The same goes for e-stores as well. Since the internet revolution, Indian markets have been undergoing a sea change. The rapid progress in the field of mobile app development has contributed significantly. Flipkart became the first-ever online shopping apps in India to cross 100 million downloads in 2017. 

                         “ Do you know which was the first ever e-store to open in India?

                                    India Plaza, Google it, can you find them online? 

                                         Well, it looks like they have closed, right? 

                                   That’s why it doesn’t matter if you are there first.

                   What matters is where you are right now? And what you can be tomorrow? ”

The E-commerce industry has been seeing rapid growth in recent years, and the pandemic has accelerated the rise. The shopping trends have changed, and so has customer behavior. According to statistics, 58% of people expect to shop more online now than they did before. And shopping apps are rising up to the challenge.

Before we go into the contentious 17 best online shopping apps in India for 2023, let’s see what it takes to develop a top-class mobile shopping app in India or anywhere else in the world.

What is an Online Shopping App?

Online shopping is a section of electronic commerce where people buy things over the Internet. It mostly uses two mediums- web browsers and mobile applications. Ever since smartphones have become an everyday part of our lives, mobile apps have considerable influence on most things we do. Thus, online shopping apps or m-commerce apps have started ruling the e-commerce industry.

What’s the future of Mobile E-Commerce?

An infographic speaks more than 1000 words. Check out our cool infographics on the shopping apps that Indians love the most.

Business giants have been investing in mobile apps for over a decade, and the time to reap the harvest has come finally. Around 60% of the traffic today comes from mobile users around the world. The Kai OS and other innovative open-source software have further bridged the gap between the poor and rich. The budget phones have now had the essential features of a smartphone without compromising on utility. Mobile phones can boost your business in infinite ways.

So mobile is the explicit future.

Scope of Mobile Shopping Apps in India

It is now a common adage that “what happens in the US follows in India over a decade.” The way policymakers, business magnates, and people have been evolving; is a pattern that is hard to miss. Be it in public life or personal choices to the brand-savvy younger generation; the Indians are looking towards the US than to Russia (no political pun intended).  

If you study the shopping preference of Indians today, we see that nearly 42% prefer mobile to buy things. But this is only part of the picture. India is the only country with such a rich demographic dividend, and it certainly means that mobile and technology use is only going to multiply in the coming 50 years. So, as a strategic move, it is a very apt time to switch to an online mobile solution for whatever you do, because mobile is the future and mobile is now. 

Let’s now see what features make an online shopping app successful.

Essential Features Of An Online Shopping App

                                            Is your retail shop falling in business?

                       Then, it’s high time that you move your business online ASAP.

From the above discussion and stats, it is only natural that the best way to stay in the future business arena is to have an app for whatever you do. Because the world is moving and mobile is the world.

But before you build your online shopping app. You need to know the seven golden features of an online shopping app.

1. Smart Search

Why do we come to an online store?

Of course, to shop, you may say.

But we say, to choose, to see everything it has to offer you.

So, the crux of an online shopping app is the way your app can take you through one section to another, from men’s wear to electronic goods to board games. 

Make your interface as friendly and down as earth you can. The More complex it is, the more your users will miss, what they are looking for. So include useful algorithms that self learns the user preferences, to give them what they want. Make your UX innovative and straightforward. Check out the latest UX trends in 2019.

2. Proactive Push-notifications

What drives you again and again to those shopping apps?

You are just eager to know whether there are any offers to cash in a win-win purchase. 

So, that is what your customer expects from your shopping app as well.

3. Real-Time Stats

How many times do you check on the app after ordering your favorite pizza?

Well, it is natural to be curious when you are hungry. 

Every customer wants to know where his money is going. If they have already paid for their product, it is apparent that they will be eager to get to know its status. So a top-class shopping app will integrate and relate the whole journey of the product accurately. Even if a delay happens, the customer is always happy to know that his product is in transit. So tracking orders, their status, etc. must be a key feature, if you can sync it with text messages, it will reassure your consumer further about your commitment.

4. Multi-faceted shopping cart

People often look up something and then forget about it in the hustle and bustle of life. A shopping cart is one of the trends in e-commerce among many. Sometimes while arranging parties, people miss out on goods, your cart can use the self-learning principle to suggest and send reminders and suggestions on categories like “party materials”, “Christmas Eve” or such types.

5. Rewards, Coupons, Referrals, etc.

Well, not every day is Christmas, and online shops may have their dull days too.

 But there is a difference, to be online is to be with the whole world. You can send out referral coupons, attractive rewards and big sale offers to boom your business. 

It is so easy online, to design a poster with an AI poster generator, that can create eye-catching posters effortlessly.

Let your creativity flourish to roll your business to new heights.

6. Payment Gateway Integration & Shopping Cart

Digital banking is the driving force of all mobile-related commerce. Hence it is imperative that your app offers a whole array of payment options to your customers to pay the way they want, faster and safer. Here are some of the payment gateways you mustn’t miss in your ecommerce app.

7. Review and Response

A person who hasn’t made a mistake hasn’t learned anything new. Reviews give you an avenue to introspect and see what you are missing on and what you can do. So this feature is as indispensable as intelligence. 

Secondly, respond well and faster. Nobody likes to talk to lifeless walls. So create rapid response customizations, so that your customer doesn’t feel ignored. 

Now let’s look at the top 17 online shopping apps that you should be using in 2023 to get the best online shopping experience.

Top 17 online shopping apps in India for 2023

1. Amazon

So here we go !!!

The battle between Flipkart and Amazon was almost even, but we have to give it to Amazon for its pace. Flipkart had about 2-4 years of freedom in the Indian market, which it failed to leverage. The mishap at Flipkart’s first Big Billion Day sale earns it a black mark in many hurt Indian minds. 

Amazon apps interface is classic, and it delivers a wide range of goods from electronic goods, mobile accessories, books, home appliances, industrial, etc.  Its reach is worldwide, and it has a decent service record in India. 

Features That Counts:

2. Flipkart

Flipkart is the first name that comes to an Indian mind whenever they think about online shopping. When the company started in 2007 its main focus was on book sales – one thing that has always captured the Indian minds. But Flipkart slowly built its customer base and services over the years and became the number 1 online shopping site in India. The FDI norms which eased the restrictions on foreign companies to invest in the Indian commercial market provided tough competitors for Flipkart. It was the Indian mark on e-commerce until Walmart subsumed 77% of its share in the world’s largest e-commerce deal.

Perks Are: 

3. Myntra

Myntra is well known in India, more for its funny ads than its services. 

The responses are equivocal for Myntra from Android and iOS app users. It seems that there is some glitch in the Android app which is not earning them as much customer experience as the iOS app is gathering. Myntra is particularly famous for the clothing variety it offers to men and women. They offer some classy wears for great prices. They also seem to be up to date with the latest trends in the market. It is one of the first choices for fashion enthusiasts in India.

Why Go For Myntra? 

4. Ajio

AJIO brings in their slogan, “Doubt is Out.” Reliance enterprises have not left its magical name “JIO” from its new curated shopping app. AJIO brings in an extensive collection of clothes, and overall ratings are more leaning towards clothing than other categories.  AJIO android apps are behind their iOS apps. It brings the best selection of international brands and with a giant like Reliance, holding it, buying and selling products through AJIO is a long-standing investment. 

What to Look for in AJIO?

5. Shein

SHEIN started in 2008 by a group of New Jersey citizens has today captured the imagination of the whole world. Whether it is trendy western clothes, beach wares, swimsuits, and any other woman-centric items of clothing, SHEIN should be your first option. For the best deals online for the best trial room experience, SHEIN apps provide a slide color facility and models of all physiques to impress buyers. It even offers men’s and kids’ wear at the best discounts possible.

Why People love SHEIN?

6. Nykaa

It is the best place for mother and baby products. When coming to baby products, we need somebody whom we can trust through and through. And Nykaa is still living up to its name. Founded in Mumbai, it has today a vast customer base. Nykaa mobile apps are also fascinating with interactive and eye-soothing user interfaces. The specialty of  Nykaa is to deliver area-specific skin tone-based products. It seems to be a team with in-depth research in its area of work and quality to strive for perfection that is undoubtedly pushing this online shopping app in India to fame.

What Nykaa is Known for?

7. AliExpress

AliExpress has got quite a several downloads, maybe the Alibaba factor. AliExpress has a mixed response. It has a solid customer base with many of them pledging loyalty to the app. However, many of them are either from China. In India, the app is harboring mixed responses. The Android app needs to reform itself, and the brand needs to be more considerate toward its Indian users. It is what the reviews are showing. Anyway, what AliExpress does best is give you the lowest price ranges for quality products. Exalted customers say that the app is addictive for its stupefying offers.

Here’s what AliExpress is worth trying for:

Some Rising Online Shopping Apps In India

8. Club Factory

Club factory has hit immense success in the store mode of business. And is slowly growing in the app department as well. The primary factor driving it is the multiple brands it allows you to combine in your single order, and the dip point is the time it takes to deliver. The quality of the products is also uncompromised. It has a good future ahead and is a star on the rise. 

9. Bewakoof

10. Craftsvilla

How can an online shopping app list go without the ethnic colors of the most diverse country in the world? So here we include Craftsvilla, which is the right place for all those who value their ethnic culture and traditions. From the kalamkari arts to Ramadan lehengas, the list is ever-expanding.

Almost all ethnic possibilities have been explored in their beautiful site, though the app needs to remodel itself. The primary complaint has been the app interface and design, but we expect this standalone ethnic online shop to do it soon and join the race for the best in India.

11. TataCliq

The Tatas were the last of the big guns to join the online shopping market. The unfortunate episode with snapdeal derailed their progress. But now they are steering carefully and stealthily.  With a lightning refund process and an interactive and intuitive app, Tatacliq aspires to take over the market in slow and decisive steps. They provide you with the additional advantage of exceptionally lower prices and surprising warranties. Tatacliq is a lion waiting to leap, so beware.

12. Koovs

Some competitors turn up the heat by bringing some brave and unbelievable qualities. Koovs is top of the list in the new heart-throb of the shopping world. The approach Koovs is on increasing customer service and handling. Koovs brings together both trend and class. Its app is intuitive. It has zero delivery cost on most orders. Though it is centered around the customer, it takes a man and woman to utility approach. Hence, they have a compact yet meaningful list of items, with quality and accommodating service personnel.

13. Voonik

Voonik is considered a women-only place. But it is so wrong. It exudes traditional Indian aesthetics. It has a section on kids as well as home decorations besides men’s and women’s wear. If you are looking for traditional silk sarees, then Voonik is going to woo you. It is one of the best classical providers among the best discount shopping apps.  Be it Kancheepuram silk sarees or Uppada handloom; you have it all here in this one comprehensive app. 

14. Paytm Mall

Paytm Mall is an online shopping platform launched by Paytm, one of the leading online payment systems in India. It offers a wide range of products to users, from fashion to electronics to furnishings. An unbeatable advantage of this platform is the discounts and cashback that it provides using promo codes. Being tied to a reliable financial service makes the platform secure and trustworthy to consumers.

15. ShopClues

Known for its great selection, known price, and speedy delivery, ShopClues has rightly tagged the Band of Trust. Gadgets, home decor, clothing, home appliances, sports essentials, food, and beverages- ShopClues covers everything you need. Its customer-friendly policies and superior-quality merchandise have helped it carve a spot in the top 17 online shopping apps in India. 

Some Fading Online Shopping Apps 

16. eBay

Once the top among the horses in run eBay is vanishing steadily. The website is pretty engaging, but the mobile app needs a total to revamp. The one place which still comes to the top in Google search results, but many are skeptical about its ranking too. 

eBay, however, has almost anything. It always comes up with a search result below horses. Let us hope that eBay bounces back, for the brand is a nostalgic relic for many internet users.

Where did eBay need to immediately work?

17. Snapdeal

Snapdeal needs to up its game, or it will soon snap off. The humble beginnings and then the rise to fame on the shoulder of big investors like the Tatas and the terrible fall all seems to be going too fast for Snapdeal.  

It is one of the best shopping apps in India if you are looking for more than just clothes. It provides valuable computer and electronic items, mobile phones, home appliances, books, and a wide range of products.

Snapdeal needs to up its game in :

So, start your Online Shopping Apps with Mindster.

We have made some stunning apps like Lifetime Needs, safe basket, and many more. Mindster offers you a whole set of complete solutions with the latest trends and user behavior patterns all well-analyzed into our sturdy designs.

Lifetime Needs

Safebasket

Our decade-long experience in traveling through the rugged path of mobile app development is the best you can leverage to build an Online Shopping app. 

The post 17 Best Online Shopping Apps In India for 2024 appeared first on Mindster-Blogs.

Are you someone who’s still not sure about taking your supplies stores, grocery shop, supermarket online? 

Then the recent outbreak of the COVID-19 must have shown you something very clearly.

The world is mobile. There is hardly any case of total cut-off. Because mobile ensures connectivity, across boundaries, across regions, across districts and domains. Online delivery of essential goods and services has become a government priority. Even in regions where it was unheard of, the capacity is being built. 

In a way, the Coronavirus outbreak is building a world where buying and selling of goods do not need your presence at the shops or malls. So, it is high time to leverage on an e-commerce app development to push your falling sales and hurdles.

Still, Doubt the Future of E-commerce Apps?

We know that to invest in an e-commerce app looks like a gamble to you.

But in reality, the background was quite ready before the COVID-19 outbreak. It was just that little self-doubt that was holding back businesses from adopting an e-commerce application.

Want to know how? Check out these strong indicators that say people love it in mobile than stores:

1. People love to shop online 

The number is bound to increase with more and more people coming online. For example, in 2017, customers spent a whopping 5 billion dollars online on Black Friday in the United States. So, if you think people are still offline, you need to do your research.

2. Small businesses perform better through mobile solutions

The large businesses are scaling online and small businesses were erring. But not anymore as the recent studies show that small businesses are making 30% more conversions the mobile route than otherwise. So there is no wonder in seeing small businesses adopting mobile apps. The stats from Clutch below shows it clearly:

3. Millennials like it mobile

It is essential to watch the millennial trend. Because they are your future customers. Marketing analytics show that nearly 60% of millennials use mobile devices for making purchases. 

All these factors indicate that the millennial is well into mobile apps. Its dependency on mobile solutions for much of the essential life services is quite clear from the above stats. So the future is really mobile as much as reality is concerned. 

Why Focus on Building an “AMAZON -like” e-commerce app?

Just look at the above statistics. Amazon is the most popular app in the United States when it comes to mobile shopping. 

But why?

The answer doesn’t lie in the size of a company but on some basic principles it follows. 

Do you know Amazon just started as a simple internet bookstore? 

Well, if you didn’t, know it now. 

In just 27 months since inception, they got to serve around a million customers. They achieved this through no miracle, but through the same basic principles. 

So now let’s talk about those success principles Amazon follows:

1. Customer Needs Assessment

Amazon when starting as a bookstore that operates online had something
Already up to their sleeves. They had researched well into what their customers needed. The booklists, the formats that they will prefer, the usual digital parlance of reading a book and starting, pausing again and craving for the same kind of genre and much more. The ability to hit on the heart of customer needs was something that provided them with a great headway in the competition.

2. Make Customer Life Easy

Customers are just like you, they don’t want their product hanging at arm’s length. They want it in their hands, wherever possible. A very basic human urge that Amazon perfectioned in their app design. The categories they brought in their apps are simply amazing. One can just arrive at the right display screen with a few clicks. And when it’s easy customers come again and again.

3. Surprise Your Customers

It is just another element that Amazon apps capitalize. They just send you the right kind of notifications most of the time. How do they guess it? The Artificial  Intelligence tool that Amazon uses learns through your engaging patterns the things you need or may need in the near future. And when the push notifications hit you one fine morning you feel surprises. The offers and game coupons are also something amazon uses a lot to expand its reach.

4. Give Room to Customers to Express

Many business owners are reluctant to face critical comments. They are just naive to expect a honey shower from everyone. Or that’s what Amazon feels because Amazon really takes its customers very seriously. The comment and review sections are almost always well attended. In fact, it is this section that makes Amazon more authentic as the company allows democracy to prevail here. 

The Process of Building an eCommerce Apps

We have developed some successful e-commerce applications. And our experts have seen the turn of tides in the app market over our decade long experience in mobile app development. The process we follow at Mindster to build e-commerce applications is unique for every customer. 

However, the app making processes we follow are similar to Amazon’s app development idea. Here we share the detailed process of making an e-commerce mobile application that succeeds in today’s market scenario:

1. Identify Your Niche

The first step in building an e-commerce application is to decide on your niche. Your niche would include diverse aspects like the products you are planning to sell. The categories that you intend to host in your virtual stores. For example, you may plan to focus more on primary grocery elements like rice, butter, milk, eggs. In that case, you may need to move your other goods like clothing, accessories, books etc to the secondary sections.

The choice of your location should, however, be preceded by a thorough market study. For example, at Mindster our business analysts and industry experts conduct extensive studies to determine the purchasing tendencies, the buying patterns in already existing shops, the viability of importing certain goods, the probability of pushing particular products through marketing and the chances of users adopting them through analysis of previous experiences, etc.

All these factors along with your strong areas of supply-chain should be identified and marked as your preferred niche. Another important thing to consider at this stage is the customers you are targeting, their age group, their mobile use statistics, studies on their online spending trends etc. 

2. Planning Essential Features

The mapping of the essential features for e-commerce apps is the next thing on the e-commerce app development process. We need to understand that users are turning more and more mobile-dependent. Hence it is vital to ensure them comfort as much as possible through app features.

For example, an e-commerce app with products in disarray will disengage users and put them off. Some essential features for every creative mobile application focussing on e-commerce are:

• Simple authentication feature like social media login or two-step login, etc
• Product search with categories and sub-types
• Rating and review systems to build rapport with customers
• Multiple payment methods that are fully secure
• Easy-in and easy-out policy
• Compelling push notifications
• Customer support
• Tracking of the product accurately
• Advanced features like AI and AR integrated try out the process

The array of features you choose to implement are directly related to the eCommerce app development cost. Once the essential features are mapped out clearly the next step in the app-building process is to get down to app building.

3. Balancing Design Elements

one of the pinnacles of success of e-commerce applications like Amazon is the user-aiding design. A design that reads the user mind and provides the keys and buttons to navigate with ease is going to win customer’s hearts.

The wireframing of the app, the placing of the essential features, simplifying check-out processes, etc form the core of design considerations. However, these features need to be considered with clients as they can have an impact on the cost to develop an app. Hence, constant client interaction is an unsaid ritual to follow in this step.

If you look at an amazon app you find some specific design frameworks that they have followed throughout the application, like :

• Using a simple one-column structure in the interface to showcase products
  
• Simplicity through high-level functions like cart, search, streamlined menu, wishlist, etc.
  
• Minimum product information upfront and more info for those who need more
  
• A minimal graphics, colour and easy interface to keep things clear and clean

It is also the time to design your brand and plan a logo or name that fits your design feel. Most people name their child after birth, but our experience shows that an app follows its name and hence to decide on it during the creative phase is more productive.

4. Platform Selection & Development

The next step is to choose the platform whether it is iOS or Android or a PWA that you want for your e-commerce mobile application. While many of the on-demand services are Android, innovative and targeted apps decorate the iOS app store. The region of your operation, the economic situation of your priority customers are all the determining factors of platform selection.

It is well known that iOS applications score well in North American and most of the EU with some exceptions. A visionary mobile app development company would decide it on the market analysis stage itself to give a philosophical direction to the mobile app development.

5. Intensive Testing

Just check out the above architecture of an e-commerce application. The key interacting elements customers, staff, supply-chain operators, etc. The diverse channels of entry through mobile, web, syndicates, desktops. The blending of the core functionalities of the mobile app with the back-end functionalities all shows that testing an e-commerce app is not an easy task yet inevitable for success.

Now, when we come to testing e-commerce applications the most important focus areas besides the standard test cases are : 

• The Workflow of the e-commerce application
• Payment gateway functionality
• Compatibility with web browsers
• SEO and mobile responsiveness
• Social Media integration

6. App Launch and Support

Finally, it is time to launch your app. The first stage gives you much insight into the marketing activities required for the final app launch. The social media promotions, the google ads, video ads and many other techniques like gaming, offers, etc can help your app get the right reach. 

The thing that keeps an e-commerce company going forward is the way it treats and responds to its customers. So, always be ready with innovative and caring customer updates to impress them and engage them almost every day.

Going dexterously through all the above steps will make it sure that your app is one of a kind and hits the road to success in a matter of weeks.

If you want to build amazing Amazon-like e-commerce apps for corona time, you can schedule a virtual meeting with us. Mindster is already supporting many e-commerce stores like Mahavir, Big Bachat etc. We also offer you a quick to launch white-labelled solutions to save your stocks facing expiry to reach the right customers.

The post How to Create a Successful e-commerce App Like Amazon: A Step by Step Guide appeared first on Mindster-Blogs.

It has put more than 1.2 billion children out of school worldwide.

As various governments try to implement their social-distancing measures, closing down schools and colleges was one of the first moves.

As every coin has two faces, this situation has its other side too, for example, the World Economic Forum, sees this as a defining moment in the history of human education.

Because the learning has not fallen as we thought, it might.

Powered by different learning management systems and software the advanced innovations in the Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), mobile app development and internet-led technologies our kids are continuing to learn as effectively or more online.

What is a Learning Management System?

A question which has become very prominent now.

Because parents, educators, etc. are looking for a way to facilitate learning at this hour.

But there are two answers to the question: one the simple one and a little technical one.

Learning Management System for Everyone

An e-learning system has three main pillars :

• Course – A course includes study materials in the form of videos, pdfs, docs, etc.
  
  
• Tool – a tool is a software that helps to develop these course materials. It is popularly known as e-learning authoring tools.
  
  
• LMS – It is a software that helps to deliver the courses to different learners. So it is the connecting tool in an e-learning ecosystem.
  
  

Learning Management System for the Sophisticated

It’s a bit technical definition, but you can digest it if you have had a dose of basic computer science degree.

Here it defines an LMS is a software that helps to create, manage and provide e-learning courses effectively ( just like we saw before). 

An LMS will have two parts viz. are :

• A server part that handles the core functions of the creating, handling, delivering courses, sending push notifications, providing data and authenticating users, etc.
  
  
• A user interface component that runs within the web or mobile application which lets the user (student) or the administrator (the organizer or institution) handle the various elements of the internet or mobile app.

Being a fundamental component of an active learning strategy, an LMS can be used to deploy a multitude of learning techniques. 

It does it through social learning, formal and experiential methods of learning, managing certification for each type of courses, setting the criteria for it; changing and updating them over time.

It is the best way an enterprise or an educational institute can leverage technology to generate revenue as well.

An example can make things much simpler for you.

Imagine you have identified a lack of skill in your sales team.

You want to improve their communication skills in English and Spanish, where your business is located.

You create modules and lessons for six months.

Now how do you conduct the class practically and transfer study materials?

How do you ensure that they have received it and are working on it every day?

That’s where Learning Management Software comes into being.

An LMS here acts as a connecting platform to share the daily lessons, work materials, homework.

The employees can submit their daily works, and the course coordinator can check them.

With a single click, they can send the documents to all the participants and hence save time and resources.

Who Needs a Learning Management System?

There is little doubt now that LMS now needs to be the backbone of every institution aspiring to deliver quality and continuous education.

The reason is COVID-19 is a reminder of the fragile nature of our gatherings.

Post COVID-19 world is going to go for a more healthy social distancing option whenever possible.

LMS is must if you are into some form of training activity, it doesn’t matter whether you are a :

1. Large Enterprise 

Enterprises who are running massive training programs and are providing educational services also can benefit from LMS immensely.

Globally operating enterprises can sync their training sessions across the globe with powerful learning management system.

2. Medium Business

Medium businesses also stand to benefit a lot in terms of cost of operation and conduct.

Because for medium enterprises, training is an essential part of growing further.

They are already at a place where they have only slight margins of profit and competence with similar competitors.

Skilling their human resource hence is the only masterstroke they can play to get higher dividends and enter the ranks of the elite companies.

3. Small Business

Small businesses are always on a lookout for cost-effective solutions to build their capacity and expand.

An LMS is the best way to reach maximum clients in a single shot and yet save on classroom rentals, teacher fees, etc.

4. Freelancer

You might wonder where the freelancer fit into the picture?

It is in the number of clients they have difficulty in managing them.

A freelancer can attend to multiple clients with an LMS.

She/he can drop off the files, docs, pictures, designs, etc. with a single click into the client and save time and shed misery.

What are the Uses of an LMS?

An LMS finds use in a multitude of things.

As we already saw, an e-learning management system is the heart of every e-learning programme.

However, there are different models of LMS viz. are cloud and on-premise.

As you can see below, the cloud is more popular among small emerging companies as it is economic.

But the size of the company is a decisive factor in this selection.

Because an MNC or large institution can benefit tremendously by going on-premise as the cost of setting up it is minuscule compared to the returns it brings as an actor of numbers.

Now coming to the uses to which you can put your LMS to we see that they serve the following purposes :

1. Distant Schooling

A way to conduct classes, deliver courses, materials and other essentialities during vacation, pandemics or to promote education in places with poor infrastructure.

2. Employee Coaching

Skilling your employees or giving them specific training.

LMS can help arrange the classes, distribute the learning modules and test them for progress.

3. Extended Training

Providing vital know-hows on your product to third party organizations or to staff to whom you have outsourced your projects, the scenario is vast in the present context of open economies.

4. Instructing Clients

Innovative products need updated users.

Delivering products that are new to customers, you may need to train them on some more delicate aspects.

For example, suppose you are providing a mobile restaurant app.

Your client will need training on how to use the backend, check for parameters, enter codes if any, etc.

LMS helps in all such learning necessities.

What are the Different Types of LMS?

Though the main goal behind every LMS platform is to facilitate learning, there are several ways in which these are implemented.

This gives rise to different types of learning management systems. 

Depending on your goals and requirements, you can choose the type of LMS you want to implement. 

1. Free vs. Commercial 

When choosing an LMS, it might get confusing to decide whether you should go for a free one or a commercial one. 

There are a number of free, open-source learning management systems in the market.

Most of them provide a good number of features as well.

However, it would require some technical talent to deploy free LMS.

It is a good option if you are a small company with a tight budget and have good internal talent.

Commercial LMS are designed for bigger companies with many users.

These are easy to deploy and will have assured service at their disposal.

Commercial LMS receives constant updates so that it always remains on top of technological trends.

Depending upon the required features, the price of commercial LMS will vary. 

2. Corporate vs. Academic

A learning management system can be used to train employees of an organization or for academic learning purposes. 

Corporate LMS are used by businesses to train their employees, partners, or clients.

These could be onboarding training, customer training, compliance training, etc.

In corporate LMS, training content is more practical and needs to be updated frequently to reflect market changes. 

Academic LMS are employed by schools, colleges, or universities to provide students academic training.

Here the content is determined in advance, and don’t need frequent updates.

They also have less technical requirements and don’t have to be very feature-rich.

3. Cloud vs. Installed

Cloud-based LMS solutions are gaining popularity today because they do not require much effort on setup and maintenance.

They also make a cheaper and more convenient solution as compared to Installed softwares.

The flexibility, scalability, and upgrade options make it an attractive LMS type. 

Installed LMS are like traditional softwares installed on specific organizations’ servers.

It can be limiting and expensive compared to cloud-based LMS, but it is generally deemed more secure.

It takes more effort in installation and maintenance but gives extensive customization options. 

4. SaaS vs. Licensed

Saas solutions are out of the box solutions and are mostly cloud-based.

Technical support is made available for these solutions throughout the usage period.

These solutions are scalable and always ahead of upgrades.

Saas solution is the best choice if you don’t have IT resources to spend on handling the platform. 

Licensed solutions are customized solutions that are built according to user preferences.

These can either be set up on cloud or on-premise.

But their development and updations take a lot of time.

In terms of customization, customer support, security, and reliability, licensed LMS solutions are the best choice. 

5. Integrated

These are the LMS softwares that integrate their working with the existing softwares or systems running in an organization.

Integrated LMS is very beneficial in enterprises as it enhances the learning experience of its users by connecting the learning platform with other useful tools.

How a Learning Management System Works?

So how does one get started with a learning management system?

What are the steps to take to create a learning atmosphere?

Let’s take a look. 

1. Create Your Content

The elixir of a learning management system is the course content. 

So the first step is to create this eLearning content and add it to your LMS.

How do you do this?

The course content can be created either from scratch- by writing out every lesson- or using existing resources like word documents or articles from the internet. 

It is essential to check what types of content your LMS supports, like audio, video, images, etc., and choose the formats accordingly. 

2. Structure Your Courses

Depending upon the needs of your LMS and the structure of your organization, you would need to organize your eLearning courses.

Your LMS can either offer a single course or multiple courses depending upon who your learners are.

For student groups across branches or organizations across departments, LMS would require delivering numerous courses for each set of learners.

For complex courses, it is ideal to create a learning structure with a connected flow to maintain consistency throughout the course. 

3. Connect to Your Learners

Once you have created and structured your course, it’s time to meet the learners and impart your knowledge. 

Your audience can be a large group or small, depending on the course.

It might be for a selected audience, or it could be for everyone.

Whatever it is, the LMS you have chosen must be able to provide the settings you need. 

The LMS platform should be responsive to accommodate mobile users, have an integrated payment system for paid courses, be scalable depending on the audience number, etc. 

4. Assess the Results

After you have started delivering the course, evaluating the results helps in bettering the service you provide. 

Most LMS systems have tools to track the progress of learners in real-time.

This gives information such as how much time they have spent studying, their progress, etc.

These detailed statistics can help the teachers plan their courses accordingly. 

How to Know if My Organization is Ready for an LMS?

You can see that an LMS simplifies the administration, reporting, assessment and documentation of your school’s or organization’s learning processes.   

One of the frequent scepticism associated with adopting an LMS is that it is very costly and that the whole process of election is very time-consuming for the companies.

But our experience reveals that if you want to succeed, you need to take the risk.

Many organizations like to conduct meetings and brainstorming sessions with little intent for action on the outcomes.

We would say that if after you analyzed needs and requirements, you have concluded that your organization needs the following, then you need to get an LMS.

You are ready and in need of it. The requirement list includes:

1. Easy Administration

To manage your course catalogue, enrollments, instructors, classrooms, projects, assignments, etc.

2. Enhance Learning

Build modules and design courses in your online LMS system for schools and organization to promote more significant learning among students or employees.

3. Full-time Accessibility 

Build e-learning courses that are accessible anytime anywhere with simple credentials.

4. Comprehensive Solution

You need to connect throughout the organization and across various departments and employees.

5. Consistent Training

Want your training programs to be consistent and employees getting standard materials for learning and working out objectives.

6. Tracking and Reporting

If your institution wants to calculate the ROI in the education app development investments, employee progress, etc., and need to furnish reports to the administrators and board of directors and authorities.

7. Cost Saving

Need to bring out a learning management solution that is not hefty and meets your requirements at the same time.

What are the Essential Features for a Learning Management System?

A great learning environment is one that is responsive to the needs of its users.

An LMS software must have all the essential features that make the users feel satisfied with the platform and help them experience an incredible learning journey.

Here let’s take a look at 14 excellent features for a learning management system are: 

1. Easy User Interface

The user interface should be easy, intuitive, and guide users in an uncomplicated manner.

If users have to spend a lot of time learning how to use the LMS before they start learning their course, it will put them off the learning process.

2. Simple Login

A simple, central, and to-the-point login portal for all the users to log in and perform their tasks.

This includes learners, admins, and course creators. 

3. User Management

A basic feature to add users, edit user details, and categorize them into appropriate sections.

4. Course Management

Which course goes to which learner?

How to deliver it?

Course management takes care of questions like these enabling the LMS to provide a targeted learning method.

5. Automated Tasks

This is an advanced LMS feature, which helps to automate repetitive tasks such as user grouping, enrolling, or course creation, categorization, etc.

6. Personalized Learning

Another advanced feature, this involves using AI in the LMS to offer personalized content to learners.

This makes learning interesting, easy, and an immersive experience for its learners.

7. Gamification

This is a basic feature to keep learners engaged and motivated.

Gamification elements like points, badges, or awards can help learners set goals and track their progress.

8. Mobile Learning

The LMS platform should be mobile responsive so that it can be accessed from anywhere and at any time, regardless of the type of device.

It is a necessity in today’s times. 

9. Social Learning

Social learning is an advanced feature that lets learners build a great learning atmosphere by sharing knowledge.

This can be by publishing articles, or through discussion forums, etc.

10. Reports

LMS should be able to create reports based on learner activities.

These reports and the insights from them serve as useful metrics to measure the effectiveness of learning. 

11. Live Classroom

Having provision for virtual training sessions, webinars, etc., makes an LMS more effective in cases of remote learning and helps everyone involved to interact more through audio and video.

12. Integration

Integration of LMS with other third party systems or softwares in the organization leads to a synchronized atmosphere and helps in the overall betterment.

13. Certification

Awarding learners with certificates upon completion of courses motivates learners and lends a professional air to the learning environment.

The platform should also give admins the option to track certification processes. 

14. Notifications

An essential feature in LMS, notification helps users keep up with their tasks like assignment submissions, upcoming class schedules, etc.

Benefits of Using a Learning Management System

An LMS can serve your organization in many different ways.

Let us look at the advantage of having an LMS in your company or educational institution:

1. Saves Money

Nothing can be more attractive in the post COVID era than economic and smart solutions to technical problems.

LMS is one of them as it cuts on the cost of training involved in transportation, training days, printed materials, location hire, etc.

2. Better Allocation of Resources

An LMS system helps you in pinpointed channeling of resources.

Dispatching new sessions to employees, ensuring distribution of study materials or training modules, etc. an LMS acts as the central nervous system of e-learning programs.

3. Prevents Time Loss

When productivity is a significant concern, time is held very dearly by managers and CEOs.

It even leads to a state of paralysis with training efforts being quashed from the management side in the name of productivity.

LMS is a game-changer here.

LMS gives every employee a fair chance at attending skill development sessions.

One can visit them without skipping work hours, even while travelling or during break hours comfortably.

4. More Space for Creativity

The ability to resume materials and the option to digitize presentation and course structure gives more room for creativity with an LMS.

Trainers and teachers can try methods and track their efficacy and then modify them without disturbing the course using learning management system.

5. Automate

One of the greatest needs of a trainer is to ensure that they keep the students, trainees engaged.

Free educational apps have succeeded tremendously in this aspect of education.

Keeping things interactive and alive, they always motivate learners into action.

LMS is very advanced in this front as it can automate alerts and with proper integration, alert people through push notifications and other social media tools as well.

6. Assessment 

Report cards can be easily tracked with LMS.

The centralized repository of student data helps trainers to publish report cards in innovative ways.

They can create competitions, point out even the minutest mistakes through data analysis and much more.

How to Select the Best LMS?

Selecting a learning management system out of all the various options available in the market can be challenging.

So how does one go about it?

How to find the best LMS for your needs?

1. Know Your Needs

The best LMS for you is the one that meets your needs.

So before choosing a system, it is ideal to identify what your requirements are. 

Ask yourself what the purpose of your LMS is.

Define your goals clearly, in a quantitative manner.

Know your resources, your budget, and plan on how you can achieve your goals with what you have in hand. 

For example, if you have a tight budget, choose an LMS with basic features that will meet your goals. 

2. Know Your Audience

Who your audience is gives a lot of information about how your LMS should be. 

Are they youngsters or adults? How tech-savvy are they?

Questions like these will help you clearly define the technical requirements of the LMS as well as the learning structure you need to provide. 

It helps you choose an LMS that is not intimidating to the users but rather engaging and involving.

It also enables you to define your learning strategy accurately.

3. Inspect the Market

Once you know the goals of your LMS and features, it’s time to dive into the market and explore all the available options. 

Enquire with people who have hands-on experience, read reviews, testimonials, and case studies.

Find out what other users have to say about the different systems. 

Look out for reviews by companies that are similar to yours in strength and goals.

It will give you an accurate idea of how well a particular LMS could meet their needs.

That will make it easy for you to shortlist options for your LMS.

4. Test the LMS

What’s a better way to find out if an LMS matches your requirements than trying it out?

Most LMS offer a free trial policy for 15 days or one month.

This is a great option to verify all the features of an LMS without bearing the burden of an overhead pricing plan. 

You can check whether it is easy to use, has a user-friendly interface, if it meets your technical needs, the extent of support offered by vendors, and just test all its capabilities. 

You can try 2 or 3 LMS platforms for free and choose the one that is the best fit among them. 

By following these steps, you will be able to choose a learning management system that is the right one for your needs. 

Conclusion

The opportunities of LMS systems in education and industrial training are immense.

It all depends on how one uses the courses to develop amicable and practical solutions through e-learning apps.

Many mobile app development companies provide partial designs for your e-learning platform.

But it is always wise to go for the one that sees your problem through a comprehensive outlook.

Mobile app ideas are here to keep life ticking and moving.

Mindster has a decade-plus experience in crafting apps for many top brands across the industries like Oman Air, Edenred, etc. Leverage your business with our impressive e-learning apps and LMS.

The post What is a Learning Management System? – A Complete Overview on LMS and its Applications appeared first on Mindster-Blogs.

Teachers and parents tried everything not to let smartphones affect the education of students. All their attempts ended in vain.

But as the saying goes, every cloud has a silver lining. This time, mobile app development was that silver lining.

Mobile apps turned smartphones into virtual classrooms where students do curricular activities with ease and focus.

Further, the apps also encourage young children to love learning by making their stepping stone to education interactive and fun-filled.

Mobile apps, along with new and advanced learning management software is changing the educational landscape.

Be it learning subjects, organizing classroom activities, or developing skills in new fields, educational apps made everything simpler and enjoyable.

This article will show you some of those best free educational apps for students and kids to help them see smartphones as a tool for learning.

So fasten your seatbelts. We are diving right into this.

Best 10 Free Educational Apps for Students

1. Google Classroom

In an educational institution, students are often required to complete and submit homework and assignments.

And teachers have to review and grade them at the earliest. But is this process as simple as it sounds?. 

All these processes are incredibly frustrating for everyone to say the least. Wouldn’t it be amazing if there is a way to streamline these processes?

Google Classroom is the ultimate solution to this question. Google classroom is essentially a virtual classroom of sorts.

That means we can use it for seamlessly sending announcements, creating classes, starting discussions, submitting and grading assignments, asking for remarks and answers, sharing resources, and so on.

It’s also easy to set up a google classroom. Teachers share code with the class.

And the students can join by just entering the codes. That’s all it takes to create a virtual classroom.

Features of Google Classroom

• Enhanced communication
• Improved organization
• Faster grading process

Download on the Google Play Store

2. edX

It’s a dream of many students to study the courses of top universities like Harvard, MIT, Columbia, etc. But, they also know that it’s not easy to get into these universities at all.

Well, if you got edX on your phone, nothing will stop you from achieving those dreams. edX brings these universities to your fingertips.

So no matter what you need to learn, edX will be there for you every step of the way.

You can learn everything under the sun and above from edX. There are more than 2000 courses of top universities in edX such as computer science, business studies, linguistics, engineering, and many more.

The professional certificates and university credit you get from these courses will always be valuable for you in building a professional career.

Features of edX

• Video tutorials
• Study material Handouts
• Interactive quizzes

Download on the Google Play Store

3. Khan Academy

Khan Academy invariably secures a top spot on the list of the best free educational apps for students.

The app’s mission is to provide a free and world-class education for all curious minds across the globe.

And we have to admit that they are delivering it pretty impressively.

Khan Academy has a unique way to drive knowledge into your brains.

All lessons are in forms of video tutorials. Videos display a recording of drawings on a virtual blackboard (like a teacher giving a lecture).

And the narrator describes each lesson through these drawings. Pretty simple, right?

Khan Academy also provides online courses for preparing for standardized tests like SAT, MCAT, LSAT, and so on.

Features of Khan Academy

• Learning in multiple languages
• Progress tracking
• Practise exercises

Download on the Google Play Store

4. Duolingo

It takes immense patience and practice to learn new languages.

It’s not everybody’s cup of tea. If the learning techniques aren’t adaptive, we’ll quickly lose focus and interest.

But Duolingo has made language learning a cakewalk.

It helps us learn many languages like English, French, Spanish, Mandarin, Latin, etc. in a fun and interactive way.

It starts with basic picture labeling games.

As you complete more levels, There will be many different kinds of engaging games that will improve your vocabulary and grammar skills.

You can also set your daily goals.

The app also tracks your performance to provide insights.

If you do well, you’ll receive XPs. The more XPs you get, the more sets of interactive stories will be unlocked to improve your reading and listening comprehension.

Features of Duolingo

• 30+ languages
• Interactive stories 
• Forum discussion
• Leaderboards competitions
• Language learning events

Download on the Google Play Store

5. Remind

Group learning is an efficient practice to fill in learning gaps in students.

But, it’s not always practical to get multiple students to assemble under a single roof and study together.

Remind app is the ultimate answer to this problem.

Remind facilitates us to stay connected with our school community.

Besides students, this community includes teachers and parents as well.

Once you join this school community using a unique school or class code, you will receive regular updates on your classroom activities.

We can also use Remind to message a whole class, share photos and handouts, submit assignments, and clear doubts with your friends, both individually and collaboratively.

Features of Remind

• Share photos, handouts, and flyers
• Chat translations in 70+ languages
• Instant messaging

Download on the Google Play Store

6. Photomath

Mathematics has always been a puzzling subject for many students.

No matter what age you are, maths can be a challenging hurdle to tackle for many learners. 

Well, those days are over now.

Now anyone can learn to solve any complex math problems very easily using an app called Photomath.

Many statistics have listed Photomath as one of the best learning apps for students. 

The Learning process in Photomath is pretty simple. You take a picture of handwritten or printed questions.

Then the app itself teaches you how to solve those questions through step by step explanations and instructions. 

Features of Photomath

• Scan printed/handwritten problems
• Multiple solving methods
• Animated instructions
• Interactive graphs
• Scientific calculator
• No need for internet

Download on the Google Play Store

7. SoloLearn

The scope of coding and programming is wider than ever.

If it weren’t for coding, we wouldn’t have many tech geniuses like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, etc. in our world.
 
SoloLearn is essentially a paradise for coding enthusiasts.

Whether you are a beginner or a pro, soloLearn can get your coding juices flowing with its immense collection of free coding tutorials across languages like java, python, c++, swift, PHP, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and so on.

App development is one such area where there is a constant demand for coders.

These languages are the foundation of several mobile app development frameworks.

So if you manage to learn them, job opportunities will be pouring in from all directions.

Features of SoloLearn

• An interactive community of coders
• Tutorials on the latest coding trends
• Free mobile code editor

Download on the Google Play Store

8. Quizlet

Quizlet has several effective ways to make learning easier and quicker.

Right out of the gate, you will see various study modes buttons such as learn, flashcards, write, test and match, etc.

Each of these modes is different ways to learn your desired topics.

The use of flashcards is another defining quality of Quizlet.

Flashcards promote active recall, the process of actively stimulating memory during the learning process. It’s one of the most powerful learning techniques out there.

Quizlet has millions of readymade flashcards in the app.

You can even create flashcards and share them with other students as well.

Quizlet also contains many gaming activities to brush up what you’ve learned.

The app gives constant study reminders progress checkpoints along the way.

Features of Quizlet

• Practice tests
• Study sets for standardized exams
• Custom images and audio to enhance learning

Download on the Google Play Store

9. Kahoot

Interactive quizzes can accelerate the learning process tremendously.

Students feel an unexplainable delight when they get the answers right.

In that regard, Kahoot is one of the best learning apps for those who prefer learning through quizzes.

Kahoot has readymade quizzes on any topic.

So you just choose one topic and join live quizzes with other players.

The app also lets you quickly create your quizzes and challenge your friends to compete with you. 

You can even use Kahoot for offline quiz competitions.

The set up is pretty simple.

The quizmaster or teacher creates a quiz competition on Kahoot and shows it to an interactive whiteboard or projector.

And the players join the quiz using a PIN and answer questions on the app itself. In the future, every quiz competition will be like this. Wouldn’t that be exciting? 

Features of Kahoot

• Easy game creation
• Host live quiz on big screens
• Play with 2000+ live contestants

Download on the Google Play Store

10. Udemy

Udemy is arguably one of the best learning apps for students out there.

It has more than 130,000 video tutorials for courses ranging from technology and business to personal development lessons like drawing, writing, yoga, etc.

Another exciting thing is that we also get to learn these topics at our own pace.

If you feel stuck at some lessons, you can ask questions and clear your doubts with students and instructors.

For instance, if you got some mobile app ideas, Udemy’s expert teachers take you by hand to your dream of developing an app for that.

Features of Udemy

• Expert instructors
• Discussions
• Survey creator
• Interactive learning

These are some of the best free educational apps that deliver engaging and personalized learning experiences for all students.

I mean, who would’ve thought learning would be this easier. 

The impact of educational apps has also encouraged many people to hire mobile app developers to integrate their platforms with effective education apps.

Download on the Google Play Store

Top 10 Free Learning Apps For Kids

1. YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids is YouTube content curated for kids.

It is arguably one of the best learning apps for kids aged 2-12.

It has all kinds of videos for all kinds of kids.

From educational videos, entertainment shows, music to tutorials that help kids build models- it has everything for kids to discover new things and pursue their interests.

They put a lot of effort into creating a safe online experience for kids.

By using a combination of filters, human review, and feedback from parents, they work hard to keep the videos on the platform kids friendly.

Parents can guide kids’ journeys and customize their experience by choosing the type of content, screen time limit, etc.

Features of YouTube Kids

• Content level by age
• Videos on arts, crafts, learning, hobbies, and cartoons.
• Provision for parents to customize content.

Download on the Google Play Store

2. Epic

Do you have a kid who loves reading?

Then Epic is the app for you! Epic is a leading digital reading platform that has a collection of over 40000 books.

Delivering carefully chosen, high-quality books from over 250 best publishers worldwide, Epic aims to enhance reading for kids aged 12 and below.

The books are categorized by age, genre, and interest. 

Thousands of teachers worldwide use Epic as their go-to reading app.

Parents can also participate in their kids’ reading journey by following daily updates, tracking activities, and more.

It also has a read-to-me feature for little ones who haven’t started reading.

Features of Epic

• Personalize daily reading 
• Easy integration with school lessons enabling teachers to bring classes to life
• Exclusive content to encourage reading and learning

Download on the Google Play Store

3. Hungry Caterpillar Play School

Ranked the #1 education app in over 25 countries, Hungry Caterpillar Play School is designed to help young children get ahead and get school-ready.

Apt for ages 2-6, this app helps kids develop skills in maths, spelling, reading, writing, science, nature studies, and creative arts. 

This app is designed by keeping in mind that children’s favorite way of learning is through play.

Thus, it is packed with interactive content.

Activities are enhanced through songs and videos to deepen the children’s learning.

It encourages children to learn independently at their own pace.

It is a must-have app for preschoolers. 

Features of Hungry Caterpillar Play School

• Age-appropriate and safe
• Packed with interactive characters
• Constantly updated with new content

Download on the Google Play Store

4. PBS Kids Play and Learn Science

PBS Kids, a network known for its educational content, has created several educational software for kids.

The Play and Learn Science app allows children to play games that build their science inquiry skills and core science concepts.

It includes games such as playing with shadows, controlling the weather, choosing material to build an umbrella, etc. 

The games are designed in such a way to show the presence of science in our everyday lives.

It encourages children to explore the real world by fashioning real-world locations and experiences.

It is suitable for children between the age of 2-8. 

Features of PBS Kids Play and Learn Science

• Parent section for parent-child engagement and hands-on activities
• Supports two languages- English and Spanish
• Developed with the help of childhood experts

Download on the Google Play Store

5. Quick Math Jr

Maths, when taught right, is a very interesting subject.

Quick Math Jr aims to develop mathematical skills of kids by transforming numbers into something creative and interactive.

It is an app for kids aged 5-7 and has a collection of 12 games to encourage number recognition and practice basic math skills.

It allows children to engage in the learning process by providing features such as creating their own characters, writing answers by hand, etc.

The difficulty level can be adjusted for each player according to their age and skill level.

Activities in Quick Math Jr include counting numbers, addition, and subtraction, locating numbers on the number line, etc.

Features of Quick Math Jr

• No third party advertisements
• Interactive interface
• Easy navigation

Download on the App Store

6. Khan Academy Kids

The kids version of popular Khan Academy, Khan Academy Kids is a free educational program designed to inspire young children.

Suitable for age group 2-7, it has thousands of books and activities to make learning engaging and fun.

It contains a wide selection of topics ranging from maths, languages, arts, and social learning. 

Its main attraction is the five animal characters who guide kids through their learning experience.

It provides good parental control where parents can limit access to certain app sections or select preferences.

Another main feature is that it can also be accessed offline once the learning material is downloaded. 

Features of Khan Academy Kids

• Child’s progress indicator for parents to check
• Beginners score a set of e-books
• No in-app purchases or advertisements

Download on the Google Play Store

7. Goodness Shapes

Goodness Shapes is a great introduction to shapes, colors, and patterns for kids.

It has several unique challenges involving matching, identifying, sorting, and naming.

Designed for kids below four years, it provides an endless play experience that is challenging, entertaining, and educational.

Colors and shapes are among the easiest things that children can learn.

So this fun game is a favorite among preschoolers and toddlers.

Parents and preschool teachers have tested this app, and they unanimously agree that it is one of the best apps for kids learning.

Features of Goodness Shapes

• Intuitive challenges
• Interactive feedback
• Ad-free

Download on the App Store

8. ABCMouse

The most downloaded kids learning program in 2020, ABCMouse, is an early learning academy for children aged 2-8.

With over 10,000 activities covering reading, maths, science, arts, and colors, it has a complete curriculum.

It has won several parents and teachers’ choice awards. 

The learning path is spread across ten levels according to age and has more than 850 lessons.

Its reward system and progress meters help to keep children motivated to continue learning.

It includes highly entertaining animated activities that keep children engaged while learning.

Children can also choose customizable avatars to represent them.

Features of ABCMouse

• Progress tracking for parents
• Printable activities to enhance learning
• Interactive games with educational concepts

Download on the Google Play Store

9. Read Along

Read Along by Google is an app that encourages kids to read by themselves.

It lets children choose stories from a growing library with a wide variety of languages, including Hindi, English, Tamil, Urdu, Marathi, and Bengali. It is suitable for ages five and above. 

Read Along enhances kids’ reading by underlining every word that is skipped or stumbled and awarding stars for the ones spoken correctly.

So it works like a personal reading tutor that assists kids at every step.

It also has an educator’s handbook to help kids use Read Along inside and outside classrooms to practice reading.

Features of Read Along

• A reading buddy feature to help kids figure out words they don’t know
• Supports non-English languages such as Spanish, French, and Chinese. 

Download on the Google Play Store

10. ClassDojo

ClassDojo is a virtual classroom-style app that connects teachers with students and parents to build classroom communities.

Parents can easily join the class to stay up-to-date with childrens’ education.

Students can create portfolios to showcase their learning by adding photos and videos.

Teachers can encourage students on their skills or behavior. 

It enriches the classroom experience by providing positive reinforcement and interaction between parents, teachers, and students.

It creates a constructive culture where students can share the story of their classrooms with their parents.

Features of ClassDojo

• Free resources and FAQs for presentations
• Excellent privacy features
• Free for teachers

These are some of the best educational apps for children to help them make learning a fun experience.

Children are the best learners.

When they have access to creative and educational content like these, it will help them learn in-depth about topics by involving them curiously in the learning process. 

Download on the Google Play Store

What Do Educational Apps Bring To The Table?

Educational apps have been dominating the mobile app development trends for quite some time now.

According to Statista, educational apps are the most popular mobile app category in google play store and 3rd most popular in Apple stores.

Popular App Categories on Google Play Store

Popular App Categories on the Apple Store

Image Source

But have you ever wondered how educational apps became such a ubiquitous force in such a short period?

The answer is pretty simple.

Education apps bring something that hasn’t been mentioned in many pedagogical textbooks.

That is personalization!.

There are seven different learning styles.

Every student learns things differently.

They need to be able to learn and understand things at their own pace and ways.

Seven Learning Styles

The best educational apps consolidate all the best qualities of these learning styles into a single platform.

This way, the educational apps enhance the learning experience in four different ways.

And the students learn things in ways that work best for them.

Four Components of Education Apps

One might think that educational apps are only beneficial for students.

But many educational apps also enhance communication between the students, teachers, and parents.

Because they are the ones, who matter the most to the students.

The Advantages Of Educational Apps

• Enhanced Classroom Performances
• Interactive And Engaging Learning
• Unlimited Access To Educational Content
• Collaboration Between Students, Teachers, And Parents
• New Learning Techniques
• Individual And Social Learning

The education industry has understood the true potential of education apps.

Many educational institutions and tutors have already started integrating their platforms with mobile apps. 

But creating a mobile app for education is not an easy task.

An educational app only works best when the students get to learn things or organize their classroom activities seamlessly.

The best educational apps are the perfect combination of knowledge and user experience.

If you need to develop such student-friendly and personalized educational apps, Mindster is a perfect choice for you. We’ve got the experience, expertise, resources, and everything else required to become a top-notch mobile app development company. Our 400+ Android and iOS apps will speak for themselves in that regard.

The post 10 Best Free Educational Apps for Students & Kids appeared first on Mindster-Blogs.

You might have read in your textbooks about the inefficiency and nepotistic rule by commercial elements in the last century. But was it always so?

Here we explore through the hyperlocal delivery business model, the new possibilities for the profit and prosperity of businesses everywhere in the world. Because competition needs to be among the equals, else it’s not fair. 

What is a hyperlocal delivery business model?

Let’s break down this big word. 

Hyperlocal means to go local in your business. It calls for localization in its true spirit and form. 

The delivery model indicates the system or mechanism to satisfy the on-demand needs of the consumer of this “hyper” locality.

A hyperlocal delivery model can be defined as an online business model in which the on-demand needs of customers are met through local offline shops via a digital platform. The demand for goods and services of customers like grocery, medicine, laundry service, etc. are met instantly.

Well, if it all looks so confusing, we here have an anecdote to clear things for you. Because examples define models better than textbook definitions :

Suppose you are one of the hyperlocal startups in your area. You connect with your customers through a mobile application. E-commerce applications help businesses grow in general. Unlike an e-commerce application where customers shop for things with an expected one-week delivery margin, the hyperlocal delivery model is about speed and quality. You get an update that a customer at the east end of your city wants fresh whipped cream to bake a birthday cake. Being connected with the local diaries and food chains, you order a fresh cream pick up and alert your delivery man. And within 30 minutes the customer gets the fresh cream and rates you five stars.

This is just a simple use case of what hyperlocal delivery business models could be. The area of operation, the needs of the population there, the connectivity, etc defines the efficiency of a hyperlocal business model.

Why is it important to go for hyperlocal delivery?

The hyperlocal delivery model of doing business can play a multi-dimensional role in promoting the growth of an individual as well as the community. Let us examine them one by one:

Role of a hyperlocal delivery model in Covid-19 combat

The hyper-local delivery model has attained a special significance in this Covid-19 scenario. Communities and local administration is finding ways to balance social distancing and economic activities simultaneously. The hyperlocal delivery model is a very effective way to prevent the spread. Because social distancing often becomes a second priority when people see each other.

Sustaining local economies

The world economy forecast is very upsetting. But it is a global view of things. What intelligent businesses need to realize now is that the whole is made from parts. A big house stands on bricks, and if the blocks are alright, then there is always a possibility to rebuild.

Hyperlocal models of economic activities can help in creating small self-sufficient economies. Government agencies can take up essential deliveries like vegetables, fruits, dairy products, etc. At the same time, the extra-local goods can be supplied by the retail shops in the locality.

Supports Local Businesses

Globalization, in all its glory, was fundamentally a very unfair market condition. The inability of businesses in the rural areas of the world was disregarded, and the quality of sharing those big businesses will bring thorough expansion was highlighted. But the result was the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. 

Localization of businesses opens a new path, a new world of economics. A world where every business can be successful and every customer better served. 

Do Away With Intermediaries

One of the main reasons that impediments startups and small businesses are the intermediaries. The farmer is the best example. He works hard day in and day out and harvests crops. But shops hardly pay him the just amount and inflate their margins. The result is the end-user pays more than necessary, and the producer gets less than what he deserves. 

Hyperlocal delivery businesses can directly link producers and consumers. Such local farm clusters can start the delivery service. It can, in effect, bring down artificial inflation in the economy to a great extent.

How does a hyper-local marketplace work?

The hyper-local market works with the infrastructure and elements that already form the current local markets. But to understand better, we can divide hyperlocal e-commerce into two broad categories:

• Hyperlocal services –  It includes the service sector, which provides: laundry service, home services, logistics, medical and associated services, etc.
  
• Hyperlocal Delivery – The delivery is concerned with the delivery of food products, groceries, electronic gadgets, home necessities, etc.

So between these services and delivery, they operate in the marketplace. A hyper-local market will work on a strong interlink between technology and workforce. The supply chain is a crucial aspect of hyperlocal business models. It operates with the delivery agency playing the bridge between the immediate consumer need and the available supplies. 

The local store will have to employ mobile app ideas to invent new possibilities that are hidden in their economy to start the hyperlocal phenomenon. Hyperlocal apps become the centre of this marketplace and will be the dominant line of communication between businesses and customers. Now let’s see the technologies that make the hyper-local marketplace work effectively.

What technologies make up a hyperlocal marketplace?

Discussions on hyperlocal business models often see an extensive reference to infrastructure building. It is seen as one of the challenges in building a hyperlocal marketplace. The technologies that make a hyperlocal marketplace function can be categorized as:

A Navigation System

Hyperlocal businesses today can explore the power of mobile phones. The GPS or other navigation systems that are in-built in them inform customers about the location of stores, the tie-ups it has and helps them choose the best. Finding retailers in the nearby locality, arranging returns etc. becomes very easy. Delivery is smooth here with customers flagging their exact location through Google maps or other navigation apps.

Online Payments

The payments in a hyperlocal system need to be digitized. Because speed and simplicity are the quality of this industry, and digital payment solutions can deliver them with ease.

E-commerce Platforms

A mobile app or an e-commerce website forms the e-commerce platform. It will be the critical point of communication with clients, suppliers and employees.

Supplier Relationship Management (SRM)

It is a platform for the suppliers to upload their products online and connect with the retail stores. It interlinks them with the hyperlocal agents in the locality.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

CRM is the main component of the hyperlocal system, which creates understanding between the customers, the businesses and the delivery agency. It will be a medium to address grievances, communicate.  

Logistics and Shipping

Enabling the last-mile delivery of goods and services, this is the active element of a hyperlocal marketplace.

What are the supply chain models of a hyperlocal business?

A hyperlocal business model has three leading players:   

• Suppliers (Local Business/Retailers)  
• Aggregators (Hyperlocal Players)  
• Consumers

The three players from the crux of a hyperlocal delivery business model. The way they interact in real life takes can lead to three models as described below:

Inventory-led model  

The inventory-led model is one where you source your products directly from the brands and sellers and create an inventory of them. Here you are playing a direct role in the hyperlocal market, and you have to keep tracking the demand push from customers and keep a team to manage inventories accordingly. 

Pros: Higher speed of delivery, better quality control, provide the best customer experience and service

Cons: Initial cost is high, difficult to scale, cash flow is restricted

Aggregator model

It is essentially a zero -inventory model, where you play the role of a facilitator. Just like the Uber business model. Uber makes use of the unorganized taxi sector and the passengers by being a connector between the two. So in the hyperlocal context, it means you become a connecting link between the distant suppliers and customers to ensure last-mile connectivity and delivery.

Pros:  very scalable ( as Uber expanded over the years), more extensive portfolio of products, investor-friendly model

Cons: Uncertain quality checks, higher shipping costs, have to build customer trust from scratch.

Hybrid model 

It is a mix of the inventory and aggregate model. It can be shaped in the way you like to make the pros of both come handy to them. The control overstocks and the flexibility of managing supplies etc.  forms a vital part of this model.

What is hyperlocal targeting?

Hyperlocal targeting is a very efficient way to market your hyperlocal business and gather attention. People need to know that you exist. Then only can they avail your service. A hyperlocal targeting involves, first identifying the type of customers in your locality. Make a classification based on their income, spending patterns, the time they spend on physical stores, their accessibility to technology, etc. 

It then involves devising strategies to reach your clients through various marketing techniques: bulk emails, or SMSs, or other means of reaching out to them. Creating a grocery app or mobile e-commerce application can serve the dual purpose of marketing and operations. However, any such decision needs careful consideration of the local customer trends. 

How does a hyperlocal delivery model work?

We have discussed the overall components in a hyperlocal delivery model. We saw how a hyperlocal marketplace looks like and how one can go on building a business model using them. 

Now, let us get a mock idea of the way things will function in a hyperlocal delivery business model :

Firstly, choose the product you want to deliver or sell

Begin with a product or two as your investment supports. There is always a scope to expand, start with minimal selections to test the local market waters because a large investment can backfire. Without learning some practical experiments to assess the local user behaviour. So round up those 3-4 sets of products and be ready to serve the customer earnestly. Remember, it is better to start as an aggregator model initially. It will help you connect deeply with the local population and gather essential information about their expectations and needs.

Wave the flag at your users, let them know you are here

The second and first step almost goes together. You make your presence known with the advertising methods that appeal most to the localities. Studying the response of customers towards previous businesses can be a very effective way to gather the right hyperlocal targeting for your area of operation.

Build local partnerships with delivery agents and merchants

Slowly, as you grow, you take note of the new services and products customers expect from you. And then collaborate with local businesses and home delivery agencies to strike a deal. The mutually benefiting aspects and the long -term possibilities of the delivery business can persuade them. Try to first connect on a contractual basis as your testing water stage is entering the final step, and you don’t want to gamble away your savings now.

Define Your Business Relationships

Slowly, as you find the profits coming your way, try to stabilize your business. Properly defining your relationship with the elements of your business viz. are retail merchants, delivery drivers or agencies, customers. Now, is the time to create an idea about yourself in their hearts. You are tasting success, and now you want to take it further through sustainable business relationships. 

Decide on an income model

The experience you have gathered so far will help you pin the type of income model that suits this business. You can choose from the different supply chain models we discussed above like the inventory-led model, or the aggregator model or the hybrid model. You will be in a better position to make the right choice regarding it by now.

Launch a mobile app to manage things easily

The final step is to relax. And, technology is here to make your life easier. You can now breathe for all the hard work you did to bring this business to fruition. Mobile apps have made grocery delivery in the US a success.
Now, manage the companies, deliveries, supply-chain needs, etc. with the technologies we discussed in the previous sections. CRM, SRM, logistics, etc. come to take a central place in this cycle of activities. 

Benefits of creating a hyperlocal business model marketplace

Out of the many direct and indirect advantages which we have seen previously, the following stands above all:

Helps build a futuristic and sustainable ecosystem

The most significant benefit of a hyperlocal business model marketplace is that it is an initiative towards sustainable localities. Consuming and producing in the same area is, according to WHO the most healthy way for society. It is also environment friendly as carbon footprints as long transportations are reduced.

Creates a transparent system

The operations are all visible to all and hence builds trust and transparency among the stakeholders.

Single device management

A single mobile app can help you track, control and manage the entire hyperlocal marketplace. The review and feedback mechanism helps businesses address the immediate needs of the clients and continue to offer optimal services to them.

Supports local businesses

It helps local businesses move more products and help them from getting sidelined. The local demand spur will naturally drive buying and selling cycles to push the small businesses in the locality towards growth.

What is the future of hyperlocal marketplace?

The hyperlocal marketplace is the future. It is because the new trend in the e-commerce sector is to shift for a better experience offline. The online game of ranking, engaging and other marketing gimmicks have now become overrated. 

Businesses today realize that customers value real experiences. And the one where they need to improve is on the last mile delivery. It is time to answer questions like :

•  How do customers get their product? 
• Was the delivery in time or too late?
• What do customers think of the shipment?
• How easy and non-humiliating is the return process?
• How good was the communication between the delivering agent and customer?
• How easy was it to locate the customer door?

And many such essential questions need an answer now. Developing e-commerce applications and starting your trade is now the new normal in the present world. Struggling for deliveries, acquiring products, the long wait, etc. are the status quo in this new normal. But it is when you break this status quo in new normal that you outshine others and win the customer’s hearts.

Hyperlocal deliveries are the closest solution to this problem. You can harness them to create a strong backlink between distribution and supply-chain. The hyperlocal delivery models need a new avatar in a new place. So the working process we described above is crucial in developing the right understanding of your specific local scenario.

Hyperlocal businesses have a huge market possibility in the near future, especially in the post-COVID 19 scenario. The grocery shopping apps were the best alternatives for businesses and customers during this pandemic.

Mindster being a world-class mobile app development company can help you set up the essential technological infrastructure for hyperlocal delivery service. You can work with our team to chart the course of your hyperlocal business, the income model you want to follow and how you want the mobile and web solutions to function and feel.

The post A Guide to Start Your Hyperlocal Delivery Business Model appeared first on Mindster-Blogs.

Whatever be the sport, when your favourite star and team is out there in the field, no true fan can stay away. It was this energy of fans to stay in the game that nurtures Dream11 like mobile app development in the sporting business. 

Now, did you know that Dream11 has been in the unicorn club for quite some time? With more than a billion dollars rolling more and more investors are teaming up to develop apps like Dream11. Dream11’s founders started their journey almost in line with the launch of IPL in 2008. Could they have anticipated their success in advance? That’s hard to say. But one thing is sure; they were aware of cricket fans and their immense love for the game which in some quarters led to even betting.  

Now, betting and gambling are illegal in India for a long time and have developed an illicit association of bookies with the underworld Dons and many big players. Dream11 however was cleared by a Court of India and has legal and social acceptance today. So the time is high to launch your fantasy sports app in the market if you are out of mobile app ideas. 

Why are fans attracted to fantasy sports apps like Dream11?

The knowledge of the demand factor is helpful if you want to succeed in any business. And when it comes to the fantasy sports segment be it PlayStation, video games like FIFA, PES, etc. or those like Dream11 the thing is people want to be in control. It is pretty much like; we feel we are the hero in every movie we watch; it is a psychological factor. That’s why we feel concerned about it. 

Similarly, fans feel themselves leading the game when their favourite team wins or players score. They would hence give anything to have a near similar experience. They realize their jubilation through video games, fantasy apps, etc. So the philosophical guide for a Dream11 app developer is this – “design the app in such a way that it gives more power to players and make it as realistic as possible.”

Dream11 has cleared the path for the fantasy sports development segment into the most significant fan market for all kinds of sports in the world, i.e. India.  

How prospective is the fantasy sports app business today?

The fantasy sports app is one of the fastest-growing businesses in the world. The growth and appeal for this segment are so much that by 2025 it will be a 33.2 billion dollar market.

Now, the region-wise distribution varies greatly. For example, the Indian market is the most prospective one with the revenue growth growing nearly thrice every five years, as you can see below.

Also, the number of users who are using mobile phones for casual gaming is less compared to massive gamers. It shows the current user behaviour and pattern in the mobile games app market today. The statistics are just the tip of an iceberg when it comes to the size of the market. 

The next doubt many investors have in mind when they come to develop their solution is, why a mobile app? Why not go for an easy and simple website? 

And chances are, now you may also be asking the same question. The simple answer is it is because users love mobile. Today smartphones have nearly 65% plus global reach. And if we look at the statistics from India in 2019, almost 85% of users played fantasy sports apps on their mobile devices. 

The logic is simple: when you can get it with a tap, why type it on Google? 

So the market is all set for your app launch. But how ready are YOU to launch your app? Still, want to know more about it? Then, read on, while we fill you the essentials of designing, developing and packing the right features in a fantasy sports application.

How to design a fantasy sports app like Dream11?

A fantasy sports app is not a game of eye-catching graphics and colours. It is therefore imperative to get hold of some inherent factors when you design an app like Dream11.

1. Data is the King

You cannot approach fantasy sports like any other sports app development. Because here the game is played over data and its adept handling. It is not about “press-the key-faster” ability like video games. Instead, it is more of a calculative and skillful nature. The users are driven by the data of the leagues and competitions—the player data, their form, their overall performances, their performances under certain conditions, etc.

So if your app has to win the fan hearts, it should make their life easy in terms of analyzing the data. And it just doesn’t end there. You need to make the data presentable. It needs to be easy to read informatics with prioritizing the relevance of information, design the dashboard with critical elements like the news section, player profile, graphs all in the right place.

2. Follow the 5-second Rule

When you start on the design side to create an app like Dream11, you need to have a set of design principles up your sleeves. We are going to discuss some here and in the following section. A designer needs to grab the bird’s eye view of the app’s purpose to frame them flawlessly. 

The 5-second rule is on the top of the list of design aids. It stems from the user response studies. It states that a designer needs to capture the user’s attention within the first five seconds to get him to see further. Or the user will simply move on to something better. Applying the rule to the mobile app design process, we derive dashboards and interfaces that stick into the user perspective. 

So whichever mobile app development framework you choose, remember to stick onto a quick insights interface. And if it takes time, remember the wait is worth it because all good things take time.

3. Take a cue from the “Newsroom”

Now, when you are handling an app that handles gigabytes of data every day, you could be in a fix. How to classify them?

Some designers at the UXplanet cracked a super-efficient way to come around the problem, and that was to use the “Newsroom” analogy. When you listen to the news, have you ever wondered, how the hell they arrange millions of reports to dish out the most-wanted and preferred on to the audience platter? They do this using the “inverted pyramid.” 

So, what is this “inverted pyramid?”

The inverted-pyramid is a logical layout to bring to the forefront the most meaningful and engaging content. In the News industry, there is a classification of news :

• The one that readers want to skim through
• News that readers peruse with moderate interest
• Those which readers follow close to heart, without skipping even the spaces

The same principles can be applied in fantasy sports app design as well. The users are of generally three types, one who is merely curious about sports. The second category is the genuinely interested and followers of events, and the third is the die-hard fans, who go to any extent to savour the game and stories.

Classifying the users into three groups, we mentioned above the vast data can be structured effectively. The mobile app development process can become very clear with effective data-fetching mechanisms in place. Even the Dream11 database structure manages data by similar logical structures that filter the most relevant bits. We will delve into Dream11’s development details later in the blog.

4. Go Minimal

When you create a mobile app like Dream11, you need to expect millions of logins. From the design point of view, it means that every app screen you create should stand out to engage users. Now psychological studies reveal that a human brain can process 7 (+or – 2) visual elements. And it is the maximum we are talking about here. So, you need to ensure that or 7 less visual elements fill your eerie screen and not more. Or the app is going to create visual clutter, and users are going to drop them fast. Hence, you need to know how to create minimalist designs for a fantasy sports app with a mountain of data processing and visualization at hand.

How to start the development of your Dream11 like fantasy sports app?

The fantasy sports app is a hot field with fandom and stardom at its peak. Star-worship and following up is something that millennials fondly pursue. One reason is that they have free time and the second thing is they have smartphones with them. 

But when it comes to making an app of your own, you need to be aware of the fundamental challenges in developing a fantasy sports app.  The primary considerations that will cross a severe investor and mobile app development agency will be :

• Marketing Time Needed

• Cost of Development

• Whom and how to hire

• Cost of Maintenance

• Essential Features

• Risks in 3rd Party solutions

As an experienced mobile app development company, we have a distinct take on each of these challenges, and we discuss them under the following sub-headings :

1. Combine the power of web and mobile

When you look at a successful fantasy sports app, the one thing that stands out is their extensive presence. Just imagine seeing a new event, a competition and you have two links: one to its website and another to the app store. 

Which one would you choose?

Of course, the first one. Why?

Because we want to know right then and there, you stop me on my way and say I have something to tell you. Then you are saying, come to this restaurant, we will discuss it there. Now, who would do that with a stranger? Very kind and patient human beings. But remember they are very few.

Marketing is in a way like the above scenario. You are introducing a stranger – a new app, or an idea or product- the user wants to get to the depth then and there. So all this is to impress you on the necessity of having a website for your fantasy sports app. 

If you look at Dream11 like app development strategy, this much is very visible. They gathered their initial takers from websites. With quick and easy login methods, many fans tasted the adrenaline rush of predicting and winning. These initial takers bought in the rest, and now they run into millions in numbers.    

2. Your Monetization Plan

We are sure you are not making this app to treat all the sports lovers in this world. You want the funds to flow to you, right? Then, it is time to plan your monetization schemes. 

Ads are one of the most commonly employed monetization methods. A few lines of code is all that it takes to give room for Ads. Despite its annoying nature, Ads are the most preferred one for users than paying outrightly for your app. In Dream11 like app development, the number of users are likely to be very high. And Ads earn you money only if you have a large number of users. So Ads as a monetization strategy is well found in fantasy sports app development.

The second strategy you can use is to make your app a paid one. But if you look at the research stats, you see that upfront payment is something half the gamers avoid. So the monetization is a tough bet for success and more so initially. 

Affiliate links are another way to earn more. For example, you can put up a link of particular products from Amazon in your app. If the users happen to purchase the product from this link, Amazon will be providing you with a small portion of the purchase as commission. Monetizing through affiliate marketing is also an excellent strategy to consider.

In-app purchases with coins and other goodies is a more intelligent way to persuade users to spend on your app. The fantasy sports app segment can do this by launching leagues along with real ones and other bonus leagues just after the end of the season to allow fans to reverse their team’s poor luck virtually.

3. Essential Features List

What makes every app unique is its design. But what sets limits to the design, it is the features you choose to have. So listing app features is something you need to do beforehand. Dream11 like app development demands a multitude of features, and it will be beyond the scope of the article to list them all. But we would like you to focus on some features you should never miss.

The participant or player app that you are building is the one which your actual users use on the Playstore or App Store. It needs to pack these features for engagement and clarity:

•  Quick User Login

The user registration should be straightforward and hassle-free. Any unnecessary information or response has to be carefully cut out. The login process needs to be simple enough to persuade users to try your app at least once. So it is best to limit your input fields to the essential information you need like the email id, personal number, etc. Social media logins can be very useful as it can get you information and facilitate registration in a single tap.

• Landing Screen

The one point from which the user can navigate to all the subsequent screens of the app. It needs to be compact with minimum but essential tools and visual elements.

• League Arena

One of the essences of your fantasy sports app is to engage the fired-up fans in the latest championships. You need to strike the iron when it’s hot. So a pure space for discussing new leagues, the cost of entering the leagues, winning range, rules of the contest, size of the tournament, period, etc. needs clear articulation.

• User Dashboard

A place for complete statistics and information. The dashboard must be logically clean to follow, visually capturing and simplifying with infographics to provide valuable insights for every user—the referrals, winnings, reward points, transaction history, bonus, etc.

Now coming to the Admin app, the one platform that gives you the edge in your business while fans win matches and their earnings. It helps you control the way things happen, to intervene in cases of errors, gather reviews and support users in getting a more significant experience from the player app. The essential Admin app features you cannot do without are :

• Admin Dashboard

A fully equipped powerful dashboard is a must for you to manage the app functioning, leagues, data sets and any other innovative schemes you plan to incorporate into the main player application.

•  Manage User Accounts

It gives you the ability to manage the users, the way they are using the accounts, the user control to edit, delete, deactivate their account.

• Manage Contests

This feature puts admin at the driving position of every new tournament, the already running contests, decide which of them are ‘free-to-play’ which are featured games, etc.

• Manage Reports

Enables the admin to access all the reports in the course of gameplay like the Earnings Report, Player Performance Report, Winner’s performance, etc.

The other features that define a  Dream11 like app development are listed below. You can take a cue from them with careful considerations.

4. Choosing the Right Framework

The next important step in developing a mobile application is to decide on the framework.  You might be aware of apps like Native apps, Progressive Web Apps and  Cross-platform apps. If you are not then, the table below will give you some idea.

As you can see the choice of going for a native, web or cross-platform depends on your actual budget, the type of monetization you plan to implement through the app, your target audience, the features you plan to offer the users, etc.

The programming languages for mobile app development is dependent on the kind of app you want to build. The native frameworks, the cross-platform frameworks, etc. have different coding languages. The features you saw in the previous section, the limitation it can have on your design, the need to overcome the coding of the design, etc. becomes the disputable internal aspects in choosing the right framework. Dream11 app developers went for Flutter as it balanced their traffic needs and other platform concerns.

From the future perspective, this stage is an iterative one, going in rounds. A solid market-research on your sports, its fan-base, categorization of the fan-base, etc. can help you in deciding on the type of framework. One other reason this process can be iterative is that you can always come to this stage to create new but only after success. Some app makers have gone for native apps after tasting success in the progressive web app segments. 

But you can relax, for now, it’s about the future. In the present, choose the best framework and start your  Dream11 like app development. Let’s now see how much it costs to launch a quality sports fantasy app in the contemporary market.

How much would it cost you to make an app like Dream11?

The one query every customer has is the pin-pointed, easy-to-state, pure numbers for getting their app on the app store. But let’s break it down to you there is no such number. The reason is that every customer’s needs are uniquely different. So when the requirements are different, the resources employed have a different time rate of usage; hence, the figures vary.

But, then you may ask, “there must be a rough estimate for sure?” Here too, a one-word answer is impossible. It depends on many adjacent factors of mobile app development processes. So the best thing is to look at what these factors are and then to see how much you need in the project and then figure out a rough estimate yourself before you go to meet a competent mobile app developer.

1. Design and Wireframe

The design of your app is crucial in defining the user experience and feel of the app. It forms the front-end development because how your app looks upfront is a UI/UX designer’s making. A good design needs a talented UI/UX designer who has experience in building successful apps for users. A standard designer costs you around $45 – $50 an hour in Upwork. 

2. Back-end Developer

Front-end is how an app looks, but it is the back-end that pulls strings so that the front-end works smoothly. Back-end developers sync your visual elements, your features, etc. and work seamlessly. They create the coding lines for the harmonious and free-flowing experience you have in the actual app use. The freelance cost of capable developers ranges from $80 per hour to as much as $200+ per hour. And the price is high in the Western market compared to Asian workforce.

3. Your App Requirements

The number of hours your front-end and back-end developer needs to put is not just a matter of skill. It is a reflection of the complication and challenges your project presents to them. 

How to choose your fantasy app development company?

A very safe and pragmatic choice for developing your fantasy mobile app is to go for a trustworthy mobile app development company. However, you must look for the following traits in your technology partner before you hand them the project:

• Review Past Clients

Look for the past projects the app company has delivered in your locality. Discuss with the clients the overall experience they had in working with the team and the end-product. For example, when you approach Mindster, you can already be assured of this because of our outstanding Clutch review. Clutch interviews clients of a mobile app development company and ranks companies based on their performance, credibility, etc.

• Realistic Budget

Watch out for companies that inflate the budgets. Here, at our client-discussion stage, we clearly outline the costs in comparison to the market rate, and this transparent process has always won us the prestigious clients like Oman Air, Drinn, Peekay Steels among others.

• Project Timeline

Opt for companies like Mindster who layout in advance the launch and delivery of every stage of product and deliver them in a time-bound manner.

• Experience

Check for the analytic, project operations skill, the project testing and delivery factor along with the experience of your lead developer in the project team.

• Communication

One of the reasons projects come out with flying colours in  Mindster is the satisfaction we provide to our clients. And communication is key to this, keeping the client in the loop for every stage of development and prototyping, we ensure that we are rightly advancing on their expectations. It saves review time and results in faster delivery of the product.

Finally, we hope that you will gain the best from our valuable insights and see success in developing your fantasy sports app. You can collaborate with us to create mobile apps and avail our exceptional services as we have laid out in the services section.  We work with startups, small, medium and large enterprises.

Wishing you all the very best !!!

The post Dream11 Like App Development: A Complete Guide to Make a Successful Fantasy Sports App appeared first on Mindster-Blogs.

Now, Why Is Launching an Online Grocery Store or Grocery Delivery App the Best Way to Fight Corona?

The fundamental thing that authorities and public agencies need to understand is that “COVID-19” or “No-COVID-19”, people always focus on small things. They are not keen on saving the world as much as they are keen to ensure their evening bread. Only a momentary fear for life is keeping the citizens inside and the seriousness would be forgotten in a matter of days if they roam around more. For example, watch this shopping guideline from the famous news network Inside Edition:

The guidelines itself show that they are as vulnerable as group meetings. The fear, emotional stress and the mental exertion of being always protective takes a toll on people’s clear mind. The video clip shows exactly why shopping outside is not an option anymore. The three things we can clearly see are :

#1 People Forget Safety in Grocery Premises

Just look at the video again you can see that every shopper was focusing on feeling the things, examining them and all without any protection, with just bare hands. And if they are falling sick tomorrow then every shopper is in a kind of trouble.

#2 People Are Worried 

Yes, this is an undeniable fact, we are all worried because we are just ordinary human beings. Now, shopping looks like taking a round on the borderline. You are indeed putting yourself at risk. And that’s quite distressing for many citizens. They just don’t want to go out, especially doctors and ultra-cautious members of the society.

#3 The Remote Workers

Well, not all of us have the luxury of time right now. Government directives like Philadeplhia’s stay at home order or the lockdown in the pan-Asian countries have forced many businesses to operate remotely. Just imagine nearly 130 million IT employees in the US and many millions of other employees are all working at home. They can’t afford to go shopping without a cut in working hours. Because directives force many shops to open for fixed regular hours. They need to survive. 

Online shopping is the best way to integrate these diverse needs into one single solution. Grocery delivery apps can indeed play a very effective role in social distancing and break the coronavirus chain. 

Perks of Shopping Grocery Online During Corona Outbreak

Shopping online using web apps and mobile apps are not something that is new. But considering the current situation, it is an absolute necessity. Because :

• It helps social distancing – Ordering products through online grocery stores and other mobile app development tools is a very effective way to ensure social distancing. Yes, it needs some precautions which we will be covering below. But, right now, nothing works as strongly as this. The Chinese experience is a testimony to this fact. Just check the video below where elderly corona suspects and infected were provided essential goods through mobile grocery delivery apps and solutions.

• Prevents Goods Wastage – The COVID-19 lockdown was an unexpected lock-down. No one saw it coming. On one day there was a shopping spree and grocery shop owners must have refilled stocks and then it’s a total shutdown. With the world economy showing a dip of 2-2.5% GDP for each month of lockdown, we need to understand goods are super precious now. We can’t afford to waste them.

• Keeps Economy Going – “There is no doubt that we have entered recession”, says IMF chief. Period. But this is not the end of the economy. The cycle can go well more than drag itself if we keep the supply-demand cycle going on. And corona has only hit massive market gatherings not consumption. Consume we will have to survive. And with safety measures supply won’t be a problem. Yes, the real challenge will be to interlink them and that we can with simple grocery delivery mobile apps.

There are many other perks to mention but it is essential to cover the practical aspects of implementing this grocery delivery solution in the time of coronavirus lockdown across the world. 

How to Implement this Solution Practically?

The real question of every innovative idea is “how”?

So moving into the “how” of the things, let’s get into the practical aspects of implementing such a solution. 

• The first difficulty that a grocery store owner or an offline supermarket chain might feel is in developing such a grocery online solution. Well, you must not forget that as mentioned before, millions of IT professionals are all working day and night to ensure that the virtual world of services goes smoothly. Hence, you can approach any efficient mobile app development company to start your project

• The second thing to note is that you are not here trying to build a massive brand, so if you hire a company that is going to build your mobile app in three months or so you will already be into heavy losses. The need of the hour is to save the stocks and create quick and working supply-demand links. Hence, go for a quick to implement Whitelabel solution. For example, Mindster has redesigned its mobile grocery delivery apps and solutions to go live in less than 4-5 days.

• The third difficulty is to find a clean delivery crew. When we say clean we mean those who are equipped with safety measures so that they do not spread infection. This was challenging in the initial days of lockdown. But thanks to the facts that governments know it can’t simply run on its appointed regiment of officials. For example, India has been hailed greatly for dealing with its quick and intelligent measures of containing the virus spread with such a huge population. The states in India are calling out Corona Warriors and young volunteers for dealing with the situation. Connecting with authorities would be a great way to take this forward.

Finally,

it is best to remember that we are facing a crisis that’s unlike any other in the history of the modern world. The best and the fortunate thing is that we have the power of the internet led mobile technologies to show us light in this dark time. In the coming days even doctor booking apps, e-commerce applications, medical equipment delivery and even saloon slot booking apps are going to be needed to settle back onto our normal course of life. Let’s make the best use of our resources to save our scarce resources. Stay home, stay safe and shop your groceries safely. 

The post Why Buyers and Businesses Should Go for Grocery Shopping Apps During Coronavirus Lockdown appeared first on Mindster-Blogs.

You might find a hundred and one articles on “ How to make mobile apps.” But almost all of them talk about it coldly. They treat the app as if it is a dead thing. But app making is a very lively process.

So here we present to you : 

The Subtle Art of Creating a Mobile Application

You might be wondering how App making can be an ‘Art?’ 

Right?

And that too subtle ???

Check out our infographics to learn the various stages of app development.

Yes, you have read correctly, it is an art. Because every process of creation is an art, be it a painting, poetry or even an application.

A human being is not just a mind-machine, he/she has a heart too. And history tells us that all creative process begins from the heart, from deep silence. Significant discoveries happened not when the scientists were thinking with their mind but when they were frustrated and had resigned in profound silence. It is from there that a new flower blossoms.  

So in this exposition, we will discuss the process of Mobile App development as the harmony of three faculties of yourself, i.e. your heart, your mind and your awareness.

First, let us begin from the heart.

All processes of creation begin from the heart. You have to put your heart into the app creation process :

1. Your App Should be a Solution

The very fundamental of an application is its relevance for the present world. In this step, you should meditate deeply into this question, “What is that problem which my app can solve ?” And once the answer comes, you have created the seed of your app.

2. Identify the Problem in Detail

It is an important step, because here you will have to pen down all possible routes of the problem and how your app will address most of it or at the least the core problems. Here the heart and mind will have to work in synergy. The heart will become the user and see things from their point of view, and the mind will become the solution provider in the form of ideas.

3. Relating with the User

In this step visualize your app interacting with your user.

Imagine or conduct a small online survey about the idea and record client responses. Your app must be able to relate to the user’s perception of the solution to the problem. It is essential. This step becomes later the guide for your coding team to actualize the app.

“So clarity in step 2 and step 3 is paramount.”

Now comes the section where your mind needs to be used in the creation. 

Remember the human mind is the greatest analytical tool in the world and you are human. 

So you can do it. 

4. The Design of your App 

It defines the fluidity that a user will feel while using your app. It will indeed include the core aspects of designing, and it depends very much on your creativity. When you design an app consider:

• User flow diagrams to decide the features you can provide in the app
• Suitable wireframes that will give a skeleton to your app
• Look of your pages the design and the coloring part
• Mockups  the rough sketch of your app  

Here both the UI (User Interface) / UX (User Experience) factors are taken care of.

The UI will define the feel of your app and UX will mean customer’s experience in using your app. Both are very crucial for your app’s overall acceptance among users.
More on this topic go to –  UI/UX Design and their role in app creation.

Also Read

Innovative UX trends to follow in 2020

5. Approach your App Rightly

The approach you choose for your app could be a crucial factor in your revenues from the app. 

Therefore it requires your mind and awareness. 

The geographical location of your clients, the economic state of your user’s country, popularity etc. should be taken into account here. 

For example, iOS apps are likely to earn considerably less in an Asia-Pacific economy, though they rule the markets in the US and European countries.  

Further, depending on the technical aspects, you could go for :

6. Create a Prototype

You may call it a bait testing in the app development process. It could be the turning point in developing an app. It is the best way to gain insights into your client’s feeling about your app.

If you are looking for possible funding, it is the right stage to impress your potential sponsor, especially if you’re aiming for pre-seed funding to get your project of the ground.

Your awareness is crucial here in responding to your user’s feedback and suggestions. The response must come as improvements in your prototype.

Now let us discuss those steps to creating an app, requiring your complete awareness.

7. Testing your App

It is now testing time for your app. And testing situations require your pure awareness.

The way you respond to it will determine the very life of your application. 

Because from global mobile experience, we see that mobile app users are impatient towards underperforming or crashing apps, that is why almost 60 % of apps get flushed down the app stores within a week of its launch.

Some important stages of testing are listed below :

• Functional Testing – It is primarily to check whether the app is usable and it conforms and performs according to the intention of the mobile application development team.
• Compatibility Testing –  concerned with the behavior of your mobile application with all the software display and hardware working together. It checks your apps ability to run on various hardware software, platforms etc.
• Performance Testing – it will test your application’s vitality in all possible real-life situations. It will mainly involve :
  • Load testing, i.e. checking the app for all kinds of workloads, 
  • Stress testing will gauge the conditions were your application might fail and
  • Capacity testing will estimate the capacity of your app to perform without fail, i.e. how many operations and users it can handle before displaying a fail.
• Security Testing – your app is tested for security flaws. Data security is one of the primary concerns of users across the world today. So even a whiff of data insecurity could destroy the name and fame of your application. So this stage requires your total attention.

“ An effective way will be to hire a professional hacker to attack your mobile application and then improve upon the weak areas.”

• Usability Testing – In this stage, your app is examined for its easiness, whether the app conforms with the standards and is performing efficiently. Its user-friendliness will be also analyzed.
• Interrupt Testing – it is conducted to check your application’s response to interruptions like a message or call during the use of the app.  

 “ Interrupt Testing is particularly important in a world of digital banking, OTPs (One-time Passwords) is a way of life.”

After all the testings on your app, it is time to develop an app, that requires some final touch work. In the techie world, it is called the Beta version of your app

“Beta Testing is a participative process, where users become involved with you to improve your creative mobile application.”

Also Read

A Comprehensive Guide to mobile app testing techniques and tools

8. Observe the Flow  

This is the final touch you can give from the creative side. The Beta version of your app may be inviting a variety of responses from the users. Some may be pleasing, some disturbing. But you must be a mere observer. 

“Respond and not react to the user feedback.”

Remember responding is an act of intelligence, while a reaction is just immature. You should use this opportunity, to make the final improvements upon your app. It must happen with your total attention. 

Check for the following things in particular :

• What features of your app was trending during beta testing
• Which element drew the worst responses
• Identify the age group that your app was attracting
• The behaviour of users towards your app

Once, you take into account the above factors; it is time to go for the final phase, the phase that is beyond you, your technical artwork is going out into the real world. 

9. The App Blooms 

Your app is ready to go out into the real world. It is ready to flower. So, this step is more of marketing and a bit of creativity. 

The table below will make it easy for you to see the aspects.

Also Read

7 Security issues developers encounters while developing mobile apps

10. Finally, Be Compassionate

Most app developers see their app as some money making machine, they dump it into an app store and ignore all the difficulties the users are facing. 

They are just done with it, the moment it is launched. 

Don’t be so ruthless. Be compassionate. 

Remember that your application, your creative work, was developed to serve an end. So rejoice in the way it is helping the users and be available to them for extending and improving your service.  

“To create a mobile application is easy, but to help it grow needs your zealous presence.”

So, be there for the users to give current updates, patchworks, bug fixing and keep on improving.

Eventually, you will see that with the harmonious integration of your heart, mind and the awareness that develops from it, to build mobile apps will no more be cumbersome. 

If you have put the whole of yourselves into it, your app will flower in the tech world, and it will give a fragrance of its own, music of its own. So, Enjoy the journey.

Mindster is an innovative mobile app developer, well known in India for its creative and amenity based mobile applications. Mindster has developed several taxi dispatch softwares, grocery and other utility based apps, which are very popular among both Android and iOS users in india.

The post How to Create a Successful Mobile Application appeared first on Mindster-Blogs.

What is Android OS? Well, Android was launched 10 years back, on November 5, 2007, and has come a long, long way. Now, Android is the biggest platform for mobile apps. Moreover, Android is not only limited to smartphones and tablets but is also powering smart TVs, autos and smartwatches.

From the first beta to Android P (Pie), let’s take a look into Android’s rise from the launch to acquisition by Google and current market presence. 

Initial Years of Android

In October 2003, Android Inc. was established by Andy Rubin, Rich Miner, Nick Sears and Chris White. The motive was to build an advanced OS for the camera, by transforming them into “smart devices that are aware of the location and preferences”. 

As it turns out, there was apparently not much market interest in this service, so Android Inc. changed their focus towards smartphones. This sector was so competitive since Android has to compete against the Symbian and Windows OS.

Due to their shaky start, funding was always an issue. Later Android, Inc. was acquired by Google on August 17, 2005, along with their staffs. A team led by Rubin was working on mobile device OS based on the Linux kernel. The green Android logo was designed by Irina Blok, and the beta version was unveiled on November 5, 2007. 

Let’s go through the Android version history over these years:

Android 1.0

The very first commercial version of Android termed as Android 1.0, was unveiled on September 23, 2008. Even though it was the first version, Android 1.0 unveiled features like an internet browser, camera, Gmail synchronization with the Gmail application, YouTube, Google Maps and Calendar synchronization. 

These apps were available to download in the Android Market. Later, Android 1.1, was launched on February 9, 2009, with updated features and few bug fixes.  It was followed by Android 1.5 (Cupcake) on April 27, 2009, and Android 1.6 on September 15, 2009. These versions were released on a time interval of 3 months and were more focused on fixing bugs.

Also Read

Top 10 mobile app development trends that will dominate 2020

Android 2.0 Eclair 

Android launched their 2nd major release on October 26, 2009, and was termed as Éclair. The main attraction was email support for Microsoft Exchange, alongside the capacity to go through messages from various accounts in the same inbox. 

Text messages were also enhanced, enabling customers to look through the older messages and MMS messages, and typing response was made quicker. The camera application also got real-time updates like flash support, different zoom modes, shading effects and focus mode. 

Android 2.0.1 was discharged on December 3, 2009, followed by Android 2.1 on January 12, 2010, both bringing minor advancement and bug fixes. 

The next main release was on May 20, 2010. It was termed as Froyo. This update had various performance optimization. USB tethering and Wifi hotspot functionalities were introduced in Android 2.2.

Android 2.3 Gingerbread 

Android 2.3 Gingerbread was rolled on December 6, 2010, with a brand new UI which was focused more on convenience and speed. The onscreen console was also upgraded for more instinctive content info and precision. 

Near Field Communication (NFC) was integrated out of the blue, and the new Download Manager made monitoring documents downloaded from the web simpler than ever. 

Android 3.0 Honeycomb 

On February 22, 2011, Google rolled its first tablet-oriented Android update: Android 3.0 Honeycomb. As Android 3.0 Honeycomb was an entirely tablet-centered rendition, another “holographic” UI was introduced with the update. The System Bar brought notification and the buttons to the bottom of the screen. 

Other major changes to the UI was multiple browser tabs, an “incognito” mode for individual browsing. Multicore processors were made compatible for the first time, introducing the new age of intense Android gadgets. 

Android 3 was released on May 10, 2011, and brought USB connectivity and widgets on home screen. A further release, Android 3.2, included support for Google TV.

Also Read

Top 10 mobile app development trends that will dominate 2020

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

Android 4.0 – Ice Cream Sandwich dispatched on October 18, 2011, and was guaranteed to be compatible with any device running on Android 2.3 or later. The Holo interface was given a revamp, and a fresh look and Roboto was made as the default font for Android. 

Files were updated to be simpler, applications could be accessed from the lock screen, the camera application was enhanced and now upheld 1080p video recording, and the internet browser could now synchronize with users Chrome bookmarks.

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean

On July 9, 2012, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean was revealed, and the main reason for the update was to enhance the UI in both feature and performance. Graphics were given special consideration and additionally incorporated technology that would help the interface to run at 60 frames per second for a smooth and responsive service.

Sound quality was likewise improved with multi-channel support, unlimited playback and USB audio. 3rd party apps were also provided with better, enabling users to tailor their experience. 

Android 4.4 KitKat

KitKat OS was so successful for android, this OS put them in the driving seat and helped them grab millions of customers. KitKat OS was launched on October 31, 2013, and the first device to run it was the Nexus 5.

Various tweaks were made to give the interface a new look, yet it wasn’t about aesthetics. A new “immersive mode” was included, which permitted applications to hide the buttons on screen and status bar when they’re not required. You can swipe down the screen in case you need them and vice versa when you don’t. 

NFC was another new feature added, however, it wasn’t successful as expected, it means a device running on Android 4.4 could copy an NFC signal and converse with NFC users, this feature is best suited for making online payments. 

Android 5.0 – Lollipop

Android 5.0 Lollipop, was first declared on June 25, 2014, amid the Google I/O meeting, and was officially rolled out on November 12, 2014. 

The interface got a noteworthy update this time with a minimalistic theme- “material design”. Notifications were tweaked and could now be seen on the lock screen.

Devices running on Android 5.0 allowed third-party apps to be stored on an external memory and updated lock functionality was included to effectively unlock and lock your device.

Android Auto

Android Auto isn’t entirely an OS in its own right, rather it depends on a connection between an Android cell phone and the infotainment system of the vehicle.

Offering a friendly interface for vehicles is good, but Android Auto enables you to use applications, for example, Maps for navigation and Spotify for unlimited music streaming. 

Android 6 Marshmallow 

Android 6 Marshmallow was formally launched in May 2015 at the Google I/O conference and was available for various devices in October 2015. 

A new feature called “Now on Tap” to provide contextual search result with the help of search history to make them more useful. It likewise had an incredible battery management update.

Adoptable Storage functionality was also unveiled where you can utilize your micro SD card, yet your device will treat it like internal storage. Marshmallow also improved the fingerprint unlocking technique and USB Type-C. 

Also Read

13 Best Android camera apps for high-quality images in 2020

Android 7 Nougat 

Android Nougat was rolled as a beta version in March 2016, however, it formally arrived in August 2016. 

The main differences amongst Nougat and Marshmallow are minimal, yet the update has a split-screen mode on Android gadgets for the plain first time. 

Nougat also offers an inline reply to messages and notifications so you won’t have to open up your Messenger application for quick replies. 

Android 8 Oreo 

Android Oreo gets its name from another snack and was declared back in March 2017 as Android O (or Android 8) it wasn’t until August 21, 2017, when the Android Oreo name was confirmed. 

Google on the very same day launched the final build of its new platform of gadgets for its Beta program, which consisted of Pixel, Pixel XL and Nexus 6P. 

Android 9 Pie 

Android Pie is the latest version of Google’s operating system, which is mainly focused on simple and AI-powered efficiency. 

Adaptive battery life and adaptive brightness settings were included, the application actions enable you to bounce to your next task, without opening the app. 

Google additionally switched up the UI to make room for cutouts in screens and digital wellbeing to enable you to separate from your addictive phone.

Also Read

Top 10 Mobile app development trends that will dominate in 2020

Some interesting facts about Android: 

• There have been 900 million devices running Android so far, which is about 1/7th of the total populace. 
• Google Play has now passed 48 billion app downloads with humongous 2.5 billion application installs in a recent couple of months. And of late Google has removed 60,000 low-quality applications from Google Play.

It would be reasonable to state that Android will dominate the mobile app market in the coming years as this OS is available in every price range and with such flexibility. So it is safe to bet in Android app development as it will change the market in the coming years. Mindster is such a mobile app development company which focuses on developing innovative mobile apps. Some of our key solutions include taxi dispatch software, on-demand grocery solution etc… In case you are in need of any mobile solution, feel free to contact our team.

The post The Evolution of Android Over Years appeared first on Mindster-Blogs.

Smartphones sales are expected to hit 5 billion by 2018, and there isn’t a better time to indulge yourself in the mobile app development industry by selecting the best coding language for apps. You should be equipped with the best tools to provide the customers with a working, useful and the best mobile app. Above all that, you should also have the support of the best programming language for the mobile apps compatible with the current technology. 
 
There are billions of smartphone users and there are mobile apps which works extensively for each platform. However, the dilemma is that which mobile development language is best for mobile apps out there. 
 
Another survey conducted by a group of researchers states that Android app development is going to rule the global smartphone market. 

Today, we are living in a world where a mobile app for your business will work as an online store as per the needs of the customers.
 
In this article, we are going to shortlist some of the best mobile development platforms: like the best programming language for mobile apps to opt for. All these are dependent on what you expect to achieve.

1. Java

Java has always been the undisputed leader of being the most prominent and highly employed mobile app coding language since its birth. Java is mainly utilized for developing desktop applications, back-end web frameworks and Android applications, which makes it the best mobile platform for developers. It utilizes JVM that works smoothly in every system. Organizations favour java since it is a versatile language and offers flexibility to engineers for quick and error-free mobile application development. Being the most established language, Java also has the backing of a huge community to help users whenever they face any technical glitch. 

 Java is highly useful in the development of :

• Android apps
• Server apps
• Web apps
• Big data technology
• Scientific apps

2. JavaScript

JavaScript is so fundamental nowadays that it affirms the certificate of being a professional mobile application development veteran. In 2017, Stack Overflow declared JavaScript as the most prominent language among the current set of programming languages. JavaScript is a key factor to shape exceptionally intuitive and dynamic web structures like Facebook, Gmail, YouTube etc. 
 
Developers usually find it easy to develop mobile apps with JavaScript libraries and frameworks like Angular, Node, jQuery and React. Because of its adaptability and simple syntax, JavaScript is viewed as a user-friendly programming language. Whether developers use it to take JavaScript screenshots of a web page or create real-time updates for user interfaces, its capabilities make it an indispensable tool in the web development toolkit. 
 
Key Features of JavaScript: 

• Quick and effective. 
• It is executed on the customer side, which implies it saves bandwidth by not utilizing the server. 
• Highly useful for animation in dull sites. 

Also Read

10 Best programming languages for mobile app development

 
3. Python 

In recent years, Python has become a language employed by substantial users including enterprises and best business organizations. They were widely popular due to their ability to give better results, agility and user experience to the customers. GitHub along with many other portals have positioned Python in top 10 languages for mobile application development. What makes Python easy to understand is its unmistakable, natural and basic syntax that looks like English. Such features make Python the best choice for amateurs. 

Python is also compatible with new age technologies like AI, Machine Learning Big Data, Robotics etc. Its simplicity makes it the most user-centric language around the world.
 
Key features of Python: 

• Support dynamic typing. 
• Incredible community support. 
• Object-Oriented Language. 

 4. PHP 

PHP designers are having a high time since PHP is an incredibly robust programming language. While developing a WordPress content management system. Facebook used PHP to develop the back-end system. Since PHP is a server-side programming language, it is utilized as a broadly useful programming language to make dynamic and intelligent web pages. App developers can embed it into the HTML code line or mesh it into a content management system and frameworks. PHP is also compatible with CLI (command-line-interface) and can be utilized for independent graphical applications. 

Key features of PHP:  

• Server compatibility
• Open-source 
• Simple database integration

Also Read

Yii Vs Zend Vs Laravel Vs Symphony

 5. Kotlin 

As of late, Kotlin has made their way into the list of best 10 programming languages for mobile apps in 2018 on various Q&A portals. Kotlin was developed by JetBrains as a statically-composed programming language and is considered as an official language for Android mobile application development. Kotlin has exponentially become popular and relished the reputation of the sole Android application development language since their introduction to the development world. The main reason for their fame is credited to its interoperability, its capacity to run on JVM and its flexibility for front-end and back-end development. 

6. Swift

Swift has turned out to be distinguished and robust language and is one among the best programming language for mobile apps around the world. Swift can be a great choice as a mobile application development language, particularly to build high-end, intense and intuitive applications for iOS and Mac OS. 
 
Swift can outperform Objective-C when considering a programming language that is developed by gathering to allow excellent iOS app development. In view of its expanding usage across devices like iPhone, iPad, and Mac, we can definitely say that Swift will flourish in future. 
 
Key features of Swift: 

• It is open source. 
• Easy to maintain. 
• Needs less coding when contrasted with different dialects.

 7. HTML5 

Like HTML help in webpage development, HTML5 can be used for web-based mobile application development. The latest update of HTML5 (Hypertext Markup Language of WWW consortium) has made a great deal of buzz as it highlights exceptional features like quick market deployment, multimedia support and multi-platform functionality for different gadgets and programs. Both Android and iOS developers can develop apps utilizing HTML5 since it provides incredible flexibility. 
 
Key features of HTML5:  

• Mobile Supportive
• Responsive on most devices 
• Supports Drag and Drop functionality

Also Read

Benefits of angular js over react framework

 8. C#

C# is established on C and is viewed as a more elevated, object-oriented programming language. Created by Microsoft as a part of the .NET structure, C# is mostly utilized for building native applications for Microsoft platforms. Since it is originated from C, it has the same syntax to C++ and Java. The key advantage offered by C# is that designers can develop a single cross-platform application on Xamarin for both iOS and Android as opposed to composing two separate applications in Swift and Java. You can even utilize C# to create video games utilizing the intensity of the Unity engine. 
 
Key features of C#: 

• Best suited for huge apps and projects
• It is adaptable 
• Access to .NET 

 9. Ruby 

Like PHP, Ruby is another programming language designer’s use for web development and it shapes the basis of Ruby on Rails structure. With regards to online mobile application development, Ruby ends up being the friendliest programming language particularly for learners and has solid and liberal community support to help you when you face any issues. 
 
Ruby has clean syntax and is believed to be a savvy and reasonable language since it is widely employed. Ruby on Rails is utilized by Twitter, Bloomberg, Airbnb, and Shopify to have their online presence.
 
Key Features of Ruby: 

• Allows dynamic typing. 
• Strong community backing. 

 10. BuildFire.js 

Like another programming language, BuildFire.js make use of JavaScript and BuildFire SDK which encourages mobile application developers to quickly assemble mobile applications with the backend of BuildFire. It has many modules which represent at least 70% of the regular business cases. So the main thing designers need to do is code for the particular functionalities that are required by the customer. 
 
The language is exceptionally versatile, simple to utilize and the utilization of this dialect can cut development time by 40%. Designers can also work on their existing framework using BuildFire.js which will help to build an app much easier.
 
Key Features of BuildFire.js: 

• Compatible with existing frameworks.
• Very Flexible.
• Cut shorts development time by at 40%.

 
Closing Note:

It is fairly easy to list out the best programming language for mobile apps in 2018. However, it isn’t as easy to pick a particular language that suits best for all mobile app developers. The languages listed above will cope up even if there is a constant change in technology. Learning a language provides you the advantage of another language more quickly. You will realize the importance of learning more than one language in enhancing your perfection in the domain.

Mindster is a reputed mobile app development company specializing in developing innovative mobile apps. We provide out of the box solution such as Taxi dispatch software and On-demand Grocery solution. Contact our team for more information.

The post 10 Best Programming Languages for Mobile App Development appeared first on Mindster-Blogs.