Mobile App Development Process – Step-by-Step Guide

Have you ever thought about creating your mobile app?

Well, I am sure you must be thinking about having one, so you are looking at how mobile app development takes place. What do you need to take care of while developing a mobile app?

Due to introducing new technologies, day-to-day activities and tedious tasks have been simplified. Mobile apps play a huge role in our lives and have become integral to corporate and personal lives.

For example, many applications, such as those in group messaging like Slack, enhance coordination and project handling within teams, hence quickening the pace of work.

• Retail apps like Amazon’s application also improve customer experience and engagement.
• Zoom and Microsoft Teams are valuable tools for remote work because they collaborate effectively.
• Applications such as PayPal make it easier to manage money and perform operations in a bank.
• MyFitnessPal and Fitbit allow for the tracking of fitness goals and health.
• Google Maps and Uber enhance the way people travel and their mobility.
• Khan Academy and Duolingo are platforms to learn or revise different topics.
• Friends are communicated through Facebook, and families are communicated through Instagram.
• Netflix and Spotify are indeed full of choices. Users can watch movies or shows and listen to music.
• Google Calendar and Todoist assist in organizing the general schedule and day-to-day assignments.

According to eMarketer, consumers in the U.S.A. spend 90 percent of their mobile time using the applications. Mobile applications are expected to hit a staggering $233 billion in sales by 2026.

These numbers prove that mobile app development is a viable business investment opportunity. App stocks and customers are enormous, and the market is expanding daily.

They can also be developed for any industry, whether FinTech, eCommerce, or something else. Moving forward, let’s see more statistics on mobile app development.

Statistics You Need to Know About Mobile App Development

The number of app downloads has expanded dramatically. Every year, the number of downloads increases, and in 2021, people downloaded 230 billion applications. To put that into perspective, there were only 140 billion downloads in 2016.

The market is also growing fast, given that more and more people use mobile apps. The demand for mobile applications was expected to reach over $200 billion by the end of 2022 and over $565 billion by 2030.

Mobile app revenue is also increasing yearly and is forecast to have a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.27% from 2022 to 2026, with a projected value of USD 614.40 billion by 2026.

Mobile app usage has increased significantly over the past few years. As of 2023, there are over 3.8 billion smartphone users worldwide, which is expected to continue growing.

Since applications are used for about 90% of mobile interactions with the Internet, they have become indispensable.

The app market revenue in 2022 was also expected to reach $437.80 billion.

Therefore, the market is estimated to grow at a year-on-year rate (CAGR 2022-2029) of 7 percent. 84%, with a possible maximum value of $781 70 billion by 2029.

Mobile App Development Process: 6 Key Steps

Step 1: Strategy Development

The first and foremost step in the mobile app development process is to prepare a strategy by researching. You can consider it the discovery phase, where you must work on your app idea and get the goals related to your app development. Proper research will give you a clear picture of the market and your competitors. You can choose to do what others are not doing to stay different from your competitors and avoid the mistakes your competitors have made.

In the initial phase, you need to make a rough plan, which will be the basis of your mobile app development process. It will help you proceed with your next steps with ease. Here are some points you need to discuss at your strategy development stage.

• Identify Objectives: Set the app goals and objectives by discussing them with your team.
• App Purpose: Secondly, discuss the purpose of your app and how it will attract an audience.
• Identify customers and decide on the target audience. The best approach is to choose the gender, age, and market segment you want to target through the app.
• Research Competitors: Since research is one of the most powerful tools in the entire mobile app development process, it needs to be done with focus. This means doing adequate research on the existing competitors and how they propose to address the target group.
• Define App Features: Discuss the features that you want to include in the app. It is suggested that the app be user-friendly; hence, it should not add too many features to impress the audience.
• Select Platform: Decide on the platform where the application is to be published. It can be Android, iOS, or both, depending on the owner’s preference. Often, app owners opt for both platforms to cover a significant market share of the audience.
• Develop a Prototype: Build a prototype of the app. It will help you see how your application will look after development.
• Choose Your Monetization Strategy: The type of monetization you wish to incorporate into your app is a critical consideration. Determine what kind of monetization model your app would adopt. Some of the ways that can be utilized to make money are performing in-app advertising, offering in-app purchases, subscriptions, affiliate marketing, and paid applications. Choosing the proper monetization method means selecting the suitable business model for the mobile application you will develop.

Step 2: Market Analysis and Planning

Here, you will better understand your apps. At the strategy development stage, you research your competitors and the market condition you are targeting. Still, in the market analysis and planning stage, you must do in-depth research on the market, the target audience, and their expectations. Follow these steps in your second stage of market analysis and planning.

• Analyze the data—Now analyze the data you got from the first research stage and decide which market and target audience you will target and what monetization strategies you will adopt for your app.
• Complex Analysis—Then, discuss your service or product carefully. Discuss each essential detail thoroughly before concluding.
• Make a Strategy—Prepare a market strategy for reaching your target audiences and persuading them to use your app.
• Tech Stack—You must clearly understand the technologies you want to use to develop a mobile app.

We will discuss the tech stacks in detail later, but you must start thinking about your app tech stacks now.

At the end of this stage, you will create a product roadmap. You should also set the deadline and timeline for app development. Always allow buffer time before deciding on a final deadline.

How long does it take to develop a mobile application?

The time to develop a mobile app may be long or short, depending on several factors. It is generally estimated that the best smartphone app will take 4-6 months to develop for a typical working, moderate complexity.

Step 3: Wireframe and UI/UX Design

The app should be designed with the utmost consideration. This is where you discuss how users will navigate through your app. Ensure that you make proper notes of all the points. Remember that users can easily switch to another application if they cannot use your app or find it hard to use. All your efforts can go wasted if you cannot provide your users with a seamless experience.

In this stage, you need to prepare the following –

• Wireframes and mockups – Prepare wireframes and mock-ups for the app. These are the layouts that contain the beauty and the eye appeal of your application. Easy on the eye and easy to use – Next, people design for an attractive UX UI design with less clutter and a modern look and feel for the best results.
• User-friendly design—Next, concentrate on an aesthetically pleasing User experience (UX) design with a clean appearance and intuitive navigation to enhance the user experience.
• Pay close attention to the visual details—select a color scheme, Fonts, Spacing and positioning instructions, Buttons, Widgets, typography, and visual elements that align with your app and appeal to your target audience.
• Design Branding visuals—Remember to design branding visuals, such as app icons and logos, to create a consistent and memorable brand image.
• Prototyping—After defining the design elements, the next step is to create a clickable prototype. These layouts give you a graphical representation of your app’s functions, making it possible to know how the application will operate and how users will use it.

Tip: While designing, consider how the information in your application will be arranged and how you want content to be presented to its users. When you try the prototype on real users, you can collect information on how the final design should look.

Step 4: App Development (Frontend and Backend)

Now, you must move to the development stage of your app. At this stage, it would be best to consider several factors affecting the app’s functionality, such as the technology stacks. Before you go further in the app development process, choose the right technology stack for your application. This choice will determine your app’s present and future functionality, which will be the foundation of your app’s success. Let’s discuss the critical steps of this fourth app development phase.

Backend

The backend is your app’s driving force, handling the work users do not see. Your developers set up databases and write the code for the app’s functionality.

In other words, selecting the correct programming languages, database engines, and hosting environment is paramount to how well your app can scale as more users join in. Real professionals will build your app in such a way that it can cope with the increased load in the future.

Tip: Having a solid backend today means you will have fewer problems in the long run as your app grows.

Frontend

This is the part that customers can notice and sometimes even indulge in. You can build it in three ways:

• Platform-specific: The platform-specific apps are designed for specific operating systems. It can be iOS or Android.
• Cross-platform: In cross-platform applications, a single code set is compiled and used across several platforms. This helps reduce the time and money spent developing an entire mobile application.
• Hybrid: Then comes the hybrid mode. It’s a mixture of both. Here, you can transition from one platform to another using web technologies.

Technology Stack

Picking the right technology stack is critical. It affects the cost of your app, how fast it runs, and how easy it is to maintain. Be very cautious while deciding on the tech stack because changing it in the future is not easy.

Programming Language

Decide on the best language for your application. For iOS, you can use Swift, and for Android, it will be better to go with Kotlin.

Milestones

It is recommended that you always set goals or standards that allow you to monitor the development of your application.

Tip: It is good to incorporate extra features such as AI or AR that are extra, and more users will download your app as a result.

Step 5: Mobile App Testing and Quality Assurance

Once your app is developed, it’s time to test it. This includes functional testing, performance testing, and security testing. Make sure it’s stable, secure, and free of bugs. Your app should be adequately tested before it’s released to ensure top quality. Here are a few steps to follow in your mobile app testing and quality assurance phase.

• Functionality—At this stage of the app development process, you confirm that your application’s features work correctly.
• Performance—Here, you compare the application’s speed and performance when the number of users is high.
• Security—Securing and protecting data is an essential issue for apps in areas such as insurance or healthcare.

Tip: It is much easier to track and fix all the bugs during the testing phase so your app runs seamlessly for all users. If you fix them later, you may face several challenges.

Mobile app security testing also matters the most. Ensure you address the points below in your mobile app testing and QA stage.

• Bugs—Hunt for any weak points or issues with the app and optimize it.
• Screen Test—Your application’s layout and functionality should appear nicely on various resolutions and portable devices such as handhelds and tablets.
• Click-Through Rates—See how easy and pleasant your app is to the users.
• Design Testing—Check if an improvement must be made in the app’s design/look.
• Compatibility and Performance Testing—Check how your application behaves under various scenarios, such as stress and usage from multiple users.

Tip: Thorough mobile app security testing at each stage helps you catch and fix issues early, ensuring your app is secure, smooth, and enjoyable for everyone.

Step 6: Deployment

Once ready to deploy your app, you must choose how to do it based on the platform you used.

Here’s the basic plan: If interested, submit your projects to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store or opt for the private distribution model.

Both stores will request that you review some forms and your app. Just a quick note: Apple App Store is even more selective than Google Play; therefore, you may have even more difficulties getting your non-Apple standard app through to the main store.

Tip: Ensure your app comprises features that adhere to the store to which you are submitting it to get your app to users as soon as possible.

Launch and Post-launch Activities

When your app becomes stable and has all those defining moments, the number of downloads will increase. Ensure the application’s optimal performance and functioning by providing frequent checkups and improvisation. Regular releases of new features and corrections ensure user satisfaction and return to the application.

Working with an app development company can be handy for such updates, as they confirm that your app continues to be relevant and widely used. Mobile app development companies even provide regular maintenance and after-sales support, which increases trust.

Tip: Maintenance is crucial in ensuring that your app stays healthy and, in equal measure, ensuring that your users consistently return for more.

Top 4 Approaches to Develop Mobile Apps

Native Mobile App Development

Native apps are designed to write an application from the ground up for a single integrated software environment, such as iOS or Android. They require tools and languages particular to the platform, such as Swift for iOS and Kotlin for Android. These apps have high performance and usability, but the source code must be written separately for each platform.

Hybrid Mobile App Development

Hybrid apps are developed using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript technology and compiled into native containers. They can be created on multiple platforms using the same code, making development quicker and cheaper.

Cross-platform Mobile App Development

Cross-platform apps are similar to the hybrid type but are developed with mobile app development tools such as React Native or Flutter. These frameworks let developers tend to a single piece of code and run it on different operating systems – with a nearly native feel.

Progressive Web App Development

A Progressive Web App or PWA is designed to operate seamlessly and appear like a native mobile application. It works in a web browser but has features such as offline mode and push notifications, and it can be installed on the home screen. PWAs are preferred by businesses that do not want to invest in a mobile app but would like to offer clients similar functionality.

What to Keep in Mind When Planning Your Mobile App Development?

If you plan to develop a mobile app, it’s crucial to map specific strategies that will lead your application to success. Each step of the process, from identifying your target audience to defining your budget and selecting the technology, is essential. Let us take a brief look at all these points.

Understanding Your Target Audience

One essential factor determining the app’s outcome is identifying users. If you know their requirements, expectations, and daily behavior, you can create an application that appeals to them.

UserTesting conducted a study that revealed that 73% of those who understand their audience’s experience improved customer satisfaction.

Budgeting and Cost Considerations

Launching a mobile application can be costly, so a definite budget needs to be established. To avoid losses, one should consider the costs of developing the application, marketing it, and regular upkeep. The cost of mobile app development may vary according to the complexities involved in the application.

Based on tech industry studies, selecting the right technology can boost app performance by up to 50%.

Choosing the Right Technology Stack

The technology you pick affects how well your app works and how easily it can grow. Choose tech that fits your app’s needs and future.

Security and Compliance Issues

Remember that protecting your users’ data is the best thing you can do. Ensure the application’s format meets industry standards and can preserve the information required for the activity.

43% of data breaches involve small businesses, so strong security is essential.

User Experience and Design

An app that looks good and is easy to use will do better in the market. Focus on making it visually appealing, simple to navigate, and valuable to your users.

Forrester’s research shows that an excellent user interface can increase engagement by up to 200%.

Apart from the above factors, you must decide which type of application you want to build, whether a consumer or enterprise app. You also must determine how you will develop the app, whether you will go with in-house development or look for offshore software development services.

Choosing Between Enterprise vs. Consumer-Facing Apps

The approach may vary depending on whether the public or employees use the app. For consumer-facing apps, one must emphasize what sets one’s application apart from similar applications. Everyone here wants to build a product that draws audiences and provides something of utility. When it comes to enterprise apps, it is all about your employees.

It would also be essential to listen to their opinions regarding the kind of application that will be developed to assess its usability and reception. A tool that integrates into their workflow will enable its use in practice and would, therefore, be more effective.

In-House vs. Outsourcing: Which is Best?

It is possible to determine whether to develop your app in-house or outsource your development needs based on resources. This is particularly true if you have a skilled IT team capable of creating software in-house, giving you better control.

If your organizational structure is already tight, it is suggested that you hire an offshore mobile app development company that best fits your budget and requirements. Mobile app development companies work with a pool of developers, so you can easily hire a mobile app developer.

Interesting Read – How Offshore Software Development is the Key to Your Tech Success

Turn your App Ideas into Reality with SPEC INDIA: A Mobile App Development Company in USA

Bringing the idea of a mobile application to life is immensely challenging. It might concern selecting the proper technology, cost limitations, or requirements for the application’s security and ease for a user. We know these challenges at SPEC INDIA and are always ready to assist you in any process. Our team understands your requirements and helps you choose a solution for developing applications.

Whether you require help developing an application with an intuitive user interface or need help guaranteeing that your application runs well and is protected against hackers, look no further than us. We’ll help you to bring your ideas to life and create an engaging, compelling app that will work. A great mobile app can boost customer trust, engagement, and revenue.

Partner with SPEC INDIA to ensure a smooth and successful app development experience. We are one of the best mobile app development companies in the USA, providing services for over 36 years.

Reach out to our expert app developers and get started today!