Multifactor Authentication is the need of every business that works around sensitive data and users’ personal information. The system adopts a layered approach for security, which makes it difficult for individuals to gain access to the data.
By providing an extra level of security besides the phone password, Multifactor Authentication System (MFA) has become the must-have feature of apps related to payments, enterprise apps related to viewing or retracting data from the cloud.
Let us take a deep dive into the concept of MFAs, highlighting the four ways you can implement Multifactor Authentication in your mobile app. We will also throw some light on the challenges, both technical and user-specific, that you should prepare to be encountered with.
But, before we go in further, let us look at what Multifactor Authentication System actually means.
What is Multifactor Authentication System (MFA)?
Multifactor authentication or MFA, as it is commonly called, works around providing an added layer of security that ensures that users are providing more than a single piece of evidence for their identification. It usually requires a blend of something which the user knows, like pins, passwords, something which the user has, like cards, phone, or something that they inherit like a Fingerprint scan or Retina scan.
Now, there are four ways through which you can implement MFAs in your Mobile Application. Let us look at each of them in terms of the process they take the users through.
Ways to Implement Multifactor Authentication in a Mobile App
1. Time-Based OTP
OTP comprises the creation of a one-time password from a shared secret key and the present timestamp with the help of the exact type of cryptographic function. OTP involves the enrollment and login processes.
Here’s a detail on both the processes –
Enrollment Process:
Users log in to the app with their passwords and username
If the credentials are found valid, the next stage is to enable the two-factor authentication
The shared key is then requested, which can be either text-based or QR code
The key is stored by the app which implements OTP like Auth0 Guardian or Google Authenticator.
The two-factor authentication is then enabled.
Next comes the Login process:
User logs into the app
If their credentials are valid, they are directed to a form where they have to put in one-time code generated with Auth0 Guardian or Google Authenticator
The server then verifies that the code is valid and authenticates the user
2. SMS
The process of multifactor application through SMS also involves enrollment and the login stage.
Enrollment Process:
User logs in to an application with username and password.
They are asked to enter an active phone number
A distinctive one-time code is then generated on the app server and is sent to the user’s phone number.
They then enter the code in-app, thus enabling multifactor authentication
Login Process:
User logs in to the application with their user-id and password.
A distinctive one-time code is then generated on the app server and is sent to the user’s phone number.
The user enters the code in-app.
If found valid, the user gets authenticated and the session gets initiated.
3. E-Mail
User logs in to an application with their user-id and password.
A distinctive one-time code is then generated on the app server and is sent to the user’s email id
They retrieve the code from their email and feeds it into their app.
If found valid, the user is then authenticated and the session gets initiated.
4. Push Notifications
User logs in to an application with their user-id and password.
Usually, the push notifications mechanism works with applications like Auth0 Guardian. Once the details are entered, a push notification is then sent by the Guardian app to your app.
The notification is a login request.
On the backend, this includes data like the OS, application name, and browser used while making the request, the precise location, and the date when the request is being made.
The user then asserts the request they have received through push notification and gets logged in.
Now that you know the ways you can implement MFAs in your mobile app, let us look into the challenges that come associated.
Challenges Associated with Multifactor Authentication System
It is very difficult to implement the system in your mobile app without the support of a Mobile App Development Company that specializes in providing extensive quality assurance in terms of mobile app security. While this is from the business front, every added security layer comes with more work for the users. It can lead to frustration when users are made to repeat multiple steps every time they have to do a task.
But the challenges that the system comes with are very minimal in front of the benefits that they have to offer when it comes to giving the users a safe transaction environment, amidst the soaring data breach incidents.
Want to take your Mobile App Security to the next level? Contact our Team of Mobility Experts, today.
Every time a new version of Android comes out, it is mostly a very big deal. In every new version, there are a bunch of new features, a set of design changes, and most of the time, a stream of phones to go along to suit the new version. And when the launch is something as major as a slimmed-down version of Regular Android, the event is bound to make some noise. Google, in I/O 2017 announced the launch of an OS that would run on low-cost smartphones that predominantly dominate the developing nations and it took a year for OEMs to launch their Android Go Devices.
Among the other MWC announcements, one was the names of devices that would have Android Go.
Here are the popular Android Go devices – Ulefone Note 7, Samsung Galaxy M01 Core, Alcatel 1X, Nokia 1, LavaZ50, ASUS Zenfone Live L1, Tecno Spark 6 Air, Infinix Smart HD 2021, Tecno Spark Go 2020, and Huawei Y3 among others.
Android Go – The Idea Behind Android’s Slimmed Down Version
Let us start with the basic question first. What is Android Go?
Android Go alias Android (Go edition) is a slimmed down version of Android, which is designed to specifically run on the entry-level phones.
In simple terms, Android Go applications means to offer high-quality smartphone experience to entry-level devices. From the beginning till now, go apps for android have brought improved speed, reliability, and security to millions of entry-level devices through applications and features specially developed to address local necessities.
The business strategy that runs behind Android Go is to expand the business to the developing nations, which on one hand has the advantage of the high user base, but on the other hand, face restriction from low storage space, high app size, and low RAM size.
To solve these three primal issues that keep Google from making Android reach its market potential, the brand launched Android Go that –
Make the Android run on the phone with 1GB RAM or even less
Make the OS takes lesser space
Make the preinstalled apps take lesser data and space
In order to serve the developing nations to their best intentions, the tech giant has brought about three major changes in its ecosystem – Operating System. Play Store. Apps.
Let us look at all three of the structural changes that Google has brought with Android Go, one at a time.
Operating System
The operating system of Android Go has been based on Oreo but has been optimized for running on smartphones with over 512 MB to 1 GB RAM. Size-wise, it takes half the space of Android Nougat, allowing devices with less storage space to hold a number of apps and media out of the box.
Devices that run Android Go are known to open the apps 15% faster than the other Android software. In addition to that, Android Go users get ‘data saver feature in default mode, which helps them consume lesser mobile data.
Apps
Like the new OS, Google has developed new apps as well to help make better use of the device’s memory. These apps require around 50% lesser space and tend to perform a lot better in the low end hardware.
Android Go devices come with these pre-installed apps –
Google Assistant Go
Google Go
YouTube Go
Gmail Go
Google Maps Go
Gboard Go
Chrome
Google Play Store
Files Go
While these apps are a lot faster and smaller in size, they come with some features missing. Now although the Android Go apps are restricted in number, as of now, the number if expected to increase in the coming future.
Play Store
To help keep the lightweight experience in sync throughout, Google has launched an all-now Play Store as well.
Android Go apps download space, i.e. Play Store provides the same content as your regular Play Store, just with a storefront that is suited for the low-storage devices. The store has a featured section that recommends to users the apps that are designed and developed specifically for their Android Go smartphones.
While most of these changes are in the background, let us look at the changes that are visibly present between Android Go vs Regular Android.
What’s new in Android Go app development?
Here’s a glance at something new in Android 11 (Go edition)
1. Available on all devices
Android (Go edition) is available on all new devices with up to 2GB of memory.
With 2GB expansion, apps for android go launch 20 percent faster, and with 270 MB of extra free memory, individuals can now run three to four applications in the background. Android Go development on 2GB devices likewise accompanies up to 900MB of extra free storage which is enough to take up to 300 more selfies and download a whole film.
2. Privacy enhancements
Go android application development for smartphones have similar approach for industry-level privacy protection as any Android device. Android 11 Go brings new security upgrades that make it simpler to control how and when information is shared on your device. With one-time authorization, you can allow an application access to sensors like your microphone, camera or location.
3. Switch between apps
Nowadays devices with wide screens are very common, thus Android Go gives you the advantage to make use of the wide screen through easy navigation. The gesture based navigation in go apps for android helps you to navigate to the home screen, backward and switch between apps with easy swipes.
Visible Differences in Android Go vs Regular Android
1. Recent Apps
*Android Go on the Left and Regular Android on the Right
The thumbnail of recent apps in Android Go is a lot smaller than the one in your regular Google application. It expands to fill the device screen as the app loads, giving the impression that the apps are loading much faster.
2. Gmail
With Gmail Android Go Application, Google has cut back on graphics to a great extent. While visually, there are not a number of evident changes, performance-wise, Gmail Go makes use of a web view that makes the performance choppy.
3. YouTube
As compared to the regular YouTube, YouTube Go is a lot simpler and has much less functionality. While UI wise, again, there is not a stark difference, but there are evidential changes in terms of functionality in case of YouTube Go – The amount of data a video will consume is clearly specified, there are no likes/dislikes and comments option anymore.
4. Google
Google Android Go Application has a lot more to offer than your regular Google application. There are a number of customization options as well as the ‘Trending Search’ option, which was earlier missing in Google. The only thing missing in Google Go are the recommended cards.
As for the Assistant Go, while it is not completely different from Google Assistant, there are a few restrictions – there is no configuration option, the assistant doesn’t set default players, and it cannot control the hardware of the phone.
5. Google Maps
The resemblance between Google Maps and Google Maps Android Go Application is uncanny, Maps Go is a case of perfect recreation when we talk about visuality.
Functionality wise, there are some obvious limitations, which might be a deal breaker for a number of users. The real-time turn-by-turn navigation is entirely missing in Google Maps Go, also reviews are missing in Google Maps Go.
With all these functionalities and structural changes, the aim that Google is looking to fulfill with go apps for android is to improve the overall user experience of the entry-level smartphone user base. While Google has done a lot in terms of optimizing their experience, it comes on all Android mobile app development companies to take the journey further while expanding business beyond geographies and not just as an android app development company usa or any other company.
With that respect, here is the answer to How to get Android Go in your Android App suite.
Steps to Optimize your Android App Development Process to fit in Android Go a.k. How to Develop an Android App
The process of converting your regular Google application into Android Go application would start with the answer to your app strategy.
When it comes to developing an app that is optimized for devices that are designed according to the Android Go standards, there are three options that you can choose from –
Have a Common App
Use the same app for all – Android and Android Go devices offering identical experiences. The android app here should be multi-binary, but shouldn’t have any particular experience for the less RAM devices. You can use Android App Bundle for this to save upto 65% in size without refactoring the app code.
Have one App with Different APKs
Use same app for Go devices and other devices, with different set of experiences. For this, you will have to develop different APKs, with one targeting the new android.hardware.ram.low dimension and other APK focusing on other devices.
Have Two Apps
Develop a Lite app targeting on the Android Go devices and keep your other Android app as it is.
Once you have decided on the app development strategy you will be following, look at these key considerations –
Ensure App functions without Crashes and ANRs
Application not responding and high crash rates are the two factors that negatively impact user retention rate. Make use of tools like Crashlytics and Android vitals to check the crash free sessions and ANR rate of your Android app.
Focus on Android Oreo
Android Oreo comes with a number of resource optimization like the Background Execution Limit that ensure proper running of processes in the background. Read through the Google Play migration guide in case your app is not targeting API 26 or more.
Keep the App Installed Size Low
There is a clear association between APK size and install rates, thus the lower your APK size, the higher your installs.
Since the Android Go apps will be focusing on low MB, entry level smartphones, you will have to ensure that your app is under 40 MB. To achieve this, either optimize your present APK or create a different APK targeting the Go users.
Here are a few tips on how to lower the app size –
Use Android App Bundle
Replace the JPEG/PNG files with the WebP assets
Replace raw audio format with AAC or MP3
Make sure that the libraries are updated
Keep DEX code within reason
Keep Memory Footprint Low
When you test the APK, look at the PSS to analyze the amount of memory the app takes to start on the device.
Keep Cold Start Time Under 5 Seconds
As you run the test for the cold startup time after completing a full reboot of the test device, ensure that the app becomes interactive within 5 seconds of being launched on the users’ device. In today’s get to go attitude users tend to become frustrated after five seconds of waiting for an app or game to load. This is the reason why the uninstall rate is high.
It is recommended to run tests for cold startup time after performing a full reboot of the device.
Summing Up
So here is all that you need to know about what is Android Go, Android Go vs Regular Android, Go Android development, android development services and finally how to develop an app for Android Go. Now that you have all the necessary information, what are you waiting for? Contact a team of Android Go experts and expand your business.
With the immense amount of competition on both the Google Play Store and Apple Store (over two million and counting), convincing the users to install a new app is very challenging.
How many times have you heard people say that no matter how innovative your idea is, only those rule the stores and users’ devices that have already established themselves in the market?
Having developed a series of apps that have hit the million downloads mark, our team of app developers that it is nothing but hearsay. With the right blend of development and marketing, you can boost mobile app downloads and can help it reach the million mark too.
While you have the support of our app developers to help build a robust app, to bring you up to speed with the marketing front of getting million app downloads, we have curated a guide for your journey.
We have divided this guide into two parts – Pre and Post Launch of your Mobile Application, both of which together will help you get answer to ‘How to Get More App Downloads’.
Let us start with the pre launch part of mobile app promotion strategy first to to ensure that you are prepared to woo the Million of App Store users, even before it has found a place in their devices.
Pre-launch success preparation of your mobile app
Ideally, the efforts you are putting in this stage should start at least 2 months before the actual launch in the stores. Start with the pre launch stage as soon as your app enters the last testing stage.
How to ensure that You Get Maximum App Download From the Technical Front –
Ensure that Your App Doesn’t Crash
Prepare your app in a way that it doesn’t crash even once after it is downloaded on users’ devices. You have to understand that the stores are full of extremely impatient users, who will abandon after even two repeated instances of crashes.
Presence of an Intuitive UI
Run through your App’s UI as many times as possible. Look into how easy it is for your audiences’ demographics to move inside the app, if the UX elements are in line with what they are used to work around. And, finally, it’s easy for them to move inside once they have done the app download deed.
Get Your App Tested Enough
Test your app not just on different devices but also on different operating system versions and in under different network conditions. Don’t even think about rolling it out for downloads, before you have ensured that your app is tested and secured against every permutation and combination of users’ movement.
How to ensure that You Get Maximum App Download From the Marketing Front
Set Up Pre-Launch Ad Campaign
Start with creating anticipation about your app on your website, the social media channels, platform where your people of your app community visit and uses most often. Through all your mediums, prepare your audience for the time to come and how it would change their life.
Don’t show them anything other than your logo at this stage. Your time to showcase your app would come, but it’s not now.
Prepare to Rule the App Store Listings
Your probability of getting maximum app downloads is directly proportional to your placement in your category list. The higher you are in the list, the greater are the chances of visibility and click through rates.
Draft an ASO and PSO strategy. Start getting videos and screenshots made to showcase your creation in the stores, have a set of keywords ready with you, draft content to post in the app description section.
Open your Doors for the Press
Just days, around two weeks before the actual launch of the app, send invites to the press and PR agencies to cover it and post its coming in their dailies. Infact, now would be time when you contact websites that curate lists like ‘App of the day’ and get your name on the lists.
With just two or three weeks to the launch, announce your coming to the Android and Apple Store to the world.
Invest in PPC
Just week before you become available to app downloads, invest in a PPC campaign. Run your ads on Google on every keyword and phrases that are related to your app category and similar to what your users are looking for.
This was it on the Pre Launch part of Taking Your App towards Million downloads. To sum up, you have to create anticipation, promote your application everywhere your audience is and while you are doing this, focus on how the development process is coming up.
Now that you know the pre launch part of ensuring the success of your mobile app before it is launched in the stores, let us look into the post launch parts of its success. This is exactly where all your efforts would pay off.
Post-launch success preparation of your mobile app
The cumulative effort that you had put up until this part both in development and marketing, boils down to this stage, when it’s time to reap the benefits. But your dream to achieve a million downloads still requires time and efforts to become real.
Post Launch efforts to reach million app downloads are in many ways much higher than your pre launch work as now it’s time to deliver the users what you had created anticipation for.
Here are the ways you can pave the last road to your million app download mark –
Submit Your App To Sites Like ProductHunt
There are a number of websites like ProductHunt that allows app developers to post their live app and get helpful feedback, visibility, and more often than not investors for their apps.
While investing in PR agencies and mobile-based news websites will help you sail through the initial growing awareness phase, there are not viable for the long run.
To keep getting downloads in the long run, you will have to make your application visible to people who would be genuinely interested in them.
In-App Advertisements
The next step in the process of ensuring that you have left no door unopened is by investing in in-app advertising models. Get in talks with popular apps that have space to insert your ad in theirs.
By placing your ad in the popular applications, you will be able to increase your visibility score to a great number.
Plan Referrals
One of the major reasons behind Uber’s success is their referral program. They make it beneficial for users to share it with their friends and family, in the form of discounted rides.
Depending on what your app is about, you can offer free lives, discount, free product, or even a gift voucher to the user and their family/ friend who uses their referral code.
Inauguration Discount
If your app belongs to the paid category, you should offer yours for free in the first month or make the prime features available on an off or discount.
While planning on the features that you would be offering for free, make sure you go with the ones that will become coveted after they are not free or on discount anymore. If you make those features free which already comes with no price tag in the same category apps, the users will abandon yours.
Remain Visible
It is very easy for the users, both prospects and the ones who have your app installed with them, to forget about your existence amidst the billions of other in the stores. So, keep reminding them of the value that only you can get them. Continue making appearance in the places they frequent.
These are the ways you can not just pave the road to a million downloads but also ensure the longevity of your mobile application in the overcrowded stores.
Having developed a number of million hits products with the help of our app developers, we understand that while a major portion of your app’s success depends on how far you are able to promote it in the world, it all boils down to your idea and its value offering ability.
If your application is able to offer some value to its users that they cannot get in the same form, ease or speed elsewhere, they will spread the news.
Another thing that matters in defining your app success is how much attention you are paying to your customers’ needs. How responsive you are to their issues and what is your correction time.
So, what really matters in the long run is how well your app is developed, the kind of value it is able to offer, and how responsive you are with your users’ needs.
