The Ultimate Guide on Coronavirus Application Development

Healthcare is one of the main sectors where mobile application development has boomed during the pandemic crisis. From contact tracing apps to mental health products and symptomtrackers — the once slow and hesitant to change healthcare market has shown it can quite quickly adopt new trends and technologies.

In today's post, we'll talk about the main trends in coronavirus mobile app development that will set the course for the industry in the long-term perspective, take a look at the main requirements for the covid-19 app development, and briefly go through the main features of covid apps as well as the basics of budgeting for such products.

Five Post-covid App Development Trends to Watch for in 2022

Remote assistance

During the COVID pandemic, face-to-face communications became quite limited, which has spurred the development of alternative ways of communication, especially in the healthcare industry. The trend for remote assistance will be on the rise as it will help to shorten the response time and reduce travel expenses for both doctors and patients.

Patient monitoring

Remote patient monitoring is another huge trend of the industry. Slowly but steadily, advanced software that allows hospitals, independent practices, tutors, and physicians to track and process health information about the patient (or client) in real-time will come to replace generic solutions, such as step-counters or calorie trackers.

Communication support

No wonder the use of collaboration apps during the pandemic has skyrocketed, but what's more important is that even here the potential is still yet to be seized. We're witnessing a tendency towards shifting from 'one-size-fits-all' tools like Zoom, WhatsApp, FaceTime, etc. to more niched products that would allow users to choose and directly connect with a particular doctor via a dedicated app, for example.

Treatment information

Making users conscious of disease flow and possible health outcomes after COVID (or any other health disorder) is another trend that is only starting to get moving. As the pandemic has shown, many people tend to engage in self-treatment that can worsen the illness even more. This is where providing users with verified recommendations on what 'could' or 'shouldn't’ be done prior to a doctor's appointment can help to avoid such situations.

Mental health improvement

For many, going through the coronavirus pandemic has been challenging not only physically, but mentally too. Stress, fear, worries all have become normal responses to the new self-isolated reality. Getting people out of such a state can be easier with the help of apps that offer useful psychological recommendations, mental techniques, and meditation practices.

The Main Standards and Industry Requirements for Coronavirus App Development

Data privacy

When creating an app that helps to overcome a COVID pandemic, developers have to make sure that their product meets the requirements regarding data privacy established by Google Play and AppStore. For example, the app should publicly disclose its privacy policy, and should have no access to data that isn’t directly connected with the health emergency.

User awareness

For healthcare apps — and COVID-related products in particular — it's vital to make users 100% aware of all the information that an app collects or has access to. For example, according to Google Play, all contact tracing apps have to fully disclose their functionalities in the app listings. Another requirement may be sending users daily notifications (when the app runs in the background) informing them about the data that are being collected.

Content

When it comes to content, COVID apps should provide their users only with verified information that contains no conspiracy theories, 'magic pills', or dangerous health treatment recommendations. In order for a COVID app to be eligible for Google Play or AppStore, it has to accommodate information that comes from officially authorized sources only.

Legibility

In the same way as it is with data privacy, once the coronavirus app development is done, and your app is ready to be published, the app marketplaces will probably ask you to submit a 'Proof of Eligibility' form that confirms your product meets all the requirements set for COVID-19 apps. More information can be found here.

Specific Features of COVID-19 Mobile App Development

In terms of functionality, there are no particular limitations, and the app owners normally decide by themselves which features they want to see in their products — based on the business model and target audience needs. However, if you have no idea which direction to choose, here's a list of basic features that your COVID app may include:

• General information about COVID-19 — this section may provide users with answers to all their 'who', 'how', 'when', and 'why' concerns. All the definitions, possible symptoms, incubation periods, durations, etc.
• News — COVID-19 evolves, producing new disease variants each of which impacts a particular territory or group of people, and has its own way of affecting them. App owners can keep people updated on virus developments in the dedicated News section
• Warning of nearby cases — providing users with relevant information regarding disease flow in their area can help them better control their mental health, social contacts, and remove possible speculations about the pandemic
• Recording of symptoms and treatments — this feature may be especially helpful for doctors as this is how they'll be able to track disease flow for each particular patient (user). Instead of browsing through tons of files and folders, specialists simply tap one button and get all the needed information
• Contact with health professionals — if there's an urgent need, users should also have the ability to quickly get in contact with a dedicated health professional via the app. App developers can also add a feedback form that would allow patients to keep in constant touch with doctors, regardless of location or time

Cost of Covid App Development — How Such Projects Are Budgeted

It's really hard to answer the question of 'how much does the covid mobile app development cost' since there are lots of factors that need to be taken into consideration. Also, the number of resources may differ drastically from project to project.

In general, however, if you want to assess the required budget, we recommend considering the following factors:

• App complexity — it may be a basic app with few screens and functions or a complex product developed for different platforms that deals with huge data sets, supports non-linear workflows, etc.
• Development team — basically, who will be in charge of creating your product: in-house team, freelancer(s), or outsourced development partner. Each of these approaches has its own pros and cons; however, in terms of price-quality, the most viable option would be hiring an offshore contractor
• Post-release activities — if you decide to add some features to your app after its release, then it is better to account for the extra expenses in advance

With that being said, the average covid-19 mobile application development budget can sit anywhere between $20,000 and $300,000, depending on the goals you set for your project. If you want to get a precise estimate directly for your product, please contact our managers.

Consider Lunka.tech as Your Reliable Provider

Once the COVID pandemic hit the world, the need for niched healthcare apps started to increase with each passing day, and one such product was created by our team. The management team of a maternity hospital located in the UK came to us with a request for a healthcare app that would be aimed at helping women maintain the comfort and health of the baby during pregnancy.

The main idea was to design a system that, based on input data, could calculate the length of pregnancy trimesters. Based on the obtained information, the app would compile a list of essential vitamins and minerals for the pregnant woman to take.

Our team managed to create a simple system that not only compiles a list of complex vitamins but also orders their delivery. For ease of use, we also integrated a payment gateway into the app and added 3 subscription options that cover different users’ needs. The entire app budget amounted to $20,000 and the main technologies we used for this project were React.JS and Firebase.

Final Thoughts

The App development industry is quite a flexible one, and as the last two years of the pandemic have shown — the development teams and companies can easily adjust to the new trends and create products that will stay relevant even beyond the COVID pandemic.

Whether you're just browsing the information regarding mobile app development during covid-19, or are ready to start developing your own product, make sure that you've validated your app idea, came up with a list of core features, estimated your project budget, and have the professional development team who has the right competencies for your niche.

If you need help at any stage of the coronavirus mobile app development process or are looking for a software development partner to carry out covid app development from start to finish, get in touch with Lunka.tech. Our team has vast experience creating healthcare solutions and can help you avoid all the common pitfalls during the coronavirus application development. Reach out to us via the feedback form and we'll get in touch with you in no time!

FAQ

What are the stages involved in the coronavirus application development process?

The entire app development process can be broken down into three main stages: Pre-design, design and development

In the first stage, the goal of the development team is to take the initial project brief and turn it into a workable strategy that will specify project goals, delivery timelines, and the tech stack that will be used

During the second stage, the team develops the UI and UX of the project. This stage should result in the creation of the wireframe that will specify all the app's screens, their connections, visual design, etc

In the last stage, the app simply gets built — based on the input data and all technical specifications produced during the previous stages

What if I want any modification in my product once it is launched?

We can introduce changes to the product even after it has been released. However, if these adjustments fall off the initially agreed scope of work, they will be quoted separately

Who will own the source code of the product?

Once the project is complete, you will be given all the license rights for the code that is written for you by our team. We always try to stay transparent about how we approach intellectual property rights, so before the project starts you will be provided with all the necessary information in that regard

I already have an existing app. Can you help me update it to the current industry standards?

Sure. Aside from developing software projects from scratch, we can also help you enhance the functionality of your existing solution. Aside from that, we also provide post-release support and maintenance services for the projects that were either developed by our company or third-party development suppliers

This Article Was helpful?