Editable Cross-Platform Mobile Apps – The Next-Gen of Mobile Apps
Abhishek Mishra
Senior Product Manager- Prefer to be Problem Obsessed over Solution Centered
Today, mobility has changed the way we do business. It is not more a trend – it is more of a revolution. There are roughly 120 million U.S. smartphone users and the global app economy which was worth $ 53Bn in 2012 is expected to rise to $ 143Bn in 2016. Today, people are using mobile devices to do their work, make searches, make decisions, purchases or make donations. Recognizing the growing opportunity, it is not surprising that businesses are showing interest in mobile apps. Many organizations have also recognized the power and benefits of their employees using mobile apps and therefore have started investing in employee productivity apps.
Crafting and creating a mobile app which works on all platforms is an art and requires sound knowledge of User Interface, User Experience and of course, knowledge of technology tools. A typical mobile app development cycle is
Define app specifications --> Develop Application User interface --> Develop business logic of the app --> Deploy on App store.
A very straight forward process which has been mastered by many. There are quite a few platforms and tricks which enable faster development of the apps. What happens if business needs any change in the app content? Well, the cycle repeats and every time, the businesses are dependent on the app developer for the same.
What if there are mobile apps which can be managed completely by business owners – yes, we mean a “content management system” for mobile apps? What if business owners can edit the content as frequently as they need it? What if it does not require going through the hurdle of app store review cycle every time? What if the app users can view the app content in offline mode but can anytime sync up with the latest content? These are what we call the next generation mobile apps.
According to us, here are some of the characteristics of Next-Gen Mobile Apps:
- Cross platform: In today’s time and age when everything has to be quicker and better, businesses cannot afford to build separate versions of the app for each mobile platform. You need one version which works on all platforms.
- Editable App: The app content should be editable without the need of any programming knowledge. Full control should be in the hands of the business owners who should be able to edit the app content – as simply as filling out a form!
- Offline/ Online Integration: Not everybody is connected to the Internet all the time. The app should allow offline viewing without compromising on the experience. At the same time, when possible, there should be an automatic sync-up which updates the app information with the latest information online.
- Interactivity: The apps should be highly interactive and keep the users engaged by using the latest features offered by smartphones - such as geo location, 3D views, orientation etc.
- Tracking: The apps should have in-built tracking and analytics which updates the app admin about the usage of various features of the app.
Do you think the next-gen apps have already arrived? I would be keen to know your views.