How to create a location-based application for Android

Location tracking has become very easy with mobile triangulation. This GPS feature is helpful for practical reasons, such as:

• sending offers to a customer within his location and approaching him at a point of sale;
• directing and guiding him to the department of his preferences.

In short, creating an application for iPhone and Android natives has a strong business interest. A native Android mobile application will be compatible with 80% of mobiles, allowing the mobilization of the mobile GPS.

The Google Play Store registers 1 billion users per month. Today we'll find out how to create an Android location-based mobile application.

Creating an Android application

The Android market represents 80% of smartphones in circulation. Many competent developers develop Android applications in C or Java. Publishing on the Google Store is more straightforward than on the Apple Store. With solid experience, you can create an Android mobile app yourself.

Developing your Android app

As a developer, you must know the programming languages. They are not the same for iOS and Android. For Google's OS, they are Java and Kotlin languages. Substantial knowledge and practical skills in one of these two languages are essential. But don't be afraid, because:

• these programming languages are one of the easiest to learn and use;
• creating apps will be not only exciting but also a beneficial and essential activity in our digital world.

The preferred development environment is Android Studio. It can help you to put it online. Simple tools also allow you to create an Android app easily.

Making a mobile app: the essential phases

The development of a mobile application includes several phases. One of them consists in setting up a prototype. You design mock-ups of the different pages. This serves to visualize where to place the buttons and menus. In short, you study its ergonomics. This step allows you to work on the design and styles. Writing a specification to create a smartphone application is essential before going online.

What are the steps to create a mobile application for Android?

It is best to be well-prepared before creating an app. It requires expertise in several fields of competence. It is necessary to understand the steps of mobile application design. Thinking about the app's concept is crucial and indispensable at the beginning of the process. You can do it by asking yourself the right questions:

• What will be the practical value of your app?
• Does your idea already exist?
• In what way is your project innovative and different from others?

Right after, define the objectives of your iOS and Android app by asking yourself the following questions:

• What are the intended targets (audience, OS)?
• What are the essential features and the APIs that will be used?
• What should the business model be obtained?

Furthermore, it will be necessary to work on a mock-up. Bring some paper and a pencil and draw! Imagine the different screens you want. The launch icon, the home page, and the contact page are all part of it. This is the beginning of developing the significant elements of your interface. This leads you to create a prototype. The overall ergonomics of the application take shape after the design and texts have been properly finalized.

When the app prototype is ready, you can choose your technology. Do you want to use native mobile application engineering? Are you more attracted to web app engineering? Finally, having decided, you can start production.

You have three solutions available to you:

1. Program it yourself if you have the necessary skills. Creating a native Android application requires mastering Kotlin or Java. Be careful and take your time. It is a large operation.
2. Use a digital agency or a freelance developer. This is a solution that requires the ability to monitor the project. The advantage is having people familiar with the production of mobile applications.
3. Use an App Builder. This dramatically reduces the workload. You design the app yourself without writing a single line of code. It will run on the iOS or Android operating system.

Advantages of the creating application for Android and georeferencing

Native applications offer many advantages. For example, they allow publishers to take advantage of the free advertising offered in app stores. Additionally, native applications can cover a wide range of fields, such as e-commerce and gaming. In fact, game applications have been leveraging these benefits for a long time.

In the work of your marketing strategy, they are exciting. Their APIs allow you to mobilize geolocation and other native features. Beware, however, that you must take into account the tightening of regulations on personal information. The user can refuse to communicate his geographical position. He must provide his authorization when launching the application.

This authorization is also required to use the functionality. It is a modality done by wifi or via the cell phone network.

Different types of geolocation exist:

• Active geolocation: the mobile user chooses whether or not to give his position;
• Passive geolocation: this system is intrusive. It is also controversial because it does not ask for the user's permission. It locates the latitude of the phone and records the movements;
• Geo-fencing: this tool combines the two previous ones. The user agrees to be geo-located only in a given area. When the user leaves the area, the position is no longer communicated. It is a very efficient tool to direct customers to your store.

What are the substantial assets and perspectives of creating a location-based application?

Creating such an app allows you to know the position of your prospects. You can create targeted advertising and also trigger notifications. These are push notifications, powerful tools of mobile marketing.

You can also send personalized texts at the right time. They reach the mobile user when they are at the right place. You push a 5%, 10%, or 20% discount offer on the nearest store. You direct consumers when they are already in the store. Your app responds with great precision to the need to create engagement.