#IOSupdates Archives

Start with iOS App Development: Detailed Guide

Posted on 17/01/202012/06/2021 by Tushar

The choice of operating system plays a crucial role when it comes to mobile app development, but the central debate has always been between Android and iOS. The choice of the platform helps you define your target audience since Android rules the market with the largest global platform share whereas iOS has more loyal customers.

But that doesn’t give Android all the benefits. Before we learn how to develop an iPhone app, let’s start with why should you even think of developing an iOS app?

iOS is much faster than any Android device. The apps run much smoother without any glitch. An iPhone or an iPad has similar functioning, whereas Android phones run differently depending on the model type. This makes iOS devices easier to use.

Another great reason to choose iOS is that the App Store earns nearly more profit than Google’s Android. All the apps can be easily used in any Mac OS which is not the case with Android applications. The iOS apps can be shared with family and friends with the help of an iOS device and such a thing hasn’t been done with Android.

Business apps rank second to games in the most popular app categories by share of available apps. The reason is the numerous advantages that iOS mobile app development offers to businesses that helps them grow and reach a targeted audience. iOS apps improve the ROI of a business as well as maintain a high standard of app quality.

All such reasons are enough to convince anyone to go for iOS mobile app development. Before we learn how to create iPhone app, let’s take a look at how different are iPad app development and iPhone app development.

What to know before developing an iOS app?

Before we move forward with iOS development best practices let us differentiate between iPhone and iPad app development. Though both the devices run on iOS yet they have some differences which must be discussed before we move to iOS app development tips.

Size

The size of these two devices vary. The aspect ratio of an iPad is 4:3 and that of iPhone is 16:9. Although the size is not that big of a factor, it does show that the iPad has better resolution since it has a bigger screen.

Calling

One of the biggest differences between iPhone and iPad is that the iPhone can make calls on a cellular network and an iPad cannot. However, iPad can make calls via FaceTime which needs the internet and can be only used to make calls on other iOS devices.

Compatibility with apps

This is what differentiates these two devices for sure. An iPad can run apps that were developed for iPad as well as apps developed for the iPhone. However, an iPhone can only run apps developed for an iPhone and does not support iPad specific apps. The reason could be difficulty in compressing the resolution of iPad specific apps.

Designing

Designing for apps is done differently for both the devices. The reason is not only the compatibility but also that an iPad needs a higher resolution app than an iPhone. An iPad application development is done in such a way that the apps provide an enriching experience.

Market Research

Any new business needs statistical surveying. It is important that your application idea is reviewed to ensure that your application offers a unique selling point to the target audience.

Conducting in depth market research helps you to understand various strategies used by the competitors and gain insight from the errors made by other firms. It helps you to evaluate demand and target the right audience.

Quality

Quality implies that your target users will consistently have choices to select from as there will possibly be other potential services that offer similar types of assistance to your user base. This is the place where quality matters — application users are famous for their low resilience to bad performance as they gladly change to better performing applications.

iOS Application Development Process

Before we go on to discuss in detail how to make an iOS app and best practices for its development, let’s take a look at the process of iPhone and iPad application development.

1. Planning

iOS development commences with the planning phase. Have a clear focus: What problems is your mobile app addressing? Who are the target users? What is the most important functionality?

A thorough market analysis is essential to ensure that the product will stand out in its market niche. The planning phase also entails arranging all requirements needed in the subsequent phases of app development.

2. Design

The next phase commences with documenting the requirements for the design team. The process commences with paper sketches, wireframes and blueprints that depict how the app would look like.

The design stage lays the groundwork for the subsequent stages to develop an iPhone app.

UI and UX Design is a key phase of the process, determining the user experience and how the app will come to life. At this point, the goal is to create designs that are visually appealing as well as easy to navigate. The app’s UI and UX should also comply with Apple’s guidelines.

3. Software Architecture

The center principle of iOS application development breaks the model view controller (MVC) standard into three segments, i.e., data, user interface and software. While settling on the design of the application, developers need to work at the front and back-end simultaneously, before the development process. This guarantees the soundness and versatility of the product for the application.

4. Development and Integration

If you have been wondering how to build iOS apps this phase is where it all comes together. The development phase primarily is about transforming the idea behind the app into a million users’ reality.

During this phase, the dev team works with three different yet crucial parts of the project- the back end, the API and front end of the application.

There are various developer rules defined by Apple. Therefore, iOS app developers need to incorporate the elements and best practices needed to deliver a private and secure user experience.

5. Quality Assurance

Post completion of all phases of technical development of the app, the next phase is quality assurance or rigorous testing of the application.

Testing the iOS app is a key aspect of the process, since it can be one of the reasons behind app rejection when submitted to the App store.

The developers need to review the device for optimal performance, smooth user experience, debugging, optimum memory use, privacy and ensure it is in thorough compliance with all Apple guidelines.

6. Deployment

After rigorous testing and review, the app may be submitted to the App store for subsequent review and approval.

It may take a few days to a couple of weeks for Apple to get back and approve your mobile application.

7. Maintenance

The process doesn’t end once the app is deployed. With the launch of an app, commences a continuous process of app maintenance. This entails tracking the usage of devices through app analytics tools, assessing the performance through KPIs, patching any technical and security bugs that might occur at any time, and updating app functionality in the light of customer feedback and iOS requirements.

iOS App Development Best Practices and Tips

Whether you are a beginner or a skilled developer, tips and tricks come handy for everyone. So, here are a few tips to keep in mind while designing and developing iOS apps:-

1. Plan out iOS app development

Planning is a crucial part of any project and without proper planning things can go haywire. Let’s begin with a list of ‘What to know before developing an app?’. Also, decide whether you want to develop iPhone or Pad apps.

Once decided, set the purpose of the application. The Apple users are habituated to high performing and usable apps, therefore, the iOS app developers must know how to develop iPhone apps with good performance.

2. Keep a simple design

Keeping a simple design will make the work less complicated. Of course, the designs can be changed as the experience and confidence level of iOS application development services builders, but for starters, it is advised to try some simple designs. However, you can still maintain the uniqueness of the app by making a design that is easy to use yet unusual. Tinder app is one such example where the feature of ‘swipe right’ is unique and at the same time simple.

3. Coding plays a crucial role

The level of your coding experience decides how convenient you are with app development. However, Apple minimized the difficulties with iOS 8 and Swift programming language in 2014. Swift Programming Language is powerful and easy to understand programming language for iOS and it is fast, safe and interactive. It helps iOS app builders to develop iPhone and iPad apps using a Mac program called Xcode which is often used by iOS app development companies.

4. Add features to increase user interaction

Another best practice to consider while developing apps for iPhone or iPad is a great user interaction. Amazon has one of the best user interactions allowing easy use of the website and the mobile app at the same time. The ease is such that a user can place an order from the website and can make the payment through the mobile app. A good app developer must know how to create iPhone apps to optimize content on apps and websites.

5. Compatibility with all iOS version

Many users still use the old versions of iOS. If the applications are not built such that they are compatible with all the versions, the app may lose a margin of users, and hence will not be profitable. This also goes for any reliable iPhone app development company because the clients will get less traffic if an iOS version doesn’t support the app.

The Facebook messenger app is a good example. It is compatible with all versions of iOS. The app looks great on an iPad as the UI is rich. Facebook continuously updates the app for the newest versions of iOS.

6. Social-media Integration

Mobile applications are designed to be functional, practical, inexpensive, and interactive. As the iOS app developers make improvements in the app, an extra feature can be added known as social network integration.

It is an interactive marketing method which helps build strong relationships with consumers and helps in garnering more attention. Adding a marketing feature in the app comes under iPhone app development best practices. This also helps in targeting where the audience is coming from and helps in the promotion of the app.

7. Battery usage

One of the most important factors of any mobile gadget is the battery. On common occasions, high-performance processors will devour a greater amount of energy resulting in a low battery in a short period of time. Most iPhone app development process and services don’t take any measures to save the iPhone battery life which makes users dislike the app soon.

It is also a must to test the application before the final launch. Because if the application fails in any way when a user is using it then it will create a negative impact on the downloads of the app.

8. How to make an iPad app?

When it comes to focus upon developing iPad apps, the answer is not very different from that of iPhone app development. The few differences between an iPad and iPhone development are resolutions, calling features and rich design. For iPad app development, it is important to keep in mind that the screen is large so the richness of apps must be maintained.

9. Traffic management

A positive and functional mobile application will surely direct quality traffic to your business. As a result, it’s your obligation to stay all set with as many approaches as feasible to respond to your traffic instantly.

If an app is getting heavy traffic due to sale, offer or rise in demand, it should not crash. The application should be able to handle the rush and engagement at the same time.

10. Price and promotion of your app

The cost to make an app can be calculated on the basis of the development time and the type of features. You can go for in-app purchases so that users can buy additional features for the app.

The cost also depends on the location where it is getting developed, for e.g. is the ios app development company in USA or the company for iphone app development in California.

Promotion of the app is crucial for success. After all, so much effort has been put into the process of app development for iPhone and iPad.

Knowing the Tools

Installing Xcode

Apple supplies the Xcode development tools which can be discovered on Snow Leopard establishment disk. To run the Xcode, Apple prescribes you have an Intel-based Mac running Leopard or Snow Leopard.

After establishing the tool, you can utilize it to develop Mac and iPhone applications. Xcode and Interface Builder are the two tools that you will use the most.

Getting the iPhone SDK

Before getting on the iPhone SDK, you need to first join the iPhone developer program. The free enrollment provides you access to documents, tools, and developer gatherings using the iPhone Dev Center.

After getting the iPhone SDK disk, you can start the work. iPhone SDK is imperative to use as it is always advancing with new features.

Programming Architecture

To know how the application functions you’ll have to understand its programming structure. Xcode can isolate all displays and interface code from your logic and processing functions, with Model, View, Controller (MVC) as an establishment. MVC may appear to be puzzling or unclear at first but once you get the concept and begin constructing fundamental applications then you’ll come to adore the structure.

Explaining the MVC structure roughly, the Model contains all the data and functions that are required to display on screen. Interesting fact is that, model cannot interact with the screen but views, the V in MVC can interact.

Views for most of the parts are visuals and it gets information only through a ViewController.

Controller is a sophisticated way to conceal back-end information from the front-end design.

Through MVC you can revamp the design as many times as you want while not losing any functionality.

We hope these iPhone app development tips were enough to answer your question on how to develop an app for iPhone as a beginner. But in case of any more queries, feel free to contact our iOS app development experts. We will happily guide you further.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What do I need to develop iOS apps?

Though the reason might vary from person to person, most people look ahead to iOS app development because the App Store earns more revenue than Google’s Android. Along with rendering a seamless experience, iOS platform is far more secure and faster than Android.

Q. How do I start iOS app development?

When it comes to developing iPhone or iPad apps, there are various things you must know before stepping into the development environment. This includes the size of the application, the designing requirements, calling opportunity, compatibility with other apps, and more.

Q. How do I make an iPhone app for free?

You can learn how to develop an iPhone app with certain softwares that allow making apps with design templates sans coding. But for a robust iPhone app development solution that will fulfill all your business requirements, it is ideal to connect with iOS app experts.

Q. What coding language is used for iOS apps?

Objective -C and Swift are the two main programming languages used to build iOS applications. While Objective -C is an older programming language, Swift is a modern, powerful and intuitive programming language.

Sure You Can’t Wait to Try Out These 23 iOS 13 Features

Posted on 17/02/201721/06/2021 by Tushar

WWDC 2019 ended weeks ago with the promise of a lot to offer to the millions of users and the massive developer community. Keeping count of all those everyday announcements and guesstimates is not easy. But knowing the iOS 13 features announced at and after WWDC 2019 event you should be excited about is.

But the rumor mills and sneak peeks into the biggest announcement of the event – iOS 13 is still ongoing.

Like here are the 23 features we are very excited to try our hands on.

1. Performance

iOS 13 is an all new fresh, strong take on performance than ever seen before in any OS version. Apple is sending out a number of promises to the users and developers in terms of high app performance like –

30% rise in unlocking the device when using the Face ID
Downloads would be 50% smaller and the updates would be 60% smaller
The app launch speed would be twice as more compared to the other editions

2. New Memoji and Animoji

The new class of Animojis and Memojis will get higher customization options including jewellery and hats to new teeth and glasses. You will also be able to give your characters Air Pods.

In addition to this, the new memoji stickers will get created automatically and would be accessed through iOS keyboard – ready to be shared across multiple applications like Messages, Mail, etc.

3. Photos and Camera

The Portrait mode will come with a new light effect known as High-Key Mono and a plethora of editing features which would help you change the light intensity.

The image-edit features of Photos will also get a new design and control based on swipe. The settings which will be used for stills would also be used to edit the videos. You will now be able to add filters and even rotate them.

Lastly, the photo library will see a new organization haul, with pictures getting organized day, month, and year wise.

4. Sign in with Apple

Apple iOS 13 will give you a new easy and fast way to sign in to services and applications without tracking the associated social logins.

Known as Sign in with Apple, it would authenticate the sign-in using Apple ID without leaking out any personal information.

It would work with TouchID and FaceID and will come with a two-factor authentication mechanism. In case the app requires an email, Apple would create any random email id that would be forwarded to your actual email, thus keeping your real details secure.

5. Apple Maps

The Apple Map has been built with a fresh angle in iOS 13.

A number of alterations have been introduced like the addition of beaches, roads, buildings, and multiple other areas. They have also introduced a new Feature option on the main screen in addition to a new Collections menu for organizing the trips plan and Favorites.

A new ‘Look Around’ feature has also been added which would enable you to see a location before visiting them. You will also get a Label option that would get you details about the specific location.

6. Reminder

Once the iOS 13 rolls out you will get a new toolbar where you will be able to add times, dates, and attachments. Also, the integration with the Message app has been improved significantly which would enable them to communicate more seamlessly together. It means that a relevant reminder will show up when you message a specific person.

7. Swipe Typing

Like Google keyboard, Apple will also give you the functionality of Swipe typing. Meaning you will only have to glide your finger and form words without actually pressing letters in the keyboard – A functionality is poised to strengthen the Android Q vs iOS 13 debate.

8. Health App

All the different features which are present in the new Apple Watch OS health app will now be present on the iPhone. The Watch OS had added menstrual cycle tracking and activity trends to Apple Watch in addition to two new sections.

The main application will get a new Summary view that would show notifications and a Highlight section that would show the health and fitness data over time. The data will be stored in your iPhone and would be encrypted securely on the iCloud.

9. iPad OS

A new version of iPad OS has been announced which would contain everything from the iOS 13 along with newer features which are designed to benefit from the large screen presence.

A string of new features like newer multi-tasking features and Home screen, plus newer split-screen option would be added in the new iPad operating system.

10. Access Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

In the earlier versions of the iOS when you had to connect with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, you had to go to Settings and then access the settings from in there. In case of Apple iOS 13, you will now be able to access the list via Control Center when you long press the icons.

11. Extended Reply Menu

In the stock email app when you reply to any email you will now get an extended reply menu that would give you the option to forward, reply, or delete. It would also give you the ability to mute or notify in case there is a new email from someone.

In addition to it, you will get the option to format the text, giving you the option of changing the font style, increase the text size, shift the alignment, change colors, and even add the bullet points.

12. Full-page Screenshot

Like iPadOS, iOS 13 also gives iPhone users the option to take a screenshot of the full web page which then can be annotated upon or saved as PDF in Files.

13. Silent Unknown Callers

iOS 13 gives the users an ability which will prevent them from facing nuances coming in from spammy calls. When a robocall comes, the users’ iPhone will automatically silence it and send it to voicemail.

14. Zip and Unzip in Files App

With iOS 13 you get a new Files app which lets you zip and unzip files straight from the iOS device without having to use macOS. And then you can simply Airdrop the files back to the iOS device.

This one comes in very handy for people who only use an iPad and don’t wish to use any third-party application.

15. Safari Download Manager

iOS 13 gives you access to download manager when you download any file from Safari. The list of downloaded files is very similar to what Safari macOS gives you.

It also syncs over to new Files application version wherein you will be able to see all the downloaded files.

16. Low Data Mode

In your cellular setting, you will be given the option to toggle the Low Data mode which would make the applications use lesser data. While Apple hasn’t clearly specified how it would work, it is guessed that the background activity will get suspended when you are not connected with the Wi-Fi.

17. Dark Mode

With iOS 13, Apple has made the creation of Dark mode app design official and mainstream.

Be it text or color or even controls, Apple has it all sorted out for the users. Instead of making the background RGB 000 (black) and the label text RGB 255 255 255, you will now be calling them systemGroupedBackground and Label, respectively.

And the blue icon will not be RGB 10 132 255 anymore, it would be denoted as systemBlue.

Apple has also planned out a hierarchy for the colors. From complete black or white backgrounds to gradually increasing dark shades for a light theme and light shades for their darker versions.

The same is for the text as well. The primary text is kept white on black – the opposite of backgrounds and when you move towards the secondary and the tertiary texts, the color would also move across the gray spectrum.

As for the controls, a white button does not become black, instead, a white button having light gray states turns into a medium Gray button with the dark gray states.

18. New Messaging

Apple is adding a new message feature to the iMessage service which would allow you to add in a profile picture and then change how your name gets displayed in the text messages. It will also now become a lot easier to send emojis and stickers through text.

You will also get a search functionality which would enable you to make searches inside the application – shared links, photos, contact suggestions, etc.

19. New Sleep Mode

With the new Sleep Mode feature, Apple is doing a great job at tracking sleep patterns and helping you find the right time to set the alarm and be awake in the morning.

If you wish to try out the feature today, you don’t have to wait for the update. All you have to do is install Sleep Score app off the App Store.

20. New Voice Control

The accessibility setting Apple had been working around for quite some time is now available system-wide and that too in an extremely comprehensive level.

Users can easily navigate and then type with the help of gestures and voice commands for everything on their screen would have names and numbers to provide easy control.

21. Detection of Headphone Audio Level

Another way that Apple has kept its focus intact on users’ health is through caring about their hearing health. The new Apple iOS 13 version will be warning the users when the ambient noise gets very loud.

The iPhone users will find this new track menu, which looks a lot like the step counter, inside the Health app.

22. Find My

With Apple iOS 13 Apple has combined Find My iPhone and Find My Friends applications in one single application known as Find My.

With this, all the tracking tools of Apple’s have been brought in one place, helping you find what is missing with the help of one interface. It would also help you locate devices which are offline – by sending across a secure Bluetooth beacon to Apple devices and relaying it back to Apple and then you.

23. No more iTunes Store App

Apple is finally bidding adieu to iTunes with the launch of three new trio for Mac – Tv, Podcasts, and Music. The users will now be able to manage all of their Apple gadgets through the Music app.

It is now the individual applications that would be used to purchase individual content – Music app that will be used to purchase music, TV app for purchasing shows and likewise.

So here are the 23 iOS 13 features that we are very excited to use. But since it is still time before the version gets launched on devices, there is still a lot of scope for the list to expand. We are very hopeful that we will soon find some more added favourites as well – so bookmark this blog to be updated which new features are getting added in the list.