Where should I look if I need health and wellness app developers?

Well, first:

What are the risks to consumers of using mobile health and fitness applications?

Mobile health and fitness applications pose a number of privacy risks—both general and specific—that consumers who use them should consider.

General concerns with using mobile devices and applications:

• Mobile devices—smartphones and tablets—are ideal tracking tools. They are Internet- and geo-location-enabled, people carry them almost everywhere they go, and users rarely turn them off. They offer great consumer benefits, such as continuous Internet access and apps for finding directions and services. But at the same time, mobile devices and the apps people download can be highly privacy invasive.
• The mobile applications ecosystem is largely unregulated. This is a particular concern with health and fitness apps, which often collect both demographic and medical (or medical-like) information. None of this data is covered by existing regulations that protect the privacy and security of personal health information; it has only whatever protections the developer’s privacy policy affords—if there is a privacy policy at all. Also, many health and fitness apps allow and encourage users to share what you might consider sensitive information via social media. Once information is public you have little to no control over it.

Specific risks of using mobile health and fitness applications:

• Many health and fitness applications collect a great deal of personal information. Apps may prompt users to enter a name, email address, age, gender, height, weight, and photo. They may also ask for lifestyle information. For example, the app may ask questions about food consumption and exercise habits.

When you use the app, you create a record—of your diet, daily exercise, glucose readings, pregnancy, menstrual cycle. As noted above, this information has no regulatory protection.Legal note for California residents: California’s Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (CMIA) may apply to mobile applications that collect what the federal HIPAA regulations define as “protected health information” (PHI). However, CMIA's applicability is unclear. Under the CMIA, the question is whether a mobile health and fitness or wellness application developer’s business is organized for the purpose "… of maintaining medical information in order to make the information available to an individual or to a provider of health care at the request of the individual or a provider of health care, for purposes of allowing the individual to manage his or her information, or for the diagnosis and treatment of the individual shall be deemed to be a provider of health care. . . .” Cal. Civ. Code § 56.06(a).

• Mobile applications, especially apps that you download for free, depend on advertising to make money. They may share personally identifiable information with advertisers, or allow ad networks to track you. Almost all applications send de-identified (non-personal) data about how you use an application to data analytics services. If an application collects your UDID (universal device ID) or embeds a unique ID in the application you download, de-identified analytics data can be tracked back to you personally.
• Many mobile applications have poor security. Although they may have a privacy policy that says they protect the privacy and confidentiality of your information, more often than not, they transmit it unencrypted and over insecure network connections—HTTP, rather than HTTPS. They may also transmit information that includes your disease or pharmaceutical search terms—for sexually transmitted diseases or anti-psychotic drugs, for example—in the clear and viewable by anyone watching on the network.

Every business needs an app in today’s mobile-driven world. But then, many companies keep on bringing new apps every day, and as a new player, it is quite a task for you to bring an app that addresses the expectations of the target audience effectively. There, the best mobile app development services provider lends a helping hand. You can hire mobile app developers from a renowned and reputed company to mark your strong presence in an overcrowded app world.

Here we give you the top ten tips to identify the most suitable mobile app development company for your upcoming app project.

Ten Useful Tips to Hire the Right Mobile App Development Services Provider

• Look for making a team of developers

How about making a team of developers that gives you complete peace of mind? You need to focus on building such a team that understands your requirements well and brings innovative solutions. Even if you have selected the mobile app development company, you should handpick the developers who are experienced, enthusiastic, and good communicators. Such a team can enable you to overcome various development issues while addressing your business needs effectively.

• Keep the cost factor on the sidelines

Many enterprises consider the cost factor while hiring a mobile app development services provider. There is no exaggeration in mentioning that at times, cheaper rates become costlier when it comes to mobile app development services. If the app development company meets every criterion then you should certainly select it without thinking of development cost.

• Check the past projects

A rich portfolio is the most primary indicator of a successful and reliable mobile app development company. Whenever you approach any company, you should check their past projects and go through the client’s reviews for the company. These days, thanks to the Internet, it is easy to get online reviews and testimonials along with the portfolio for any mobile app development services provider.

• Interview developers, you want to hire

Interviews can help you get an idea of the developer’s domain expertise and soft skills. You should keep in mind that soft skills are important especially when you want to outsource your app project. The developers with good communication skills can understand your language easily and you can make changes in the app as and when necessary.

• Contact previous clients

The client’s reviews and testimonials are good but contacting them in-person is better for you. When you contact the app developer’s previous clients, you can get an idea of the developer’s approach, dedication, and insights. It can help you make an informed decision.

• Find out their approach

Innovation is the key to success in today’s competitive world. You need to make sure that the mobile app development company, which you have selected, believes in an innovative approach. Along with this, the mobile app development services provider should be capable of adapting to the modern development trends and latest technologies.

• Opt for a 360-degree solutions provider

This is another crucial factor to consider. The mobile app development services provider you select should offer end-to-end app development services ranging from designing to development and maintenance to app marketing. You should find whether the mobile app development company has in-house teams for various services related to mobile apps.

• Consider NDA and Privacy Agreements

Non-disclosure Agreement (NDA) and privacy agreement can help you prevent any misuse of your theme or concept. In today’s highly competitive scenario, you need to prevent your app idea from going into the wrong hands, and therefore, you should emphasize on signing NDA and other privacy agreements.

• Do enough research

You must do enough research about app development companies before hiring the developer. You can easily get any information online and make the right decision. Also, it is beneficial to make a roadmap for mobile app development that includes key features and functionality.

• Inquire about post-development support

Many app development companies do not offer post development support and maintenance services. You should inquire about both technical assistance and maintenance services before assigning your project to the mobile app development company. Also, when you outsource your project to the app development company, you should ensure that they follow all the standards of outsourcing.

Be it an Android app development or an iOS app development, finding the right app developer is like finding a needle in a haystack because of the abundance of mobile app development companies. However, proper homework and the above tips can certainly help you out in finding the right developer for your business app.

AppClues Infotech is a robust and reliable mobile app development partner of many startups, SMEs, and enterprises. You can hire mobile app developers from our company to attract more people to your business through an elegant and efficient app.