What It Takes To Develop An iPhone App
There are many kinds of iPhone apps that one can develop, beyond the categories that Apple lists in the App store. As a person looking to develop an iPhone app, or to have one developed for you or your company, it is important to understand the main types of apps that you can create.
Basic Table Functionality Apps – These apps are more of a hierarchical type of app. You open a screen with a topic list, you click on one, and you have a new list to follow. A good example of this sort of app is the email app on your iPhone. These apps are the easiest to design and build and are a great option for businesses.
Games – Gaming apps have the largest range when it comes to complexity, and range from things that are simple in functionality to 3D games that require a physics engine to function.
Hardware or Firmware Modification or Enhancement Apps – Such apps are generally designed to make specific functions on an iPhon (like a camera, flash, or alarm) better, or to improve them.
Fully Dynamic Apps – Fully dynamic apps rely solely on information acquired externally from sources like Flipboard, Twitter, and Weather Channel.
Custom Utilities – Custom utility apps are designed to allow users to input their content in a specific way.
The app type you develop or get developed is generally determined by the amount of content you have and the level of control you want to possess over the whole process. It is important to note that you can get an iPhone app developed more quickly and cheaply if you have an idea of what sort of app you want to have developed.
The iPhone App Development Process
When it comes to iPhone application development, there is a very basic process that any developer follows. The process of developing an iPhone app can be broken down into four major parts. These are: idea, layout, design, and making the app live. Here is a brief breakdown of the entire process:
The Idea
The idea is the first step to creating an app. You need to have an idea of what you want to create. Looking at Apple’s app store, you will see that there are hundreds of directions that you could go; from games to simple information, to interactive apps. Often, the more complicated an app is, the costlier it will be – but there is a greater chance of getting return on investment with a better-designed app. For instance, games are rather complicated and costly to make, but the upside is that they can go viral very fast. When looking to create an app, it is important to have an idea of what you want. Find your sweet spot when it comes to budget and marketing.
Layout and Functionality
If you are planning to have an app developed, it would not be advisable to have the programmer handle everything, as he or she will probably not deliver what you are looking for. You need to either find someone who can translate programming into layman’s terms or invest a lot of time going through details. It is important to pick and think through the layout and functionality of an app to ensure that it serves its purpose and suits users on different ends.
Design
Apps usually require a team to complete. It is not a simple as building a website. However, when it comes to app design, the designer can be a web, print, or graphics designer. Once they have designed the images, they then can hand them over to you or a programmer who adds them into the right areas. Design usually comes after programming and functionality have clearly been defined. It is important to note that design often defines an app and will either make or break it. So don’t skimp on design.
Going Live
Once you have your app is built in XCode – which is the program that is used to create apps for Apple – you or your developer will then get the app on to Apple’s Store (iTunes) for it to go live. This usually requires the setting up of an iTunes Connect account and filling out the necessary information about your app – pricing, descriptions, icons, etc. The great thing about this process is that it is a onetime thing – if you decide to develop another app once you have your app in the store, and it has gone live, there is no need to sign up all over again.
The above are the most basic steps when it comes to the development of an iPhone app. If you are thinking of developing an app or are already in the process, it is important to ensure that the process follows the above procedure. However, there is much more to know about iPhone app development. It is, therefore, important that you take the time to do some more research to learn more about the process.