Category: Mobile App Development

15 Essential Apps For Your New iPhone 2021

Posted on by Super Admin Testreveal

A new mobile device looks incomplete without fancy apps that make user experience better, increasing the usability of the phone. If you have just opened the recently launched iPhone X or SE model, you must be curious to know how to make the most of it.

Along with new inbuilt features and functionality Apple has introduced in the native environment of the phone, you will require certain cool apps whose intuitive, interactive and immersive features will make your life even more organized and easier.

Here we have compiled a list of 15 essential apps based on their usability, importance and popularity for new iPhone devices in 2021.

Google Photos Facetune 2 JEFIT
Housecraft Kindle Google Trips
Quik Uber Dropbox
AccuWeather Waze Tweetbot
Venmo OpenTable Overcast

 

1. Google Photos

Apple already offers iCloud photo storage services, indeed. But Google Photos could be a considerable option for iPhone users since it also treats iPhoners with the benefit of unlimited photo storage.

With this app, users are allowed to store endless HQ photos in their Google account with as much as 15GB capacity for their Google drive space.

Google’s Smart search tool helps users find popular objects, places and event photos. Even iOS 10 version of the Apple’s app follows the similar approach.

2. Facetune 2

This is a new freemium version of a photo editor that will surely make your selfie experience much more fun. Facetune 2 has got all amazing features you need to make your look enhanced in your mobile snapshots. Some of its exciting features are-

  • Appearance adjustment
  • Common editing features
  • Compare tool
  • Magic camera

Through in-app s and subscription, users can redeem more tools within the app.

3. JEFIT

JEFIT app could be the best mature resource for people looking to increase their strength and build a mighty physique. Through its database of thousands of effective workout routines, users can hit their fitness goals: strength training and body building.

Some of the specialities of the app are:

  • Various routines categories based on target body part
  • Detailed instructions
  • A reliable workout planner
  • Detailed exercise videos
  • Progress tracker & Timers
  • Options to personalize your JEFIT profile

Supporting real-time exercise regimen, the app looks complete. Its free version supports ads, its pro offers more advanced features and ad-free experience.

4. Housecraft

Housecraft can fulfil your house redecorating dreams. Using iPhone’s augmented reality capabilities, the app gives you a neat view of how a new piece of furniture you are thinking to buy will look in your house.

The app lets you choose 3D models of couches, chairs, computer desks, coffee tables, vases and any other piece and place them virtually in your home.

5. Kindle

Being quite a celebrated app among readers, Amazon’s kindle helps users harness their digital library on their device. Kindle is a great marketplace for book lovers and the best ever e-book reader online.

Benefits of Kindle:

  • Its book viewer offers customizable features so that readers can configure different components of reading as per their taste.
  • You can adjust font size, background colour intensity and zoomed view as you desire.
  • The app also keeps you on the same page by automatically synchronizing your reading progress across devices in use.
  • It has reader-friendly features such as bookmarks and notes.

6. Google Trips

Google understands their users like no other app. Here is Google Trips that literally brings your Smartphone to its real use by transforming it into a handy travel companion. It organizes your travel itineraries and reservations from your emails into properly sorted trips.

How it works:

  • Seemingly cognitive, this app collects various details of your hotel booking, car and flight reservations and tour routes
  • Google Trips then learn about your interests and tastes to enrich your trip with considerable recommendations of outing plans, local sightseeing
  • Its offline support allows users to save the consolidated trips details locally to their iPhone, saving on Wi-Fi or other heavy roaming charges

7. Quik

GoPro’s Quik is an AI-based video assembly app that helps you edit your footage’s and intelligently transforms your video and photos into cool, snazzy montage video.

This smart app has intelligent ability to choose major highlights and moments from up-to 200 photos and video clips saved either in your internal memory or on cloud.

Users can:

  • Adjust visual effects, put texts and titles over the video
  • Select from free 80 songs to go with the video
  • Alternatively add your own music
  • Save the videos in two resolutions
  • Even share it across various social media channels

8. Uber

By 2018, Uber has made a household name for an on-demand taxi booking and sharing app. In the field of public transformation, Uber has almost dominated others and disrupted the market with its flexible services and powerful momentum.

Uber enables users to:

  • Easily set up their account
  • Book/share a cab within quick seconds
  • Avail premium black car service
  • Save time and waiting on fare bargaining

Uber calculates your cab fare automatically by credit card or PayPal.

With new iOS 10 device, you can use voice command for Siri to order an Uber ride for you.

9. Dropbox

Deemed as pioneer in cloud storage, Dropbox helps you with the online storage of various files and documents and you can easily access them across any device you use on the go.

  • With Dropbox, users can enjoy:
  • Minimum 2GB of storage capacity
  • Syncing their files and photos
  • Offline access feature for quick look
  • Sharing files with peers
  • Sending files to people without Dropbox account
  • Collaborating with fellow members for work

10. AccuWeather

Before you go out for the day, it is nice to be updated on weather conditions. This is what AccuWeather does. It keeps users informed of detailed weather forecasts in detailed fashion. It can give 15-day outlook and minute predictions of hyperlocal climate.

AccuWeather’s outstanding features:

  • Animated weather information
  • In-depth Forecast summaries
  • Radar maps
  • Customizable forecast details
  • Climate-related videos
  • Apple SmartWatch support for quick weather report

11. Waze

In a traffic-packed city, Waze could be a real time saver. It is a brilliant useful navigation app that comes handy when you are driving on your own inside the city.

Waze is your best navigation assistant that minimizes your traffic burden by finding you the fastest, frictionless and efficient driving routes to your destination.

This is what Waze does:

  • Provides Focused navigation assistance
  • Delivers Real-time traffic updates
  • Collects reports from other Waze users
  • Enables automatic rerouting
  • Provides cheap gas alerts
  • Makes you aware of time-consuming obstacles/situations

12. Tweetbot

No one can deny the power Tweeter as a social media platform gives its users. It drives people’s lives in so many incredible ways.

However, its official mobile app is not in its fully mature form, causing users a good amount trouble finding new posts.

The app is constantly updating and adding new features, which often results in inconvenience.

Tweetbot comes to your rescue as it is simple to use and allows for a chronological feed on Tweeter in a straightforward fashion.

13. Venmo

Tired of worrying about trying different payment methods for people you pay? Try Venmo, a person-to-person payment app powered by PayPal. With Venmo, you can make and share hassle-free payments to anyone you wish.

Offerings of the app:

  • Users can instantly pay anyone using your balance in Venmo account.
  • It also allows you to link your bank account or debit card, which makes it a great option for people who regularly exchange money with various sources.
  • Users can trust it with information security since the app has data encryption system that protects all your financial information.

14. OpenTable

Open Table is the app designed to save you from the last minute struggle for table reservations at your favourite restaurant.

The app is a reliable restaurant finder and reservation aid that users can use to search for restaurants by cuisine, speciality, rates, date and proximity.

With OpenTable, users can:

  • View the more than 43,000 restaurants worldwide
  • Spot the place on the map
  • Refer to their business details
  • Check its photos, reviews and menus
  • Book unoccupied tables
  • Invite guests
  • Use Siri to book a reservation

15. Overcast

If you are addicted to power audio quality, Overcase is a must-have iOS podcast app for 2019 generation. It offers flawless design standard and high-quality powerful audio and podcast management experience.

Feature-rich and clutter-free, Overcast seamlessly supports episode playbacks and downloads, offline play and online streaming and notifies you of new episodes.

Some of the sterral features of Overcast app are:

  • Deft performance
  • Online streaming
  • Voice boost for normal sound levels
  • Smart speed for gaps recovery in the podcast
  • Zero audio distortion

Words in conclusion:

These are just a few great apps among the pool of cool apps for new iPhone (2019). Of course, we have not included gaming, entertainment and other usable location finding apps since the list compiles the most essential apps for Apple’s new model.

The best aspect to notice about some of these apps is that Siri’s intelligence is seamlessly integrated to provide users with unforgettable experience and luxury of convenience. As the year proceeds on, we can expect to see much more powerful apps built with latest technological innovations.

Top 13 Android App Development Companies in India

Posted on by Super Admin Testreveal

The technological space is booming with a plethora of mobile app development companies that promise a host of functionalities in multiple spheres. However, it is a tough task to zero in on the right Android app development company in India. So, it is up to you to pick and choose from the listing of top app development companies.

But the question is: How can you make an apt selection?

You can check the goodwill that they have garnered with their existing clientele along with validating their track record of their Android mobile apps through customer testimonials that will be posted online on their sites.

If you are looking to associate yourself with an Indian company that will help you develop seamless and high-quality Android apps, here is the list of 13 such Indian companies that can serve as your reference guide. All these companies have one thing in common and that is their established presence in the industry of Android app development.

1. Redbytes Software

Driven by the “Appify Your Business” tagline, Redbytes Software is the topmost Android app development company in India that amazes its customers by transforming simple ideas into incredible mobile apps. Capable of handling any type of mobile application development project, the technical team of Redbytes offers world class services to its esteemed clientele.

With a track record of creating over 350+ mobile apps with over 60 million downloads, it is not an overstatement to say that Redbytes Software is the best in the league of Indian companies focusing on the development of Android apps.

With more than 8 years of experience in the app development scene, Redbytes Software, with its development center in Pune has the goodwill of more than 260+ customers as its intangible asset.

2. Hyperlink Infosystem

Supported by a team of professional designers, programmers, testers and team leads, Hyperlink Infosystem is another Android app development company, headquartered in the Indian state of Gujarat. This company is one of the top mobile app development companies that banks on the concept of teamwork as a driving force behind its success.

Making its presence in the arena of Android app development since the last 5 years, Hyperlink Infosystem relies on its skilled technical team to churn out iOS and Windows apps.

3. Lochbridge

With over a forty year old standing in the mobile app development sphere, Lochbridge is another noteworthy Detroit-based company that creates apps that are linked to health and automotive fields.

With over 500 mobile applications that were created on Android and iOS platforms, Lochbridge with its Indian development center in Gurgaon caters to the technological needs of both the private and Indian public sector undertakings.

4. Appster

With its mobile app development operations in Australia and the US, Appster is another company that has a strong presence in the Indian market, as well. Appster operates through a professional and highly-skilled workforce that can deliver seamless Android, iOS and Web technologies.

With its Indian headquarters located in Gurgaon, Haryana, Appster is a unique enterprise that picks and chooses startups that can challenge its development abilities and surpasses their expectations in more ways than one.

5. FuGenX

Proud of delivering scalable and interactive Android applications for global clients, FuGenX is a noteworthy Deloitte-based Android App Development company, operating through multiple offices in India.

With Indian development centers located in Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi, FuGenX serves a host of clients operating in the e-commerce, healthcare and travel businesses. If you are looking for a company that is a one-stop-shop for all your Android Application Development needs, you know whom to contact.

6. OpenXcell

Backed by the support of proficient and skilled Android app developers, OpenXcell has lots to cheer for. With over 8 years of strong experience in the mobile app development industry, the Indian wing of OpenXcell set up in Ahmedabad takes pride in its array of mobile apps.

These apps are the result of robust codes supported by seamless user-experience and user-friendly interface that is delivered by its app development team.

7. Cumulations Technologies

If you are scouting for a perfect partner to deliver Android apps to your business, you have come to the right place. Cumulations is an Indian company, headquartered in Bangalore offering simple yet user-centric mobile apps to its esteemed clientele.

Taking care of the entire mobile app development process from the start until it is deployed, Cumulations through its maintenance services offers the updated version of apps in line with the release of the latest Android OS version.

8. GoodWorkLabs

Delivering close to 50 business and enterprise Android apps to various clients across the globe, GoodWorkLabs, with its office in Bangalore stands by the promise of offering quality products tagged with an unparalleled user-experience.

Recognized as one of the certified Google Developer Agencies, you can bank on the expertise and technical know-how of this company to build Android apps for your business.

9. Prismetric Technologies Pvt. Ltd.

If you are looking to connect with a renowned Indian app development company that guarantees you the delivery of unique, user-friendly and engaging Android mobile apps, then look no further. Simply sign up with Prismetric and be at the receiving end of intuitive strategies that this company employs in the churning of performance-oriented and customer-centric mobile apps.

Tagged as an ISO 9001:2015 certified Amazon Web Services provider, you can bank on the Gujarat based Prismetric to avail mobile app marketing services that it provides to its esteemed clientele.

10. Octal IT Solution

Recognized as a prominent name in the industry of IT services, Octal IT Solution is one of the top Indian company that engage in the development of Android apps for businesses across the globe. Making its strong presence felt in more than 40 countries including the Indian state of Rajasthan, Octal IT Solution has garnered the goodwill of over 1200 clients.

Employing simple yet polished approaches to churn out mobile solutions, Octal IT Solution can help your business meet its technology-specific objectives; the smart and effortless way.

11. IndiaNIC Infotech Ltd

Check out the home page of IndiaNIC Infotech Limited and you will find that it is the sheer passion to build mobile apps that is the driving force behind the success of this company.

Making the most of the creative and professional team of mobile app developers, IndiaNIC Infotech Limited brings to the table a host of Android driven apps for smartphones, TVs and tablets. Android Wear Apps are the novel and creative offerings that this Indian company based out of the state of Gujarat is proud of.

12. Intuz

Intuz is another mobile app development company in  Gujarat which specializes in the creation of next-gen enterprise solutions offering Android apps to its clientele. Promising its partners higher levels of productivity teamed with competitive growth, you can bank on the technical expertise offered by its team of app developers.

Adept at churning out customized applications, Intuz also offers mobile app marketing services to its customer base.

13. Experion Technologies

With development centers in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi, Experion Technologies (India) Pvt. Ltd. is another Indian company that employs state-of-the-art technologies to build mobile apps for Android, iOS (iPhone and iPad), Windows and Blackberry.

Experion Technologies takes pride in allowing its clients to choose from a variety of development platforms. This company also has the credit of hand-holding many companies right from their days of prototyping until the time they were able to come up with their app store submissions for the end users to download and use.

Conclusion

All these 13 Indian firms, some of which are multinational companies have established a strong foothold in the software industry as the top enterprises offering professional Android app development services to clients spread across the globe.

How To Create a Hybrid App With Android Studio?

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As the need for Android devices are increasing day-by-day, the demand for apps will only increase. Unlike Android apps, hybrid apps are like any other app on your phone. Hybrid apps are built with a combination of web technologies like HTTML, CSS and JavaScript. The key difference between the two is that hybrid apps and built inside the native app that utilizes the mobile platform.

Android Studio is a free and easy to use integrated development environment.. After using this steps to create hybrid apps using Android Studio, we are sure you will have a good hobby or even a promising career as an app developer.

The main requirement for this is a native shell to hold the app. In other words, you need to use web view in Android. Web view allows you to display web pages as an activity layout.

Step 1: Design your Application:

Before you commit to an approach, it is advisable to make sure you have all the requirements ready so that it can meet these requirements.

For example, if you are creating a pure HTML5 mobile application, then you have access to only those features that are available to the browser.

Also, ensure you have the Pre-requisite: – Cordova CLI and the Android SDK tools, ready. For installing Cordova CLI, you first need to install Node.js version 0.10+.

Next run the following command to install the Cordova CLI:

sumo npm install -g cordova

Next, install the Android SDK tools from

Step 2 – HTML5 Mobile Framework Application

The foundation stone for building an HTML5 mobile application is the HTML5 mobile frameworks. While using jQuery on a website, it allows you to easily create animations, show and hide things, and so on.

Finally, get to adding your website. Edit your index.html page for content.

Step 3 -Testing Application through Browser

The best thing about an HTML5 framework is that, you can test it directly through your local server browser. You will be able to access your application through a local web server by going to:

If you are using the Chrome DevTools, you can even imitate the view by clicking the mobile icon in the top left corner of the screen. From here, you can debug your application to your content using the Console, Network, Time-line etc.

Step 4- Package your Application

Using third party applications like PhoneGap and Xamarin, you can package your application in a native wrapper which act as a bridge between your app and the native API’s.

Third party application loads your app in the web view, which in turn displays your application to the user.

Now we can generate a release version of the APK

Cordova build –release

Your APK file should be located here:

platforms/android/ant-build/MyApp-release-unsigned.apk

To submit it to the App Store, we need to sign in.

Step 5 – Testing Application on a Device

As we mentioned before, the best thing about the HTML5 application is that you can test it in any local browser. To test the application using native API’s, you will have to run it on an actual device.But do you know to debug without your browser debugging tools?

Luckily, there are a few good options to debug directly on your device. One of the few good options is to use the GapDebug. It allows you to install. ipa files for iOS or .apk for Android onto your device and provides a debugging interface that exactly imitates the Chrome Dev Tools. Any kind of changes you make in this interface will be reflected on the live application.

Step 6- Distribute on App Store

Once you have finished with your debugging and ready for the launch, you will first have to sign your application to the Play Store before you can install it on any device.

To sign your application, you will simply need a key store file

You create a keystore with the Java Keytool utility that comes with any standard JDK distribution and can be located at %JAVA_HOME%\bin. On Windows, this would usually be C:\Program Files\Java\jre7\bin

Final Process:

Sign up as a Google Play Developer and prepare your app store listings. Thankfully this is the least tiny hurdle you need to pass the test.

Essential Aspects To Focus On While Designing Apps For iPhone X

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In September 2017, Apple launched iPhone X along with other upgrades. The device instantly caught the attention of the iPhone lovers mainly due to its fresh features: new Super Retina display, bigger screen, higher resolution, faster processor, wireless charging and face ID authentication. iPhone X comes with a lot of improvements from design perspective. Even its old iconic home button is changed to a tiny white line as home indicator.

Like all Apple devices, this one also offers challenges to designers and developers in terms of features that make designers work harder on UI and UX of iPhone apps. So what all essential aspects iOS designers must focus on while designing an interface for iPhone X?

Here is the answer:

Unique layout design for larger vertical Space

Much of mobile apps design quality depends on interface design. iPhone X is gifted with 20% more vertical space with higher resolution. iOS Developers will take advantage of better space utility offered by iPhone X. To deliver full-screen experience, they can create edge-to-edge content with enhanced visibility.

Developers should consider Human Interface guidelines to check how to use white spaces and margins for apps to support iPhone X interface. iPhone X Developers should pay attention to the following points:

  • The content should be placed in the central position and in symmetry. Also, the content should not be lost at the corners and should support landscape as well as portrait
  • iPhone X has a tall status bar unlike previous iPhone models, which requires iOS developers to make the placement dynamic
  • Auto Layout will work better with iPhone X UI. Hence, make sure you follow interface design guidelines while designing for iOS apps
  • Ensure that the status bar does not go hidden when using the app as it keeps users informed on various bits
  • It is not advisable to use dark shades (such as black) at the top and bottom of the screen in its rounded corners or home indicators or sensor areas
  • Make the bottom space free from adding any control keys as users use the space to swipe the gestures. It will be worthless to custom gestures there

Design essentials for High resolution Display

The new iPhone X has a display that offers high-quality experience to end users with its high resolution. It has 1125×2436 pixels, which means designers will have to take extra care while designing artwork for iPhone X. They need to consider these points for compatible design:

  • Focus on content appearance and minimize its further retouching while interacting with its interface. They can use 8px-by-8px grid structure that helps make the content crisp and sharp for all sizes
  • For complicated artwork where intricacy (shading, highlights, textures) matters, PNG files seem more suitable. JPG can be preferable for photo images
  • Make use of PDF when it comes to designing flat vector artwork and glyphs with high resolution
  • For PNG graphics, 8-bit colour palette would be a better choice instead of full 24-bit palette
  • Like done in all graphics to achieve balance between size and quality, iPhone X designers also need to optimize JPEG images to establish poise between suitability and visibility. Opt for different compression settings for each image

Unique Face ID authentication

For enhanced security and protection, iPhone X provides Face ID authentication. Users can take to this feature when opening the device or making a transaction using Apple Pay.

Focus on the following aspects:

  • Face ID authentication is a luxury feature that can be used only on special occasions such as for personalized experience, of content, data synchronizing, privileged access, etc.
  • Make sure, as an iPhone X designer, you keep user’s sign in process smooth, fast and simple to deliver delightful user experience
  • Offer secure and stronger authentication process that iPhone X users can rely on especially while integrating Apple Pay or other power features with authentication process

Make The Reality More Immersive and Engaging

To make user experience even more immersive, rich and thrilling, iPhone X offers AR. Apple has blessed iOS developers with Augmented Reality Kit. Using AR technology, users can leverage their surroundings and lay it over the virtual objects to develop a special picture and enhance their visual experience.

This innovation will bring new opportunities and challenges for designers to create AR-enabled apps and game interfaces.

With advanced technology like AR brought open for iOS developers, there is no limit to what they can do when it comes to building innovative, powerful apps for iPhone X.

The Improved System Font

Yes, Apple has also touched this area and introduced a new in-house system font called ‘San Francisco.’ SF font family will be used for iOS and OS X. For Apple Watch, it becomes SF Compact with slightly different design.

To design with new font, Apple recommends:

  • Using SF Pro Text for text of 19 points or smaller
  • Using SF Pro Display for text of 20 points or larger

The best thing – about Apple’s new iPhone X font family is that its OS is intelligent enough to adapt to designer’s choices for SF font. For instance, if you prefer San Francisco font for buttons, headings and labels, the OS system will automatically set in the most suitable variant for you.

The phenomenal 3D Touch

iPhone X has amazing 3D touch function that redefines touch-based interactions and presents users with additional app-specific options. The feature functions based on varied pressure levels applied by users when they touch the screen.

Apps respond to human touch pressure and display a menu with additional action content or play animation. When the Camera icon is pressed, you will be seeing high-value, special options like Selfie, portrait, and other settings.

The 3D touch interaction involves no special gestures from users, resulting in an intuitive experience.

For 3D Touch designers should take care of the following points:

  • Think of frequently chosen tasks and actions and weave them in app options. You can go up to as many as 4 quick actions
  • Make the option titles clear and convincing. They should appear familiar and easy to understand
  • Quick actions should not be for notifications or to provide ease of navigation
  • Keep the quick action icon relevant and identifiable, something that users are used to
  • Use simple system icons instead of emoji to make it less complex and heavy

Conclusion

It is Apple’s special trait, to inspire curiosity with stimulating technology. Apple’s iPhone X is definitely a significant opportunity for iOS app developers as it contains numerous surprise elements for users. This also means a new bar of challenges for designers and developers alike. With significant changes in its screen display and UI aspects, designers can see a chance to show their creativity while building brilliant user experience for iPhone X.

How To Make Your App Attractive?

Posted on by Super Admin Testreveal

Mobile app development has become a blazing reality in recent times especially for companies that dream about achieving greater goals. Due to its burgeoning demand in modern times, having a mobile app means a solid boost to business growth. However, not every user will download and use your app. With mobile app development touching the saturation point, app stores are now cramped with plethora of apps, creating a tough competition.

It is a valid argument that marketing your mobile app impacts its success, but does your mobile have ability to attract instant attention? Your app must stand out and look attractive to users. If the app has aesthetic appeal, users will come swarming in to try your app. The following discussion uncovers the secrets of making your app more attractive.

To start with, every UI/UX designer must ask these crucial questions to ensure their app design reflects creativity and beauty.

  • Does the app design appear aesthetically pleasing?
  • Is it created with user-friendly colours?
  • Does UI feel intuitive when tried?
  • Does it offer fluid navigation to users?
  • What about the consistency of design elements?
  • Does it load and open fast?
  • Does it provide smooth transition?
  • What makes it different from rival apps in the app store?
  • How impressive was the user experience?
  • Does it function properly across all the devices?
  • Is your app highly recommendable for wider group of users?

To address all these questions confidently and make the app design look really good, here is what you can do:

1. Titillate Your Users:

Users are in your app to have an extraordinary experience, a kind of journey no other app can offer. You must, as a mobile app developer, understand what users prefer, where exactly the design trends are going and what would trigger their interest. Scour the app market and study some of the best successful apps and learn what you can do to emulate them.

Try to make a list of everything that you find amazing in their apps, including images, typography, colours, icons and navigation techniques, etc. Then make your own strategy as to how you can come up with a brilliant design that has it all. If you have spent good years in mobile app design job, you should have pretty-faced ideas to titillate users with great features and finest functionality. Understand the nerve of today’s rapidly evolving users and what could motivate them to consider your app. The best of designs are prepared mostly in the initial state of conceptual creative planning. Once you finalize your design, don’t attempt to change it now and then.

2. Easy-To-Use Design Model:

Despite the fact that more than half the world is down to using smartphones and various apps, you can still not think that everyone of them is savvy. There are still good amount of people who find using certain features of mobile and apps considerably tedious to use. This is why having a design that provides the ease of use is essential.

Things about mobile app development and its design are changing every day, and so are its features and facilities. Every app differs from another app in terms of gaining access to data or navigation. So there will always be certain people who are not as deft as others might be. Hence, it is a good approach to keep app design model easy-to-use and simple.

3. Offline Functioning Of App Design:

Many informative apps work offline with a strategy of providing more exclusive data when users come online. Nowadays, users tend to choose those apps that allow them to explore it even when their device is not connected to internet. Such apps whose usability remains intact during offline mode are best loved by users.

Offering the consistent users experience online and offline also makes your app emerge attractive among users. Evernote, Google docs, Onenote and many other apps allow users to work on their information even when they are not connected to any nearby Wi-Fi. If you are an entrepreneur or a part of an app design team, you should consider integrating this practice in your next development strategy.

4. Let Users Connect With Its Simplicity:

After you are ready with the UI of the app design, share the rough draft of it with some of your friends or families who are not technically skilled. They are, in this case, more like end users. Give them complete freedom to explore and judge various elements of your app design and see how it goes. If they call it intuitive experience, you can say you have placed your efforts in the right direction.

In order for users to connect with your app, you need to practice keeping things simple. From buttons to menu tabs and call-to-actions, every part of it matters and requires your sober attention.

5. The Grid Logic:

Grids in app works like an organizer and delivers consistent user experience at the moment of exploring different pages of the app. When you switch from one page to another, grids make sure users never lose consistency and visual connection while they engage and shuffle through its pages.

It is advisable for mobile app designers and developers to prepare the sketches of grids for graphic design. This way the user experience will be more organized, visually proper and unified across the entire all the app pages.

6. Magical Effects of Colour

Mobile app design process is incomplete without a thought of colours and their perfect suitable combination for the app. Your choice of colours is vital as it can decide the fate of your app and add magical effects to it. The choice of colours, however, depends on the genre of your app and user base. For productivity apps, light colours make it easy to read long texts. Bright contrast colours appeal most to gaming apps and entertainment whereas darker shades work best for media.

Colours can also be used for highlighting the different parts of the app. For instance, if users hover over an item in a main menu bar at the top, they can see its colour change and glow darker – which indicates they have selected the option.

Colours not only make the app attractive, but it also helps create seamless experience for users.

7. High Resolution from Points and Pixels

While designing, one point one should shift their focus on is space division of display. Points and pixels are the deciders of how the final image of an app is going to appear to users as they play with its interiors on their screen. Points and pixels together determine the overall resolution.

A designer should think of pixels which are the smallest dots on space on the screen, hardly visible yet important. The good density of these pixels creates a finest image. To achieve high resolution and clarity, more number of pixels should be placed in a display. Points are units of space that contain certain amount of pixels, making up a display.

Thus, a mobile app designer should control points throughout the entire design process to deliver high-resolution viewing experience for users. Higher the resolution, more attractive will be your app interiors.

8. Give a Shape to a Beautiful Icon

The app icon is something that creates the first impression on users’ mind. The icon is the first aspect of your app that viewers will realize. Apple uses golden ration grid system in the app store to accommodate the unique elements of the icon’s design in a way that looks gorgeous and fascinating. The main purpose behind creating an attractive app icon is to draw maximum attention from the viewers and inspire them to download the app.

Mobile app designer has ample control over how they would like their app icon to look. There is a technical system that helps them create icons that catch myriad eyes.

9. Champion Responsiveness

People have all different kinds of devices where they expect your app to function consistently. This means that your app must offer proper responsiveness and optimal viewing experience on various screen resolutions of mobiles, tablets, etc. Responsive design of an app ensures the users will have equally delightful experience irrespective of the device they choose. A mobile app development company who has years of experience in building excellent mobile apps would know the importance of making their apps responsive and perfectly optimized to all sizes of screens.

10. Get Just One Thing Right

In an effort to make the app famous and attractive, certain mobile app developers often fall for the wrong design approach. They tend to cram many options and features into one single app which may result into good amount of confusion and complications when used on a small touch screen.

While designing any app, one must remember to focus on the core purpose of the app. They should bear the idea of touching primary requirements of users and integrating features that users will definitely connect well with. Many options can divert users from the desirable user experience. Hence, to make the app attractive, serve them what they would indulge in.

Conclusion:

A great app idea will not do much good until it turns into a great app design, and a great design is every mobile app company’s dream. For cross platform mobile app developers, app design is a primary challenge as it has to be accepted by Google Playstore as well as Apple store. As for Apple, it never approves of a design that looks mediocre through their review process.

If your app development plan also involves generating revenue, the design becomes amply important. Apple is quite punctilious and rigorous about the design standards of every app that gets published in iOS store. Their reviewers insist on having a high-quality design interface that helps users interact with its content.

However, whether it is for Android or iOS, mobile app designer should focus on above guideline to make the best out of their work.

Features You Need To know About iOS 11

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The operating system of iOS is one of the major milestones for Apple devices and its known to be one of the most used software in the world. Along with iOS 11, Apple also welcomes its 3 major editions- iPhone 8, iPhone 8 plus & iPhone X.

With the upgraded software version, main changes are seen in Apple’s voice assistant Siri, control panels, App store, camera, keyboard, AR kit etc. The new system comes in with support for all 32-bit apps and devices. Recently, Apple has also pushed into iOS 11.2 with add-on features like Apple Pay cash, faster battery charging, better stability and much more. On the whole, iOS 11 and further updates are a sum-up for all the features and versions that have come before.

There are a lot more new cool features to explore with the new update and here are the 15 exciting features that you may have missed out after the latest software update:

How to Design an App for the Better User Experience?

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As more and more apps are finding their way in app stores, getting your mobile app design loved by users is most crucial. Users want to see brilliant design elements in your app. However, no mobile app design is complete without consideration of best user experience.

While designing mobile app architecture, you are also at times designing the future user experience.

This clearly indicates that an app must deliver user-friendly experience in the first place. Poor user experience means a lot of disappointment and frustration coming your way. Designing an app for better UX is a key to getting competitive, noticed and viable in the crowded app market.

So here are 10 great tips to design an app for delightful user experience:

1. Simplicity and Minimalism

A UX design that offers simplicity and minimal steps for users to fulfil their purpose is an ideal structure of a successful mobile app. Simple content with clear graphic explanation is what users want especially when the app is focused on multiple tasks.

Too much flash and glamour can distract users and send them away. Extra colour and glitters can even discourage app users to take desirable actions. Apart from that, unnecessary images and shine can even affect the speed at which app loads.

Minimal design approach and its simple presentation can keep users’ focus in the right place and lead them to the final action in fewer steps. It also helps your app load faster so that users won’t think of switching to other rival apps.

2. Preferential UX design

Recently, the new trend has picked the nerve of mobile app design. Unlike conventional interface, many apps have designs that are tailored to appear according to users’ personal taste, likes and tendencies. With such extraordinary design shift, the old approach of one-size-fits-all is getting older now.

This kind of intelligent app design may be termed as adaptive UX design or preferential UI. It takes advantage of users’ personal information to deliver customized experience.

This unusual UX design is commonly found in Travel apps or Real Estate search apps. The design of such mobile apps accommodates all the correct information before users even demand. This is possible because of app’s ability to learn users’ preferences and interests based on previous search history and location settings.

3. Silent Magic of White Space

The empty space found between in-app elements of a page layout is ignored and seen as being negative. Many of us like to believe that whit space through the app content is useless and pointless, and that it needs to be eliminated.

This is a serious practical mistake a designer would ever do. On the contrary, white space (infamously known as negative space in the world of mobile app design) helps bring positive results.

We often underestimate the magical power of negative white space. However, you can use negative space to create more interest and draw more attention.

Seemingly considered as a passive element, this white space is actually an active hero that silently enhances the ease of reading, priority of interesting content and betters and visuals of the layout. It even makes it possible to notice the highlights of the content, resulting in the simplicity of viewing.

4. Great Visuals, Better Influence

Human eyes are the first place where images are primarily processed and briefly approved. In fact, we have a common proclivity to choose something that has ample aesthetic value. Mobile apps are one of such things as mobile app designers will highly concede.

Despite being virtual, mobile app design intrigues users as if it is tangible goods. Users download an app because of its usability and design splendour. Text-centric apps are not welcome, but apps with remarkable visual elements are.

Having an appealing mobile app often results into higher user engagement, better influence and pleasant user experience.

5. Keep a Sharp Eye on Market

Before you design or redesign your mobile app, make sure you dedicate an eye to the relevant market. Find out what is brewing in the market and what trends people tend to embrace most. This will set you on the heavy quest for scooping up the hot trends making signatures on the face of mobile app design.

The foremost thing to bear in mind before you think of user experience is the understanding of your own prime audience. The trends you learn from the app market are representative of customer’s behaviour, tastes and preferences.

Develop use cases that help you go still closer to your audience and help you design a user-focused interface for your app. The more interactive the interface is, the better will be the user experience.

6. Minimize the Burden for Users

Any veteran mobile app designer could not deny the importance of having a clean, clutter-free user interface. Every page you design for the mobile app must contain straight-to-the-point content and single call-to-action option. Users believe in limited attention span wanting their options quickly.

While designing an app, the best approach is to get users what they really want with minimal efforts.

This principle is highly appreciated for purpose-oriented apps. For instance, if it is a hair salon appointment app, it should process users’ preferable timings, style preferences and match it with availability of services to suggest the best solution.

In some cases, the app also detects the user’s location through GPS to tell the distance between their home and salon. The whole process should be kept simple and light, with minimum time-consuming content.

7. Effortless Navigation

Navigation holds immense importance especially if the app is aimed for ecommerce, social media or finance industry. Since much of user experience depends on the navigational ease, your app must comfort users while they flow or switch from one page to another.

If you are a Mobile app designer, you must know that users want the navigation to be simple, accessible and self-evident. Ideal navigation system of an app is the one that liberates them from using great efforts to understand it. So make it easy to discover despite the fact that mobile screen offers small screen.

Tab bars designed with suitable names of for each page can be a best solution to effortless navigation. It offers one tab selection to navigate across different pages.

8. Clever Push Notifications

In 21st century, due to pushy marketers, people tend to avoid countless messages coming from every corner of the consumer market. Mobile users avoid getting distracted by bombardment of push notifications on their digital devices.

Nobody is interested in your other products, discounts or information of your partner companies when all they want is to get straight down to the action.

In most cases, such exasperating push notifications can encourage users to quit your app forever.

So make a practice of sending only selected custom messages to users. Don’t ruin their busy hours by sending irrelevant messages. Instead, send messages of value on a certain intervals that won’t plague them.

Instead of giving them a rush in a short while, try to channel your messages in multiple slots like email, push notifications, in-app messages, etc. This will save both your reputation and brand.

Conclusion

While designing a mobile app, designers must remember the purpose of the app and how users are going to interact with its various elements and features. You can include these tips in your next mobile app design strategy to build a compelling mobile app. You must ensure that your app has the reason for users to use it and requires minimal time and effort to understand it. Whatever you do with your design, make sure your app retains its usability and has potential to deliver intuitive user experience.

How to Build an App?

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If you have never attempted for building a mobile app, the idea of building one now may seem a little more challenging. Let’s face it, if you are going to make an app from scratch, you will encounter tons of advices and recommendations. Of course, you can think of hiring an app development company. However, one must realize the purpose of building the app.

Do you want to become an app entrepreneur, or resolve a certain problem? You must have a clear idea in your brain before you venture into the domain of mobile app development. Once you do, you can gather strong insight to make your vision a reality.

To give you a brief sketch, here is the list of steps you need to build a successful mobile app:

1.Put Your Objectives on Paper

Before you start thinking about complex coding and design elements, define what you wish to achieve. The technology part comes much later. First, some of the questions you need answers to are:

  • What is it that your app would do for you?
  • What problems is it going to address?
  • Will users fall for your app design or idea?
  • How will it add value to the life users?
  • Have you thought about app marketing?
  • How a mobile app will drive growth to your business?

These questions are goal finders and will help you come up with a strong strategy to achieve it. A lack of direction and vision means fruitless efforts. So try to define the clear objective of having an app.

To envision the app success, first try to figure out your audience and why they would interact with your business. Whether online or offline, users want to see what benefits they would get from it. If they find none, they will simply abandon your app.

After the audience comes your own business plan. Your future app can touch many areas of your current business like customer retention, ROI, repeated business, brand engagement, productivity, operational cost and brand awareness.

2.Define Your App Functionality & Features

After following the first step, you are sure about what you want to accomplish by making the app. Now its time to consider the internal content of your app. At this stage, you can go on to be creative and define your mobile app’s scope that includes most functionalities and features. Note down all these essentials you need to perfect the solution and achieve desired goals.

You can do as much as you imagine especially when nowadays there are many paid as well as open source plugins shared by online community. Make sure you add features that truly add value to customers.

The mantra is, to first start with all the typical elements followed later by innovative tweaks that can interest and engage the audience gradually.

3.Wireframes and Use cases

Wireframe means a lot in the world of mobile app development as it adds vivid clarity to the app making idea. Wireframe is a stage where foundation of your app is built. With a mature, well-shaped sketch of what your app will look like, Wireframe contains the skeleton of your design and its functional elements. It walks you through your app’s layout and flow.

As you go online, you will discover a reliable amount of wireframing websites that help you bring your idea to life and see the possibility becoming a reality. You are through with the objectives and desired functionalities of your app and have done your market research.

The visual guide of your wireframe helps you:

  • Measure what all users can achieve
  • Clarify your app’s future potential
  • Grasp the thought process involved in use cases
  • Understand the stages and steps required to complete each task
  • Optimize the flow and user’s journey to fulfil each goal
  • Revamp the design layout and find the most functional screen
  • Eliminate unnecessary flaws and confusing elements
  • Reduce development hours and even resultant cost

You can prepare the wireframes both online and offline. Offline method involves pen and a paper or ready made templates. Some of the thinkable online options include: Fluid UI, Adobe Suite, Proto, Moqups, Gliffy, Mockflow, JustinMind, Pidoco, Protoshare etc.

For better results, you may try one mock-up for each use case which includes the entire screen flow users take from opening your app to completing a task.

4.Shape the back-end of your app

At this stage, you go a step beyond building a wireframe and truly start developing your app. Using the storyboard of app functioning, you can design back end and examine the functionality.

Create the clear flow of diagrams that contains servers, APIs and database. For this purpose, you can either choose do-it-yourself app builders or go for tools that do it for you. Alternatively, if you are fresh in the business, you can ask reliable back end service providers that offer services of hosting and app data usage.

Don’t lose the clarity or add confusion in this phase. Create clear diagrams so that everyone working on the project can work in precise directions. In case of technical struggle, your wireframe should reflect the changes.

Here are the good examples of back end services for you: Parse, Kumulos, QuickBlox, Amazon AWS, Appery.io, Kony, Microsoft Azure etc.

5.Test the Wireframe

Before you move on to the next crucial phase of app development, it is time to test the user experience and flow of your app based on its visual representation.

Testing the wireframe will result into understanding of the ease of screen flow, detailed use case analysis and areas where improvement is needed. This exercise will save you frustrating repeated hard work in the future.

Testing Solutions

There are certain online prototyping tools that allow designers to generate highly interactive wireframe. You can even connect the static mock-ups and use cases with its online capabilities to simulate the wireframe for the purpose of testing.

All you have to do is simply put your project in there and create a new prototype and start testing the screens. Some of them are all-in-one tools that also enable you to share it with your colleagues and customers to assess users’ full journey in the app. Some of the useful tools for use case simulation are InVision, Justinmind, Marvel, Photo.io, Sketch etc.

6.Build the app

This step is the most crucial to seeing the well-determined face of your mobile app. At this stage, a lot of things are mulled over before implementing any app development action. One of the points of brainstorming while building the app is whether to choose Native app development or Hybrid apps.

            a) Native app development:

Based on a chosen operating system, you build your app from scratch for separate OS. In native app development, it takes heavy coding efforts as one needs to focus on both Apple app store (iOS) and Google Play store (Android) independently.

Despite being gruelling and expensive, native apps will result into robust and reliable performance. The downpoint is, two separate developer teams are employed for both the platforms for separate code bases. For this reason, any custom feature will take a few weeks or months before its deployment.

            b) Hybrid apps:

It uses cross platform mobile app framework that allows you to build apps across multiple platforms. The pro is that the same code base is distributed across different OS.

If performance is not a big problem for developers, Hybrid apps offer amazing ease and speed of app development. They work on a single code base that is deployed on both Android and iOS.

Some of the widely preferred framework options for hybrid apps are Xamarin, Phonegap, Ionic, Framework7, Appcelerator Titanium, Onsen UI, Sencha Touch, Kendo UI.

With the help of app builders, the puzzle will make sense as database, server and APIs are synchronized to work together. During the app building process, you may sign up and make an account in Play store or Apple store to launch the app in time.

7.Create User Interface

Creating a finest UI for your app is again one of the most critical stages of app design and development process. Here designers will use their creative knack and imaginative mind to carve the design of interface that can attract millions of users.

Always remember that UI is not just about creating fascinating aesthetics, but it should also reflect how easily app users can navigate. Try to process every feedback you received from testers so that your final interface design reflects them and leaves no scope of disappointment.

Ask your graphic expert to give you high resolution screens with impressive visual appeal from the wireframe you prepared earlier. To reiterate, always prioritize the need of users when working on the look and feel of your app. User feedback are indeed the best resort for building an impeccable UI.

8.Test your app

After your have accomplished developing the mobile app, it is time to test your product. This is to ensure your app is bug-free and delivers intuitive user experience.  There are two types of tests: internal and external.

Internal testing has you and the people from your own team pretending you all are users. It helps identify any bugs or UX problems.

In external testing, people who test and try your app are not familiar with your app. This tests help scoop up the kind of bugs and UX flaws that you could not detect through internal testing.

Some eminent app testing tools you may consider are: Katalon, Appium, Ranorex, eggPlant, Calabash, Sauce Labs, Robotium etc.

Live Environment Beta testing

You have already filtered your app through many stages of testing to produce an excellent, fully functional app. Now you need to test it for the live environment.

For Android app, the process is simple unlike iOS where the environment is austerely controlled. For Android, just upload your app apk file on any Android device and start testing it.

For beta testing, iOS urges you to use a special platform called TestFlight. Apple believes in specific discipline and precise directions to use its beta platform. Here you have an opportunity to get reviews about your app from beta testers so that your app will be polished further before going live.

9.Release and Launch

At this point, you can see your app idea transformed into an app reality. Hopefully, your app will solve users’ problem or has features that will attract them. Now the product is ready to venture out in the world. So start distributing.

When it comes to marketing and launching your app, Android and iOS both work differently. It is easy to release the android version to Google Play store and see your app getting downloaded. In Apple store, your app will be reviewed first. Hence, it may take a week or so before it goes live in iOS market.

To make your app visible and searchable in the app store, you will need to optimize the app for respective stores, which is called ASO (app store optimization). Many a time, ASO tricks are enough to get your app to be noticed by users within the store.

However, there are many other ways to promote your app outside the app store such as:

  • Email Marketing
  • Content Marketing
  • Social Media Marketing
  • Press Releases

Last Word:

Either your hire an app development company or do it all yourself, make sure you have all the knowledge and resources for building a successful mobile app. You must be conversant with what all the efforts that go into creating a functional, aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly app. You will find a wealth of resources and community online to usher you down the path. Hopefully, the steps explained here will ease your concerns and enlighten you.

How Does an iOS App Help In Promoting Business Globally?

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Smartphones, as the name suggests, performs operations in smartest possible ways, faster than human. Due to the rise of innovative applications and their interactive capabilities, smartphones have penetrated users’ lifestyle. With almost 75% of the world population relying on their smart digital devices, business owners have also begun to take the power of smartphones more seriously.

Whether it is Android or iOS app development, these handy devices offer incredible opportunities for companies to engage their customers. But a recent 2017 survey reveals that Apple store contains 2 million apps, and businesses prefer iOS platform and iOS app development services for capturing their target audience.

So the question is, why iOS apps are preferred over any other platform for business promotion on global platform? Here in this blog, you will get the ultimate answer.

Outstanding Benefits of Choosing iOS apps for Business Promotion

Apple, as the whole world would concede, is the world leader, not only in the matters of weaving revolutionary innovations but also as a pioneer of changing the way we live life. Time after time, ever since its establishment in late 70’s, Apple has been a benchmark in presenting ground breaking approach towards using the technology. Therefore, iOS app development has grown enormous. When it comes to enhancing business growth and giving it a global value, iOS platform offers everything customers need.

Here are some of the benefits of choosing iOS apps especially for business promotion:

1) Solid reputation and market domination

History of mobile technology is a proof to how Apple’s iOS platform provides a solid ground for businesses to develop their apps. Of all platforms, iOS is the one with gigantic customer base and influential reputation as the best ever platform in the world. Despite the fact that Google’s Android owns more users than iOS, it still remains the most bragged about platform in the eyes of trust seekers. Due to impressive base of elite customers, iOS is regarded as the platform that helps businesses boost their sales and ROI.

2) Enterprise-centric nature of iOS apps

iOS apps are designed to fulfil the business needs to reach and acquire valuable clients and increase ROI. With one after another innovations updating the app store, businesses at large find it convenient to promote and advertise their products and services using enterprise-centric iPhone apps. Due to high demand and use of iOS apps, businesses owners tend to look for iOS app development services to build a mature, fully fledged app.

3) Innovations at large

Apple has a worldwide reputation of offering devices that bring flexibility and freedom for business owners to engage with their clients from any location. It is known for remarkable innovations that attract more and more customers to its app store. For instance, Apple pay enables paying money with utmost ease, making it flexible for iPhone users to shop at ecommerce stores without any hassle. Such apps pique the interest of maximum users and increase the customer retention rate.

4) iOS provides highest security standards

The reason why people from developed countries – UK and US and Europe – trust Apple is that iOS guarantees uncompromised security. With the help of an iOS app development company, you can build a robust, secure app with sophisticated features. While using such apps, users can share their personal information without a fear of outside threats, virus or malware. Hence, the amount of security iOS offers is one of prominent aspect of iOS.

5) Global business growth

iPhone, because of its capability and potential, is most celebrated in many developed countries in the world, especially in USA and UK. That is why choosing iPhone app development will give you a unique edge in the market, knowing that your apps will be recognized by high-paying customers. The citizens of these countries are glued to their iPhone devices, which means you can gain the best chance to appear big in the global market.

6) Maximum downloads and revenue generation

Compared to other apps, most iOS apps come up with better revenue generation and monetization strategy. Since each app has outstanding features and world-class offerings, iPhone users do not hesitate to pay a small chunk for such apps, which ultimately results in higher number of downloads and considerable revenue. Apple is determined to bring stunning updates for their loyal customers, and encourage businesses to develop delightful functionality in order to appeal to more and more users. Many apps in Apple store has in-app rewards or other significant perks – which keeps more users coming and using the app.

Conclusion:

Above discussion makes it clear that iPhone and other Apple devices epitomize trust and quality, which means users are smitten by iOS apps. This allows businesses to take advantage of its massive usability of iOS apps and its growing potential in the world market. For any business to grow global, iOS app development services provide the perfect business environment where innovations contribute to consistent revenues and higher customer engagement. Corporate companies and startup businesses can think of iPhone apps as a reliable opportunity to connect with their world audience and develop their business globally. Apple store contains apps that are clean, organized and feature-rich, and best loved. By making a grand business app means approaching your future customers with an unfailing promotional and advertising tool.

Steps to Build Apps using Xamarin in Visual Studio

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Xamarin is a cross-platform technology that makes the development of simple form of native mobile apps for Android, iOS and Windows. Using a shared codebase, Xamarin allows the development team to build mobile apps with the help of skills they already possess, thereby, spending lesser time on writing code for each platform.


Xamarin provides its users a complete access to Android and iOS APIs with making any change in language and data structure. To ensure a smart and easy flowing visual studio mobile app development, it is important for an individual to follow certain steps as mentioned below:

1. Setup and install Visual Studio and Xamarin

The first step towards building an Android or Windows app using Visual Studio and Xamarin is to ensure that these two are properly setup and installed in the system. In case a person is working on developing an iOS app, then he/she needs to ensure a proper installation of a Mac with Xamarin and Xcode.

Once the setup and installation of the two is successful, the next step is to confirm and verify whether everything is setup for development procedure to start.

2. Create a solution

The next step is to create a Xamarin solution using native UI. This can be done by following a few simple steps as mentioned below:

  • Create a new blank app solution and name it as Weather App. One can easily find this template by searching for ‘Native Portable’ in search engine
  • On clicking Ok, one gets to see a number of individual projects such as WeatherApp (Portable), WeatherApp.Droid, WeatherApp.iOS, etc.
  • Add Newtonsoft.Json and NuGet package to the PCL project that can be used to process information obtained from weather data service
  • Once Newtonsoft.Json is installed successfully, one must find and install Microsoft.Net.Http package
  • Once the above steps are complete successfully, the system is ready to build a new solution.
  • On successful completion, one must ensure to confirm that there are no build errors in the development

3. Share the data service code on different platforms

The best aspect of developing any app using Xamarin is that the code is written in portable library class (PCL), which makes it easier to be shared on different platforms. In case of an Android, iOS and Windows apps, PCLs are automatically included in the package.

4. Design the look and feel of the app

Design of an app plays an important role in its success or failure. Therefore, one must be extra careful when designing these apps. To design the look and feel of the app, one needs to follow a few simple steps as mentioned below:

  • Go to the solution explorer, expand the WeatherApp.Droid>Resources>layout folder to open Main.axml and the file in the visual designer
  • Delete the default button present in the designer
  • Open the toolbox to drag a RelativeLayout control on the designer. This control will be used as a parent container for all other controls
  • Go to the Properties window to set the background property. This should be followed by the pulling of Text View control onto the Relative Layout control that can, the, be used to set various properties such as zipcode, number, etc.
  • Finally go to the properties window and sort the list as per one’s own choice

5. Replace shared code

Once the solution is ready, one can open its file in the code editor so as to replace the automatically geneayed UI code

6. Run the app

The app is now ready to use. One can opt to make it a start-up project in explorer or use it on the most suitable device.

7. Test the app

Checking an app developed for Android is easy as one needs to use Visual Studio Android Emulator. All one needs to do is select the app project, choose a device to copy and then click to start. The app is perfect to be used by all if it runs perfectly on Android device.

Testing an app for iOS is a bit different as it requires an iOS Mac to copy the content. One needs to set up and connect to Visual Studio followed by selecting the app project, switching the design plan to iPhone Simulator and then finally, choosing the version of device used and click Play. X`

On successful completion of the above mentioned steps, one gets ready with an app that has been developed on Xamarin. Since the platform is rich in its properties such as code sharing, efficiency and use of single technology stacks, the platform is getting preference among the developers. The apps developed for each platform are different and unque, including visual studio mobile app development. Therefore, it is better to use Xamarin Cross-Platform Development rather than taking a new sort of risk.