2018 Best Practices for IOS App Development

Last month we looked at best practices for Android app development. Do the same rules apply to develop iOS apps in 2018?

IOS 11 has brought some significant new features to the platform, including Apple Pay, which allows you to make and receive payments in selected apps.

For users this means frictionless e-commerce transactions on their iPhone or iPad; for iOS app developers, it’s a rich opportunity to monetise their apps and create true e-commerce solutions in the mobile space.

So if you work in iOS app development, what can you do to ensure your users get a ‘best in class’ app experience?

Bring The New

One of iOS 11’s compelling new features is augmented reality (AR) and users will increasingly be looking for apps that use AR in new and novel ways. The Pokemon craze may have cooled off but there are great opportunities to apply AR to vertical markets. A good local example is Augview, who use the technology to visualise underground services.

Machine Learning

Less talked about but equally exciting, is the ability to add machine learning to your app via Apple’s Core ML. This is the feature that makes facial recognition work so well on the new iPhones and will have huge implications for app development, adding the ability to quickly recognise every-day objects, using built-in libraries.

UI Design

Apple has always put design at the forefront of their products and users expect the same high standard in their apps. Apple even provides a useful 'Do’s and Don'ts' page for iOS developers, with tips on how to format your app to make it readable and optimised for touch control.

Compatibility

As of IOS 11, older 32-bit apps will no longer work, so ensuring your app is 64-bit is more than best practise—it's essential to your survival in the app store. It's estimated that over 500,000 apps became obsolete due to this 64-bit requirement. Keeping your app up-to-date and compatible with major iOS releases is ongoing work but equally, it allows you to add new features and keep your users engaged.

App Marketing

The iOS App Store received a major upgrade this year, providing a fresh interface and more tools for developers to promote their apps. The ‘Today’ page highlights new and interesting apps and provides more editorial content than before. Developers with a good ‘story’ should take advantage of this where possible. Search has also been improved and includes the ability to search for developers, in-app purchases, categories, stories, and collections.

Regardless of the platform, best practise app development should include thorough research and rigorous testing, for UX and security issues. In 2018, iOS app development is getting a technological boost with iOS 11’s new features, with mobile payments through Apple Pay set to be the driving force for many new app projects.

Are you an iOS app developer or looking for an app development partner? Activate Design is a design and software development agency. We welcome any opportunities to collaborate on app product design and development. Click here to find out more about what we do, or contact us for more information.