According to a market report published on Venturebeat.com, the app economy could double in size to reach $101 billion by 2020. What exactly is app economy, you might be wondering! Techopedia defines app economy as the range of economic activity surrounding mobile applications.
So, if mobile apps are ‘the new religion’, is India its Mecca? The latest report from the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) certainly seems to suggest so, pegging the estimated number of mobile internet users in India at 371 million in June 2016.
In absolute numbers, India has the third largest internet user base in the world and more than 50% of them are mobile-only users. Of course, this data would hardly seem surprising considering the fact that India may be among the few countries where the number of people who own a mobile phone exceeds the number of people who have a personal computer.
One of the key factors driving the growth of mobile internet usage is the stupendous growth in the sales of smartphones in the country. The Indian mobile market is flooded with cheap Chinese-manufactured smartphones. Suddenly, owning a smartphone is no longer a far-fetched dream for a majority of the Indian population, including those living in rural areas.
What Are We Doing With Our Smartphones?
Okay, so millions and millions of people own a smartphone in India. But what exactly are they doing with it According to a survey conducted by Ericsson, Indians spend over 3 hours and 18 minutes a day on their smartphones and apps account for one-third of that time.
Apps – the magical four letters or in the mobile world a one-word solution to all our problems. Indians are using all kinds of apps to a myriad of end goals – from entertainment and shopping to information and business.
While messaging, gaming, and m-Commerce apps have always been popular, apps are now being created in nearly every industry; right from banking and flight booking down to cab hailing and food delivery.
The mobile app industry in India is headed in only one direction and that’s up, up, and up some more!
Mobile App Development Is A Hot Career
What does all this mean for mobile app development as a career? The dramatic rise in the country’s mobile economy has led to an explosive growth in the demand for skilled mobile app developers for both Android as well as iOS platforms.
According to this January 2016 article, there were 8.7 million mobile app developers globally of which 760,000 or 32.9% belonged to Asia. The continent has the fattest share of mobile app developers in the world ahead of Europe and North America.
India, naturally, has a big piece of that pie. It has the second highest number of Android development jobs and the third highest number of iOS development jobs in the world per the above article. The hourly rate for mobile app development in India may currently be on a lower side ($26 for Android & $30 for iOS), but that may not be the case for very long as the demand for skilled mobile app developers continues to grow.
So, How Does One Become A Mobile App Developer?
If you are interested in mobile app development career, we have already established that your timing couldn’t have been better. If you are wondering how one goes about becoming a mobile app developer, here’s a point-by-point guide.
1. Don’t underestimate passion
One of the key factors a career in app development demands is passion. If your eyes light up at the thought of creating an app, if you feel a spark every time someone shares an app-worthy idea, if you can’t help spending hours trying to build an app and even more hours thinking about how to make it better – congratulations! You have what it takes to be a mobile app developer.
2. Analytical bend of mind
As a prospective app developer, you should be able to understand that every app is trying to solve a potential problem. The ability to get to the root of the problem, analyse it from every angle, and come up with solutions is what sets a great mobile app developer from an average Joe.
3. Ability to think as a user
As a mobile app developer, you should be able to put yourself in the shoes of the end user. You should let yourself be guided by how your user will think, react, and respond to the app. Only if you are able to envision the way your audience will use the app will you be able to create an extraordinary product.
4. Required skills
Needless to say, acquiring the required skill set is one of the most important steps for becoming a mobile app developer. Knowledge of computer programming, especially languages meant for mobile app development, will provide you a strong foundation. You can build on this foundation with mobile app development certifications offered by companies like Microsoft, Google, and Oracle to name a few.
5. Industry experience
There’s nothing like some industry experience when you are trying to make it as a mobile app developer. If while pursuing your mobile app development course, you are able to gain a few weeks of real world experience interning with an IT company, you will have significant advantages entering the job market.
The mobile app industry in the U.S. is already bigger than Hollywood. If it hasn’t reached that level in India yet, it soon will. An average Indian user installs 32 apps on his/her smartphone. The world, as they say, is your oyster if you are planning on a career in mobile app development and India is the pearl within. Don’t wait to enroll yourself in a mobile app development course!
_