Apple has been the face of innovation in technology in last decade. iPhone and iPad saw unprecedented sales in recent past. Apple hit new heights financially in 2011, with $108bn in revenues in its fiscal year ending in September – up from $65bn in 2010. Apple still maintains many of the advantages that have sustained its growth during the past few years, iOS is definitely one of the major contributor to Apple’s success.

iOS is the operating system shipped with iPhone and iPad. NPD Connected Intelligence analyst, Ross Rubin said part of what continues to make iOS so attractive to developers is “not only to the popularity of the platform but the vertical integration and consistency among models that the platform provides.” We even created an infographic based post as to why developers prefer iOS over Android for the same.

Road ahead for iOS though is not as smooth as many would expect, it is facing a fierce competition from many competitors, majorly Android. Just like everything else in this world, iOS too have deficiencies. We will be covering few such deficiencies, which may cause speed bumps for iOS in 2012.

Underutilized Notification Center
iOS though provides a notification center, it is not as developed as Windows Phone. As Current Analysis, Avi Greengart explains it, one of iOS’s key deficiencies is that even with iOS 5′s Notification Center, it still does not provide a great deal of “glanceable information” the way that Windows Phone does with its constantly updating live tiles. It takes some effort to get access to the most relevant information via applications in iOS.

No Native Navigation Component
Android offers spoken-turn-by-turn navigation as a native component and Nokia’s Drive application for Windows Phone offers a similar experience. iOS on the other hand has no such component. Also, Android’s mapping is much more extensive, and late last year Google added airports, shopping malls, retail locations and other indoors destinations to its core Maps app. Apple uses Google’s mapping service but the updates to it are not as quick as many would like. iOS certainly needs to improve on this aspect.

Major Breakthrough Innovation
Apple for the last decade has clearly led the market and now the market has proved to be very good at being a “fast follower.” Most of the iOS features(wherever possible) have already been provided by competitors, or are available using third-party apps. Apple needs to come up with something like Siri again, and again.

No availability for low end phones
So far Apple has seemed content to maintain its position as a premium smartphone provider. However, the low end of the smartphone market presents a fertile opportunity for Apple, which CEO Tim Cook has acknowledged in the past as a missing piece of the company’s strategy. iOS needs to be available for low end phones. Till it is made available, Apple will continue to lose on the low end phones category.

Having said all this, we know that Apple knows about all these deficiencies, and probably about lot more, and is working on it. Even with all these deficiencies, iOS is the famous choice for normal users, developers and businesses alike, and probably will continue to be so for a long time to come.

Do you have an iPhone Apps development idea? Get in touch with us for FREE 30 minutes no obligation consultation with our iOS experts ($200 Value).

Credits: www.fiercewireless.com

More often than not, most mobile developers are searching for options they can use to improve their app’s presence online. An App might be wonderful but unless it is visible to masses, it won’t get the attraction and downloads it deserve. You will find many services(mostly paid) that will boast of improving your app’s visibility, but what if you want a free or very inexpensive Do-it-yourself method? Read this post to find various tips which can help you in increasing your mobile app’s visibility, and in turn downloads.

Do Keyword Research and Use it
Just like conventional SEO, App’s Marketplace search engine optimization depends on an understanding of the types of keywords that users are going to be searching for. Once you understand this, you can think about including those that are relevant into your app listing in order to drive search traffic. The aim should be to find keywords that are related to, or relevant to your app. Once you have a list of keywords you can include them in your app listing.

Generate Traffic from Multiple Sources
Most developers only submit their app to their respective marketplace. In order to get more visibility, you need to use multiple sources of traffic generation, targeted to your app. A dedicated website, Facebook fan page, Twitter account etc can be really good source of traffic to your site. A website can also help in improving your app’s visibility in search pages as you can use more keywords and better optimize your website for search engines. Social media power should also be leveraged by making use of various social media channels like Facebook, Twitter etc. Talk about your app in social media, let people know about your app.

Use price drops
Another way of moving up the charts can be to reduce the price of your app. Many of the review sites and directories specifically track price drops, which can help get your app picked up by them. Reducing the price of your app will obviously increase sales, all other things being equal, which can lead to increasing returns if you can generate enough additional demand to push into the chart

Use letter A or Number in App Title
Most of you might be wondering as to how it can help in increasing your app’s visibility, let us explain. Most of the App Marketplaces have Sort by option, having letter A or Number in beginning of your App title will allow it to be featured near the top under a specific category, when that option is used.

Get your App reviewed
There are many apps review sites, contact them to to review your app. Many sites will be happy to do it for free in exchange for free review copy of the app, some might even charge you few dollars, but if it is worth it, you can be more than happy to pay for it. However, it is important that your app is fully functional before doing this part.

There you had it, few tips which can help you in increasing your app’s visibility. If you have an App development idea or require an app for your business, our expert mobile apps development team can help you in bringing your app idea to life. Contact us for a free quote today.

Credits: mjelly.com

With the release of HTML5 last year, a bit of debate started about whether HTML5 will make native mobile apps (i.e., apps designed specifically for the iPhone, Android, Windows Phone 7, Blackberry, etc.) obsolete. Can HTML5 replace the native app? This post analyzes various native app versus the HTML5 app features. Let’s get started.

First things first, What is HTML5?

HTML5 is the fifth version of the HTML language that provides the basic building blocks of web pages. It will be the first version to support multimedia without plugins and has the ability to be “understood” by all computers and devices. In addition, HTML5 web apps can be accessed and used on any device via a web browser, much like a mobile website. These web apps also provide the capability for offline access and usage via application cache, meaning you don’t have to have a network connection to use them.

Advantages of HTML5 app over Native App

• “Write One, Run Many” solution – The most important point of whole debate. HTML5 requires you to write your code once which can be run over different platforms. If you need to create an app for three different platforms, you need to learn three different frameworks. Allocate extra time and money on these. On the other hand, you can create an app in HTML5, which can run on different mobile OS.
• More Customizable Look and Feel – Though at most times you will require to maintain app consistency with OS, at times you would like to have more independence over look and feel of an app, HTML5 allows you to do that. The web has its own look-and-feel, and we can say each mobile platform has its own “web look-and-feel” established by the default browser and web runtime. “Web look-and-feel” may be fine for your users, and in fact, allows you to achieve a greater degree of consistency with the desktop browsing experience, as well as those on other devices the user might be working with.
• More Economical and Time Saving – Since you are not writing code for completely different platforms, generally you will save a lot of effort and money by creating an HTML5 app instead of multiple native apps.

Advantages of Native app over HTML5 app:

• Quality of the App – The native apps are any day way ahead in quality, user experience, and performance as compared to HTML 5 Apps.
• Support from Platform – Be it Apple or Google Android, both will support Apps developed on their native platforms on first priority, in case they do any changes in their OS version, Development Tools, sales mechanics/ App stores system etc.
• Security issues – HTML5 web apps are set up in a way that ultra-savvy users could tamper with processing scripts, which might allow unauthorized access. Variables could be altered in a way that would allow hackers to access perks, discounts, etc. for which they really aren’t eligible.
• Synchronization challenges – HTML5 though allows for offline app usage, it suffers from an issue which is explained very well by InfoWorld, “If a Web app is connected to the Internet, it can continually save data to the cloud. When it’s offline, changes aren’t always stored in the cloud. When someone switches browsers or uses a different machine, copies begin to proliferate and the difficulties of synchronization rear their head.”

Conclusion:

Right now, there is no clear winner. HTML5 web apps will not kill native apps, at-least not anytime soon. Some apps are best suited for native experience in terms of their speed, performance and execution, and some others for the web. Another option for developers is hybrid apps, created using tools like Sencha Touch or PhoneGap, they provides web view where it’s possible and platform-specific native components where it’s not. Given enough time and budget, developers still prefer the native app, HTML5 though is undoubtedly one of the best alternative available to developers.

Do you have any mobile app development requirement? Native or HTML5, our team of experts can develop both.

The post was originally posted at ToolsJournal

We recently started a series of Best 5 iPhone Apps from various categories, we are doing it to help the users find the must have apps for their iPhones. We have already written about Top 5 Poker iPhone Apps, Top 5 Apps for Health and Fitness, and Top 5 Apps for Social Networking.

Today we will be covering Top 5 Apps from the weather category. Though there are lots of options available when it comes to weather apps, not all of them are fairly useful. We will try to list out the best 5 apps which work perfectly as a weather app. Below is our pick for best 5 iPhone Weather apps, in no particular order.

1) Weather Underground

Most weather apps can tell you the temperature in your city, but where in your city? Weather Underground lets you pick from more than 22,000 weather stations for a super localized forecast. This application not only provides the normal weather reports, it also provides the users with a virtual map to show them the movement of weather by using an animated weather indicator or radar. One can also avail the weather forecast on hourly basis, or can watch videos of weather coverage of an area.

Weather Underground (Free)

2) AccuWeather

AccuWeather is one of the most accurate weather prediction providing apps on iPhone, and so it can be considered one of the best weather applications for iPhone.

AccuWeather has some weather radar and maps with features like weather forecast, video showing weather coverage and also a Google map where you can get the weather coverage of the people or area by placing their contacts.

AccuWeather (Free)

3) Fahrenheit

Fahrenheit is a very clever little weather app. Rather that use the push notification counter to tell you that there’s been “1” or “2” updates to the forecast since you last checked, you’ll see something like “35” or “73” plastered in the corner of the icon as it rests on your app screen.
Once you open the app you’ll see plenty of other information, too. The current conditions, humidity, pressure and dew points to name just a few.

Fahrenheit ($0.99)

4) Outside

Outside is a visual weather forecast with custom push notifications like you’ve never seen before. Undoubtedly, this app has best weather app graphics. Great looking interface. Not so detailed as the other weather apps, but great looking. Outside combines current weather and local forecasts with custom push notifications. Look out the window and see what the weather is like through stunning visuals. Swipe the days to see the forecasts, or setup and receive alerts when the weather is just right.

Outside – Visual Weather Forecast ($2.99)

5) Living Earth HD

Living earth HD gives a “bigger picture” look at the weather, Zoom all the way out to space to check on the live cloud cover present in this app. Enjoy a stunning live 3D simulation of our planet at our current moment in time with global weather, forecasts and world clock for cities around the world. View live global cloud patterns along with the most realistic 3D rendering of our planet available.

Living Earth HD ($0.99)

There you had it, our pick for the Top 5 iPhone apps. If you have any favorite weather app that you believe should be part of our list, let us know in comments below. Also, if you have any iPhone app development requirement, you can contact us on info@techaheadcorp.com for a free quote.

Credits: Appolicious.com

More and more rumors are suggesting towards March launch of iPad 3(March 7 to be precise if reports are to be believed). Going by trends, it is very much likely that these rumors will come true. It is not just the launch date which is keeping people excited, there is a great amount of excitement over what to expect from iPad 3, what all features it will boast off.

In this post we will have a look at what to expect from iPad 3 – at least in terms of generic specs and hardware. Let’s get started.

Processor

Apple is expected to include Quad-core ARM based A6 processor in iPad 3. Quad-core designs are coming from various ARM partners and the Tegra 3 has already been launched by Nvidia, as well as the Snapdragon S4 from Qualcomm. 9to5mac has also reported to have found code references to quad-core.

Design and Display

Most experts are suggesting towards 2048×1536 Retina display on iPad 3, it may cause iPad to be little thicker. Apple is not expected to make much changes to its 10.1″ iPad otherwise. Analyst Ezra Gottheil, with Technology Business Research (TBR), told Computerworld that he expects the next iPad to have a higher-resolution display—one it’s likely to call a “Retina display,” whether that’s quite accurate or not. “That’s important to them because it means the iPad will work well in their home theater play, since it will display full HD,” he said. “And it’s an important differentiator going forward.”

4G LTE Technology

iPad 3 may also feature LTE support. Though it is more likely to be a US only version, as UK still doesn’t have LTE connectivity. CNET believes that the new iPad may feature a Qualcomm 4G LTE Gobi 4000 chip.

Operating System

iPad 3 might be the first device to carry iOS 5.1. According to reports, Apple will launch the iPad 3 and iOS 5.1 together.

More Storage

The iPad 2 has the familiar 16/32/64GB storage options. A 128GB option for the iPad 3 is expected by many.

Better Cameras

Rumors from iLounge have included better cameras, either a 5 or 8 megapixel rear camera and a FaceTime HD front camera. The current VGA quality set-up on the iPad 2 is really unsatisfactory. That’d be a massive improvement and it would also bring Apple’s slate inline with the competition.

Siri

Siri at the moment is an exclusive feature of iPhone 4S. Apple put in a lot of money in Siri, and it was one of the most talked about feature in iPhone 4S. No doubt, Apple is interested in Siri for long term. We expect Apple to make Siri available for iPad, and all future iPhones, iPad 3 is a good contender for that as well. Going forward, Siri will no doubt be a staple feature of all Apple’s mobile-oriented devices

Near Field Communication

According to a report on Cult of Mac, Apple is expected to build NFC chips directly inside its iPhone 5 and iPad 3 devices. ‘Apple appears to be gearing up for a NFC revolution. It has made a lot of NFC hires, including a leading NFC expert and has patented a lot of NFC technology.’

There you had it, our predictions for iPad 3 features. Let us know if you believe that there are more features which will be part of iPad 3. Apple is known to surprise tech world with something that nobody thought about, will it happen this time? Only time will tell.

References and Image Credit: TechRadar.com, Image Credit : Geek.com

If you have any iPad application development requirement, you can contact us on info@techaheadcorp.com for a free quote.

The post was originally published on ToolsJournal

We recently started series of Top 5 iPhone Apps from particular categories. We have already written about Top 5 Poker iPhone Apps, and  Top 5 iPhone Apps for Health and Fitness. In this post we will talk about Top 5 Apps for Social Networking.

Social Networking is the new buzz word. You will find more people communicating over Social Networking sites as compared to other methods of communication like SMS, Voice calls or even face to face. Networking over web is considered really convenient, what makes it more convenient is being able to do social networking on the go. Smartphones enable you to do that (and lot more). Almost every social networking site has a dedicated application for all mobile platforms, iPhone is usually the first one to get it. In the abundance of apps which allow you to do Social Networking, it might be hard to find the best ones. That’s why we are creating this type of lists, to help you find the best iPhone apps. These are the apps you must have if you are interested in apps from a particular category. Lets get started.

1) Facebook

Facebook is the current leader of Social Networking sites. The Facebook App for iPhone is equally famous, specially after recent updates. The App now supports your Facebook timeline as well. This iPhone app provides access to your complete Facebook world. From reading the latest news feed, status updates, uploading pictures from your phone to chatting with your buddies, this application lets you do it all.

Facebook (Free)

2) Skype

Skype is actually a well known messenger to have a free calls and also free video chatting with all your friends around the world that also using Skype too, who hasn’t heard of Skype? Skype application for iPhone can do everything that its desktop counterpart does. You can make free calls to your Skype contacts or you can use it to make cheap calls to landline/mobile numbers.

Skype (Free)

3) Twitter

Twitter is one of the largest social networking websites that so many people in this world use. Twitter has made a lot of improvement since buying at as Tweetie and changing its name to Twitter. iOS 4 and above has inbuilt integration of Twitter and it is a must have app for all Twitter users.

Twitter (Free)

4) WhatsApp

This app is similar to Skype in a way that you can send free SMS to anyone who is using WhatsApp application. The app though costs $0.99 on iPhone App Store, it is free for 1 year on other major platforms. The application is available for most of the platforms and this is one of the major reason behind this app’s popularity. You can send multimedia messages using this app and the interface is very simple, and experience of using it is great.

WhatsApp ($0.99)

5) Vtok

Google Talk’s equivalent for iPhone, Vtok is a simple application which allows you to make video call, voice call or chat with anybody in your Google contacts list. The app runs in the background and will send push notifications if someone tries to start a video chat with a user that’s logged in. Users that are signed in and receive call requests can choose to speak either by voice or video. Calls can be made or received on both Wi-Fi and 3G networks.

Vtok (Free)

These five were our picks for Top 5 iPhone Apps for Social Networking. If you believe that there is another app which should be part of this list, let us know in comments below.

If you have any iPhone App Development requirement, you can contact us on info@techaheadcorp.com for a free quote.