Opinion: Smartphone technologies to consider when developing an app

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Apple has long been at the forefront of minimalistic, user-focused design. Back in the ‘80s, Steve Jobs created the Macintosh computer with a single button, bringing to life an aesthetic trend that continues to this day.

To add the functionality once provided by additional buttons, Apple installed 3D Touch into the iPhone 6, which provides a z-axis to user control using pressure sensors to determine how firm or light your touch is....

13 December 2016 | Platforms

Incorporating the latest speech tech into your UX

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Nobody used keyboards in the sci-fi of our childhoods. Whether it was the control system of starships or the hub of a utopian world, every interaction was based on human speech. Opening the pod doors or jettisoning the trash only required a simple command, and many of those systems replied in kind.

Now we’re closing in on that reality. Siri was the first seismic shift in the field, but companies like Google and Amazon have gone much...

10 November 2016 | Developer

There’s still room for apps: Three tips for independent developers

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Global app downloads are on the decline, even for the most popular in Apple’s App Store. Out of established apps in the U.S., only Uber and Snapchat saw download growth in recent months. So what gives? 

Reports show that 94% of the revenue generated through the App Store goes to the top 1% of publishers, turning the business into a winner-take-all type of system. Because of this, many appreneurs are asking, “Is a...

15 September 2016 | App Stores

Opinion: Tricks for crafting killer apps for your clients

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Creating an app for a client is a very different story from creating one for yourself. In order to have a quality end result, you need to be in tune with not only your clients’ needs, but also with the needs of your clients’ potential audiences — all while coordinating between client requests and your team’s own creativity and skill.

It can be a tricky balance to get right, but if you can pull it off, you may just come...

4 April 2016 | Developer

Opinion: Should you choose a Web or a Native app?

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The first step in developing an app is determining whether it should be native or on the web. This decision will impact every stage of development, from hiring the right programmers to determining which devices it can be accessed on.

Wait — Aren’t There Hybrid Solutions?

While current technology allows for hybrid applications — either by wrapping browser scripting in a native app like Adobe PhoneGap or by compiling...

30 November 2015 | Android