How much does it cost to make an app with GPS
Today, most mobile devices, including smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and just about anything that runs mobile apps, come with a ton of sensors and connectivity technologies. Some of them help smart devices to know your location.
Use Cases and Features of GPS Location App
Once you decide what type of application you are building, for internal or external mapping, you will be able to choose the relevant technologies. We’ll discuss that in more detail later, but for now, let’s discuss the use cases you can cover with geolocation features in your mobile app.
MAPS
Maps are the bread and butter of geolocation application development. There’s not much to say about the maps, except that they have a ton of useful features. For example, they can show points of interest and the user’s location, allow them to measure distances, and get traffic updates.
LOCATION TRACKING
Having a map is fine, but being able to track moving objects on a map is what has made iOS and Android location-based app development crazy these days.
This option has a lot of utility. It’s how we track our deliveries, know where we’re going, keep an eye on our loved ones, and do so much more.
POINTS OF INTEREST
Objects marked on maps are what bring them to life, aside from location tracking. Whether it’s a restaurant, an ice cream truck, or a monument, the more information we can get about it, the better.
Also Read: How Much Does It Cost For Car Parking App Development In 2022?
NAVIGATION AND ROUTING
The option would render the entire taxi and on-demand delivery industry useless if it did not exist. Finding an optimal route depending on walking, cycling, driving, or going to work has become an indispensable part of many mobile solutions.
In addition to getting us to the right destination, shipping and routing are how we know when our orders will arrive, what is the cheapest way to transfer goods, and so on.
SHARING LOCATION
Social networking applications benefit significantly from allowing users to share their coordinates in real-time. If you think about it for a minute, any app where you see other people or objects moving in real-time has this feature.
How to develop a geolocation app like Waze for navigation
Take the following steps:
1. Build a small team to plan the GPS tracking app development project
Form a small team led by an experienced project manager (PM). You need a software architect, furthermore, you need a team of business analysts (BAs).
You need to explain the high-level objectives of the project to this team. E.g., explain your pricing models, target audience, etc. Specify the platforms you want to target, e.g., web, Android, iOS, etc.
This team should do the following:
Business analysts need to gather requirements and document them.
The software architect needs to design the technical solution.
The PM needs to lead this team to come up with a project plan.
2. Gather, document, and manage the requirements for the proposed geolocation app development
BAs need to gather and document the functional requirements. They need to conduct structured interviews with the business stakeholders. BAs need to get insights from potential users.
They need to consider various aspects, e.g.:
user experience;
How the app will use data like Cell ID from mobile operators;
Using data from cell towers;
How the proposed app will use WiFi network data;
The kind of algorithms required in the app;
Whether to use
The information security regulatory standards to meet while processing user’s location data;
Whether the app will use the “Assisted GPS” (A-GPS) technology;
Whether the app will offer Augmented Reality (AR)-powered features;
The user authentication requirements to be followed;
Integration with social networks.
The team needs to write the requirements document effectively. Following a thorough review, the PM should get the necessary approvals. The PM needs to implement an effective requirements management process.
3. Plan the MVP for the proposed GPS app
You plan to launch consumer-facing mobile apps. You will likely enhance your mobile app frequently. The Agile development methodology works well for such iterative development.
As a part of that, we recommend you launch an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) first. An MVP is a functional product with fewer features. You can validate your business ideas and assumptions by launching an MVP.
Get the market feedback, and enhance your app based on it. You should prioritize features for the MVP. As we have described in our MVP guide, use tools like the pain-and-gain map and prioritization matrix.
4. Evaluate 3rd party APIs to develop an app like Waze
You will likely develop your APIs. However, you might use 3rd party APIs for some features. Evaluate the following 3rd party APIs:
map box
Mapbox, a well-known platform offers maps and location data. Note the following key facts about Mapbox:
The Mapbox web services APIs enable you to access the Mapbox tools and services from your app.
These APIs cover functions like mapping, navigation, search, and accounts.
You can use the Mapbox mobile SDKs for Android and iOS to integrate Mapbox services into your app.
Mapbox offers extensive documentation for developers.
Read: How Much Does It Cost To Develop A Travel App?
Google Maps
Do you plan to use step-by-step navigation features in your app? You can’t use Google Maps APIs in that case since the terms and conditions won’t allow it. You can use it otherwise.
Note the following quick facts about the Google Maps developer platform:
Google Maps APIs allow you to incorporate maps and routes. You can integrate place-related information.
This platform offers features like street view imagery, geocoding, geolocation, street view imagery, distance matrix, elevation, and time zones.
You can access GPS data and GPS coordinates to incorporate them into GPS applications.
Google Maps offers Android, iOS, and JavaScript SDKs.
You can access the extensive Google Maps platform documentation.
Foursquare
You can use Foursquare APIs in your proposed GPS app. Foursquare is a well-known location technology platform. It offers the following:
scalability;
accessibility;
Accurate data;
Data privacy and security;
Descriptive place profiles;
A “Places API” to search for places;
A “Places database” with valuable content in formats like JSON and TSV;
Android and iOS SDKs;
Extensive documentation.
5. Choose the right tech stack for developing a GPS app
Select the appropriate technology stack. We recommend the following:
Java for native Android development
You should develop a native Android application. Native apps make the best use of hardware features available on different mobile devices. They offer the best user experience, performance, and security.
We recommend you use Java for native Android app development in USA. It’s a popular choice for many Android developers. This enterprise-scale language offers gr
