With Android 10, Google brought its tradition to name operating systems behind desserts to a halt. 

Android 10 was a testament to the growth and maturity graph that Google has taken. The same principles are being carried over by Android 11 developer preview now. While we are some months away from playing around the final build, the recent developer preview is a sufficient peek into where Google wants to take the operating system. 

With every new update, it is not just the Android app developers who get excited. The stakeholders on the other side of the coin – the app owners – also sit on the edge of their seats everytime around the mid of May when a new version is announced at the Google I/O events.  

Before we look into the ways Android 11 changes the app domain for the entrepreneurs who own Android apps, let us look into the new android features that have been introduced with the Android 11 highlights. 

Android 11 Features Set

1.  Multiple Improvements for Messaging 

Going by the Android latest version features, a lot is being done to improve the users’ messaging experience on Android. Here are the upgrades that have been introduced:

• Chat bubbles – Android 11 chat bubbles hide all the ongoing conversations in little bubbles on the side of the screen. You can move the bubbles around and tap them to reveal the specific conversations. 
• To make the process of getting messages real-time, Android 11 has introduced a dedicated conversation section in the notification shade, offering instant access to all the ongoing conversations you are having. 
• With the Android 11 concept it will now be possible to send images when replying to a message from notifications. 

2.  One-Time Permission

If you look back at Android 10, one of the ebay things about it was how app permissions was handled. Android 10 gave the users a lot more control over the apps and what they could access. Android 11 keeps the train rolling.

Now, when the app asks for permission to use intricate features, the users can grant access on a one-time basis. The application will use the permission during the time you use the application. And the moment you quit the app, the permission will be revoked. 

3.  Built-in Screen Recorder

Since the past few releases, the Android users have been desperately waiting for Google to incorporate a built-in screen recorder.  Although the chances anyone would need it on an everyday basis is very slim but the function is pretty basic, so the wait for it to get integrated was annoying. 

Android 11 update will change this. Developer Preview 2 showed a screen recorder which was accompanied by an extremely polished UI and toggle for recording the audio and showing the touches in the recording. 

4.  Adaptation on Different Screen Types 

If there is one space where we can say that true advancements have happened in the Android ecosystem, it is in terms of foldable devices. 2020 is going to witness a lot of new additions in the foldable smartphone market – all running at different screen sizes and resolutions. 

The OS 11 has been developed to run on the foldable devices effortlessly. Thus marketing the time to start working on foldable smartphones app development. 

5.  Preparations for 5G

5G started making news by the second half of the last year and what has gone off in 2020, with coronavirus pandemic affecting a number of industries and technologies, the need for 5G adoption has only grown in the world. 

To help the smooth processing, Android 11 has added a very important “Dynamic Meterdness API”. One that would allow smartphones to take the complete advantage set that 5G brings. 

Once the API detects that you are connected to unlimited 5G, you will be able to access the highest possible graphics and videos quality and other intricacies that come adorned with the 5G technology. 

Now that we have looked into the Android new features & API, let us shift the focus on how these additions would bring a change in the functionality of your existing app.

What Would Migrating Apps to Android 11 Mean for Your Android App?

If you look at the Android 11 developer preview documentation, you will find that it is divided into three categories: Behaviour Changes, Privacy Features, and New Features & APIs. Under all the categories, there are pointers which carry an impact on the application’s performance. 

While majorly your partnered android app development company will look into those changes, let us look into the things that you should be on top of. 

1.  The users can restrict when permission dialog appears

Android 11 will discourage repeated requests for a single permission. If your users click on ‘Deny’ twice for a specific permission, it would imply ‘Don’t ask Again’. What this translates to is that you will have to clearly convey and convince the reason behind asking for permission in your marketing methods or through your MVP features. 

2.   App usage stats will be kept private 

For better protecting the users data, Android 11 will store all the users’ app usage statistics in the credential encrypted storage. Thus, neither the app or any system can access the data unless certain coding work is done. Which, in turn, is dependent on two conditions:

• Users unlock their devices the first time after system startup
• Users switch to their account on the device. 

So, until your developer knows the workaround, you will face issues in viewing the app usage statistics. 

3.   Lowered data redundancy 

In situations that involve media playback or machine learning, the application might want to use the same large dataset on another application. In the earlier versions of Android, your and another app had to download a separate copy of the dataset, each. 

To lower the data redundancy on disk and the network, Android 11 allows the large datasets to get cached on devices using shared data blobs. 

4.  Greater clarity on app process exit reasons 

Android 11 has introduced a new feature under which reports carrying the reasons for recent process terminations will be generated. The app owners will not be able to gather data around crash diagnostics in detail – whether a process has been terminated because of memory issues, ANRs or other reasons. It is one of the main advantage of new features introduced by Android 11. 

5.   Expediting incremental APK installation 

Installing the large APKs on devices tend to take a long time, even if you made a small change. Seeing how app updates matter, Google has introduced Incremental APK installation in Android 11. It accelerates the process by installing enough of the APK needed to launch the app while streaming the rest of the data in background. 

6.  Greater support for neural network applications

If your application is based on Machine Learning and Neural Networks, Android 11 will only make it more beneficial. With its new Neural Networks API 1.3, Android is taking efforts to make your Machine Learning apps run smoothly on devices. It is time to bring your AI project management process in line and develop new use cases around the disruptive technology. 

7.  An infrastructure to benefit from 5G 

There are many benefits that 5G brings to mobile apps. With Android 11 now extending full support to the technology, businesses can now benefit from a greater streaming speed, fast file transfer, zero latency – overall, heightened user experience. 

The Countdown for Android 11 is on. Don’t Get Left Behind. Let us Help You. 

The time between a new OS launch and the time when companies start preparing their application for the version is wide. And generally, the companies that end up taking a lot of time to get their app ready for the next update tend to suffer from the consequences of cut-throat competition. 

Our Android developers have already started perusing the Android 11 developer preview document and experimenting around it on our test applications. This means, we will be ready to bring your application on Android 11 in time of its launch. 

Get in touch with our team of Android experts to get your plans of migrating your app on Android 11 moving and take benefit of the first mover advantage. But before you do, get an estimate of your android app development cost. 

The post How Will Android 11 Features Impact Your Mobile Application? appeared first on Appinventiv.

It needs knowledge and understanding of the languages, libraries and what not.

To help the developers and ease out the process of development, we bring you the android libraries layers for developers.

In brief, Android frameworks and libraries (or just libraries in general), are a set of implementations of behavior that are written in programming languages and have a well-defined interface. 

These libraries generally include documentation, configuration data, message templates, help data, pre-written code and subroutines, values, classes, to name a few.

One of the major reasons for using these libraries is to expedite and optimize the android app development process, i.e., develop an astounding app without any unnecessary or additional efforts. These android new libraries for developers provide them with basic pre-written codes and other important elements that can be used instantly rather than performing these tasks from scratch.  

So, if you have just started your career in Android apps creation and want to know about popular libraries that are a go-to tool of almost every Android mobile app development company, then this article is what you need.

Here Are The 20 Best Android Libraries For Developers

Dependency Injector Library

Before we move onto the Android studio library list of best and latest Android libraries 2021 for Dependency Injector, why don’t we take a moment and understand what Dependency Injector is?  

Dependency injection (DI) is a method that is broadly used in programming for Android development. One can create a good android libraries architecture for apps by following the principles of DI.

1. Dagger 2

One of the great things about Dagger 2 is that it majorly relies on using Java annotation processors along with compile-time to estimate and analyze dependencies. On the contrary, other Java dependency injection libraries suffer from limitations such as relying on XML, incurring performance penalties during startup, or facing validating dependency issues at run-time.

Another advantage of Dagger 2 is that it simplifies access to shared instances.  For example, once you declare in Dagger the singleton instances like MyTwitterApiClient  or SharedPreferences, you can easily declare fields with a simple @Inject annotation:

Networking

Here are the tools that you need for establishing any kind of network communication within the Android app.

2. Retrofit

Retrofit is a type-safe REST client for Android and Java, intelligently mapping an API into a client interface with the help of annotations. Previously, if you wanted to make a network request, you needed to execute an Async task class and then use HttpsUrlConnection in order to fetch data, something that was not ideal when dealing with APIs returning large data. This is now resolved by Retrofit.

One can effortlessly manipulate endpoints and headers, add a request body and query parameters, and select request methods – all with just annotations in Retrofit. Moreover, this Android library also takes care of parsing POJOs by using converters.

Start by adding dependency to your apps build.gradle file –

After adding the dependency to your app build.gradle file, you must add a dependency for converters that you intend to employ.

3. Activity Recognition API

This API permits a user to recognize their present activity, such as strolling, driving, or standing still. Android developers, who are utilizing this library, can demand updates on activity by pressing the ‘Request Updates’ button and quit getting updates utilizing the ‘Eliminate Updates’ button.

Additionally, the sample utilizes an IntentService to handle identified activity changes, which are sent utilizing ActivityRecognitionResultobjects. The IntentService will get a total rundown of likely identified exercises and broadcast them through a BroadcastReceiver.

4. EventBus

While creating an Android app that has various dynamic components, you may be dealing with various issues when communicating with each other. EventBus is probably the best library that was principally made to take care of this issue utilizing the publisher/subscriber design.

This android framework and library has worked on and simplified the communication between parts, decouple, event senders, and collectors. Additionally, performs well with Activities, Fragments, and background threads. Every one of the various classes that are associated with this library are totally decoupled from one another, prompting code that is less complex and easier to keep up and troubleshoot.

In addition, it has some high level advanced features like delivery threads and subscriber needs. It avoids complex and error-prone dependencies and life cycle issues.

Image Loading

Image loading libraries are a knight in shining armor combating the problem of “out memory errors” in Android apps caused by loading multiple images at a time. Let’s look at the best Android libraries options out there in this category.

5. Picasso

Maintained by Square, Picasso is a trusted and widely used Android image library. Picasso claims to allow for hassle-free image loading in the application—often in one line of code. 

Some of the pitfalls that Picasso takes care of include handling ImageView recycling and downloading cancelation in an adapter, facilitating complex image transformations using minimal memory, automatic memory, and caching.

Additional features that makes Picasso a popular choice among Android app developers are –

1. Picasso automatically detects adapter re-use and the previously canceled download.
2. It easily and effectively transforms images to make them fit better into layouts and reduce memory size.
3. For more advanced effects, one can specify custom transformations.

6. Glide

Glide is yet another praised image loader and one of the best new Android libraries for developers, managed by Bumptech. Not just this, but it is also recommended straight by Google.

Glide not only provides animated GIF support while handling image loading and caching but also helps in fetching, decoding, displaying video calls, images, and these GIFs. It also includes a flexible  API allowing developers and programmers to plug in any network stack, as its default stack is HttpUrlConnection.  

This library primarily aims at making the scrolling process for any list of images as smooth as it can be. More so, it is also effective in case you need to fetch, resize, or even display a remote image.

Scanning

In order to integrate scanning features while developing custom Android apps and increase their functionality level, developers prefer the below-mentioned libraries.

7. Zxing

Acronym for ‘Zebra Crossing’, ZXing is a barcode image-processing Android library that is implemented in Java, with ports to other programming languages. This library also has support for the 1D product, 1D industrial, and 2D barcodes.

Google also uses ZXing in order to make millions of barcodes indexable on the web.  It also forms the basis of Android’s Barcode Scanner app and is integrated into Google Book Search and Google Product.

8. CAMView

This is an effective alternative to the ZXing barcode scanner. It is an Android camera easy access library with an embedded QR scanner which is based on ZXing. 

CamView library possesses a set of components (views in simple words) which are set to be put to your layout files, allowing developers and giving immediate access to-

• Live preview video feed from the device camera
• Scanning barcodes with the help of ZXing’s built-in decoding engine
• To perform your own camera live data processing

View Binding

The need for view binding libraries first surfaced when the need to reduce the boilerplate code when assigning views to variables arose. As a matter of fact, the number of android support libraries worth mentioning for this purpose is numbered and two of the most prominent of them are:

9. ButterKnife

Developed by Jake Wharton, ButterKnife is a renowned view binding android support library helping in assigning ids to views very effortlessly, hence avoiding the excess of findViewByld. The statement- “Butterknife is like Dagger only infinitely less sharp” signifies that view binding is sort of dependency injection. The only difference is that in ButterKnife annotations are employed to generate boilerplate code.

The code below shows that ButterKnife eliminates the need for things like onClick and onTouch while replacing them with auto injected code.

10. Android Databinding

In-built to the Android Support Library, the Android Databinding library requires the least of Android Studio Version 1.3 in order to work. Unlike ButterKnife, this view-binding library for Android does not use annotations. It allows you to bind UI components in the layouts to data sources in the app with the help of declarative format instead of programmatically.

Here layouts are defined in activities with code that needs UI framework methods, i.e., look at the code below. It calls findViewById() to find TextView widget while binding it to userName property of the variable viewModel.

Debugging

Almost an indispensable step in the app development process, debugging an application before its final release is as important as it gets. For this purpose, let’s have a look at some useful libraries.

11. Stetho

Stetho claims to be a “sophisticated debug bridge for Android applications”. The use of this library is not limited to just Network inspection, Database inspection, JavaScript Console, etc. but developers use it to have access to the Chrome Developer Tools features that are natively part of the Chrome desktop browser. Moreover, developers can choose to enable the optional dump app tool offering a powerful command-line interface to application internals.

12. Hyperlog-android

This is a standard Android Log class for storing logs in an android database library and push them to a distant server for debugging. It is also a utility logger library.

This library provides end to end visibility and helps to debug issues. HyperTrack SDK pushes log to the Hyperlog server, and the server makes use of ELK stack to process the logs and visualize them on Kibana.

Reactive Programming

In Reactive programming, data is released from a component (a source if you will) to the other component known as Subscriber, assisting in handling asynchronous tasks efficaciously. So in short, these libraries help with transferring data from source to subscribers. Some of the widely used Android app development libraries for this purpose are:

13. RxJava2

If you are looking for a library that helps you in implementing reactive programming (create reactive applications), then RxJava is an ideal choice for you. It is officially described as “a library for composing asynchronous and event-based programs by using observable sequences”. 

This library is considered unbeatable by Android app developers because it simplifies the process to chain async operations, opens a more explicit way to declare how concurrent operations should work, is able to highlight errors sooner than other libraries, among other things.

Drawing

There are hundreds of new libraries being developed every day, but very few are able to impress developers and prove potent. Here are some Android apps graphic libraries that have stood apart from the crowd. 

14. MPAndroidChart

MPAndroidChart is an impeccable Android chart/graph view library. It supports radar, line, bar, bubble, pie, candlestick charts along with scaling, animations, and dragging.

If you are looking for its iOS counterpart then, Charts is the one for iOS app development.

15. Holo Graph library

It is another new graphic library which is continuously becoming a favorite of many Android app development companies. This library is ideal for adding impeccably designed graphs and charts into Android applications. It includes – 

• LineGraph view (which looks something like this) –

• BarGraph View

• PieGraph View

• MultiSeriesDonutGraph View

16. AnimatedPieView

AnimatedPieView is another method for showing pie charts and ring graphs on Android.

This library offers various benefits like: alpha animation on touch, fitting text field position itself during an animation, transformation between a pie diagram and a ring chart, animation while drawing charts and so on.

17 MyLittleCanvas

It is one of the top libraries for android developers. This Android Library is used to achieve features such as custom underline on a TextView. It is also used to apply Textshape, lineshape, etc. with canvas methods.

UI Components

User Interface is a prominent and with no-space-for-negligence aspect of Android app development. New innovations and advances have surfaced over the years in the android libraries for UI domains, one of which is Gravity View. 

18. Gravity View

A very ‘in’ concept in the market is the gravity view. This is a android ui library that is used for image tilting using sensors. Gravity View library’s goal is to utilize the motion sensors of Android devices, allowing users to perform certain functions by rotating their device.

This Android UI library was first used in the famous application “Fynd” and has continued to become a favorite of many to date. You need to be operating Android 3.0 and higher in order to use this library. Moreover, if you need to use it for non-gyroscope devices, then you can do so with the help of the Accelerometer sensor.

Testing

Testing your project is a way to become sure of the competence and efficacy of your mobile app. You can use these libraries to test your mobile app before you ship it to the market.

19. Espresso

A part of the Android testing support library, Espresso is evidently a test framework that enables developers to build user interface tests for Android applications. Implying that this library lets you write tests and check whether the text of a TextView is similar to another text or not. It imparts the impression of a real user using the app, running both on real devices as well as emulators.

In order to use this library, you are required to add dependencies to the app module build. Gradle file.

Once you have done this, you can set the instrumentation runner and sync the Gradle files, followed by creating a rest file. This is the reason why businesses prefer android app bundles. 

20. Robolectric

Robolectric is another unparalleled unit testing library. What this library does is that it handles inflation of resource loading, views, including other things. It makes the tests created in the library more efficacious and potent in performing functions that real devices with  Android framework dependencies perform. In a sense, Robolectric simulates the Android SDK for the tests, eliminating the need for additional mocking frameworks like Mockito.

Now again, you need to add the dependency in your app’s build.gradle file, followed by creating a sample test class –

These android libraries list have made it to this record based on the popular recommendation of the Android developers. Their features, functions, and performance together emit excellence in their niche of purpose.

Here Are Some Useful Resources From Where You Can Find More Libraries.

• http://android-arsenal.com
• Wasabeef Core Libraries
• Wasabeef UI Libraries
• Ultimate Android Library Reference
• Snowdream Android Library Repository
• Android Libhunt
• MindOrks Android Store

Concluding Thoughts

So these were some of the Android native library lists that offer great support to the android developers. Making use of these libraries the developers create responsive mobile apps that save time and are highly efficient.

If you think these libraries can help you or someone else in their android development journey, then you can share this post with your network on Linkedin and other social media.

The post Top 20 Best Android Libraries for 2021 appeared first on Appinventiv.

There is never a dull moment when it comes to technology and it promises to thrive, for as long as we can imagine. What started from the first invention of the Wheel, has today come so far that everything we wish to do or to have is now a click or a tap away. 

Engineers of immense capability introduced Mobile App Development, which changed the world as we know it. With the advent of apps, many minds rose to take the initiative of developing this domain to a higher level. Google is one such player that revolutionized the Tech Industry in many ways. Its products made all the difference.

What started as the “Android Market” is now famously recognized as “Google Play Store”. 

Not that you don’t already know, but let us put it out there anyways – Google Play store is the Digital Distribution Service, provided by Google LLC. It is a platform that enables Android mobile users to download apps directly from the store. These apps can range from 10MB to up to 4GB. 

You wouldn’t be short on the variety of mobile applications as there are millions of apps to try. Moreover, the Google Play Store poses as a remarkable platform for experienced Android app developers to showcase their projects and get wider customer reach. In short, Google Play Store is ideal for both application users and creators. 

(Note: Know how to get your app featured in Play Store)

To support the above-mentioned statement, let us look at some impeccable and top Google Play Store Statistics 2021, which will blow your mind and give you a clearer perspective about the state of Google Play Store in the Tech Industry and market.

1. Total Number of Apps on Google Play Store

Google is one of the most trusted platforms and is used by millions of users on a daily basis. Due to this popularity, Google Pay app developers have started to utilize this platform. This is why there is an increase in the number of apps on the Play Store. If you’re wondering how many apps are in google play store currently?

Well, as of the first quarter of 2021, the number of apps on Google Play Store were 3.48 million. According to research by AppBrain, this number is predicted to rise further by the end of 2022.

2. Total Number of Apps Released per Week and Month

There are no speed breakers on the road to increasing demand for mobile apps. To be precise, 3739 apps are added to the Play Store every day! It may seem a non-significant number when we talk about apps in billions, however, this number does add up and leads to a significant amount of increased number of mobile apps. The effects of this will be impossible to ignore in 2022.

3. Total Number of Apps Downloaded Annually

As there is a high demand for apps of every category and niche, the number of apps downloads statistics per year has also increased in the last two years. It is also because the market has seen a rapid increase in the demand for smartphones. 

In 2020, Google Play users worldwide downloaded 108.5 billion mobile apps, up from 76 billion apps in 2018. It generates significantly more downloads than the Apple App Store, as it is available for a wider range of devices.

4. Total Number of Apps With 4 or Above Ratings 

Most of the apps on Google Play Store have got higher ratings, which invokes trust among users. As per the published research report by Statista, there were approximately 506,000 apps with an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars or higher. In total, 1.49 million apps had a rating and a further 1.39 million apps in the Google Play store had less than three user ratings.

By enabling people to rate apps on Play Store, Google Play searches has facilitated the users along with the Google Play app developers to improvise in case their apps have poor ratings (a step to achieve which is Play Store Optimization). 

5. Google Play vs App Store Downloads

The popularity of Google Play is inevitably noticeable, as it has witnessed a hike of 16.4%from 2016 to 2018. Meaning, in the first half of 2019, the amount of the total number of installs reached 41.9 billion which is certainly an upgrade from the previous year’s number of 36 billion. Have a look at the graph containing Apple App store statistics in comparison to the Google Play Store facts.

Speaking of the hike in downloads, Facebook, WhatsApp, and Messenger are Google Play top apps with the combined downloads of approx 880.4 million. Meanwhile, TikTok beats Instagram on repeat.

6. Price Distribution 

As you can see in the histogram, the average price of an app in Google Play searches is between $1 to $2. This data is accumulated on the basis of apps under the price of $10. To be more eloquent, there are approx 44000+ apps under $1, and these are the apps that are preferred by the users, once they experience the free model of an application.

Free and Paid Apps Downloads Statistics

Apps in general consist of two kinds – Paid and Free Apps. According to some research, the Apple App Store has more paid apps in comparison to Google Play Store. The reason is because apple users tend to make more in-app purchases, something that is the one concrete reason why startups choose the former in their Android vs iOS choice. We have procured top Google Play Store statistics 2021 in order to dissect the basics of app distribution in these formerly mentioned categories.

7. Free Android Apps

As of July 2021, 96.9 percent of all Android applications were available for free on Play Store. If you are wondering, how can Google Pay app developers earn revenue when the apps are free?  After all, earning money is the whole point right?

Well, you might be surprised to know that most of the revenue earned by mobile apps comes from free apps by app monetization strategies like in-app purchases, which is equivalent to 98% of app revenue worldwide. This overwhelming amount of free apps on the Play Store signifies a major shift towards the freemium model. This is the reason why people prefer to develop Android apps.

8. Paid Android Apps

If we talk about Paid apps on a personal level, you hardly might be having 2 paid apps on your device, isn’t it? However, if you say otherwise then you belong to the minority of the paid app demographic. Currently, there are 3.1 percent paid apps on Google Play Store according to Statista.

Google Play Stats for Mobile App Usage

Generation X is technology dependent generation, mobile apps in particular. There are apps to do everything instantly. In light of this statement, we would like to add that almost 21% of millennials open apps 50+ times a day and 49% of the overall smartphone demographic open an app 11+ times per day. 

Moreover, as per Google Play statistics, an average smartphone user uses 30 apps each month, if not more. These facts are potential enough to convince you of the increasing usage of mobile apps, especially on the Google Platform. Read some more points on how these apps are performing under different demographics and conditions.

9. Global Usage of Play Store Apps

Around 50% of the world’s population which is equivalent to 3.9 billion people,  were determined to be online in 2018, and 96% of the world’s population lives within the expanse of a mobile network.

According to GSMA real-time intelligence data, today, there are 5.27 billion people with mobile devices in the world. This means that 66.85% of the world’s population has a mobile device.

It is to be noted that many emerging markets like India and the Philippines come under the mobile-first category. This signifies that in these markets, consumers use smartphones as their primary access point to the internet. Moreover, according to top Google Play statistics, the majority of the apps downloaded are for the Android platform.

It is needless to say that since everything is at the fingertips now, the usage limit of apps and smartphones is bound to increase by multi-folds

With that said, it is safe to say that people around the world are becoming more aware and an avid user of technology. We have categorized the app usage and download count below in this Google Play Store Stats 2021 for hassle-free understanding.

10. App Usage by Age

It is generally assumed that younger generations, by default, spend more time using mobile apps than the people of the older generation. There is no denying that generation X since the start has seen the technology all around, so they are more involved with the tech trends.

Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean you can’t target the rest of the age groups. If you look at the graph, you would find the app usage statistics looking at the frequency at which apps are opened daily by people belonging to different age brackets.

This study of the US shows that Millennials open apps most frequently – averaging at 10.5 times per day (considering Millennials as 18-34-year-olds). After them comes teens, at 9.4 times per day, which is nevertheless, predicted to increase. And to our no surprise, Boomers come out last by this measure, at 5.5 times a day. 

Now, to sum up, on an average, US app users of age 13-64 open apps 8.3 times per day, as per Google Play stats.

11. Usage by Devices

Now, that one is not bound to any one device to access the internet, people use numerous Android devices like Tablets, Smartphones, Laptops, desktops and so on. However, some research shows that there are some specific app categories that have a  high usage rate in Smartphones. Those applications include Maps, Instant messengers, Music, Games, photos, weather, etc.

Whereas, if we talk about Desktops, their preference rate is still maintained. It is probably the result of their incredible specifics that prove ideal for certain purposes.

Over the years, the time used on mobile in selected global markets has increased. According to the statistics mentioned below, the highest amount of mobile time spent is noticed in Argentina, accompanied by the US, and Spain. Whereas, Italy, India, and Germany can be seen at the lowest in usage.

12. Usage by Country

Like nearly everything else, location changes the behavior that changes the statistics and condition of things. This same concept is apt to be applied to app usage.

Let’s take a look at the top Google Play Store statistics 2021 and analyze how people in different parts of the world like to use mobile apps. This information can be used by Google Pay app developers to learn about the audience they intend to target and potential markets which can prove to be beneficial while planning the app localization strategies. 

South Korea was at the top of apps used and installed on a monthly average, followed by the US and Japan.

Most Popular Apps Categories in Google Play

According to AppBrain, some categories have a higher penetration rate than the others. Google Play App statistics show that Education apps have the highest rate in popularity in Google Play Store. It is followed by the Business app categories. In the graph below, you can see the number of paid and free apps in the Play Store, that are popular due to their high download rate.

13. Popularity of Entertainment apps

In the research by AppAnnie, 1/6 of the total media content used by users will comprise online videos viewed on mobile device screens in 2021. This fact is enough to make us believe the increasing demand and usage of this particular category, especially in the Play Store.

14. Popularity of Gaming Apps

It is estimated that, as of 2020, there were. 2.6 billion mobile gamers in the world. This ever increasing number surely brings in tons of revenue for Google Play Store. 

As the popularity of the gaming app is on a hike, the average revenue is also predicted to rise at an incredible rate. As of 2020, Google Play made $31.9 billion. It is predicted that Android games will be responsible for 56% of all mobile game revenue by 2022.

Here is the list of Google Play top apps which have turned the world upside down and everybody is under the influence of their popularity, uniqueness, and utilitarian features.

15. Gross App Revenue

From a report by Business Of Apps, we acknowledged that the iOS App Store and Google Play combined produced $111 billion revenue worldwide in 2020, a 24 percent increase year-on-year. As per Google Play app statistics, Google Play Store earned $38.6 billion in 2020. It has seen a 167 percent increase in revenue over four years.

So, you see how these Google Play Store economy stats are improving every year. Adding the fact that Google keeps adding new plans like Google Rewarded Products as a way to expand revenue earning ability for their Google Pay app developers and we will not be wrong to expect the Google store to surpass Apple store numbers.

Additional Play Store App Usage Trends

Since mobile applications are at the peak of their popularity, we have come across some interesting and mind-blowing statistics. Here are some of the many trends and stats of mobile apps in the Google Play Store that may interest you:

• There are 20  million paying subscribers on Youtube Music and Google Play combined.
• In 2020, users spent $38.6 billion on Google Play purchases.
• Approximately 49% of game players  on Google play games are women.
• The number of apps on Google play that are scanned daily for safety is nearly 6 billion.
• Google Play Store has successfully established its presence in 190 countries, which is pretty impressive and signifies continuous success.
• Google Play Store has an impressive collection of 40 million songs to date.
• Google Play Store facts 2021 suggest that Candy Crush Saga is the top most installed game.
• The number of obsolete apps removed by Google from the Play Store was near to 7,00,000.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How can I see how many downloads I have on Google Play?

Google offers its services for almost all tech related purposes. If you want to see the total number of downloads and other information related to your app then, you can use Google Play Console. This is how to achieve it- 

1. The first thing is to Login to your google Play Console.
2. Click on  “Life time” on the dashboard of your application, which is placed at the top right corner.
3. Here, you can see Installs, Uninstall done by user, Average rating, Crashes, ANRs, and more.
4. You must select the “Export Report” option for more statistics. It is at the bottom right of the respective category card.

2. How many apps does Android have?

As per latest Google Play stats, you will be shocked to know that there are 3.48 million apps currently at the Google Play Store. This number of apps on Google Play is on a rise as 3739 apps are added to the Play Store every single day.

3. How much does it cost to put an app on the Play Store?

On an average, it can cost you about $25, which Google charges as a one-time registration fee.

4. How much money do apps make per download?

There is not any specific number as to how much money every app makes, as each app appeals to different demographics and has a distinct reach. However, an average estimated rate for a $1 app to earn $10 a day is to have at least 10 downloads.

5. What apps make the most money?

The answer to this question is not as simple as a straight line. It may vary depending on what kind of app it is. However, it is certain that apps which are different from their competitive apps have more chances to be popular and hence, make money. Some of the Google Play top apps which made money this year are Spotify, Line, Tinder, HBO NOW and more.

6. How much does an app with 1 million downloads make?

Earning a million downloads is not as easy as shelling peas. However, if you app becomes that popular and manages to procure 1 Million downloads, then you can earn between  $10000 to $15000 per month, which is a pretty neat amount.

Conclusion

Once you go through the top Google Play Store statistics 2021 2019-2020, you would find yourself convinced of the rising splendor not just of Google but also of all the Google Play top apps operating in the store. Google has immersed the lives of the people with its services and market with its business model and innovative ideas. 

Not just this, but its popularity is owed to its activeness in making its services reliable and safe. The latest example is the Google Play Store policy update, where the previously prevailing issues were encountered.

Though, it might seem that Apple is a notch higher than Google, as per the Google Play stats, apps downloads statistics,  and researches by some leading and celebrated Research agencies, one cannot deny the long-due inevitability of Google ruling the IT industry and market as its user base increases per day, globally.

If you’re also planning to launch an app for Play Store, contact a reputed Android app development company. They will guide through the process and turn your app idea into reality. 

The post Top Google Play Store Statistics 2021 You Must Know appeared first on Appinventiv.

In this constant race of engaging their target audience with convenience and innovations, many a times Google and Apple have been found to get inspired by each others’ ideas and features. They, at different instances, have shown that they pick the best features of each other and introduce them in their devices. Remember when Tim Cook said he relies on Google Search? This give and take of inspiration is something that is still in practice in the year 2019.

While, we have heard a lot about the features Apple copied from Google’s Android, today we will be looking at the other side of the coin. Meaning, the features that Google has cloned from Apple’s iOS in 2019 and earlier. Features that have traditionally played a role in defining the Android mobile app development cost.

Android Features that Have Been Inspired from Apple

1. Fast Sharing Feature

Google is introducing a ‘Fast Share’ feature on Android devices that will work similar to AirDrop in Apple. This feature will combine WiFi and Bluetooth functionalities together to send files, URLs, and text snippets to people nearby.

However, there will be a difference. Unlike AirDrop, the transfer functionality will not be confined to your contact list and device. You will be able to share files with anyone using Chromebooks, iOS smartphones and who wear AndroidOS smartwatches. 

2. Battery Saving Features

Google has announced that Battery Saver will be one of the significant Android Q features that will hit the market in 2019. This feature will turn off the battery saver mode automatically when the battery is charged up to 90%. Likewise, it will turn the Battery saver mode ‘on’ again when the charger is unplugged.

It is again a feature that is much like the ‘Low Power Mode’ of iOS, where the battery saving option is turned off automatically when the iPhone is charged to up to 80%.

3. Facial Recognition

The feature of unlocking devices and apps using facial recognition or better say Face ID is again a feature that Apple brought into the market. They first introduced the idea of scanning faces for authentication purpose, which is now considered as the main element for Android devices.

In fact, as per the sources, Android Q is coming up with an advanced level of facial recognition features that will give heads on challenge to Apple’s Face ID feature.

4. Native AR

Google has proven to be the best in the market to try different AR-based features on smartphones and other devices. They have brought various new opportunities in the market with respect to AR technology. A recent proof of which is that Google, as per the sources, is introducing AR affects into their messaging app to make it competitive to Apple’s iMessaging app. 

However, it was Apple who took the first step in the direction of integrating Augmented Reality in the mobile world and give us the best of both the real and virtual worlds.

5. DND (Do Not Disturb)

Again, Apple introduced the idea of making the process of DND (Do not Disturb) accessible and visible to users. They took the first step of giving users an opportunity to customize the DND activities and manage them. Google just followed the footsteps of Apple to give this freedom to Android users and give them a peace of mind during meetings and in other such situations.

6. Gesture Controls

The gesture control facility that we are enjoying on Android devices is also one of the features copied from Apple devices. It was Apple who ditched the home screen button and introduced the idea of using gestures for operating devices. And now, Google has brought this feature into the Android market.

7. Emojis

Not just the technical features, Apple has also proven to be the first in the market for making app experience enjoyable. They have introduced a series of realistic emojis right from the beginning. And Google is known to be trying to bring improvements in their emojis every year to make it aligned to Apple’s emojis.

8. App Store Features

Asking users for a one-time and all-or-nothing request before installing any application is an old Apple approach. And now, Google has also introduced Apple’s features of apps asking for users’ permission for the first time for accessing the camera, or other such features.

9. Performance Improvements

Google again turned towards Apple for learning how to deliver higher performance and user experience to their target audience. 

Just like Apple, Google have also started showing no support for older devices to cut down the efforts of Android app developers to make their app features available for all the devices. And this way, the tech giant has come up with a solution to fight against the challenge of platform fragmentation, while ensuring that the performance is not compromised.

Bonus: Ecosystem

It was Apple that introduced the idea of making an ecosystem where all the Apple products function in sync with each other. They initiated the concept of building a synergy between products and brand services to ensure users never leave the ecosystem and the ROI numbers remain intact. 

Google has recently embraced this concept of connecting all of their services to encourage users to leverage their services and thus, add to their profits directly or indirectly. 

So, these were some of the significant features that came to Apple’s iOS first before they were applied in the Android market, making both the platforms appear similar to some extent.

The post 9 Features that Android Borrowed from Apple’s iOS appeared first on Appinventiv.

The fact that the number of Android device users are present in the manifold in almost every corner of the world only increases the liking for the store among the business world, irrespective of what industry you look at.

While the ultimate aim of all the businesses/entrepreneurs who opt for Android application development revolves around greater reach which ripples down to high download rate and as a result high revenue charts, the one position everyone wishes to reach is ‘Featured App’ or ‘Editor’s Choice’.

Besides the usual feeling of pride that comes after google play store featuring your app, there are a number of benefits of getting featured on the Play Store. Benefits that revolve around giving bigger boost to featured apps with greater download, greater reach, and ultimately, greater profits, once you have completed the long process of Android app development.

In this article, we will tell you the ways of how to get your app noticed on Google Play and ways you can ensure your app gets featured on the Play Store. Ways that have been confided in us by Google itself.

Steps to Get Your App Featured in Play Store

• Why Does Google have a Featured List?
• What are the Different Options For You to Get Visible on the Play Store?
• Steps To Get Your App Featured in the Google Play Store
• User Interaction and Visual Design
• Functionality
• Work on Latest Technologies
• Measuring Vitals of your Android App
• Localization
• Reach Out to the Google Developer Agencies
• Factors to Avoid When Looking to Get Your App Featured in the Play Store

But, before we move on to the steps you should take to get featured on Google Play, let us first tell you the reason Google confided in us the secret, in the first place.

In the start of 2017, our team at Appinventiv was sent an invitation by Google to join its Developer Agency program.

Under the program, we are given the access to get all the latest updates in the Android industry straight from the horse’s mouth before it is ever made live for the public knowledge. In addition to this up-to-date information on new software and product launches, we also get the complete support of the Google in-house developer team who conduct sessions to help our team get on-board with the latest technologies and standards in the design and development world.

Now beside the tech and knowledge support, Google, from time and again, has been confiding in us the steps that we need to follow in our design and development to ensure that the brand we have partnered with gets the most in terms of revenue and growth.

Before we move on to telling you the ways an app can get featured in the Play Store, let us first look into the reason why Google even has a list of Featured apps for Android in the first place and the different ways your brand can gain visibility.

Why Does Google have a Featured List?

With millions of apps present in the Play Store, it can be difficult for the users to identify which app is the best out of the apps released on play store and from the developers’ side, it can become demotivating for an Android developer to first create a Google Play Store app for Android users and then watch it get lost in the crowd – something that gets resolved through Google’s several initiatives like Developer’s Badge, Editor’s pick etc.

What are the Different Options For You to Get Your App Noticed on Google Play?

When it comes to getting the word out for your Android app’s superiority in terms of performance, there are a number of options that are given to you by Google, besides getting featured on Google Play.

Popular 

• Top Free: Most popular free apps of all-time
• Top Paid: Most popular paid apps of all-time 
• Top Grossing: Apps and games that generate the most revenue, including app purchases and in-app payments 
• Trending Apps: Apps showing installation growth in the last 24 hours 

New 

To determine new apps that google play features  and are less than 30 days old, Top New lists use the date of first availability; this includes the first time an app was published, or the first time an app was made available in a location. 

Note: The time period when an app is exclusively in Alpha or Beta (without a Production APK) has no effect on its first availability date or its ability to be on a “Top New” list. 

• Top New Free: Most popular free apps less than 30 days old
• Top New Paid: Most popular paid apps less than 30 days old 

Selected by Google Play team 

• Featured: Selected new apps 
• Staff Picks: Rotating set of staff-selected apps 
• Editors’ Choice: Some of the best Android apps of all-time on Google Play 
• Top Developer: Some of the best developers on Google Play

With all said and done, let us now look into the ways on how to get your app noticed on Google Play and then get it featured on the Play Store and maybe even come in the list of Editor’s Choice. These ways are a sure fire way to get an answer to the question― how to get your app featured on google play?

*Disclaimer*: For the sake of this article, we will assume that you are already updated with using the right ASO practices to increase your app visibility in the store.

While, it is a given that Google Play Store optimization in terms of following Google Play App description guidelines, are a very important step that you need to follow when it comes to getting your app popular in the store, it is not sufficient. Here are the other steps you will have to follow to get your app featured on the play store. 

Steps To Get Your App Featured in the Google Play Store

Here are the different google play featuring requirements that we, the leading Android app development company, follow to ensure that Google Play is featuring your app and that makes it to the google play editor’s choice list.

User Interaction and Visual Design

Google suggests that all Android apps should follow strict Material Design guidelines in their mobile app User Interface, in order to get featured on Google. Following the standards set by Material Design guidelines, not just leads to an interactive experience for app users but also raises the probability of app getting chosen in the Featured Article section of the Play Store.

In the end, having your app designed in a way that user experience is kept at the top is not just a way to get million downloads on your app but also has the potential to makes yours a Featured Play Store app.

With respect to Material Design, Android has shared a list of particulars for brands to follow.

In Terms of Standard Design:

• Apps should not redefine the obvious function of system icon, e.g, Back Button or Home icon.
• App should not replace the system icon with a completely different icon.
• If the app offers a customized version of the standard system’s icon, the icon should 100% resemble the icon of the system and perform the typical standards system behaviour.
• The app should not misuse the Android UI pattern in a way that the resultant action is misleading.

In Terms of Navigation:

• The App should support the system Back button and not make use of custom back buttons.
• All the dialogs should be made dismissable with the back button.
• Pressing the home button should take the user back to the home screen, no matter at what stage they are in the application

In Terms of Notification:

• Multiple notifications should be stacked as the single notification
• Notification should be persistent only if they are related to the ongoing user task.
• The notification should not have advertisement or any content which is not related to the main functionality of the mobile app.

APPINVENTIV UI AND VISUAL DESIGN CHECKLIST TO GETTING AN APP FEATURED 

TANGIBLE SURFACE 

• Use of shadows to communicate which surface are in front 
• Use of surface and shadows in a structured and consistent way
• Avoid too much layering or surfaces nesting 
• Scrollable Content should scroll to either the screen edges or behind some other surface. 
• Surface should have single-colour, simple background 

PRINT LIKE AESTHETICS 

• The apps should use a primary and accent colour which should be contrasting to each other. 
• Icons, texts, images are to be coloured ‘ink’. They should not have shadows or gradients. 
• Colours taken from the image can be used as the adjacent Ul element colour. 
• App icons should follow system icon guideline and material design icon set. 
• Elements such as thumbnail, app bar titles, etc should be aligned to 3 keylines. 

AUTHENTIC MOTION

• Ul and content element should animate into place 
• Ripple effect to show where you touched the screen 
• UI elements should reveal with a circular reveal animation 
• Animations should be under 300 ms 

ADAPTIVE DESIGN 

• App should use best responsive design practices 
• key action should be shown with a floating action button on the screen 
• App should use standard Android app bar 
• App bar should be 2-3 time higher than standard height 
• App bar can scroll off screen when user scrolls down. 
• Tabs should follow material design based styling and interaction
• Tabs should have a swipe gesture for movement between them

 NAVIGATION DRAWER 

• The leftmost icon of app bar should be navigation drawer indicator
• App drawer should be no wider than 320dp on phone and 400dp on tablet

Functionality

Google usually insist that the app made for Play Store should be developed with the help of Android Studio.

In Terms of Permission

• The app should request only the very minimum set of permissions that are needed to support the core functionality of the mobile app.
• Apps cannot request permission to access sensitive, private user information or service which can cost users money, until and unless they are related to some core app capability.

In Terms of App Installation

• The apps should function normally when it is installed on the SD Card.
• Most of the large apps should support SD Card installation.

In Terms of Audio

• Audio should not play when the screen is off until it is a core functionality
• Audio should not play under a locked screen
• Audio should not play on home screen or above some other app
• Audio must resume when the app is brought to the main screen.

In terms of UI

• Apps must support both portrait and landscape orientation (if possible)
• Irrespective of what orientation your app is following, the features, actions, and functional parity should be preserved.
• Apps should use the whole screen in both orientations and should not letterbox for changes in orientation.
• Apps must handle the rapid transition between orientations.

In Terms of App State

• Apps must not put any service in running when the app is operational in the background.

Work on Latest Technologies

The chances of your app getting featured on the Play Store increases, even more, when the apps are based on the leading Google technologies.

To increase the probability, we, at Appinventiv always try to find out the scope for adding these technologies to your app, wherever viable. Let us look at what these technologies are –

Action on Google

With Google recently launching Google Homes in India and several other regions, developing an app and making it in sync with Google Assistant is what increases the chances of your app getting visible whenever a user ask the assistant for a similar service that your app brand offers.

Firebase

While the debate between Real-time vs Cloud Firestore is an ongoing one, when you develop an app using Firebase, users get to sign in the app through a system that they trust and use. The app saves users’ data in a secure cloud environment and offer personalized experience across a number of devices.

Implementation of Firebase brings in the factor of innovation and trust in the app, which ultimately increases the chance of getting your app selected as a Feature app.

Flutter

The Google flagship for Cross-Platform App Development, Flutter has been getting special attention from the developer community for being easy to use and packed with features that are standing points ahead of React Native.

With the aim of making the tool become synonymous to Cross-Platform App Development, Google editorial team is giving special focus to apps that are based on Flutter.

Measuring Vitals of your Android App

It is no surprise that stability and performance are linked directly to good Google Play Ratings. So the more issues you fix, the better goes your app rating on Play Store and the more users you are able to retain, which ultimately leads to a stage where your app gets featured on the Play Store.

APPINVENTIV LAST MINUTE MOBILE APP RELEASE CHECKLIST 

• Adding App Analytics in Android app 
• Proguard in Android app 
• Low APK Size 
• Crash Reporting Library 
• Turn off debugging and logging 
• Check app version name and code 
• Test app on different OS version and screen size

Localization

Localizing your app UI and UX in a way that it is not made just for the native English speakers and readers, also plays a contributing role when it comes to getting the app featured in the Play Store.

Google has always shown a sweet spot for brands that don’t restrict their audience to any one particular geographical location, so for an app that supports its multi-linguality preference, tends to get a higher spot than the others as well.

APPINVENTIV CHECKLIST FOR ANDROID APP LOCALIZATION 

• Identify countries where there is a market opportunity and where you can provide user support 
• use single set of flexible layouts having alternative layouts where needed. Support right-to-left text, use system-provided formats for times, dates, numbers, and money. 
• Optimize app for low and no bandwidth connectivity and low price range phones 
• Translate app, store listing and other resources 
• Test the localized app 
• Run open test in markets you are focusing on 
• Create forum or user group to support international users 
• Run store listing experiment to see what works best.

Reach Out to the Google Developer Agencies

While you cannot nominate your own app for getting featured in the Play Store, Google developer agencies like us can help your app get featured.

Let us tell you how.

Google Developer Agencies have access to the internal Google development and design team, who help them develop apps that is since inception up to the standards of getting featured in the Play Store. Also, the scope of us using our connection with the Google editorial team to push your app for nomination is of a high possibility.

So, here were the factors that Google has confided in us, which can directly lead to your app getting featured in the Google Play Store. While these were the things that you should do, there are steps that you should avoid at all costs to make sure that your app falls in the Featured section.

Factors to Avoid When Looking to Get Your App Featured in the Play Store

• Do not use a payment provider other than Google
• Do not make your app download other applications
• Do not bribe your users with rewards in return of high application rating.

Pointers to Consider and Avoid to Get Your App Featured in the Play Store

VISIBILITY OPTIONS THAT GOOGLE OFFERS TO ITS ANDROID APP DEVELOPERS’ COMMUNITY 

Popular 

• Top free 
• Top Paid 
• Top Grossing 
• Trending Apps 

New 

• Top New Free 
• Top New Paid 

Selected by Google Play Team 

• Featured 
• Staff Picks 
• Editor’s Choice 
• Top Developer 

BENEFITS OF GETTING APP FEATURED IN THE PLAY STORE 

• High Download Rates
• Increase in Positive User Reviews and Feedbacks 
• Greater App user Retention Higher Revenue 

DO’S AND DON’TS OF GETTING APP FEATURED IN THE PLAY STORE 

Do’s

• Proper Visual Design and User Interaction 
• App Functionality to Meet the Standards of Billion Devices 
• Work on the Latest Technologies 
• Test Your App to Make it Bugs and Complaint-Free 
• Localize Your App to Make the World Adopt it 

Don’ts 

• Do not use a payment provider other than Google 
• Do not make your app download other applications 
• Do not bribe your users with rewards in return of high application rating. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. What is Editors Choice in Google Play?

Editors’ Choice refers to the apps and games that introduce users to the best innovative, creative, and designer apps on Android. Google also released an improved Editors’ Choice section that features app and game reviews accumulated and organized by the editorial team of Play Store. If your app gets featured on editors choice google play, there is a high chance for your app to gain million downloads.

Q. How to get your app featured on google play?

Well, Google really helps developers with its Google Play app description guidelines. With that, we have 6 tips up our sleeves to help you get your app on Google Play.

1. Follow launch checklist
2. Preach simplicity rather than over-stacking app with features
3. Develop attractive UI/UX design
4. Employ Google Product Initiatives
5. Acquire Press coverage
6. Analyze larger market forces.

Q. How to get your app noticed?

Everyone devises different tactics to make their app popular. For you, we have accumulated 7 tips that will ensure more active users for your app. They are:

1. Practice App Store Optimization
2. Promote your app on your website and other platforms
3. Devise email marketing campaigns
4. Optimally use Social Media
5. Make online and in-app ads
6. Create an effective Public relation strategy
7. Give your time to offline campaigns

The post How to Get Your App Featured in Play Store (Step-by-Step Guide) appeared first on Appinventiv.

Well, one piece of advice that we could venture you in is to go for the most popular mobile app development platform globally – Android.

One has to take into consideration several benefits of Android apps for business growth to conjecture why it is the right choice. Ipso facto, we should better get started with the statistics proving as a solid cornerstone to our argument on why Android apps for business are a viable option. With Android 11 getting prepared to offer their set of benefits to the businesses, the time is all the more of the essence here for choosing Android as a go-to approach for mobile app development for startups.

Since numbers work the best when calculating profitable pursuits for businesses, this graph below representing the market share of OS platforms is evidence enough. It is clear that Android has more voraciously captured the global market and has become the first choice of many hardware companies as well as users in general.

More statistics such as Google Play made almost 3x more first-time app installs in the third quarter of 2019 than the App Store, amounting to $21.6 billion during the quarter – a change that accounted for an 11% YoY increase from Q3 2018, are what make people invest in Android.

In fact, according to Sensor Tower reports, the Play Store generated $7.7 billion in revenue in Q3 2019, an increase of 24% YoY from $6.2 billion in Q3 2018 – a reason that justifies the android app development cost across genres.

What Makes Android The Best Choice for Mobile App Development for Startups

If you are still skeptical and unsure as to why develop an Android app for your startup then, here are some reasons that might convince you to firm your decision:

1. Greater user base

Today, most of the users across the world are using android mobiles. And from what we have read so far, this is surely the truth. The majority of users globally use Android-powered devices as compared to its contenders, which gives you a large pool of potential users. 

Moreover, not having an android app for business means losing limitless business opportunities. No business can afford such a loss, especially when there’s cut-throat competition going on in the market. Thus, it is advisable to look for Android application developers to convert your website into an app.

2. Easy availability of resources

Android application development services are primarily based on the base language Java. The programming language, one taught at the graduate level as a compulsory subject, makes it extremely easy for every android app developer for startup (even freshers) to adopt and learn. 

For a startup, the fact that they have to spend less time and money on developers’ training makes Android the best choice for their app needs. 

3. Open-source platform

Android is an open-source platform. That implies Google doesn’t charge any fee for using this platform. In fact, Google provides Android app development tools and technology for free. Hardware device manufacturers such as Samsung, Xiaomi, etc., all use Android as their default OS. This is because the Android code is open-source and hence free. 

This allows Android to capture the majority of the market. This also acts as a great factor in cutting the cost of the entire project. Although the android app development cost does vary from company to company depending upon multiple factors, the more devices you connect with the operating system, the greater would be the overall cost that your android app startup ideas will have to bear.

4. Compatibility with multiple devices

One of the biggest advantages of choosing an android app over iOS is that there’s no restriction on devices to be used for building an android app. You can build an app on Windows desktop, Mac as well as on Linux system. The fact that Android allows you to expand your brand across devices and systems makes it a go-to platform for all the sectors with interoperability needs. 

As a matter of fact, Google provides application development tools and technologies for all. Moreover, submitting apps to Play Store is easier and the subscription fee of Google – $25 (one time) is much lower than that of iOS – $99 (per annum).

5. Faster deployment

The duration of deployment for iOS apps stretches up to weeks whereas making an android app live on the Play Store takes only a couple of hours.

This is why most of the android app development companies recommend choosing android as a platform. Android app development process must be a fast affair because the sooner the app is developed, the quicker the business will bloom.

[Extra: Tips to Speed Up Android App Development]

6. Build a customizable app

Another interesting fact or rather a primary pro of choosing android application development services is that it allows the android app developers to customize the apps as per the business requirement. This means your business app development will get done with the right requirements which might not have been possible with any other platform.

In a nutshell, no matter whether you are a product-based company or a service-based company, having an Android app for business is a must. It will act as a channel to reach maximum customers and hence improve your sales.

7. Incredible graphics support

Another reason for choosing Android mobile app development for startup is because it offers amazing graphics support by providing incredible features. In fact, this is what makes it a perfect choice for Game app development, and apps that will be more centered around the graphics. The platform also provides support for 2D and 3D graphics.

8. Easy integration

In terms of integration, Android is a great choice indeed. Ask any android app development company and they will tell you how easy it is to integrate third-party APIs with your Android app. The ease, in turn, positively impacts the total cost and time of the app development towards a downward way.

{Here is our detailed blog on the cost of developing a mobile app startup}

9. Heavy device fragmentation

Though it is true that fragmentation can lead to up to increased development cost and testing time, however, it has its own benefits to offer. The variety of devices that the Android ecosystem is made up of: smartphones, TV, home assistant devices, wearables, etc. inevitably points towards the big market all ripe and ready for you to target with your application. Unlike iOS, your app won’t be limited to just a set of devices.

10. Multiple network distribution

If you look at the advantages of the Android mobile app development for startup, you will find that the apps are not just limited to the Play Store. Meaning, you can publish your app on other app stores as well, namely Samsung Galaxy Store, MI store, and so on.

11. Higher ROI

Since you have such a wide market to target, the return of investment on your android app development for business would be instant and always on a higher end. From the time you publish your app on the store, there is a big pool of potential users you can tap into. All you need to do is devise a robust marketing and promotion strategy and follow best practices to get your app featured on the Play Store – processes that a sound android app development company can help you with. 

12. Greater scalability

This is another strong reason why businesses aim for becoming Android based startups. The platform is not limited to just smartphones, but can also be integrated into devices running on other technologies like IoT, AR, and VR. This provides a larger scope of scalability for businesses. It is this versatility that shows why businesses across the globe are looking for skilled android app development companies for startups.

Though it is true that Android and iOS are tough competition for each other, and deciding which to choose can be difficult since they have their own benefits to offer to businesses. However, even if you choose the benefits of android apps for startups over iOS, you can always try cross-platform development to target multiple platforms for expanding your reach.

Frequently Asked Question About Android Mobile App For Startups

Q. Does having an app increase business?

There are several reasons which back the fact that every business can flourish with more speed if it has a mobile app to support it. Every business needs a mobile application to grow. You ask why? Well, besides building an audience and creating brand awareness, a mobile app for startups can help them in assessing business growth while providing a competitive advantage.  

The post Why Should Startups Invest In Android App Development? appeared first on Appinventiv.

Wondering what these frameworks are? Want to know which are the best frameworks for starting with Android application development? Here, in this article, we will discuss the best android app development frameworks for making best Android apps 2021.

Let’s take a look.

15 Best Android App Development Frameworks for Building Apps

1. Corona SDK

Developed back in 2009, the Corona SDK is the top Android app framework for building apps for Android, Android TV, and Kindle Fire. The framework, which is also one of the leading cross platform frameworks, employs Lua for coding and empowers the developers.

2. AppsBuilder

App Builder is a cross-platform app creator that lets the users create apps for Android, iPhone, iPad, and HTML Web apps with no coding knowledge or need to hire an Android mobile app development company.

The framework, under the label of White label apps development, might seem easier and effective to use but has various limitations when it comes to beating the present day Native apps. To understand the concept in depth, read this blog: The Good, Bad & Ugly of White Labels Apps.

3. Dojo Mobile

Dojo Mobile is an HTML5 framework that renders a myriad of widgets with which you can develop web-based apps for iPhone, Blackberry, and Android. These widgets, as per the top mobile app developers, work best with WebKit-based browsers, like Safari, Chrome, and IE10 to name a few due to its dependency on CSS3 features. However, the widgets should be taken into practice in a ‘graceful degradation’ manner even for non-CSS3 based browsers, where you will be able to run the app but won’t have access to effects like animation, and gradient color.

The Android app development framework has dependencies only on other Dojo/Dijit modules, making it ideal for making lightweight apps. And thus, targeting users from developing areas having limited RAM phones. Apart from this, the platform has its own small parser but holds the potential to bootstrap your Android mobile app.

4. Appcelerator Titanium

Appcelerator Titanium (Titanium SDK) is an open-source framework for Android app development using a single JavaScript codebase.

The top mobile development framework is known for building mobile apps that run on multiple platforms by reusing somewhere around 60%-90% of existing code.

According to the top Android app developers, a mobile app developed using Titanium SDK can use hardware-specific features like Android menu button, employ OS-centric controls such as Cocoa UI controls, and even take advantage of platform-appropriate notification mechanisms.

To know more about this Android Application framework, check Titanium on GitHub.

5. jQuery Mobile

jQuery Mobile is a touch-optimized mobile JavaScript framework, developed with the perspective to create a framework that gels well with a myriad of smartphones and tablet computers. It is compatible with other mobile development frameworks like PhoneGap and Worklight, and empowers you to build custom theme based applications for Android, iOS, Blackberry, WebOS, and Symbian operating systems, and has a minimal learning curve for developers already familiar with jQuery syntax.

The Android app framework renders you with UI widgets that are platform- agnostic, automatically scale the codebase to any device screen, as well as run the app developed swiftly – all thanks to the limited dependencies of jQuery Mobile framework on other resources and tools.

6. PhoneGap

Introduced by the team behind Apache Cordova, the PhoneGap framework is an open-source Android application architecture that lets you launch an app using web development technologies (HTML, CSS, and JavaScript). And the best part is that you can develop apps within a few minutes.

To get more insights about this Android application framework, refer to the official PhoneGap help reference.

While this list of Android app development frameworks comparison is effective in reducing the burden on mobile application developers and launching your mobile application at the earliest, we still recommend hiring a right mobile app development company for gaining better results.

7. Xamarin 

Xamarin is one of the cross-platform Android development frameworks that is Ecma standard-compliant and comes with a .NET framework along with a number of compatible software toolsets. It also enables the developers with a single C# codebase which can be used for generating native apps for almost every key mobile operating system. 

The way the app logic is shared with multiple platforms makes Xamarin one of the best platforms for Android app development. The application logic which is essential for UI layer, like the web service calls, input validation, and the interaction with database along with the backend enterprise integrations is coded only once C#, thus saving the developers’ efforts. 

8. NativeScript

Next in our list of best android libraries and framework is NativeScript. Through NativeScript, you can use JavaScript, Angular, and TypeScript for building applications.

To make new Android mobile app developers acquainted with the modern Android framework, the official website is made very extensive with resources and real-life applications through codes. 

Running the app code on UI thread enabled NativeScript to picture the native APIs to app JavaScript. The NativeScript plugins and their modules cover multiple situations that require background thread processing.

9. Ionic

Ionic is one of the Android development tools that helps developers create and deploy native apps binaries on the cloud with the help of Ionic Package in order to get from coding stage to app store launch with zero platform dependencies or difficult build steps.

It is also one of the only mobile development frameworks for Android applications that lets you view and manage all the Ionic apps in one main, shared dashboard having live activity modules for seeing how the development process is progressing. 

10. Sencha Touch 

It is the best Android framework 2021 and the reason behind this denotation is the full-bodied data package, which we will get to in some time. Sencha Touch is one of the most advanced Android frameworks and libraries used for developing universal mobile applications. 

This best mobile app development framework drives complex hardware acceleration strategies that help attain high performance. It comes packaged with more than fifty built-in UI native themes and components, which help create eye-catching app experiences. 

11. React Native 

Created by Facebook, React native has grown to be a part of various popular mobile apps active in the stores today. Because React Native makes use of the same UI building blocks that you use when you create an app for Android, it becomes almost impossible to mark a difference between a React Native app and one developed with the help of Java and Objective-C.

The best thing around React native is that it uses Java, the most used programming language for android app development. This lowers the learnability curve to a massive extent. 

12. Flutter

Designed and maintained by Google, it is one of the best cross platform app development frameworks for building cross-platform apps in a unique approach compared to other frameworks. It is written in Dart language and uses a single codebase. Flutter uses a 2D rendering engine called Skia for visuals that are similar to material design and the Cupertino style. Moreover, this best mobile app development framework has best-in-class hot-reload functionality, which allows for seamless testing without the need to restart the application.

13. Framework7

This is the newest full-featured Android app development platform. It is an open-source mobile HTML framework that just needs an HTML layout and CSS and JS files to get it up and running. Developers who know HTML, CSS and JavaScript can easily flow with Framework7. This top-notch mobile application development framework focuses on crafting optimum experience and simplicity.

14. SproutCore

SproutCore is an open-source Javascript framework used for building super-fast apps with sophisticated features. Developed by Apple, this one of the best Android development platforms offers a clear MVC design that enables performance optimization and scalability for applications. As opposed to other JS libraries, this mobile application development framework includes an extensive set of more than 50,000 tools. Thanks to its maintainable application code and a well thought out business logic, the framework has become one of the best in its field.

15. Cordova

Cordova is the best framework for Android app development that allows developers to build multi-platform apps using a single code base. It is a hybrid framework that enables app development based on standard web technologies, including JavaScript, HTML5, and CSS3. Also, it can access native device APIs, making it difficult to identify whether the app has been developed using a native language or not. Cordova also provides support for offline scenarios.

FAQs About The Best Android App Development Frameworks

1. What is the best framework for Android development?

The choice depends on your app specifications, tech stack involved, and more. 

2. What programming language are Android apps written in?

While the official languages for Android app development are Java and Kotlin, the applications are also written in other languages like Python,C, C++, etc, – thanks to these frameworks.

3. How do I make my Android app native?

To make your Android app native, write the whole code using Java or Kotlin languages.

4. What is the framework in Android?

An Android UI framework is said to be code stack that builds a development environment that comprises of native Android libraries which can be used by developers for designing UI, handling user interactions, working with databases, etc.

5. Which is the best Android development tool?

It depends on your choice.

6. Should I use Kotlin or Java for Android?

The answer varies depending on the type of app you want to build, the tech stack, target audience, and more. So, it’s better to consult with the top Android app development software company for making the right decision.

7. Can you write Android apps in Python?

Yes, we can.

8. Which is the most used Android Studio Framework?

PhoneGap is one of the most used Android frameworks. Coming from the experts behind Apache Cordova, it is an open-source framework which uses CSS3, HTML5, and JavaScript for developing cross-platform apps. 

9. Which Android native app development framework is most precise for you in 2020?

We are excited about quite a handful of android application development frameworks. But the one we are fairly optimistic about is NativeScript. It is an open-source framework which is used to build apps on Apple and Android. The apps made in NativeScript are developed with the help of JavaScript.

Final Note

Selecting the right framework for Android app development is a complicated process. If you are looking for a one-shot solution for building the best android apps 2021, you should know that what works best for one company might not work for another. First, you should consider the capabilities of each framework and then focus on your business goals. After that, pick up from the platform mentioned above based on your business needs. In this way your choice will definitely have a positive impact. In case you still have any query regarding Android frameworks, you can contact a reputed Android app development company USA. They will guide you through the whole process and make things simpler for you. 

The post The Best 15 Android App Development Frameworks for 2021 appeared first on Appinventiv.

Android’s popularity has made the businesses reach customers easily, but at the same time, the fragmentation that the platform comes with has made Android app development one of the most challenging development tasks.

And, for developing a market-centric Android app, we need to hire the top android app development company with proficient developers. So, let’s take a look at the tips for finding the right team of Android app developers for your business:

[Know What Else You Need to Consider Before Finalizing a Mobile App Development Company]

#1. Look For Proficient Team of Android App Developers

When you are looking to hire a team made of experts in the Android developer profile, the important thing to consider is their experience. Developing a market-centric and business-centric app is really a tricky task, which needs to be done proficiently and that requires experience developers.

#2. Don’t Make Cost A Primary Focus

Many businesses in a race to hire a cost-effective android app development company, end up with a poor quality app, which in turn, is of no use for their business. So, instead of taking risks with such low budget developers, one should always hire a team of Android app developers that hold the potential to develop a feature-packed and quality-rich app at cost-effective prices.

#3. Check The Past Projects Of Developers

By going through the past projects of Android developers, you can understand their approach and quality of their delivery. The answer to ‘How to hire Android app development company’ lies in their past working portfolio. You should always go through the developer’s app’s functionality, designing capabilities, and the time taken to complete the project. It helps you to understand, whether the Android app developer fits the app’s requirements or not. Even we can also look for the app’s reviews, ratings and feedback for the developer’s app.

#4. Sound knowledge Of Open Source Platforms

Android being an open source platform, gives the flexibility to developers to design an application that suits user’s needs, thus making it a necessity for the developers to have a sound knowledge about these open source platforms. So, one should look for Android app development companies that are familiar with the emerging open source libraries.

#5. Connect With The Previous Clients

Before hiring an Android app development company, you need to consider many aspects. And, one of them is connecting with previous clients. By connecting the previous clients, we should know how the developer has treated with its previous clients. And, how they work after getting the project, how responsive they are, how often do they communicate, how they solve the challenges, etc.

You can get the past client information from company’s Clutch or Extract profile

#6. Do They Have An Innovative Approach?

You should see – What’s the approach of the Android developer or the Android app development company that you are looking to hire? – For hiring an adept Android development service provider, you should check if the developer understands the business needs, e capability to improvise the design and is capable of providing best-in-class user experience along with the innovative ideas.

#7. Go For A Reputed And Certified Company

Although, hiring a freelance Android developer can be low-budget, but it’s a risky way to get an android app developed. Choosing freelancers may result in a negative outcome. By wisely choosing a reputed and certified Android app development company, you can go for the safest and most cost-effective way to develop an app.

Also, when you invest in an Android app development company, the speed of app development process is also much faster since they work as a team of designers, testers, and coders.

#8. NDA And Privacy Agreements Are Mandatory

Always start working with an Android app development company or freelancer, once you sign an NDA or privacy agreements. By signing such a bond with the Android developers, you can ensure the safety of confidential business information. Additionally, we should also take care of the property rights of the Android app to avoid future discrepancies.

#9. Inquire About The Team Of Developers

Look for the team of an Android developer, who claims to provide services for the android app development. For many times, it’s been observed that many companies and brands hire freelancers for the app development process without having any prior information to the client. To meet this challenge, while hiring app developers, one should connect with the development team members and inquire about their team.

#10. Discuss The Post Development Tasks And Supports

Before hiring an Android app development company, we should discuss the post-development tasks including app submission, app testing, bug fixing, support & maintenance etc. before handing the project to the app development team. By selecting an adept Android developer, you can get a perfect app.

The post 10 Tips to Hire Android App Developer {2020 Edition} appeared first on Appinventiv.

The features that Kotlin comes powered with –  Interoperability with Java, Conciseness, and Android Studio support – were enough for Google to validate developing android apps with Kotlin, something that the tech giant continued to highlight in I/O 2018 by scheduling sessions on the Android new programming language.  

Just days after the announcement of Kotlin becoming the official language of Android at the I/O 2017 developer conference, the programming language found itself in the list of top programming languages that will define 2018.

Between 2017 and mid of 2018 (the present time) the language has seen an exponential rise in demand from both developers and businesses. The realm report that surveys mobile app developers globally also found that 20% of the Android apps that were built on Java before the Google I/O 2017 conference, were then migrated to Kotlin. A movement that has brought in a surge in demand for Kotlin app development agencies.

In October 2017, we covered Kotlin in depth in one of our blogs. Head on there to read the article where we dissected Kotlin and highlighted ways it is better than most of the other programming languages.

Taking what was started in 2017 forward, the Android industry in the present day is staring at the rise of the number of Kotlin based apps, with the portfolio consisting of a number of hot-shot brand names.

In this article, we will be looking at 15 companies that were using Java earlier but now use Kotlin, and this way, give you an idea of why it’s time for you to follow the lead to.

But before that, here are the business benefits that you can enjoy by focusing on android development with Kotlin.

What are the Business Benefits of Choosing Kotlin – The Official Programming Language for Android Apps

1. Improved Code Maintainability Meaning Faster Development Time

When we compare Kotlin vs Java, we can find Kotlin to be more concise meaning it can solve more problems with fewer lines of code. It means that the engineers can read and change the code much more efficiently.

There are a number of features that come associated with Kotlin, which make the language more concise – Smart Casts, Data Classes, Properties, and Type Interface.

2. Lower Instances of Application Crashes

Open source Android Apps written in Kotlin offer better security over those coded in Java. This is so because Kotlin averts the common programming mistakes in design, which results in lesser application crashes and system failures. Also, since Kotlin works on a fail-fast system, any issues that can lead to failure are reported instantly.

The fail-fast compiler that Kotlin comes with searches for bugs and prevent them from coming again.

3. Shrinked Codebase Leads to Easy App Maintainability

Android apps made with Kotlin call for a lot less number of code lines as compared to Android apps made with Java, which ultimately not just saves the app development time but also the app maintenance time and efforts.

Apart from these business benefits, there are a number of advantages that come associated with Android Kotlin.

Seeing these myriad of benefits that Android apps made by Kotlin bring with themselves, the Android mobile app development industry has now eventually started moving to the adoption of Kotlin Programming Language. A move that has been bringing about a transition from Java to Kotlin.

Kotlin Developers that have made the switch from Java to Kotlin have realized a series of benefits that have also become the reasons why it is time for the android mobile application development industry to start making the switch.

Why is the Android App Development Industry Moving from Java to Android’s New Programming Language?

This is Why –

1. Mass Adoption

Even though Kotlin – the new language for Android Apps is a new entrant in the industry, there are a number of companies – established and new alike – that have migrated from Java to Kotlin to take advantage of the benefits that the language comes with.

*More on That Later.

2. Concise

Android mobile apps developed in Kotlin language are very concise. The resulting code of a Kotlin programming language reduces the total number of boilerplate codes, which enhances productivity to a great extent. Also, there is a lot less room of error, while the resulting code is a lot safer and reliable.

3. Better User Experience

If you make apps with Android Studio, Kotlin programming language will make them a lot more stable by removing the bugs and reducing the instances of app crashes. And when your app is launched with these issues missing, the user experience only enhances.

4. Designed to Fail-Fast

This time around, Google has brought changes in its new programming language for Android Apps. They have made Kotlin fail-fast.

A fail-fast system immediately reports any issue in coding that is most likely going to lead to failure. When a problem emerges, the fail-fast system fails immediately, making it impossible for the Kotlin developers to move ahead with the mobile app development process.

5. Resolves Problems Faster

Due to fewer codes being required, a programmer can analyze and change the code very quickly. Bugs are detected at the time of compilation, so developers can fix errors before runtime.

6. Built-in Null Safety

Kotlin offers complete null safety, which is a tremendous advantage. In the past, the infamous null pointer exception has been largely responsible for Android development studio mistakes. Android completely relies on null to represent the absence of a value, and this null can easily destroy an application.

7. Kotlin for Android is a Developer’s Retreat

Kotlin programming language, in its latest 1.4 release, has made the Android App Development process a breeze for the developers. The language now offers a new flexible Project Wizard for easy creation and configuration of varied types of projects, a new compiler mode known as explicit API mode that aids creating well-defined and consistent APIs, and much more.

All these benefits cumulatively have resulted in making Kotlin the answer to ‘What programming language are Android Apps Written In’.

The fact that Google has introduced free courses to learn Kotlin, will do wonders for the adoption rate. It is so much so that the probability of you using some apps built with Kotlin is extremely high.

Here are the 15 Android Apps That are Made Using Kotlin for Android 

1. Pinterest

The popular photo-sharing app, Pinterest is one of the biggest names that have used Kotlin for Android App Development. The brand officially moved from Java to Kotlin and showcased the benefits of the move at Droidcon NYC 2016.

2. Postmates

The on-demand food delivery app also recently shifted to Kotlin for its Android version of the mobile app. The reason for this switch from Java to Kotlin can be attributed to the fact that the language is famous for supporting high scalability and is known to be engineered around a fail-fast mechanism.

3. Evernote

The note-taking and task organization app, Evernote has also joined the league of apps built with Java that has turned towards Kotlin.

4. Corda

Corda, the open source blockchain project that helps Blockchain app developers create interoperable blockchain networks is also based entirely on Kotlin.

5. Coursera

The world-renowned online courses app, Coursera is also partially based on Kotlin. The app has millions of active users who use the platform to take courses on a range of different topics.

6. Uber

The global leader in the on-demand commutation market, Uber has also invested in Kotlin app development for Internal Tooling processes such as annotation processors and Gradle plugins.

7. Spring by Pivotal

The Spring Framework offers a comprehensive configuration and programming model for the development of modern-day Java-based enterprise apps – on every sort of deployment platform. The framework uses Kotlin to provide more concise APIs

8. Atlassian | Trello

While Trello is not planning to do a full code conversion of the old codebase, the new code that they are using is made using Kotlin. Since there is great interoperability between Java and Kotlin, the brand is able to work with both.

9. Basecamp 3

Basecamp developers have admitted witnessing a huge difference in code quality and speed ever since they made the switch from Java to Kotlin.  

10. Twidere for Twitter

Twidere is a full feature open source Twitter client app that customizes the theme, manages the unlimited accounts, and filters unwanted tweets. Developed in Kotlin, the app has been able to bag 100,000+ install rate because of its smooth performance.

11. Shadowsocks

The secure cross-platform socks proxy helps user surf the internet securely and privately. The app with 1,000,000+ downloads on the Play Store also joined the list of apps made with Kotlin.

12. Simple Calendar

The ad-free fully open source calendar app is also amongst the Android apps made in Kotlin.

13. Kickstarter

The app helps musicians, artists, designers, filmmakers, and other creatives find all the resources and the support that they would need to convert their ideas into a reality. With thousands of active users, the app is powered by Kotlin.

14. Square

Ever since Kotlin was approved by Square for their Android Applications, the payment platform has become the evangelists of Kotlin for Android.

15. Gradle

Gradle is the custom build tool that is used for developing the android packages (apk files) by providing the custom build logic and managing dependencies. And recently, Gradle introduced Kotlin as the language for writing the build scripts in. Since Kotlin gives support for both IDEA and Eclipse, Android’s new programming language gives the Gradle users full IDE support for refactoring to auto completion and everything in between.

Get your app’s name added to the list, get in touch with our team of Android Kotlin experts today.

Now that we have looked at the benefits that come attached with developing apps using Kotlin and how their a number of hot-shot apps that are benefitting from this association, we have come to the end of the article where we will talk about the pointers that you should look out for BEFORE you plan to join the league of those famous apps made with Android Studio.

What Do You Need to Know Before Migrating Your Java App to Kotlin?

A. Is your team ready to make the switch?

Shifting the development method from one programming language to another comes with a learnability curve. So, before you convert Java to Kotlin, ensure that your hired development team is adept and experienced in building Kotlin apps.

B. Is your app architecture made of loosely coupled components?

When you convert Java to Kotlin Android Studio, it can result in deletion, creation, and merging of some artifacts and classes that make your mobile app architecture a mess. And the more loosely coupled your app components, the more difficult it would be to make changes and then test them.

Once you have ensured that both the pointers are in place, you no longer have a reason to not convert Java to Kotlin Android studio, like the app industry’s top leaders did.

Final Note

As you have seen there are plenty of benefits in shifting from Java to Kotlin. There were a number of Android apps made with Java, but now they have shifted to Kotlin. On the whole, migrating to Kotlin helps to resolve problems faster and improves your app’s performance. So, what are you waiting for? Start this awesome journey and you will see that it will turn out to be an amazing decision for your business. In case you need any Android Studio app ideas for your brand, contact a reputed android development studio company. They will guide you through the mobile app development Android Studio process and provide all the assistance you need to take your Android Studio app ideas to the next level. 

The post Know Why These 15 Famous Apps Migrated from Java to Kotlin appeared first on Appinventiv.

Just like your regular Search Engine Optimization mechanisms, Play Store Optimizations also show their effect only when worked from both on store and off store front.

Here is what both the factors entail-

• On store factors – These include having the right set of keywords in the app description or its title to enable Play Store search algorithms to fetch them when showing results for a particular category. These features also play a huge role in getting an Android app featured on the store.
• Off store factors – These include having enough backlinks coming in from different sources. The sources can be anything – articles, videos, or mentions. Another element that we will be adding here is users’ ratings and reviews. Although, they get uploaded on the store, but the app publishers have no control on them.

For a better understanding of both the factors, read on store factors as the one that the publisher has control on and the off store one as a set of an element that publishers have no control over.

Now that you know the two factors that would directly impact the rank that you are visible on in Play Store search result, let us now get in depth of it – Of getting your app optimized for the Google Play Store to reap the benefits of the time and effort you have spent into getting it developed.

1. Market Research

The first step towards optimizing your app to rule the Play Store chart starts with a thorough market research.

1. Since the end goal of all your ASO efforts is to get maximum downloads, and app store optimization is 80% about keywords and phrases, you will have to get into your users’ heads to know what they are looking for.
2. You will have to know who your users are, what are they looking for in an app that they would then move to their home screen and what words are they using to find that application both on search engine and within the app stores.
3. To understand what is going on in your users’ head, you will have to frequent the place they frequent to show/vocalize their needs.
4. Once you have their insight, the next entity you will need to analyze in depth is your competitors.
5. Competitor analysis is as important as knowing your customers’ needs. You will have to gain an understanding of what they are offering to your customers, on what mode, in what context, etc. You will have to pay attention to the power words that they are using in their app description, that are making the users install their app.
6. Go through their review section and see what experience users are having on their app, visit their Youtube channel or go through their blog sections to know what image they are creating in the market and what their users are liking in their offering as compared to thousand other similar apps.

An insight into both – your customers and your competitors – will show you exactly what your customers are looking for and the words they are using and getting converted with.

2. Keyword Optimization

With a very clear understanding of what your customers are looking for and the standards that your competitors have set, the next stage is to convert those insights into keywords and phrases that your users will search for your app with.

Before we move on the steps to optimize your app description and other app elements on the Google Play Store, let us first look into the process of finding the keywords that you should be putting in your app details page.

There are two ways of finding out keywords to use in your app’s Play Store page –

1. Use what your competitors are using OR
2. Go manual and find keywords that the world is using when looking for a product or service in your category.

For the first method, make use of websites like “App Annie” and “Sensor Tower“. Both the websites give you a detailed list of keywords that your competitors are ranking on, which you can copy/borrow/ steal for your own app.

If you are planning to take the manual route, these are the steps that you need to follow –

Step 1: Open your Google Keyword Planner Tool and select ‘Search for new keywords and ad group ideas’ and enter your app domain in the Search bar and click on ‘Get Ideas’.
In the list that comes up, do not stress too much about the average monthly searches that are coming up on your query, focus your attention on the ‘Ad Group Ideas’ section. This section will have a list of keywords that users are also looking for or the similar keywords.

Step 2: Use reverse dictionaries available on the internet to get a list of words associated with your keyword.

Step 3: Once you have got the list of keywords ready with you, the next step is to refine the list.

There are three categories on the basis of which you should judge if your keyword is viable enough to get you good ranking on the Play Store or not –

• Relevancy with your app idea
• Difficulty range under 20
• Mid Level Traffic and Search Volume.

These steps would give you a list of keywords that will help you in getting your app’s ranking up in the store along with its visibility and download probability.

Now that you have the refined list of keywords, let us now move on to their usage in your app’s Play Store page.

3. Title

Title is the number one element that needs to be optimized for Play Store. It has a direct impact on both search result and conversion rate. Google has extended the app title character limit to 50 characters since July 2017. To make the most of this space, put in a strong keyword next to the brand name as your app title.

An optimized title can look like any one of these four types –

• Brand name: Keyword(s)
• Brand name – Keyword(s)
• Keyword(s): Brand name
• Keyword(s) – Brand name

4. URL

The URL package is another element that can bring in a direct boost in the Play Store ranking number. You can include your keyword in the URL as well to increase its chance at visibility.
Remember that you will have to check the Play Store package URL before you publish your app. Once set, it cannot be modified later.

A successful example to prove the point that having keywords in app url impacts its ranking and download probability to a huge extent, is Nintendo’s Super Mario Run game. They have added a very competitive keyword in their URL – Zara, which has made them rank a lot higher than other running games on Play Store.

5. Developer Name

One of the least thought about app page elements which you can incorporate with your keyword is ‘Developer Name’ section. Also, Google saves the Developer History and apps that come with a positive developer history ranks much higher than those who don’t. But coming back to incorporating keywords for making Play Store fetch your app because of your developer name, if you make your primary keyword your developer name, you will be able to rank higher a lot sooner.

6. Short Description

The 80 characters short description section on your app page can easily take your app name up the Play Store ranking list. You should plan the short description in a way that it has the keywords in under 20 characters and explain exactly what your app does differently from the thousands of other similar apps.

The sign of a well crafted short description lies in how seamlessly it blends keywords with the app’s USPs, while giving the users something that would grab their attention in microseconds. To gain users’ attention, a number of brands have started using emoticons in their app’s short description section.

7. Long Description

Play Store App Description section is your place to shine. Unlike Apple, Google offers ample space to its developers to showcase their app, fill in keywords, and convince their users why the app is better than the thousands of similar ones in the market.

In the 4,000 character space that Play Store gives you, make sure that you have entered the keywords and their synonyms in the first line and in the last 5 lines of the description, as that is what will make it searchable.

When drafting your app description, make sure it is well formatted and structured. It should have all the necessary information that would persuade your users to install the app. Feel free to mention your accomplishments, use emojis, have details of the updates you rolled out, and social media profile names for the users to follow through.

8. Icon

In the time when the mobile app users have no time to waste, icons are the first thing that they see before deciding whether to even click on the app detail or not. A clearly distinctive icon is what triggers maximum click throughs. For a business to make a lasting impact on its users, the icon needs to be picture perfect and an exact representation of what the app is about.

The biggest mistake that you can make is uploading a pixelated image because you were unsure of the icon size. Although, your partner mobile app development company will handle this for you, but for the sake of expanding your knowledge, here is the image detail –

• 32 Bit png
• 512X512 Dimensions
• 1024 Kb File Size

There are some things that you need to be wary of when it comes to designing your app icon, such as –

• No copying of design and layout,
• Avoid having text on the icon photo,
• Use the latest design trend present – it can be gradient or line icon or something absolutely fresh in the market.
• Lastly, until you become all famous and popular, avoid using icons that are not self explanatory of what the app is about.

9. Feature Graphic

The next visual cue that your users will follow after your app icon is the feature graphic. A well designed feature graphic is not just a stepping stone to taking users to the next stage, but also a major driver of conversion rate.

Google has set two requirements for the app feature image –

1. 24 bit png or jpeg
2. 1024X500 Dimensions

Here’s how you can optimize the feature graphic of your android app

• Do not place any necessary information by the bottom or near the borders of the image
• Use Large Font Size
• Keep changing it according to different schemes or campaigns
• Localize the text in your featured image, if any (more into this later in the article)

Continuously keep A/B testing your featured image and its content to see what works with your users and what doesn’t.

10. Video

Paste YouTube URL in the “Promo video” section of your Google Play Store listing to add video to your app page. Videos have become one of the most powerful marketing tools of today’s time when the users are getting less and less patient. One of the coolest things about adding a video in your app page is that the views that you get on your play store listing gets added to your YouTube views count, automatically.

Before you upload a video on your app page, know of these two requirements –

1. Use an individual YouTube URL instead of the URL of a Playlist or Channel
2. Make sure that the video is not age restricted and that everyone can view the video.

Lastly, just like you did with your feature image, localize your app video as well to reach a greater user base.

11. Screenshot

Screenshots are your only way to create an impression about your app in front of the users. They provide a direct look into how your app looks and moves. In fact, majority of the onlookers get converted into app installers on the basis of the screens they are shown.

Your screenshots should be the best representation of your app’s features. You can even add texts or highlights on the screens to explain a complicated image. Don’t restrict to uploading just two screenshots, use all the slots that Google has given you. It also helps when your screenshots move from one to other in form of a story, so give it a shot.

Google has laid down a number of guidelines that are to be followed when it comes to uploading screenshots on the page, here they are –

• 320X384 Dimensions
• 24 bit png or jpeg

With this, we have now covered all the on-store factors that can up your ranking in the Play Store, and now it is time to move on to the off-store factors, which are not in control of the app publishers.

12. Rating & Review

The first element that has an impact on play store ranking is the rating and review section of your app description page. While you don’t have a direct impact on whether users would like your app or not, you can most definitely make it easy for them to like your app by giving them an app that they would love, by default.

By being active in the review section, you can create an impression that the issues are heard and by constantly adding updates that touches upon those issues will also make you your users’ favorite. But, above all, the only resort to getting higher stars and great reviews is by offering your users an app that they need, that comes bug free, and ultimately is something that offers some value in their life.

An important thing to consider here is that you should at all times be responsive. Don’t let your users think they are unheard or ignored.

13. App Update

Another non keyword related element that has an impact on bringing up the app ranking is App Updates. To be in trend and to keep offering your users something new ever so often, you will have to keep updating your android application. It can be as minor as a bug eradication or can be as major as a UI/UX change.

Although, there is no written time when an app should be updated, but you should aim for updating your app at least once in every 30 to 40 days. And, once you do, your users should be informed of the same. They should know that the app was updated and the details of the new update.

While you can send an email to every user individually, highlighting what the update was about, but the ideal practice is add the details in your app description section under What’s New or Update (version name).

14. App Localization

There are a number of statistics doing round all over the internet, hinting towards how app localization hold the immense potential of bringing in a sharp rise in the app revenue charts. Majority of the Play Store users, as opposed to the common beliefs, belong to non english speaking nations, a section that is majorly ignored when an app is designed, developed, and promoted.

Lately more and more brands are coming up with localization tactics to expand their users base and growth, revenue chart. What it means to localize is not just translating the language from dialect A to dialect B, it means changing everything from videos to visuals according to the audience that is meant to cater.

Suppose yours is a language teaching app, now instead of explaining everything your app is about in English in your screenshot or video or even your feature image, have them designed and developed in a variety of different languages, so that the native speakers get attracted towards the app as well.

15. A/B Testing

There is no single point formula to ranking high on the Play Store listings specially when you are competing with million of other mobile apps. You will have to constantly keep making tweaks here and there to see what is working and what is users not responding to.

What we would suggest is that keep changing your screenshots, app descriptions. Keep shuffling your keyword list and changing your app’s details accordingly. It is only when you will constantly change your app’s look and read, your users would get to see something new on the page, creating a curiosity to install the app again, if uninstalled earlier.

A/B Testing should be a continuous process, you should always remain in touch with your app developers so that you are always in trend when the app users compare you with the thousands of apps in the similar category.

16. App Indexing

The idea is that the maximum traffic you send to your app listing page, the more higher you go up in ranking charts.
Now, the process of sending traffic off to your mobile app listing is not an easy one to follow. You will have to promote it in enough places and among a range of different people.

Apart from promotion, you will also have to invest time in getting your app listing page indexed. Two quick ways to make your app indexing ready are –

• Focusing on Nouns as keywords
• Having related words phrases as well, in addition to the specific seed keywords.

So here was the complete guide of getting your app higher on the ranking charts.

The two takeaways and parting notes that I want you to take along with you as you step in this cut-throat competition are –

A. Choose your Keywords Wisely, go with ones that have medium level traffic and competition and

B. Keep A/B Testing your ASO practices.

The post A Comprehensive Guide on Play Store Optimization appeared first on Appinventiv.