How to Hire a Great iPhone or iPad Developer
From the time that the iPhone App Store was launched, more than 220,000 applications have been created by developers. iPhone users have made more than 5 billion downloads of these applications – and this virtual store is considered as one of the software giant's most important invention.
There are dozens of software development firms in Vietnam and hundreds of similar companies around the world which specialize in building apps for the iPhone. How do you find the right company for your needs? This page will give you some tips for how to hire iPhone developers and how to carry out your iPhone project.
Factors to Consider when Looking for iPhone/iPad App Developers
So what are the factors that you need to consider when looking for an iPhone app developer? Take a look at the following list of factors and additional tips to keep in mind:
Have a clear vision of what the program is all about.
Whether you're a big software company or an independent contractor who is looking for a software outsourcing firm to hire iPhone developers, it is important to first have a clear vision of what the program is all about.
Prior to having an iPhone app developed specifically to suit your needs, answer these questions first. Who is your target audience? It developing an iPhone app the best way to reach out to your target market? What exactly are the benefits that you will enjoy as a business after the iPhone application has been developed? What is the vision that you have when it comes to what the end result would look like?
You should have answers ready to all of these questions prior to arranging a meeting with the outsourcing firm. Don't forget to detail out any restrictions that you might have about the application – and have realistic expectations about the limitations of the program. More importantly, you should be ready to work with the outsourcing company on refining your idea so that in the end, you would both be satisfied with the way that the program will turn out.
Consider the skills of the iPhone app developer whom you will hire.
Whether you are contracting a single developer or a software outsourcing company when having an iPhone app created specifically for you, it is important to have a skills set list. Look over samples of the developer's work. Has he or she created iPhone apps in the past? Do you like the look and feel of the program? Does it reflect the quality that you are looking for?
If yes is the answer to all of these questions, one more important skill set that the developer should have is Cocoa (API). This is an application program interface that Apple has so that programmers can develop applications for Apple gadgets like iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. Without this skill, the developer will not be able to create any applications for the iPhone. You want to hire someone who has extensive experience with Cocoa development so that you can rest assured that the end result of the program is something that will meet your expectations as a client.
Take the costs of program development into consideration.
Just as it is when making any type of business decision, you should consider the cost-effectiveness of hiring an iPhone app developer. Hiring someone who has this type of skill set does not come cheap. In the US, for example, hiring a novice developer to create an iPhone app for you would set you back $20,000. For experienced developers, the price could be $100,000 above – although it still depends on the scope of the project.
The general rule of thumb to follow is that the iPhone app should be all-inclusive, which covers the following:
Adherence to Apple's Human Interface Guidelines when required
Functional architecture
Quality assurance testing
Submission to the Apple iPhone App Store
User interface design
Warranted bug fixing post-deployment
If these sound a bit expensive, you will be happy to hear about the option to outsource the project to a software outsourcing firm like Orient Software. This way, you can save a significant amount of money. As compared to hiring a US-based developer, you can outsource the task to Orient Software instead, saving you 60% to 70% of the aforementioned rates.
How fast is the turnaround time?
The turnaround time will depend on the size and scope of the project. Naturally, a more complex iPhone app will take a longer amount of time to be developed – anywhere from six weeks to six months. You should add to this the two or three-week period to have the app reviewed and approved by Apple.
If this sounds a bit too long, what you can do is consider creating a lighter version of the app so that Apple users can simply be made aware that the product exists. Afterwards, you can release a full version of the application. Releasing a second, fuller version is also a great way to incorporate the improvements needed based on the user feedback that you will get from those who already downloaded the previous version.
Other factors to take into consideration.
In addition to the aforementioned tips, it is also important for you to make sure that developing an iPhone app is a good medium for your business. Let's say that your target market are not necessarily iPhone users, what's the point of developing an iPhone app? This is unless you want to expand your target audience by reaching out to a younger clientele.
In terms of the technical adeptness of the developer, it is important to check on their experience with Apple's platform and Cocoa development. Browse through the developer's portfolio and make sure that you like what he or she has done in the past. Keep in mind that the timeline for developing an iPhone app is anywhere from six weeks to six months depending on the scope of your project. Finally, it is important to develop a timeline – making allotments for the review and testing process – so that the end result is not a shoddy application that users will only be dissatisfied with in the end.
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