Most of the startupreneurs and entrepreneurs overlook the after-work of updating their developed mobile app! Reason? Some of them don’t think updates are that important, while others don’t even know how and what to do for releasing application updates? And this blog is specifically for those who don’t know how consistent app update releases affect the business and how it helps you in maintaining the top spot? Read this blog and find out more about mobile app updates!
You will be on cloud nine if your application gets 10K downloads in just a few days of release. You would start celebrating the victory, but let us stop you right there. This first wave of the number of downloads may blow your mind, but… If your application fails to deliver a consistent experience in the latter days, you might lose on your audience.
So how do you confirm your application’s consistent performance? By checking on the application’s feature performance, speed, and OS versions. And then, if anything, found faulty, updating the application and releasing it for the audience. But the question is, how frequently should you update your mobile app? Weekly, monthly, six-monthly, or what?
Too frequent updates leave your customer frustrated because the process of updating the mobile application consumes all of their app data for which they pay a considerable amount.
So, let’s dive into the details of Why mobile app updates are necessary and the frequency of updates?
The primary reason for app maintenance and updates is, you want to remain in the game. There are millions of apps releasing on iOS & Android platforms, and the competition is rising like never before. In order to survive this thriving competition, maintaining and updating the application is crucial.
If you do not update your application, your app is abandoned by the customers considering it as an obsolete version. Additionally, app updates convince the users that you really work upon the app and wish to engage them in the best way possible. Here are a few other reasons why you should frequently update your mobile application.
Users wait for new feature releases:
We fondly remember how we waited for Instagram story feature updates once we used Snapchat. Users keep on comparing one application with another when it comes to extraordinary features. Hence, it is important to include new and out-of-the-box features in your application and release an update for it. You can send a pop-up notification and inform the users about the changes.
Constant renovation and evolution:
The technology industry is seeing a revolutionary change when it comes to mobile app development. Various frameworks, AI/VR-based apps, improvised programming languages, and more, keep transforming the ways in which an app is built. And, as an app owner, you need to embrace this revolution. You need to upgrade your app’s technology in order to cope up with the ongoing trend.
For bug fixing:
A bug-free application is almost elusive. You make efforts, but the valuable customers who face inconveniences while using an application leave a report stating the issue. This is when you need to address the issue and make changes to resolve the bug, and hence an app update is required.
For maintaining the reputation in the market:
A pro developer or an avid user, check the ratings and the last update date of the application before using it. And if you do not update your application frequently, it leaves less sign of authentication, and the app will not be taken seriously.
Also, users don’t want anything less than perfect, stable, and functional releases. Therefore, you need to update the application at regular intervals.
Making changes in the mobile strategy:
You generally update mobile for two main reasons, first to fix a bug/error, and second, to incorporate some new functionality. And to know where your application is falling short, you should check app statistics, trends and see how your competitors are performing. Check for the areas where you can improve your application’s capabilities.
Improvement in User experience:
Users always wish to have a better way of interacting with the application, which can make them feel connected with the application. Hence, constant improvements in the user experience leave a positive image of the application.
Take into account the market trends, the feedback left behind by the user, and work upon it. These efforts will enhance the look and feel of the application and give you beneficial results in the end.
Changes in App Store guidelines:
Many of you would be aware of the fact that Apple App Store and Google Play Store keep changing their application submission guidelines. If you have heard the Google Play Store policy stating that apps working on Android version 7.0 or less will not be launched in the market, nor will they be able to enjoy the App store benefits, you know how app store guidelines affect your update schedule.
Many applications were affected by this update in policy, and app developers had to update their respective applications to sustain their position quickly.
And hence, sometimes, it becomes essential to update the application to meet the store guidelines.
Once you enter into the whirlwind of the application market, you would have to move forward to get bigger and better constantly. Some other reasons to which you may relate to for updating your application are:
- To match the security standards of the application market;
- When you change the programming language of the application;
- When new Android and iOS platform versions come up;
- When the mobile device launches a new configuration.
So, let’s focus now on the next question: What should the mobile application update frequency be?
Would you release the update whenever you feel like it? Or when your updated feature is ready? Or should you maintain a regular schedule for the update? We will be giving answers to all these questions in the next section. However, you should know that, if you deploy an update without proper planning or multiple times in a short period of time, it would rather go unnoticed.
Users usually go to the software version numbers to find out how stable the application is. And few avid mobile app users, go and check the degree of changes made in the application. And hence, updating the mobile application strategically plays a major role in deciding your application’s success.
We have divided the application update schedule into three major categories,
- Regular updates which include any type of configuration or system updates;
- Out of necessity which includes error fixing or new feature update;
- At your schedule, which includes changes made on your will.
For performing the mobile app update, you should know that even Google and Apple Store do not allow you to update the application every week. And if you try to do that, you may have to face some serious criticism from the audience. And hence, everything needs serious consideration and measures.
A study conducted by Appboat over 200 apps on the AppStore will give you a better picture of how to schedule your app update activity?
This study divided the application into categories, namely Paid, Free, and Grossing. We will start with the free application; first, Free applications are updated at least once in a month within a period of 18 days. Since free applications earn from on-paid features, in-app purchases, advertising, almost 75% of applications were updated for features and platform updates.
However, things are different with paid applications. The time span between the two updates was almost 89 days for paid applications. Which further means, they released only two to three mobile app updates in a year.
Further release note for mobile application update is,
App updates per month:
Based on the users’ qualitative feedback and the quantitative data received, you can think of releasing updates monthly. It may become challenging to manage these app updates if you have a good number of applications. In such scenarios, the schedule can be changed accordingly.
App feature release:
If you are an App Savvy person, you would have noticed how frequently Instagram releases feature updates. Though its frequency is quite high, it doesn’t go unnoticed, reason? It releases relevant feature updates. Having said that, a comprehensive feature release may take a sufficient amount of time to get updated. To sum up, you can think of releasing a feature update, once in a month or highest twice in a month.
App bug fixing updates:
Error fixing should be the prime focus of any mobile app development company. If they fail to resolve their errors, users are likely to abandon their application. A bug-fixing update should be released every week or two.
Major and minor updates:
Bug fixing updates are considered minor while feature or platform update releases are considered major updates. The frequencies of such updates are mentioned above; however, we would like to draw your attention to the fact that version numbering is of high importance during the updates.
How much is the cost of updating an application?
Update and maintenance of an application is also a costly affair. The following factor affects the mobile application maintenance cost to a considerable extent.
Hosting costs:
You would host your application on some third-party servers like AWS hosting site or Microsoft Azure. These hosting services charge you hundreds or thousands of dollars as a fee every month. This costing service will add up in the mobile app update cost.
Monitoring tools and analytics tools:
In order to ensure that your application performance is consistent, you need to monitor its performance using analytics tools. To perform this monitoring, you either invest in testers or purchase tools, which will again be considered in the total mobile app update cost.
How will you release an update?
Users generally feel happy about receiving an application update. But how and what you represent in the update release also plays an important role. You need to describe the update in detail so that everyone can understand. If there is a minor update, then try to represent it creatively. Having said that, try to sound genuine and original in the update description.
You can let the users know about the update through the following means,
- Distribute promo codes;
- Send the news through a blog;
- Publish the news of the update over social media platforms;
- Notify them using Push Notifications;
Time to update your application:
We are sure that you will be conscious and worried about the next mobile app update of yours(if you haven’t planned it). In this guide, we have covered everything that will help you know in detail about when and how to release application updates.
These are common practices which you need to adopt while considering the app update process. If you have any queries, you can connect without experts. You can also hire our mobile app developers to perform the activity for you. So buckle up, and prove your application’s activity by releasing an update today! Good luck
Contact Information