GoodWorkLabs is now a Google Certified Agency

GoodWorkLabs is very proud to announce that Google has certified us as an expert agency that understands and excels at building Android applications. We are one of the first few companies in 2017 to make it to Google’s Android Certified Agencies list across India, UK, Russia, Indonesia, USA and Canada.

As a leading Outsourced Product Development Company and UX design studio, we know what it takes to build a mobile application that can spur millions of downloads from the Play store. Attention to detail, User Interactions, Design and Graphics, we ensure we build the best technology for our clients that will scale up their business.

GoodWorkLabs is one of the top 25 Google Certified Agencies: 

As part of this Developer Certification program, Google recognizes only a hand-full of organizations that have undergone the required training and have demonstrated expertise in building exceptional Android applications. By bagging this prestigious title, GoodWorkLabs has proven its excellence in terms of Android technology, design and mobile apps as a whole.

Here is the list of top Google certified agencies:

“This is by far the biggest recognition in the global industry that GoodWorkLabs is the leading company when it comes to building Android applications and related technologies. Google Certification has put us on the map of the best of the best agencies in the world,” said Vishwas Mudagal, CEO and Co-Founder at GoodWorkLabs. “Having bagged this certification, our credibility has gone up many notches higher, which in turn has resulted in increased confidence in our capabilities by our growing customer base across geographies.”

This certification will also help clients make a more informed decision while looking for an agency to build Android apps. In the past, we have worked with some of the top clientele which include both funded Startups and Fortune 500 companies.

Sonia Sharma, Founder and MD at GoodWorkLabs, said, “There is no bigger certification authority than Google for an agency. Years of effort in perfecting UX, design and technology, and a vision to build apps that touch the lives of millions of users have brought us here today.”

The benefits of becoming a certified Google developer agency are plenty, some of which include personalized training, priority support, dedicated content, and access to Google’s developer relations teams. Certified Agencies will also get early access to upcoming developer products and will get help with UX reviews.

GoodWorkLabs is delighted to be part of an ecosystem that understands and excels at building Android technologies.

As one of the largest global networks, Google never fails to surprise its audience and followers. From unique algorithmic changes to new tech innovations, Google has pleasantly surprised millions of users out there. Recently the company has launched the Android 7.1 Nougat and it’s quite different from Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

The new Android 7.1 Nougat contains additional features along with special functionalities. However, most of these changes are on the operational level. Breeze through this blog post, and know how the Android 7.1 Nougat is different from the 6.0 Marshmallow.

The emergence of Android Nougat and Marshmallow

The Android 6.0 Marshmallow update entered into the market in October, whereas the 7.1 Nougat came into the tech arena on 22^nd of August 2015. Although Nougat is yet to have an official release, users can find it as Developer Preview or on the Google Pixel.

Android N had been in the processing labs for quite some time. The first release was on March 9^th, after which Google was flooded with feedbacks. The company took note of these suggestions and worked on them. As a result, Android 7.1 Nougat arrived in the market with better functionalities.

More surprises on the way

High-performance and dynamic features aren’t the only thing you get with Android 7.0 Nougat. The company promised to release ‘MR Builds’ or ‘Maintenance Releases’ throughout a year. As the result, users will have the opportunity to test next versions quite earlier than expected. It was in late October that Android 7.1 Nougat entered into the tech arena.

Although it’s only available for Nexus devices as of now, the makers are putting their best efforts to bring it for Smartphones and other devices. The Android 7.1 Nougat shares compatibility with almost every device and platform. Other than that, manufacturers like Motorola, Samsung, and LG will also offer updates.

What’s new for users?

As of now, the 7.1 Nougat update is only available for Nexus 6P, 5x, and Pixel C. Compared to Marshmallow, this new upgrade from Google offers more functionality, speed, and swift operations. Let’s take a look at the new features offered by 7.1 Nougat:

• Availability of ‘Android Instant Apps’
• Improved battery life powered with ‘doze-on-the-go’ mode
• Seamless updates
• Revamped settings and notifications menu
• App-icon shortcuts
• Round icons
• Space Savers
• Bunched notifications for clutter-free and clean look
• Call screening
• Number blocking
• Quick-Setting tiles

With these unique features, the Android 7.1 Nougat will surely offer great experiences to users. If you try comparing it with the 6.0 Marshmallow, here are some of the additional features to enthrall you:

1. Multi-window support
2. Notification-Bar Toggles
3. Quick Settings
4. Android ‘N’ settings
5. Data Saver
6. Night mode
7. Android TV Recording

It’s not the end; the Android N has several other features to offer. Most importantly, it boosts the operations and functionality of your device. In an age where speedy operations are critical to the success of any task, this latest Android update surely brings good news. Let’s hope it rolls out in the market at a great speed.

With mobile innovations gaining unparalleled popularity and importance, mobile app development has become highly essential for present-day businesses. If you own a business and still don’t have an app, then you are clearly missing out on unique opportunities of revenue generation.

Look around and you will find most of the customers choosing to perform every task on the go. From booking cabs to booking movie tickets, there’s nothing they don’t wish to perform on the move.

Now that inevitably creates the demand for highly functional mobile applications. By offering a robust and scalable business app to your customers, you will take the first step towards gaining a competitive edge in the market.

So, here we arrive at the main question. Is it right to invest in mobile app development? Here are some reasons that will prove it is.     

• Marketing on the go   

Having your business app on their mobile devices will help your customers build proximity to your brand. Your app will give them liberty to access your products or services anywhere and everywhere.

That will increase their reliance on your services and products, thus reinforcing your brand even more. It will truly emerge as the best marketing strategy for your dream venture.

•       User-friendly

A business app encompasses numerous crucial elements. While taking up mobile app development project, make sure your app grants access to your company’s customer service and support team.

As the result, your target customers will find solutions to even the most critical problems, when they need it the most. Your brand will emerge as a customer-friendly company, thus adding to its popularity

• Real-time data capture

With the help of mobile apps, you will have the golden opportunity of performing advanced data analytics. Highly scalable business applications will help you offer opt-ins to your customers. That will help you improve customer experiences, by creating better services and products.

• Boosts interest and enthusiasm

With an application in their Smartphones, customers will always be on the lookout for latest products and services. Irrespective of their location, they will have the chance to make quality purchases. And that will play a pivotal role in increasing their interest and enthusiasm about your brand. They will also check out your mobile app regularly if you provide them with lucrative offers.

• Diverse and extensive clientele

There is no denying the unmatched significance of customers in ensuring unparalleled business popularity. Therefore, you will always strive hard towards reaching out to diverse and extensive clientele.

By investing in mobile app development, you will make sure your app caters to the needs of a diverse clientele.

•   Tapping into social media

Look around and you will find almost half of the population spending hours on social media. Getting your brand on social networks and platforms will prove to be the most effective way of popularizing it. By investing in mobile app development, you will build proximity to your target consumers as they will have the opportunity to share, review, and discuss your products.

Get prepared

With these interesting benefits, mobile app development is certainly not a dud. Rather, it will prove to be one of the best investments of your life.

Tag Heuer, in collaboration with Google is all set to launch its first Android timepiece, to be called the Connected Watch. As one can guess, the Connected is different from the regular watches from the Tag Heuer product lines. Priced at $1500, this luxury watch is clad in titanium and has more than passing resemblance to its analog timepieces. Jean Claude Biver, the CEO slipped a few details about the design recently and we can comfortably believe that the new product would be quite similar to the Apple Watch but with the design aspects that Tag Heuer has always stuck to. So finally, we are getting a watch that looks like the watches we have grown with and also has the capabilities of the most modern time-telling devices.

What makes Connected different?

The company had gone through a rigorous research to ensure that the design of Connected isn’t like a smart watch but rather the timepieces that the brand has been popular for. The first of things in the design is the titanium construction that makes the watch very lightweight. The Connected comes with a “transflective display”, making it readable under direct sunlight and is programmed to show you the time at all times/screens. The screen of the Connected itself is a vibrant and sharp. For someone trying to guess the exact design of the Connected, it would be very similar to the Tag Heuer Carrera – a previous analog model from the company. The connected will however come with six textured rubber watch bands that are completely customizable.

The best and also the priciest element of the Connected are the titanium case and the 46mm sapphire crystal display. Though its display (240ppi) would be a tad lower than the Apple Watch (290ppi), it should be enough to engage the user is a ‘cool’ experience. Further, the entire watch is made to be water resistant and thus can be comfortably worn outdoors.

While the watch has been designed to impress on the outside, it is equally complimented by the Android brain and Intel’s guts. The watch would most probably integrate a 1.6 GHz Intel dual core processor and this should be enough to support a range of smart functionalities.

Coming to the performance, it would again be similar of what can be expected of an Android wear. Leaving aside the customized watch face and the Tag Heuer applications (to be called ‘micro applications’ in this case), the ‘Connected’ would be completely compatible with an Android wear. It comes equipped with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, weather / wind monitoring applications and a microphone that responds to your commands. The 4 GB of storage, supported by a 1 GB of RAM should be enough to download and store some music for your travels. Also, the Connected integrates a 410 mAh, double the size of the Apple counterpart.

Like any other Android watch, the Connected too is compatible with iOS but users might run into certain limitations when connecting your iPhone.

The complete package is priced at $1500. While it might seem overwhelming, it’s also a fact that the $17,000 rose gold Apple Watch Edition didn’t do badly in the market. The Huawei Watch is another example how a $450 smart watch can get a profitable customer base. Tag Heuer has luxury and brand as its advantages and it is expected the Connected would be getting a good response when finally launched.

Google’s Android Pay is much more than a mere addition to the brand’s offerings. It comes as an answer to Apple’s Mobile Wallet – the Apple Pay and a complete reboot of how online payments were managed by Google. According to a recent report, the online marketplace would be worth more than $1tn by 2017. Every brand is encouraging its customers to switch to mobile shopping rather than shop around with their plastic cards or cash. While it is a means to boost a brand’s market penetration, choppers are quite convinced because it offers hem the convenience of ordering products and services on the go.

Apple Inc. was the first company to realize the potential of the online payment trend and introduced its own Apple Wallet. It ensures that customers/end users would no longer have to walk around with cash or credit cards. Any payment can be made through their mobile phone – offering better security and mobility.

Google too has been prompt now as its version of the mobile wallet comes within some months of the Apple alternative. Android Pay can be used with any Android powered smart phone that has NFC (Near Field Compatibility) and runs on a version higher than Android KitKat4.4. Along with storing credit cards on the phone, users will also be able to access loyalty cards and other similar services.

The first brands to recognize and integrate Android Pay into their payment systems include Bloomingdale, Subway and Macy’s. Further, the functionality will be extended to mobile checkout by the end of 2015. Google’s Android Pay currently supports some major credit card providers including Visa, American Express, MasterCard, Wells Fargo, Citigroup, and Bank of America. The aim of this mobile wallet system is to not reveal credit/debit card details to retailers at any point of time during a transaction. The wattles alternatively generate tokens that reduce the risk of data thefts and identity thefts.

Some defining features of Android Pay:

1. Retailer Partnerships: Mobile wallets such as Android Pay highlight the active partnership of several brands and retailers, giving the latter the impetus to offer a more secure means of payment.
2. Carrier Commitment: Initially, Google’s Android Pay was supported only by Sprint – a major US based carrier. This required a majority of the consumers to download the app into their devices. However, according to the latest development, carriers like AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon will ship their products with Android Pay included in the package.
3. Shedding the dead weight: Google in fact debuted with mobile wallets back in 2011 but it was a failure. Learning from the past experience Google sheds down extraneous features like P2P to make the feature market-ready.
4. Security: While it was Apple’s Touch ID that could verify the authentication of users, Google too introduces fingerprint recognition to make payments more secure.
5. Simplicity: The simplicity of Android Pay ensures that any users would be able to convert their credit and debit cards into mobile payment gateways.
6. Tied to Android: Shoppers will be tied to the Android registration but not the app. This will ensure that even a contactless payment can be made using just your fingerprints!

Android users now have the chance to upgrade their devices to a new version of Android 6 – the Marshmallow.  The release was announced by Google in a special event hosted on the 29^th of September where we also had the first look into the upcoming Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X. The release of Marshmallow is now finalized after three developer previews that ironed out the bugs. Here’s everything that you would like to know about the Android M 6.0:

Release date

On the event held on 29^th September, Google announced that Marshmallow would be rolled out with the existing Nexus devices that include the Nexus 5 / 6 / 7 / 9 and the Nexus Player. Thus, Nexus owners should be able to update their phone to the new version by 5^th October, 2015. Further, if you are planning to buy the soon to be released Nexus 5X or the Nexus 6P, Marshmallow would already be the default OS. Preorders for these devices are limited to few countries including US, UK, Japan and Ireland as of now.

Marshmallow 6.0 features

Marshmallow was first announced on May 2015 at Google I/O and David Burke; the Google VP announced six major features. These would be:

1. App permissions: as speculated earlier, Android M will come with new app permission settings where users will be able to accept or deny any individual permission as they deem fit. The permission setup has been simplified with Android M, wherein you will be asked for a ‘go ahead’ while trying to open a feature and not during the installation. According to Mr. Burke, “you no more would have to agree to permission requests that don’t make sense.”Android M is aimed at providing the user with greater control over information access and sharing.
2. Web experience: A new element with web browsing would be “Chrome custom Tabs”. This would allow a developer to use Google Chrome’s capabilities to the maximum without sacrificing upon the experience and feel. For normal users, it would mean a more intuitive and faster browsing experience, especially when navigating between the web and apps.
3. Fingerprint support: Fingerprint scanners will be the new way you unlock your Android devices. Fingerprints would also be the way to authenticate payments when shopping or downloading apps from Play Store.
4. Mobile Payments: As an answer to Apple Pay, Google too comes out with its own mobile wallet, to be called the Android Pay. This feature is aimed at making your transactions faster, easier, secure and safe. Android Pay currently supports more than 700,000 stores across the United States.
5. App linking: With previous Android versions, the OS didn’t know the right platform to open up external links. It asked the users whether to open up a link with YouTube, the browser or other apps like Facebook. Marshmallow is made to be better aware of the process and links will automatically open up in the required platform without requiring a hint. This will save a lot of time and make browsing easier.
6. Power / charging: A common problem with previous Android versions is the power usage. Marshmallow is however designed to make your batteries last longer. It automatically stops any unnecessary background process and recognize when a person is asleep (when the device hadn’t been interacted with for some time). Further, the USB Type-C charging supports faster charging and even allows users to charge other devices using their phone!

Several other improved features come with Marshmallow including auto backup. Restore, app drawer, RAM Manager, adoptable storage, Google now, Themes, visual voicemail, a rotating home screen, customizing status bars, network settings, etc.

Getting your app accepted into the Google Play Store for Android is a winning step as your business/brand/skill is now exposed to more than 81% of smart phone users across the planet. That will be equal to more than 1000 million users! However, getting your app through the selection process is not an easy job, especially now that Google has come up with tougher App Store approval standards. Before sitting down with an app development process, you need to be aware of these mandates that must be kept in mind to avoid app rejection.

Top reasons why Play Store rejects some app submissions

The Android app store guidelines set by Google for app submissions are explicit and strict. However, many developers fail to follow them and end up disappointed.

ü  Irrelevant keywording: The era of the ‘inorganic’ has long gone. Using keywords that don’t justify your app but might bring in more traffic can be highly penalizing. Misleading visitors with irrelevant keywords and tags will get you rejected.

ü  Excessive keywording: Along with the inorganic, “keyword stuffing” too has been done away with. Google’s SEO aims to provide the most relevant suggestions based upon customer reviews, quality of content/app and organic sharing. Instead of stuffing keywords, give a detailed description of the app. This would help both credibility and Play Store acceptance.

ü  Revisit Google’s Keyword Spam policies: The Play Store has a set of clearly defined policies that maintain the types of keywords allowed in content, the maximum number of repetitions, etc. Refer this before submitting your app.

ü  Get your process streamlined: Applications are meant to make the life of users easier. Consequently, Google will give more credibility to android apps that have a proper roadmap to usage. Also, you need to be well aware of the future errors and the ways to fix them.

ü  Don’t market your company: Applications aren’t meant to market brands. Though Google is a bit lenient, apps meant for business purposes go through stricter scrutiny.

ü  Demo apps are of no use: Demo applications with limited functionalities are of no use. Not only will they make the job frustrating for the end user but also be eliminated outright from the Play Store.

ü  Never copy existing apps: Don’t build apps just for the sake of entering your name into the Play Store author’s list. Play Store doesn’t allow duplicate applications to be uploaded to the platform. Build only if you have come up with a unique idea; be it in the category of a game, a utility, an information app, or anything else.

ü  Be professional: Applications allow you to connect with a customer base that is looking for convenience and professionalism. Though you need to highlight upon interactivity, a professional tone of content will get you a better credibility than lose content.

The Play Store is a great platform to showcase your coding expertise and UX creativity. The growing user base of Android only stresses on the need to be genuine and unique in your submissions.

Google announced the Android M last month at the annual I/O developer’s conference and we can expect the OS to reflect in our devices in the coming months. Several new features have been integrated for the end users including better text selection, improved power management, Android Pay, custom tabs for Chrome, USB Type-C Support, modified volume controls, direct sharing and fingerprint support. The preview of the new OS will be available in devices like the Nexus 5, 6, 9 and Player. Some say that Android updates have always been untimely and Android M follows the stint. Very few devices will be able to get sensible duration. However, ignoring the odds, there are several aspects that developers need to be prepared for.

Consumer-centric features

Google has always invested in changes and features that connect more closely with the end users imagination. This makes battery life and power management a good place to start in an update. Doze, a new feature with Android M, will be taking devices into a deeper standby mode. When the OS learns that it hasn’t been used for a while, it will go into a sort of ‘hibernation’. This will be a good update for people who use their phones minimally. However, this won’t be too exciting for someone who lives with a smart phone – texting, playing, playing music or talking.

Changes in app permission

There has been a complete overhaul of app permission system and this should be significant for developers. With Android M, users will no longer have to grant a permission before the installation takes place. However, after the app has been installed, it might require permission when accessing user information including contact lists, GPS data, social network connect, etc. Thus, the user now controls the type of information that needs to be shared and when. So what about the older apps? Android M offers developers the liberty to tweak the previous apps to integrate this feature. Applications that don’t conform will simply stop receiving feeds.

It is important to note that this feature strictly confines itself to elements that affect piracy. Apps will still be able to automatically connect to the internet.

Password Manager and Fingerprint Scanner

Android M brings some more necessary APIs including ones that add fingerprint support to apps. Fingerprint scanner will not just work as the device lock but be extended to third party. Applications might tweak logins to fingerprint access with Android M. This feature is already live with Apple’s Touch ID API. The fingerprint access will further compliment Google’s Smart Lock and other device/login security.

Android Pay

Apple Pay is the first thing that comes to our minds when hearing the term Pay, but honestly, Android was the first OS to integrate mobile payments in the name of Google Wallet. However, Android M will come with a built in OS wallet that will no longer be optional. Accordingly, developers will need to tweak their apps to integrate Android Pay for quick money transfers.

Overall, Android M showcases huge potential but only time will tell how long developers take to implement the same. Further, the device software and hardware too needs to catch up with this vision.

Industry statistics suggest that more than 1.5 billion users across the globe own a smart phone and 900 million of this user base operated on Google’s Android. The Play Store currently has more than 800,000 apps resulting in a whooping 48 billion downloads with $900 million in developer payouts. If you are looking to start a business and have a little knowledge about computers and mobile app development, there couldn’t be a more profiting venture to step into. However, along with the huge profits and advantages, Android app development also attaches some major complication for someone beginning in this field. Here are 8 tips that would help you get your app underway successfully.

1.       Choice of IDE

Android development is mostly centered on Eclipse and some developers also prefer InteliJ IDEA’s Community Edition. The choice of IDE should depend on the comfort level of the developer. Choose one that you are more conversant in rather than the one that will take a little more time in getting a hold of.

2.       Create for the masses

Android sells the maximum number of devices and this creates the element of diversity. OS platforms are constantly being upgraded and so are the hardware components of devices. Before venturing into app development, check out the latest frameworks. It would be important to note here than an app that is coded for an earlier version will work on the new one (most likely) but the reverse isn’t true.

3.       Do away with Emulator

Emulators are painfully slow and can help you test just a limited number of things. But, if you are looking to save some precious time and minimize your waiting time, invest in a real testing device that can be connected with an USB.

4.       Make friends with XML

The complete Android framework is based upon XML scripting. While there are tools that will help with the UI, there are also others that can be confusing (Sherlock). This has been the reason that XML is not a popular platform to work on but you don’t really have a choice.

5.       Modular UI structure

Android apps that aim at a decent UI can demand daunting amount of XML. A modular UI will help you reuse components including “fragments” and “includes”.

6.       Hire a designer

Either you do that or become a creative professional yourself. Good coding needs to be complimented by the right type of interface, which would need a good designer.

7.       Android specific solutions

Android specific solutions are simpler and easier to use. Things like asynchronous processing and multi-threading need platforms like AsyncTask or IntentService before being laid alongside the java.util.concurrent package.

8.       There are no miracle tools

There is not such platform that can guarantee easier Android development. When they seem to say so, you need to check them by creating a simple app and deploy it in all of them. Now, if each of these display look like native apps, there is a minimum degree of concern.

Android app development will be an exciting experience, though there are initial challenges. With experience, you would definitely get better at the job and face the degree of success you envisage for your development agency.