Have questions? Our directory organizes all blog posts by App stage and topic. You can use the menu above to jump to the area that interests you most, press CTRL+F to search by keyword, or browse at your leisure.
First Steps with Mobile Apps
These articles are meant to help everyone in the earliest stages of interest for a business app, for start-ups, mid-size, even enterprise. A mobile app is an investment so you want to make sure you need one, that the costs matches your budget, and have realistic expectations about your time to market.
- Does Your Business Need a Mobile Strategy? – Making a decision without statistics is mere guesswork. Before investing in a mobile app and all it entails, you need to run your numbers.
- How Much it Costs to Design a Mobile App – Sometimes companies will have one team take care of the app’s design (UI and UX) while another team handles the app’s development.
- How Much Does It Cost to Develop an App? – A lot like asking how much does a house cost – as they come in all shapes in sizes, but we’ll help you get a ballpark figure.
- How Much Does it Cost to Build an App Like Uber? – The distinction here involves an app with features for customers plus another for service providers – almost like building two apps.
- Mobile App Cost Estimates Explained Step-by-Step – A professional cost estimate tells you everything your app will need, how long it will take to develop and how much it will cost. This is a due diligence effort, not guesswork.
- The Restaurant-Goer’s Guide to Software Development Costs – More detail about what is factored into the cost of mobile apps and software.
- How Long Does it Take to Make a Mobile App? – For some, time to market is at least as important as the cost.
Moving Forward in Hiring an App Agency
Who you hire to develop your app is an extremely important decision and can save you a load of money in the long-term. Many entrepreneurs are also afraid to talk with a professional, so there are some tips on how to protect your intellectual property throughout the entire development process.
- How to Choose the Perfect Mobile Agency – Create a short list of agencies with the skill and experience to design and develop your app. Each agency has their own areas of specialization.
- Eight Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Mobile Agency – More due diligence for your short list to make sure they are the right agency for your app.
- Protecting Intellectual Property Rights for Mobile Apps – Steps to take in the process of developing your app so no one steals your idea – what you can and can’t copyright, and more.
- How to Patent an App: Everything You Need to Know – Factors to consider on whether to patent or not patent an app, patent criteria, patent searches, costs of a patent and more.
The Minimum Viable Product (MVP) Approach
For newcomers to the world of mobile apps, we almost always recommend starting with an MVP. It’s the perfect approach for finding your product market fit before a sizeable investment. You’ll maximize user feedback and be able to monetize your product faster – potentially even while it is in development. That said, there are also reasons why many apps fail while others become popular, and profitable.
- Understanding Minimum Viable Product – A look at what MVP’s are and are not with real world examples, with tips about how to go about making one.
- Why Startups Fail – A Matter of Process? – A comparison of startup processes from 2000, 2012 and Today. It’s a mantra to “Fail Fast and Frequently” – but MVP’s help you to fail painlessly.
- Four Ways to Find Profitable Mobile App Ideas – Common sense sources for finding and evaluating whether a particular idea for a mobile app could be profitable.
- The Top 3 Harsh Reasons Why Mobile Apps Fail – Most, over 80% of apps are used once and never again, typically owing to one of these three reasons.
- How to Validate An App Idea and Save it from Failure – Tools and processes to help you find and refine your app’s product-market fit, without which ROI is unlikely.
- App Naming: A Fun and Effective Way to Name Your App – Objectives of a name and a process for reaching one other than the founder thinks their name is the best.
- Mobile Product Evaluation Workshop – A detailed review of everything that takes place when you want us to evaluate what it will take to build your app along with a cost estimate that you can take to the bank.
Getting the Most out of Mobile App Design
Today’s apps need to be super simple to use, highly intuitive and responsive. If users find it difficult to use your app, they’ll abandon it in a heartbeat. Exceptional design is in every way responsible for how well you can monetize your app. Remember, webmasters spend a lot of time optimizing their websites to reduce shopping cart abandonment rates by even 1%. The same principles hold true with mobile apps.
- Undesign – What if Design Disappeared Tomorrow? – Engineers might laugh, but we would all be in a world of hurt as so much of what we do depends on design.
- A Comprehensive Mobile UX Checklist – Checklists are important management tools to make sure you don’t forget anything before launching – as over 80% of apps are downloaded, used once and never again… there’s a good chance they missed something.
- Five Pains of Working with Designs and How to Ease Them – Tips on how to make sure that you get exactly what you want when working with designers.
- Participatory Design and You – The process behind coming up with a mobile design that your customers will love.
- Primo Performance with a Project Management Professional – The value and benefits of Project Management Professional Certification, our teams have PMI certification.
- How to Detect App Usability Issues – Tools and processes to help determine user turnover and low retention rates. If it’s not easy and intuitive to use, most people won’t use your app.
- Ten Must-Have UX Tools for Designers – Many of the tools that we’ve tried and loved for working with iOS and Android apps, as well as different types of rich media.
- Micro UX Explained in 8 Delightful Real World Examples – A look into the “details that make systems feel more human, and more humane.”
- Doing Mobile Design Right – An Interview with Reinvently’s CEO, Artem Petrov, and Head of UI and UX Design, Michael Mahmood.
- The Business Case for 10,000% ROI on Design – Examples of how improving your UI and UX can provide an almost unbelievable ROI especially in an economy of scale.
iOS, Android, Web or Cross-Platform Apps?
Probably the most technical decisions you will need to make for the development of your business app. Focus on the platform used by the majority of your users. Often enough, today’s mobile users may use a combination of iOS and Web or Android and Web. Some may take the cross-platform approach so their app can be used on all platforms. In addition to your app though, you need to know about how your app’s data is handled.
- Reliable vs Trendy: Should I Use the Newest App Technologies? – Considerations before jumping onto the newest tech.
- Pros and Cons of Web, Cross-Platform and Native Apps – From the relative cost to the east of finding a developer, you also need to factor in your target market.
- Cross-Platform Apps: Risks and Advantages – An in-depth exploration of everything you should know about cross-platform development.
- Business Essentials – Responsive Web Site or Mobile App? – A mobile app can be a significant investment for a business, here’s some help deciding.
- How Web Apps Work: The Fundamentals of Web App Architecture – What web app architecture is, how it works, trends and best practices.
- MBaaS: Working out Mobile Backend as a Service – A look at four MBaaS options and the various X as a Service variations.
- Mobile Backend Challenges: Cloud Computing and MBaaS to the Rescue: The enormous benefits on price and scalability of cloud services compared to traditional on-site server farms.
- Six Cross-Platform Development Tools Compared – A quick look at Flutter, Xamarin, Titanium, Kony, Alpha Anywhere and Sencha.
- Putting Instabug to the Test – A look at one of the most popular tools for generating user feedback and bug reporting and how it stacked up to our expectations.
- Five Steps to Better Mobile App Security – From encryption and the cloud to third-party applications, cybersecurity is an essential part of mobile app development.
Important Mobile App Features and Functions
Gain insight on the components that go into your app, how they work and how they can be monetized. We start off with some of the most common and essential modules and move into more innovative features and functions.
- How to Build an eCommerce App – Platforms for eCommerce app development, look-n-feel, essential features and other components.
- Three Reasons Why Mobile Wallets are Win-Win – Focusing on the operational aspects of how mobile wallets can work to make everything more efficient.
- Cashing in with Mobile Wallets and Customer Loyalty Programs – There’s a lot more to mobile wallets than making payments easier – customer data is as good or even better than cash.
- A Guide to Geofencing for Businesses – A technology that makes it easier to help customers find things, partition service areas for service providers, send notifications to customers when they’re near your business, and more.
- Big Data and the Data Economy – Data can be monetized, in some cases it may be worth than the actual product or service you offer.
- Gamification for Business Apps – Not to turn your app into a game, but to use marketing techniques in game design and gaming psychology to encourage audience engagement.
- Five Steps to GDPR Compliance for Mobile Apps – All businesses are subject to the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation if they have any data on EU citizens.
- Ongoing GDPR Compliance: Training, Tools and Automation – Cost of manual vs. automated compliance programs, reporting of data breaches, and GDPR by Design.
- Is Automated Testing Worth It? – A feature you may not have considered in your app to reduce the cost of ongoing development.
- One-Stop Shops – The corollary to On-Demand, instead of expanding geographically – expand your verticals for comprehensive coverage of your niche, particularly by working with other businesses that cannot afford an app of their own.
- A Guide to App Localization for American Businesses – The US accounts for only 5% of the world’s mobile-user population. App localization is how you can reach the other 95%.
- Home Assistants – Google Assistant, Alexa or Siri? – Which should you develop for? Pros and cons of each and early market data.
- A Full 360 of VR Apps and Hardware for Businesses – Imaging, video, viewers, gloves, bodysuits, full-motion – expect VR to take off as 5G becomes readily available.
- Deep Fakes: The Dark Truth Behind YouTube’s Latest Trend – A lot of it is trivial, even inspiring or funny, and though an incredible technology, we can see the dangers it can be used for.
App Monetization Methods and Models
You have many options on how you can monetize your mobile app. You don’t need to implement all of them, or all at once, but many app owners fail to make use of all their viable options.
- How Free Apps Make Money – Over 90% of all mobile apps can be downloaded for free, which begs the question, how are they staying in business?
- The Full List of App Monetization Methods – Your checklist to make sure you aren’t leaving any revenue behind – a top five reason why some mobile apps fail.
- Virtual Currencies for Mobile Apps – Compare the different types of virtual currencies and their associated legal requirements.
All About On-Demand Apps and Businesses
One of Reinvently’s areas of specialization. No other business model offers the scalability of On-Demand. On-Demand turns 4,000 years of conventional business wisdom on its head by asserting that “Access is Better than Ownership.” For starters, merely being able to invest in a mobile app provides you an advantage over 90% of businesses. That is – you are able to offer them “access” to the mobile market.
- Can Your Business Do Business On-Demand? – A quick primer of On-Demand with a simple checklist of points to evaluate whether it’s a good fit for your business.
- How to Make Money in the On-Demand Economy – A look at how the On-Demand business model works, the advantages it offers, and how to get into it.
- Enterprise Apps for the On-Demand Economy: Five Ways to Succeed – Everything that makes On-Demand awesome for startups makes it even better for Enterprises.
- On-Demand Security Issues and the #1 Solution – On-Demand businesses often make the mistake that they are tech companies, but they aren’t. Surprising as it may be – HR has a huge role.
- On-Demand, Supply, and Service Providers – Addressing some of the problems on-demand businesses seem to have on being profitable for everyone.
- Employees vs Independent Contractors for On-Demand – Employment laws vary by location, implementing an HR component to your On-Demand app.
- What the Real Competitive Edge of On-Demand? – Consistent across every major on-demand Business, including Amazon, there’s this one thing that gives them the edge over everyone else.
mHealth, Medical Apps and Software as a Medical Device
mHealth apps can be the most complex apps to build as many ultimately require FDA approval while complying with HIPAA regulations. Many healthcare providers are still in the process of implementing an effective EHR program. Often their budget is under pressure for having to support legacy systems, so we cover a variety of approaches to help providers take the next step toward improving the value of their healthcare services.
- mHealth Enhanced EHR Paperwork Pain Relief – The Benefits of using mobile apps in conjunction with an EHR program with respect to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
- Are mHealth Apps the Cure for Healthcare Price Transparency? – Interesting ideas with respect to wide variations in healthcare procedure costs, insurance, and how a price transparency app might work.
- New Options and Resources for COPD – From mobile apps to portable oxygen concentrators, a round-up of some of the newest treatment options for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
- EMR Biometrics and Blockchain – A look at security vulnerabilities and whether biometrics, blockchain or both is the most viable security option for the future.
- Mobile Digital Healthcare Transformation – Not just for reducing paperwork, EHR systems are playing a major role in reducing costs while improving patient health.
- HIPAA Compliance for mHealth and IoMT Apps – a comprehensive examination of laws, compliance requirements, statistics and resources for protecting medical data as relates to app and software development.
- Does Your Mobile Medical App Need FDA Approval? – Dissecting FDA regulations to determine cases where you definitely do and don’t need FDA approval, the issue of “discretionary enforcement” and additional government resources to help you plan accordingly.
Apps for the Internet of Things (IoT)
Billions and billions of devices are making their way into our daily use. In the process, they are generating enormous amounts of data to help make better business decisions, improve efficiency, and provide monetization opportunities.
- The History of the Internet of Things – A look at the technology and devices that got us to our present point and a brief look into the important technologies of tomorrow that are in play now.
- What are IoT Devices and Market Projections for Them – Examples of IoT devices, connectivity, networking, security and management, with market projections for 10 industries.
- The Internet of Everything: Borg is Here – Covering differences with the Internet of Things, the role of Data and how Amazon is putting it all to incredible use.
- The Industrial Internet of Things – How IIoT works, benefits, barriers, the need for defining all work processes to compare if IIoT will be useful for you, and setting up a long-term integration plan.
- Ten Internet of Things Categories by Market Size – From smart cities, smart agra and the Industrial Internet of Things, a look at projected market sizes and their business cases.
Insights for Streaming Music Apps
There’s a lot of space for music. There are over 10,000 radio stations in the United States. Each has its own geographical market and niche. Over 2,000 of these stations cater to different varieties of country music, alone. You’ll find another 1,400 playing four different styles of Adult Contemporary music and 300 jammin’ to Modern Rock. The market segments even further with 500 stations playing Spanish.
- Monetizing Digital Music: Everything You Need to Know About Music Platforms – Who might be interested in a music platform, what they are, the benefits of having one, how they make money, licenses and royalties, new technologies.
- Who Makes Money Streaming Music? – How streaming music is monetized, how it gets divided, royalties, and more.
- Thirteen of the Best Music Apps – A good source for getting a cross-section of features from some of the most commonly used music apps.
- MQA Playback for nugs.net iOS – We pulled off a world-first for nugs.net in streaming Master Quality Authentication files.
Mobile App Marketing and Business Planning
The customer always comes first, so the core objective is to deliver a product that provides real value to end-users and that they’ll love to use. Product-wise, it’s knowing why your idea is better than what your competition offers. Business-wise, it means knowing where your business stands, the resources it has, where it’s going and how it’ll going to get there.
- The Super 7 Go-to-Market Strategies – Strategies to turn the assets and resources you have into the money or connections you need to launch your app.
- “Top List” App Distribution Strategy – Most apps are only available on Google Play and the App Store, but independent and third-party stores can play a large part in helping to get your app noticed.
- Winning Fame and Fortune with Mobile App Awards – Why participate in mobile app awards and contests? Insider tips to help you win. What to do if you win, and a lot more.
- The 15 Best Mobile App Awards for PR, Cash, Connections and More – From the most popular to the unconventional, all offer a chance to magnify your marketing dollar.
- Four Reasons Why User Research is Critical – All of these go into your product market fit and answering important questions about your MVP.
- Planning Your Series A, B, C Funding Runway – The #2 reason why startups fail is because they run out of money; your funding runway tells you how much time you have before that impacts you.
- How Can You Beat Amazon? – A look at what Amazon does that makes them unbeatable, and how you can do many of the same things.
- Exit Strategy Options for Mobile-First Businesses – Know how to get out of business profitably – seven conventional exit plan options and one that is unique to mobile apps and software.
- “Top Secret Labs” involved in Technology Transfer – A quick look at the Federal Labs Consortium and the truly incredible resources it can provide to businesses of all sizes.
Some Extra Tips for Startups
- Four Qualities Every Successful Startup Has – All within the grasp of anyone who is serious and focused on starting a business.
- Eight Ways to Get Your App Funded – From the conventional to the creative, if your app represents a viable business opportunity, persistence will find you the money you need to make it happen.
- Tips for Getting Your App Funded – Some extra advice for raising funds for your app.
- Startup Accelerators and Your First $100,000 – About accelerators and incubators, their advantages, and how to get your business into one.
- The Top Five San Francisco Startup Accelerators – Why SF Accelerators are among the very best available, the five we think are the very best and we added five more that are very good.
App Store Optimization (ASO)
It’s not enough to just get your app into Google Play, the App Store, or even other independent and third-party stores. There are millions of apps out there, thousands more added every week. ASO is all about getting your app recognized – and keeping it.
- How to Add an App to Google Play and More ASO Tips – A step-by-step guide for adding an app to Google Play complete with screenshots.
- 6 ASO Mistakes Developers Can’t Afford to Make – A look at common mistakes and oversights developers make when placing their apps on Google Play and the App Store, courtesy of Gummicube.
- Improving App Store Visibility with ASO – Features a detailed Infographic by Gummicube showcasing a five-step program to use with Google Play and the App Store.
- ASO – Five Ways to Compete with Category Leaders – Additional ASO tips from the CEO of Gummicube, Dave Bell.
Reinvently References, Ratings and Customer Reviews
What others have to say about our work is more important than anything we can say about ourselves. The following covers some of the recognition we’ve received over the past few years and the exciting work we’ve been part of with Swiftmile.
- Interview with Swiftmile Part 2: Working Together on MicroMobility Infrastructure – How Reinvently worked with Swiftmile to pivot their business into being a universal Charging Station Platform compatible with all micromobility devices.
- Interview with Swiftmile Part 1: Talking with Leo Vero, COO, about our work together in setting up their mobile app and backend for eBikes On Demand.
- A Top 2019 San Francisco Mobile App Developer – recognition by Clutch.io.
- Reinvently – A Top 25 App Developer – recognition by DesignRush.
- Reinvently Named a Leading UX Agency in the United States – recognition by Clutch.io.
- A Top 2018 California App Developer – recognition by Clutch.io and from Business of Apps as a “Top 2018 US-Wide Mobile App Developer.”
- A Top 2018 Mobile App Developer – according to CIOReview.
- Reinvently Rated a Top IoT Development Company – according to Mobile App Daily.
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