Are you planning on developing an iOS app? If so, it’s important to understand certain fundamentals before getting started. Knowing the basics of iOS app development is key to your success.
Don’t worry if you lack experience in this area. The following points will help you plan your app development project thoroughly and effectively.
Know the Value It Will Offer
iOS apps consistently outperform Android apps in regards to customer spending. Developing an app for this platform will theoretically help you reach an audience willing to spend money on it.
That said, your app won’t succeed if it doesn’t provide genuine value for its users. You need to determine what your app will do that makes it attractive. You also need to define how it will be unique compared to similar apps. If you don’t take this initial step, you could waste your time and money developing a product that customers have no interest in.
Define Your Audience
Determining how your app will provide value to its target audience is important. However, you also need to understand what type of people belong in that target audience.
For instance, perhaps you want to create an app that helps startup founders coordinate with remote workers across the globe. In this case, you would study how successful apps with the same target audience managed to attract users. This will help you better understand how to not only develop an appealing app, but also market it effectively.
Crunch the Numbers
Again, app development requires an investment of both time and money. It’s essential that you set a realistic budget for your project. Additionally, you need to define how you will monetize your app. This is key to determining your potential return-on-investment. Even a strong app can fail to deliver results if you spend more money developing it than you can possibly earn when it reaches the market.
Review Apple’s Policies
In order for your product to be released via the App Store, you need to ensure it aligns with Apple’s policies and regulations. Because these can seem obscure if you’ve never developed an iOS app before, you may want to coordinate with a more experienced expert. They’ll let you know if you’re making any errors that would prevent your app from meeting the relevant standards.
Consider Developing Two Versions of Your App
Your goal is to develop an app that reaches as many potential customers as possible. Thus, you should consider what types of devices they may be using. You’ll limit your app’s potential if you only develop it for iPhone compatibility. For maximum reach, it’s best to develop a version that’s also compatible with the iPad. Although developing two versions will obviously take more time than developing one, in the long run, the financial benefits will likely justify the investment.
Use Frameworks
There are many reasons to develop an iOS app instead of an Android app. Access to frameworks is one of them. With the various frameworks available to developers, you can take “shortcuts” that will allow you to complete your project much more efficiently than you might realize. Once more, this is an instance when it helps to work with experts who understand how to use these frameworks.
Test and Revise
Don’t make the mistake of assuming the first iteration of your app will be perfect. It’s far more likely you’ll need to make adjustments after testing it.
While testing it among your team members is valuable, you also want to give actual users the opportunity to try out the first iteration. Their feedback can help you identify weaknesses you might have otherwise overlooked.
Remember these points as you plan your app. When you understand the fundamentals, developing an app that succeeds is much easier.
