technology

5 Things to Consider Before Building Your Own App

As mobile app providers, we’ve heard it all. From having a member associate building a meeting app to designating a team within your internal IT staff to have an app built by next year.

But is building an app really that simple? As mobile app developers, our simple answer is no.

We’re not here to just toot our own horn on being a fully-featured, cost effective mobile solution. We have been in the business for over five years and know a thing or two about building apps.

We aren’t saying it can’t be done. It very well can. But there are a few things to consider first…

The Number of Devices to Support

Native apps, or those downloaded from app stores, are particularly popular for their added functionality.

When building your own app, you have to understand the requirements of the various platforms you will support, including iOS, Android, and Windows Phone.

Mobile devices themselves come with their own constraints. Varying in battery life, screen size, and bandwidth consumption. For example, not preparing for hundreds of devices logging into the same mobile app under a single Wi-Fi network is sure to be problematic.

The Need for Security

Your app will hold some sensitive information, like user contact information and organizational data.

When it comes to app content, you need to ensure the right people can access the right information. Even further, you need to prevent the wrong people from accessing the wrong information on your app.

This need for securing your app means you need to set permissions and login restrictions for users. Implement data encryption where needed. Have a set procedure in place for data theft and leakage.

The Idea of Freemium

Some providers allow you to build your own mobile app with their software for free. Although this may sound like a dream come true, most of these apps come with their limitations, such as:

Number of app users allowed
Sponsorship and advertising options
Number of features
Lifetime of app and data retrieval

Find out what limitations you will be faced with before you begin building. That way, you can decide if you can do without them without committing your time and energy.