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What You Can Learn From Modern Communication Apps

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Communications are rapidly evolving. Originally, there were grunts, then words, then letters, eventually telephones, smartphones, email, text messaging, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, What’sApp, etc. As our interactions continue to evolve, there’s no question communication applications are big business. Facebook recently purchased What’sApp for $19 billion to complement the various modes of communication they already facilitate as a social network. Due to the incredible leap in interconnectedness brought about by the internet and smartphones, the desire to consolidate different forms of communicatory transmissions has increased dramatically. The key, it would appear, to designing a great communication app is to create a functional niche market.

Let us present the age old question: if you can post a status to Facebook, why tweet? They both accomplish the same action–sending a message to no one in particular within your network, but we don’t use Facebook statuses in the same way as tweets (nor vice versa) because our understanding of the function of Twitter is different from that of Facebook. Facebook is for connecting with your peers. It’s for sharing with your friends and acquaintances. Twitter is for the more mundane, minute-to-minute thoughts–when you have something to say but no one to say it to. It is for the concise. By including parameters (a 140 character limit), turns it into a sort of game; it’s carved out its niche market. You can send text messages with pictures, but Snapchat serves a specific purpose of ensuring your communications are private. If you can use technology to exploit a new, specific path of expression, you can make big money off communication apps.

“Yo!” is perhaps the simplest communication app on the market. Instead of allowing you to send texts, or pictures, or anything specific, “Yo!” only allows for one-bit communication. If you “Yo” your friends, they receive a message, which says simply: “Yo”. It’s sort of like a more ambiguous Facebook poke, the key being the context. It is up to the receiver of the Yo to decipher the meaning of the Yo. A Yo from a potential partner means something different than a Yo from a casual friend, the same way a Yo from a friend in the room means something different from a Yo from someone in another country. Launched on April Fool’s Day, “Yo!” may seem like a joke, but it’s certainly not being treated like one–Yo! has amassed over 2 million downloads and has recently been estimated to be worth up to $10 million. I

Pushback against the notion of an online identity has also lead to several successful innovations in communication apps, including Secret, Confide, Whisper and Yik Yak which offer users a way to communicate while hiding their identities. “This idea that you have to craft this perfect image online, that’s stressful. We want to remove that stress” says Secret’s co-founder Chrys Bader-Wechseler.

Facebook has developed their Messenger App recognizing and catering to their niche. Facebook recently made its Messenger app available via a separate download and discontinued messaging on the central Facebook mobile app, meaning you can only send Facebook messages through the Messenger app. The updated Messenger shows the user’s location under messages by default. It will also offer users the option of sharing the phone numbers in their address book and allow them to share messages with anyone on the list with a Facebook account. Facebook recognizes its niche is in reliable communication, the accuracy of your location and identity are vital to its mission. Recently profiled by the New York Times, Mark Zuckerberg (founder of Facebook) said “More than 10 billion messages a day flow through Facebook’s messaging products. But I think we basically saw that the messaging space is bigger than we’d initially realized, and that the use cases that WhatsApp and Messenger have are more different than we had thought originally. Messenger is more about chatting with friends and WhatsApp is like an SMS replacement. Those things sound similar, but when you go into the nuances of how people use it, they are both very big in different markets.”

The market of communication apps is as big as the developer wishes to make it. An innovative, well-designed communication app will catch on. As humans, we are constantly communicating everyday. If a developer can create a new, exciting avenue for people to connect, he has great chance at making a hit app.

At Mystic Media, we’re experts in all things web, mobile, application, social media and marketing. To learn more about our services, contact us today at www.mysticmediasoft.com or by phone at 801.994.6815

Stay Connected: Best Mobile Phones of 2014

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Since our post on the top tablets of 2014 was so popular with our readership, we’ve decided to follow-up with an article on the top smartphones of 2014.

The term “mobile” in our industry does not refer to cellular phone, it refers to wherever you are, wherever you want to be.  We live in a world of mobility, where an individual is expected to check his/her email throughout the day, whether they are near a computer or not. Mobile internet access puts a seemingly limitless amount of information and general knowledge at one’s command at any time.  The smartphone has become such an integral part of our daily lives, it’s vital to be equipped with a device capable of boosting one’s general ability to work, post, and consume information on-the-go.  When one understands the device, he/she can make best use of the applications and design.  Here are the leading smartphones on the market right now.

We have dubbed iPhones as the “gourmet” smartphone because of their price and popularity in the US.  One of the major advantages of the iOS operating system with regard to smartphones is the autonomy.  Whereas the Android OS is used for a plethora of devices, Apple limits iOS smartphones to iPhones, assuring all iOS apps will run smoothly on the only device.  The Apple iPhone 5s continues Apple’s reign of dominance in the smartphone field.  While the iPhone 5s has a comparatively slow processor speed (1.3 GHz), screen size (4 inches), and battery life (9 hours, 59 minutes), it is the exclusivity of the iTunes App Store, the intuitive simplicity of the UX design, and the potential of the A7 Processor chip with 64-bit architecture which makes the iPhone 5s THE smartphone to own.

Android is the most popular OS platform and also has the largest variety of devices.  As a result, any given Android app may perform differently on different platforms, unless the app features expert design.  Recently, the Samsung Galaxy S5 has made waves with its ultra-fast 2.5 GHz processor speed, 1920-by-1080 pixel screen resolution and 5.1 inch screen size.  The Galaxy S5 is revered as the most powerful smartphone on the market at the moment.  Alternatively, Samsung also offers the Galaxy Note 3, a “phablet” or phone-tablet hybrid.  The Galaxy Note 3 has a 5.9 inch screen size, 2.3 GHz processor, 1920×1080 display, 18 hour battery life, and uses an S Pen active stylus for handwriting and easy touch screen navigation.

The hottest, newest phone on the market is the Amazon Fire. First launched in Seattle on June 18th, the Amazon Fire phone is currently available for pre-order with expected shipping date of July 25th.  The internet has been buzzing about it, and honestly, it’s not all good.  While the five camera “Dynamic Perspective” tracks your head and to produce 3D-like graphics, many are claiming the phone does more good for Amazon than it does for its user with one of its central features “Firefly” allowing you to scan objects and media and buy them instantly (on Amazon).  Although the consumers have yet to weigh in on the Amazon Fire phone as it has not hit shelves, it’s safe to say it’s not worth the wait.

As we mentioned in our post on top tablets, the Windows OS is best suited for professional use as it seamlessly integrates with Microsoft Office.  At the moment, Nokia has a bit of a monopoly on the Windows OS smartphone market, although HTC has developed a couple phones for the OS.  While HTC’s Windows Phone 8x was the signature device in Microsoft’s roll out of Windows 8.1, the Nokia Lumia Icon is not only the premier Windows phone, it’s also a good value starting from $49.99.  With full 1080p HD video and four high performance microphones, the Nokia Lumia Icon offers an exceptional video and audio recording package. The Lumia Icon also features a 2.26 GHz processor 5 inch screen display, and nearly 15 hour battery life. Of the many Lumia models Nokia has put out, there’s no question the Icon is the way to go.

A smartphone is a tool which strengthens you as an individual, an intellect, and a worker. Those not equipped with the latest technology are at a disadvantage. Rather than be parsimonious, consider a smartphone an investment in a lifestyle and an extension of one’s personal brand.

At Mystic Media, we keep our ear to the ground on the latest hardware and stay up to date on the benefits of each device to ensure we make the most of every application web design.  Contact us today by clicking here or give us a call at 801.994.6815

Making the Most of Your Tablet Design Part 2: Custom Device Design

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In Part One of our two part series on tablets, we explored the top tablets on the market in 2014 and what they offer to both consumers and developers. This article, explores the perks & advantages of custom device application design and optimization.

Companies design applications to connect with their consumers–to attract eyes to their company or product. As developers, we don’t focus on what device the consumer uses, the goal is to hold the user’s attention and potentially engrain our client’s brand in the consumer’s day. When developing an application, one must remember that each device has its advantages and disadvantages, and one cross-device layout doesn’t always get the job done. By optimizing a mobile application separately for phones and tablets, it portrays your company in the best light and engages the end user with the best possible user experience.

As discussed in the previous article, tablets vary in numerous factors, most notably operating system, processing power and screen size. When optimizing a mobile application, there are a few options. Developing an application optimized for smartphones creates an app which can be used to its fullest potential on any smartphone, but the app’s functionality could suffer on a tablet. Developing a tablet-only application optimizes the app for tablets, but again, it will not work nearly as well on a smartphone.

The third and best option is to optimize the app separately for both phones and tablets. Although creating a phone or tablet-only optimized application is cheaper, when the design is optimized for each screen size and device type, your app always looks great, sacrificing neither functionality nor usability on any given platform and ultimately providing the best possible user experience. At Mystic Media, we recommend investing in both phone and tablet versions of your application to maximize the quality of the app, and vicariously the perception of your company.

Phone only applications can be fixed to have multiple viewing options. We all have seen and experienced the 1x & 2x buttons on iPads, which allow you to adjust the size of the application based on what device you are using. While this seems a reasonable solution in theory, in practice, it appears shoddy and cheap. When one application attempts to optimize only for a phone and utilizes the same general framework for tablets, it often ends up mediocre on the tablet. For big companies, it’s not up for debate–they recognize the importance of appearing on the cutting edge so they invest in multiple device applications

Take a look at the Youtube mobile app. Their iPhone & Android apps limit the app to display vertical orientation on phones, but on tablets they optimize the design to display both vertical and horizontal orientations based on the angle at which one holds the device. By optimizing the design of the app to change based upon the screen size and device orientation, Youtube allows for a customized feel and content placement on all devices, ensuring the end user will spend more time on their app increasing the quality of the user experience.

Device optimization is worth the time and money because it allows the mobile application to live up to its fullest potential functionally and is aesthetically pleasing on every screen. In addition, marketing your app in both the phone and tablet categories within the app store gives your app a major boost in visibility.

When developing an application, the number one goal is to avoid looking amateur. If the application looks amateur, it turns off the user, consequently causing less downloads, uses, and of course,money. In the spirit of app store optimization and attracting downloads, it is critical to maximize the exposure to your mobile application. Having a bad application is worse than having no application—it can degrade the business in the eyes of your customers and potential users. Rather than squander your time and money on a cheap app, satisfy and impress your customers by developing a multiple device optimized application.

At Mystic Media, our team is equipped with all the tools to develop your app, optimize it to devices, and even develop market strategies. We have the knowledge, the work force, and the work ethic to design your mobile app to its fullest potential. Contact us today by clicking here or give us a call at 801.994.6815

 

Making the Most of Your Tablet Design Part 1: The Top Tablets in 2014

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In Part One of our two part series on tablets, we’ll explore the top tablets on the market in 2014 and what they have to offer both consumers and developers. Part Two will intensively explore the perks of cross-platform tablet application design and optimization.

The tablet market has experienced unprecedented growth with sales growing by over 50% in 2013. Although tablets have existed for over 20 years, the iPad revolutionized the industry when Steve Jobs suggested that a tablet was not simply a personal computer, but a game machine, music player and movie player as well. Rather than a laptop in a different shape, the iPad represented a portable media consumption device with a longer battery life and seemingly endless possibilities for applications. The top tablets for 2014 indicate the future of a business already in an upswing.

iPads are the gold standard when it comes to tablets. They represent the combination of mainstream consumer satisfaction with high-class IOS design and delivery. The top two iPads on the market are the iPad Air and the iPad Mini with Retina display. Retina display entails that the graphics on iPad Minis are so clear, one cannot decipher the pixels at a typical viewing distance. iPad Air has been widely praised as the best tablet on the market. It’s sleek and fast with a 1.4 GHz processor and Apple A7 chip, and while it is on the pricey side, you get what you pay for. IOS designed apps generally yield the most pleasant user experience, although, at Mystic Media, our experienced design team are highly capable of designing aesthetically impeccable cross-platform apps in  IOS, Android, Windows & Blackberry.

The top Android tablets include the Amazon Kindle Fire HDX, Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1, and the Google Nexus. Android’s open-source programming code allows for a greater variety of devices, as well as a more crowded app store. Developers love the Android OS because their apps are more easily approved and reach a broader audience. Many hail Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10.1 as the premier Android tablet on the market. With a 10.1 inch screen, 1.9 GHz processor speed, and 2560 x 1600 pixels, the Galaxy Note 10.1 is bigger, faster, and also more crisp than both iPads currently on the market. It’s also $100 cheaper than the iPad Air. Its main competitor within the Android tablet sphere is the Amazon Kindle Fire, which has the fastest processor speed among mainstream tablets with 2.2 GHz. Its graphics are also on par with the Galaxy Note, and it offers 24/7 video tech support. What sets the Amazon Kindle Fire apart is its compatibility with Amazon, which led cnet.com to label it a must-have tablet for Amazon Prime members.

The Microsoft Windows 8.1 OS is the middle child of Operating Systems, ignored but gifted in its own right. Microsoft’s Surface 2 is generally regarded as THE Windows tablet. The Surface 2 sets itself apart by offering a full contractible keyboard, making it a practical device for getting work done. The Asus Transformer Book T100 also offers a contractible keyboard, along with a 10.1 inch screen and the longest battery life of a mainstream tablet with almost 11 hours. While Windows tablets have major processing power and practicality, they are much less popular, and thus have fewer applications, which also works to the advantage of developers who will have less competition in the App store.

In deciding upon your tablet, you must evaluate the size of the screen, the processor speed, screen resolution, operating system, storage capacity, and battery life. You must ask how you’re going to use it–is it for media consumption, or productivity? Where you’re going to take it, will it be around the house or are you bringing it to work? Will you listen to music on it, or make music? For the casual user, the iPad generally fits the bill, for the developer, Android tablets tend to take the cake, and for the workhorse, Windows offers the best processing power and functionality.

At Mystic Media, we’re experts in the application design field and are highly capable designers for both tablets and smartphones of all Operating Systems. Contact us today at www.mysticmediasoft.com or by phone at 801.994.6815

Stay tuned next week for Part 2 of our two part series on Tablet design focusing on cross-platform optimization.

Why Venture Firms Are Investing More and More in Educational Technology

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What if we could go back in time to the 80s and invest in the PC tech boom on the ground floor? Unfortunately we can’t, but one present-day equivalent is educational technology: a burgeoning, constantly evolving business–and it’s just getting started. Each year, technology gets more and more entrenched in the educational experience, whether it’s the rising prominence of mobile devices, or the use of iPads in schools everywhere from Beverly Hills to India. Within a decade, the amount of money venture firms invested into ed-tech startups has quadrupled from $600 million annually in 2012, to an estimate of over $1 billion in 2015. There is not only a need for technology, but at all 4,600 colleges in the US, there are million-dollar budgets dedicated to educational technology. By getting into the game today, one can entrench herself in the educational process and make major profit by becoming a part of a business which will not only sustain, but evolve with technology.

The number one educational technology tool utilized by every college is a Learning Management System, or LMS. The LMS functions as a centralized web system for all academics, supporting syllabus creation, online test-taking, announcements, assignments, and integrated with instructional technology tools.

While Blackboardmaintains the majority of the LMS business, more and more leading universities are seeking alternatives, and the competition is scant–the only major LMS solutions on the market are Blackboard, Canvas by Infrastructure, and Desire2Learn. LMS solutions can charge in a variety of ways. Some charge based on how many users, some based on how many courses are necessary, and others charge an annual site license fee. LMS solutions, like IOS, are constantly evolving with new versions. The money continuously roles in each year, making LMS a crucial money-maker in the educational technology industry.

Mobile seems to be the keyword when it comes to education in 2014. Whereas previously smartphones were the enemy of the instructor, an all-to-easily accessible distraction, schools across the world are now using mobile devices to enhance the state of learning and create a more interactive classroom. For example, Student Response systems have become prevalent in higher education, allowing instructors to interact with students to collect and aggregate data on the fly. Student Response systems generally use clickers, but recently, companies such as Poll Everywhere have developed apps which allow students to use their mobile phones as clickers, making it easier to collaborate. There is a major demand for creating mobile and tablet apps which allow instructors to interact with students. The key to developing educational apps is not to create for the individual, but rather to create a platform for collaboration. The best teachers involve the students. We retain more wisdom out of experience than we do out of textbooks. If one creates a useful, convenient platform for mobile collaboration, money will be made.

The beauty of educational technology applications is that they are easy to market since people love to give them publicity. If a company creates a useful, innovative tool, the blogosphere takes notice, and because colleges are constantly competing, the effective technologies spread like wildfire–meaning major growth and profit for a new and innovative product. Technologies designed for schools can also be rebranded for businesses and even governments. When an educational app serves multiple purposes, the customer base grows, as does the profit.

Technology and higher education are staples of American culture and have evolved rapidly in the past 10 years without showing signs of stopping. Get into the educational technology game now, execute effectively, and watch as you yield major profit and visibility for your company.

At Mystic Media, we’re always looking for the next big vertical. When called upon, our mobile development, marketing, and web design services will give your business the tools to succeed. With our expertise, we can make your application idea, education or otherwise, a reality living up to its fullest potential.

To learn more about our services contact us today at www.mysticmediasoft.com or by phone at 801.994.6815.

Impervious Appeal: How to Design Jaw-Dropping IOS Apps

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Renowned as the first major update to both the visual outlook and the feel of Apple products in the post-Steve Jobs era, IOS 7 broke down the door for elite, sleek app design. In designing apps for the IOS 7, you have a lot of aesthetic options. iPhones are gourmet smartphones; IOS users have high expectations with regard to UX design and if your app appears amateur, it will sink the perception of your business and you will lose both money and respect. The look and feel to your app is as important as its functionality. You must cater to UX trends to appear on the cutting edge. Here’s what’s popular today:

Although one would expect two dimensions when utilizing “flat” design, the trend is quite the contrary. One of the major futuristic visual flairs of IOS 7 apps is the use of depth. Depth can be achieved in a number of ways. For example, instead of dividing lines, soft blur is often used to create a sense of depth and emphasize the urgency of the element in use. When interacting with a different element, the focus shifts as necessary. The lack of dividing lines emphasizes functionality, reduces clutter, and feels freer. The sense of depth creates the illusion of seemingly endless functionality. Your business will look like a highly-capable enterprise.

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Making use of the swipe gesture is another major trend in IOS 7 apps. Swipe not only allows for easy navigation between functions, swiping to unlock another screen in the app, but also can be used to contribute to the depth. Swiping an element within a page can reveal either functions (such as deleting emails) or elements beneath. The ease of swiping requires only one thumb, making it an incredibly convenient gesture.

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The swipe is not only convenient, it’s more fun than simply pushing a button and gives the user a sense of space, making your customers happy.

Convenience being central to the goal of any app’s functionality, IOS 7 apps are often utilizing simple color schemes to simplify the equation. Rather than bombard the user with a rainbow, IOS 7 apps often utilize a white backdrop for negative space, along with simple, vibrant color scheme emphasizing functionality. Red means no. Green means yes. Icons in use often are filled with white while inactive icons are translucent. The simplification of fonts goes hand in hand with the coloring, focusing more on texture and weight than style.

While minimal seems to be the keyword with regard to IOS 7 app design, one trend breaks the mold with regard to mobile web design: Parallax Scrolling. Parallax Scrolling is a design technique in which as the user scrolls down the web page, the graphics move with the scroller, creating a story. Examples of Parallax Scrolling can be found here.

While there’s no given formula for success in IOS app design, by staying on top of the trends, you can assure your business is being reflected in the most positive light. With the speed of the playing field at an all-time high, it’s vital that you are in the know of current trends.

Android Payment Technologies – The Death of Physical Cash Seems Eminent

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One of the major points which consistently arises in evaluating the perks of the Android platform is its superiority as a mobile payment device. Mobile payment is the future. Of what use is a credit card or even cash when it’s purpose can just as easily be served on a smartphone with additional convenience? As mobile payment technologies continue to evolve, the death of physical cash seems eminent.

 Google Wallet, first released in 2011, is the major mobile payment technology used for Android. Google Wallet supports all major credit and debit cards, including Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover. By storing all of the user’s credit card information on the cloud, Google Wallet makes it easy to pay for anything whether in-store or online.

Most Android payment technologies utilize NFC, or Near Field Communications, a set of standards for smartphones which allows communications by touching or putting the devices in close proximity. NFC allows you to pay for purchases through your smartphone without the hassle of paper or signage, all one needs to do to make a purchase is either tap the smartphone against a NFC compatible device or have it in proximity.

The major critique of NFC technology is the lack of security and cost of implementing the technology. Recent advancements have brought upon the development of Host Card Emulation, which makes it cheaper for merchants to install NFC technology into their organization and allows for secure transactions wherever the user pleases.

While Android remains the leader in mobile payment technologies, Samsung is currently giving them a run for their money with the Galaxy S5. The S5 is the first smartphone to utilize fingerprint technology to authorize payments. Fingerprint technology eliminates the need for passwords or PINs, not only making payments more secure, but protecting the user’s other accounts which often utilize the same complex password or PIN.

The numerous competitors in the mobile payment technologies market only goes to show the demand for mobile payment solutions. If your business expects to compete in any given market, it’s vital to eliminate any and all stresses in the process of purchasing. More to come shortly… Stay Tuned!

iOS 8: Through the Grapevine

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Although IOS 7.1 was released earlier this year, in the fast moving world of mobile technology, it’s vital that you stay a step ahead of the present. IOS 8, codenamed “Okemo”, represents a major step forward in the potential of IOS functionality.

While a glut of rumors are currently swirling around the web concerning IOS 8, certain features seem to be locked-in. Much has made about the inferiority of Apple’s built-in Maps application compared to Google Maps, Apple is looking to upgrade their app to compete in the GPS game. The upgraded Maps will not only have public transit available, it will have a feature allowing the user to click on a street to see the restaurants, shops, and general points-of-interest on that street.

Siri will also receive a major upgrade in the IOS 8. The upgraded Siri will have the ability to interact with third-party applications. Application designers will be able to program their apps so that Siri can complete commands within them. Siri is also expected to have the popular music recognition app “Shazam” built-in, so it can identify songs when asked.

iPad owners are in luck, split-screen applications will allow users to multi-task with ease. Designed exclusively for tablet users, applications will have the ability to run side by side, an ability already featured on Microsoft’s Surface.

The major feature added in the new IOS design will be an application called Healthbook. Healthbook represents a major step toward drastically changing the way iPhones are integrated into users’ everyday lives. Users can input information about their lives into Healthbook, such as activity, weight, and nutrition, and Healthbook will have the ability to not only monitor progress, but also put statistics into a graph to visualize it. In addition, Healthbook will have the ability to monitor your glucose levels (which could represent a major improvement in the lives of diabetics), as well as your pulse, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation. An emergency card will hold your name, birthdate, medical information, blood type and organ donor status should the user become injured in such a way that they are unable to speak.

For the most part, IOS 8 looks to fix some of the glitches in IOS 7, especially with regard to the Maps application. The addition of Healthbook represents a major step forward in the iPhone’s functionality. Healthbook has the potential to be a force against the obesity epidemic in the US. As the technology develops, there are seemingly endless applications in which Healthbook could expand. Healthbook could become an integrated life-alert system for the elderly, a comprehensive dietary advisory system, and a digital personal trainer rolled into one. The possibilities are vast. Apple is expected to debut IOS 8 in June at the World Wide Developer Conference, and release it to the public by November 2014.

Building an application? At Mystic Media, we are experts in the IOS Application Development field. Contact us today at https://www.mysticmediasoft.com/ or by phone at 801.994.6815

Why Android Rules the Mobile Application Market

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In the world of smartphones, two mobile devices reign supreme: Android and iPhone. The war between Android and iPhone is ongoing, and it’s safe to say as technology evolves, the leader of the pack will shift. Android, at the moment, is the more popular platform for a number of reasons.  At Mystic Media, as a forward-thinking mobile development company, we recommend developing for both iOS and Android to make the most of your dollar.

The basic difference between Android and iPhone application development is simple. Android uses an open-source platform.  The source code for Android is available to the public, making it the more developer-friendly platform.

Although Apple gets a greater percentage of the mobile smartphone revenue due to the iPhone’s larger price, Android holds a greater percentage of the market share.  Over 50 percent of the global smartphone market uses Android.  Applications for Android reach a larger user base, thus there’s a greater audience for your application.

iPhone is a gourmet smartphone. It has a smaller market, but a faster operating system. In this department, Android is playing catch-up; however, Android is currently working toward creating a smartphone titled “Android Silver” which will have a faster operating system to compete with the speed of the iPhone.  The greater variety of Android smartphones means a greater variety of consumers with eyes on your application.

The process of getting your application approved is much, MUCH easier for Android.  iTunes is notoriously slow in approving applications.  Apple has a strict set of rules evaluating what applications they are willing to approve and what they will deny. When Opera, a well-established internet browser, designed a browsing application for iPhones, they held a contest taking bets on the amount of time it would take Apple to approve their app.  In the end, it took nearly a month. With Android, one simply designs the app, writes a description, sets a price, and it’s done–pushed out into a the Google Play store to a massive global market.

Looking forward, Android continues to grow, in fact, Android is the fastest growing technology product in history. In 23 quarters, Apple’s IOS hit 700 million users–an amazing feat in its own right. Android, on the other hand, took 20 quarters to hit 1 BILLION users. Android’s current global market share of smartphone operating systems is set around 80%. Android also controls the first time buyer market, which means as more consumers grow with the device, it’s market share will only increase.

The numbers are simple and speak the truth. Android is the more popular platform. It’s easier for application development and it’s easier to monetize and market your applications. You will reach a greater audience developing for Android, and that audience will only continue to grow. At Mystic Media, we specialize in Android application development. Our expertise in creating and marketing mobile applications for both platforms is unrivaled in our field.

For more information, feel free to contact us at https://www.mysticmediasoft.com/ or by phone at 801.994.6815.

The Use of Color In Your IOS App

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As our interactions happen increasingly in the digital realm, color psychology has become entrenched in the way we experience the world.

Apple’s IOS 7 recognizes this and allows users to customize the colors of their apps. In designing your app or website, you want total control in how the user experiences your brand. The color scheme will subconsciously affect users. It’s no mistake Facebook and Twitter, two of the biggest social media websites in the world, utilize blue as their key color. Blue is calming. Blue makes you think of the sky or the ocean, those serene moments you have to appreciate the beauty of the world. The use of blue, in either case, makes you want to return, creating a soothing effect. In situations of boredom or social awkwardness, we want to return to the social tranquility of Twitter and Facebook, where the user has total control of to whom, what and when he/she responds.

Whether or not you are synesthetic, any given color triggers a specific response, on which a UX web/app designer must capitalize.

Synesthesia is the neurological phenomenon in which one sense triggers another. For example, when musicians like Kanye West explain how they are able to SEE sounds in colors, thus the way they experience creating music feels to them more like painting, a “sonic landscape”. Synesthesia is a philosophically mind-bending piece of evidence toward the interconnected manner in which we experience the world–our five senses interpreting different aspects of the same information in service of creating a physical truth. It’s also vital to your app design.

As with all aspects of UX app and web design, use of color serves two purposes: aesthetic, and functionality. Aesthetically, you want to use color create the proper emotional response to your brand. IOS 7 recognizes current color trends and capitalizes on the emotional landscape to benefit the user. With the recession and political landscape, U.S. consumers are gravitating toward brighter, more radiant colors for comfort. IOS 7 allows users to customize their color palate, leaning toward nuanced, joyous colors such as lighter blues and purples, as well as red-tinged oranges.

In creating your app, you must take into account the association users have with the colors you use to create the best possible user experience. Green, like blue, is associated with nature, as well as intelligence, and wealth. Purple is regal, lavish, as well as feminine. Pink is ultra-feminine, but also stylish. Red is an alarming and stimulating color. It’s attention-grabbing, stressful and threatening, but also confident. Stop signs and red lights are obvious uses red’s potential. Yellow is equally stimulating, though less obnoxious. Yellow is known to increase concentration. Also vital is the use of white, black, and grey to create negative space. A color overload seems unprofessional, it’s important to focus on two or three main colors in your scheme. The right color scheme for your brand depends entirely on your corporate identity.  At Mystic Media, we’re confident we can put our finger to the pulse of your company or application idea to create the best possible digital reflection.

With regard to functionality, color is vital to separating the various sections of your application or website to increase usability. Skeumorphism is officially old-fashioned. In the era of flat design, users will decipher the functions of buttons and links based on color. Users utilize color more than they do text in exploring the digital world, thus its important to color-code the different sections of your app or website based on theme. USA Today recently redesigned their website, color-coding each of the sections and drifting away from the idea of making the digital reading experience mimic the print. The IOS 7 separates apps based on colors customized by the user. Although you could allow users to customize your color scheme, at Mystic Media, we believe it’s more confident to establish your brand through a tactical color scheme.

Ultimately, the color scheme is a reflection of the personality of your company. It’s important to trust your instincts. Or trust ours at Mystic Media. We’re dedicated collaborators confident in both taking direction and creating aesthetics to maximize the potential of your app or website.

Contact us today at https://www.mysticmediasoft.com/ or by phone at 801.994.6815