Creating Your First iPhone Application

The iPhone has become not only a useful gadget but a symbol of status. The young generation is particularly much excited with and its variety of applications. The software development industry is thinking every second how to develop new innovative applications for iPhone. Designers both professional as well as amateur are spending their time in developing new applications for new utilities. Everyday new innovative softwares are coming up from across the world. While some of these softwares are useful, many are just non functional or not up to any standard.

So, if you too are interested in developing an iPhone application, we are here to guide you. This exclusive article will help you step by step for creating your very own, first, successful iPhone application software.

Think for an Idea – an innovative one

Many different ideas may crop up in your mind, but it is a million dollar question as which one is good and may be useful to the users. It is also to be kept in your mind as does your software serves any purpose? Remember a particular innovative idea may create doubts in your mind about its utility or success or acceptance, but if you analyze you will find that every new idea had primary doubts but many of these ideas have revolutionized the mankind. Thus what will click or what will happen in future cannot be apprehended but carry on with your program and see what has the future in store for you. Your work is to develop software that will help the users, that’s all. Rest things will happen automatically.

Now, when you start thinking about your software, try to realize and answer yourself a few questions. Does your application software serve any specific need? Who will be its users? Will it be an educational, utility or entertainment software? The application software stores are coming up everyday with hundreds of new applications to use. While many of these applications are non functional on iPhone or of little importance, or just for fun, many are quite good. Therefore do lots of research before starting. You may search the application stores and find out which ones are in greater demand or what the users or fans say or post on comments. Also will your application be interactive? Today many of the gaming or utility applications become successful because they engage the users in various activities.


Once you are decided upon what type of application you wish to design, you are ready to start the race; only the starting flag is to be waved… First of all you need is to get the required tools.

Tools Checklist (The * items are need; others optional)

1) Get your own IPhone or Ipod Touch*
2) Join the Apple iPhone Developer Program paying $99*
3) Avail an Intel based Mac Computer having Mac OS X 10.6.8
4) Download and install the latest version of IPhone SDK that is available on the net
5) Create a Non Disclosure Agreement*
6) Get a spiral bound notebook*

It is known well in the management circle that not only an individual activity but a team that makes a product successful. We all are interdependent and to create everything of a product all by oneself is first of all impossible and secondly absurd. You have to keep it in your mind that you too will need lots of help from others in your development program. But don’t worry, the credit will remain yours but at the same time never forget to acknowledge the contributions of others. Avail and engage experts in the field in your development program. As drops of water creates an ocean, ideas and cooperation from others will help you to create a successful application. Ideas from others will enrich your product, no doubt

The Skill Checklist

1) There should be an ability to identify what works best or the drawbacks in existing iPhone applications.
2) Market Research knowledge
3) Sitemap Creation (Outlining Application Functionality)
4) GUI Design
5) Sketching
6) Programming (Objective C, Cocoa). It is assumed that you are creating a native application.
7) Application promotion and Marketing

Keep it in your mind that your contractors should sign the non-disclosure agreement. This agreement will make your contractor to regard you and your business seriously. It is highly recommended that the skills in which you yourself lack or can’t lead, hire professionals to do the job for you.

Market Research: a must do activity

Today’s marketing management studies lay stress on good market research to identify both the positive and negative aspects of a thing. Unless you understand what is the real demand from customers point of view, you are not likely to develop the exact product that the customers desire. A market research activity identifies the customer segment, their needs, the price they are willing to pay for a particular product, drawbacks in existing products and suggestions. The application store will also help you in realizing what is needed and what not. The poorly developed applications will make you suffer and hence will make you realize what more is expected from such types of applications. Try to find out these answers:

1) What type of utility your application will provide?
2) Which are the other applications that serve similar purpose?
3) How is other successful applications present info to customers?
4) How can you make your product unique and exclusive?
5) Will your customers get value for their money?

First understand about iPhone/ iPod Touch UI

If you desire to develop an iPhone application, first of all you need to learn about its utilities and interface. What do you think you can do with your iPhone? Can you shoot a bullet out of it? No, you can’t, but you can shoot a nice video of your girlfriend. You will not have to know about the vast Apple User Interface Guidelines to learn what works and what does not in iPhone application software. You can download and use as many applications as you wish. Then think about what functions and utilities you wish to add in your application.

Take notice:
1) How do the best and popular applications navigate from one screen to another?
2) How is information organized in these applications?
3) How much information is provided to the user?
4) How do these applications use iPhone’s unique features like swiping features, accelerometer, and pinch, expand and rotate functions.

Download the best ten applications in every category and use them. Have a review of the Apple Guidelines for User Interface design and note down about 5 interesting features that you can include in your own application.

Understand who will be using your application?

We think that by now you have already ascertained that your application will be a value for money to your users and there will be a good craze for your application. But have you thought about the market segment which your application will cater? Users of which age or profession will use your product? If you are developing a game, then your users might love to beat their high score or if they are new players how will their experience differ from expert gamers? If your application is utility product and your user wants to find a candle night dinner at a restaurant for a date, what actions they will take within your application. Where are they when they are looking for the candle night dinner? May be they are at home, office or car planning to enjoy the evening with their beloved. Prepare a user interface that needs multiple taps, reading or referencing a lot? Perhaps not! But this is the way how real life action takes course.

So prepare a list of different users who might use your application. You can name them if you feel like it will help out in true life scenario cases.

Now sketch out your IDEA

Do a real sketch. Take an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper and make a 9 rectangle grid. Now start your sketching.

1) What type of info each screen need to present?
2) How can the user move from Point A to Point B to Point C?
3) How will the elements on the screen be sized to give the best look?

Your sketching on the grid of the paper will make your brain tease a little more and boost your creative mind. This technique is far better and useful than directly designing the application. There is another option that you may think of. That is buying or download free the iPhone Stencil Kit to quickly sketch out the iPhone User Interface prototypes on paper.

Try to create minimum one thumbnail page of your application on each screen. Try out different navigational schemes, the button texts and how the screens connect. If you wish to make your sketch digital, then iPlotz a good tool to use.

Start Designing

If you are going to design your application by yourself it is advisable that you download the iPhone GUI Photoshop template or iPhone PSD Vector Kit. Both of these are iPhone GUI elements which will be highly helpful and save you a lot of time. If you have selected your layout during sketching, then drawing up the screens will be lass of a layout process and more about the real design of the application.

But if you are not the designer, you have to hire a professional. If you are following the 1-3 steps, you will get everything you want for a designer to get started. While searching for a professional designer, try to find out one who has good experience designing applications for mobile gadget. They may suggest some changes in your sketches. You may search for professional designers at eLance, Coroflot or Crowdspring. When you post your job offer be clear about your requirements and expectations. Be ready for lots of applications. Read each portfolio carefully. Now it’s time to decide whom to hire.

Programming

Though we are guiding you in a sequence, still we will suggest you to appoint a developer by the time you collecting your design resources. As you will have to appoint a developer sooner or later, it is better that you get him earlier so that his suggestions help you during budgeting and project designing. If you are a Objective C/Cocoa developer crack, open the Xcodeand start your work. But if you are not the developer then you know that you have to hire one. Tell your developer what type of application you wish to produce- utility, gaming, educational or anything else. Each of these styles requires different codes. You can hire developers from eLance, Odesk, or iPhoneFreelancer.

Now submit your application to Apple Store

Once you have your own application ready, you have to submit it to the Apple Store. The actual process of compiling your iPhone application and binary code for iTunes Connect can be complicated for anyone who is not familiar with XCode. If you have a developer, ask him to help you:

1) Make your certificates
2) Define your application ID
3) Now compile the application software
4) Upload the iTunes Connect

It’s time to promote your application

For successful business of your application software, you must promote it. Just submitting it to the application store will not work. Your application will remain un-noticed unless you start marketing vigorously. Only and only proper marketing strategies will make your application software create demand among the users. There are many strategies that can be used. Here are some of them. Choose what best suits you:

1) Apply the pre-launch advertisement strategy. Before you launch your application, email people who are looking for some application like yours and provide them with information regarding your application and when it will be available. Talk about your application in the net, there are many ways of propaganda.

2) You should plan different versions of your application. Release the first version, and then go on adding new features and more utilities. This will carry on the demand for your product. Never offer all the features at one. New versions mean new business, more sales, and more money.

3) Incorporate social media on your application. Facebook, Orkut and Twitter are the best options. If your users make a high score in a game, let your user to post it on the social media. Create a fan page on these social media and propagate or interact with your users and get feedback for your product. Remember both propaganda and feedback from your users is very necessary for a business to be successful. Prepare a promotional strategy before hand and carry on your advertisements and propaganda in as many different ways as possible.

Always remain focused: Never say you can’t

It is your first application, therefore you need to keep cool and plan out everything with a POSITIVE attitude. Remember there is nothing to lose, but if you can come up with your own application software, your prospects will go on opening one after another. Never get frustrated with some difficulty that may crop up at any point of time. These difficulties are temporary ones and soon will get over. You have to fulfill your dream, so motivate yourself, and take emotional support from your loved ones. Rests assure that you will be successful in your mission. Once you come out with your first product, start planning for the next one… this is the essence of life…