Mobile Development FAQs
What is a mobile app?
A mobile app is software that, once installed in your Smartphone, allows you to perform advanced tasks that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to do. Think of them as the mobile equivalent to the desktop applications we’re used to installing and using in our personal computers.
What is the difference between a mobile app and a mobile website?
The main difference is that a mobile website does not require installation in your Smartphone. It is an application based on the internet and, therefore, you need to use a browser to view it´s URL, just like you would to view any other website. For this reason, mobile websites can be browsed from any mobile phone.
On the other hand, mobile apps are designed and custom developed in the technologies supported by each mobile phone’s Operating System. For this reason, they require download and installation. It is because mobile apps are installed on your Smartphone that their interaction with your mobile phone becomes closer and a larger variety of specific functionality can be developed.
Another difference is that, generally speaking, mobile apps are more expensive to develop than mobile websites.
What types of mobile apps do you develop?
Merlin A.I. Softs develops mobile apps for the following Smartphones:
- iPhone/iPad
- Android
- BlackBerry
- Windows Phone 7
How long does it take to complete a mobile app?
A mobile app’s development time varies greatly from one app to another. The reason is that development time is proportional to each app’s specs and complexity. The minimum time required to develop a mobile app is approximately 4 weeks.
How much does a mobile app development cost?
Similar to development execution and completion times, mobile app development costs vary greatly from one app to the other based on its complexity.
What information do I need to provide to get an accurate quote?
The more detailed the information you provide our mobile development team with, the more accurately we will be able to estimate your mobile app’s development costs.
A list of actions an average user should be able to perform with the app is the basic information you should provide. Whenever possible, screen mockups and examples of other similar apps from potential competitors are also very helpful to understand your needs.
Why are many mobile apps are sold for free on iTunes and Android Marketplace?
Once a mobile app is completely developed, some clients may choose to sell them, while others prefer to offer them for free download on iTunes or Android Marketplace.
Some companies choose to offer their apps for free for internal company users/employees. Others do it to complement their web application’s services for their subscribers. Some others offer a simpler version of their app for free and a second paid full version.
But the latest trend is to offer free apps and obtain revenues by monetizing them with Google AdSense for Mobile Apps.