An Introduction to iOS Application Development

After Android, iOS is the world’s most used mobile operating system, generating a whopping revenue of $54 billion in 2019. In fact, just in the last five years, it has gone through a growth spurt of more than 250 per cent. The Apple app store currently sports over 2 million applications.

What is iOS?

iOS is Apple’s mobile operating system exclusively created and developed for Apple hardware. These devices include iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. Apple provides all the tools necessary for a swift and easy development process.

Let’s talk more about this development process. For starters, in order to develop an iOS app, you need a Mac computer that is running the latest version of Xcode. Xcode is Apple’s integrated development environment (a software application with comprehensive software development facilities) for both Mac and iOS apps. It is the only graphical interface that is supported to develop iOS apps. Xcode only runs on macOS, and macOS only runs on Apple computers. And it’s a complete package; it contains a user interface designer, testing engine, code editor, asset catalogue and basically everything else that one would need for iOS app development.

When it comes to programming languages, there are two of them for iOS:

Objective-C – Objective-C is an object-oriented programming language derived from the C language. Developed in the 1980’s, this language is now obsolete. Regardless, some developers choose to stick with this instead of integrating their applications into the new Swift framework.

Swift – The new official language of iOS, Swift is similar to Objective-C in many ways but has a simpler syntax and is much more secure. The good thing about Swift is that it’s really easy to learn, even for beginners. It’s also much faster than Objective-C, making it the best one to use.

However, the development process goes beyond coding tasks and programming languages. It’s important to organize a developing team and assign a team agent to create the necessary code signing resources for the developers. There needs to be an established plan to design, code and publish the app on the App Store. There are several administrative tasks that should be handled during the conception and end of a development project. For example, after the first app is developed, a team agent needs to bear the legal responsibility of signing an agreement with Apple in order to become an Apple developer. Other requirements include making sure that the developed app is approved by the App Store and is cryptographically signed.

Why iOS?

There are many advantages that come with the use of iOS. A few of them include:

Simple Interface – iOS devices are consistent in terms of interface and design, and are easy and compatible to use, providing the best user-experience. But they aren’t simplistic in any way. Its standardization and functionality make app development faster and easier. iOS SDKs (iOS Software Development Kits) are other feature-rich, stable, and user-friendly resources released by Apple, that the developer can use to seamlessly integrate her app into Apple’s infrastructure. These kits have built-in features that help with third-party app integration, creating apps that connect to social media, using the camera, etc.

Security – iOS appliances are much safer and have minimum security breaches. The risk of virus invasion and data corruption is eliminated since iPhone forbids the use of third-party websites and applications to download other apps. This tight security is also the reason iPhone and iPad have become widely accepted business and individual productivity tools. From facilitating credit-application processes in finance companies to scanning and reading medical records in hospitals, these devices can be used almost anywhere.

Expanding into the cloud – When it comes to handling resource-intensive tasks effectively and efficiently, you can connect your app to cloud-based services through API’s (Application Programming Interfaces) and use the cloud for storage, database management, and app caching.

Testing and Simulation – Even with several generations of iPhones, there are fewer devices to test with Apple. This is because testing mobile devices from multiple manufacturers isn’t needed, as it would be for Android, for example. In addition to standard unit tests, Xcode contains automated UI testing that simulates an actual user’s interaction with your app. This automated testing is thorough and much more superior than beta tests conducted by humans, given that your written test accounts for every possible interaction a user could have with your app. However, it is still advisable to have humans beta test your software. You can also internally test and preview your app with Apple’s TestFlight app.

With the ongoing digital explosion, if there is ever a right time to invest in iOS app development, it is now.

At Design Master, one of the most advanced App Development companies in Kuwait, we recruit a highly trained team of app developers that specialize in taking your ideas from concept to a finished, creative, customized, flexible, and usable application. We carry all the relevant expertise, tools, and technologies required for successful iOS application development. So far, we have developed a plethora of smart phone applications that are currently being used by people ranging from enterprise users to mass consumers. We have also assisted several startup companies by breathing life into their ideas and building highly robust and visually appealing applications, revolutionizing app development in Kuwait. Our aim is to keep this trend going by implementing a user-based approach that facilitates continuous progress in the field.

To get a better idea of the kind of app development work we do, take a look at our portfolio here: https://www.design-master.com/#Portfolio