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According to Statista, an online statistics portal, Apple claims that the number of iOS apps downloaded from the Apple store has crossed the 100 billion mark in June 2015 (from July 2008).
Now that’s a staggering figure, isn’t it?
Source: Statista
The regular mobile apps that you find on any app store are the ones developed to directly target consumers around the world. They are based on some simple tasks, like learning English and simple mathematical formulas, to complex tasks, like managing expenses and maintaining calendar appointments.
But, enterprise mobile apps are those that are dedicated specifically for teams within an organization and enterprise customers instead of for just direct consumers
These business apps are made for companies of different sizes and are more data-centric . Developing these apps involve fulfilling stringent requirements with regard to company security, administration and maintenance.
According to Apple, around 98% of the Fortune 500 companies have an iOS application which clearly shows that enterprises are keen on investing wisely in business apps from a long-term point of view.
Let’s check out the best practices for developing iOS apps for enterprises.
Hire Qualified iOS App Developers
Would you trust an individual app developer, who has made some regular apps, to develop an enterprise app for your company just to save costs?
Of course not! Right?
When the stakes are high, you need well-trained and qualified developers who have significant knowledge of iOS app development for businesses.
Being an experienced app development team ourselves, we realise the importance of getting the enterprise app development process streamlined from the start. And a key component to this is to hire (on contract or on a permanent basis) the right iOS app developers from proven mobile app development agencies.
Determine an Appropriate App Development Method
There are different ways in which your company could get its enterprise app built, based on your peculiar requirements.
This depends on whether you need an HTML5 app, a native app or an app that lies somewhere in between.
The following are some unique methods or techniques for iOS enterprise app development:
Bespoke App Development
Major companies opt for enterprise apps that are custom built.
The perfect way of achieving this is by using a device-side iOS Software Development Kit (SDK). You then need to appropriately integrate the back-end systems or applications with the mobile app, which often raises some security concerns due to the involvement of user authorisation and connectivity.
To deal with mobile apps and its integration with back-end apps, some changes to the back-end systems or hand-coding and logic building are required.
Cross-Platform App Development
You can build native apps (which meet most of the capabilities of a mobile) or HTML5 apps or hybrid apps (a combination of native and HTML5 apps), using cross-platform tools.
These tools include Configure.IT, PhoneGap, Telerik, Apache Cordova and more.
Even if you are developing an enterprise app for the first time, you can try a comprehensive platform like Configure.IT, because it offers automatic coding capability, app preview facility, direct API connect and similar features.
Backend-As-A Service
Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS) solves the concerns for back-end integration in an enterprise along with proper user authentication and security.
These services can be used by you in addition to the cross-platform tools to design and develop integrated business mobile apps that will be compatible with any device.
With this method, you can easily integrate with cloud apps, but integrating with on-premise resources is a tad difficult.
Platform-As-A-Service
Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) is one of the latest model-driven methods used for integrated enterprise app development.
It consists of complete application lifecycle management abilities to model the business logic with code generated in the background and it makes it easy to integrate with on-premise and cloud apps.
Get a Work Model for iOS App Development
Although there are several models available which you can opt for but the most popular and effective approach to the enterprise app development process is the agile methodology.
It involves a systematic process from gathering the requirements through making a strategy through creating the app design to actually develop and deploying the app.
Deploy and Test the App
Developing an iOS app for your enterprise is initially done on an iOS simulator. As part of the deployment process, you need to get the app on your physical Apple mobile phone. You can then do the beta testing for your enterprise app before it is officially made available to users.
It is extremely important for your company to plan for the future and ensure appropriate maintenance of the deployed enterprise app.
Every app has to go through numerous innovations after real-time usage and it helps to have professional expertise at hand.
So, your company needs to have a budget for maintaining the iOS enterprise app which will go a long way in improving its efficiency and overall productivity for your organisation.
It is clear that your company needs to plan for enterprise apps and start the development process as soon as possible. The future is friendly mobile apps and to stay ahead of your competition, your firm needs to have highly efficient, secure and innovative iOS apps.
So, what are you waiting for?
Written by Tanya Kumari
Tanya leads the Digital Marketing Team at Classic Informatics, a leading web development company . She is an avid reader, music lover and a technology enthusiast who likes to be up to date with all the latest advancements happening in the techno world. When she is not working on her latest article on agile team dynamics, you can find her by the coffee machine, briefing co-workers on the perks of living a healthy lifestyle and how to achieve it.
