Upcoming digital transformation trends in real estate

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5 major differences between Android and iOS App development

Mobile Application Software is a significant investment. If you have an idea that might get smartphone users hooked to your App, for all the good reasons, you will be making Millions! The Mobile Application Market has grown from USD 154.05 billion in 2019 to USD 170.52 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach USD 366.34 billion by 2027.But the one thing that becomes the cause of confusion while looking into Application Development is which platform App Engineers should go with. The presence of two smartphone operating systems - Apple's iOS and Google's Android, makes choosing one a difficult crossroad. There are several advantages and drawbacks associated with both platforms. So before investing your money in the next Revolutionizing Application Software, you might want to choose a firm base for its operation.Here are 5 major differences between iOS and Android App development1. Target Audience- iOS devices are known for their high price value and an overall excellent performance statistic, which inclines the customers' loyalty. On the other hand, Android devices are comparatively cheaper. Hence, an extensive User pool is created, but there are more factors that one must consider while choosing a particular platform.In the plain picture, Android users dominate the iOS users in matters of numbers. While IOS users only take up about 16% of the World's Population, Android users surpass them by 80%. This statistic might support Android users' predominance, but when looking at the data of people who own an iOS device, they have a higher range of income and spend more time on the phone. As a result, these people are more likely to pay for your application services.In terms of User reach - Android dominates the market.But in terms of profit, The Apple App Store has a larger market. "As of 2019, the Apple App Store has earned $155 billion in revenue for its app developers since the store launched in 2008. By comparison, in 2019, Android developers have only earned $80 billion since launch."- Mooc.orgWhile choosing a platform one should analyze two questions:Which audience is the App more specified to? And How are you planning to regain profit via your Application?Cross- Platform Apps - If you are opting for a greater reach, there is another way in which your application will be launched on both of the platforms, aiming for maximum User exposure. Cross-Platform Apps are cheaper than native apps, and they function with better speed and reusable codes. Still, on the other side, they are limited in flexibility and are complicated to process and maintain.2. Programming Language - While analyzing differences between Android Apps and iOS Apps, the most distinctive difference is the usage of different Programming Languages. Android Apps are created via Java or Kotlin programming languages which are more elaborative and complicated, While iOS Apps require the Swift programming language for their development.Swift- Requires lesser inscription of Codes; hence the Coding process is faster and easier. It also allows high-interaction interfaces.Java- Java can develop your Application as a cross-platform app, as it enables you to conduct web development, server work, and mobile app development, all in a single place.3. Development Tools - There are specific development tools for Android and iOS Apps. Android Apps have been created through Android Studio, the primary IDE (Integrated Development Environment) for native Android application development, since 2014. The free software launched by Google functions as an intelligent code editor and encompasses the features of Code templates and GitHub integration, multi-screen app development, etc. IOS Apps are crafted through- Xcode, the center of the Apple development experience, released in 2003 by Apple. The Xcode includes Command Line Tools (CLT), which allow UNIX-style development through the Terminal app in macOS. The program tools operate on particular programming languages; for example, one can only use Swift Programming language in Xcode. 4. Design - Android App designs are guided by 'Material Design' on the other hand iOS Apps are built under 'Human Interface Guidelines. The distinctiveness of Designs between Android Apps and iOS Apps can be easily figured out.IOS Apps are more packed with content than the designs, and thus the App layouts are straightforward with broad white spaces in use. In addition, UI designers focus on shadows and gradients and amplify the depth of the Application Design. Android Apps are packed with more colours and designs that reflect the Real-world. Colours and Motion are the defining factors for Android Apps.Here are some differences between Android App and iOS App designsNavigation bar placement - In Android Apps, the navigation bar is placed in the left portion, while in iOS Apps, it is centrally aligned.Device fragmentation - Multiple Android OS versions make it difficult to design an Android App. A series of different screen sizes and layout proportions and buffering app interfaces on low version Android devices make it a complicated designing process.Widgets - Widgets are graphical user elements that display pieces of information and engage in user interaction. These Widgets are extensively supported by Android Apps, while on the other aspect, iOS Apps are still getting a hold of Widgets in their interface.5. Cost and Profit strategies - Even though it seems costly, one can do App Development on both Android and iOS platforms for free. The free tools given by Apple and Google can craft an excellent Application. But when you seek professional services and perfection, your budget can rise. The creation of an Application may or may not include financial outputs, but the actual expenditure begins when you launch your App in the market. iOS apps require a deposit of $100 per year with higher enterprise prices, while Google Play Store demands a one-time fee of $25. The acceptance procedure of Applications in the iOS market is also very lengthy and requires a longer time as compared to that with the Android Applications. The Apple experts conduct detailed tests and elaborately analyze iOS Applications. On the other hand, Android Applications easily get through the market tests, but they suffer in their service qualities.The Profit Strategies are also different in both cases. Android Applications gain profit through Ads mostly, while the iOS Applications ignore them to ensure users' convenience. The in-app purchases are more significant in Android Apps, but the transaction cost is higher in the case of iOS Apps. The primary strategy for gaining investment returns in the case of IOS apps is Paid applications. 11% of iOS gaming Apps include payments, while the percentage falls to 7% in the case of Android gaming Apps.In a nutshell, While Android Applications dominate the numerics, iOS Applications generate more profit. Want to learn about Mobile App development in detail? Contact us for a FREE consultation today!

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9 Must-have Features in an E-commerce App Why do you need it for your Business?

If you’re considering a mobile app for your e-commerce business, you may want to take a look at some of the latest statistics. You should know whether investing in the new app will be profitable for your business in the long run before developing it. Before you launch your app, you have to be sure that your customers will find your app important enough to download and use e-commerce applicationsDo you need an e-commerce app? Why?A study asked mobile shoppers how often they shop through apps. Even if many use retail apps on their mobile devices, they do it infrequently. Over half, at 57%, use their apps once per month or less. Only 10% say they use their apps once per day or more. Quite a few consumers download and use retail apps only sporadically. Other customers interact through a mobile device by visiting your mobile site.In fact, people are much more likely to visit your website for almost any online shopping activity, except for redeeming gift cards and loyalty program points. When checking store hours or locations, 66% will visit your website, and 45% use your app. On the other hand, 50% visit your website, and 31% use your app to check reviews. Around 19% will use the e-commerce app and 12% will visit your site to use their gift card or loyalty points. If you plan to use app-based loyalty programs, you could find that developing your app is worth the cost.Types of businesses that need an e-commerce appRetail, Wholesale, and Online ShoppingOnline retailing, e-retailing, or wholesale refers to the transaction of goods and services through online stores from businesses to potential and regular customers. It is achieved through virtual shopping carts and e-catalogues. The applications of e-commerce in this sector are numerous.The shopping preferences of people have undergone a massive change in the last few years. “Go online” has become a motto for most businesses to succeed. Online shopping is comfortable, convenient, and cost-effective. The prosperity of several online shopping apps validates this.FinanceFinance and e-commerce are more connected today than ever. Banking sectors and the stock market use e-commerce significantly to carry out their operation seamlessly. Online banking provides provisions such as balance check, bill payment, money transfer, etc. Online stock trading enables people to carry out trading electronically by providing information about stocks including analysis, performance reports, charts, etc. through websites.AuctioningCollaborating auctions with the e-commerce sector takes the business to the next level where people can participate without any geographical boundaries. It leads to more participation, more negotiation, and helps to make auctions successful.MarketingOnline marketing activities such as pricing, product features, and building customer relationships can be strengthened using an e-commerce portal to provide users with an enhanced and customized shopping experience. Digital marketing strategies have become a promising way to promote businesses.E-bankingE-banking is an e-commerce application that has simplified time-consuming and complex banking processes. It enables bank users to carry out transactions easily online without having to wait in long queues. Every major bank has its own online application to provide virtual banking services to its customers.9 Must-have Features in an e-commerce appFirst, you need to define your e-commerce goals with utmost clarity. What type of eCommerce mobile app do you want to launch your business – Android or iOS? What is your product? Who is your target audience? Next, you have to set important steps regarding the right features for your eCommerce Mobile Application.Easy Registration ProcessIt can be an exhaustive one for your customers if they are confronted with pages and pages of information to fill in to register an e-commerce app. With everybody having a Social Media Account today, make sure it’s an easy registration process. You can enable signup and log in with two clicks at maximum to welcome your customers on board! Moreover, you can earn extra brownie points to explore their preferences through their Social Media Accounts!Multiple Payment OptionsImagine how a customer would think if he could not find his convenient payment option after dumping his stuff into the cart. You just lost a customer and many others who prefer the same payment option that your app does not feature. You have to open the doors to the most popular payment methods like credit cards, debit cards, net banking, and eWallets to ensure that you subtly push your customers toward using your app’s in-built wallet.Push NotificationsYour customers have their needs and wants, you have the supply to satisfy them, but how to bridge this communication gap? Push notification improves customer engagement because they keep customers informed of recommendations, discounts, sales, promotions, and offers. Thus, it offers you the ability to cross-sell and up-sell for better profits.Social Media IntegrationDon’t tell me that you do not want ALL the attention of your customers. Social media integration will ensure that your eCommerce mobile app is right in front of your customers while they chat on Facebook, Tweet on Twitter, or pin on Pinterest. This will also prompt them to share the seasonal discounts you offer on their social media accounts. User-generated content is the best way for word-of-mouth marketingComplete SynchronizationIf you have your eCommerce website and eCommerce mobile app, you can come up with a very exciting feature. It helps you reach your targeted audience fast and make their buying experience better. Speed up the process by getting our eCommerce mobile app synchronized with the website to save time, beat the competition, and increase your sales.Google AnalyticsOptimize the use of Google Analytics to check out how your potential customers are looking to be on your mobile app with the help of real-time data. Know which product of yours needs a different packaging, what offers can make an appealing combo, and which demography is resonating with your business with Google Analytics.Review & RatingEmpower your customers to rate and review your app and its features. The reviews will help you achieve a sense of realization about the products that you are offering to your customers.Wishlist ButtonIt happens many times that your customers would love to purchase the items but are running out of money at that very moment. They want to buy it, not now but definitely when they can afford it. Therein comes the importance of a wishlist as it helps your customers to save products they wish to buy later. In addition to that, you get a chance to know the preferences of your buyer and personalized offers!Easy CheckoutThe universal fact is that the customers hate to wait in the billing queue. You won’t let them wait with a virtual billing system for sure. To ensure that they do not abandon the cart, create a hassle-free checkout process. Help them save their address, e-wallet, and card details and get them faster through the payment gateways. Can you increase your sales by establishing your own e-commerce app?The bottom line is that e-commerce apps are the future of this digitally-driven world. Mobile application developers help your company to reap the benefits of the online retail business. Mobile eCommerce apps help brands know their customers better by staying closer to them with just a ‘finger tap’. As customers spend most of their time on mobile phones, ensure that your brand offers product details, and contact information, and motivates them to purchase.Smartphone owners are now increasingly using their devices to shop and search for products. The mobile app is also convenient and provides a personalized user experience that many customers now look for. The best thing? The mobile app encourages users to become returning customers rather than one-time shoppers.ConclusionWith its decade-long experience in e-commerce apps and software development for retail industries, we can be the perfect partner to consult and build an eCommerce mobile app for your business.  We can help you create scalable and robust e-commerce apps from scratch that expand your current business and skyrocket your sales. 

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Top 5 Insurance Industry Trends to Watch Out In 2024

Internally, this industry is plagued by issues like ever-evolving customer demands, enhanced risk exposure, changing regulatory compliances, and increased occurrences of fraud.Adopting new digital trends is imperative if this sector wants to negate the effect of the above-mentioned factors. These trends also gain significance because they simplify the daily life of customers and employees alike by:Creating an intuitive, frictionless customer experienceReducing low-value, repetitive manual efforts put in by employeesImplementing Integrated Risk Management(IRM) initiativesThe insurance sector is a late bloomer in the field of technology adoption. It has, however, progressed to adopting Data Analytics and data-generated insights. Leveraging them has helped this industry to understand customer needs and preferences and pinpoint new growth opportunities.The ongoing digital transformation process, as illustrated by the integration of new technologies like IoT and AI, is making this sector increasingly competitive. Keeping up this momentum in 2024 will enable it to digitize the products and services offered, enhance customer engagement and drive inclusive sustainabilityAdditionally, for a perceptibly customer-centric industry, the ongoing tech transformation has exponentially escalated customer demands and made them more powerful. The ability to compare products for prices and suitability with just a few clicks has placed improving customer experience at the center of all upcoming insurance trends.ESG compliance to remain a key focusThe insurance sector faces a unique issue. Along with being evaluated based on their sustainability reports, insurers are also appraised on initiates taken to address carbon emissions, enable workforce diversity and increase governance transparencyGovernment and other such authorities have even introduced compliances that make it imperative for insurers to transition to a low-carbon economy and initiate procedures to manage climate-related risks better. Insurance companies are also swiftly realizing the commercial advantages of becoming Environmental, Social, and Governance(ESG) compliant. Statistics show that 85% of global insurers consider better ESG compliance necessary to transform brand reputation, investments, underwriting, risks & internal audits. Consequently, ESG compliance is now a competitive differentiator, and insurers must proactively focus on implementing initiatives to meet ESG requirements. Popularity of underwriting workbenchesInsurance underwriting refers to the process of assessing the risk potential of a customer. Underwriters have to analyze the business based on several factors, define the acceptability of the risk posed, and calculate a fair price for the coverage to be offered. The criticality of the work involved makes underwriting ideal for implementing automation, thus giving rise to the concept of the underwriter workbench.A centralized workspace containing a collection of all digital tools necessary for the successful execution of the underwriting process, is referred to as the underwriter’s workbench. They are a relatively novel concept. Underwriters have recently realized the convenience of using digital tools to quicken the entire process and make it more accurate. Additionally, the widespread use of automation, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning in other insurance processes has catalyzed the adoption of underwriter workbenches. This accounts for the rapid rise in its popularity in the recent past.AI and process automation to lead from the frontThe digital transformation of other sectors has given customers a taste of a frictionless and convenient experience. Today, they expect the same standards from the insurance sector. Hence, process automation is mandatory if this sector wants to meet these customer expectations quickly. A report published by McKinsey predicts that by 2040, 55% of all insurance processes will be achieved using AI or Artificial Intelligence and ML or Machine Learning. McKinsey further states that automation will reduce the cost of a claim process by as much as 30%, which is substantial.The start of this trend is already evident in the collaborations insurance carriers are building with insurtechs. Leveraging the AI-based business model of these insurtechs is helping insurance carriers to evolve and adapt to the rapidly transforming business landscape. Capitalizing on the efficiencies generated by RPA, AI, Big Data, and Analytics will further help these carriers to streamline their operations and lower costs. They will also witness higher growth by meeting customer expectations and enhancing data security. Further, AI, as a technology driver, is responsible for giving rise to a critical trend in the insurance sector. This trend will lead to the massive evolution of the insurance sector with large-scale integration of AI, automation, and deep learning. Insurance players who evolve with this changing landscape will continue to thrive, but those still holding on to conventional systems might be forced to re-examine their strategies.Partiality toward Low-Code developmentThe insurance sector primarily needs a user-friendly and efficient website that can enhance customer satisfaction. The affinity for low-code websites in the insurance sector is a direct outcome of this need. Low-code websites typically have significantly fewer lines of code written compared to a traditional website. Such websites can be easily and quickly updated without undergoing the cumbersome website redevelopment process.  With customers’ appetite for the latest information evolving rapidly, this accelerated time to market for insurance sector applications has proved a boon.This is further corroborated by statistics as shared by Garter, which shows a growth of 22.6% in the market share of low-code digital insurance platform development. Alternatively, the development of high-end customized websites has declined by 23%. This proves the legitimacy of low-code development as a leading trend in the insurance sector for 2024.Preference for self-service capabilitiesCurrently, most insurance companies utilize the services of call centers and other such channels to handle customer queries and requests. But with workflow digitization resulting in increased customer convenience, there is a perceptible preference for self-servicing capabilities. Irrespective of whether the insurer is tech-savvy, there is universal gravitation towards automated processes. Today, customers want to self-manage policies, make premium payments, and raise and submit claims using self-service portals. With such high demand, insurance companies must upgrade their capabilities and opt for complete workflow digital transformation. Opting for this trend will prove to be counterproductive as insurance companies will benefit from:Reduced customer acquisition costsHigh customer retentionIncreased insurance agent productivityQuicker and less costly claim processesEnhanced customer loyalty resulting in better referralsFurther, implementing data analytics will empower insurance companies with customer behavioral data. They can provide personalized services and offer real-time assistance based on the same.The active adoption of the above trends for insurance digital transformation is no longer an option. It is a necessity that promises to lead the insurance sector toward offering enhanced customer experience,  saving operational costs, and innovating products and services. For a sector that has conventionally enjoyed stability and predictability, driving the above trends will help it to navigate the current uncertainties and achieve some semblance of the same stability and predictability.