The widespread use of Apple devices among users has attracted companies to develop and support iOS applications. However, not all companies have sufficient internal resources to do so. In such cases, outsourcing iOS developer services can be a solution.

The article will discuss the benefits of outsourcing and outstaffing iOS specialist services, explore options for developing an application from scratch, and delve into the types of specialists needed in development.

Advantages of creating a mobile application on iOS for businesses

Creating a mobile application on iOS for businesses offers a number of advantages and opportunities that can significantly enhance the efficiency and competitiveness of a company.

1. Wide audience

Apple devices, such as iPhone and iPad, enjoy high popularity among users and capture a significant market share. Developing applications on iOS will enable your company to expand its audience.

According to Planet company, it is the high level of security and user-friendly interface that have ensured global popularity and user loyalty to mobile applications, smartphones, and tablets from Apple. In 2022, Apple devices captured 28% of the global market.

2. High consumer base.

Apple device owners typically have a high income level and are capable of spending more on purchases and services. Developing applications on iOS provides access to this consumer base, which can lead to increased revenue and overall improvement of the business model.

According to data from the App Annie platform, in 2021, users of iOS applications spent nearly double the amount in the Apple App Store compared to Android users in the Google Play Store. The revenue of the Apple App Store exceeded 85 billion dollars, while the revenue of Google Play was less than 48 billion.

These facts confirm that owners of Apple devices have greater purchasing power, which opens up wide opportunities for increasing business revenue through iOS applications.

3. Quality and security.

Apple is known for its high level of quality and strict requirements for application security. iOS app developers are required to adhere to standards in order to create a reliable and secure application for users.

4. Advanced capabilities and integration.

The iOS platform has powerful tools that allow for the implementation of vibrant ideas by clients in applications. Additionally, integration with other Apple products, such as Apple Pay or Siri, can enhance the user experience and expand the functionality of the application.

For example, in 2017, the company 65apps released a case study on the development and launch of an iOS application for accessing the personal accounts of the fitness club World Class.

The task was to create an application where users could renew their memberships and purchase training sessions. Among the benefits, clients received a convenient means of communication with the fitness club, the company reduced support costs, and users found it more convenient to make reservations using their smartphones rather than through club administrators or over the phone.

Thus, through the iOS platform, features that were previously unavailable on Android were implemented.

Where to start iOS app development? First, it’s important to determine the strategy for hiring IT specialists who provide iOS development services.

Options for creating an iOS application from scratch: in-house, outsourcing, and outstaffing individual specialists.

Companies can choose from various options when hiring IT specialists offering iOS services for developing an application from scratch. Popular hiring strategies include in-house development, outsourcing, and/or outstaffing. Let’s begin with definitions.

In-house development is a strategy where a company creates and maintains its own team of developers within the organization. The key difference between an in-house team and other strategies lies in the regular expenses incurred for IT specialists: salary payments, vacation and sick leave, conducting corporate events, providing equipment for work, and so on. Additionally, the company may not always have sufficient tasks for the developers, leading to idle time, which may not be cost-effective for the company.

In such cases, organizations often turn to the outsourcing model, fully delegating tasks to an outsourcing company.

As for iOS outstaffing and iOS outsourcing, a clear advantage for both businesses and IT projects is the saving of time and resources.

A study by SkillStaff at the end of 2022 shows that currently, around 40% of companies actively use IT outstaffing services, with the majority of them (over 40%) having been utilizing this solution for 2-3 years.

Outsourcing involves fully delegating the development of a project to an external company.

Outstaffing involves temporarily assigning the required specialists to the client company, where the outstaffing company, similar to outsourcing, provides legal support for the employees.

IT outstaffing enables companies to efficiently manage the software development process while reducing expenses associated with maintaining an internal team of developers. The main difference between the outstaffing model and outsourcing is that in the case of outstaffing, the company retains control over the projects.

It is worth noting that with outstaffing, the employees work for the client company but are officially employed by the outstaffing agency. If desired, the client has the possibility to hire the developer directly into their company.

When it comes to providing iOS developer services and more, outstaffing can be referred to as outsourcing – the essence is the same in such cases.

In this context, it means that the advantages of iOS outsourcing are the same as for iOS outstaffing. Let’s discuss them in more detail.

Advantages of outsourcing and outstaffing for iOS app development

Decreased costs.

iOS outstaffing allows companies to reduce expenses since clients only pay for the work that is completed or the time that is spent. Moreover, they do not incur additional costs associated with maintaining a permanent in-house team of developers. In the case of short-term app development projects, hiring iOS developers on an outstaffing basis provides advantages for companies.

Reduced time and resources.

With outsourcing and outstaffing, companies save time and effort associated with searching for, hiring, and training their own team of developers. This is especially beneficial when it comes to specialized expertise, as is the case with iOS services.

Flexibility and scalability.

Companies can easily scale their development team based on the project’s needs. Renting iOS developers allows for speeding up a project, or conversely, the client company can reduce the team during periods of no tasks.

Objective expertise.

Outstaffing iOS developers and outsourcing the entire project enable companies to gain access to objective expertise and experience provided by an external company. They can benefit from the expertise of specialists, thus improving the quality of IT product development.

Different strategies for iOS app development suit different companies: for some, an in-house team is the optimal solution; for others, outsourcing the entire project works best, while for some, assembling a team through outstaffing or reinforcing the existing team with the necessary specialists may be more practical to expedite the entire process and meet release deadlines. Let’s provide further clarification.

When to opt for in-house, outsourcing, or iOS developer outstaffing?

In-house development is optimal when:

1. The company is willing to maintain a full team of IT specialists.
2. The internal development team has sufficient expertise.
3. The company is able to deliver projects on time.
4. The business has enough tasks to fully utilize the IT specialists.

Outsourcing the entire project is a practical choice when:

1. The company needs to save budget on equipment.
2. Quality document management and support for an in-house team are challenging.
3. Companies lack the required expertise in IT to develop turnkey projects.

iOS outstaffing is a suitable solution when:

1. The internal development team lacks the necessary expertise.
2. Companies don’t have the resources or capacity to launch projects within their own timeline.
3. The company needs additional development and IT resources to complete a specific project or task.
4. The company is seeking a rare IT specialist to implement projects.
5. The company is not ready to hire individual IT specialists as permanent employees.

Before choosing a specific strategy, it is important to assess the resources of the business, project requirements, level of control, and flexibility to make the right decision regarding the choice between in-house development, outsourcing, or iOS developer outstaffing for application development or other software projects.

However, organizations may not always be able to sustain the high expenses of maintaining a large workforce or cope with high staff turnover and a shortage of specialists for projects. These factors push towards partial or complete adoption of outstaffing/outsourcing strategies.

What companies turn to iOS developer outstaffing/outsourcing services?

1. Startups and small companies.

When a company is in the early stages of development or has limited financial resources, outstaffing and/or outsourcing allow them to access iOS developers without hiring their own team. As mentioned earlier, these approaches help companies save on maintaining an in-house team and gain the necessary technical skills for iOS app development.

2. Large companies with resource constraints.

Even large companies can have limited internal resources, especially when it comes to specialized technical tasks like iOS app development. In such cases, iOS outstaffing or outsourcing enable companies to acquire additional technical resources and expertise.

3. Global companies with distributed teams.

Large companies with distributed development teams around the world can utilize iOS outstaffing and/or outsourcing as a strategy for coordination and collaboration with external service providers. This helps the business scale and maintain efficiency in project management.

4. Companies with specific requirements or expert skills.

In some cases, companies may have specific requirements or need expert skills for developing specific features or components of iOS applications. For example, IT companies that lack sufficient expertise or personnel for quality IT project development.

Types of Mobile Applications

Let’s talk about two types of mobile applications: native and cross-platform. Native mobile applications are apps specifically developed for a particular operating system using development tools and programming languages specific to that OS. Examples include a wide range of mobile games and most pre-installed standard services such as alarms, calendars, or calculators. Cross-platform mobile applications are apps developed using a unified universal codebase, allowing them to run on various platforms and operating systems. Developers of cross-platform apps use frameworks like React Native and Flutter to write code that works on both iOS and Android. The choice of a specific app type depends on your project’s needs:

1. What results do you expect?

If your goal is to quickly enter the market, test a hypothesis, or turn a mobile version into an app, cross-platform development may be suitable. However, if you need to create a product with interactive elements, complex graphics, and functionality, native development may be a better choice.

2. What devices does your target audience use?

If 90% of your customers use iOS devices, it’s better to choose native development. However, if it’s a 50/50 split, you can also consider a cross-platform approach.

3. How much are you willing to invest?

Cross-platform development is usually considered more cost-effective due to less work involved. However, the cost and time always depend on the task’s complexity and the developers’ level of expertise.

4. How much time do you have for app development?

Cross-platform development usually requires less time, but platform-specific considerations should be taken into account. Sometimes, adapting functionality and design can take as much time as developing two native apps since additional code needs to be written.

5. Do you have specialists available for support?

The work on the product doesn’t end after its release. Occasionally, bug detection and fixing, making minor changes, or updating versions in app stores will be required. For native Android and iOS apps, this may require twice the time and resources from developers. It’s worth noting that depending on the app type, the composition of the development team may vary. Let’s delve into more detail on the specialists involved in iOS app development.

Who is involved in iOS app development?

1. iOS developers

They form the core of the team and are responsible for programming and creating the iOS app. This can be a Swift developer or an iOS developer proficient in Objective-C, using the tools and frameworks provided by Apple for app development.

For cross-platform applications, Android developers who use Java or Kotlin for the Android operating system are involved.

2. Testers or QA engineers

They conduct testing on various iOS devices and operating systems to identify and fix errors, ensuring high app quality, user-friendly interface, and software stability.

3. Analysts

Analytics experts collect and analyze user data, anticipating user behavior within the app. They use analytics tools to gather valuable insights and information that can help improve app functionality and effectiveness.

4. Product Managers

Typically, one specialist is responsible for managing and coordinating the entire app development process. They monitor deadlines, distribute tasks among team members, communicate with clients, and ensure successful project completion.

5. UI/UX designers

Design specialists create aesthetically pleasing and intuitively understandable user interfaces for the application. They work on developing design concepts, creating layouts, and focusing on the visual aspects of the app.

Apple has always placed great importance on the visual component, and users have grown accustomed to stylish interfaces, intuitive controls, and a clear app structure. There are strict guidelines that need to be followed for the successful review and publication of an app on the App Store.

For cross-platform applications, designers also need to be familiar with the Google Material Design System guidelines.

6. Backend developers

Sometimes, the team may include backend developers responsible for the development and maintenance of the server-side of the application, enabling interaction with databases, cloud services, and other external resources.

The specific composition of the team may vary depending on the size and complexity of the project, as well as the client’s requirements.

Factors for Choosing iOS Specialists in Outstaffing/Outsourcing Companies

1. Competencies and Experience

One of the main factors for choosing iOS specialists is their competencies and experience in app development for iOS. Their technical expertise, programming language knowledge (such as Swift and Objective-C), experience with iOS development tools and frameworks, as well as their ability to tackle complex challenges and take responsibility, are important factors to consider.

2. Reputation and Recommendations

Consider the reputation of specialists in outstaffing or outsourcing, their previous work experience, and client reviews.

3. Quality of Work and Portfolio

Review the previous projects and portfolios of specialists to assess their level of professionalism and the quality of their work. Keep in mind that the ideal solution may involve specialists with experience and competencies that align with your project expectations and requirements.

4. Cost and Budget

Evaluate the estimated cost of services from outstaffing or outsourcing specialists and ensure that it aligns with your budget and goals. The cheapest option may not always be the optimal choice, as low quality and slower development speed can end up costing companies more. For example, by saving on app development, a company may receive daily complaints from users and experience low profitability. Eventually, the company will need to turn to iOS developers again to improve functionality and ensure app stability. In this case, the adjustments require not only additional expenses but also time.

Competencies of iOS Developers

When developing mobile applications for iOS, it is important for companies in outstaffing or outsourcing to have developers with specific competencies. iOS specialists should be skilled in programming languages, such as Swift for creating iOS apps, or Objective-C as an older language for iOS development. They should also be knowledgeable about frameworks and tools provided by Apple for app development, such as UIKit, Core Data, Core Animation, SwiftUI, and Xcode, to effectively utilize their capabilities in app development.

Developers should be familiar with architectural patterns like MVC, MVVM, or VIPER for creating well-structured and easily maintainable apps. Additionally, iOS developers should have skills in developing the user interface using tools like Storyboards and Interface Builder. They should be able to create custom UI controls, organize screen layouts, and ensure a pleasant user experience.

Understanding good development practices is crucial for iOS developers, including responsibility separation, code testing, and version control management. They should adhere to principles that promote code cleanliness, efficiency, and ease of maintainability.

Lastly, iOS developers should be prepared for continuous learning and adaptation to new technologies and requirements. The world of iOS app development is constantly evolving, and developers need to stay updated with these changes.