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Here are some risks associated with developing and launching your own mobile app and how to address them

There is no denying that developing mobile apps can be very lucrative at this point in time. With the way technology is evolving and constantly pushing towards mobile platforms, establishing a foothold in the mobile app industry is a pretty smart move. When building a mobile app, most developers prepare themselves for the long hours of work and extensive development time for the project. But there are a lot of factors that need to be taken into account. If not, you could find yourself at the end of the road with a lacklustre app, or one that isn’t good enough to fill the huge hole in your budget made by unplanned for expenses.

Professional skills

Working with mobile apps is always challenging, and if you are aiming for top notch premium apps, you will find that oftentimes, you need to learn new things, or have knowledge about a lot of aspects regarding apps and app development. If a project requires you to have a particular set of skills which you don’t have, you will need to outsource that bit of the project. Bringing people from the outside can be costly, as they will require a full paycheck regardless of the fact that they only provide a specific, limited service.

Also read: Modern mobile app development: Cutting-edge trends you should not miss

Versatility

Mobile apps are used across a plethora of platforms. It’s true that two of them stand out from the crowd in a very distinctive manner, but the bottom line is that you have to develop your app for more operating systems, and that will entail some cost. The technology is not quite in a place where a single app could be used across several platforms. There are a lot of elements that hinder this, such as differing screen sizes. Also, leaving smaller operating systems like Windows Phone or BlackBerry OS out of the picture will be detrimental to your business since you are straight up gutting a portion of your potential revenue source.

User experience

As a mobile app developer, it is very important to consider the fact that your users will be using the app in multiple scenarios and probably in different environments. This greatly affects your app’s performance and/or relevance if you only design it as a rigid service that only works under a particular set of parameters. Not taking these factors into considerations can have impactful consequences.

App launch

Most app developers appeal to the likes of Apple and Google when it comes to releasing their applications. The best way to get your app out there and get some exposure is by submitting it to one of these two platforms, or even both of them. As the biggest two app stores in the world, the App Store and Play Store is a no-brainer for most.

But not many see the ramifications of this. By having your product on their platform, you agree to build your app after their standards. This means you might have to delay the app launch or change things so that they match the app store’s policies. There is also the alternative of releasing your application independently, through your own website or another web sharing platform.

Marketing

Your app could have a very good launch, and all might seem great. But the truth is that without a marketing campaign to follow up on the success of your app, it won’t last very long. Once you release the app, some say that’s when the hard part really begins. In a highly competitive scene, you need to strongly emphasise on promotion, which might put a dent in your budget.

Also read: Building a mobile app? Here’s how to address security threats

Maintenance and revisions

Similar to marketing, an app needs maintenance if it’s going to thrive in the environment you’re placing it in. This means that app revisions and customer feedback are a must, and they are crucial to keeping your app relevant. Not only that, but users won’t bother with an outdated app. It has been proven that users tend to get attached to apps they really like, but at the same time they won’t think twice about deleting an app that doesn’t appeal to them anymore. Maintenance is going to imply a lot of hours of extra work, spread across the entire life span of your application.

Conclusion

Developing an app is never an easy job, but many developers do it without truly knowing what they’re getting themselves into. This leads to a lot of problems occurring in the process, which hinder the performance and efficiency of an app, as well as its image in the public eye.

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