The technical aspects of the mobile app development process have constantly evolved over the years, which has actually paved the way to a major revolution in the non-technical aspects — and it has everything to do with big data.
The overwhelming volume of data that users generate on a regular basis can help developers create far better mobile applications. In this post, we explore how big data is inspiring a major breakthrough in the app world.
User experience: Use it to build the finest mobile app
A world-class mobile app must be easy to use, fast, and attractive, but beyond everything, it must serve the user’s needs as much as possible. A detailed study of the user experience can, therefore, help developers build better apps precisely since it gives a clear indication of what a user wants to get done with an app.
User experience is an abundant source to identify the best ideas possible for building new apps. By analyzing the way in which users interact with a mobile app and their behavior while using it, mobile app developers can identify possible solutions to improve and upgrade an existing app, together with getting user-oriented ideas for new apps.
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Big data drives comprehensive user-experience analysis
As discussed above, application development needs a detailed analysis and understanding of the user’s experience. Big data covers the complete 360-degree of the user’s experience with an app, which can provide a clear impression of the top “focus and pain” points in the user’s experience. Once all the essential analysis has been done, understanding the collective behavior of the users will establish an entire list of the needs and wants the users have with that mobile app.
Moreover, it can greatly help the developers in coming up with new apps and ideas. By exploring the big data associated with the top applications that share the same niche as the one that is being built, the developers can discover better ways to ensure that the new one is more aligned with the users’ needs and expectations.
For example, to build a fitness app, the developers can first explore the top-rated apps in this niche, such as Argus, Runkeeper, or Fitstar Personal Trainer, and figure out what precisely the users want their fitness apps to do for them. This will help the mobile app development company include the most sought-after features like pedometers and calorie counters, along with those inventive, new features that would potentially give the new app an edge over the others.
Understanding and using big data
Big data can deliver a comprehensive rendition of a user’s experience since it’s larger than life. The volume of data generated by users has already crossed the petabyte level and now amounts to several zettabytes, and it’s increasing briskly each day.
The amount of raw information stored around the world is projected to touch the yottabyte level in the coming years. In fact, it looks like the amount of unstructured data created only in the past few years has already exceeded the total amount of data produced before it.
As such, chewing down and digesting this whopping amount of relevant information can only be feasible with high-level analytics. However, the effort certainly makes sense since it can create valuable data that can be used to maximize the success of existing applications and develop inventive, and more effective, new ones.
Big data and mobile apps: the formula for a multi-billion dollar industry
The app market is estimated to cross the $100 billion mark and scale up to $189 billion in US dollars by 2020, given that most users globally have almost completely made a transition from desktops to tablets and smartphones. As such, developing better applications is evidently the next big thing in digital development.
Mobile applications are far more volatile as compared to computer apps. As a mobile app is more likely to be simple in features and display, it is absolutely necessary for those simple, specific features to drive the interest of the users. And the finest way to collect this type of relevant and accurate information is through big data analytics, which is destined to make big data a multibillion dollar industry in the coming years.
As we’ve understood, the future of apps will go hand-in-hand with that of big data. Analytics specialists will devise new strategies for interpreting the colossal amount of unsorted data to discover key features for the next generation of apps. As such, it will bring apps more in line with user expectations.
You can’t know everything – but you can use the data available to know as much as possible to build that next great mobile app that could make you very rich. Take advantage of the information — and create an incredible user experience!