Thursday 18 December 2014

Making Developers Aware of iOS 8 Features

iPhone development company, iPhone development services, hire iPhone developer IndiaThe latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system is now available in the market and showcases numerous improvements from notifications to the Touch ID sensor. It has many additions as well as improvements to its credit, like the introduction of the new programming language called Swift, integration of information related to health as well as smart home gadgets.

Developers already had their access to iOS 8 since June so that they get the option to make them able to explore the features, understand the changes and subsequently test the apps. The iOS 8 provides the developers with the scope of working on an adaptive user interface with APIs characterized by context sensitivity, extended functionality, a totally new programming language and many more.

The iOS 8 has over 4000 new APIs that have resulted in making the apps bolder and more responsive. These features are listed below:

Adaptive User Interface: The introduction of Auto Layout has compelled developers to think differently about user interfaces. Previously the developers had to keep in mind the different ways the users may come across the apps specifically the landscape and the portrait meaning the horizontal as well as the vertical views. Adoption of Auto Layout has been successful in getting rid of this particular issue. It is a tool that helps in simplifying the process involved in fitting the apps to screens in the developer suite of Apple named Xcode.

Home Kit Framework: This feature connects all devices in a certain location and is used for discovering devices at home, configuring along with providing them with necessary commands with respect to the user’s requirements. The latest version also provides for grouping of the actions on the basis of selected zones which can further be triggered with the help of Siri. The basic zones that have the provision of configuration through the framework are Rooms, Homes, Accessories, Services and Zones (upstairs or downstairs).

PhotoUI.framework: With the help of the Photo kit framework, the developer or rather the user gets the option of editing photos directly in the camera roll app without importing those as it was in the earlier versions. The photo kit feature incorporates a thread safe element to fetch, catch thumbnails and assets of full size. The framework requests changes to the assets, receives notification on the changes that are made by other apps along with the conversion of the digital assets in a lucid and easy to use format.

Health Kit framework: It is a relatively new feature that provides a framework to the user for the complete management of the information related to the health of the individual. This feature has made the sharing of health related information easier for the different apps irrespective of the source of the same as to if it is coming from devices connected to an iOS device or being manually entered by the user. The information of the user’s health is then stored in a secure and centralized location letting the user see all of the same displayed through the Health app.

Cloud Kit Framework: This feature is related to managing the content that has the provision of being changed in specific instances when the app has to run on several devices. It thereby allows the developer or the user to design the apps in such a way so as to gain control over handling the data. The iCloud storage are of four types namely, key value storage, iCloud document storage, Core Data storage and Cloud Kit storage.

App Extension: A great feature of the iOS 8, App Extension enables the user to make changes and modify the architecture of the system in a systematic way like handling the customization of the notification bar, addition of filters to the photo library amongst many others.

Handoff Mechanism: This unique mechanism helps the user to start an activity on a particular device and then resume the same without any further complication on another device. It is a great feature of the iOS 8 that offers the user the comfort of continuing a process or an activity on different devices without undergoing the pain of shuffling them again and again.

Local Authentication Framework: This framework named as the TouchID adds an extra cover of security to the apps that can use the feature for the purpose of authenticating a user prior to accessing of the complete or some of the content that may be stored in the app. It asks for a pass code the moment a user tries to get access to a particular app.

Notifications in the 8th version of the iOS are easily accessible, Siri is a lot more user friendly and responsive. It also enables the use of the TouchID by third party apps, navigation of mails have been made easier by a single swipe. With the latest version, the keyboard has become smarter, photos and camera have become more advanced, the Health kit feature results in unification of medical information while Home kit provides for a smarter and master control of the home. The totally revamped version has allowed for the group functioning of the messages, the continuity feature acts a bridge to link Macs and Mobiles along with advanced family sharing options that lets the members of a family spread media files to up to 6 people. To get maximum benefits of iPhone development, you may consider hiring services of a certified iPhone development company.

We provide iPhone development services. To hire iPhone developer India, please reach out to us at Mindfire Solutions.

Tuesday 2 December 2014

Mobile Development Trends for 2015

mobile app development companies in India, offshore mobile application development, hire mobile application programmerThe development of mobile apps reached the mainstream in its true sense with the users ending up with an app for all kinds of jobs. But you will be surprised to know that the mobile app development is still in its beginning stages. A number of research studies have explained this fact. According to them while 2014 witnessed the development of apps for everything, in 2015, the focus would be on convenience. It is estimated that in 2015 the app market will grow by leaps and bounds. It will offer huge growth as well as monetary returns. Therefore, app development is set to evolve as a lucrative market with its varied approaches from the developers. These professionals are striving to introduce both comfort and convenience in routine tasks through the apps. In addition, mobile commerce will enjoy a boost too. These factors will definitely lead to certain major developments in the world of mobile apps in 2015.

Let’s take a look at some of the impending trends:

HTML5 to be recognized as the best platform for mobile development: In the past few years HTML5 has garnered huge popularity as a mobile development platform. It is expected that this trend will continue. Rather its popularity will increase in the coming year. As far as iOS 7 is concerned, it supports JavaScript as the language in its XCode tool chain. Today, however, iOS is no longer a dominating platform. Hence, the developers are looking for more option for cross platform development. Under such current situation, besides, iOS and Android, HTML5 is evolving as the next best thing in this field. Besides, as an open source project, the PhoneGap is a good choice which is also supported by Adobe. As a matter of fact, there is a continuous development as far as its features and hardware supports are concerned.

Android vs. iOS: It is expected that Android will come out as the clear winner in this war. In comparison to iOS android has been constantly growing as a mobile platform. In the last years the number of developers using Android has grown by 71%. However, presently, iOS receives better developer’s revenue owing to its huge market as well as the low end Android phones.

What cannot be overlooked in this war is the presence of Google. Amidst iOs and Android’s war, Google seems to be gaining significantly. It is also gradually uniting the split version of Android. Moreover, it is also moving most of the functionalities to the Google Play. In this regard, too, the Android apps seem to be the final winner.

More and more new OS-es will be coming into existence: Of course, Android and iOS are still the two dominant forces in the world of mobile OS. But gradually other operating systems will be catching up with these two. Although Windows and Blackberry are still lacking behind but it is speculated that by 2015 new operating systems will be gaining popularity in the commercial market. Ubuntu’s mobile version, Firefox OS, Sailfish and Tizen are some of the OS-es that might also gain popularity in the market.

Boost in connected objects: Google recently bought Nest, the maker of smart apps. Along the same line Samsung has also launched a washing machine that is entirely controlled by Wi-Fi in addition to the smart televisions and video games. It is expected that in 2015 more of such connected devices will come into existence. Such technological products might include wearable items, household appliances and several other products.

Native apps to decrease: It is an often repeated cycle in the world of technology in which a new product gains popularity and rises, the older versions slowly become redundant. The same trend will be noticed in 2015 as well. There will be changes in the mobile platform scenario where the new, riding trends in the web will result in the decrease in the popularity of the native mobile applications.

Rise of the Meteor: This is one app that is expected to rise steadily in the coming year. Owing to its awesome features more and more users will choose this framework in the future. One of its biggest advantages is that it offers updates on real time UI without putting any efforts. It is also extremely productive and simple to use.

Bend towards the wearable devices: This trend has already being in 2014. By next year there is a possibility that more wearable items will come into existence. As a result apps related to these devices will also be developed on a large scale.

The digital platforms today require more security than ever. This year there have been several incidents where these platforms have been hacked as secured data have been leaked. Hence, there will be a trend towards securing the apps more strongly in 2015. Hence apps that can improve the security rates will also be developed. Offshore mobile app development companies in India can help you build projects within allocated budgets and time schedules.

We provide offshore mobile application development services. To hire mobile application programmer from us, please reach out to us at Mindfire Solutions.

Tuesday 25 November 2014

Android 5.0 Lollipop Vs Apple Ios 8 - War of the Giants

Android development company, Android application development, hire Android app developerThe Fall of 2014 witnessed the release of two vital mobile OS – the Android 5.0 Lollipop and iOS 8. This is one of the most interesting things that have happened in the mobile world over the last few months. However, the launch of iOS 8 might seem to be of little interest to the Android users. But if you are interested in the mobile technologies then it is important to consider both these releases. It has been often witnessed that ideas flow from one good operating system to the other. Previously both these operating systems were largely compared depending on their polish as well as features. While Android had more customizations and features, iOS was known for its superior finish. However, the latest releases have forever changed the way these two will be compared in the future. Apple has updated OS in a way that now it has as many features as Lollipop.

Design: The Material design of Android Lollipop ranks it on the similar platform of iOS polish and finish. Although on the surface it might appear similar but in reality they offer different kinds of user experiences. From Google’s point of view this is an ambitious release as far as its design is concerned. Android has offered a stock look for over several years. With Lollipop it has broken away from that stereotype. But the sad news is that all the features of this new design are not available for the users. The users mostly use UI skins whether it is Samsung, HTC or any other device. Presently only Nexus smartphones are offering Lollipop in its truest color. It is really sad that the other users will probably miss out on the layers, textures, shadows as well as the transparencies that have been designed so exquisitely.

For the first time in the history of the Android phones the UI (user interface and UX (user experience) has a clarity of purpose. Moreover, the design is equally available to an array of handheld devices and is in perfect sync. This is where Apple lacks behind. It is one of those things that Apple has not offered for quite some time now.

The iOS 8, on the other hand, has introduced only minor changes from its previous version, iOS 7. Last time the most noted change in introduced by Apple was OS X Yosemite.

As far as the visual appearance is concerned both have similar color patterns as well as languages yet there are several differences. The primary difference lies with the navigation style of how an app is accessed and then getting back to the home button. The Android version has updated its soft menu bar and is offering a way to get in and out in a semi-omnipresent style.

Thus, in this aspect the Lollipop seems to score over iOS 8.

Performance: Quite similar to its predecessor iOS 8 comes across as a 64-bit OS that runs on the 64-bit hardware. Although the devices from Apple are considered less powerful for this reason when compared to Android’s controls but when considered from both OS and hardware aspect, the iOS is known to outperform the more powerful Android devices.

The Android L, on the other hand, completely supports a 64-bit processor and is packed with a completely new runtime. The app performances in these devices, thus, stand improved and far better than that of its contemporaries.

Battery Life: Project Volta’s batteries are used for the Lollipop devices as these are known for projecting better battery life. When compared to KitKat it has been noticed that they offer 1/3 longer battery and the runtime, too, is less demanding. This factor also helps the batteries to perform better.

iOS 8 is also suggested to be more efficient than ever. But the batteries are quite heavy as compared to the ones found in iOS 5. With increase ratio in the performance, the sizes of batteries have grown too.

Software Updates: This is an aspect where iOS scores over Android. While the Apple users can access the updates immediately once launched, the Android users wait till the manufacturers introduce the updates for the handheld devices. However, with the introduction of the Google Play the users can update their software every six weeks.

Eco-systems: In this regard both the operating systems have evolved. The iOS and Android have set off as OS for the mobile platforms. Gradually they had improved and were introduced for tablets. Both of them have their focus set on in-car systems, home automation and health monitoring. Although their approaches are different, their focus is the same.

It is perhaps too early to predict for the OS-es right now. They would have to be in the market for a decent period before a verdict can be passed. What it looks at this moment is that both the operating systems are looking quite similar than ever. To get the maximum out of your android apps, you need to look for an Android development company that provides expert android development service to clients.

We provide Android application development services. To hire Android app developer from us, please reach out to us at Mindfire Solutions.

Wednesday 12 November 2014

The Rise in Marketing Through Mobile Apps

offshore mobile application development, mobile app development services, hire mobile app developersAccording to Forbes.com, “In 2014, app downloads are expected to top 179 billion. By 2017, this is going to rise to over almost 270 billion.” The download figures clearly indicate that mobile applications have become an inseparable part of modern lifestyle. The rapidly increasing popularity of mobile apps encourages many enterprises to switch from web-based marketing to mobile marketing. A constant increase is also being noted in the number of companies carrying out marketing campaigns through mobile apps. Mobile apps help businesses in promoting their products or services by targeting the most relevant customers regardless of their current geographical locations. Both large and small businesses can further reap several benefits by carrying out marketing through mobile applications.

Advantages of Using Mobile Apps for Marketing Products or Services

Target a Much Wider Audience: Many reports have highlighted the rapidly growing popularity of smartphones, tablets, phablets and other mobile devices. So a business has options to launch applications for a wide variety of mobile devices. An enterprise can use apps to promote its products or services by targeting more than one billion smart devices. It can easily convey the marketing materials and promotional offers to millions of customers and prospects without putting any extra effort.

Reach Customers Anytime and Anywhere: Most users keep their mobile devices within arm’s reach. Many users even carry their smartphones, tablets and phablets throughout the day. So the mobile apps enable businesses to communicate with their customers and prospects anytime and anywhere. Along with conveying the marketing materials, the mobile apps can also be used by enterprises to send messages and notifications. A number of reports have highlighted that messages or notifications sent through mobile applications are read by the recipients in mere seconds.

Personalize Marketing Campaigns: A business can also use mobile apps to gather detailed information about the customers. For instance, an enterprise can use mobile apps to know the habits, hobbies, preferences and socioeconomic status of its target audience. The vital customer data collected through the apps can be used by the company to make its marketing campaigns personalized. The personalized mobile marketing campaigns will help the business in increasing its sales and revenues.

Build Long-Term Relationships: To remain profitable in the longer run, each enterprise has to build long-term relationship with its customers. Along with attracting new customers, it is also important for the business to keep the existing customers engaged and happy. The mobile apps make it easier for businesses to attract new customers by conveying attractive offers and special deals. Likewise, the applications can further generate repeat business by delivering impressive customer service. A business can further use the applications to improve the quality of customer service by collecting customers’ feedback and response.

Facilitate Marketing Content Creation: The quality of marketing content often impacts the marketing campaign results directly. So each business has to invest time, efforts and funds to deliver attractive and engaging marketing content. Often enterprises find it a daunting challenge to design marketing content for web-based promotional campaigns. But an enterprise can create mobile marketing content without putting any extra time and efforts. The mobile content along with specials and promotional information can also be conveyed to the target audience effectively through mobile apps.

Allow Customers to Buy Products on the go: The webs stores have made it easier for customers to buy products without any hassle. But a business can make it easier for customers to buy products through their mobile device. A customer can further use his mobile device to buy desired products on the go. So a business can use mobile apps to modernize its sales and transaction process. It can create an application that allows customers to select items and make payment regardless of their current locations. The right mobile app can further help the business in getting more sales and inquiries.

On the whole, a business can get higher ROI by carrying out marketing campaigns through mobile apps. The business can further use certain tools to launch applications for different mobile platforms. So it becomes easier for a company to promote its products and services regardless of users’ mobile devices and operating systems. Offshore mobile application development teams can help you build projects within allocated budgets and time schedules.

We provide mobile app development services. If you would like to hire mobile app developers from us, we would be glad to assist you at Mindfire Solutions.

Friday 24 October 2014

Challenges and Opportunities in mobile app development

top mobile app development companies, mobile app development services, hire mobile app developersThe challenges posed infront of a mobile app developer is a huge one nowadays. While the opportunity to work in this industry is vast but the constant evolution of handheld devices is redefining usability as well. Thus, such a development poses new questions like which device to target, how to secure data or how to create effective and user friendly apps. The mobiles explosion dictates that in the next few years it will become imperative to improve the services while delivering mobile experience. The scenario is similar in the IT departments as well where more corporate users are resorting to handheld devices for accessing enterprise data. Thus, the need of the hour for the developers is a cross or multi platform development initiative.

Rapid development in the mobile world leads to a number of challenges

The first challenge that the mobile app developers will face is the Context. This includes the preference, situation and attitude of the customer. Preferences refer to the information that the customer has shared personally or via social networks. The situation and action of the customer are dependent on his location as well as the conditions he is presently experiencing. Context is important because it helps in delivering the right kind of app solution only when there is ample information about the device the customer has, local context of the same device, what are his preferences and the sensors around the devices. Gathering this kind of data is always a challenge. Hence, it has to be stored across multiple systems to which the app requires to be connected.

Another problem is the pace with which the smartphones are progressing. Apparently it sounds easy to develop as well as submit an app for a 7-inch or 10-inch screen to an app store. But the process is not that easy as in the near future, the developing process will become tougher with devices in new sizes coming to the front. The need for flexibility for the apps will rise too for ensuring better user experience. Currently, there are tablets, phablets and the Window 8 smartphones. In the near future there will be further modifications and collecting data will expand significantly as well.

Every mobile app developer realizes the importance of security but for them this means that each operating system has a separate custom architecture. There are times when various mobile platforms offer varying degrees of support to secure data that is stored on the device. On the other hand, every mobile does not require same amount of attention regarding security. Whatever the situation, the responsibility to secure data lies with the app developers. Hence, incorporating encryption is an absolute necessity. At the same time the developers also look for alternate ways to protect data. The other options include the archiving of the data periodically.

The mobile app developers face real challenge in creating vital apps every year. They are also engaged in created various versions of the existing ones. In an agile market, it is difficult to keep up with the development, design and operational methods without the DSL program model. This approach is recommended as it is compact and offers codes that can run across all devices and multiple platforms. It also helps to build variants by providing a code base that is slightly different.

How to turn the challenges into opportunities?

Whilst the challenges in the mobile app development world are a reality but it cannot be denied that the opportunities to succeed are numerous as well. Sustainable app development and accurate delivery system are all it requires to ensure that these challenges are converted to opportunities. Development and testing efforts should be enhanced so that the platforms to target can be properly identified. This will further ensure that better returns are gained on development investments.

The development practices should be reliable as well as consistent across all the leading platforms. The look and feel of the app will render a consistency and the code components can be reused as well. As the mobile technology is still developing, there are end numbers of ways to ensure that they perform more efficiently. The greatest opportunity in this regard is that with the outstanding growth potential in the mobile app industry, the developers will also be highly in demand. You can hire developers from top mobile app development companies in India who can help you build mobile apps within allocated budgets and time schedules.

We provide mobile app development services. If you would like to hire mobile app developers from us, we would be glad to assist you at Mindfire Solutions.

Wednesday 10 September 2014

Is Apple's Swift an answer to what developers wish ?


iPhone development company, offshore iPhone apps development services, hire iPhone consultantAt WWDC 2014, Apple introduced the 1st version in Swift, Apple's new programing language. Programmers are having a look-see in Swift and also giving a few early suggestions. What the Swift framework will provide developers was amongst the very important announcements made during the Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). Lots of programmers discovered the syntax of the Objective-C is difficult to get regularly, hence Swift might give an increased output to many. The majority of developers will be looking towards upcoming projects for applying Swift, which means about one year down, many stated that they are moving forward much faster. As an example, Marco Arment, developer and writer, stated in a blog that he would likely require some time to catch on the latest behaviors along with the guidelines and expectations of it.

On an exciting and unexpected step, Apple is starting many of the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2014 video presentations with the people, a year ago only the registered developers were having access to them. Apple announces Swift is created for safety. It is crucial to keep in mind that this form of Swift does not prevent memory corruptness which could occur because of multithreaded coding anyway, though. There wasn't any discussion of threads or concurrency by any means within the language documents. In addition to this multithreaded opening, the remainder language appears to be protected from memory corruption bugs. There isn't an option to temporarily get away with the safeties, such as Rust’s unsafe block, hence whatever insecure stuff you might like to carry out will need to be in the C or even in the Objective-C.

The interest in powerful and easy to use developing languages, such as Python and Ruby, has expanded all over the developer society in the last few years. Swift is believed to become yet another move in the same direction. Swift stands out as the successor to the Objective-C, that is what, is now taken to develop Mac applications. The latest language comes with complete support of the Cocoa as well as Cocoa touch, the frameworks for the iPhone apps and also Mac OS X apps, therefore apps could be designed for the iPhone, Mac computers, as well as iPads. Apple continued using Objective-C for the past 20 years, however a company representative mentioned that this is beginning to show its age. Apple invented the code after thoroughly investigating exactly what developers want, or even more important, their dislike regarding the present programming languages. As stated by Apple, Swift will be the modern development language for modern developers. Swift makes use of similar LLVM compiler which Objective-C at present makes use of, therefore programmers could carry out Swift, Objective-C, as well as C code, everything within the same program.

Swift has also a unique feature known as Playgrounds, which give users with live comments while they code, which makes it possible to check what exactly will probably take place within the application. Playgrounds additionally offer total control over time within a program so that users could see exactly what his or her code does each moment. Apple has produced a guidebook offered to developers in the iBooks regarding Swift, in addition they will have the ability to submit apps developed by the recently designed language at the time the computer manufacturer introduces OS X Yosemite as well as the iOS 8. To get maximum benefits of mobile apps, you may consider hiring services of a certified iPhone development company.

We provide offshore iPhone apps development services. Companies hire iPhone consultant from us at Mindfire Solutions. If you are ready, please contact us today.

Wednesday 6 August 2014

Apple's Swift Gaining Quick Popularity

iPhone development company, iPhone applications development, hire iPhone app developerApple's Swift, the latest programming language has been introduced for the iPhone app development. It comes with a platform in which writing code will be interesting simply because it works alongside with objective-c therefore, if you're an owner of an iOs based smart phone in that case Swift is all set for your forthcoming project or maybe for your present app. Swift is among the most requirements that you simply can't afford to overlook on the gadget, to obtain it, it is possible to download it from iBooks store by iTunes. Some of the factors that explain why Swift has swiftly began getting so much buzz. Swift the new programming language is considered as the result of recent analysis about programming languages, combine of several years of knowledge in designing Apple platforms. The specifications introduced out of objective-c are introduced in on a clean syntax which makes it simpler to read and manage.

Playgrounds in Swift code makes work quite easy and interesting. Doing work is real time in this, when you enter a line, the outcomes instantly shows. In case you run the code over time by a loop, the development could be viewed within the time-line assistant. It presents variables within a graph at the time the view will be composed, additionally, it may play animated sprite kit scene. Interactive playground can help you in instant checking about the progress of the application development. Debugging console comes with an interactive kind of the language built in. Which makes use of Swift syntax to keep track of your running application as well as to connect with your running Apps. Writing new code lines to check out your app the way it works on a script-like environment is available straight in Apple's new programming language.

The structure of the Swift is capable of eliminating the entire unsafe code. Prior to use, all of the variables will be initialized, arrays & integers checked out for the overflow & memory to automatically maintained. Syntax is tuned in order to seamlessly establish the internet. The safe patterns as well as proper managing cases in which objects are void and are crucial for the frameworks hence the use of Swift code will make it quite easy. Swift was designed to be agile and to accommodate the ever increasing need for power & speed . Making use of high performing compilers, the software has been turned into an optimized native code & changed utilize the new apple electronic hardware. The standard library & syntax were adjusted to use this particular feature and also helps reduce writing of any code. You could be certain that your application is going to run pretty fast without a lag.

Swift code is often ready to be used therefore you could use that straight away to build the apps and also execute latest apps as well as increase the level of the present apps. The Swift code is available along with your current objective-c files on the same project. Using the latest operating systems to arrive, you will be in a position to submit the apps into the Mac or even iPhone app store. Install Swift programming software in order to try this out and begin building apps in an easy and interesting manner. In case you consider programming as dull or boring then you perhaps not used Swift programming yet. To get maximum benefits of mobile apps, you may consider hiring services of a certified iPhone development company.

We provide iPhone applications development services. Companies hire iPhone app developer from us at Mindfire Solutions. If you are ready, please contact us today.

Thursday 24 July 2014

Some of the limitations of iPhone development

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With the launch of various versions of iPhone as well as iOS, the enthusiasm displayed by the crowd has left no doubts in the minds of people that it is an extremely popular platform. Many users upgrade to the latest versions to stay in sync with the times. Indeed, the latest version comes packed with some really amazing features which have attracted many people towards it. The immense popularity has led to many developers leaning towards app development on this platform. However, the process is not all rosy as there are several limitations associated with carrying through the decision as well.

Running of only one application at one time- It is a general rule while using iPhones that just one application can be run at one time; when you leave an application it simply quits. Although it might not seem to be a huge deal, essentially it means that you cannot do other things while the app is running. This might be an issue when browsing through websites since leaving the browser will lead to a broken connection. So there is no provision that installed apps would gather as well as send information to the users while running in the background. In fact even when some call comes to their phones, the application that was being used is exited. Some developers will find it to be problematic if they want to have location information from a user’s phone so that a track could be maintained. But unless the user keeps the app open all the time and does not work on anything other than it, it is impossible for the developer to find out.

Internet usage through wifi- These days the utility behind most smartphones is to be in touch with the globe while on the go. However, with iPhones, this is not possible, since it only allows internet access through Wi-Fi. Cell networks are not encouraged which is a huge problem for many people.

Xcode IDE- In this respect it might make sense to discuss about JDT tools of Android which has been described by many developers as excellent as well as standard. The great indexing of Java and rich source code model of IDE make refactoring seamless. This has made android development very easy. However, on the other hand, Xcode IDE of Apple is often remarked at for being too bad. Most people do not find it to be at par. It is not at all easy to use or time-conserving. In fact, Xcode often provides wrong content assist which suggests smaller amounts of actually available subsets.

Limitations in developer agreement- Several limitations have been imposed on developers in the agreement. Only published APIs can be used and that too in the manner as specified by Apple. Another notable limitation is that data cannot be written anywhere by the applications excepting in the particular designated area. This essentially means that data cannot be modified by developers from other applications.

Version compatibility- One problem that is faced by several developers is the version compatibility issue. While creating apps for a particular iOS version, it is really difficult to check whether it works on the previous version or not. With so many versions being out in the market, this problem can be a real issue.

Uploading price- Yet again, the comparison between Android and iOS comes into focus. When a developer wants to upload an app, the App Store checks to see whether all standards are met or not. But the app cannot be sold before a $99 annual fee is paid; after this a digital certificate signature is given to them. However, in case of Android, just one-time fee of $25 has to be paid. Also there are no restrictions on publishing of apps; they can be published in other markets as well.

Just like all other software and development platforms, iPhone is also not without its fair share of pros and cons. It is not perfect, it does include some limitations but they should in no way discourage people from using it or developing on the platform. The excellent performance and great security should instigate people to definitely use it. If you are planning to hire service of iPhone apps development company, you must evaluate them to see if they are sufficiently agile or not!

We provide offshore iPhone application development services. To hire iPhone developers from us, please reach out to us at Mindfire Solutions.

Thursday 3 July 2014

How Will Apple's Swift Benefit Developers?

iPhone application development companies, custom iPhone app development, iPhone software developerSwift can be defined as a multi-paradigm as well as a compiled programming language that has been developed by Apple. Swift is specifically designed for the development of iOS and OS X. The developers have designed the language for replacing Objective-C (O-C), which is an object-oriented language of Apple.

It uses the same LLVM compiler as well as runtime as its older counterpart. That is why, while some say that Swift will quickly replace Objective-C, another school of thought says that both O-C as well as Swift can actually co-exist hand in hand in a particular application. The language also provides a seamless access to all the customary features like Cocoa or Cocoa Touch that the developers are currently using.

When it comes to using, from the developers’ point of view the language should feel identical as well as familiar to O-C. Hence, those who are used to with the previous avatar will also be able to handle this new language with ease.

Now let us discuss why the language has gained so much popularity amongst the developers. Swift frankly speaking, comes up with a string of added benefits, which have made a marked difference, so far as development is concerned, especially when it comes to designing or developing apps for iPads or iPhones. While for all these days, it was Objective-C, Swift is swiftly taking over as the base programming language.

The introduction of this new program has given a shot in the arm to the development ecosystem of Apple. The language is all set to bring in an altogether new generation of various innovative applications that are leaving the developers overjoyed. Swift, at its very core is designed to provide a much faster as well as an easier way to the developers, particularly when it comes to designing programs for devices like Mac, iPad, iPhone and the likes. Swift is strong enough to do all the complicated trappings for Objective-C. It can replace them with much simplified syntax that is much easier to tackle, though the entire stuff feels strikingly similar to Objective-C.

The language comes with other highly powerful features like Playgrounds, which is a system that provides the developers the provision of watching how the changes to their projects have an impact on the end product that they need to add for tweaking their codes. While using O-C, the developers had to wait for the compilation and running of their projects, before they got the chance to test any change of codes. This was, to say the least a cumbersome and a time consuming mechanism.

Another highly interesting feature that the language comes up with is that it rectifies the focus on declaring the variable types that Objective-C comes up with. With the introduction of Swift, the developers do not have the need of specifying in a particular code, whether a variable is a text string or a floating-point number.

Both Swift as well as O-C uses identical compiler. This is why an app can have O-C as well as Swift source code. This brings in a substantial benefit for the developers or programmers.

Though the language is not without any rough edge whatsoever, still in general the developers and programmers are simply overwhelmed by the features as well as the technology roadmap the language comes up with. While Objective-C is challenging as well as an effusive language with a string of syntaxes, it lacked a number of features, and this is where Swift has scored over its older objective version.

Thanks to these new features, Swift has made Mac as well as iOS extremely appealing, especially for the new and young developers who still looking forward to design and develop their first applications for Mac and iPhone. Before we round up, let us look at some of the salient features of Swift from a bird’s eye view.

1. It comes up with Closures that are unified with the function pointers – quite similar to blocks that you find in C or its objective version.
2. Generics.
3. Tuples as well as values of multiple returns.
4 Fast as well as precise iterations over a wide collection or range.
5. Structs that are compatible with supporting methods, protocols as well as extensions.
6. Patterns or Functional programming like filters and maps.

You can hire developers from iPhone application development companies in India who can help you build mobile apps within allocated budgets and time schedules.

We provide custom iPhone app development services. To hire iPhone software developer from us, please reach out to us at Mindfire Solutions.

Tuesday 24 June 2014

Some of the Threats for Your Mobile App Development

top mobile app development companies, offshore mobile application development, expert mobile app developersWhen it comes to mobile app development, the process is not without any blue. In fact, development of mobile apps gets plagued by a lot of issues and threats that need to be taken care of. Let us discuss some of the threats that plague the development of mobile application.

Security and Privacy Threats

One of the major issues that need to be taken care of is the issue of security or privacy. As an increasing number of people are getting more and more tech-savvy, they are growing the tendency of downloading an increasing number of third party business applications that offer a string of value added features like file sync, IM, VoIP and an array of highly advanced networking features. These people do not have any malicious intentions – all they are looking forward to, is some value added service through their handheld device.

However, what these people are doing is that, they are inadvertently putting themselves as well as the enterprises, which are coming up with these apps, at a huge risk. Their devices are getting exposed to malware as well as spyware to a great extent. These malware and spyware are all designed to steal sensitive data from people’s devices and carry our nefarious activities. Understandably, these apps not only put owners of mobile devices at risk, but also compromise sensitive as well as confidential data of the corporate world. To make matters even worse, a number of third party apps are being developed with poor coding and this makes them even more prone to fraudulent activities. Poorly scripted software of these apps results in exposure of sensitive data or metadata to despicable sources.

Network Threats

The issue of improper or weak network also has also been a major threat to successful development of mobile apps. These network level threats crop up when the employees use third party applications. While most of these enterprise networks are more or less safe or secured, there are certain networks which are not. This comes true, in case of the networks that employees of an organization use in their personal life outside the office premises.

Physical Threats

This is again another very common threat that plagues mobile app development. Recent studies have clearly indicated that about one third of mobile phone users have either lost their device or have had it stolen at least once. Hence, this thread is also kept in mind while developing mobile apps to make sure that even if a device lands up in anyone’s hand who is not authorized to use it, then the individual will not be able to get access to much of any sensitive data.

Abundance of platforms

One of the biggest issues that plague development of mobile apps is the presence of too many platforms or domains. Abundance of platforms means there will be an urge amongst the developers to come up with products in such a way that they cover as many platforms as possible from the very start. This is a wrong concept altogether and needs to be at best avoided. This is where the real challenge lies. They should instead look for the major areas of interest or necessity through a thorough market research and create the products accordingly so that they meet only those needs or interests instead of trying to do too many things at a time.

Too many features

Again, this is also a major concern for the mobile app developers. Just like developing too many platforms, indulging in too many features may also result in a negative impact in the market. Incorporating too many features will limit their use to a great extent and this will have a negative impact on the market as users will hardly be able to use the features extensively. Hence, it is better to concentrate on only certain value added features to make sure that the end users are able to fully and satisfactorily use them to meet their needs and requirements.

Creating a too much complex app

This is yet another threat that the world of mobile app development faces. The presence of too many features packed in a particular app makes it too much complex, thereby making it difficult for the users to navigate and operate. This contributes to the unpopularity of the app in a great way.

Marketing issues

Of late, there are a number of companies that are coming up with newly developed apps with a string of value added features. Hence, the developers need to come up with something that will make a difference in the crowd of so many apps that are coming up regularly. Hence, making a difference in the crowd of apps is surely one of the major issues. You can hire developers from top mobile app development companies in India who can help you build mobile apps.

We provide offshore mobile application development services. If you would like to talk to one of our expert mobile app developers, please get in touch with us at Mindfire Solutions.

Friday 20 June 2014

Increase revenue through creative mobile apps - A must have

mobile app development, offshore mobile application development, hire mobile app programmersDespite the undoubted popularity of mobile usage as well as mobile apps, some business still ponder whether creating apps for their business is a must-do thing or not, due to the expense and complications involved. However, the recent figures can vouch for the fact that the pains taken for the development are certainly worth it. According to recent survey, 45.8% consumers declared that they bought items since the app in their mobile caused them to actually visit the store in the first place. In fact, in 2013’s Black Friday, more than 50% shoppers did their shopping through mobile devices. These figures are staggering, necessitating the need to harness this potential.

Effective mobile strategy and creative apps are thus the need of the day. However, just a great app does not necessarily translate into great revenue since the app must be promoted well; also the customers must be offered great reasons so that they download it in the first place. So, here are some ways and features that should be included in the applications so that they generate maximum revenues.

Recommendations instead of ads- When using apps, most people get really irritated when they are disturbed right in the middle of something by some ads. This is especially true in case of banner ads which take up a lot of space. Very few people seldom click those ads, so it is best to avoid them completely. Instead of such ads, it is best to go for recommendations. The recommendation engines are improved on a regular basis so that the best suited ads are provided to specific users which might lead to high conversion rates. It actually makes better sense. In fact the various formats of the ads that you give should be mixed and matched so that they are just right.

Smarter push notifications- Conventional advertising cannot suffice as a factor for driving up revenues. Smartphones has made it possible for you to be connected with your customers on the go, so it is best to take advantage of that situation. Push notifications allow retailers to use targeted messaging so that customers can be driven to use their store. Use the notifications for sending of updates such as upcoming sales, stock notices or shipment status.

Allowing mobile orders- Now this is the main aim of any mobile app- generating revenues and what could be more direct than allowing them to carry on their transactions through the applications. According to the data mentioned earlier most customers prefer this method of shopping, so it has become almost must that apps allow this.

Creating internal apps- Internal apps help employees so that better customer service can be delivered. These should include features like complimentary lines, latest product information, etc which would motivate browsers to convert into buyers. This lends you an edge over normal procedures of selling, in which the sale is totally dependent on the competency of the sales person; if he or she is not competent enough you would lose a potential customer. But in this case, the browsers will get all the needed information and more from the apps.

Loyalty rewards- This time-tested method can help you multiply your business through your app. Introduce the mobile loyalty program so that the frequent shoppers can be rewarded without any extra hassles. This takes the minimal effort but sales can be increased just through the mobile devices of users.

Businesses today must focus on the various facets of mobile applications so that they can reap full benefits. It is not simply about putting countless ads; there should be a good as well as matured business strategy in place in combination with creativity. Unless that happens it will be difficult for them to increase their revenue or deliver great ROI. To get maximum benefits of mobile apps, you may consider hiring services of a certified mobile app development company.

We provide offshore mobile application development services. If you would like to hire mobile app programmers for your projects, please contact us at Mindfire Solutions.

Friday 13 June 2014

Top 5 Business Apps For iPhone - Want To Build One?

The last few years have seen the development of quite a number of business apps that are specifically designed for devices like iPhones as well as smart phones. All these apps come up with a string of value added features that help the end users in making their lives easier. While some of these apps are absolute necessities, making them almost indispensable in personal as well as professional lives, others are for providing the users pure entertainment in an otherwise hectic modern life. Let us discuss five of the most frequently used as well as most popular business apps for iPhones that hit the headlines on a regular basis.

WatchDox

This is an enterprise-based application that is designed to provide a solution, when it comes to sharing secured documents or information as well as mobile collaboration. This application helps the users to view all the documents that are shared through the WatchDox Workspace service and the WatchDox Exchange Service on an iPod, iPad or an iPhone. The app also provides the users the option of browsing through the workspace folders, access the documents that are saved in the WatchDox Exchange inbox, and designate the relevant documents or folders for automatic synchronization. Besides, the app also helps in THE annotation of documents, along with rendering them in any type of format. WatchDox also allows an owner of the documents or the enterprise admin to wipe out as well as restrict access to various documents at any given point in time, including the ones that have already been forwarded or downloaded.

HanDBase

This is an extremely handy, though a bit expensive database management application that is designed for storing, tracking, as well as searching all types of information, particularly those relevant to a particular business. The advantages the app provides include billing records to the client lists, maintaining an inventory of the products and so on. The app makes creating, selecting, inputting, or importing database fast, simple as well as error free. It also provides the users the option of importing information from Excel. It will cost $10.00 to download the app.

SquareRegister

This is another highly interesting app that allows the users to sign up for receiving a dongle free of cost. The dongle, once downloaded from the mail will help the users in reading credit card information. All the user needs to do is to plug the dongle into the headphone jack of his/her iPhone and then swipe the card. Once that is done, the card will start processing the transaction. Besides, this app also helps the users to enter important credit card information manually.

EverNote

The majority of the CEOs as well as the top officials of the companies remains absolutely tied up with thoughts or strategies pertaining to running businesses with efficacy, earning profit and revenues at the end of the day. Their brains always remain occupied up with interesting and innovative ideas, thoughts about high-level meetings, listening to presentations and so on. In EverNote, they have gotten an app, which will note down each and every appointment they have got on a day to day basis, along with important notes pertaining to important activities. This is an extremely handy iPhone app that is immensely popular amongst company top shots and other professionals.

Dragon Dictation: Speech Recognition

Generally it is seen that the company big shots and CEOs are excellent speakers, but when it comes down to penning down their thoughts, many of them are even below average. That is perhaps why they hire secretaries who would jot down the thoughts of these CEOs. Here is an app in Dragon Dictation that once loaded on an iPhone, will be more than a secretary. Called Dragon Dictation, this open source app comes up with speech recognition technology that helps it to recognize the voice of an individual and records all his / her thoughts. If you are planning to hire service of iPhone application development companies, you must evaluate them to see if they are sufficiently agile or not!

We provide custom iPhone app development services. To hire iPhone software developer from us, please reach out to us at Mindfire Solutions.

Wednesday 30 April 2014

Using Mobile Apps to Help People Make and Break Habits - Top Reasons

Nowadays, smarthphones, tablet, phablets and other mobile devices have become an inseparable aspect of modern style. A constant increase is also noted in the number of users who use mobile apps complete certain activities and tasks at their own pace and convenience. The huge popularity of mobile devices has encouraged many developers to create innovative applications that help users to make and break habits. There are also a number of reasons that make mobile apps effective in helping users to make and break habits.

5 Reasons Why Mobile App can Help Users in to Making and Breaking Habits

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1) Techniques Used by Apps to Control Habit-Forming Behaviors: The process of creating or changing a habit can be divided into four broad steps. In addition to indicating that the person needs to make or break a specific habit, it is also important to compel the person to take action. At the same time, it is also important to make the person feel happy, and encourage him to remain committed to the process. The mobile apps adopt these four steps to control the user’s habit forming behavior. So a user can get alerts through notifications, emails and SMS messages to remember and take the action required for making or breaking a habit.

2) Simple Steps: Most people carry their mobile devices throughout the day. So they can always see the notifications and take the required action. The mobile app can further remind them to take certain actions on a daily basis to effectuate the process of creating or breaking a habit. Also, the mobile apps recommend users to follow a set of simple and easy-to-perform steps. That is why; the user is not required to put any additional time and effort. He can simply keep in mind the steps and instructions to make or break a particular habit within a shorter span of time.

3) Keep the Users Engaged: The willpower of a person determines the amount of time required to make or give up a habit. But a person also needs to remain motivated enough the repeat the same steps on a daily basis. The mobile apps use gamification techniques to keep the users engaged. Some apps even encourage users by dispensing virtual goods and rewards. So the users enjoy performing a number of repetitive tasks, along with keeping track of the progress. As the users carry mobile devices throughout the day, it becomes easier for the apps to engage the habit-forming aspects of his brain.

4) Apps to Quit Several Bad Habits: A person can always decide to quit a variety of bad habits. So he can always choose the habit forming app according to the particular habit he wants to make or break. For instance, he has option to choose from several apps to quit bad habits like smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, biting nails, eating junk food, being messy, procrastinating and overspending. He can further choose similar apps launched by different companies. So he can easily choose the mobile app based on the bad habit he wants to quit. Also, he can switch from one app to another to effectuate the habit-forming process.

5) Apps to Make Many Good Habits: There are also loads of apps that help users in forming new habits. For instance, a user can use these apps to follow healthy diet and regular exercise regime, organize his routine tasks and complete assignments on time. In addition to reminding the user to work on his new habit, the app will further compel him to take the required action. When a person decides to make a new habit, it is important to be consistent. The mobile apps help the users in becoming consistent enough to form the new habit without putting any extra time and effort.

A user also has option to choose from a variety of mobile apps according to the habit he wants to make or give up. But it is always important to evaluate the features of the available apps, along with the reviews and feedback posted by other users. To get maximum benefits of mobile apps, you may consider hiring services of a certified app development India company.

We provide offshore mobile application development services. If you would like to hire mobile app developers for your projects, please contact us at Mindfire Solutions.

Wednesday 9 April 2014

Developing iPhone App for businesses - How has the demand grown?

Recently, iPhone Application Development has become quite an aggressive trend, triggering competition between software development and IT companies, with each trying to cater best to the growing demands of the people. 80% of the mobile app development industry has been covered by iPhone; new heights are being achieved with more applications being launched each day so that the companies can tap into this market.

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The very perception of mobile devices has been changed due to the popularity of iPhone apps which are dynamic as well as stunning in nature. There are a number of advanced features for the apps like Notification centre, iCloud, Retina display, etc which may be given credits for the extreme popularity. Even businesses can gain immensely through the development as well as use of these applications.

Benefits of such development

Ease of usage- Most of the apps are extremely easy to use, making the entire experience really enjoyable. The company app will become more desirable for usage when compared to the normal traditional methods used for acquiring of your services or products. If the customer enjoys the usage then only you can expect the relationship to improve which will translate to better sales.

Instant gratification- Everyone loves to receive quick service. With such apps you will be there whenever your customer needs you. In fact your target audience will receive your brand message. You will also be able to gain an edge over your competitors in the market by attracting visitors online.

Increasing revenues- The main aim of any business is to make money. An app that is well designed will come with better ways so that your profits can be increased. Generally the apps contain things that relate the best of your business, thus introducing new ways of generating revenue in the long run.

Attracting customers- In any business, the key in producing more sales is through attracting brand new customers to make them aware of the advantages of the products generated by you. Will well-developed apps, the services can be advertised by the company to the ever-increasing tech savvy crowd. This will also act as an innovative method of presenting your company to everybody, helping with the brand recognition of the company.

Establishing direct communication- Instant and direct communication is established with the customers through these apps. This enables you cater to their various needs 24x7.

Security of software as well as firmware- A huge concern as well as risk associated with any business that wants to go mobile is ensuring the safety of its enterprise data. The development of iPhone applications ensures that hacking as well intrusion of sensitive data is prevented through features like measures taken against data duplication, integrated systems for data handling and measures taken against loss of data encryption as well as security.

The speedy growth of mobile device market has led to the demand of mobile application developers as well. A number of employment opportunities are being created with the rapid growth and popularity for both freelance as well as corporate developers. In fact, according to recruiters, the supply for talented as well as skilled developers is far short of the demand. The demand in the job market is expected to further increase which will result in the creation of a lot more new positions.

Apple’s best capitalizing thing is its capability of monetizing the applications better than almost any platform- the profit figures of the giant is a living proof of that. Majority of the applications may be free but the advertisements featured there generate plenty of revenues. Thus, iPhone app development for businesses is quite a profitable endeavour which can be said to be the reason behind its rapid growth. To get maximum benefits of iPhone apps, you may consider hiring services of a iPhone apps development company.

We provide iPhone app development services. If you would like to hire iPhone developers for your projects, please contact us at Mindfire Solutions.

Thursday 3 April 2014

Tips to Create a Successful Mobile App

The features and performance of successful mobile apps always fascinates users. With mobile operating systems being updated frequently with advanced features, the users always opt for mobile apps that take advantage of these enhanced capabilities. So the enterprises must consider several factors to build a successful mobile application. In addition to applying the tips, tricks and best practices, they further need to stay tuned to the emerging trends in mobile app development.

Seven Tips to Create a Successful Mobile App in 2014

1) Connect Emotionally with the End Users

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Many companies create apps by using existing presentations, videos and literature. They feel the app can deliver rich user experience simply by replicating the content on a touch screen. The users, nowadays, expect the look, feel and performance of the application to be optimized according to their mobile device. Also, the app must allow them to access the device’s enhanced capabilities. So no company can create a successful app simply by replicating the existing content for a touch screen. A business needs to connect with the end users emotionally to know their expectations and choice.

2) Make the App Compatible with Different Devices

Most companies build mobile applications by targeting a certain mobile operating system. But the user can access the mobile app on a variety of mobile devices including smartphones, tablets and phablets. That is why; it becomes essential for the business to apply the mobile-first approach for a variety of mobile devices. In addition to targeting the right mobile platform, the app’s look and feel also need to be optimized for several devices running on the specific operating system.

3) Make the App Work Offline

Nowadays, many professionals use mobile apps on the go. So they look for application that can be accessed anytime and anywhere. As the users may not have limited or no access to the internet, they will opt for apps that can be used even when there is not internet connectivity. The application must run seamlessly in both online and offline mode to become more successful.

4) Make the App Customizable

Most users love to customize mobile apps according to their personal preferences. So a company can always increase the popularity of a mobile app by making it more customized. While creating the mobile application, the developers must be instructed to include features that make it easier for users to customize the app. The users will love to change the fonts, colors, sizes and privacy setting. The customization options will deliver richer user experience by making them feel safer and more comfortable.

5) Concentrate on End User Experience

Each mobile application is designed to serve a specific purpose. Despite being simple and easy-to-use, the app must serve the purpose it was designed for. Regardless of the nature and purpose of the app, the developers must give preference to the preferences of the end-user. Along with allowing users to perform certain activity without any hassle, the app also need to perform optimally. The intuitive and user-friendly interface of the app, at the same time, needs to be simple enough to be used by a novice user without putting any extra effort.

6) Monitor the App’s Usage

The app can be used by the end users in a number of ways. So each business needs to understand how the mobile application is being used. It can simply implement engagement analytics to track how the users are using the app. In addition to deciding the different segments of users, the analytics will further provide information about the users’ location and mobile devices. The valuable insights gathered through the engagement analytics will help the business in updating the mobile app by incorporating required features and functionality.

7) Focus on High Lifetime Value

Along with the user experience, a business also needs to focus on the high lifetime value (LTV) of the application. Normally, the revenue earned by the advertisers, publishers and developers are affected by the app’s high lifetime value. To make the app successful in the longer-run, a business must focus on LTV, ROI and Average Revenue per User (ARPU). The app will get higher returns through an engagement and reengagement strategy to build a base of regular users.

A company has to implement a comprehensive marketing strategy to make the mobile application popular. In addition to enhancing the visibility of the app, it is also important to promote it through major online search engine and social networks. At the same time, the app must be updated frequently to complement the frequently changing choices and habits of users. To get maximum benefits of mobile apps development, you may consider hiring services of a proven app development company.

We provide mobile app development services. We have expert mobile apps team with 100% certification ratio. To hire mobile application programmer from us, please reach out to us at Mindfire Solutions.