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Software & Cloud Development

Mobile development

Mobile work in an organization rarely stops at one app. There are customer apps, staff and field apps, the APIs behind them, company-owned devices to manage and security policies to enforce. We help you choose the right approach for each need and build a mobile capability that fits your IT environment.

Discuss your project How the work is delivered

A good fit if

  • You need more than one app, or a mix of customer and staff apps, and want them built on a consistent foundation.
  • Field or frontline staff need mobile access to ERP, CRM or work-order data, sometimes without reliable coverage.
  • You are unsure whether native, cross-platform or a progressive web app suits your needs.
  • Mobile apps must meet your security policies and work on company-managed devices.
  • An existing app is hard to maintain, poorly reviewed by users or falling behind operating system updates.

Another approach may suit you better if

  • You have one well-defined consumer app and only want that built. Our mobile app development service is a closer match.
  • A mobile-friendly website would do the job. We will tell you if an app is not needed.

What this service is

Mobile development is the strategy, design and engineering behind an organization's mobile apps: choosing platforms, building apps, and running the APIs, security controls and device management that keep them working. We help you create customized mobile apps that fit your brand and goals, across the main mobile platforms, and connect them to the rest of your IT environment.

This page covers mobile as a capability. If you have one specific app to take from idea to launch, see mobile app development.

Choosing the right approach

We recommend an approach per app, not a single framework for everything, and we write down why.

Mobile for the workforce

Many of the most valuable apps are used by staff: inspections, deliveries, maintenance, sales visits, stock counts and site reports. These apps need to capture photos, signatures, barcodes and locations, work where coverage is poor, and send data straight into your ERP or work-order system. We build them to synchronize with Prometheus ERP, ERPNext and other platforms, and to run on company-managed phones, tablets and rugged devices.

Because Promatics also provides managed IT services, we can align app deployment with how your devices are enrolled, secured and supported.

Security and privacy on mobile

Phones get lost, and apps run on networks you do not control. We store sensitive data only in the platform's secure storage, sign users in through your identity provider with multi-factor authentication where appropriate, request only the device permissions an app needs, and test against the OWASP MASVS controls agreed for the project. Store privacy disclosures are prepared from what the app actually collects. Privacy obligations under PIPEDA and provincial laws, including PHIPA for health information in Ontario, shape the design. This is general information, not legal advice.

What you gain

A planned mobile capability pays off across every app you build. Shared sign-in, APIs and design components mean the second and third apps cost less than the first. Staff spend less time on paperwork and re-entry, because data captured on a phone goes straight into the right system. Security is consistent because every app follows the same rules for data storage, sign-in and device management. Costs are planned release by release with estimates in CAD, and the whole portfolio can grow with your organization instead of becoming a collection of one-off apps nobody wants to maintain.

Keeping apps current

Apple and Google release major operating system versions every year and regularly raise their store requirements. We plan maintenance around that cycle, keep dependencies updated and monitor crash reports. Managed-service clients can include their app backends in 24/7 monitoring and support, with response targets set in the service agreement.

What is included

The exact list is agreed in writing for each project. These are the usual deliverables and the usual boundaries.

Typical deliverables

  • A mobile assessment covering users, use cases, devices, connectivity and security requirements.
  • A platform recommendation (native, cross-platform or progressive web app) with the trade-offs written down.
  • A shared mobile architecture covering APIs, sign-in, push notifications, analytics and crash reporting.
  • App design and build for iOS, Android or both.
  • Integration with ERP, CRM, Microsoft 365 or other systems through secure APIs.
  • Configuration guidance for company-owned devices managed with tools such as Microsoft Intune.
  • Security testing informed by the OWASP Mobile Application Security Verification Standard (MASVS).
  • App store publishing, or private distribution to managed devices.
  • A release process, documentation and handover.

Not included unless agreed separately

  • Devices, Apple and Google developer program fees, and device management licences.
  • Configuring your whole device fleet, unless included through our managed IT services.
  • Legal review of privacy policies and store disclosures.
  • Ongoing support after handover, unless covered by a separate agreement.

What we will need from you

Most delays in this kind of work come from access and decisions, not from the technical build. Knowing these early keeps the project predictable.

  • Apple and Google developer accounts in your organization's name.
  • Access to your identity provider and to the systems apps must connect to.
  • Representative users and devices for testing, including older models still in use.
  • Brand assets, content and any required approvals.
Delivery

How the work is delivered

Each stage ends with something you can review before the next one starts.

  1. Assess

    Understand who needs mobile access, for what, on which devices and in what conditions, including poor connectivity.

    Output: Mobile assessment and platform recommendation.

  2. Architect

    Design the shared foundation, including APIs, sign-in, notifications, offline data and security controls.

    Output: Mobile architecture and roadmap.

  3. Design and build

    Design and build the first app in short iterations, with test builds on real devices throughout.

    Output: Test builds for iOS and Android.

  4. Test and secure

    Functional, device, accessibility and security testing, including behaviour on poor connections and older devices.

    Output: Test evidence and release candidate.

  5. Release and maintain

    Publish to the stores or distribute privately, then plan updates around each year's operating system releases.

    Output: Released app and maintenance plan.

Testing and handover

  • Each build is tested on a range of real devices and operating system versions, not only simulators.
  • Sensitive data is kept in the platform's secure storage, and apps are checked against MASVS controls agreed for the project.
  • Offline behaviour is tested, including what happens when two people change the same record.
  • Accessibility is checked with VoiceOver on iOS and TalkBack on Android.
  • Signing keys, store accounts and build pipelines are documented and held in your organization's name.

What affects the cost

We do not publish package prices. Each estimate is based on an agreed scope, in Canadian dollars, with taxes shown separately. These are the things that move the number most:

  • The number of platforms and apps.
  • Offline operation and data synchronization.
  • Integrations with ERP, CRM and other systems.
  • Security and device management requirements.
  • The range of devices and operating system versions supported.

Questions buyers usually ask

Native or cross-platform?

Native apps (Swift for iOS, Kotlin for Android) give the fullest access to device features and platform conventions. Cross-platform frameworks such as Flutter and React Native share most code between iOS and Android, which often lowers cost. We recommend per app, based on features, budget and who will maintain it.

Do we need an app at all?

Not always. If users visit occasionally and do not need device features or offline work, a responsive website or progressive web app may serve them well at lower cost. We will tell you when that is the case.

How do staff apps get onto company devices?

Apps for staff can be distributed privately through Apple Business Manager and managed Google Play, and pushed to devices by a device management tool such as Microsoft Intune. They never need to appear in the public stores.

Can apps work without a connection?

Yes, with planning. The app stores data on the device, queues changes and synchronizes when a connection returns, with clear rules for conflicts. Offline support adds cost, so we scope exactly which tasks need it.

Who owns the app store accounts?

Your organization should. We work under delegated access, so apps, signing keys and store listings stay with you if you change providers.

Service

Mobile app development

One app taken from idea to the App Store and Google Play, through discovery, design, build, testing, release and improvement based on real use.

Planning mobile apps for customers or staff?

Tell us who needs mobile access, to what, and on which devices. We will reply to arrange a conversation about the right approach before anything is priced.

Discuss mobile development