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New Software Development brings AR/VR into reach for smaller businesses!

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New Software Development brings AR/VR into reach for smaller businesses! Appy Pie is the first drag-and-drop builder to support AR/VR

Software Developers have been busy developing the new Drag-and-drop app builder Appy Pie. They have released virtual and augmented reality features which enable businesses without large budgets to deliver immersive experiences to users.

Last month, the director of developer relations at Salesforce proclaiming it’s time for an “upgrade” for users. In the article, Will Coleman argued the only solution for overburdened enterprise IT teams and software developers is to empower users with the knowledge and tools required to solve problems themselves – leaving software developers to focus on complex tasks.

DIY app building platforms such as Appy Pie help to deliver on Coleman’s vision. Users without specialist development knowledge can now build apps with some features that were once reserved for large enterprises with budgets to afford teams of expert software developers and designers.

“We are proud to announce that we are the first DIY app platform to offer VR and AR features,” said Abhinav Girdhar CEO and Founder of Appy Pie. “SMBs rarely have the resources and budget to integrate the latest and greatest technologies, and often at a disadvantage when competing with larger companies that do. With these new features, we are democratizing VR and AR, allowing small businesses to enhance their customer experience and better stand out from the competition. We’re excited to see the creative ways our millions of users use the new technology.”

Two main VR/AR features will be provided at launch for budding developers to incorporate within their Android and iOS apps – image recognition and tracking, and a panoramic and 360 video viewer.

Image recognition enables the app to identify millions of real-world objects, keep track of their position, and overlay augmented information where appropriate. The panoramic and 360 video viewer allows users to experience real-world locations and products within a virtual environment.

A restaurant owner, for example, could take a panorama of his restaurant on his iPhone and let users explore it no matter where they are in virtual reality. When customers look at the menu in the physical restaurant, images of the food could be recognised and nutrition information augmented to help them make informed decisions.

New technologies such as virtual and augmented reality are making it easier to differentiate from competitors, but the entry cost was high. With their latest update, Appy Pie is leading the way in breaking down barriers preventing creativity and putting advanced features within reach of us all.

What are your thoughts on Appy Pie’s new VR/AR features? Let us know.

Check out some of our latest Software Developer jobs & get involved with the latest technologies and career advancements! 

 

  • Developer Tech

Experiencing Poor Phone Battery Life?

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Have you been experiencing reduced battery life on your phone recently?

Unsuspecting mobile phone owners may be left with flat batteries after they update their handsets, despite technology companies promising longer life and better performance from the new software.

It was recently discovered that when iPhones or Android phones are updated to the latest version of their operating systems, their battery life can fall by as much as three hours.

A two-year-old iPhone 6 lost 38 minutes of battery life when it was updated to the latest version of Apple’s iOS software, iOS 10. A Google Nexus 6P phone went from 12 to nine hours of battery life when the most recent version of Android was installed.

Both the iPhone and Android software claim that features in the latest versions improve battery life, rather than hurting it.

Mobile phone companies typically release major software updates every year as well as adding smaller changes throughout the year. When an update is released, users are sent notifications urging them to upgrade and are often given no way to revert to the previous operating system, meaning they are stuck with the new software even if they suffer from worse performance.

It was recently stated that software updates can also mean the memory of tablets and phones falling dramatically due to the extra capacity taken up by more advanced software. A Microsoft Surface Pro 3 tablet lost 30 gigabytes of storage when upgrading to the latest version of Windows – enough for thousands of photos.

The updates often include new features and important security changes that protect users from being tracked or having their details stolen, but early versions can be loaded with bugs.

It’s also been said that mobile phone companies should do more to warn users of the side effects of updating, and allow them to revert to older software if they wish.

It was found that battery life and storage were improved in some cases. Updating an iPad Air to the latest software improved battery life by two hours and updating a Samsung Galaxy tablet improved it by four and a half hours.

Richard Headland from ‘Which?’ said “Given how much we rely on mobile devices, companies should do more to tell us about the possible downsides of updates, as well as the benefits,”

Apple and Google declined to comment.

This year, Microsoft was forced to pay a travel agent (£8,000) after an unwanted automatic upgrade to her computer left it slow and prone to crashing.

 

If you found this article interesting, check out our ‘Latest Industry News’ page for more Technology insights. You can view it by clicking on this link!

– James Titcomb

10-WAYS you can look after your Smartphone

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Your Smartphone is valuable… but are you doing anything to make sure you are protecting it as much as possible?

We have become a smartphone society. In both the UK and the US, around two-thirds of people own smartphones, and many of those people consider their phones an essential device for getting online.

Smartphones aren’t cheap, either. While the average price of an Android phone is around £200, the average price of an iPhone is around £570 and there are many phones that cost even more. Believe it or not, if you have the funds, you can pay thousands or even millions of pounds for a smartphone.

Most people take a deep breath when it’s time to replace their phone, because they know it’s going to hurt their wallet. But you can put off that painful experience by keeping your phone in good health. Here’s a checklist of ways to protect your smartphone. Let’s start with external threats.

 

1. Get a Case

There’s nothing worse than dropping your phone and shattering the screen. It happens a lot, and there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to get it fixed. The answer is to protect your phone with a case.

There are dozens to choose from for every model. If you know you often drop your phone, get a case that will protect your phone against anything (even driving a car over it!). It will make it heavier, but it’s worth it. Otherwise, a slimmer case or simple sleeve will do.

One tip: if you’re using a clip on case, make sure it’s got a decent-sized lip all around so if the phone does drop, it doesn’t land directly on the screen.

 

2. Protect Your Screen

Speaking of screens, consider a screen protector. Some screens are made of a tough material and may not need them. However, a protector may keep your screen together if you drop the phone. It also means it’s harder to scratch your screen, which can affect its responsiveness. Get a protector that’s easy to apply and is right for your phone.

 

3. Be Careful How You Put It Away

Unless you’re using a super-effective case or screen protector, ladies, avoid putting keys in the same section of your handbag as your phone. Gents – keys and phones don’t belong in the same pocket.

If you’ve ever had a scratch that is right in the middle of the area you need to swipe, you’ll know that key scratches (and other scratches) can seriously ruin the touchscreen experience.

While you’re at it, don’t put the phone in dangerous places, like on a balcony railing, for example. That’s just asking for the phone to fall and get smashed to pieces. When you put your phone down, keep it away from hazards so it will survive till you’re ready to upgrade.

 

4. Avoid Water and Extreme Temperatures

Most people don’t put their phones in water deliberately, but lots of people forget they have a phone in their pocket when heading to the beach or pool. One dip later, and the phone is toast (unless you manage to dry it out with rice).

 

5. Keep it Clean

You might not be able to see dust particles, but they get into your smartphone, even if you’re using a case or screen protector. Too much dust will result in your phone’s performance taking a hit. Use a soft screen-cleaning cloth with an appropriate screen cleaner to wipe your screen gently. Open the case every now and then to give the phone a wipe and get rid of the dust.

The five tips above help you provide external smartphone maintenance and protection, but safeguarding your phone is also about keeping it running smoothly. Here are some tips for doing that.

 

6. Streamline and Update Your Apps

Most smartphones include a bunch of apps that the manufacturer has installed. Chances are, you don’t need all of them. Since the more apps you run, the shorter your battery life, disable or uninstall any apps you don’t need.

For the apps you DO use, make sure you’re always running the latest version. App developers update apps regularly, to add new functionality, cut down on resource usage and guard against malware and security threats.

Tip: Either set your apps to update automatically, or update them manually at least once a week.

 

7. Clear the Cache

When you install apps or when they run, they may leave junk files behind in the cache. Those take up valuable memory which could be put to better uses. Clear these files out from time to time. Both Android and iOS allow you to do this.

 

8. Use Trusted Sources

Sometimes you want to download and install a new app, but where should you get it from? With the rise of malware on phones, the best advice is to use the app store for your device or another trusted app store, such as Amazon’s.

 

9. Expand Your Storage

If your phone allows it, install an external SD card to increase the available storage, then run any apps you can from this storage. You can also use it to store media files. This frees up the phone’s internal memory, resulting in better performance.

 

10. Look after the Battery

Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for looking after your battery. Depending on the age of your phone and the battery it’s using, this might include:

  • charging your phone before it runs down completely
  • letting it run down fully once in awhile
  • restarting your phone from time to time
  • turning off services you don’t need (like mobile data when you can use Wi-Fi and live wallpaper)
  • keeping the battery cool (and turning off the phone to let it cool down if it overheats)

There’s plenty of advice online about the best practices for your particular smartphone model. Finally, you also need to ensure you can find your phone if someone steals it. Use the security features built into your device to help with this:

  • Lock your phone with a pin, password or pattern.
  • Don’t share your password.
  • Install a security app to help you track your phone if it gets into the wrong hands.

 

Even if you do apply all of these factors to taking care of your smartphone, things may still go wrong on them from time to time. If you are interested in Mobile Phone Repairs and Maintenance, check out our latest job vacancy by following this link!

– Sharon Hurley Hall

Making a Mobile App: 6 Key Factors You Should Consider Before Starting

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Building a mobile app can be time consuming and challenging however, extremely rewarding afterwards.

If you’re considering making your first mobile app, check out these 6 factors you should take into consideration before attempting to do so.


  1. Are you making a mobile app to promote an existing business or to make money from it?

Do you want your mobile app to be a promotional tool for an existing business? If your app will showcase your own business, boat club, local pub or community centre, then the fastest way to get it done is probably to hire a local app development company to make it for you. You don’t need to learn too much about the process. Just show them some apps that you like in the store, and bring along the text, photos and videos you want in your app. If you can, try to design your app to do something useful. Apple have tightened up a lot and will not publish apps that are primarily marketing material. If you want the most possible downloads, set your app’s price to ‘free’. Then once it’s live tell all your customers about it.

Is your main goal to make money from your app? If you want to make money, the app should not be targeted towards one country. You will not make money by creating an app about something which is native to only one country. Steer clear of making an app for a seasonal events as well at the start. To maximise your revenue, start small and use your first few apps as a hands on education. You can buy source code, reskin it by updating all the graphics and publish it, often for under £400-£800 per app. The less you spend, the faster you will become profitable. Ideally spend no more than £400 per app on your first few apps. Researching what is currently popular in the store by looking at the top charts is a great way to reduce risk, and make an app type that already has proven market demand. Of course the more work you can do yourself, the more money you will save on developers.

 

  1. Should you make an iPhone app, an Android app, or both?

Android and iPhone/iPad use different languages so most people usually choose to develop one at the beginning to keep costs down. If you want to make money,  for now choose the iPhone/iPad. A lot of app developers find it’s more difficult to get downloads and revenue from an Android app. Learn more about How to Make an iPhone App. But if you think Android suits your market demographic better, choose Android development.  If you want the app to promote a business, think seriously about Android. There are no ‘reviews’ prior to your app being published, and your app will go live automatically about 20 minutes after you have submitted it.

 

  1. Should the mobile app be free?

Pricing works differently for different app categories. Free is very popular in games and entertainment, especially on Android. Unless it’s an incredibly complex niche app, the safest option is to make two versions, paid and free. See which makes you the most money and work from there. To start making money from a free app, try putting some ad networks into your app. After a few months once you get up to speed, you can experiment with in-app purchases and other monetization options. If you want the most downloads, make your app free.

 

  1. What kind of app should you make?

The best way to make money from your app is to know that there is market demand for your app before you start to develop it. Go into the iTunes store every day, look at the top free, top paid, and top grossing apps in the categories you are interested in. Download the apps and play with them. Are people downloading the type of app you want to make? If they are not, maybe put that idea aside and move on to your next app idea. Don’t ever fall in love with an idea. (If you do, only make it from the profit you have earned from your other apps!). From my experience and from talking to many other developers, the category with the most revenue generating potential, both from ads and in-app purchases, is games. And if you want to start your own app business, that’s probably the best tip which can be given.

 

  1. Should you hire someone or learn how to make the mobile app yourself?

If you want to start an app business, then it would be advised that you start to learn about making apps. Learn the common pitfalls and how the app market works. Learn from success stories and what they did to get there. You can lose a lot of money in the beginning paying developers WAY too much money to make an app if you do not have a basic knowledge of what’s involved and how much effort it should take. Check out the Chocolate Lab developer blog for insights and tips, and teach yourself how to reskin a game and integrate ads with our Udemy courseLearn xCode, reskin an iPhone game, integrate ads and upload to Apple (FREE preview.)

If you only want to make one app, for example to promote a business, you probably want to hire a team. Hiring locally is probably the easiest but may cost more. Outsourcing has its own challenges but may come with a lower cost. Attend networking events, try and meet contacts either in person or over LinkedIn. The quality of your team’s skills will be critical, so keep searching for contractors until you have put together an AAA Level Team.

 

  1. How much risk should you take when making an app?

Aim to create a portfolio of successful apps, rather than putting all of your energy into one big app. Keep your risk low and your prospects for success high. At the beginning, it’s easier to make money from lots of small apps than it is from one big app. You will learn a lot from every app you publish, so the quality of your apps will keep increasing. You will make mistakes and learn valuable lessons. So keep your costs low at the start so you don’t bankrupt yourself. Apps can be created and published at very little expense. It is possible. By learning the basic coding skills yourself,  you can save a lot of money. Aim to be profitable as fast as you can, ideally in 14 days after launch. Do not spend 6, 12 or 18 months by yourself working on getting your app perfect. Get a small section of the app done, maybe just one module or chapter, and upload it to the store straightaway. Ship fast. Customer feedback will be invaluable to you. Validate your assumptions – pricing, app type, design, theme, features, marketing material, etc – as soon as possible. The information you learn from going through the publishing process and confirming your monetization choices were correct will allow you to make more educated choices and increase your revenue in the future.

Common concerns from people making an app for the first time:

  • “There is an app like mine in the store already“ That is great news. Go to the website www.topappcharts.com and type in the name of the app. If it’s not in any of the top rankings for its category, then you’ve just saved yourself a lot of time and money, and you have now found out that demand for that app type is not as strong as you would like it to be. “I truly think my app idea is INCREDIBLE and I still want to make it.” Ok, great enthusiasm! What you need to do now is to put that idea in a drawer. If this is an excellent idea, you want to give it every chance of success. So for the next 2 months, plan on publishing 10 small apps. A good way to keep costs low is to buy source code on the internet, change the graphics, integrate ads and upload it yourself, or hire a developer to put in some ads, so you can start to earn money. After the 2 months you will be MUCH more knowledgeable, hopefully profitable, and in a much better position to do justice to your big app idea. If you want to do justice to you app, it has to look INCREDIBLE. It should look like it was made by a multimillion pound studio. People download beautifully designed apps.
  • “I don’t have any money.” It’s still possible to make apps. The cheapest way to get started is to use the machine you have right now. If you have a mac, build iPhone/iPad apps. If you have a PC, build Android apps. You do not need to buy a smartphone in the beginning. The software you use (xCode and Eclipse) to make the apps comes with a free phone simulator so you can view the app on your Mac or PC. To build an app, check out online app building platforms for an affordable way to start. To publish an app, you will need to pay Android $25, or Apple $99 for a developer’s license.
  • “I have this app idea but I don’t want to tell you in case you steal it.”  Don’t say this too often. Instead say “I have an idea for a photography/health/game/entertainment iPhone/Android app. Do you have any experience publishing apps in this area?”


To do it right, there is a lot of hard work involved and you will get addicted to your laptop. There’s a steep learning curve at the start, and you might not see your family and friends for a good while. But if you can stick it out and start getting things working, it is definitely worth it. The people who are the most successful in this area learn as fast as they can and execute every day.

Are you interested in mobile phones? Take a look out our new IT Repair Technician role specialising in mobile phone repairs and problem diagnostics. You can view it by following this link!

If you are interested in Software Development, we also have Software Developer vacancies covering both Junior and Senior levels. If you’re a junior software developer, explore our junior role vacancy by following this link.

If you’re an experienced Software Developer looking to take the next step in your career, check out what could be waiting for you by clicking here!

– Elaine Heney

New Android Operating System takes off!

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Google is releasing the new version of Android – to some people.

The company has allowed people to play with Android 7.0 ahead of its release, and it was first unveiled in June

Android Nougat is being sent out to people’s phones around the world.

It will initially arrive on Google’s own Nexus devices first, and soon arrive on the upcoming LG V20. Other phones will have to wait until their carriers and manufacturers decide to make it available – potentially leaving them open to big security problems.

The new version of Android brings new features including better battery life, more emojis and virtual reality compatibility that sits alongside a whole host of VR tools.

Google said that there are more than 250 major new features in the newest version of Android, which is officially version 7.0.

But the primary new tools include expanded emoji, quick settings controls that can be easily accessed to change settings and the ability to run two apps side-by-side. It also has new battery tools, which allow the phone to drop into a special lower power usage mode that will let it last for longer.

It also brings new security features, meant to make Android better at keeping data private. Many of those features are locked to new devices, but they allow phones to automatically store information in the background and make sure that files are encrypted so they can’t easily be read by people.

Some people have already been able to use those features, since Google this year allowed developers to try out the software before it was actually released. That should have allowed them to ensure that apps are all up to date for the new operating system, making it run more smoothly from the off.

For everyone else, the software will roll out gradually. All of the recent Nexus devices will be updated over-the-air, and others will come with time.

 

– Andrew Griffin, Independent

Can Google’s new Video Chat App compete with the Giants?

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Google has launched its video chatting app, called Duo.

It represents Google’s response to other popular video calling options, including Apple’s FaceTime, Microsoft’s Skype and Facebook’s Messenger.

It’s not that different from the other video chatting services, except that it gives users a glimpse at who’s making the call, helping people decide whether to answer or not.

The company says it’s calling the feature, “knock, knock”.

The new app, originally announced in May, is being released as a free service for phones running on Google’s Android operating system as well as Apple’s iPhones.

Calls are encrypted and the video resolution changes depending on the speed of your connection.

Like FaceTime on iOS, Duo only requires a person’s phone number to connect.

Many other services require both people to have account logins to use the video calling options.

Google’s been offering video calling through Hangouts since 2013, but the company’s now tailoring that service for business meetings and it won’t plug into the new video chat service.

Duo is being billed as a simpler, more reliable way to see friends and family as you talk to them.

The app is rolling out around the world over the next few days.

It’s the first of two new mobile apps that Google has planned for the next few months.

The US Company is also preparing to unveil a new messaging app called Allo featuring a robotic assistant that will suggest automated responses to texts.

That includes commenting on pictures sent by friends, thanks to its use of image recognition algorithms.

Google announced a conversation-based tool – Google Assistant – to control smartphones, smartwatches and other devices earlier this year.

It can be used to find information, play media and carry out tasks via a chat between the user and the software.

The firm also announced a voice-activated device with a built-in speaker called Google Home to deliver the tech to living rooms.

– BBC News

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