VMTech
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SYSTEMS & INTEGRATIONS · 10

iOS & Android

An app is justified when it does what a website cannot: work without a connection, push notifications, a card in the wallet, access to the camera. In every other case it is more honest to say you do not need one.

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THE RELEASE PATH

What happens between the code and an install

Six steps where surprises usually appear — especially on a first submission.

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Build 2.4.0
LIVE
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Build iOS · Android
Device testing 6 devices
Beta for the team TestFlight
Submitted for review in review
Published available
Watching crash-free
THE RELEASE PATH
  1. BuildThe version is built automatically from the repository — no “it worked on my machine”
  2. Device testingChecked on real phones: older models, small screens, a weak connection
  3. Beta for the teamThe client and the staff get the build before the store and use it for a week
  4. Submitted for reviewDescription, screenshots, privacy policy and answers to the reviewers' questions
  5. PublishedThe app appears in the store under your company's account, not the contractor's
  6. WatchingCrashes, reviews and install stats are visible at once, not a month later through complaints
HONESTLY ABOUT APPS

When an app is unnecessary and when nothing else will do

You probably do not need an app

  • The task is showing a catalog and taking orders: a website does it better and cheaper
  • A customer visits twice a year — nobody installs an app for that
  • The app exists “because the competitor has one”
  • The plan is the same website in a wrapper — stores increasingly reject that

An app is justified

  • You need push notifications people act on — reminders, statuses, offers
  • The customer uses it regularly: a loyalty card, bookings, an account area
  • You need offline use or access to the camera, location or wallet
  • An app for staff: warehouse, couriers, measurements on site
SCOPE OF WORK

What an app project includes

Reviewing the task

Why people would install it and what they will do in it most often.

Platform-appropriate interface

Navigation and gestures familiar on iOS and Android rather than one web-like pattern.

Working with data

The app uses the same data as the site and the admin panel — no second parallel database.

Offline and sync

Data is available offline and changes sync when the connection returns, without losses.

Push notifications

Event-driven rather than blasted: order status, appointment reminder, a personal offer.

Payments and wallet

In-app payments and a digital card in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet.

Store submission

Developer accounts, listing copy, screenshots, privacy policy and getting through review.

Updates and monitoring

Crash reports, responses to reviews and regular updates for new OS versions.

TECHNOLOGY LANDSCAPE

What it runs on

Native platformsiOS and Android with the interface conventions each platform expects
A shared APIOne source of data for the site, the app and the admin panel
Local storageOn-device data for offline use and fast screens
Push servicesNotification delivery on both platforms, respecting the user's consent
Build and releaseAutomated version builds and test builds distributed to the team
Crash reportingAn error on a customer's device arrives with detail rather than only as a one-star review

The App Store and Google Play developer accounts are registered to your company — the app stays yours through any change of contractor. Review times are set by the stores, not by us.

QUESTIONS

What people usually ask

Do we actually need an app?

We start with that question and sometimes answer no. If a responsive website solves the task, an app adds the cost of two platforms, review and updates without adding value. It is justified where you need push notifications, offline use, camera access or a card in the wallet.

One app for both platforms or two separate ones?

It depends on how much the app leans on device capabilities. For most business tasks shared code saves time and money without losing quality. Where the camera, maps, background processing or animation matter, native work pays for itself — and we say so before the start.

How long does store review take?

Usually a few days; longer on a first submission because the account and the content are checked too. Delays are rarely caused by code — more often by formalities: a missing privacy policy, an unclear explanation of data access, or a test account that does not work for the reviewer.

Whose name are the developer accounts in?

Your company's — and that is non-negotiable. An app published under a contractor's account cannot be reclaimed without them, and the reviews, statistics and version history stay with them. We help set the accounts up and work inside them as developers.

What happens after launch?

An app needs maintenance even without new features: the platforms ship new OS versions, change permission requirements and update publishing rules. We watch crash reports, respond to reviews and release updates so the app does not stop working in a year.

Related capabilities

UI Design The interface on a small screen API integrations Shared data with the site SmartKartica Cards in Apple and Google Wallet Online payments Paying inside the app

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