There’s much speculation about what the first smartphone was. Some say some mobile devices from the 1990s can be considered that, but for the sake of this article (and the reading experience), let’s start with the first iPhone.

Although smartphones are new compared to computers, they’ve taken the world by storm. According to studies, 85% of the world’s population has smartphones. And this number will undoubtedly continue to grow as smartphones become more affordable and accessible. 

With smartphones being so popular, it’s a great idea to try to reach those users by developing a mobile app. Whether you want to make a mobile version of your desktop app or an exclusive smartphone app, understanding the app development landscape is crucial.

This article will guide you through some of the critical stages of mobile development and essential aspects of the process to which you should pay attention. 

The Evolution of the Mobile Development Landscape

Mobile development has significantly evolved in the past few decades, just like any other tech sub-sector. To give you a better insight into the current landscape, let’s start with the roots of mobile app development. 

Although you won’t discover the secret to success if you grasp the historical process of mobile app development, it will likely motivate you. Initially, there wasn’t much space for indie developers and small businesses, but now, anyone can develop and release their app to the public. 

Original Development Practices

Some of the earliest mobile applications are video games like Snake and Tetris. The rise of iOS and the App Store in 2007 and the introduction of Android in 2008 allowed anyone to write and launch third-party apps.

However, an important breakthrough happened in 2010 when cross-platform development was made possible by technologies such as PhoneGap. Since then, flat design, progressive web apps, and VR have become vital concepts that have further changed the app development landscape. 

Modern Day Mobile Development

Mobile application development is considered a sophisticated and advanced field compared to where it started. Many communities, guides, and organizations help developers start their mobile development journey. 

The rise of 5G networks has allowed mobile applications to be faster and more reliable. This means applications can be more immersive, complex, and feature-rich without drawbacks. 

Recent developments show that artificial intelligence and machine learning are becoming more important and present in mobile app development. New frameworks and better device infrastructure allow this progression to be smoother. 

Although your application does not need to be AI-powered, such characteristics have become a key selling point for numerous apps. 

Before you start the development process, consider whether you’ll release the product on iOS, Android, or both. Both native and cross-development options offer advantages at certain costs, so making this decision is important.

Frameworks such as Flutter and React Native make building apps for multiple operating systems easier than ever. You should also consider whether you want to integrate cloud services, blockchain, or the Internet of Things (IoT). 

Key Phases of Mobile Development

Depending on the company and developer, there can be more or less stages of the mobile development process.

The phases outlined here are far from a one-size-fits-all approach, but they will cover the process many successful companies have followed. 

1. Idea

All great applications and companies start with an idea. If you have a gut feeling about an app idea, go with it. 

Many people have a million-dollar app idea, but only a few will pursue it and try to turn it into something valuable.

During this first stage, it is important to understand how to reach your goals. This process consists of determining the purpose you want to achieve and the solution your app will provide.

For example, Blink, an employee experience app, aims to enhance communication for frontline workers since, without the right tools, processes, or information, these workers often face manual processes and chaotic paperwork. Blink aims to offer a seamless communication platform to tackle these challenges and streamline their workflow.

In short, write down your idea, approach it from different angles, come up with a name, and develop a business plan that outlines the unique value it will offer customers. Brainstorming and refining your idea is crucial before you move on to the following stages of development.

2. Planning and Research

Once you understand what your idea is and what you want to achieve, you should move on to the planning and research stage. In this stage, you’ll want to conduct market research to understand your target audience and competitor analysis.

What features do your competitors offer, and which ones do you want to implement? Use your market research findings to green-light your must-have features to stand above the rest.

Use data analysis and surveys to get better insights into the audience and market. Turn these insights into diagrams and a roadmap to facilitate the next stage: design and development processes. 

Pro tip: Planning and research can also include understanding what personnel are necessary to turn your app idea into a fully functioning product. Will you need to hire contract developers? Can you tap into in-house talent? Keep these questions in mind when conducting the research phase. 

3. Designing and Development of Your App

Although the design and development processes are quite different, UI/UX designers and developers need to collaborate to deliver the best results. 

The design phase involves creating the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX). A good application must be intuitive, appealing, easy to navigate, and accessible to a broad audience. 

For example, adding AI voice to your app can significantly improve the user experience. 

Why? 

AI voice can make your app more accessible, especially for users with visual impairments or those who prefer auditory learning. By providing audio instructions or feedback, you can make your app more intuitive and engaging. 

Some countries even have regulations that ensure developers make their applications accessible. Whether you’re forced by law to implement an accessible feature or not, it will attract a broader range of people and improve your reputation in the long run.

If there are two applications with similar features on the market, yours will likely be preferred by those with certain impairments or by those who respect your efforts in making accessible applications.

User experience is an essential aspect of any app development. Poor UX can deter customers from using your application regardless of its usefulness.

Next comes prototyping and wireframing, allowing you to visualize the app’s layout and flow. This is where your app starts to come to life. Coding your app involves writing the software that will run it. 

During this phase, it’s also crucial to integrate an API management platform. This platform will help you manage and secure your app’s APIs to connect with other services, ensuring smooth data exchange and enhancing functionality.

At this stage, adding a security layer is essential. Implementing container security best practices can be extremely beneficial during development. It allows you to run your code in isolated environments, making it easier to detect and fix vulnerabilities early on. 

Plus, it ensures that different parts of your app don’t interfere with each other, which can prevent bugs and improve overall performance.

4. Testing

Finding bugs and problems with the application is essential for a successful deployment. This includes:

• Performance testing
• Integration testing
• Functional testing
• Usability testing
• Security testing 

The end goal of the testing process is to ensure that the application you’re releasing delivers on your expectations and doesn’t break. In other words, does your responsive design work as expected? Or does your development team need to take another look?

As already mentioned, it can also be crucial to test your application from the cybersecurity perspective and ensure no vulnerabilities. You should conduct tests on all operating systems you’re launching on.

Furthermore, developers don’t engage with applications like QA experts or the average consumer. This is why it’s important to test the efficiency of your app design by conducting surveys and questionnaires with regular customers. 

5. Deployment & Post-Launch

The mobile app development process doesn’t end when you publish your app on the Google Play Store, App Store, or both. Now, you can analyze customer behavior metrics and ensure you’re constantly delivering value.

Post-launch, you can leverage reviews and broader reach to understand whether your app functions properly on different mobile operating systems and whether the design is intuitive and understandable.

Launch Your Mobile App Today

Just because there are billions of smartphone users, it doesn’t mean they will jump to download your app. However, it means there are people out there, but you’ll have to find a way to attract them to generate revenue. 

By understanding the mobile development landscape and the development process, you can make better business decisions in these essential stages. Mobile app development starts with an idea and blossoms into a full-blown product across mobile platforms.

Remember, you’ll need to keep up with bug fixes, make updates, keep your audience engaged, and attract new customers simultaneously. However, if you’ve made the right decisions that transformed a good idea into a great application, you can expect positive results while scaling.

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