Gone are the days when anyone could succeed on the App Store without doing much work. Today, being an app developer means continuously improving your skills and learning new things. Here are three essential skills that every mobile app developer should have.
1. Cross-platform development
Developing for one platform only is in the past now. As soon as an app or game appears on Apple’s App Store, Android users expect to see it on Google Play. By releasing your app for only one platform you are cutting off a massive user base, and that’s not a good idea. That’s why you should have a cross-platform release plan before you actually start coding your app and consider one of the cross-platform engines to help you make the process smooth.
2. UI and UX design
Functionality, ease of use and bug-free code are not enough if you want your apps to take off. You also need them to have well-designed and unique UI and UX. While you always have the option to hire a freelance designer, it may be wiser and more cost-effective to learn UI/UX yourself if you are an indie developer. There are lots of classes available online and you can always get some inspiration by looking at the most popular apps on the App Store and Google Play.
3. Localization
The USA is still the biggest market for apps and games, but you should not disregard other countries. The EU is a big user of mobile apps and, according to Venturebeat, the gaming market in China is expected to have a growth of 93% this year alone.
Localizing your app is not only about translating all the text and voice messages (the easy part), but it’s also about targeting your app for specific countries. For example, users in the UK and the EU expect better privacy for their data and Chinese users would prefer integration with Baidu to Google.
