Last Updated on 2024-10-11
Three billion smartphone users spent over $100 billion on mobile apps in 2019. In addition to the large revenue potential of the mobile app market, startups, and established companies understand the value of having their services available on smartphones for higher availability and a more seamless experience.
There is huge potential here:
- Whether you’re aiming to build an app that provides a valuable service and generates revenue directly or,
- an app that integrates, streamlines, enhances, and augments an existing solution or service.
Understanding the mobile app development challenges will provide valuable insight — whether you are a developer, entrepreneur, or individual who wants to learn more about mobile development.
Unfortunately, developing a solid mobile app is complex. You’ve got to make something that people need, then get them to use it, and still, you will almost always have stiff competition. There are over 2 million apps on Google’s Play Store and Apple’s App Store.
There’s no silver bullet in this highly competitive market for developing a successful mobile application. In this article, we’ll cover some of the top challenges in mobile app development and how to manage them.
Challenge #1: Deciding What to Make
All mobile apps fall into one of two categories: revolutionary and evolutionary. A revolutionary app is unique, has no competition, and is the first of its kind. For example, an app that could turn coal into gold would be considered revolutionary (and very lucrative).
On the other hand, an evolutionary app is based on a preexisting app. It adds value by innovating, adding new features, or doing a better job overall than its competitors.
Many successful revolutionary apps eventually become evolutionary. In the case of the app Coal2Gold, it turns out that an app that transforms coal into gold is very popular (who would have thought?).
Other developers see its success, and before long, similar apps begin to pop up: Coal2PureGold, Coal2Platinum, Gold2Coal, and the App Store chart-topper Coal2Diamonds.
These apps are evolutionary because they were based on an already existing app. A vast majority of mobile apps are evolutionary for the simple reason that it is harder to come up with an original idea.
Regardless of the type of app, you must:
- Clearly define its purpose
- Create a value proposition
- Identify your target audience
Thousands of new apps are created each day. You want your app to be memorable. Decide if you want to prioritize your vision or your users’ desires. Do you want to be unique, or do you want to build on an existing mobile app? It is easier to find a gap in an existing market than it is to open up a new market.
Challenge #2: Working Alone or in a Team
Individuals have created some popular apps, but most of the top apps are created by teams. Working alone or with a team has its perks and downsides.
If you work alone, you decide how to implement things. You know everything about the app and understand it 100%. The upsides of working in a team include wider knowledge, experience, and expertise, as well as different ideas, perspectives, and opinions.
A team can usually make more effective decisions than an individual. Teammates can utilize their strengths to develop the app faster and more efficiently.
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Challenge #3: Choosing the Development Platform and Language
If you have a team of expert Java developers and your task is to create an app that enables its users to locate and rate cheesecakes from all over the world, which programming language should you use to create the app? The most apparent answer would be “Java”, but the more likely answer would be “that depends”.
Here are two main factors to consider when deciding on your development platform and language:
- The expertise and preference of you and your team
- The complexity and type of mobile app you are trying to make
Are you planning to target only Android devices or are you also planning to have an iOS version, too? If both, you’ll either need iOS developers or a cross-platform development solution like React Native, Xamarin, or Flutter. For simple apps, PhoneGap or Appcelerator are also valid options.
It’s typically more expensive to target individual platforms natively rather than doing cross-platform development. However, the advantage of native applications is that they typically perform better and can be more optimal than their cross-platform counterparts.
If your app is quite simple, maybe your Java team wants to try a new language like Kotlin. For a very complex app, it might be better to stay within their comfort zone.
Your ideal platform or language also depends on your app’s requirements. Does your app have augmented reality or virtual reality features? The vast majority of augmented reality and virtual reality applications are built using Unity (C#). So, that would probably be your best bet. Building a complex mobile game? Your best bet would probably be C++ or C#.
Understanding your app’s requirements and your manpower capabilities will enable you to make the right choice when selecting your development language and platform.
Challenge #4: Knowing When to Release Your App
Releasing your app at the right stage of its maturity is critical to its success. Should you release your mobile app when complete, or should you release it as soon as you have a working prototype? Here are some points to consider:
- 100% of surveyed users prefer apps that exist to those that don’t. In general, it is best to release your app as soon as you have your minimum viable product (MVP). Getting your app on the market lets you test demand, get feedback quickly, and helps to determine whether you moving in the right direction.
- The type of app. If you are dealing with sensitive data such as personal information, you’d better make sure that your app’s security is sound before releasing it. Any breach in security will bring about some of the worst PR imaginable. On the other hand, a minor bug in a mobile game won’t be as devastating.
- Supply and demand. If there are many apps like yours, negative user experience can easily drive potential users to your competitors. However, if your app provides value that other apps don’t, users will be more inclined to stick with your app and even give helpful feedback if given the chance.
Your app can always get better, but please release it so that others can provide feedback and criticism. What you think is really awesome, might not be so awesome for your users… and vice versa.
The users may not always be right, but they are THE USERS, so
Final Thoughts
There will always be mobile app development challenges and considerations that top mobile application developers must face when creating mobile apps and we’ve covered some of them here.
By understanding these challenges and using your knowledge and experience to deal with them accordingly, you will have a better mobile app development experience.
At Full Scale, we have extensive experience and knowledge of mobile app development. Our mobile app developers challenge convention while following industry standards — to create meaningful and useful applications.
If you’re a startup owner who needs expert native and cross-platform mobile developers, we can help you implement your ideas. You can contact us for advice on how to turn your mobile app idea into reality.
Matt Watson is a serial tech entrepreneur who has started four companies and had a nine-figure exit. He was the founder and CTO of VinSolutions, the #1 CRM software used in today’s automotive industry. He has over twenty years of experience working as a tech CTO and building cutting-edge SaaS solutions.
As the CEO of Full Scale, he has helped over 100 tech companies build their software services and development teams. Full Scale specializes in helping tech companies grow by augmenting their in-house teams with software development talent from the Philippines.
Matt hosts Startup Hustle, a top podcast about entrepreneurship with over 6 million downloads. He has a wealth of knowledge about startups and business from his personal experience and from interviewing hundreds of other entrepreneurs.
