Over the years, mobile app development has become a necessity for businesses that want to gain more customers and remain competitors in their industry. In an era where millions of people spend most of their time on their mobile phones, presenting your products or services before them in digital form is a must.
That’s why many businesses are keener on venturing into mobile application development to enhance customer experience, streamline operations, and boost revenue. Moreover, this market is projected to pass a valuation of $500 billion this year. With more than three billion people who are constantly actively using their mobile, this app is definitely the most fruitful way for businesses to reach newer audiences in the short and long run.
However, the question everyone often asks is how long it takes to develop a mobile app. While there is no right or answer to this question, there are several factors based on the requirements and type of application. For example, simple apps can be developed within a few months while complex applications often take a very long time.
In this blog, Unify Wizards explains the different mobile app development phases and what influences the time taken to make one.
What is a Mobile App Development Process?
Mobile application development is the process of designing, developing, testing, and launching software applications for devices such as smartphones and tablets.
This process involves multiple stages, continuous maintenance and updates to keep the app functioning perfectly. Mobile app development also allows businesses to provide digital solutions for communication, entertainment, productivity, commerce, and many more.
The traditional app development process involves programmers creating installable apps that can be sold through app stores such as Google Play and the App Store. Today, there are low-code and no-code mobile app developments that use visual tools and pre-built components to accelerate the process.
Different Types of Mobile App Development
Native Mobile Apps
Native mobile apps are developed specifically for a particular mobile operating system such as iOS or Android. They are generally built to make the most of all the features and tools of the phones such as contacts, cameras, and sensors.
This means the app cannot be used on any other type of operating system. For example, an Apple phone cannot be used on Android OS and vice versa. Also, Xcode and Objective-C are mainly used for iOS apps. While Eclipse and Java are used to build Android apps.
Mobile Web Apps
Mobile web apps are software that run on a web server and are accessed from an internet browser window. This type of application does not require any storage space or installation process to use them.
Web apps require an active internet connection for them to work and adapt to different kinds of screen sizes and devices easily. It also has outstanding responsiveness and updates themselves on the web-hosted servers.
Hybrid Apps
A hybrid mobile app is a combination of native and web applications. Written using HTML, JavaScript, and CSS web technologies, this app works on any device and runs on multiple mobile app development operation systems.
They are used to develop apps that do not require high performance and complete device access. Examples of these types of apps include Uber, Instagram, WhatsApp, Spotify and Netflix.
When developing a hybrid app, developers use standard web technologies such as JavaScript, Angular, HTML and CSS. They are built on a single platform and distributed across different app stores such as Google Play store or Apple’s app store.
Factors Affecting the Time It Takes for Mobile App Development
When it comes to the custom mobile app development, there are several key factors that affect the time it takes to bring your idea to life. Having a vast knowledge of these factors will help you plan your project better and manage expectations. Let's look at some factors influencing how long to build an app.
Complexity of the App
One of the factors that contribute to the time required for mobile app development is the complexity of the app. When you are developing an app with several features, it often takes longer to design when compared to a simple one.
For example, if your app needs to handle a lot of data, integrate with several third-party services, or offer unique functionalities, then there is no doubt it will take more time.
Look at it this way: Each functionality added must work or match perfectly with the entire system or breaks. And multiple elements will be incorporated before they finally achieve their desired goal, which often takes many trials.
Design and Customization
Design is an important part of the developing process of every mobile app and can be time-consuming. In an era where many people are captivated and attracted by what they see, every business wants their app to catch the attention of their users and keep them for as long as possible.
The design phase determines the overall outcome of the app and whether the clients will approve the app or not. This makes the process very meticulously thought through.
For businesses that want a lot of customization such as interfaces, detailed animations, and advanced user interactions, it may take significantly longer. Besides, performing user research and usability testing to refine the design based on user feedback further extends the development process.
Development Team Expertise
The expertise of the development team working on your mobile app is also a critical factor. When you have a highly skilled team, they can complete tasks more efficiently and spend less time.
Developers with many years of experience are able to use their knowledge to navigate any challenges they face during the development phases, reducing the mobile app timeline.
The size of the team can also influence development time as a well-structured team with expert designers, developers, and testers can accelerate the process. And working with a smaller or less experienced team may lead to delays.
Testing and Compliance Regulations
Legal and compliance regulation is a must depending on the type of app you are developing. Avoiding policy violations such as data privacy laws, and industry-specific standards can add extra time to the development process.
The app must also go through the approval process of app stores such as Apple App Store and Google Play Store which can lead to delays.
After completion, the app is tested to ensure it is bug-free and provides a great user experience. The time spent fixing the identified issues also makes the launching time more extended.
Client’s Feedback and Communication
Timely feedback and timely communication between the development team and the client make the process more seamless and faster. When clients take too much time to make decisions or frequently change their mind about the initial plan, it can entirely disrupt the process.
The Bottom Line
Developing a mobile app is a time-consuming process and there is no one-size-fits-all answer to how long it takes. The entire period varies depending on many factors therefore, it is important to set realistic expectations and have a good structure.
Unify Wizards help businesses and organizations develop mobile applications that are easy to use and function-oriented. Let’s build your one-of-a-kind application together. We provide full-fledged mobile application service, and our team brings your exceptional ideas to life with the perfect user experiences and powerful app performance.