The digital world has been revolutionized by the innovations taking place in the app development industry where enormous experiments take place each day to turn a desire or need into something tangible.
With mobile applications being highly multifunctional, the bar of their significance is laddering towards the peak, eliminating all major physical limitations. Mobile phones transformed ordinary communication while mobile apps have taken the reach of communication to the next level.
Thanks to the innovations brought up in the mobile app development industry which is one of the fastest-growing verticals in business. Let’s take a look at the 2020 app statistics which press upon its growth and vitality:
Global mobile phone messaging app users (2018-2022)
What users expect from a Chat/Messaging App?
- Convenience
- Ease for multitasking
- Real-Time Text Transmission
- Unique Stickers/Emojis
- Chat History & Records
- 5G Connectivity
Seen globally, expectations of users have gone far and wide where they expect much beyond sharing a text or an image. Feature-rich e-devices and the availability of high-speed internet have encouraged tech businesses and enthusiasts to pay heed to chat app development/ instant messaging apps.
After the rapid growth of social media, there was no chance left to underestimate chat applications which further led to their extensive development making them more popular than ever.
In present times, messenger apps are not only limited to conversing with friends and family, however, have an added scope of targeting businesses and improving their prospects. They have become a key method of communication with customers.
“Chat applications are just a subtype of social media apps with restricted public functions and are expected to ladder revenues in 2021 & beyond.”
A modern chat application must possess remarkable functionalities that can be adapted to any type of chat solution. An ideal chat application has the potential to offer solutions for business-level communication, customer-centric business communication, eCommerce chat, and personal chat.
[Prefer Reading: “Chatbot Development: Enhance the Prospects of your Business Success in 2020 & Beyond.”]
Basic Functions to Embed in a Chat Application
Although the main idea of a messaging app is to send text messages, users love to communicate using other available means too.
- Voice Calls & Messages
One can create an instant messaging application with support for voice communication, allowing users to record messages or call other users in re
- Video Calls & Messages
The same goes here, add support for video calls, messages, or support. Group video calls are tough to implement but are a necessary element as users love this feature and must go for adding it into your app.
Messaging App Essential Features
“A modern chat application must possess intrigue functionalities & must be flexible to adapt to any type of a chat solution.”
#User Login
With a maximum percentage of the populace possessing a smartphone, a chat app keeps no restriction to age or gender where a layman could make use of your app for making a video call.
Thus, the process for user login must be kept as simple as a cakewalk and end up the process within mere 3steps, verifying the user via the phone number or email. The easier you make it for your users, the easier it becomes for you to gain its popularity.
#Data Encryption
With heaps of data being produced every single day from millions of resources, security, and privacy parameters arise concerning the protection of the crucial and sensitive data. Data encryption forms the basis of preserving confidentiality within an app.
Encryption is a way to secure communication between persons/parties exchanging data. Your app must embed end-to-end encryption that ensures your messages are linked with keys that are useful to decrypt the information making it readable for the other party.
Encryption is inevitable for a chat application and is obligatory for enhancing online privacy.
#Cloud Synchronization
A tremendous amount of data being generated, certainly, needs space for storage. Moreover, the alterations needed must be updated as and when and applied automatically to all other devices.
This is the need of today and is enabled via Cloud Services. Developing a messaging app would require securely store and preserve chat histories and files sent/received. This is made possible with Cloud synchronization that updates and manipulates data on time that can be accessed anytime, anywhere. It’s the best option to
#Geolocation
Today, most messaging and chat apps accommodate the feature of sharing live location with the near ones. Scrutinizing the user demands today, this feature plays a significant role in businesses like transportation and cab services as the current location helps customers to get real-time updates/availability regarding their products.
Adding geolocation features has become one of the necessary traits to be added in the messaging app which further helps to enhance its business prospects.
#Data Persistence for Offline Usage
An application that effectively works in offline mode or possesses such capability is the one favored by all. Where some app features (like wifi or the internet) eats up the phone’s battery, users expect mobile applications to even work in the offline mode, allowing them enhanced flexibility that further adds up to the extended mobile app experience.
#Notifications
Notifications form an important part of your messenger app that lets a user know about the arrival of a message and also becomes a part of an MVP when the actual app is on trial.
[Prefer Reading: “Enhanced User Experience? Think Chatbots”]
Miscellaneous Features that Stand Out
- Scheduled Messages
An option that helps a user to schedule and send messages as per the selected time and date.
- Chatbots
Chatbots in a chat application? So predictable and obvious. As they can be used to set predefined answers for customer/user queries or messages. Chatbot Development is one of the best business monetize techniques as well if used professionally for doing business.
- Stickers
Stickers add a boost to the standard set of features and act as a key factor in leveraging customer experience. Unbelievable, many chat apps (like Viver) have gone way beyond user expectations by offering their own sticker packs.
- Games
If you wish to derive user engagement, in-app games are a considerable option to boost an app’s global reach and popularity, especially if you have a specific demographic group to target.
There is no magic that can make an app renowned overnight or can attract ‘n’ number of downloads, just create a unique user experience and offer exclusive, alluring, and intuitive features that are appealing in the eyes of the users.
[Prefer Reading: “AI-Powered Chatbots: Enhancing Business Communication” ]
Factors Influencing the Cost of Creating a Chat Application
#Target Platform
An app is built to be highly compatible while running on an operating system. iOS, Android, and Windows are the platforms to target which calls for a decision to be made to either go for developing a native messaging app or a hybrid one.
Certainly, the cost of development would rise with the demand for platforms chosen for development.
#Backend Development
Backend is responsible for the app’s security and involves the exchange of data between the app and the database. Thus, it requires robust technologies and algorithms to support data encryption which becomes the second major reason to make your pocket heavy on its development.
#Third-Party Integrations
Third-party integrations of libraries, APIs, frameworks, etc. is an accountable task for enabling various functions in real-time within the mobile chat application.
However, with modern ways, third-party integrations are now easy to embed but add a cost factor indeed.
#Admin Panel Development
The admin panel is sort of a dashboard that helps to monitor and operate the passive functions to be handled by the administrator end and plays a pivotal role in the development of a messaging app.
Operating the app, managing users, analyzing the app statistics, updating app content are some of the functions that combine admin panel development, and involve a considerable cost.
#Customization
Undoubtedly, customization and personalization are cost-adding factors and are a bit high in price as compared to building standard/basic components.
Animations, graphic designs, special effects, customized app features drive the cost up, thereby, leveraging customer experience, and mobile app experience.
