Android has been a major success in the field of mobile OS ever since its launch. Today, it is the most used mobile OS program in the market and is not going to stop just there. Google has recently launched its latest Oreo update and is all set to release the next Android version (Android P) in 2018.
Meanwhile, Android developers and companies are working hard to keep their development procedures up to date to fit the evolving requirements of the users of Android-powered devices. Android app development is one of the most successful industries in today’s market and will continue to be in the coming future. Here’s is how you can refresh your Android development techniques for the coming year.
Note: As per a market research report, more than 70 percent of the smartphones today are based on the Android operating system.
Whether you are a business looking for a reliable Android development company for your next project or an Android developer looking to brush up your development strategy, these tips can help you.
Android app trends for 2018
The following types of apps will be trending in the next year and so.
- Internet of Things (IoT) and Wearable Apps
- Mobile Payments and Wallet Apps
- Accelerated Mobile Pages
- On-Demand (Service) Apps
- Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality Apps
- Cloud-based Apps
- Hybrid and BYOD enterprise apps
- Application Security
- Android Instant Apps
- Artificial Intelligence
- Chat Apps
Tip for Android App Development 2018
Research
Research is and will always be one of the most important things in any development project. You should understand the market, user demands and industry trends before you start the actual Android development. Here are some tips for the same:
- Explore other apps in the same market/industry and find out their pros and cons
- Research the customer, ask for reviews to get an insight of their like and dislikes and what they want in the application.
- Listen to user input before, during and after the launch of the application
- Figure out how you can make your app unique and different from other existing apps providing the same services.
Be Efficient
Make sure that your app is optimized to provide the maximum efficiency in whatever service it provides. Again, research is going to be a very important step for this. You must know your target audience and build your app around them.
- Optimize the size and speed of your mobile app for target devices
- Avoid using unwanted space or data on user’s mobile phones
- Focus on providing a rich user experience
- Optimize your app for things like network efficiency, render times, video frames speed, cross-app interactions, etc.
Budget Management
While developing a future-oriented app, you should also keep your (or client’s) app budget in mind. This should be implemented in the planning phase. The kind of app you will develop, app size, features and applicability will depend largely on how much you are willing to invest.
When deciding on app investment, be sure to do proper research to find out the market demand and extensibility of the app you wish you create. You’ll need to arrange money for the development as well as for the maintenance of your app, until your application starts making money for you.
Work on User Experience
Providing a great user experience should be the first purpose of any mobile application. When hiring an Android app developer for your project, be sure to ask about the things they can do to improve the experience of app users. This may include -
- Research to gain an insight of the target user
- Developing an app that is easy to use
- Having an interactive app interface
- Optimizing the speed and loading time of the app
- Having a proper system for customer help and support
Testing
Any development process is incomplete without proper testing. When you are building an Android mobile application, you must test everything at every phase. Testing will show you the things that need improvement. The real testing begins not when the app is complete but from the very start of the development process.
Make sure to have a thorough and real-time testing system in place, where you can test your app in real environments with real people for every kind of thing.