Six Tips that Every Application Developer Should Follow

Each week, throwing tens, not hundreds of new applications for the succulent mobile device market, despite a market that handles the figures still seems far from touching the ceiling and that there are still many business opportunities and ideas. No need for larger development teams and budgets of hundreds of thousands of dollars, just an idea, a Mac and an annual subscription of $99 (just over 70 euros) to the IOS Developer Program to distribute the results of your effort through the App Store.

Here you will find six tips that every mobile application developer should follow. These are general concepts that should apply independently provided the platform for which to work but they charge a particularly important dimension in IOS considering the stiff competition that exists and the level of attention to detail expected of anything related to the block. Let’s start …

1. Keep things simple. And the more nearly better. Many developers, especially mobile applications, seem to believe that there is a direct correlation between the number of functions of an application and its number of downloads. This is not only completely false but probably just the opposite is closer to the truth. When it is easier and better to do its function, the better. There will be time to add features in upcoming releases.

2. Tempts the user. Or put another way, not frightening! How many times have you downloaded an application that you start anything else required to be registered in a web service? First mistake: Never force the user to leave your application to register. Second, do not force him to sign before they even play with at least the most basic functions of the application. And third, if absolutely necessary, at least provides some screens with a tour of the application to bring them to the teeth long before they reach the blissful form in question.

3. Keep your interest. Last July there were more than 425,000 applications on the App Store. Getting download yours is quite an achievement and so do not neglect your users. Launching the application should not be the end but rather the beginning. Update your application frequently, not only to include all those features that were left out of the first version, but also to increase performance and improve what you’ve already done Based on the feedback from your users (comments from the App Store you may find very useful).

4. Speed ??Matters. Consider your users like the most impatient of the planet. Withstand the load times on a computer is quite annoying but do it in a mobile device is madness. People do not want to wait more than three seconds to start using something and certainly not many others want to wait each time you pass from one screen to another. The more agile is your application, the more time people spend using it so take it easy and all you can optimize it. Of course, you should also take into account not only the speed but the perception of this by the user. What do you think all these animations are used between screens?

5. And the design also. Come, your users have an iPhone, an iPhone or iPod touch so it presupposes something tasteful. Considering the huge competition they’ll face probably will sooner or later always remember how important what you do as how you do. Take care of your application design to the last detail (starting with its icon) and spends the time it takes to discover the easiest way to do once beautiful and show everything on-screen. Worthwhile.

6. Do not be a spammer. It’s unbelievable that still has to keep saying these things but from time to time I still find applications that are passed through the triumphal arch respect to the user and take the freedom to publish things merrily on our Facebook or Twitter without consulting us or warn us before when we set it. Worse, even the need to directly enter the field of the vilest spam messages or sending emails to your contacts as if you were recommending it you. Gentlemen, the only possible outcome for this action is that the user removes the application as soon discovers what has happened.

Needless to say I hope your appreciation when you gain checks your first million. In the meantime I’ll settle for you to share with the rest of your own advice through the comments on this post. Good luck!

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