In today’s mobile-first world, users want mobile apps to start quickly, respond instantly, run smoothly, support multitasking, be secure, and avoid unexpected shutdowns. Exacting customers demand top-tier app performance and are willing to pay for the best products.
Whether it’s booking a ride, buying clothes online, or just scanning a barcode, if the app isn’t working right, users won’t hesitate to ditch it for one that runs better. Businesses can’t afford to lose customers over something as basic as poor app performance.
Companies that hire mobile app developers are placing significant trust in their skills and expertise — and rightly so.
In this article, we’ll explore different aspects of mobile app performance and discuss what to look for when selecting mobile app development services to build best-in-class solutions.
Mobile App Performance Metrics
In simple terms, mobile app performance is how well an app works and responds to user inputs. A wide range of metrics is used to measure mobile app performance. They help understand performance issues and figure out ways to improve user experience.
Startup Latency
Also known as app startup time, startup latency is the amount of time between the moment a user taps an app icon (a push notification, a link, or any other point of entry) and when the app data appears on the screen. Ideally, your startup latency target should be less than 500 ms for both cold and warm starts.
App Response Time
This metric measures how quickly a mobile app responds to user actions such as pressing a button or swiping the screen. The optimal app response time should not exceed 300 ms.
Scroll Jank
This metric refers to delays in rendering frames while the user is scrolling. When a jank occurs, it causes pauses in the visual content, displaying as the app waits to render the next frame. To avoid scroll jank, it’s recommended to target a 90 Hz refresh rate.
Crash Rate
Crash rate measures the ratio of app crashes to the total duration of sessions within a given period, calculated as a percentage. Keeping the crash rate below 1% is generally considered acceptable. It means you should aim for about 99.95% crash-free sessions.
Battery Consumption
If an app drains the battery quickly, users tend to interact with it less frequently and finally abandon it. No one expects a battery charge to last for two days when the user is playing a graphics-heavy game. However, a mobile app developer should optimize background processes and energy-intensive operations to prevent unnecessary battery work.
App downloads
At first sight, this metric may seem irrelevant to how good you are at finding talent among mobile app developers for hire and more related to marketing or app store optimization. However, all these factors are closely linked. A faulty app won’t attract many users, no matter how good the marketing efforts are. This brings us back to the importance of high-quality mobile app development services.
We’ve reviewed just a few key mobile app performance metrics that can impact your mobile app project’s success. As you can see, these factors aren’t related to any specific industry or app type.
Instead, they reflect the ‘backstage’ elements — app design, architecture, code quality, and mastery of software development tools. Ultimately, ensuring optimal performance boils down to partnering with the right mobile app development company or hiring the right in-house mobile app development team.
When you hire dedicated mobile app developers, make sure they know how to address these challenges. After all, it’s their expertise you’re entrusting with the success of your mobile app.
How to Improve Mobile App Performance?
Asking ‘How to Improve a Mobile App Performance?’ is crucial when you hire mobile app developers because mobile app performance should be considered already at the project planning stage.
First, it helps assess developers’ expertise in working with platform-specific tools and tackling performance issues. Second, anticipating potential faults and addressing them before release will save you time, effort, and money.
Here are a few strategies to improve mobile app performance. The dedicated mobile developers you hire should be well-versed in these:
Code Optimization
Removing redundant code, including unnecessary characters, spaces, and comments, reduces file size and improves loading times.
Asset Optimization
Large images and videos can slow down a mobile app. Compressing media using appropriate formats prevents slowdowns.
App Size Reduction
A large app size can lead to longer download times and extensive use of a device’s resources. Skilled mobile app developers can use techniques like code minification, removing unused assets, and utilizing app bundles for Android and app thinning for iOS.
Optimization for Different Screen Sizes and Resolutions
Mobile developers should ensure the app is responsive and adapts to different devices, screen sizes, and resolutions. Thus, they’ll avoid rendering and scaling issues.
Database Indexing
Indexing is a method of creating shortcuts to speed up data retrieval from a database. Like the other mentioned techniques, it leads to better app performance. Proficiency in database indexing is important for mobile developers.
Conclusion
With mobile devices packed with all sorts of apps, mobile app performance is more critical than ever. If a mobile app lags, crashes, or drains the battery, users will abandon it, and your reputation may suffer.
Businesses that hire mobile app developers should prioritize performance to ensure apps run as efficiently as possible. This is crucial to keeping users happy, building trust, and distinguishing your brand in the crowded app market.
