Importance of Mobile app maintenance

This article is only my own opinion about the importance of Mobile app maintenance and it's focused more on the technical side based on my experience working in several companies including large companies such as Mobile banks and small start-up projects which live without maintenance, so we can compare in the end. Let's walk through some aspects that can affect maintenance costs.

Bug fixing

There are no absolutely ideal mobile applications in the world, especially if a mobile app is a large project. 20–30% of the time of developing mobile applications will be spent on fixing bugs. Usually, a developer's backlog consists of some critical and not critical issues which can be included in the current or next versions.

Bug fixing can take up a significant amount of time and resources. Even the most well-designed and thoroughly tested mobile apps can encounter bugs and issues, especially as new devices and software versions are released.

Platform version

I'm writing this when the current version of iOS is 16, but maintenance is also when you cover older versions (iOS 15, 14, 13, etc.). Again, it depends on what kind of mobile app. A product manager can gather information about your audience and which versions you can depreciate and support in the future build. But while it's ideal to support the latest version of iOS, it may not be feasible for all users to upgrade immediately. Therefore, supporting older versions of iOS can help ensure that a wider range of users can continue to use the app.

New Features

Building new features it's not only solving user problems, but it's also a part of maintenance that can show how mobile application is developing, and it is still alive in the app store or google play. If users will see that your mobile app is not supported anymore then these users most likely will find something else better in the store even if they get used to your application.
Users want to feel confident that the app will continue to meet their needs and stay up-to-date with the latest technologies and trends. Sometimes it's really important between bug-fixing and making something new with the latest technologies.

Design

Let's imagine a situation, where your mobile app was designed when the newest iPhone was the 6s and the latest iOS was the 13. Of course, this app can be launched on iPhone 14 Pro with iOS 16. How it will look with this new Dynamic island and a larger screen? What if your app is also for iPads? I've seen so many old games in the app store which were designed using old fashion parameters.

This means when a new iOS or iPhone is released then it's time for maintaining the mobile app design and it can be in the scope of New features or Bug fixing. This can involve updating the app's layout to accommodate new screen sizes, adjusting the user interface to match new design trends, and incorporating new design elements to improve the overall user experience.

Technology

Also, maintenance really depends on what kind of technology an application uses. Let's focus on native iOS, for example, then the question is what kind of tech stack a developer should know. If a project, let's say with a specific clean architecture, reactive frameworks, objective-c language, and so on, then the costs to maintain this app will be much higher even just to build some UI components because finding that kind of specialist will be complicated.

Performance

This point might be in Bug fixing, but I decided to highlight this part because it really describes the importance of maintenance and how it can cost. If a bug in a mobile app is really small then most likely a developer will spend less than an hour.

Let's consider this example: your mobile app was updated with new features and one of them is a scroll view with a lot of images and data that is fetched from the net. There are no problems with new devices but on old devices might be some performance/fps issues that a developer needs to solve. To fix this issue a developer can spend a lot of time even months. Because this can be particularly challenging when it comes to older devices or operating systems, where the hardware and software may not be as capable of handling newer, more resource-intensive features.

Legal Aspects

Some mobile applications can be installed and used only in specific countries, or even states because of the business and services and their legality. It's also really important especially if the laws are changing in those areas where your app can be installed. This means that you need to regularly review and update your app to ensure that it remains compliant with the latest laws and regulations in the regions where it is available.

Failing to comply with local laws and regulations can result in severe consequences, such as fines, lawsuits, and reputational damage, which can be harmful to your business.

Conclusion

A mobile application maintenance cost really depends on the complexity and it is a crucial aspect of ensuring the continued success and usability of an app. It encompasses bug fixing, platform version compatibility, new feature development, design updates, technology updates, performance improvements, and legal compliance. Ignoring maintenance can lead to decreased user satisfaction, decreased usage, and ultimately, a loss of business. Therefore, it is important for businesses to prioritize maintenance alongside new feature development to ensure their app remains relevant and competitive in the market.