App development basic knowledge
App development & apps: a market worth billions
A few years ago, it was said that apps were a thing of the past. Nonsense: today, in 2022, there are more apps than ever before. Accordingly, app development is also booming. Global sales now amount to over 300 billion dollars. Before we load applications onto our devices, we need to develop apps, of course. Customers regularly ask questions about this topic.
We therefore provide a broad overview of app development and answer frequently asked questions. As a bonus, we offer a decision tree to download, which helps you decide whether app development makes sense for a specific purpose. We also clearly show the advantages and disadvantages of the different types of apps. Let's go.
How is the term app defined?
There is no clear definition for apps. In German-speaking countries, an app is generally understood as an application that runs on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. The word app is the abbreviation of the English word application. However, some software manufacturers now also refer to desktop application programs as apps. However, by app development in this article, we only mean applications that are developed for mobile devices.
How does an app differ from other software?
The question can be answered with a counter question: How do mobile devices differ from desktop PCs and notebooks? Mobile devices generally have significantly smaller displays. Your input methods are based on touch displays and not on keyboards and mice. In addition, users almost always have the devices with them. These special features must therefore be taken into account in app development. At the same time, applications for PCs and laptops are becoming more and more similar to the look and feel of apps. Manufacturers are thus also taking into account the trend that Gen Z and Gen Alpha generally have their first experiences with computers on mobile devices.
What was the first app?
The first app available in Apple's App Store was not a calculator app, but actually an elaborately produced game for the time called Super Monkey Ball. Super Monkey Ball was developed by Apple in cooperation with SEGA. That marked a turning point in the history of SEGA. It was one of the manufacturer's first games that was not released exclusively on a SEGA game console (the company had to give up their console business later).
The Google Play Store, which was still called Android Market back then, took a less spectacular approach. The first app developed for Google Play, was an application for scanning bar codes.
Apple's App Store now has around 2.2 million apps, Google Play almost 3.5 million and the Amazon App Store has around half a million apps (as of 2021).
Why separate development for mobile devices?
The operating systems on mobile devices differ from desktop operating systems. As already described above, mobile devices have smaller displays and have other input methods (touch). Applications that are to work on smartphones and tablets must be adapted accordingly. Since billions of mobile devices are now used, the market and demand of applications that run cleanly on it is very large. Smartphones are present in almost every situation in life and are now replacing many formerly external and separate tools such as flashlights, calculators, etc. In private use, they often replace entire PCs and laptops. And even in a business context, PCs and laptops are swapped for smartphones and tablets in certain situations.
What types of apps are there?
In principle, apps can be divided into the categories of native apps, web apps, progressive web apps, hybrid apps and cross-platform apps. The distinction results specifically from the development of the app. Why you choose which type of app depends in turn on the desired features of the app and the budget.
Before we present the individual categories, it is important to know that the market for mobile devices is divided in two (as of 2022). Of course, there are more than two manufacturers of mobile devices, but the operating systems that are installed on the devices come almost exclusively from Apple or Google. Apple's iOS operating system only runs on Apple devices. Google's operating system is called Android. It runs on almost all devices that are not from Apple. Amazon's Fire OS operating system plays a minor role. However, it should be noted that Fire OS is an Android derivative. Around 8 percent of all apps come from Amazon. Due to the flop of the Amazon Fire Phone, apps that run on Fire OS play no role on smartphones. That is why we will not go further into this in this article.
What is a native app?
Native apps are apps that have been developed for a specific platform (Android or iOS). Native Android apps are written in Java or Kotlin, native iOS apps in Objective C or Swift. The implementation is not portable. This means that an app that was developed specifically for Android does not run on iOS and vice versa.
What is a (progressive) web app?
Web apps are apps that do not have to be downloaded and installed separately from Apple's App Store or Google Play. Rather, they are websites that allow a separate mobile display and are responsive, i.e. adapt to smaller displays. Web apps can be accessed via any standard browser. What is the difference between a responsive website and a web app? Responsive websites are adapted to different screen sizes thanks to their HTML and CSS code, just like this website. These are web apps as well, but they also run on the device's local storage and can access the device's APIs (interfaces). This enables features such as the use of Bluetooth. Javascript frameworks and HTML 5 are used to make this feasible.
Progressive web apps (PWA) are an extension of web apps. They can both be accessed and installed via the browser.
What is a cross-platform framework?
Cross platform frameworks refer to the cross-platform development of apps. It is, so to speak, the alternative to native app development, where development is carried out autonomously for every operating system. Most of the source code can be used for both platforms. This has advantages because many assets do not have to be developed separately for iOS and Android. The development of hybrid apps and cross-platform frameworks is not the same, as hybrid app development combines native development and web technologies — a big difference from the point of view of developers.
Flutter and React Native are two of the most well-known cross-platform frameworks. Both frameworks can be used for iOS and Android development, but do not rely on web technologies to display the app. React Native is based on the well-known React web framework, but presents the implemented user interfaces as native operating system components instead of as a website. As in web development, the code is written in JavaScript or TypeScript. Flutter, on the other hand, refrains from using “real” native operating system components: Instead, the framework provides components in Google's Material Design — as well as, if required — copies of the native operating system components. The code is developed in the Dart programming language.
There is a lively open source ecosystem for both frameworks, so that no native, operating system-specific code has to be written in most cases to connect native functionality, such as querying the location. With some cross-platform frameworks, the code is not only portable for iOS and Android, but can also be used for web or desktop applications.
Features as well as advantages and disadvantages of the app types
Each type of app has advantages and disadvantages with its specific characteristics. Development challenges vary accordingly. Native apps are therefore, understandably extremely well adapted to the respective operating system. However, the effort that development requires when iOS and Android have to be developed independently is a disadvantage. Generally valid advice without knowing the application case cannot be taken seriously off the cuff. However, our overview helps you to approach the challenge of finding the right type of app. (With web apps, we use the properties of progressive web apps.)
Does developing an app make sense?
Much more important than the question of what kind of app should be developed, is the question of whether an app needs to be developed at all and whether the decision is economic. At the very least, these questions should be at the beginning of all considerations.
The trend is now declining, but at the beginning of the 10s, the belief seemed to prevail that every digital (B2C) application must also be available as an app. There were online shop operators of niche products who were thinking about having an app developed for their spruce needle bath accessories shop. Uncritical app developer stalls were happy about that. But that is not a customer-centric and economic approach: A look at your own usage behavior, or even better in stats quickly shows how few apps we use regularly or only sporadically. Accordingly, only a small number of the millions of apps make it onto our devices. And even those that make it are sometimes not opened once.
As app developers, we don't want to speak out against apps in principle, but we critically question the whole thing. Sometimes a mobile-optimized website is simply enough or it is not necessary to make a desktop application available for mobile devices as well. Of course, this is part of good advice.
These questions will help you make a decision:
- Should running the app itself generate a ROI?
- Does the application primarily rely on native functions of the mobile device (Bluetooth, push messages, etc.)?
- Does the application have to be offline and mobile at the same time?
- Can the value proposition be solved by a mobile website?
- Is the application designed to be used regularly?
- Is it important that technical updates reach users quickly?
- Are only a few regular technical updates necessary?
The app development decision tree can be downloaded in high resolution here.
How much does it cost to have an app developed?
The costs of app development cannot be generalized. Because every project is (almost always) different. Development costs vary even between the different types of apps. So once the decision has been made to develop an app, one of the next steps should be carefully considered what type of app makes the most sense to meet the needs of users. If a progressive web app is sufficient here, you can usually save a lot of money compared to developing the other types of apps. It is interesting that the costs of native app development are higher for Android than for iOS. From a purely consumer point of view, this is astonishing, as Apple products are otherwise at the very top in terms of price. The reason for the higher costs of Android compared to Apple's iOS is the various Android variants and their updates, which must be operated.
Compared to other software projects, app development is usually more complex, which in turn drives costs. One reason for this is the releases. While updates can be continuously updated with SaaS products that run via the browser of desktop PCs, this is simply not possible with apps. Many users update the apps manually or only download them at night. That is why app development looks even more pedantic to ensure that the app runs smoothly and at the same time that users do not have to download new updates every day.
How are apps developed?
App development projects do not differ significantly from other software projects in terms of structure and organization. Agile, Lean, Scrum, Kanban or even Waterfall, all methods are possible here. Only the testing process is more complex, as described under Costs of App Development. Of course, apps can also be developed as MVP. Apps that started as MVP are even numerous.
B2B apps, B2E apps and super apps
The term B2E may not be as well known. B2E is business-to-employee. In this context, B2E apps mean the provision of apps by a company purely for employees.
But are B2E or B2B apps worthwhile? This question is also (rightly) often asked. However, from our point of view, the point of view is wrong. The focus is not on the app itself, it is not an end in itself. Rather, as with other business decisions, the question is: What do I want to achieve or what are my goals? And how can I achieve these goals? A possible solution here could be a B2B app or a B2E app.
For our customer Farmsaat, it has proverbially paid off to have an app developed purely for internal use. Here, the app was the decisive tool for digitizing sales. Specifically, the paper-based sales of Farmsaat sales representatives was carried out by an offline-enabled app replaced. Filling out order forms by hand created potential for errors and sending the order forms by post lengthened the process enormously. The app speeds up ordering and minimizes errors: -73% in processing time and 50% fewer errors are the result.
The example shows that both B2B apps and apps can be useful and add value purely for internal use within an organization. Although apps originate in the B2C sector, more and more companies are also recognizing the added value for B2B and internal purposes.
In our blog article on B2E and B2B apps we deal with the topic in detail.
Super apps: at the forefront in Asia
So-called super apps have become very popular, especially in Asia/Southeast Asia. But what distinguishes super apps from “conventional” apps. As a rule, smartphone apps offer only a few, closely linked services (single-service app). In the balancing act, super apps try to offer different services and features. This is often a combination of payment, delivery, trade and other functionalities. Some of the bundled functions do not even come from the same provider, but marketplace concepts are used in which third parties offer additional services in the app.
How do apps get on the App Store and Google Play?
The good news in advance: Compared to developing apps, inclusion in stores is relatively easy. The pure “admission fees” are also comparatively moderate. Only the procedures between App Store and Google Play differ. Apple's App Store requires a total of five steps to achieve a recording.
- Sign up for the Apple Developer Program. Credit card details must be stored here and, in the case of companies, also the tax number and D-U-N-S number (a nine-digit number that allows companies to be uniquely identified based on their location). Individuals pay 99 US dollars to sign up, companies 299 US dollars.
- Sign in to the App Store Connect site. Screenshots of the app are provided here.
- Test the app with Testflight and Xcode and check app compliance with App Store guidelines.
- Upload the app using Xcode.
- Wait for approval. This takes less than 24 hours for most apps. In most cases, the apps are also no longer checked by humans. If approval is not issued, there may be various reasons for this. These include security and data protection aspects, poor app quality in general, errors or general legal violations.
In Google Play, the process is as follows.
- Create a developer account with Google. It costs 25 US dollars. If the app is offered for a fee or if in-app purchases are possible, bank details must also be stored.
- Upload the app.
- Fill out the app description about product details in general, graphics and content in specific and available languages. Finally, the app must be categorized here, either as an app or a game. In the respective category, tags must then be selected that describe the app or game. User contact details and privacy policy are then provided.
- Upload the source code or apk file.
- Complete the app content rating questionnaire. This is used specifically for age classification.
- (Optional) Set a fee for the app.
- Release app for review. This can take up to seven days, but it is usually much faster. The reasons for refusing an admission are almost the same as those of Apple's App Store.
Does an app have to be published on the App Store or Play Store?
In principle, apps do not have to be published in Apple's App Store or Google Play. However, it is usually recommended. How else should users be able to simply obtain the app? Especially in view of the fact that there is a duopoly not only in terms of stores, but also in mobile operating systems. To simply reduce the effort, the step is not worthwhile. Anyone who has taken the trouble to develop a working app should go the last few meters and push for publishing in stores. However, it is possible to bypass the stores or at least an official listing.
How do I get to the top of the App Store and Google Play?
Most apps aim to generate as many downloads as possible or even to be found among the millions of apps. Accordingly, marketers and growth hackers are doing everything they can to end up as high as possible in search results for selected keywords in Apple's App Store and Google Play, logically. First, the good news: You can influence this and it's worth it. Now for the bad news: This is relatively complex, and endurance and resources are also required.
Anyone who has a rough idea of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) will get a rough idea of what needs to be considered and what to do. However, when optimizing search results in stores, we do not speak of SEO, but of ASO (App Store Optimization). The term here refers to all available stores, with a focus on Google and Apple. While search engine marketing clearly distinguishes between search engine optimization and search engine advertising, this is not so stringent when it comes to app store optimization. But of course, there is also the option in the app stores to use ads as an alternative or in addition in order to be at the top of the search results. As with SEA, this has advantages and disadvantages, such as rapid placement at the top, but also higher costs in the long term and a significantly lower sustainability of the measures.
ASO now has many aspects that need to be considered, even though the scope is not yet as large as with SEO. We would like to briefly show what managers should consider when optimizing App Store in general, regardless of whether it is Google Play or Apple's App Store.
- Name of the app: It should be catchy and easy to remember. It may make sense that he already provides information about the customer promise or that it at least appears in the title. The title must also not be too long (Google 50, Apple 30 characters)
- Key words: Think of suitable keywords that users will use when searching in the store to find your app. In fact, the app name is not necessarily entered in the search masks of the app stores, but words are used that describe the function, solution or problem, such as video downloader, poker or full memory.
- App description: In the description, write in an understandable way what your app offers, what the promise you are keeping is and of course make you want to use it. Set yourself apart from the competition and see what your competitors complain about by users. Use keywords in the description too, but don't overdo it, it usually backfires. Also note which languages or at least which target markets you are traveling to. It may therefore be necessary to offer several languages.
- Visuals: Include appealing but real screenshots, and even better, create a short video. The app icon should also make you want to download the app.
- Ratings and reviews: The topic is often neglected by beginners, but it is immensely important. Empiricism shows that before downloading the app, the vast majority looks at the reviews beforehand and takes a look at the reviews. It is noticeable that particularly disappointed and very enthusiastic users are active. Reviews and ratings should therefore not be left to chance. It is therefore useful to analyze exactly at what point in time, you kindly ask users to leave a rating/review. Of course, this should not be right after the first few minutes of use, but at a point or at a time when the user has had a very positive experience with the app, or has used it for a long time. We also recommend responding to user criticism. Especially when statements relate to bugs and vulnerabilities, you should take up the criticism and, of course, promise improvement if possible.
- Churn rate: Identify when and where users uninstall your app and optimize it accordingly so that the uninstall rate decreases and the frequency of use increases.
- Off-page: Look for ways to get backlinks that point to your app.
How do I measure the success of my app?
Objectives differ from company to company and accordingly from app to app. In our mentioned farm seed case with the B2B app, the focus was on minimizing errors, speeding up processes and thus also increasing customer satisfaction. Other business models, for example, require apps to achieve direct ROI, for example through in-app purchases, downloads for a fee or through advertising revenue. Yet other business models pursue different purposes. In short: The eine metric or which There are no KPIs that fit all apps.
“Pirate Metrics” offer a good and easy-to-penetrate model for defining success factors and measuring the success of digital products. The Pirate Metrics, briefly described, look at the customer lifecycle and help identify the decisive success aspects and bottlenecks in every phase. The model consists of awareness, acquisition, activation, revenue, retention and referral. If you follow Pirate Metrics stringently, you have a very suitable tool for measuring success and identifying success factors and weak points. How exactly the Pirate Metrics are used and more details using an example are given in a separate blog post.
Conclusion
An app is not always the right choice. Considering the costs and effort involved in developing an app, the move should be well considered. Sometimes it's enough to put all your technical, sales and marketing know-how into a website. On the other hand, there are more and more use cases for apps off the beaten path. B2B-focused companies are discovering the benefits of B2B apps to increase sales, retain customers and be able to act in a more customer-oriented manner. The use of apps can also add value for purely internal use within organizations.