August 2018

If an old song is remixed into a dance number by adding a few extra beats, would you call it new? Think about it. This is the exact difference between a white label application and a custom-built app. Let’s take a look at some of the risks that come with white label application and the reasons that you should go for a custom-built app.

​What Are White Label Applications?
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The term ‘white label’ came about when vinyl records were given out to DJs before the songs were released to the public. White label applications are basically applications that are originally developed by and for a company and that are licensed to other companies for use. To put it more simply, the backend system of an old application is used to customize a new application, i.e. the branding, colours, logo and the content is tweaked.
There are two ways to build a white label application: one is to change the frontend app and the other is to create a multi tenant application where the app is the same but each tenant has a slightly different set of features. 

White label applications do have their benefits but they also have flaws that might limit your brand from growing.

Reasons for Customization of Apps

Go Straight To Market

One of the biggest reasons white label applications are in demand is because they can go straight to market. Customizing an already built-in app is much faster than making one from scratch. The bug fixing and testing is already done by the old app. Also, if one is using the same backend features, it becomes easy to gauge the user’s reactions.

Why Customize Your App?

On the other hand, the new app that already has the old features need to compete in the market with similar apps. Hence, it has direct competition with the original, as well as the other apps that have licensed the backend functionality.
For example, if Uber licensed its backend functionality to another company offering the same services, it might go to market right away but will the app have potential users. Unless, the new app offers better deals than the old one, there will be minimum downloads by user. This also becomes a classic example of solving a problem that is already solved with no striking difference in functionality.

Monetary Investment

A lot of companies prefer to invest in a white label application because it is much cheaper than producing one right from the start. It also saves the company man power – they would just need to hire a business analyst to understand the set of core features for your app and who understands your product positioning.

Why Customize Your App?

On one hand white labels save you the initial monetary investment but on the other hand, it limits customization, gives you no control over the code quality and creates a ‘vendor-locked’ situation.

• Even though customization is possible with white label apps, it is very limited. White label apps provide a basic set of features that is used for the functionality of the app. Hence, it is impossible to customize the app if your business needs are more complex.

 

• When you hire a white label app, there is absolutely no way that you get control over the backend technology and the codes. There is no way to evaluate the code quality which means that you need to comply rely on the white label app provider’s backend system.

 

• White label apps are basically taken up on a subscription basis. This means that these apps need to transfer the data on cloud and give away the user’s data. This creates a situation where the vendor is locked and needs to put in all the trust on the backend server of the original app. The user’s data could also get comprised in this process which doesn’t make the app look very secure.

Post Release Maintenance

Companies that provide Software as a Service (SaaS) or the functionality of the white label apps provide maintenance and support post their release. Here, the advantage is that the maintenance is taken care of by professionals rather than employing an entire development operations team.

Why Customize Your App?

On the other hand, once the app is released, there will be a huge hindrance in the scalability of the app. For instance, if there is a sudden load of users using the app, the white label app providers should have the capability of providing service and keeping the servers updated.  
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Filling the Void by Customizing the Apps
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Most companies that want to develop revolutionary apps keep in mind the main aspect that is solve a problem for the user. If an app already exists that does that, it is almost futile to build another one with a same backend system and the same features.

Making an app from scratch does take a look more effort in terms of manpower and monetarily but the end product is worth the investment if done right. Customizing an app allows the developer to build unique features, regularly update the app and update the software as required and building their own unique user base. Custom based apps are also built on the robust cloud to offer high scalability as per the business requirements of the company.
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Hence, even though white label solutions seem like they solve an issue or make it simpler for the developer to roll out an app in the market, the right way is customizing and building a unique app.
If you have an idea and wish to build a customized app that is a success in the market contact the App-Scoop team. App-Scoop app developers helps companies create their own apps from scratch and offer support to clients at every stage. They also ensure support post the release of the app and offer maintenance of the same.
Contact app-scoop team – https://www.app-scoop.com/contact-us.html
 

Technology is evolving at a much faster rate than we could have imagined in the past. With the advent of new software applications, we want all services delivered to us at the click of a button. Another change that has been noticed is that people are no longer working on desktops and browser based applications but switching to web applications on the mobile.
So what is a significant change that is taking place on websites? The one significant change seen on websites is that they look more and more like applications with various interaction possibilities rather than static pages. In today’s times, the user wants more and more information available at a single browse rather than clicking various tabs to view it. On the other hand, the website owners want to provide a better interface to the user.
If you are planning to create an application of your choice then you will be presented with two options: multi-page application (traditional way) and single-page application (modern way) 

Multiple Page Application (MPA)

A multi-page application consists of many pages with static information such as text, images, etc. They also have links on the page that connects with other pages. For example, if you click on a button ‘Know more…’, the rest of the content will appear on the page but it reload the entire content of the page, including the header and the footer of that page. This will mean that the user will have to wait every time he/she clicks a link.
The technology used for a multi page application is HTML and CSS.

Pros of Multi Page Applications
This type of application allows the user to see the visual map and let them decide what they wish to read on the website. Designing the menu application in detail is one of the most important aspects of MPA.
MPAs can be handled fantastically well with proper SEO management. Different key words can be ranked in order and optimised for one keyword per page.

Cons of Multi Page Applications
The development of MPA is tedious because the frontend and backend development needs to be tightly coupled. Further, it takes longer to develop because the developer has to use frameworks for either the client’s or the server’s side.

Best Approach for Multi Page Applications
Sometimes MPAs can become very complex – at this point of time you can start creating your own framework to maintain the UI on a back end. You need to divide your back end and front end with REST API and they will communicate in a specific language of queries. Now at this stage, one will require front-end solutions. Because of these issues, many companies have realised that they need to keep a source of their project open. Here, they provide a community with the platform and the community accelerates the evolution of the solution. It basically turns into a win-win situation.     
Another code base that can be used is the Node Package Manager (NPM), where one finds solutions for almost all the problems. Hence, with the help of the community and its ecosystem, you can create an MPA that is dynamic, easy to fix and which can be integrated into MPA websites.
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Single Page Application (SPA)

A single page application consists only of one page where the content is dynamic and keeps changing. Only a chunk of the information that you perform an action on changes, and the rest of the interface remains the same. Due to this reason, the website is much faster than a multi page application.
Generally, when you build a SPA, you need to use a solid mature ecosystem. It is the other way around in a MPA, where you integrate interactive elements in the app. Unlike an MPA, single page applications the front-end and back-end are separated and they don’t interfere with one another.
Some of the examples of SPAs are: Google, Gmail, Facebook, GitLab.   

Pros of Single Page Applications

Speed and Responsiveness: With SPAs, a server doesn’t need to reload the content with every interaction. Only the new data is downloaded from the server so they have a lighter server payload. Hence, applications run faster since the data processing is removed from the server to the browser.

Adaptability: The backend code of the SPA can be used from a web based app and be directly integrated in the mobile. This saves a lot of time and effort.

Flexible UI: The front-end of a SPA can be rewritten with no influence to the server except for a few static resource files.

Offline Support and Caching: SPAs can cache local storage – it sends a request to the server and stores all the data it receives. The SPA can operate offline as it can use this data, unlike an MPA where you can’t see the data if you are not connected.

Separation of Data and UI: SPAs can distinguish between data and the UI. This helps to streamline the app – only the data that needs to be added or edited is touched and the rest of the functionalities of the UI would remain the same.

Debugging in Chrome: It is easy to debug SPA in Chrome as it can monitor network operations, investigate page elements and the data associated with it.

Cons of Single Page Applications

Issues with SEO: In SPAs, you can only put one keyword per page which affects the SEO rates.

Memory Leaks: The loss of computer memory happens due to event listeners. Sometimes events can be organized incorrectly. For instance, an HTML element can be bound to an event. The event handler stays in the memory if you modify the HTML content. Hence, you can no longer execute it.

Security: It is easy to attack and exploit a web page with XSS. The attackers can use their own client-side code which delivers a malicious script to a victim’s browser.

Limiting Scalability: It becomes difficult to keep adding new content on a single page application because it takes a longer time to download the page. Sometimes the entire website needs to be redesigned if more content needs to be added to it.

Sharking a Link: When it is a SPA, one cannot share only a part of the information through a link. The user will have to download the entire contents of the page.

Back and Forward Browser Buttons: If the user wishes to use the back and forward browser, the same is not possible. The user will be taken to the previous page that the browser loaded but not to the prior state in the application.

Best Approach for Single Page Applications

You can leverage rich internal anchor text links, tags and meta-descriptions by using SPA. You can turn around the SEO issues by identifying the right word, since search engines give higher scores to domains devoted to one theme.
With MPAs you need to secure separate pages, but in the case of a SPA, you just need to secure your data end points. You can divide the downloadable JavaScript into several parts, so that the client doesn’t get access to all of the codes.
You can also solve the back and forward button with an HTML5 History API. Many modern SPA frameworks are fitted with this API.

SPA or MPA?
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There are a few factors that you need to be sure before you choose between SPA and MPA:

• What the website will entail
• Information that it will post and what type of information will be posted
• Designing of the website and its main elements
• Benefits of the content you offer to the user

​For instance, if you have a website like eBay with multiple products, the most rational decision is to make a multiple page application. On the other hand, a website like Facebook, where the user just wants to see updates, a single page application is the way to go.
Developers have gone into battles of words comparing SPAs with the traditional multiple-page approach. Since both, SPAs and MPAs have their pros and cons, the best way to decide the right kind of application is to look at the type and content of the website and choose accordingly.
App-Scoop mobile app developers can help you identify your need and help you guide and build a Multiple Page Application or Single Page Application based on your type of website.
Contact app-scoop team – https://www.app-scoop.com/contact-us.html

​Business operations are now not only carried out in a cabin or in the office. You could reply to your email sitting in a coffee house, while watching a movie or even when you are vacationing in Bali. This is possible with the advent of mobile apps. But with the convenience of a mobile app also comes the threat of your information getting targeted by hackers. Cybercrime includes costs that include damages due to loss of sensitive data, theft of intellectual property, fraud and interruption in business operations. 

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Apps Targeted by Hackers
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So what kinds of apps are targeted by hackers? Apps that are mostly targeted are the ones that have sensitive information and which can be used against other businesses. The most likely apps to be hacked are the ones that deal with economic transactions – ecommerce applications that are connected to banking software. Hackers assimilate data or disrupt services by disabling security, modifying and unlocking key features and stealing data. 

Along with enterprise and ecommerce apps – chatting apps are also vulnerable to hacking. Some of the most sensitive information is shared on chats – for example, the CEO of a company carrying out a huge assignment or carrying cash for transaction giving details of his whereabouts to his family or colleagues. If the hackers know his location and his whereabouts at a particular time, they could easily dupe and steal the information that they require.
So, how do you secure chat apps? Let’s find out.
 
Ensuring the Security of Messaging Apps

Messaging apps has two broad categories – enterprising messaging apps and consumer based messaging apps. Security risks for these apps include a secured integration with a payment statement, proper usage of a platform and ensuring legal regulations for healthcare or banking.
Now, let’s take a look at a few common ways of ensuring secured messaging apps.

Security of Data Storage and Data Transfer

Logically, the less data stored on the client’s side, the more secure the app. But there are instances where the app user would want to save their data. In that case, there are technical solutions that would keep that data secure. This can be done by use Realm Core. It uses OpenSSL when one supplies a 4-bit encryption key. Realm Core can be transparently encrypted and decrypted with AES-256 and can be verified with       SHA-2 HMAC hash.
For iOS two frameworks can be adopted – Realm iOS and CoreData for data protection. CoreData’s most popular local storage type is SQLite – it is an open source third-party library that provides 256-bit AES encryption. It is important to know that AES takes up a little bit of extra storage space, thereby decreasing the speed of the app.

Secure Communication Between the Client and the Server

It is important that all communication done between the client and the server is secure. Apps need to adhere to the standards set by the industry and regulatory requirements depending on the state and the industry.
For instance, a healthcare app needs to adhere to medical industry standards and should be compliant with HIPAA. The healthcare software application following HIPAA standards might have a few limitations that need to be addressed – such as disclosing certain medical information.
As we know all the information shared between a client and the server runs a risk of breach. The app developers need to make sure that they are properly set up with TLS/SSL. The app needs to have a trusted CA certificate with configured chains and attach or pin those to SSL.
Tip: Encrypt the sensitive data before pinning it to SSL to get an extra layer of security.

End-to-End Encryption and Reinforcing Encryption

​Encrypting the data would mean that even if it is hacked, the hacker will not be able to read it. Encryption of data is done by using special algorithms to scramble data. All messaging apps have some form of encryption data. One of the biggest reasons why messaging apps make themselves vulnerable to hackers is that they use some information to target users with advertisements.
The most secure apps with chat functionality use end-to-end encryption that lets only the sender and the receiver read a message. If the company does make an app with end-to-end encryption, they can archive the data and store all the messages on the server. These messages can be decrypted and read if necessary.
To increase security, the app developers can reinforce existing encryption mechanisms. What is reinforcing encryption? – It requires applying cryptographic standards by getting acquainted with cyber security guidelines. 
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Bottom Line
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To conclude, some typical features that need to be used for a secure mobile chat:

• A unique key should be generated for each session. This is called Session Level Security or SLS. By adopting SLS, all messages exchanged within the app can be only read by the sender and the recipient.

 

• Every message sent has its own key.

 

• The data stored by the user is encrypted by a separate key which is derived by the PIN entered by the user.

 

• Offline messaging support should be supported by the app. This means that if the user is on offline mode, the messages are stored at the backend. On switching on their network, the messages are delivered to the recipient.

​Enhancing security for apps is very important in today’s day and age. Privacy is an important aspect and the users need apps that do not disclose their personal information. Users are drifting towards apps that store very little personal information and use it sparingly for advertisements or their personal benefits.
App-Scoop app developers can help you build an app that has end-to-end encryption for maximum security of data and develop a secure chat for your mobile app.
Contact app-scoop team – https://www.app-scoop.com/contact-us.html
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A number of apps have stormed into the app store since the past decade. Most of them have tough competition in their own genre. The trick to make your app outstanding is to make it different! 

In today’s competitive age, 35% of the users engage on an app less than a minute. If they find an issue in the functionality, the app gets immediately uninstalled. Hence, it is very important to keep your best functionality forth, so that it keeps the user engaged.
Source: https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/one-third-of-mobile-app-engagements-last-less-than-one-minute-2014-07-17

So, the question most developers think about is, “How do you make your app successful?” To get an answer to this question, you need to answer questions such as, “How do I make my app appeal to the users?”; “What problem is the app solving for the users?”; “Is the app easy-to-use?”

Let’s take a look at 5 reasons that an app might fail and how to avoid them:
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Researching the Market and the Audience Correctly:
You might have an amazing idea in your head about an app but that doesn’t mean that it will work. There are a lot of criteria that you need to keep in mind before taking the leap and starting work on it. If a developer makes an app solely on their needs, they are most likely to end up with a failed product. 

​The first and the most important thing is to affirm that the idea that you have in mind is something that market or the audience need. Does this app solve a certain pain point? Is it unique? Does the functionality satisfy the user’s needs? – To answer these questions, you need to do a thorough market research.
It is important that you build an app that exceeds the customer’s expectations and is far more superior to your competitor’s product. Most times a prototype is recommended to check the reaction of a group of people but it has its limitations.
The user doesn’t get the whole essence of the app by just looking at the UI or a couple of test screens. The best way to validate the app is to build a minimum viable product with a strong base functionality. The app can then be upgraded with more functionalities as per the user’s and the market’s feedback.

Making it Compatible on iOS and Android Platforms:
Mobile users are mostly divided between iOS and Android platforms (although there are more platforms in the market, these ones rule the chart). Catering to only one platform cuts your market in half, which in turn affects the number of app users.
Android and iOS both have very intuitive interface guidelines. They operate in different ways – they use different gestures and have prompts in different areas. For instance, Android has a back button that is built in the hardware, whereas, an iOS doesn’t have it. Hence, it is important that the UI is built in a fashion that doesn’t affect the user using either platform.
Ensure that the apps are tested on both, Android and iOS devices – you don’t want to leave the user frustrated while he/she tries to use the apps on different platforms or devices.

Creating a 360 degrees User Experience
A great user experience in based on a lot of factors that are involved in building an app that is easy-to-use and most importantly, is intuitive. If your app has weak core functionality, the usability of the app isn’t going to be appealing for the users. Some examples of poor usability includes, slow app performance issues, slow loading, tedious registration process and a user interface and features that are difficult to access.
Keep in mind that the user experience differs on each platform, for instance Android has different swipe gestures and tap-able controls than that of iOS.

Methodical Testing and Quality Assessment
After building the app, it is necessary that the product goes through a round of methodical testing and quality assessment. The app should be tested on different devices and platforms.
You might think that testing is an obvious step before the release of the product but statistics say that 44 percent of defects are found by the user, 24 percent from direct feedback, and another 20 percent from public user reviews in app stores.
Source: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20140722005485/en/Perfecto-Mobile-Launches-2014-Benchmark-Survey-Finds
One of the most important glitch to check while testing your app is that it shouldn’t crash. This is one of the most frequent complaints in the feedback section. Crashing dissuades the users to download the app and persuades the current users to uninstall the app. Ensure that before releasing your app, it is market ready and free of bugs to give your user the best experience.

​Marketing and Mobile App Launch
Once the app is tested, the next step is to focus on the launch. The most essential part of the launch is creating a market plan with each step being executed in a timely fashion. The aim is to have a high download and user retention rate so that you gain loyal users right from the start of your launch. Remember, that word of mouth can gain you more users than a marketing strategy. This stage is critical for optimizing the on-boarding process. 

Conclusion
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Updating an application is an on-going process – you can never release a perfect app. Tending to user feedback is another key element that can make or break your app. Mobile apps need to be re-launched and updated at timely intervals to gain more users and keep their existing customer user base.
You can benchmark your mobile app success by viewing quantity of users and the revenue gained. The quantity of users would include aspects such as the number of downloads, target users, statistics and other quantitative metrics. In the revenue aspect, you need to look at getting monetary traction by either paid downloads, in-app purchases or displaying advertises.

App-Scoop helps companies to develop their digital products and can help you and your team build a successful app and help you avoid the mistakes that are generally made by other unsuccessful apps.
Contact app-scoop team – https://www.app-scoop.com/contact-us.html
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