How to Increase Productivity with Mobile Enterprise Application

Do you realize that Mobile phone industry has witnessed a continuing revolution and it has emerged as a multitasking device from a mere handset designed initially for communication only.

The multiple applications developed not only to entertain the users but are involved in performing various tasks. Business enterprise and service industry has started developing their individual mobile applications not only for their clients/customers but for their employees as well.

Mobile Enterprise Applications refer to those apps that are meant for internal use- by the employees company workers and other executives involved with the operation.

Now here comes the important question:

Why does an enterprise require an internal Mobile application???

To answer the above question, we have to study the benefits drawn by an organisation. Let us figure out the advantages that an organization will have if they happen to develop an application for their internal operation.

Benefits of Mobile App for the employees of the Enterprise:

• Allow flexibility in employees’ work schedule- Allowing flexible work schedules for the employees increases their productivity and work efficiency such that they can structure their work in ways they are comfortable and are efficient in their delivery. Mobile apps is the right solution that guarantees such flexibility. The focus has shifted from when/where the work is done to the task getting done.

• Easy and quick access to data and information- Information and data fed into the Mobile Application makes it easily accessible to the employees at any point of time, even if they are away from their office or has no access to computer. They can become self-sufficient and do not have to depend on other employees in getting their work done. Thus enabling swift decision making and problem solving.

• Speed up the sales process- Product and service details available in the application speed up the sales process which saves time from scanning brochures or computer files to get details on the product in sale thus allowing employees to increase their sales target by meeting more clients.

• Instant and easy flow of communication between employees- Enterprise mobile application allows easy flow of communications throughout the enterprise and between different branches with different physical locations allowing hazard less business operation and swift decision making.

• Remove paper work and streamline daily tasks- Paper work eat up a lot of time of the employees which can be otherwise utilized in performing concrete tasks. Paper records will be replaced by specific app feature and live data will move through the matrix of company systems. Human error can also be avoided as well.

• Supports Daily Task- Serves as a checklist for daily task. The process gets more simplified and eliminates the risk of important data getting misplaced, input of data faster, reduces double handling of data by directly stuffing in information directly into the application.

• Curb overall cost of running the business- Human workforce will be replaced by mobile application that will definitely speed up the business process and curb unnecessary expenses incurred due to human error.

• Boost employee engagement- Mobile apps not only enable free flow of communication between the employees within the organization but it serves other purpose as well. The apps does most of the paper work for the employees such as time consuming database management. This allowed the employees to engage in more productive work and contribute to the final outcome.

• Swift decision making- App features like audio and video conferences allow meetings to be held between concerned parties without any need for them to be physically available at the same place. It also helps the employees in taking swift decisions using data already available in the app.  

• Ward off competition- Employing new innovations and periodic updates can place your business enterprise way ahead of your competitors and pool in their human resources optimally. Mobile apps is definitely an answer for this.

• Enhance customer/client satisfaction- Catering to Customer/client’s requirement must be given the top priority. Instant and quality customer/client servicing can go a long way in keeping your prospective customers happy and also serves as an important promotional tool, pulling in potential buyers through ‘word-of-mouth’ and strong buyer feedback or ratings.

Summing Up:

Having a mobile application for your business enterprise can cater not only to the need of your consumers but it helps your employees as well. All the above mentioned factors, if placed together, can definitely increase the overall productivity of your business operation and increase your ROI.

iOS Security : How iOS provides Security to its users

iOS is one of the most popular mobile operating system in terms of security. First launched in 2007, Apple designed it exclusively for Apple hardware. iOS not only provides security to the data stored in the mobile phone but also protects against the malware errors that could be detected while using the internet services.

We use our mobile devices for almost everything. We are dependent on it for almost everything so much so that we store sensitive information. In this age where crime is prevalent, this information can be easily accessed. iOS protects not only the data stored in the iOS device, but also the data transmitted on networks when using internet services. iOS provides advanced and sophisticated security for iOS devices and it’s also very easy to use.

Here, we list a number of way through which iOS ensures cyber security.

System Security

This is central to keeping your devices secure. This ensures that both the hardware and software are securely integrated with each other to protect each element of the device.

• Secure Booting Process: iOS uses a mechanism called "secure boot chain" in which each step verifies if the next step of chain is valid and signed by Apple. The booting process will only proceed to the next step of chain if the verification succeeds.
• Touch ID security: Touch ID is a fingerprints sensor that can read fingerprints from the user. Passing the fingerprints verification, one can have secure access to the device, such as unlocking the iOS device, making purchases from the App Store, and making secure payment through Apple Pay.
• Secure Enclave: The Secure Enclave is a coprocessor for Apple’s A-series processor. It has its own secure boot whose tasks include key management, processing cryptographic operations and maintaining the data integrity.

Data security

Like mentioned earlier, keeping the device safe to outside interference is important but what’s more important is to safeguard the user’s data locally and remotely.

• Hardware security: Every device also has a unique UID while devices that have the common processors have the same group ID (GID). Data encrypted using the UID is tied to a particular device, hence if the memory chip is physically moved to another device, the encrypted files will not be accessible.
• File-Data Security: iOS protects the file data by constructing and managing a hierarchy of keys in conjunction with hardware encryption engine. When a file is created, the Data Protection system creates a 256-bit key and forwards it to the hardware AES engine, which will use the per-file key to encrypt the file.
• Passcodes: generally passcodes are considered to be 4-digit keywords for unlocking the iOS devices. But now it can be set as an arbitrary length alphanumeric passcode.
• Keychain Security: To protect sensitive information such as passwords, iOS uses keychain security. A keychain contains the version number, the access control list, a value indicating which protect class the item is in, a per-item key wrapped with the protection class key and a dictionary of attributes describing the item.  

App Security

With apps having access to almost all the information stored in our phone, it becomes inevitable to secure them.

• App reviewing and Code signing: apple ensures to filter buggy apps by issuing a verified developer certificate which has to be obtained by each developer before submitting their app to the apple store. After obtaining the said certificate and getting it reviwed, the apps are made available on the App Store.
• Runtime process Security: There is always a chance that an app can compromise other apps installed in your device. But apple uses a mechanism called Sandbox to prevent that from happening. Apps are restricted from accessing files associated with other apps and making secure changes to the device. In addition, 3rd-party apps have limited resources when performing background tasks.

Network and Internet services security   

Almost everybody is connected through the net today. That serves to solve a lot of communication problems but with that arise a host of different issues – security being the most prominent.

• iOS supports Secure Socket Layer as well as Transport Layer Security. Built-in apps such as Safari, Mail use these protocols securely communicate with remote servers.
• iMessage is a very popular message service provided by Apple. Users can communicate with each other through iMessage as long as one of them is using an iOS or OS X devices. When iMessage is turned on, encryption keys are generated.  The private keys for those two keys are stored in the device’s keychain. The public keys are sent to Apple’s directory service, which is responsible for storing user’s identification, his/her associated public keys and devices’ APNs addresses.
• Apple’s iCloud is used to store contacts, photos, calendar and other documents such that they are synchronized on all of the user’s iOS devices. Files stored on iCloud are broken into blocks and encrypted using keys that is derived from the block’s contents.

Conclusion

Such as every other security system in the world, even Apple’s iOS security is penetrable. Malicious 3rd party apps still make their way into phones to sabotage its security. What’s more concerning is that even legitimate apps ask for personal information to generate user based ads. This is a cause of huge concern since you don’t know where your data is going. Even if it has it’s share of troubles, iOS is still one of the most secure mobile operating system .

A brief insight into the Pros and Cons for Cross Platform Mobile App Development

The world has gone mobile.

To quote Thomas Husson, Vice President and Principal Analyst at Forrester Research, “Mobile is becoming not only the new digital hub, but also the bridge to the physical world. That’s why mobile will affect more than just your digital operations — it will transform your entire business.”

If you wish your business operation to last in the cut-throat competition, then it is better to enter the world of mobile applications.

However, developing an app can be quite taxing. For a newbie, cross platform can prove highly beneficial and cost effective cause you need an app that can seamlessly function on multiple platforms and devices in order to reach a wider user base.

What do you mean by the term,’Cross-platform’???

Applications developed on cross-platform requires a single code base to work on multiple operating systems and function easily on several mobile devices.

There are two types of cross-platform apps:

1. Native Cross-platform apps
2. Hybrid ‘HTML’ cross-platform apps

Now let us have a proper understanding of the reasons that can influence an app developer to target this particular platform. To understand the reasons, it is important to jot down the various advantages and disadvantages involved in harnessing this platform.

List of Pros and Cons of Cross-platform mobile app development:

It is imperative to have a complete knowledge on the Pros and Cons of any new technology before adapting it in your app building strategy.

Pros of cross-platform:-

• Time saving:

Requires developing a single code to be used across multiple platforms thereby reducing the time taken to rewrite codes and platform customization.

• Cost effective:

Extra expense can be cut off by utilising the existing resources to develop the codes for once to be utilised multiple times. There is no need to employ separate set of skilled developers for other platforms or operating systems. Again, there is no need to learn platform specific development language.

• Easy update and bug fixing:

Maintenance of the applications is easy after they are developed. If a bug is realized in a common codebase, it can be fixed once and it will apply to all the other platforms or devices where the application appears.

Unit tests are required to be written only once for the common code, hence the saved budget can be used to write more thorough unit tests.

• Profit maximization:

Beside cutting costs, profit from your apps can be easily maximised through exposure across multiple platforms and several devices thereby reaching out to a much wider user base.

• Quick launching:

It is ideal for  B2B apps and business process automation apps. Time to deployment of the app is minimal enabling you to upload your application within a short span of time. Also, it leads to efficient utilization of the available resources which is more important than sleek look and feel.

Cons of cross-platform:-

• Performance delay:

Cross-platform apps have the tendency to freeze or lag since the code created fails to communicate with the device’s hardware or software functions.

The code rendering time is slow as well since it renders codes for each platform.

• Alien:

It is a fact that different application development platforms possess features divergent from one another. Hence apps programmed on shared codes often fail to integrate flawlessly into multiple platforms. There is a chance of not adapting to the previous customization made within the device. The users are left with an app that fails to take full advantage of the platform and allow proper utilization of certain features of the device.

• Restrictive tools:

It is mandatory for developers to make use of specific tools that are limited to the respective app compromising the user preference.

• Inefficient Coding:

Apps developed on this platform, not in it’s native language. Hence the efficiency of the final code depends heavily on the translation tools of the cross platforms.

Conclusion:

Any new invent is not free of drawbacks. The cross platform mobile application development provide the immediate, profitable and cost-effective solutions, fulfilling the enterprises’ urgent requirements. But the question is- Are they the most effective solutions to meet your business requirement?? This is left for you to analyze.

How To Ensure Data Security on Android Phones?

Are you confident enough to feed your confidential informations on a particular application or website?

The reply is definitely a big NO. Data Security is a major area of concern not only for the end users but for the developers or business operations as well.

If you start considering the huge train of important datas you store virtually, you will realise that one breach of security can permanently hamper your business.

A popular tweet by StaySafeOnline.org states that "Today's mobile devices are as powerful and connected as any PC or laptop. Take the same precautions on your mobile device as you do on your computer with regard to messaging and online safety. The first step is STOP. THINK. CONNECT."

From financial records to customers' private informations- all go into your smart device. Hence observing strict security measures must be of upmost importance for you when you design any application.

Mobile Apps built on Android Platform, has in-built security features that reduces the  impact of application security issues. The system is designed so that you can typically build your apps with the default system and file permissions and avoid difficult decisions about security.

"The popularity and adoption of smartphones has greatly stimulated the spread of mobile malware, especially on the popular platforms such as Android."- Yajin Zhou and Xuxian Jiang, Department of Computer Science, North Carolina State University

Let us understand the common security measures that need to be observed while using Android Mobile Applications:

The most common security concern for Android phones is whether data stored on your device is accessible to other devices or apps. There are three commonly used storage space:

• Internal Storage- This is a common and a safer option to store your personal files. This storage is accessible only to your app. Android implements this protection which is sufficient for most applications.
• External Storage- Files created on SD Cards are globally readable and easily modified by any application as it is removable from the device. Hence it is not sensible to store delicate informations here.
• Content Providers- Content providers offer a structured storage mechanism that can be limited to your own application or exported to allow access by other applications only if you permit.

Minimising the user permissions:

Android applications explicitly share resources and data with each other. They do this by declaring the permissions they need for additional capabilities including access to device features such as the camera. Hence it is imperative to reduce the number of permissions that your app requests. Restricting access to sensitive datas reduces the risk of misusing the permissions and makes your app less vulnerable for hackers.Try designing your application minus these permissions as it is the preferred structure.

Using proper networking:

Networking transactions are comparatively risky cause they involve transmission of data which is private to the user. Hence implementing best practices is crucial to ensure security to your user's private informations. Two types of networking can be used:

>Using IP Networking

>Using Telephony Networking

Handling User Data:

If you have access to user data and can avoid storing or transmitting it, don't store or transmit the data. If your application accesses personal information such as passwords or user names, keep in mind that some jurisdictions may require you to provide a privacy policy explaining your use and storage of that data. Reducing the access to personal information by your application reduces the potential for problems in this area.

Minimal Data Usage:

App developers need to analyze the data collected to streamline the process. Any information above and beyond the app’s primary function is then deleted immediately. It is a minimalist approach that keeps user information safe while eliminating some of the burden on developers to protect information that is simply not in use.

There are other technical measures that developers need to observe to protect the user's confidential datas such as:

Transit Encryption Method

Regular Updates

Server Protection

However data protection is also the responsibility of the user as well.

Let us get a brief insight into the security measures that an user can adopt:

• The most important precaution that the user must adapt is to install an Antivirus protection. Antivirus and anti-malware software are essential online security weapons.
• Strong Firewall
• Lock the phone with Strong Passwords
• Regular updating of the phone and the apps
• Allow android to scan and verify the apps
• Use Chrome's safe browsing feature
• Use Android Device Manager to tarck your lost device and wipe of important datas.
• Disable unknown sources settings

Conclusion:

The market is filled with smart hackers. Safeguarding your personal life and confidential datas has become a matter of concern. The smarter the phones are, the more smart the hackers are turning into. If both the app developer and the end user adopt some basic safety measures, then the risk factor can be reduced to some extent. Android and iOS devices have some embedded features that can be utilised properly to achieve this basic goal.

This is an open forum with lots of loopholes. You just need to be a little more careful