When it comes to growing their business, companies often look for various ways can help them achieve their goal. Developing a mobile application has become one of the most popular ways for companies to grow and succeed. This is why the demand for mobile applications has seen a drastic increase. Today, investing their resources in developing a successful mobile application has become a vital objective for most of companies. This importance and popularity of mobile apps also bring with them a set of expectations, but is it truly possible to meet these expectations?
In this post, we will take a look at some of the key aspects involved in the process of mobile app development to understand how the expectations from these aspects actually differ from their reality.
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Expectation vs. Reality: Mobile Application Development
These expectations and the reality of these key aspects will help you determine whether it is worth investing your time and money in developing a mobile app. You can also use this information to prepare yourself better if you go ahead with developing a mobile app.
1. Technology
- Expectation – Business owners are often under the impression that mobile app development requires simple technology or is just a way of repacking for their existing platform. This expectation is usually because they do not possess sufficient knowledge about the software field and fail to think of all the various factors that are involved, such as accessibility features, security, etc. They often end up expecting that all they need to do is just create an easy proto-type app, and the developers will develop it accordingly.
- Reality – The reality is that mobile app development requires a lot of technical expertise as it involves complex coding. Hence, it is important to be aware of all the technical requirements. A key thing to remember is that you will always find new technologies emerging, so your development team should stay up to date on all the latest trends related to mobile app development.
2. Testing
- Expectation – Some of the business owners expect that since they have invested a lot of time, effort, and resources in developing the mobile app, there is no need to test it. They also form this opinion because the app might work well on their devices. However, it is common knowledge that this is not the right approach since the mobile app will be used on different types of devices and operating systems.
- Reality – Testing is one of the most important steps in the process of mobile app development. While testing, developers can ensure that the app is fully functional, meets user expectations, fix any bugs or issues before the app is live, and perform various other tests. Although testing the app may be a time-consuming process, it is an important phase since the app will be used on devices with different screen sizes and operating systems. This extensive testing will ensure that the mobile app is suitable for use by as many users as possible.
3. Timeline
- Expectation – Since many business owners expect the process of mobile app development to be simple, they also expect that the timeline will be simple and straightforward, with immediate results. The assumption that mobile apps are easy to build often leads to unrealistic expectations.
- Reality – The reality is that the mobile app development process is often complicated and can take quite some time to develop. There is always scope for unforeseen challenges which may impact the timelines. Rushing the timeline can end up with a poorly developed mobile app. Ideally, it can take anywhere between 3-4 months to develop the app. Hence, it is recommended to maintain a healthy expectation with regard to the overall timeline.
4. Cost
- Expectation – The expectation that business owners have with respect to the cost involved in developing a mobile app is that it wouldn’t be too expensive. The expectation arises from the fact that they often believe that developing a mobile app is all about repacking your existing website. Also, with the option to opt for low-code and no-code platforms, which enables businesses to build software without having to write even a single code, business owners tend to expect that mobile app development is quite affordable.
- Reality – The actual cost involved in the development of a mobile app depends primarily on what features you want to include and what technology you want to use. More the features you wish to integrate, the higher the cost. Also, mobile app development also includes maintenance costs which is an ongoing process. When newer technologies hit the market, you need to upgrade your mobile app, which involves additional costs.
5. Launch Process
- Expectation – One of the most common misconceptions in the process of mobile app development is the process of its launch. Many business owners expect that the launch process is an easy one that will go off smoothly since they have already spent sufficient time developing the app. They may also build up this expectation by looking at the number of already available apps in app stores, thinking that the launch process requires them to submit their app, and people will start downloading it immediately.
- Reality – The reality of launching a mobile app is quite far from this expectation. The launch process is often a long and tedious process. Popular app stores like Google Play and Apple App store have strict guidelines in place, which must be met before you can get the approval to launch your app in the stores. You will also need to invest time, resources, and money to market and promote the app.
6. Lifecycle Management
- Expectation – Several business owners expect their work to be done once the app is launched since they have already invested time, resources, and money in developing the app and marketing and promoting it. Many also consider bug fixes and app updates to be minor cosmetic updates that are to be considered only when customers complain.
- Reality – In reality, the success of your mobile app hugely depends on a robust and seamless lifecycle management that should be in place from day one. This management includes planning in advance for updates, setting up a feedback system, systematically managing user data, knowledge about the latest trends, and more. Staying on top of your app’s lifecycle management will go a long way in creating a positive user experience.
7. User Experience
- Expectation – A common expectation for business owners is that the user experience of their mobile app will be similar to that of their website. They are under the wrong impression that since users are experienced in browsing their websites on mobile, they will find it similar to using the app as well.
- Reality – The reality is that a mobile app is built quite differently than a website. While developing the app, it is important to remember that the a mobile app’s user experience should match the device’s features, specifications, and operating system. There are several factors to consider while focusing on the user experience of mobile devices, like accessibility features, needs of people with disabilities, voiceover functionality, etc.
Conclusion
We hope this post serves as a handy list for you to refer to while setting up your expectations while developing mobile apps. You can also check out some useful software, such as Mobile Device Management software or Mobile Development Platforms software on SaaSworthy.
