Category: Marketing

It is already well-known that trends in app development are forever changing. However, it is up to you to explore how they are changing if you are truly interested in app development. There are plenty of trends that can be found by reading through the information published in the State of the Developer Nation report from the research firm VisionMobile.

With all that can be discovered there, as an app developer or even as a user of apps, you should pay special attention to these four popular trends in app development. These were reported for the first quarter of the year 2015.

Number One: Using Swift

As an app developer or user, you know that even the newest and hottest trends can take a while to catch on. Very rarely will consumers bite onto a new idea just because it is there to be used. A rise in Apple’s Swift language is one that should be noted.

The researchers from VisionMobile surveyed 8,000 different top mobile game developers as part of their investigation. One out of five of these developers were using the Swift program after it being on the market for only four short months.

Objective-C had a jump on Swift in relation to iOS devices, and it only has a 39% usage among developers. This type of use is considered to be extraordinary as far as app development trends go.

As many as 25% of Swift developers are considered to be new to the iOS platform. This is considered to be a substantial amount. Even with this large amount of users, VisionMobile states that Objective-C is not going away.

It is predicted that most developers will have both tools available for their program. Experts say that in order to be the most successful on the iOS platform it will be necessary to understand how to properly use both tools in app development.

Number Two: The Growing Popularity of Cross-Platform Tools

It was discovered in the evaluation of app development trends that the use of third-party tools is at the highest rate ever. Among mobile app developers, 83% of those that responded to the investigation are using at least one third-party tool. These tools can be used for a plethora of developments including analytics, crash reporting, and other testing.

One of the biggest jumps of the use of cross-platform tools has occurred within the last six months. During this time, the usage went from 23% all the way up to 30%. The question for app developers is always how to choose the right tools for the successful creation of their app.

The best answer given by those that have accomplished their goals is finding a provider that is well-known and stable. This gives the confidence that they are going to be around to benefit from for a long time to come.

Number Three: Increasing Profits with Enterprise Apps versus Consumer Apps

No matter how popular smartphones and tablets are, there is never any guarantee that any one application is going to make money. Just because users are downloading apps faster than they are being created does not mean that just because one is available that it is going to be purchased by those looking to add to their app collection.

Trends of the first quarter of 2015 show that apps that make money much better are enterprise apps compared to consumer apps. The difference between consumer apps and enterprise apps is not even close.

Research shows that 43% of the app developers that are working on enterprise apps reach or go beyond the $10,000 profit mark each month. Those that are making consumer apps are only in the 19% range when it comes to this type of revenue.

READ ALSO: How much does it cost to create an app

Most individual smartphone and tablet users would rather get their consumer applications for free instead of paying even a small amount for them. However, businesses are willing to spend a little bit of money to make money. That is why they will spend a few dollars on the enterprise application that is going to help them be more productive and profitable.

Number Four: The Popularity of the Internet of Things and its Slow but Sure Payoff

Many developers are now investing their time and resources into the Internet of Things (IoT). This is something that does not have the quick payoff that many people are usually looking for. Over half of the developers that took part in this research project have reported that they are using the IoT on some level in their developments.

One interesting factor is that many are doing so on a side project or hobby level rather than on their actual project. The areas that have created the largest interest include the mobile platforms iOS and Android. This comes as no surprise because the popularity and sure return that these are going to bring. Areas like smart building and wearable computing markets are among the areas being used.

READ ALSO: Application prototyping

Even though IoT is still in the early stages, experts from VisionMobile say that there are huge advantages of the IoT for the developers that are utilizing it. The products that are considered to be in the highest demand have the best software. Through the process of creation, the developers involved are going to be creating more competitive products over time.

After reviewing this information, taking into account what you already know about app development, and doing a complete evaluation, it is easy to see how the mobile development market is going to continue to change and grow at a rapid rate for a long time to come.

Also see infographic on this topic: Trends in mobile industry 2015.

Infographic

The development is going to occur in all different areas including the tools available to developers, the languages, the various device platforms offered, and finally the economics related to the applications. It is essential as a developer to stay up-to-date on all the changes in developments.

Even though this can be almost as time-consuming and difficult as doing your real job, it is a must. That is why the mobile market continues to be an exciting one to be a part of.

The United States is known worldwide for being a country that spends huge amounts of money on healthcare. This is not just a stereotype of the country but something that is based in fact with the highest GDP on healthcare in the world.

With so much more being spent, surely there would be better outcomes for patients? Sadly this is not exactly the case. The reason for the high costs and seemingly normal outcomes as related to the rest of the medical world are the direct results of high insurance costs, high staff salaries, poor access to all of the right procedures and supplies as well as poor lifestyle choices. Though these are not the only factors, but ones that play a major role.

How Do We Remedy This Problem?

Hospitals and healthcare centers are independently trying to improve their care and keep their own costs down, hoping to pass the savings onto their patients. Some facilities have been quite successful while others have remained the same or have even failed.

These varied results have made it difficult to know what aspects of each facility were helping keep costs down until modern technology was introduced. Using technology, patients and healthcare professionals are able to interact in a more effective way that benefits everyone involved.

The Benefits Of Modern Devices In Hospitals

Devices like the iPhone and iPad, in particular, have had a huge impact on how doctors and patients interact, how information is stored, how forms are filled out, how labs are accessed and so much more.

These devices hold all of the information that it would have previously taken hours to write and then sort through later. This has increased productivity all around, from the medical professionals to the administrators.

Size

Not only are these mobile devices able to hold all of the information needed, but they are also easy to slip into a pocket or lab coat. Rather than having hundreds of bulky folders, the provider will have just one device to worry about.

Access

The electronic information held within the device on a medical server can more easily be accessed and compared against normal ranges of health. This helps to eliminate human error and will also help health professionals to assess patients quickly.

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When the provider has access to the information immediately, it means that in case of emergency they are able to quickly review medical history and treat the patient accordingly. This is a great example of technology changing healthcare in a totally beneficial way.

Wait Time

The lab results that would have taken hours to receive are now sent directly to the device of the provider in the patient’s file and can be immediately analyzed. Patients and providers getting results quicker is always a good thing.

Data Entry

These devices not only hold the information, but they are also extremely effective when it comes to information input. Rather than complicated forms, these devices have forms that will auto-fill pre-known information and provide drop-down menus. The information is then immediately stored for the provider to access. This electronic data storage also means that no files will be lost in the daily activity of a hospital.

Time-Saving

The main thing that mobile technology in healthcare has helped to cut down on is the time wasted by patients, administration employees, and providers. There is no time wasted filling out forms, waiting for results or reviewing a patient’s file. In cutting down on the time wasted in these aspects, providers are better able to focus on their patients, dedicating more time to each. This also cuts down on the need for such extensive administration staff, therefore cutting costs there.

Mobile Healthcare Apps For Doctors

Healthcare providers are using applications to access patient information. This makes doing routine checks, such as rounds, much faster. Apps like Epocrates and UpToDate keep the information well within reach of the health professionals on their mobile devices. EMR systems like Epic also make having patient information easy with a mobile application.

You may also read: AR / VR in Healthcare: How Does It Work? 

Easily Accessed Resources

Doctors are not only able to access the patient’s current information and history more easily, but they are able to have access to entire medical journals and resources that will assist them in making a diagnosis. This combination has led and will lead in the future to there being fewer mistakes in terms of care.

Using mobile devices can also give doctors access to one another to share information, ask questions, and workshop particularly difficult cases. This also allows them to request patient information as well as scheduled appointments.

The Changes And What Is To Come

That’s basically how technology has changed healthcare so far and this is only the beginning. While the market for creating healthcare applications and programs has been lacking due to unclear regulations for information sharing through applications, more developers are discovering what medical professionals need to make their services more effective and how to work with the privacy laws and regulations to make that happen.

These apps can help with anything from information storage to diagnosis assistance. Mobile application development cost is nothing compared to benefits. Using these apps to gather information and teach doctors more about the patients will only result in better care, less time wasted, and less money spent.

Are you interested in modern technologies in the healthcare industry? Read about convolutional neural networks in medicine.