Tushar, Author at anteelo

10 Benefits of Cloud Computing for Businesses

Posted on 22/10/202113/11/2021 by Tushar

Cloud computing is where data is stored, managed and processed on a network of servers hosted remotely on the internet. It has become highly popular with businesses because it offers considerable savings together with high security, enormous capacity and a host of managed services. Cloud hosting provides businesses with many advantages and in this post, we’ll take a look at ten of the most important ones.

1. Cloud hosting saves you money

The bottom line for any business looking to adopt a new technology is whether it offers value for money and a good return on investment. What’s great about cloud computing is that you don’t need your own hardware as everything is hosted on your providers’ servers. This means savings can be made on the cost of hardware and, in addition, you can dispense with the costs of running your own data centre. You won’t need to pay for space, power, physical security, insurance and air-conditioning or need to cover the costs of ongoing maintenance.

2. Instantly scalable resources and pay as you go pricing

If you have your own data centre and need to increase computing resources, you’ll need to buy, install and configure an expensive new server. If you only need that capacity to cover a short-term demand, it leaves you with two problems. Firstly, you’re buying something that may lay redundant for most of the time and, secondly, if that demand comes unexpectedly, you might not get the server up and running in time to deal with it.

With cloud computing, scalability comes built in. If you need extra resources because of an unexpected peak in website traffic, you can increase your computing capacity instantly. If that peak only lasts for a day or two you can scale down as demand decreases. And, as you are charged on a pay as you go basis, you only pay for the extra resources you have used. There is no need to upgrade permanently to a bigger package or hire a new server. In this way, cloud provides increased agility and cost-effective resourcing.

3. Strategic competitive advantage

Deployment time in cloud computing is virtually zero and applications that are critical for growth and success can be online almost instantly, giving you a strategic competitive advantage over competitors who have not yet adopted cloud technology.

In addition, the scalability mentioned above means that smaller companies who would normally be at a disadvantage against larger companies with greater in-house capacity, now find themselves on a level playing field without the need to invest heavily in their own data centres.

4. High Availability

As businesses become reliant on applications to run their critical operations, downtime can be disastrous. Server failure can result in companies coming to a complete standstill and getting back online can be a challenging and sometimes long-winded process. Losses can be significant.

Cloud hosting, however, removes the possibility of server failure causing downtime. A cloud environment is engineered to deliver predictable and consistent performance with guaranteed 100% up-time. This is because clients are hosted on virtual machines that, in the event of an issue, can be migrated between the clustered server. The cloudâ€™s hyper-converged design guards against everything from hard disk failure to an entire server failure, enabling mission-critical applications to be available all the time.

5. Lightning fast performance

In order to stay competitive, cloud service providers need to continually update their technology to meet the demands of their customers. As a result, cloud computing offers high-performance servers with technology such as powerful CPUs and super fast SSD drives.

In addition, load balancing is used to route client requests in a way that maximises speed and capacity utilisation. In this way, when servers are busy, the load is distributed so that no single server suffers from performance problems â€“ and with so many servers at their disposal, a cloud provider can always ensure that performance is consistently optimised.

6. Get new apps running quicker

Before the advent of cloud computing, it could take a long time to get new applications running smoothly. Cloud-based applications, however, have significantly reduced the time required for successful execution. Most cloud-based applications can be used instantly after signup.

This offers many advantages to businesses. One, in particular, is that businesses who migrate to the cloud can be benefiting from AI and machine learning applications within hours of signing up.

7. Increased security

With cloud hosting, your business is protected against hacking, infection and internal data theft. Cloud providers are required to comply with a range of stringent security regulations in order to protect their customersâ€™ data. This includes the use of robust firewall technology that features intrusion prevention systems and in-flow virus protection. These detect and isolate threats before they reach your server. You can even extend your office into the cloud with extensive VPN features.

8. More flexible working

Cloud computing provides greater flexibility in how employees work. As it is internet based, staff can access files both in and out of the workplace, enabling them to work remotely or in the office. Many companies are using this to give employees more flexible working conditions and to cut down on the amount of office space they need. In order to cut costs, many local councils have massively reduced office space expenditure by allowing staff to work from home and by using a hot-desking system on the days they come into the office.

Staff can access the companyâ€™s system using web-enabled devices such as smartphones and laptops and can collaborate in real-time with others by sharing synchronised files and using online conferencing. Many businesses now have a â€˜bring your own device (BYOD)â€™ policy which is backed up by the use of a logical access authentication protocol to ensure security.

9. Environmental friendly

Moving your system to the cloud means that you won’t need your own data centre and can reduce your own carbon footprint significantly. You wonâ€™t need to power the servers or keep them cool. You wonâ€™t even need data centre space which needs to be lit.

However, there are more environmental benefits than simply offloading your carbon footprint to your provider. Once you have migrated to the cloud, youâ€™ll find that economies of scale mean that your provider can use energy in a much more efficient way and that the energy needed to run your systems is much less than it would be on-site. In this way, cloud computing reduces the overall impact on the environment.

10. The cloud is future enabled

We’ve already mentioned that cloudâ€™s scalability puts smaller companies on a level playing field with bigger ones. In the future, this is going to be even more important. With the growth of the Internet of Things, the amount of big data that businesses are collecting and processing is going to increase exponentially.

Big data analytics provides vital information for driving business development and those companies who have the resources to carry it out are the ones who will gain most. Cloud computing is by far the most cost-effective option for storing and processing enormous quantities of data. In addition, it provides the easy deployment of the applications needed to carry out this processing.

Conclusion

As you can see from this post, cloud hosting provides many benefits to businesses. It’s cost-effective, can save you money, itâ€™s highly reliable and it provides the scalability, flexibility, agility, high performance and security businesses need from their IT systems.

Top 10 Innovative Mobile App Ideas To Boost Your Business

Posted on 21/10/202113/11/2021 by Tushar

During the last decade, mobile app use has increased and they have become an important part of everybody’s life. Even our everyday chores like booking an appointment with the doctor, shopping, online classes, and a lot more are available at just a click. Innovative mobile app ideas for 2021 that offer people the ideal solution to their requirements have a solid possibility of succeeding.

TOP 10 INNOVATIVE MOBILE APP IDEAS TO BOOST YOUR BUSINESS IN 2021:

Lyrics Tracker App

There are times when we hear some songs, we like them as well, but, we don’t remember their lyrics. All that we have is a fragment of a song or its humming part. And there are times when lyrics come to us and we do not know the song. In both these cases, we work hard to find its music. This gives us an outstanding idea for an app. A lyrics tracker app to find the song from the humming or some lyrics. What can be better is you just sing the part that you know and the mobile app finds the song and its singer.

Language Translation App

While travelling to foreign countries, most of us find us difficult to connect with the natives of the country because we don’t know their language. So, a language translation mobile app can be helpful. Its feature goes beyond basic translation like its ability to interpret a conversation immediately which can be very helpful for travellers. The right language translation app should be available in all languages, should be simple to understand and use, and have the most relevant features.

Remote Healthcare Service App

Considering the pandemic situation, it can be a good idea to create a healthcare mobile app. Making healthcare reach everyone is an excellent app idea. If you launch a healthcare app, it is sure to succeed in the present scenario. Build an app that offers the facility to get any doctor at your doorsteps so that people can get video consultations. You can also add the feature of making automatic appointments after a specific time. With advanced features like predictive analytics and artificial intelligence, the app should allow doctors to diagnose as well as treat diseases.

Travel Plan App

All of them plan dreamy trips. However, when the right time comes, we get stuck. However, a smart travel planner can be beneficial. A Travel Plan app can give a new aspect to the older traveller apps. It allows the users to synchronize their office schedules with this app. The app should be able to collect data inputs of your favourite destinations. The travel app should also use your preference and schedule to meet your common trips to offer the best trip dates.

Scan And Shop App

These apps have become quite famous in the eCommerce industry. This kind of app will let you search for the product you like and find out about them at online stores or a closet alternative to them to help you buy them immediately. They let users communicate and interact flawlessly with print marketing, catalogues, items, or in-shop signage, offering them helpful experiences and content.

Restaurant Booking App

All of us enjoy arranging family get-togethers and dining out. It can be very helpful to make a reservation by phone or online between the daily hustle and busy lives. With a restaurant booking app, guests can make a reservation in advance to confirm a table at the restaurant at a specific time. By simply filtering your cuisine options by showing locations on the map, prices, and more, you will be able to check different restaurants.

Productivity App

This app can make your work as well as your personal tasks more efficient and simpler to complete. A productivity app is available in various categories like individual productivity apps, office, and business apps, and collaboration apps. In today’s world, most people use some kind of productivity apps to track their productivity. So, it is one of the topmost ideas for mobile app development.

Pregnancy Helper App

Nowadays, people focus more on wellness and health. The pregnancy helper apps help pregnant women and their families with helpful information during the different stages of pregnancy. They give information on what they should do, what should they eat, how should they complete care of themselves, what should they do and not do, and more. The information must be from qualified and authentic medical experts only.

Karaoke App

Even non-singers can now turn into singers with karaoke apps. Karaoke apps will not just offer the ability to sing for background music but will also include many enhancements that will sound similar to your singing idols. This idea can offer you a spark of creativity to make an app with creative functionalities that will offer the targeted audience exceptional value-added services and assist you to earn healthy profits.

A Wish Fulfiller App

It’s an era where individuals make many new year resolutions, but don’t follow them. They make decisions like reading books, learning new things, staying healthy, and travelling around. But such decisions do not last for a month. However, things can become different if you keep getting continuous motivation for fulfilling your wishes. It’s human nature to become inspired when somebody motivates you every day. In this case, an app is a perfect option. If the app reminds you continuously about your targets, you will put in the effort. It would be excellent if there are a few appreciation messages as well once people reach their goals.

What Does It Take To Develop A Mobile App Like Uber?

Posted on 18/10/202113/11/2021 by Tushar

Taxi booking service is mushrooming everywhere and has emerged as one of the reliable way to commute within or outside the city. When we talk about taxi service, Uber is one of the name that has become synonymous with it. Since it’s inception, Uber is pleasing users across the globe and the only point of contact between passengers and Uber is mobile app. Although there are hundreds of taxi booking mobile apps but what has evolved over a period of time, since the inception of Uber, is technology development on the booking front.

With the current scenario in the market, Uber is boosting more and more entrepreneurs with the idea to repeat its feet and create something similar. However, developing a Taxi mobile app like Uber and going live on app store and play store is just not that easy and two separate application with different functionality:

Passenger app – for those who looks to book taxi
Driver app – Get orders and they ride passenger to their destination

Its features plays vital role; let’s zero down some of the basic ones:

Basic features of passenger app:

Register/login: You can provide varied options to register like social media integration, e-mail etc.
Booking Interface: Here customer needs to add address, select a cab type and set the pickup location
Tracking: Track driver’s location, status updation during or after a ride
Fare calculator: Calculates the estimated cost from source to destination before booking
Payments: Cashless, plain cash , can pay automatically via plastic money and invoice is received to phone or e-mail
Push Notifications: Keeps the user updated on order status, estimated time, taxi arrival, car model, driver’s contact number, car number and much more
Messaging, ratings and reviews, booking history: Messaging driver for the perfect pick up, feedback and ratings given by the customer for the service provided, displays the details of previous booking

Basic features of driver app:

Register/profile/status: Required to provide extra verification details like taxi number, licence during registration, status functionality helping them to adjust the schedule and availability
Booking: Options to accept or reject the incoming order, information of customer location, booking history etc.
Push Notifications: For order alerts, taxi booking data, for order updates and completion of ride
Navigation: Google Maps integration to get optimal direction of customer’s destination
Cost estimation and reports: Provides the estimated cost with discounts and offer the insights of trip status, payroll, history etc.

Furthermore, to streamline process and driver from the central point, a web app is required to manage and review all in-app activity like interactions, ride routes, payments and much more.

How Uber Works?

Passengers let the Uber know that they need a ride; Uber asks you about the location; finds the nearby driver and notifies the duration of driver’s arrival. After completion of ride, cost is automatically charged from your card and then passenger needs to provide feedback about the ride.

So to build such paradigm, what technology stack does Uber rely on?

It relies on some giant foundations like:-

Geo-location: The cab providing service like UBER depends on GPS (Global positioning system) technology to track the current position of the customer. When Uber started its venture, the technology wasn’t that progressive, but today the things have become easier. The geo-location depends on:-

Identifying a device’s location: To identify the location of the customer, Uber app for iOS uses CoreLocation framework which provides classes and protocols to configure and schedule delivery and send location event to the server. This framework also enables the Uber to define geographic region and track the device moments as it crosses the boundary.

The Uber app for Android uses Google’s Location API which can manage underlying location technology meeting all the needs to tailor the app when integrating location-based features.

Providing the right direction: For developing iOS app, MapKit is used to display point-to-point directions on map. It registers the app as routing app then makes direction available to the Map apps and other mapping software.

For developing on Google, Google Maps Android API is used to make routes and directions possible.

Integration with mapping software: Uber implemented Google Maps for both iOS and Android version and to avoid paying Google for access of their solutions, Uber opt for mapping technology companies to solve the logistic issues.

Messaging or Notification: After you order a ride, Uber sends you a couple of notifications like when driver accepts the request, driver is few miles away, cancellation of ride etc. Uber text messages are powered by the Twilio telecommunications provider and you may choose to receive these messages either via SMS or through the push notifications. To implement push notifications in the iOS app, Uber uses Apple Push Notifications Service, and for the Android app Uber uses Google Cloud Messaging (GCM).

Payment Integration: For calculating fare, Uber looks for the factors like base fare, cost/mile and cost/min. Uber promotes a cashless system which means you can pay via plastic card, e-wallets or use a promo code which removes error prone human-to-human cash transfers. Uber chose to partner with Braintree, one of the leaders in the mobile payment market, to accept card payments and also uses PayPal’s Card.io service for credit card scanning on iOS.

The iOS users can make of the Apple Pay for making the payment and the Android users can use the Google Wallet for the same purpose. It is better to collaborate with some online payment company to make the experiences better and faster.

Advantages Of Uber Like App

Reduce the number of drunk drivers
Saves your money for commuting
Provides opportunity to make extra cash for the driver
Makes the way to the customer’s destination really beautiful

Advantages Of Having Mobile App

Having a white label mobile app gives your taxi business a broad visibility and an automatic customer boost.
Reduces the overhead costs generated by managing everything manually and connecting passengers to the drivers in real-time enables the business to grow smartly in autopilot mode.
Leads to the higher profit as the taxi service provider can develop their own app and save on the commission paid to the cab platform.

How Much Does It Cost?

Well It Depends! There Are Several Factors Affecting The Total Cost

Your budget
Number of features
Design of UI/UX
Backend development
Web development
Security

If you wish to develop a basic taxi service app then it will cost around $15,000 USD to $20,000 USD; Uber like app $20,000 USD to $35,000 USD. It takes 2 to 3 weeks approximately to design the app and 10 to 12 weeks approximately for development process. Lastly, the cost varies according to app development company you hire to get your job done.

POC vs. MVP vs. Prototype: The Strategy Closest to Product Market Fit

Posted on 13/10/202113/11/2021 by Tushar

Product Market Fit – the term coined by Marc Andreessen and popularized by Sean Ellis is a marketing concept that has grown to be applied by a number of startups, globally.

The most no-nonsense way to understand its meaning is that if a product is being liked by a market which is demanding the product heavily, the product’s parent company has achieved a product market fit.

While the definition paints a picture of nothing less than a utopia, the reality is that there are very limited ways to achieve this utopia. And the ways come packed with confusions.

The three confusion-clouded ways that help entrepreneurs reach the product market fit are: Proof Of Concept, Prototype, and Minimum Viable Product.

The major confusion that surrounds these three app viability check strategies is what separates them from each other and which one would get them closest to achieving the product market fit utopia before their competitors act on the idea.

The intent of this article is to solve the confusion and help you decide which strategy to go with to achieve a product market fit in your app industry.

But before you even get to the point of making a decision between POC vs. MVP vs. Prototype, there are a few things that you should keep into consideration:

Who is your target audience?
What are you trying to validate?

POC vs. MVP vs. Prototype: The Concept

POC (Proof of Concept)

What is POC? As the name denotes, POC (Proof of Concept) is an approach which businesses use to validate the idea or the feasibility of the concept. The stage comes into existence way before the mobile app development process starts. Here a small project is implemented for verifying if a concept can be implemented on the technical capability and business model grounds.

A mobile app POC is not usually shown to the public or the customers for the main idea behind it is to simply check if the idea is workable or not.

Proof of Concept(POC) Features:

Showcases feasibility & Confirm Idea’s Potential
Developing a POC is a cost and time-effective way to validate features
Highlights risks and errors at a very early stage
Gives a clear yes/no right at the beginning of the project

Prototype

What is Mobile app prototype? Prototype focuses entirely on showing how an app will flow from one screen to another and how it’d look to the end users. Building a mobile app prototype is one of the most important processes of app development for it uses tools to help with understanding how the app flows, what would be its usability, and what all features must be added in the application. Although it is not a standalone system in itself, the benefits of mobile app prototyping can be seen in the fact that it helps in getting a clear idea of how the app will look and function.

Prototype Features:

Gets an early feedback on the application
Helps in identifying mistakes in the design and development phases
Simplification of complex ideas into understandable format
Application’s flow is validated by the business users
Beneficial in getting seed funding

Minimum Viable Product

What is Minimum Viable Product? MVP is a functional app that comes loaded with the prime features that best represent the application. It is a standalone application version containing mobile app MVP functionalities that can be sent to the users for them to play around and gauge the experience that they’ll get out of the full version of the application.

The MVP development process helps in verifying the app feasibility, teams’ assumptions about the application, and its probable usability along with the market demand. When you build a minimum viable product, it ultimately helps in developing an application which is prepared to gather the end-user feedback.

MVP Features

Greater development readiness
Creation of higher value for users through continuous feedback
Attracts high retention through small investment
Helps in prevention of time and money wastage.

POC vs MVP vs. Prototype: How to Choose The Best Approach?

If there is one thing that the comparison table and the definitions shows, it is that the question: which is the best strategy out of the three, in itself is wrong.

In order to truly achieve a product fit, entrepreneurs cannot choose between the strategies. They will have to either choose one of the strategies, depending on the stage of their application or would have to see them as steps.

Let us explain both the points in detail.

Scenario 1: When you are yet to enter the idea validation stage

When you haven’t started with the development of either of the strategies, you are at a stage, which we deem ideal. A stage where you have the time to chart the app validation lifecycle.

The benefits of investing in the lifecycle that starts from POC then reaches Prototype before getting to the MVP stage are manifold.

Rightful Testing of the Concept: The point of developing an application starting with the POC stage and then moving to prototype and MVP is to help check the viability of the idea. It helps entrepreneurs adjust their initial idea on the basis of how their audience reacts.
Speedy Development: When you go with this approach, your partnered mobile app development agency work with limited features – one which have been market tested. Meaning, there is a lot to profit from in a very little time.
Low Investment Risk: When you develop an application that has been tested at three stages, you give the investors an assurance that it is risk free. This, in turn, translates to greater investments.

Scenario 2: When you have entered the idea validation stage

When you have already entered the idea validation phase, the probability is very less for you to follow a step-by-step process in order to reach product market fit phase. Under this scenario, you will have to make a choice between POC vs Prototype vs MVP.

And the choice will be dependent on several factors – ones that are enough to be converted into IFTTT scenarios.

Here are some scenarios to help you make the choice –

Choose MVP When:

When you have to show the customers a working app
When you have to make money out of the application
When you need a bug-free app ready to be used by the world
When you need higher retention at low cost
When you wish to know the market perception to improvise the application

Choose POC When:

When you need seed-stage funding
When you have to check if the idea works, technically
When you are aiming to share internal knowledge among team
When you want to assess project or the features’ success

Choose Prototype When:

When you want a visualization of how the app would function
When you have limited money and time but you want to show the application to stakeholders
When there is very limited technical availability
When you need an instant look and feel of the application

FAQs About POC vs. MVP vs. Prototype

Q. What is the difference between MVP and Prototype?

The primal difference that stands between the goal of a prototype and an MVP is that the latter is a ready to publish publicly version of an application, while the former is more of a version that is there to test the idea within the internal stakeholders of a company.

Q. What is the difference between a Prototype and a Proof of Concept?

POC vs Prototype is a comparison of two very different concepts. While POC is merely a set of documents or basic level software used to check the workability of an idea, Prototype is the clickable version software that give stakeholders peek into how the user would move inside an application.

Q. When to consider building a MVP app?

There are different instances where the MVP development method makes more sense compared to creation of POC or Prototype:

When you have to show the customers a working application
When you have to make money out of your app
When you need a bug-free app ready to be used by the world
When you need higher retention at low cost
When you wish to know the market perception to improvise the application

Q. What is the difference between MVP and POC?

POC vs MVP is a comparison between a concept and an application that is ready to be published in the stores. While the intent between both the concept is the same – to validate an app idea, the stages in which they make an appearance are very different.

A POC is the first stage of idea validation – stage where a small project is implemented for verifying if a concept can be implemented on the technical capability and business model grounds.

MVP, on the other hand, is a functional app that comes loaded with the prime features that best represent the application.

Software as a Medical Devices: Definition & Scope of Regulations

Posted on 12/10/202113/11/2021 by Tushar

Since the past 40 years, the number of technology innovations both within and around medical devices have increased dramatically. Especially, the past 20 years have witnessed an acceleration in the sector, thanks to the Internet of Things and rise of its other corresponding parts like wireless connectivity, cloud computing, and AI, etc. These advancements have transformed the healthcare processes.

Even after 20 years, these leading-edge technologies are continuing to source a seismic shift in the process of healthcare administration and delivery.

And now, mobile applications have also seeped in and have become an important part of these highly demanded, technology-based medical and non-medical purposes.

These Apps or Software which are a medical device on their own – Software as a Medical Device – have grown to become an inherent part of the users’ life. The applications of SaMD are not just limited to diagnosis but have also made their place in the monitoring and treatment process. In fact it is SaMD that has led to the evolution of healthcare 1.0 to healthcare 3.0.

Seeing the growing inclusion of SaMD in the everyday healthcare, The International Medical Device Regulators Forum have described the concept and SaMD risk categories in detail for the medical app development industry to follow.

* SaMD is not the only compliance that healthcare industry stakeholders – mHealth applications entrepreneurs and device manufacturers should follow. There are other compliances as well, such as FDA, HIPAA, HL7, and FCPA. We have touched upon these compliances in much detail in our mHealthcare App Development Guide.

In this article, we are going to throw some light on what is SaMD, the regulations that it entails, and what mHealth app types which are categorized as Software as a Medical Device.

What is Software as A Medical Device?

The terminology – Software as a Medical Device stands for any software that is intended for use for one or multiple medical purposes and which performs these purposes without being integrated into a hardware medical device.

Here’s how IMDRAF defines SaMD –

‘The term “Software as a Medical Device” (SaMD) is defined as software intended to be used for one or more medical purposes that perform these purposes without being part of a hardware medical device.’

How to know if your mobile app is a SaMD

SaMD is a medical device and includes some in-vitro diagnostic (IVD) medical device.
SaMD is able to run on general purpose (non-medical) computing platforms.
Software does not meet the definition of SaMD if its intended purpose is to drive hardware medical device.
SaMD may be used with other products such as medical devices.
SaMD may be interfaced with other medical devices, including hardware medical devices and other SaMD software, as well as general purpose software.

Factors to Consider for SaMD Characterization

There are two ways through which SaMDs are characterized:

A. Information provided by SaMD

To diagnose or treat patients
To inform clinical management
To drive clinical management

B. Healthcare Condition

Critical condition
Serious condition
Non-serious condition

On the basis of these characterizations, SaMDs are divided into four categories.

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Category Wise Examples of SaMD

Category IV:

SaMDs which perform diagnostic image analysis for enabling treatment decisions when patients suffer an acute stroke
SaMDs which calculate the fractal dimension of a lesion and builds a structural map which reveals different growth patterns for providing diagnosis or identification if the lesion is benign or malignant.
SaMDs combining data from the immunoassays to the screen for mutable pathogens outbreak that can be highly communicable.

Category III:

SaMD which makes use of phone’s microphone for detecting interrupted breathing during sleep.
SaMD used for providing information by clicking pictures, monitoring growth or other data to supplement other information that a healthcare provider uses for diagnosing if a skin lesion is benign or malignant.

Category II:

SaMDs that analyzes heart rate
SaMD which use individuals’ health record data for predicting the risks of heart disease or stroke and create prevention strategies.
SaMD which integrate and analyze multiple tests to offer recommendations for diagnosis in certain clinical indications.

Category I:

SaMD which gather data from symptom diaries for providing information to gauge occurrence of an asthma episode.
SaMD analyzing images, movement of the eye for guiding next diagnostic action for astigmatism.
SaMD which store historic blood pressure information for health care providers to review.
SaMD using data of hearing sensitivity, speech in noise, and asking users to answer questionnaires about common listening situations for self-assessing hearing loss.

What Can SaMD Manufacturers do to Ensure Regulations?

SaMD companies should have a good Quality Management System incorporated into the development process to ensure compliance with any regulation. The chosen QMS platform should be capable of compliance with regulatory requirements like the FDA 21 CFR Part 820 and ISO 13485:2016.

Any misstep in the direction can lead to severe consequences with your application getting banned being only the tipping point. Noting the cruciality, it is advised that you should partner with a custom healthcare software development company who works alongside medical practitioners who understand these regulations and compliances to their entirety.

FAQs About SaMD

Q. What are examples of software that are not Software as a Medical Device?

Apps that hardware medical devices need for performing its role.
Apps which are dependent on the medical device data.
Apps that enable communication and streamlining of clinical workflow, like ones for scheduling visits, video or voice calling, etc

The app examples are not limited to these. There are a number of other app types which do not fall under the definition of SaMDs.

Q. What can Software as a Medical Device actually do?

SaMD applications are those which act as a stand-alone health application that gives users the insight into their physical health by making diagnosis, doing X-ray processing, or calculating insulin doses.

Q. What is IEC 62304?

IEC 62304 is a standard that specifies the life cycle requirements needed for the creation of Software as a Medical Device and Software within medical devices. When used along with ISO 13485, it offers a framework that is important for safe designing and maintenance of medical device software.

Q. Describe your QMS process for medical device software development

We have our own internal QMS for working with medical device and pharmaceutical clients, to ensure our own quality. We do not get audited by clients, third parties, or regulators.

Stage 1 : Initiate Project: Conduct a kick-off teleconference with Client to:

Review the project plan and timeline

Finalize key sources of information

Define the project team

Stage 2 : Review Documentation: Evaluate and examine all relevant documents including existing product information, nonclinical data/plans, and regulatory documentation. The sources of this information are:

Non-clinical data, regulatory correspondence, product technical specifications, references to predicate devices, proposed product claims and intended/indications for use, etc.

Stage 3: Determine Regulatory Pathway Using information from above section, Develop an FDA regulatory path determining whether 510(k) or de novo is most appropriate (a PMA regulatory strategy is more complex and will require a higher budget). The goal will be to advise Client on the optimal approach to FDA.

How to Build a Push Notification Strategy For Higher Conversions

Posted on 10/10/202113/11/2021 by Tushar

Have you ever doubted the usefulness of Mobile App Push Notifications? Or maybe you discarded the whole notion as a mere inconvenience for the user? Or you were simply oblivious about its potential? In this article, we have sworn to tell you all there is to know about the magic of engaging push notifications which can turn your app from a “One-tap wonder” to users’ favorite.

Here are some statistics showcasing the role that push notifications can play in the future of mobile apps –

A Report by Localytics on Push Notification statistics showed that push notifications can increase your app retention by multi-folds.
On average, users open an app 14.7 times per month after accepting push notifications, as opposed to an average of 5.4 times when they don’t.
Users who consented also engage with the app 3 times more and 65% of which also returned to the app after 30 days. In addition, after 90 days one-third of the users who accepted push notifications were still active on the app, whereas only 11% of users were inactive.

So, you see how this one small mobile app promotion strategy can bring you a huge loyal customer base. Well, to fully understand why all business giants prefer and adopt this method, you will have to reach deeper into the core of it all. So, we have diligently dissected the whole concept of―why mobile app push notification is so popular, how many types of push notifications are there, when it is used, what it is used for and how to use it effectively.

Types of Push Notifications

1. Informational

As the name suggests, Informational push notifications are used by the providers to render information regarding news alerts, app updates, etc.

2. Transactional

Transactional mobile app push notifications are used to inform the users of recent transaction activities detected by financial institutions. It also comprises information related to flight delays, sale & discounts, a shipment of a package, and more.

3. User

This type of notifications is used solely for the accord of the end-user. It appears as a red badge on your app icon with the number of notifications. This lets them know of the pending notifications on the app.

4. System

These notifications are used in order to highlight some announcements within an app. Information regarding new features in the app, sale on a product, etc., is delivered via System push notifications.

5. Geolocation

Notifications used to inform users about local events and promotions, restaurants available in the area, weather forecasts, traffic conditions, and more.

All the above-mentioned types work best in both Android and iOS. Choosing the right Push notification for Android and iOS app is a viable way to make it more popular.

Why are Mobile App Push Notifications preferred at all?

1. Prompt User Engagement

What Mobile app push notifications do is that they provide a reason for the users to open the app. If you play your cards right, your app will definitely reap the benefits of mobile push notifications for they are remarkable in stimulating user engagement. For users tend to find Push Notifications very beneficial – a statement highlighted in statistics in the graph below.

2. Increase Turnover of Inactive Users

Many a time, users download the app but hardly ever use it. You don’t want your app sitting idly by watching other apps being used, do you? A well-devised push notification marketing strategy can turn your inactive users into active and loyal ones.

You can employ a push notification strategy to deliver insightful information to the users about personalized offers, breaking news, or even thoughtful reminders.

3. Increase Conversion Rates

We came across a study by Urban Airship where we found that leveraging mobile push notifications for app retention can accelerate the retention rates of apps by 3 to 10 times.

4. Helps Target Right Audience

Targeting the right audience is a trump card that can win you the game of retaining active users on your app. And a mobile app push notification can be just the perfect feature for you.

After acquiring the location-access permission from the users, you will be able to personalize the notifications as per each user. It will help you reach your audience right on their doorstep.

5. Track User Behavior

Another prominent benefit of this feature is that it allows you to follow user behavior and analyze it. The push notification feature helps in making sense of complex analytics with the data on delivery receipts, open times, open rates, etc.

It enables you to acquire valuable insights into users’ behavior patterns along with interaction times and click-through rates to analyze which messages the users are more likely to open. After properly analyzing the user behavior data, you can also launch campaigns that will help connect with them more efficiently.

The Best practices for User-centric Push Notification Strategy That Anteelo follows

Here are some Push notifications best practices that our experts use:

1. Make Use of Dynamic Content

Dynamic content refers to the data collected from the app use patterns or from users’ profiles. It is interchangeable message content that personalizes each user’s notifications.

A solid example is Netflix; it uses the data on user streaming habits and sends push notifications that often consist of a user’s name to enhance the personalization factor. This is one of the many ways in which push notifications for business are used.

2. Use Location-Data

We have discussed this point above in brief acknowledging how it helps you target a specific audience based on their location data. You can send tailored messages for real-time updates.

According to Localytics survey, location tracking is one of the most helpful types of trigger for push notifications. In fact, the conversion rates grew to 3.8% for Geo-push notifications as compared to 1.5% for Push notifications.

3. Perfect your notification timing

Timing plays an eminent role and can also pay off in spades once you get it right. It determines whether your push notification marketing strategy is competent or not. If you send notifications to the users at night, they might not open it till morning, and the information may become futile, the same would happen if you send notification about a sale which is about to expire.

Due to this, the users will not be able to take any action that may benefit them, so they will not engage with the app anymore. What we learn from this is that the performance of mobile push notifications depends partially on how effectively and cleverly you use them.

4. Keep the relevancy factor in check

Make sure the notifications containing information are relevant to the individual user. A tested method is segmenting your audience to ensure they are served with appropriate and valuable information.

5. Keep Improvising

One sure way to increase your loyal customer demographic is to keep improvising. Yes! Continuous development and improvisations in your push notification content and strategy will take you a long way. Experiment with the words, length, content, use of emoticons, and other rich media is a great way to start. One more thing you should bury in mind is testing before implementing is crucial.

The other thing that we do here at Anteelo is to know the mistakes that should be avoided at all costs.

Conclusion

All the points we have discussed so far render Push notifications technology as a powerful tool to use in Mobile app development, in order to keep your app users engaged and committed to your app.

However, you must have heard it “With great power comes great responsibility”; so make sure to choose an effective mobile app development company that knows how to utilize this tool to its maximum potential and is proficient in building an app with push notifications, lest your app will be ditched like a hot potato.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Why push notifications are important?

Mobile app push notifications play a prominent role in keeping the user engaged on apps. This strategy is now employed by all organizations in order to increase their retention rate. Push notifications also enable providers to send useful information to the users regarding app updates, traffic conditions, transactional information, weather forecasts, and a lot more.

2. What is the use of push notification?

Mobile app push notifications are used for defining customer lifecycle, taking feedback from customers, Loyalty program, Transactional purposes, promotions, reminders, etc. Push notifications are emerging as an indispensable tool for increasing traffic on apps and also for maintaining the app retention rate on them.

3. How to Target Your Mobile Users with Push Notifications

Here are some tips for you that will help you target audience with push notifications:

Use dynamic content
Utilize location data
Keep your timing on-point
Always keep your notifications relevant to users’ preference
Keep experimenting and improvising

4. Why do mobile apps need Push notifications?

The goal of your app is not to get downloads only, but to engage and retain users as well. You wouldn’t want your app to just sit in the users’ phone and not getting used. So, here push notifications come to save the day for you. You can send messages via push notification about sales and discounts, new feature updates on your app, and other information. You should always make use of rich media content like Emoticons, images, videos, etc., to make your notifications attractive and impossible to ignore.

Java vs Python: Who is Winning the Coding Battle?

Posted on 08/10/202113/11/2021 by Tushar

Marvel vs DC. Coke vs Pepsi. Nike vs Reebok.

The battle of Java vs Python is nothing less than that of these top rivalry. Both the programming languages have gained limelight in the coding world in different aspects. They have different use cases and even fan bases. In fact, they are used as a metaphor to showcase things entirely different/incompatible.

However, there’s one common factor between them: Both have survived and remain on the top in the programming world since 2000. They have outshined in the market despite the bustling hassle due to the advent of new programming languages.

But, how did they make this possible? And can they beat each other in the coding world as well?

Let’s dive into the programming environment and find out in this article.

Before we begin, let’s look through the prism of history and know the history and pros of python and java.

A Basic Introduction to Java Programming Language

Java is a general-purpose, object-oriented programming language developed back in 1995 by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems. The language supports the idea of WORA (Write Once, Run Anywhere) and has a syntax similar to that of C and C++.

It is one of the most popular programming languages in the market with a reported 9 million mobile app developers loving it. A fondness that has been a ripple effect of the benefits it offers to the development environment :-

Pros of Considering Java Programming Language

Java is free, simple, distributed, and object-oriented programming language with support for multithreading programming concept.
It comes with exciting features like try-with-resources, generics, etc., along with automatic garbage collection and seamless memory management models. This makes it a great option for creating highly robust and reliable applications.
Java, since Java SE version 8 (JDK 8), is being updated with functional programming features like Lambda Expressions and Functional interfaces. This enhances the code flexibility, which also counts to the advantages of Java.
Additionally, the language is platform-independent. Meaning, its code can run across different platforms including desktops, mobiles, and embedded systems.

With this covered, let’s take a turn towards Python, before deciding the winner of the Java vs Python war.

A Basic Introduction to Python Programming Language

Python is a dynamically-typed general purpose programming language developed by Guido van Rossum in 1990. The original intent behind its development was to bridge the gap between C and the shell, and simplify the process of creating system administration utilities. But, later its use was expanded to other development areas also.

The language bagged the title of ‘Programming Language Hall of Fame’ for 2018 because of the plethora of advantages it offers, such as:

Benefits of Considering Python Programming Language

One of the prime advantages of Python is that it is open-source and free-to-use.
The Python Package Index (PyPI) has varied third-party modules that eases interaction with other programming languages and platforms, including C, C++, C#, VB, and Perl.
The programming language has a built-in list and dictionary data structures that makes it easier to construct fast runtime data structures.
It offers the functionality of dynamic high-level typing and a wide range of standard libraries related to string operations, operating system interfaces and protocols, web service tools, and more. These reduces the code length and developers’ efforts while working with Python.

Now as we have taken a look into the basics of both Java and Python, it is likely that you are familiar with the similarities and differences between the two languages. So, let’s not wait anymore and turn towards the core part of the article, i.e, Java vs Python comparison.

Factors to Consider When Comparing Python and Java

1. Market Popularity

The foremost factor to consider is the market popularity.

Though Java’s popularity has declined since the advent of Kotlin, the language is still popular in the market. And when it comes to Python, the language is enjoying astronomically higher growth in the development arena.

This gives a clear indication that both the programming languages are the right options to start your career with, in the present scenario.

2. Architecture

In case of Java, Java Virtual Machine (JVM) – a chunk of JRE (Java Run Environment) – provides the runtime environment to operate the code. It converts Java bytecode into machine language which can be directly compiled at the time of execution. This eventually offers a seamless architectural experience to developers.

And when focusing on Python from architecture front, the interpreter translates source code into machine-independent bytecode. It then stores the bytecode file in some folder. When you run the same program, it employs the bytecode without translating it again. These bytecode are then shipping to PVM, where the actual code executes.

3. Ease to Use

Since Python follows a dynamic programming concept, the codes are short, and much easier to use than those written in Java.

Because of this, Python lead the ‘Java vs Python’ battle.

4. Speed and Efficiency

Java comes with a Just-In-Time (JIT) compiler which compiles bytecode into native machine code in real-time, and JVM that calls the compiled code directly. Now, since code need not be interpreted, compiling process does not consume much time and memory. This eventually adds to the speed and efficiency of the development environment.

However, in the case of Python, codes are interpreted based on the variable time, which slows down the pace of compilation during runtime. Also, since the object type of objects is obtained from container objects, higher memory is consumed. This reduces the speed and efficiency of the language.

This makes Python lag behind Java in the ‘Java vs Python’ battle in terms of performance.

5. Code Readability

Python has a linear and less dispersed coding format, when compared to Java. For example, there is no need to put a semicolon at the end of every station. Also, the curly braces are not much practised.

This, as a whole, makes it easier to read and understand Python codes when compared to Java.

6. Practical Agility

When it comes to agile environment, both Java and Python are second to none.

On one side, Java is considered a rigid option due to its undeviating refactoring support and universality of IDEs in development (such as Eclipse, IntelliJ, and NetBeans). Something that makes it an optimal option for embracing web and mobile app technology.

While, on the other side, Python already enjoys a presence in the agile domain and python has been a favorable language for developing apps having IoT, AI, Machine Learning, and more.

7. Database Opportunity

Python’s database access layers are weakly active when compared to Java’s JDBC (Java DataBase Connectivity). Because of this, Java gets the privilege to easily connect with different databases like SQL and SQOOP, which eventually makes it more suitable for Enterprise app development solutions.

8. Development Options

In terms of development, both the programming languages offer ample opportunities. Something, which again make it difficult to find which one has an edge over the other.

Java is chosen as the best programming language for building:-

Desktop GUI apps
Embedded Systems
Web applications, including back-office electronic trading systems, data processing, and e-commerce applications.
Web and Application services
Mobile applications
Middleware products
Enterprise solutions, and more.

Whereas, Python is recommended for developing:-

Image processing and Graphic design apps
Games
Computational applications
Machine Learning apps
Operating Systems
Language development
Web frameworks and Web applications
Prototyping, and more.

9. Community Support

Again, both Java and Python enjoys a wide community support.

Python has a strong community of over 1,637 Python user groups in around 37 countries and191 cities. These user groups organize various events, including PyLadies meetups where women meet and code together.

Whereas, when talking about Java, it also has a large and vibrant community support. There are several Java User Groups (JUGs) across the globe. Also, there are various high-profile events like JavaOne organized by the Java programmers.

10. Job Opportunities and Salaries

Both Java and Python, as revealed by Gooroo, have the potential to offer a profitable

future to developers. Both languages are highly in demand in the marketplace, something that can be understood from the number of monthly jobs advertised related to them.

While this proves the number of job opportunities for Java and Python developers, it’s the best time to have a look at the average salary details for these two skills between 2017 and 2019. Something that will help developers to determine which one of the two offers more salary.

While these Java vs Python comparison factors will give you a glimpse of the two coding world, it won’t be enough to choose between the two languages. They have not-so-significant- similarities and differences that make it difficult to choose one. So, it is better to consult with renowned full stack developers to make a sound decision.

5 Things You Need To Know When Writing A Mobile App RFP

Posted on 06/10/202113/11/2021 by Tushar

When you are looking to undertake a new mobile app development project, you need to find the right vendors for your project that can ensure its success. However, finding the best mobile app development company for your needs can be a challenging task, especially when so many vendors are trying to attract your attention. In order to make sure that your mobile app project really takes off, you need to get the best vendor and this is something that you can accomplish with a mobile app RFP.

The Importance Of A Mobile App RFP

The mobile app RFP basically serves as a document which is used for establishing a working relationship between you and the vendor that you choose for your project. It underlines the various requirements of the mobile app and functions as the statement for the work that is to be carried out in the project contract.

A comprehensive and well written mobile app RFP can help you to obtain accurate and reliable information about your specific project. The RFP can be a valuable document that can help you to find a good vendor for your app development project. The app development that you choose in this way can ensure complete success of your app and make it easier for you to stay away from unreliable app development companies.

Here are some of the most crucial factors that you should consider when you are trying to create a mobile app RFP.

The RFP Should Cover Diverse Aspects Relating To The App

When you write the mobile RFP, you should make sure that it focuses on multiple grounds rather than just the basic functionalities of the app. The reason for this is that when you are creating an app, you will need much more than just app development services. For instance, your app may need APIs for connecting with other tools and services. The app may require backend server support and development as well. For a high end app with specific features, you may also need effective analytics integration. You may also want to invest on full-fledged UI/UX services for your app so that it is well received. Keeping such factors in mind will help you to come up with a better written RFP that contains all the minute details and requirements of your app which will in turn help you to obtain relevant responses.

The Budget Is Going To Determine Effective Responses

In many cases, companies that are looking to develop apps are somewhat hesitant to include their budget range within their mobile app RFP. If that is the case with you, you should remember that including the budget can actually help you to select a vendor that is suitable for your job. This can also help you to save time and energy in the process of finding out a reliable app developer for your project.

Mobile app development companies vary greatly in their infrastructure, cost, scope as well as the quality of work that they are capable of delivering. Therefore when you include a budget for your project, it can actually help to eliminate vendors that are not capable to take up such a project. While it is one thing to communicate with your potential vendors, including the budget in your RFP can provide you with an idea from the very beginning if a particular app development company is competent enough to take up such a project.

Mobile App Development Projects Should Be Backed Up By Proper Maintenance And Support

A well written and detailed mobile app RFP must not only cover all the various aspects related to its development but also cover everything relating to ongoing support and maintenance. Unless you back up the main app development project with sufficient support at all times, it is going to seem outdated and unreliable in a matter of few months. Therefore you must invest wisely in maintenance and updates so that your end users have a positive experience with the app. The vendor that you choose for your project should be able to provide you with proper support so as to make sure that the app is working perfectly according to the expectations of the end users.

The Clarity Of Your RFP Is Going To Determine The Development Scale

Mobile App Development companies offer a wide range of services that are crucial to ensure the success of an app among the end users. These include consulting and app store delivery to optimization. You may also need more time to develop your app and upload it with the app store in case you have not properly scoped its development. Writing an RFP for your mobile app development project does involve focusing on a lot of detail. In case you send an RFP that only contains some general ideas instead of specific points, it is inevitably going to increase the time required for production. You may not even end up with a finished product that is perfect according to your needs. Therefore you must make sure that your RFP includes all the vital details. Some app development companies may not even respond to your queries unless your RFP includes specific details. For instance, your RF must focus on the basic and core elements of the app and the features that should be included in it. You should include your marketing and business goals and how you want it to function in the long and short term. In short, you must express your vision with your app in great detail.

Well Written RFP Can Greatly Enhance The Value Of The Project

When you write a mobile app RFP that includes all the critical features and points associated with its development, maintenance and upgrades, you are likely to have a product that can aptly match your business needs. When you include a lot of details in your app RFP, it can make the work of the app development vendor a lot easier, while at the same time making sure that the app meets the highest quality parameters.

Ultimately, the quality of your mobile app RFP will affect the quality of the responses you receive. The better it is, the more likely you are to get proposals that convey the capabilities of the vendor, include more accurate timeline and price estimations, and help you choose the company that is the perfect fit for your project.

Blockchain : Why It Is The Future Of Technology

Posted on 05/10/202113/11/2021 by Tushar

As per the research global technology market is forecasted to grow 2.3 billion in U.S dollars by 2021. Isn’t that huge enough? Ever since Santoshi Nakamoto published his invention in 2009, Blockchain technology has added the flavour not only in financial industry but also across other verticals.

What is Blockchain technology and what problem it can solve?

Today, with the advent of new technologies, internet has revolutionized the way people communicate. We make the use of payment gateways to share and transfer information back and forth; but is that really secured? Databases cannot communicate with each other, it needs error-free human administration or a centralized station to run every node.

So, here the Blockchain technology comes into existence. It is decentralized ledger shared by multiple users and works without the interference of third-party. This technology tracks every details that happens on the internet – every digital transaction, private data, service etc. Data is encrypted into blocks and gets scatter into pieces across worldwide network of distributed nodes.

Hence, because of this reason:-

Electronic ledgers can become cheap than traditional account system
Distributed ledger system nullifies repetitive task and results into less error
Lessen up the risk of pending transaction as processing delays

Blockchain has three main features of distributed ledgers:

Veracity – multiple copies (as opposed to a single copy) of the complete historical record of ledger entries are each verified by consensus.
Transparency – it is a public record of activity that can be seen by all market participants.
Disintermediation – Instead of specific central organization, this operates using peer-to peer network.

Blockchain technology is the pillar behind the success of the bitcoin and is the first digital currency to solve the issue of double- spending. This technology is transformative and several predicts expects that it will have massive impact in the market.

“One Bitcoin can be divided by 100 million units, and each unit can also represent value in multiple ways – i.e.; cash, property, votes, energy.”

Implications of transaction in Blockchain technology

Blockchain technology will revolutionize the way we write, execute transactions and maintain records. Keeping accounts of all transactions is the core criteria for any business as it becomes easy to track the last performances and help in planning the need for the future. Some records consume time, energy and efforts and often creation and storage process results in errors.

In the current scenario transactions can be executed immediately but settlement of the funds takes a long process. For instance: Someone selling in the stock exchange can sell stocks immediately but settlement can take few days. Similarly, if someone is making the new deal of buying property, price can be negotiated and signed quickly, but process of registering takes more time and may involve lawyer, government and employees.

But, in the Blockchain technology, transaction process is quick and permanent and distributed across nodes, and details of transaction such as price, asset etc. are recorded, verified and settled within seconds across all nodes and any change in one ledger simultaneously affect the other copies of ledger. Since each transaction is transparent and permanently recorded, there is no need of third party verification and is open for anyone to see.

What makes distributed technology different?

The key difference of Blockchain is the ability to transact without the need of trusted third-party through distributed ledger.

Ultimately, distributed ledger technology represent significant innovations. They have broad implications, including:

Operational simplification and fraud minimisation
Digital identity
More transparency in transactions.

Fraud minimization

One of the advantages of distributed ledger technology is that manual efforts to perform reconciliation and resolving disputes can be drastically reduced. Traditional accounting system means parties involved in one project need to check the system and find the reason why they disagree. Instead with the help of Blockchain the same thing can be migrated in number of ways as all parties involved share the same record.

For businesses, Blockchain increases the efficiency, reduction in duplicated and manual tasks and cut-cost and provides opportunities for businesses to focus on value-adding task and facilitate trust along with supply chain. Businesses which regularly deal with unknown customers faces risks, where a business is not sure that its customer will comply with contractual terms. Goods are delivered, but the customer may not make payment for days or weeks. This ties up capital and can cause cash flow problems. Blockchain technology has the capability to minimise risk and settlement times, which ultimately aids in improving balance sheet efficiency.

More transparency in transaction

Distributed ledger provides transparent information in real-time transactions and hence, those currently gaining competitive advantages via imbalance of information is likely to put an equal foots with the rest of the market. Individuals will be able to understand which organizations have used which data under what circumstances and this enables more consumer decision making. The tracking of goods over Blockchain will also provide greater transparency and simpler process for businesses and would enable increased cooperation between regulators and regulated entities.

Example:

SimplyVital Health is using Blockchain technology to give healthcare industry a facelift. The company is using the Blockchain-based data storage and analytics platform aimed for streamlining medical data storage and sharing.

The Bottom line

Blockchain technology is here to stay and is transforming the way society functions. Being still in an early stage, crypto currencies are only its major use case. Above perspectives may sound promising, but business need to come up with the kickass solution or connect with the Mobile Application Development Company that can nurture your product as per your requirements in a better way.

Explain App Store Optimization And Its Functioning

Posted on 04/10/202113/11/2021 by Tushar

Being famous as other names like App store marketing and mobile app SEO, App Store optimization is a resource application which improves the mobile application ranking. Let’s begin by knowing what exactly is App Store Optimization.

App stores basically depend on:

Moreover, algorithms of app ranking are tied to the freshness, user value signals and perceived app quality. Sounds interesting? Obviously, it should.

Experts are well aware of the benefits of generating increased ROI from app stores so they are targeting to improve app visibility which automatically affect its ranking and downloads.

ASO, as it is commonly called, is the process of improving the chances of an app on app stores to be found more often and of maximizing the downloads chances. This is somewhat similar to Search Engine Optimization on the web. An App Store is similar to a store in the market where we purchase goods and products. The products displayed right ahead are the ones that get the customers attention and are having maximum sales. Same is the case with App Stores. An App can be ranked with the help of certain given keywords so that the mobile app development company profits from the hits and downloads of that app.

ASO focuses on expert resource application to rank the apps higher in the store. Mobile apps are created for different platforms like iPhone/iPad, Android, and Windows Mobile. Besides ranking the app other goals that ASO help in achieving are increased brand exposure, better app reviews and ratings, audience involvement, and extra advertising channel broadening. You will be justified if you invest in ASO as the number of apps and their users are growing day by day. There was an increase of around 50 billion apps from 2016 to 2017. The next best thing in which to invest is App Store Optimization.

SEO and ASO may at first seem to be similar but there are differences between the two. App Store rely on finding app content easily, indexation, and app ranking algorithms. These ranking algorithms are tied to the apparent quality of the app, the brand of the app, the freshness element, reviews, ratings etc. Marketing experts depend mainly on the following Key Performance Indicators to get maximum return of investment from the App Stores:

Ranking
Impressions
Shares
Reviews and Ratings
Downloads

ASO works like SEO to optimize your app in a manner that it is visible to everyone. This process of optimization is an ever-evolving process. Real work begins only after the app has been built. Now you need people to know about your app, you have to drive them to it. Using ASO you can easily track and measure the performance of your app and know where it lacks. This helps you to improve upon your app and provide the users with a better updated version. This will place your app in a significant position in the app store.

The ASO has its foundation based in the Organic Optimization. A number of tactics that help SEO gain can also be applied to ASO. These include:

App name, title, and URL optimization.
Keyword research for ASO.
App rating and reviews generation and handling.
Deep linking within a mobile app.
Click through rate optimization.

Besides these, a web site can be seen as a very good resource to up-market your app. The website should be able to send traffic from the web site to the app store for downloads. This is very important as app stores cannot do this themselves. A number of specific optimization areas within app stores can be targeted for updates, alteration, and continuing optimization. These can be:

App name, URL, and subtitle: Ensure that your title reflects the keywords that describe the functioning of the app. It must be kept in mind that these areas mirror the highest value keywords and user search behaviour.

App Keywords: The keywords must be updated to represent the latest user queries. The developers must perform a traditional research of keywords for the sake of optimization.

App ratings and reviews: This is one area which the user, developer, and the reviewer will peek into. There has to be a framework for a review system for the app. This will not only be responsible for reviewing but also for replying to and engaging with reviews.

App downloads: The more downloads you have on the app store, the more profits you have. It is only to increase the downloads that the whole concept of ASO exists. The more downloads the app has, the better prominence it receives in the app store rankings.

The most important thing that you should consider is that the app must be error free, updated to the latest version, and have new feature additions so that it can draw the attention of the user. With frequent updates and new features, your brand value grows and next time users will start looking for the brand too when they search for an app on the app store. So, the fresher your app is, the better recognition your brand gets on the app store.

Here are some tips that will help you gain relevance in the app store:

Always ensure that you have relevant keywords in your app description, name, and title. Spend some time on researching for the most sought-after keywords.

The product page should be well designed and easy to use. Keep on making changes to this page to facilitate the users.

While working on a macOS machine, ensure that you use Spotlight Search. By using this app, you can become familiar with keywords already existing. Provide some unique keywords for your app to rank in the app store.

Test each of your app store fields to frequently upgrade key metrics associated with the field (CTR, CRO etc.). This type of testing is critical for getting the most from the available optimization areas within app stores.

Videos, Screenshots, thumbnails help the user know what the app look like and how it functions. Don’t make very big videos as it will bore the users. A 30 sec video and 4 or 5 screenshots from your app will be enough of a look at your app.

Knowing beforehand the ranking algorithms and how they come into force while ranking your app on the app store, you will be ahead of your competitors by quite some ranks. However, remember that ASO is an ongoing process. The moment you are careless, your app might lose the rank it enjoyed. A successful ASO approach requires a sharp eye, a fondness for analytics, and regular check-ins.