In today’s competitive age, users are more inclined to go for intuitive and functional apps. Besides, understanding the intricacies of each app platform, users are looking for apps which can offer – added value.
According to Flurry Analytics, time spent on apps is 86% as opposed to spent on browser, which is just 14%. This means that app developers must implement unique, exciting and out-of-the-box solutions for app development.
Here are 3 things app developers can do today, to create highly competitive apps :
1. Build for the Screen
Go for the most appropriate screen resolution, as per the app genre. An ideal screen resolution is based on a variety of factors.
- The platform, the app will be released for. Like iOS, Android or other
- Potential platforms the app will be ported to
- Graphical Stability (does it need to be high-resolution?)
To elaborate this further, let’s take an example of a game app. For a game, to work on iOS only limited resolutions are available.
- 960×640 pixels 3:2 – iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod Touch 4th generation
- 1136x640px, 16:9 – iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5S, iPod Touch 5th generation
- 1024×768 pixels 4:3 – iPad 1st generation, iPad 2, iPad Mini
- 1334×750 pixels 16:9 – iPhone 6
- 1920 x 1080 pixels, 16:9 – iPhone 6 Plus
- 2048 x 1536 pixels, 4:3 – iPad Air, iPad mini retina
If the game app is being developed for Android, developers can pick from a number of resolutions.
- 1280×720 pixels, 16:9
- 1680×1050 pixels, 16:10
- 1280×768 pixels, 5:3
- 1080×1920 pixels, 16:9
- 960×640 pixels, 3:2, as on iOS
- 1024×768 pixels, 4:3
These numbers will only get you started. With experience and enough experimentation you will be able to build your own criteria of best resolutions.
2. Build to Earn
When you give an irresistible user experience, you know you are earning a customer (maybe, for life). Looking at the in-app monetization trends, app designers can pick the most apt platform. For instance, Josh Williams, President and Chief Science Officer at Kontagent says, from the data they gathered, it is clear the Android monetizes 40 to 50 percent lesser than iOS. This makes iOS a much viable platform.
If we dig this deeper, he thinks that though Android monetizes tad bit lesser than iOS the acquisition cost on Android is much less (per user basis). This leads to enhanced profitability on Android. App developers can draw their own conclusions from statistical data to smartly allocate their app-spend on profit per install and per user basis.
3. Build for the Community
Embrace change. Adhere to Moore’s Law, to stay in tune with future trends. For instance, iPhone 5 can handle Velocity and not iPhone 4. Based on this, we know that iPhone 6 will allow Velocity to calculate objects traveling at 600 mph. This means, iPhone 6 can process 120 frames per second camera empowering Velocity.
Transforming technology is about reaching that far-fetched customer. No matter how technically-rich your app is, make it shareable. Customers love to be a part of change. As we know, shareable app experiences convert to better reputation and revenue, in due time.
What makes a successful app?
Answer the following before you jump on to that tempting app development project.
- Will your app solve customer’s problem?
- Will it improve customer engagement?
- Will it improve your brand presence?
- Will it complement and enhance the website offerings?
- Will it generate revenue?
Ideally, a great app is the one which can perform one thing well and not the other way round. Successful apps are nothing but – simplistic, reliable and usable.
