Misc Tips for Building a Popular iPhone App

Tips for Building a Popular iPhone App

App development is a multi-billion dollar industry. According to statistics, the industry will be worth over $350 billion by 2027. And it’s easy to see why. Many businesses and even individuals use mobile apps–for entertainment, finances, health, education, art, travel, and communication.

While there are several options for app developers to choose from, the iOS platform stands out. iOS is generally easier to develop apps for, and iOS apps require less development time and are cheaper to build and maintain.

Therefore, building an app for iPhone users may be one of the best decisions for an app developer. But it's not going to be easy. Apple has some of the most stringent guidelines for its app developers. This post explains four tips you can use to build a popular iPhone app from scratch.

1. Do your Research

Building a popular app is more like starting a business. The initial step is proper research. Ask yourself if there are other apps already offering what you intend to provide. If so, what do you plan to improve to stand out?

For example, Carvana, an online-only dealership, has managed to stand out from other car sellers. The company allows car buyers to buy cars without ever stepping into a dealership. This is one thing Carvana competitors have failed to do right for many years.

There are over 2 million active apps on Apple's app store, so getting noticed will be difficult. Look at the different app categories and gauge your app's potential before you start developing it. Know your audience, your competitors, and effective ways of marketing an app. Spend enough time on research before you embark on app development to ensure you know what you're getting into.

2. Check Apple's App Store Guidelines

All mobile platforms have rules and regulations app developers must comply with before gaining acceptance. Tech companies have set these guiding principles to ensure app developers do a good job and app users have a safe and seamless experience. A team of experts reviews every detail of an app before passing it to the editorial team.

Apple rules are considered the strictest for app developers, but they’re not hard to comply with. Ensure you meet all the safety, design, legal, business, and performance requirements before submitting your app. Your developers can help you analyze these before submission.

3. Sketch it on Paper

You must have a visual idea of what you want your app to look like. Using pen and paper, outline all the features you intend to include and share them with your app development team. Here’s what to cover:

• App concept and wireframing: Once you've outlined all the requirements and how you want the app to look, your designers should create wireframes showing how the end product will look.
• User experience: Make sure the app is eye-catching, user-friendly, and functional.
• Software architecture: The designers should ensure the app is stable and scalable.

4. Develop the App

Once you’ve completed the above three steps, it's time to bring your idea to life. The development stage requires great design and coding skills. Hire professional designers or coders to build the app if you lack the skills. Before engaging app developers, ask to see the apps they’ve built and how long they've been doing it.

Of course, they should have developed apps in the same niche as yours. Ask all the right questions, and let price not be an issue if the developer can guarantee great results.