With 57% of consumers consuming media through mobile apps‚ the potential for growth in this channel is getting larger every year. Of course‚ this also means it’s getting more competitive‚ with more than 2 million apps currently active on the App Store.
If you’re looking to enter the flourishing iPhone market‚ you have a few options. In this article‚ we’ll discuss how to build a native iOS app in its own framework rather than flutter‚ looking at app builders‚ Apple’s coding language‚ or hiring a developer.
You’ll also learn more about the iOS app development process with this step-by-step guide‚ including:
- The fundamental tools your development environment should include‚ like operating systems and iOS simulator
- Tips for beginner cross-platform and Apple developers
- A step-by-step tutorial for your first app or new project.
Step 1: What you need before you start developing your iOS app
The main starting point in iOS app development is to download Xcode. At the time of writing‚ the latest version is Xcode 14 – a powerful free tool to develop‚ test and distribute apps across all Apple platforms. It will also introduce you to Apple’s coding language‚ Swift‚ and the SwiftUI (user interface).
Before you download‚ you’ll need a MAC MacOS‚ and ideally an iPhone or an iPhone simulator. Once you’ve downloaded Xcode directly from the App Store‚ you’ll be able to build your user interface and write code to respond to users.
Step 2: Coding language and software development kit (SDK) for iOS app development
The second step in knowing how to build an iPhone app is to understand its coding language. Apple’s main coding language is called Swift‚ but you may prefer to use Objective-C.
With Xcode in place‚ you’ll be writing Swift directly into it. Think of Swift as the English language and Xcode as your pen and paper. Learning Swift enables you to write code for multiple platforms – not just the iPhone‚ but iPads‚ Apple Watch apps and Apple TV apps.
The good news is that there are plenty of resources for learning Swift‚ such as Apple Developer and Codeacademy.
Step 3: Define your app for iOS
Defining your purpose is an essential stage in building an iOS app‚ as it will dictate the whole development process. Once you know exactly what your app should achieve‚ you can add the appropriate features and functionality.
Think about your business goals. Is there a specific problem your business is trying to overcome? What features will help you solve this problem? This leads directly into the functionality itself.
What functionality will your mobile app have?
Once you know what the problem is‚ you can determine how your app will solve it. For example‚ the problem may be splitting the bill at a restaurant.
Your app’s features should help you to achieve this goal‚ such as adding users or a calculator function. Some other considerations include:
- How you’ll take payments
- How you’ll display products
- Whether or not customers need to log in
- How your app will link to your existing store or site
- How to use and display notifications.
You can also use competitor research for inspiration.
Do competitor research
Want to know how to build an IOS app like the professionals? Do your competitor research. Not only can this give you inspiration for features and functionality‚ but crucially‚ where your competitors are going wrong.
Read the customer reviews on the App Store to identify pain points. Make a note of all feedback‚ good and bad. For example‚ if customers frequently point out a feature they like‚ this may be worth adding to your plan.
Step 4: How to build an app for iPhone
Apps have limited space‚ so you’ll need to categorise your features into the essentials and secondary back-ups. Your core features should be easy to access‚ such as on the homepage or in the main navigation bar. Put your less important features in secondary navigation bars.
Building visuals
A wireframe is an essential part of the app planning process – displaying what screens will be in use‚ and how the user will interact with each element. It should clearly demonstrate what the user will achieve from clicking‚ such as ‘adding to basket’.
Build your mobile application
With your wireframe complete‚ it’s time to go into full iOS developer mode. If you need to know how to build an iPhone app without hiring a developer‚ this is where your hard work will pay off. You can use an app builder or code from scratch if you don’t want to outsource.
Step 5: Testing and submitting your iOS app
Testing is an integral part of the iOS app development process – and it’s best to use more than one platform. Try a simulator‚which is available on XCode. This does exactly what it says on the tin – emulating different Apple devices.
Make sure everything runs as it should and watch out for error messages. If certain features don’t look right‚ it might be time to make a change or debug.
Test the user experience
You can also test your app on your own devices by connecting your iPhone or iPad to your computer. Select your device through XCode and carry out this process for every device you have. Once you’ve tried out the user experience‚ ask others outside your company to test the app.
Apple will allow developers to beta test their app with up to 10‚000 people. Simply share the public link to your app in the App Store and let users download it. An unbiased set of eyes may help you to identify problems you’d not considered before.
Publish to the Apple App Store
Congratulations – your iPhone app is live and ready to go‚ so it’s time to hit publish. Start by creating an App Store product page‚ then upload the app for Apple to review. Your submission should include your:
- App name
- App icon
- App subtitle and description
- App preview pictures
- App screenshots
Once Apple accepts your submission‚ your app will be available to the public.
Promote your new app and gather functionality reviews
Once you’re ready to promote your app‚ start with your existing audience. This might be your social media followers or newsletter subscribers. You might even want to write a blog post or landing page outlining the app’s details.
Looking for user feedback? SKStoreReviewController prompts app users to submit an App Store rating and general user comments. Remember‚ the key to a successful app is continual improvement‚ so don’t get complacent.
Summary: How to build iOS apps
The ever-growing iOS market provides huge growth potential for both B2B and B2C businesses. But before you start‚ it’s essential to understand what your users’ problems are‚ and how your app can solve that.
Be prepared to invest time‚ money or both to get your app right – whether this is hiring a developer or learning code such as Swift. Take Apple’s recommendations seriously‚ as these will give your app the best chance against your competitors – who can also be your inspiration.
The best apps will continually evolve based on user needs and feedback‚ so take this on board at the development‚ testing and live stages. Put yourself in your users’ shoes and keep learning to help deliver the best user experience possible.
For more information on app development‚ contact the hedgehog lab team or find out more about cross-platform development.
