iOS App Development Trends And Challenges In 2023

Mobile app development is no longer a process that is associated with big companies or large corporations. It is no longer a luxury. It has become more of a necessity for businesses to sustain and grow. Especially, iOS apps that have an active and rich user base.   

Owing to the growing popularity of mobile apps, iOS mobile app development services have also grown in demand. Businesses seeking to expand, are looking for the right iOS app development services. But what are these services?   

The iOS app development services involve end-to-end support to build an iOS mobile app. From conceptualization, design, engineering, and optimization to maintenance of the Apple mobile app project, this process covers all the aspects of mobile app development.   

With people spending about 88% of their mobile time on apps, iOS mobile app development process is a monetarily rewarding endeavor.

The fact that an average smartphone owner user uses 10 apps per day and 30 apps each month, further reinforces the profitability of a mobile app development process for a business.    

More and more businesses are seeking custom iOS app development and looking for the right iOS app development company to build their iOS app for all the right reasons.   

Custom mobile app development ensures that the business needs are completely catered to. This further optimizes the mobile app development process and the usage of limited business resources. It is a more practical and profitable choice.   

Let’s look at the top 5 reasons a business should seek a custom iOS mobile app.

Top 5 Reasons For Custom iOS App Development

Through custom iOS mobile apps, a business gains the following benefits:   

1. Personalization

Since every business has different business goals and target audiences, custom app development facilitates a more personalized user experience.  

A business is able to incorporate features and functionalities specific to its target audience and user base and hence, allow users to have a more relatable iOS app experience.    

2. Customization

Custom iOS app development allows a business to build an app that exactly meets its needs. As a result, the business is able to cater to the needs of its target audience to the fullest using the most suitable functions and features added to the custom iOS app.   

Custom iOS apps have a lot of clarity in terms of market and user requirements and cater to those exact needs. This allows the user to enjoy higher customization.   

3. Better Integration With Existing Or New Software

Custom software or iOS app would be built keeping in mind the company’s current hardware and software. Thus, custom iOS apps are capable of integrating with existing and new software.   

A generic application, on the other hand, might not work well with existing hardware and software.

4. Enhanced Security

With custom iOS mobile app development, businesses are able to incorporate all the security and privacy provisions and guidelines that it deems resonate with their policies.   

5. High Scalability

Custom iOS applications allow businesses to build apps that are highly scalable as per the business’s present as well as future needs.   

The business gets to choose the complexity, features, and functions that it feels are required for the business growth level at present and keeps room for growth for changing business size in the future. This is not the case with generic iOS apps that are not this scalable.   

After learning the advantages that come with custom iOS application development, let’s now look at the top trends in the iOS app development process. These trends and opportunities would enhance the utility of iOS apps in 2023.   

Top Trends Around iOS App Development

1. AR/VR   

AR/VR stands for Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality and are immersive technologies. They attempt to offer a mix of real and digital worlds to users through sensory experiences.   

The technology of AR/VR is capable of creating more engaging, immersive, and utility-generating iOS apps. Brands like IKEA use this technology to offer a high-quality user experience.    

Apple too supports the technology and introduced various tools like ARKit, Reality Kit, etc., to encourage iOS developers to use AR technology increasingly for iOS mobile app development.

2. iBeacon   

The iBeacon technology by Apple is a small Bluetooth gadget that allows brands to send consumers notifications about what’s new, discounts and offers, locations, etc. as the latter crosses the store/ the spot.  

Although this technology has been in the market since 2013, it has recently started gaining popularity and is leveraged by businesses to enhance marketing efforts sales, and revenue.   

Apple enabled iOS developers to integrate iBeacons into their iOS apps without writing any code through the introduction of an SDK.

3. Wearables   

Wearable apps have gained a lot of popularity in the last few years. Especially after a pandemic that has left humans worrying about their health metrics and vitals more than ever.   

Wearable apps are used for multiple purposes as fitness tracking, health tracking, weather updates, etc. They allow users to keep track of their fitness or any other routines.  

Apple Watch is one of the most popular wearables technologies in the market today.    

Wearables apps help humans to streamline their day-to-day activities and hence, they are a hit amongst users and IT experts. They should be incorporated into iOS mobile app development as we enter and progress in 2023.

4. IOT   

The Internet of Things or IoT technology enables users to access their smart home devices, through their iOS devices, remotely. Multiple devices are connected, and information is transferred through IoT-powered devices.    

The iOS apps that come with IoT integration are more automated and thus, offer a streamlined experience to users. With the provision to set schedules, routines, etc., for smart devices, users are able to simplify their everyday tasks.

5. AI/ML  

AI/ML has enabled humans to ask questions and queries from software that give instant replies and receive personalized recommendations, among other things. This has simplified human lives, in more ways than just one.   

Big names like Uber, Netflix, Facebook, Instagram, etc., use AI/ML to enhance user experience.   

There are many more iOS development trends and techniques that enhance the usability, quality, and value derived through an iOS app.   

But why should a business follow these trends?   

With great power comes great responsibility. We have all heard this phrase. And it has a lot of relevance in today’s time.  

Apple, being the world’s largest technology company, holds a lot of global power, and with that comes a lot of responsibility too. Apple users expect the brand to deliver the latest and most sophisticated technology out there.   

In an attempt to satisfy the expectations of its users, Apple stays at the top of its update game. It constantly upgrades and provides new app features and functionalities. Additionally, it ensures to enhance the security and privacy of its apps through regularly updated provisions and policies.    

In the same way, a business with an iOS app should adopt these trends and techniques in order to offer its users the latest. This ensures that the business is catering to the evolving needs of the Apple platform and the desires of its users. Additionally, it helps businesses to maintain their relevancy and position in a highly competitive market environment. 

Let’s now look at some of the challenges that are associated with iOS app development.   

iOS App Development Challenges

1. Finding A Good Business Plan   

One challenge that is often faced during iOS app development is identifying and defining the business plan and project requirements. Any battle is half won if the planning is coherent and communicated amongst all the parties and stakeholders.  

Similarly, an iOS app planning needs to have a product requirements document (PRD). This document comes with 3 sections: business requirements, user requirements, and system requirements.  

The business requirement’s part should be discussed and laid down for a streamlined and unambiguous iOS app development process. A business should define the proto persona, work out the app features, functionalities, and suitable platform, determine the unique value proposition (UVP), and lastly, choose a monetization method.   

A report suggests that 71% of fast-growing companies have business plans for their products or business endeavors.  

While it is impossible to predict the fate of an app with 100% confidence but adopting methods that will increase the likelihood of success, is something completely doable. Creating a coherent business plan is one such method.  

2. Finding A Development Team For It   

An iOS app development team can make or break your iOS app project. It is therefore important for a business to find the right iOS app development team who can cost-effectively turn a business idea into a user’s iOS app for maximum utility.   

The right iOS app developer should have the know-how of the latest iOS technology stack and tools, should be well-versed with Apple guidelines and policies, and should be able to comprehend the business ideas and requirements.   

The development team needs to be on the same page with the business in terms of the project requirements and timelines. Analytical skills and the ability to work with an idea with awareness about what could be added to enhance the quality and usability of the app or what could go wrong, these capabilities should be examined.    

3. Finalise MVP Scope   

The Minimum Viable product is an integral part of any product development process. It helps the business to test the waters before taking a dip. This is a practical and smart way of recording user reactions and sentiments about the product without going deep into the product development process.   

However, the features to be added to the MVP should be very carefully chosen. It should be a viable product, that offers the true essence of the product to the user and allow them to form an opinion or feel a sentiment around it. This would only make the whole MVP development process fruitful and worth it.   

For this very reason, the MVP features should be categorized into gain and effort. Prioritize all the high-gain features and functionalities with low/high efforts.   

Only pick high efforts features when they are targeting the exact need or issue, or when they are bringing significant sales or virality, only then these features are worth the sweat and tears.     

Our ultimate guide to mobile app launch explains the importance of carefully narrowing down to the most crucial features and functionalities for an MVP would further help you define the scope of your MVP.   

4. Secure Funding    

Another challenge in iOS app development is to secure funding. It relies on a good market reputation, a convincing business/product plan, and an appropriate MVP.   

A report suggests that a business is 2.5x more likely to get funded if it comes with a business plan. A study by the University of Oregon stated that businesses with a plan are far more likely to get funding than those that didn’t have a plan.   

Furthermore, MVP helps business to secure initial funding. With these products, it becomes easier to persuade potential investors and stakeholders that the end product and even the startup are worth investing in. These products reflect the capabilities and vision of the product, and the business itself.   

Therefore, to overcome the challenge of securing funding for your mobile app, go prepared with a robust and clear business plan/pitch, an on-point MVP, and all your convincing power.   

5. Scale To Alpha, Beta, And Full-Scaled Product   

The last challenge in iOS app development is the alpha and beta testing of the iOS product.   

Both these tests are a bit difficult to be carried out for Apple products due to the strict guidelines, and policies and review tests that aim to produce bulletproof products.   

Alpha and Beta testing both can be in TestFlight but in the Alpha testing stage, but since the product would be in a very early stage, it sometimes might not meet the TestFlight requirements. As a result, the process becomes long and tiresome for iOS products.   

For Beta testing, a developer/organization need to search for user and request or invite them to TestFlight manually. Finding interested users, and convincing them to download the TestFlight app, may pose a challenge.   

Android, on the other hand, facilitates internal Alpha and Beta testing and open Beta testing for public testing, all through the Play Store.    

While some challenges can be overcome with more research, good decision-making, and clarity in ideas, some are given challenges that come with the platform. However, these challenges do not outweigh the benefits of building an iOS app for a business.   

How BigOh Can Help In Solving Such Challenges?   

As a secure, reliable, and utility-generating mobile app development company, BigOhTech offers iOS app development services that allow businesses to publish an app on the App Store seamlessly.   

Our dedicated development team and IT consultation experts collectively analyze your business ideas and help a business understand the feasibility and viability of its idea. Moreover, we suggest the most appropriate and profitable technology stack, tools, and integrations, considering the functionality of the iOS app.   

Moreover, we are adept at integrating emerging technologies like AR/VR, and AI/ML. IoT, Blockchain, etc., into your iOS apps and making them more modern and sought-after.   

Our very skilled iOS developers are well versed and have experience of 7+ years in publishing iOS apps with multiple features while meeting the Apple design guidelines and privacy policies. Following the standards of Apple Human Interface Guidelines (HIG) and abiding by Apple’s policies, we have created more than 100 successful results.   

From iOS ideation, planning, and engineering to testing and Maintenace, we help businesses overcome all the iOS app development challenges.   

Not just that, we ensure their product pass the market test with flying colors!   

So, why wait? Come, collaborate with us, and warmly welcome iOS users to your target audience group.   

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