Author: sunvera

For the business owner that has not yet heard, instant apps are the latest feature that was created for Android. This new technology enables web content to be accessed directly from their browser without requiring installation of the full app. To get an idea of what this looks like, open Google Play on your phone and search for any store name. Look at the first app and you will see a blue banner on the top of the screen that says: “Instant”. This is an Instant App and it provides all of the functionality as the full version without any installation.

 

How Instant Apps Work

When a user goes to use an Instant App, they will click on the blue banner to access the experience. The website URL is then loaded into Android’s Custom Tabs and begins to function as if it were a standard native app. At this point, the user is only able to view the content of the website. If they want to use any extra features of that app or store then they will be prompted with a window that asks them to install the full app on their phone. Installing an Instant App is very fast and easy and does not require any special permissions like other apps do.

 

Ways Instant Apps Can Help A Business

Instant Apps are especially useful for mobile users who want to access web features but do not want to use up all of their phone’s storage by installing the full app. For this reason, instant apps are great for services like mobile banking, ticket sales, and messaging. They can be accessed directly on your Android phone instead of requiring installation from Google Play.

Instant apps help businesses by:

• Increasing the number of direct user interactions. They can be used to drive increased engagement and retention for a company’s website.
• Reduction in irrelevant searches. Since users are only browsing for information, there is a much lower chance that they will end up on websites that offer no value to them. As such, the probability of them clicking on paid ads goes up.
• Gain earned media. Google has stated that users who view Instant Apps show a higher degree of intent to explore the brand and its full suite of products or services. This is due to their ability to directly access these features from a website.
• Greater exposure across multiple platforms. Because Instant Apps are enabled for all Android devices and all browsers, the reach of your business is greatly increased.
• Fewer permissions. Since Instant Apps can access content from a website, they will not need any special permissions to function. This also means that your app does not require extra approval from Google before it is published like full apps do.

 

Popular Types Of Instant Apps That Drive Downloads

The most popular types of Instant Apps are those that help users accomplish a task or goal faster. This is why shopping apps and websites (ex: Amazon and eBay), ticketing services (ex: Eventbrite and Ticketmaster), and food ordering apps (ex: Seamless, Eat24) tend to be the most successful at gaining downloads from Instant Apps.

Here are the main categories of Instant Apps driving downloads:

 

1. Booking  

Instant apps are popular for e-commerce sites that offer services like train tickets, hotel booking, and flight bookings. Instead of forcing users to go to their website on a computer, they can simply access the instant app directly on their phone. This enables visitors who are searching for information about your business or products to take action immediately instead of bookmarking your site or following up with you later via email.

 

2. Sharing  

Instant apps are great tools for businesses that want their users to share content on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. By utilizing this technology, companies can make it easier than ever before for consumers to spread word-of-mouth marketing messages about their brand while driving more people to their website. For example, the “Share” Instant App by Ubisoft allows users to easily share gaming content from your site with their friends on Facebook and Google+.

 

3. Utility  

Websites that offer services and utilities like video and music streaming, food delivery, and restaurant reservations can benefit greatly from an instant app. Many times, apps tend to lead users away from a company’s website after they install it because they lose interest in the product or service long-term. By giving users instant access to these features without having to install anything, you are solving this problem and opening up new opportunities for growth via increased web traffic and ad conversion rates.

 

An instant app is essentially a win-win solution for both your business and consumers. You can boost visitor engagement by giving people new access to your website features that they couldn’t previously find, and users can take advantage of these same features without having to go through the lengthy process of downloading an app.

We’ve mainly discussed Android Instant Apps because it is the largest mobile operating system in the world. That said, Google introduced a new version of this technology for iOS developers called App Indexing. Essentially, it works just like Instant Apps except that links to your website will appear directly on Siri and Google Now search results. By allowing users to take action immediately from these platforms, you are opening up a whole new realm of user engagement with your brand.

That said, this version of Instant apps for iOS is still in its early stages, and only devices with the most recent version of iOS are supported. App Indexing is not available for all iOS apps just yet either. It requires an update to your app so there isn’t any feature at the moment until devs update their apps.

With both Android Instant Apps and App Indexing catching on quickly, it’s time you seriously consider adding these features to your website if they aren’t already there!

Sunvera Software develops next-level software applications from start-to-finish. We are a premier software and mobile app development agency specializing in healthcare mobile app development, custom mobile app development, telehealth software, sales dashboards, custom mobile app development services, retail software development, supply-chain software, ecommerce, shopify, web design, iBeacon apps, security solutions and unified access software.

We are proud partners with Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.

Schedule a free 30-minute call with us to discuss your business, or you can give us a call at (949) 284-6300.

For business owners, cyber data security is a key issue, and it’s important to be aware of your vulnerabilities and take precautions before a breach occurs. Many times a company assumes they are immune from attack simply because they have not experienced it yet. This is a big mistake as there is no way to predict a future attack if you don’t understand what kinds of threats exist against your business security today.

 

How To Determine If Business Data is Compromised

You can determine your business data is compromised by noticing if files on your computer’s desktop have been moved around; if you notice an unknown or suspicious file in a folder where it doesn’t belong, then that may be a sign of data compromise. Other signs to look for could include:

• More than one administrator account has been created
• Your system clock is incorrect or moves backward
• Applications run slower than usual or start and stop without reason
• Unexplained messages appear when using the Internet, such as pop-up warnings and alerts for activity observed by your security software

You can also determine whether your business data has been compromised by checking the access rights to all shared folders and reports on who has accessed them. If there appears to be unauthorized user accounts with no good reason behind their presence, then this is a good indication that your business data is compromised.

 

Difference Between Security Breach and Data being Compromised

While a security breach and data compromise illustrate two different states, they are often mistaken for one another. When you think of a security breach, it becomes easier to recognize the difference between that and data being compromised.

A breach refers to compromised network security, and it occurs when outside sources gain access to your internal network and begin to take information such as credit card numbers or social security numbers without authorization; in short—when someone unauthorized gets access to your business computer system.

Data being compromised is slightly different in that an authorized user does have permission to view certain folders or files on your company’s system; however, these same files may be viewed by individuals who should not be able, resulting in loss of sensitive information.

 

Actions To Take When Data is Compromised

Once you have determined that your data has been compromised, the first thing to do is disconnect from the Internet and shut down all computers connected to the network. If your systems are affected by more than one type of malware, then it will be important to download as many antivirus tools as possible and update them before running a scan. In order to make sure as much of your critical information as possible can be recovered once you re-connect with the world again, you should also make several backup copies of everything immediately. These backups can either be on an external hard drive or even sent off-site via a cloud backup system.

Once your security software has been updated, then restart your computer and manually run a scan using the updated antivirus program. If you have not already done so before shutting down the network, look through all documents on your company’s computer system for anything that shouldn’t be there or appears out of place. Delete anything you find without opening it to avoid spreading any possible viruses.

 

Strategies to Increase Security Going Forward

While there is no such thing as 100% security and certain businesses and organizations will suffer the consequences of a cyber data security breach, there are ways to minimize the damage done. In order to increase business data security going forward, you should implement several strategies including:

• Keeping up with industry regulations for handling sensitive company information
• Limiting how much personal information employees have access to
• Utilizing anti-virus software on all computers in your network
• Regularly backing up important data in case of a breach or computer crash
• Implementing strong password policies
• Restricting employees from enabling personal web browsers on work computers
• Keeping up-to-date with new types of cyber attacks
• Regularly training employees to recognize them

Accepting responsibility for any collateral damage resulting from a data breach can help speed up the process when it comes time to notify consumers whose credit card numbers or social identity information might have been stolen. Even before a breach happens, practicing good cyber data security measures can help ensure that your business gets back on its feet as quickly as possible if the worst-case scenario should arise.

Sunvera Software develops next-level software applications from start-to-finish. We are a premier software and mobile app development agency specializing in healthcare mobile app development, custom mobile app development, telehealth software, sales dashboards, custom mobile app development services, retail software development, supply-chain software, ecommerce, shopify, web design, iBeacon apps, security solutions and unified access software.

We are proud partners with Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.

Schedule a free 30-minute call with us to discuss your business, or you can give us a call at (949) 284-6300.

Given the increasing amount of uses that artificial intelligence applications offer, it’s no surprise that it can even be applied to image editing. Believe it or not, you too can enhance your images using an AI photo editing app.

 

What is AI Photo Editing?

AI photo editing is the process of using artificial intelligence to modify images digitally. In today’s age of digital photography, in which anyone can touch up their photos to make them look better, AI photo editing apps are available to help enhance your photos even further with a few taps or clicks on your phone.

Examples of AI photo editing apps available for download are StyleR, Prisma, and DeepArt. You can also use Adobe Photoshop to achieve the same results with its AI filters. Here is a short list of some of the best AI photo apps out there:

 

Photomath by Photomath

Photomath is a free iOS app that allows you to take a picture of a math problem and it will then show you the steps to solve that problem. This app also has an image editor built-in which lets you edit your pictures for brightness, contrast, saturation, and sharpness among other things.

 

PicsArt Photo Studio

This free Android app allows you to edit images for contrast, color balance, saturation, vignettes, and brightness among other things. You can also download additional tools which allow you to alter or add text, doodles, stickers, and collages to your image.

 

Samsung Bixby

Samsung’s AI software, Bixby, also has photo editing capabilities. It allows you to create collages and mosaics by just taking a picture of an object or scene which then creates the design based on that image.

 

Aviary

Aviary is very similar to PicsArt in its effects and tools. You can use Aviary to enhance brightness, contrast, saturation, and sharpness among other things. It also has several editing tools such as cropping and rotating images.

 

How Does AI Photo Editing Work

An AI edited photo can be done inside an app or through a software-based application installed on your computer. Using algorithms based on machine learning, deep learning, and neural networks, the software searches for patterns in your images associated with a particular style. It then applies these learned styles to other pictures by copying them pixel by pixel to achieve the same effect as the original picture.

An AI photo editing app, therefore, enhances images by examining the underlying pixels and adjusting them for what it thinks is a better image. It will decide which areas in your image need to be adjusted, depending on their brightness, saturation, or contrast. This allows you to change the colors of your image without affecting everything else in it, which is how AI photo editing apps manage to improve photos while keeping the subject recognizable.

 

Why It’s Easier To Use AI Photo Editing Rather Than Manual Editing

Manual editing is difficult because it requires that you know what you are doing and a lot of trial and error. If the subject of your photo is not facing a certain way, sometimes there is no choice but to make it face another way which requires cropping, rotating, or flipping the image around. You also have to manually get all your tools ready such as contrast, brightness, saturation, vignette, etc. before you even start tinkering with the variables to get the desired results. You need a more in-depth understanding of how these tools affect your image and how they can be combined. This can be time-consuming if you need more than one picture done.

That is why it’s often easier to use AI photo editing software where everything is done for you automatically. With AI photo editing, you do not have to tweak all of the portions in your image as it will automatically pick out the areas that need adjustment while leaving other areas untouched. This means that you won’t have to spend time doing manual editing or fiddling around with different filters and effects just to get from A to B. The software saves you time and energy.

 

While AI photo editors have been around for quite some time, they have increased in quality and user-friendliness, empowering you to carry out great photo-editing work on the go, just by using your smartphone. There are several other benefits to using AI photo editing apps, including the fact that it allows you to edit your pictures at any time without having to download different software programs. It also makes it easier to become better at photography since it doesn’t require a lot of practice or skill to get the hang of.

Although many have concerns over privacy protection for their images, so far there is no data or evidence that AI photo editing apps will steal your pictures and use them for malicious purposes. Instead, these apps actually allow you to protect your privacy by removing unwanted objects and errors from your pictures.

As the technology becomes more advanced, soon all you will need is good taste and vision to carry out basic photo editing tasks. Let’s see what the future holds!

Sunvera Software develops next-level software applications from start-to-finish. We are a premier software and mobile app development agency specializing in healthcare mobile app development, custom mobile app development, telehealth software, sales dashboards, custom mobile app development services, retail software development, supply-chain software, ecommerce, shopify, web design, iBeacon apps, security solutions and unified access software.

We are proud partners with Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.

Schedule a free 30-minute call with us to discuss your business, or you can give us a call at (949) 284-6300.

eCommerce app development has been helping businesses sell their products or services on the internet through an online store. A custom-built eCommerce website and app with a feature-rich shopping cart system will allow you to take orders from multiple channels—from web browsers to mobile devices.

Shopping cart software allows you to put products on sale and introduce discounts as needed. It lets your customers purchase multiple items with a single click of the mouse or tap on their smartphone. You can track inventory, manage orders, calculate tax and shipping charges, and more. That is why both an eCommerce app and an eCommerce website are necessary.

 

Why It’s Important To Have An eCommerce App In Addition To An eCommerce Website

In an increasingly competitive market, it is important for you to keep your business in the lead. The advantage of a custom-built eCommerce application and website with a feature-rich shopping cart system will help you stay ahead of the competition by making your online store more efficient and profitable, ultimately resulting in increased sales.

You may already have an eCommerce website for your business. But a customizable, feature-rich online eCommerce app can help you increase sales and boost customer engagement. Your app will have all of the features that are available on your website, but also some that go beyond it. It has been proven that businesses get more revenue by having both an eCommerce website and an eCommerce app, rather than just a website or an app alone.

Such an app allows you to give your customers access to their order details from anywhere, at any time. They can check the status of orders and track deliveries in real-time. With a customizable eCommerce app, you can let your customers:

• Place orders.
• Check order status and tracking details.
• View their purchase history.
• Access their favorite items with a single click or tap.
• Your eCommerce app will also help resolve issues quickly and efficiently by providing the following features to your customers:
• Account management (including the ability to view and edit personal information).
• Real-time notifications for new orders, order status changes, shipment updates, and more.
• Contact support or your company directly from the app with a single tap or click.

 

Why a Custom eCommerce App is Better Than an Off-the-shelf App

Custom eCommerce app development is more than just installing shopping cart software. An off-the-shelf app may help your business accept online orders through multiple channels; however, the main drawback is that it cannot be designed to completely meet your specific business requirements.

For this reason, you need an online eCommerce app with all the desired features of your website plus some additional features that go beyond it. When doing custom eCommerce app development for your company then developers look into every nitty-gritty detail to ensure that their product will satisfy what you are looking for. Customized eCommerce app development is harder than just making an off-the-shelf shopping cart software but your ROI will be more than worth it.

An eCommerce app’s customizations may include the following:

• A different color scheme.
• Different interface elements, widgets, and buttons.
• Menu items that are not available on your eCommerce website account for these features may be added or removed.
• You can use an integrated advertising platform to advertise specific products or services within the app directly from the admin panel by adjusting the time duration of ads, adding promo codes, etc.

The following are some critical advantages of a custom-built eCommerce app over off-the-shelf shopping cart software:

More Revenue

With a feature-rich customizable eCommerce app for multiple channels, you can boost customer engagement and increase sales by giving them access to their orders from anywhere at any time. You can also give your customers personalized offers and options which will help them find exactly what they are looking for.

 

Higher Customer Satisfaction

With a feature-rich customizable eCommerce app, your customers can track their order status and receive instant notifications regarding new orders, order status changes or updates, shipment tracking details, etc.

 

Hassle-Free Order and Shipping Management

An eCommerce app gives you the ability to manage all of your online store’s information from a single platform. Plus, an integrated shipping management system that works with various carriers such as FedEx, UPS, USPS, and others allows merchants to enjoy increased business productivity by saving time and money on shipping labels and postage printing.

 

Lower Development Costs

By creating a custom website template you can keep your production costs low.

 

Faster Time to Market

With a feature-rich customizable eCommerce app, you can launch new exceptional products and services quickly to stay ahead of the competition.

 

With the cost-effective development of custom eCommerce apps with powerful features, it is easy for all businesses from start-ups to small and large enterprises alike to monetize their website by using this simple yet effective business solution.

Now that you have a better understanding of what goes into a custom eCommerce app, and what makes them so advantageous, the time is right to contact a reliable off-the-shelf or custom eCommerce apps development company so they can guide you through every step of the process and help you achieve bottom-line success.

Sunvera Software develops next-level software applications from start-to-finish. We are a premier software and mobile app development agency specializing in healthcare mobile app development, custom mobile app development, telehealth software, sales dashboards, custom mobile app development services, retail software development, supply-chain software, ecommerce, shopify, web design, iBeacon apps, security solutions and unified access software.

We are proud partners with Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.

Schedule a free 30-minute call with us to discuss your business, or you can give us a call at (949) 284-6300.

Over the past few years, AI has grown in leaps and bounds, becoming more accessible to the average developer through APIs like IBM Watson, Microsoft Bot Framework, Wit.ai, and many more. We’ve seen that even small app developers can employ AI implementation within their apps to provide a better experience for their customers. The benefits are clear, but, of course, there may also be some disadvantages of AI.

 

What AI Apps Can Do and How they Function

AI provides a level of automated intelligence that is built into apps to perform simple tasks such as voice recognition, natural language processing, and image / facial recognition. For example, an app might be able to transcribe your speech and display the text within the user interface – allowing you to use dictation without having to touch the screen (for instance).

AI can enable apps to perform human-like tasks such as: Taking pictures and detecting the number of people in them, their locations and facial expressions Recognizing objects within images/videos, reading text from documents Parsing handwritten text from paper documents Identifying specific sounds, music or TV shows based on a sample.

There are many different ways to implement AI within your app. Here are a few examples:

• APIs: This is one of the easiest ways for developers to integrate AI features into an app. IBM Watson offers a variety of voice recognition and natural language processing APIs that can be connected to any application or website via simple code.
• Bots: they add a level of automation within apps. They can be created through APIs, but they can also be implemented as stand-alone bots that respond to the user input and requests on their own using an application’s programming language (HTML5, Java etc.).
• Mobile: some AI is built into mobile operating systems (Android and iOS). Google’s Assistant, Siri, and Amazon Alexa are all examples.

That said, there are some potential problems and AI implementation challenges that developers face:

• False-positive results: when the AI mistakes irrelevant information for a specific thing (for example, thinking that a picture of a cow is of a dog).
• Bad results with inconsistent inputs: when the AI doesn’t understand how to handle certain types of data (for example, words that it doesn’t recognize or sounds that it can’t identify).
• Complexity: AI implementation within an app may require some time and deep learning expertise, which may be a challenge for certain app owners.

 

Pros and Cons of AI Apps

The advantages and disadvantages of AI implemented within apps are not universal truths. They will depend on the specific case as each implementation varies from one to the next. It was found that developers who have already implemented AI into their apps tend to list more positive things as opposed to those who have not yet implemented it.

Here are some advantages that come with using AI within apps:

1. Better customer experience– Through features such as voice command, natural language processing, image recognition, etc. It provides for an improved user experience. Better accuracy when compared to manual data entry—in the case of repetitive tasks or ones where there is a lot of data.
2. Increased app security– Using facial recognition that can verify a user’s identity. Increased productivity and efficiency for the end-user by having a bot automate routine tasks within apps (such as transcribing voice to text).
3. Efficiency– AI can help predict future usage, use of time, and resources which allows the app owner to schedule tasks.

There are also some disadvantages when it comes to implementing AI within your app (if not used correctly):

1. Not useful for every type of data – The more complex the input, the less accurate results may be. If you use images, videos, or audio samples as inputs, bear in mind that they need to be clear enough to ensure quality results.
2. Requires time and effort – There will be a learning curve both for you and end-users if they are using an application that has AI features implemented into it. The training process can also require additional testing before deployment.
3. Potential security risks – By connecting services in ways that were not previously possible (such as having third parties access your databases), you increase the risk of security breaches. Before connecting your service to any other, make sure that it is secure and has the necessary level of protection.

 

AI can be a powerful tool in improving an app’s functionality and user experience, however, it demands time and effort from you and your team in order to do so successfully. It is important to note that AI will not solve every problem within an app— it can only be used with certain tasks (i.e. with repetitive actions).

As you make your decision on whether to implement AI into your app or not, bear in mind all of its advantages and disadvantages as well as the time and effort that may be required for you and your team.

Sunvera Software develops next-level software applications from start-to-finish. We are a premier software and mobile app development agency specializing in healthcare mobile app development, custom mobile app development, telehealth software, sales dashboards, custom mobile app development services, retail software development, supply-chain software, ecommerce, shopify, web design, iBeacon apps, security solutions and unified access software.

We are proud partners with Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.

Schedule a free 30-minute call with us to discuss your business, or you can give us a call at (949) 284-6300.

The app marketplace is constantly changing. Developers are always thinking of new ways to make apps more efficient, user-friendly, easy to use, and accessible for people to download onto their devices.

Another area that tech experts are exploring is the ways in which both low/no-code app development and Android Instant Apps can help the industry move forward even faster than it already is.

 

What are Low/No Code Apps?

Low-code and no-code apps are built using low-level, easy-to-learn programming languages allowing developers to create basic apps without knowing how to code. When compared with high-code app development, the process is much faster, as there is less coding involved. Not only is it quicker to build an app, but the apps are also created with limited features that can be upgraded later on if needed.

One of the most popular low-code app development platforms is called Appy Pie. This platform uses no coding, no prior experience, and doesn’t require high-level skills to build an app. Appy Pie’s users include entrepreneurs, marketers, sales teams, and small business owners worldwide, who are looking for a low-code/no-code app builder with the flexibility to produce apps without coding. One of Appy Pie’s users, Jim Bouchard, is a self-proclaimed “serial entrepreneur” who was looking for an easy way to build his own professional real estate app. Without any prior coding experience or knowledge, Bouchard used Appy Pie to build a real estate app within minutes.

 

What are Instant Apps?

Google Play Instant Apps are “lightweight” modules of the full app that run instantly without installation. Instead of downloading the entire app, users can open targeted pages or sections within apps straight from Google search results. For example, instead of using Facebook’s native mobile app to look at someone’s profile, you could simply click on their name and immediately go to their profile page within Facebook directly through a web browser link on your phone – all without having to download or install anything onto your device from the app store. You’ll still have access to some features like photos and status updates, but not everything. This can be incredibly appealing to users who are looking for a less intrusive experience while still being able to use the app in some capacity.

 

Reasons Why These Kinds of Apps Will Become More Popular

Google Play Instant Apps are particularly useful for developers because it allows them to “upgrade” their apps without losing any of their previous users, since the Instant App has its own unique URL. This means that if a user doesn’t like the Instant App or finds it isn’t useful to them, they can always go back to the original app. This could be incredibly beneficial for developers, because if users like the Instant App better than the original version, they’ll still want to use that instead of the native app.

Google will also display app ratings and reviews on its search engine results page (SERP), meaning that if an Instant App’s rating is high, it will likely rank higher than the native app, and will therefore be more likely to be downloaded by users straight from Google.

With regards to Low/No-code apps, by allowing easier access to the creation of apps with minimal coding, they essentially open the door for creatives with a vision but without coding experience or knowledge to bring their ideas to life.

 

How Developers May Be Impacted by Low/No Code and Instant Apps

Developers who wish to create Instant Apps would have to use Android’s Instant App development tools, which are currently in preview mode. As the name suggests, these tools allow for the creation of an “instant app” without having to build a full-fledged app beforehand. This means that apps can be launched and updated quickly since there is less of a need for extensive coding and testing.

Developers who wish to create Low/No-code apps can do so through platforms like Appy Pie, which require almost zero technical knowledge. They allow developers to build their own app without the need for any prior coding experience or knowledge, as users can create their own functional apps in minutes by following simple “point and click” instructions.

How these kinds of tools will impact marketers: No-code development platforms would open business owners’ minds to building their own mobile app without first needing an expert coder or developer who knows how to code on a professional level. Instant apps would also give businesses more access to advanced marketing analytics, as more and more Instant Apps would begin to appear on Google’s platform and users would be exposed to these “lighter” apps.

 

Sunvera Software develops next-level software applications from start-to-finish. We are a premier software and mobile app development agency specializing in healthcare mobile app development, custom mobile app development, telehealth software, sales dashboards, custom mobile app development services, retail software development, supply-chain software, ecommerce, shopify, web design, iBeacon apps, security solutions and unified access software.

We are proud partners with Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.

Schedule a free 30-minute call with us to discuss your business, or you can give us a call at (949) 284-6300.

As the complexity of software grows, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to manage. Mobile apps are even more complicated; they must be small and lightweight enough to run on phones yet capable of running huge server-side codebases written in languages like Ruby or Java.

These languages often require large sets of dependencies that you have no control over, making it difficult to maintain a stable environment for your app. And as new developers join the project, their work must be blended together with everyone else’s as seamlessly as possible.

In order to keep up with all these demands, an automated process needs to be implemented to run every time a change is made by a developer. This process helps ensure that integration issues don’t arise and that the quality of your app doesn’t slip below an acceptable threshold.

Continuous integration vs continuous delivery is an ongoing discussion about the two processes facilitating constant improvement and stability for smart applications.

 

What Are Continuous Integration And Continuous Delivery?

Continuous integration is the practice of regularly merging a developer’s work to a mainline, preferably several times a day. It helps developers streamline new integration changes and stay up-to-date with the latest adjustments in the trunk, enabling detection of any potential problems early on.

Continuous integration is great for agile teams developing mobile apps because it’s quick (developers commit their code frequently), it’s automated (no need to manually integrate branches), and it encourages collaboration between team members (because multiple developers can work on the same branch).

Meanwhile, continuous delivery is a software engineering approach in which teams produce software in short cycles, ensuring that it can be reliably released at any time. It’s about merging different processes with a faster and more frequent execution, making sure every change is always production-ready. Instead of hoping for a perfect implementation before releasing to production, continuous delivery allows you to release early and often.

 

How Do These Techniques Improve App Performance and Function?

Continuous integration and continuous delivery improve app performance and function by ensuring that your app is stable and dependable. Rather than worrying about integration issues, you can simply run your automated build process and be confident that everything will work as intended.

You’ll also improve the quality of your code by carrying out continuous integration and delivery since each new change is tested before it’s merged into the trunk or mainline. With every change tested, it’s less likely that you’ll end up with bugs in production.

Continuous delivery involves verifying that each new build is of high quality, performing automated testing, and validating that the build can be deployed successfully throughout your environments. Continuous delivery also monitors performance metrics to ensure that key indicators are within normal ranges.

Continuous integration helps you detect problems early on in the development process by making sure every small change doesn’t break larger systems. It makes it easy for developers to catch mistakes themselves instead of having to rely on others. It also uses automated unit tests, which are faster and less expensive than manual testing. These tests can be run after every commit or during nightly builds, ensuring that even if a mistake is introduced, the most recent working version is still functional.

The main challenge of implementing continuous integration and delivery is finding the right tools for your mobile app team. You need a process which can run smoothly on your server(s) without taking down your build machine, and you need something that your development team will be willing to use.

 

Strategies For Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery

First, let’s look at a few tools out there that can help integrate these two processes on mobile apps, including:

Jenkins — This popular open-source tool supports iOS, Android, Windows Phone 8, Blackberry 10, Xamarin Test Cloud, Cordova/PhoneGap, and RhoMobile. It can be configured via a web UI or from a command line interface.

TeamCity — This tool is built by JetBrains, the makers of the popular Kotlin and IntelliJ IDEA cross-platform mobile app development environments. TeamCity integrates with Maven and Gradle, and there’s a plugin for Jenkins that makes it easy to set up an “iOS continuous integration server” which can deploy builds to Apple’s iTunes Connect and TestFlight.

Travis CI — This automated app building service supports iOS, Android, and other platforms without requiring your own build machine. It integrates with GitHub so you can automatically trigger builds when you push to your repository, and you can run your tests on Travis CI using the Sauce Labs cloud-based iOS and Android testing platform.

Now let’s look at some guidelines to follow when employing both processes:

Running automated tests frequently

Instead of running manual test suites at infrequent intervals, continuous integration means your team will always have an automated suite running.

Keeping your team lean

When continuous integration is implemented correctly, there’s no need for the traditional “integration phase” that comes at the end of software development. Your team can simply push small snippets of code to the trunk whenever they’re done working on them instead of waiting until all features are complete before merging their work together.

Enforcing stricter discipline in your codebase

When everyone commits changes to the same branch frequently, you’ll definitely want to keep things consistent with your existing code so you don’t break anything! Having a robust test suite will allow developers to be confident enough in their changes that they won’t hesitate to commit their work. This way, only real problems or bugs will make it through your test suite, and your team can find and fix them before they affect users.

Your app will perform better when you use continuous delivery because changes are automatically deployed to production as soon as they pass all of your tests — no matter how small or large. The more frequent your deployments, the less time there is between a feature’s completion and it being used by real users — which means any problems with that new feature will be addressed faster.

Additionally, if one change, in particular, causes an issue on the live site, only that specific version needs to be rolled back instead of reverting back to a previous version that might have been known to cause problems in the past. Continuous delivery also makes post-launch debugging processes much easier since developers know for certain which change caused the issue.

Continuous delivery allows you to stay informed about what your users are experiencing. This can help you identify and solve issues faster, making for a better user experience, which builds trust with your customer base. It can also reveal new areas of improvement that might have been overlooked during pre-launch testing phases — this is especially helpful if you’re developing an app from scratch as opposed to building on top of an existing app’s codebase, where discrepancies in data schema might be more difficult to detect. If something does go wrong, you’ll easily be able to pinpoint the exact version responsible since you always roll out specific versions instead of pushing untested changes en masse.

 

Android vs iOS Continuous Integration

Android continuous integration builds and runs tests on a server, while iOS uses the same developer machine as the build target. Enabling Android continuous integration can be done in Android Studio by going to “Build > Enable for continuous integration” from the menu bar.

From there, you’ll need to connect your android codebase with a specific ios or android server — refer to the official documentation for more details on how this process works.

Once your build target is connected, you’ll be able to access a number of different reports from within Android Studio by going to “View > Test reports” from the menu bar. The most important of these reports will include anything that failed unit tests.

 

Continuous Delivery Performance Testing

Continuous delivery performance testing evaluates your most recent build with an infrastructure that is representative of your production infrastructure. Performance testing also helps you determine if there are any bottlenecks in your continuous delivery pipeline and gives you a chance to spend time fixing them before problems arise when large numbers of users access your application from different geographic locations or with various network connections.

This performance testing process can be automated by using tools like Jenkins or ART, which have plugins for various open source frameworks that enable you to configure performance tests.

An important part of the process is to decide on performance metrics that will help you determine if there is a bottleneck and also to decide if changes need to be made. Some of the most popular metrics include:

Time to first byte response time: This is the total time elapsed from when a client requests for your application to send out data. It is measured using log files on the server that have timestamps and gauges how fast your page is taking to load. The lower this number is, the better it is for your application.

Queries per second: This is the number of queries that are fired to fetch data from your database. Queries per second are usually measured by measuring the load on your database server. This is important because the higher the number of queries, the longer it will take to send back data.

Connection close response time: This metric looks at the time taken for a client to receive a response from your application. These measurements are usually done by checking the log files on the server that have a timestamp. The longer it takes for your application to send back data, the more time your users have to wait before they can interact with your application. The lower this number is, the better it is for your application. The maximum value for this metric depends on various factors such as network speed and the load on your server.

Network bandwidth: This metric is a measure of the average throughput over a period of time. This metric is measured by sending data to and from your application server. This number is important because the higher this number, the more that can be sent to your application in a short period of time, this indicates that there is low latency. The higher the value of this metric, the happier your users will be because they have a fast experience. This metric is usually measured using a host or a load balancer which sends data to and from your application server.

The need for speed: It is really important to keep track of the critical metrics in your continuous delivery pipeline because they indicate the performance of your application. The higher these metrics are, the happier your users will be because they get a great user experience with faster load times for your app. It is also important to make sure that these numbers are low because it means fewer resources will be needed on your servers and you can scale efficiently.

You also have to be prepared for any failures that may arise during testing. It is important to have error handling features in place where necessary to ensure that your users are not redirected to error pages, thereby losing their session.

Measuring these performance metrics because it helps you track trends and fix any issues before they arise so your application can scale well as the number of users on your app increases. You find out if any changes need to be made because it directly impacts your users and helps maintain a great user experience.

With proper performance monitoring in place, you can react to changes with ease and ensure that your deployment is always ready for production. You also get to make better decisions because you will be able to see the impact of any changes that you make to your application firsthand.

 

Continuous integration and delivery are therefore essential to your app because they help ensure that your application is always ready for production and can scale well. They make it easier to deploy applications and prepare for any changes arising during performance testing because you will have error handling in place where necessary. Continuous integration and continuous delivery essentially improve app performance and empower you with the tools necessary to ensure a great user experience for your customers, which is ultimately the end goal of app development.

 

Sunvera Software develops next-level software applications from start-to-finish. We are a premier software and mobile app development agency specializing in healthcare mobile app development, custom mobile app development, telehealth software, sales dashboards, custom mobile app development services, retail software development, supply-chain software, ecommerce, shopify, web design, iBeacon apps, security solutions and unified access software.

We are proud partners with Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.

Schedule a free 30-minute call with us to discuss your business, or you can give us a call at (949) 284-6300.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is the standard when it comes to authenticating users in large networks. The use of passwords alone can lead to security issues, rendering them inadequate for protecting your data and resources. Two-factor authentication (2FA) and three-factor authentication (3FA), on the other hand, provide additional security by requiring more than one factor to confirm a user’s identity. When properly implemented, MFA is highly effective in protecting your data and resources from malicious activities such as unauthorized access and breaches.

 

What Is Off-The-Shelf Authentication Software?

Off-the-shelf authentication software is intended for companies looking to purchase pre-made security products. The packages are designed with certain users in mind by industry, job type, or even data sensitivity.

The benefits of purchasing this kind of user authentication software include:

• Lower costs compared to customized solutions.
• Ready availability and fast implementation.
• Lower training requirements for end-users.

There are many software products which you can use to implement MFA, among them AuthAnvil MFA, an off-the-shelf software offering flexible authentication options and easy integration with existing systems and platforms. It is a suitable alternative for onsite and cloud-based deployments as it can be implemented on-demand or as a subscription model.

The use of AuthAnvil MFA is easy and straightforward, requiring only the registration of users in its system. Users can then select their desired authentication method during registration or when authenticating themselves after login.

Based on our experience with AuthAnvil MFA, below are some of the advantages that we have found:

• Offers mobile phone, landline and VOIP call as a second authentication factor
• Provides two-factor authentication for Office 365 including Microsoft Outlook Web Access
• Supports authentication with Google Authenticator app on iOS and Android devices
• Offers a flexible choice of factors which is not limited to only mobile devices

This is simply one example of multi-factor authentication software options available on the market, but before you rush ahead and purchase one of them, you need to consider their disadvantages.

 

Why You Should Avoid Off-The-Shelf Authentication Software

The off-the-shelf options are simply not the best multi-factor authentication software when you consider all their downsides, which ultimately outweigh their appeal. Save a few exceptions, these are common problems with the off-the-shelf options: 

• Lack of integration with existing on-premises or cloud-based applications.
• Inability to support future IT projects, expansion plans, and to integrate with homegrown applications, cloud-based platforms, or other third-party solutions.
• Reduced flexibility and compatibility for accommodating future user requirements.

In fact, many off-the-shelf products only support a limited number of authentication factors, which may not be enough to ensure that users’ identities are authenticated properly. That is why it is recommended that you work with security experts to design your own multi-factor authentication solution. This way, you can be certain that your network’s needs are met and that the system will support any future expansions or other changes.

 

Benefits of Custom Authentication Software

When it comes to user authentication software, your best option is to make sure it is customized to suit your company’s needs. Enterprises can choose from a broad range of customizable authentication factors, including:

• Integration with existing applications.
• Effortless expansion and incorporation of future IT projects.
• Flexibility to accommodate user requirements in the long run.
• Biometrics and two-factor authentication.
• Personal devices, such as smartphones and USB tokens.
• Cloud-based applications, such as RSA SecurID or SafeNet Authentication Service.
• Voice verification.
• SMS or email codes.

Although it is more costly to have multi-factor authentication software developed from scratch, the benefits that come from it far outweigh the costs.

A custom solution can also be updated as new technology becomes available, ensuring you are always up-to-date with security measures. Customizable authentication software is beneficial no matter what size your company is or how many users it employs.

 

Since off-the-shelf authentication software is intended for organizations looking to purchase pre-made security products, it comes with the abovementioned disadvantages. While off-the-shelf authentication software may seem like the most affordable option, it is hard to justify given its limitations. Customized multi-factor authentication solutions are highly recommended for organizations looking for a cost-effective and high-performance security solution.

Because of these limitations, off-the-shelf software is not considered best practice when it comes to multi-factor authentication. If you are looking for optimum security for your organization, you cannot go wrong if you opt for a custom deployed solution instead!

Sunvera Software develops next-level software applications from start-to-finish. We are a premier software and mobile app development agency specializing in healthcare mobile app development, custom mobile app development, telehealth software, sales dashboards, custom mobile app development services, retail software development, supply-chain software, ecommerce, shopify, web design, iBeacon apps, security solutions and unified access software.

We are proud partners with Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.

Schedule a free 30-minute call with us to discuss your business, or you can give us a call at (949) 284-6300.

Instant apps are smaller Android apps that can be downloaded quickly, without having to install them. They are supported by Android 6.0 Marshmallow and later versions of Android through Google Play Services’ instant app API framework.

Previously known as modular APKs before their official debut at Google I/O 2016, they are currently supported by some developers including BuzzFeed, Wish, Periscope, and Viki.

According to Google, Instant Apps are intended for “lightweight” applications that don’t require all of their functionality. These apps can “expand” into their full versions through a link, but only if the user launches them that way.

Instant apps are designed to work with Android’s modular nature, where developers can deploy just the parts of an app they want to give users access to at first. This saves space on your device and helps speed up download and installation times.

 

 

Why Use Instant Apps?

Instant Apps are an effort by Google to deliver mobile content faster, using the company’s online services. First introduced as an effort to interest users not willing to fully download apps from the Google Play Store, as a move to compete with Facebook’s options, Instant apps are fully functional within 5 seconds of clicking on the link.

For example, if someone clicks on an article on mobile Instagram or Twitter, the instant app will effectively open up instantaneously, with the article on screen. The new feature is intended for apps that are not usually downloaded, but may be useful to people occasionally, such as banks or payment apps.

But for users who want more functionality from their apps, they can choose to install them instead of using just the instant version.

 

 

How to Get Started with Instant Apps?

Instant apps require a bit of setup, but most developers can get started in a matter of minutes. There are two ways you can develop instant apps: through Android Studio or by using the command line.

To get started via Android Studio, go to Tools > Instant Apps and set your project as an instant app project. You can then set up test accounts and configure the URLs that Instant Apps will open. Once you’re done, build the project for release and upload your app to Google Play Console just like a normal Android app.

To develop through the command line, developers need to install the latest version of Android Studio and have access to the command line via Terminal (Linux or Mac) or Command Prompt (Windows). They can then run one of the following commands to build an instant app:

1. Make an instant app by supplying a base module and its dependencies. This process is similar to building an Android library project.

gradlew -PinstantApp=true -PinstantAppGooglePlayServicesVersion=17 -PinstantAppStoreListVersion=17 assembleModules

1. Make an instant app by supplying a feature module and its dependencies. This process is similar to building an Android application project.

gradlew -PinstantApp=true -PandroidRootProjectDir=/path/to/base/project -PinstantAppGooglePlayServicesVersion=17 -PinstantAppStoreListVersion=17 assembleProject

2. Once you’ve got your APK ready, you can then upload it to Google Play Store by logging into the Google Play Console.
3. On the left menu, under ” Instant Apps,” select ” Set up Google Play Instant .”
4. Follow the on-screen instructions, then click “Next”.
5. Add one or more instant app details including a name and image URL that users will see when they access your instant app. Once you’re done, click “Save.”
6. Now, look for an email from Google Play Console. Click on the link to accept the invitation and complete the setup for your instant app.
7. Once you’ve accepted the invitation, you’ll be able to see a list of all your published apps, including both instant and those already installed, offering users a choice between the two.

 

 

Android’s Instant Apps vs. Apple’s Instant Apps

Instant Apps for iOS Apps are different from Android Instant Apps in a few ways.

For iOS apps, Apple provides an API so developers can enable Instant Apps without having to rebuild the app from scratch. Additionally, Apple says that any existing app can be enabled as an instant app with no additional work required, but it’s unclear how much of the codebase will transfer over to the new format.

Apple’s version is based on its App Store and doesn’t require any updating of individual apps. In a way, Instant Apps are similar to Apple’s universal links, which allow you to push content from one app or website to another. While Instant apps can be seen as a “lite” version of an app, universal links only point out to the original and don’t offer any use once clicked on.

In contrast to Google’s Instant Apps, Apple’s version is more rigid. Users will have to fully download their apps in order to get access to all of the features. If a user tries to go outside of the app, then it will simply redirect them back within the browser.

While Android Instant Apps are designed to facilitate user access to apps they want, Apple’s new iOS App Store introduced something similar called App Preview Messaging, which is meant to grant iPhone and iPad users without all of the necessary software, the option to experience new apps even if they don’t have them installed.

The difference is that Apple’s instant messaging allows users to share apps via iMessage, where Android Instant Apps are simply lightweight versions of the actual app. Google also plans on expanding its instant apps platform for all developers, not only those with iOS devices.

 

Google promises two benefits with the introduction of Instant Apps:

1) To make it easier for people to discover apps and content from your brand.

2) To lessen the need for web pages where you can place a link for people to access instead of having to install an app.

As a developer, you can check out the documentation at android.com/instantapps/ and register for more information on how to use instant apps and get started with this new technology.

From an app developer’s standpoint, it’s still unclear how much will change to the codebase in order for Instant Apps to work – especially since these apps are meant to be temporary and meant for discovery, not long-term use.

Will Apple’s App Preview Messaging, which is more limited in terms of what it can do compared to Instant Apps, make a difference? Will multi-platform support be a factor in the future as Google moves towards a unified cross-platform experience using its material design philosophy?

We’ll find out more as Instant Apps start to roll out and we gain a better insight into developers’ experiences.

For now, it seems like Apple’s messaging feature is limited to iMessages, whereas Google’s Instant Apps will open up for Android users who don’t have the app installed. It will be interesting to see what happens next.

 

Sunvera Software develops next-level software applications from start-to-finish. We are a premier software and mobile app development agency specializing in healthcare mobile app development, custom mobile app development, telehealth software, sales dashboards, custom mobile app development services, retail software development, supply-chain software, ecommerce, shopify, web design, iBeacon apps, security solutions and unified access software.

We are proud partners with Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.

Schedule a free 30-minute call with us to discuss your business, or you can give us a call at (949) 284-6300.

In the world of technology, time is a precious commodity. App developers have to strike a balance between features and simplicity when designing applications. Google introduced two new application types for Android devices in order to streamline user experience: Progressive Web Apps (PWA) and Instant Apps. Both serve the same purposes but work in different ways.

 

What are Progressive Web Apps?

Progressive Web Apps are native web applications that run on mobile devices. The first step towards their creation was to develop new web APIs. PWA works like a typical app. It is installed through the Google Play Store and launched like any other Android app. However, it’s website-like interface allows users to access it on multiple devices without having to search for an alternative. Progressive Web Apps are comparable to Instant Apps, but they’re far from the same thing.

 

What are Instant Apps?

Instant Apps are a new Android framework that makes it possible to run apps from the Google Play Store without installation. They’re installed as an intent, so they run in a separate sandbox and don’t have access to the rest of the system resources. In fact, Instant apps do not even need to be downloaded from the Play Store. Users can instantly run it from the URL provided by the developers. This technology may be used to run a fully functional app from a single link.

The biggest difference between them is that Instant Apps can only run on Android devices, while PWA works on any user-friendly web browser. There are additional differences between them, but these are the most notable.

 

Instant Apps Pros & Cons

Pros: Instant Apps may be used to run a fully functional app from a single link without installation. It can be accessed offline and does not require high-quality front and back-end development. This technology may make it possible to run apps on older Android devices with software problems or limited storage space.

Cons: Instant Apps do not support push notifications and web app icons like PWA. Some users may experience compatibility and performance problems when attempting to use them across various hardware and software.

 

Progressive Web Apps Pros & Cons

Pros: Progressive web apps give users a native app-like experience. They can be installed from the Google Play Store and accessed offline. PWA allows developers to include push notifications, web app icons, splash screens, etc. PWA gives users a higher degree of control over privacy and security since they run on the user’s devices rather than in a sandbox.

Cons: Progressive web apps do not have access to native device features, such as your camera and microphone. This makes it hard for developers to create a fully functional application in a short amount of time. PWA does not support the Android version 4.0 or earlier, so users may need alternative solutions in order to run apps on older devices.

 

PWA vs Instant Apps: Which One is Better For Businesses?

As you’d expect, when it comes to deciding whether a PWA or Instant Apps provide better advantages for business owners, it depends on what you’re looking for, on your needs. Progressive web apps and instant applications both provide a good user experience by making the process of finding and installing apps easier, which is why many businesses are starting to use them in their marketing strategies.

Instant apps are cheaper to develop and easier to maintain than PWAs, which require significantly more resources to create, although developers may speed up the process with ready-made solutions that work across all platforms. Instant apps are also less demanding for users since they run on small devices with limited storage space and memory, and don’t require installation. If you already have an Android app (or were intending to develop one), it makes more sense to upgrade to instant apps.

Meanwhile, if you want your users to have access to your products on any browser and operating system, you think they’d benefit from a more personalized experience, that it’s more efficient to have the apps run on a user’s device, rather than in a sandbox, especially because that gives them a higher degree of control over privacy and security since this way they can access the user’s camera and microphone, then progressive web apps are the way to go.

 

Sunvera Software develops next-level software applications from start-to-finish. We are a premier software and mobile app development agency specializing in healthcare mobile app development, custom mobile app development, telehealth software, sales dashboards, custom mobile app development services, retail software development, supply-chain software, ecommerce, shopify, web design, iBeacon apps, security solutions and unified access software.

We are proud partners with Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.

Schedule a free 30-minute call with us to discuss your business, or you can give us a call at (949) 284-6300.