Cross-Platform Mobile App Development Services from Bluebird
A single codebase. 30-40% shorter development time.
Cross-platform development involves creating applications that can run on multiple operating systems, such as Android and iOS, using a single codebase. This approach streamlines the development process, reducing the time and cost associated with writing and maintaining separate codebases for each platform. Tools like React Native enable us to write code once and deploy it across various platforms simultaneously, ensuring consistency in user experience and functionality.
This makes cross-platform mobile app development an attractive option for businesses looking to reach a broad audience quickly and efficiently. Thankfully, that's what we do best.
Let's see how we can help!
360-Degree Planning For Optimal Results
We understand that successful app development starts long before the first line of code is written.
We never begin working on an app without first gaining a comprehensive understanding of your objectives and the target audience. This thorough planning is the key to an app that aligns perfectly with your business goals and user needs. Failing to consider these crucial factors can (and often does) lead to an app that is inconvenient and frustrating for users, ultimately resulting in low adoption rates and high abandonment.
Partnering with Bluebird, however, means your app is built right from the get-go. Our team takes the time to understand your business goals and uses the best tools and practices to deliver a high-quality, future-proof product. This thoughtful approach helps you avoid the pitfalls of poor app development and enjoy the benefits of a well-executed mobile solution.
Well-Established Mobile App Development Practices
Before starting work, we walk through a detailed list of considerations with you, covering everything from project goals and target audience to technical requirements and legal compliance. Thanks to this methodical approach, every aspect of the app will be well thought out; we leave nothing to chance.
In our experience, discussing and agreeing on the below questions is essential for a product that fully matches your business needs and delights your users.
See the aspects we consider:
What are the must-have features for the app?
Are there any advanced features (e.g., AI, AR/VR, IoT integration) that need to be included?
How should the app handle user data and privacy?
What are your preferences for the app's design and layout?
What are the specific branding guidelines or themes to follow?
How should the user experience be structured to ensure ease of use and engagement?
What are the technical specifications for the app (e.g., performance, security, scalability)?
Are there any third-party integrations or APIs that need to be included?
What are the requirements for backend infrastructure and cloud services?
What are your needs regarding post-launch support and maintenance?
How will updates and upgrades be handled?
Is there a need for ongoing technical support or training for your team?
What metrics and KPIs are important for measuring the app’s success?
How will analytics be integrated into the app to track user behavior and performance?
What reporting and dashboard features are needed for monitoring the app's performance?
Are there any legal or regulatory requirements that the app must comply with?
How will user data be protected and managed in accordance with privacy laws?
Our Mobile App Development process
STEP 1
Discovery Call and Proposal
Tell us more about your cross-platform mobile app development needs during a discovery call. We’ll discuss your requirements, target audience, and budget to determine how we can assist you.
Within a few days, we will prepare a detailed discovery proposal. This will outline the costs and deliverables associated with the initial planning phase, enabling you to make an informed decision about proceeding with the full development phase.
STEP 2
Design and Development
Once the project scoping and requirements analysis is done, we will begin with initial UX sketches, followed by detailed wireframes to map out all screens and features.
After getting your feedback, our development team will then build the app, focusing on the functionality of the MVP while incorporating the approved designs. This includes coding the core features and integrating necessary APIs and other systems.
STEP 3
App Launch
The Bluebird team will conduct thorough testing to ensure the app’s functionality, UI, and performance. Once testing is complete, we will launch your app on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Congrats—your app is now out there for everyone to discover!
Technologies We Use For Cross-Platform Mobile App Development
Django, a high-level Python web framework, allows for rapid development and clean, pragmatic design, making it ideal for projects that require fast iteration and scalability. It's preferred for applications that need robust security features and a versatile ORM for database management.
PHP is a scripting language that excels in web development, providing simplicity and flexibility for server-side scripting. The benefits? Quick deployment, extensive hosting support, and compatibility with various web servers and databases.
REST API (Representational State Transfer) provides a standardized approach to building web services, ensuring scalability and ease of integration with different platforms and clients. It is preferred for applications that require stateless, lightweight communication, and seamless interaction between web, mobile, and third-party services.
MySQL is a popular open-source relational database management system known for its reliability, scalability, and strong support for ACID transactions, making it suitable for applications requiring structured data and complex queries. It is preferred for projects needing robust data integrity, compatibility with various web technologies, and support for high-performance transactions.
MongoDB is a NoSQL database designed for handling large volumes of unstructured data, offering high scalability, flexibility, and ease of development with JSON-like documents. It is preferred for applications that need to handle rapidly changing data structures, high-speed data retrieval, and scalability across distributed systems.
Heroku is a cloud app platform known for its rapid deployment, scalability, and managed infrastructure, which allows us to focus on coding rather than server maintenance. It is preferred for projects needing quick launches, easy scaling, and integration with various third-party services and add-ons.
Seamless User Experience & Interface Design
Our cross-platform mobile app development services employ the best tools and practices to deliver a product that stands out in the market. We involve a dedicated UI/UX team who handle everything from mood boards to prototypes.
In the past, neglecting best practices for UX and UI often led to apps that frustrated users and didn't meet their needs. (UX design, or User Experience design, focuses on the user's overall user journey, while UI, or User Interface design, deals with its visual appeal, enhancing aesthetics and usability.) This was due to a combination of developers not being well-versed in usability principles and the absence of specialized UX roles. Over the past few years, however, user expectations have changed significantly. If you don't prioritize UX and UI, you'll soon be outpaced by competitors who do.
Great UX and UI are more than just visual appeal. They result in an app that is intuitive, engaging, and user-friendly. When we work together with you, we start by deeply understanding your business goals and your audience's needs. This way, every element of your app will be designed with the user in mind. This approach not only enhances user satisfaction but also boosts adoption and retention rates.
When UX and UI get the attention they deserve, you gain a competitive edge, providing your users with an enjoyable experience that keeps them coming back.
Implementing adaptive design principles allows us to create a responsive design that functions well across various devices and screen sizes. This involves using flexible layouts and scalable components that adjust to different screen dimensions and orientations.
Design principles
Usability and accessibility
User interaction
Implementing adaptive design principles allows us to create a responsive design that functions well across various devices and screen sizes. This involves using flexible layouts and scalable components that adjust to different screen dimensions and orientations.
Integration With Existing Systems And APIs
Leveraging SDKs and third-party libraries can significantly speed up development time, reduce costs, and introduce robust functionalities like payment gateways, social media logins, and analytics.
We integrate SDKs and libraries following best practices such as adhering to version compatibility, minimizing dependencies, and ensuring they are from trusted sources. This involves thorough testing to avoid conflicts and ensure seamless operation within the app.
Custom API Development with Django and PHP REST API
When you need unique features tailored to your specific business requirements, custom APIs are essential. They offer flexibility and control over the functionality and performance of your app.
When needed, we develop custom APIs using Django and PHP REST API frameworks, focusing on scalability, security, and performance. This involves designing RESTful endpoints, implementing token-based authentication, and performing rigorous testing to handle various use cases and load conditions.
Real-time data synchronization is essential for apps that require instant updates, such as chat applications, live notifications, and real-time collaboration tools.
Our team implements real-time capabilities using WebSocket for persistent connections, enabling low-latency communication. Firebase is utilized for its real-time database and easy integration with React Native, providing features like real-time data updates and cloud messaging.
Secure Payment Integration
Building a webshop or a subscription service? You'll need payment integration with trusted payment solutions. We provide seamless integration with widely-used payment gateways like PayPal and Stripe, as well as regional solutions to cater to local markets. This ensures your app can handle payments efficiently and securely, enhancing user convenience and expanding your reach.
Secure Transactions
Ensuring PCI DSS-compliant payment processing. We implement PCI DSS-compliant processes to safeguard payment information, protecting your customers' data and maintaining their trust. This compliance is crucial for preventing fraud and ensuring secure transactions.
In-App Purchases
Setting up in-app purchases and subscription models. We configure in-app purchases and subscription models, enabling users to buy features or content directly within the app. This boosts your revenue streams and provides a smooth purchasing experience for users.
Multi-Currency Support
Supporting multiple currencies for global transactions. We enable multi-currency support, allowing your app to accept payments in various currencies. This is essential for catering to an international audience and simplifying the buying process for global users.
Payment Analytics
Integrating tools to analyze payment data for business insights. If required, we integrate advanced analytics tools to track and analyze payment data, providing valuable insights into customer behavior and transaction trends. This helps you make informed business decisions and optimize your revenue strategies.
Cross-Platform Mobile App Development: Security Measures
Protecting user privacy is key to maintaining trust, meeting your legal requirements, and delivering a secure user experience. We design a secure software architecture with state-of-the-art encryption solutions and server-side protection.
We also integrate privacy-by-design principles into the app’s architecture from the start. This involves data minimization—collecting and storing only what is necessary. We implement strong access controls, encryption, and anonymization techniques to safeguard user data. Regular privacy assessments and updates are conducted to stay compliant with regulations such as GDPR and CCPA.
Need Extra Security? AES and RSA Encryption
Data encryption protects sensitive information from being accessed by unauthorized parties, which is essential for maintaining user trust and complying with data protection regulations.
If needed, we use AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) to encrypt data at rest due to its high efficiency and security. For secure data transmission, we can utilize RSA (Rivest-Shamir-Adleman), which provides strong encryption for data in transit. AES is particularly effective for its speed and low resource consumption, making it suitable for mobile environments, while RSA is well-suited for encrypting small amounts of data like keys, adding an extra layer of security to data exchanges.
Secure Authentication: OAuth and JWT
Implementing secure authentication methods protects user accounts from unauthorized access, thereby enhancing user trust and the overall security of the app.
If required, we can use OAuth (Open Authorization) for secure token-based authentication, allowing third-party services to access user information without exposing user credentials. JSON Web Tokens (JWT) are used to transmit information securely between parties in the form of a JSON object. These tokens are signed to verify their integrity and encoded to protect the payload data. OAuth provides a decentralized and scalable way to manage authorization, while JWTs offer a lightweight, stateless way to manage user sessions across multiple platforms and services.
Performance Optimization
Performance is a key consideration with mobile apps. When it comes to our cross-platform mobile development service, our team uses React Native to minimize unnecessary re-renders and optimize component usage, key to efficient rendering and smooth performance. For the backend, we use Django and PHP REST API with optimized queries and caching to ensure fast and reliable data access, utilizing MySQL and MongoDB databases.
We also implement robust scalability measures and automatic performance monitoring to maintain high app performance under varying loads. These practices are crucial for reducing latency, improving load times, and ensuring a responsive and reliable app for users.
Our team implements optimized queries and caching strategies in Django and PHP REST APIs, along with using indexing and query optimization techniques in MySQL and MongoDB, to reduce data retrieval times and ensure quick response times.
Our team utilizes asynchronous operations and background processing to maintain a responsive app interaction, and implement lazy loading for images, components, and modules to reduce initial load times and enhance overall app performance.
Continuous monitoring of performance metrics using tools like New Relic and Heroku’s monitoring services allows us to identify and resolve bottlenecks in real-time.
We select the most suitable data storage solutions and techniques, such as denormalization in MongoDB, to balance read/write performance and storage efficiency, ensuring your app runs smoothly.
We design the backend with scalability in mind, leveraging Heroku's auto-scaling features to handle varying loads without performance degradation.
IoT Functionality? Can Do!
In the IoT game? Yes, you'll need an app—and yes, we can make it. If needed, we develop modules to connect and communicate with IoT devices for enhanced functionality and data collection.
Our team implements end-to-end encryption for data transmission between the IoT devices, cloud, and mobile app. Authentication and authorization mechanisms are also put in place to restrict access to authorized users and devices only.
Our solutions are also designed to scale with your business needs. We use cloud platforms that offer auto-scaling features, allowing the system to handle increasing numbers of IoT devices and data volumes without compromising performance.
We optimize the app and backend services to achieve minimal latency and efficient data handling. This involves using lightweight communication protocols, optimizing data storage, and maintaining the mobile app's responsiveness and performance under various network conditions.
We focus on creating an intuitive and user-friendly interface for interacting with IoT devices. This includes clear visualizations of data, easy-to-use controls for device management, and real-time updates to keep users informed.
Why Choose Cross-Platform Mobile App Development Services?
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1st REASON
Wide Availability
According to Statista, there are 3.48 million apps on the Google Play Store and 2.22 million on the Apple App Store. Any new mobile app must reach users on both platforms. Cross-platform solutions support this need by allowing you to target both Android and iOS users with a single app.
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2nd REASON
Low Development Costs
Cross-platform app development means your app is built for both iOS and the Android mobile platform at the same time, on a common code base. There is no need for two separate teams, so the cost of mobile development can be kept significantly lower.
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3rd REASON
Easy To Upgrade
If you were to build your mobile app separately for iOS and Android, you would have to maintain the code separately after the launch. In the case of cross-platform app development, you only have to manage a single body of code, which makes later development easier.
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4th REASON
Unified Appearance
As people use multiple devices daily, a company's image and branding needs to remain consistent across different devices. Cross-platform app development inherently supports this need, resulting in uniform branding across all platforms.
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5th REASON
Faster Time to Market
With cross-platform development, you can simultaneously deploy your app on both iOS and Android, significantly reducing the time needed to bring your product to market. A single development cycle for both platforms accelerates the launch process, allowing you to reach a wider audience more quickly.
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6th REASON
Simplified Testing Process
Developing a single app for multiple platforms simplifies testing. With a unified codebase, there is less room for discrepancies, making it easier to test for bugs/ performance issues. The result? A smoother and more reliable user experience across all devices, while also reducing the time and resources spent on quality assurance.
How Do We Do It? Cross-Platform Mobile App Development with Bluebird
Choosing the right development partner for your cross-platform mobile app is crucial for your business's success.
A poorly designed and implemented app can lead to a frustrating user experience with slow performance and frequent crashes, driving users away and resulting in negative reviews. This not only hurts your brand reputation but also wastes valuable resources.
Not to mention that security vulnerabilities in a subpar app can put user data at risk and lead to legal troubles. Maintenance becomes a daunting task, with messy code making updates and bug fixes difficult and costly. Faced with such issues, you might have to decide between scrapping the project and starting over, or attempting to fix the existing app, both of which can be time-consuming and expensive.
However, a cross-platform mobile app that is carefully thought-out from the get-go sets your business up for success. It provides a seamless and consistent user experience across devices. Users appreciate fast performance and intuitive navigation, leading to higher engagement and positive feedback. A robust app also means data security and compliance with regulations, and it's easier to maintain and update.
Let's see what you can expect in each phase of our cross-platform mobile app development service!
We will then arrange an online Zoom/Teams meeting with you. We will discuss your functional and design requirements, as well as the project schedule and development process.
Together with our team and project manager, you will be able to discuss everything we need to make a great app: its purpose, your target users, what will make it unique, who the competitors are, and what will make your mobile app better than what is already available on the market.
Following this, we will define the MVP (Minimum Viable Product), i.e. the minimum product that needs to be developed to enter the market. At this stage, we can discuss your medium and long-term plans, look at mobile apps that you think are great and also at designs that can guide us.
Java is commonly used for developing dynamic web applications using various frameworks that simplify the creation of robust, scalable, and secure web services and web applications.
Frameworks: Spring MVC, Struts, Play, and Grails.
Before creating the wireframes, our team will prepare a visual sketch of the mobile application you have requested. Expect a literal sketch that roughly represents your app with screen representations and features.
Rough sketches can be created quickly, which allows us to explore multiple ideas and concepts without spending too much time on any single one. This rapid iteration helps in quickly identifying the best solutions. We believe that the more thoroughly we discuss and think about the sketch together, the better your mobile app will be and the faster we can get it done.
The next step in mobile app development is to build the wireframes of your mobile app based on the UX sketches. These will be much more detailed and will include all the screens and features you'll need.
Based on the wireframes and your previous input, we will create the design of your mobile app. As part of the design, we'll specify font sizes, buttons, colors, and motion effects.
Our goal is to give your app a consistent, unique and professional look and feel. Provide us with as many ideas and drafts as you'd like throughout the process: this way, you will receive a design that accurately mirrors the look you had in mind.
The first goal is to build your mobile app with the functionality of the MVP defined earlier. To do this, we will use the technologies described above, as well as all the designs created in the previous phases.
Our cross-platform mobile app development team will build your app with maximal attention and care.
For mobile application development projects to be successful, functional, UI, and performance testing all must be carried out to a high standard. Our assigned mobile app developer will perform manual testing for usability, functionality, and compatibility. The manual testing process involves a detailed examination of every aspect of your app.
Once the application is live, medium and long-term development plans can be discussed. Whether or not we continue with further software development, you can count on our support.
Our goal from the very beginning is to create the mobile app you envisioned, and to do it in a way that both you and we can be proud of!
GET IN TOUCH
With Our Software Development Team
Only Need Mobile App Developers, Not A Shipped Product? No Worries!
Different companies, different needs. Whether you want a hassle-free, final cross-platform mobile app or prefer to oversee the development process in-house, we're flexible and tailor our services to suit your requirements. This is where tech recruitment and IT Staff Augmentation enter the picture:
Looking to expand your team with permanent hires?
Tech Recruitment
Would you like to expand your team with permanent hires? We have all the resources, domain-specific expertise and over a decade of experience to find the right remote IT/ tech professionals for you.
Need extra hands or specialized skills on your tech project?
IT STAFF AUGMENTATION
Whether it's for a fixed duration or a longer period of time, our staff augmentation services enable you to scale your tech team lightning fast—with the experienced professionals your project needs.
Cross-Platform Mobile App Development with Bluebird: FAQ
Scalability involves ensuring that the app's backend infrastructure can support increased traffic and that the app itself is optimized for performance. With proper planning and architecture, a cross-platform app can scale effectively to meet growing demands. Modern frameworks like React Native are designed to handle growth and increased user loads.
We at Bluebird prepare for this primarily with server-side measures. This includes implementing load balancing, automatic or monitored scaling, and using containerization and container orchestration for server-side services.
It depends on client requirements, which we lay down in the contract. We can rent necessary testing devices to ensure the user experience is thoroughly tested. Prior to this, our developers perform testing on emulated devices.
If needed, we can integrate analytics tools like Google Analytics for Firebase and Mixpanel. Both Google and Apple provide excellent dashboards for user engagement. On the server side, we can implement automated performance reports and analytical tools.
Updates and maintenance for cross-platform apps are streamlined because there's only one codebase to manage. When an update is needed, developers make changes once, and the update is applied across both iOS and Android platforms. This unified approach simplifies version control, bug fixing, and feature enhancements. Regular updates can be scheduled to ensure the app remains compatible with the latest OS versions and device features.
Yes, cross-platform apps can access most native features of iOS and Android devices. Frameworks like React Native and Flutter provide plugins and APIs that allow developers to access hardware functionalities such as cameras, GPS, and sensors. However, some very specific or newly released native features might require custom native modules or plugins, adding a layer of complexity to the development process.
Cross-platform frameworks strive to provide a consistent look and feel across iOS and Android, but slight differences might still exist due to platform-specific design guidelines and user interface conventions. Tools like React Native allow developers to create custom widgets that look and behave similarly across platforms. However, some design elements might need adjustments to align with the native appearance and user experience standards of each operating system.
We offer the option to start work within 24 hours on business days at an increased hourly rate if necessary. Otherwise, the traditional scheduled development approach is typically within 1.5 weeks. Additionally, we can work on a monthly retainer basis, providing fixed availability for regular maintenance, fixes, and enhancements depending on the workload.
What is the purpose of the app and why make it?
Who is the target audience and who will use it?
Why will people consider using your app a unique user experience?
What kind of mobile app development would be most appropriate for your needs? Native, hybrid, cross-platform?
How much time and money do you have available for development?
In addition to developing the mobile application, will you also need support?
Our Mobile App Development activities are ISO 9001 certified.