Mobile App Development – Page 4

A Tutorial On Xamarin

Posted on May 15, 2018 by Super Admin Testreveal

The Emergence of cross platform ecosystem in mobile app development

Until recently, mobile app development specialists had to follow a stringent slot of either iOS, Android or Windows. Due to differing ecosystem, language constraints and style, the process of software development on each platform was entirely different. It was therefore extremely challenging for developers to build separate mobile apps for these platforms.

However, Xamarin came to transform the process and altered the course of the situation through enabling unique facility known as cross platform development. Xamarin allows developers to build application for iOS and Android with C# and .NET libraries. To establish the performance and feel of native apps, Xamarin mobile development enables developers to leverage full range of native APIs and UI controls available from the OS and hardware of the respective devices.

What is Xamarin?

Xamarin offers unique ability to iOS and Android developers to work their way towards writing mobile applications in C# and then run them on any desired mobile platform or OS.

Earlier, native languages like Objective-C, Swift and Java were the only limited choices for creating iOS and Android applications. In a past few years, Xamarin has bred novel ecosystem of platforms for cross platform mobile application development. It offers single language (C#) and runtime that seamlessly functions across iOS, Android and Windows and compiles native apps.

Why to choose Xamarin?

Each platform has its own discipline of features and methods of writing native applications where native code interoperates and interacts smoothly with underlying Java base. Some platforms support apps written in HTML and JavaScript whereas some allow C/C++ code. In such traditional setting, there should be separate codebases for each device or your app run via web browser, which imposes major concerns of maintenance and cost.

In Xamarin mobile development, developers eliminate typical issues as faced in native app development. For instance, web browser apps do not run natively as its UI is not familiar to device ecosystem and its performance is also compromised due to the absence of native code.

Xamarin’s cross platform capability is superior because:

It consists of native features: UI, API access and performance
Native UI of each device makes your app user-friendly
You can perform the same coding results as achieved using Objective-C, Java and Swift
Due to access to device’s individual APIs, you can experience native performance
Enjoy shared codebase across all devices
Cross platform apps offer same-day support for each new OS releases

Xamarin products

Xamarin offers:

iOS
Xamarin Android
forms

Specialities of Xamarin.iOS and Xamarin.Android

Developers can leverage the power of UI toolkits Xamarin.iOS and Xamarin.Android in order to create an app using each platform’s APIs .NET framework. While developing apps with these two products, you can relish customizations for UI for each platform.

In both UI toolkits, you will have the benefit of separate UI approach. Xamarin.iOS and Xamarin.Android comes with shared code base in C# which is shared across platforms with separate UI for each.

Xamarin mobile development with Xamarin.iOS and Xamarin.Android seems suitable for:

Apps where native-like behaviour and interactions are expected
Development of apps with platform-specific native APIs
Mobile apps with UI customization scope

Specialities of Xamarin.forms

The best part about using Xamarin.forms is that while building an app with this UI kit, developers will need to write code only once. At the moment of runtime, this written code is translated to platform’s native environment.

Another speciality of Xamarin.forms is that you can enjoy the benefit of the maximum code sharing which is as much as 90% with this UI kit.

Hence, Xamarin.Forms is suitable when:

You don’t require platform-specific functionality for apps
Code sharing is more crucial than custom UI

Xamarin components

With the launch of Xamarin 2.0 in March 2013, the Component Store was introduced to help developers save time and accelerate Xamarin application development process and enjoy potential features. The store contains the stunning catalog of UI controls, charts, themes, cloud services and other great features that you can integrate in your app in matter of a few clicks.

To speed up the process of adding Xamarin components to your app, the Store is integrated into both Xamarin Studio and Visual Studio. To get detailed insight into how exactly you can create, bundle, test and submit your components to the Xamarin Store, refer to the full Xamarin Component Store Guide.

Here is the quick overview to Xamarin components and submission.

Submission Overview

After component creation and packaging and testing, you will need to submit your components and Xamarin plugins to Xamarin component store. Before you proceed, it is believed that you have some experience with yaml and building a component. If you are not aware of how to produce a component, start going through its insightful Xamarin Component Store guide.

Once you have finished building a component and are happy with it, you can submit your creation to Xamarin Store where it will be reviewed and approved.

You will need to set up your own Xamarin Account in case you don’t have one. To proceed for creating the Xamarin account, visit Xamarin Home page and click “Sign In” at the top right corner. Follow the instructions there after clicking on “Create a new account”.

If you are not willing to keep it open source, you can place the specific charge for the use of any of Xamarin components submit by you on the Store. To officially set up the charge for each component and Xamarin plug-ins you create, you will need to provide your account details. The sales will be credited to your account provided that 30% of the revenue is deducted as commission towards Xamarin Store.

To understand the process of updating the existing component – which is different from creating a new one – you should study the guide on Xamarin store website.

Approval Process

After you have submitted the new or updated component, you wait for Xamarin Store to review it on the basis of Component Review Guidelines. If they discover any issues or errors, you will be contacted with the details of needed fixes and improvements.

If there is not issue found in your component or Xamarin plug-ins, it will receive the final approval and be made available officially on the component store where people can explore and download when required.

Major Xamarin components

Some of the most powerful Xamarin components you may find on its online library for Xamarin application development are:

SNMP library: Solid easy to use, open source SNMP library for iOS and Android
AchartEngine: Charting library for Android applications
ActionTray: A dockable customizable slide-out, tray view controller for iOS and Android
Advance Colour Picker: An open-source colour picker component for Xamarin.iOS
Alliance Calendar: Beautiful Android calendar control with elegant features
BubbleTree: Represent tree structures in mobile apps. Search an element in bug tree structure in an easy and intuitive way.
Built.io: Mobile and web back-end and app development platform by raw engineering
Card.io for Android and iOS: Credit card scanning for mobile apps for both platforms
Dolby Audio Component: Leverage the power of Dolby audio in your Android and Games
Download Manager: Handles the downloading of files from the internet using either HTTP or FTP protocols
Eggs-To-Go: Cross-platform mobile library for implementing Easter Egg gestures
Google App indexing for iOS: Get your app found in Google Search
Google Cardboard: It enables VR on your smartphone for experiencing virtual reality in simple, fun and affordable way

Features of Xamarin

Xamarin’s unique quality is that it combines most quintessential power of native platforms with its own set of comprehensive features to enable Xamarin application development. Some of its great features include:

1. Leverage the full potential with the underlying SDKs

For iOS and Android developers, Xamarin binds the whole underlying platform’s SDK to establish native experience in its full capacity. In both the platforms, these bindings work effectively and are strongly-typed. They are easy to use and navigate and offer robust compile-time type checking during the development process, which translates into minimum runtime errors and high-quality mobile apps.

2. Integration of Objective-C, Java, C, and C++ libraries

Xamarin application development allows you to directly take advantage of existing iOS and Android libraries written in Objective-C, Java or C/C++. This facility gives you the freedom and power to integrate a wide variety of 3^rd party code already created in this library. Also, using declarative syntax, developers can easily bind native Objective-C and Java libraries.

3. Sophisticated Language Constructs

Xamarin applications are all written in C# which is much more sophisticated and improved language than its previous predecessors Objective-C and Java. Its potential improvements are Dynamic language features, Functional Constructs (Lambdas), LINQ, Parallel programming features, modern Generics, etc.

4. Massively feature-rich Base Class Library (BCL)

Xamarin applications benefit greatly from .NET BCL, which is a massive collections classes that contain comprehensive and much powerful features such as Database, XML, Serialization, IO, Networking support, String and much more. Moreover, by compiling existing C# code in an application, you can gain access to enormous number of libraries that allow you to perform more actions that BCL basically offers.

5. Modern (IDE)

The inimitable quality of Xamarin is that it uses Visual Studio on Mac OS X and on Windows. The Visual Studio for both platforms have modern IDEs with features such as a sophisticated Project and Solution management system, code auto completion, integrated source control, a comprehensive project template library, and more.

6. Mobile Cross Platform Support

To facilitate frictionless Xamarin application development for leading mobile platforms (iOS, Android and Windows), Xamarin offers sophisticated cross-platform support. Xamarin. Mobile library has a unified API to avail common resources across these platforms. You can write Applications with up to 90% of shared code. Xamarin’s cross-platform support saves substantial amount of cost and time needed to market products for three popular platforms.

These are some of Xamarin’s incredibly powerful and compelling features that contributing to enhancing the Xamarin application development. It is due to this powerful feature set that application developers can now fill the void experienced during the development process. They can finally capitalize on the strength of modern language and comprehensive platform to develop cross-platform mobile applications.

Xamarin App Development Tools

Xamarin is one of unstoppable buzzwords among developers who avidly gravitate towards cross-platform frameworks to build cross-platform applications across major platforms (Android, Windows, iOS, OS X) with native UI, experience and performance. Hence, if you are looking for highly productive tools to ease your Xamarin development process, this section will walk you through all the essential development tools used for creating Xamarin apps.

1) Visual Studio

Visual Studio is Microsoft’s advanced and widely used sophisticated IDE. Known best for its features for mobile, desktop and web application creation, it supports mobile development of:

.NET (Android, iOS, tvOS, watchOS)
Mac desktop apps
.NET Core applications
NET Core Web application
Cross-platform Unity games

Some if its significant features include debugger, rich editor, integrated source control and native platform integration with iOS, Mac and Android. The latest Visual Studio for Mac incorporates a range of features including cloud, web development and potential improvements in cross-platform mobile development.

2) Xcode

Dedicated to Apple’s various OS platforms, Xcode IDE facilitates the entire Apple development ecosystem. It creates immensely productive environment for developers to build apps for Mac, iPad, iPhone, Watch OS and Apple TV. Even though you can use Xamarin to develop iOS apps on Visual Studio running in a Window system, you can’t deny the role of Mac computer because you will also require an access to Mac system to perform the remote actions of compilation and debugging.

3) NuGet

NuGet is another essential tool that enables mechanism for modern developers to create, share and consume reusable code. NuGet is a main repository of over 100,000 code packages produced by .NET developers. You can also host packages in the private cloud or network or on your local storage system. This way, code bundles will be accessible to developers who have permission to the host, maintaining in place the limited, user-specific availability.

4) Xamarin Inspector

When it is time to run and test apps for bugs, Xamarin Workbooks and Inspector offers an interactive C# console. The Xamarin Inspector integrates with the app debugger of your IDE so that users can capitalize on its tools to diagnose, inspect and debug the app elements smoothly.

5) Prism:

Prism is a framework used to build testable XAML applications in WPF, Windows 10 and Xamarin Forms. Basically Prism offers implementation of design patterns for writing well-structured and maintainable XAML apps. It includes MVVM, commands, dependency injection, EventAggregator, etc. Prism provides shared code base in a Portable Class Library which targets these core platforms while enabling integration of these design patterns with the target platform.

6) MFractor

In order to make Xamarin application development easier and more simplified, MFractor offers XAML IntelliSense, 100+ XAML inspections and re-factorings, image tooling and more. It also contains an enhanced XAML editor that boosts your Xamarin. Forms development by increasing the speed of discovering code issues and ultimately fixing them in a few clicks.

MFractor also helps you with missing essentials such as:

Image importing wizard
Localization assistance
Handy mobile navigation short-cuts
Code snippet support
Configuration engine
Project-specific customization options

7) MVVM Frameworks

MVVM, which is also known as Model-View-View-Model, is a reliable technique tailored for XAML-based environments in order to architect an application. It does so by separating UI from the underlying code used to integrate business logic. You can use MVVM frameworks in your Xamarin Forms while opting for Xamarin application development. Some of them are:

MvvmCross:https://github.com/MvvmCross/MvvmCross
Mvvm Light:http://www.mvvmlight.net/
Fresh MVVM:https://github.com/rid00z/FreshMvvm

8) ReSharper

If you are looking for an accurate on-the-fly code quality analysis in different languages, ReSharper is a Visual Studio extension you may consider. Designed for .NET developers, ReSharper supports .NET MVC, C#, ASP.NET, VB.NET, XAML, JavaScript, HTML, CSS and XML. Based on its analytical capability, developers can determine whether or not their code needs further improvement.

You can be warned of any problem in your code
You can take advantage of hundreds of quick fixes to automatically resolve the issue
Leverage variety of quick fix options to pick and choose the best from

It is also equipped with many code editing helpers such as:

Extended IntelliSense
Instant code transformations
Auto-importing namespaces
Code rearrangement
Documentation display

9) Sketch

Sketch is a vector-based, powerful design tool for Mac and its focus is mainly on screen design. Developers and designers can leverage Sketch for creating website structures, icons, and UI for both desktop and mobile devices. Sketch is handy and powerful to both beginners and established professionals who wish to specialize in one domain – which is design.

Thick with lots of pros, Sketch is tailored to address the needs of digital artists who expect to build spectacular applications. Due to its alluring feature set, Sketch as a design tool has become a widely popular choice among dedicated design companies and start-ups today.

10) Balsamiq

Balsamiq is another design aid that helps designers get faster, better and smarter in their design building experience. For once, it uses computer to reproduce the experience of sketching on a whiteboard and making wireframes faster. This ultimately helps creative designers generate more ideas and think of the best solutions possible. Here in Balsamiq, one can just drag and drop to elements for resizing, make fast changes and bring clarity to their work.

11) Adobe XD

Providing all-in-one UX/UI solutions for website and mobile apps designs, Adobe XD enables faster concept-to-prototype journey. Adobe XD offers the following major benefits:

Helps designers achieve maximum precision, performance and task efficiency
Best complements the effortlessness of UX/UI designers
Its intuitive tools are built to suit exact needs of designers
It is equipped with speed boosting features such as Repeat Grid and flexible artboards
Developers can create fully interactive prototypes in shortest of time
Switch from static layouts to interactive prototypes in a single click
Edit your design, view prototype updates automatically without syncing
One can review and share prototypes with transitions on iOS and Android devices

12) Visual studio Unit Testing Framework

The Visual Studio Unit Testing Framework is Microsoft’s unit testing tools suite that comes integrated into Visual Studio versions. Developers and QA testers familiar with Visual Studio can easily apply their experience in testing apps with the unit tests created in the framework and execute the same in Visual Studio. It is defined in Microsoft.VisualStudio.QualityTools.UnitTestFramework.dll.

13) xUnit.net

Written by the creator of NUnit v2, xUnit.net is the latest technology in testing tools. It is an open-source and community-focused unit testing tool working in the .NET framework. It supports unit testing for multiple languages including C#, F#, VB.NET, and other languages of .NET family. xUnit.net complies with the code of conduct of .NET foundation and works well with ReSharper, CodeRush, TestDriven.NET, and Xamarin.

Xamarin.iOS and Xamarin.Android

Apps built using Xamarin cross-platform development framework are unique for individual device platforms (Android and iOS) as Xamarin understands features for each platform quite well. Here is what Xamarin.iOS and Xamarin. Android offers to cross-platform mobile application developers:

100% API access for each platform

It enables developers to create an app using independent APIs that belong to each underlying device platform. Xamarin.Android and Xamarin.iOS offer 100% API access with all the merits of .NET APIs, which implies that you have sheer power to do anything you wish in Android or iOS with Xamarin in C#.

This is an added advantage of building apps using Xamarin cross-platform technology, which means it is easy to deliver exceptional native experience for mobile applications built with Xamarin.

Smart separate UI approach

Developers can leverage the approach of having separate UI design toolkits known as Xamarin.iOS and Xamarin.Android. This indicates that you can capitalize on the power of shared code base in C# with Xamarin.iOS and Xamarin.Android, resulting in a controlled structure where common business logic is conveniently shared across multiple platforms with separate UIs. Thus the two products help Xamarin developers tailor-build UI designs for each platform involved.

Xamarin.Android and Xamarin.iOS unleashes the complete potential of Android SDK to .NET developers in order to craft perfectly native Android apps in C# in Visual Studio.

Suitability

While developing cross-platform mobile application using Xamarin technology, if you are confused as to where Xamarin.iOS and Xamarin.Android are most suitable, here is where both the tools come handy:

Building apps with native-like behaviour and interactions
Developing apps with platform-specific native APIs
Mobile apps with custom UI development

Windows

As long as Windows applications go, the Windows is already built in C# and supports C# for development along with native APIs.

Xamarin.Forms

Xamarin.forms is another UI toolkit that allows cross-platform developers to write code only once and then share application UI across all platforms. At the time of running the mobile application, the written code blends into platform’s native structure.

Xamarin.Forms also sets free a complete UI toolkit for .NET developers to build fully native Android, iOS, and Windows apps in Visual Studio.

Another pro of using Xamarin.forms is that developers can relish the luxury of sharing maximum code (which is up to 90%) with this UI kit.

With Xamarin.forms, all it takes is the strength of single team of Xamarin developers to build apps for multiple platforms.

Xamarin.Forms is equipped with:

UI building blocks (pages, layouts, and controls)
Complete set of UI controls defined in XAML
Data binding
Custom renderers
Navigation
Animation API
Dependency Service
Messaging Centre

Advantages of Xamarin.Forms

Native app feel
Shared Business Logic
Shared UI
More efficiency & less development time

Suitability

During cross-platform mobile app development, Xamarin.Forms seems suitable in situations like:

Building apps where platform-specific functionality is not compulsory
Cross-platform projects where code sharing is more emphasized than custom UI

Steps to Create a Mobile App Using Xamarin

Xamarin is one of unstoppable buzzwords among developers who avidly gravitate towards cross-platform frameworks to build cross-platform applications across major platforms (Android, Windows, iOS, OS X) with native UI, experience and performance. Hence, if you are looking for highly productive tools to ease your Xamarin development process, this post will walk you through all the essential development tools used for creating Xamarin apps.

Visual Studio

Visual Studio is Microsoft’s advanced and widely used sophisticated IDE. Known best for its features for mobile, desktop and web application creation, it supports mobile development of:

.NET (Android, iOS, tvOS, watchOS)
Mac desktop apps
.NET Core applications
NET Core Web application
Cross-platform Unity games

XCode

Dedicated to Apple’s various OS platforms, XCode IDE facilitates the entire Apple development ecosystem. It creates immensely productive environment for developers to build apps for Mac, iPad, iPhone, Watch OS and Apple TV. Even though you can use Xamarin to develop iOS apps on Visual Studio running in a Window system, you can’t deny the role of Mac computer because you will also require an access to Mac system to perform the remote actions of compilation and debugging.

NuGet

Xamarin Inspector

Prism

MFractor

In order to make Xamarin application development easier and more simplified, MFractor offers XAML IntelliSense, 100+ XAML inspections and refactorings, image tooling and more. It also contains an enhanced XAML editor that boosts your Xamarin.Forms development by increasing the speed of discovering code issues and ultimately fixing them in a few clicks.

MFractor also helps you with missing essentials such as:

Image importing wizard
Localization assistance
Handy mobile navigation shortcuts
Code snippet support
Configuration engine
Project-specific customization options

MVVM Frameworks

MvvmCross : https://github.com/MvvmCross/MvvmCross
Mvvm Light : http://www.mvvmlight.net/
Fresh MVVM : https://github.com/rid00z/FreshMvvm

ReSharper

You can be warned of any problem in your code
You can take advantage of hundreds of quick fixes to automatically resolve the issue
Leverage variety of quick fix options to pick and choose the best from

It is also equipped with many code editing helpers such as:

Extended IntelliSense
Instant code transformations
Auto-importing namespaces
Code rearrangement
Documentation display

Sketch

Balsamiq

Adobe XD

Providing all-in-one UX/UI solutions for website and mobile apps designs, Adobe XD enables faster concept-to-prototype journey. Adobe XD offers the following major benefits:

Helps designers achieve maximum precision, performance and task efficiency
Best complements the effortlessness of UX/UI designers
Its intuitive tools are built to suit exact needs of designers
It is equipped with speed boosting features such as Repeat Grid and flexible artboards
Developers can create fully interactive prototypes in shortest of time
Switch from static layouts to interactive prototypes in a single click
Edit your design, view prototype updates automatically without syncing
One can review and share prototypes with transitions on iOS and Android devices

Visual studio Unit Testing Framework

xUnit.net

How Xamarin Benefits Cross-platform App Development

As Microsoft resolutely states, “Apps built using Xamarin look and feel native, because they are native indeed!” Let’s start with this one as we go to describe all the incredible benefits delivered by Xamarin for cross-platform app development.

All things Native

With Xamarin application development, you are confident that any app built using this platform will reflect native-like qualities, such as:

1) Native UI: Xamarin cross-platform IDE is built with high priority shown to app performance and UI quality. Hence, Xamarin-built apps have native UI controls and look and behaviour that end users truly expect.

2) Native API Access: Since Xamarin application development provides access to device-specific functionalities and platform-specific capabilities (ARKit and Android Multi-Window mode), developers can foster unique ability to emulate native app technologies used universally.

3) Native Performance: Apps built using Xamarin technology is enriched with platform-specific speed and are designed to generate organic native performance. This is because during runtime UI components are converted into device-specific elements, avoiding the code interpretation, eventually producing native experience.

4) Fast pace of development cycle : One of the main attractions of Xamarin for cross-platform app development is that its code can be reused and recycled. As up to 90% portion of code can be reused across different platforms, developers find it easy to economize on both time and vigour which they can invest later in other innovations. Thus the simplified code sharing significantly impacts the pace of development cycle.

5) Extract great value from C#: Having spent much of time in mobile application development, developers might be familiar enough to use programming languages from the C family. C# which is a much sophisticated, general-purpose language that offers type-friendly comfort for Windows platform. It has object-oriented coding and contains all the improvements and advancements of C++.

6) Shared app code: With Xamarin cross-platform app development, it is possible for developers to share app code across multiple mobile platforms and OS. Xamarin has unique edge since its major UI logics such as input validation, database interactions, web service calls, back-end API integrations are written in one language only which is C#. So you can use the same APIs for 75+% of app code across all mobile development platforms.

7) Outstanding flexibility: Xamarin gifts you outstanding flexibility when it comes to using the same APIs and UI controls as used for development of Android, iOS and Mac applications. You can develop apps easily across these platforms without changing much since Xamarin supports platform-specific programming languages viz Java, Objective-C, and Swift. Due to this allowance, users can have new features installed as soon as they are launched for the respective device.

8) Agility and economy: This particular benefit appeals to both enterprise-grade businesses and developers equally. The reason why Xamarin cross-platform mobile application development contributes to business growth is its Rapid Mobile App Development (RMAD) capability. All credit goes to Xamarin UI form libraries that enable simplified, swift and frictionless development. It provides developers with an added advantage of agility they need to expedite the process, and businesses, too, benefit from Xamarin’s low-cost development model.

9) Great hardware compatibility: Since Xamarin cross-platform development gives you full access to its powerful components and APIs, your app will conduct native interactions with the device OS. This ultimately lowers any compatibility issues you face earlier in the app development. Xamarin gives developers an opportunity to capitalize on and connect with applications’ common device functionalities for various platforms on a larger scale.

10) Enhanced accuracy: Xamarin contains quintessential type-safety feature which is beneficial to developers who want to spend minimum time correcting the errors they face while writing the applications. This rich feature in Xamarin application development allows you to avoid possible type-specific syntax errors and inaccuracies. Developers can simply avoid the involvement of boilerplate or verbose type annotations, thus augmenting convenience and speed, and eliminating occurrences of flaws.

11) Incredible customization: It is advantageous for any mobile app developers to be able to tweak and add custom feature to applications. Xamarin cross-platform app development tool enables facility for you to use and work on native libraries so that you can create applications with incredible customization.

From above discussion, it is crystal-clear that Xamarin is super-beneficial to both developers and businesses bodies. Not only Xamarin mobile applications offer competitive advantage to enterprise structures, but it also equip developers who wish to work on intuitive, sophisticated and time-tested cross-platform development tools.

Summary

Xamarin mobile application development is a considerable cross-platform solution that offers simplified coding and native user experience across multiple device platforms. The robust cross-platform tool helps developers build a single app, reuse code for common business logic and optimize the speed of app development cycle.

Due to rapid app development capability, hardware compatibility and API flexibility, Xamarin is a platform of choice for modern developers who seek real-time value while building, testing and deploying apps with just one tool. Finally, we can firmly say that a wide community of talented Xamarin professionals and the use of advanced C# definitely make Xamarin a comprehensive application development platform for both business enterprises and developers.

Exclusive Bonus: Download PDF Guide

Top iPhone and iPad Apps on App Store

Posted on May 14, 2018 by Super Admin Testreveal

Your iPhone and iPad device wouldn’t be as interesting without having cool and handy apps. To extract the best out of your device, it is crucial to embellish your iOS device with a range of user-friendly apps. We have shortlisted the top 9 iPhone and iPad apps for App store 2018. From music, task management, finance to weather and payment, these apps are the result of creative iOS app development skills and can touch gamut of areas of your daily life and make your iOS device a fulfilling experience for you.

Top 9 iPhone Apps

1. Google Photos

This is another attention-worthy app from Google for your iPhone. Since Apple is still away from building a finest photo organization app, Google Photos works as an intelligent photo management app that stores and organizes all your photos on cloud in a way that is frictionless, simple and quite convenient.

2. Lyft

There is always a need for cab in your life especially when you go out unplanned. Lyft helps you save time and bother by finding you the quick ride in no time. Whenever (and wherever) you need, Lyft will pick you up. Usually, it operates in major cities at a price that is more affordable than taxi in most cases. Rides can be overprices at the time of demand surge, though.

3. Snapchat

Appealing to almost entire spectrum of demographics, the widely celebrated Snapchat is a great option for people to share with their friends. Recently, Snapchat has also become great platform for publications for fresh updates, news and events and virtual hangout spot. Users can either send individual messages or create their own storyboard with array of posts.

4. Evernote

Evernote is a thoughtful product of iOS app development as it acts as a virtual notebook allowing you to note down anything rolling in your mind anywhere. With Evernote, you can make notes, save images and content from the web, upload content and track your tasks. It lets you manage audio files and you can search Evernote notes easily and quickly anytime you wish.

5. Dark Sky

A reliable companion to spontaneous walkers and joggers, Dark Sky is a weather prediction app that helps you determine whether or not you should go out. The app predicts local weather of your precise location and contains elegant maps that encourage users to be weather-conscious.

6. Spotify

Great for personalized music-on-demand lovers, Spotify allows users to listen to their favourite tracks and explore radio option for them find new tunes, playlists etc. you can even sync music files to your phone for offline listening experience. To make your trip more fun, tap into Spotify and download catchy playlists over Wi-Fi which you can enjoy later without a concern for data charges.

7. Enlight

Enlight is a powerful and versatile photo-editing tool that offers premium control on mobile devices. Acclaimed for its impressive photo editing features, Enlight has colours and tone controls, filters, masking features and more to create various effects. It has photo correction and photo mixing tools to enhance many qualities of photos. Reflecting the maturity of iOS app development, Enlight could be your ultimate resort for a complete photo editor.

8. AnyDo

To always remember and manage daily chores and tasks, AnyDo can help you createthe to-do-list, reminders and notes. It also gives you ability to share or assign the task to other app users. With voice-entry feature, you can speak to add items to the list. You can sync your tasks and attachments between phone, desktop and tablet and integrate calendar. Its premium version contains advanced features.

9. Mint

Are you looking for ways to control your overspending, better manage loan/debt or save for next birthday party or holiday trips? Mint is there for you. Mint brings all your account activities in one place including banks, credit, investments, etc. It optimizes your budget and offers you tools to set saving goals and bill reminders, and categorically breaks down your spending structure.

Top 9 iPad Apps

1. Affinity Photo

Affinity Photo is a perfectly example of the creative infinity of iOS app development for iPad devices. This is a pro-level photo editing tool that works best on iPad Air 2 and iPad Pro, allowing you to explore its impressive range of features like RAW shooting/processing support, the ability to add fonts, layer isolation, etc. Its has live filters and liquify tools that enable editing in real time. You can grab pleasant experience with a finger or Pencil.

2. Noted

A great integration of audio recorder and notepad, Noted comes with a rich text editor that provides a simplified version of pages. Notes have predefined styles for lists and headings, means to add images and an attention-drawing highlighter. The combination of text and audio is unique for iPad apps and Noted makes the task of recording meeting or lectures smarter and more contextual.

3. Concepts

If you are prepared to experience a creative sketching and design, Concepts could be just what you need. It embodies intelligent iOS app development as this modern vector-based sketching app offers editable strokes with great flexibility, varied grids, and user-definable gestures. With the use of Pencil, Concepts version 5 has new design standards and appears smooth and natural in use.

4. Human Anatomy Atlas

Human Anatomy Atlas encourages AR-driven education and takes digital textbook to next level by turning your device into an anatomy lab. With this app, you can dig into virtual corpse and examine cross-sections, full deep anatomy including bones, eyes and muscle action. Due to AR element, what you do with Human Anatomy Atlas and virtual cadaver is always so fascinating and intriguing.

5. Kaleidoscope

Kaleidoscope is your phone’s productivity app that gives organized access to your local files, images and folders. Kaleidoscope is designed with contemporary standards of iOS app development and it utilizes the new iOS 11 functionality on latest iPads. The app compares various contents of folders and enables drag and drop from Apple’s Files app and contains coloured overlays to highlight the difference between text docs. It offers great flexibility in image viewing as well.

6. Toca Life: Farm

Aimed at engaging kids and little ones, Toca Life: Farm is a wonderful, ambitious and thoughtful iPad app that offers children to explore richness of country life and create their own stories. They can interact with rich elements (crops, ingredients, food and animals) of barn, field, house and store. Even young ones can find it fun while making noises and colourful characters. With so much lively components in this game-like app, Toca Life: Farm is definitely attributed to mature iOS app development.

7. MaxCurve

If you seek a professional Photoshop experience with nice control on images on your iPad, MaxCurve high-quality photo editor is there to entice you. The app enables users to adjust curves and make subtle tweaks to colours and exposure settings easily. Any iOS app development company will have to chase the highest standard while competing with this smart app. MaxCurve’s edits are stored as virtual layers, and photo enhancements tools are truly impressive.

8. The Brainstormer

Designed for all the aspiring storytellers, Brainstormer can help you develop a story if you are out of ideas. By default, you can spin the three wheels for a haphazard set of plots, themes, settings and subject. You can fiddle with them all you want. The scalable iPad app gives you a little kick while inventing a fantasy world or unique drama. Wheels are editable and can be customized from scratch to fits users’ taste.

9. Waterlogue

Waterlogue is a unique, photo transformation app on iPad that converts the photo you enter into luminous watercolours. This app represents the creatively aesthetic aspect of iOS app development. It comes with 14 pre-styles you can choose from. Just open a photo and Waterlogue will add paint to your photo, making it look authentically creative and spectacular. It offers good control and tweaks along with adjustment for brush size, colour intensity and borders.

Last words

We just explored the list top 11 iPhone and iPad apps on App store in 2018. There are still plenty of options in Apple’s App store for latest iPhone and iPad holders since iOS app development technology’s evolving constantly. In future, you are likely to discover more exciting wonders for any iOS app development company would strive to exceed imagination of users. Till then, we have these apps to enliven our living.

Top 10 Dos and Don’ts For UX Approach in Mobile App Development (2018)

Posted on May 7, 2018 by Super Admin Testreveal

Mobile app developers across the globe will agree with the fact that the development of user friendly mobile apps calls for a lot of forethought. It is through this farsightedness that you can create apps that can rank high on their user experience. Here is a rundown of do’s and don’ts that you must consider while designing your mobile app. Once you keep these pointers in mind, you will be able to attract the attention of app users in more ways than you can imagine.

Firstly, let us shed light on what you should do to churn out a user-friendly and appealing mobile app.

The Do’s

1. Research – A Data Collation Spadework

Most of the apps fail because the developer does not research before designing them. Hence you should resist the temptation of skipping the most important task of researching and abstain yourself from jumping straight to the designing process. Researching includes that you spend time conducting a competitive analysis.

Researching supports you to work in the direction of a blueprint that you have come up with, keeping user experience as your mission statement.

2. Enlist Crucial Mobile App Characteristics

The next thing that you should do is to come up with priority features. It is a matter of excitement for developers to add many features to their apps. However, this clogs the basic intention behind a clean user experience.

You will have to decide and stick to important features that will better impact your users while doing away with such features which are good-to-have.

3. Support Every Click With Feedback

For every user input, it is important that you provide some feedback so as to direct your users to a state of process completion. Only when your app provides feedback will your users be rest assured that the desired action was performed. Without feedback, your app will keep your user guessing whether the intended process is complete or unsuccessful.

4. Do Away With Unnecessary Clutter

Too much information can spoil and complicate user experience. Cluttering does more harm to mobiles with smaller screen space when compared to desktops which have wider screens. Here, your aim is to stick to minimalism. It is best to include content that can impact your users, discarding all those elements (unnecessary images, buttons and texts) which clog the mobile screen.

5. Legible Text Drives Usability and Readability

Content is what drives your users to pick your app. The text that appears on your app is part of the content that demands attention. You should hence ensure that your text is legible so as to come up with a user-friendly mobile interface. Choosing a legible font size is a recommendation that should be given serious thought.

6. Navigation Should Be An In-Built Feature

The compelling content in your mobile app should be evident so that users locate it without any additional efforts. In view of this feature, it is important to come up with navigation patterns that are familiar to your target audience.

7. The Lesser the Typing, The Better It Is

You as a mobile user will agree with the fact that, typing on a mobile is a tiring and error-making process. Hence, the smartest tip is to minimize the typing on a small mobile screen. Removing unnecessary fields will be an intelligent move in the direction of allowing users to give you the information that you need to know.

8. Offer A Seamless User Experience Across Multiple Devices

You should not go by the idea that mobile apps offer stand-alone experiences. For a user handling multiple devices including tablets, desktop or mobile phone, he/she expects your app to provide a seamless experience across all devices.

9. The Use of Finger-Friendly Taps

It should be your objective to come up with ample touch targets for all interactive mobile desiogn elements. By doing away with smaller touch targets which lead to mistaken taps, you will be able to address the most common problem faced by mobile app users. Thus it is recommended that you include targets that are big enough for users to tap.

10. Test Your Design

A real world implementation of your mobile app will help you come up with unseen flaws that were masked during app development. Hence the trick is to test your design with multiple real users so as to work on their feedback. Their pointers will thus become your guiding light to come up with an app that only appeals to users but is also effective.

Let us now move on to the don’ts that dampen the mobile app user experience.

1. Don’t Strive to Get It Right The First Time Around

Try and try till you succeed. In line with this common adage, it is important to keep in mind that it is difficult to come up with a perfect experience with your first attempt. Even after meeting all you mobile design requirements, there is every possibility that you will step on a new set of requirements that have emerged after testing the app. Hence it is advisable to adhere to an iterative designing pattern and test your app early on.

2. Don’t Drift Away from Customer Needs

Once you start focusing on meeting customer needs, you will not get carried away by an idea that looks lucrative on the face of it but fails to deliver any benefit to users. Only when you spend time validating your design theories based on what your target audience wants, you will be in a position to work around a feedback loop that permits a solid mobile app design.

3. Jargon – A Big “No”

User interface which is devoid of jargon appeals to users. When your app starts conversing with users in the language they are comfortable with, the interaction between the interface and the users is simplified. Here, you should abstain from using words that are beyond the understanding of users.

4. Avoid Seeking User Permissions Right At The Start

It is a common phenomenon with many apps that were just downloaded to seek user permissions in the beginning itself. Such questions can discourage and confuse users who will in all probability deny such a request.

5. Abstain from Using Custom Gestures As a Primary Means to Interact With Your App

Instead of offering custom gestures to interact with your app, it pays to come up with standard gestures for shortcuts. Since users are familiar with standard gestures, they need not expend any effort to learn or recall them.

6. Users Should Not Be Kept Waiting for Content

Users’ reactions like unrest and frustration will set in when they are kept waiting for content. A black screen that pops up when the content is loading can dampen the user experience, giving an impression that the app is stalled.

7. Dead End Pages Are Best Avoided

You should be mindful of the design flow concerning user experience. Your app, with every action should move in the direction of accomplishing a goal. In this regard, you should avoid creating dead-end app pages that hamper the user flowassuch pages not only confuse users but also lead to unnecessary actions.

8. Avoid Tagging the Web Experience on Apps

If you noticed, web browsers work through links. On the flipside, it is buttons that drive mobile experiences. In line with what users expect with regard to interface elements and interaction patterns in mobile apps, you should avoid underlined links in mobile apps.

9. Don’t Lead Users to a Browser

It can be terribly frustrating for a user if the app leads him/her to a web browser, during instances requiring to either complete a task or those that seek additional content. Such an occurrence will reduce conversion rates.

10. Seeking User Feedback During Their First Experience – A Strict “No”

Notwithstanding the fact that user reviews and ratings are the important data points for the success of your app, it is through such feedback that users will either choose to download or skip an app. At times, the frequency with which the app seeks user reviews can also annoy the users when they are interrupted while performing an important function.

Closing Thoughts

With new mobile apps mushrooming with each passing day, the expectations about user experiences are increasing manifold. In an attempt to sustain competition and meet the varying needs of users, you should come up with an app that is not only useful but also valuable and relevant to your target audience. Hence, the above 10 do’s and don’ts will help you attain the objective of a promising mobile app that ranks high on usability and user experience.

Swift vs Objective-C: Which Is Better For iOS App Development?

Posted on May 4, 2018 by Super Admin Testreveal

Objective-C has gained a predominant place as a primary language in the world of mobile app development for many years. Used extensively for developing successful iOS and OS mobile applications, Objective-C is a compound of C language with object-oriented features and efficient runtime. Objective-C run its regime before Apple launched a unique programming language in 2014 called Swift.

Swift is safe, concise and more sophisticated than Objective-C and encourages interactive development system. It offers several commendable features like generics, short syntax, closures and type interface that further simplify the coding and eliminate complicated patterns experienced in Objective-C.

Despite all new capabilities of Swift for app development, developers are still in dilemma as to which one is better for iOS app development.

The discussion below penetrates the subject in more depth:

Swift at a Glance

Introduced by Apple, the main purpose of Swift was to liberate developers from excessive efforts involved in Objective-C coding format and provide maximum agility, faster run time and simplicity. It has combination of C and Objective-C without legacy constraints and challenging conventions often faced in Objective-C language.

Swift has enough potential to act as a logical alternative to Objective-C and can work alongside Objective-C while using Cocoa and Cocoa Touch frameworks in iOS, WatchOS, OS X and tvOS. Therefore, iOS developers can go confidently go for Swift.

Due to its potent benefits, developers are compelled to run analogy between Objective-C and Swift and think of Swift to build highly engaging iOS apps. Let’s compare both languages technically to make the decision as to which language is better.

Swift vs. Objective-C

Apple’s claims that Swift is better, faster and smarter than Objective-C have made the language a famous point of discussion among world’s community of developers. Swift has also gained the reputation of being more direct and able to establish smooth connection between iOS developers and consumers.

The following points elaborate on the comparison:

1) Readability and Concision

Arguably enough, Swift is more advantageous when it comes to enjoying the clarity of syntax while coding iOS mobile apps. Due to ease in writing and reading, developers find it much more convenient to develop apps with complicated functions. With Swift, same action can be implemented in limited code lines compared to Objective-C. This means concise codes and reduction in legacy practices that earlier involved semicolons and parenthesis while forming conditional if/else expressions.

2) Intuitive Language and Cleanliness

In Swift, unlike Objective-C, method and function calls do not create confusing mess and look more organized due to the list of parameters elegantly separated by comma. This ability of the language results in clean, simplified syntax.

Moreover, as Swift looks like plain English, developers find written codes more natural and light, and they don’t have to spend much time searching error-ridden codes. Due to intuitive coding experience and enhanced readability, any programmer with expertise in JavaScript, Python, C++, Java can adopt it for fast-paced programming.

3) Ease of Maintenance

Objective-C is greatly dependent on C when it comes to absorbing changes and evolving the language. This implies that Objective-C will require programmers to maintain two code files to boost efficiency and reduce build time. Swift, however, is free from such interdependencies because it eliminates two-file requirement with a single code file (.swift) which combines Objective-C header (.h) and implementation file (.m).

Therefore, Swift is comparatively easier to maintain. In Objective-C, method names and comments are synchronized with human efforts. Swift allows developers to avoid this hassle and spare more time for more important aspects of programming such as code quality, features and app logic, etc.

4) Rational Code With Minimal Strings

Objective-C provokes issues that create errors or app crashes. Swift language has less scope of error because it allows programmers to manipulate text strings. Objective-C makes combining two strings lengthy whereas Swift enables joining two strings with ‘+’ sign.

Furthermore, Swift involves less code density when writing repetitive statements. In Swift, classes are not divided into interface and implementation. This eventually depletes the number of files through the development process, increasing ease of handling it.

5) Safety and Security

Developing a secure app is not just a necessity, but to emerge successful in the tight market competition and ensure impressive user experience, security should be a first priority. Swift language has syntax that is free from common mistakes as possible with Objective-C. In the event of nil code, Swift indirectly alerts programmers with compiler error suggesting that a bad code is written.

Thus, programmers can avoid mistakes while writing iOS apps. Less amount of mistakes and problematic code means high stability and low app crash incidents and high quality of iOS app.

6) Speed

Speed is an essential factor in determining the adoption of any programming language in mobile app development routine since any business would benefit the most from high speed programming. Swift enables any complex object to run 3.9 times faster than Python and is way faster than implementation of code in Objective-C. Swift has proven to be the language swimmingly faster and consistent in its performance than Objective-C or any other language used for iOS app development.

7) Dynamic iOS Libraries

Dynamic iOS Swift libraries are flexible to allow apps to update to newer, evolved version of Swift language. The dynamic libraries are executable codes. In Swift, dynamic libraries are loaded directly to the memory, optimizing the original size and performance of the app.

Such dynamic updates ensure the applications built with Swift are most updated and the language receives updates faster than iOS platform.

8) Open-Source

Swift was made open source in 2015, which allows programmers to use the full potential of the language with various platforms. The open-source also indicates that Apple will be able to come close to the community of independent developers and process their feedback in order to implement meaningful improvements consistently.

Although Objective-C has its own success stories, Swift as a fresh revolution in iOS app development can have impactful support from developers. Thus, Swift as an open source phenomenon has better scope to convert suggestions into superior actions and create much more evolved code architecture and mobile apps design.

9) The Promise of Consistent Performance

Swift as Apple has implied is likely to imbibe more changes and show improvements in terms of language performance, speed and time consumption. Based on tests run on Swift so far, it could be said that app logic can be fast-processed with clean Swift code lines. Swift is also believed to exhibit performance that appears close to C++ while running certain arithmetic algorithms, which is not achievable in case of Objective-C.

Additionally, developers can leverage the fact that Swift is a young, flourishing programming language by Apple, which implies that programmers can expect it to get better in near future.

Major Drawbacks of Swift Programming

Even though Swift is widely seen as one of the respectable and convenient programming languages for iOS app development, it has the following drawbacks:

Due to limited compatibility, Swift imposes on iOS developers frequent rewriting of language, making it difficult to write an app that functions perfectly with new version demanding heavy rewrite

There is a chance that without a stable version, developers may compromise proper functioning of certain iOS app functionality

Developers often encounter the vague problems due to lack of IDEs and proper Swift support

Should You Learn and Opt For Swift in iOS development?

After considering both pros and cons of Apple’s Swift in comparison with Objective-C, we can say that developers have little to lose when it comes to adopting Swift for their next iOS app development project. Opting for Swift will not only enhance the learning curve, but the awareness of Swift programming language can put developers in the most competitive spot for future iOS projects.

Due to its burgeoning popularity, a lot of reference tutorials and online resources are generated for Swift programmers to develop iOS mobile apps. Some of the big names that have leveraged Swift for building iOS apps are Lyft, Clear, Sky Guide, LinkedIn, Yahoo Weather.

The scenario for Swift looks positive in 2018. Hence, we can argue that Swift may replace Objective-C in future.

Concluding Thoughts

There is no doubt that Swift is built with the futuristic vision to enhance the iOS app development process for iOS developers. From above comparison, it is also evident that Swift surpasses Objective-C in so many ways frequently winning the debate in the giant domain of iOS mobile app development. However, the ultimate choice between Swift and Objective-C depends on the app size, team strengths, technical awareness and project deadline.

How To Build An Angular 5 Project With Bootstrap 4 and Firebase?

Posted on May 2, 2018 by Super Admin Testreveal

Are you looking to set up your first ever Angular 5 application? Getting such a project up and running is a lot easier than you think. Angular version 5 is quite new in the industry with amazing features and this version was rolled just a few months ago. Ahead of Time compiler, optimization with boosted speed and smaller bundles, and lighter and faster Http Client module are among the notable updates with the new version. Setting up an Angular 5 project has become the dream of many programming enthusiasts now. Adding the other technological advancements of the time, Bootstrap 4 and Firebase to the project can really make a difference in the final outcome.

Here you can see an overview of how to set up an Angular 5 Project with Bootstrap 4 and Firebase.

Set up Angular 5 Project

First let us see how to set up an Angular 5 project without much hassles:

The very first step is to setup an Angular project which is performed using Angular CLI. See that the installation of command line interface is done in case Angular CLI is not available in your system.
Now you can use the ‘ng’ command to commence a new Angular project. An application that works already will be created then. A single command generates components, services, routes and pipes.
The command line parameter ‘new’ has to be used and the new project’s name should be specified.
The development web server can be launched by executing the command ‘ng serve’ in the project folder.
Following this, the server will get started and you can now access the application. You can see a ‘welcome to app’ screen with some support links to help you with the journey.

Set up Firebase Project

Once you set up the Angular 5 project, you can move to the phase of setting up the Firebase project.

In the Firebase back-end, you are supposed to create a new Firebase project. After that the related project settings need to be transferred inside the Angular application.
Followed by that, the Angular project and Firebase libraries need to be linked to the project
Now you can visit the Firebase website in order to set up a new Firebase project
There you can easily set up a new account and use your Google credentials to sign in.
Once you have logged in, the link ‘Go To Console’ has to be clicked for getting the Firebase back-end.
In this place, the ‘Add project’ has to be clicked to link a new Firebase project or simply choose from your existing projects.
Now you can see the project console. There the link ‘Add Firebase to your web app’ can be clicked.
Now you will see the JavaScript code that guides you to the initialization of the Firebase project for the particular website.
However, for making this Firebase configuration a part of your Angular project, only a section of that code snippet is required. The key-value pairs within the config object has to be copied at first and those pairs has to be inserted within the file.

How to Add Bootstrap 4?

Finally, you can add the Bootstrap 4 to the already set up Angular 5 project. See the steps:

Use the NPM command for the installation of Bootstrap 4 into the project folder
Include the Bootstrap CSS file also in the project folder in order to access Bootstrap CSS classes for the project components
Use the Bootstrap Starter Template to include a Bootstrap user interface in the project application.
A starter template website gets opened in another browser window when you click on Starter template.
While opening the source code view of the browser, the starter template’s HTML markup code can be accessed.
The necessary code parts can be copied and then paste into your project application.
Use the Angular CLI again for including a new component to the project as you need to add the starter template’s navigation bar now.
Use Bootstrap 4 Angular directives in order to give Angular framework the complete control for updating DOM elements.

This is just a rough idea for building an Angular 5 project from scratch and adding Bootstrap 4 and Firebase to it. However, for a comprehensive project that has an unparalleled performance, you have to bring in advance features and customize it to your actual requirements. A dedicated effort from an enthusiast with a sound knowledge about the technical whereabouts is needed to set up a final project that is error free and that meets the specific requirements.

In fact, Angular 5 was designed with people’s need in mind and so utilizing its possibilities in the right way is the key. Unlike conventional options, offline experience and push notifications are far better with this latest version. By avoiding unnecessary run time code, the application has now become faster and lighter. With Angular 6 and 7 expected to get released in the upcoming years, the technology world have a lot to hope for. This amazing JavaScript framework was built with the aim to satisfy both users as well as developers.

9 Tips To Make Your Mobile App Beautiful

Posted on April 27, 2018 by Super Admin Testreveal

Whether you have a start-up or an established firm, mobile app becomes a necessity for all. Basically, making your mobile app attractive is one of the key elements that compels users to embrace it. So what all you need to consider while designing an app to get a good look and feel?

Right from the beginning you think of an app idea, be specific about your design and how you want your app to look like. As soon as the mock-up part of the app gets ready, allow the designing team to discuss with developers to understand the actual functions of the app, so that the designer will be able to focus on the elements that have needed to take the app beyond function and into an attractive form. Including features like attractive icons, unique title, informative image/videos, attractive animations, UI/UX interface etc. can make a simple app better and beautiful.

Mobile app design is quite challenging but can offer big deals to your brand if you do it in the right way.

Curious to see how to make your app beautiful? Checkout this info graphic and learn more about the tips to follow:

Essential iOS App Development Tools 2021

Posted on April 26, 2018 by Super Admin Testreveal

iOS is a well-known operating system developed by Apple Incorporation to run exclusively on Apple hardware products that include iPhones, iPads, and iPods. Initially, the idea behind developing this OS was to make it compatible to run applications on small screens of the phones. Soon, it began to draw a wider picture and began to come up with its own applications.

Similar to any other mobile operating system, iPhone also offers a wide variety of apps to be used by the user. While the programming languages used in the earlier app development were C and C++, these days the languages have been replaced with their advanced versions like Objective-C and Swift.

No doubt, programming languages play an important role in the development of useful and effective iOS applications; there are a number of other tools that can be used for this purpose. While the market is currently flooded with these tools, there are a certain few that are expected to rule the market in 2018. Some of these are as mentioned below:

1. Hotfix Native iOS Apps

This is one of the most exclusive tools available to develop iOS applications. Using this tool allows one to push code levels immediately to the native Objective-C apps. Allowing one an easy and direct access to the app methods and this tool also patches these by providing the app alert messages.

2. Qordoba

This allows one to localize, optimize as well as promote the app in international market. A local software development kit (SDK), Qordoba works with local files and assets. The tool’s main aim is to allow parsing which, in simple terms, mean establishing connectivity between the app and the related database.\

3. Charter

Provided by the Swift language, Charter is considered to be an excellent tool for iOS app development. Keeping up with the Swift programming language mailing list on iPhones or iPads, the tool allows its user to have both online and offline view as well as supports the message threading for the conversation.

4. Swift Express

A simple and powerful web application tool, this app is written in Swift programming language and contains a framework and simple routing mechanism. Using it enables one to easily manage the project dependencies as well as swiftly running the app.

5. Gitter

Built on GitHub, which is one of the largest software development platforms at a global level, Gitter is an open source instant messaging platform that allows one to use it for public and private chats. Used commonly by developers, this tool allows for rigid collaboration within organizations.

6. Crayons

This one is an interesting plug-in that makes working with colors in a project much interesting. Along with the predefined colors available, this tool also provides access to custom colors that are defined in the code. Apart from this, the tool also allows one to share color pallet in the file by writing the suitable methods as per the requirements.

Conclusion

Apart from the ones mentioned above, there are a number of other effective tools and platforms to develop iOS applications. Using these frameworks makes it easier to develop iOS applications as these provide an integrated environment for a smooth and easy development process.

Everything You Need To Know About ‘Android Pie’

Posted on April 24, 2018 by Super Admin Testreveal

Hey, your so well performing Android phone is now obsolete. Because Google has just released its recent version of the mobile operating system and it’s called Android 9 Pie. Yep, you read that right. With super cool new features and functionalities, this new mobile operating system is already increasing the users’ excitement levels.

Of course, this is just a sort of preview of the new mobile operating system and we will definitely see more exciting features added to it in the future.

The new version the Android 9 Pie, or just Android 9 is now available in giant Pixel’s smartphone the Pixel and Pixel 2 devices which includes: Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL.

Also the fact that the number of Android users are more, Android app development has always been in the trending list for companies across the globe.

And here is everything that you should know about Android Pie:

1. Enhanced Notifications:

Notifications are highly important to every smartphone user. Specifically, Google wants to improve the user experience at this point. This means that users will be able to perform more without even opening the full application.

Now for notifications, Android Pie will suggest smart replies, lets you attach images and stickers, and type your own replies. This is all possible because of the Google’s new “Messaging style” notification.

2. Navigation is Now Stepping into the Indoors:

No matter what city or country we live in, Google Maps is one of the most loved and used navigation applications so far and now in Android Pie, it is even far better. Wondering how? Well, so far this navigation map has been working only outside the doors such as route to restaurants, malls, etc.

But now it is about to change. This new feature in Android Pie includes additional support for “Wi-Fi round trip time” that leads to more particular positioning via Wi-Fi. In fact, this indoor positioning in public places like shopping malls is about to get more detail.

3. Powered by AI for Smarter and Adaptive Use:

So far, Google Assistant has been one of the essential parts of Android operating system. With the launch of Android Pie, AI is baked into your Android smartphone in a much better way to make it smarter, simpler, adaptive, approachable and it also has features to learn from users and totally adapts to you life to perform tasks.

4. Battery life:

Just like we anticipated, Google has been working to make the new version, Android Pie, a little more power efficient. It has rolled out with a new feature- ‘Adaptive Battery’ that tends to make Android phones more smarter and efficient. The main advantage of this feature is that it prioritizes the app that you use the most and uses less battery power for app you use less

5. Adaptive Brightness:

According to Google, current auto-brightness feature isn’t that good and so in the new version they have rolled out a more powerful way to calibrate the phone brightness based on learned behavior and environment.

6. App Actions:

With Android Pie, Google makes use of more prediction tools which thinks a step further to predict what you’ll do next. Its like Pie starts to read up your mind.

7. Improved security:

Android Pie brings several changes to normal security features. It consists of new privacy protection features like:

Google requests developers to use HTTPS connections in apps instead of HTTP
Back-up feature in Android Pie is now encrypted, so users must enter password, pattern, pin for restoring the device
Support standardized look, feel and placement of fingerprint authentication dialog
It has introduced a new option for power menu- Lockdown Mode
It also has new privacy settings to protect users from malicious activities from other sensors

8. Better Privacy:

Now Android Pie will limit the access to the user’s phone’s camera, microphone, and the other sensors. Whenever the application itself is idle then it won’t be able to access those features, making sure they cannot just creep on users without their permission.

9. Gesture Navigation:

With the introduction of Android Pie, now you have the option to ditch the old 3 button navigation of Android to the latest feature of gesture navigation. This feature isn’t turned on by default , once its turned on, the navigation change to a pill-shaped icon. And whenever required you can turn off the feature to the old mode.

10. Taking a Screenshot is now Simple:

Easier screenshots are now easy with Android Pie. You can still use the old version of the power + volume down button but now in the new version you just need to open the power window and tap on the screen shot icon. Yes, you head it right its that simple.

This also has an additional feature where you get a notification of the screenshot taken which has the option to ‘edit’ the screenshot.

11. Warning Sound for your Call:

This is another effective privacy addition that gives a warning sound whenever the user’s phone call is being recorded. The new operating system’s improvement is there for carriers to activate and a short music will be played every 15 seconds via a call that is being recorded.

However, this amazing feature has to be supported by the network and the point that is not still clear so far is that whether it will apply to the customer service calls which will be recorded for training reasons or the third party recording apps alone.

Other changes:

Other than the above-mentioned, there are other important changes that we will see in Android P such as HDR VP9 video, enhanced JobScheduler, etc. that must help all applications in general work in a little more effective way.

Lately, Google is also going to launch another feature called ‘App Slices’ which will display relevant information from your favorite apps when you need them. For example. if you type Uber in Google search, you’ll see a slice of the Uber app with prices for your ride so that the action becomes more quick and easy.

Users will get to experience some more new features in camera, audio and also graphics.

And its there in devices near you:

From now, Android Pie is live on Pixel phones and with plenty of new features, the latest flavor from Google looks so appealing.

Are you excited about to finally have the feature on your Android smartphone? It won’t take much time because soon it will roll out to other devices as well.

A Tutorial on Firebase Hosting

Posted on April 23, 2018 by Super Admin Testreveal

If you are looking to host your NextGen web app safely, Firebase from Google can put you at ease by providing fast, reliable and secure static hosting for your web app. Offering production-grade web content hosting, Google Firebase enables you to effortlessly deploy web apps and static web page content and connect to CDN (content-delivery network) with single command.

Furthermore, with all-in-one Firebase hosting solution, you are exempted from sizing up various available cloud based hosting service providers.

The prerequisite you need to do to get started with Firebase hosting is:

Install the latest version of nodejs
Secure an uninterrupted Data connection
Create a Google Firebase account

Here is the brief tutorial on Firebase hosting for you.

Features That Make Firebase a Reliable Choice:

Before opting for Google Firebase, you may wish to clear your doubts about whether or not it is a great choice. Hence, here are all the features of Firebase hosting from Google for you to learn.

1) Content security

Firebase hosting is served over a secure connection using modern web. It has a built-in SSL which requires no further configuration, ensuring that the content is always delivered with un-compromised security standard at any point of time.

2) Speedy content delivery

Since each file you upload is on SSDs as cached at CDN edges, you can be sure your web app content is delivered fast to users around the world.

3) Quick deployment

Firebase comes with CLI which deploys your app in a few seconds. Due to CLI, you can easily upload your files from local directory to hosting server and add deployment targets into your build process.

4) One-click roll backs

Any mistakes or error made during the hosting process is undoable as Firebase Hosting enables you to manage the full version and release with one-click rollbacks.

How Does it Work?

Built with the idea of modern web development, Firebase console makes deploying the simple landing page or scalable and complex web app quite simple. The successful hosting gives your app the feel-good features, defined infrastructure and incredible tools designed to manage static websites.

WithFirebase CLI, you are able to deploy files from local directory to hosting server that has SSL configuration on global CDN. The project is given a sub-domain of firebaseapp.com. Its lightweight configuration options enable you to build sophisticated progressive web apps. Developers can easily rewrite URLs or set-up custom headers.

When site is ready for production, you can connect your own domain name to Google Firebase Hosting and also get SSL certificate for enhanced content security.

Why to leverage Google Firebase hosting?

For business-grade apps, it is important to choose a robust, scalable, and flexible framework for web application development. Google’s Firebase promises the most integrated platform for dynamic mobile apps. Some of its pros are:

1. Competitive analytics

Google Firebase comes with a free analytics dashboard that has innovative qualities and capacity to report up to as many as 500 event types. Due to its ability to provide you with crystal clear insight for understanding user behaviour, it is easy to optimize your application for better performance, scalability and personalization. Some of the crucial features of Firebase analytics are:

Streamlined segmentation of users
Unlimited reporting
Integration with other essential services.

2. High-quality and interactive applications

With Firebase, developers can enjoy ample space to create unique, interactive and high-quality apps using its incredible features and functions. Some of the remarkable, innovative features of Google Firebase are:

Authentication
Crash reporting
Storage and data syncing
Remote configuring
Real-time database
Cloud messaging
Test Lab

With these features, you can store, sync, add and integrate important data in real-time, which in turn makes user experience even more gratifying.

3. App Marketing Feature: Invites

After developing your business-focused app, you can walk an extra mile to compel users to consider and install your app. Firebase contains a feature called ‘invites’ which enables word-of-mouth advertising. Invites empowers your marketing efforts such as sending personalized invitations messages and email to prospects and existing clients, thereby advertising your app.

4. Better User engagement

You definitely want your app to do well and impress users with its scalable features and secure usage. Some of the built-in features of Google Firebase that satisfy this purpose for you are:

App indexing
Dynamic Links
Integrating Adwords
Real-time Notifications

How to get started with Hosting?

With Firebase, app development process gets simple as your app’s static assets (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, etc.) can be easily deployed and hosted with Google Firebase over HTTPS and backed by a global CDN.

Step-1 Install the Firebase CLI

To install Firebase hosting, the CLI requires you to first install Node.js(version 5.10.0 or greater) and npm. To install them both, follow the instructions given on.

After getting Node.js and npm installed, you can go ahead and install the Firebase CLI via npm:

npm install -g firebase-tools

And then, you can re-run the above command in order to update to the latest version.

Step-2 Initialize your app

If you have your Firebase app ready to deploy, you can go inside the project directory to run the command:

$ firebase init

This action creates a firebase.json settings file in the root of your project directory.

Step-3 Add a file

After following step 2, upon initializing your app, you will be asked to use the directory as the public root by default. This is helpful when you don’t have a valid index.html file in your public root directory.

Step-4 Deploy your website

At this stage, you are able to deploy your website, which you can do by running:

$ firebase deploy

In the end, you will see your app deployed at the domain<YOUR-FIREBASE-APP>.firebaseapp.com

Step-5 Manage and rollback deploys

From the Hostingpanel in the Firebase Console you can see a full history of your deploys. To roll back to a previous deploy, hover over its entry in the list, click the overflow menu icon, then click “Rollback”.

Now your app is ready to share with the world! Next up, check out how to customize hosting behavior, connect a custom domain, or take a look at the full documentation for the Firebase CLI.

Conclusion:

With these many benefits and easy-to-install process, Google Firebase console incontrovertibly emerges as the most viable option especially for business apps. Equally appealing to start-ups and big brands, Firebase is a great choice for business app development. Everybody wants their business to grow exponentially, which is where Firebase framework can be leveraged to gain optimal results.

9 Reasons To Choose Xamarin For Cross-platform Mobile App Development [Infographic]

Posted on April 18, 2018 by Super Admin Testreveal

As the global market share of mobile app is increasing frequently, use of cross-platform mobile app development has been essential for businesses. When compared with native mobile app development, cross-platform development turns out to be more cost efficient and time saving.

In such a situation, Xamarin is incredibly the best platform or framework for developers to create mobile apps using a single code i.e. C# which can be shared in multiple platforms. With a powerful IDE, Xamarin helps developers to create a comprehensive environment for development, where if required the users can further integrate the app to Xamarin Studio or Microsoft Visual Studio. Other features of Xamarin like high compiled code, options to use the native UI across various platforms, Xamarin test suite, benefits of programming language C# also makes Xamarin an extensively preferred platform.

After checking out all the advantages of Xamarin, it becomes one of the best tool set that allows us to support multiple platforms with less or no amount of code change. Checkout this info graphic and learn about Xamarin a little more.