How features-as-a-service changing the game for mobile app developers

Consumer will keep expecting more and more advanced features and functions in apps. Often time, mobile app developers continue to push the boundaries of technology, but consumers’ expectation to demand more could be daunting for them. The rescue to this chaos can be found in the market of features-as-a-service.  With API-providers going supportive, developing apps with key features have also turned out to be easier and faster. This method can be applied on a variety of apps; from map apps to social apps, to educational apps, and so on.  API-providers are coming up with almost all sorts of APIs, for all sorts of apps.

Mobile Apps have come a long way since Super Monkey Ball first debuted on Apple’s App Store. In the past, developers used to write every part of the app.  You were required to setup and maintain your own hardware, which was a noteworthy investment in app development. Of course, it also requires experts and expertise in multiple areas.

When the global app economy began to boom, a lot of these challenges were solved for the app developers. Now servers exist on Amazon Web Services instead of a data center, making primary investment affordable. The whole mobile app development process has also turned out to easier than ever before as things are being standardized by the market leaders like Google and Apple.

New players in the API market are providing the highly scalable and robust backend functionality on which mobile app developers can create the desired experience for their users.

Here are a few features-as-a-services that are being used by all developers over the world.

1. For search. It delivers a complete search-as-you-type experience for apps. It does not spans only to languages, but it also covers the auto-complete searches, geo-searches, and enables users to deploy a feedback loop based on the relevant metrics.
2. For messaging. This API takes care of all the messaging requirements of an app. From one-on-on and group chats to typing indicators, to message-read receipts, a layer can be applied to have almost all sorts of messaging features.
3. For social. If you need the social network in your app, Tapglue lets you do that with an ease. This API has a number of important components to take care of a personal profile, users, notifications, news feeds, likes, comments, in-app shares, and more.
4. For location. Many mobile application developers are using MapBox for an easy integration of location function in their apps. It delivers data to the app and renders it in real time.  Apart from its stunning maps, the API provides turn-by-turn directions as well as search and geocoding features.
5. For deep linking.The API Branch.io is used by mobile app developers to simplify the process users hitting ‘invite’ or ‘share’ buttons and then a link is created which direct them to an actions like signing up for the app. It ties to data to the links so that you can use the info for on-boarding and content.

So, this is how features-as-a-service changing the game for mobile app developers….