Mobile Application Development

As the world gets smaller, so have the devices by which we procure our information. Mobile applications have enabled us all to have a world of information at our fingertips wherever we go, and although it is a constantly evolving field, mobile development is here to stay.
In this 12-credit specialization, students will complement their computer science education with an in-depth skill set, including building and programming effective mobile apps, learning the constraints and usability functions of mobile devices, and exploring the current methods to create successful client/server mobile solutions.
Mobile application development is a term used to denote the act or process by which application software is developed for handheld devices, such as personal digital assistants, enterprise digital assistants or mobile phones. These applications can be pre-installed on phones during manufacturing platforms, or delivered as web applications using server-side or client-side processing (e.g. JavaScript) to provide an ?application-like? experience within a Web browser. Application software developers also have to consider a lengthy array of screen sizes, hardware specifications and configurations because of intense competition in mobile software and changes within each of the platforms. Mobile app development has been steadily growing, both in terms of revenues and jobs created. A 2013 analyst report estimates there are 529,000 direct App Economy jobs within the EU 28 members, 60% of which are mobile app developers.
As part of the development process, Mobile User Interface (UI) Design is also an essential in the creation of mobile apps. Mobile UI considers constraints & contexts, screen, input and mobility as outlines for design. The user is often the focus of interaction with their device, and the interface entails components of both hardware and software. User input allows for the users to manipulate a system, and device?s output allows the system to indicate the effects of the users? manipulation. Mobile UI design constraints include limited attention and form factors, such as a mobile device?s screen size for a user?s hand(s). Mobile UI contexts signal cues from user activity, such as location and scheduling that can be shown from user interactions within a mobile application. Overall, mobile UI design?s goal is primarily for an understandable, user-friendly interface. The UI of mobile apps should: consider users? limited attention, minimize keystrokes, and be task-oriented with a minimum set of functions. This functionality is supported by Mobile enterprise application platforms or Integrated development environments (IDEs).
Mobile UIs, or front-ends, rely on mobile back-ends to support access to enterprise systems. The mobile back-end facilitates data routing, security, authentication, authorization, working off-line, and service orchestration. This functionality is supported by a mix of middleware components including mobile app servers, Mobile Backend as a service (MBaaS), and SOA infrastructure.
Mobile devices have become an important part of our daily lives, and the demand for mobile app developers is continuing to increase year after year. From startups to large corporations, all kinds of companies are hiring developers to create engaging mobile apps. Students will learn the process of building a mobile app from idea to product for various operating systems including Google?s Android and Apple?s iOS.
iOS Development
From iPhone to iPad to Apple Watch ? we?ve built a boatload of iOS apps. A very large, powerful boat. Can your app say, ?I?m on a boat!?? Ours can. Sourcebits made our mark developing iOS apps. Several hundred iPhone and iPad apps later, we?ve achieved success in almost every category for just about every industry. We?re also experienced in Swift, and have the best team of C and Objective-C coders.
Android Development
Android apps live in a highly fragmented multi-device world. The API rules are less strict, but quality assurance testing is more intensive. We handle it. We?ve developed hundreds of cool Android apps on releases from 2.X to 5.X. From Gingerbread to Lollipop, simple phones to custom devices to Android wearables ? we?ve done it all.
Responsive Web
If your website/web app?s not responsive, you?re doing it wrong. We create a dynamic viewing experience for easy reading and navigation. We?ve been making our websites and web apps responsive and adaptive for years now. That?s part of our mobile-first, design-first mantra. We build fast-loading, highly optimized experiences that will work across a wide range of devices. This responsive website is a perfect example. Play with the window size to see what it looks like on mobile screens. We?ll be here when you?re done.