A Complete Guide: iOS App Development

Posted by Sphinx Solution on September 27th, 2022

According to a report by Statista, “The global revenue from mobile apps increased to over USD 318 billion in 2020, which was an increase of about USD 60 billion compared to 2019.”

This confers that the mobile app industry is growing at a fast rate. However, when it comes to mobile apps, the two most popular platforms are Android and iOS. 

As per the reports, the Apple App store has seen 130 billion iOS app downloads since its launch in 2008. 

iPhone and iPad users tend to invest more in technology and purchase apps compared to android users.

In this blog, we will give you in-depth information about iOS app development and related factors to consider. 

What is iOS App development?

iOS is the operating system of Apple, and it runs on devices such as iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. 

An iOS application is programmed in different languages like Swift and Objective-C. The developed apps are deployed to the app store for the users to download. 

Types of iOS App development 

In this section, we will tell you the different types of iOS app development. iOS development can be done for both native and hybrid apps. 

• Native iOS apps 

This type of app is specifically developed for the iOS platform using app development languages and tools like Swift, Objective-C, and Xcode. 

Native iOS apps don’t run on the browser and can only be downloaded from Apple’s app store.

• Hybrid apps 

This type of app can be used on both the platforms Android and iOS. The code of hybrid apps is written in languages such as HTML, JavaScript, and CSS.

Once the code is written, the code is encapsulated within a native app. Hybrid apps are a combination of native and web apps.

How to make app?

To build an iOS app, you first need to select the right iOS and iPhone app developmentlanguage. 

Below, we have listed some of the best programming languages for both native and iOS app development.

• Swift 

Swift is a popular and commonly used programming language for iOS app development. It is widely used for developing native iOS apps due to its easy-to-use syntax.

It works with different frameworks, such as Cocoa, Cocoa Touch, and the extensive codebase written in Objective-C for Apple devices.

You can use Swift language to develop an iOS app quickly and expand it later. 

• Flutter 

Flutter is an open-source app development platform that can be used to create cross-platform apps for iOS, Android, Mac, Linux, Windows, and Google Fuchsia. 

It is a very commonly used cross-platform app development language. You can use flutter to create Android, desktop, and web app versions of your iOS app. 

• Objective-C 

Objective-C is one of the oldest programming languages developed in the early 1980s. It is an advancement of the C programming language.

This language is generally used for programming Apple’s operating systems, such as OS X, iOS, and their APIs-Cocoa & Cocoa touch. 

If you are looking to create an app that is compatible with the older versions of iOS, then Objective-C is a good choice.  

This programming language can help you develop an iOS app quickly with less time and resources. 

How do you make an app?

The iOS app development process is similar to that of any other app development process. Here, we will discuss the essential steps involved in the development of iOS and iPhone apps. 

• Market Research 

In today’s competitive business world, it is very important to deliver the best experience to your customers.

Before starting with your iOS app development, you must conduct thorough market research. 

This will aid you in understanding what your competitors are delivering and how you can offer better to your users. 

• Adherence to Apple’s Guidelines 

Apple has its own guidelines to which you must adhere to develop your iOS app. You must ensure that you follow all the regulations related to the design, privacy, and security of users.

Apple only deploys those apps on its store that comply with all its regulations and security standards. 

• Designing process

There are various steps involved in the designing process of iOS app development, which we have given below:

• Wireframing: Wireframe refers to the basic outlook of the app. Once the ideation of the app is done, the next step involves documenting the requirements from the design perspective. This digital sketch helps the team understand what is needed to develop the app and what it would look like. 

• UI/UX design: This step involves not only focusing on the design but the user interface of the app. You must make sure that your app is both visually appealing and user-friendly.  

• Software Architecture: This includes three important elements of the model view controller (MVC) paradigm that are data, user, and software. It is the step that ensures the app’s scalability and stability. 

• Development process

Development is the most important phase of iOS app development. This step involves bringing the app idea into reality. It involves three vital aspects that are: 

• Backend development: It focuses on databases, back-end logic, architecture, and servers. It ensures that the apps function perfectly.

• Frontend development: Itrefers to the coding and creation of features of an app that the users can see. It focuses on the visual details of the app.

• Application Programming Interfaces: APIs enable apps to access another party’s application or platform. 

• Testing 

Once the iOS development is done, the next step is to execute QA testing. The iOS developermust test the app to ensure its functionality and stability.

The QA testing team tests the app to ensure optimized performance, high security (SSL pinning), and thorough compliance. 

• Deployment

This is the last step in the iPhone app development process. It involves submitting the application to the Apple app store.

Apple will deploy your app once they have checked it completely and it has passed the security standards. It may take a few days to weeks to approve and deploy the application.

Factors to consider before choosing an iOS app development company

To build the best iOS application, it is important to engage the right iOS app agency. 

Nowadays, so many iOS app development companies are available in the market that selecting an appropriate one seems difficult.  

Below, we have given some of the factors that you must consider before hiring an iOS app development company. 

• Technical Background 

First, you must make sure that the iOS developers of the company are proficient in developing iOS apps.  

The developers should have strong technical knowledge of the latest iOS app development tools and programming languages such as Swift, XCode, and Objective-C.   

Their team should be able to understand your idea & requirements and develop an iOS app accordingly. 

• Ratings & Reviews 

Before contacting an iOS app development company, you must check out different client review platforms.  

Checking the ratings and client reviews of the company in the marketplace will give you an idea of the company’s reputation and work performance.  

You can also find detailed information like the company size in terms of employees, no of apps developed, and case studies. 

• Dedicated Resources 

Make sure that the company provides you with a dedicated team for your iOS app development project. 

The team should be adept at building an app as per your business requirements. You must check out their similar projects to see if they can deliver solutions according to your needs.

• Agile development process 

An agile development process is a customer-centric approach that allows you to see the product at every development stage and recommend changes. 

This methodology ensures customer satisfaction, as the client is involved in every step. You must try to opt for a company that follows an agile development process. 

How to Start an app? 

iOS App Development Cost

The iOS app development cost depends on various factors, such as the size of the app, complexity, UI/UX, native or cross-platform, etc. 

Sphinx Solutions is a trusted and leading iOS app development company with expertise in building highly secure and scalable apps. 

With more than 12 years of experience, we have helped many businesses to accomplish their objectives with our best-in-class iOS and Android apps.