With SaaS, B2B and B2C apps have contributed significantly to the overall revenue in the software industry. Mobile app development in UAE is one of the most lucrative tech ventures of the decade. And in 2024, the market is still expanding, with forecasts of more than 760 billion USD in the market. And with these figures, we are predicting the mobile app development process will become more sophisticated and adaptable. Here is a snapshot of what the mobile app development process looks like, directly from the desk of expert mobile app development companies in Dubai, UAE.
- Discovery
Discovery stage is typically the first step app developers in UAE perform when an appreneur or a startup founder shares their epic idea. So they take this epic, yet raw idea and measure its feasibility at different levels against the demographics of the target audience.
There are three steps in discovery: conception, market research and feasibility analysis.
In conception, app developers and business analysts tear down the problem the mobile app will solve. They check if similar solutions exist and tap on the gaps in the market.
Secondly, they perform market research and create a market fit. They position the mobile app and look at the interests of the target audience. Then they do a competitor analysis, niche research and decide pricing strategies.
The third factor is feasibility, which they major on different standards including legal, financial, human capital and monetization.
At the end of this stage, they have a business plan with app features, budget allocations, timelines and business-side KPIs.
- Design and Prototyping
After research, competitor analysis and industry study, design is the most important part where we translate all the discovery findings in wireframes. There is one wireframe for each feature.
These wireframes are then advanced to app screens and high-fidelity, visually working prototypes. Once these prototypes are ready and features show navigation and user flow within the app, the prototype is ready for development.
Developers typically use wireframing and prototyping tools like Figma and Adobe Xd to create these screens.
- Front-End and Back-End Development
Development is divided into three tiers: front, back and API integration (discussed in later sections).
Front-end development is the client-side of the app – the interface your app user interacts with. This is the visual representation and feature performance of the user experience. Developers use programming languages like Kotlin and Swift to code the client-side.
Top app development companies in UAE start with back-end development, which is a more crucial and time-consuming step of the process. Developers work with databases and servers to power the frontend of the app. This is the basic architecture and skeleton of the app. Developers need to ensure secure coding in this step for robust data privacy.
- API Integration
APIs stand for application programming interfaces. These are small code snippets that act as bridges and connect the internal servers of the app to external services and data sources. These help exchange data between apps and external services. APIs come in super handy because they reduce development time and effort. Some popular API examples include Google Maps for GPS location and Paypal for payment integration.
- App Testing
Once the backend and frontend are ready, APIs are integrated and the app is functional, it’s time to test its performance, identify bugs, fix crashes and so on.
The first test is typically a performance test with loading speed and time. Secondly, testers assess app for functionality of features. They check each and every feature and their optimum functionality on diverse devices and screens.
The third test is for app security and data privacy. QA analysts perform vulnerability and penetration tests to see if the app leaks data, has a secure backend and keeps the data private.
- Publishing
With battle-testing, the mobile app is ready to launch on the leading mobile app stores.
- android app, you’ll publish on Google Play
- iOS app, you’ll publish on App Store
But before submitting an app for approval, make sure you have completed App Store Optimization best practices on your app.
This starts with searching relevant keywords. Put them in the app descriptions. Then take proper screenshots showing the main features of your app. This is how mobile app developers increase the visibility of app on app search engines and stores.
Some developers also perform a quick check about their app adhering to stores’ policies and publishing guidelines, acquire necessary certificates, for example HIPAA compliance for healthcare apps.
- Post-Launch Maintenance
After you have published the app on leading stores, it’s about actively monitoring performance, fixing bugs, adding new features and continuously making sure your app delights users. You’ll track user feedback, squash bugs, update content and keep things fresh to retain users and attract new ones.
Most mobile application development companies in UAE offer free post-launch maintenance service for a specific number of days as specified in your initial contract. During this period, they help startups track metrics, check feedback from real users and fix crashes and complaints timely.
- Marketing
App marketing is a complete science – and in this part of the process, you have to teleport your app to your target audience’s smartphones – and watches if applicable.
Start with creating a social media handle of your website. If your app business is B2C, then create Facebook and Instagram handles to reach domestic consumers. If your app business is in B2B then create a LinkedIn page.
Secondly, create a landing page and write SEO content to attract search engine traffic. Then add download buttons of your app and direct organic traffic to your app listing.
After these two initial steps, start talking about your app on platforms like Quora and Reddit. Search for questions related to features and functionalities that your app offers, suggest a solution and soft pitch your app.
While you’re marketing your app to new users, make sure to address issues of the existing users. To understand how well your app is doing on the leading app stores, here are 3 metrics that are a mix of technical and logical and you should track them:
- User retention: How many users return to your app after the initial usage? High retention indicates long-term user value. If your user retention metric is declining, audit the performance of the existing features and consider adding more valuable features.
- Conversion Rate: What percentage of users take desired actions in your app (e.g., purchase, sign-up)? This measures the success of your app’s core functionalities. In fact, conversion, profitability and monetization is what we expect when we start an app-based business. So this metric is the most important in the end.
- Active Users: How many users are actively using your app? This helps gauge your app’s overall reach and engagement. Think about the peak hours of your app’s usage. Then compare with what hours you consider should be the peak hours. Adjust the engagement tactics of your app and push notifications accordingly.
Conclusion
While mobile app development is a process – I’d recommend you think of it as a cyclical process that continues. You keep analyzing the metrics of your app, look at downloads, send updates and keep monitoring its performance on the Google Play and App Store.