Few features of the all new Android Wear 2.0 Beta Version

The tech giant Google was the second one to launch the wearable tech. But they came up with a feature-rich and functional platform that helped in earning millions of users. Google Android Wear Smartwatch severed as an alternative for the Apple's iWatch. The first version of Android Wear was not able to perform well in the market but soon Google developed the more polished version which is yet to launch

During the recent Google’s I/O event, the company announced they will soon introduce the fully-functional version of the Android 2.0. Google has promised to offer massive improvements to the Android developers and also said that the Android 2.0 will have a whole new interface. So far the Google-powered Android smartwatches were inclined towards fitness and notifications functions, with no big customization options. Google launched the Android Wear 2.0 Developer Preview that comes packed with some pretty amazing features.

Easy sign-in

Google quickly recognized the inconvenience the users were facing while signing in with the credentials on the smartwatch. On Android 2.0, users will be able to quickly sign in with just one tap without entering their credentials. Google is focusing on removing the necessity of using smartphones for this process.

In-app billing

Earlier, Android Wear users used to switch to their paired smartphones when they wanted to initiate any in-app billing. With the version 2.0, now the users don't have to pull out their phone while making any in-app purchases. Now the android app developers can integrate various payment methods in the apps compatible with wearable tech.

Return of the Swipe

An Early preview of the Android Wear used to have a swipe gesture that allowed users to close apps and perform various other similar tasks. The feature was well received during its inception but for unknown reasons Google scrapped it in the final build. It seems like that this feature has returned in the Android Wear 2.0 Developer Preview 4. With the new swipe implementations, it seems that the physical button will be for the Power function.

Seeing the explosive growth of the smartwatch industry, developers obviously want to improve and get involved in this rapidly growing branch of the mobile sector. And as Google is planning to come with the second version of the Android Wear, the chances are pretty high that the users might be getting their hands on pretty amazing applications.

Well, it is still a bit early to discuss the potential impact of the Android Wear 2.0 on the wearable device market since its earliest possible release will be in the year 2017. The good news is Google is planning to roll out this update during the first half 2017 and with the New Year right around the corner, the release could be sooner than expected.

Conclusion

It is completely understandable how anxious the developers are right now. Every developer wants to get their hands on the fully-functional version of the Android Wear 2.0. In case you cannot wait to get your hands on the final version, then you can try out the beta firmware released by the Google. By opening up the appropriate web page, you can sign up for Google’s Developer Preview program which would grant you access to the beta version of the latest Android Wear 2.0.

4 Tips For Using Google Maps On Your Android Device

The new Google Maps for android app development makes perfect sense for being a must-have application on your android smartphone. With new features in its latest version, it has become easier to get to the unknown places with the help of the reliable virtual assistance.

• Swipe Up, If Not Sure

If you need more details or want a street view of a locality, simply swipe on the address overlay. This is an amazing feature to discover new places. For example, if you are looking for restaurants around you, swipe on the address of any restaurant. This will give you some important information like ratings, menu details, open hours and much more.

Now, if you want to see local traffic or go to satellite view, tap on the menu button on the left side of the search box. You will get another window on your screen with options for changing the map style, switching back to earlier view and settings.

• Speak The Desired Location

For getting quick directions on your android Google Maps app, new advancements have been made in the mobile app development to make the maps more user-friendly. Simply speak the location or directions into the microphone. Tap the microphone icon in the right end of the search box and say your desired location. Doing so will instantly bring up the directions and other information for that particular region.

• Save The Map On Your Device

With the advancement in the Google Maps app for android, there is no need for you to write "OK maps" into the search box for saving a map offline. Just swipe the address pane and single tap in the top corner on the triple dot menu. Regardless of any internet access, you can get the maps of any location. Moreover, you can save the detailed map in your android smartphone or any other device. Although, you may not be able to search for the exact street or a particular location, having a detailed map will definitely come handy. Especially, if you going to some unknown places, such maps can surely help you to get to the desired locations.

Offline maps are not something new for android application users, but there are a few changes for saving a map offline to use it in future. Search for the desired location and swipe on the location details at the bottom of the screen. Now, go to the top corner and tap the triple point button. Now find the “Save offline map” option and select it. Google Maps application will notify you if the desired location is too vast.

• Use A 3-D Map View

If the map view on the android screen looks too flat, simply tap and hold the screen and swipe up. This will tilt the entire map, eventually adding some depth on the map view. This feature looks quite dramatic in urban areas where Google has uploaded 3-D effects for skyscrapers. Now, you can move your fingers in a rotational direction to swing the map and get a better view.

How To Opt For The Best Mobile App Development Company

If you are thinking of getting into the profit making business, which is creating mobile apps, you must know its technical and market aspects. However, if you are short of time or resources to build an app, a mobile app development company is what you should be looking for. And with a plethora of such companies available in the market, you need to consider some points before handing over your project.

Device compatible apps are the need of the hour. While hiring an app development company, see that the services are able to create applications which are compatible with all popular mobile devices. Your app should come up clean on Apple as well as android devices.

Choose the mobile app developers that are well versed with device compatible app development. For this, you can target some of the popular devices like smartphones, tablets or wearable devices that you want the app to feature on. The obvious target devices for app compatibility are the Apple and android based smartphones and tablets.

Best results can only be expected if the app developers you hire have a certain expertise in the field. So, in order to make sure that the development process goes seamless, ask the services for references of previous apps developed by them. Next, you need to go to the Play Store or App Store and check the reviews and ratings of the app. You may install the app yourself and check out its functioning and user interface. This will let you come up with a decision whether to take the conversation further or look for other services.

App development process is ore than just designing the app. A lot goes into developing it and making it a hit. Your app may get reported with bugs and crash once it is live. Ask the service providers about the post launch technical support and their response time for getting on an issue. Look out for a firm that has been in the market for a while, as you would need their assistance for launching upgrade versions of the app.

Before the app development initiates, it is important to select the source of getting revenue from the app. Developing mobile apps is a profitable venture, but it depends on how to present or promote the app. Ask the developing company abut the possible ways of making money. This can be either by charging the users for downloading the app or feature in-app purchases.

Essential components of Android SDK and Android Apps

The Android OS is based on the open-source tech and its source code was released under the Apache license. It is one of the widely used OS and is currently running on the mobile devices manufactured by Samsung, Sony, Blackberry, Motorola, Xiaomi, One Plus, Google etc. Built upon the Linux Kernal, the primary design goals of the Android platform is to stay fully-functional, maintain the open-source neutrality and develop rapidly.

What Is Android SDK? Why Is It Needed?

It is a software development kit (SDK) is used for Mobile application development process. It contains necessary components that help in building Android applications. It comes as a part of the Android Studio and also includes several sample codes that help both amateur and professional app developer while coding an app. Along with that it also has an emulator that allows you to run the Android app.

The Android Studio also comes with an Android Virtual Device manager that allows the developers to test run application with any version of Android. By merging the Android SDK and Gradle tool, the developers can quickly build, compile and pack Android apps. For debugging Android applications, you can take advantage of the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) tool that enables you to connect to any virtual or real Android device.

Compatible IDEs

When it comes to Android application development it's good to have a basic knowledge of the JAVA programming language. If you wish to create an Android SDK, you can also take advantage of the Android Studio or even the JAVA IDE such as an Eclipse. The Android Studio is a popular IDE developed by Google for developing applications that are targeted at the Android platform.

The Android SDK Manager

Once you are done installing the Android Studio, you can invoke the Android SDK Manager from Tools-> Android -> SDK Manager. You can also run the Android SDK Manager by simply double-clicking on the SDKManager.exe file which is in the Android SDK Installation folder. With the help of the Android SDK, Manager the developer can install and delete packages for the particular Android version.

Given below is the list of the essential packages that come with the Android SDK:

SDK Tools

SDK Platform Tools

SDK Platform

System Image

SDK Samples

Components of an Android Application

Every Android app comprises of a collection of Android components, JAVA source and resource files that can be deployed in a single unit. The components of an Android application include the following:

Application: You can have one app class in your Android app that gets instantiated before any other component of an app gets instantiated.

Activity: It can be defined as the visual representation of your Android app.

Service: Services are used to handle background processing.

Receiver (also called Broadcast receiver): This part handles the communication between Android OS and the apps.

Content provider: It offers a structured interface to the application's data. As an example, you can have a content provider providing an interface to accessing the data stored in the SQLLite database.

Wrapping Up

It's good to have knowledge of app development, but in case you are not familiar with the technicalities then make sure you hire the services of an experienced and skilled developer who get things done on your behalf. 

3 Tricks To Make Your E-Commerce Mobile App More Engaging

Whether you go for a mobile app or a website to represent your E-Commerce store on the global front, user experience is important. It would always be a deciding factor whether your store would be a success or not. Since an online store works on multiple channels, vendors as well as the sellers needs to be considered collectively. For the mobile app which speaks for your business, has to stay up to date, and serve the users with every requirement.

• Streamline The Vendor Process

Sales can be simply increased by increasing the availability of the products. To give a simple and quick shopping experience to your customers, add multiple vendors in your store. This will ensure that you never run out of supply and the visitors are catered with their requirements in a single place. One of the mobile app development ways to do this is by simplifying the product management within the marketplace. An app extension can be used which assists with the Supplier Front-end Upload. This will enable the addition of all the suppliers who can manage products within the site.

Allowing more than one user will help you in keeping the product list up to date and know the best suppliers. This way, you can maximize the opportunities to crack sales with your regular users. This feature is specifically useful for customers accessing the store by the mobile app. Products can be added, removed and even reported on the go. This ensures that the store is always updated with the new products and offers.

• Add Price Comparison Features

Running an online store in a multi-vendor environment is tough. Especially, when everyone has access to the same resources, one needs to think out of the box. If you are going for android app development, there are hundreds of extensions available for the same. Encourage the vendors on your store to offer a price comparison feature on their similar products. There are many advanced extension which can come handy.

This is highly useful for increasing conversion rates via mobile shoppers. It is not easy to go back and forth to look for products and compare prices. This generally makes the customer lose interest and decline the sales. Optimize the user experience of the mobile users by adding price comparison functions.

• Present The Product’s Trust And Success Rate

In the mobile marketplace, a brand has a little space on the screen to make a big impact. Just like any other channels used by the business, you can increase the conversion rate by featuring trust symbols for the vendors as well as customers. Relevant extensions for reviews and recommendations helps in promoting the store and its products in an effective way.

By showcasing the good feedback for the product and the customer experience, a store can reduce cart abandon rate. Good reviews will encourage the dicey customers to be confident and make a purchase.

Top 4 Mobile App Development Challenges. And How To Fix Them

Developing a mobile app is different from creating an application for a desktop or laptop. Also, the more important aspects are on what to avoid rather than what to do. There are many challenges faced by developers, from making the app compatible with multiple devices to marketing it. Listed below are the top 4 challenges faced by app developers, and how to deal with it.

1. Cross Platform Development

The most important question for mobile app developers is that which platform would be best for app development. Since, there are a lot of options for development platforms available picking one can get tricky. Every platform comes with its own coding language, screen size etc. to create the mobile app.
Quick fix: To build an app which is cross platform compatible, use cross-platform development tools. These tools enable the developers to create mobile apps for multiple platforms. The best part is that many of these tools do not need any coding for development. Some of the popular cross-platform development tools are

• PhoneGap
• Configure.IT
• Appcelerator
• Titanium

2. App Performance vs Battery Usage

Practically, the mobile application development should ensure that the app consumes less battery. If the app is amazing, but drains away the battery, the users will simply abandon it. So, the developers need to design an app which is bug-free and uses minimum battery. Also, it is seen that some apps run well on latest devices but fails to deliver on older ones.

Quick fix: Test the app prototype as many times and on as many devices as possible before launching it. Next, launch the beta version first. This way you can get all the feedback you want for your app to optimize it and release the final version.

3. App Marketing And Promotions

There will always be a cut-throat competition in the mobile app market. When thousands of new apps feature daily in the market, merely a good app development will not be enough to lead the market. Developers need to focus on marketing the mobile app. Marketing has now become more important than developing the app.

Quick fix: To have a proper marketing and promotional strategy, app developers can find many tools and even agencies for it. Some of the best app marketing tools are:

• MobileDevHQ
• Sensor Tower
• Applause
• Smore

4. Creating A Simple Mobile App

There are always few apps which are more popular than others. This is because the app is self-instructive. If the functions of the app can be understood by the developer, it is not necessary that the user will understand it too.
  Quick fix: Create a simple structure of the mobile app. Also, add some tutorials, demo and a brief instruction. Every mobile application development features UI guidelines. The developers should adhere to it. Keep the app usage as simple as possible and study it from a user’s point of view.

Why An App Design Is Essential For A Mobile Application?

Today, the use of mobile devices is not just restricted for the purpose of communication. They have emerged as the tech with great advancements. The most interesting part of the modern day smartphones and tablets are the applications that are loaded in it. People of any age having a cell phone are becoming habitual to these apps. Almost all the branded mobiles come pre-loaded with several useful apps that make our routine tasks easy.

Within just 4-5 years the demand for Mobile application development services provider has gone up. Thanks to the internet, today you can quickly locate the best & skilled app developer who will provide you with an amazing app. A mobile app with innovative design and quality features is capable of attracting millions of customers which will directly lead you to more profits. Make sure you come with an efficient app which is stable and fully functional.

The only way to build a great mobile app is by hiring professional app developers because these are the people who know in and out of the whole process. A developer with a good amount of industry experience can add appealing graphics and superb functionalities which will assist in creating an interactive experience for users that would surely keep them hooked to an app for a very long time.

Significance of Mobile App Design

We are in this age where mobile apps have earned an important place in our daily routine. From booking a ticket to shopping products, everything is done via the app. As much as the mobile devices have revolutionized the technology sector, these mobile apps have also made our lives less complicated and easier. Every day Android App Developers are building superb apps which are beyond the expectation of their customers.

In just a few years, these applications have become a part and parcel of our daily life. And seeing its tremendous growth, several business firms have also started developing effective mobile apps that assist them in selling their product in a better manner. Considering the rising demands, it will be good that you should Hire Mobile Developer which will help you get through the app development phase.

These are highly trained professionals who know how to design and code the applications which will function on both Android & iOS operating systems. For the best and efficient results, it mandatory to appoint someone who is capable enough to handle everything that comes in the way during the development phase. It will be good that you do a little bit of market research before bringing someone on board.

Experience Counts

The primary reason behind choosing an expert is that they not only have a good experience but they can also deal with the things that might obstruct the development process. Roping in skilled personal can be a bit costly affair but in the end, you will be the one who would be reaping benefits from their services. An expert will offer you a flawless mobile app and will also take care of the post-development phase.

Moreover, he will also be responsible for providing you with an app which will meet your requirements and preferences. It will be good that you should go through their past work which will give you can idea about their past projects and you can quickly judge the professionalism of an app developer.