Busting The Myths Of Mobile App Development
Published On - September 6, 2014
Is the road of app development paved with gold (or Bitcoins, for that matter)? Are you required to secure a spot at MIT in order to make it big in the world of mobile app development?
It seems as if the prospects of new developers are governed by as many opinions as there are smartphone users lying in wait to make use of new apps. To some individuals, app stores are veritable boomtowns, forever ready to mint in millionaires by the dozen. Others feel the chance of succeeding as an mobile app developer is as good as that of an actor hoping to make it big in the Hollywood industry- in other words, not too good!
Truth be told, it is not possible for you to understand how well you will fare in the crowded mobile app development world unless you make a submission to an app store. To prevent yourself from being struck down by nasty surprises, it is best to make sure that you venture forth with your eyes wide open.
The world of mobile app development is shrouded in a whole lot of myths. Let us make an effort to bust some of them right away. So take aim and fire away!
A computer science degree is essential for building successful apps
If you are someone who cannot differentiate between a stack and a heap, that does not mean that you have to forego your app development plans. While mastering your craft is undoubtedly important, a degree after four years of education in an elite college is not so! Statistics suggest that clients prefer hiring developers who have sufficient years of experience at creating great quality apps, regardless of how and where they gained that necessary level of expertise from.
Selling your app will allow you to make millions
If you are someone planning to come up with the next version of “Angry Birds” this is something you should be paying close attention to. You don’t need hundreds of hours of time and effort for buying a lottery ticket, unless you are someone living close to the top on isolated mountain. However, this is exactly what you require for making a top-selling app. So if your only motivation for entering the mobile marketplace revolves around making quick and easy fortunes, you would probably be better off trying your hand at lotto.
However, that does not necessarily mean that you do not stand to get rich in the world of mobile app development. Nevertheless, you will be served better if you concentrate on building quality products that are capable of generating a stable income over an extended period of time.
Prior knowledge of a programming language or basics of development is necessary for launching an app
While prior knowledge of programming methods and languages certainly won’t do you any harm, lack of it should not come in the way of your turning a great idea into a technological reality in partnership with a qualified developer. As a mobile entrepreneur, your greatest skill lies in your ability to successfully solve problems. Many individuals are capable of learning the nuts and bolts of mobile app development; however, a successful developer is one who identifies the holes and figures out how to fill them up efficiently.
The example of Gentry Underwood is a great one in this regard. He reportedly earned a hundred million from Dropbox by selling a simple app that could improve email organisation. While thousands of other developers could have done that, Underwood was the first to recognize the opportunity and made full use of it in the process.
You will record mass download as soon as the app hits the store
Your app will be competing with as many as a million different programs when it first makes an appearance in the virtual shelf. Only after some serious amount of promotion will people eventually realize that such an app even exists in the market. Some killer graphics or a great name is an excellent way in which you can have your app stand out in the market. However, spreading the word of its release through ads, social media posts and reviewers, among other forms of marketing, is an excellent means of letting the world know of your creation.
Be it Android or iOS, app development does not differ
If you are thinking along these lines, you are making the biggest mistake of your professional app development career. iOS and Android are two distinctly different operating systems and have been developed by two outrageously successful and competitive companies who follow their very own line of thought. While companies such as PhoneGap allow a piece of code to be written for both iOS and Android, it is only through native development that you can ensure taking full advantage of the various features available on the individual mobile operating systems.
These are only a handful of myths surrounding the world of mobile app development. If you are interested to know more, keep your eyes peeled on this space!
