iOS App Development: Create a High-Performing App for iPhone

Why iPhone users are famous for being high-paying customers?

It is because Apple provides them with high-class features and services on their iPhones which made users remain always happy and satisfied.

If you want to create an app for iPhone, you must take note that it is not just hiring a developer or app development company and get the work started.

iPhone users are notorious for being impatient and fastidious who pay attention to every minor aspect of your mobile application that doesn’t satisfy their expectations.

They love an app that comes with seamless features, occupies less storage, and performs faster. For this, you need to identify key developer requirements, select the right programming language, and perfectly use cloud-based resources.

And in this article, eSearchLogix would tell you how to create a high-performing iPhone app with the best features that Apple users expect from an iPhone app.

What is iOS app development?

iOS application development is the process of developing mobile applications for iOS devices or Apple hardware including iPhone, iPad, macOS, and iPod Touch. iOSor iPhone app is software that is written in Swift programming language or Objective-C, and then deployed to the App Store.

Essential Requirements to Develop an iPhone App

1. Mac System: Your iOS developer will need a Mac Computer with the latest macOS version to code with Xcode.
2. Application Development Account: It is free to create. The developer needs an Apple Application Developer Account to get permission to download Xcode and access iOS SDK along with development videos along with technical resources.
3. Installation of Xcode: Xcode is Apple’s IDE (Integrated Development Environment for iOS and iPhone apps. Xcode provides much more than the capability to sign and launch your app. The IDE includes a code editor, testing engine, asset catalog, user interface designer, and other software resources you need for iPhone app development.

These are the three main requirements that work together; only active members of the Apple Developer Program can publish an app to the Apple App Store.

Understand Apple’s Development Guidelines

Before you start the development process, you must read the factors about iOS Mobile App Development. Apple employs strict guidelines when it comes to launching a new app. Ensure your iOS developers adhere to these guidelines before they launch the app on the Apple Store.

1. Safety: People buy iPhones not to have many fancy features but for the high-class security feature. Apple has a strong policy to remove such apps which contain any offensive or upsetting content.
2. Performance: You need to upload the full version of your iPhone app to the Apple App Store. Apple here expects your app to provide seamless performance and run smoothly on all iPhone variants.
3. Mobile App Design: Apple users love to use the app which is built with innovative and clean design. Don’t try to create a complex design in the app; Apple users like to be simple in nature.
4. Legal: Don’t miss following all legal requirements before initiating the app development process.
5. Avoid Common App Rejections: iPhone users pay significant money to avail of any services through the app that is why Apple remove any cheap mobile apps which have issues like crashes, bugs, placeholder content, broken links. So make sure your app doesn’t have such issues that may lead to app rejection.
6. Follow Apple Design Guidelines: Apple has special design guidelines for developers; Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines, that primarily focus on clarity, deference, and depth of app design.

How to Create a High-Performing iPhone App

Step 1: Set the Goal of Your iPhone App

iPhone users don’t expect fancy features but meaningful solutions that help them in their daily life or professional activities. To define the goal of your iPhone app, think what do you want to offer through this application? For example, cab booking app, food ordering app, eCommerce app, or financial management app, etc.

Step 2: Define The Features for the Latest iOS Version

iPhone has its own mobile operating system-iOS. Apple constantly updates its mobile OS to provide better functionality in its devices.

While you set up the goals of your iPhone app, list down the features of the app that support the latest OS version; iOS 15 is the latest version.

Step 3: Choose an iOS Programming Language

There are mainly two programming languages used in iOS app development:

1. Objective-C: It is an object-oriented programming language centered on passing messages to different processes. Objective-C was developed in the early 1980s as the primary programming language for all Apple products.

Top iOS app development company in India still prefers Objective-C as the main programming language due to its traditional coding structure for strong security purposes.

1. Swift: This is the new official language of iOS development. Swift is the latest programming language for iOS which is designed to use a simpler syntax to focus on security than its predecessor.

Swift is easy to learn; even beginner-level mobile app developers can use Swift. At present, Swift is used more than Objective-C due to its faster learning curve, more secure features, and simpler syntax for coding. 

Step 4: Choose the APIs and Libraries

Apple provides a large collection of resources for developing an iPhone application. Apple offers its native APIs and libraries as SDKs which are stable, feature-rich, and easy to use. Developers can easily use these iOS SDKs to flawlessly integrate the app into Apple’s existing infrastructure.

These extensive kits enable you to make the best out of the iOS resources and integrate third-party apps with ease, use the camera or native calendar app, creating apps which connect to social media, etc. There are many great iOS development tools in 2021 that you can use in the API development as well.

Step 5: Connect Your App to the Cloud

iPhones are powerful mobile devices. Therefore, to ensure a high-performing iPhone application, your app needs to handle resource-intensive and complex tasks.

For this, you have to connect your iPhone app to cloud-based services through APIs. You can use the cloud for storage database management, app caching, and augment the app with innovative next-gen features.

Step 6: Create a Wireframe of Your iPhone App

A wireframe is basically creating a prototype of the app that allows you to take an overview of the app. This is kind of a map that displays the screens on your app and what clicking on every element will do.

There are many software tools that can help you create wireframes such as Adobe XD, Illustrator. Having a prototype of your iPhone app will also help you ensure a good user experience.

Step 7: Enhance the iPhone App Performance

There are many techniques that can improve the performance of your iPhone application:

• Use a launch screen which looks as same as the initial screen:

When a user opens an app, the launch screen comes rapidly followed by the start screen. This change between the two screens must take minimum time so it may not give the user the impression that your app is slow. 

If it takes more than 2-3 seconds, users will notice the change and conclude that the app is not responsive. So don’t use the launch screen for any flamboyant or heavy expression, it should solely increase the speed of the app. 

• State preservation and restoration:

iPhone apps are often interrupted by messages, calls, alarms, and other functions. Here, your app should be able to restore to the state where users had left in. 

In some scenarios, the OS might remove the app from memory which may lose track of the last UI state. Therefore, your app should preserve the last state to avoid losing the user’s flow. 

• Use opaque views:

Opaque views are not transparent; they do not allow the user to view any UI elements placed behind them. Developers can set up the opaque view in the interface builder. 

• Use Grand Central Dispatch (GCD):

Is there any time when your app becomes unresponsive all at once? This may happen with your iPhone app as well. It mostly happens when users perform multiple heavy tasks on the phone which may hamper other app performance. 

To make the app more responsive, you have to remove the complex processing from the main thread and assign them to run on background threads. These operations involve heavy input/output operations, networking, and complex calculations. 

Grand Central Dispatch (GCD) allows developers to transfer the complex tasks to the background which ensures that any UI does not get unresponsive while waiting for the other tasks to finish. 

• Use Xcode Instruments to improve performance:

Xcode instrument is a powerful tool for analyzing performance and profiling. Instruments profile your iPhone app using multiple metrics such as memory usage, file activity, CPU usage among others to help you make the necessary changes to improve the app performance. 

• Make The App User-Friendly:

iPhones are specifically designed to provide a better user interface that helps them with easier navigating and tapping. That is why you should design the UI in a manner that gives a great app experience. Here are the following things you need to consider while making your app user-friendly:

1. State value proposition
2. Load swiftly
3. Minimize the need to type
4. Reduce cognitive load
5. Easy and efficient navigation

Step 8: Start the Development Process

Now it’s time for the development stage. So the first step is to download Xcode which would be available in the latest macOS. If you want to develop an iPhone app on Windows, then you have to separately download it on your system. Once you have downloaded the Xcode, follow the below procedures:

1. Open Xcode and Set Up the Project
2. Start writing the Code
3. Connect the UI
4. Run the App

Step 9: Test Your iPhone App

Coding is a complex and sensitive task. Even the best iPhone app developer may commit an error while coding. Hence, to ensure your app performs seamlessly and flawlessly you have to test your iPhone app on different versions of iPhones.

You can ask your iOS app development company to test your app in a small group and prepare for the Apple Beta review so that you can release your final versions of the app to the real audience. You can use the Top Mobile App Testing Tools for iOS to perform A/B tests and compare responses to features and make changes based on the feedback about any issues users encounter.

Step 10: Publish Your App To The App Store

Finally, you are now all set to launch your iPhone app on the Apple App Store. But before you submit the app, check whether your app follows all the guidelines of the App Store. You can publish your app by signing the app directly through Xcode.

The app review process may be longer due to multiple iterations of rejection-revision-resubmission-rejection until you receive the final approval.

Once you pass all approvals, you can create your App Store page by using a program called App Store Connect and submit the app to the store. Keep in mind that Apple takes a 30 percent share of your sales, in addition to the $99 annual charge.

The Final Words

iPhone has its special class in the world. It is known for being simple in design but great in performance. Hence, you should focus on creating an app that gives high-performance and incredible user experience.

Now, we would like to hear from you.

Did you find this guide helpful in your iOS development?

Or do you have an app project in your mind for iPhone users?

eSearch Logix is a premier iOS Development Company in India. We have a team of highly experienced iOS developers who master Swift, Objective-C, Xcode, and other development technology to build a high-performing iPhone app.

Just Book an Online Meeting with Our Experts and Discuss Your App Project For Free