Tag Archives: Business

Mastering Mobile App Development Outsourcing for Business Success

Android Development, iOS Development, , , , , , , , ,

An image showing two street signs: one labeled "Outsource" pointing left and the other "In-House" pointing right.

In the fast-paced world of technology, developing a mobile app can be essential for businesses aiming to reach a broader audience and streamline operations. However, not all companies have the expertise or resources to build an app in-house. This is where outsourcing mobile app development comes into play. Whether you’re a CTO, CEO, CMO, or a business owner, understanding how to effectively outsource this critical task can save time, reduce costs, and lead to superior product results.

Before you jump into outsourcing, it’s crucial to understand the process, its benefits, and potential pitfalls. This blog will guide you through everything you need to know about outsourcing mobile app development, from the initial evaluation of development partners to future planning. By the end, you’ll have a solid grasp on how to leverage outsourcing to your advantage.

Understanding the Need for Outsourcing

An individual with their hands on a puzzle of the world map, with wooden figures positioned across different regions.

Outsourcing mobile app development can seem daunting at first, but done right it can be a strategic move for your business. The decision to outsource often stems from a lack of in-house expertise, which can hinder a company’s ability to develop an effective application. By partnering with an external team of experienced developers, businesses can gain access to innovative ideas and expert execution. This collaborative approach is particularly valuable for companies with limited technical staff or those venturing into the mobile market for the first time. A capable outsourced team comes equipped with a breadth of experience across various industries and platforms, which can significantly enhance the quality and functionality of the final product.

Another compelling reason to outsource is cost efficiency. Hiring full-time developers can be prohibitively expensive, especially when you consider not only salaries but also training, benefits, and other overhead costs. Outsourcing allows businesses to contract skilled professionals on a project basis, thereby significantly reducing these expenses. This approach also minimizes the financial risks associated with developing an app internally, as there is no need to invest in costly technologies and infrastructure. By leveraging external resources, companies can allocate their budgets more strategically, investing in other areas of business growth while still ensuring a high-quality application development process.

The speed of development is another critical factor that makes outsourcing appealing. With an outsourced team, businesses can expedite the development process by accessing a pool of developers who are ready to start immediately. This rapid initiation is especially beneficial when time-to-market is crucial for gaining a competitive edge or responding swiftly to market demands. By outsourcing, companies can streamline the development timeline, reduce bottlenecks, and ensure faster deployment of their mobile applications. This strategic advantage allows businesses to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving digital landscape, seizing opportunities without delay.

Choosing the Right Partner

Two business people in suits shaking hands to finalize a deal"

When embarking on the journey of outsourcing your mobile app development, selecting the right partner cannot be overstated. It is the cornerstone of your project’s success. Start by conducting thorough research to identify potential partners who possess a solid track record within your industry. Look specifically for companies that have amassed a considerable portfolio of projects akin to yours. This evidence of past performance serves as a clear indicator of their capability and reliability, offering insight into their adaptability and problem-solving prowess in scenarios similar to what your project might encounter. Don’t hesitate to ask for references or case studies that highlight their past successes and challenges. These can provide invaluable real-world insights that go beyond the polished facade of marketing materials. Websites like Clutch can also serve as a great resource.

Effective communication forms the backbone of any successful outsourcing partnership. It’s imperative that your chosen partner can communicate fluently in your preferred language, ensuring that ideas, concerns, and updates are conveyed with clarity and precision. This eliminates potential misunderstandings which can lead to costly errors or delays. Establishing a structured communication plan is advisable, incorporating regular meetings and the use of collaborative tools.

Slack and Microsoft Teams allow real-time messaging, file sharing, and video calls for seamless interaction. For project management, Trello and Asana offer task boards for tracking progress efficiently. Zoom is great for video conferencing, ensuring clear face-to-face communication. These tools enhance coordination and align teams, improving the success of outsourcing partnerships. This practice fosters transparency and keeps the project aligned with the set goals and timelines, ensuring that no critical updates go unnoticed. Consideration of potential time zone differences is also crucial; aligning schedules to allow for overlap can significantly enhance real-time communication and responsiveness.

Assessing cultural compatibility with your outsourcing partner is essential. Look for a partner who shares a similar set of values and understands the intricacies of your business’s goals; this alignment ensures a seamless integration with your existing team. Creating a harmonious working environment is crucial for fostering a coherent collaboration where both parties are deeply invested in not only achieving but exceeding the set objectives. This synergy often results in the development of an app that is not only functional but also embodies the essence of your brand, resonating well with your target audience.

Equally important, remember that you often get what you pay for. Rather than searching for the cheapest option, prioritize quality and experience. The right partner will have the expertise to anticipate needs, mitigate risks, and add meaningful value throughout the project lifecycle. Look for a partner who asks the right questions to fully understand your requirements and goals from the start. A partner who asks insightful questions will gather the necessary information to accurately define the project scope, saving you time and ensuring alignment on expectations. Ultimately, investing time in building a strong, culturally aligned partnership with an experienced provider can yield a product that truly reflects your business aspirations and stands out in the market.

Managing the Outsourcing Process

A businessman interacts with a digital screen, managing various client networks through touch technology.

Efficient management of the outsourcing process is essential for success. Begin by setting well-defined goals and deliverables that align with your business objectives. Providing a detailed project brief is crucial; it sets expectations and gives the development team a comprehensive roadmap to follow. This clarity not only streamlines decision-making throughout the project’s lifecycle but also aids in evaluating progress and making necessary adjustments. A well-articulated brief can serve as a pivotal reference point for resolving ambiguities and ensuring everyone is on the same page, thereby minimizing potential miscommunications. ​​Based on the project brief, budget, and timeline, your outsourcing partner should create a specific scope of work. This scope of work should outline each feature and milestone within the app, breaking down the project into manageable, measurable steps. This detailed document becomes a key guide, aligning both parties on expectations and providing a framework for accountability, helping to keep the project on track and ensuring that every component is thoroughly planned and executed.

Budget management is another indispensable aspect of outsourcing. Despite its cost-effectiveness, it’s vital to have a transparent financial plan. Clearly defining your budget and discussing it openly with your outsourcing partner helps establish financial boundaries and priorities. Agreeing on payment milestones corresponding with specific phases of the project can offer financial control and reinforce accountability. This structure should be outlined as part of the contract, ensuring that both parties are aligned on expectations and obligations. A contract that includes these financial milestones not only provides a framework for payment but also serves as a safeguard, reinforcing commitment to deliverables and timelines. This practice not only helps in avoiding unexpected expenses but also ensures that resources are allocated efficiently at each stage, which can significantly impact the project’s outcome.

Incorporating quality assurance (QA) as a core component of the outsourcing process is imperative for delivering a successful mobile app. Establishing robust testing protocols and encouraging consistent feedback from the development team ensures that the app functions as intended and meets your quality standards. A reliable outsourcing partner should have their own dedicated QA team to identify and address issues early on, but it’s equally important for your company to have an internal team of testers who can test the app independently and provide valuable feedback to the developers. This dual-layered approach to QA is a crucial step in ensuring that the app not only meets technical specifications but also aligns with user expectations and business objectives. This continuous evaluation can detect discrepancies early, allowing for timely corrections. Allocating adequate time and resources for thorough testing can preempt subpar performance and avert costly post-deployment fixes, ultimately safeguarding the app’s launch integrity and user satisfaction. Integrating QA throughout the development cycle underscores a commitment to excellence, providing a solid foundation for achieving your business goals.

Pros and Cons of Outsourcing

Outsourcing in red, surrounded by business-related doodles.

Outsourcing mobile app development offers numerous benefits but also presents some challenges. One major advantage is access to a global talent pool. This allows you to find experts with specific skills that may not be available locally. You can also benefit from diverse perspectives that can enhance creativity and innovation in your project. Cost savings are another significant benefit. By outsourcing, you can avoid many overhead costs associated with in-house development, such as salaries, benefits, and office space. This enables you to allocate resources to other critical areas of your business.

However, outsourcing can also present challenges. Communication barriers may arise, especially when working across different time zones. This can lead to delays and misunderstandings. To mitigate this, establish clear communication protocols and consider partners who operate in similar time zones or have flexible working hours. There is also the risk of losing some control over the development process. Regular updates and transparent communication can help maintain oversight and ensure that the project stays aligned with your vision.

Planning for the Future

A group of business professionals gathered around a conference table, discussing and brainstorming future company strategies.

Outsourcing is not just a short-term solution; it can be an integral part of your long-term business strategy. Building a robust partnership with your outsourcing team and keeping them informed about your company’s evolving needs ensures a more seamless and efficient collaboration on future projects. Such relationships foster innovation and creativity in addressing future challenges and opportunities. Having a reliable partner who understands your business also offers the flexibility to scale operations up or down, based on project demands. This adaptability can provide a strategic advantage, enabling your business to respond rapidly to changing market conditions.

Consider utilizing feedback and lessons learned from past outsourcing endeavors to hone your approach moving forward. Evaluating what worked well and identifying areas for improvement will refine your strategy and pave the way for even better outcomes in future projects. Such introspection not only bolsters your development processes but also cultivates a culture of continuous improvement within your organization. Additionally, tap into the expertise of your outsourcing partner to stay informed about the latest technological advancements and industry trends. Their insights can help ensure your app remains competitive, modern, and aligned with evolving industry standards.

Embracing a proactive approach by integrating emerging technologies can secure your app’s relevance and effectiveness in delivering value. Your outsourcing partner, equipped with a global perspective and diverse skill set, will be instrumental in navigating these technological shifts. By maintaining consistent communication and setting clear objectives, you ensure your partnership evolves in tandem with market demands. This strategic foresight can profoundly impact your business’s growth trajectory, positioning your app and company at the forefront of innovation and success.

Conclusion

Outsourcing mobile app development can be a game-changer for businesses seeking to expand their digital presence without the overhead of an in-house team. By understanding the process, choosing the right partner, and managing the collaboration effectively, companies can create high-quality apps that meet their strategic goals.
With careful planning and execution, outsourcing can offer both immediate benefits and long-term advantages. It’s a powerful tool for innovation and efficiency that can help your business thrive in the competitive tech landscape. Stay tuned for our next blog on Sustainable Tech Solutions for Renewable Energy, where we’ll explore how technology is transforming the renewable energy sector and contributing to a more sustainable future.

Part 2: Optimize Onboarding with Gamification

Android Development, Gaming & Monetization Strategies, iOS Development, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How Gamification Can Boost Retention on Any App Part 2: Optimize Onboarding with Gamification

The Mystic Media Blog is currently endeavoring on a 3 part series on how gamification mechanics can boost retention on any app—not just gaming apps but utility apps, business apps and more. In this second entry, we explore how to refine and gamify your onboarding process to keep customers coming back.

ONBOARDING

Your app has been downloaded—a hard-fought battle in and of itself—but the war isn’t over; the onboarding process has just begun.

App onboarding is the first point of contact a user has within an application. It’s one of the most crucial parts of the user experience. Situating users in your application is the first step to ensuring they come back. Twenty-five percent of apps are only opened once after being downloaded. Many apps simply do not make it simple enough for users to understand the value and get the hang of the application—step one in your retention process.

Here are the top tips for smooth onboarding:

MINIMIZE REGISTRATION

A prolonged registration process can turn off new users. Users do not always have time to fill out extensive forms and can quickly become resentful of the pacing of your app. Keep registration to a minimum, minimize required fields, and get users going faster.

We recommend enabling user registration altogether with “Continue as Guest” functionality. Games typically employ this and it enables users to get hands on with the application before they undergo the tenuous account creation process. Hook them with your app, then let them handle the administrative aspects later. Account creation with Google, Facebook, or Twitter can also save quite a bit of time.

Gamification is all about rewarding the user. Offer users an incentive to create their account to positively reinforce the process and you will see more accounts created. If they haven’t created an account, make sure to send prompts to remind them of what the reward they are missing out on. As we detailed in our last entry, FOMO is a powerful force in gamification.

TUTORIAL BEST PRACTICES

When a user enters your application for the first time, they generally need a helping hand to understand how to use it. Many games incorporate interactive tutorials to guide the user through functionality—and business apps are wise to use it as well. However, an ineffective tutorial will only be a detriment to your application.

Pacing is key. A long tutorial will not only bog the onboarding process down, too much information will likely go in and out of the user’s brain. Space your tutorial out and break it into different sections introducing key mechanics as they become relevant. On-the-go tutorials like the four-screen carousel below by Wavely help acclimate users quickly and easily.

And don’t forget to offer a reward! Offer users some kind of reward or positive reinforcement upon completing tutorials to encourage them to continue using the application.

AVOID DEAD ENDS AND EMPTY STATES

An empty state is a place in an application that isn’t populated with any information. For example, favorites, order history, accomplishments, etc.—these pages require usage in order to be populated for information. New users will see these pages and become confused or discouraged. Many applications will offer self-evident statement such as “No Favorites Selected”. Or, in the case of UberEats below, no message is displayed.

It’s confusing and discouraging for users to see these statements. Avoid discouraging your users by offering more information, for example: “Save your favorite restaurants and find them here.” Check out Twitter’s exemplary message for users who’ve yet to favorite a tweet below.

CONCLUSION

Onboarding is the first and most crucial step to building a relationship with your userbase. One of the major things business apps can learn from gaming apps is that time is of the essence when it comes to capturing a user’s attention. Keep it short, punchy, and to the point.

How the Revolutionary Mechanics of Blockchain Technology Could Serve Your Business

Cryptocurrencies, Internet of Things, , , , , , , , , , ,

In the last entry in our cryptocurrency series, we explored how to secure your cryptocurrency with the right wallet. This week, we’ll take a look at the mechanics of the Blockchain across industries.

While the debate over whether Bitcoin will become the dominant cryptocurrency is far from over, the mechanics behind Bitcoin are unquestionably revolutionary. Blockchain technology has the potential to disrupt more than just currency, but industries ranging from healthcare to Wall Street.

The Blockchain is a secure ledger database shared by all parties participating in an established, distributed network of computers. The Blockchain decentralizes the process of validating transactions, allocating the duties to computers throughout the network.

Blockchain is revolutionary because it eliminates the need for a central authority, allowing for a real-time ledger that is not dependent on a single entity governing the transactions.

Imagine if in order to make changes to a text document, you had to email a colleague who would then update the document on Microsoft Word and send the updated file out to all relevant parties on the team. The updating of information would quickly become an inefficient process that is heavily dependent on the central entity (the colleague). Blockchain posits a workflow that is more like Google Docs in that it allows updates to be made in real time and shared across the network instantly without the need of a central authority. Blockchain enacts this principle by relying on computers within the network to independently validate transactions through cryptography. Thus, the validity of the ledger is determined by the many objective computers on the network rather than a single powerful entity.

The idea of decentralization can also be applied to WhatsApp, the popular messaging app that revolutionized texting and cut the cost of transactions globally. WhatsApp cut out the central authority of phone carrier companies by building the same functionality on a decentralized network (the Internet).

If you’re still confused about Blockchain, check out this awesome video by Wired breaking it down in 2 minutes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-UYHvPKt9E

Blockchain has already found usages in many different industries.

  • SMART CONTRACTS

Smart contracts are coded contracts embedded with the terms of an agreement. They are a method for businesses and individuals to exchange money, property, materials, or anything of value in a transparent way that avoids the services of a middleman (such as a lawyer). Smart contracts not only define the rules of an agreement, they automatically enforce the obligations provided in the terms of the contract.

Smart contracts have revolutionized the supply chain and threaten to eliminate the use of lawyers for enforcing contracts. Smart contracts and blockchain ensure data security that could also lead to the transferring of voting to an online system, potentially increasing voter turnout significantly.

  • HEALTHCARE

Within the healthcare industry, Blockchain has the potential to revolutionize data sharing between healthcare providers, resulting in more effective treatments and an overall improved ability for healthcare organizations to offer efficient care. A study from IBM showed that 56% of healthcare executives have a plan to implement a commercial blockchain solution by 2020.

  • SUPPLY CHAIN

Both within the Healthcare industry and elsewhere, blockchain is redefining supply chain management. Blockchain can provide a distributed ledger that tracks the transfer of goods and raw materials across wide-ranging geographical locations and stages. The public availability of the ledger makes it possible to trace the origin of the product down to the raw material used. For this reason, blockchain has also been applied to track organic produce supply chains.

The boon of the Internet of Things and smart objects means that blockchain technology can be extended to process data and manage smart contracts between individuals and their smart devices or even smart homes. Imagine a world where your refrigerator automatically orders eggs when it senses you are running low based on your egg eating habits. This world will be facilitated by a smart contract run on Blockchain technology embedded in an IoT device.

CONCLUSION

While the first blockchain was created for Bitcoin, applications for blockchain are constantly being implemented across industries. As Harvard Business Review smartly points out, the question in most industries is not whether blockchain will influence them, but when.

Many different cryptocurrencies are utilizing variations on Blockchain technology in order to process transactions—some of which are doing so in a more efficient manner than Bitcoin. Next week, we’ll explore the top cryptocurrencies on the market right now and which ones your business should accept.

How Adopting Cryptocurrencies Could Benefit Your Business

Cryptocurrencies, , , , , , , , , ,

Bitcoin-Trading-featured-898x463Are you missing out on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get in on a currency that could continue to dramatically increase in value over time?

Whether or not the recent surge in value of Bitcoin is a fluke, many agree the idea of cryptocurrency is here to stay. With physical cash having already taken a backseat to credit cards, does it stand to reason that digital currencies will become more prominent in the years to come? Many people are betting big on the answer to that question being yes.

Last week, we explored an overview of cryptocurrencies. For businesses with their eyes on the bottom line, the question becomes: Should you accept cryptocurrencies?

Here are the major factors to consider in making your decision of whether or not to accept cryptocurrencies:

THE POSITIVES:

FRAUD PROTECTION

One of the biggest pros of cryptocurrency is the way in which it protects your business from the risk of fraud. When payments are made through credit cards and PayPal, merchants risk these charges later being reversed if they are deemed a fraudulent purchase. With Bitcoin, payments are irreversible, so the bill for fraud is no longer footed by merchants.

INSTANT INTERNATIONAL PAYMENTS

The internet enables the sending of cryptocurrencies overseas to be as easy as sending them across the street. With no central authority to verify transactions, not only do international payments come with no additional cost, they are instant. Cryptocurrencies offer international payments with no extra fees, 0 business days to transfer, and no minimum or maximum transaction amounts, making them an excellent payment option for businesses looking to expand to far-reaching markets.

CHOOSE YOUR OWN TRANSACTION FEES

Instead of paying fees per transaction, cryptocurrencies allow you to pay fees that determine the speed at which money is received. The processing power required to process transactions is distributed across computers on the internet. Network owners make money by allowing merchants and users to use their systems to process transactions. Thus, users can choose their fees based on how fast they require their payments to be sent.

NO PCI-COMPLIANCE NECESSARY

While accepting credit cards online typically requires PCI-Compliance to ensure credit card information is stored safely, cryptocurrencies require businesses to secure their wallets without necessitating the federally-imposed fees that come with processing sensitive information like credit cards. Blockchain technology ensures that cryptocurrencies are secure and that security is cheaper to maintain.

ACCESS A NEW CROWD

As an emerging market with niche followers, the cryptocurrency audience is known for their fervor for all things related to their passion. By adopting cryptocurrencies at an early stage in their development, a business can set itself apart and expand their market to receive visibility from the avid cryptocurrency crowd that has invested in cryptocurrencies at this early stage.

THE NEGATIVES:

MARKET VOLATILITY

Perhaps the greatest detriment to the cryptocurrency movement is the erratic nature of the value of the currency. Bitcoin is the staple cryptocurrency and with its value fluctuating wildly from day-to-day, most cryptocurrency owners would rather save their Bitcoin in hope that its value continues to spike than spend it on consumer goods.

What’s more, retailers may be afraid of accepting something that could lose value fast. When Square announced it was piloting a program to buy and sell Bitcoin through its app, Bitcoin’s price skyrocketed. If a major retailer like Amazon or Target were to elect to accept Bitcoin at their locations, no doubt Bitcoin’s value would spike once again. Thus, the silver lining of the market volatility is if a retailer does begin to accept it early, they could potentially make a large return on their initial investment.

REGULATORY LANDSCAPE

Another major issue for merchants to consider is forthcoming regulations and potential litigation relating to the cryptocurrency markets. With cryptocurrencies still in their infancy, lawmakers are working to enact regulations to govern and tax them. As cryptocurrency becomes more mainstream, merchants that accept cryptocurrencies will have to be adaptable to periodic changes in the laws which govern cryptocurrency.

BOTTOM LINE

While there are some risks in accepting cryptocurrencies, there are potentially massive rewards. Becoming an early adopter of major cryptocurrencies when they are low in value is an investment that could pay off big time if the value of the currencies continues to rise. For forward-thinking entrepreneurs who are ready to adapt to their business environment, the decision to accept cryptocurrency is an easy one. As they say: the early bird gets the worm.

Should My Business Consider Accepting Cryptocurrencies? An Overview

Cryptocurrencies, , , , , , , , , , ,

Recently, Bitcoin has flooded the news cycle, rising in value from about 1,000 per bitcoin on January 1st 2017 to upwards of $16,000 as of December 7th 2017. Square, a prominent payment app, recently announced they will pilot a program that allows for Bitcoin trade. With Bitcoin on the rise, the all-important question becomes: Should your app or website accept cryptocurrencies?

Over the next several weeks, we will endeavor on a series of blogs to answer all of the questions necessary to make that decision, including:

  1. What cryptocurrencies are, how they work, and why they are important.
  2. The pros and cons of accepting cryptocurrencies on your app or website
  3. Choosing your cryptocurrency wallet.
  4. What Blockchain is, how it’s important to cryptocurrencies and its other revolutionary applications.
  5. An exploration of why Bitcoin is the most popular cryptocurrency and of  other prominent cryptocurrencies.

In order to explore cryptocurrencies, we must start at the beginning. The first successful cryptocurrency was Bitcoin, created in 2008 by the still unknown inventor Satoshi Nakamoto. While Nakamoto’s identity is still a mystery, the significance of their invention is not. They initially announced it as a “Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System”. Past attempts at creating digital currency involved a decentralized system, however, Nakamoto attempted to decentralize the currency by mimicking the technique of Peer-to-Peer file sharing networks.

In order for a payment network to function, there must be a ledger to prevent fraudulent double spending—forged transactions. In the physical world, banks function as the central entity which keeps records about balances. With Bitcoin, Nakamoto created an alternate system. Since the network is decentralized, every entity on the network must have a list with all transactions to check if future transactions are valid. Not only that, there must be an absolute consensus about the records in order for them to become a part of an immutable record of historical transactions known as the “Blockchain”.

Nakamoto set in place a rule that only “miners” can confirm transactions. Miners take transactions, verify them in exchange for a token of cryptocurrency, validate them, and spread them in the network so that every node adds them to the database and the transaction becomes a part of the blockchain. The only way to create a valid Bitcoin is for a miner to complete this function.

Technically, anyone can be a miner. Since there is no central authority to regulate mining and prevent a ruling party from abusing it, Nakamoto set a rule that miners need to invest some of their computing power to the solving of a cryptographic puzzle using the SHA 256 Hash algorithm, in order to verify transactions. Without getting too technical, the miner must complete a cryptographic puzzle in order to build a block and add it to the blockchain, the reward for which is a specific number of Bitcoins depending on the difficulty of the puzzle. Miners compete to solve these problems and the first to solve it and validate the transaction receives the reward. This is part of the consensus that no peer can break.

While the system is complex, the use of the currency is ultimately quite simple. As outlined in BlockGeeks overview, 5 properties separate Bitcoin transactions from other transactions:

  • Bitcoin transactions are irreversible.
  • They are not tied to real-world identities but to pseudonymous addresses. This is one of the reasons Bitcoins are frequently used on the black market.
  • Transactions are enacted instantly and are global.
  • Cryptocurrencies are secured by a cryptography, making them extremely secure.
  • Without a central authority, cryptocurrencies are permissionless to use.

Cryptocurrencies often limit the supply of tokens, which is true of Bitcoin. The token supply of Bitcoin decreases in time and will reach its final number sometime around 2140. The monetary supply is controlled by a schedule written in code—in other words, purely through mathematics.

Whereas the statement on your bank account represents a debt owed to you by the bank, Bitcoins are not indicative of debts, they are literal currency with inherent value like a diamond. And the value of that currency has skyrocketed in the past year. Only 10 years after its creation, Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies are currently in an inchoate stage, making it all the more important for intelligent citizens to track their progress and global impact.

Next week, we will review the pros and cons of accepting cryptocurrencies through your app or website. Stay tuned!

The Business of Emojis: How Top Companies Monetize Emoji Apps

Android Development, Gaming & Monetization Strategies, iOS Development, , , , , , , , , , , ,

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.

Emojis have become a staple of text communication in the 21st century. According to Digiday, over 6 billion emoji messages are sent per day. iMessage, Facebook Messenger, GChat, Snapchat & more have all integrated unique emojis into their platforms. Where there is popularity, there is money to be made.

An Emoji is defined as a small digital image or icon used to express an idea, emotion, etc., in electronic communication. Emojis evolved from emoticons, which are pictorial representations of a facial expression using ONLY punctuation marks, numbers and letters. The first intentional use of an emoticon has multiple origins depending on your source. In 1857, historians documented the use of the number 73 to express love and kisses in Morse code. Some credit a New York Times article covering an Abraham Lincoln speech in 1862 with introducing the phenomenon. The first documented use of “:-)” and “:-(”  overtly to express emotion was in 1982 at Carnegie Mellon.

As online chat became popular, so did the use of emoticons. In an era of computer-mediated communication, emoticons help communicate nonverbal cues in digital threads. From emoticons, emojis emerged, eschewing the punctuation and using images to directly convey emotion. The first emoji was created in 1998 or 1999 in Japan by Shigetaka Kurita. Emoji was first integrated with iMessage in iOS 5. Snapchat recently bought BitMoji for $100 million. Messaging apps like Facebook Messenger and G-Chat are all following WeChat’s lead in creating their own visual keyboards. iOS 10’s iMessage App Store pushes stickers, opening up a new visual possibilities for app developers and advertising.

With big money on the line, here’s how top companies are monetizing their emojis:

DOWNLOAD FEE: Some emoji companies sell their apps with a download fee. For a flat rate of $1.99, the user receives access to all emojis. Most users will find it hard to justify paying for an emoji app unless they have a pre-existing relationship with the brand, thus this technique is best for major brands like Kimoji, Amber Rose’s MuvaMoji, the newly released Mike Tyson emojis, etc.

EMOJI PACKS/PREMIUM CONTENT: A more popular monetization method than a download fee is the individual pricing of emoji packs and premium content. Both paid and freemium apps can enact this monetization method. A company may offer one emoji keyboard for free with download of the app, then offer premium content, potentially sponsored by another brand, for a fee. Emoji> is among the top purveyors of this strategy.

BRANDED CONTENT: Perhaps the most effective monetization method for emojis is branded emojis and stickers. Fortune recently profiled a start-up named Swyft that generates revenue creating branded emojis & sticker packs. A sticker pack they created for Gwen Stefani’s album Spark the Fire was downloaded almost a million times and resulted in 41 million impressions in 10 days.

App developers looking to push their own emoji packs can generate revenue with branded partnerships after establishing popularity. BitMoji built up an audience over time with a seemingly endless keyboard of expressions. Upon attaining popularity, BitMoji was able to acquire tons of sponsored sticker packs to generate revenue. BitMoji’s success led to Snapchat’s decision acquire BitMoji and integrate an established brand rather than create their own unique emojis.

RETENTION: In order to build an audience and monetize, emoji keyboards must retain their users. Ads aren’t a popular monetization method for emojis since users like their digital conversations ad-free. Animated Emoji Pro integrated games into their app in order to increase user retention and ascend in ASO rankings. Users get lost BitMoji’s vast selection of icons, increasing usage time.

LOCALIZATION: Localization is another major way of enhancing retention on an emoji keyboard. A study by SwiftKey found radically different patterns of emoji usage depending on geographic location. Creatively utilizing geolocation services to localize the user experience for an emoji keyboard can be a vital tool in building and retaining a national or even global audience.

Succeeding with an emoji app requires innovative thinking, attention-to-detail, marketing & careful consideration of audience. Like TV, print, & web messaging, well-crafted emojis require good creative, and meaningful visuals that convey emotion. With 45 billion messages sent per day in the US alone, there is great potential for a well-crafted emoji app to become profitable business with the right combination of concept, execution, and an experienced app developer.

Nougat OS: Everything You Need to Know Android’s Latest Treat

Android Development, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

With all the fuss about iPhone 7, iOS 10 and the new Pixel, it’s easy to forget Android recently unveiled their latest OS: Nougat. In line with Android’s other dessert-themed software titles (Marshmallow, Lollipop, KitKat, etc.), Nougat is a treat. It’s a refined version of Marshmallow with improved UX, specs and a lot more. Both iOS fans and app developers take note, here are Android Nougat’s top features:

MULTI-WINDOW MULTITASKING

The most notable feature of Nougat is Multi-Window Multitasking. Unlike iOS, Nougat allows users to run multiple apps on their screen at once, allowing users to watch a movie while they text, view a recipe while they keep their eyes on the timer, or use any number of applications. Multi-Window Multitasking can be utilized with three display options: Split-Screen, Picture-In-Picture and Freeform Mode.

Split-Screen mode splits the screen across the bottom when held vertically, or across the middle when held horizontally.

Picture-In-Picture mode will be optimized for Android TV and will eliminate the controls and interface elements while keeping the content portion to scale.

Freeform mode will allow users to customize the size of each application, like one can with a desktop or laptop computer.

REFINED NOTIFICATIONS SETTINGS

Notifications Settings via How To Geek

Android has always been a major advocate of customizing notifications, and Android Nougat improves their system. Users customize their quick settings to ensure they are only alerted to the top-level notifications. Users can also maintain conversations within the notifications bar to make it easier to chat without having to go back and forth into apps.

Bundled notifications allow users to see what is happening within their apps at a glance without clogging their feed. Simply tap to expand the box and view more info without going directly into the app.

FASTER PERFORMANCE, MORE BATTERY, LESS MOBILE DATA

The best improvements of Nougat OS are not flashy new features, but overall improved functionality. Google’s “Project Doze,” designed to increase phone battery length, was introduced with Marshmallow, but gets a big upgrade with Nougat. Doze shuts down CPU and network activity while the phone screen is off. Previously, Doze only worked when the device was motionless, but now it can operate whenever the screen is off.

Data overages can add up quickly. Google seeks to counter the threat of overages with Data Saver, a program which kicks in whenever the user is on a metered data connection and limits apps and background processes to a set amount of data. Rather than cutting off data usage at a  preset limit, Data Saver makes Android phones more efficient with constant refinement.

Both Data Saver and Project Doze are bolstered by minor technical improvements to Project Svelte, Android’s device optimization initiative, creating a more efficient phone.

SEAMLESS UPDATES

Android isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel. Their Nougat OS functions primarily as a UX improvement over Marshmallow. Android has instilled major security improvements, including file-based encryption. Android has also taken a page out of the Chrome OS playbook by adding seamless updates, which will allow system updates to install in the background.

NEW EMOJIS

On the lighter side of things, Android has installed 72 new glyphs and has revamped their 1,500 emojis to appear more realistic. Nougat is also compatible with Vulkan API, which opens up a world of low-overhead graphical possibilities.

WHEN CAN I GET NOUGAT?

As with any Android update, the real question is: when is it coming to my phone? Nougat is out, but device fragmentation on the Android platform entails a staggered availability based on the hardware. While Google’s Pixel phone could soon alleviate some of these fragmentation problems, Android still cannot move at the speed of iOS—but Nougat’s improved functionality is a welcome addition for both app developers and consumers.

For a full list of Android Nougat release dates, check out this awesome article over at Pocket Lint.

Water Cooler Tech Talk: What iOS 10 Can Do For Your Business

iOS Development, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

As we detailed last week, the release of iOS 10 marks a major turning point for the software. By opening up internal apps to developers, Apple has offered a major opportunity for businesses to improve and expand the functionality of their apps. Here are a few ways that iOS 10 can help your business.

CISCO INTEGRATION

Apple & Cisco (image via Apple)

While Apple announced their partnership with Cisco in August 2015, iOS 10 introduces the fruits of that partnership. Businesses which utilize Cisco networks and iOS devices will see a major improvement in functionality and compatibility. Companies with Cisco networks would be smart to encourage employees to switch to iOS, and companies which use other networks may want to take note of the new changes as they are designed to improve business processes.

OPTIMIZING WIFI

Finding the right AP can make or break major business processes. As a leading network provider, Cisco understands this issue and has used iOS 10 as an opportunity to address it. Devices with iOS 10 recognize Cisco networks, enabling WiFi optimization and prioritization for business critical apps. So if an employee is walking as they take a WebEx meeting on their iPad, rather than scanning all channels for the next strongest signal, Cisco networks use a 801.11k to provide a list of the top six neighboring APs. This saves time and battery. As iPhones reach the end of a cell, they check the location and create a short list of the next best AP based on signal and utilization.

BUSINESS APP PRIORITIZATION

With the bevy of applications, devices and content constantly occupying business networks, network connections can easily become bogged down, slowing business critical processes. Networks typically give apps the same level of priority, regardless of whether they are business apps like voice, messaging, video conferencing and document sharing, or non-business apps like games, movies and social media apps.

Cisco networks allow users to not only configure QoS (Quality of Service) on company infrastructure, but to control the link from client to AP. Thus, even if a wireless network is congested with different app traffic, businesses can “whitelist” critical apps to prioritize them over noncritical apps. IT managers can even whitelist by SSID, allowing them to customize each user profile so that apps are prioritized by what is critical to the individual’s performance. Users can have different settings for different networks, optimizing connections for apps based on whether they are at their office network, school network, home network or somewhere else.

CISCO SPARK INTEGRATION

iOS 10 also includes CallKit, a new API which allows VoIP apps like Cisco Spark to be built to take advantage of the accessibility of iOS 10. CallKit enables VoIP apps to utilize the native phone app, ensuring continuity of habit with the native iPhone call experience, while allowing for the superior capabilities of Cisco Spark.

TAKEAWAYS

Cisco’s tests on iOS 10 integrated with Cisco networks have yielded the following results:

  • Up to 8 times faster roaming
  • 90 percent reduction in web browsing failures
  • Up to 66 percent more reliable calling
  • Management overhead can be reduced by 50 percent

iMESSAGE FOR BUSINESSES

iMessage (Image via Silicon Angle)

iMessage has opened its doors to developers, and with it, billions of dollars in market potential. Forbes recently commented: “The launch of the iMessage platform will mint a new generation of billionaire entrepreneurs and become the most valuable social platform in the west over the next five years.”

With a billion active iOS devices worldwide, the iMessage app store has 100 times the distribution footprint compared to the App Store when it launched in  2008. The iMessage store allows for Sticker Packs and iMessage Apps for free or purchase. Aside from creating branding opportunities for celebrities and a whole new platform for social gaming, the iMessage app store opens the door for companies to create extension of their existing apps which utilize iMessage. By integrating internal business apps with internal iOS apps, companies can simplify communication by keeping everything on the same thread.

iOS 10 FOR BUSINESSES

Utilizing the latest software will only improve business processes. iOS 10 provides numerous opportunities for businesses to create more efficient business processes and consolidate business communication on personal devices. It also opens the door for a bevy of future possibilities for businesses to take advantage of as the software evolves. Bring it up at the water cooler and you could change your company for the better.

Cashing Out the Smartphone: How Mobile Commerce Is Changing Retail

Android Development, iOS Development, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

This week, we wrap up our five-part series on Top App Development Trends for 2016 with an article on mobile commerce! For a recap, take a moment to review our last four articles on cross-platform app development, cloud integration, mobile security and IoT.

Smartphones have brought about unparalleled convenience in our daily lives. We are constantly connected to our rolodex of contacts with a variety of methods of communication. We can access all the information available on the world wide web anytime. We can find the nearest store of choice anywhere we go. For businesses, the mobile platform represents not only a major avenue for advertising, but an opportunity to give customers the ultimate convenience when purchasing products.

According to Internet Retailer, mobile commerce represents 30% of all US e-commerce and rose by 38.7% from 2014 to 2015. According to The Mobile Playbook, the absence of a mobile presence is the financial equivalent of closing a store for one day a week. Suffice to say, mobile commerce is only on the rise in the coming years. Here are the top mobile commerce trends for 2016:

INTEGRATING PHYSICAL WITH DIGITAL

Although the digital world is virtually omnipresent in households, the appeal of immediately receiving one’s purchases remains attractive. Retailers are offering an increasing variety of online + in-store options. Apps like Curbside have partnered with Target & Kroger’s to enable customers to skip the line when picking up their purchases.

PERSONALIZED MOBILE PAYMENTS DRIVE LOYALTY

Although services such as Apple Pay and Android Pay were once hailed as the future, they have had a hard time receiving mass adoption. This hasn’t stopped the impact of the mobile wallet on commerce. Starbucks drives 16% of transactions through its mobile app. Walmart Pay arrived in December 2015, and now Target is next in line to develop their own payment app.

WEARABLES ON THE RISE

According to Arc, there will be a 61% growth in wearable ownership in 2016. App developers and retailers are still plotting on how to capitalize on wearables. Many anticipate a hands-free shopping experience in which one can simply walk out with their purchases and have automatic charges through wearable devices. Wearables represent a major avenue for retailers to create innovative strategies and dictate trends to come.

MOBILE WEB DRIVES PURCHASES

While about 85% of time spent on mobile devices occurs in apps, the mobile web has actually proven to be a more successful in driving website traffic. Consumers spend 80% of their app time on their top 3 apps. The mobile web drives twice the amount of site traffic than mobile apps. With 82% of smartphone users looking to their phones in stores when deciding what to buy, many anticipate the mobile web to surpass apps as the largest revenue driver in the next few years.

This concludes our five-part series on Top App Development Trends for 2016! Follow the Mystic Media Blog for more awesome articles on app development, website design, strategic marketing and more!