July 2019 - Galaxy Weblinks

What are Google Play’s new mobile app requirements?

Posted on July 29, 2019October 11, 2024 by galaxy-admin

Google Play set out many criteria in their app guidelines that you need to follow. These changes may cause some issues as you try to stay up to date. In this post, we’ll tell you what changes you need to make in order to guarantee that your app is fully compatible with Google’s new requirements.

Google made changes to the behavior of the API to increase security and privacy. The bindService() implicit intents in Android 5.0 aren’t supported currently. There are also new changes in the Runtime permissions. Since every Android app runs in a reduced-access sandbox, so the app has to ask for permission when it wants to use materials or information outside that sandbox. Google Play asks that you state the need in the app manifest and then you have to approve each permission right before the actual runtime.

This permission change is for Android 6.0 and higher. You can still use the Android Support Library to make older versions of Android compatible. Google Play also updated the Android Support Library with the release of Android 9.0 (API level 28); the new version is called AndroidX and is part of Jetpack. The existing support library still exists with the AndroidX library, but it also includes Jetpack’s most recent components.

Google Maven holds onto all versions prior to API 27 and Google Play says that they’ll be packaged as “android.support.” But, all new development will take place on the AndroidX library, so Google Play recommends that you develop new projects here. If you have an existing project, they recommend that you migrate it over.

To further increase secure connections, Google Play has changed the user added CAs to not be trusted by default in the case of Android 7.0. They also require explicit user approval from apps to access the user account in Android 8.0.

For MetaData, Google now has a small MetaData on top of each APK so that each app release is officially verified by Google Play. They don’t allow apps with any deceptive, incorrect, or explicit metadata that isn’t pertinent to what the app is about. This entails every area of the app — the title, description, all images, and icons. They also don’t allow user testimonials in the app’s description any longer. Authentication is important for users to know that an app is legitimate, so they’re spending time to ensure that each app functions as advertised.

Here Are Google Play’s New Requirements for Texts & Images

Google Play store now allows 2–8 screenshots for each supported device, i.e., smartphones, tablets, Android T.V, Android Wear, etc. But, to publish your store listing, you have to upload at least two screenshots for each device type. It needs to either be a JPEG or 24-bit PNG (no alpha) with minimum dimensions of 320px and maximum dimensions of 3840px.

Screenshots aren’t the only images that need to be formatted. Google Play requires one splash screen for an iPhone display and one for an iPad display, both retina and non-retina displays. Whether you’re using a photo or video, dimensions should be 1024px by 500px. If you choose a video, make sure to use an individual video’s YouTube URL, not a YouTube playlist or channel URL. The video shouldn’t be longer than two minutes.

Google Play now requires icon images to fit into the new, standardized icon shape — the square with rounded corners known as a “squircle.” It needs to be hi-res, material icons used through Android M, and adaptive icons for Android O.

For your text:

Titles – Should be between 4 and 30 characters – But, the new limit was moved from 30 to 50 characters

Descriptions – The short description has an 80-character limit – The detailed description has a 4,000-character limit

Keywords – They’re required and the new version has a 500-character limit – Users can also fill in this field while updating the application version

Before Launching, Follow Google Play’s Checklist

Key Takeaways

Google Play changed API behavior
Android 5.0 implicit intents are no longer supported
Android 6.0 and higher has changes in Runtime permissions (app must request permission of a material, then approve permission before runtime)
Develop new projects on AndroidX library
There is now MetaData on top of each APK
There is new length requirements for, Titles (new 50-character limit), Descriptions (80-character limit), and Keywords (500-character limit)
There are new requirements for images
Icon must be the square with rounded edges — aka a “squircle”
Two screenshots per supported device type (smartphones, tablets, etc.)
One splash screen for iPhone and iPad screen displays
For videos, link to an individual video, not a playlist

Good Luck on Your Launch!

Galaxy Weblinks stays up to date on these developments so that our clients don’t have to do time-consuming, detailed research. That’s why our clients love partnering with us for mobile app development — we don’t leave them in the dark nor overload them with lengthy information. We provide overviews, outlines, and how-to guides so that clients can feel confident when updating their app.

Feel free to use our above checklist to keep yourself on track. If you have questions about this process, leave us a comment or contact us. If you have questions about other app topics, then browse our blog!

Turning remote collaboration challenges into opportunities with AR

Posted on July 17, 2019October 11, 2024 by galaxy-admin

Leading the AR revolution, industrial enterprises are experiencing improved ROI through AR-optimized supply chain. Enterprise sector is using AR across other functions such as product design and marketing.

In fact, industrial enterprises are some of the early adopters of this immersive technology.

It has grown leaps and bounds in the last decade. Questions such as “Why AR in my business?” have now changed to “How to capitalize on AR innovations?”

Enterprises are always looking to optimize. AR related devices and solutions are making its way in. Since they ask for no middleman, integrator or consultant. Enterprises are now anticipating a hands-free workflow guidance and remote assistance in the future. More likely, a utilitarian future.

Consequently, AR technologies like Microsoft’s Hololens 2, Google’s Glass Enterprise Edition 2, PTC’s ThingWorx, etc. are supporting a number of breakthrough use cases today. Such AR experiences are redefining remote collaboration as we know it.

We believe, no challenge can outweigh the growth potential that AR offers in the long run. However, we have addressed some real-time challenges that are slowing down current operations in an enterprise. If we overcome them, it provides a huge opportunity for remote collaboration.

Efficient Data Transmission Need for AR Devices:

AR is a difficult tech due to its inability to accommodate multiple users and its latency issues. To participate remotely, video streaming require 33 times more data than a standard video. Here 5G becomes a necessity!

The first wave of 5G revolution is here as Verizon expands it’s 5G footprint in the US this month. It is set to remove many inherent limitations in current AR devices like manufacturing costs, bulky size, and low traffic capacity.

Popular SOC manufacturer Qualcomm is also getting itself a slice of the AR pie by announcing the arrival of 5G-powered AR headsets with eye-tracking tech by 2020.

But, how does 5G help AR?

5G would help AR devices with offloading the complex graphical computations on the cloud, improving real-time responsiveness. This offloading in turn will eliminate the need of heavy hardware that makes the AR gear a nightmare for usability.

Thus, bringing a future of much cheaper and lighter AR headsets and devices.

Use case: ThirdEye Gen, a smart glasses and AR/MR software development company, recently partnered with Verizon to develop 5G smart glasses and deliver low latency apps (enterprise AR software, remote AR assistance and live 3D scanning).

Lack of Higher Level of Automation:

Manual work often relies on information from connected assets to perform their own functions. But to interact with such information, people are required to move back and forth between physical and digital experiences separately through an HMI. Here IoT comes in picture!

It facilitates AR with required real-time insights and data which are relevant to the user’s immediate physical surroundings to enhance their experience.

‘Imagine a worker wearing an ‘AR integrated helmet’ that spots hazards and provides live assistance when repairing equipment.’

As remote users don’t interact directly with the physical objects or sensors and can’t tell if a piece of equipment is under high temperature or high voltage.

In an interview at CXOTalk, Mr.Heppelmann , CEO PTC Inc. commented that IoT and AR can facilitate information to move back and forth in a lubricated way while crossing the physical/digital boundary and connecting digital things to physical spaces.

Companies like DAQRI are leveling up the use of AR and IoT together.

Whereas, an end-to-end IoT solutions provider, DXC has decided to deliver its remote expert solutions on a wide range of AR devices of RealWear, DAQRI, and Microsoft.

Use case: Bell and Howell, a next-gen service organization, used ThinkWorx IIoT platform to transform its remote service and solve its supply chain optimization issues.

Need of Creating Scalable AR Content

Making enterprise specific technical data available for AR systems and replicating workers’ tribal knowledge into a database is a daunting task.

AR work instruction authoring solutions like WorkLink, Vuforia Studio, and Reflekt One are great for enterprise maintenance, operations, and training. These solutions include features like:

Authoring clear and easy-to-follow AR instructions
Reusing existing 3D and handbook content
Accessing real-time IoT and business systems data and more

Use case: Unilever uses Remote AR (a remote assistance support by Scope AR) that allows technicians to collaborate with experts remotely, looking for ways to reduce equipment downtime.

Conclusion

Early adopters are either investing heavily in in-house teams or are outsourcing to subject matter experts to improve their remote capabilities, and experiment with new technology. Some examples include business-focused augmented reality glasses by Google, Mojo’s possible future state of invisible computing and AR contact lenses. That leaves industrial enterprises with a vast scope for multiple micro-improvements and major researches that are yet to happen.

The question still remains, how long will it be feasible to changing approaches when the technology keeps evolving at this rate?

Want to discuss more, feel free to ping us.

The flip side of Wellness apps

Posted on July 9, 2019October 11, 2024 by galaxy-admin

Contrary to popular belief wellness apps are not so wholesome after all.

Apart from the flaw in fundamental definition of wellness, it also brings along security and data privacy issues like other mainstream apps. The question may arise, is this digital equivalent of a wellness Guru really worth it?

There are over 160,000 wellness apps on the App Store. If you’re thinking of adding to that figure then let us break it down for you. Are wellness app really worth it?

Overdiagnose normal feelings

An ensemble of gyroscope, pedometer, and HR monitor cannot tell how a person is feeling. These apps dive in not-so-accurate data curated from the app and the wearables to diagnose users of conditions they might not be having.

This case seems somewhat like Eliza the MIT bot from the 60s. Long before Google or Siri existed, Joseph Weizenbaum introduced the world to Eliza, a therapy bot. The bot was an NLP program which responded to people’s issues with a script prepared by psychologists but people who tested it believed that Eliza understood them.

Provides false sense of achievement

Animation of a hand feeding Sushi with social media branding on it

If you were to refer wellness related studies you’d find that most of the apps are not backed by evidence and other apps are just plain ineffective.

Dietary apps make the user feel as if they are losing weight but in reality, keeping track of the calories is of not much help. A research revealed that out of 2000 health apps, only 3-4 % of the apps gave scientifically proven results.

Sets unrealistic goals for users

people exercising in front of tv screens

In a competitive spirit users often attach their self worth with unrealistic goals defined for them by wellness apps. You should run a mile a day, you should eat less & drink more, you should walk in short strides, you should sleep less, et al.

Are these apps improving your lifestyle or telling you how to live? Is it really healthy to constantly question every little life choice you make?

Wellness apps claim that they have the goals uniquely tailored for each user. Are they really? A person who is fit but has asthma, can’t sprint 500 Meters the first week of training. Failing to do so, they’ll compare their health stats with other people. People with healthy set of lungs.

Encourages self-destructive behaviour

Wellness apps are a dime a dozen and without any clinical approval, they’re just apps with lofty claims to make people’s lives better. To stand out from the crowd, some apps might even go as far to provide therapeutic interventions for the people who need real therapy.

According to American psychiatric association, there are documented cases of apps that recommend bipolar people to drink alcohol when manic.

Wrap up

Like other new and shiny things, the benefits of the wellness apps are balanced by some flaws. Flaws that may encourage bi-polar people to have a couple of lagers as a remedy.

Whether you’re using or building one of these apps, define your own wellness or your user’s wellness before diving in the development of one.

It’s surprisingly easy to get it wrong. Let us know what you think about wellness apps and if you want to talk about getting it right, then drop us a mail here.

The Bare Bones of Skeleton Screens

Posted on July 4, 2019October 11, 2024 by galaxy-admin

Losing customers to Slowpoke of a UI is a nightmare for any UX designer. What if there was a pseudo-catalyst that could make your UI seem like there was no delay. In this post, we’ll tell you about skeleton screens and how it can get rid of your slow-loading nightmares.

So, what are these spooky sounding skeleton screens?

Skeleton screens are the better alternative to progress bars or spinners. It’s a blank page that mimics the layout of an actual web page that it’s trying to load. The primary purpose is to imitate the page as to give the website visitor the feeling that the page is actually loading.

Fast Company stated a study by Google that reported they lose about 8 million searches a day from 4/10 of a second of delayed loading time. This is why a skeleton screen is so important. Mimicking a loaded screen will give your site the needed time to retain the attention of a visitor while the page loads.

Progressive loading is one of the recent developments in Skeleton interfaces. As the name suggests the Individual page elements become visible as they load progressively instead of displaying all at once when the page fully loads.

There’s a challenge though

The only time you’ll have a hard time designing skeleton screens is when you’re deciding the elements your site will have as placeholders. The most effective placeholders are UI elements, as website visitors are usually attracted towards the interactive elements when they’re looking for specific pages.

The benefits of getting it right

Skeleton screens can lower site/app’s bounce rate. When a website visitor sees it, their eyes will gravitate towards the feature they’re most likely to use. Take LinkedIn’s loading page for instance.

If a visitor needs their profile information, they will automatically look left for the loading element or group of elements that resembles a profile info structure. If they want to go through the updates from their network, then their eyes will go towards the center. Same goes for one of the early adopters of skeleton approach, Facebook.

Benefits we talked about at a glance

Lowers your bounce rate
Helps website visitors feel less frustrated with load times
Gives people a prediction of where certain content/images will load
Shows people that progress is being made in the loading process

Why Not the good ol’ spinner or progress bar?

When a visitor’s in a hurry to find information and you see a slower, stagnate loading bar or spinner, what do you think?

Most people think, “How many seconds will I give this site to load before I leave and look for another?” The visitor’s frustration will rise as they stare at this one loading bar and will be more likely to bounce.

Spinners/loading bars give people uncertainty about the load time and uncertainty will lead to them leaving a site. This is why skeleton screens are necessary for better UX.

Bonus tips

Break down your page bit by bit to outline it
Locate your static graphics that won’t change while the site is being used
Create the body of the site, using those static graphics first
Fill in where you know your text populates — it should look like a background, not like it’s appearing from nowhere
Test the skeleton screens as you implement them
Tweak images and imitated text boxes until they more closely represent what your page actually looks like

Even though Skeleton screens are just a cosmetic cure for slower loading applications but it does the job of retaining the visitor’s attention real well.

We hope that you enjoyed this post about skeleton screens. If you’re looking to improve your UX beyond skeleton screens, then this UX Training might be just the right thing for your team.