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A report released by Adobe has shown that this year's Black Friday and Cyber Monday were the biggest ever in the US, with $11 billion in online sales during the long-weekend sale.
 
Adobe's estimates, based on aggregated anonymous data spread over millions of visits to thousands of websites, show other trends within the record spending.
 
Mobile shopping


As businesses mull over the worth and profitability of mobile app development or mobile-friendly versions of an existing website, figures continue to rise for the popularity of purchasing via a mobile device.
 
According to Adobe, sales via a mobile device accounted for 34% of sales, the majority of which were made on smartphones. Of those, iPhones were used for 67%, leaving Android with 33%. Sales via tablet were down a couple of percent to 15%. In the UK, iPhone and Android mobiles are split about about 50/50 in terms of use, so it's worth noting that this figure may be less relevant when considering the reach of iOS development versus Android mobile development in the UK.
 
Adobe also highlighted how shoppers like to browse via mobile too, accounting for 53% of shopping visits on Black Friday, split 40% for smartphones and 13% for tablet.
 
Mobile use in general was up on last year, and again singled out as a future growth area, this time by analysts Com Score, who have predicted a 14% rise on last year for holiday mobile sales.
 
What does this mean for retailers thinking of mobile development?
 
For those thinking of mobile versions of a site, or mobile friendly layouts, mobile sales aren't slowing down and iOS or Android mobile development would look to be a good investment.
 
Although consumers prefer desktop for certain purchases (usually higher priced items) it is clear that we're increasingly using our mobiles and tablets to make quick, convenient purchases.
 
If your site is not optimised for mobile, you could miss out on sales. It does depend on your target audience, but the expectation is that we want to be able to browse and buy on mobile devices.
 
Incidentally, according to Adobe the iPad Air 2 was one of the top sellers on Black Friday. Another little factoid from Adobe is that of the estimated $905m worth of purchases via mobile devices on Black Friday, iOS iPhone and iPads accounted for 75% of that total.
 
What about mobile ecommerce in the UK?


Ok, so these figures relate to the US. UK mobile shopping is usually in line with the US – we all know Black Friday itself is a US phenomenon based on the Thanksgiving weekend, which Brits have embraced in recent years.
 
However, if you'd prefer to just look at UK figures, please refer to our upcoming article on mobile device sales in the UK.
 
About us

Eastpoint Software Web and Mobile Apps Development Company Cambridge, UK and London. We specialize in iOS mobile software development and android mobile development, as well as bespoke web applications. We also have a strong record of ecommerce mobile development.
 
Visit us: https://www.eastpoint.co.uk/

Why develop a mobile app?

Use of mobile devices is set to overtake desktop for accessing   websites . Think about how often you use your phone, or you see other   people using theirs. It's common to use your mobile to browse websites, search for information and make purchases.

A mobile app enhances the user experience further and achieves a   greater engagement with your users. Often a mobile app offers features   that a mobile web site (or web app) isn't capable of because it can have  greater access to the mobile device's hardware (such as GPS, camera and  microphone).

Planning:

Thorough understanding of what you want and ensure we've got all the information that we need to design a solution to meet that.

Design and user experience:

We will look at who your app needs to appeal to, and be appropriate   for, the intended audience. It needs to be consistent with existing   branding where applicable.

Development:

Creating the working product based on those things using our   experience with various technologies to devise and develop a solution.

Testing:
We make sure that what we've produced is what we set out to produce, and ensure it all works correctly on varied device types.

We like automated and manual testing, making sure that where possible   we have automated tests to cover the design functionality, backed up   with the manual testing. You can't beat a human set of eyes looking at   it.

Support, analysis and improvement:

We'll work to ensuring that product continues to perform in the way that it's expected long after the product is launched.

Long term support for mobile apps is key to it's success as new   devices and device updates often change the underlying systems which   could otherwise harm performance of the application.

And as user uptake of your application grows, we'll work with you to   collect and analyse information about usage and help to guide design   changes and enhancements.

We like to maintain relationships with clients over the years,   supporting systems, offering advice, and remaining a part of the   project.

Native, web and hybrid apps:

There are options for type of mobile app you can build, depending on how you want it to be used.

A native app is specific to, for example, Android or iOS (Apple).   Generally, the result is slicker and perhaps better access to things   such as accelerator, camera, location, because it has built   specificially for that device.

Mobile web apps are applications run via a website, and can be seen in the browser on your mobile phone.

A hybrid app is a HTML5, CSS and Javascript web application (the same   technology used for normal websites), that is then adapted to be used   on various devices. Hybrid apps are installed in the same way (through   App Store or Play Store), so depending on the features and/or design the  user may never be aware of the difference. Hybrid apps do have some   limitations, but they have the benefit of being much quicker to develop and deploy to different devices types.

Eastpoint Software Mobile Application Development Company in UK, London and Cambridge.  We have offices in Cambridge and London, and are based in Cambridge.   Our office is at the Hauser Forum, do come and meet us to discuss   projects. Get in touch with us at info@eastpoint.co.uk or, as Blondie   would say, call me on 01223 690164.

Visit us: https://www.eastpoint.co.uk/Mobile-Apps/

The year is nearly over, so let's look back at what Eastpoint's little developer elves got up to this year.

What happened at Eastpoint Software in 2014?


Mobile and tablet apps:


More people are using mobiles and i Pads these days. We all know this because we all do it, it's simple, quick, and doesn't involve waiting for a PC to load up while staring existentially out of the window. Apps are a great way of presenting a product or service in a way that's easy for customers to use, which makes  Web, Mobile and eCommerce App Development increasingly beneficial investment.
 
We are keen to continue building more mobile and ecommerce apps next year. Get in touch with us about your mobile app idea on info@eastpoint.co.uk or, as Blondie would say, call me on 01223 690164.
 
Responsive websites:


Websites that were built to be viewed on a monitor do not always look so studly and buff on a little screen. Some need a helping hand and seem need to be built from scratch (a great opportunity to zhuzh up the website and maybe re brand like you always meant to).
 
Having a website that adapts to different monitors and devices is called responsive, and is a popular and wise investment. We've carried out several of these software development projects this year.
 
Website upgrades:


Websites are just like anything else – they get tired, things change around them, and they need a bit of fairy dust because they are sad. We've carried out many enhancements and additions this year.
 
Outsourcing App Development:


We often work with technology partners to deliver skills that they do not have in-house. This year we worked on several long-term web app development projects.
 
Emerging Technologies:


Our clever clogs developers are always learning new technologies and adapting how they work. This year, our favourite new technology was AngularJS, which we used on a cyber security app. Intriguing!
 
Agile:


There's been more interest and understanding of agile working – which means completing a project in stages without having to decide on the entire project's timeline and spec at the outset. This allows you to change the spec or scope as the software product is built, so it can evolve during the build to the benefit of the final product.
 
Testing and QA:

We are Eastpoint Web , Mobile and eCommerce App Development Services Cambridge, London and UK. This year a full-time QA lead joined our team. Welcome! Now get back to work. Working with us in 2015 If you are looking for web, mobile and eCommerce app and software development or outsourcing in Cambridge, London or the UK, give us a call on 01223 690164, or email info@eastpoint.co.uk. Let us know your requirements and we'll see what we can do!
 
If you're looking for an estimate for an app, let us know the details you have and we can provide a no-obligation quote. We specialized in ecommerce apps and software development.
 
Visit us:  http://www.eastpoint.co.uk/