A Brief Look at the Rise of Mobile Applications

The evolution of the mobile phone is a fascinating one. In its early stages in the 1990s, mobile phones were as heavy as a phone book whereas these days, they are almost as light as a notepad. While mobile phones were primarily invented as handy gadgets to provide a way for people to communicate with each other regardless of where they are (phone signals permitting, of course), many mobile phones today are virtually on-the-go computers. Smart phones don't just allow you to call and send text messages; they also allow you to check your e-mails, log on to your social networking accounts, and play games.

Today, mobile applications that allow those aforementioned tasks are the name of the game. Users usually don't mind paying extra to get the mobile apps they desire if it means a lot of benefits for them. It helps that they have a variety of mobile apps to choose from, ranging from maps to instant messaging. It's thus no wonder that mobile apps are a big business, especially when some apps are available for download at no cost.

Mobile apps are designed to run under two platforms: Android and iOS. This means that one can't download an iOS mobile app that is meant an Android phone, and vice versa. Businesses that want to keep the pace with their customers can create mobile apps with help from mobile app developers that allow easy product search and product order.

A Quick Look at Responsive Web Design

With the growing use of smartphones and other mobile devices everywhere, companies are scrambling to take advantage of this medium in expanding their business. Indeed, it has been found that smartphones can create an almost instantaneous response from customers who come across an advertisement for a product or service they are interested in.

While a business can make use of various mobile apps, company websites are still considered to be one of the most effective tools in marketing a business; it's often the site people go to for an online transaction. For this reason, IT specialists are trying to find the best way to make websites accessible for mobile devices. One of the techniques advocated by many IT practitioners, including Google, is responsive web design (RWD).

The objective behind RWD is to use the same website design, HTML, and URL for any platform, whether a PC, smartphone, or tablet. This requires adjusting a web page lay-out to fit the viewing area of the device. Due to the consistency in the content and design, it helps to promote branding and customer loyalty. It also makes sharing to the site easier, as it will not require redirection to a mobile-dedicated site.

However, one known disadvantage of the RWD technique is a slower performance, as the web page size is not sufficiently adjusted to allow for a faster processing time using mobile Internet access. Some experts also say mobile users may find navigation of RWD sites more difficult than mobile dedicated sites.

Making the Use of Mobile Apps Easy and Convenient

As the use of the Internet continues to rise dramatically, businesses have taken Internet marketing to a whole new level. Over the past few years, Internet shopping has seen tremendous growth, and a 2008 study showed that over 85% of people with Internet access have purchased something online.

Since then, the growing popularity of smartphones and PC tablets have added another layer to Internet marketing. As more and more people connect to the Internet using their mobile devices, companies are now looking at reaching out to mobile users through mobile apps.

Yet mobile app development presents several challenges. The limited screen size of phones and tablets means coming up with app designs that provide easy visuals for users. Additionally, mobile apps have to be easy to navigate and manipulate, something that is hard to achieve on a rather compact device. Likewise, compared to a PC, typing on a phone or tablet can be more challenging, particularly on touchscreen phones.

A good mobile app developer has to take of all these design factors into consideration. Mobile apps thus need to be more streamlined than those intended for PC use. Despite this challenge, effective mobile apps should allow transactions to be conducted in a relatively easy manner using phones and tablets. Mobile app developers also know how to make it more convenient for a user to switch from a PC to a mobile platform, through such processes as syncing and storing cookies.

Tips for Designing Mobile-Friendly Websites

A recent article on TVNZ.co.nz revealed that the number of New Zealanders who own smartphones has doubled compared to the previous year, with at least a 60 percent increase according to a global consultancy firm. This is good news indeed for smartphone manufacturers and distributors. If you belong to neither group but are looking to tap the mobile consumer market to enhance your market presence, then this development certainly bodes well for your company.

By hiring a mobile application development firm to design your mobile-friendly website, you can reach out to a wider audience. Keep in mind, however, that a mobile-friendly website must not be a duplicate of your main company website. Thus, when designing a mobile-friendly website, be sure to give it distinctive features like mobile-friendly games or social media links mobile users are likely to appreciate.

You can also throw in GPS functionality that allows customers to find your store locations using easy-to-follow directions. If you're in the business of selling products online, you can enhance your mobile-friendly website with a shopping cart feature. This way, customers can order our products online without needing to use a laptop or a PC. By equipping your mobile site with the appropriate enhancements, you can boost your sales conversion rates in no time.