Over the past few years we’ve been witnessing constant changes in the app development industry and amongst those changes, we came across location based app development.
Whether you believe it or not, but ever since the incorporation of geolocation in the mobile app development industry, we have witnessed a global rise in new start up ideas. Moreover, businesses which had no idea this technology ever existed, become key players in their respective industries.
Nowadays it doesn’t matter which app you are using, because apps like Tinder, Instagram, Nike Training, Uber and more has access to your location. Surprised! We hope so.
The Dawn of Geolocation Applications
With the integration of geolocation into apps, the app development industry has witnessed new client service treatment for existing goods and services and handful of new marketing services. The point is, it has somewhat changed the whole workflow of the company and the interaction with its consumer.
Most of the apps nowadays are entirely based on this technology, and others use it as an additional feature, which you can always turn off as per your likings.
Since geolocation is taking over the world like Coronavirus, we thought it would right to enlighten our readers about the whole development process of geolocation based apps. So, if you are an aspiring developer or planning on making an app with location access, then do make sure to read this article till the very end.
Also Read: How to Develop a Food Ordering App like Talabat?
A Step-by-Step Guide to Location Based App Development
Step 1: Research Your Idea
Research the market you are indulged in, and the competitors you are competing with. By doing that, you can easily figure out how to make your app better.
Step 2: Create Wireframe of your Geolocation App
In order to turn your idea into the reality, you and your team have to put the idea on paper and develop a storyboard accordingly.
Step 3: Develop GPS app MVP (Minimum Viable Product)
If you want to evaluate your business idea and receive feedback from your users/customers without investing a fortune while doing so, then developing an MVP is the way to go.
Step 4: Create a Feature-Rich Map Based App
Once you start receiving user feedback, it’s time for you to move on to the second development stage and add other relevant features to your app.
What Does Geolocation Feature Helps Apps With?
Maps and Navigation
Maps and Navigations apps are the primary beneficiaries of geolocation feature. Google Maps, Waze, along with a variety of compasses are perfect examples for such apps.
Geosocial Apps
These apps are more inclined towards social components than geolocation. You can use these apps to share the content of your likings as per your location. Facebook and Instagram are perfect examples for such apps.
GPS Tracking Apps
The first thing that come up to our when GPS tracking comes on is security. And that’s what these apps are all about. These apps are extensively used to keep children protected, to find a stolen car, to keep a check on family member or employees.
Weather Forecast Apps
Apps like Google Weather and Yahoo Weather use geolocation data to increase the usability as it offer to the point information. The best part is, these apps do offer widget for better user engagement.
On-Demand Apps
Ever since the incorporation of geolocation in mobile apps, we have seen the emergence of on-demand apps. From taxi to food delivery, our lives have been made easy with these apps.
Health and Fitness
These apps are ones that are being extensively used by runners, cyclist, and people who love to stay fit as with these apps they can keep track of their activity with ease.
Travel Apps
All those apps which let you set up a vacation or a business trip fall under this category. In this niche you can find Airbnb and TripAdvisor.
Social Networking and Dating
Social networking apps along with dating services help you to connect with other in just a few taps. The sole culprit behind this ease is geolocation.
E-commerce Apps
E-commerce apps like Amazon and Flipkart make every single customer’s life easy and fast. And with Geolocation things have become more fast and smart.
Technologies Which Location Based App Should Have
GPS
Its 2020, and today, every single smartphone is equipped with Global Positioning System. Those who don’t know; let us tell you that GPS uses the information about location and timing that satellites send from space.
Cell ID
In case if the GPS is unable to receive a signal, we can use the information transmitting through cell towers. This method works exceptionally well in major cities with a vast amount of cells.
Assisted GPS
Assisted GPS approach combines GPS and Cell ID tools and happens to be even more precise than just GPS by itself.
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi determines the location of the user just how Cell ID does, but it is no doubt better as it covers smaller areas.
Steps to Create a Location-based Application
Before even planning on making a location-based application, we recommend you run an extensive market research. By doing so, you’ll probably get viable business idea. Once you are done with that, start with the following steps which we were quite happy to enlist. But, you should be aware of the fact that a location based application asks for some time, funds, and lots of effort.
Step 1: Define the particular geolocation features for your app
They could be GPS coordinates, map integration, location detecting–depending on an app’s type.
Step 2: Select a technology stack for your app
Selecting the right technology stack–a set of tools used in the development of a software product–requires some patience and professional advice. Yet, once you are done with that, you are halfway through.
Step 3: Create a design and user interface
Remember that a location-based app is still a mobile app, which has to contain a user-friendly interface and a protected backend database.
Step 4: Ensure data safety
As data protection laws become stricter worldwide, it’s important to take into account the existing legal regulations in all of the countries your apps intend to target. After all, location-based apps are indeed to be very ‘data-heavy’ products; therefore, you need to protect the data of your customers.
Step 5: Estimate costs
Geolocation app development doesn’t come in cheap, or for the fact any other app development. However, it depends upon you to choose whether you want to choose an expensive app development company or completely opposite to that. The cost to build a location-based app varies across different countries. For instance, we at Fluper will cost you in between the amount of $15K to $25K. So, if you are planning on making a geolocation app, then this is the time to contact us.
Best Geolocation Apps of all Time
It is a fact that there are thousands of geolocation apps available, but there are certain apps which remain unnoticed in the App Store, while others have made a huge impact in the market.
Here we present you 10 best geolocation apps you can find on the internet:
Navigation tool Google Maps
Transportation on-demand service Uber
Social network app Instagram
Chat app Snapchat
Dating app Tinder
Travel app TripAdvisor
Fitness tracking app Runtastic
Restaurants’ reviewer Yelp
GPS tracker Family Locator
Mobile gaming hit Pokémon GO
Indoor Geolocation Technologies
When it comes down to marketing facilities provided by geolocation, we have to mention indoor technologies of Geofencing and iBeacon/Eddystone. Here we present you some of the best examples of these technologies to understand them better.
Geofencing
Geofencing is a piece of technology that is used to determine how close you are to particular point. This technology is often used in the advertising industry to provide users with relevant ads and offers.
Geofencing use three types of triggers;
Static triggers:
it works when a user comes to a certain point.
Dynamic triggers:
these triggers track location and send notifications accordingly.
Combined triggers:
it is combination of dynamic and static triggers
iBeacon and Eddystone
Both these technologies were built by Apple and Google. The best and common thing about these technologies is that they rely on Bluetooth Low Energy signals. These two technologies are characterized by high level of accuracy. So, if you are planning on making a location-based application, it would be great if you could incorporate these technologies into the core functionality of your app.
