Category: Uncategorized

For those of us developers working on platforms like iOS, Xcode permeates our day-to-day duties. If we’re not coding or debugging in Xcode, we’re usually still using it to run a test app on one of our devices. Xcode isn’t all about coding. In the three years I’ve used Xcode, I’ve tackled a surprising variety…

A polished app experience is one of the elements that make a great app. These app experiences include depth, simplicity, intuitive rhythm, progression, and delight. As people who not only build but use apps, we sometimes come across work and concepts that inspire us or influence our thinking. By looking at high quality work, we all…

Many popular startups from the last 10 years began as native apps. As they proved themselves out, they expanded to the web. Instagram and Uber, for example, had no web app components when they first launched. Since then they’ve launched web versions of their services that offer functionality more in line with their native counterparts.…

Design thinking has come of age. People are now more aware of look and feel than ever. Great design is becoming an expectation, and those who provide that in their products and services have a competitive advantage. The same is true with apps specifically. Today’s designers focus on more than just aesthetics and function. They…

It’s a common story and it goes as follows: someone wants to talk to you about their app. It’s probably for an app idea. But here’s the thing…it’s the app idea of all app ideas. Before any conversation can happen at all, you get the dreaded, “Please send me an NDA.” You consider deleting the email and…

Development doesn’t stop once a v1.0 app is live. Your newly launched app will need to have regular app updates to thrive. Whether it’s a new feature or a bug fix, it will be important to continue to develop and test these updates prior to shipping them to app stores. This can be challenging, however, as you…

So you have an idea for a great app but don’t know how to make it a reality. This guide goes through the initial steps in bringing your app idea to fruition, including links to in-depth articles on forming a team, estimating costs, and raising funding for early stage ventures. Research Your Market Start by…

Many app updates focus on bug fixes, polish, tweaks, or maybe adding a smaller feature. Less frequently, a major update comes along, like an app moving from 1.0 to 2.0 or 7.0 to 8.0. For example, Instagram and Uber both saw major app updates in the past year that fundamentally altered their app experiences. Major app updates…

Marketing your app starts long before you try to launch it. From pre-launch marketing activities to the app’s arrival in app stores, successful app marketing is about continuing to build excitement. At the center of that marketing is your landing page or app-focused website. This site will evolve based on where your app is in its development…

An auto-renewable subscription is an In-App Purchase for iOS that allows an app to provide content or features over a set amount of time. This In-App Purchase product type broadens and extends an app’s potential revenue by moving beyond the one-time or infrequent purchasing model of consumable and non-consumable In-App Purchases. Having implemented them for…