Left Arrow
Back to Blogs
Back to Blogs
meaningful Insights

Future-Proof Your Business: The Ultimate Guide to Android App Development in 2024

Specno
February 21, 2024

The process, costs and timelines for Android app development for business, how to choose a developer and how to fund your project for growth and resilience

Looking to strategically grow and expand your business with tech?

In Africa, Android is the way to go.

With Android owning a cool 87% of the mobile operating systems market on the continent and 82% in South Africa alone, it means that there are 5 Android users for every iOS user, making Android app development your go-to for strategic tech expansion.

Success in app development for business requires knowing how to:

  • Get started with a new app idea
  • Validating your concept and turning it into a strategy
  • Understanding the app development steps, costs, and timeframes
  • Picking the right app developer for your project
  • Keeping your app running smoothly and efficiently over time

Here’s what you need to know about Android app development for your business.

First: Why Android App Development for Business?

Android app development involves creating applications specifically designed for the Android operating system, used by billions of devices globally. 

Unlike entertainment apps, business Android apps serve strategic purposes, such as:

  • Enhancing customer experiences with more convenient and efficient support, personalised interactions and elements that drive more brand engagement.
  • Boosting operational efficiency by facilitating communication and collaboration, automating tasks and collecting valuable data on customer behaviour, operational performance, and market trends.
  • Reaching new markets by overcoming geographical limitations or using digital channels to roll out new products for additional revenue streams.

These apps are essential tools for modern businesses of every size to use tech to reach strategic goals. Consider the future opportunities in mobile app development.

Android App Development: Planning & Strategy

Though the rewards are considerable, building and maintaining applications is an equally large investment, so you always want to be clear on the exact purpose and strategy of the project.

1. Define Clear Goals

Before diving into development, it’s crucial to define what you aim to achieve with your app. Whether it's enhancing customer service, increasing sales, or streamlining operations, having clear goals will guide the entire development process and ensure the app delivers tangible value to your business.

See the 9 key questions to ask before you start developing an app and a look at the future opportunities in mobile app development.

2. Do Your Research & Validate Your Assumptions

Understand your target audience’s needs, preferences, and pain points. Analyse your competitors to identify gaps and opportunities. This concept validation phase helps in shaping a unique value proposition and ensures that your app stands out in the market.

Discover the 7 reasons why you need to test your app idea first.

3. Leverage the Power of Android

Choosing Android as your primary platform is a strategic decision given its extensive user base and flexibility. Unlike more restrictive platforms, Android’s open-source nature enables app developers to customise the user interface, integrate unique features, and optimise performance to deliver a seamless user experience.

Android is also often a little more cost-effective to develop because the tools and resources are a little easier to come by.

That said, you don’t have to stick to just one platform – you can always expand by developing cross-platform. Also, explore different options such as mobile app development or web app development.  

Android App Design & User Experience

A successful business app must be intuitive and user-friendly. Employ a user-centred design approach to create an interface that aligns with user expectations and behaviours. This involves extensive user research and iterative design testing to ensure the app meets user needs effectively – see the latest trends in UX design.

What’s more, you can integrate your corporate branding into the app’s design to maintain consistency across all digital touchpoints. Custom branding reinforces your brand identity while building trust and loyalty. See how to engage users with emotional UX design.

Get a detailed view of the entire app design process, as well as your app design costs and see how long the UX/UI design process will take with our in-depth guide to app design timeframes

Also see how to incorporate user-friendly design in e-commerce apps.

The Android App Development Process

Once you've validated your strategy and designed a user-friendly interface, the development stage requires a structured approach to keep everything on track. Building the application itself typically takes weeks or even months, with different teams working on various parts of it in focused bursts.

Fortunately, we have specific project management approaches to help ensure that your software is built functional and ready to use at any time, during various stages.

Managing The Project

Adopting Agile methodologies can significantly improve the development process. Agile promotes flexibility, collaboration, and rapid iteration, enabling your team to adapt quickly to changes and deliver a high-quality product. Roles such as product owners and scrum masters (see what it takes to build your own app development team) are essential in managing the project efficiently.

At Specno, we’re an app development company, so we have vast teams with various skills and experience to build complex software – see what a week in an Agile development team looks like.

Coding, Testing & Deployment

The development phase involves writing robust code, followed by rigorous testing to ensure functionality, performance, and security. Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) practices are vital for an app development company to maintain high standards and ensure smooth deployment.

Get the full picture with our in-depth look at the entire app development process.

How Long Does it Take to Build a New Android App?

Developing a new app can take anywhere from 3 to 12 months, depending on its complexity. But you won't have to wait until the very end to see progress.  Apps are built in stages, which means you can launch with core functionalities in the first month and gradually add more features over time.

At Specno, we specialise in speeding up this process.  Our efficient methods and experienced teams can help you deliver high-quality apps 3 times faster

Explore how long your app will take with our in-depth guides to app development timeframes.

How Much Does it Cost to Build an Android App?

The price of a top-tier app can vary between R1.2 million and R4.3 million, depending on its complexity and development timeframe. The good news for African businesses is that development costs here are typically 25% less compared to Europe or the US.

At Specno, we take it a step further. Our specialised teams and strategic approach help ensure you get a game-changing product. We optimise it further with low-code options that can reduce costs on simpler apps by up to 90%.

Get the full picture of app costs in South Africa and how much to budget for with our guide to managing app development costs.

Choosing the Best Android App Development Partner for You

Partnering with the best Android app developer is key to your project’s success. Look for a company with both the technical skills to build your app and the business sense to understand your goals. Their past projects should show experience with similar apps, and a variety of work means they can adapt to your specific needs.

Here are some things you can look for:

  • Development process: Look for a partner who follows best practices in planning, design, development, and testing. This ensures a smooth and efficient workflow.
  • Communication: Choose a partner who values clear, transparent, and regular communication. They should provide frequent updates, welcome feedback, and involve you in every step of the development process.
  • Team composition: A strong development team should include specialist front-end and back-end developers, UI/UX designers, a scrum master, and a product owner. The agency should have multiple teams with this composition or more.
  • Maintenance and post-launch support: The best partners offer ongoing support to fix bugs, implement updates, and add new features after the app goes live.
  • Check their reviews and online portfolio: For instance, at Specno, we have a portfolio showcasing work for major clients and have been recognised as a top-performing app developer in Africa on the Clutch platform for several years.

Need to build an Android app for your business?

Our tech consultants will help you make all the right decisions.

Let's talk about
your next project

Specno Team