Today people greatly rely on mobile devices and mobile apps have started to penetrate into most of the industries. The healthcare industry is also encouraging mobile app development in keeping with the latest trends and preferences of consumers. Increase in Smartphone users and the rising health consciousness has led to the increase in mobile app usage in the healthcare industry. The way people adapt to mobile technology and look for a convenient healthcare approach has also increased the demand for health apps.
Role and Scope of Mobile Apps
Doctor-patient interaction is vital in the healthcare industry which is a challenging prospect while monitoring patients remotely. However, with the help of mobile apps the distance between the patient and the doctor can be reduced. Therefore many healthcare professionals are enthusiastic when it comes to developing mobile apps, and this improves the performance of healthcare units. It was in the year 2013 that medical apps got more attention from consumers. Mobile apps for healthcare organizations help in delivering services ensuring quality care, improved workflow and increased patient interaction with minimum complexity.
Choose Android Application Development Rather Than iOS
Android and iOS are the two biggest mobile-based operating systems in the world and the choice of platform is important as it can either make or break a business. So here are some of the reasons that put Android ahead of iOS.
Android apps are created using basics of the Java language and they can be transferred to any other mobile like Symbian, Ubuntu and Blackberry; and Android apps can be easily be ported to Chrome OS.
Android studio is an amazing IDE based on the IntelliJ IDE. It is designed in such a way that suits Android application development. It is highly efficient, fast and can easily set Android project to variety of devices.
Java is a powerful programming language and it is used on a wide range of mobile operating systems. It offers various possibilities like developing apps for other operating systems, whereas iOS would require learning one of Apple’s own development languages like C or Swift and these languages are Apple’s own development.
Android provides Google Play Store that offers a wide range of free apps. These apps can be updated easily. Apple App store requires a lengthy process of submitting and updating different versions.
Android versions allow developers to release a beta or alpha version of the app. This is available only to selected group of users and it also gives the freedom to test the app on Google Play Store. This is not available for Apple’s App.
Users of Apple devices are the richer class and so they will be ready to pay for in- app purchases. But Android is more profitable and it holds a substantial share of the market among other mobile device operators. Android has around 1.6 billion consumers compared to 395 million iOS device users.
Medical application development helps physicians monitor several aspects of their patient’s health. Versatile apps are very practical and useful, making it easy to obtain lab results and the results of other diagnostic tests, ensure instant feedback delivery to patients, manage appointments and so on. Therefore, it is important for healthcare entities to develop a medical app customized to their specific requirements. Apps are user-friendly and are one of the best ways to interact more effectively with patients, ensure better services and consumer satisfaction.
Mobile app development is one of the much sought after mobile SEO servicesbecause these provide an effective way of reaching out to targeted consumers. Healthcare digital marketing focuses on developing the best mobile healthcare apps and software. With increasing use of Smartphones and tablets to access healthcare information and services, physicians, hospitals and medical business owners are realizing that a mobile presence is a necessity.
Developing a mobile app is important, similarly using the right mobile app development framework is also essential for optimum results. These frameworks give developers a standard foundation of functionality, which can be modified according to the mobile app specific software. They may be mobile web app frameworks, native frameworks for platform-specific development and hybrid apps that combine the features of native and mobile app frameworks. With native frameworks, developers can utilize all functionalities that are native to a mobile platform (Android, Windows, Galaxy, iOS). Native frameworks are platform specific and can create apps for only one mobile platform. Hybrid frameworks lack the ability to utilize all native API functions. But developers can still access to a phone’s camera, geo-location, and notification system via the tools provided.
So here are five popular frameworks for developing mobile apps.
Ionic: This has remained the most popular framework as it helps developers to build inspiring native and progressive web apps. It works on the latest mobile devices and provides the best environment to an app to hit the market in the desired way. The online Ionic Market allows developers to download templates, and projects developed by other developers. Builders can build, emulate and run their apps. Ionic Lab Components let you test the app on Android and iOS operating systems.
JQuery Mobile: This app has been popular throughout 2016 and is a widely used cross-mobile framework helping developers to create mobile apps quickly and Apps developed using this framework work on Android, iOS, Windows, Blackberry, Windows phone 7, Firefox Mobile, Opera Mobile, Kindle, Nook and MeeGo.
Adobe Phone Gap: Adobe Phone Gap is the best framework to develop a hybrid app based on HTML5, CSS and JavaScript. This framework assures good quality performance for apps. It also allows mobile app developers deliver an app to a specific audience without considering any hardware limits. This can be used to build apps for iOS, Android, Windows, Blackberry, Ubuntu, MaxOS, Firefox OS and Windows Phone. This framework comes with a number of plug-ins that allow developers to extend its functionality.
Intel XDK: The framework is best suitable for creating HTML5 apps with the required quickness and ease. It provides a wide range of features like providing support to industry leading plug-ins and tools. It is also suitable for creating games that monetize. This framework has tools like debugger, Chrome Developer Tools, DOM elements, Cordova plug-in, and JavaScript code.
EXT JS: Ext JS is one of the most popular flexible framework that help developers build a wide range of apps. It provides high performance UI widgets such as lists, forms menus, toolbars and so on. With this framework, developers can create apps for Androids, iOS and Windows Phone.
It is important to remember that a mobile app is not the same as a mobile-friendly website, and many unique features within your app can be better developed and are more engaging than web elements. A mobile app development company can help in creating customized apps for healthcare businesses that are appealing to target consumers, and effective in enhancing customer engagement.
Hospitals, physician practices, medical equipment manufacturers and other healthcare organizations need to incorporate intelligent medical Internet marketing strategies. A major part of that strategy is mobile app development.
Healthcare is also going through the app development trend. It’s all about the mobile phone experience these days, and the healthcare industry needs to capitalize on this. According to Gartner, 2017 will see over 268 billion app downloads generating $77 billion.It’s not hard to see how this prediction will come true – there are already over 2.2 million apps in Google Play and over 2 million in the Apple App Store,and apps are not being used only for smartphones now.
Apps are indispensable for a host of IoT-enabled devices as well as smart cars, smart homes, wearables and other such connected devices whose use will only increase in the years to come. This also coincides with the increasing acceptance of cloud-based services and apps with the capability of real time data syncing with other devices and the server. So it’s worth looking into 2017 and what major app trends we could see this year.
Big Data Analysis
Analytics are the bread and butter of any mobile marketing strategy and app development. They enable tracking the mobile use habits of users,helping you target your marketing more efficiently. That’s what big data analysis makes possible. Incorporating actionable elements in an app that drive greater user engagement can help marketers understand the user better.
The Practical Potential of Augmented Reality
Augmented Reality (AR) will no longer be just a show. Apps are now putting AR to full use. With wearables now part of the app device list, AR just has so many practical applications. We could soon be seeing apps using word or phrase recognition. Detecting a catchphrase in an audio, video or text message could result in the app opening a related service.There could also be other such integrations involving location tracking, social media syncing, and other intelligent ideas. The sky’s the limit!
Location-based Services
We could see a significant rise in the number of location-based services (LBS) because of GPS availability on mobile devices. LBS technology could provide users with real-time information on deals or offers based on where they are located. Offers at retail stores in the user’s location, payment portals specific to the location, navigation services, travel offers, security features, indoor mapping, etc are some of the practical fields of location-based services.
This is where various tech giants have made significant advances. Beacon technology is one of the examples of the technological advancements made to facilitate location-based services, where marketers and consumers can communicate.
Realizing the Full Potential of the Internet of Things
Internet of Things (IoT) could realize its greater potential this year. As we mentioned before, app developers would be focusing not only on smartphones but also a host of wearables. IoT is influencing organizations in comprehensive fields including healthcare, so much so that these organizations are experimenting with this.
The IoT industry is therefore going through a major boom and app creators need to tap into this boom to succeed. Data analytics needs to be incorporated for easy and efficient access of stored and shared data. Enterprise backend infrastructure and complex mobile platforms need to be used by app developers for sharing data and communicating between the devices.
App Security Becomes Critical
With the large amount of user data that gets transferred through, and stored in, the smartphone thanks to these technologies, the security of the smartphone becomes really important. Though many users don’t realize how important the security of their smartphone is, apps need to have built-in security features. Apps with security features could be prioritized.
AI Isn’t much Far Back
We could see apps embedded with artificial intelligence (AI). Quite like AR, the potential of AI is also nearly limitless. And it could change the industry itself. Armed with AI, apps could be created that would customize their display to users based on their location data or their personal preferences. Rather than being run from data centers always, these kinds of services could soon be incorporated into IoT-enabled devices and wearables.
What these trends indicate is the sheer potential of mobile app development. Apps are soon going to be an important element of medical Internet marketing since healthcare apps are already getting popular. The services of an experienced healthcare digital marketing company could be helpful for your practice since the competition is heating up in digital marketing thanks to technological developments.
Mobile app development is the process of building and developing software and application programs for mobile phones and smart gadgets. As mobile technology is more flexible, the use of mobile is growing phenomenally, and various studies show that our future will be ruled by mobile technology.
Importance of Mobile App Development
Mobile apps are undergoing a revolutionary change in the present world, with more and more number of people engaging with each other and with various businesses through mobile apps. In the highly competitive business world, healthcare organizations should have dynamic websites and versatile mobile apps to ensure business growth. Many marketers believe that mobile apps are one of the easiest ways to connect with the people around the world and a great marketing tool to improve the business. Mobile apps allow customers to have all the required information at their fingertips. Similarly, having an app also allows your customers to better view and purchase your products or services.
Expert observers have pointed out that healthcare is one of the most under-served industries in terms of mobile app technology in spite of being one of the largest and most profitable industries. Medical apps can be utilized to improve daily life and ensure positive patient outcomes. Users can access and organize important personal health information, while patients can track and monitor their progress and recovery. Mobile app development companies can help healthcare businesses build robust and scalable apps across all platforms such as iOS, Android and wearable devices.
Tips to Cut Down Mobile App Development Cost
Developing mobile apps is not an easy affair and businesses are always looking out for various methods to reduce app development cost. So here are a few tips that can bring down the cost of developing a mobile app.
Have a clear idea about your specific requirements: For any business it is important to be focused and steadfast or else it can lead to inconsistencies between their actual needs and the work of the app development team. This can delay the app development project or even cost more. Find out the requirements of your business and document them. This allows the app development team to have a clear idea of your requirements and develop the app accordingly. Experienced subject matter experts and business analysts will help identify what you want and correctly formulate your needs.
Choose a reliable developer and save money on development: It is very important to choose a good app developer. Always remember to spend money on good app developers and minimize the cost of developing apps rather than choosing a cheap agency. An easy way of reducing cost is by outsourcing app development to a reliable offshore service provider.
Have a long-term vision: The conventional method of developing an app implies developing all planned features and then testing the app and optimizing it. But it is important to have a long term vision while developing an app. When there is a need for any changes, the team can quickly respond and adapt efficiently.
Most valuable player: It is always better to keep your first launch simple with minimum functionalities and take time to develop secondary features for later data. This technique will help you to evaluate the market demand. Once you get an idea of the needs existing in the market, introduce secondary features.This method will help you to use your money wisely.
Cross platform development: Cross platform development is a great cost saver only if the app is not very complex, if it does not use native interfaces and does not require hardware integration.
Use quick and instant solutions: There are some readymade features that can be implemented using prebuilt templates that need to be customized. There are many third party providers who offer ready to use solutions. However,such services integrated into the app can cause problems like instability and bad scalability.
Continued supervision: Constant supervision and communication with the app development team is crucial to avoid any mistakes or inconsistencies. Also, test each and every new build of your application.
Today there are many service providers that offer mobile app development but it is important to choose the right provider that offers optimum results at affordable rates.
