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Costing of the app

The elementary formula used by most app developers to calculate the cost of an app is:

Cost = time spent on the specific feature * hourly rate.

The cost of building an app depends on pre-build, development, post-development, licensing, features you decide to add, marketing, and the number of hours spent in making the app. If the coding and development are done in-house, then the organization will take care of the rest. However, if you are looking to hire someone to develop the app, the location of the hired developer will largely determine their hourly rates. Depending on the developer’s experience and seniority, the hourly rate may warry from a mere $5 to a whopping $300+. So, as we said good things are a tad bit costly, then spending money on a diligent software developer, makes sense. The average time taken by a developer to create an app is 4.5 months. A basic app can be developed from the range of $3000 to $120,000. And developing a high-end app ranges from $14,500 to $300,100. As per a survey done by a leading web development and digital marketing company, here are the country-wise hourly cost for building an app. 

Country                                       Chargers (per hour)

• US and Canada                                $50 to $250
• India                                                  $10 to $80
• Australia                                            $50 to $150
• Eastern Europe                                $20 To $150
• Western Europe And The UK         $35 To $170

Eight reasons why developing mobile apps cost more than websites 

• The demand and supply hypothesis

Since the inception of the mobile app, their growth has been exponential. And currently, or rather, since a few years, the demand for mobile apps have reached the sky. The theory is simple, as the demand increases, the price is bound to increase. In today’s world, everyone who owns a business wishes to have an app. Most of the entrepreneurs have an idea about how this technology revamps their growth. This, in fact, is adding to the demand. The supply, in this case, is limited to the quality of the programmers – how well they cope with the changing trends to provide a top-notch app. The world is hungry for apps and people have become addicted to them. Last year, the app stores saw an annual download of 218 billion, and in the coming years, this rate is surely going to climb sharply.
  

• Developed for various platforms

There are three basic types of the app – Native that is created for one specific platform, Web apps that work on any mobile devices, and Hybrid, which is a combination of both Native and Web. Apart from depending on the app functionality, purpose and the technology used, the breakdown of the app development price also relies on which platform the app is developed for. These are three separate resources which use different language. 

• The world is the oyster

To a large extent, the functioning of the website is restricted. Not a lot can be done unless the websites are customized to perfection. On the other hand, there is a lot to explore when it comes to mobile apps. Right from the way it looks, functions and features – mobile apps give life to your product. And the fact that these apps are created from scratch, fetches them more money. 

• Leverage Device Functions 

There are some specific reasons why mobile apps are costly and one of the major factors that have taken the front seat is the ability to access the user’s device capabilities. Apps can interface with the device’s functions such as camera, GPS location, contacts, and a few others. This significantly increases the customer experience. Options such as push notifications, alerts, camera, tap to call, tap to buy, instant update, gives the user’s a clear idea of the brand and the features in the offing. Even when the users are offline, just the icon of the app acts as an advertisement. Unlike, websites where there are some coercions to access these functions.

• It’s more than just an app

People often underestimate the time and effort required to develop and an app. Developing an app is also about understanding the brand and what the users need, designing the functions, creating a need, integrating serval systems, and more. This all requires tremendous strategy and skills, which is not easy and does cost a lot.

• A mobile application developing team has to overcome challenges like:

1. Understand the user’s requirement and market demand.
2. Stay true to the client’s requirements.
3. Find the perfect team.
4. Design flawless software. 
5. Integrate different systems and technology. 
6. Continuously manage the performance.
7. Come up with plans to keep the app alive in people’s heart. 

• Customizable functions

Developing a mobile app is all about addressing the custom screens on the app side, backend app screen, reports in terms of user behaviour, engagement and the revenue of the, and third-party engagement, just to name a few. In essence, mobile apps offer countless functions and options. Such functions are not usually available on websites. A developer can create these functions after carefully analyzing the brand and the product in the offing. After which, developing these functions takes time and ample hard work. This all adds up to the total application development cost.  

• At your service

Most websites are made for one and all. However, mobile apps are custom-made for the user’s interest. Apps are built to suit the needs of the user. Moreover, apps enable the user to set their preferences while downloading. This fetches the app some useful data. In short, personalization comes at a cost. 

• Work of an art

If an app is an art, then the app developers are artisans. To be frank, mobile app development requires immense skills. Those skills are maybe easy to learn but they are surely hard to master. With that, an app developer needs to up to date with the languages, framework and technology, and then change their skills as per the market trend. To create any work of art requires a great and skilled team. Not to mention the risk of hiring an inexperienced developer. And when one is looking for quality, not shelling enough money is never an option.

In conclusion 

It is rightly said, a good software like wine, it takes time and does come at a cost. The benefits of having a mobile app for your business has myriad benefits. It adds value to your brand, helps you connect with the consumers, aids promotion, ensures high engagement – in short, it’s worth investing in a mobile app. Regardless of the domain of your business, having an app for the same has become a must. The mobile app industry is lucrative, but it requires immense knowledge and experience to build a high-selling app. Although it is expensive, be assured that apps will increase your reach and help you attain your company’s goals within no time. At App Scoop, we will not only understand your requirements to the tee but also deliver an app that will make your business grow leaps and bounds. 
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To talk to our experts, kindly contact: https://app-scoop.com/contact-us.html 

References:

• https://www.intelivita.com/blog/benefit-having-mobile-app-business/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3gkYbTspZI
• https://247labs.com/app-budget/7-reasons-why-mobile-apps-are-more-expensive-than-websites/

A vulnerability could be found anywhere, and if an invader finds a loophole, they might easily exploit it. Likewise, when the attacker raids the premises of the computer network, the damages can be unimaginable. Just last year alone, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) logged more than 18,000 vulnerabilities – of which 57 percent of the vulnerabilities were classified as critical. In this article, we will understand what a software vulnerability is, its categories, consequences when this weakness is attacked, how to safeguard your system and more.

What is software vulnerability? 

A code or the operating system is suspectable to flaws or bugs or weaknesses. This glitch in the system is known as software vulnerability. Intruders or hackers encash on these shortcomings to steal valuable data that the company withholds. When the attacker possesses at least one tool that connects with the system weakness, they maliciously enter the den to exploit the vulnerability. Although these days security is tightened somehow, they still fall prey to attackers. There is room for improvement and no stone shall be left unturned. An application code is a host to 82 percent of vulnerabilities. And in 2019, owing to vulnerabilities, 16 percent of the web applications easily gave up the full control of the system to the attackers. In essence, the Committee on National Security Systems of the United States of America defines vulnerability as a weakness in an information system, system security procedures, internal controls, or implementation that could be exploited by a threat source.

What makes the software vulnerable? 

Let’s face it, in today’s world, almost all businesses make use of software to help them reach their goal. Some are built in-house while others are purchased. While some companies fail to update their system, and this small mistake amounts to a great risk. Around 84 percent of companies have high-risk vulnerabilities on their external networks. Often overlooked by the companies, a vulnerable software lures attacker. And as per a report, an attacker can invade 9 out of 10 web applications. Apart from the following mentioned main sources of software malfunction, what also plays a big role is the type of programming language that is used. Most of the programming languages are susceptible to threats, we ought to use the least vulnerable language. 

• Insecure coding practices
  

Call it deadlines, pressure, or the impact of the fast-paced life, this rat race has forced the developers to produce function code at lightning speed. Now, when things are done in haste, it leaves rooms for errors. According to a survey, 30 percent of the companies never scan their code for weakness during development. Developing a secure code has become more important than ever.

• How to avoid precarious coding practices?
  

1. Make the most of the discovery phase.
2. Assess programs for vulnerabilities at every stage.
3. Put forth a great development team. Be empathic towards them. 
4. Spend ample time in research. 
5. Take it easy, don’t crumble under pressure. Remember, a person who write codes in haste, always leave rooms for casualties.

• Changing trends 
  

You might assemble the best team that creates great software, but sadly there is always a broken algorithm that catches the eye of an attacker. Trends change and intrudes find new ways to make the most of the loophole. At times, their motive or vision seems to be stronger than the developers, which is why attacks take place.

• How to overcome the ever-changing threat landscape?
  

1. Tighten your security. 
2. Generate amends to assess the software at every interval.
3. Adopt secure development lifecycles. 

• Reusing existing codes
  

To comply with the deadlines or maybe to save some ‘precious time’, some companies opt for reusing pre-built software components. These codes are already present with the organization or they can take them from a third party. While this has a few pros, the cons are quite severe. Reusing the code does not come with any guarantee. Common threats that loom when pre-existing codes are used are – data breaches, cross-site scripting, injection flaws and others. Mind you, the attackers are smart and quick as they have an idea that insecure code is accountable to vulnerability.

• How to combat the threat of reusing vulnerable codes? 
  

1. Scan the reusable code for vulnerabilities at every stage.
2. Update the existing code’s versions. 
3. Use codes from the trusted source.
4. Keep a track on the supply chain. 

Types of software vulnerability

The company starts a business with a vision their data never gets tampered with. One small mistake and your system will fall prey to the attackers. This is exactly why prioritizing security risks is crucial. Once we understand the different types of software vulnerability, it becomes a tad bit easy to handle them.   

• Injection Vulnerabilities or Injection Flaws
  

The glitch in the system gives easy access to the attackers to inject malicious code using an application. Due to lack of validation and failure to sanitize the user input, the attacker’s code can effortlessly read, modify, or delete the information from the database. This is one of the most common types of software vulnerabilities. Underlying types of injection that pose a great threat are – SQL, Command, XPath, XML, and a few others.  

• Broken Authentication
  

The attacker here impersonates to be a legal user, and by encashing on the broken authentication, they try to gain access to the whole system. Most websites have broken authentication, where the organization’s sensitive data is at risk.

• Buffer Overflow
  

The system becomes vulnerable when the program is fed with surplus data. This corrupts the available space, can alter other information as well, lead the system to crash, and contaminate the data on the stack. Another variant of buffer overflow is heap where global inputs and possibly other program’s data is violated due to the overflow.

• Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
  

On the similar lines of SQL Injection, the XSS breach penetrates an injection code into the website. The attacker can modify the information and can take control of the victim’s information.

• Security Misconfiguration
  

Security misconfiguration occurs when a web developer applies the wrong application logic or 0component while building the code. This naïve miscalculation makes the system an attackers target.

• Using components with known vulnerabilities
  

The thing is a developer can write an immaculate code, but it can still be exposed to the attackers. By using vulnerable components and using code from an untrusted source, the system is exposed to threats.

• Exposure of sensitive data
  

When the code has some unnoticed loose ends, the company’s sensitive data jeopardized. Intruders make use of these missing link to take control of the network.

What is vulnerability management?

Precautions are always better than cure. Instead of reaching a panic situation when the system gets violated, it is always better to take proactive measures to avoid such a situation. The 2019 SANS Vulnerability Management Survey conveys that 84 percent of the businesses have taken preventive actions and have created a vulnerability management program. Incorporating this program allows them to efficiently manage the violations posted by the attackers or curb the situation before it goes out of hand. Vulnerability management is a continuous process that detects the risks and creates a plan to overcome or prevent the risk. Making use of the best available technology and hiring a skilled team can help mitigate the threats or weakness in the software at an early stage. 

• Vulnerability management lifecycle:
  

1. Discover: Organize all the company’s data in a structured fashion. Define its importance and who all can access this data.
2. Assess: This stage involves accurately and efficiently, scanning and testing the organized data for risk. Once the data is examined, prioritize the assets, and determine the baseline risk profile.
3. Report: After the data is studied, a report is documented which talks about the vulnerabilities and the plan of action.
4. Remediate: The next step is to work on the plan of action. In this, the old and new threats are monitored and removed. 
5. Verify: The goal is to minimize or eliminate the risk. This step sees that the goal is achieved.  

How to mitigate threats?

Being vigilant, anticipating threats, and following all security protocol might protect your system. Avoiding threats is the best measure to overcome software vulnerability. Follow these steps for the best results. 
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• Hire the best developers and train them to be impeccable. 
• Use the best available tools to scan the code for vulnerabilities at every stage. 
• Use a safe API and the best security. 
• Procure codes from only trusted sources. 
• Invest in obtaining a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate.
• Use data that is less complex and get rid of unnecessary data.
• Audit the servers and system regularly. 
• Follow the vulnerability management program. 
• Use reliable frameworks. 
• Regulating patching reduces the threats. 
• Traffic scanning and filtering to prevent the violation.

Act now!

The number of new vulnerabilities is growing leaps and bounds. If these threats enter your system, the business will surely crumble. In this case, avoiding and protecting your system from such vulnerabilities is half the battle won. We value our clients and focus on delivering polished solutions. Dealing with software threats might seem like an uphill task, however, our skilled team will provide resolutions that will help detect the threats at an early stage or eliminate the risk.
To talk to our experts, kindly contact: https://app-scoop.com/contact-us.html

References: 

• https://heimdalsecurity.com/blog/vulnerability-management/
• https://sucuri.net/guides/owasp-top-10-security-vulnerabilities-2021/
• https://www.tripwire.com/state-of-security/vulnerability-management/six-system-and-software-vulnerabilities/
• https://www.veracode.com/sites/default/files/Resources/Whitepapers/how-vulnerabilities-get-into-software-veracode.pdf
• https://www.ptsecurity.com/ww-en/analytics/web-vulnerabilities-2020/
• https://buildfire.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-software-vulnerabilities/

It is a fact that videos are attractive, shareable, versatile, prompt, personal and a lot many things. 

So much so that, as per Diode Digital, online videos are a 600 percent more effective marketing tool than print or any other medium. Around 80 million people in the US watches online videos daily. And videos that are more than two minutes long get the most engagement. There are a staggering 31 million YouTube channels and around 2.3 billion users, making this online video platform the second most visited site in the world after Google. With that 79 percent of Internet users have their own YouTube account. According to HubSpot, 70 percent of businesses feel that their sales figures have increased by incorporating video content. And when 87 percent of people are relying more on videos to make buying decisions, businesses need to strive hard to meet their demands, which means this medium has a lot in the offing. 

Sure, all these stats are overwhelming, and if we put that data in simple words, it means – videos are important! And if you are thinking of incorporating videos to grow your business or make use of a video recording app to reach a wider audience or waiting to avail editing apps to create viral videos – if so, then the time is now! In this article we will understand the importance of video recording and editing apps, how does your business with that, key aspects to consider while building such apps, and more. 

Why video recording and editing apps are dominating the business arena 

Videos play a great role in taking your business to the next level. It elevates the importance of your product and makes it reach your target audience more efficiently.

Importance of video recording or screen recording tools:

• Makes a video to reach a broader range of audiences.
• Helps you capture and make memories.
• Stores the data forever. 
• Amplifies your business. 
• Through video calls, you can connect with your customers.
• Helps you create interactive products.
• Increases traffic to your website. 

 
Importance of video editing helps you:

• Ensures that your ideas are interactively presented to your viewers.
• Blends motion pictures with sounds and music. 
• Helps you emotionally connect with the audience. 
• Glamorizes the video content by making it appealing.
• Add text and subtitles.

 
Key aspects to consider while creating a video recording or editing app

• App idea

It’s rightly said, an idea can change your life. At the ideation stage, be very careful as that will lay the foundation of the app. Do thorough research, analyze the market and understand the different apps on the store. And as per competitive analysis establish the goals of your app. 

•  Target audience 

Figuring out who your target audience is one of the first steps. Understand what they are looking for. For instance, owing to the current pandemic situation, a lot of people prefer taking online consultations for non-emergency medical conditions. Providing them with a video calling or recording app to connect with the concerned doctor will benefit one and all. Just so you know, the online video feature in the health and wellness sector is doing wonders. 

• ​App features and tools

The ground rules for both the video recording and editing are mostly the same. The features and tools should be user-friendly. Initially, you can provide the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) version, and when the user gets accustomed to your app, you can update your app with more features and tools. Work on the customer feedback to enhance your app’s tools and features. When it comes to editing apps, keep an eye on the latest trends that have gripped the leading social media portals. Accordingly, instill features that will enhance the quality of the videos. 

• Create a pathway

Around 73 percent of your consumer will edit the video on your app to share it on other platforms. To cater to such an audience, creating a pathway that enables them to share the videos directly on the favoured portals will be beneficial for all. Hence, social media integration is a must. The top three apps where the video is shared are YouTube, Instagram, and Tik-Tok. 

• The ‘how to’ video 

Video editing and recording apps are fairly easy to use. Nonetheless, providing them with a guided video on how to use the app will not make things easy for the consumer but it will also exude that you care about them. 

• Think out of the box

There are thousands of video editing and recording apps in the stores. There must be a USP that will make your app stand out from the crowd. Make sure to add all the basic features and tools but adding a few elements that will enhance the consumers’ experience will make your app an instant hit.

•  ​Generating revenue 

Despite the popularity of video editing and recording, most apps are free to download. Let’s face it, we are in this to make money. So, how can we generate revenue when apps are free to download. Basic features should be accessible, but these days people believe in accentuating the quality of theirs video to the next level. That is when in-app purchases come into the picture. Video ads are the most popular mobile app monetization model. 
 

• Customer service 

We are in this for the long run. Consumers respond well when their feedbacks are taken to heart. Provide the best customer service in case of any malfunction or other issues. The relationship between the app and the customer is of utmost importance. 
 

• And much more

Consumers love it when the app provides them with something extra. Additional features like real-time reports and analytics, integrate payment gateway, use of AI technology and others will put your app at the forefront.
 
Implementation of video recording and editing apps 

As per the survey, the number of businesses using videos as a marketing tool has increased to 41 percent since 2016. And as videos have gained a lot of importance recently, the demand has increased as well. Around 54 percent of consumers want more video content. Here are the two sectors in which using video recording and editing apps have become customary. 
 
Education 

The onset of COVID-19 has changed the face of all the sectors, particularly the education industry. Online education and courses are the only ways through which students and other individuals can quench their thirst for knowledge. Professors can use video recording apps to record the lectures and personalized tutorials. The number of videos may vary depending on the subjects. 
 
Online courses have been there for ages. But due to COVID, this sector is booming as well. The global e-learning market is expected to reach $ 336.98 billion by 2026. The format of an online course is mainly made of theory in form of text, but most of the courses prefer recording the tutorials or lectures as the impact amplifies. Educational videos are powerful and easy to access. It has become an inseparable part of our lives. 
 
DemoCreator, which is available on the Play Store, has over 100 million downloads and is one of the famous apps to record educational videos. It also comes with a video editor function with education-related templates.
 
Social Media 

More than one billion people use Instagram every month. And Instagram videos get over two times more engagement than Instagram photos. To add to that, around 300 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute. Most creators use mobile to record their videos. And an equal number of creators use mobile apps to edit their videos. Giving you more and enough reasons to tap on this segment. 
 
Staying up-to-date and keeping a track of the updates made by these social media apps will give you a chance to up your game. For instance, Instagram recently added the Reels (a fun way to create videos) feature. This means video content is booming. Owing to the pandemic and lockdown situation, as most of the people are home, they get enough time to scroll to their phones. People binge-watch content, chiefly videos. And to address the needs of such a large audience, approximately 71 percent of marketers are looking to up their investment in video. The Patriots, an American football team, have openly claimed they have the highest engagement with their Reels. Per Reel, they saw an average of 121,800 engagements, compared to 21,600 engagements per video. Android apps like Viva Video and KineMaster are widely used to edit Reels. While iPhone users prefer using iMovie to record and edit their videos. 
 
The future is here!
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A recent survey says that by 2022, the market for online videos will reach up to 82 percent. And the traffic will be 15 percent higher than in 2017. In the future of videos, real-time editing is also a key part. And the advent of AI and ML will surely revolutionize this space. Stay at par with this trend. Have an idea for a video recording and editing app? Let us design it for you. Our smart and diligent team will do the rest! 
 
You can contact the App Scoop mobile app development team on: 
https://app-scoop.com/contact-us.html

What is Clubhouse? 

Developed by Paul Davison and Rohan Seth of Alpha Exploration Co., Clubhouse is a space for casual, drop-in audio conversations – with friends and other interesting people around the world. An invitation-only social media app, this app hosts live discussions where members can take part as well. Participants are mostly on mute and can unmute whenever they want. These digital rooms are a host to an array of topics – right from how to use Clubhouse, various aspects of technology, self-help groups, interviews, wellness, places, panel discussions, group experience, etc.
Let’s say, Clubhouse is a mix of the podcast and live conferences. Hosts can create an event and participants can join them to explore what they can offer. These are real-time events only. As per the Clubhouse guidelines, conversations are prohibited from being recorded, transcribed, reproduced, or shared without explicit permission. 

What makes Clubhouse unique? 

Currently, valued at $1 billion, Clubhouse which had around 600,000 users in December, now has 10 million weekly actives users. Let us figure out why this app has become the 16th most popular app in the social media network category of the App Store. 

• User-friendly and attractive features.
• Intimate and live conversation. 
• Invitation-only app making it more secure and authentic.
• Has star-studded user base.
• Impeccable search and explore options. 
• Newsfeed catered to the needs of the user. 
• Is a host to conversations and debates over varied and informative topics.
• Created rooms offer various levels of privacy. 
• Offers Clubhouse Creator First, which is an accelerator program, that aims to help the creators with content creation. This program provides resources wherein the creator can thrive and build their audience. 
• Has rolled out monetization schemes. 
• Consumers can take up different roles such as listener, moderate, and speaker.
• It does not yet have an official logo. The app has a black and white portrait of a person as an icon. Figures on the icon are usually the ones who have made an impact on humankind. Currently, Drue Kataoka, an artist-activist, appears on the latest icon.
• A calendar option that sends the user a personalized list of their upcoming task.

Well, this is what got Clubhouse millions of downloads over time. However, to create an app like Clubhouse upping the game and giving out-of-the-box options, apart from these, will attract the users. 

How to develop an app like Clubhouse? 

Clubhouse is doing something right which is why over 180 organizations and venture capitalists have invested in this app. Having a great idea for an app is a good start but the true journey begins after that. And what possibly got people hooked up to Clubhouse is because of what it offers its audience. It must have taken then them a great deal of planning and developing before the app went live. Understanding the market and audience and encashing on the opportunity is what made Clubhouse what it is today. Here’s are a few development processes and a guide to design an app like Clubhouse.
 

• Understand the ‘why’?

Before jumping into developing the app understand why the app is being created. Have a crystal clear idea of the motive behind making the app public. When the intentions are clear overcoming uncertainties becomes a tad bit easy.  

• Overall analysis 

Developing an app without market search is like driving with your eyes closed. Without having an idea of the market or the audience launching the app will lead to its downfall. Understand the market, industry, competitors, and audience. Research and collect all the valuable data which will help you move forward. This will help you determine your goal. With that, take some time out to see what your competitors’ work looks like. 

Coming with the same app with exactly similar features will do no good to your app. Your app should provide the audience with something that they have never seen but something that they always wanted. Always have an edge over others. How well do you know your audience? Now is the time to wear your creative hat and get into the shoes of the target audience. Have one-on-one interviews, target focus groups, and usability tests. Surveys play an important role in understanding the user. Creating a user journey map provides tangible results. 

• Android or iOS?

The app can be either released on iOS or Android. However, Android and iOS generate more than 70 percent of the online traffic. And together they account for 98 percent of the total mobile OS market share. With such sharp figures going with cross-platform or hybrid applications makes sense.  

• A team that matters

Great things in business are never done single-handedly. They are done by a team of people. Taking into consideration their talent and likes, put forth a great team that can lead your app to success. Having a team with the same mindset will take the project a long way. 

• Designing and much more

This phase gives the knowledge of user flow, site maps, mockups, and other things. Generating a wireframe helps in laying out the skeleton of the app. It gives an idea of how the user will interact with the app. This process might take a lot of time. It is difficult to land on the final look with just one wireframe. In the end, the final wireframe gives an overall idea of the user interface.  

• Monetization Model 

There are several models to increase the profitability of the app. Having a sense of what the audience is looking for will give you an idea of which monetization model. Some of the models are:

1. Premium or paid apps.
2. Free with in-app advertising.
3. Selling data. 
4. Free with in-app purchases. 

 

• MVP

For initial testing having a minimum viable product (MVP) is a must. It is the basic version that has most of the essential features and components. MVP lends a helping hand to software engineers. This determines the app’s potential.

• Get, set, go! 

After all the hard work behind the scene, it’s now go time. Now is when you hand over all the information to the development team. They are the ones who create a high-fidelity version of the UI. Then begins the testing phase. After the user, beta, and internal testing, taking the feedback from the development becomes a must.

• Maintain and analyze

Once your app goes live, with your fingers crossed hope that it becomes a hit. The work isn’t yet done. Now begins the process of analyzing and keeping the app live in the hearts of your audience. You ought to get answers for.
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1. Did the app meet the purpose?
2. What are the pain points and how to address them? 
3. Views of the users about the app?
4. How to maintain the app?
5. How can the app functionality improve?

Tech stack 

To build a high-end and audio-chat app like Clubhouse, stacking the best possible technology infrastructure, or the best data ecosystem guarantees easy and flawless communication. Two major programming languages used for iOS platforms are Objective-C and Swift. And for Android, Java and Koltin works like a charm. React Native, Xamarin, and Flutter can be used for cross-platform apps.
Apart from using these stacks of technologies, these days what works in the favour of the app are the influencers and promoting it on various social media platforms. ​

Cost and time required to develop an app like Clubhouse
The basic formula used by most app developers to calculate the cost of an app is:
Cost = time spent on the specific feature * hourly rate.

Further, the cost may also vary as per the platform, complexity, UI, back end services, animations, icon creation, integration, app design, location of the agency, features, and more. Typically to build a high-end app such as Clubhouse may cost around $14,500 to $300,100. And the time required to see the completion of the app depends on the level of the complexity. To build a feature-rich app like Clubhouse, may take around 5-7 months.

Takeaways

The only thing constant is change. As times change, we ought to adhere to it. In all this, the user should always be the top priority. There is a lot that can be done in the audio-chat app segment. What users adore are quirky apps that not only satisfy their basic app needs but offer them something more as well. At App Scoop, we consider all these attributes. To talk to our experts, kindly contact: https://app-scoop.com/contact-us.html

References:
​

• https://www.spaceo.ca/create-app-like-clubhouse-audio-based-social-app/
• https://www.mindinventory.com/blog/how-to-develop-voice-chat-app-like-clubhouse/
• https://www.invisionapp.com/inside-design/6-stages-ux-process/​
• https://light-it.net/blog/how-to-make-a-voice-chat-app-like-clubhouse/

Research conducted by McKinsey in collaboration with the University of Oxford exudes that more than 45 percent of the large IT projects exceed their original estimate. Almost 17 percent of the project are so bad, that they can easily crumble the organization. And about 7 percent of the projects are handed over time while delivering 56 percent less value than predicted. This means skipping the initial phase of software development leads to great hazards. 

All these can give a hard time to the CEO of the company. While these problems may seem inevitable, there exists a solution. If you commence your project in the right way, the end will be the start of something beautiful. In essence, the success rate can escalate if you begin your project with the discovery phase. This article will throw light on the importance of the discovery phase, activities included in this phase, its deliverables and more. 

What is a discovery phase? 
​
Clarity improves connection and engagement, further strengthening the trust as it provides transparency. The discovery phase does just the same. It provides a foundation for the software development process. And the blueprint it lays down makes the establishment of the project stronger than ever. 

• Questions that should be discussed during this phase.
  ​

1. Motive behind developing the software.
2. Possible target audience.
3. Expectation and impact of the software. 
4. Interface features. 
5. Which technology should be used? 
6. Start and end time of the project. 
7. Platforms that this software will be released on. 
8. Client’s definition of success for this project.

Discovery phase can last somewhere four to eight weeks. Upon the analysis of the gathered information, the team gets an idea of the market, target audience, scope, goal, intention, risk mitigation, rough budget, architecture, and functionality. In this team effort, a lot of brainstorming takes place. Meetings can last up to 2-3 hours. The expert team consists of a business analyst, solution architect, web developer, designer, account manager and team lead.

Why is the discovery phase beneficial for software development? 

The key benefits of going through a discovery phase are immense. This mandatory and crucial step will attract several advantages.

• Provides a clear picture 

What this stage provides is clarity of the scope to the selected team members. When you understand the company’s values you will get a clear idea of why they wish to develop this software. With this identifying the market and target audience, adds to your expertise. This whole process strengthens your vision, provides a roadmap, lays a foundation, and helps you evolve in industry standards and practices.

• Cost optimization 

An in-depth analysis helps you curate a perfect plan and design. In doing so, you will get an idea of an approximate budget that this software needs from ideation to fruition. If the budget falls in your budget slab, then well and good. If not, you can come up with ways to make this project fit your expectation. 

• Risk mitigation 

Taking risks is commendable. But coming up with a plan to avoid risks that will hamper your software’s success is a dream. The discovery phase ultimately helps in reducing the risks as it provides a clear understanding of the goal. The phase reduces the risk of missed deadlines by a whopping 75 percent. This, in turn, will help in cost savings by almost 50 percent.

• Improves your industry expertise

Market research and analysis prepares you for the best. This adds to your advantage by giving you the edge to perform better. As research involves understanding the industry, it strengthens your foundation by bridging the gaps. This phase keeps you on your toes.

Other benefits of the discovery phase are:

• Helps you use time and other resources efficiently.
• Gives you an idea of the launch date.
• All the groundwork pushes you to come up with a striking plan. 
• Gives an idea of how the product will look.
• Gives transparency.
• Builds trust and relationship. 

What if this phase is skipped? 

We have already mentioned the perks of undergoing the discovery phase. However, some wish to skip this phase and directly get to business. Little do they know about what lies on another side of not taking up this phase. Abandoning this phase during software development has the following consequence:

• The project will instantly crumble.
• Time and other resources will be wasted. 
• The project will run in an endless loop. 
• It will fail in meeting the deadline. 
• The stakeholders’ expectations will never be met. 
• The budget will go for a toss.

Actions to be completed during the discovery phase

Working meticulously in this phase makes the rest a cakewalk. Come with a solid process to ace this phase. Not a lot of people say this but begin by understanding your company’s objective. Once you are sure of what you can offer, it becomes a tad bit easy to understand what the stakeholder is looking for. The activities that should be included in this phase are:

• Communicate and comprehend

Communication is key at every step in this phase. To get a hang of the project, having a one-on-one conversation with the CEO or other senior staff will give a clear idea of what is to be done. It is recommended to have a clear set of questions that the stakeholders should answer. Have a friendly approach. It will not only lighten the situation and allows the stakeholder to open up about what’s at stake.  

• Use industry standards

User behaviour may vary. However, some set industry standards can be used as a benchmark to attain the goal. It will help you gauge your performance and give you a chance to up your game. Study and analyze your competitors. Take up case studies and come up with a full-proof plan. 

• Wear the customer’s shoes

To master the art of making flawless software one must know exactly what the users are looking for. This increases the technical efficiency and helps to put up a great marketing campaign. 

• In-depth analysis 

By this time, having clear documentation of your progress so far in the discovery phase should be ready. It should contain the vision, stakeholders’ expectations, marketing strategy and a legacy code. Take time to analyze this so that stepping forward becomes effortless.

• It’s go time

After enough contemplation and research, develop a prototype with the available data. By now, the team will have a blueprint of the architecture and SRS. With the trial and error method, the result will be spectacular.
With all the steps followed to the tee, it is now time to showcase your hard work to the stakeholder. If things go well, the software developers are free to go ahead with the next and final step. 

Tips to make the most of the discovery phase

• Communication is the key.
• Interact with everyone.
• Setup a great team
• Everyone in the team is important. Value their suggestions. 
• Commit to your goal.
• Research to the fullest. 
• Map your journey.
• Be open to new ideas.
• Be grounded.

Concluding remarks

By now, it is clear the discovery phase is the most crucial phase that lays the foundation of the project. The discovery phase gives a chance for the software to become a hit.  Everything depends on how you begin with the project. The discovery phase has a lot to offer, so make the most of it. Have a software idea? Let our team do the rest. 

You can contact the App Scoop mobile app development team on: 
https://app-scoop.com/contact-us.html

References 

• https://unicsoft.com/blog/discovery-phase-in-software-product-development-for-startups/#:~:text=The%20discovery%20phase%20is%20the,costs%20and%20plan%20project%20development.
• https://www.digiteum.com/discovery-phase-software-development/
• https://freshcodeit.com/freshcode-post/why-project-discovery-phase-matter
• https://www.alphalogicinc.com/blog/how-discovery-will-make-your-software-development-project-a-success/#:~:text=The%20discovery%20phase%20is%20a,1.
• https://agilie.com/en/blog/why-you-need-to-start-your-project-with-the-discovery-phase

One of the most interesting features of technology is its power to persuade people and change their perception. We, humans, are traders by birth, and with technology at our feet, the face of the world has significantly changed. And more so, it has changed the way we value things. Take for instance this tweet by Twitter CEO Jack Dorsery. His tweet was put up on sale on Valuables by Cent, a portal that enables Twitter users to bid and buy tweets in the form of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). ​

This article will enlighten you about all this and more.

What are NFTs

Non Fungible Tokens are digital assets that are unique and cannot be directly interchanged with other assets. Every NFT, which is sort of like an autographed item, is made of metadata, which gives them their individuality. Its digital content is linked to the blockchain. NFTs are a form of cryptocurrency like Bitcoin, where instead of money, they host assets like tweet, text, image, MP3, artwork, domain names, trading cards, game items, etc. It all began in 2017, when CryptoPunks, developed by Larva Labs, released one of the first NFTs. It consisted of around 10,000 collectables which were unique and based on the Ethereum blockchain.

NFT tokens can be transferred between various decentralized applications. Creating the tokens depends on the ERC-721, ERC-1155 and a few other standards. ERC-721 is a standard that represents the ownership of a unique NFT. It is a smart contract standard where developers follow the same template or format, which makes the code more universal. The ERC-1155 allows the creation of fungible, semi-fungible and non-fungible tokens in one single token standard. This changes the face of trade and recolonizes the financial segment by giving people a great sense of digital item ownership. 

Why NFTs are so popular?

Although this concept is just in its nascent stages, in 2018 the market cap for global transactions of NFTs was $40.96, and in 2020 it grew manifold from $141.56 million (2019) to $338.04 million in 2020. Token-based sales have reached a new height of success in the recent past. And the launch of the NFT marketplace is making dreams come true for many. The number of active buyers in 2020, has increased by 57 percent, from 51,861 in 2018. The year 2021, is a year where almost everyone is talking about NFTs. OpenSea, a peer-to-peer marketplace for rare digital items and crypto collectables, recorded a monthly sale of over $95 million. And the trading volume on Ethereum amounted to more than $400 million. The icing on the cake is, for the consequent trades, the creator gets a royalty payment. So, what makes NFT special?

• Unique and authentic 

As information about the NFT and the owner can be easily verified, it makes them unique. This is by far the most crucial feature of NFT where information is secure and legitimate.

• Unified

Most tokens cannot be divided into smaller units. It is like a mark on the stone. However, if you can buy the complete cost of the item from the owner, maybe then.

• Easy to work with

Marketplaces are a hub where you can buy and sell NFTs. Within a matter of minutes, you can create a profile. Buying and biding operations are pretty simple. Not just that, due to their versatile nature, NFTs can be traded on different crypto markets. The trading opportunities are truly beneficial.

• Open to all

Owing to this instant tradability nature, it can act as a host to a variety of audience, enhancing its liquidity.

• Transparency

All the records pertaining to the trade – transfer, token issuance, and other activities can be authenticated before getting into it.

NFT Marketplace, now what is that?

In literal terms, a market is a place, area, composition of systems, institutions, social relations, etc., where people can sell and purchase good or where parties engage in exchange. Taking inspiration from this concept are NFT Marketplaces. It is a platform for one all – creators, artists, and buyers. This software allows people to trade in NFTs and crypto collectables. The crypto assets here come with digital ownership. Some of the top NFT Marketplaces are OpenSea, Rarible, KnownOrigin, SuperRare and AtomicMarket.

Attributes that make for a great marketplace 

• Less traffic congestion and a high level of security. 
• Provide secure transactions.
• User-friendly.
• Seamless wallet integration.
• An authentic and long list of digital items and sections to explore. 
• Nominal transaction fees.
• Elegant and aesthetic graphics.
• Quick transaction.

How does an NFT Marketplace work?

Technically, most marketplaces function in the same way. However, their uniqueness is what gives them an edge over others. Here is how the client-side of the NFT Marketplace works:

• The user creates an account on their favoured NFT platform.
• Before stepping forward, the user needs to create a digital wallet to store the NFTs.
• After deciding their niche, the user then uploads their assets and showcase their work. On the other hand, the buyers put a pin on their preferred item.  
• Once the item is listed for sale, they can be bought it at a fixed price or opt for an auction. 
• As soon as the item clears moderation, people can bid or buy the item. And the owner can accept bids. 
• The transaction is closed when the owner and seller come to terms. 
• The platform will screen the deal and transfer the digital assets to the buyer and funds to the owner.

How to create a marketplace?

The foundation of the marketplace strengthens once you have decided on the domains that will feature on your storefront. One should also understand why they are developing the platform, who are its potential buyers and seller, what problems will the platform solve and the desired outcome.

• Smart contracts 

A marketplace is known for its smart contracts, which is a self-executing contract. As each token is unique, subsequent metadata is recorded in its smart contract. So, if you wish to create a marketplace, you ought to create a valid smart contract that admins the deals between buyers and sellers.

• Storefront

In simple terms, a storefront is like a shopfront or entrance to your store. It essentially displays your USP, something that will give an overview to your customers. The storefront should offer everything that the user is looking for.

• Explore and trade

These options are the gateway to any transaction. This panel should contain information on all the domain-wise collectables. Allowing the user to sort these items at their convenience  is a great feature. Bid, sell and auction are the basic features at the offing. Users should also know the bids’ current status.

• Ranking, stats and activities 

Give an overview of how the collectables are functioning. Analyze their smart contracts and read the data on the blockchain as to how much worth of sales is being made. It will give an idea to the user of how the projects are working and which collectable to invest in. In essence, provide the volume, average price, and other crucial stats.

• The NFT Bible

OpenSea, one of the top-ranking NFT marketplace, is known for its NFT bible. Devin Finzer, their CEO and Co-founder has given an in-depth overview of the NFT ecosystem. On the similar lines, if you could provide your research material on NFTs and its aspects, users will find it appealing.

• Wallet

It is an essential feature that allows the user to store, send and receive NFTs. Allowing the user to integrate their preferred wallet, seems to be an easy task. MetaMask is one of the favoured wallets and the oldest in this game. It is flexible has a peerless power browser extension.

• Filters 

To make it easy for the user and profitable for the seller, provide filters. It will help users navigate and select the items. These filters are just like the feature which are available on any other retail app. Filters like highest and lowest price, recently listed and popular items enhance the purchase significantly.

• Create listings

The process of uploading a collectable should be smooth. Include information such as name, description, and tag.

• Help center 

Right from creating an NFT to buying and auctioning it, all the details should be provided to the user. In case of any hindrance, they should be able to contact your effortlessly. Providing in-house articles will make the journey of the user worthwhile.

Technology required to create the marketplace

Storage Platform

• IPFS:  As per their website, they are a peer-to-peer hypermedia protocol designed to make the web faster, safer, and more open. IPFS provide a great file sharing and storing system. It depends on the hashes which can easily be stored on the blockchain. 
• ​Filecon: It is designed to store critical information. It is a decentralized storage network.

NFT Standards:

Apart from the essential ERC 721 and 1155, you will also need:

• ERC-998: It provides a template by which NFTs can own both fungible and non-fungible assets.
• TRC 721: It is completely compatible with ERC 721 and is a set of standard interfaces for using NFT on TRON, which is a blockchain-based decentralized operating system based on a cryptocurrency native to the system network.

Blockchain platforms

Ethereum is the most popular platform for NFT marketplaces. Second is, Tezos. As per their website, they are an open-source blockchain network that can execute peer-to-peer transactions and serve as a platform for deploying smart contracts. Lastly, Flow is also widely used to create a marketplace using Cadence programming language.

Summing up

Love it or hate it, but you can’t ignore NFTs. It is said the current version of NFTs will continue to evolve, and for it, even the sky is not the limit. Although NFTs are now mainstream, it is claimed that they have been around 2012. And since they have grown leaps and bounds. They have gained importance owing to their nature of the options they provide. 

Hope this article has cleared all your doubts. Has it left you curious and wondering ‘how can you set up a marketplace’? Well, don’t worry our team has got you covered. 

You can contact the App Scoop mobile app development team on: 
https://app-scoop.com/contact-us.html

References 

• https://www.leewayhertz.com/develop-nft-marketplace-platform/

• https://opensea.io/blog/guides/non-fungible-tokens/

• https://www.alwin.io/blog/how-to-create-nft-marketplace

• https://www.codica.com/blog/how-to-create-nft-marketplace/

• https://art.art/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/NFT-YEARLY-REPORT-2020.pdf

Well, the outbreak of COVID-19 has devastated a lot more than just shattering our travel dreams. Disruption of businesses, economic impact, mental health issues, and more, you name it, and the virus has affected us in many possible ways than this. However, people are enduring this ire with the hope that they will see the sunshine at the end of the tunnel, and that their life will return to normalcy. But as and when it happens possessing a vaccine passport or immunity passport will be a must! This article will inform you about what a vaccine passport is, why is it necessary, how will blockchain assists this process, and more.

What is a vaccine passport?
 A vaccine passport or an e-pass is a document of proof that an individual has been vaccinated against CVOID-19. However, one might be allowed to travel even if they have tested negative. All these norms are in the initial phase. This proof can be digital or on a piece of official paper. So basically, it is your hall pass to enter a party, school, pub, office, socialize or travel worldwide. This vaccine certificate can typically be in the form of a barcode which ensures the authorities that you have tested negative for COVID or taken a jab. 

A concrete list of norms, rules, and regulations for a vaccine passport will be listed soon, in order, to make travel easier. Several airlines, industry giants like IBM, Microsoft and Oracle, NGOs, and technology companies are already working on this. At the recently concluded online G20 Summit, several countries agreed to the concept of the vaccine passport. The vaccine passport will contain a lot of crucial data which will help us suppress such the virus in the near future. Or this data will come in handy if we are hit with another pandemic of this sort. However, a lot of them are sceptical about this passport as it withholds are some personal details as well. 

Blockchain and vaccine passports

When it comes to sharing data or information privacy, confidentiality, data security and integrity is an important aspect. For people to embrace this concept, they should be assured that their data is secure and well-guarded. Data infringement or breaches is a menace that haunts everyone, especially the healthcare sector. In 2019, this concern has affected over 40 million people in the US. This rate has considerably increased since 2018, where 14 million people were affected by healthcare data breaches.
Along with restoring citizen trust, government officials or parties should also be assured that the vaccine passport contains authentic data. The vaccine passport answers:

• Which authority has provided the individual with the vaccine certificate?
• Credentials of the person who issues it.
• Are the data and credentials authentic? 
• Vaccine and batch name.
• Place of vaccination.

 
One false record can create a catastrophic impact. For instance, suppose if a COVID positive person is carrying a vaccine passport where the records forged. If it goes unnoticed, and the person is allowed to cross the border, this ripple effect can result in several positive cases. Trustworthy ledgers will assure both citizens and authorities! When the risk is high, incorporating blockchain and digital ledger technologies will assure both citizen and government authorities regarding data privacy, transparency, decentralization, and authentication. Nonetheless, this technology comes with a few concerns.

How will it work?
Courtesy of blockchain, the way the patient’s data is shared across the entities in the value chain has changed. It eliminates the third party and middleman, further reducing the risk of data theft and other frauds. These days most of us use a smartphone. Only registered and verified vaccination centres should be authorized to feed the data. Information such as vaccine data, delivery data, vaccination date, and location are critical. 

This information should be stored against the person’s passport ID or other security ID. Against which a QR code should be generated. Securing the data on a QR code ensures safety and privacy. This data should be accessed through a cryptography mechanism, that is through, encryption and decryption, digital signature, and verification. Overall, through blockchain this process becomes secure. So, essentially, these steps should be followed while creating a new record.

1. The transaction of feeding the information against the person’s ID is established.
2. Now, this transaction is coded into a block and is then added to the network. 
3. The distributed member, say for instance any government or verified officials, present in the network will compare the fed record for integrity and validation. 
4. Only when all the distributed members are sure of the data, the block will be accepted.
5. The block is added to the blockchain. 
6. The authentic transaction is approved and can be further used by officials to verify the person’s vaccine record while traveling overseas or entering the office, college, or schools, or while entering the café or restaurants.

Let us understand this through an individual’s perceptive:

1. The individual visits a vaccine centre for the vaccine. 
2. The healthcare official stores the information on the e-pass. A chain of authentic information is added to block against the person’s name. 
3. This information is synced with the person’s passport ID or any other official ID. 
4. Only after the person has taken the jab or tested negative for COVID can use this e-pass to travel or socialize. 
5. Officials scan the pass to trace the data for authentication. 

Benefits of using blockchain for creating a vaccine passport

There are several positives of using this concept. To access data of such intensity, using blockchain to facilitate communication for APIs ensures secure transaction, legitimacy, and the ability to prove that previous transaction did happen. More than anything, accessing the digital vaccine passport requires permission from several network members, which makes it legitimate and secure. Citizen’s data is shared upon their consent which ensures faith and trust.

• Increases efficiency
  

Compared to this system, any traditional process that includes paperwork is prone to human error. By eliminating the third party, this process will be fast. The record-keeping process is less tedious and without clutter, as it is performed using a single digital ledger. 

• Improves traceability 
  

Vaccine passports can use blockchain to trace and contact the people who are at risk of getting infected due to contact with an infected person. This tracing system is highly confidential and can be taken into action without revealing much of the patient’s information. Further, using blockchain can also help in a complex supply chain system. In essence, it helps in reducing the number of potential cases and smoothens the process. 

• Provides transparency

As blockchain is a type of a distributed ledger, the record can be accessed by all the network participants. Only through mutual agreement, the record is added to the chain. This means, all the records of the citizen are added upon verification implying that only authentic data is available. And if someone wishes to change the record, for instance, to add a false vaccine report, is highly impossible as it requires the consent of all the participants.

There is hope! 

The application of blockchain comes as a relief and with some usual concerns as well. But considering the current situation, the positives are way higher, giving up us the hope that things will be back to normal. Ideally, for this to work, globally there should be identical norms. When the government and citizens join hands with technology, everything seems achievable.

Want to know more about how blockchain will ensure the smooth working of vaccine passports? 

You can contact the App Scoop mobile app development team on: 
https://app-scoop.com/contact-us.html 

Blockchain-related articles: 
​
https://app-scoop.com/blog/category/blockchain

References: 

• https://www.tcs.com/blogs/blockchain-technology-digital-vaccine-passport
• https://www.ibm.com/in-en/blockchain/industries/healthcare
• https://www.govtech.com/opinion/is-blockchain-the-answer-for-covid-vaccine-passports.html
• https://www.ibm.com/blockchain/solutions/vaccine-distribution

Of course, to come with an idea for an app, execute it, and see the final product being created is a task. And to say the least, the actual journey of an app begins once the user hits the download button. So, now, how can an app evolve once it goes live or how can an app be immortal, is the real question. Humans sure must be complex creatures. But to understand them or to predict their behaviour becomes fairly easy courtesy of technology. Mobile app analytics helps us understand and track the user behaviour, leads us to derive their intent, and drives us to take action. And if these actions create measurable impact, then the lifespan of the app increases exponentially. 

Data is the new factor of production – which makes data the new gold. When this data is used wisely, it opens new doors to success and opportunities. So, what is Mobile App Analytics? By its very nature, Mobile App Analytics is the analysis of the app data. Understanding the user’s interaction with the app is the key. And when this data is converted into meaningful insights, things fall into perspective. In totality, it will give a chance for your app to grow by optimizing engagement and conversations and increasing the download rate. 

Mobile App Analytics: Crucial than ever! 

There are a whopping 3.2 billion smartphone users worldwide, which surely is a piece of great news for app developers. With this, there is a reason why mobile is more important than desktop. According to a study, a user spends 71 percent of screen time on their mobile and more than 90 percent of that mobile time is spent on using the apps. That is when Mobile App Analytics comes into the picture. Companies should use it to not only narrow the competitive gap but also to stand out from the crowd. Now, there are more than 7 million apps on the store making survival in this cut-throat competition is a mammoth task; giving you more than enough reasons to encash on Mobile App Analytics. 
Technically, Mobile App Analytics gives companies an over-the-surface sneak-peak of the users’ life. Without which companies are left clueless. And not knowing what is working in the favour of the app or why the user is leaving is great pain. 

Mobile App Analytics to the rescue  

On average a smartphone user uses 10 apps per day and around 30 apps per month. These days, millennials are the driving force behind the success of any app. As per a study, 24% of millennials open an app 50+ time per day. With roughly over 7 percent increase from the years before, 2020 saw more than 200 billion apps being downloaded. All this is generating a tremendous amount of revenue and mobile apps are expected to generate over $935 billion in revenue by 2023. When so much is going on in this industry, let us understand how Mobile App Analytics will come to your rescue.  

• The first and foremost things that it tracks is the user’s interaction with the app and user journey. 
• Secondly, it provides a pattern with customizable analysis to understand the user. 
• Further, it derives the churn rate by tracking the uninstalls. Moreover, it hands over some cost-effective campaigns to win the users back. 
• Visualizes navigation path. This will give you an idea of which feature or product is doing well. 
• It defines users’ characteristics – gender, demographics, app installs, taps, screens, user retention, app launches, funnel analysis and more.
• Narrows down reports beneficial for your business. 
• Identifies common problem areas. giving you a chance to rectify and grow. 
• It helps you understand the growth of KPIs.
• Defines retention rate and provides the number of active users.

Types of mobile analytics 

Analyzing the data, is without a doubt, a must! All the data that is collected has a purpose and classifying it will make the work easy. To derive meaningful patterns and curb the haziness, understanding these types of mobile analytics will help you leverage the data.

Advertising or Marketing Analytics

Last year saw a 20 percent hike in the average daily time spent on a mobile, which reached four hours and ten minutes. In 2019, 4bn shopping apps were downloaded and in the second quarter of 2020, over 1bn mobile games were downloaded per week and 24bn downloads of the finance apps. The success of an app depends basically on marketing channels, how you attract the user, the number of installs, and how the engaged audience contributes to the financial component of the app. 

For this, one can collaborate with different ad networks. Here marketing analytics will play a big role to understand channel was responsible for the spike in the app’s success. The data acquired, upon analysis, will exude which ad network or publisher are helping us get the right users. In a recent survey done by a leading company, 51 percent of users said they discovered a new company or product when searching on their smartphones. And in 2020, mobile ad placements grew by 95 percent in the United States. Encashing on this data, we find ways to attain the highest return on investment (ROI) and lifetime value (LTV) of acquired users. Quality data collected via marketing analytics are installs, purchases, opens, clicks, registrations, shares, invites, and others.

• In-App Analytics
  

A normal trail of a user while using an app essentially is – opening the app, scrolling through different products (pages),reading reviews, adding the product to the cart, contemplating buying it, and ,in the end, purchasing it. The purchase rate depending on various factors. Here ,what can be done is to understand their trial that leads to purchase, what they do in the app, and the way they interact with the app. By analyzing that, we get a chance to optimize the features and conversation funnels. In-app analytics provides data such types of devices, OS, location, language, gender, age, new or old user, screens viewed, ads clicked, purchased made, etc. Working on this data will surely enhance the user experience. For instance, if a majority of users are making a trailing and going to the third session (page) of the app, making it one of the most clicked or viewed pages. To make it easier for them, we can shift that session or product on the home page itself – it not will not only save their time but will also guarantee user satisfaction further leading to the rise of the purchase rate. 

• Performance Analytics
  

We get it, it is seriously annoying when you are doing something important on the app and just when you are about to complete the task, the app crashes. At times, there is a point of no return, and crashing of the app can get 71 percent of users to uninstall the app. One of the things, that might help here is when the user reports the bug and the issue is solved instantly. It is said that 67 percent of bugs are reported on iOS devices. And if the user does not find the value in it, 29 percent will immediately abandon the app. According to a survey, a poor mobile experience negatively impacts the brand as per 65 percent of the users. Long story short, your app’s health is of utmost importance to give the user the best experience. 
Performance analytics collects data such as crashes, errors, data transactions, API latency, carrier latency, and more. This data will help you prioritize the problem, optimizes your improvement time, further leading to the success of the app. 

Here are some of the fundamental measures for mobile app analytics  

• Define your purpose 

Before getting into you anything else, the developer should focus on what the app is going to provide. Pen down the clear values and purpose that the app will provide the users. Laying down a foundation will provide a crystal picture. The best way is to get in the shoes of the customers and decode what they would want from your app. 

• Don’t wait! 

Waiting to implement mobile analytics means you are just wasting your time. Don’t wait to implement it in the later stages. For optimized results, executing it during the design stage will provide you with a better picture. You don’t want to find that there is something wrong with your app once it is launched. App health is critical and applying the analytics at an earlier stage will help you lay a great foundation. Be proactive in resolving issues. 

• Everything is not gold

Prioritization is the key. Don’t get carried with the quantity of data that is at your disposal. Define what data matters and work on it. If you don’t focus on the key points, you will be left with little or less time to work on the crucial data. This step becomes a cakewalk once you have defined your purpose. Set your KPIs on the out track. Work on data that will give back actionable output.

• Breathe in, breathe out!

Data achieved overnight won’t change the fate of your app. Don’t run behind quantity, quality data will change your life. Mindful data is achieved over time. And analyzing that data will provide you with certain useful trends. Be patient with the data! Don’t forget patience always bears sweet fruits of success.

• Track user journey 

A happy customer increases the life span of the app. And to make the customer happy, the app developer must understand the mindset of the user. Which feature makes them happy, what aspects get them frustrated and what makes them hit the purchase or the download button. Understanding and mapping user journey will optimize your funnel and bring in great returns. You might have built the app taking into consideration the user journey and the step they to conversion. But not always the user will follow the same trend. This is exactly why understanding user journey or footsteps is gold. 

• Be flexible 

These days trends, data, tools, and parameters change in a jiffy. That said and done, the business model does not change. Begin by designing the analytics but be flexible enough to alter it when the trends change. Suppose, for instance, you have designed an app using certain tools but at the last moment, the client asks you the chance the platform, so instead of changing the model all you have to do is change the tool.

• Twice as nice 

When will you get effective results? So, basically when you offer two versions of the same app and get it tested before launching. As per an assured source, 49 percent of apps need more time for testing. A/B testing provides you with the best outcomes. Investigate the data see what will make for the best app. 

• Set higher standards 

They say comparison isn’t good. But in this case, it will work in your favour. There are a few benchmark standards set by the industry. If you evaluate that, you will get a clear idea of how to up your game. Check the industry benchmark sifted by vertical and demographic. 

We are at your service

In essence, what makes an app eternal is – understanding user footsteps, measuring the insights, and changing as per trends for optimum results. Using specialized analytical apps can change your life. An ideal tool can cater to a mammoth of an audience.

As per a study, the year 2023, will see an astounding number of app downloads amounting to 300 billion. When the race gets so tough, we are there at your service to make things a tad be easy. Curious about how mobile app analytics function? Are you ready to give your audience the best user experience? Our smart and diligent team will do the rest for you! 

You can contact the App Scoop mobile app development team on: 
https://app-scoop.com/contact-us.html 
 
For quick reference of the best analytic tools to track your apps:
https://app-scoop.com/blog/category/mobile-app-analytics

References: 
https://www.tune.com/blog/3-major-types-of-mobile-analytics/
https://clearbridgemobile.com/stats-for-mobile-app-growth-and-success/
https://blog.hurree.co/blog/mobile-app-analytics-best-practices
https://www.tune.com/blog/3-major-types-of-mobile-analytics/
https://www.adjust.com/blog/mobile-app-analytics-best-practices-for-optimal-results/
https://1nwu8i3sj55rdbw4k4fm55i1-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/White-Paper-Mobile-App-Analytics.pdf
https://7t.co/blog/mobile-app-analytics-best-practices-how-to-improve-ui-ux-and-performance/
https://mixpanel.com/topics/what-is-mobile-analytics/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPWVUAyWsdg&t=1903s

The outbreak of coronavirus was tough on all. And last year when the virus hit us, the lockdown broke the mental walls of several people. Therapy app makers rushed to meet the rise of new customers. 
According to an American app market intelligence, last year, there was a 29 per cent rise in the consumers of first-time downloads of top 20 mental wellness app. Studies suggest that app stores are a host to 20,000 mental health apps. Now, if the app makers wish to survive this cut-throat competition, they not only ought to cater to the demands of the consumer but also create an ecosystem that is favourable for all. 

Experts claim that in the coming days, the mobile health industry is expected to reach a market size of $60 billion.

In this article, we will discuss how to convert your idea into an app, crucial features that make a mental health app get millions of downloads, regulatory guidelines for mobile mental health providers, cost development and a lot more. 

How to build the foundation of an app?

From the moment the idea of an app pops up in your head till it is uploaded on the app store, there is a tremendous amount of work that goes into it. While research and collaborating with therapist plays a great role in making the foundation of your mental app strong, we have pointed out a few more points that one should consider.

• Define your target audience 

According to World Health Organization’s (WHO) recent study, around 264 million adults around the globe have anxiety. Out of which, 179 million are female (63 per cent) and approximately 37 per cent are male. Owing to our fast-paced life, the prevalence of mental disorders has increased by a whopping 55 per cent. The outbreak of the COVID-19 virus is surely taking a toll on people’s mental health. Now, the first question that should pop into the app designer’s mind is ‘who am I making this app for?’. In addition to this, the app maker also must cater to a broad range of genders. And for the app to grow, addressing the demographic is truly vital. 

​According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), 25.1% of children between 13 and 18 years old are affected by the disorder. And as you grow older this per cent grows on increasing. So, age, gender and location form the basis of finding your target audience.

• Find your niche

There are several mental health disorders. Depending on your purpose and functionality you should decide on the categories that you wish to focus on. A generic app won’t fetch a large audience, however, if you are clear of the type that you want to focus on, it will be easy to attract a certain set of audience. Your app’s foundation depends on the recce you do. So, usually, a combination of abnormal thoughts, perceptions, emotions, behaviour, and relationships with others can fairly describe a mental disorder. 

Do your homework by following several mental health associations, understand the stats and research the various types of mental illness thoroughly before deciding your niche. Collaborating with a therapist or professional doctors will be a boon as they will guide you in the right direction. Before starting your work on the app, we recommend you visit the sites American Psychiatric Association App Evaluation Model and WHO. These portals will help you access things on several key criteria. The three major categories that one should consider is Mental disorder apps, Mental self-improvement apps, and General mental health apps. 
 

• Mental disorder apps
  

These are one of the most reliable types of apps. They focus on a few of the most common mental disorder such as depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and anxiety. Further, these apps provide help by connecting the patient to a professional doctor or therapist. Moreover, it gives them a chance to connect with other individuals who are going through the same issue which increases connectivity.

• Mental self-improvement apps
  

As the name suggests, these apps attend to people who have a clean prescription of not having any sort of a mental disorder. However, not suffering from any mental health issues does mean you don’t have any problems. These people are the ones who are experiencing debilitating mental issues. 
​

• General mental health apps
  

These apps are for the general public whether or not they suffer from a mental illness. The connectivity is immense. The guidance provided by the on-call therapists or doctor is life-changing.  

• Value proposition 
  

What you offer and deliver is what you get in return. A genuine app will survive any storm and the consumers ashore will rely on the value proposition offered by the founders. Define your approach and offer an end-to-end solution. Your value proposition must provide: 

• Transparency 
• Affordable rate
• Quality process and flexibility
• 24-hour support and guidance 
• CTB-based tips 

 Add these features to fetch millions of downloads 

So, you are in this for the long run. Once you have selected your audience, done with your research and spent enough time with the therapist understanding the mental illness segment – now you must figure out how to make the app more appealing. Once the consumer trusts your app, you are sure to go places. What tops the list though is the safety and security option. Assure your clients that their data is secure with the app. In addition to the trust factor, there are a plethora of facets that will make your app worthwhile. 

• The appearance 
  

While you are hoping to keep the look of the app creative, do not forget to keep it simple at the same time. Mind the colours that form the palette of the app. Bright colours are a complete no-no. Currently, nude, and pastel colour will make for a great pleasant look. Do not cluster the app, as people are viewing it on their phone. Make space as much as possible. Plot a grid and stick to it. Also, consider the different mobile sizes and operating systems. 

• Follow a UX approach
  

Keeping in mind your target audience, stick to a user-friendly approach. Meet the user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) needs and expectations.

• Self-monitoring 
  

To manage their stress, people usually like to self-monitor their daily checks. The app should contain tabs that monitor – mood, sleep cycle, food habits, thoughts, feelings, and symptoms.  

• We care about you
  

Do you know that being empathic is one of the most appreciated values? And considering the times that we are living in; users will appreciate notification and reminders that will motivate them. It is difficult to keep a track of all the things and that is when the reminders will come in handy. Notification of a motivational quote every morning will get them going for the rest of the day. 

• Tiggers and self-care
  

Consumers should be given a tab to monitor their triggers. Once the triggers are analyzed, appropriate self-care tips should be provided. 

• Music to your ears 
  

Incorporating a tab of soulful music will do wonders for the app. It will be a one-stop mental health app. It is clinically proven that music therapy can reduce anxiety and depression. It increases their self-esteem and verbalization, motivates them while keeping them emotionally safe. 

• Success stories and community 
  

Knowing that someone who has gone through the same ordeal and has overcome it will motivate the patients to hold their fort even stronger. People seek positive communication, support, and acceptance. Being a part of a community makes them feel included.

• Meditation for all
  

Meditating daily reduces the stress that causes most mental illness. Provide videos of simple, easy, and guided meditation. 

• Trackers
  

This seems like a far-fetched idea but provided the services of a GPS tracker will surely help the patient’s family. For instance, suppose a patient who is suffering from a severe mental illness has gone out for a walk or anything, and unfortunately due to the triggers, they are unable to find their way home. In such cases, the family can easily track them and get them home safely. 

• Matching clients with the therapist 
  

When the client enters the apps for the first time, make sure to ask them all the necessary questions. After analyzing them efficiently, prepare an algorithm that matches clients with righteous therapists.

• Feedback 
  

Any sort of feedback will help your app grow. Include a feedback section wherein the clients can pen their suggestions. 

Guidelines and Regulations

Client data is of utmost importance. It must be stored as per the guidelines provided by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) privacy standards. Also, to avoid criminal law and civil penalties, make sure that the mental health services are provided by a professional and licensed therapist. Encrypting app data is crucial. Provide verified passcodes and usernames. Biometric authentication will add to the security of the app. Here are a few other regulations to adhere to. 

• FDA and FTC guidelines: Before claiming on what your app is going to offer, go through all the rules and regulation set by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Apps that target just the symptoms with taking into consideration the diagnose are exempt from FDA oversight. FTC takes strict action against consumer frauds. 

• HIPAA compliance: Healthcare app developers need to comply with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) depending on the data that they are procuring from the clients. To figure if your app falls under HIPAA, answers the following questions: 

• What is the magnitude of the data collected?
• Who is using the app?
• Will the app be used by a covered entity (doctor, hospital, or health plan)?  

Costing of the app

The cost of building an app depends on pre-build, development, post-development, licensing, features you decide to add, marketing, and the number of hours spent in making the app. If the coding and development are done in-house, then the organization will take care of the rest. However, if you are looking to hire someone to develop the app, the location of the hired developer will largely determine their hourly rates. As per a survey done by a leading web development and digital marketing company, here are the country wise hourly cost for building an app. 

Country                                   Chargers (per hour)

US and Canada                            $50 to $250

India                                              $10 to $80

Australia                                       $50 to $150

Eastern Europe                           $20 To $150

Western Europe And The UK    $35 To $170

Let’s work together! 

One needs to understand the sector that they are venturing into. As mentioned, mental health is one of the most burning topics these days. Hence, measurable, and careful steps should be taken to design the app that will change the lives of many. Factors like trust, information backed by clinical research, privacy and resulted-oriented solutions are what your target audience is looking for in the app. The look of the app will depend on the perspective audience and classes of mental health apps that you wish to focus on. And most importantly, the features that will form the look of the app will be decided by the problems that your target audience face. 

We are sure that your vision to create a mental health app is a million-dollar idea. With this, you have achieved one of the most aspects of starting a business. We suggest you partner with us and we will take care of the rest. Now take a seat back and relax while we build an app that will touch the lives of many and get you the highest number of download hits!

You can contact the App Scoop mobile app development team on: 
https://app-scoop.com/contact-us.html

References:

• https://www.letsnurture.com/blog/aspects-to-consider-when-developing-a-mental-health-application.html
• https://mindsea.com/cost-to-build-mhealth-app/
• https://www.rankontechnologies.com/mobile-app-development-cost/
• https://blog.focal-point.com/when-does-hipaa-apply-to-health-apps

With little or no difference, you are in a pickle to choose the right product. Well, this is just a minuscule aspect of counterfeit products. Fake products, first, second and third copy products, phoney products have plagued the world of e-commerce. According to a recent report, about one-third of online sellers are facing this menace. In 2020, the amount of global counterfeiting had reached $1.80 Trillion, and the losses incurred by luxury brands was about $30 Bn. Some reports even suggest that an organization loses five per cent of their revenue to such frauds. 

Consumers and authentic sellers are both on the receiving end. While the genuine purveyors are losing the brand value, consumers on the other hand are losing their hard-earned money and the feeling of being cheated eats them up. Well, when a problem arises, there must be a solution to overcome it. Facts are emerging that Shopify Plugins integrate blockchain to determine the legitimacy of items and sellers. In fact, an American company is testing this concept. According, to the reports, this plugin is an amalgamation of blockchain technology and a cloud-based application called “TAM” that enables brands to generate non-fungible tokens (NFTs) that are pegged to physical assets. In NFT, a unit of data is stored on a blockchain. Upon analysis, the authenticity of the token is measured and included in the chain only if it unique.

Is Blockchain the solution for this?

To get to the solution we need to first understand what blockchain is. So, as the name suggests blockchain is a chain of blocks that contains information. It is a distributed ledger and once the data has been recorded in it, it is practically impossible to tamper with it. The distributed ledger technology (DLT) comes a boon for all as it provides excellent security for all online platforms. Blockchain when used with other technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), can restrict online frauds of counterfeit products to a great extent. 

How can businesses flourish under blockchain? 

In today’s world, a lot of e-commerce portals are willing to turn towards blockchain for various reasons. This concept applies to a wide range of industries and it is evolving every day. It is fast, easy to handle, needs no mediator, and its pros are endless. Shopify Plugin can use blockchain for authentication which might put an end to counterfeit products and to a large extent online fraud as well. Blockchain enables businesses to flourish by improving their efficiency in the following ways.

 1. Transparency, customer satisfaction and growth 

Instead of using a central entity to manage the chain, blockchain uses a P2P network. In this, the network participants have access holdings and transactions of public addresses. When the participants join the network, they get a whole copy of the blockchain. In the case of a malfunction where someone tries to create a block, it won’t be added to the chain unless all the participants have verified it. This ensures that there is no tampering. Further providing the seller and the customer with full transparency. This applies to the retailer, consumer, and manufacturer. 

The best part is the consumer will have access to all the important information such as how were the goods made, who is the actual manufacturer, where is the product coming from, did the manufacturer temper with any laws with making the products, just to name a few. And when the consumer is sure of all these aspects, it restores their faith in the manufacturer. One of the main aspects of any business is customer satisfaction. If transparency is something that assures them, the company-consumer relationship is bound to grow which indirectly beneficial for the business.  

 2. Fast, accurate and authentic 

​Radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags when used with blockchain solutions can provide increased security and traceability becomes easy. Be it a broken product, defective apparel, or a fake item, once they fall in the blockchain pattern, tracing it back to the source will put an end to lot issues. 

In today’s world, most of our consumers are health conscious. They are quite particular about what is included in their diet. In such cases, if brands provide them with access to traceability, the consumers can heave a sigh of relief knowing that their food is of the A1 quality. This ensures customer satisfaction, eliminates damaged goods, helps to curb counterfeiting while restoring the brand value.  

 3. Flawless cross-border payments and international reach 

When you start a business, you aim to flourish it and hope that it grows beyond boundaries. With the advent of technology and social media, your product can easily catch the consumer’s eye. Shipping can be taken care of, but the payment is something that might worry you. Blockchain enables business-to-business and person-to-person payments across borders. According to a study by this global and leading company, this trait will reduce the cost of the transaction by 40-80 per cent. Moreover, these transactions take place in real-time. With this, it is secure as it incurs public-private cryptography and multi-party authorization. Now, if your product is reaching the consumer across the border, your business is bound to reach new heights of success. 

See how we have helped companies develop their blockchain solutions. 

 Let us be a part of your journey 

While consumers today want nothing but the best, the menace of counterfeit products and other frauds haunt them. Blockchain is the present and future. We not only observe all the industries, but we are up to date with all the technology trends. And we believe that the inclusion of this technology will surely keep a check on such swindles. While e-commerce sites are trying the best to tackle this problem, we would like to offer our helping hand to all those who wish to transform their business and supply chain. Here’s why you should partner with us. 

• We believe in innovation, and we are open to new ideas.
• Our work of expertise in app development is impeccable.
• We are in constant pursuit of excellence. 
• Our value for money apps guarantees sure-shot business growth. 
• Our fast tech support and our free-flowing customer relationship define our work ethics.

You can contact the App-Scoop mobile app development team on: 
​https://app-scoop.com/contact-us.html

References: 

• https://realitems.shop/blogs/news/why-shopify-stores-need-the-blockchain?_pos=1&_sid=0694f5a59&_ss=r
• ​https://www.techtelegraph.co.uk/shopify-plugin-uses-blockchain-for-authentication/
• https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/banking/finance/banking/blockchain-tech-can-reduce-transaction-costs-ficci-pwc/articleshow/63004126.cms?from=mdr