Apple iPhone App Development

These days, you would be hard pressed to find someone who hasn’t heard of an iPhone. It is practically one of the most well known mobile devices in history, to say the least. As a matter of fact, according to Statistica, sales figures for iPhones have topped 1.5 billion units sold since Apple CEO, Steve Jobs, unveiled the first device back in 2007.

Even if you are a complete novice when it comes to application development, by investing in iPhone app technology for your business, you will stay ahead of the curve when it comes to satisfying tech savvy mobile users. Using iPhone applications can lead your business towards stronger performance and increased profits with a high return on your investment. By developing the right iPhone app, you will positively guarantee success and continuous growth in your business for years to come.

This article will serve as a step by step guide on all you need to know about:

Apple's iOS (Originally known as iPhone OS) is the mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. to run its hardware devices. Based on the Mac OS, it is used to power a range of Apple products such as the iPhone, iPad and various other Apple mobile devices. IOS ranks as the second most used mobile operating platform used around the world, behind the Android OS. In fact, Apple iOS held a 26.3% share of the mobile phone market as of June 2021, with Android holding a 73.3% market share. The history of iOS dates back to June 2007, when the initial version of its operating system was released with the very first iPhone mobile device. It is based on a Unix-derived platform which runs all of Apple’s mobile devices and features a very effective and intuitive user-centric design. Its main benefit is that mobile app developers can easily develop apps and then distribute them via Apple’s App Store. The immense popularity of iOS development is staggering ever since Apple released its iPhone software development kit (SDK), which made it possible for app developers to create mobile software seamlessly. In recent years, there have been many enhancements to the iOS platform, with the first version introducing users to the touch-screen smartphone. This epic advancement in mobile technology shifted people away from traditional mobile phones into a new era of connectivity.

The release of Apple’s very first iPhone in June 2007 was quite literally a game changer, powered by iOS version 1. With support for innovative features such as a multi-touch display, iTunes integration and visual voicemail, it marked a major breakthrough for mobile devices. It was a world first, combining multiple functions in a single mobile device, adding to standard phone and messaging features with pre-installed apps like:

Another notable update to its operating system was seen in iOS 4, which introduced users to FaceTime video chat, Airplay, AirPrint, iBooks and Personal Hotspot. This version also incorporated multi-tasking functionality across all iOS devices. Next came iOS 5 which introduced wireless connectivity and cloud computing with new features including iCloud, iMessage and Notification Centre. This updated version also enabled devices to be activated wirelessly and had the ability of syncing devices with iTunes. With the release of iOS 6, Apple delivered Siri, a voice-enabled personal assistant, to the world. It also came with Apple Maps (replacing Google Maps), Do Not Disturb feature and Passbook. Since then, Apple has released a number of different iOS versions, each one further improving on the previous operating system, with the current version now being iOS 15. It aims to enhance the user experience (UX) with new features like:

With mobile technology rapidly changing in recent years, it's become more evident that traditional websites are no longer the best domain to access information, products and services. Mobile applications, such as iOS, are way more convenient to use since your mobile phone is usually only an arms length away.

The first thing to know about creating your first iPhone app is that they are developed for iOS using the Objective C or Swift programming languages. As such, all the apps are fully compatible with various Apple devices including the iPhone, iPad and iPad Touch.

What’s more, app designers can also take advantage of other third party frameworks to generate code for iOS, with the most popular being Facebook’s React Native. Using this framework enables the developer to write code that can be used for both iPhones and Android devices, thus saving valuable time and money.

Sure, you may be thinking, “ Is developing an iPhone app really worth all the effort? ”. Quite simply, the answer is a resounding yes, due to Apple’s unrivalled quality control, sophisticated hardware and loyal customer base, making it the ideal digital platform to develop your mobile app. With that said, here are some proven reasons why you should develop an iPhone app:

● High Level of Security

Apple’s strict guidelines for iPhone developers means their apps must first pass through a manual approval process before it can be released on the App Store. This security measure protects apps from containing viruses, malware or other potential threats to ensure data privacy for users. As an added bonus, Apple also incorporates high level data encryption to safeguard user information from identity theft and data breaches.

Apple’s iOS has an extremely adaptive and responsive UI which enables a developer to build very versatile and modern mobile apps. This is achieved by the use of visual tools such as iOS Storyboards, SwiftUI and Xibs, which all help to build the UI for iOS apps much quicker and easier. This results in a more attractive and interactive user interface on the app for users to enjoy.

Apple’s intense focus on user-centric design principles equates to providing a better user experience from its apps. This can be seen within standard iOS functionality like in transitions, animations and navigation which are far more smoother than in any other platform. This makes the overall user experience of an iOS application in a class of its own and an absolute must for your business.

When it comes to customer loyalty, you would be hard pressed to find any more so than Apple users. As they say, once an iPhone user, always an iPhone user, so you don’t need to worry too much about

customer retention since they usually stick to the Apple brand. iPhone users also tend to spend more money on mobile apps and regularly update their devices, making them the perfect target market for using your new mobile app.

● High Return on Investment (ROI)

By using iOS to develop your mobile app, it will direct your business towards solid revenue gains for an increased ROI. Since iOS apps are fully scalable, you will be able to greatly expand your reach in the market to new business clients who recognise great value for money when they see it.

As you can clearly see, there are so many advantages for making iOS app development your preferred choice to create your next mobile application for your business.

Choosing the right development platform for your business needs is crucial and a major barrier that you need to overcome. The option between iOS and Android app development can be a difficult one as it really comes down to the overall scope and goals you want to achieve with your project.

Lets now sum up the main differences between iOS and Android platforms:

iOS has a closed source code system compared to Android’s more open source code platform. This means that iOS only works on Apple devices whereas Android with various device manufacturers. This has its pros and cons as iOS apps have more data security but are less customizable with hardly any system permissions compared to Android apps.

Since Android software is available from various manufacturers, this can cause certain problems with quality, especially with cheaper devices. On the other hand, iOS development is strictly controlled by Apple, so there are significantly less quality issues since they are only compatible with Apple devices.

Apple iOS has superior integration of its services across devices compared to that of Android. Apple devices are tightly integrated with services such as FaceTime, iCloud and iMessage, whereas Android’s integration to its services are not as intuitively connected.

When it comes to overall performance, iOS is generally faster and smoother in its operation compared to Android. It’s been proven that the running speed of iOS devices remains consistent over time compared to Android devices that can decrease over time. Since Apple controls development from start to finish, iOS hardware and software are fully optimised to work seamlessly with just Apple devices, as opposed to Android’s open source platform and endless range of devices.

A further point to consider when deciding on the right platform is which one has the potential to earn the most revenue. Android has a higher proportion of ad-supported apps, whereas iOS apps rely heavily on user purchases. Even though you need to pay for iOS apps, they generate more revenue than Android apps overall, with Apple’s App Store making 88% more than Google’s Play Store worldwide in 2018.

Apple is world renowned for its flawless product support especially when it comes to updating its iOS device software. It simply does such a better job at it than Android does where you can get the latest iOS update as soon as it becomes available. Not to mention its superior technical support which leads the way with its AppleCare service if you encounter any issues with your mobile device. Unlike with Android devices, there’s no need to call a service number and wait on hold, then wait weeks for a repair. All you need to do is walk in to your nearest Apple Store who can help you out on the spot.

Ultimately, the choice is yours when deciding on iOS or Android app development as it will all come down to what’s going to work better for your business needs.

So now you have made the clever choice to develop your iPhone app, now comes the fun part: What do you need to know before you begin this process? Also, what type of app are you needing to solve a core business need? A great place to start is to thoroughly plan your technical requirements needed to successfully deliver your iPhone app.

The main elements you need to consider when starting your app development journey are:

The usability of your mobile application will have a significant impact on the end-user. For instance, if your UI and UX is not straightforward and easy to use, you may miss out on a lot of business. iOS devices have become a lot less standardised than in the past, so developers now have more screen sizes and UI constraints to work around.

One major dilemma that most businesses come across when expanding is scalability. That is, will your mobile app be able to handle changes in system processing demands and continue to perform well with an increase in users. So developing a scalable app is the key to success when evaluating your software requirements needed for on-going reliability.

Setting a budget for your app development project can be a bit of a challenge. It all depends on the scope and complexity of your overall project as the bigger and more complex it is, the more it willcost. Things like the type of app, features, level UI polish and location of your developers all affect the final price.

The timeframe of your project plays a massive role in your development needs and resources required. Since on average, an iPhone app takes around 3 to 4 months to develop for a basic first version or minimal viable product (MVP), working this out is crucial. Even though developing an iOS app can be done quite quickly, you need to be aware that it may take a while for the App Store to approve your app due to Apple’s strict regulations and quality controls.

Before creating your mobile app, you need to clearly define who will be your target audience you wish to attract. What are your final outcomes you want to achieve when releasing your app and what geographic location of users is most vital to your business growth.

To sum up, selecting the right features and content for your iPhone app is vital to meet your desired business goals. The key in achieving this is by identifying your target market and analysing your core user demographics so you can fully maximise the effectiveness of your iPhone app. Also, bear in mind that even after the launch of your app, the development process still continues with user feedback coming through, so constant improvement is vital to the success of your app.

Simply put, an iPhone developer is responsible for developing applications for mobile devices powered by Apple’s iOS operating system. A competent iPhone developer will usually have experience with one of two programming languages that are normally used, Objective-C or Swift. Ideally, iPhone developers should have complete knowledge of the patterns and practices contained within the iOS platform.

iPhone developers usually work with other system engineers who each handle different layers of the infrastructure. As such, the developer needs to be dedicated in collaborating with others to solve all sorts of problems they may encounter, to deliver a fully functional mobile app.

Here’s a checklist of the main responsibilities that a good iPhone developer should provide:

The emerging popularity of iOS development has increased dramatically in recent years since Apple first allowed third-party development of apps back in 2008. Since then, there are currently more than 1 million iOS apps available to download from the App Store, largely due the growing abundance of developers worldwide.

This rising trend has both its advantages and disadvantages when it comes to hiring an expert iPhone developer. Granted, it makes the process of finding developers a lot easier to do, but it also makes it harder to sift through the endless supply of candidates to pinpoint the actual experts from the rest. Another problem you could face is that real expertise entails more than just coding knowledge of the developer. It involves reviewing different solutions for your mobile app where you may need to make necessary sacrifices to things like scalability, productivity and overall performance.

With this in mind, to ensure you engage with an expert iPhone developer with a particular speciality, it is important to clearly define specific technologies that you require for your project. By doing this, it will guarantee that you hire the right developer that perfectly matches your set criteria. By just posting a general description of your project, it will attract developers who may be unskilled with the required technologies you need or possess very limited knowledge of the overall iOS platform.

By hiring an iPhone developer from freelancer.com, you will gain access to a fully committed expert in their field who can create tailor-made applications to fit the needs of your business. They are experienced in building cutting-edge mobile apps to ensure that your business remains relevant to keep up with the latest mobile advancements and stay ahead of the competition.

Essentially, the average cost to develop your iPhone app varies greatly depending on the scale and complexity you’re after. A basic proof-of-concept app can cost between $15,000 to $50,000 to develop where a small app will cost between $50,000 to $75,000. Medium sized apps will cost a bit more to build between $75,000-$125,000, while larger, more feature-packed apps can cost $150,000 or more. So taking all this into account, you can cut down costs if you choose to design your app, manage the overall project and do all testing yourself. Therefore, all you will need is to hire a freelance app developer to do the complex coding tasks for you. Getting a professional to develop and manage all aspects of your app will also save you money in the long run, simply because they’ve done it many times before and know how to manage a project on a budget. There are so many valid reasons to hire a developer to build your iPhone app where the cost will depend on a number of factors. Some details to be mindful of that will affect the total price are:

This is one of the greatest determining factors that will influence your final development cost. Things like the user types, number of screens, third party services will all be based on the app type. For instance, a basic educational app will cost much less than say a complex business productivity app.

Another big component that affects development cost is the amount and complexity of app features. Intricate elements such as iOT device synchronisation, social feed algorithms or even augmented reality tech will cost way more that basic features will.

How refined you want your app to be will also have a huge effect on your development cost. Refined elements like the server architecture, user interface (UI), animations and interactions will all add to the overall cost of your mobile app.

The geographic location of the developer will have quite a major impact on the final price, since the work performed is quite labour intensive. For example, in countries like Australia, the US or UK, the cost of labour is comparatively higher so you can expect to pay more on average of around $75-$100+ per hour. In comparison, countries with much lower labour costs like India, Malaysia or the Philippines may charge around $40 to $70 per hour for their services. While the cheaper option may be very tempting, this approach comes with its own risks such as quality of work, so you really need to weigh up what’s best for you.

Developers normally structure their prices in one of two ways, a Fixed price, flat fee structure or an hourly rate structure (also known as a time and materials model). A fixed price agreement is a set amount you agree to pay for the developers services to complete your project. It may be a good option if your requirements and specifications are predictable and have a clear vision for your overall project.

On the flip-side, an hourly rate or time and materials contract is totally different as you are billed work based on hourly rates of labour performed. Clients are charged for the hours a developer spends on your project, plus costs of materials. The main benefit of a fixed price structure is you have more flexibility and also opportunities to revise your needs, adjust features, and shift the direction within your app project. At the end of the date, you need to decide what best works for you.

The sheer beauty of hiring an expert iPhone developer on Freelancer.com is that you have the option to either request a fixed price or hourly rate with what you are happy to pay, without any haggling

required. It’s such an effortless and pain-free process to hire the right freelancer for your next iPhone development project.

On Freelancer.com, we make the process of hiring an expert iPhone developer straightforward and uncomplicated. By using the Freelancer.com platform, you will gain access to an online marketplace of highly experienced iPhone developers for hire that will fill the niche required for your specific project.

If you looking to hire an iPhone developer for you next project, at Freelancer.com, we make this process easier than ever by being able to select from two flexible options:

With Freelancer.com, you are able to post your specific project on our site for free. All you need to do is describe what you are looking for by providing a brief description of your project needs and attach any helpful documents. Once your project goes live, you should start getting bids from interested freelancers keen to work on your project. Once you've received a few offers, it’s then time to review each freelancer's bid to see which ones match your requirements.

You can directly engage with a freelancer by using the Hire Me option. Before doing this, you firstly need to have a verified payment method set up to utilise this feature. The main advantage is that you can browse through the Freelancer Directory to review the profiles cards of potential freelancers to engage directly with. Once you've offered a project to a particular freelancer, they can then decide to either accept, decline or make a counter-offer. It's a very simple method to locate the ideal freelancer for your project.

Regardless of what option you choose in hiring a freelancer, you should ask some specific questions about what services they can offer you. These answers can be used to fully evaluate the candidate’s overall expertise and make sure you are only contacted by freelancers that are able to successfully complete your project.

One other major consideration to take into account is to set a particular budget and timeframe to complete your project. When doing so, it needs to be appropriate to the actual work required to be done. Otherwise, you may deter the best candidates for the job and waste valuable time and effort that could be better spent elsewhere.

Here are some points to think about before awarding your project to freelancers:

Some other important aspects to look out for when trying to find top rated freelancers are: