With apps being initiated and developed rapidly in recent years, we have landed with two choices when it comes to mobile apps: static and real-time. While static apps are confined to a single device, used by the customer; real-time apps connect the user to events and updates occurring across the app world through notifications/alerts.
With real-time technology embedded in an app, you can send across live information to the users. Instances of real-time features on apps include real-time notifications as in the case of Facebook and Twitter, location tracking (Eg. Uber) and editing (Google Docs).
How does a real-time network work?
Employing real-time technology is the ideal response to those users who wish to stay updated with the latest news and events. Real-time apps establish a reliable network socket connection to each of their devices. This task has become attainable with cloud technology.
By enabling mobile apps to become live-info companions, brands can gain reputation of actively participating in the users’ daily tasks – starting from ordering groceries using location services (Eg. PepperTap and Amazon Fresh) to booking appointments for healthcare.
Moreover, with real-time technology, you can shift from a user-experience oriented approach to an audience-experience oriented approach. This implies that instead of having an app which only shows user-related information, you will have a brand community where each member will have a profile. Examples of this include social networks like Applicaster and Viggle which are using strategies like predictive games, online voting and so on to cater to the audience as a whole, than only the user alone. This is not to deny that needs of each of the user is paramount to the company and must be taken into account: one must remember that the words of a user can affect the outlook of the entire audience towards the company. The app should become a platform for brand community where you strengthen the opportunities to increase use of the brand in different ways.
Real-time features
Here are five real-time features that can enable your app to establish a more interactive and lucrative relation with your users:
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Notifications and Alerts
Social media apps like Facebook, InVision and Twitter generally use notification pop-ups and bars to send across new events (concerned with the users). The most important dimension with using notifications is to make sure that only the relevant data is passed on. Once the notification arrives, the users can click on the bar to access the information.
Alerts allow the apps to send across messages about any malfunction or bugs. There can be visible and invisible alerts. The latter are automatically sent to keep a check on health of the app.
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Instant Messaging
Instant messaging is the oldest and most effective application of real-time technology.
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Social Media Streaming
Streaming of events and making it available through pop-ups and app menus, is extensively used in news, live events and healthcare apps.
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Visual Effects
Real-time information can be used to visually represent data on a subject. As well-known, the ability to register information is greater with visually stimulating tools than written content alone. While presenting latest events, if coupled with a graphic or diagram, it will allow to make space for controlled advertising as well.
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Multi-User Workflows
With real-time information, it is possible to coordinate projects by collaborating tasks of team members. Consider that ABC is a cleaning company with three ongoing projects. Team XY which is responsible for one of these projects, can register the amount of time taken to travel to the place, record the starting and ending time of the task along with feedback of the client/worker. With a real-time technology-laden app, the company can maintain interaction with the workers across locations.