More creative agencies, web designers and publishers are looking for white label app development and we don’t blame them!

White Label Development

White label development enables a company to expand their portfolio of services to their clients without the need to employ a full time developer.  By doing this their costs are kept low AND they get the benefit of an experienced app development company.   

The white label option often means that there is no affiliation with the actual developers, so the credit for the app and the kudos goes to you! 

By not having to employ your own in house app developer(s) full time you can go straight to a team that have already developed numerous apps and have experience delivering them with the functionality and capabilities you need.  

White Label Apps

White label apps are perfect for packaging and selling to clients, particularly if you have a few clients that do a similar thing. There’s an opportunity for your business to have a white label app developed on your behalf with your clients needs in mind. This app can then be rebranded and customised numerous times, each time included as part of a package or charged as an additional product. The beauty is you have the control over how much you charge for doing this. 

We develop bespoke iPad and iPhone applications and offer a white label service.  As part of our white label service we will: 

• Work with you to identify what type of white label service you need from us 
• Help ensure the type of app you want will work with your long term objectives
• We can develop with or without affiliation
• If necessary we can speak to your clients posing as a member of your company or brand
• Offer advice and guidance on design
• Provide customisation and rebranding solutions that work for your company infrastructure and skill base
• Take advantage of our experience and skills to benefit you as best we can
• Offer flexibility and reasonable costs for additional customisation your clients may request in the future
• Deal with you openly and honestly at all times
• Establish a partnership that works for both parties!

If you’re interested in discussing your white label requirements with us then please get in touch and see how we can help!

Thank you for reading this article.

Clare

Owner of Appfidelity Ltd – Bespoke iPhone & iPad app development

However, you may not have the same needs as our clients for your app project, regardless of what your overall needs are the principles for choosing the best app developer for your project remain the same.

What does the development company specialise in?

Are you approaching a software company that delivers a feast of different software solutions or a company that are experts in app development? We specialise in iPhone and iPad apps because we’re huge Apple fans and love coding on iOS. Similarly a lot of fantastic Android app developers only develop for Android because it’s what they live and breath too. A one stop shop may be able to deliver what you need but how much better could the end result be if you went to the experts…

This leads me onto the importance of choosing a developer that has specific experience in the platform(s) you want and their willingness to deliver bespoke development based on your ideas. The alternative could be an uninspiring ‘cookie cutter’ app which does not make the best impression on your clients. The development company you choose should have a broad skill set in the development they can deliver.

Testimonials

All good developers should have testimonials from their clients. If they aren’t available on the developers website then ask for them. Without some genuine feedback how can you be sure their clients were happy with the results? A hundred logos representing a development company’s plethora of clients is not a testimonial, it’s a representation of volume!

Previous work

Review the developers portfolio of apps and if possible download some of them and have a play. Or ask the development company if they have experience in x, y, z and let them tell you which apps of theirs have these features. It’s possible they’ve developed more than what’s on their website too, so it’s always worth an ask!

Value for money

This one is a little trickier. Some people have unrealistic budgets for the all singing and all dancing app they have envisioned. Whilst development shouldn’t be extortionate, you will have to invest in quality. Saying that, most projects are circa two weeks development time and you shouldn’t have to pay more than £7000 for bespoke development. Unless of course you’re also having a team of graphic designers and whizzy marketeers working on your project too!

Small print

Always know what you get for your investment and check for any other costs or implications. For example some companies promise low development costs but in reality there is a large monthly fee for the life of the app and you get minimal bespoke development. Some development is completely bespoke and the resulting app will be unique to you, therefore the likelihood is that the upfront investment  for this type of app will be greater initially. You need to decide what approach is right for you.  

The human touch

This may not be everyone’s priority, however, this is very important to us personally. We always choose to work with people that are professional and personable. We enjoy the work we do and we want to keep it that way, who you decide to work with is a big part of this!

I hope this is helpful and I wish you luck with your project. If you would like to enquire about your bespoke app project please get in touch.  It would be great to hear from you!

Written by Clare

Owner of Appfidelity Ltd – Bespoke iPhone & iPad app development

What is a “Cookie Cutter” app?

In our view if someone offers to deliver an app with no interactive features and just basic design proceed with some caution.  Chances are the app could be a “cookie cutter” app and some of them are dull and soulless.  

A cookie cutter app is built using a very basic template.  Templates are great providing they have interactive features and deliver more than just an information product.  A dull cookie cutter app will generally just be a shell with your branding and links to your website, there are no bespoke features for your user.

Apple’s stance

There are already thousands of these types of apps available but Apple have been clamping down for a while now.   Apple aren’t totally against cookie cutter platforms as some offer good quality features and flexibility.  It’s the basic cookie cutter app developers Apple are cracking down on which offer no additional features above what can be found on a website.  Essentially the apps are no more than a web app and are a one way information product with no user engagement.

Yes these apps can be helpful, yet they offer limited value to the user.  Apple want users to engage and have a superior experience using an app than visiting a website.  A basic cookie cutter app is no more helpful than having a bookmark to a website, except it may be simpler and more intuitive to navigate on an iPhone.  Apple’s priority and rightly so, is ensuring the user is having the best experience possible and in doing this it should differ to the experience a website can give.  

We understand why Apple are clamping down, if Apple fans get a better experience than the next smartphone user they stay loyal and meanwhile the attraction towards Apple products continues to grow.  It’s not just the hardware that offers value. 

So is the end near for cookie cutter apps?

Services offering the most basic of cookie cutter apps will be hit the hardest.  However providing they invest in enhancing their current platforms then they should survive.  

They will need to add more depth to their basic templates and increase design flexibility and in some cases create more options that will increase engagement with the user.

We don’t think it’s the end for these types of platforms but developers do need to think about the main objective of providing a winning user experience.  In the long run if the apps they produce do not satisfy the users of their clients in the long term then they will not come back.

 Written by Clare

Owner of Appfidelity Ltd – Bespoke iPhone & iPad app development

Have an idea how Apps work before embarking on an App project, it will help you understand their capabilities and the best or most appropriate device for your App.

2: Concept

A multitude of features could confuse a user so do not overcomplicate your App idea. You need to find a middle ground so the App isn’t too basic either, if in doubt phase features in over time.

3: Ease of Use

The App must be intuitive, it doesn’t come with an instruction manual! Make use of the pinch, swipe, tap gestures that users are already familiar with.

4: Design

The App needs to look good. Use high resolution images, sleek design and if suitable, sound, a feature often forgotten!

5: Device Features

Incorporate features of the device in your App. i.e. can you use the camera, geo-locator (finds your location), vibration, device orientation etc.

6: Social media

Make it easy for people to share your fabulous App! If you can Tweet content from the App or share something on Facebook this is a big plus and is great for marketing!

7: Research

If your App idea is similar to another App, review their feedback and use it to your advantage. Learn from other people and make your App better.

8: Name

Make sure the name of your App reflects what the App is or does. It needs to deliver what people think it will.

9: Feedback

Phase in features, especially if your concept is detailed, then you can adjust your concept based on valuable user feedback.

10: Performance

The final version of the App must work efficiently, it shouldn’t crash or hang, performance is key to the user experience. Make sure your App is well and truly tested.

Bonus Tip!

A good developer should be able to offer suggestions about intuitive design and how to best use the device features.  Choose the right developer for your project. Don’t be bamboozled with jargon or be sold features you don’t want or need. Choose a developer with experience and that you trust.

 Written by Clare

Owner of Appfidelity Ltd – Bespoke iPhone & iPad app development

I recently posted the following question on Linked in:

“What do you think are are the best business related iPad Apps available and why?”

Here are the findings a month after posting.  The response continues to be fantastic and hopefully those people new to the world of iPads for business will find this a great source of Apps to try.

Firstly the highest ranking Apps:

Dropbox – Allows you to store and access files from several computers, iPhone, iPad. Share documents, presentations and images.

Evernote – Allows you to create text, photo and audio notes which are synchronised to your Mac and PC.

Goodreader – Read PDF’s, books, text etc and make notes, arrows, text boxes etc.

Linked In - Your professional network at your fingertips!

Dragon Dictation - Voice recognition application that instantly allows you to see your text or email.

Summary of other Apps recommended:

I hope you find this summary helpful, if you have any more business related Apps to add please feel free to comment.

 Written by Clare

Owner of Appfidelity Ltd – Bespoke iPhone & iPad app development

With the new iPad 2 now available it seems they are here to stay for the foreseeable future.  All despite people saying initially, “they’re just a bigger version of the iPhone, right?”.

iPads are everywhere and being used in a variety of situations since they were launched. I’ve seen them used on trains, flights, by television presenters, news readers, in shops, exhibition stands, the list goes on. 

More businesses seem to be embracing iPads, some to compliment their services or provide something to clients via apps, some businesses want to improve productivity of their operations processes by implementing the use of iPads throughout the company. Business people are using iPads in meetings for notes and presentations etc. When you’re away from your desk or don’t want to wait for your laptop to start up, the iPad is the perfect solution for having the information you need at your finger tips.

As more businesses are searching for reasons to invest in technology iPads are very much a blank canvas for their needs. The iPad creates even more development opportunities too for companies like us, which is incredibly exciting to be a part of.

The iPad should be able to satisfy the needs of any worker, in any sector, particularly when adopting apps that enable interaction and back up with other sources, or dare we say it… bespoke apps for their business.

iPads are being used in many facets of business life to improve efficiency and productivity and if you’re interested in more ways they’ve been adopted then check the links out below. The iPad in the pit lane and nurses on home visits are two of my personal favorites, such great ideas! I wouldn’t mind a free iPad (even though I have one) for an interactive car manual either!

http://mashable.com/2011/02/24/ipad-productivity/

http://ipadarena.com/cars-companies-using-ipad-as-business-tool-to-help-sales/

The iPad will continue to create a shift in the business world and we feel very lucky to be in the thick of it!

Written by Clare

Owner of Appfidelity Ltd – Bespoke iPhone & iPad app development

App subscriptions is great news for those who want to sell their content on a regular basis. The likes of Time Magazine probably spent a small fortune on implementing such a subscription model themselves, and now, such a subscriptions payment system is available to anyone who wants to get their paid-for content in an App. And Time Magazine will have to implement Apple’s approach alongside their own offering. This is part of Apples wish for generic standards and for a consistent user experience across the iOS platform.

As part of the subscriptions system produced by Apple, it looks like some user information will be shared on who subscribers are. This is likely to be demographic data such as gender, age, location etc. Pretty useful stuff for potential publishers and content providers! No one knows what or how this information will be available but a change in the iTunes Terms & Conditions allows for information on iTunes accounts to be shared to third parties.

Facts on the new In App Subscription system:

• Will probably be introduced over the next month
• Existing periodicals will need to put In App Subscriptions into their Apps by 31st March
• Existing subscription systems can co-exist alongside Apples In App Subscriptions giving the customer a choice
• Details are yet to be announced but the 70/30 percent split is likely to be in place again
• Some subscriber information is likely to be made available by Apple to publishers (this is also yet to be announced).

All round this is good news and it’s another revenue producing option for developers and owners of Apps.

Post by
Gareth

You only have four weeks after the code has been generated to use the promo so make sure when you’re are issuing them you get your skates on!

Post written by:
Clare

£50 has already been donated to Barnados on behalf of Jay Armitage at Ralph and Co.  After meeting some of Jay’s team, Jay kindly passed on our details to someone that we now have the great pleasure of working with!

Yes, this incentive could create new opportunities for us but it’s also great for charities too which is really why we’re doing it!

Post written by:
Clare

*Terms and conditions apply.  For more details please contact us.

The marketing for your App can be just as fundamental as it being a great concept and design.  Here are a few tips that have been shared by other developers.

Blog, blog like crazy!

If you have a blog then blog about your App, people enjoy a success story.  You could mention how you came up with the idea, why you wanted to create it, the experience you had finding the right developer for you, how many downloads your App has had, the helpful feedback you’ve received etc.  Remember to always be positive about your experience, no one likes a misery guts!

More blog, blog, blog

If your App is in a particular sector then you could also involve yourself in communities specifically for that sector, so you’re communicating in the circles your App is most likely to appeal to.

You could also approach App Review sites and ask them to review your App.  Perhaps approach some of larger sites after already receiving feedback, unless you are really confident!  This will also give you an opportunity to improve your App further before approaching the big players such as Macrumors, TUAW, Gizmodo etc.

Two way street

Share or Connect links such as Twitter and Facebook in an App are becoming more and more essential as they help build a community or followers. It’s all about Social Media these days. The ability for someone to share your App with their friends easily and quickly can rapidly build popularity of a product by that friend then passing it on to their friend and so on.

If you have a fan page on a website and/or a Twitter or Facebook account make sure you thank your followers and contributors, appreciation goes a long way to maintaining loyalty.

Show them what you’ve got!

Post a video of your App on YouTube or Vimeo to demonstrate your App’s features. This can be simple or as creative as you want if you have the resources!  This is another superb way of promoting the benefits of your App and enticing people to download it. It can give people a taste of what you’re offering!

Set up a web page, even if you only have a single basic webpage you should include some screen shots of your App and a video too if you have one.  iTunes also provides a website link so it makes sense to take advantage of this.  Of course, be sure to also include a link on your website to your App in iTunes!

iTunes – App Store Presence

On the iTunes site make sure you’re promoting the benefits to the users of your App and not just the features.  People will decide in seconds if the App will benefit them and if they need it.  Tell them what’s in it for them.  How will it improve their life? How much entertainment value will they get?  Will it inspire them?  Is it one of a kind?  Does it solve a problem they frequently have?  If someone isn’t tempted then they wont download your App.

Newsflash!

You could approach local media, the national press or even a particular publishers in the subject matter that relates to your App, i.e. if you’re App is related to boats then you could approach editors of sailing magazines, if your App relates to cooking then approach cookery magazines.

If you have the budget and a target market for your App then it may be worth considering advertising in a specific magazine or on a popular web page.  You could also consider advertising at specific events related to your target market. However, it is pretty difficult to determine how effective this type of marketing is so please proceed with caution! It’s always wise to ensure you can measure success of marketing before throwing money at it!

If anyone has any other helpful points to add then please share your wisdom!  Thanks.

Post written by:
Clare