The prevalence of mobile phones and how integral a part they are of human existence today is not a new revelation. Though it may have seemed like a difficult task, it’s for everyone to see that smartphones are the standard. It is why businesses seek to put out adaptable mobile apps since they are crucial to any business. Mobile apps have long proven their mettle as a terrific way to target audiences and improve user engagement. It has also become essential to innovate with the integration of novel technologies and tools. And one tool that has emerged as somewhat a popular choice is geolocation.
While most people might be inclined to write off geolocation as just another technology, the truth is that it is an indispensable facet of the current technological environment. Be it social media, maps, on-demand services, health, weather forecasts, or any of the lifestyle apps — all of them depend on geolocation to function correctly. Hence, it is essential that app developers figure out their way around the integration of geolocation in their apps since it can impact the app’s functionality.
To help you out, we put together a list of the most common issues faced by developers while developing mobile apps with geo-location.
1. Privacy: User privacy is a crucial part of any discussion about apps, especially considering that the former group doesn’t like their location gets tracked on a constant basis. It is understandable that a little bit of location-tracking is essential for most apps to function, but it can be hard to discern where developers must put their foot down. The best way, at the moment, to deal with such a scenario is to make sure the app clarifies not only why it needs to use geolocation, but also reassures users that their information is secure. It gets managed via an easily-accessible and easy-to-understand explanation of the terms and conditions when users install the app.
2. Multiple Geo-location Methods: The more the means to discover users’ locations, the more precise the app will be. Therefore it is recommended developers use various geolocation methods ensure that the app is not dependent on just one way, thus prone to being rendered futile due to unforeseen circumstances. So, be sure to employ a handful of methods, such as A-GPS, GPS, Wi-Fi, and Cell ID, to collect and zero in on the data requisite for geolocation.
3. Clarity: Today’s consumers are extremely aware and smart. So, unless an app makes it abundantly clear why it needs geolocation to operate, they might hesitate to share their information. For a mobile app to be deemed genuinely well-designed, it doesn’t have to defend the use of geo-location explicitly. What developers can do instead is make sure that at least the app’s functionality makes it abundantly clear that it requires geo-location to function correctly.
There are challenges in most endeavours in development and developing apps with geo-location functionality are no different. However, the trick to getting location-based applications for business working right is to dodge the kind of mistakes listed above. Avoiding these blunders will not only ensure a smoother development process but also make sure that your app offers enduring value.
