The trend of developing cross-platform mobile apps is becoming tremendously popular among developers nowadays because they can be used by more people when compared to apps created for an individual platform like iOS or Android.
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Tried & Tested Tips For Developing Quality Cross-Platform Mobile Apps |
For example, if you create an app that’s only compatible with android devices, then you won’t be able to connect with the people who either use iOS or Windows phones. And as a business owner, if you create an app by targeting the users of a particular platform, it won’t be good for the growth of your company. Your entire intention should always be to connect with as many people as you can, and developing a cross-platform app is the best way to fulfill your dreams.
If you develop a cross-platform app it can be used by people flawlessly on all the important platforms such as iOS, Windows, and Android. In this way, your app will allow you to connect with more people and there are high chances that they even become your customers in the future. Once they become aware of your products and services through the information provided by your app, they may buy them as well.
If you are planning to develop a cross-platform app for your business, here are some crucial tips for you.
1. Identify Your Target Audience
The first and most important step that you need to take while developing a cross-platform mobile app is to identify your target audience. You can never ever build a perfect app without knowing your target audience and their interests.
2. Check Your Competitor’s App At The First Place
Before developing your own app, you should try to figure out what your competitors are offering to potential users. It helps you in identifying in which area you need to put more efforts. If there is something that you think your competitors have failed to offer customers, you can include that in your app to make it unique. Until and unless you thoroughly examine your competitors’ apps you won’t be able to design and build a unique application.
3. Your App Has To Be Extremely Attractive
If potential users won’t find your application attractive and engaging they will never download it. In other words, potential users must find your app appealing, otherwise, they might not even go for it.
4. Select A Right Cross-Platform App Development Tool
For developing a perfect app that can be used on multiple platforms, you have to choose a right cross-platform app development tool which can simplify your task to a great extent. There are a number of cross-platform app development tools such as Xamarin, PhoneGap, Sencha, and Appcelerator,etc., which are used by popular brands for developing their apps.
Xamarin is one of the most popular cross-platform app development tools that’s used by developers all over the world today. It’s a user-friendly tool that comes with amazing features. It makes extremely simple for developers to share the base code among all different platforms like iOS, Android, and Windows. In addition to that, it also makes it simple for developers to access Native APIs, which eventually helps in developing quality apps efficiently. Xamarin is known for the faster shipping of cross-platform apps with no bugs and the entire credit goes to its automation testing provision.
You can also use PhoneGape, an open-source solution for developing cross-platform mobile applications which can work with iPhone and android. When it comes to converting codes written in different programming languages like JavaScript, HTML5, and CSS, to Native OS, PhoneGape remains really important for developers. And the best part is that PhoneGape can also code programs for Windows and Blackberry.
In short, you need to choose a tool that suits your needs in the best possible way.
5. Consider UI Guidelines Of All The Major Platforms
Developers have to be well versed with the UI guidelines of all the important platforms before developing a cross-platform app so that they can address the requirements of each platform effectively. You can’t offer a unique user experience if you are unaware of the UI guidelines of different platforms.
6. Your App Must Have Unique Features
If you want your app to beat other apps in the market, then it must be packed with interesting features that are very helpful for the users. If features of your app and that of your competitors are almost similar, then a very few people will opt for it. You have to provide something unique to them in order to win their hearts.
7. It Should Fulfill Additional Requirements of The Users
If your app can offer additional benefits to users it can become a big hit within a couple of months of its release. For example, if your app helps in booking tickets, how about including a feature which can help users find attractive holiday destinations across the world. It can prove to be the unique selling point of your app.
8. Your App Should Be User-Friendly
No matter who your target audiences are, you have to make sure that your app is user-friendly. No one prefers an app that’s too complicated to use. So it’s a challenge to develop an app that offers all the important benefits to users and is yet too simple to use. However, no matter how challenging it is but it’s not impossible, so you need to work in this area like anything if you want to attract more customers to your application.
9. Test Your App Before Releasing It
One of the most important steps in app development is that you need to test your app on different platforms before its release. If you do not test your app, you won’t be able to find out whether it’s working properly on different platforms or not. Make sure that it works flawlessly on each platform otherwise you will have to make necessary modifications to it. If you have developed a cross-platform app and it fails to fulfill its purpose, then there is no point making it available to the users.
10. Market Your App Before Its Launch
Another important thing that you must do before launching your app is to carry out marketing activities for it. It means you have to create awareness among the users about your app so that they can download it once it’s launched.
One of the best ways to develop a quality cross-platform app for your business is to take the help of a well-known Mobile App Development Service, which has been developing such applications for its clients for a couple of years now.