It is a systematic procedure of creating various applications for mobile devices such as personal digital assistants, enterprise digital assistants, etc. It consists of a plethora of steps that help in software development which can be run on mobile phones. A typical mobile app uses a network connection to work into remote computing resources. The creation of a mobile application traces its roots from traditional software development. The consequent, however, is a software intended to utilize the unique features and hardware of mobile devices. 

One such type of application is location-based mobile apps. There is an old saying that the key to making it through life is to know where you are, where you’ve been and where you are going. Well, today we have an app for that. Location-Based Mobile Apps refer to the geographical location or information about your device’s whereabouts. It can be an IOS or Android-based smartphone, fitness tracker or anything that has a GPS chip or connects to WiFi. That is because location-based mobile apps don’t necessarily use GPS and other satellite systems. In the quest for trends, more and more location-based or geo-dependent mobile applications have been appearing on the market. Navigators, guides, social networks with geological photos, a fitness app with the route tracking belong to so-called Location-Based Apps.

Features of Location-Based Apps

There are a plethora of features that are available for location-based mobile apps. It is very necessary to understand the characteristics of the same before venturing into any new location app. Here is a list of certain valuable features:

Mobile

Location-based mobile apps give you the ability to reach anybody with a mobile phone. This opens the location-based services to every mobile handset user, as long as the company is willing to maintain device-specific versions of applicators.

Check-ins

One of the most common location based mobile apps type is the check-in- which may be defined as the ability to announce that “I  am here” or “I visited this place”. The check-in can deliver a lot of high standard data for you to analyse and begin to build profiles of users who check in to your business.

Discovery

The very reason behind the need for a location-based mobile app is the ability to find something. Hence, the ability to get discovered becomes another one of the features that an app has to take care of.

Engagement

Engagement is a more personal sort of conversation so as to keep people interested. It is much more than just blasting “here I am”/ allowing you to carry a dialogue or group conversation. So, a lot of location-based mobile apps come with social media integrations too to provide a superior experience on the engagement front.

Future and intent

Sometimes you know what you are going to do, and you want to let people know so that you can connect with them or solicit their opinions about what you should do. People like recommendations from others whom they trust. They also like to know who’s going to be at an event so that they can decide with whom they will spend their time.

Platform

You can use platforms to build your own application to cater to your specific purpose and needs. Location-based mobile apps provide a plethora of opportunities to be worked upon, such as databases, check-in-functionality, tips and recommendations, authentications and much more.

Content Network

Some of these location-based mobile app platforms allow you to tailor your content to be placed right next to user-generated content so as to be consumed by the users, yet have a personalised tone to the same.

Pre-Requisite for the development of  Location-Based-Apps

Define Your Goal-

The first pre-condition for development of Location-Based mobile apps is to have a clear conception of the objective of the object initiated. Clear definition and clarity of the goals of the project is a must before inception Questions like what needs the app will cater to? The app will incorporate which feature of Location-based services (LBS) such as navigation, monitoring, etc.? Also, the goal needs to be kept in sight while the development of the software as Location-Based Information mostly have real-time implications.

Select Best Software Developer

It is a very important consideration for Enterprise application Development as it is the foundation for designing. Professionals who have prior experience in designing will be able to cater to your needs by tailoring the software according to your needs. Try avoiding cheap developers. Though budget constraint will prevail, it is not an excuse to scrape the bottom of the barrel. Cheap developing companies usually mean that you will bleed out that money you just saved and create havoc in the long run. Also, take a look at the portfolio of the developers regarding the satisfaction of their clients and whom all have they worked with. Previous records need to be checked before venturing into such projects

Efficiency over speed

It is most advisable to set precedence to the effectiveness of the code of the LBS app rather than speed. Most mobile app developers are guided by the principle that a fast code will save them a lot of time and thereby tend to be a better option for smooth functioning. But there is no point choosing speed over efficiency if the app is inherently wrong. Provide the time it takes, but making the right correct should be the priority so that the user’s car does not end up in the gutter!

Efficient Communication

Where it is an in house app or is being outsourced from a developing company, it is essential to provide necessary information to all the participants of the project to provide a clear idea of the updates of the LBS app development so that there is no room for any glitches. 

Clarity of Feature requirement

Obscurity and ambiguity regarding the requirements of features and functionalities will lead to the delay and complexity of the software designing process of Location-Based applications, and it is also a huge turn-off for the software developers, who run on a time constraint. It gets into their nerves, every time the client keeps asking them to add new features and functionalities to the existing. Consequently, the pace of the project takes a toll, and strains on the budget and schedules, are also witnessed. So a framework should have been clear at the inception stage of the project as to which dimension of the LBS to focus namely: personal, spatial or temporal, in order to ensure the efficiency of the application

Ensuring Security

It should be a priority of the location Based mobile apps, to ensure the security of the same. Auditing and Compliance should be a priority throughout the process. Integration of tracking issues with performances of other checks, need to the ensured, leaving no room for human error. LBS application is real-time information about the geographical whereabouts of the device, which is highly susceptible to an online security breach. So, The last thing an application developer wants is the confidential information and data getting leaked in the wrong hands. So it should be ensured.

Application-level Logging

Application-level logging is a must for any LBS software product; various frameworks are built upon similar lines, which facilitate in tracking errors and debugs issues. These logs are available for monitoring with various tools that can provide several intricate insights to the people /users.

Management of Applications

Management of Location-Based application is pertinent to ensure that no information is discounted or disclosed, or predictable. This process includes the utilising of universal packages and not solely on public repositories. Since the information stored about the location is confidential and should only pertain to the user and his/her discretion, it is important to have a clear structure so as to manage the app.

Difference between Google Maps and Apple maps

Google Maps and Apple Maps are bot synonymous to digital navigation apps or (LBS). Google maps have been the go-to king of online mapping since its launch in 2005. Now it’s less of a mapping app and more of a sharing and data collection network. In 2012, Apple announced Apple maps, which ignited that Google maps Vs Apple maps war that has been stretched out to this day. Given below is an account of a comparison between Google Maps and Apple Maps.

Pricing and Availability

Both Apple Maps and Google Maps have made their mark and are available on almost every device. Apple subsidises Apple Maps as a part of its MacOS and iOS, and Google makes money off Google Maps by tracking your location based data and selling ads.

Supported Devices

The most crucial point of distinction between Google Maps and Apple Maps are their supporting devices. Google Map is available on iOS and Android, as well as online through any web browser. The Apple maps online version is not released yet either is the one for Android, so Apple Maps is only available on macOS and iOS devices.

Data Accuracy

In the last few years, Apple has invested a lot in improving the quality of its maps,  by prioritising it internally and buying other location-centric-startups outright. Apple may have faltered initially but it has amended its ways and has become reliable to great extent. However, in all honesty, it is still nowhere close to what Google Maps has at the offer and it will be a while before this finally happens

Conclusion

So, this was our take on location based mobile apps, their important features, the prerequisite for their development and a small comparison between two of the most powerful location-based mobile apps. Number of other such apps have also come up over time and a lot of apps include the location tracking functionality in them too. It makes sense given how programmatic advertising has been gaining a lot of popularity recently. We feel that a few years down the line and we will be seeing ads not basis our interest but probably based on our location. InMobi for one has been doing that, about time that we see many more such firms coming up.

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But, selling online can usually not be restricted to those. Of course, Facebook or Instagram have come up with their own marketplace but the trust factor doesn’t stand strong. And it is not just about selling. Even if one is in any business where they want the world to know about it, an online presence is a must. The higher the trust factor required, the higher the need for a website.

And, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that people have started understanding the importance of having a website. The craze is so much that the first thing a person It is not for nothing that web development has become such a thriving business with millions of ready-made themes lined up for use.

However, how reasonable is the decision for going for a standard template? What benefits does custom website development hold? Why do people go for custom website development in the first place? Why is it that a standard theme based ready web development not sufficient?

This blog touches all these questions. So, let us have a look at what does a custom website development has to offer.

Your own Proprietary Design

There are innumerable themes available on the internet and yet there are just few designs which eventually appeal. Some of these default themes are also just a basic color or pattern change from their other counterparts. In such a case, no theme remains unique. Now, one may say that they would do the website development in such a manner that it looks totally in sync with the brand but can that be achieved in reality? 

For instance, the neural network based website models are so common with a lot of technical or technology firms and while they try hard to give it their unique flavor, the background graphics end up giving the same look.

Going for a custom website development on the other hand allows for a brand to create the entire website in tandem with their own brand persona. Also, since the code is written from scratch, upgrading or updating it at any time isn’t as much a concern. And finally, since you have created a custom website, no one else can claim that design ever.

Better Security

Custom websites are better coded to prevent any kind of hacking attempts or data loss. One major feature that custom website development offers is the disabled right click option which prevents the website data from being stolen. This functionality isn’t usually available in the standard website themes. 

This becomes all the more important for organisations which are in the tech space or work on heavy content base. While one can also say that people can take screenshots and then copy the data if they want to. Agreeably so but the kind of effort that would thus be involved would significantly lower the probability of someone being interested in the data you had put up on your website Also, a generic website isn’t usually very high on security and in no way can it be guaranteed that the template being used is proprietary of the creator itself.

Better User Experience

When you create a website for your business, you always create it from the perspective of your clients. You always take care of what all options they would prefer going to first and model your entire sitemap accordingly. That is why most of the B2C firms go for a custom website development. A custom website helps them redirect the users to the pages which would boost their sales by creating a natural flow of options.

Such a functionality need not be available with a standard website development themes because they are made for generic use. If one wants to customise them, it would need a lot of effort and time.

SEO friendly

As we mentioned above, custom website development allows for better SEO practice integration as well. This is because, once one knows the keywords, the website url structuring and sitemap creation would be done accordingly. Since, inclusion of a keyword and a seo friendly sitemap is what the crawlers use to identify the usefulness of the site for the search term, a custom website development provides a significant edge for sure.

Economical in Long Term

Needless to say but no one sticks with a single website design forever. Website development is a standard process to have and a good organisation changes their website design at least every three to four years. In such a case, if one keeps building up on the standard web development done earlier, it would be like picking up on the same old piece and working on it.

However, if a custom website development has been done, the coding pattern could be changed faster and way lesser costs. Plus, the plugins would not have to be installed again from scratch saving some more on the budgetary part.

Now, while we have listed out the major points and made a strong case for why one should go for a custom website development if they are in the business of pretty dynamic nature, there are some Yays and Nays of custom website development one should be very clear on. Some of these would be

• A custom website development lets you have a designated administrative panel if you want to integrate it for a mobile app. Something, standard website development themes do not provide
• Through custom website development, one can get access to the backend reporting dashboards too, again a functionality not available with standard themes. Basically, any kind of backend analytics can be easily added to a custom website.
• One should never confuse a custom website development with a content management system like WordPress. Hence, it wouldn’t be as easy to use. However, the way a sudden wordpress or other CMS update distorts the website design, that wouldn’t happen either
• A custom website creation offers you the option to expand it across multiple geographies as well. All that needs to be done is to get a domain.

Hope this article helped you understand the importance of not just website development but also why it is a right step to go for custom website development. Should there be any questions still, we are just a call away!

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