BLOG

Smartphones on Android and IOS have given application developers almost endless possibilities for creating multifunctional and, most importantly, convenient user apps. The development of a mobile app architecture is the first step towards creating such applications.

The development of the Internet and network standards, the introduction of machine learning and artificial intelligence into the operation of applications, and several other factors have led to a huge increase in the number of people using smartphones and tablets

In turn, we see the rapid growth of the app market which is estimated to hit $154 billion in total value by the end of this year at an average annual growth of 11.4% that should keep steady up until 2027. Let's take a look at how developers manage to create apps for such high demand and hit the spot amongst the vast competition.

What Is Mobile App Architecture?

Mobile architecture is a set of rules and methods that serve as the blueprint for a developer creating an application. The architecture is segmented into layers, the planning of which depends on the type of application, compatibility with certain devices, and so on. Having analyzed these levels, it becomes to understand exactly how developers make applications comfortable to use for a variety of devices.

The Levels of Mobile Application Architecture

It is important to understand that the layers of the mobile application architecture do not work in isolation but in terms of a single interconnected process.

Presentation level

It is this level that will be presented to the user as an interface. The size and type of the font, the location of the icons, the overall design - the user interface (UI) - that is, what this level is responsible for. Its convenience determines how effective the next two levels will be.

Business level

This layer provides the components necessary to follow the established business logic. The business layer is responsible, for instance, for making transactions, the data on which will be processed at the layer, which we will discuss below. Interactions with the user's story can be customized at this level according to the type of business. For example, if a user has made in-app purchases before, they may receive a newsletter, a special offer, and so on.

Data level

Without this level of mobile app architecture, the functioning of the previous one is impossible because it is here that it is planned how the client data are processed. Also, the necessary permissions for accessing data, algorithms for working with data, ways to save them, and so on are set here.

Maintenance level

It exists to establish interactions between the data layer and the layer responsible for the end user interface. The use of this level by developers is associated with the complexity of the functions that the application must perform.

Many transactions may be carried out in a single application, in which the business layer can negatively affect the operation of the UI. The service layer is designed to handle this job. For the same reason, there may be problems with transaction security, because at this level of the mobile application architecture, a limited set of operations that can be performed is defined.

As such, there are conditions that are necessary for the development of mobile app architecture levels to be truly optimal for the application:

• Simplicity of the interface;
• App navigation strategy;
• Optimization for a specific type of device;
• Accounting for Internet bandwidth of the target audience.

The simplicity of the interface can be trampled on, based on the desire of the designer to make the site as pleasing to the eye as possible. If the interface is not intuitive, it will negatively affect user engagement. For the same reason, careful attention to navigation strategies is important.

When settling navigation strategies, you must consider the specifics of the application and the conditions in which it will be used. In 2022, the choice of possible types of navigation is huge: scrolling, quick search in the application, gestures, and so on.

Navigation strategies and interface requirements are based on the types of devices used by the target audience. The developer takes into account the capabilities of devices, such as:

• Display size;
• Display resolution;
• Memory;
• Processor capabilities;
• Software version and so on.

Ultimately, the functionality that the developer can provide to the user depends on these features. In addition, it is necessary to take into account the Internet bandwidth of the target audience. It is this factor that often forces users to exchange a classic application for a progressive web app since the latter loads sections faster in poor Internet conditions.

Mobile App Architecture for Android and iOS

For app creation on these two operating systems, a similar mobile app architecture diagram can be used, but development on Android and iOS has some essential differences.

iOS appears to be a more complex OS for application development, as the developer is offered a set of recommended architectural standards focused primarily on the presentation layer. At the data level, most iOS applications offer the user to use a non-own device to process the request, but, when possible, send data to the server, therefore they are called "thin clients".

In turn, Android allows, through the use of fragments, to configure a more flexible application that will be optimized for most existing smartphones and tablets.

In the case of Android, there are several possible pitfalls to avoid:

• Ignoring the functionality of the application in offline mode;
• Blurring of boundaries between modules and their responsibilities;
• Setting services and activities as data sources.

Conclusion

From a basic presentation layer to the data level to the client-server mobile application architecture - handling the software "carcass" is a necessary part of application development. Modern apps are complex and feature-rich, forcing developers to create models that make it easier to create a new product. At the same time, mobile app architecture serves as an industry standard or can be used as a template provided by the client.

Professional selection of the required architecture is one of the most important parts of application development. Contact us if you are interested in developing your own application without sacrificing quality.

While working on an application, it is important to find the correct application type. Native, hybrid, and web app development have a lot of differences that must be taken into account. Attention should be paid to the accessibility of the information on different devices and the impact of the type on the app's user experience.

See how we're ranking on TopDevelopers' Top Software Development Companies if you're looking for reliable partners.

Native Apps vs Mobile Web Apps vs Hybrid Apps

Native apps' aim is to be used on a certain platform or device. This type of application works more quickly and correctly because they are optimized for a certain operating system. Native apps access to the hardware of the devices. That means that the geolocation, microphone, camera, contact book, and accelerometer are used in the apps' functions.

In essence, a web app is a website with partially developed pages. The final content of these pages is determined by the user's request. A mobile app is created for mobile devices and adapted for Windows, Android, or iOS. At the same time, hybrid solutions may pack some features of both native and web solutions. Now let's look at this issue in more detail.

Native App vs Web App

Native mobile apps are installed on devices and take up a certain amount of memory. They can be downloaded through the app store of a particular platform. Native apps have one important advantage: their development can be based on the individual requirements of the customer. Thus native apps are convenient for users.

The major benefits of native apps include:

• It is easy to assess the effectiveness of the entire app or its individual functions because data on users' actions can be collected and analyzed very quickly.
• It is useful for businesses because such apps allow customizing loyalty programs or promotions. For example, users can receive notifications when they are near a physical store or other business structures.
• Native apps are recognized as the closest to users' needs and interests. From time to time developers copy native apps' features and try to transfer them to web apps. But unfortunately, the design and speed of work fall short.

Admittedly, native apps have some downsides:

• They have to be approved by every app store.
• To create a good quality app, you need to invest a lot.

As opposed to native products, a web solution is used in combination with a web browser on the consumer's device. If web apps have a good design that includes zooming and scrolling, they will come very close to the work of native apps. They can be called personalized websites.

Web solutions also have two sides to their coin.

:heavy_plus_sign: Pros:

• you don't have to wait for a web app to be approved by app stores;
• they are faster to develop;
• this type of apps is easy to maintain;
• they can run on any platform.

:heavy_minus_sign: Cons:

• it may be difficult for users to search web solutions (since they are not listed in app stores);
• security control is very low because these types of apps are used over the network;
• there is only superficial access to device functionality. They cannot offer a personalized experience like native apps.

Every type of app has its upsides and downsides. Therefore, the choice of the app directly depends on the purpose of its use.

Hybrid App Development Facts You Should Know

Hybrid solutions can be installed on smartphones and are found in app markets. A hybrid app looks exactly like its native counterpart, but it works through WebView, a simplified browser.

Among the major advantages of hybrid software is the possibility to create visually rich projects (for example, games). A hybrid product works the same way across a number of platforms, so the developers are not limited to one platform. Two nice bonuses of hybrid apps are their functionality and the possibility of personalization.

But there are also some cons. If hybrid apps don't work well, app stores can reject them. You need more resources and more effort to create hybrid apps in comparison with web apps. And if we are looking to achieve a more in-depth product, opting for a native application should be the best route to take.

If you want to achieve maximum results, you need to work with professionals. The best way to get a product that satisfies your requirements is to find reliable profiled specialists. We have savvy programmers who can offer you top-of-the-line web app development services, hybrid product creation, and other services. If you want a personal approach to your project, feel free to contact us at any time.

The fight for human attention has become much tougher with the advent of smartphones. In this difficult situation, education is only one of the means of obtaining information. In this context, it is easier to understand why such a phenomenon as microlearning has arisen. Such a format can act as an independent tool or can serve as an addition to the training program. 

Microlearning simplifies heavy and extensive courses by breaking them down into smaller, essential components. Less important details of the subject matter are left out for a better understanding of the main points.

What Is Microlearning?

The microlearning approach has many advantages if the course is written by a professional. The idea of microlearning is based on the belief that smaller parts of the material that students constantly repeat are more effectively consumed by students as opposed to a full course of lectures at once. 

Microlearning involves, ideally, a ten-minute lesson, but videos of 20-30 seconds are also considered microlearning. The term itself is closely related to elearning, but ordinary flashcards can also be used in training (information is shown on the card for several seconds), reading short messages, repeating them, and so on. In the context of elearning, microlearning can take the form of a podcast, game, or blog.

Microlearning has become an important tool in business, although it is still to be popularized. Staff training has become more efficient and takes less time than explaining everything at once. But certain difficulties may arise. 

If there is no doubt about the effectiveness of microlearning in learning languages, then in other microlearning examples, learning in parts may not be suitable due to the specifics of the educational material (for instance, when learning to negotiate). Let's take a closer look at existing microlearning options.

Microlearning Examples

Practical learning

Practical microlearning techniques are characterized by the absence of an in-depth study of theory. The employee learns basic practical skills right at the workplace with the help of short training courses.

Video lessons

Video is the most convenient way to break large blocks into smaller ones, adding an interactive element to them. Typically, such videos are between 30 seconds and a minute long. 

Games

The game approach demonstrates high efficiency. Using a smartphone or PC, the learner can receive information in a playful way, which helps retain attention and reduce the stress inherent in standard types of learning. Games help overcome prejudice about learning by presenting it in an entertaining, exciting form.

Social networks

A person can receive information from sources to which he/she is subscribed. Social networks personalize content, encouraging students to further acquire relevant information and expand sources. The point of microlearning is to constantly address the material in small parts, which is ideally facilitated by social networks, perhaps even better than in all other microlearning examples.

Microlearning for Business

The emergence of microlearning is associated with the development of the global web and mobile devices. The benefits of microlearning for business, given the speed of technology development, are enormous.

Benefits for educators

Creating content for microlearning:

• takes less time than developing traditional courses;
• allows you to quickly change components based on new requirements;
• saves the time of employees and lets them focus on their profile;
• makes employees more productive via streamlined training.

Benefits for learners

Acquiring knowledge via microlearning allows to:

• study at any time;
• spend less time learning;
• dynamically influence the learning process;
• avoid unnecessary information.

The goal of any training process as a whole is to teach the staff how to achieve the goals of the organization. Microlearning contributes to this in such important ways as employee adaptation and content localization.

Localization

Localization becomes an issue when working with speakers of other languages, people of differing cultural values, and so on. The aforementioned ease of developing small blocks helps break these barriers. The format makes it easier to translate or change the blocks that employees need.

Adaptation

Detailed onboarding helps introduce the employee to the company culture and clarify their responsibilities. At this stage, it is easy to make a mistake by bombarding an employee with an unbearable amount of information. Microlearning for business tools will simplify the adaptation of an employee and protect the company from potential losses associated with the departure of an employee before the end of training.

What businesses can use microlearning?

The benefits of microlearning can be seen in the example of learning to work with software. Microlearning can provide practical game blocks because theory in working with the software will not be enough. The student can use the simulation without risk to the organization.

Microlearning may also come in handy for experienced employees that need to get a hang of a newly-introduced technology or tool. Cumbersome courses often shatter employees' enthusiasm by being overly difficult.

Conclusion

Microlearning can make learning fun, effective, and easy. It can be implemented as an independent part or addition to literally any type of activity. If you are interested in the idea of introducing elements of microlearning to your workflow - contact us to find out how to develop a microlearning solution that fits you best and how much it will cost.

Blockchain technologies have drastically changed the digital world, bringing data storage security to the new level. Anonymous and uncontrolled networks for transactions or any other vulnerable information have been made possible by the cutting-edge data distribution. While blockchain is immensely popular and sometimes even overrated, this technology still faces some issues due to the immature and inexperienced user community. Without saying, this sets the stage for numerous scam schemes. Our aim is to make the cryptocurrency fraud list of the 5 most common risk factors of blockchain projects.  We strive to ensure the security of your crypto interaction by raising your awareness of swindler strategies and market volatility.

Initial Coin Offering works similar to IPO. Blockchain startups launch ICOs for fundraising purposes. People invest money in promising cryptocurrencies and become the first blockchain network members. It gives decent technologies the opportunity to be lean and agile nowadays. However, investing your money in every single brand new ICO with favorable investment conditions is only an excellent idea in theory, not in reality.

You see, blockchain market is an independent and uncontrolled scope. No government can interfere in the network. At the same time, no authority is here to secure your investments in case of cryptocurrency fraud. Anybody can announce an ICO, promise more than beneficial terms and then vanish when a big enough sum of money is accumulated.

What is the solution? Always double-check the blockchain projects you are going to invest in. Monitor the news about this cryptocurrency and immediately bail if you are not entirely sure about its reliability and future.

As with any “real” currencies, Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other altcoins have their market price and can be exchanged. Cryptocurrencies still can’t really boast of universal coverage nowadays. Therefore, funds withdrawal requires you to convert your “coins” into actual currency. And this is where the tricky part comes in.

Blockchain technologies ensure user anonymity, which means every network participant gets zero information about the others. The only thing you know about other users is their wallet IDs, which are random character combinations. It seems like a no-brainer, but there is a tremendous potential to get scammed while exchanging funds. Once you’ve sent your money to someone, you can instantly bid it farewell, and the honesty of the person you’re trading with is a matter of luck.

Nevertheless, in order to create a safe exchange environment, the blockchain community has created global cryptocurrency marketplaces to reduce the exchange fraud impact on the market. Make sure to use trusted exchange service providers to minimize your scam risks.

Another common cryptocurrency scam scheme is the fake wallet services. For instance, the fraudsters offer to proceed your Bitcoin transactions via their blockchain web wallet. Even if you are smart enough to use Coinbase or Blockchain, sometimes it’s not enough.

Online criminals know what they are doing. Just like in case of fake MyEtherWallet, blockchain scammers create wallet apps identical to original ones (mobile, web or desktop) and boost their ratings to get high search results. MyEtherWallet’s forged twin was the top 3 IOS app in the finance category, and about 3000 people got scammed because of it!

A simple to follow but easy to forget rule is to use download links only from the original website and ignore any other wallet download offers.

Malicious software is a common thing on the web. Careless internet surfing, a couple of malware downloads, and your devices are not entirely yours anymore. Damaging private content is one thing, but when it comes to money security, the consequences can be colossal.

This is how malware can affect your blockchain experience:

• Steal login data;
• Steal wallet files;
• Interfere in your transactions in scammer’s favor.

One way or another, careless behavior inevitably gets you in trouble. Keep your antivirus software updated and consider multi-factor authentication to keep the cryptocurrency scam chances low.

This investment risk factor is the most discouraging one, as you can hardly have an impact on the volatile nature of blockchain networks. As new and unrefined technologies appear, criminals do their best to benefit from it. Geniuses behind cyberattacks steal millions, if not billions of dollars by bypassing the security of the system and taking cryptocurrency from networks. It leads to an immediate price drop and overall panic. You can’t really predict when and where the next security breach will take place. However, experienced and mature blockchain developers are more likely to build a product that withstands the attack and keeps your money safe.

Another matter is the so-called “blockchain fork”. Unable to resolve a dispute on the technical organization, cryptocurrency networks divide into independent parts to continue their development in the preferred way. Of course, such an occurrence can’t leave the network and its value unaffected, which is often not a promising perspective.

Is cryptocurrency fraud chance a valid reason to give up on this technology? Definitely not. Blockchain is the most trending IT-scope now, and it won’t stop growing in the future. Assess your risks thoroughly, rely on professionals, and your cryptocurrency experience will remain stable and beneficial.

We at Axisbits are doing our best to ensure the final project is safe and reliable. Trust our experience and protect your website from falling victim to scammers – reach out for a custom solution now.

‍

Heutzutage gibt es eine Reihe von Ansätzen für die Softwareentwicklung. Der beliebteste ist derzeit das Modell des agilen Softwareentwicklungsprozesses.

>

Lassen Sie uns über dieses Modell sprechen, damit Sie es besser verstehen können.

Agile ist nicht nur eine Methode, sondern eine Art zu denken und zu handeln. Die Methode legt den Schwerpunkt auf die inkrementelle Produktentwicklung durch die Erstellung einer Reihe von MVPs, durch kontinuierliches Lernen, Teamzusammenarbeit und Planung. Die entworfenen MVPs durchlaufen eine bestimmte Anzahl von Iterationen, zu denen jeweils Feedback eingeholt wird. Das Feedback wird berücksichtigt und die notwendigen Änderungen werden vorgenommen, bis das MVP als endgültig angesehen wird.

>

Agile ist eine bestimmte Denkweise, bei der es vor allem um Transparenz, Forschung und Anpassung geht. Die Anforderungen sowie die Lösungen entstehen im Prozess der Interaktion zwischen den funktionsübergreifenden Teams, die an dem Projekt arbeiten, und führen zu einer schnelleren Bereitstellung von Werten für die Verbraucher. Ausserdem richtet der Business-Ansatz den Prozess der Softwareentwicklung an den Bedürfnissen der Benutzer und den Unternehmenszielen des Kunden aus.

>

In der Tat ist agile Entwicklung jeder Produktentwicklungsprozess, der in Übereinstimmung mit den Konzepten des Agilen Manifests durchgeführt wird. Sie wurden von einer Gruppe von 14 führenden Vertretern der Softwarebranche aufgestellt. Darin wird behauptet, dass Individuen und Zusammenarbeit Vorrang vor Tools und Verfahren haben.

>

• Bedienungssoftware ist wichtiger als umfangreicher Papierkram.

• Die Zusammenarbeit mit dem Kunden dominiert die Vertragsverhandlungen.

• Auf Veränderungen zu reagieren ist wichtiger als sich an einen Plan zu halten.

Die Vorteile der agilen Methodik bei der Erstellung digitaler Lösungen sind also vielfältig:

• Der Kunde bekommt einen Auftragnehmer, der auf seine Anforderungen und Wünsche eingeht.

• Der Verkäufer kann sich auf qualitativ hochwertige Funktionen konzentrieren und die Zeit bis zur Markteinführung durch verbesserte Effizienz verkürzen. Er erhält das Feedback der Verbraucher schneller und passt das Produkt umgehend an ihre Bedürfnisse an.

• Die Entwickler können ihre unproduktiven Tätigkeiten reduzieren, indem sie auf die Erstellung unnötiger Spezifikationen verzichten oder sich mit anderen überflüssigen Dingen befassen und sich der Arbeit widmen, die ihnen wirklich Spass macht.

• Die Produktmanager können auf einfache Weise sicherstellen, dass der Entwicklungsprozess auf die Bedürfnisse der Kunden abgestimmt ist und Aufgaben neu priorisieren, um eine umfassende Wertschöpfung zu gewährleisten.

• Projektmanager können durch die Verwendung spezieller Diagramme und täglicher Besprechungen eine einfachere und detailliertere Planung und Fortschrittsverfolgung geniessen. Ausserdem lassen sich Probleme dank der schnellen Erkennung zügig lösen.

• PMOs und Führungskräfte verschiedener Ebenen können die Transparenz für eine bessere und effektivere Planung und Strategieanpassung nutzen.

Es gibt verschiedene Untergruppen von Agile und Entwickler verwenden oft die 2 beliebtesten – Scrum und Kanban.

Die Verfahren des agilen Scrum-Softwareentwicklungsprozesses sind aufgrund der spezifischen Begriffe und Praktiken – Rollen, Artefakte und Time Boxes – besonders. Ein solcher Ansatz erhöht die Effizienz beträchtlich und verkürzt die Zeit der Lösungserstellung durch die Aufteilung der Arbeit in kleine, überschaubare Teile, die in Sprints – den festgelegten Zeitabschnitten (die etwa 2-4 Wochen dauern) – durchgeführt werden. Ausserdem werden spezielle Rollen vorgeschrieben – wie ein Product Owner, ein Scrum Master und Teammitglieder. Ausserdem wird vom Projektteam häufig ein Scrum Board verwendet. Es ist ein Hilfsmittel zur Visualisierung des Arbeitsablaufs. Es ist in “Stories” unterteilt – kleine Abschnitte, die von der To-Do-Liste “Backlog” in den Bereich “Work-in-Progress” und weiter bis zur Fertigstellung verschoben werden.

Ein weiteres Werkzeug, das die Effektivität des agilen Prozesses in der Softwareentwicklung erleichtert, ist Kanban. Auch hier wird die Arbeit aufgeteilt und das Kanban Board dient zur Visualisierung. Der Unterschied zur Scrum-Methode im agilen Softwareentwicklungsprozess liegt in den bestehenden Beschränkungen. Bei Scrum ist es die Zeit, die für die Erledigung einer Aufgabe zur Verfügung steht, bei Kanban ist es der Umfang der erlaubten Arbeit. Ausserdem sind die Rollen nicht streng festgelegt, sondern können sich im Laufe der Arbeit weiterentwickeln. Die Teams für den Kanban-Ansatz müssen nicht unbedingt funktionsübergreifend sein, während dies bei Scrum unbedingt der Fall sein muss. Auch die Boards, die in beiden Ansätzen verwendet werden, sind unterschiedlich. Während in jedem Diagramm des agilen Softwareentwicklungsprozesses die Zustände des Arbeitsablaufs visualisiert werden, liegt der Schwerpunkt beim Scrum-Board auf dem Zeitplan und die Spalten spiegeln die Zeiträume wider, während beim Kanban-Board die Spalten die maximal zulässigen Stories zu einem bestimmten Zeitpunkt angeben.

Beide Methoden eignen sich gut für grosse und komplexe Projekte, da sie sich auf ununterbrochene Prozesse und Produktoptimierung konzentrieren, was zu mehr Effizienz und Qualität führt. Die Dokumentation des agilen Softwareentwicklungsprozesses wird zwar geopfert, aber die Sichtbarkeit des Workflows macht dies mehr als wett.

>

Wir sollten zugeben, dass es nicht von heute auf morgen geht, agil zu werden. Der Wunsch, die Arbeit richtig und zufriedenstellend zu gestalten, kann jedoch zu Entschlossenheit führen, da das Konzept von Agile heute fast zu einem Muss für jeden Entwickler geworden ist, der hochmoderne Produkte liefern möchte.

Was Sie in der ersten Runde tun sollten, ist, sich daran zu gewöhnen, grosse Funktionen in kleinere Aufgaben aufzuteilen und diese in kurzen Iterationen freizugeben. Auf diese Weise wird der Fortschritt für den Kunden sichtbar und das Entwicklungsteam kann das Produkt und den Prozess an die sich neu entwickelnden Anforderungen und Wünsche anpassen.

Der nächste Schritt auf dem Weg zur Agilität ist die Bildung von Funktionsteams, die besser funktionsübergreifend arbeiten, so dass sie in der Lage sind, eine Funktion von Anfang bis Ende völlig unabhängig zu entwickeln. Ausserdem sollten Sie eine richtige Mentalität innerhalb des Unternehmens schaffen, damit die Mitglieder die Notwendigkeit erkennen, sich ständig an eine sich schnell ändernde Situation und Anforderungen anzupassen, schnell und gut koordiniert zu sein und schnell zu denken.

Der agile Prozess in der Softwareentwicklung sollte eine Kombination aus kurzen Arbeitszyklen und Regressionstests sein. Daher sollten die richtigen Tools für diesen Zweck eingesetzt werden. Bei der mobilen Entwicklung passt der agile Ansatz perfekt, da die Fehler schnell beseitigt, die Funktionen zeitnah hinzugefügt und die Veröffentlichungszyklen kurz sein sollten, um das Interesse der Verbraucher an dem Produkt nicht zu verlieren.

Es ist schwierig, eindeutig zu beantworten, welcher Ansatz für das genaue Projekt besser ist, da wir dies für jeden einzelnen Fall individuell entscheiden. Axisbits-Kunden können sich mit beiden Optionen vertraut machen und diejenige wählen, die am besten zu ihren Bedürfnissen und Vorlieben passt.

>

Wir wiederum empfehlen die geeignetste und effizienteste Variante, die manchmal auch eine Mischung aus beiden Techniken sein kann. Schicken Sie uns Ihre Projektdetails, und wir werden es im Kontext des agilen Ansatzes der Softwareentwicklung prüfen.

2020 is coming and we are feeling excited about the things the upcoming year will bring us. But first, we would like to recall all the best articles 2019 brought. As always, our team revised all the materials and chose 5 TOP Axisbits Web and Mobile Development publications in 2019.

We selected the best 5 publications which, in our opinion, are the most informative and useful in bringing your ideas to life. This cherry-picked material is supposed to cast the light upon software development and how it can improve your business, manage startups and boost your sales rate.

Enjoy your reading!

There are some technologies, such as the Internet of Things, that can restructure and optimize the supply chain. Such networks already contain about 26 billion devices, and this number is expected to triple by 2025.

IoT has the power to connect various devices and sensors into a network that can work without further human intervention. Such an ecosystem will constantly generate, exchange, and collect “live” data, providing much more visibility to every process within the supply chain. The sensors can report on conditions and GPS, optimize energy consumption, and alert of potential dangers.

In fact, IoT can impact all aspects of the supply chain, from logistics to warehouse management, eliminating blind spots and inefficiencies. Are you curious as to what impact IoT may have on supply chain and logistics? How do you optimize the supply chain with IoT? Learn it from our review.

View the post

Chatbots are the most popular trend and technology of the modern day, which emerged with the rise of the Artificial Technology development. Bots influence every modern industry and sphere. Still, the greatest influence they have is on customer service, which they have totally transformed.

The technology has many advantages: 24/7 accessibility for the consumers, the possibility to simulate humans and to provide personalized service, as well as being cheap and simple in implementation, operation, and maintenance.

Read our article to find out more about the benefits of chatbots in more detail.

View the post

Thousands of companies operating in the US web development services market are making potential clients’ choice all the more difficult. More and more equally impressive sites need to be scrolled through, lots of feedback and pricing policies need to be analyzed.

It’s helpful to remember design is everywhere. Being eager to observe involves a lot more than having a hot-take on Snapchat’s new redesign. Seeking to learn from the real world helps unlock design thinking in more profound ways. Be on the hunt for opportunities to learn about experience design throughout your day (i.e. push/pull doors, queues, tv remotes, cars), not just when you’re looking at a screen.

However, well-planned, masterfully implemented solutions are what allows a certain dev establishment to be deemed as the best eCommerce web development company in the US and their clients to stay a step ahead of competitors.

View the post

Most startup creators prefer launching online in the form of web apps. Moreover, certain businesses are all-around based on web app solutions. E.g., Ally is an online bank that doesn’t have any offline headquarters or outlets for customers: it’s based on the web technology from the get-go.

The article discusses the major steps your development team or hired web application development services provider will have to go through to deliver an up-to-date startup.

View the post

Augmented Reality is the ability to add digital elements to a live view with the help of a camera. It may or may not include interaction with the components in the live view. However, what distinguishes it from Virtual Reality is the presence of a live view. Augmented reality for marketing, ecommerce and publicity is the next big thing and it’s prepared to shake the ecommerce world up!

View the post

Have you discovered something new from our list of best articles? We are looking forward to hearing about your impressions, suggestions and how the articles help you to improve your business. Contact us on info@axisbits.com and share your experience!

‍

Medicine and technology have been indiscerptible for lots of years. With the technological advance, billions of lives were saved and improved. It’s difficult to predict the next progressive step in the medical field or pharmaceuticals, but for sure modern medical app development should not be underestimated.

At present applications for Android, iOS, wearables or other devices are no longer anything specific but have already become an everyday attribute of many people. Technology is nowadays widely used to enhance healthcare, wearable health devices have proved their efficiency and are seen as the future of the medical sphere. Connected medical wearables have great potential and merging technologies make them more and more efficient and effective for patients. That’s why today we suggest looking at healthcare app development in more detail.

Category of the product developed. Most commonly medical apps are developed by startups, and then the client defines the peculiarities of the product. However, the startupers may just come with a revolutionizing idea. Often to realize it you should sweat a bit, or not a bit.

The other category – are the applications for the companies operating in the medical market already. They either want to incorporate custom software into their sophisticated medical devices or just want to implement online services to decrease paperwork and to automate appointments scheduling, relieving the lives of both patients and doctors.

Besides, you may deal with intermediaries. They are the companies or individuals having some medical idea, but lacking resources to bring it to life.

Device type. To craft a good software solution, you should make clear what device it’s for: either it’s a tablet, a smartphone, Android or iOs, an iPad, Apple Watch or possibly TV.

• Type of application created. You should define if your product would be one of the medical applications for Android, a location-based one, or a PWA.
• Platform. After the product type is defined, you may proceed to the choice of platform to work with. You may select a native application of a certain kind (developed for iOS or Android exclusively), decide on a cross-platform or hybrid one (operating on both platforms) or go for a progressive web app.
• Set of features. The next vital step in our checklist would be to define the features necessary for your medical app according to its purpose and specifics. According to statistics, just 11% of the contemporary healthcare applications offer their users the desirable functionalities. So be careful and reasonable in defining the features you want to implement.

The ways in which the companies may get involved in the explosive advance of the medical industry are manifold the specifics and functionality may be extremely variable. However, following the checklist above, you’ll get a clear picture of the product to craft.

1. Strategies for mobile product development.

As soon as you have the idea and the approach specified, work out the strategy of how to develop the medical app you have in mind and deploy it.

First of all, it makes sense to narrow the focus of your project, figure out your target user, his biggest pains and the way you may relieve them.

The next trick that works is to isolate the project team from other responsibilities, unnecessary interruptions often slow the project down very sensitively. That’s, by the way, why Project Managers should be involved. They then communicate with the customer/boss and prevent misunderstandings from communication between him and the tech specialists.

A good idea is always to provide your product with a personality. Imagine who it would look like, is it trustworthy and solid, or creative and light, easy –to deal with and approachable, whatever… . It will help create a connection with your users and improve customer experience in the end.

With all the medicine-related apps security standards and protection of all sensitive info are especially important. Think of the data encryption and other protective strategies for your solution, to make sure that all the standards are followed and methods used to keep the delicate details private and secure.

2. Useful tools and frameworks.

The technologies and tools for each particular app are defined by its requirements, user needs, and the developers’ intentions and preferences. The list of them can be quite long. Still, we’ll refer to only some of the most used frameworks and tools to consider for the medical app development.

React Native technology works well for CRMS and marketplaces. It allows to easily duplicate web data and complement the product with mobile features. Swift and Kotlin languages are used for iOS and Android respectively when the implementation is needed in the native technological stack.

Besides, one should keep Ionic in mind, an open-source SDK for hybrid mobile apps design. It provides a library of native components for each platform, however, requires Node.js for proper operation. The number of products built on it already exceeds 5 mln.

Node.js and PHP can be considered in each particular case. Both technologies are a good choice for API development, since they are fast secure and reliable. Being server-side technologies they successfully serve the purpose of making web pages dynamic and interactive. Both PHP and Node.js can operate in their runtime environments. The choice of one technology in favor of another is only subject to the nature of the projects carried out.

Working with all the tools and technologies mentioned above, Axisbits is capable to combine them in the most effective and optimum way in order to ensure the best result and the maximum benefit from the end product.

When dealing with people’s health the aspects of privacy and information security are especially actual. Sharing and transferring of sensitive medical info is regulated all over the world. With the technological advance governmental regulations started dealing with the protection of healthcare info transmitted between servers and access restrictions to it for unauthorized entities. In the USA the main standard is HIPAA – Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act issued in 1996.

So every healthcare app designed for the United States should meet the standards set by it.

In Europe there are, for instance, Data Protection and e-Privacy Directives /EC.

The same works for other countries and regions. So the modern developers should be very careful and always check the compliance of the product security standards with the ones acting in the area.

No matter what software you need to develop, whether it’s a solution for a patient remote monitoring device, a managing or an analytical tool for healthcare, a reminder app or the one for keeping to healthy standards of living, remember that security is your priority.

Being now aware of the technologies, frameworks, platforms, and tools available, you can create your own checklist for mobile medical app development, meeting your needs. It’s always better to trust work to real experts, but with the medicine-related solutions, it’s an especially important aspect to think of. Axisbits can help you keep the balance between novelty and high standards of security. We develop custom software on request and can do it for you.

‍

Billions of shoppers all over the world use retail mobile apps nowadays and find it much easier than to shop in land-based stores or through the websites. According to Statista, almost 80% of consumers in the USA have minimum 1 retail application on their smartphones.

The mobile retail commerce revenue in America only is going to surpass 268 billion USD in 2020 already. It’s nearly two times up from 148 billion in 2018. More than that the share of mobile time spent in apps almost always exceeds 50 % and often reaches up to 85% compared to websites.

Obviously, to offer a good product is not nowadays enough to gain the attention of your potential customers. Hit the home screens of consumer smartphones with your retail solution, offering them a perfect customer experience, novelty, speed, and convenience and you’ll get a great competitive advantage over your rivals.

To prosper in any trade nowadays simply going online is also not enough anymore, you should go mobile. Still, to be successful you should realize the challenges and preferences of the users. Then it will help enhance your commerce in various ways.

Increased reach

The biggest advantage of any retail mobile app is that it can reach the buyer anywhere and anytime. Modern people are almost inseparable from their gadgets and do many things on the go. That’s why the demand for applications grows every day. As of the 1st quarter of 2019, there were 2.1 million Android applications offered on Google Play and nearly 1.8 million iOS solutions in the Apple store.

Clients’ better loyalty

A retail mobile app allows direct interaction between the client and the company. So through notifications and recommendations, you can keep the customers connected to your brand and constantly engaged. Besides, special offers, discount programs, and gamification can serve the same purpose. Every client can then decide for himself how to benefit from your solution.

Improved efficiency

Modern applications allow efficiently keep track of financial aspects and realize inventory management. Besides, through a mobile solution you can benefit from various scheduling tools, real-time inventory check-ups, CRMs, and other functions, which facilitate better customer service. A present-day mobile client expects end-to-end support, so as a retailer you should not only sell goods, support monetary transactions the orders out, but keep to all modern retail mobile app trends, provide an intuitive interface, engaging UX, and easy to use features in your solution.

To really enrich the in-store shopping experience and increase customer flow, your mobile solution should have certain features to facilitate the process through the cutting-edge technologies and tools. Below we’ve tried to figure out the 7 most important features to consider for your effective and successful product.

Easy and quick registration/authorization

Everybody now values time and convenience, so lengthy and complicated processes of registration and authorization may put the customers off your mobile app. In case your registration form requires too many details on part of the client, the interest may be lost. Reduce the trivial details as much as it’s possible.

Manifold payment methods

The more payment options you can offer to the consumers, the wider client base you will gain. Every person prefers the payment method he or she is used to. So it’s important to realize the preferences of the clients of different categories and localities.

Reviews and ratings

Today the reviews of real users are much more valued by the existing and potential customers than the official descriptions of various goods. You may integrate popular review platforms into your product or develop your own features for ratings and reviews. It’s important to remember here that negative reviews might be an advantage. They add trustworthiness to your app and business on the whole, so you should not be afraid of them.

Wish list option

Many of us find wish list a fascinating option when we are on the go. It allows to save, share and come back to a certain item when it’s convenient for us. Without such an option the chances to lose clients are high, so do not underestimate it. Moreover, this is actually a good remarketing campaign, since your customers come back to the bookmarked items either to purchase them or to review in more detail and choose something else.

One-step checkout

The easier the process, the more it enables users to complete the orders. Avoid asking for the details, which can be saved once and for multiple purchases, like card details or shipping address. This info can be securely saved in the client’s profile.

Push notifications

Notifications are a great feature to enhance engagement. They may work as a reminder for those users, who have just installed an app and forget about it. Besides, they can alert customers about the offers, promotions, and discounts you held, scaling the sales up and snowballing your profit.

Offline mode

Everybody nowadays values the uninterrupted experience with various solutions. Implementing the offline mode, you improve not only your app UX but performance on the whole. However, the task may be challenging, because the process requires pre-caching of big data scope.

A sophisticated retail mobile app can boost your sales in many ways. It’s important not only to mechanically implement the features, mentioned above but to study your target audience, their preferences and demands. Besides, it’s vital to entrust your digital solution creation to a professional team, like Axisbits. It’s a guarantee that you will not ruin your customers’ impression about your business through the mobile solution you offer.

‍