An astounding number of mobile apps are added to the app stores each year, but very few of them prove to be a success. There are several reasons for the failure of the vast majority of mobile apps. Some of the failed apps are poorly developed while others are improperly tested or marketed.
Mobile app development companies can avert failure risks if they carefully consider the various issues that can potentially cause an app to fail. Although different apps fail due to different reasons, the top 11 reasons for app failure can be enumerated as follows:
Unsatisfactory User Experience
A mobile app is bound to fail if it does not offer a compelling user experience (UX) owing to sluggish load times, laborious performance, tedious registration process, and difficulty in accessing app features. When best UX practices are not emphasized during mobile application testing, the apps are not intuitive even at the base level.
Extremely Complex App Design
Mobile apps that have a complicated design in the first iteration can frustrate the users. App companies fail to realize that too many features can ruin the interface and have a disastrous impact on ease of use of the app. Users do not feel comfortable with an excessively stuffed app design and they quickly drop such an app.
Lack of Originality
The failure of apps is also linked to a lack of originality or the similarity with hordes of other apps inundating the app stores. Most of the apps fail for the want of a unique value proposition (UVP). Development companies cannot highlight the competitive edge of their product unless a vision statement has been drafted for it.
No Attention to Prototyping before Development
The creation of a prototype is a crucial step in the mobile app development process. Prototyping enables developers to understand the projected functionality of an app, which ensures that necessary changes can be made to it. However, app companies mostly overlook the importance of prototyping given the haste to reach the market, due to which a large number of apps fail.
Lack of Originality
The failure of apps is also linked to a lack of originality or the similarity with hordes of other apps inundating the app stores. Most of the apps fail for the want of a unique value proposition (UVP). Development companies cannot highlight the competitive edge of their product unless a vision statement has been drafted for it.
No Attention to Prototyping before Development
The creation of a prototype is a crucial step in the mobile app development process. Prototyping enables developers to understand the projected functionality of an app, which ensures that necessary changes can be made to it. However, app companies mostly overlook the importance of prototyping given the haste to reach the market, due to which a large number of apps fail.
Inadequate Market Research
If a mobile app is developed without proper competitive research and study of the target audience, it cannot be a success. Research enables developers to gain an in-depth understanding of user needs and to gain an understanding of the apps offered by competitors. Apps developed without adequate research usually fail because they cannot address specific user needs.
Inconsistent App Behavior on Different Platforms
A major issue faced by a software testing company is the unsatisfactory performance of apps across different devices, networks, and operating systems. Since each mobile platform – like Android and iOS, among others – has individual interface guidelines, apps that do not have a consistent behavior on different platforms fail to garner a strong user base.
Poorly Designed App Strategy
Mobile app strategies designed without considering the user perspective can result in app failures. If the app strategy is not clearly laid out by a company, there can be needless delays in the app development process. In addition, the final product can also be of poor quality because it cannot provide value to users in terms of information or a service.
Insufficient QA Testing
The efforts of the QA team at a mobile apps testing company are also critical for the success of an app. Apps that are not comprehensively tested can fail because their market-readiness would be questionable. Insufficient testing can cause an app to crash because of unfixed bugs, which in turn would generate negative user reviews, proving to be the death knell.
Budgeting Issues
some companies, mobile app budgeting issues can be a prominent cause for the failure of an app. Such companies cannot develop a useful product because they fail to estimate the time, resource, and budget requirements. They overstep the budget and end up neglecting some vital aspects such as testing and marketing. It is advisable to hire a professional software testing company on a fixed budget, and leave the implementation to them.
Ignoring App Marketing and Promotion
App development companies that ignore marketing and promotion efforts cannot explain the core functionalities of their product to the target customers. If an app is not properly marketed and promoted by a company, prospective users are not aware of its underlying principles and usage benefits.
Lack of a Viable Monetization Strategy
Many mobile apps fail because they cannot generate enough revenue for a company to facilitate further enhancements and upgrades. Lack of a viable monetization strategy is one of the leading causes of app failures since a company may be unable to entice visitors and regular customers who would use the app frequently.
In Conclusion
Mobile app development is a risky business because of the high chances of app failure. Nonetheless, companies striving for success should analyze the reasons why apps fail and focus on developing high-performance quality apps after thorough QA testing and extensive market research. We are one of the leaders in Mobile Application testing – connect with us for this service and many more.
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