The significant expenses of app development have encouraged a growing population of businesses to explore the Indian market, with the country’s developer community able to create the same product for a considerably cheaper price than their American and European counterparts. With an increased emphasis on apps across all industries, it is imperative for businesses to ensure that their technology is at the cutting edge. Using the burgeoning developer community in India is not only facilitating that cutting edge but it is also giving companies more opportunity to channel finances to other areas of business.

This trend towards app development in the Indian subcontinent was evident in 2015, with Statista compiling the median cost of mobile application development across the world. Developing an Android app in the Indian subcontinent cost $26 per hour, a stark contrast to the $168 for a comparable service in North America. That made American app developers 6.5 times more expensive for each hour of work, so it is no surprise that businesses have begun to seek a more cost-effective means of production.

More smartphones means more apps

India’s budding developer community is a corollary of their expanding population of smartphone users, with The Guardian reporting that the country accounts for the world’s second-largest collection of smartphones with over 330 million in circulation. In 2016, the BBC reported that the country hosted over 200 million mobile wallet accounts and subsequently debated the viability of India becoming a cashless society.

The rapid urbanisation of the country is attracting the prolonged gaze of the world’s major companies, with Google, in particular, targeting the vast populace that is suddenly becoming exposed to new technological potential. Business Insider cites Caesar Sengupta, Google VP of Product Management, who predicted that India’s developer community will reach 4 million by the end of 2018. This would make it the biggest app development community in the world.

Effective app development has gone from being a feather in the cap to a requisite for a successful business. The venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins’ annual report on internet trends has covered the increasing reliance on technology, with 2017’s report detailing that the average adult user spends approximately 6 hours a day connected to digital media. Over half of those hours are spent on a phone. This, therefore, makes the optimisation of app development too important to overlook.

 

 

Staying connected

It is that permanent state of connectivity that has redefined how companies approach their development of apps. Social media apps are the most obvious exponents of that connectivity. The days of Facebook being the preserve of computers seem distant and archaic. Users of social media now expect to be able to post and stream their thoughts and experiences instantly, with apps allowing photos and videos to be shared with followers with one click.

In 2016, 56.5% of Facebook users exclusively logged in via the app, while the Facebook-owned Instagram app has attracted around 1 billion users. Having efficient social media apps is vital for people to feel connected to events, both socially and globally. Being able to interact with events as they happen is why it is also vital for bookmakers to offer apps that allow users to bet in-play, with the mobile app from Betway offering thousands of markets that can be accessed while on the move. This enables bettors to be able to respond to quick changes in value without needing to be glued to a computer.

Similarly, apps that show updated stock markets are beneficial for traders who can stay apprised of fluctuations in value through their smartphone, with the Yahoo Finance app offering the latest news and quotes. With mobile internet now readily available, a company that can’t keep their customers in the loop is likely to decline in popularity.

For companies that don’t offer products in constantly changing markets, there is a growing need to offer loyalty incentives that can be tracked via an app. Huge companies like Subway and Starbucks incorporate loyalty cards into their app, a sort of gamification that adds another dimension to an everyday activity. With the possibility of free gifts being handed out through the app at any moment, companies are seeking to ensure that their app remains installed in the long-term rather than just downloaded for a single use.

With cheaper access to technological expertise in India, global companies will continue to turn to the world’s biggest developer community to produce their apps. Auxano Global Services, Quy Technology and Nine Hertz are among the leading developers in India, companies with significant experience and global influence. Having a global reach may not be so essential in future; if app development prices remain incredibly competitive, it will be the world’s biggest businesses that come to them.