Bits of thought
Short insights in the mobile app development world. Read more in-depth articles.
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App Clips
Do not underestimate iOS14's App Clips. They are small apps (less than 10 mb in size), that don't need to be downloaded from the App Store. They load instantly, and are catered to one task, on premise. They are launched by either bluetooth, a QR code or an NFC Tag. They are not full featured apps, however they're a small part of an app with one focus centered feature. No need to register an account if the feature requires it, because all you need is Apple Sign-in and Apple Pay to make a transaction on the fly. Resonably, we at underlabs do develop App Clip Apps.
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Mixed Reality
What happens when you mix Augmented Reality (AR) with Virtual Reality (VR)? Magic without the motion sickness. AR has prevailed upon a lot of development these past years (which we have written about) and the credit for this exclusively goes to its integration in mobile applications. Large corporations and government institutions are scrambling to invest in their own AR application, such as the U.S. Government and Wallmart. Wallmart as an exmaple has been using mixed reality to train employees and staff members. The results are not out yet, though be sured we will surely comment on it as more information gets released.
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Low Code Development
Building an app via building blocks can only get you so much. They are great for converting an excel sheet into an on-the-road mobile app to contribute and consume data, however it has it's limitations. As mobile app development features and demands get more and more demanding with complications, there is a lot of room for low complexity and straightforward features to become a common place to build via drag and drop blocks to release a simple solution for tracking inventory, and converting basic forms into an app. We will see more of these services come on line, and they certainly have their place, but they will not replace enterprise app solutions.
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CubeSats (Nano Satellites)
These are tiny satellites (10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm) that are relatively inexpensive to build. They have become more feasible for academic researchers and private individuals to launch such light weight (1.3 kg or less per cube) into orbit by the myriads or launchers (thanks to SpaceX). They can be used for real-time imagery, communication satellites, and other experiments that can be beneficial from space.
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Practical Quantum Computers
While at least a decade away, they differ from current binary computer is their Qubits; These are fundamental to quantum computing and are somewhat analogous to bits in a classical computer. Qubits can be in a 1 or 0 quantum state. But they can also be in a superposition of the 1 and 0 states. They can technically disrupt non-quantum resistant blockchains. However they have immense advantages to computational intensive processes, such as in biology for DNA sequencing, or Machine Learning, Financial Portfolio Optimization, etc;.
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Blockchains
Databases have a trust issue. The system administrator or developers working on the project can technically modify them. Databases hosted by centralized servers can be modified by their owners. Imagine a database (blockchain) where no one individual, company or government can modify. A distributed network that constantly verifies cryptographically all historical records and ongoing transactions is what Bitcoin's Satoshi Nakomoto promises. A cryptocurrency is one use-case, however it can be applied to other fields, such as supply chains, digital identities, food safety, voting, healthcare, notary registrations, and a lot more;
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Drones & Autonomy
Quadcopters have become phenominally trendy, notably due to the realization of their potential uses, especially when autonomous (unmanned). Underlabs has recently commenced flying and programing sequence tests for the sake of playing around. As Transport Canada finalizes the full requirements and safety regulations, Canada has the potential to innovative in such types of UAVs, in a myriads of fields. Think of expedited maintenance, surveying contruction sites (3D models), light payload deliveres, and others more.
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Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is when machines mimic human cognitive functions such as learning and solving problems. Such capabilities are penetrating many traditional industries and innovative solutions spring up, as we see today in health care, the automotive industry, language translations, chat-bots & intelligent assistants, non-linear controls, robotics and many more. As over the counter computers reach quantum computing, answers to questions would be instantanious. Would we be happy with the answers?
Thats up to the past to tell. -
Self-Driving Cars
Self-driving cars (autonomous cars) are able to be "aware" (loaded word) of their surrounding due to camera sensors (computer vision), lidar, GPS and odometer in order to navigate paths and identify obstacles and road signage. The promise is the reduction in human car accidents, increase in road capacity, important to every major city mayor, solving the lack of parking spaces in cities. This could enhance traffic, and reduce the cost of transportation. Many technological challenges and lack of legal frameworks still exist, however the potential is very much real.
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Apple unveils Watch
Samsung has the Gear 2 & Apple unveilled Watch. These wearables such as Apple Watch will not only give us the time, but will also help us make the most of it. With Apple's recent WatchKit, developers will race into this new platform to integrate a whole leap of features which would enhance and work in conjunction with their iPhone Apps; And Underlabs is at the fore front of this race.
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Pay On Location & In Apps
Paypal isn't happy. A new competitor to the payment processing system comes from a staunch company, Apple. This may begin a price war with other Payment processing systems. Apple Pay may even be integrated into Apps to process transactions (not to confuse with In App Purchases). However for large scale apodtion, merchants have the upper hand in integrating Near Field Communication into their Point of Sale. Mobile Payments is expected to reach US$70-billion by the end of this year.
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Material Design: Motion & Interaction
Google has just unveilled today Android L, with Material Design. A guide for visual, motion, and interaction. The new theme puts iOS7 & Android fairly on a flat surface. While the trend continues to be fat & flat, material design offers a skeuomorphic motion to user interactivity. Expect slick designs and subtle effects coming out of Android apps.
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The Retailers dream: Beacons
Imagine walking into a clothing store, your phone notifies you of whats on discount, save your favorite items, and head out for later viewing. No annoying sellers pushing fashion on you. Beacon is a precise in-door GPS, a micro-location targeting system. Real world scenarios such as Museums, Stadiums, Retail stores, etc; can notify their guests about any content information in a beautiful, rich way. As your customers browse through a store or mall, the items they're looking at would virtually appear on their screens; Allowing them to favorite, order, or make a purchase.
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The Internet of "Everything"
Your home lighting, your TV, your termostat, your car, many technical field equipments, are all going to be connected to the internet and run on software. They know how to talk to each other, which makes them smart. The intelligence is in utilizing them for the benefit of society and simplifying daily routines. At underlabs, we have built prototypes in regulating Hue Lamps automagically when Montreal's gloomy days hit. It turns our cloudy days into sunny scenes.
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Hybrid Cloud & IT as Service Broker
Enterprises are begining to design private cloud services with a hybrid future in mind and make sure future integration/interoperability is possible.
The need, and necessity to expand into hybrid cloud computing from private cloud services are taking on the CSB role. Terms like "overdrafting" and "cloudbursting" are often used to describe what hybrid cloud computing will make possible.
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Cloud, mobile, social & information
Four major forces are revolutionizing the way applications are developed and used — cloud, mobile, social and information. They’re overlapping and amplifying one another to dramatic effect. Suddenly it’s a mobile, social, cloud-based, real-time world. Some enterprises will recognize the moment and seize the opportunity to gain a massive competitive advantage over those that do not. The individual pieces are important, but you’ve got to understand how they all fit together as well.
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Development Iteration & Lifecycle
Five years ago, you might plan on a year to build an app. Today, if you can’t turn around a new application in a month, you’re not in the game. If you’re not using agile and cloud, you have no way to build out apps quickly enough to differentiate yourself from your competitors. Cloud lets you scale up — and shrink back — quickly. Even the funding model has changed. Capital investment is too slow; cloud services are operating expenses.
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B2C Interactions
The goal is to interact with a customer in real time, then there will be the seamless need for integration across Web, mobile devices, cloud and social media. All these different user experiences, applications, platforms, processes and access points must be tied together. No matter how advanced we get in the various disciplines, ultimately it has to come together in one view, integrated under one cohesive strategy. Underlabs covers the breadth of application disciplines, tools and strategies on the basis of trusted independent research from Gartner.
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Enterprise Rich Internet Application
RIAs are the ideal tool for combining and presenting the objectives of a group of distributed business actors who need to exchange accurate and timely information. The rich functionality and interactivity of modern internet applications, combined with underlabs's experience in the development of enterprise applications creates powerful business solutions.
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Powerful Data Visualisation
Through intelligent and creative design and the use of RIAs, underlabs can present your valuable data in a format that makes sense - providing rich and interactive insight into that data for dispersed audiences. By combining our team's development talent and creative flair, underlabs builds dashboards and data views that bring your data and business trends to life. It's your data, get the most out of it.
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The Mobile-First Company
The App Market is a New World, to everybody. There are emerging ways to tap into an exponentially increasing market which gives access to everybody's pockets and eye attention. They provide the medium to transform everything we know about traditional media, entertainment & service.
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Isometric 3D Virtual Worlds
From the hobbyist to the veteran game developer, if you want to make an isometric game in Flash; Possibilities for virtual goods, MMO games, and story lines can go on and on... in your own little world.
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Web Apps with Google Toolkit
With cutting-edge development tools, frameworks and libraries such as GWT Google Web Toolkit and advanced development methodologies such as agile and extreme programming assists speed up development and shorten time-to-market cycles.
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GIS Solutions for Civil Engineers
Today we are able to access rich geographical content from maps, survey information and CAD drawings through to revolutionary Immersive 'Street View' videos. Traditional GIS solutions can be large and expensive, bound by their Client-Server architectures, whereas underlabs browser-based GIS viewers make your data accessible where and when you need it.