It is very easy to see the opportunity involved with Android mobile application developmentas it has only been a few years since the first Android device was released, and it has already become such a complex technology.
At the time, it didn’t even compare to the popular iPhone, but then again, that was just the first version of the Android device. Since then, advances have given a new meaning to the name Android. Following the G1 was the Donut, also known as Android 1.6, closely followed by 2.0, and here we are today with version 4.2 Jelly Bean implementing brand new camera features. “So,” you may ask, “what’s next?” Well, now everyone is waiting for version 5.0, which is coming in the near future.
Operating system: what hardware do you need?
You can make use of several different operating systems like Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X to develop your Android mobile apps. For the purposes of this tutorial, I am using the Windows 8 operating system.
The following platforms are supported by Android:
– Windows 8 – 32 and 64 bits
– Windows 7 – 32 and 64 bits
– Windows Vista – 32 and 64 bits
– Windows XP – 32 bit
– Mac OS X 10.5.8 or later – x86 only
-Linux
If you are using a 64-bit operating system, you need to make sure that it can handle 32-bit applications as well.
Making sure your app doesn’t crash
Your users’ phones won’t necessarily run your app on their own; most likely they are doing other work behind the scenes, like downloading files or playing music from another app. You need to know the answers to questions like these:
• Will downloading files affect my application?
• Will my app crash if the necessary internet connection is not available?
You need to know the answers to such questions; I call this thinking outside the bounds of your application.
Not all apps have the same standard: there are some great ones and some lousy ones, believe me! Before you go and broadcast your app to the world, you need to make sure you know its limits. You should know that it will continue to run when users navigate the screen or perform routine tasks; otherwise, everything could be a failure.
Development of mobile applications for iPhone
An Intel-based Macintosh computer with the latest version of Mac OS is required to begin programming your first iPhone mobile app. The iPhone Software Development Kit (SDK) is also free to download by becoming a registered iPhone developer.
To get started, we’ll assume you have experience with object-oriented programming and a form of the C language such as C++ or C#.
The first step you need to take is to come up with an idea for a great iPhone mobile app. Let’s say you have an idea for an app that calculates your net worth in euros or a data-driven app that helps you find the best sandwich in Philly. Your next step is to think about the best mobile apps for iPhone and what makes them outshine other apps. What steps are taken when clicking on that app that will take the user to the perfect snack in town?
Test your app on real devices
To test your app, all you need to do is launch it and check all its features.
In order for you to be able to test your new application on your iPhone or iPad, you must be registered with the iOS developer program and you must also have a developer certificate installed on the device you are using. This is one of the biggest problems developers have run into, but Apple implemented it for security reasons: they say that all apps must be digitally signed and this cannot be done without joining the developer program.
Objective-C and Cocoa
Tea iOS application development uses Objective-C, a superset of ANSI-C, with Smalltalk-style syntax, the most widely used language. You’ll be able to pick up Objective-C skills quickly if you’ve written in any current programming language (such as C++, Java, or even PHP).
The combined name given to the frameworks made available by Apple for OS X and iOS app development it’s cocoa. Cocoa will be used throughout this book to signify the iOS specific Apis.
Creating an engaging user experience
Mobile apps for iPhone are incredibly easy to download and this is another important factor why apps are so popular with businesses and individuals.
But it’s not just about the fact that the mobile app you need is ready to run right there on your phone; it’s (just as important) about how the mobile app is designed and implemented. It has to be able to function smoothly and in an ideal world that requires minimal intervention from you once it’s up and running.
So having the app is only part of the story, while having an optimally designed app is another thing. These first two elements refer to what I describe as content: what an application actually does.
For example, a tour guide app might have a brilliant user interface, for example, but the downside is that it might not give me the most up-to-date information or tell me exactly when my delayed flight leaves from New York.
Mobile app development is quite a creative and interesting job and I would recommend it to start developing mobile apps for Android or iPhone devices.