What is a connected app?

Let's start at the beginning, because what are connected apps anyway? Connected apps ensure that certain software can communicate seamlessly with other apps and systems. Think about this control your lighting via your smartphone or it opening doors with a digital key. To be able to “talk” to other software, connected apps use APIs. These can be used for various purposes, such as automating tasks, reporting and much more.

Digitization and connecting different devices and systems are things that we increasingly encounter in everyday life. Connected apps can not only make life easier and more efficient, but also more fun. 

The demand for connected apps has increased significantly due to the rise of IoT, where devices connect with each other. Connected apps make it possible to manage and monitor smart devices. Also, these apps can store large amounts of usable data collect data and provide valuable insights.

The Internet of Things (IoT) and connected apps complement each other by providing versatile solutions for diverse industries and consumer needs. This mutual support between IoT and connected apps is reflected in various aspects.

Collecting data – IoT devices collect data from various sources, such as devices, sensors and systems. Connected apps serve as interfaces that receive, process and display this data to users. These apps facilitate the analysis of the collected data and translate it into valuable insights.

Operating devices – Connected apps allow users to remotely control and monitor devices and systems connected via the IoT. This includes managing the temperature in your home and activating security systems. This results in the ability for users to access their paired devices at any time and from any location.

Optimization and automation – The collaboration between IoT and connected apps makes it possible to introduce automated processes. For example, sensors that collect data on energy consumption can provide intelligent optimization proposals via a connected app to reduce energy waste in people's homes or offices.

User experience personalization – Connected apps can create customized experiences for users based on the data the app collects. This ranges from recommendations for household settings to adjusting health and fitness programs.

Scalability and flexibility – Thanks to the IoT, connected apps can easily grow and adapt to the requirements of systems. New IoT devices and sensors can be added and integrated into the system, expanding the app's functionality without the need for a complete restructuring.

Various communication technologies are used to build connected apps, such as Matter and OBE. These technologies play an important role in enabling seamless interaction and communication between apps and devices. 

Matter is a standardized communications technology developed to simplify connectivity between smart devices. The common language allows, for example, smart lamps, security systems or thermostats to communicate and work together. This is done via various wireless protocols, such as Wi-Fi, Thread and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). Standardization also allows devices from different manufacturers to communicate with each other.

BLE is an energy-efficient wireless technology that is often used for short-range communication between devices. It is ideal for IoT applications due to its low power consumption and is widely used for connections between wearables, healthcare devices and smartphones.

Leveraging these technologies, developers can build powerful and easy-to-use applications, giving end users a more integrated and automated experience within smart home and IoT systems.

We started to profile ourselves as connected app developer because of the endless benefits and possibilities this type of app offers. Not only for users, but also for the industry in which we operate. Connected apps offer benefits in terms of functionality, user experience, data collection and the ability to serve a growing market. It enables us to deliver innovative solutions that meet the needs of modern users and organizations. 

Connected apps open the door to a wide range of interactions and possibilities for users. Consider controlling home automation systems, monitoring health equipment or tracking vehicles in real-time via a single app. The ability to connect and manage different devices through one central application improves the convenience and efficiency of daily tasks.

The fact that devices are no longer “dumb” is not only a great advantage for the users, but also for the companies that developed or had the apps developed. The data from the devices is collected, and these insights can be used to improve products, understand user behavior or identify new opportunities within the market.

Balancing technical efficiency and usability remains a challenge when developing connected apps. This is due to the complexity of connecting different systems and devices, while user-friendliness for end users must remain central during development. Each device or protocol has its own unique set of requirements and requirements, which makes app development and maintenance complex.

Connecting multiple devices increases the chance of potential security risks. Ensuring data security and user privacy is crucial. Any added connection between devices can create potential weaknesses that need to be addressed with good security measures and protocols.

While technical efficiency is important, it should not come at the expense of user experience. It is a challenge to integrate complex technical aspects while providing an intuitive and easy-to-understand user interface. The goal is to provide users with a seamless experience without having to understand the complexities behind the scenes.

Because there are many different devices and “rules”, building a connected app is difficult if they cannot work well with each other. Making devices from different brands work together requires extra effort, but if they use standard communication technologies, this greatly simplifies building an app.

Together with in-lite we have created a connected app for controlling garden lighting. The challenge here was that the innovative and smart garden lighting had to integrate seamlessly via a user-friendly app. Users can control their garden lighting via the app via their smartphone through a Bluetooth Mesh network. All smart bulbs can communicate with each other, without the limitations of Bluetooth range limits. 

How this works? All smart lamps are part of the mesh network via Bluetooth. Each lamp is therefore connected to each other and to the transformer. The app in turn connects to the transformer, and all desired actions can be entered here, which are then forwarded to the smart mesh network of the lamps. This provides a stable and reliable network.

Ready to have an IoT app developed for your hardware? With more than 10 years of experience as software experts, we have seen pitfalls, experienced difficulties, but above all learned a lot from our experiences. The most important things we have learned can be found in our whitepaper.

Developing connected apps often presents the biggest technical challenges. No-code platforms and SaaS solutions are often suitable for different requirements in app development. There is no pattern for building a connected app – it often requires an approach that is focused on a unique situation. Every app is different, but after several successful ones connected apps built to have, we are packed with experience. More importantly, we get a lot of pleasure out of it.