Category Archives: Mobile Application

Mobile apps need a new approach

Businesses’ growing need for anytime, anywhere information, coupled with the advanced capabilities of smartphones, means that the demand for mobile applications, designed specifically for enterprise use, is robust.

For channel players in the mobile ecosystem, be they ISVs or SIs, the time is right to harness this explosion.

Building or implementing mobile solutions offers a wealth of new business opportunities. However, with high demand, comes new challenges. In this rapidly changing market, ensuring you are equipped with the means to quickly create and deliver applications across a multi-platform, multi device environment, in the most efficient way, holds the key to real business success and maximising revenue opportunities.

Managing the shifting sands

In today’s business environment, organisations demand more from their mobile devices. Increasingly, we rely on smartphones for highly complex business processes; everything from inventory tracking and processing orders, to customer care. Forrester has predicted that by 2016, some 350m workers will use smartphones and business spending on mobile projects will have doubled.

For ISVs creating software or SIs implementing solutions, there is heightened pressure to bring mobile apps to market quickly that not only have rich functionality, but which can also be deployed across different operating systems. Whereas traditionally on desktops new operating systems were released every year, in the mobile space this can be yearly or even every six months.

Integrators and developers now also have the challenge of designing and running more business-focused applications with an ever-more sophisticated raft of functions. This can range from applications which were originally designed for PCs, and which must be migrated to a mobile environment, to delivering customised, hybrid offerings of SAP, Oracle or other business applications.

The rise of the tablet within the workplace also means that, increasingly, enterprises will need their applications to work across multiple device types. Organisations are recognising the unique advantage of the tablet in a variety of contexts and investing in rolling out tablets and enterprise applications across the workforce. Capitalising on this trend means that applications will have to be optimised for these devices.     

Future proof decisions

The mobile world is creating new challenges but also opening up new opportunities and levelling the playing field between smaller ISVs and the larger, more established names. Launching and delivering new mobile apps means that smaller providers can reach new markets and compete with the big players in ways which have not been possible until now.

However, those within the mobile ecosystem must tackle the shifting fortunes of the big mobile players; there is still uncertainty over where the best commercial opportunities will come from. In the wider market, Android still dominates – with 69.7 percent of the OS market in Q4, whilst iOS declined slightly, however Gartner predicts that “2013 will be the year of the rise of the third ecosystem as the battle between the new BlackBerry10 and Windows Phone intensifies.”

Against this backdrop, can developers or ISVs take the risk of making decisions now, based on what may happen in the next few years?  Equally, can those tasked with enabling enterprise mobility for clients, afford to take a leap of faith and make decisions today when the market remains so uncertain?

Selecting the right development platform is fundamental to business success but it’s not necessary to make the kind of choices which limit or lock users in to one device or platform; there are ways of future-proofing decisions.

New approaches such as mobile application platforms which allow developers to create applications, independent of the underlying platform could take away this risk and have the added commercial benefit of reducing development time. From the same development effort, applications can be leveraged to any device across any operating system.

In this dynamic industry, time to market and speed of delivery are key considerations. In order to capitalise on the business opportunities and open up new revenue streams,  it’s important to be equipped with the flexibility to transition applications across platforms and devices without the need to ‘rip and replace’.

Approaches which simplify the code writing, deployment and integration process can give players a first mover advantage and help to deliver more business-focused mobile applications, in a reduced timeframe.

Source: http://www.channelpro.co.uk/opinion/7685/mobile-apps-need-new-approach

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The Need of Mobile Application Development Services

It seems that everyone nowadays is using some type of a mobile device not only to communicate but also to perform a variety of business functions. Mobile devices have become an integral part of business for all corporate executives and most business professionals. As a result, software development companies have to catch up with ever growing demand for applications that can be used on mobile devices such as the iOS and Android Phones, various type of tablets, cell phones, phones, smartphones, and so on.

Companies that offer mobile application development as a service offer applications for various types of mobile devices such as iPhone, Blackberry and most recently the Android phone. These applications have features by which they can be easily used in such devices to perform a host of activities such as net surfing, sending emails, chatting, knowing about the latest news and much more. Professional mobile application development companies will offer services that span the entire gamut of the mobile application development service ranging from initial design of the application, its architecture and its development up to its integration with existing systems. These applications are installed into the mobile device at the time of manufacturing else they can be downloaded into the device using various mobile software distribution platforms else they can be launched from the server for usage.

Those who have made use of mobile applications have found them to be quite beneficial because they assist them in carrying out various activities while on the go. This is quite useful for busy business professionals who need to always stay in touch with their customers or their employers while working and travelling.

It is useful for sales executives who have to put up an impromptu display of their product to potential customers. The use of these applications has actually increased the productivity of mobile sales forces who need them constantly to carry out various activities quickly and efficiently.

Those who are seeking customized benefits in mobile application development services should look into companies that offer specialized mobile application development services. These applications will benefit those who seeking to carry out activities using just their mobile device. Custom mobile application development will enable them to get an application that has all the features that they need for their work specific activities. Making use of these applications has will give an enriching user experience because of the fact that they are feature-rich and that they can be easily installed and used in any mobile device without problems.

Source: http://www.spyghana.com/the-need-of-mobile-application-development-services/

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Verify the security of your mobile apps

The enterprise is increasingly turning to mobile app developers for solutions to leverage interest in BYOD. Gartner estimates that 70% of mobile professionals will conduct their work on personal smart devices by 2018. The app development boom has fostered a competitive environment for developers and there is a focus on speed. But In the rush to deploy enterprise apps and start reaping the benefits, it is easy to overlook key security risks that could cause irreparable damage to your business.

As developers create apps to run on multiple platforms and plug into existing ERP systems, vulnerabilities grow. From insecure data storage to improper session handling, from side channel data leakage to weak server-side controls, there are many risks to consider and robust penetration testing is an absolute must.

Start at the beginning
Security should not be an afterthought. If you place too much emphasis on speedy delivery then pressured developers are liable to sideline security concerns. They may have the expertise to create the functionality you need, but all too often developers lack the knowledge to deliver enterprise-standard security that stands up to regulatory compliance standards. The earlier in the process that security is factored in, the more time and resources you’ll save down the line.

There are also major differences between the main mobile platforms and the level of security they offer for app developers. It’s worth considering operating system-based points of attack when you make your choice, whether it’s jailbreaking on iOS, rooting on Android, or known vulnerabilities in encryption mechanisms.

With a focus on security implemented at the start of development you can alleviate doubt when it comes to deployment. You should think about automated unit testing, regular code reviews, using standardized libraries with security credentials wherever possible, and insisting on penetration testing as part of the QA process. Do your due diligence and get assurances about your security concerns at the outset, before development begins.

Cracking the cloud
The majority of mobile applications are going to connect to Web applications and exchange data so developers cannot afford to forget the Web application layer. Developers need to consider the services that mobile apps are using in the cloud and ensure that encryption covers the data on every step of its journey. Storing sensitive data like unencrypted passwords in data cache files is all too common. In the cloud, in transit and on the local device, there must be encryption and protection at all times. Integration is at the core of the issue. You can’t focus on the mobile app to the detriment of remote authentication or the cloud platform. Third-party services and systems must be assessed in terms of their security as well as their utility. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

It’s vital that attempts to break that chain are not half-hearted. Only a third-party organization with no vested interest in the development can provide the peace of mind you need when it comes to thorough security testing.

Testing techniques
One of the reasons that secure development for mobile apps is so challenging is the lack of established standards and the scarcity of useful tools and resources. Security expertise on one platform does not guarantee expertise on the next. Threats must be modeled and a methodology is required for security testers on each platform.

Without an expert understanding of potential weaknesses it is very hard to verify the security of a mobile app. A glance at the Open Web Application Security Project gives you some idea of the enormity of the task. It is a serious challenge, but not an insurmountable one. Attacks can be focused on the browser, the device, the app, the platform, the network, or even your web server and database. In order to uncover vulnerabilities and expose loopholes you need several rounds of expert mobile security testing.

Fixes during development can introduce new issues so don’t engage one test cycle, plug the gaps and then assume the app is secure and fit for deployment.

The good news is that secure development for mobile apps is achievable and it can be done at a fraction of the cost of a major security breach for your company.

Source: http://www.networkworld.com/news/tech/2013/031413-mobile-app-security-267732.html

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Dell Services Creates Mobile Strategies and a Comprehensive Suite of Mobile Applications

New Dell Mobility Services Workshop helps customers identify mobility requirements and plan for processes, security and management of their own mobility applications

–Tweet this: Full lifecycle mobility services now avail from @DellServices- strategy, analysis, application development, management. #DellMobility

Enterprise Mobility Application solutions from Dell Services help enterprises design a mobility strategy, and develop and manage custom applications that can enhance company productivity, employee satisfaction and customer experience. Dell also is offering a new Mobility Services Workshop to help customers assess their environment and design plans to meet the business’s mobility needs, based on Dell’s work with customers globally and across various industries.

The Dell Enterprise Mobility Application portfolio includes Mobility Strategy Consulting, Multi-Platform Application development (iOS, Android, BlackBerry(R) and Windows(R) 8; both native and cross platform), User Experience, Mobile Business Intelligence and Mobile Testing.

Dell has helped several companies develop custom applications, including shipment tracking and proof of delivery for a leading defense and security company, mobile point-of-sale solution for a retail store, sales data collection application for mobile field sales, supply chain management mobile solution for a major logistics company, secure insurance applications, and a business intelligence app for secure access to back-end operations data for more effective reporting.

Enterprises in all industries need an IT strategy that incorporates mobility management across multiple devices, frequently changing platforms and strict security needs. Dell is able to cover the entire lifecycle and range of services with the following offerings:

– Mobility Services Workshop, the newest offering from Dell’s Business Consulting portfolio, includes an in-depth analysis and formal recommendations for applications and strategy that can be managed internally or implemented by Dell.

– Consulting to align mobility frameworks to the enterprise’s IT strategy, using Dell’s subject matter expertise, best practices knowledge and end-to-end point of view.

– Mobile application development and testing to provide custom applications and help ensure reliability across various platforms, including iOS, Android, BlackBerry and Windows 8. Developed in native code, using a cross-platform approach, or via an HTML 5 solution, depending on the customer’s specific needs.

– Application management and mobile device solutions that enable IT to manage applications and devices, designed to ensure data security at every step of the process.

– User experience designed to provide research, user interface and visual design for multiple platforms, channels, smart phones and screen resolutions.

– Maintenance, support and deployment to simplify mobility oversight and governance, whether customer managed or as a Dell-managed service.

These application-focused services complement the complete and expanding suite of products and services that Dell offers in the Mobility space around connected devices, BYOD solutions and enabling software.

"Defining a strong mobility strategy is one of the critical requirements for our customers as they look at enterprise mobility solutions to enable organizational productivity, employee engagement and customer experience," said Raman Sapra, executive director for applications & business process outsourcing, Dell Services. "Dell has a unique ability to cover the entire mobile lifecycle, from providing the devices to offering the range of application services to help customers oversee their own mobile solutions or to manage it for them."

Source: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/dell-services-creates-mobile-strategies-and-a-comprehensive-suite-of-mobile-applications-2013-03-11

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With Evolving Specs, Mobile App Development Is Hopeful to See a Boost in App Development

mobile apps development

Mobile app development is growing by leaps and folds every year. Thanks to the flagship devices from major android device makers who are churning out exciting new technologies every year. Manufacturers understand that the Smartphone market could only flourish if the existing consumer are inspired enough to adapt to a new device each year. This means more and advanced features capable to capture the imagination of the user in an intuitive manner. In the middle of this race between the giants, the android app development community is really excited to tap into these advanced features of the flagship devices and make some hefty profits.

“Be it Xperia Z from Sony or the much awaited galaxy S4 from Samsung, we are geared up to work on these devices as soon as possible.” Says Aavik, Team leader of Android app development. Many prominent android app development companies are increasingly creating applications that are suited for the flagship devices. From entertainment apps to medical and fitness apps, the features are getting complex every year. If rumors are to be believed then SGS4 will be bundled with scrolling technology that would work according to the eye movement of the user. If this is true then imagine the paradigm shift of demand patterns of app development in android devices. Mobile App Development experts will have to optimize the functionalities of the app according to these critical technologies to stay in the competition. “We have continuously evolved in application development since our inception and do it every day once we sit at the drawing board.” adds Jayneel, Managing Director.

On one hand while these features are exciting and inspire the masses, the adaptation of the technology is also a critical factor. Some of the technologies may turn out to be useless. People will not simply use them because they might not be useful enough or may also suffer from bad execution of the feature itself. On the other hand they might create the gateway for more powerful applications running on smart phones. At the end of the day, it’s the mobile app developers who will have to adapt to the technology and they will be the one who would be affected the most.

Source: http://www.sbwire.com/press-releases/with-evolving-specs-mobile-app-development-is-hopeful-to-see-a-boost-in-app-development-218372.htm

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Health Care and Mobile Apps: Brave New Medicine

Last year Dr. Michael Nusbaum introduced a mobile application in an effort to make scheduling a medical appointment as easy as sending a Facebook message to a friend, and as safe as sharing your medical information in person at the doctor’s office.

The New Jersey-based surgeon said he designed MedXCom ”to bring doctor-patient communication to the twenty-first century” by sharing medical records, prescriptions and treatments on smartphones. The app is one of hundreds that promote health and health care, but it’s one of the first designed to meet the patient privacy standards set by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. With millions of Americans having their medical information compromised, privacy and security were at the forefront of Nusbaum’s venture.

Now Nusbaum, CEO of MedXCom, is building on this technology with a new app to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. And he’s hoping that MedXSafe, which targets the touchscreen-friendly 20-something generation, will prove to be more catchy than the STDs that affect a quarter of U.S. college students.

“Most college students are responsible enough to do it, as long as it’s not too invasive,” he said about testing and sharing STD results.

The app syncs STD test results from clinics onto a student’s personal mobile page. The idea is that a student can share the secure test results with a sexual partner by either showing them or using the “bump” function, a way of transferring information between phones by physically touching them.

“There is probably growing ease and comfort in sharing things online,” said Dr. Victor Schwartz, a psychiatrist and medical director of The Jed Foundation, an organization focused on mental health college students. Having examined young people’s attitudes toward health and the use of mobile communication and social media, he said an app like MedXSafe could be a useful tool.
But Schwartz was also wary that the sense of privacy and anonymity online could mask the risk in sharing personal information. As a result, students could find their identity revealed to a greater audience in a gossip leak, or on an anonymous forum.

Meanwhile, how these apps will fare in the marketplace is still unclear since MedXSafe was launched in January, and MedXCom has been available for less than a year. Other apps, like Medigram and Apple’s MacPractice Check In, have also reached the market with technologies that meet HIPAA privacy standards.

So far, Nusbaum said “thousands” of physicians, chiropractors and dentists have started using MedXCom. And some early users of the debut product deemed it a worthwhile investment. “It kind of streamlines things — makes it easier for my patients to contact me,” said Dr. Timothy Brown, a gynecologist in Massapequa, N.Y., who has used MedXCom since last September.

The private practitioner was able to replace his answering service with the app, which helped him save money in his overhead costs. Brown also said the ability to keep a digital record of all patient communication is helpful in case of any legal issues, and for reviewing what went on in doctor-patient conversations.

Even so, Brown said only about “half a dozen” of his patients have adopted the system as their main means of consulting with him; most just call him or leave messages. He said the app would be more helpful for multi-doctor practices and larger health systems where physicians are not as readily available.

“I love the concept,” he said. “But the biggest challenge is getting patients comfortable — they still seem to go the other route.”

Source: http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Articles/2013/02/28/Health-Care-and-Mobile-Apps-Brave-New-Medicine.aspx#page1

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IBM, AT&T Team to Empower Mobile App Developers

IBM and AT&T have announced an expanded relationship to provide software developers with a set of new tools to create and deploy next-generation mobile apps.

Under this new partnership, customers will benefit from access to secure, high-quality apps, including those featuring speech-recognition and mobile-payment capabilities, the companies said.

AT&T has been expanding its network capabilities and increasing access to research from AT&T Labs across a range of mobile development platforms, including IBM Worklight. Part of the IBM MobileFirst Application and Data Platform, Worklight is an open, mobile app platform for mobile devices. It  provides an integrated platform that includes a development environment, mobile-optimized runtime middleware, an enterprise application store, and an integrated management and analytics console–all supported by a variety of security mechanisms.

"As the business opportunities associated with mobile technologies move beyond the device to the enterprise, we must continue to invest in tools and resources that enable developers to create apps that meet changing demands," said Phil Buckellew, vice president of mobile strategy at IBM, in a statement. "Our partners at AT&T share this commitment to building out the mobile development ecosystem and driving more value from mobile technologies. With access to some of the most powerful development tools in the industry, developers will now be better able to help organizations accelerate and monetize their mobile strategies."

The AT&T API Platform, featuring IBM Worklight Adapters, will enable the more than 31,000 members of the AT&T Developer Program to create and deploy enterprise apps that improve subscriber engagement and customer loyalty. With these adapters that support AT&T’s ecosystem of APIs, including those for speech, SMS, device capabilities, notary management and payment, developers can create business-ready apps across a variety of platforms, such as iOS, Android and Windows.

Some of the various opportunities enabled by the Worklight adapters include the ability to use voice-mail–to-text features to transcribe voice mails, and then post the voice notes to a centralized area for all users to see. The adapters also give organizations the flexibility to control the look and feel of how they present purchase options as well as how they deliver digital goods to the customer.

"AT&T is committed to the success of our rapidly growing developer community," said Carlton Hill, vice president of developer services at AT&T, in a statement. "By expanding our platform’s reach and making our API toolkit available on an expanding number of platforms, including IBM Worklight, our developers have the information, tools and resources to continue to build great things and contribute to the mobile ecosystem in meaningful new ways."

Big Blue officials said the agreement between IBM and AT&T is timely as communication service providers (CSPs) are faced with the challenge of providing a more personalized mobile experience for their customers and meeting rising demand for quick access to services and apps.

Overall, the AT&T APIs provide the mobile development community with easy-to-use on-ramps that accelerate app development. The IBM DeveloperWorks community will benefit from a single source of trusted mobile and telecommunications content via the AT&T Developer Program to streamline development processes. Additionally, members of the AT&T developer community using the prebuilt Worklight adapters can further reduce time to market, cost and complexity of development, as well as facilitate a better user experience across a variety of mobile devices, IBM said.

Source: http://www.eweek.com/developer/ibm-att-team-to-empower-mobile-app-developers/

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Timeframe for Building a Native Mobile App

Seeing the number of apps posted to the apps stores, many of us wonder on how long it usually takes to develop a mobile app. To answer this, Kinvey in partnership with ATYM conducted a developer’s survey. According to the survey, a developer takes roughly 18 weeks to launch a fully functional and polished app. Within the 18 weeks, a developer not only ensures that he has completed the front – end design and the app user interface; however within this timeframe he/she would have completed the back – end integration such as push notifications, social network sharing and others.

Comparing the development timeframe of an Android application and an iOS application, Joe Chernov, VP –Marketing on behalf of Kinvey’s engineering team said, “Assuming equal skill level on the part of the developer, it shouldn’t take longer to build an app on one platform or the other. In the fairly recent past, Android took longer because of the complexity of multiple device form factors. However Android’s vastly improved developer tools and SDK has removed that complexity. “

With the various improvements in the android’s tools and SDKs, developers can now use a designer tool to see how the user interface will look in other android devices. Chernov further added that applications can take the same amount of time; however, the approval process might differ. Android applications, the approval process takes only a few hours, but for Apple, the approval process can take weeks.

The infographic below designed by Visual.ly based on the survey by Kinvey and AYTM will give you all the information you need about the timeframe in developing applications in the iOS and Android platform.

Source: http://mobile.siliconindia.com/news/Timeframe-for-Building-a-Native-Mobile-App-nid-138309.html

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Mobile apps are a priority in search of a leader

Even as mobile computing has become a top priority to executives, businesses lack internal leadership for mobile efforts, and the IT vendors they rely on, such as IBM and Oracle, aren’t delivering on the mobile app front either, a newly released survey shows.

Appcelerator surveyed 770 "enterprise leaders," including CEOs, CIOs, and mobile application development managers, in November and December and released the results yesterday. Asked which traditional "mega-vendor" is showing leadership in mobile technology, 28 percent cited Microsoft, 15.8 said SAP, 10.8 percent said Oracle, 7.3 percent said IBM , and 4.6 percent said Hewlett-Packard. "Enterprises are used to looking to these guys for leadership" — and not getting it, said Michael King, Appcelerator’s enterprise strategy director.

"This problem is exacerbated by fact that the enterprises at the same time are not hiring that leadership," King said. Companies have not hired chief mobility officers or vice presidents of mobility, nor have they set up mobile centers of excellence. Just 21 percent plan to establish such a center, and their timeline for doing so is unclear, King said. And 60 percent of companies have no such plans at all for such centers.

But they would be smart to do so: "Enterprises that have transformed to a mobile-first [perspective] have seen impressive results," King said. He cited Mitsubishi Electric, with a pricing and catalogs application that generated $30 million in sales in the first year.

Despite the lack of leadership within their companies and by their vendors, the survey respondents predicted that 2013 will be the year when the number of new homegrown mobile applications surpasses the number of new homegrown PC applications. The majority of respondents were planning to build at least five mobile applications this year; mobile development is also expected to outpace Web development.

Enterprise executives do view mobile applications as transformative and expected them to aid customer and employee relationships, competitive ability, revenue growth, and efficiency. But obstacles to achieving mobile success include scarce resources for mobile efforts, lack of technology standardization, lack of clear direction or strategy, need to integrate with enterprise data, and decentralized mobile efforts, the survey found.

Elsewhere in the report:

  • Nearly 50 percent of respondents believe that HP does not understand mobility, and 44 percent do not believe Oracle does, either
  • 81 percent predict traditional companies in mature markets will be disrupted by mobile-first startups
  • While mobile applications are ubiquitous in the consumer world, enterprises are just getting started: 73 percent of enterprises have built fewer than five applications, and 39 percent have none or just one
  • Fifty-five percent of companies rank mobility at the top or near the top of their priorities list
  • Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android are the top enterprise mobile platforms
  • 94 percent predict companies will invest in capabilities to connect mobile applications to the cloud and back-end systems
  • 66 percent plan employee-facing mobile applications
  • Mobile security remains a concern, especially authentication and authorization

Source:http://www.infoworld.com/d/application-development/mobile-apps-are-priority-in-search-of-leader-211529

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Monetization of Apps Is a Critical Factor for Mobile App Development Companies

There is always a strong tussle choosing between paid applications vs free deployment of apps. Mobile App Development experts who are readily involved in the process also face the same issues in every project they undertake. They however insist that a proper strategy coupled with understanding the potential for the application can work out wonders for your application. Both iPhone app development and android app development experts insist that patience is also an important virtue, if you have deployed a free but potential application in the app store and are now waiting for a significant download number to pitch for advertisements.

“The most important factor that makes an application soar high on popularity is its likability factor. If its fun and people can easily use it then you have done your job” says Varshal Patel, Team Lead iPhone app development expert. Varshal worked extensively behind the game application Fruit Carnival that received huge number of downloads in the iTunes store. Being an user friendly and fun game, the application took its time and finally spread across a strong user base in the android ecosystem as well. With more than 500000 downloads for android, the app now serves as a potential advertising platform that may be catered to the android users. “Remember, the iOS platform is still a favorite among the niche so a popular app can be sold for a few bucks while androids vast platform might ensure better revenues with free apps featuring advertisements than paid app deployment” says Aavik, Team leader, Android app development.

One can also argue about the advantages of free app deployment. An addictive free app with a free launch version might give your brand a great push which can be used to catalyse the same of your mobile app development company. As people specifically search applications by their names in the app store search bar, it is good if one can establish his/her name as a preferred mobile app developer in the app store and emerge out as a popular brand. Once a buzzword is established, one can create the paid versions for the next sessions and attract sure shot revenues.

Mobile app development companies use both the methods to promote and sell their apps to maximum numbers of users. However, the monetization, whether paid or free is mostly ascertained by the core idea of the app.

Source: http://www.sbwire.com/press-releases/monetization-of-apps-is-a-critical-factor-for-mobile-app-development-companies-198317.htm

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