It is 2024 and the mobile app maintenance landscape is as dynamic as it could be. Maintaining the multifarious features of mobile apps frequently such as communication, online shopping, information access, content creation, and games can get a little overwhelming. 

Be that as it may, consistent maintenance of these apps is their only way of survival which is why it is an integral part of the mobile app development process. 

Despite understanding this, multiple businesses choose to sideline it focusing more on the features and functionality of the app. 

In today’s landscape, the average cost for app maintenance encircles around 20.7% of your initial app development cost. By that logic, if you spent $100 on building your app, 20 dollars, and 70 cents would go to its well-being. 

Personally, that is 70 cents a little too much for me. But you might be different! 

In this article, we will take a deep dive into the mobile app maintenance aspect of app development and predict a few things that could potentially affect this market.

Factors Affecting Mobile App Maintenance in 2024

Mobile apps today are a major source of income for a lot of people around the world.

To set up the context even further, by 2025 the number of smartphone users in the US is estimated to elevate to 320 million. 

That covers almost the entire population of the States. 

This highlights the amount of work that app developers would have on their hands. Their job is not just to design and code the app for public use, but also its frequent maintenance to ensure its upkeep. 

This is why it is important to focus on the factors affecting mobile app maintenance to understand the consequences of not maintaining it right.

Let us take a look at them:

Fixing Bugs and Issues

Bug issues and runtime errors become non-existent if your app is maintained regularly. Various factors affect the cost of updates and how frequently they can be exercised.

Some of these factors include the complexity of the app and functionality refurbishments. 

A quick fix might cost you nominal time and minimal expense however, updating a functional aspect can eat up weeks and bags of finances from you. 

Analytics

Speaking of bugs and issues, it has become the need of the hour for companies to monitor and track such issues surfacing in their apps. 

Knowing they exist helps in eliminating them which in turn delivers an uninterrupted user experience that can only be accomplished through tracking and analysis. 

Analytics tools such as Google Analytics might help you out with this providing deep insights into the overall app performance and user behavior helping you in making reasonable decisions. 

There are other tools as well that help you in analyzing your app’s performance costing differently than each other. 

User Interface Updating

The success of an app rides on how seamless its user experience is. With dynamic user behavior and market trends, your UI/UX design of the app must be dynamic as well.

The more frequently you update your app, the happier the users are.

Hosting Maintenance

Once you have ticked all the boxes mentioned above, you are also going to need a hosting server with a considerable price. This is another factor that is responsible for the outstanding cost at the end. 

The price range of hosting servers ranges from $70 to $230 monthly, based on elements like content, active users, and estimated growth. 

Location of Development Team

Where your team is located becomes a major factor in determining the app maintenance costs.

The cost of hiring a development company from India might be different from hiring one from the US. This is due to the varying service charges that differ from country to country. 

: Why Should Businesses Invest In Mobile App Maintenance?

Types of Mobile App Maintenance 

Just to be safer than sorry, you should know the different kinds of maintenance services an app development company offers.

For regular updates or last-minute saviors, it is important to understand what value various maintenance types can bring to the table.

Perfective Maintenance

At an individual level, your app is doing good. Great, even! However, it can do much better since a large contingent of the audience consistently keeps on offering feedback about its features that work and don’t. 

Perfective maintenance constantly processes such feedback, responding to it and improving the source code accordingly to provide a much better user experience every time. 

Emergency Maintenance

Any last-minute disruptive threats arising in the code are eliminated through emergency maintenance (hence the name). 

Such issues are unpredictable and can impede the smooth functionality of the app. This is why they demand urgency and swift removal to ensure a seamless user experience.

Adaptive Maintenance

Let’s be honest, if it weren’t for the dynamic requirements of your audience, your app might be the talk of the town. To stay updated with the fluid needs of your audience, adaptive maintenance is required. 

Such maintenance focuses on improving the OS version, imbibing hardware changes or updating them based on the requirements of the software environment. 

Corrective Maintenance

This type of maintenance takes care of the already existing issues and flaws occurring in the system. 

Such maintenance includes design, application logic, and coding-related issues to make sure that the app has seamless functionality. 

Cost Management Strategies

Now that you have an idea of how things are in the realm of mobile app maintenance, we can ease into the topic of how to manage the cost that goes behind app maintenance. 

Some of the strategies that can help in the cost management of app maintenance are:

Build an MVP

MVP or a Minimum Viable Product is a short-term solution to the different issues that you are trying to consider with fundamental features. 

It allows you to account for your users’ needs, accumulate their feedback, and construct the final product accordingly. 

You can also keep an eye out for your competitors and follow what trends they are following to upgrade your app based on those trends. 

Hence, to reduce app development or maintenance costs, make sure to build an MVP.  

Strategize with your App Development Partner

A dependable app development partner will provide cutting-edge app maintenance services whenever required. The service provider will let you know all the expenses regarding app maintenance along with the hidden costs. 

This helps you out in planning your budget in a structured manner and make informed decisions to avoid unorganized pitfalls. 

Continuous Testing and Automation Tools

Such a strategy involves ongoing testing across the app’s development even after it is released. 

Testing your app continuously is like meditating every day to keep your mind and body clean and pure. It not only prevents any potential issues but also engages a wider audience as they witness the care you show for your app.

The medium through which such testing can take place is called an automation tool. These tools help in streamlining the app testing, enhancing its speed and efficiency. They are specialized equipment to diagnose and prevent the issues occurring in the app. 

Streamlined development practices

These practices are structured approaches that are crucial in ensuring the development and maintenance of the app go both efficiently and cost-effectively. 

Some of these methodologies include:

Agile Methodologies- Such an approach divides the app into smaller pieces of information so that they can become more organized and manageable. 

They encourage team collaboration, offer strategies and a roadmap, and adapt to the changing project requirements. 

Code Reviews- The app’s codebase is systematically evaluated by code reviews created by experienced developers. 

Such reviews can aid in identifying and eliminating coding errors, keeping the code quality top-notch, and making sure the app has a strong foundation. 

Continuous Integration- The consistent implementation of new coding features into the existing code is called continuous integration. 

The conflicts that are spotted through this are resolved early on ensuring the maintenance and sustainability of the app even when new features are introduced. 

Such practices are compasses for organizing an app development process which otherwise, can lead to a haphazard manner of developing apps. 

This results in increased cost of maintenance at the end of the final product. 

Scalable and Modular Architecture

Scalable and modular architecture is nothing but the foundation and the blueprint of the app. 

Such an architecture offers you leeway to move the pieces of the app wherever and however you want to. Some of the features of this architecture include:

• Well-Structured Code- The app’s code is well-balanced as if tagging boxes with specific items. This organization of code helps in the elimination of bugs and offers smooth functionality to the app.

• Modular Outlook- If you imagine your app to be a set of building blocks, each block must represent a purpose and a function. Stacking these blocks atop of each other, modular design allows you to swap them with regards to each other without affecting the building as a whole.  

These features help in identifying and removing potential errors in the code, organizing and structuring them in a way that makes the development process much more convenient to follow. 

Without these features, your program becomes a tangled mess of code which could later impact the cost of maintenance on the app in its final stage. 

Conclusion

If you made it here, it means that you understand the current landscape of mobile app maintenance in the app development industry. Although not much has changed from the previous year in app maintenance, there are many things to look forward to in 2024 for the future of mobile app maintenance. 

Advancements in mobile app maintenance are necessary this year due to the lack of app quality and the increase in app quantity in App Stores. 

If the maintenance of the app is done right, the quality of user experience will automatically enhance which could earn the company a loyal customer.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

1. Why is mobile app maintenance crucial in 2024?

To sustain optimized performance, stay in sync with evolving technologies, and meet user expectations. Mobile app maintenance not only does all of the above but also increases the app’s lifecycle increasing its value in an overall digital landscape. 

2. How does the complexity of an app affect its maintenance cost?

App complexity is directly related to the cost of app maintenance. Complex apps require more bug testing, debugging, and ongoing updates resulting in higher app maintenance costs. These expenses can be mitigated by streamlining app complexity through multiple efficient development methodologies. 

3. What strategies can reduce routine maintenance costs without jeopardizing app quality?

Effectively managing routine maintenance contains strategic planning and automation. These routine processes can be streamlined by prioritizing tasks, allowing automated testing, and considering agile methodologies. This also optimizes cost maintenance without compromising app performance.

4. Are there any proactive measures to maintain long-term maintenance expenses?

Yes, there are! Proactive maintenance constitutes predicting and analyzing potential issues before they can worsen. Frequently updating dependencies, tracking performance metrics, and incorporating precautionary measures, in the long run, can reduce the app’s maintenance costs. 

The post Mobile App Maintenance Costs in 2024: What to Expect? appeared first on 360 Degree Technosoft.

As a result, it is significant for businesses to invest in mobile app maintenance and make sure that the audience has a seamless user experience on their end. It is also crucial for an app to function well without any issues or bugs. Such measures instill the pillars of success for the app. Below we have mentioned not only the importance but also the technical aspects of mobile app maintenance that result in profit-driven results of your business.

With a surging market like that of mobile apps, market saturation is a major concern for businesses around the world. Apple in 2016, eliminated more than 50,000 superfluous apps from the App Store. As a result, it is easy to release an app in the mobile market these days however, to make a successful one demands a studied approach towards building one. This is where consistent maintenance comes in as the means of staying alive in the competition.

The Importance of Mobile App Maintenance in Business

We understand people want more quality than quantity, however, have you ever researched enough about the app you want to install? Is it up to date? What do the existing user reviews say? How long ago was it updated? Surely after knowing the latest update release you will consider either installing or moving on from the app. Yes, that is right. Such things matter in the success of your mobile app. 

The features released by the app determine the frequency of updates offered by it. Below are a few reasons why mobile app maintenance is crucial for business:

• Operating System Upgrades- Every operating system needs a system upgrade when additional features are introduced in the app and fill the gaps of any security errors. As a result, platforms such as iOS and Android always keep releasing new updates for their systems. As a result, it caters to the audience with a better experience. Ignoring this task can lead to performance issues in your app. The software performance can have a massive impact on the user experience.
  
  
• Better Security- It is highly probable that your mobile application will be exposed to hackers and external threats. Cyber threats are more than common these days and hence, security has enhanced as well to protect data from such threats. With mobile app security, it will not just protect the user’s data but also build trust and rapport with the user assuring the security of their information. Ignorance and unmaintained apps have a higher chance of being vulnerable to cyber threats. 
  
  
• Follow New Trends- Every single day a new trend emerges in the mobile app industry. These trends arise due to the demand of people for better services and products from their companies. One of the best ways to add new and different features to your app is through fixing bugs and introducing better changes to your app. Updating your app to its latest version is the only way to keep your users happy and satisfied. 
  
  
• New ways to Refurbish- Due to the market’s inherent nature of being dynamic, nothing lasts forever in the world of the mobile app industry. Everything keeps on moving rapidly in this industry. For an app to succeed all the unnecessary features and functions need to be eliminated, and space needs to be freed to make room for more updates. According to a study, 71% of users uninstall apps they find unimportant within 90 days of their installation since they find the app to be mundane. An app made yesterday could be rendered worthless the next day which is why you need to keep on finding better ways to satisfy your audience according to their demands. 
  
  
• Establish Trust- Frequent users of Android and iOS always keep an eye out for any new updates or fixes. Due to their loyalty to the brand, they do not entertain the idea of delays in fixing issues or functionality problems. They would always choose a stable app with refurbished updates over an app that is hardly maintained by the company. Not updating an app may lead to an enhanced bounce rate along with decreased user retention.
  
  

• Improvements in Mobile Strategy- Rigorous app analysis is necessary for mobile app maintenance. The app must be updated for two reasons- practical reasons (functions and features) and strategic reasons (enhanced marketing and trending). Keep an eye out for the different trends and statistics to expand the limits of your app. As a result, your app will see the best updates. Make sure to align the new strategy in a way that is streamlined to your business needs. 
  
  

• Improved User Experience- It is necessary for an app to be constantly updated and maintained to enhance the user experience. Continuous updates within the app remind your customers how much you care about them. Such an experience also incentivizes users to publish a positive app rating on the App Store. This is why mobile app user experience needs to be an asset in mobile app maintenance.
  
  
• Enhanced Software Libraries- These libraries help in the responsiveness of the program, visual creation, text communication methods, and other protocols. Libraries utilized by mobile apps can become outdated. As a result, app maintenance is kept high-quality through software library updates and optimization. 
  
  
• Prevents Blacklisting- All app stores have a set of rules and guidelines that must be followed. These rules are there to eliminate unnecessary or harmful apps by blacklisting. They are also consistently updated which implies that developers need to be aware of these updates and be cautious for their app to follow the guidelines and not let their app be blacklisted. Any major app store policy updates must never be neglected as this allows increased compatibility of your app with the new Play Store updates. The app’s functionality will be boosted due to consistent updates and monitoring at the same time offering enhanced user experience.
  
  
• Stay ahead of the competition- Due to high competitiveness in the mobile app industry businesses must offer cutting-edge maintenance and high-quality updates frequently for higher customer engagement. Another clever way of never losing your customer base is app performance monitoring. Observing the KPIs of your app will allow you to improve your mistakes and gaps due to which you lose customers, work on them, and refurbish your app for a better experience. Many businesses have begun to associate budgets and resources with constant app maintenance.  The app is rendered useless without any users to engage with it. Hence, a seamless and flawless user experience is necessary for its profits, success, and business credibility. 
  
  
• Evade Unexpected Downtime- Almost every mobile business app is released to not just market the company better, gaining a wider audience but also generating profits on the side. App downtime is how a company can lose a lot of money/profits and customers. It gets even worse if the downtime is prolonged to lengthier periods bringing about greater losses. No business should allow such a thing to happen and must take measures to prevent it. They must regularly improve their mobile app user experience by monitoring the issues and improvements that could be made and updating their servers.  

Types of Mobile App Maintenance

Just as there is a different key for every lock, there are multiple kinds of mobile app maintenance that seem the perfect fit for different businesses depending on their preferences and vision. These types are mentioned below:

1. Emergency Maintenance

Such maintenance is called upon due to unforeseen circumstances i.e., when an unexpected issue arises in the program and requires instant attention. These issues can be rather unpredictable and must be taken care of as soon as possible. These issues also become the impetus for the disruption of smooth app functionality and require early assistance to be eliminated to ensure a seamless experience.

2. Perfective Maintenance

Due to the dynamically evolving trends of mobile technology, it is important to update your app accordingly. This kind of maintenance deals with actively responding to the provided feedback and improving the user experience for seamless and smooth app functionality. 

3. Adaptive Maintenance

Adaptive Maintenance is quite crucial when it comes to dynamic technological ecosystems. This implies restructuring the app to make it compatible with the new operating system version, hardware updates, or any corrections to be made in the software environment impacting the app’s overall performance.

4. Preventive Maintenance

This maintenance improves the app’s user experience by deploying measures against potential security risks and issues while curtailing the app’s complexity to increase its functionality. These measures may contain code optimization, restructuring, as well as documentation updating to increase the efficiency of the app and prevent any potential issues. 

5. Corrective Maintenance

This maintenance works on the existing issues, flaws, bugs, defects, and errors in the app’s functions and features. This involves solving design issues, coding, as well as programming logic to ensure the app’s functionality is kept intact as required. 

App owners need to understand and be aware of the different types of maintenance as it can facilitate budget allotment and price allowance for your mobile app project. 

Best Practices For Mobile App Maintenance

1. Monitor your app’s performance 

Make sure to analyze your app’s overall performance to instantly interact with your user’s needs and in doing so, enhance their experience. Such monitoring and analysis require multiple metrics:

• Net Promoter Score (NPS)
• Customer Feedback
• Loading Time 
• User Satisfaction
• Error Rates
• Installation and Uninstallation Rates

In other words, every KPI needs to be evaluated thoroughly as they might provide you with valuable insights into your app’s performance and user satisfaction. A data-driven approach will aid you in making highly informed decisions on the elements that require improvement. 

2. Follow the latest design trends

A lousy website or a faulty app interface can turn the client base away from your app. So you must follow the latest design trends that do not seem outdated. Regardless of how glitzy the design looks to the audience, it does not guarantee the same impact it will have on its users in a few years. Design market trends can change in an instant. As a result, it is important to oversee the design trends and produce one that follows modern industry standards.

3. Add better features

By reviewing how your existing users communicate with your product, it becomes much easier to understand the features that are missing from your app. There are multiple ways in which you can collect data from your active users. You also can:

• Read other user reviews or check them out on other platforms.
• Encourage in-depth interviews with your users.
• Utilize other less conventional methods
• Conduct user testing
• Make people fill out a survey

Do not worry if a feature you installed specifically for your audience turned out to be superfluous or not interesting enough. This is a valuable insight into what the audience likes and dislikes. Since you have the power to install better features, you can also remove the worst ones. 

4. Frequent Bug Fixing

There is one rule of simple and functioning mobile app maintenance called bug fixing. Doing this can eliminate the functionality issues from your product resulting in an enhanced user experience. Ignoring such an issue will drive away user traffic from your app and offer them impetus to join your competitors. 

Hence, your business must tackle all the technical issues by fixing the bugs and errors in your product to elevate user interaction with your app. Recruit Quality Assurance engineers on board to let them deal with the technical side of your product by fixing the bugs and errors. 

5. Run Multiple Campaigns

To keep your app competition-driven and ready, you need to assign a part of your budget to multiple marketing campaigns. This does not include only enhanced activity in the app stores but also reaching the potential audience through different channels. Hence, investing time and money in running a company blog, paid marketing advertisements, newsletters or social media will elevate your brand’s visibility to the right audience.

Conclusion

Now that you are familiar with the importance of mobile app maintenance in a business, it is time you invest more in it since it can make or break your product. Due to the rising importance of post-app maintenance in the world of mobile apps nowadays, allocating a separate budget will do more good to your business than bad. 

Being overwhelmed by the state of well-being of your app is completely fine. Make sure to sit down with your development team and hire talented quality assurance engineers to get through the quagmire of post-app maintenance. These people will help you facilitate the long and arduous process of mobile app maintenance. 

Frequently Asked Question’s (FAQ)

1. Does investing in mobile app maintenance save costs in the long run?

Yes, mobile app maintenance can increase your profit margin and curtail your development costs in the long run. The potential risks and issues that will appear in the future are mitigated through timely bug fixing and regular app updates. This increases the user retention rate signifying that your app is functioning seamlessly. 

2. How often should businesses perform mobile app maintenance?

Multiple factors affect the frequency of mobile app updates such as app complexity, industry standards, as well as user feedback. Businesses, in general, should focus on updating their app regularly with major maintenance updates to be scheduled quarterly or at times when major issues arise. 

3. How can a business make app maintenance fun and not a chore?

By thinking it is a goal to achieve and not a task to complete. Encourage your team to brainstorm ideas for improving, innovating, as well as surprising users. Make sure to deal with each update like an event, with more innovation, and turn app maintenance into a fun experience. 

4. How much does mobile app maintenance cost?

It depends on a plethora of factors as there is no definitive price for it. Some of the factors included in the rulebook contain server-side management, push notifications, payment gateways, and others. 

The post Why Should Businesses Invest In Mobile App Maintenance? appeared first on 360 Degree Technosoft.