Android. Using such platforms, you can significantly cut down time and resources, thereby bringing down the cost of mobile app development.

On the other hand, native applications are built more closely aligned with the platform's specifications to enhance user experience. This requires detailed work to ensure user information and tools are better used to improve app stickiness. The total cost of creating a native mobile app is higher since you have two for a mobile app, including all of these factors.

Creating a native mobile application can cost anything between € 15,000 to €3,50,000. Because you need native apps, hire native developers, using dedicated tools for each platform.

Wrapping up

A lengthy mobile app development process is continuous because it requires constant maintenance and update. Hire dedicated mobile app developers in Ireland to start executing your mobile app ideas.

You can speak to mobile app development experts at Square Root who can help your app reach a wider audience, drive sales, and enhance business revenue. Apps for mobile devices represent the wave of the future for businesses everywhere.

FAQs

Q. I have an app idea; what should I do next?

Start speaking with developers once you have figured out an app idea. Such an approach is the best way to know if your idea is feasible and ready to be accepted in the market.

Therefore, try conducting a market study essential to come up with an app idea. This will provide insight into the changes that are constantly occurring in the app market.

Q. Which platform should I choose to build the app?

Currently, you can choose from either the iOS or Android platforms. Since both these platforms are growing user-based, you can choose any. Publishing an app in an iOS app store is difficult as your app needs to comply with Apple's rules.

Q. Should I outsource the mobile app development process?

The growing number of mobile applications in the market is a testament to increased competition. Even though you may have a novel concept for an app, you need to gain the skills to turn it into a successful product. Therefore, you’d need to leverage your skills and expertise. For this, it is best to hire mobile app developers in Ireland and get started.