Flowers bloom every day but they have to die out soon too. Nothing is constant, and everything is ephemeral. The same, sadly, goes with mobile apps.
Every mobile app eventually dies with time.
So, how long is the mobile app lifecycle?
Well, the simple answer is, the longetivity depends on how successful your app is in the first place! I have seen lots of apps die as soon as they are launched, mostly because they didn’t have any customer base at all.
So what do you need to extend the lifecycle of an app?
Mobile Application Life Cycle
1. Planning of Apps
Well, it’s true; you need to be sure where the money exactly is! Next, you need to plan everything meticulously; the basic questions of why you are building the app and for whom the app is being built should be clear in your head. These are the basic foundation of your app and you cannot mess around with these.
Above all, do NOT over price your apps. Most companies today have an innovative line of thinking where they make the app free by itself but include options of in-app purchases where users can buy certain items, new levels; among others, required in the game for a fee.
This makes income for app developers a continuous process as people can always keep on buying the items as and when they require compared to the one-time cost users had to pay if they could purchase the game in its totality at one time.
2. Designing and Development of Mobile App
How could one stress the importance of designing less? An app’s design is what catches the eyes first and is a major factor to increase the ‘feel good’ factor. Colors should be soothing and the interface likeable. Wireframes could be used as blueprints and a beta version of the app is a must before launch.
3. Good Testing of Mobile App
Every app must be tested properly before being introduced. User experience is what must be tested. Natural interaction with the app must be encouraged and it must be remembered that users are not technical experts. The interface must be kept as simple as possible so that users can use it easily.
4. Adapting To Needs
The feel good factor is what drives the usage of an app. Unfortunately, especially for mobile app developers, the ‘feel good’ factors change with time. So, developers need to adapt and change apps to stay in touch. Lower costs and more adjustments will help. Do remember that by using SDKs and pre-built components you can keep the development costs lower which can eventually help you to price your app lower.
5. Sales through Mobile Application
There are many apps that just come and go! Don’t make your app meet the same fate. It is absolutely essential that you build proper sales channels. Today, word to word publicity and customer reviews go a long way to make an app successful. Use social networking sites and channels like Facebook and YouTube to market your product. Increase the app’s popularity by having reviews written about it in popular tech blogs.
So, which app is successful?
Well, a successful app, for one, stays in a users’ phone for long and the user uses it daily. As a developer, you do not want an app that just stays there; you need an app that is used often. Market the app, make it user friendly and above all, check for the ‘feel good’ experience that the app offers!