7 Tips to Flawless Android App Development

The smartphone revolution has taken the market by storm and has resulted in the increase in effort being put into providing a great user experience to the customer through apps. When people talk about smartphones, Android is by and large, the one cohesive system they are referring to. With more than 80% of the world's market share, Android is the sole reason why smartphones have become as ubiquitous as we know them to be.

The Android platform makes it very easy for not only users, but even developers to get started. Being an open source technology, the source code of the operating system can be tinkered with to open up new and exciting opportunities.

The Android mobile app developers have always been looking to find new and innovative ways to develop better products for their customers. There are various challenges faced during the development phase which need to be addressed so that the end-customer is able to have a great experience while using the app. Here we have provided some of the top android app development tips people should consider while developing their own android app.

7 Tips for Android App Development

Every mobile app developer dreams of creating an app which will help in solving a common problem, addressing an issue faced by the general public, or give them the next Angry Birds. Behind the scenes, every Android developer faces several challenges while incorporating features which would benefit the customer. Here are some android development tips which a developer can refer to for a flawless development process:

1. Book Your Name Space: It is a small, but still important that the name of the app is decided well in advance and reserved to avoid any duplication. Google's Android market uses a special package name that is used in your manifest to identify your app amongst the thousands of other apps in the play store. If you plan to release an app in the future it is always better to reserve a name for your app, since that is what your customer's will identify with first and foremost.

2. Analyze the Android Design Guidelines: Google has prepared a set of android design guidelines to help out new android developers. Popularly known as Material Design, these guidelines were laid down so that all android apps behave and feel the same way while providing a consistent UI/UX. By following these guidelines, end-users will be able to intuitively understand the working and enjoy the app as well.

3. Research Well and Listen to Your Users: Researching well before starting the development process is always a good option. It is important that the developer understands what the user needs and designs a product on those lines. Users love it when the developers listen to them and take their feedback seriously. When their voices are heard there are greater chances that they will continue using the app. Play store reviews, even after the release of an app, are an ideal metric to understand what features you should push out in the forthcoming updates.

4. Be Aware of Fragmentation: Every Android mobile app developer needs to understand the android market demographics well and how the market is fragmented. Google has come out with different versions of Android and the related technologies have just got better. The android app being developed needs to be compatible with the latest Android versions, and if possible, still support some of the older ones. Also, android devices come in different sizes and screen resolutions which need to be taken into consideration while designing app layouts, fonts, assets, etc.

5. Optimize Your Apps: Mobile users absolutely hate apps which take a long time to open or process or which take up unnecessary space on the phone. The speed of flow and the overall size of the app are one of the most important factors which will decide if it will be successful or not. Using unnecessary objects and variables in the app is one common mistake made by new developers which can result in reducing the speed of your app drastically.

6. Develop for Multiple Devices: Android allows the flexibility of using the same app on multiple devices. But, for an android app developer it is almost impossible to test the product on every device. Therefore, in order to maintain consistency among the various devices with different sizes, it is better to use density-independent pixels (dip or dp) instead of pixels. Android then automatically calculates the right amount of pixels depending upon the screen size.

7. Test Your App Thoroughly: Never release your app before testing it! Not testing the app thoroughly before it is launched is one mistake many developers make. Having a bug-free mobile app is an asset and certain measures need to be taken to achieve that. The app should be tested by alpha testers and then undergo beta testing in the second stage. The flaws and inconsistencies revealed during the testing phase should then be corrected before the final release.

Things to Consider During Android Application Development

Successful apps are those which are used by people more often and which keeps them coming back. Apart from the tips mentioned above, some of the other things to consider for developing an android app include:

• Engage Users

  Marketing your app to push for more Play Store downloads is very important but at the same time it is essential that you keep your users engaged with using the app regularly. Engaged customers are more likely to give good reviews, make in-app purchases, etc. This can be done through campaigns targeted through e-mail, SMS, or push notifications, as well as by being proactive and pushing out regular updates which iron out the issues being faced by people

• Optimize Apps to Provide More Value

  After launching an app, it is important that a detailed data analysis is done. By studying app usage patterns and learning how customers interact with the app you can gain important knowledge and make further modifications to the app. As a developer, your ultimate aim should be to optimize the app well to in order achieve higher customer lifetime value

• Measure Success

  Once the app is launched and is being extensively used by the public it is important that you measure how successful your app has been. The various parameters need to be measured include number of downloads, number of active users, most popular features, least popular features that can be improved, etc. This in turn gives you a good idea about the apps' market reception, overall demand, and in certain cases, plan for a follow-up app which can either be a sequel to a game or a companion productivity app

• Re-evaluate and Grow

  No app has been successful by being static. Developers need to constantly keep working in order to improve the app and provide a better experience. Behavior of the customer evolves with time and so should the app. Re-evaluation and growth can be in terms of providing new value paths, targeting a new audience, or redefining the flow of the app based on the customer feedback received. One needs to think critically and innovatively and come out with better ideas to grow the app

How about developing an iPad app along with an Android app? Read an article on 10 Useful Tips to Design Interactive iPad Apps.

The Best Available Tools for Android Development

Providing a great android app with reliable user interface and amazing experience comes at a price. All this is possible with the help of latest tools and technologies, some paid, other free. Some of the best known tools for android app development include:

Choose Flatworld Solutions for a Flawless Android App Development Experience!

Flatworld has been in the mobile app development field for more than a decade now. We understand every client's needs and provide a customized android app based on their requirements. We have a team of highly qualified and experienced app developers who provide services for different platforms such as Android, iOS, Windows, etc.

If you have any kind of android app development requirement, feel free to fill in the contact form or talk to one our representatives and we will get back to you within 24 hours.