Continuing our series about technological challenges, that previously presented “5 challenges in the communication management of multinationals”, “The 5 most common doubts in Scrum teams” and “The challenges and technological potentials in medicine”; today’s post will talk about the challenges in the mobile development, which is one of the markets that grows more nowadays.
If we take into consideration the Play Store, which is the mobile app store from Google, there are more than 1,5 billion downloads per month. At the same time, more than 1 million Android devices are activated every day all over the world. The reason for that is simple: mobile gadgets have become an extension of the body and life of people as a whole.
Being aware of the importance of this market and the potential it has to keep growing each day, we present, as it follows, 5 challenges for those who wish to venture into the issues of mobile development. If you happen to be interested in this area, come with us and enjoy the reading!
1. The great diversity of devices
The first big challenge for a developer to work with mobile devices is to decide whether to start creating apps for Android, iOS or Windows Phone. That is because of the fact that each of these platforms is targeted at a specific public, and requires different knowledge in terms of language (apart from offering different resources and permissions).
In other words, the first step is to choose whether to bet on the native development or on the hybrid (multiplatform) one. For the ones who adopt the native option, the same app is usually created twice, one for Android and another one for iOS, in order to reach a bigger segment of the market.
If one opts for the programming of hybrid apps – which are created to function on different platforms with the same code – the work for conceiving the product will be carried out only once. That is made possible through the use of tools such as Cordova, PhoneGap, Sencha Touch, Ionic, among others.
However, there are some disadvantages that might be taken into consideration in this approach:
- the hybrid app presents an inferior performance in relation to the native one;
- generally speaking, the hybrid software doesn’t have access to all the available resources in the gadget;
- there is a limiting factor that influences the user’s experience since each platform has its own target, as well as different patterns and resources.
Besides all that, when the software is developed, the programmer must create a primarily intuitive interface. The idea is to enable every user who sees it for the first time to be able to interact with the interface in an appropriate way.
In order for that to happen, a simple and functional interface is needed. In that way, the icons used must be easily understood, without giving rise to ambiguities; because after all, if an employee doesn’t understand the application right away, it is highly likely that he/she will give up and look for another option – there are more than 3,5 million apps available only on Play Store.
Along the process of development, the professional has to worry about the great diversity of devices available in the market, which are able to run the app. Thus, it is important to remember that there are smartphones of different sizes, resolutions, and performances.
Here at Monitora, the development is native. The main idea is to grant a good development for the application, besides offering a unique experience for the user. In that way, it is possible to provide a product of high quality and personalized for the client.
2. Maintenance and updating of the app
Another big challenge is to keep updated with the fast evolution of mobile technologies. Every time that the operational systems (OS) receive new versions, it is natural that their patterns, resources, and ways of codification are also affected.
That demands a constant maintenance of the apps, for their efficiency to be kept and for them to be compatible with the new developed patterns. In that way, if an application is created for a specific version of a certain OS, its commands may fall into disuse when an update of the system is released.
This also happens every time new models of the gadget are released, which are in general full of new hardware resources. That is the reason why the company has to be always updated on what is new in the world of mobiles and plan the maintenance and functioning of the app in a high performance.
Being updated, knowing when to let old patterns go, and being capable of managing risks in a way that negative impacts are avoided, are essential conditions to progress in the mobile development market. Having that, there are better chances of creating an app that conquers users all over the world.
In order to overcome this challenge, Monitora carries the development by using the Scrum methodology. With this methodology it is possible to keep an updated application, having in mind the needs and priorities of the project. Other practices that help in the maintenance and updating of the apps are the adoption of software design patterns and the creation of documentation for what is being developed.
3. Sensor and more sensors
Different from desktops and laptops, smartphones have sensors and multifunctional aspects that make the apps more attractive. At the same time, they imply a bigger imposition when it comes to the accuracy and speed of the information which the user receives.
It becomes essential that the developer knows how to explore the available sensors in the best way possible, for the app to be optimized. It is still worth remembering that different devices are equipped with distinct sensors – the professional has to be aware and prepared to deal with these differences.
Another important characteristic is responsiveness. As every gadget has its own dimensions and characteristics, it is crucial that the app works properly (for example, the page might not be broken and the rotation of the screen might be automatic), not depending on the device in which it is being executed.
Monitora counts on a team specialized in mobile development, which has knowledge and experience for a better use of the available resources. Our concerns about the development of the app start since its conception when defining our final user and the device of reference.
4. Limited resources
While computers have many resources available – RAM memory getting better each day, leading-edge processors, broad internal storage, among others – smartphones present major limitations in this aspect.
That is a big challenge for a developer who wants to create high-performance apps that all together use a minimum of resources possible – in a way that it keeps a good functioning of the system. Besides that, the mobile phone has in itself a great villain: the battery.
For that reason, the mobile development requires that each functionality included in the project is planned and tested, in a way that it prevents performance problems to be spotted too late. It is essential that the software is light (not to occupy a lot of space), efficient (to save battery) and, of course, friendly (to catch the user).
In order to avoid this problem, Monitora develops and consumes its own native libraries. That allows a better management of resources and the codes to be optimized. Moreover, the company’s team uses compatibility libraries to obtain a better result and grant a quality development.
5. The differences for web apps
The community of developers is used to the web creation, and most of the times they try to bring the same technique to the screen device. The challenge is in understanding that the use of a tablet of a smartphone offers a different experience to the user.
That happens because, apart from the different sizes of the screens, there are distinct methods of interaction with the gadget. Another differentiating characteristic is the fact that mobile devices are usually used when the user wants to find information in a simplified and fast way.
Having that in mind, creating mobile applications is very different from other types of developments. This market, which is extremely fast, many times requires that the team has a sense of speed: it is necessary to have the idea, make it concrete and validate it rapidly in order not to lose the correct moment to release it.
To achieve the best result in its mobile projects, Monitora’s team tries to be always updated with the design patterns of each platform. Besides, they have specialists in User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) to make the necessary changes whenever needed.
To sum up, mobile apps bring more ease, speed, and convenience for the user. That is why they are becoming more and more important on the day to day. However, it is important to have in mind that there are lots of challenges for the mobile development – for that reason, it is necessary that the specialist adapts to these new peculiarities and that he/she is always willing to learn and evolve with technology.
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This text had the collaboration of Tiago Massita
Translation: Tatiana Bauso
