Mobile Application Development

Mobile Application Users Becoming Addicted

Mobile Apps Started to have a Profound Effect on its Users

Mobile applications and mobile application marketplaces are becoming so popular and demanding in present day society that there have been recent studies conducted which claim that 83% of daily mobile application users believe that they are addicted to mobile apps. In fact, one individual even claimed that “Mobile Apps are like Xanax on a phone”. With so much popularity and demand for mobile applications, many mobile application “experts” and mobile application developers believe that users are still in the early stages of addiction for mobile applications and the addiction is expected to spread more as we progress into the future.

One may ask how anyone can become addicted to mobile applications on a Smartphone device such as Apple’s iPhone or iPad, Google’s Android or Windows Mobile 7. After doing some research and conducting a survey, it was revealed that one of the main reasons why people get addicted to mobile applications is because users claim that mobile applications expose them to new things (an alarming 91% of mobile app users stated that), while 87% of mobile app users say that mobile applications allow them to have fun no matter where the are in the world and what they are doing. The report also revealed that 77% rely on mobile applications as their personal assistant, while 75% say that mobile applications give them time to relax.

The report clearly reveals that mobile application users have different motives for why they use specific mobile applications and how their addiction for mobile applications starts. But one question which came up during a recent discussion on the mobile application industry was: How do mobile applications users discover and download mobile applications in the first place? With so many mobile apps available in various mobile application marketplaces, how does one become a user of a specific mobile application?

MTV reports that 53% of mobile application users downloaded and installed a mobile application onto their Smartphone because the mobile app was recommended from a personal friend or colleague while 52% claimed that they rely on user reviews of a specific mobile application before they decided to download it onto their Smartphone. 42% credited their motive to download a mobile application onto their Smartphone after seeing a friend use that particular mobile app and another 47% claimed they discovered a specific mobile application while browsing thru various mobile application marketplaces.

The mobile application industry is certainly gaining popularity as we advance into the future and more and more individuals start getting addicted to specific mobile applications (the most popular being mobile gaming applications and mobile organizing applications), the more fuel which will be given to this industry which is already moving at an extremely fast pace. The future is bright for mobile application developers/mobile application development firms and they can expect a lot more development for mobile applications as additional individuals start getting drawn into the world of mobile applications and mobile application marketplaces.

Mobile Application Industry Expected to hit 48 Billion Downloads in 2015

Mobile App Industry Continues to Pick up Momentum

A recent report revealed that the mobile application industry and various mobile application marketplaces such as Apple iTunes Mobile Application Marketplace and Google’s Android Mobile Application Marketplace are growing at an extremely fast rate and that the number of mobile application downloads are estimated to hit 48 billion by the year 2015. Many mobile application developers and mobile app “experts” always believed that there was potential in the mobile application industry but they too are stunned by the growth, popularity and demand that mobile applications have generated within the past few years.

A reason why the mobile application industry and mobile apps are in such high demand is largely due to the influx of various Smartphone’s (Apple’s iPhone 5, Google’s Droid, Windows Phone 7, RIM’s Blackberry, etc) and Tablet PC’s (Samsung Galaxy, Apple iPad) which have been entering the market at an extremely fast rate recently. Companies such as Apple and Google realize that developing a high-tech cutting edge Smartphone device is only one part of the equation, the other part is having a superior mobile application marketplace where users can download mobile apps and utilize their Smartphone to its full capabilities.

With the booming growth of the mobile application industry, the demand for mobile application developers are at an all-time high and mobile app developers as well as mobile application development companies are getting requests to develop mobile applications at a daily rate. A Marketing Manager from V-Soft, Inc recently stated:

“The amount of mobile application leads we receive everyday is unbelievable. Everyday we are sending new scopes to our mobile application development team to review and develop a proposal for”

With so much demand for mobile applications, some critics believe that the mobile application industry will decline in the near future but many mobile app developers, mobile application “experts” and high-tech experts all agree that the mobile application industry is only beginning to rise and that there is still many possibilities which are yet to be realized in the world of mobile applications.

The future for mobile application industry certainly looks bright and as we progress into the future, individuals can except to see more mobile applications start to influence the way we conduct our daily lives – From grocery shopping to buying tickets for the movies to presenting a presentation for a conference, Mobile Applications are going to change the way people live and we should all embrace everything that the mobile application industry has to offer.

Mobile Application Combines Social Networking with Location Based Technology

New Mobile App Expected to be Major Success

Mobile application developers and mobile app “experts” are consistently trying to develop a new mobile application that offers functionalities and options which were never developed into the market in the past. Most recently, a firm named Ripple Mobile located in Dublin, Ohio developed a new mobile application that has the ability to merge social networking and location based GPS technologies into one.

The mobile app is called Ripple Phone Tag and the mobile application allows users to keep in touch and connect with friends and schedule gatherings by sending GPS directions to the meeting place. Users can also track the progress of a friend to see if the person is going the wrong direction, if they are stuck in traffic, or if they have some other type of delay. There has never been a mobile application that offers such functionalities and some mobile application developers and mobile application “experts” believe that this mobile application has the opportunity for great success in the future.

Ripple states that their mobile application is as easy as three simple steps which users can take in order to connect with their friends. The first step is that friends are selected from the users’ mobile phone contact list. Next, the mobile application will send a secure text message invite with the URL link for their confirmation. Once that is done, the friends will be able to connect, communicate and determine a meet-up location. According to Ripple, these steps which any user can take will change the way that individuals connect with friends by taking advantage of the functionalities and mobility that mobile applications allow.

It is still unclear which Smartphone platforms this mobile application will be released for but some mobile application developers and mobile application “experts” are predicting that Ripple will release the mobile app onto Apple’s iPhone, Google’s Android and possibly also Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 and RIM’s Blackberry Smartphone devices. It is also unclear if this mobile app will be a free mobile application to download or one which an individual has to purchase.

The mobile application industry is continuously growing and new advancements such as Ripple’s Phone Tag mobile application only adds more momentum to an already growing industry. There is a bright future ahead for mobile application development firms and mobile application developers and it is the ones who jump aboard the bandwagon soon who will truly reap the benefits and successes that the mobile application industry has to offer.

Bright Future for the Mobile Application Industry

Mobile Application Marketplaces Experiencing Increase in Revenue

The Mobile Application industry is continuously growing and each year the industry is able to generate more and more revenue for Smartphone manufacturers, mobile application developers and mobile app consultants who are riding the momentum of the thriving mobile application industry. Reports have indicated that mobile application sales are up 77% this year and has generated close to $3.8 billion in one year, with these numbers only expected to rise higher in the upcoming years.

Apple is the leader in terms of revenue and popularity of mobile applications as they have generated close to $3 billion from their Apple iTunes Mobile Application Marketplace with Google’s Android Mobile App Marketplace firmly holding the number two spot with over $420 million in sales.

Apple has been able to take a solid lead in revenue and mobile application downloads primarily because of the popularity of the iPhone, iPad and iTouch but also due an increase in their mobile applications in-app based purchases, which include sales within paid apps such as additional bonus levels and various tools to enhance the player’s mobile gaming application experience. Apple also was delighted to see the solid contributions that their mobile casino applications had towards the overall sales figures and record breaking number of players who signed up to play mobile casino applications.

Mobile Application “experts” are predicting even higher growth rates for sales in Google’s Anroid mobile application marketplace and believe there is a chance that in turn will bring Apple’s mobile application marketplace market shre down to 60% by 2014. Android mobile application sales have already overtaken both Apple and RIM’s Blackberry in the American market.

RIM’s Blackberry Mobile App World is also showing a good amount of growth (of almost 70%) in the first quarter of 2011. At the same time, RIM’s market share is only third behind Apple and Android and revenue close to about $300 million in sales.

Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 is also expected to grab a considerable amount of market share in the near future as they have experienced an increase in sales since the release of their new Windows Phone 7. Although Microsoft is expected to observe an increase in revenue and sales this year, many mobile application developers and mobile application “experts” agree that Microsoft is not yet a worthy competitor in the mobile Smartphone industry.

The overall future for the mobile application industry as well as the Smartphone industry looks very appealing and many mobile application developers and mobile application development firms are expected to see the demand for their services increase a lot in the up coming years. Mobile application “experts” believe that the mobile app industry will reach $8 billion by 2014 and that figure expects to grow steady until at least the year 2019. Although there is no way to accurately predict that the future holds, the mobile application industry certainly has a bright future ahead of itself and we can expect to see a lot more emphasis put on mobile apps in upcoming years.

Smartphone Manufactures Focus on Mobile Applications for Advertising

Mobile Apps a Key Element to Marketing Smartphone’s

One interesting observation which many mobile application developers and mobile app “experts” have been noticing in the past few months is the emphasis that Smartphone manufacturers put on mobile applications and mobile application marketplaces in their advertising. Currently in the United States, there are commercials and billboards everywhere for Smartphone’s. Every time an individual turns on the television, he/she will see a commercial for Apple’s iPhone, Google’s Android, RIM’s Blackberry or Windows Phone 7; but rather then these companies putting emphasis on the functionalities of the Smartphone device (shape, functionality, weight, etc); they put a lot of emphasis on the mobile applications which individuals can download onto that Smartphone or the mobile application marketplace which that specific Smartphone is tailored too.

What this shows us about the wireless mobile industry is the large influence that mobile applications and mobile application marketplaces have towards the whole mobile industry. One could claim that mobile applications are the heart which keeps this industry going and without mobile apps, the need/demand/popularity for Smartphone’s would be far less than it is today. Even with the fierce competition that there is between Smartphone manufacturers, the more fierce competition is between which mobile application marketplaces have the largest selection of mobile apps to download and install onto one’s Smartphone.

One mobile application developers and mobile application expect stated that: “without mobile applications, the whole Smartphone/Mobile industry would be completely different than it is today. Most Smartphone’s would be used primarily for corporate emails and surfing the web through the mobile devices browser and that would be it. There would be no mobile gaming for individuals to play games on their Smartphone, there would be no user-friendly ways for people to navigate through social networking sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter and their definitely would not be the demand for Smartphone’s as there is today. The whole landscape of wireless technology and mobility would be different if mobile applications and mobile application marketplaces did not exist”

The mobile community and more specifically, cell phone/Smartphone manufactures owe a lot of credit to mobile application developers, mobile applications and mobile app marketplaces for getting them the successes which they have been experiencing in the past few years. The mobile/Smartphone industry is expecting to grow and nearly double in the next few years and a major part of that can be linked to mobile applications and mobile application marketplaces which are available for users to download and install specifics mobiles apps onto their Smartphone devices. The whole industry as a whole is heading in the right direction and there is a bright future for Smartphone manufactures mobile application developers and the mobile application industry as a whole.

V-Soft, Inc. Develops Language Translation Mobile Application

Spectra to Be First Real-Time Language Translations Mobile App

With the mobile application industry continuously picking up momentum and new innovation/mobile app ideas being brought onto various mobile application marketplaces, it is clear to see that the future is certainly bright for mobile applications and mobile application developers. V-Soft, Inc. a California base mobile application development firm recently announced that they are developing a new mobile application for a major U.S.-based corporation which will change the way people interact and communicate between various languages.

V-Soft, Inc. has recently developed a new mobile application called Spectra- which is a language translation iOS mobile application which is set to be released on Apple’s iTunes Mobile Application Marketplace in the near future. Spectra is one of the first real time language translation mobile applications on the market today and it is expected to change the way individuals communicate for the simple fact that it does language translation in real-time speed.

For example, if an individual were to speak into the mobile application in English, the mobile app would instantly convert the word/sentence into a different selected language and let the end-user either hear or read the translated word/sentence instantly. Spectra is expected to bridge the language barrier between conversational partners by providing a seamless translation of a user’s input into the language of his conversational partner. Currently, Spectra support English-to-Spanish translation with more language pairs expected to be released in the coming months.

Many mobile application developers and mobile application “experts” believe this mobile application will be a game-changing mobile app in the language translation/communication spectrum of mobile apps and expect a lot of Apple App users to download and use this mobile application. V-Soft stated that this voice translation mobile application is just a small piece of a bigger project which their end-client is currently working on and to expect many upgrades and expanded versions of this mobile application in the marketplace later this year. It is also not known if the end-client and V-Soft, Inc will later develop this mobile application for other Smartphones such as Google’s Android, RIM’s Blackberry and Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 but currently they want to focus on Apple’s app marketplace and get feedback/reviews before expanding to other Smartphone Platforms.

The mobile application industry is continuing to build momentum and V-Soft, Inc is one of the few mobile application development firms who have been in the mobile application industry from the start. With an impressive resume of mobile applications already on their resume, V-Soft Inc is expected to expand their mobile application development services and take on much larger projects this year due to all the demand they are receiving for mobile application development. The future is certainly bright for V-Soft, Inc, Mobile application developers and the mobile application industry as a whole as we continue to innovate and develop new mobile applications that are changing the world.

Shopping Malls Experimenting with Mobile Applications

Mobile Apps Venturing into the Shopping Mall Industry

In hopes of making shopping more convenient for shoppers, many shopping malls across the United States are now experimenting with mobile applications as a way to help shoppers throughout busy malls. The mobile application is expected to be released in the near future and the mobile app will be designed to help shopper navigate to stores within the shopping mall as well as the malls parking lots. The mobile application will also have the ability to find bargains and sales throughout the shopping mall.

The development and deployment of these mobile applications is considered a way to combat against the rapidly growing online retail market as many shopping malls have been losing revenue lately due to the convenience of online shopping compared to the hassles of going to a shopping mall and dealing with issues such as parking and long lines. Although mobile apps are still relatively new, the Simon Property Group Inc has experimented with Shopkick, Inc – a rewards mobile application in almost half of Simon’s 338 properties and said it plans on developing their own mobile application that will offer group discounts in the near future as well.

Mobile application and Smartphone users see these mobile applications as a great idea and many shoppers who use mobile apps claim that they will support this mobile application idea and use it when they are in shopping malls. At the same time, mobile application developers and mobile application “experts” see a lot of potential in this mobile application idea and believe there is the opportunity for great success and revenue to be generated by the mobile application. One mobile application developer stated that: “this application has the opportunity to have many add-on features that a user can purchase and download onto their Smartphone device such as the ability to scan/purchase items instead of standing in line, the ability to order food from the food courts while waiting in line, the ability to check for different sizes at different locations” and many more ideas. Although it will still be a while before these ideas get considered and developed, mobile application developers see this as an extremely efficient mobile application that will serve many shoppers throughout the United States.

The mobile application industry is heading in the right direction and they continue to penetrate and influence other industries throughout the United States. The mobile app industry as well as major Smartphone Manufacturers such as Apple (iPhone, iPad), Google (Android), Microsoft (Windows Phone 7) and RIM (Blackberry) are going to experience major benefits and increased revenue and the future certainly looks bright for them. Mobile application developers can expect to see mall mobile applications available throughout shopping malls across the United States in the near future and will only be a matter of time before different add-on features and functionalities are also available for users to download and install onto their mobile application and Smartphone device.

Android to be used for U.S. Army’s Mobile Battlefield Network

Android Platform will host Government Mobile Applications in the Future

The Mobile Application Industry has yet again taken steps forward and has now expanded their influences onto the U.S. Army. The U.S. Army recently announced that they will be using the Android platform as the core foundation of their mobile framework in the future and that the Android platform will be tailored to support a range of custom-built mobile applications that soldiers will be able to use while on the battlefield. Although it is not known what these mobile applications functionalities will be, some mobile application developers and mobile application “experts” believe that mobile applications have the potential to change the way modern warfare is currently conducted.

The U.S. army is currently testing the first Joint Battle Command Platform (JBC-P) handheld device which leverages a government owned Android based framework which soldiers can use during missions of combat. At the same time, reports indicate that the Army has also assigned their Software Engineering Directorate to develop the framework of new mobile applications which will be interoperable with each other and existing mission-command systems that are deployed.

In addition to developing its own set-up mobile apps, the Army has plans to open up development of JBC-P mobile applications to the broader community of third-party mobile application developers along with a mobile/handheld CE Product Development kit in July of 2011. The goal is also for the Marines to be able to leverage the JBC-P by the beginning of 2013. This will be one of the rare times when the U.S. government will reach out to third party mobile application developers with the hopes of getting mobile apps developed for the Army and other government agencies.

During the same time of all these new developments, the Army is also currently testing prototypes for new Smartphone devices which are expected to weigh about two pounds per device. Currently the debate which many program managers are having is whether to use a commercial off the shelf Android Smartphone device or a government model Smartphone device. In the meantime, the mobile application software that is being developed is tailored to run on a variety of different Android platforms and the devices will also have the ability to communicate via different military radio networks, including the Army’s Joint Tactical Radio System as well as Marine Corp radios.

The Army is set to test these devices and mobile applications in October during a Network Integration Rehearsal hosted by the 2nd Brigade. The event will be the first in a series of four that will culminate in a Brigade Combat Team Network Evaluation at the end of 2012. The Army has already been testing the distributions of Smartphone’s with custom mobile applications to soldiers both in the classroom and on the battlefield through the Connecting Soldiers to Digital Applications (CSDA) project.

The mobile application industry continues to pick up steam as they continue to extend their influences to different industries/agencies at a remarkable rate. The last time there was such a demand and need like this was during the dot com boom in the 1990’s. The mobile application industry is certainly heading in the right direction as mobile application developers and mobile application development firms are seeing an increased demand for their services during these booming times for the mobile app industry. What the future holds is still unclear but one thing for certain is that it definitely looks bright for the mobile application industry and mobile application developers.

U.S. Army Plans to Develop Mobile Application Marketplace

Mobile Applications Being Used for Training Proposes by U.S. Armed Forces

The U.S. Army announced that they will be using the Android and iPhone mobile platforms for all mobile applications and mobile technology on Smartphone devices in the future. Now in their most recently announcement, the U.S. Army announced that they plan to launch their own Mobile Application store where soldiers can download and install mobile application software onto their computers and potentially also their Smartphone mobile devices. This is considered a big step for the U.S. Army as they are taking steps forward into the world of mobility and wireless communication not only in their high-tech devices but also for their soldiers.

The Army Mobile App Marketplace is set to launch in August of 2011 and will have a limited selection of mobile apps for soldiers to download. A majority of the mobile applications are expected to focus on training manuals and productive tools but the U.S. Army has future plans for later developing mobile applications that help map out terrain, locate friendly forces and translate foreign languages. The Army marketplace is also expected to host the US defense department server, which would be accessible only to members of the defense department community.

The Mobile Application Marketplace which the U.S. Army is developing is expected to host both Android and iPhone Smartphone devices although the government has yet to certify any of those mobile devices as secure enough to access its networks. The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology have begun the process of certifying the iPhone but they are still a few months away from finishing the iPhone’s certification with Android Smartphone devices expected to be next in line for certification. Soldiers are expected to be able to use the Mobile App Marketplace to download any mobile app that are currently on the mobile app marketplace and there will also be a forum within the store in which the soldiers ask for specific mobile applications that they feel they need and also discussed with fellow soldiers and mobile application developers on how to build new mobile applications which can be beneficial during combat missions.

As we progress into the future, many mobile application developers and mobile app development “experts” feel confident that the military and armed forces will start using mobile applications more and more to conduct missions and communicate with other soldiers while in combat. They believe the U.S. Army’s development of a mobile application marketplace is the first step towards this becoming a reality where all armed forces are using mobile applications. Other nations are following the same path as the U.S.; the British Army has not yet announced the development of its own mobile application marketplace but soldiers within the Royal Artillery have already begun using specially developed iPad mobile applications as a part of their training.

It will only be a matter of time before all armed forces throughout the world start turning to mobile applications as a means of communicating and performing functions while on the battlefield. The mobile application industry is heading in the right direction and there certainly is a bright future ahead for mobile application developers and mobile application development firms who are fortunate enough to develop mobile applications and have them available on mobile application marketplaces throughout the world.

Mobile Applications Are More Expensive then Assumed

Many Individuals Believe They Can Develop Mobile Apps for Cheap

With the popularity and demand for mobile applications growing every day, many individuals are rushing to mobile application development firms in the hopes of developing their own mobile application of their dreams. As appealing and intriguing it is for an individual to want to develop his/her own mobile application and generate revenue from it, these individuals are hit with a major surprise when they find out the overall cost it takes for a mobile application developer or mobile application development firm to fully develop an mobile application.

One common misconception which many individuals have with regards to the mobile application industry is that they believe it is relevantly cheap to develop a mobile application and it can be done within a few weeks if desired. Unfortunately, the truth of the matter is that mobile apps are can be very expensive to develop and often times it takes months before a mobile app can be released to specific mobile application marketplaces such as the iTunes Mobile Application Marketplace or Android’s Mobile Application Marketplace. This comes as a big surprise to individuals who want to develop mobile applications and many time they are discouraged when they reach out to a mobile application development firm or a mobile app developer with a budget between $1,000-$3,000 only to find out that the minimum cost for mobile app develop will be around $5,000.

Some mobile application developers and mobile application “experts” believe the main reason why individuals believe that they can develop mobile apps for such a low cost is due to the fact that websites development is done at such a low rate. Many people are under the assumption that mobile applications are just like mini versions of a website so it should not be that expensive to develop what is on a website onto a mobile application; but the truth is that there is a lot of complex functionalities that need to be considered for mobile applications and the process of developing this apps are much more involved and take much longer then website development.

A study recently conducted revealed that the average price for mobile application development in the United States range anywhere from $60.00-$150.00 per hour with lower rates if an individual decides to outsource their mobile application project to countries such as India or China. With rates that high, it is clear to see how mobile application projects can range on average from $8,000-$30,000 for full development of a mobile application. Although this price for developing a mobile application may seem high, the truth is that the mobile application developers and individuals who own the rights to the mobile application can in fact make a lot of revenue in the long run their mobile application downloads (if the mobile app is a “paid” mobile application) or thru advertising.

The rates for mobile application development are expected to lower in the future but for now, most individuals can expect to pay anywhere from $8,000 and up for a good mobile application. Individuals should also be aware that if a mobile application developer or mobile application firm claims that they can develop a mobile app for less then $5,000; that individual should do more research and ask to see the quality of work that specific mobile app developer or mobile app firm has done in the past. The truth is that it is very rare that any legitimate mobile application developer or mobile app firm can develop a mobile application as such low cost.

As the demand and popularity for mobile applications pick up, the price for mobile application development is certainly expected to decrease but for now, individuals can expect to pay a premium price to get a mobile application developed. For those individuals who have a budget set aside for mobile app development, it may be worth their while to invest into developing a mobile application of their dreams and for those who do not have yet the budget needed for mobile app development, may consider to start saving up for it knowing that the return on invest has great potential in our current day and age.