iPhone Application Framework for Retail Websites – a technical journey

The Quest to define Framework

Framework!!! Mind starts analyzing the nature and objective of a framework from different perspective. Let us define the word with the primitive thought. A framework is a basic conceptual solution or structure to solve the complex issues in the real world. It is generally more comprehensive than a protocol and more prescriptive than a structure. The word has a different respect in the computer era. An application framework consists of a software framework to implement the standard structure of an application for a specific domain.

The iPhone Application Framework (For Retail Websites)

This framework supports to build an iPhone application which has the basic features of retail experience. Developer can extend the basic functionality to create more intuitive features for retailing. The branding of the application framework can be easily molded to create application of similar nature. The components like managing the cart, checking out the desired items and the payment are generic enough to be reused in retail applications. The location based services is one of the independent component which can be implemented for showing any locations like nearby shopping stores, pharmacies. driving directions from your current position etc. The framework provides the flexibility to consume each component independently.

Conclusion

We know time is money. In the times of economical instability, there should be a scope for rapid application development. This framework gives the flexibility to the clients to build their retail experience in shorter span of time. Developers can write wrapper on top of the existing framework to build applications of similar nature.

Retail Application Framework – How and Why?

Within few years into existence, iPhone Appstore has witnessed a deluge of applications. Some of them were able to capture the fancy of the consumers while others failed miserably. Still, the iPhone applications are being developed incessantly all across the globe. The question is – Are we going to frantically create applications one after the other? Or, do we need to delve deeper into the technology and touch the real essence of it? The answer was for us to explore and we did that.

When we decided to enter iPhone application development business early this year, we decided not to follow the fad but do what we do the best i.e. understand the new technology to the core and develop which is never been developed. We decided to combine our technological insight with our business acumen and create a highly economical framework which will make development easier, cheaper and efficient. In pursuit of the above stated objectives we performed a thorough market analysis for quite some time. The idea to create retail experience on iPhone caught our attention. We did rigorous research on the retail domain front and our study concluded that retail applications have an immense potential to capture the market like none other. It was a beginning of our three month Retail framework development voyage.

A framework, the way we understand it is, a set of basic functionalities which can be “Cosmetic”ised in any desired way to create multiple applications and on multiple domains of similar nature. For example a retail framework can be used for developing application for FMCG, Pharmacies, Sports product retailers etc. with minimum effort, cost and time. The crux of all the above mentioned applications is the same, i.e. to display items in form of categories, subcategories so on; allow users to select item of choice for purchase, payment for the purchased items. As far as pharmacy is concerned, we recognized that managing prescriptions and selection of pharmacy stores through maps (as compared to orthodox selection methods) are the basic requirements of a pharmacy application. Thereon, we began developing these basic features in form of plug-in plug-out modules. This modality gave our framework unique flexibility because the modules had their own identity and robustness and ability to stand alone. Any other effort will only be in the form of writing wrappers over and above this framework.

Today, we can create retail application within such short period of time which is hard to even conceive. Strength of the framework lies not only in the performance in the technical sense per se but its efficiency in the economic sense as well. To answer our skeptics, the framework has the ability to emphatic ally minimize implementation cost by 70%. In future, we aspire to create many more technically and economically efficient frameworks like Retail framework on iPhone and other platforms like Blackberry, android and windows mobile as well.

Aditi Technologies Launches iPhone Framework for Retail Websites

Offering "Reduced Time-To-Market" With "Reduced Cost" and "Rich Shopping Experience"

Aditi Technologies, a leading provider of software product and application development services, today launched an iPhone App Framework specifically targeting retail websites, a turnkey solution that allows the creation of a compelling mobile experience for the online customer. The solution enables retail companies to create an engaging user experience which will enhance customer satisfaction leading to more traffic, thereby increase in sales.

Aditi's iPhone App Framework will help customers create fast and simple applications for building and managing their content rich iPhone applications with rich shopping experience, location based services, alerts and monetization options; while investing a minimal amount of development / customization costs. The solution can be implemented to any retail website, especially catering to verticals like pharma & healthcare, travel & tourism and FMCG.

Below are a few benefits of the solution:
- Increase customer retention and strengthen brand image
- Re-use a proven & reliable service delivery platform
- Get all the tools required to enable a rapid service deployment
- Minimize implementation costs by up to 70%
The following features of the framework are most valued by customers:
- The application can be customized and cobranded for any retail chain
- Retail, Shop and Photo modules
- Rich shopping experience
- Store Locator with Location based services, Map view, and driving directions
- Generic categorization based model that suits various kind of applications/domains

The pharmacy module allows users to manage prescriptions with ease, have a rich shopping experience and conveniently order prints of photos from their mobile phones.

Look out for more blogs posts with details on the framework.

For more details, you can get in touch with us at MobileServicesSales@aditi.com.

Press-release for this can be found at

• http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20670001&sid=a.pZSg8thCCo
  
• http://www.cnbc.com/id/34123936/site/14081545
  
• http://www.technology4media.com/uk/pressrelease.php?id=6769&mo=3&referencekey=5ccfaee00c96741cb706d9d7d875ec2e
  
• http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Aditi-Technologies-Launches-prnews-3850221258.html?x=0&.v=101