Very many years ago when mobile devices were still in their infant stages, a lot of people used to gain access to the internet with the aid of their desktop. This was as a result of the fact that mobile phones, in those days, did not have as much maturity as today. Primarily, mobile phones were used for making and receiving calls, sending and receiving messages, and playing antique games.
Since the evolution of mobile devices, this technology has continued to develop more significantly every day. Today, many intriguing mobile applications have been designed, and several mobile devices are now touch screen, with high-speed internet configuration. These interesting features have brought about a revolution in mobile phones which is divided into Android Development and iOS. In today’s highly developed mobile technology market, mobile operating systems enjoy transformation with an up-to-date version regardless of the platform for which it is built. However, records have it that 83% of the domain is now covered by Android application.
It is a well-known fact that the mobile universe now records a very high demand for mobile app development. And the Android platform enjoys the most patronage. Android app development offers access to wide user base throughout the world. Due to this huge demand, Android app development companies are increasingly recruiting excellent Android app developers who can create apps that aim at the highest growing user base.
Android apps, especially the interactive ones, make life fun and easy for a lot of people. The Android platform also offers several great opportunities to Android app developers. Many Android app development companies have the capability to assist enterprises in creating distinct business apps on the android app platform. But despite the increasing popularity of Android app and the several opportunities it provides, there are still several challenges that app developers in India, as well as other app developers, encounter. This article will examine some of these challenges.
Stiff Competition in the Android App Market
The development and growth of the Android market have resulted in fierce competition among Android app developers. The play store now has millions of apps from which the consumer has to choose. New innovative ideas on some of the most interesting features to include in apps are springing up every day. As a result, for an Android app developer to enjoy maximum downloads of his/her app, he/she has to come up with some fascinatingly unique ideas that can outclass competitors. This competition is so challenging, that several talented Android app developers create apps that remain relatively unknown in the mobile app development market. Being talented is not enough to break through the Android app market, a developer has to be extraordinarily talented and create uniquely fascinating apps.
Software Fragmentation
This challenge is not only peculiar to Android apps; virtually all app developers experience it on every platform. However, this challenge has a higher impact on Android apps than the others. One of the problems that Android versions encounter is slow pace of Android adoption. Fragmentation means that Android users do not have access to the latest technology. In the course of app development, several Android app developers find it difficult to keep up with so many Android OS versions. App developers cannot focus on an Android version that is most recent because it is likely that not every user may have upgraded their device to this latest version. A survey showed that 35% of the devices run Lollipop, while 1.2% work on the Android Marshmellow. Also, the Kitkat is run by 36%, while the other users run the other versions. As a result of the fact that producers play a major role in device configuration, Android app developers find it difficult to solve software upgrade problems.
Security Issues
Software and hardware fragmentation cause more security problems. Also, Android Security Flaws is given rise to by software and hardware standardization. There are several security flaws such as Stagefright MMS flaw, QuadRooter Vulnerabilities, Android Installer hijacking, and Android FakeID flaw. The excessive use of the internet has led to a huge number of loopholes and malware in Android-based devices. Moreover, these problems are worsened by the fact that, unlike Apple which has very strict app development guidelines, strict guidelines or protocols are not implemented for an Android app.
Patent Issues
Android app developers face the challenge of developing some type of functionalities and features due to certain laws. Developing these features can lead to a violation of some patent laws. In recent times, some hardware manufacturers and Android app developers have been challenged by a violation of certain patent rules, because they developed and implemented a few innovative features which have already been utilized in a few other applications without their knowledge.
Promotion and Market Research Cost
The cost of market research is one of the biggest challenges for Android app developers today. One major factor required for Android app development is the ability to understand the end user, but this needs loads of research and can be very expensive for the android app developers. Also, the Android marketplace now possesses more than 7.5 million apps leading to stiff competition as explained earlier. Therefore, for an Android app developer to get his/her app visible among this huge population, he/she has to do a lot of promotion. Developing an excellent app is not enough. And significant promotion requires a lot of money. So, the cost of this promotion is a daunting challenge for several app developers, especially Indian app developers.
Hardware Fragmentation
This is a huge Android app development challenge for Android developers because there is a high number of devices running the OS (about 170+). The features of every device (such as camera buttons, screen size, keyboard forms, etc.) are different, and this makes the app development a huge difficulty. The difficulty lies in developing an Android app that functions perfectly on every available Android. Also, the cost of developing such an app becomes very high.
Many Carriers
An Android app development company has to constantly bear in mind that so many carriers for the Android OS are available out there, and each one of them has the freedom to create some modifications to the OS for their own reasons. This particular issue proliferates the fragmentation problems that the Indian app developers experience.
By way of conclusion, the Android app development market has continued to develop more and more over the years. And with the technological growth recorded daily in the mobile market, the future of Android app development still appears very bright. However, as with every task, opportunities come with challenges. And the Android app development market is not left out. Although challenges cannot be completely ruled out in any job, Android app developers can minimize their challenges by constantly discussing with their clients and creating different means of getting end-user feedbacks. This will enable them to fully understand the market need and improve on their products every time they develop new apps.
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